Wait, buying groceries first thing in the morning? Did Grandma's daily routine change this much while I was away for a few days? Uh, wait, it seems to be the weekend, which means Auntie is home too. Well, this is awkward...
Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally. He initially wanted to flash a "ladylike" smile, but remembering that the last person possessing Blood Rose had been the old crone, he struck Fu Qingyang's aloof posture instead, offering a polite yet distant greeting:
"Hello, Granny."
He had originally considered "Auntie," but decided that felt inappropriate.
Grandma froze for a moment before hurriedly putting on an awkward yet polite smile. "Ah, hello, hello... You're Bai Lan, right? Um, are you here to see our Yuanzi?"
Because of the previous misunderstanding, seeing this girl still felt awkward for Grandma, and she wasn't quite sure how to treat her.
Even though Yuanzi insisted that he and this excessively gorgeous Bai Lan were merely ordinary friends, Grandma didn't buy it. They might not be boyfriend and girlfriend yet, but there was almost certainly mutual flirtation and interest.
Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced, and an idea suddenly struck him. He said:
"Zhang Yuanqing hasn't contacted me in a long time. He doesn't reply to my texts or answer my calls, so I came over to check on him. But it seems he isn't here..."
As he spoke, he put on a fittingly aggrieved expression.
Hearing that, Grandma nodded repeatedly. It seemed Yuanzi had taken her advice to heart. That was the right way to do things! Since he had moved in with Guan Ya, he should focus on being a proper boyfriend. Being half-hearted was never the Chen family's way; even his scoundrel of an uncle was thoroughly decent when it came to romance.
"He hasn't been home these past few days. He's staying with his girlfriend!" Grandma made sure to enunciate the last part especially loud and clear. Then, putting on a show of hospitality, she extended an invitation: "Since you're already here, why not come inside and sit for a bit? Stay for lunch!"
Zhang Yuanqing could tell right away that Grandma was just being polite—the more enthusiastic Grandma sounded, the more perfunctory she was being. He replied, "No thank you, Granny. I still have things to do."
With that, he slipped into the elevator like a wisp of smoke.
Seeing this, Grandma pulled her daughter out of the car, stood at the entrance, and smiled. "Then remember to come over for a meal next time he's back!"
The elevator doors slowly slid shut.
Grandma sighed with emotion. "What a gorgeous girl. It's a shame Yuanzi already has a girlfriend. Still, if Guan Ya and Yuanzi break up in the future, this Bai Lan would make a wonderful alternative."
"Mom, that kind of thinking is called keeping a spare tire."
"What spare tire? Yuanzi is still young, and who knows what will happen down the road? If they really break up, Bai Lan would be great."
"Neither of them is prettier than me!" Jiang Yu'er said smugly.
"Why are you comparing yourself to them? They're both your juniors," Grandma scolded irritably. "Speaking of which, it's been a while since I arranged a blind date for you. Get ready for one next weekend."
"Oh, Mom, I just want to stay by your side for a few more years!" Jiang Yu'er immediately whined in a spoiled tone.
***
Controlling Blood Rose, Zhang Yuanqing arrived at Fujia Bay and delivered the little blue pill and the Elvis speaker to his true body.
"Speaking of which, you haven't taken a bath in a week. You reek of a dusty closet." Zhang Yuanqing gave a little sniff and decided to give Blood Rose a wash.
*Mm, although she's my yin corpse, having her take a shower here isn't quite right. If Fu Qingyang comes looking for me and sees me lying in bed while a yin corpse stands under the showerhead, he'd probably slap a check in my face on the spot and demand I leave Guan Ya...* While tucking away the Elvis speaker and the little blue pill, Zhang Yuanqing maneuvered Blood Rose out of the basement.
He had originally planned to find the bunny girls to wash the corpse. Back when he boarded the yin corpse at Fu Qingyang's place, the bunny girls had bathed her every single day.
On second thought, since he was heading over to meet his patrol team members anyway, he might as well have Guan Ya wash her.
Ascending the stairs to the first-floor foyer, Zhang Yuanqing came face-to-face with the swaggering Lingjun leading a young lady into the villa.
The girl had hair like a cascade of black silk and eyes as bright and moist as a forest doe's. Her face was delicate with a sharp chin, her brows long and straight, and her nose perky above tender lips. She combined a young maiden's pure freshness with a mature woman's alluring charm; the blend of these contrasting traits radiated an astonishing enchantment.
*What a stunning girl...* Zhang Yuanqing had seen his fair share of beauties, yet he still couldn't resist looking a few times more. Once Lingjun and the woman drew near, he raised a brow with a smile.
