Zhang Yuanqing hailed a taxi and rushed to Fu Family Bay. After swiping his card at the security checkpoint, he entered the residential area and arrived at the luxurious villa.
As soon as he stepped inside, he spotted Ling Jun, dressed in a loose-fitting shirt, capri pants, and flip-flops, stealthily hiding beneath a decorative tree. His arms were wrapped around the trunk as he muttered something under his breath.
Zhang Yuanqing followed his gaze and noticed a Green Vine coiling around a phone nestled among the dense foliage. The camera was pointed at a window of the villa, constantly adjusting its angle as if filming something.
What's he up to? Zhang Yuanqing approached and asked, "Are you secretly filming the bunny girl taking a bath?"
"What's so interesting about that?" Ling Jun turned around and shushed him. "Keep it down. I'm filming the top trending news."
Is there anything more worth filming than a hot girl with a slim waist, long legs, and big breasts taking a bath? If so, it must be a pig taking a bath. Is this guy as abstinent as Fu Qingyang?
Zhang Yuanqing was about to ask more questions when Ling Jun waved him away. "Go mind your own business. Don't linger here or you'll get caught."
Reluctantly, Zhang Yuanqing turned and followed the stone-paved path across the lawn into the villa.
Zhang Yuanqing effortlessly navigated to the study, tapped lightly twice, and pushed open the double brown wooden doors.
As the doors swung open, he heard the familiar, comforting "tap-tap" sound.
In the lavishly decorated study, his gaze first fell upon the Curly-Haired Poodle perched regally on the desk, then upon the brand-new, petite Red Dancing Shoes.
At that moment, the Red Dancing Shoes were relentlessly attacking the Curly-Haired Poodle, circling him with ferocious kicks and stomps—left cheek, right cheek, left cheek, right cheek—like an irritating, tireless fly.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but Zhang Yuanqing sensed that Elder Miao had lost all will to live.
On the guest sofa sat Fu Qingyang, Guan Ya, and Jiang Jingwei. The red-haired girl watched the spectacle with amusement, erupting in fits of "ha ha" and "giggle-giggle" laughter.
Guan Ya's lips were pressed tightly together, struggling to suppress her amusement.
Fu Qingyang maintained his usual brick-like expression, but his gaze remained fixed on Elder Miao, never wavering, unwilling to miss a single moment.
The elder had triggered the Red Dancing Shoes' killing rule. True to its nature as a Rule Item, even an Elder-level powerhouse couldn't circumvent it. Still, it was clear that Elder Miao was a dignified warrior, preferring to endure the shoes' relentless harassment rather than resort to the humiliating dance.
Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the laughter that nearly escaped his lips.
As the study door swung open, Fu Qingyang and the others turned to look. Elder Miao's gaze sharpened instantly, his eyes burning with murderous intent as he glared at Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately bowed deeply. "Thank you, Elder, for traveling so far to the Capital City to resolve the Item's threat. This humble one will surely repay your kindness in the future."
Staring at his subordinate's obsequious demeanor, Elder Miao found himself at a loss for how to vent his fury. Just then, the Red Dancing Shoes flew up and delivered another resounding slap to his face.
Fire blazed in Elder Miao's eyes.
Zhang Yuanqing bowed again. "Thank you, Elder."
"Retrieve that broken Item," Elder Miao growled.
"Yes, sir!" Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief and turned to the Red Dancing Shoes. "No more disrespecting the Elder."
He secretly summoned the shoes.
Responding to their Master's call, the Red Dancing Shoes immediately ceased their attack and hopped over to him.
It's worth noting that once an Item has bonded with a Master, the Master can actively cancel or interrupt the Red Dancing Shoes' attacks—a privilege granted by the Spirit Realm.
Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to retrieve the shoes, a message suddenly appeared:
[ Will you dance with me? If so, please step in place. ]
Damn, I forgot I hadn't paid the price for using them last time, Zhang Yuanqing thought, glancing at Elder Miao.
