"Get out!" Guan Ya rested both hands on the steering wheel and stared straight ahead. Her profile was icy, glamorous, and completely cold as she snapped.
It had been a wretched evening. Though she had acted coy and claimed she hadn't wanted to come, her unusually youthful, demure outfit was a true reflection of her inner feelings.
Deep down, she had been looking forward to this dinner.
Yet the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. The focal point of tonight's dinner hadn't been her, but an inexplicable yin corpse. Nor had she been warmly received by her boyfriend's family the way most girls were on their first visit.
They hadn't even bothered to ask about her age or family background.
If it had been any younger girl, she would have curled up in the car and cried her eyes out by now. Guan Ya wasn't a little girl, but she still felt an overwhelming sense of grievance.
"Get out!"
Seeing Zhang Yuanqing stubbornly refuse to budge, Guan Ya repeated herself with heavier emphasis.
Having vented her temper, she took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry, Yuanshi. I'm in a bad mood right now. Please get out. Whatever it is, we'll talk tomorrow."
Guan Ya's expression and tone had already returned to normal; she had reined in her emotions remarkably well.
Yet the calmer she was, the less Zhang Yuanqing could afford to leave. According to his life mentor, the sweet, glued-together relationship he currently had with Guan Ya was entirely the lingering afterglow of the set item's backlash.
This "afterglow" could either ferment and heat up or cool down and fade away, entirely depending on how he handled things.
If tonight's matter wasn't resolved, then when he tried to hold Guan Ya's hand tomorrow, she would definitely shake him off. If he tried flirting the day after, she would surely brush it aside with a pleasant smile.
All his efforts would be ruined on the verge of success.
Guan Ya might not necessarily lose her fondness for him, but she would wonder how she could have made such a terrible impression on his family.
Did a romantic relationship with this man even have a future?
Once love became rational, it was doomed to drift farther and farther apart until they ended up ordinary friends.
—Those were the life mentor's exact words.
"Sister Guan Ya, the one possessing the yin corpse just now was Lady Sandao. When she descended in the killing trial, she quietly left an imprint inside the Demon-Subduing Pestle. As long as I take it out in reality, her primordial spirit can descend into the real world..."
Zhang Yuanqing poured out the entire story of how the old crone had descended.
He believed that with Guan Ya's keen Insight, she had likely picked up on some clues already.
"Lady Sandao?" Guan Ya's brows knit slightly, and a worried look crossed her face. "Will her presence pose a security risk to you?"
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "Not for the time being. The Centurion exited his trial today, and tomorrow he and Elder Dog will probably want to see me. I'll consult them then."
After a brief pause, he took Guan Ya's hand and murmured, "I'll go explain things to Grandfather and Grandmother. I won't let them misunderstand you."
*Phew, as long as it's explained clearly...* He breathed a quiet sigh of relief, only to hear Guan Ya pull her hand away and say in a flat voice:
"It's best not to deal with an existence of that level, even if she seems upright. Well, as long as you have a plan. Yuanshi, get out of the car. It's time for me to go back."
*Huh? It still didn't work?* Zhang Yuanqing was stunned, then put on a cheeky grin. "I'm not leaving. Sister Guan Ya, don't be mad, all right? We haven't even eaten dinner yet. Come back up with me, and I'll make things clear to Grandmother and the rest."
"There's no need. Going up now would only be awkward. Yuanshi, if you really care about me, get out of the car. You're an adult; please act a bit more mature," Guan Ya said faintly.
"Sister Guan Ya, this really is a misunderstanding. It's not that my grandparents don't like you. They just thought I was two-timing, which is why they acted like that. It's all my fault..."
No matter how Zhang Yuanqing explained, Guan Ya's expression remained chilly.
*I'm out of words. How on earth do you coax a girl in this situation?* Zhang Yuanqing bared his teeth in silent frustration.
He realized acutely that dating a girl and making friends were two entirely different things.
Some problems couldn't be solved just by high emotional intelligence; what was needed even more was experience.
