Hearing Queen's words, everyone in the living room immediately sat up, pulled out their phones, and logged into the official forum. On the forum, the Songhai Branch had posted an announcement five minutes earlier. The announcement read:
"Investigation Report on the Serious Misconduct Incident Involving Yuanshi Tianzun: Following verification by this branch, on July 6th, the Jinghai Branch submitted an application for assistance after its member 'Baihu Wansui' was subjected to an assassination attempt.
"Yuanshi Tianzun led a team to handle the case. Investigations revealed that the spiritual medium who assassinated Baihu Wansui was Wei Yuanzhou's grandfather, an individual previously wanted for the massacre of an entire household in Qinghe County, Yu Province, who had been on the run ever since; details can be found in the appendix.
"Worried that Baihu Wansui would become an obstacle to his promotion to deacon, Wei Yuanzhou colluded with his spiritual medium grandfather to assassinate his colleague. Later, when Yuanshi Tianzun arrived and shattered their plan, Wei Yuanzhou murdered his blood relative to silence him in exchange for merit. In accordance with the regulations of the Five Elements Alliance, Wei Yuanzhou's death was well deserved.
"After uncovering the truth of the case, Yuanshi Tianzun killed him in public in a fit of rage. While his emotions are understandable, the act cannot be condoned by the law. This branch will never shield anyone who violates discipline and breaks the law. We hope headquarters will dismiss and expel Yuanshi Tianzun, permanently bar him from re-employment, and sentence him to twenty years of imprisonment to serve as a warning to others."
After reading the announcement, Jiang Jingwei flew into a rage:
"What kind of clarification is this? Are the elders of the Songhai Branch out of their minds? I'm going to call my dad and have him beat those dog elders to death!"
"There's only one Elder Dog," Guan Ya corrected her with a chuckle. "Jingwei, take a look at the comments below."
Jiang Jingwei swiped across her screen to check the comments underneath:
[Grand Academician of Wenyuan Hall: Colluding with an evil class to assassinate a colleague, burning bridges, and murdering one's own kin? How vile. The last time I heard of something so appalling was Tongque Tower.]
[Beacon Fire Sweeps the Plains: Didn't that Wei Yuanzhou deserve to die? Good kill, Yuanshi Tianzun! If I were there, I would've done the same—otherwise, I'd be bringing shame to the Fire Master class.]
[Wangfei: Well killed! Has the Songhai Branch lost its mind? Expulsion? Permanently barred? Twenty years of imprisonment? Are they trying to force Yuanshi Tianzun into rebellion? If headquarters actually dares to do that, it would be an absolute disgrace.]
[Moon Rabbit: So that's what happened. I've been urging everyone to stay calm and wait for an announcement from headquarters. Rational people are far too rare.]
[Niu Xiaomei: Expelling Yuanshi Tianzun over a piece of trash? Did a zombie eat the brains of the Songhai Branch higher-ups?]
[Ice Banshee: Although Yuanshi Tianzun was in the wrong, his actions were understandable. If anything, it proves he's a moral, hot-blooded man. I finished reading the appendix—that spiritual medium had it rough, and Wei Yuanzhou was an outright beast.]
[Milky-Red Powderpuff: We jumped the gun. Mostly because the higher-ups didn't issue an announcement earlier, so a lot of people got swayed by the narrative.]
As Jiang Jingwei read, her face broke into a broad smile.
Earlier, when she joined Queen in trading barbs with people online, she had grown so furious that flames practically erupted from her head—literally—and she had wanted nothing more than to track down those official walkers accusing Yuanshi Tianzun of murdering a colleague and brawl with them offline.
After that, she hadn't dared to look at the forum again.
Now, even though some comments still argued that "killing someone is still wrong," "where are the rules," or "this doesn't excuse Yuanshi Tianzun's severe violation of discipline," more and more people were speaking up in his defense, and the majority were women.
On one hand, female walkers were more empathetic; on the other hand, Yuanshi Tianzun's outstanding performance in wiping out the Divine Generals had earned him a vast reservoir of goodwill and gratitude from female members.
Li Chunfeng tore his gaze from his computer screen, looked toward Guan Ya and Queen, and said, "Is the Songhai Branch's closing paragraph meant to whitewash Yuanshi Tianzun by posing as his harshest detractors? Then they're definitely going to follow it up with more moves."