"Elder, I need to step away for a moment," he said.
"No need," Elder Miao replied coolly. "Dance right here."
This is revenge!
Zhang Yuanqing immediately turned to Fu Qingyang. Centurion, you've got to back me up here!
Fu Qingyang averted his gaze.
Guan Ya silently pulled out her phone and started recording.
"Dancing?" Jiang Jingwei's face lit up with excitement. "I want to see! I want to see!"
Fine, I'll dance. It's not like I haven't embarrassed myself in public before. I am, after all, the heir to Uncle's legacy. Zhang Yuanqing took a step back with his left foot, rose onto his toes, and performed a deep bow.
Immediately, the rhythmic tap-tap-tap of the Red Dancing Shoes filled the study.
A few minutes later, the Red Dancing Shoes finished their dance, performed a final, satisfied bow, and dissolved into a crimson glow.
Elder Miao nodded approvingly. "You may all withdraw. I have matters to discuss with Primordial."
Fu Qingyang rose immediately, nodding slightly to his trusted subordinate as he passed, acknowledging his dance skills. "Not bad."
"..."
Guan Ya waved her phone at him, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
Zhang Yuanqing grabbed her hand. "I have only one request: don't let Yuan Ting find out."
Fu Qingyang paused, glancing at their clasped hands.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately released her.
After Jiang Jingwei had also left, Elder Miao said gravely:
"During my trip to Capital City, I learned from Elder Sun that he encountered the Goddess of Sandaoshan in the Nightwalker Spirit Realm. He discovered the reason she's been searching for you."
Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat.
Elder Miao continued, "He wants you to sell the Item containing the Goddess of Sandaoshan's Yang Soul. Are you willing?"
The Demon Subduing Pestle's primary function was Purification and Demon Subduing, but it carried significant karmic consequences, making it easy for the Old Hag to track him across vast distances.
If the Taiyi Sect could offer an Item to replace the Demon Subduing Pestle, along with other valuable Items and cash, Zhang Yuanqing would consider selling it.
It was similar to the Fallen Holy Grail—though of high caliber, it held little practical use for him. Converting it into immediately absorbable benefits would be ideal.
With a few powerful Items, he could finally take down Li Xianzong.
Zhang Yuanqing pondered, calculating the appropriate price for such a sale.
Elder Miao nodded approvingly. "Don't worry about it. I've already turned him down for you. The Yang Soul of the Goddess of Sandaoshan is a priceless treasure, and as a Nightwalker, you'll have great use for it in the future. Did he really think he could just take it with a casual 'name your price'?"
"Elder, what did you say?"
"The Yang Soul of the Goddess of Sandaoshan is a priceless treasure."
"No, I mean... did you say 'name your price'?" Zhang Yuanqing's heart ached. I'd gladly sell it! Please, offer a high price!
Elder Miao paused, pretending not to notice Zhang Yuanqing's eagerness. He continued, "It's natural you wouldn't want to sell it. The Goddess of Sandaoshan's Yang Soul has three major uses: first, crafting high-level Items; second, when you reach the Sovereign Realm, you can trade with the Goddess herself; and third, as a last resort, you can manipulate and enslave her.
"In other words, once you reach the Sovereign Realm, that item will make you a formidable force among Sovereigns."
This was why Elder Miao had rejected Elder Sun's offer. He was gambling that if Primordial Heavenly Venerable could ascend to the Sovereign Realm, the Five Elements Alliance would gain another top-tier combatant.
Enslave the Old Hag... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly didn't want to sell it anymore. He pondered aloud,
"But I'm afraid I won't be able to protect it," Zhang Yuanqing said.
Elder Miao replied, "If you're worried about the Taiyi Sect secretly trying to seize it, don't be. Elder-level figures wouldn't stoop to such tactics, and the Five Elements Alliance wouldn't tolerate it. The Night Rose, however, is a different matter—you should remain vigilant against them.
