After retrieving the room key from Xie Lingxi, Zhang Yuanqing arrived at the presidential suite and swiped the card to unlock the door.
Beep-beep!
Following the confirmation tone, he turned the handle and entered the suite.
The lavishly furnished living room was empty. Zhang Yuanqing glanced around and called out, "Palace Master?"
A melodious voice, tinged with weakness, drifted from the bedroom: "Inside."
Zhang Yuanqing immediately crossed the living room and pushed open the master bedroom door. The master suite included a small sitting area. Beyond this, he spotted the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter reclining on a chaise lounge by the window.
She still wore her crimson ancient robes, embroidered with golden cloud patterns on the chest, sleeves, and hem. She lay on her side on the soft chaise, her delicate, snow-white arm propping up her head.
Beneath her silver mask, her beautiful eyes silently fixed on him as he entered.
Such graceful posture, Zhang Yuanqing thought, his gaze sweeping discreetly over the pair of dainty feet peeking out from beneath her skirt. I wonder what kind of face lies beneath that mask.
This woman clearly dislikes wearing shoes.
"I heard you wanted to see me, Palace Master?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, settling into a chair at the desk near the chaise lounge.
The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter smiled, her eyes narrowing.
"I was wounded by a Heavenly King of the Military Doctrine Sect and won't recover quickly. The enemy has pursued me to Songhai, so I must find a way to protect myself. That's why I need you!"
A Heavenly King of the Military Doctrine Sect has pursued her to Songhai? Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat. Hearing the second half of her statement, he paused, confused.
"Need me?"
Need me to die for you?!
The Palace Master nodded gently, her slender fingers twisting a strand of hair. "I possess an Item called the 'Embrace of the Wa Empress.' It can rapidly heal any wound, no matter how severe, far surpassing the effects of the Life Elixir. However, using it comes with a price—a price I cannot pay myself. That's why I need you."
So that's it! Zhang Yuanqing nodded at first, then realized something was off. What kind of price could only be paid by him?
Neither Zhang Yuanqing nor the Primordial Heavenly Venerable possessed such unique qualifications.
Cautiously, he asked, "What's the price?"
The Palace Master sat up, her hands resting on her lower abdomen in a ladylike posture. She sighed.
"The price of the Embrace of the Wa Empress is this: to save one person, another must be sacrificed. The sacrifice must be male, and he must be the man most beloved by the one making the offering."
Zhang Yuanqing's "Holy shit!" was about to burst from his throat when the red-robed beauty sitting on the couch suddenly vanished. In the next instant, a pair of icy-soft hands reached around from behind, caressing his cheek as she murmured softly:
"You are my consort. Such a heavy burden naturally falls to you, doesn't it?"
With that, her crimson lips parted slightly, exhaling a warm, fragrant breath.
Zhang Yuanqing's entire body erupted in goosebumps, freezing him in place.
He couldn't move, paralyzed by the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter's oppressive aura.
After a tense few seconds, she suddenly giggled, her laughter shaking like a blossoming branch, her shimmering robes trembling.
"Look how frightened you are! How could I ever sacrifice you?"
She glided back to her imperial couch with graceful steps, her scarlet gown trailing across the floor.
Huff. Zhang Yuanqing slowly exhaled, his heart pounding. You crazy bitch! You're fucking insane!
For a moment, he had truly believed he was about to die.
"Palace Master, stop joking with me. What did you really call me here for?" Zhang Yuanqing suppressed his rising anger.
The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter opened her sleeve and slowly sat down, the playful glint in her watery eyes fading as her voice turned colder.
"I was wounded by the Demonic Eye Celestial King and nearly killed by him. He chased me all the way to Songhai. I need you to report this to the Songhai Branch. With five Elders stationed there, the Demonic Eye won't dare to act too brazenly. Their intervention would greatly alleviate the pressure on me. As for the other matter..."
She glanced at him sideways. "I heard you killed Li Xianzong in Yin-Yang Town. Well done. You truly deserve to be my consort. However, Li Xianzong was a trusted subordinate of the Demonic Eye. Now that he's come to Songhai, he'll undoubtedly seek retribution for this."
The Demonic Eye Celestial King is in Songhai? Zhang Yuanqing's face paled instantly.
After a long, troubled silence, he asked, "What is the Demonic Eye Celestial King's strength?"