Guan Ya gave an "Mm," her tone carrying the confidence of someone who knew her little brother best: "It's most likely a dirty trick cooked up by Fu Qingyang."
Queen paid him no mind, keeping her head down to continue fighting online, verbally blasting every single person who spoke ill of Yuanshi Tianzun.
Sure enough, half an hour later, a thread was rapidly pinned and highlighted with an eye-catching title:
#If Headquarters Punishes Yuanshi Tianzun Severely, I Will Resign Immediately; Mark My Words#
The poster was Baihu Wansui.
In the post, he tearfully recounted Wei Yuanzhou's atrocities, describing his experience of being ambushed twice, expressing utter disbelief that after risking his life for the organization and pouring his heart and soul into the branch, this was what he got in return.
He pointed out in the thread that while Wei Yuanzhou was ostensibly the prime culprit behind everything he had suffered, didn't the organization bear responsibility as well?
Wei Yuanzhou appeared gentle on the surface, but deep down, he was a twisted lunatic. The organization held annual grand health checks, yet year after year, it failed to detect a lunatic with such darkness in his heart.
Everything that happened today was caused by institutional flaws in the Jinghai Branch, and even headquarters itself.
The short essay was written with immense emotional appeal, moving readers to their core.
At the end, he concluded: Yuanshi Tianzun was certainly in the wrong, but in my view, headquarters made an even greater mistake. I have already drafted my resignation letter, and once headquarters announces its punishment, I will submit it. The world is vast—where couldn't a Saint make a living?
As soon as this thread appeared, the comments underneath unanimously turned their fire on headquarters and the Jinghai Branch, whipping up a frenzy.
Before one wave could settle, another surged; a second identical thread followed immediately after.
#If Headquarters Punishes Yuanshi Tianzun Severely, I Will Resign Immediately; Mark My Words#
The poster was Peony Fairy, who even attached a photograph of her resignation letter.
Then came a third, a fourth, a fifth... Within a mere half hour, the forum's front page was overrun by "resignation threads." The posters were predominantly newly promoted Saints—
The companions who had fought side by side with Yuanshi Tianzun in the Transcendent-stage killing trial.
Next were the team leaders of the Songhai Branch—Li Dongze, Bailong, Qingteng, and the like—followed by staunch supporters of Yuanshi Tianzun who had been swept along by the momentum, such as "Niu Xiaomei" and her circle.
Beneath these posts, online shills from major branches across the country actively commented to keep the traction alive.
Although these shills were not exceedingly numerous—perhaps only about a hundred or so, a tiny fraction compared to the overall size of the Five Elements Alliance—one had to remember that those who voiced their opinions online were always a minority. Most people remained silent, making the momentum appear overwhelmingly immense.
In the end, forum moderators were forced to impose a sitewide mute, barring all comments and posts, which finally calmed the storm.
Li Chunfeng closed the forum reluctantly and remarked, "It's a pity official forums use real-name verification, so there's no way to manufacture mass water armies, or else I could've helped out. Sigh, how did the Songhai Branch pull it off?"
As a Scholar, he was quite confident in his hacking abilities.
"How did they manage to get employees from branches all over the country to act as an online army?" he asked, looking thoroughly intrigued.
The official forum was no ordinary website. Members of Spirit Realm families, for instance, were granted access to view, but had no permission to post.
Behind every account in that landslide of public opinion was a genuine spirit walker.
Guan Ya scoffed. "Subduing people through virtue!"
"What?" Li Chunfeng was utterly bewildered.
Without explaining, Guan Ya stood up, left the living room, and walked toward the stairs.
"I'm going to take a nap. Now, all we have to do is wait for the announcement from headquarters."
***
Outskirts of the Capital City.
The Taiyi Sect's intensive training camp was situated far from the urban core, nestled against mountains and beside water. Operating under the guise of a club, it cordoned off the surrounding mountain range, erecting training grounds and dormitories on the slopes.
There were corpse-raising grounds, spirit-nurturing grounds, shooting ranges, physical fitness fields, and group combat arenas.
Of course, there were also plenty of recreational facilities, such as race tracks, golf courses, soccer fields, equestrian tracks, indoor tennis courts, fitness gyms, and more.