"As for the Spirit Realm, that's indeed a concern. You could temporarily surrender the Item to the Branch for safekeeping. Once you reach the required level, you can reclaim it. Of course, the choice is yours."
Surrendering the Item would be the safest option. With an Elder's endorsement, The Officials wouldn't dare cheat me out of it—they have plenty of ways to make me pay if they tried. But that would mean losing a powerful Item. Currently, the Five Elements Alliance doesn't seem to have any Sovereign-level Items comparable to the Demon Subduing Pestle, so they'd likely offer me inferior substitutes.
As for the Spirit Realm, as long as I avoid Instances like Jinshui Amusement Park, which was corrupted by the Old Hag, I should be fine.
"I'll think about it," Zhang Yuanqing said.
First Floor, Combat Room.
Wearing a white training uniform, Zhang Yuanqing followed Guan Ya's instructions, performing simple stretching exercises.
The Nightwalker's power had granted him a strong physique and impressive flexibility. He could now easily do splits without fear of straining himself.
Guan Ya and Jiang Jingwei were both dressed in white training uniforms. The two women, one tall and the other petite, were a sight to behold with their striking beauty and athletic physiques.
"Jingwei, why are you here too?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, pressing down on his leg as he glanced at the red-haired girl.
"To spar with Sister Guan Ya, of course! It's way more fun than school or work," Jiang Jingwei replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
She had no intention of returning to her office job.
A thought struck Zhang Yuanqing. "Who's stronger between you and Guan Ya?"
"Without using our abilities, just hand-to-hand combat? I've never won," Jiang Jingwei admitted honestly.
The Veteran Driver's martial arts skills are even more impressive than I thought. Even Jingwei can't beat her.
Guan Ya sat on the floor, her legs pressed together and her body leaning forward. She effortlessly grasped her pink soles with both hands. If her collar were just a bit lower, Zhang Yuanqing would have been treated to quite the view.
As she stretched, she explained, "Even though you're a beginner, we can skip the strength training. There are countless martial arts styles, both domestic and international. Let's start with freestyle combat—it's the most suitable for you at this stage.
"Once you've improved and you're still interested in martial arts, I'll teach you more styles."
"So you're proficient in various martial arts?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
Guan Ya remained bent over, smiling. "I was forced into it, alas. The Fu family is a ruthless clan that raises its children like fighting insects. From a young age, we were constantly competing in everything—academics, combat, swordsmanship.
"If you didn't want to get beaten up, you had to train relentlessly. Fortunately, I had decent talent. After I turned ten, only one of my elder cousins could defeat me. But I grew weary of that life. The higher the elders' expectations, the less I wanted to try."
I never would have guessed you were Teng Yuan's confidante, Zhang Yuanqing mused. "What about the Centurion? He must have been a prodigy in his youth, right?"
"More like a punching bag for me," Guan Ya chuckled. "When he was a kid, he was sickly and frail, with terrible talent. The adults all said he was a hopeless case. Let's not dwell on his embarrassing past."
Terrible talent? Zhang Yuanqing thought. The most outstanding young member of the Five Elements Alliance, one of the top fighters below Sovereign-level, had terrible talent? So Fu Qingyang had his own "Don't underestimate the underdog" childhood arc, huh?
After finishing his stretches, Zhang Yuanqing eagerly said, "Sister Guan Ya, let's get started!"
Guan Ya straightened up, her small waist tensing, and declared, "To rapidly improve your combat skills, we'll forgo using any abilities. Let's begin."
Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment. "Does freestyle fighting have any rules?"
Guan Ya nodded. "Winning is the only criterion. Do you think your enemies will play fair?"
As the sun set, Zhang Yuanqing dragged his exhausted body out of the training room and into the main hall three hours later.
In the first-floor lounge, Ling Jun was laughing and joking with two bunny girls on an expensive sofa. When Zhang Yuanqing emerged, the trio fell silent.