*Experience... Right, ask the life mentor!* Zhang Yuanqing discreetly fished out his phone, opened the chat app, and sent a distress message to Lingjun.
—He had slipped it into his pocket when he had gone back to his room to fetch the Demon-Subduing Pestle.
Yuanshi Tianzun: "My relationship with Guan Ya is in trouble. I invited her over for dinner tonight, but due to an accident, another female friend was present. My family thought I was two-timing and gave her the cold shoulder. Then, because of some other stuff, their impression of her ended up pretty bad. The scene was too awkward to explain in a few words."
Yuanshi Tianzun: "I already explained the female friend situation to her, and I promised to clear things up with my family to restore her image. But it doesn't seem to be working. She's being very cold. I don't know how to coax her. What do I do? Waiting online, pretty urgent."
He sent two messages in a row.
Ten-odd seconds later, the phone vibrated with Lingjun's reply.
Lingjun: "Most men in this world always think they can reason with their girlfriends. They think that as long as reason is on their side, their girlfriend has no right to be angry, completely ignoring what emotions actually are. It's like when we threw tantrums as kids and our parents tried to reason with us—did it work? Not at all. Any kid willing to listen to reason from their parents is only doing so because they're afraid of the stick in their hands."
Yuanshi Tianzun: "Cut the crap, will you!"
Lingjun: "Your description is too vague. First, I need to confirm: did you explain the female friend matter clearly? Did she believe you? Or was she just brushing you off? If you're the reason her emotions spiraled out of control, I suggest you apologize sincerely, or break down in tears of regret. Show your attitude first, then leave. Don't cling, because right now, a woman doesn't want to see you; she needs to cool off."
Yuanshi Tianzun: "It's definitely not my fault! Besides, the female friend thing has been cleared up."
Lingjun: "In that case, the reason for her emotional distress is that your family has a bad impression of her. She panicked, perhaps even began to despair, and only wants to flee as fast as possible. If she's more pessimistic, she might even want to draw a line between you two."
Yuanshi Tianzun: "I already told her I'd explain it for her."
Lingjun: "No, no, no. Explaining it for her is just the bare minimum. After a dinner she eagerly anticipated went down in flames like this, think about what she needs most right now! She needs your commitment, your comfort, and your tender care. Most women are sensible, but when it comes to feelings, they're prone to being emotional. That's why a man must explain first, and then soothe her emotions."
Yuanshi Tianzun: "I know, coax her, but it isn't working!"
Lingjun: "Be more intense. Kiss her. Let her know your heart; make her understand your feelings for her. If sweet words don't work, express your love through more fiery actions. Go get her, young man. Gotta go, having dinner with my girlfriend."
*Kiss her?*
Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help glancing at Guan Ya. Aside from the day they had exited the killing trial, when he had kissed the seasoned driver in a moment of passion, he had neither experience nor boldness when it came to kissing.
Anyone who could force a kiss on a girl anytime, anywhere without psychological pressure was either a pervert or a veteran player.
Zhang Yuanqing was neither.
Just as he was hesitating, Guan Ya erupted, gritting her teeth. "It must have been such an ordeal for you to chase all the way down here. Well, everything's fine now. I'm not angry anymore. Would Mr. Zhang please go back home and play on his phone?"
The moment she finished speaking, she saw Zhang Yuanqing seem to make up his mind. Wearing a reckless, go-for-broke expression, he leaned in, cupped her face in his hands, and pressed his mouth firmly against hers.
Guan Ya's eyes went wide in an instant. Shock, bewilderment, and utter surprise made her forget to resist. A few seconds later, her eyelashes fluttered, and she snapped back to reality.
She shoved hard, pummeling the younger guy's shoulders and chest. Fortunately, both of them were at the Saint stage. Had he been an ordinary man, Guan Ya's blows would have shattered his collarbone and ribs, killing him on the spot.
*Still just as soft, just as fragrant, but her punches are way heavier than last time...* Zhang Yuanqing clamped onto the veteran driver's lips, caught his breath, and sucked harder. Considering she was in a forced, unwilling state, he didn't dare stick his tongue in, fearing she would bite it.