Deep in the mountains lay a reservoir for snorkeling, fishing, boating, and various water sports.
Coupled with the picturesque scenery, the higher-ups of the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance treated the place as a vacation resort. Some veteran deacons and elders even liked clearing vegetable plots in the mountains and raising poultry to pass their days leisurely.
For low- to mid-level Night Walkers, however, this was a nightmare realm.
None of the luxuries had anything to do with them. Every day was packed with high-intensity training and combat, and every few days, a Star Official or elder would drop by to beat them senseless.
Having finished a day's training, Yuan Ting returned to his dorm, took a shower, changed into clean clothes, packed his luggage, and hummed a cheerful tune as he headed toward the club's main building for a drink.
He had already served out his full two months in the training camp. Tomorrow, he could return to Songhai and leave this hellhole behind.
Crossing a small plaza with a fountain pool, he entered the brightly lit main club building. The first floor was a restaurant, the second a bar, and the third and fourth floors made up an entertainment complex featuring tennis courts, an indoor skating rink, an internet café, and more.
Arriving at the quiet lounge bar playing gentle music, Yuan Ting scanned the room and spotted several familiar faces seated in a booth by the window.
There was Sun Miaomiao, who had a round face and clear, innocent doe eyes; Zhao Chenghuang, looking cold and aloof; and a voluptuous, alluring mature woman.
He ambled over and took a seat at the table. He nodded first to the alluring woman, then looked toward Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang with a grin.
"Hey, you two. I'm leaving tomorrow, so I won't be keeping you company. Oh, right, you still have half a month of training left, don't you?"
After advancing to Saint, people like Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang had been sent to the training camp for orientation, which required a full month before they could leave.
During this time, they were taught Star Official combat techniques, knowledge, trial mechanics, and the like.
"Look how smug you are," Sun Miaomiao wrinkled her nose.
"I don't want to stay in this damned place for a single second longer. I still have so many secrets to share with everyone. Last time, right after I put up a post, the elders confiscated my phone," Yuan Ting grumbled. Turning to the alluring woman, he said, "Deacon Yingying, you're here on vacation, right?"
His tone held a measure of respect—partly out of ingrained habit, and partly because, as a seasoned Saint, she was considerably stronger than newly minted Saints like them.
The gorgeous woman didn't answer, merely glancing at Sun Miaomiao.
Yuan Ting immediately asked, "Has anything big happened outside lately? Going by my experience, there's at least one explosive headline a month. Share some details!"
His face was filled with eager anticipation.
"We were just talking about Yuanshi Tianzun. That kid stirred up a massive mess again," Sun Miaomiao said crisply.
Yuan Ting's eyes lit up. "What happened?"
The seductive Yingying then recounted how Yuanshi Tianzun had taken matters into his own hands and slain an official member at the Jinghai Branch.
"Hiss... That kid has serious guts. That's grounds for dismissal and prison time!" Yuan Ting was stunned.
Yingying smiled. "It caused quite a stir. The Taiyi Sect forum started debating it. I personally don't approve of Yuanshi Tianzun's actions, so I posted a debate thread. Miaomiao chewed me out all day long, which is why I came over to have some fun with her."
Sun Miaomiao looked a bit embarrassed. "I forgot to switch to an alt account."
Using her grandfather's authority, she had registered numerous alternate accounts on the forum. Usually, when she went on tirades, she used alts, though slips happened occasionally, just like now.
*Oh, an online squabble turning into an offline confrontation...* Yuan Ting glanced at the wide-eyed, round-faced Sun Miaomiao, thinking to himself: *You're a Saint now, what are you being timid for? Have a brawl with Yingying! I can watch a good show before I leave.*
Zhao Chenghuang said flatly, "Humans aren't machines. They have emotions and hot blood. If everything must be done strictly according to rules, it loses all humanity."
He was openly taking Yuanshi Tianzun's side.
Yingying glanced at him and smiled. "After one trip to the killing trial, your view of Yuanshi Tianzun changed?"
Zhao Chenghuang sipped his hard liquor, maintaining a cool, haughty demeanor. "I'm merely judging the matter on its merits."