Ling Jun stared in shock at Zhang Yuanqing's battered state. "Your left cheek is swollen like a pig's head!"
"Guan Ya did that."
"What about your right cheek?"
"Jingwei."
"Even with a Nightwalker's regenerative abilities, they shouldn't be abusing you like this!" Ling Jun protested angrily.
"Well, not exactly," Zhang Yuanqing replied. "Guan Ya said she was teaching me freestyle fighting, where winning is the only goal and there are no rules. So I used a long-lost martial arts technique on her—the Breast-Grabbing Dragon Claw Hand."
"So you didn't exactly lose out, did you?"
"But I didn't even get to touch her!"
"Then why did Jingwei hit you? Did you try using that long-lost Dragon Claw Hand on her?"
"Do I look like a pervert? I just said, 'Minotaurs must die.'"
"Oh, well, the fact that she didn't kill you means she still loves you."
At that moment, the bunny girl brought over Zhang Yuanqing's meal: pepper steak, sausages, fried eggs, dessert, fruit, energy drinks, and more, all to replenish his strength.
Zhang Yuanqing stopped chatting and began to devour the food.
As the sunset cast its golden glow, Zhang Yuanqing pulled on his baseball cap and mask, completely concealing his face, and slipped back home.
He punched in the code to unlock the security door. From the kitchen came the clanging of pots and pans—Grandmother was preparing dinner.
Zhang Yuanqing slipped into his bedroom, calling out, "Grandmother, I already ate out. I need to study tonight, so please don't disturb me."
"Why didn't you say so earlier? I made too much food again!" Grandmother grumbled angrily.
"Just give it to Uncle. He's always stuffed anyway," Zhang Yuanqing retorted.
Grandmother, hearing the logic in his words, calmed down.
After closing the door, Zhang Yuanqing first checked his messaging app.
Three hours earlier, Xie Lingxi had sent him a string of crying emojis.
Zhang Yuanqing replied, "I've been practicing martial arts lately. Just wait until your brother masters his divine skills."
Xie Lingxi responded instantly, "After mastering your divine skills, will you avenge me?"
Zhang Yuanqing: "No, I'll join her in beating you up."
Xie Lingxi sent another string of crying emojis.
Zhang Yuanqing put down his phone and walked to the full-length mirror by the window, grimacing.
The swelling on his face had subsided, but his internal injuries hadn't healed. His waist and chest still ached faintly, likely indicating damage to his internal organs.
"Seriously, she hits so hard! She talks about wanting to book a room with me and use me to practice her 'Art of Tying Up a Chicken,' but in reality, the moment I even hinted at admiring her exaggerated pectoral muscles, she beat me up!"
Still, Guan Ya had taught him some useful techniques.
His biggest problem was that he only knew how to punch and kick, lacking the ability to effectively use his knees, elbows, shoulders, and back.
He could dominate those with weaker physiques, but against skilled fighters, his novice status was instantly exposed.
Jinshui Amusement Park.
Under the deep night sky, the amusement park shimmered with dreamlike brilliance.
A golden light sliced through the darkness, coalescing into a peerlessly beautiful woman in ancient attire. Her features were exquisite: perfectly sculpted cheekbones framed her face, a delicate nose graced her profile, and her lips were full and sensual.
In the night wind, her flowing robes and black silk hair billowed, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly aura, like a celestial being.
The Goddess of Sandaoshan glanced down at the amusement park rides below. Six tiny figures, eyes closed, were riding a roaring roller coaster.
She withdrew her gaze without further interest, riding the golden light down to a gloomy, ancient mansion.
The yin energy in the area stagnated. The vengeful spirits within the Haunted House cowered on the ground, trembling.
A dense cloud of yin energy emanated from the mansion's depths, halting three zhang away from the Goddess of Sandaoshan. Within the swirling darkness, a figure in a bridal gown bowed respectfully.
"Have you found any leads on the person I asked you to find?" the Goddess of Sandaoshan inquired.