The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter replied slowly, "Without any external assistance, my chances of surviving an encounter with him are only thirty percent. My chances of defeating him are zero."
In other words, there was no chance of victory. This was far too powerful. The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter was at least Sovereign-level, though she was an Orderly Class and had only recently entered the Sovereign Realm. The Demonic Eye Celestial King, however, was a seasoned Sovereign.
Zhang Yuanqing clicked his tongue inwardly. "If I were to encounter the Demonic Eye Celestial King, what preparations should I make?"
The Palace Master glanced at him, her tone slightly exasperated. "Prepare your funeral arrangements."
"..."
Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand to his mouth and coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I meant, what are the Demonic Eye Celestial King's strengths and weaknesses? I'd like to know more about him."
He knew he wouldn't be able to find any information about the Demonic Eye Celestial King. Sovereign-level data was restricted; even another A-Rank Merit wouldn't grant him access. Such privileges were reserved for those who had reached a certain position.
The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter had fought the Demonic Eye Celestial King herself, making her intelligence the most accurate and up-to-date.
"The Demonic Eye Celestial King is the only one besides Asura to have mastered the Eye of Seduction to its ultimate form. This has caused a vertical eye to grow on his forehead, hence the title 'Demon Eye.'" The Palace Master paused thoughtfully.
"Discussing his strengths and weaknesses is pointless. At his level, even if he has weaknesses, you can't exploit them. However, his personality might be exploitable. The man's a madman, a total freak!"
You call him a freak? Look who's talking! Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to retort, maintaining a calm facade. "How so?"
"The Demonic Eye Celestial King also goes by the name 'Hothead Heavenly King.' He harbors a burning anger toward this world and this nation, frustrated by their perceived failures. Wherever he goes, he investigates local officials for corruption, oppression of the people, embezzlement of public funds, and other crimes. After gathering enough evidence to warrant the death penalty, he stops, confronts the target, and executes them," the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter explained.
"Furthermore, rumors say he's fiercely opposed to evil and can't stand the strong bullying the weak. This makes the Military Doctrine Sect members terrified of him. In his presence, no Seductive Demon dares to commit any wrongdoing."
Zhang Yuanqing listened in stunned silence, his face blank with disbelief.
Is this an Evil Class? He sounds more like a saintly savior sent by heaven to save the world!
The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter said calmly, "Don't think he's a good person. Demon Eye is a classic example of obsession turning demonic. Such individuals are even more extreme and dangerous than those who are simply bloodthirsty. If I remember correctly, the Officials ranked the Military Doctrine Sect's Four Celestial Kings, and Demon Eye had the highest danger rating."
"I understand," Zhang Yuanqing nodded solemnly.
Hmm, based on my understanding of Evil Classes, this Demonic Eye Celestial King must have suffered oppression from the Officials before becoming a Spirit Realm Walker—no, not just oppression, but persecution and cruelty.
Only that could explain his "Hothead Heavenly King" persona.
The evil of every Evil Class has its roots.
Eliminating corrupt officials is a noble goal, but excessive extremism turns it into something else entirely.
"Thank you for the warning. I now have a better understanding of what kind of person he is," Zhang Yuanqing said, nodding.
Though it's utterly useless, he added mentally.
The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter gave a slight nod. "That's all. You may leave now. I need to rest. Tell Xie Lingxi not to disturb me unless it's urgent. Anyone who dares interrupt my rest will be strung up and beaten."
This must be her room, Zhang Yuanqing thought, silently feeling sorry for the little green tea for half a second.
Leaving the suite, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Fu Qingyang's number.
This was critical information that needed to be reported immediately.
"Speak!" Fu Qingyang said tersely.
The Centurion's voice is always so calm. But in the 0.01 seconds after I deliver this news, I want to hear you lose your composure.
Zhang Yuanqing lowered his voice. "Centurion, I just received word from the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter: the Demonic Eye Celestial King has come to Songhai."
"What?" Fu Qingyang's tone shifted, his voice urgent. "Did the Palace Master say... is the information reliable?"
The usually aloof Centurion's voice now carried a hint of desperation.
Zhang Yuanqing quickly summarized the Palace Master's words for Fu Qingyang.
"I understand," Fu Qingyang said, taking a deep breath. "This individual is extremely dangerous. I'll report this to the Elders immediately. Primordial, stay home for the next few days. Don't go to the office."