At that moment, Yuan Ting looked deeper into the bar, froze for a second, and lowered his voice:
"Look over there, Deacon Yin Ji..."
In that corner, by the window, sat a woman with a graceful figure wearing a black veil over her face. Her eyes were like gems in the night—deep, bright, and breathtakingly beautiful.
A glass of liquor sat beside her hand, yet she hadn't touched a single drop. She gazed blankly out the window at the mountain view, lost in thought.
Demure, elegant, melancholy.
Even though they were Saints now, the gap in standing between a Level 4 Saint and a Level 6 Saint was immense, so Yuan Ting instinctively lowered his voice, just as one would when discussing an important dignitary.
Sun Miaomiao gave an "Oh." "Sister Yin Ji is entering a trial soon. She came to the training camp to warm up."
The three chatted and drank while Zhao Chenghuang interjected occasionally. Time slipped away rapidly.
With a few drinks in his belly, Yuan Ting stood up contentedly, raised his brows, and chuckled again.
"You two keep up the training. I'll take my leave first, hahaha..."
Mid-laugh, he saw a training camp instructor walk in. After looking around, the man walked straight toward their table.
"Yuan Ting, there's something I need to tell you." The instructor stopped beside the table.
"What is it?" Seeing the instructor's grave expression, Yuan Ting's heart sank.
"Headquarters just notified us that due to unforeseen circumstances, the training camp cannot discharge members for now. Anyone whose term is ending soon must stay for an extra half month. Well, there's no harm in telling you—there aren't enough fiend-dispelling talismans. To be safe, they're recalling Night Walkers where possible to lie low," the instructor said.
What fiend-dispelling talismans? What lying low? Yuan Ting didn't register a single word. Only four words echoed inside his head: *Extra half a month.*
"No! No! Nooo—!"
Yuan Ting slid slowly down the side of the table, his shrill wails echoing through the bar.
Sun Miaomiao happily raised her hand:
"Drinks are on me, everyone!"
***
Inside a conference room brimming with high-tech decor, Grand Elder Di Hong looked around at the elders seated at the table and said in a heavy voice:
"Let us discuss the punishment for Yuanshi Tianzun. The recommendation submitted by the Songhai Branch is to dismiss and imprison the primary offender, Yuanshi Tianzun, while dismissing Jiang Jingwei and Guan Ya and barring them from re-employment permanently.
"According to organizational regulations, Yuanshi Tianzun faces five to ten years of imprisonment, removal from all posts, and permanent disqualification from re-employment. The two accomplices are to be demoted and given a major demerit.
"Considering Yuanshi Tianzun's illustrious merits, the punishment may be appropriately mitigated."
The Grand Elder of Baihui gave a soft chuckle:
"The Songhai Branch is using a ploy of retreating to advance. Today, I received a call from Old Dog pleading for leniency, asking headquarters to go easy on him. My recommendation is this: Yuanshi Tianzun joined the organization not long ago, so his sense of belonging isn't strong yet. If the punishment is too harsh, we risk driving him away. For a genius, we should show a degree of leniency—focusing primarily on education and secondarily on punishment. Demote him to team leader, then summon him to headquarters for a year of ideological education."
Di Hong shook his head slightly. "Too light."
The Grand Elder of the Scarlet Fire Gang spoke up immediately:
"We must consider the attitudes of the Grand Marshal and our Gang Leader, even if they won't voice their opinions. Furthermore, I received a call from the head of the Xie family, hoping headquarters will handle this matter leniently; this directly impacts the supply volume of life fluid. My personal view is that this kid rose too quickly and has grown somewhat contemptuous of law and discipline. We cannot let him run unchecked and must temper his character, but expulsion is completely out of the question. My recommendation is one year of imprisonment, demotion to regular member, and one major demerit."
Elder Di Hong still shook his head:
"The person he killed was not a rogue walker or an evil class, but an official walker on the payroll. Even an elder would face demotion without special justification. Building upon the aforementioned terms, withhold all his bonuses and benefits, retain only his base salary, and bar him from promotion to deacon for three years. What do you all think?"
Just then, a young elder spoke up:
"Have any of you checked the forum?"
Silence fell over the conference table.
Occupied with endless affairs, the headquarters elders typically paid no attention to online chatter.