Even so, a girl's warm, soft, moist lips already surpassed every delicacy in the world.
In the end, Guan Ya couldn't bring herself to use real violence against him; otherwise, a single flick of sword qi would have pierced Yuanshi Tianzun right through.
Her hands pushed against Zhang Yuanqing's chest as she threw her head back with all her might, trying to break free.
As she leaned back, Zhang Yuanqing leaned forward, clinging tightly to her lips and refusing to let go.
Until Guan Ya had nowhere left to retreat, her head bumping against the window in a half-sprawled, half-reclining posture, while Zhang Yuanqing's upper body had completely surged over the driver's seat, his hands propping himself up on the cushion.
"Mmh... mmph..."
Embarrassed and furious, Guan Ya let out muffled whimpers from her throat.
Inside the dim, cramped car interior, their hurried breaths echoed, punctuated now and then by wet, sucking noises.
Guan Ya's body gradually softened. The force of her punches and shoves weakened. A flush crept up her cheeks and the tips of her ears. Her fierce glare slowly turned hazy, coated in a misty glaze, her gaze melting like silk.
Several minutes later, Zhang Yuanqing lifted his head and parted from Guan Ya's mouth.
Guan Ya leaned half-reclined against the car door, her cheeks burning hot. Hurried pants slipped from her slightly swollen lips, her ample chest heaving violently.
Zhang Yuanqing remained propped half over the seat, his body leaning forward, head brushing the car roof, breathing hard.
The two stared at each other—one with eyes full of hazy seduction, the other with a scorching gaze.
*Again...* Zhang Yuanqing swallowed hard, freed a hand, slid it under Guan Ya's hips, and with a gentle lift, hoisted her up from the seat.
He tumbled backward, pulling Guan Ya with him into the passenger seat.
The sports car had very little space, and their bodies were pressed tightly together. Zhang Yuanqing could clearly feel the plump softness of Guan Ya's chest. He reclined the seatback to expand the space as much as possible, allowing Guan Ya's upper body to press completely against his own.
With one hand cupping her perky bottom, he kneaded the springy yet remarkably soft flesh. His other hand slid under her T-shirt, caressing the delicate, satin-smooth jade of her back, brushing against her bra strap.
And from start to finish, Guan Ya did not resist.
Zhang Yuanqing captured Guan Ya's lips once more. This time, he boldly extended his tongue, teasing the clove-scented tongue hidden behind her pearly teeth.
At first, Guan Ya was reluctant and dodged awkwardly. But under his caresses, her hormones surged, and her passion was steadily stoked. Her reluctance gave way to submission, and finally to a fierce, ardent response.
No one knew how long passed before Zhang Yuanqing felt his lips and tongue go numb. At last, he cradled Guan Ya's face and ended the lingering kiss.
Half-closing her eyes, the seasoned driver opened them slightly to look at him, seemingly wanting more, before burying her head in his chest. Both of them panted softly.
After ten-odd seconds of silence, Zhang Yuanqing wrapped an arm around Guan Ya's slender waist and whispered, "Sister Guan Ya, take me home with you. I can already picture Grandfather and Grandmother having the torture instruments ready, waiting for me to walk into the trap. *Sigh,* Grandfather worked as a police inspector his whole life; he can't stand even a speck of sand in his eyes. I don't even know how to explain Lady Sandao."
Guan Ya let out a soft huff.
Zhang Yuanqing could tell that the resentment in her heart was gone. To be precise, the tenderness and sweetness between lovers had suppressed the resentment and anger.
Lingjun had been right. A hearty, thorough kiss was far more useful than an explanation, allowing her to grasp a man's heart much better.
Still, verbal comfort couldn't be skipped. Zhang Yuanqing said, "My grandparents are reasonable people. We'll go up in a bit and make everything clear."
"You go. I'm definitely not going," Guan Ya rolled her eyes.
Her tone had undergone a world-shaking change. Before, it had been cold and distant; now, it was full of coy pouting.
"That works too!"