Sigh, even as a member of The Officials, I'm practically becoming a coward, Zhang Yuanqing thought. "I'll keep that in mind."
With a population approaching thirty million, Songhai was a vast metropolis. Without his true identity being exposed, finding him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Moreover, the Demon Eye's primary target was the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter. Primordial Heavenly Venerable, a mere lackey, was just a side target, not the main focus.
Starting today, I'll stop going to work and use disguises whenever I go out. It shouldn't be too much of a problem, he thought, hanging up the phone.
Fu Family Bay.
In the study, Fu Qingyang put down his phone with a grave expression.
Ling Jun, lounging on the guest sofa, popped a grape into his mouth and remarked casually, "What's wrong? You look pale. Did a familiar colleague turn out to be a member of the Night Rose?"
Fu Qingyang glanced at him. "Primordial told me the Military Doctrine Sect's Demon Eye has come to Songhai."
Ling Jun spat out the grape he was chewing, shot to his feet, and declared, "I've been in Songhai long enough. I miss my dear old father terribly. There's no time like the present—I'm heading back to the capital today."
Ignoring him, Fu Qingyang immediately dialed Elder Miao's number.
"Elder, I just received intelligence from Primordial Heavenly Venerable."
"Him?" Miao chuckled. "Tell me about it."
"Demon Eye has come to Songhai."
"What?!" Miao's voice shot up several decibels, his words tumbling out in a rapid-fire barrage:
"Where did Primordial Heavenly Venerable get this information? Is it reliable? Demon Eye has always operated in the north. Why would he suddenly come south?"
Listening to Miao's frantic tone, Fu Qingyang suddenly realized his own lips had twitched slightly earlier.
"The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter told him," Fu Qingyang replied, relaying Zhang Yuanqing's exact words to Miao.
Miao fell silent for a long moment before speaking in a low, grave tone:
"This intelligence is critical and timely. I'll convene the Elders' Council immediately to discuss how to deal with the Demonic Eye Celestial King. We'll also issue a public announcement advising those with dirty hands to stay home for now."
Had it been any other Heavenly King, Miao wouldn't have been so concerned. But the Demonic Eye Celestial King was different—an irrational madman.
A fanatic! A lunatic!
"Tell Primordial to stay home too," Miao added, before abruptly hanging up.
In the revolving restaurant of the hotel, Zhang Yuanqing and Xie Lingxi sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, enjoying a lavish lunch.
The round table was laden with prosciutto, borscht, caviar, steak, pan-fried cod, foie gras, and more. Yet Xie Lingxi had little appetite, listlessly cutting her steak as she said, "Demon Eye has come to Songhai too, Brother Primordial. You must be extra cautious these days."
The Demonic Eye Celestial King was a Sovereign-level Seductive Demon—terrifying, powerful, and seemingly invincible. Before such a figure, any talk of genius or talent seemed pale and meaningless.
"I know," Zhang Yuanqing replied, self-deprecatingly. "I'm scared to death right now."
He forked up some prosciutto and chewed thoughtfully. "Enough about that. Lingxi, I got a Faction Token in Yin-Yang Town. Interested in joining?"
Xie Lingxi's eyes lit up, her pretty face blooming with excitement. "Really? You got a Faction Token, Brother Primordial? Invite me right away! I want to be your supporter and help you achieve great things!"
Faction Tokens offered numerous benefits, the most obvious being an experience bonus. Though the boost wasn't massive, experience points symbolized strength, and who would refuse a chance to grow stronger?
And that didn't even account for the Token's other functions.
"Brother Primordial, what's our faction called?" the little green tea asked enthusiastically, cutting a piece of beef and placing it in her brother's bowl.
Zhang Yuanqing centered his qi in his dantian and slowly replied, "Return of the Dead!"
"Return of the King?" Xie Lingxi clapped her hands excitedly. "So majestic! I love it!"
It's a bit cliché, but I can live with it.
"No!" Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "You're thinking of the 'King' as in emperor, right? I originally wanted that name too, but it was already taken. Besides, I thought it was too old-fashioned."
"So...?" Xie Lingxi's heart sank.
"Return of the Dead! 'Dead' as in death!" Zhang Yuanqing lifted his chin.
What kind of awful name is that? This Faction Token is useless! Xie Lingxi's beautiful eyes widened slightly, her expression momentarily blank. But in the next instant, her face lit up with even greater joy and admiration than before.