The young elder summarized the shift in public opinion on the forum and sneered:
"That kid Fu Qingyang certainly has plenty of underhanded tricks. Even so, this proves that a large segment of the organization supports Yuanshi Tianzun.
"We must consider the repercussions if the punishment is too severe. First, will it damage the mid- to low-level walkers' trust in the organization? Second, if that group of Saints truly resigns, think of the public backlash and the loss we'd suffer. Third, we need to be wary of Fu Qingyang, and wary of the Fu family."
Pausing briefly, he continued slowly, "Those Saints have an organization behind them, and the organizer is Fu Qingyang. I don't believe the resignations are an empty bluff. If we turn a blind eye, Fu Qingyang is likely to absorb that entire cohort of Saints.
"The Spirit Realm families are like feudal lords carved out across the land; granting them free rein will invite endless trouble. His White Tiger Guards have already grown far too powerful to control."
Elder Di Hong sank into pensive silence.
***
The following morning.
Awakened by approaching footsteps, Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes and sat up. He listened as the footsteps drew near, finally stopping outside the door.
Standing in the doorway was Fu Qingyang, dressed in white, followed by a bunny girl carrying a food box.
The bunny girl swiped the keycard to unlock the door, entered the room, and set out the dishes one by one.
Glancing at the lavish spread, Zhang Yuanqing quipped with a smile, "Is this my last meal?"
Seeing Fu Qingyang's calm, gentle expression, he already knew the punishment from headquarters had been decided.
Fu Qingyang said, "Headquarters has already issued the notice. The final decision is demotion to regular member, revocation of all bonuses and benefits while retaining your base salary, one month of confinement at Fujia Bay, and a one-year ban on promotions to team leader or deacon."
*Demoted, docked pay, career stalled... but they didn't wipe my merits. That means after a year, my position can be restored. My quota of several hundred million for materials is gone, though... Aside from the painful financial loss, the punishment isn't severe.*
After quickly analyzing the situation, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What did headquarters say about the curse?"
Fu Qingyang answered impassively, "The branch didn't report the curse. If headquarters knew you were cursed, the punishment wouldn't stop here. The elders believe that once you advance to Dominator, the curse will naturally disperse. There's no need to mention it again."
"Understood." Zhang Yuanqing got the picture.
With a curse hanging over him, he was a ticking time bomb. To prevent a similar incident from recurring, headquarters' punishment would certainly have been indefinite imprisonment coupled with ideological re-education.
That would mean losing his freedom entirely.
As for expulsion, Zhang Yuanqing had never believed headquarters would actually expel him.
Toward a peerless talent with the potential to become an Alliance Leader, any organization's stance would inevitably center on "teaching a lesson" and "punishing," never letting go.
If he truly became thoroughly wicked and unredeemable, they would simply execute him.
Fu Qingyang said, "Stay here for a few days and prepare thoroughly for your trial. Once the heat dies down, you can leave whenever you want. Just make sure not to appear before other official members before your one-month confinement ends."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Boss, give me back my phone. Also, help me prepare some talisman-drawing tools and materials. In a week at most, I'll have to enter a trial."
Fu Qingyang hesitated for a second. "Fine. But no posting on the forum."
Receiving Zhang Yuanqing's affirmative promise, he turned and left.
After Fu Qingyang departed, Zhang Yuanqing quickly stuffed his stomach, lay back on the bed, and closed his eyes. Through the imprint in his sea of consciousness, his awareness entered Blood Rose's body.
Inside his bedroom at home, the wardrobe door pushed open. The exquisitely featured Blood Rose opened her eyes, stepped out of the closet, and walked purposefully to the desk. Opening the cabinet, she took out the Elvis speaker and tucked it into her waist pack.
Next, she opened the bedside table, picked up a bottle of little blue pills, and vaulted out the window.
Using the outdoor air conditioner unit as a stepping stone, Blood Rose nimbly leaped through the corridor window, arriving outside the front door of the apartment.
She walked toward the elevator, preparing to head for Fujia Bay.
*Ding!*
The elevator doors slid open. Inside the cabin stood his grandmother carrying a grocery basket, alongside his aunt, who was clinging to her mother's arm, acting cute and spoiled.
Both sides froze.
Chapter 342