Zhang Yuanqing gently stroked Guan Ya's firm, delicate waist. Without them noticing, her T-shirt had been pushed up toward her chest, exposing a wide swath of fair, creamy skin.
Her waist was remarkably slender, with enticing curves, and her extremely low body fat gave the skin a tight, smooth feel.
As if suddenly recalling something, Guan Ya lifted her alluring, oval face and glared at Zhang Yuanqing. "Why did your aunt target me?"
"Did she?" Zhang Yuanqing looked bewildered. "I figured she wasn't lying. Didn't you tell her that at the time?"
Guan Ya scoffed coldly. "I'm a Scout. Could her petty schemes escape my eyes? She just wanted to chase me away and make your grandparents hate me."
Zhang Yuanqing immediately feigned outrage. "Alright! That Jiang Yu'er actually targeted you behind my back! Just because nobody wants her, she can't stand seeing me find such a gorgeous, virtuous girlfriend. See if I don't hang her up and beat her when I get back!"
Guan Ya scrutinized him for a few seconds and curled her lip. "Completely lacking in sincerity."
Oh well, an aunt fell under the category of nosy relatives, and the entire purpose of nosy relatives was to be despised.
Her lovely eyes suddenly widened as she snapped in annoyance, "Stop poking me with your three-centimeter family heirloom!"
As she spoke, she tried to shift her posture to avoid something, but the sports car offered little room. Tall as she was, there was no way to steer clear of that annoying object.
Hearing that, Zhang Yuanqing protested indignantly, "It's clearly a thirty-centimeter family heirloom!"
"Ha, a thirty-centimeter needle... Mnh~ You... if you keep thrusting, I'm really going to get mad..."
"Then don't move. If you keep moving, this soft seat's going to turn into a wall socket."
After a few moments of peace, Guan Ya suddenly asked, "What's the deal with that female ghost who called you husband?"
Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself: *What's meant to come will always come. Settling old scores really is a universal skill for women.*
"That was the boss of the haunted house trial in Jinshui Amusement Park. I took her in as a spirit servant afterward. Calling me husband is just part of her setting, but our relationship is totally pure."
"Really?"
"What's with that skeptical look? My surname is Zhang, not Ning!" Zhang Yuanqing declared with upright conviction.
His relationship with the Ghost Bride was indeed entirely innocent.
"Then what about that yin corpse of yours? A spirit servant possessing a yin corpse..." Guan Ya stopped short, confident Yuanshi would catch her drift.
"I see wretchedness in your eyes, I see perversion, I see wickedness! A human cannot—at least, should not! Besides, my surname is Zhang, not Xu!"
"What does this have to do with someone named Xu?"
"You don't need to know."
After lying on top of him and murmuring for a few more minutes, Guan Ya climbed off the younger guy, sat back in the driver's seat, pulled down her T-shirt, and flipped down the vanity mirror on the sun visor. As she smoothed her clothes, she looked into the mirror, only then realizing her mouth was swollen.
Red and swollen. No wonder her lips felt so numb.
The second kiss of her life, and she had been kissed into such a ridiculous state.
"Scram already! I'm going home!"
Guan Ya snapped angrily.
***
With an apprehensive heart, Zhang Yuanqing typed the passcode and opened the security door.
The living room was brightly lit. Dinner had already concluded. Grandfather sat at the head of the table, silently sipping tea with his head down. Uncle's family hadn't left either; Aunt sat on the sofa watching TV with Auntie Jiang, while Uncle and his cousin kept Grandfather company over tea.
Grandmother was in the kitchen washing dishes.
The meal was finished, yet no one had dispersed. Why they remained went without saying.
Hearing the sound of the security door opening, the three men at the dining table and the two women in the living room all turned to look.
Grandfather looked expressionlessly at his grandson entering the living room, his voice cold and imposing: "Come here!"
Zhang Yuanqing walked over obediently.
Grandfather's face was stern. "What is going on with those two girls? Which one is actually your girlfriend?"
"Guan Ya is my girlfriend. The other one really is just an ordinary friend," Zhang Yuanqing explained.