"Is this lady your new flame or an old flame?"
"Whether she's a new flame or an old one, you must never say that to her face. It's utterly disrespectful to women, and respecting women is the prerequisite to winning their favor. Remember that!" Mentor Lingjun took the opportunity to lecture his student. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, his expression shifted into fury: "Damn you, there's something wrong with that peachwood talisman! Did you screw me over?"
*So he got screwed by the talisman too?* Zhang Yuanqing wore an innocent look, feigning confusion. "No? What could be wrong with it? Why do you say that?"
Lingjun dragged him aside and lowered his voice:
"After I used the talisman, things went great at first. I turned around and instantly scored with a prospective girlfriend I'd been flirting with. But when I brought her to a hotel to get intimate, one of the hotel maids barged in without warning and started snapping photos like crazy!
"The maid claimed she'd been in love with me for ages, and if I didn't accept her, she'd leak the photos online. I frequent that hotel, so it's not unusual for a maid to crush on a young, rich guy like me, but I never expected her to be so unhinged!"
*So she was cursed by Demonic Eye too?* Zhang Yuanqing made a wry joke in his heart, replying, "Doesn't that just prove its effects are potent? With your prowess, Teacher, you should have gone with the flow and had a threesome."
He had now fully confirmed that there was indeed a flaw with the peachwood talisman. This consumable came with a price—a combination of romantic luck and romantic catastrophe. He would need to use it with caution going forward.
The corner of Lingjun's mouth twitched. "That maid was my mother's age and twice her weight!"
"Well... that does make it rather challenging," Zhang Yuanqing admitted.
At that moment, the young woman standing nearby—a captivating mix of purity and allure—furrowed her brows. "Lingjun, you've started keeping women at Fu Qingyang's house? Since when did he become so accommodating?"
Her words made Zhang Yuanqing and Lingjun exchange a glance, both shuddering in unison.
"Ahem..." Lingjun cleared his throat. "Teng'er, this is Yuanshi Tianzun. Well, to be precise, it's Yuanshi Tianzun's yin corpse."
Hearing this, the girl called "Teng'er" took a few steps closer and examined Blood Rose for several seconds before nodding in realization. "Indeed, it's a yin corpse."
Her voice was as crisp and melodic as a lark, her enunciation crisp, carrying an unmistakable Capital City accent.
Lingjun continued the introduction: "Yuanshi, this is my maternal cousin, Miao Teng'er."
*Cousin?!* Zhang Yuanqing froze, his expression turning peculiar as he looked the girl up and down. If he remembered correctly, Yuan Ting had mentioned that Lingjun's cousin and aunt had been the Demon Lord's lovers. The mother and daughter had loved the Demon Lord deeply and unrepentantly, eventually being imprisoned by Grand Elder Baihui.
*Since the Demon Lord is dead, was she released? Or does Lingjun have other cousins?*
Judging by her looks, though, she was certainly the Demon Lord's type.
—As long as she was beautiful, the Demon Lord liked her.
Miao Teng'er's brow furrowed slightly, sensing an offense.
"What are you staring at? You already have a girlfriend, so don't get any ideas about my cousin." Lingjun raised a hand and snapped his fingers in front of Zhang Yuanqing's eyes.
*Suddenly, I'm kind of looking forward to the audio recordings of your cousin...* Zhang Yuanqing pulled back his gaze. "I need to head next door right now."
"No rush!" Lingjun smiled. "My cousin came specifically looking for you."
"Looking for me?" Zhang Yuanqing was startled. His first reaction was that, thanks to Yuan Ting's loose lips, this Miao Teng'er had come to settle scores with him.
"Here's the thing. My cousin wants to talk to Annie from the Association of God of Beauty about some business. But because of the attack by the Dionysus Club, Annie went into hiding and can't be reached. Since you're close to her, she wants to contact Annie through you," Lingjun explained her purpose.
*Looking for Annie? What business could she have with Annie?* Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "May I ask why? At least I need to know whether your cousin harbors good or ill intentions."
Lingjun glanced at his cousin, pondered briefly, and said, "It's inconvenient to share the reason, but I can assure you there is no malice. You can arrange to meet Annie right here at Fujia Bay. That should put your mind at ease, shouldn't it?"
Zhang Yuanqing considered it and said, "Fine. Come see me in the basement in five minutes, and I'll give you an answer."
With that, he exited the main villa and turned into the smaller unit next door.
Upon entering his own villa, the first thing he saw was Jiang Jingwei rolling around on the floor.
"Jingwei, why are you rolling around?"
