The towering figure on the golden throne looked down at the little fatty below and said slowly, "Your emotions tell me that the truth terrifies you. You believe this could bring immense catastrophe upon the Nihility Sect."
"Yes!" Remaining prostrated on his knees, the little fatty knew his emotions had nowhere to hide before the First Elder's eyes. Without omitting a single detail, he promptly relayed everything Yuanshi Tianzun had disclosed to the Great Protector.
Upon hearing this, the figure on the golden throne fell into a long silence.
The little fatty desperately wanted to look up and see the First Elder's emotional state—it was bound to be spectacular—yet he did not dare.
After a long while, that solemn voice, seemingly formed by countless people speaking in unison, asked, "Is the source of this intelligence reliable?"
"This is information I obtained from Yuanshi Tianzun through Wuhen Hotel. Your subordinate suspects Yuanshi Tianzun disclosed it to me deliberately, intending to convey this matter to our organization through me," the little fatty offered his speculation.
The Great Protector's voice echoed through the hall from the golden throne:
"I will verify this personally.
"A Dominator possessing both the Night Walker and Illusionist paths, unconstrained by Morality Points... If he restores himself to his peak, he will pose no small threat to us as well.
"You have done well. Once I verify this, you shall be rewarded."
Overjoyed, the little fatty said, "Thank you, First Elder."
The massive figure added, "Continue staying at Wuhen Hotel and maintain contact with Yuanshi Tianzun. The moment the officials make any progress, report it immediately. When necessary, I will pass certain messages to the officials through you."
"Understood!" The little fatty bowed.
With that, his consciousness was cast out of the dreamscape and returned to his hotel room.
***
"Ahem!"
Clearing his throat, Zhang Yuanqing explained, "To tell the truth, I'm not entirely clear on what happened either. I asked the Empress for the Ghost Mirror to suppress my inner demons, but I never expected her to send Commandery Princess Yinyao over instead."
At this point, he remembered her status and hastily bowed with hands clasped.
"Yuanshi Tianzun greets the Commandery Princess!"
Social etiquette was etched into his very bones.
If the princess were Dominator-stage, why would Zhang Yuanqing spare his knees? He would have dropped down and given her the royal treatment of kowtowing right on the spot.
Commandery Princess Yinyao glanced at him sideways, returned a graceful curtsey, and then turned her head away.
Under the watchful eyes of Fu Qingyang and the others, he asked, "What instructions did the Empress give in sending you to the mortal realm?"
Commandery Princess Yinyao remained silent for a moment before transmitting a voice only a Night Walker could hear:
"Master sent me to the mortal realm to temper myself, but fearing I would be unable to adapt to the changes of the world, she dispatched me to your side."
She couldn't bring herself to say she had been sent to serve as Yuanshi Tianzun's yin corpse.
Although she had traveled the mortal world back in her day and attained an enlightened state of mind, that state meant she could pick things up and let them go, neither delighted by external gain nor saddened by personal loss, remaining perpetually detached amid the chaotic mortal realm.
It did not mean she could let people spit in her face, or serve another as an unblinking slave or handmaiden.
"She sent you to be my yin corpse, didn't she?" Zhang Yuanqing called it out directly.
"You..." Commandery Princess Yinyao said indifferently, "Master was right. You truly are sharp. This Princess is merely borrowing your spiritual energy to maintain my vitality. Do not mistake me for a yin corpse at your beck and call."
*Isn't that only natural? There's no spiritual energy in reality. Once you leave the Spirit Realm, you're like rootless duckweed, expending without replenishing. How long could you last? A yin corpse can only endure over time if nourished by its master's lunar energy.*
*Meanwhile, even if a Spirit Realm walker exhausts their spiritual energy, they can recover. That's the biggest difference between ancient cultivators and Spirit Realm walkers.*
*The princess is around Level 5. She possesses superior intelligence and can unleash skills from both the Night Walker and Starlight paths, not to mention ancient sorceries. This isn't just a yin corpse; she's a powerhouse enforcer!*
With thoughts whirling, Zhang Yuanqing plastered a warm smile across his face.
"Your Highness is of noble birth. How could you possibly be a yin corpse? From now on, we shall address each other as Daoist friends, standing on equal footing."