"Why would an ordinary friend come to our house? She could even get inside! Either you brought her in, or you gave her the passcode. Would you give an ordinary friend the door passcode?"
Grandmother came out of the kitchen, firing off questions one after another.
*This... this... Grandmother, aren't your old faculties a bit too sharp and logical?* For a moment, Zhang Yuanqing didn't know how to spin it.
If he could bluff his way out of this, it would be severely underestimating the intelligence of a retired police inspector and his wife.
Zhang Yuanqing had no choice but to say, "Guan Ya really is my girlfriend, but she's shy. Plus, having met you before, she was coy and didn't want to come. So I thought of getting a good friend to fill in for her. I never expected Guan Ya would end up coming after all..."
"Just a good friend?" Grandfather sneered. "More like an improper relationship, isn't it?"
Zhang Yuanqing hung his head accordingly, putting on an act of having his petty thoughts laid bare.
*The real girlfriend wouldn't come, so he brought an ambiguous acquaintance to pose as her...* Seeing him like this, everyone understood.
Sitting on the sofa, Aunt immediately scolded, "Yuanzi, this isn't right of you. If you're dating someone, date them properly. Young people shouldn't be fickle, you know?"
"I understand, Aunt," Zhang Yuanqing answered, then promised Grandfather, "I won't do it again."
Grandfather's expression improved markedly. He let out a cold huff. "If I catch you doing this next time, I'll break your legs."
Elders were inherently biased and full of double standards. Even an upright, righteous retired inspector could only hand down a stern warning.
Grandmother was even more biased. She immediately tossed her grandson's two-timing crime to the back of her mind and pressed, "What's the deal with that Guan Ya? Is what Yu'er said true?"
Zhang Yuanqing turned to glare at his aunt, fuming, "Grandmother, don't listen to her nonsense! Guan Ya and I did meet through Brother Bing's case, and we stay in touch privately, but that time at Pingtai Hospital, she was investigating a case.
"Back then, someone spotted a wanted criminal appearing at Pingtai Hospital, suspecting an accomplice worked there. Since she's an officer, she pretended to be preparing for pregnancy to pry information out of the doctors."
Hearing this, Grandmother remembered that a terrorist attack had indeed happened at Pingtai Hospital. "Yuanjun, is that true?"
Chen Yuanjun rubbed the deep furrow between his brows. "She and I aren't in the same division, but what Yuanzi said sounds plausible."
"So that's how it was..." Grandmother glared fiercely at her daughter. "Always babbling nonsense! You're an adult now, yet you speak without using your brain."
Jiang Yu'er paid no heed to her mother's scolding. She quietly watched Zhang Yuanqing. Her clear, dark eyes showed neither sorrow nor joy, completely calm. Yet deep within her gaze, something seemed hidden—like sadness, like helplessness, like agony, like unwillingness... A sudden wave of panic washed over Zhang Yuanqing for no clear reason.
At that moment, Grandmother said with a touch of awkwardness and shame, "Then... then let's invite her over for dinner next time. Yuanzi, you haven't eaten yet. I'll heat it up for you."
"No need. It's hot out; I'll just eat it as is." Zhang Yuanqing sat down and picked up the rice bowl he had only taken two bites from. It had already grown cold, and so had the dishes.
"Husband..."
Before he could enjoy his dinner, the Ghost Bride, who had watched the entire farce from the living room, drifted over faintly and mournfully. She asked in a sorrowful voice, "That woman... is she your fiancée?"
Zhang Yuanqing covered the corner of his mouth and whispered, "A concubine. She's just a concubine..."
*Seriously, after coaxing a living person, I still have to deceive a ghost.*
***
Late at night.
On the rooftop of a residential building, an evening breeze blew gently, lifting black tresses and fluttering the bright red hem of a dress.
At the edge of the rooftop sat a woman wearing a silver mask. Her Song-style gown was elaborate and magnificent, with cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread along the sleeves and bodice.
Beneath the silver mask, her eyes gazed blankly at the brilliant nightscape below. The sweltering, clamorous day had ended, but night had brought no peace to this city.