Hearing him, Jiang Jingwei lifted her head. "Huh? You're Yuanshi Tianzun's yin corpse... Ah, you're Yuanshi Tianzun!"
Her pretty little face brightened with delight, only for her small brow to furrow again. "I wasn't placed in confinement! Headquarters announced the punishment too quickly, and Mom said she's sending the butler to pick me up this afternoon. I have to go to school again!"
She shouted in agony a few times and resumed rolling across the floor.
Zhang Yuanqing offered some earnest comfort: "Studying is an ordeal every adult looks back on with sorrow, but it's a trial you have to endure in life. It'll be better once you grow up."
*Once you grow up, you just become a corporate slave.*
"Brother Yuanshi, you're here~"
Xie Lingxi bounded out of the screening room, moving to throw herself into Zhang Yuanqing's embrace like a swallow darting into a forest, only for Queen behind her to whip off her silver earrings and flick them outward.
The two earrings transformed into rings of water, ensnaring Xie Lingxi's ankles and sending her crashing flat onto the floor with a loud *splat*.
Li Chunfeng stepped out from the side room adjoining the screening room, scrutinizing Blood Rose. "Your yin corpse is quite pretty."
"Where's Guan Ya?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"Sleeping upstairs. She hasn't rested well these past few days." Queen glanced up toward the ceiling.
Zhang Yuanqing gave an acknowledging hum, swept his gaze across his team members, and said, "You've probably all seen headquarters' punishment for me. Starting today, I'm no longer your captain. Fortunately, Guan Ya only had her bonuses and benefits docked without a demotion. From now on, she'll be our captain.
"Furthermore, except for Guan Ya, Jingwei, and me, the branch will distribute the rewards and merits from the missions in Jinhui City and Jinghai City as usual."
Queen asked, "Your confinement lasts for a month. Does that mean we won't have any missions during this period?"
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "For the next half month, I need to prepare for entering a dungeon, so there won't be any missions for the time being. Do as you please."
Having given his instructions, he looked at Li Chunfeng. "Do you have channels to buy or customize items? I need a powerful melee weapon. Headquarters revoked my benefits and lowered my clearance, so I can't buy one through the branch."
This request was both a genuine search for equipment and a test for Li Chunfeng.
Among his array of items, the Bloodthirsty Blade was his only melee weapon. However, its quality was too low and was increasingly lagging behind his level. This was the perfect chance to seek out a powerful cold weapon.
At the same time, it could test whether the person behind Li Chunfeng was truly Lian Sanyue.
Only Dominator-level Scholars possessed the craftsmaster skills to forge items, and according to Brother Bing's recording in the Elvis speaker, Lian Sanyue was evidently a Dominator Scholar.
Li Chunfeng's brows knitted, and after a few seconds of hesitation, he replied, "I'll ask around for you."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded, bypassed the group, climbed the stairs to the second floor, and turned the knob to Guan Ya's room.
The moment he turned the handle, Guan Ya had already woken up. She lifted her head to look, then laid back down, muttering, "I'm sleeping, don't bother me."
Zhang Yuanqing walked over to the bed, flopped down beside her, wrapped his arms around Guan Ya's waist from behind, and chuckled. "Big Sis, it's been so long since we were intimate."
With her back to him, Guan Ya scoffed, "Being so affectionate out of nowhere—you're just afraid I'll scold you, aren't you? Perfect timing, let's talk. What was going on with you that day? You killed Wei Yuanzhou just like that! He was a prospective deacon, Yuanshi. That wasn't like you."
Zhang Yuanqing recounted the curse of Demonic Eye to her. Once finished, he promised solemnly, "Don't worry. Once I enter the dungeon, I'll ask Lady Sandao for an item that can suppress the curse. The one you used before—the Ghost Mirror."
Hearing that it was the Ghost Mirror, Guan Ya breathed a sigh of relief. She had personally verified the mirror's capabilities.
"Our cousin was right: we can't take things to extremes. We must act according to the rules. The official organization exists to maintain order, unless we're truly left with no way out," Zhang Yuanqing admitted his fault with full sincerity.
Guan Ya gave a soft, amused spit. "Who's *your* cousin? Do you dare say that to his face?"
"Your cousin is my cousin, isn't he?" Zhang Yuanqing leaned forward to kiss Guan Ya's cheek.
Guan Ya pushed him away with her hands, inadvertently pressing against two large mounds of flesh. Both of them froze.
"Get away! Don't kiss me with a woman's body, that's disgusting!"
Guan Ya suddenly came to her senses, goosebumps erupting across her arms as she kicked Blood Rose right off the bed.
