"Elder!"
Zhang Yuanqing bowed in greeting.
Elder Gou nodded slightly. Remaining in his seated crouch, he looked toward Demonic Eye, who was sealed within the tree trunk, and said, "The person you wanted to see has arrived. I hope you will honor your promise."
Heavenly King Demonic Eye looked at Zhang Yuanqing, the corners of his mouth curling up in delight. "I want to speak with Yuanshi Tianzun alone."
Elder Gou shook his head. "You know that is meaningless."
Within the Zoo, the flora served as his eyes and ears.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye grinned. "I simply dislike having small fry around when I speak."
Fu Qingyang, the "small fry" in question, raised an eyebrow.
Elder Gou pondered briefly before looking at Zhang Yuanqing. "No matter what he says, under no circumstances must you remove the band from his forehead."
Zhang Yuanqing asked, not entirely reassured, "A Bewitching Demon's eyes can also unleash skills."
"Do not worry. His abilities are sealed; he is no different from an ordinary person." Having said that, Elder Gou left with Fu Qingyang.
Only Zhang Yuanqing and Demonic Eye remained in the cell. With only his head and upper torso protruding from the tree, Heavenly King Demonic Eye smiled. "We meet again, Yuanshi Tianzun!"
"To be honest, I had no desire to ever see you again." Zhang Yuanqing's face was expressionless, his tone subdued. "Say whatever you have to say, Heavenly King Demonic Eye—though I doubt we have anything to talk about."
Heavenly King Demonic Eye maintained a radiant, sunny smile.
"At first, I merely wanted to casually squash an ant like you to avenge Li Xianzong. Now, as for Li Xianzong, although he was cruel, combative, and bloodthirsty by nature, he had one redeeming quality that I appreciated: compared to most Bewitching Demons, his bottom line was a sliver higher.
"So I intended to groom him into a capable right-hand man to help me cleanse the world. Pity you killed him. Of course, you were enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven—I don't deny that."
*Can we skip the nonsense and get straight to the point?* Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye continued, "You know that when I kill, I follow rules. I never kill the innocent. So after arriving in Songhai, I had my subordinates look into your criminal record. To my regret, you have never committed a single infraction against the law. No corruption, no abuse of authority, no sexual assault, no slaying of the innocent... I truly could find no reason to kill you."
Zhang Yuanqing could no longer keep a straight face and reminded him, "Heavenly King, do you think there's a chance... I just haven't had the time to do any of that yet?"
Heavenly King Demonic Eye nodded.
"My subordinates did raise that possibility. But how do you explain the Bronze Sparrow Tower case? The payoff and risk in that case were entirely disproportionate. What prompted you to risk your life to bring down Bronze Sparrow Tower?
"You don't need to answer me. Asking your own heart is enough."
Zhang Yuanqing was left speechless. Helplessly, he said, "Why did you demand to see me? What exactly do you want to say? What do you want to do?"
Instead of answering directly, Heavenly King Demonic Eye sighed.
"My life has been an utter failure. In my youth, I struggled just to survive, my life treated like grass. In my adolescence, I raged in impotent fury at corrupt officials who bent the law, while cowering submissively before vile thugs who preyed on the weak.
"When I became a Bewitching Demon, the people I had to deal with turned out to be the very breed I despised most. At times, tolerating them took everything I had, yet I was utterly powerless.
"I wanted to cleanse the world of sin—to halt slaughter through slaughter, to suppress violence with violence. But the Orderly crowd called me an extremist, a lunatic deserving of death ten thousand times over. Meanwhile, the evil faction said I was out of my mind."
*Well, aren't you?* Zhang Yuanqing listened in silence.
"With great difficulty, I finally found Li Xianzong, which gave me something of an acceptable companion. Until I learned about you..." Heavenly King Demonic Eye's gaze suddenly burned with fervor. "Yuanshi Tianzun, there are many law-abiding people in this world, but those willing to stake their lives for righteousness are as rare as phoenix feathers. And among those willing to risk their lives for righteousness, who possess both the capability and immense potential—you are the only one I have ever encountered.
"Yuanshi Tianzun, follow me! Cleanse the world alongside me! This world is sick; it needs a cure."
*Dragging me out here in the middle of the night just to recruit me?* Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing found it absurd, yet at the same time, completely in character for Demonic Eye.
He felt a strong urge to ridicule the man as a lunatic. But looking at Demonic Eye's impassioned expression, his earnest eyes, and that martyr-like fanaticism when speaking of cleansing the world...
Zhang Yuanqing fell silent.