She merely wanted face and dignity, so he might as well indulge her. Zhang Yuanqing had never intended to enslave Commandery Princess Yinyao anyway—what would he enslave her for?
*I'm not the Demon Lord, having his way even with yin corpses. Speaking of which, I wonder what kind of relationship she had with him. Tonight, I'll have the Elvis speaker play an excerpt...* Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts drifted farther and farther.
Hearing this, Commandery Princess Yinyao changed her opinion of the young man slightly. After their brief exchange, Yuanshi Tianzun didn't seem all that bad—at least she harbored no ill impression of him.
And that was despite her instinctual inner resistance toward him.
*This boy is indeed cunning and slick,* she mused. *No wonder Master was swayed by his sweet talk.*
Zhang Yuanqing pulled his thoughts together and explained the reason for Commandery Princess Yinyao's arrival in the mortal realm to Fu Qingyang and the others.
Sending items hadn't been enough—she had even sent a disciple of formidable combat prowess to Yuanshi Tianzun?
That Empress valued and favored him this much?
Xie Lingxi and the other two stood dumbfounded, burning with envy and jealousy. Why did such great fortune never happen to them?
At the same time, they were thrilled, because the stronger Yuanshi Tianzun grew, the more they, as his squad members, stood to benefit.
"Tsk, tsk." Rubbing his chin, Lingjun scrutinized Zhang Yuanqing from head to toe. "I believe you now—you're no corpse driver. You're Empress Sandao's little gigolo! No, her male paramour!"
With that, he gave his student a gratified pat on the shoulder.
"You're a clever kid who picks up everything quickly. As your teacher, I couldn't be prouder. But I must still warn you: you'd better keep your distance from women who are too powerful, or you'll play with fire and burn yourself."
*I know what you mean. You're talking about Makoto, aren't you...* Zhang Yuanqing said in a low voice, "Let's find a place for drinks tonight. I happen to have something to ask you."
Just as Lingjun was about to reply, he felt a sudden chill run down his spine. Glancing sideways, he saw Fu Qingyang staring at them expressionlessly.
Straightening his posture, Lingjun said solemnly, "A drink is fine, but don't ask me any messy nonsense. You're Guan Ya's boyfriend now. Know your place, and don't go chasing after other women."
Having said that, he stepped back two paces, making a show of washing his hands of him.
*You bastard...* Zhang Yuanqing looked toward Fu Qingyang. "Boss, I'll take her inside first and teach her some common everyday knowledge."
Fu Qingyang gave a slight nod without a word, stepping onto the breeze as he glided toward the lavish mansion next door.
Zhang Yuanqing ignored Lingjun completely and led Commandery Princess Yinyao back to the smaller villa.
"This is a television; it can broadcast images from thousands of li away... This is a cell phone; it allows you to transmit your voice over thousands of li, though you need to enter the correct code... This is a toilet, used for relieving oneself. The water inside is clear, but do not drink it... This is the sink, and this is the bathroom..."
Zhang Yuanqing briefly explained common modern amenities and household appliances to Commandery Princess Yinyao.
Commandery Princess Yinyao pointed at the shower cubicle without expression and asked, "Where is the bath barrel?"
—Because she was a yin corpse, she couldn't make facial expressions, so she remained stoic throughout.
Yet the thoughts she conveyed were far from calm, brimming with curious intrigue.
"A bathtub is something only wealthy households enjoy. I don't have one here, but my fiancée's room does," Zhang Yuanqing said.
"You have a fiancée?" Commandery Princess Yinyao's tone relaxed slightly, though she soon transmitted a displeased thought: "How can a fiancée's residence be more lavish than yours? She knows nothing of propriety and hierarchy."
Since the topic had come up, Zhang Yuanqing took the opportunity to enlighten her.
"Your Highness, the times have changed! Nowadays, women reign supreme over men. Women throw fierce punches while men just lie flat and slack off. But since you are a princess of noble blood, none of that makes a difference to you."
"Women over men?" Commandery Princess Yinyao nodded slowly. As a cultivator, she did not place much weight on secular etiquette. Though unaccustomed, she quickly accepted it, extrapolating to ask another question: "No wonder those two women outside dress so scandalously, while that gentleman in white was wrapped up so tightly. From the looks of it, do today's brothels only have men receiving guests as well?"