"Return of the Dead! Brother Primordial always takes the unconventional path, never following the crowd! I love this name! Hurry and recruit me—I can't wait any longer!"
Zhang Yuanqing immediately opened the Faction Vault, clicked the search icon in the upper right corner, and typed "Xie Lingxi" using his finger as a pen.
He selected "Invite."
A moment later, Xie Lingxi sensed something. "Ah, it's here."
Her pupils lost focus as she stared at the attribute interface before her, then clicked "Accept."
"Let's see what Brother Primordial has in stock," she said excitedly, opening the Faction Vault. As expected, she found several items.
Two Items lay quietly in the Faction Vault: a crudely made Scarecrow with an ugly appearance and a can resembling pepper spray.
"Brother Primordial, can you show me the Item properties?" Xie Lingxi asked.
The Faction Vault allowed members to view Item properties without physically touching them—a feature designed to help members select Items from the Vault.
"We'll look at them later," Zhang Yuanqing said, immediately lowering his head to eat.
"Why not now? Just show me, please!" Xie Lingxi pleaded.
But Zhang Yuanqing ignored her.
Under the scorching sun, Auntie Xiao Yuan drove to an unopened bar.
The street was lined with bars and nightclubs, all closed for the day, their doors still locked.
Yet one bar at the corner stood wide open, its parking lot filled with cars ranging from luxury models to beat-up sedans.
People of all kinds emerged from the vehicles: some in sharp suits, others in flip-flops and capri pants, some with buzz cuts and tight-fitting clothes, and others wrapped in black coats, wearing masks and baseball caps.
The crowd was remarkably diverse.
Auntie Xiao Yuan parked her car, took out her phone, and showed the invitation text message to the two burly security guards at the entrance.
After verifying the message, one of the bald-headed guards sized up her voluptuous figure and grinned. "Go ahead and enter!"
"Hey, girl, wanna join us for a drink later?"
"Maybe, if I'm in a good mood and don't feel like killing you two," Auntie Xiao Yuan replied expressionlessly, putting away her phone and entering the bar. The entrance opened into a spacious hall filled with round tables and rattan chairs, with a long bar stretching across the far wall.
The tables were packed with Evil Class members who had accepted the invitation, Xiao Yuan among them.
The invitation had announced that the Military Doctrine Sect's newly appointed "Representative" had arrived at the Songhai Branch to reopen their stronghold, inviting regular patrons to attend and meet him.
As one of the three major organizations in the Evil Class, no one dared refuse the Military Doctrine Sect's invitation. Moreover, the Evil Class members genuinely needed the black market's existence.
Individual transactions carried the risk of being double-crossed.
After taking her seat, Xiao Yuan ordered a cocktail from the bartender and waited silently.
About ten minutes later, a young man in a tracksuit and headband emerged from the back room.
His features were handsome, his smile sunny, showing none of the coldness or ferocity typically associated with the Evil Class.
Yet the moment he appeared, everyone in the room felt a sudden chill.
This was someone even stronger and more terrifying than Tian Lingling. Unconsciously, the crowd straightened their postures, abandoning their casual attitudes.
The sunny-faced young man surveyed the hall and announced loudly:
"Today marks the reopening of the Military Doctrine Sect's black market in Songhai. I'm delighted you could all attend. From now on, I'm in charge here. Feel free to enjoy yourselves, just don't bully the weak or harm the innocent."
Huh?
The crowd exchanged puzzled glances, inwardly scoffing, Is this what he calls "enjoy yourselves"?
"I assure you," the young man continued, "the Tian Lingling bar fiasco will never be repeated."
"The Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter's actions have angered the Military Doctrine Sect. Our sect's prestige cannot be violated. As natives of Songhai, you can all report any information about members of the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter, or the Palace Master himself, to me."
"Each confirmed lead will earn you 500,000 yuan. Information directly related to the Palace Master, once verified, will earn you five million yuan."
The Evil Class members in the hall exchanged excited glances.
They were thrilled by the generous rewards and deeply intrigued by the Military Doctrine Sect's vendetta against the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter.
The young man with the sports headband continued, "Secondly, I need you to gather evidence of criminal activities committed by the Primordial Heavenly Venerable of the Songhai Branch."
What? Auntie Xiao Yuan's expression froze in shock as she stared at the young man by the bar.