Neon lights converged into winding roads, cars flashing their high beams as they flowed like rivers beneath streetlamps.
Between the roads woven of neon, tall towers rose from the ground, pedestrians bustling beneath them.
Those inside the buildings and those on the streets below were all enjoying time that belonged to them.
The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter lightly swung her fair, jade-like feet beneath her skirt hem, staring into the night in a daze.
Not until faint footsteps sounded from the stairwell did an unkempt middle-aged man with an afro and a beer belly emerge onto the rooftop.
"Palace Master!"
Mad Love Great Sage bowed and said, "The information you requested on Guan Ya, member of Kangyang District's Team Two, has been compiled."
He paused briefly before continuing:
"Guan Ya belongs to the Fu family, a Spirit Realm clan, and is Fu Qingyang's cousin. Her mother is the younger sister of the current Fu family head, known in the Spirit Realm as Fu Xue.
"Her father is a second-tier prosecutor of the Heaven's Punishment organization, wielding real authority. The two are currently divorced, but neither has remarried. Furthermore, this prosecutor still maintains extensive business dealings with the Fu family, making them solid allies.
"As for why Guan Ya came to take up a post in Songhai, that remains unclear for now. But I asked a contact inside the Five Elements Alliance to look into her personal file, and discovered her credit rating has been blacklisted.
"She doesn't seem to be favored by the elders of the Fu family, and relies entirely on Fu Qingyang's financial support to get by in Songhai. As for the specific reasons, the timeframe was too short to verify."
Her back turned to him, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter said faintly, "Enough! You may head back."
Mad Love Great Sage bowed and withdrew.
Once he retreated down the stairs and his light footsteps drifted farther away until they vanished completely, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter looked out across the night view and spoke suddenly: "He has already advanced to Saint."
From the pitch-black stairwell came a lazy chuckle: "I know. That shows our plan is on track."
Propping both hands on the edge of the roof, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter still didn't look back as she murmured, "I often wonder whether giving him the Demon Lord's character card was truly the right choice. Perhaps he could have lived a happier, easier life."
The voice in the stairwell discarded its lazy mirth and turned exceptionally grave. "Only he can digest the Demon Lord's legacy. He is a natural-born Night Wanderer; he inherited his father's talent."
"Yet he might also follow in his father's footsteps," she whispered.
"What's wrong with you today?" the voice said deeply.
The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter did not reply.
After a brief silence, the voice said, "You used will as a needle and your own soul as thread to mend his shattered spirit body, but that was merely a stopgap. Without inheriting the Demon Lord's character card, he could not have survived. This is his destiny.
"To save him, your soul was damaged, your temperament drastically altered, and you fell from the Dominator stage to a Saint. You've only just recovered a portion of your strength. You did so much for him, yet now you lament that he should have been given a peaceful life?"
The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter said softly, "I just feel that he's grown up all of a sudden. Perhaps the one accompanying him doesn't necessarily have to be me."
"Put away those foolish thoughts," the voice in the stairwell said. "Once he inherits everything from the Demon Lord, the prophecy of the Compass of Light will come to pass. Peaceful days will not last. In the war of factions, there is only life and death; there can be no coexistence. He has no way out, and neither do we."
"I understand," the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter raised a snow-white, frost-fair wrist, waved it dismissively, and said, "Get lost!"
Silence returned to the pitch-black stairwell.
***
The next day, Zhang Yuanqing woke up with a yawn. Delighted, he fished out his phone, intending to send Guan Ya a morning greeting.
Upon opening the chat app, however, the first thing he saw was a profile picture of someone clad in snowy white, accompanied by an unread message:
*Come to Fujia Bay!*
Fu Qingyang was summoning him.
*Has the Centurion finished resting?* Zhang Yuanqing quietly exited the chat app, logged into the official forum, and skimmed through the posts.
*Mhm, no leaks from Yuan Ting.*
*Not a big problem!*
In high spirits, he got dressed.
Chapter 296