*You've misunderstood. Fu Qingyang wears so much purely because he likes keeping up appearances...* Zhang Yuanqing said, "That's not it. In modern brothels, both men and women receive guests. Men are called young masters, and women are called princesses!"
"Insolence!" The princess flared with rage. "How dare mere streetwalkers style themselves as princesses?!"
"Princess, appease your anger, the Great Ming fell a long time ago..." Zhang Yuanqing hurried to say.
After a brief tour, Zhang Yuanqing brought her back to the master bedroom and said, "Your Highness, I need to carve spiritual talismans on you..."
To refine the princess into a yin corpse of his own, he needed to inscribe talisman formations—and doing so required them to face each other in the nude.
"No need!" Commandery Princess Yinyao refused outright. "This Princess has a robust aura. There is no need for your nourishment."
*Fair enough, the time isn't right yet...* Zhang Yuanqing didn't press the matter, smiling as he said, "Understood. If Your Highness ever feels drained in the future, just come find me."
Forget a princess of the Ming dynasty—even a respectable modern woman would find it hard to strip bare and let a strange man draw all over her body.
No rush, no rush!
Seeing that Yuanshi Tianzun didn't insist, Commandery Princess Yinyao, living under someone else's roof, relaxed slightly. As a reciprocal gesture, she spat out a breath of lunar energy, which fell to the floor and coalesced into a palm-sized round bronze mirror.
The brass surface was dusky and dull. The handle was carved with a dragon pattern, while the back bore a pair of phoenixes whose eyes were inlaid with two red gemstones.
"The magical artifact Master promised you," she said.
Zhang Yuanqing picked up the Ghost Mirror and looked into it. The dusky surface didn't reflect his face, just like before.
After a moment's thought, he stored the mirror into his inventory. A few seconds later, he took it out again and looked into it. This time, he saw his own face.
The Ghost Mirror's primary functions were creating illusions and reflecting spirits, but it still possessed the basic function of an ordinary mirror. Before, it hadn't recognized him as its master, so it had disdained to reflect him.
Now, he was the Ghost Mirror's master.
Moreover, holding this small mirror brought Zhang Yuanqing an indescribable peace. His spirit felt cleansed, and worldly fame, wealth, joys, and sorrows all seemed like fleeting smoke.
Corrupt officials, ruthless tyrants, and even the suffering masses were nothing more than a drop in the ocean, gone in an instant, unworthy of concern.
His mind had never been so calm.
*Comparing before and after, I really did harbor quite a bit of malice...* he marveled. Then, noticing Commandery Princess Yinyao was still wearing her horse-face skirt, he said, "Your Highness, now that you're in the mortal realm, the first thing you need to do is change your attire and put on some new clothes."
"You want me to wear the clothes of those two wanton women?" If Commandery Princess Yinyao were capable of furrowing her brows, they would have been knitted tight by now.
She ran through the two women's outfits in her mind: the older one had bare shoulders, and her shorts were so short it was shameful. The younger one didn't bare her shoulders, but her skirt was shockingly brief as well.
What was worse, the shorts were excessively tight, outlining the curve of her buttocks so distinctly. It was utter debauchery—even women in brothels wouldn't be so shameless.
"Wait a moment!"
Without bothering to explain, Zhang Yuanqing turned and left the room, finding the two "wanton women" sitting in the living room discussing Commandery Princess Yinyao.
He glanced at Xie Lingxi first, his gaze sweeping over the young heiress's flat chest before moving away without lingering, and said to Queen, "Queen, go get an outfit—something conservative and loose-fitting—and bring it to Commandery Princess Yinyao. Oh, right, both of you change clothes as well. The princess isn't fond of your style."
He added an encouraging hint: "Commandery Princess Yinyao is a Level 5 Saint. If you build a good relationship with her, when you run into trouble in the future... you get it, right?"
Queen returned to her room delighted. Shortly after, she emerged with a set of sportswear and entered Zhang Yuanqing's room.
Ten-odd minutes later, she led Commandery Princess Yinyao out.
The princess had tied her hair into a loose bun and wore a loose white tracksuit. She had a classic oval face and a delicate, straight nose. Her lips, originally somewhat pale, were now coated in lipstick, crimson and sharply defined at the corners.