As a woman with a straight sexual orientation, she felt right now like a staunchly heterosexual man whose backside had just been fondled by another guy.
"Are you just jealous that my chest is bigger than yours?" Zhang Yuanqing grumbled as he patted his rear and got up.
Seeing Guan Ya's eyebrows flare in fury, he hurriedly corrected himself: "Yours is bigger! Yours is definitely bigger..."
Guan Ya muttered crossly, "Sooner or later, I'm replacing this yin corpse of yours. That brat Fu Qingyang did this on purpose just to gross me out, didn't he?"
She had disliked Blood Rose for a long time, but since it had been Fu Qingyang's gift to Yuanshi, she hadn't been in a position to vent her annoyance.
"I almost forgot the real business. Give my yin corpse a bath and change her clothes. I haven't showered her in half a month," Zhang Yuanqing said, then added in a transparent attempt at cover-up, "The bunny girls used to wash her before."
Without giving Guan Ya a chance to refuse, he closed his eyes, and his consciousness returned to his true body.
"Annie, a friend of mine wants to meet you at Fu Qingyang's villa. Is it convenient for you to come over?"
In his holding cell, Zhang Yuanqing sent Annie a text message.
A few minutes later, Annie replied:
"No problem, I'll head over right now."
Forty minutes later, Lingjun met Annie outside the villa.
She sat in a shuttle cart driven by a bunny girl, her golden hair pinned up. The breeze stirred the strands of hair along her temples and forehead, and captivating charm danced in her azure eyes.
She wore a flowing, airy mesh skirt paired with a short-sleeved denim shirt, looking ethereal and mature, yet with a hint of demure sweetness.
"Dear Annie, you grow more beautiful by the day."
Lingjun stepped forward, opening his arms as if acting on occupational habit.
Annie stepped down from the shuttle cart with a radiant smile, raising a hand to stop his advance. "Mr. Lingjun, keeping one's distance from a lady is what a gentleman ought to do."
Lingjun clicked his tongue. "A pity the falling flower is full of longing, yet the running water remains unfeeling!"
On the surface, he was poking fun at himself, but he was actually teasing Annie. When this woman first arrived on the mainland, she had dressed seductively and walked with an intoxicating sway, flaunting her charms at every turn.
Now, her style had shifted toward conservative, ladylike, and sweet. Naturally, this was a deliberate change made to win Yuanshi Tianzun's heart.
Yet Lingjun knew that while Yuanshi had the lecherous mind of any man, he lacked the nerve; he hadn't even managed to seal the deal with Guan Ya yet.
To make matters worse, that brat possessed quite a solid moral compass; once he had a girlfriend, he instinctively maintained his distance from other women.
Annie didn't grasp the exact meaning of that Chinese idiom, but she didn't care either. "Mr. Yuanshi asked me to come meet someone. Lead the way."
Lingjun guided her into the villa, up the grand staircase to the second floor, and into his room.
Miao Teng'er sat by the window. On the round table before her rested an emerald-green orb, casting a gentle verdant sheen across the room's furniture and walls.
"Please have a seat."
Miao Teng'er lifted a hand, making an inviting gesture.
Lingjun closed the door and left.
Annie sat at the table and openly studied her, marveling inwardly at the girl's breathtaking beauty and the unique air that blended innocence with allure.
"I don't believe we've met." Annie offered a polite smile.
"We have now," Miao Teng'er said.
Her demeanor was not icy. At first glance, she seemed like the pure girl next door, but after looking for a while, one would sense a captivating, bewitching charm. Yet in actual interaction, one would find her to be rather cool and distant.
"What did you want to see me about?" Annie asked directly.
Miao Teng'er said softly, "I heard that within the Foreign Affairs Department of the Association of God of Beauty, there is a woman named Betty who used to be the Demon Lord's lover. Do you know her, Miss Annie?"
"Oh, goodness, please don't mention her in front of me! She's my sworn rival! Just because she hooked up with the Demon Lord, she snatched away a position that rightfully belonged to me, while I'm still stuck as a second-tier member of the Foreign Affairs Department." Annie raised both hands in a gesture of annoyance, her face filled with indignation.
Paying no heed to Annie's vexation, Miao Teng'er kept a calm expression and asked gently:
"Then do you know whether the Demon Lord ever gave her a map fragment?"
*A map fragment left to Betty by the Demon Lord?* Annie's spirits leaped.
She hadn't forgotten her mission in coming to the mainland: to retrieve an important item on behalf of the President.
That item had been swindled from the President through the Demon Lord's sweet talk. And after the Demon Lord died, that item had never returned to the Spirit Realm.
Chapter 343