Such a person might be a madman, or perhaps deserved death, but he did not deserve mockery.
Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment before speaking.
"Heavenly King Demonic Eye, my ideals are different from yours. My maternal grandfather once said that out of ten officials, nine are corrupt, and the last one has simply taken enough. Officials, bureaucrats in the system, business owners, executives in large corporations... so long as someone holds power, who wouldn't be greedy? Who wouldn't seek personal gain?
"Greed is human nature. Not being greedy goes against human nature. The world's paragons of selfless virtue only exist on the internet; in reality, everyone wishes every benefit under heaven belonged to them.
"Therefore, we must face human nature as it is, and face its darker side. While punishing evil and upholding good, one must also learn to soften one's light and blend with the dust.
"Your ideology is too extreme. Is your ideal world really a cleansed world? No—it's the slaughter of all humanity."
"And so?" Demonic Eye stared at him.
"And so, I can never walk the same path as you," Zhang Yuanqing said in a deep voice.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye fell silent. Only after a long pause did he speak slowly:
"I understand your thoughts. In that case, Yuanshi Tianzun, I curse you: one day, when you witness the darkest depths of human nature, when your grievances cannot be redressed, when justice is crushed beneath the heel of tyranny, and when the weak are slaughtered like lambs—I curse you to become just like me."
Amid the low voice, Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest, as though an invisible hand were viciously squeezing his heart.
*Swish! Swish!*
Right then, two vines darted over, wrapping around Zhang Yuanqing and emitting a gentle yet potent emerald glow.
A few seconds later, the vines retracted, and Elder Gou's solemn voice echoed from inside the camphor tree trunk:
"There is no curse, nor is there any bewitchment. Demonic Eye, what did you do?"
Demonic Eye smiled radiantly. "I did nothing at all. My words only work on those whose ideals align with mine."
He took a deep look at Zhang Yuanqing and grinned. "My goal is accomplished. Yuanshi Tianzun, in the end, you and I will walk the exact same path."
*Fuck!* Without a word, Zhang Yuanqing summoned the Demon-Subduing Pestle and stabbed it viciously into his thigh.
A dazzling golden light erupted, and brilliant gold gleamed in his pupils.
The next moment, the golden radiance faded. Zhang Yuanqing looked utterly bewildered. Elder Gou was right: he had not been cursed or bewitched, and neither his body nor his soul bore any external negative effects.
Demonic Eye's words seemed to have been nothing more than an ordinary declaration, devoid of any practical effect.
*Then why did my heart ache?* Zhang Yuanqing muttered under his breath.
"Stop playing these petty tricks," Elder Gou's somewhat displeased voice came through. "Demonic Eye, it is time to fulfill your promise."
"Of course!" Demonic Eye curled his lips into an expression of sheer delight. "I am a man of my word. I will tell you everything I know regarding the Chu family massacre."
Pausing briefly, he continued:
"Back then, the ones who led the congregation to wipe out the Chu family were Miejue and Gui Dao. They were acting on Asura's orders."
"It was actually Asura?" Elder Gou's tone turned astonished. "Why would Asura want to destroy the Chu family?"
Asura was the strongest among the evil professions, lauded by them as the premier Spirit Realm walker. He had lived in seclusion for years and rarely appeared.
While the Chu family was indeed a prominent Spirit Realm clan, it made no sense whatsoever for Asura to single them out for extermination.
Demonic Eye chuckled. "Because Dark Night Rose wanted to destroy the Chu family, of course. Dark Night Rose's true objective was to seize that rule-based item of the Chu family. I don't need to explain what it does, do I?"
Elder Gou remained silent for a long time before asking, "Resurrection... Whom did Dark Night Rose want to resurrect?"
Without waiting for Demonic Eye to answer, Elder Gou figured it out: "Resurrect Dark Night Rose's leader..."
He understood now. No wonder Demonic Eye had said that before the Chu family was wiped out, Dark Night Rose had no leader.
At that time, Dark Night Rose had not yet grown powerful enough to destroy the Chu family on its own, so they conspired with the Soldier Master sect. However, if that were all, Dark Night Rose would only have needed to contact Heavenly King-level upper management.
Why would Asura bother with such matters? Much less personally issue an order.
"Why would Asura care about such trivial matters?" Elder Gou asked in confusion.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye said:
"This wasn't a trivial matter. You have to realize that Dark Night Rose's leader is a Night Wanderer! You old dog, with your status and clearance, you ought to know the prophecy of the Compass of Light—or at least have heard of it. I don't know the prophecy myself; I can only tell you that Dark Night Rose's Great Protector reached a deal with Asura.