Paired with her bewitching red eyes, she reminded Zhang Yuanqing of an anime he had watched during his school days—*Tokyo Ghoul*.
Her glamorous, otherworldly aura instantly outshone both Queen and Xie Lingxi.
*I still need to get you a pair of sunglasses...* Zhang Yuanqing thought, rubbing his chin.
Colored contacts wouldn't do much good, because her eye sockets were pitch-black, completely different from normal people.
"Your Highness, are you satisfied?" Zhang Yuanqing asked with a smile.
Commandery Princess Yinyao nodded gently. She was in an exceptionally good mood, as the modern world was far more colorful than the ancient tomb. Moreover, after their brief interaction, Yuanshi Tianzun had made a favorable impression on her.
He carried himself with dignity and understood hospitality well.
"In that case, you will be staying here from now on. Allow me to formally introduce my friends." Zhang Yuanqing patted Xie Lingxi's head. "She is my younger sister, Xie Lingxi, born into a prominent clan."
He then pointed to Queen. "She is my—"
Commandery Princess Yinyao nodded. "I know. A female confidante."
Her transmission could not be heard by the others.
Zhang Yuanqing pondered the definition of a female confidante. "Fair enough!"
He then pointed toward Li Chunfeng, who sat in front of the computer typing away. In high spirits, Commandery Princess Yinyao beat him to the punch:
"I know. The household farmhand."
*???* Li Chunfeng's hands left the keyboard as he turned around with a face full of shock.
"Not a farmhand," Zhang Yuanqing said. "Your Highness, they are all my dearest friends and brothers-in-arms."
Through his introductions, Commandery Princess Yinyao gradually grew familiar with Queen and Little Green Tea. Egged on by the two women, she began learning about modern cosmetics.
She displayed remarkable adaptability and eagerness to learn, full of curiosity toward everything.
Zhang Yuanqing had nothing else to do today. He had originally planned to go home to keep his grandparents and aunt company, but as dinner approached, he received a message from an unexpected person.
[Yin Ji: I've arrived in Songhai. Do you have time tonight?]
*Has she found the contract-signing item?*
Zhang Yuanqing typed a reply: "Time and place."
Yin Ji: "Seven tonight, Baihui Club."
She attached a detailed address.
Zhang Yuanqing opened his map app and saw it was located on the outskirts, over thirty kilometers from here.
It was currently 5:40 PM. Factoring in evening rush-hour traffic, it was about time to set off.
"Sounds good!"
After replying, he asked Queen for her car keys and headed out the door.
Just as he stepped out the villa gates, he happened upon Lingjun, dressed in a baggy short-sleeved shirt, cropped pants, and flip-flops, sauntering lazily out of the grand mansion toward him.
"Come on, I'll take you somewhere great tonight," Lingjun said with a grin.
"Somewhere great?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"My cousin put together a gathering to treat the sisters in her circle to drinks. Tsk, tsk, a sea of beauties!" Lingjun chuckled. "Big bro will broaden your horizons. With your current status, you might even graduate from virginity tonight."
*My heart is as still as water now. Female charms are nothing more than passing clouds to me...* Zhang Yuanqing said, "I have plans tonight too."
"If it's nothing important, push it back," Lingjun whispered, walking up close. "Yin Ji will be there tonight too. Tsk, tsk, she's the most gorgeous flower in the Taiyi Sect. Even though I utterly detest the Demon Lord and look down on any woman who had an affair with him, Yin Ji is different. She is an immensely charming woman."
*Do the women you look down on include your own cousin and aunt?* Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What's the address?"
"Baihui Club. It's a private club my cousin owns in Songhai."
*Lingjun's cousin, that strikingly refined little Wood Sprite? The Demon Lord's true love and his lover attending at the same time? Oho, now this is interesting. And if I bring Commandery Princess Yinyao along, wouldn't it be even more interesting?* The corners of Zhang Yuanqing's lips curled up.
"All right! I'll roll with you tonight, Instructor."
"No problem! Just tell me who catches your eye. Well, except for Yin Ji—don't try hitting on her. She's not someone you can dream of just yet." Lingjun slung an arm over his shoulder with a grin.
Chapter 387