"Asura placed his bet on Dark Night Rose's leader."
*The prophecy of the Compass of Light?*
On the surface, Zhang Yuanqing appeared calm and oblivious, but an ocean of shock surged inside him.
The last time he had heard of the Compass of Light's prophecy was in Demon Lord's audio recording, spoken by that mysterious Void profession expert.
*The prophecy of the Compass of Light actually involves Dark Night Rose and Asura? Even Asura, lauded as the strongest in the evil organizations, cares so much about it... Asura wiped out the Chu family to help Dark Night Rose resurrect their leader, which essentially means he invested in Dark Night Rose. Meanwhile, that mysterious powerhouse of the Void profession from the Goddess of Beauty Association also invested in Demon Lord...*
*Just what secret is hidden within the Night Wanderer profession?* Thoughts tumbled through Zhang Yuanqing's mind in rapid succession.
A prolonged silence settled over the cell. It lasted so long that Zhang Yuanqing began to wonder if Elder Gou had dozed off, when finally, Elder Gou's voice emerged from the trunk:
"I understand. Yuanshi, you may leave now."
*Phew...* Relieved, Zhang Yuanqing didn't leave immediately. Instead, he said, "Elder, I feel Demonic Eye's words were fishy. I took a loss on this trip, so I'm applying for compensation."
"But you weren't cursed or bewitched... Forget it, what do you want?" Elder Gou was in no mood to quibble right now.
"I want to share this intelligence with the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter."
"Granted!"
Zhang Yuanqing turned around happily and left.
Pushing open the cell door, he saw Fu Qingyang standing beneath a roadside streetlamp. His posture was upright, his face expressionless—truly standing as straight as a pine.
Seeing Zhang Yuanqing emerge, Fu Qingyang gave a slight nod, turned, and began walking.
Zhang Yuanqing followed suit, recounting everything Demonic Eye had said without omitting a detail.
Fu Qingyang slowed his pace, listening attentively. Once Zhang Yuanqing finished, he said in a low voice, "Without Elder Gou's permission, you simply share such vital intelligence with me so easily?"
Zhang Yuanqing wore a solemn expression. "Once a White Tiger Guard, always a White Tiger Guard! In life, your subordinate belongs to the Centurion; in death, I am the Centurion's ghost."
Fu Qingyang shot him a sidelong glance. "Hardly necessary."
Then he immediately added, "However, I am quite pleased with your loyalty. Hmm. The housing budget allocated to you will be increased by five million."
*So lavish! That brings my housing budget to twenty-five million...* Zhang Yuanqing's mood brightened instantly.
Fu Qingyang murmured under his breath, "The prophecy of the Compass of Light..."
Sharp-eared, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Do you know about it, Centurion?"
Fu Qingyang reined in his thoughts and pondered for a few seconds. "I don't. But your words today remind me of an old event from my childhood. Roughly twenty years ago, the Grand Marshal of the White Tiger Battalion died in an accident. During that period, the elders of the Fu family were in quite a panic, terrified that the White Tiger Battalion's influence would decline and it would be reduced to a second-rate faction.
"Back then, I inadvertently overheard mention of an item called the 'Compass of Light,' but I was young and ignorant at the time, so I paid it no mind."
*Oh, I know about that. The Grand Marshal of the White Tiger Battalion died in that turmoil, which led to the founding of the Five Elements Alliance...* Zhang Yuanqing felt rather disappointed that he couldn't glean the prophecy's contents from Fu Qingyang.
A dozen or so minutes later, the two left the fork in the path, returned to the main road, and walked toward the entrance of the Zoo.
Just as they were about to exit through the front gates, a chill ran down Zhang Yuanqing's spine. That eerie, inexplicable sensation of being watched descended upon him once more.
*That feeling again... Who is spying on me?* Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help quickening his pace.
"You've finally come to see me..."
By his ears, that ethereal whisper echoed again.
*That voice again!* Speeding up, Zhang Yuanqing said in a low voice, "Centurion, do you hear any voice?"
"No!" Fu Qingyang kept his gaze fixed ahead, his expression stern. "Remember what I told you. Pay it no heed."
Saying this, even the perpetually confident Fu Qingyang hastened his steps, seemingly anxious to leave as quickly as possible.
The whispered voice continued:
"Have you finally come to see me... Zhang Zizhen..."
Zhang Yuanqing's body stiffened. He halted dead in his tracks.
Zhang Zizhen—was his father's name!
Chapter 192