Thoughts were just thoughts; Zhang Yuanqing wasn’t actually twisted enough to do that. Yin Ji had made quite a favorable impression on him—she was a gentle, good-natured older sister figure. Their ordeal in the Sea of Yashan had been a brush with death together, forging a genuine bond between them. Bringing Commandery Princess Yinyao along would only humiliate her.
Of course, if the Demon Lord were still alive, Zhang Yuanqing would have relished seeing such a scene.
Then again, given the Demon Lord's temperament, he probably wouldn't feel awkward at all. Instead, he’d likely announce: *My beloved concubines, this king shall bestow favor equally upon you all today. Maintain orderly ranks; every deed shall have its due reward.*
And then he would throw a party, wrapped in the embrace of all his lovers.
"Should I change my clothes?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, scrutinizing his ordinary, plain attire.
Lingjun examined his own outfit as well. "Do you see me changing?"
He offered some advice:
"When you're a nobody, dazzling clothes elevate your image. But once you've made a name for yourself, what you need is to flaunt your individuality, distinguishing yourself from other men.
"Take me, for instance—always in this laid-back casual getup. Or Fu Qingyang, who wears a white suit through all four seasons. Or Zhao Chenghuang, who keeps a cold, stern face in front of everyone."
Zhang Yuanqing gave an "Oh."
"So once you reach that level, you need to turn yourself into a brand, right? Cultivate a signature trademark. Understood, totally understood. Listening to your words is truly better than ten years of study."
As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing clicked the unlock button on his key fob. The white sedan chirped, its folded side mirrors slowly swinging open.
Zhang Yuanqing opened the driver's door, while Lingjun climbed into the passenger seat.
Feeling the car smoothly roll into motion toward the residential compound's main gate, Lingjun said, "Fu Qingyang mentioned your net worth is well over a hundred million now. Have you considered getting a top-tier supercar? Taking a hottie out for a spin—how exhilarating would that be?"
"Why don't you buy a supercar to pick up girls?" Zhang Yuanqing lightly pressed the brake, stopping at the compound gate.
"I don't have money," Lingjun shrugged. "All my money has been given away to women."
As the barrier gate slowly lifted, Zhang Yuanqing stepped on the gas, and the car hummed as it merged into traffic. Only then did he turn his head to mock him, "Turns out you're the real Money Prince—a total sucker."
Lingjun closed his eyes and spread his arms like a pilgrim on a holy journey, his voice profound and contemplative:
"Love is the most wonderful thing in this world. Romantic indulgence is a man's sole purpose for coming into existence. Power, wealth, fame—they are all fleeting clouds.
"I deeply love every woman with whom I have shared a destined encounter, yet my pursuit of love halts for no one. Thus, aside from vulgarities like money, I can think of no other way to compensate them."
Zhang Yuanqing listened dumbfoundedly. After struggling for words for a long while, he finally choked out:
"I’m honestly fucking enlightened."
To speak of being a philanderer with such righteous openness, and to whitewash gold-diggers whiter than a swan—he was truly worthy of being a life mentor.
Lingjun shifted the tone. "Though you can't follow my example, or Guan Ya will run you through with a sword."
"Alas, Mentor, how can I be as suave and romantic as you without angering Guan Ya?" Zhang Yuanqing asked humbly. "When will I ever be able to be like you?"
"In your dreams."
"..."
Sanchong Street, Baihui Club.
Situated far from downtown, this was in the suburbs, but it was by no means desolate. On the contrary, Sanchong Street was surrounded by luxury mansions and villas, fully equipped with shopping malls, fresh food markets, and other amenities, making daily life exceptionally convenient.
Moreover, shielded from the hustle and bustle of the city and blessed with lush landscaping, it was a favorite enclave among the wealthy.
Baihui Club was a villa clad in marble facade, spanning three stories with a footprint of a thousand square meters per floor. It boasted a full six balconies and, including its gardens, spanned a total area of six mu.
On the second floor of the Baihui Club, exquisite crystal chandeliers cast brilliant illumination. Long dining tables draped in white cloths were laden with lavish spreads of delicacies, fine wine, and fresh fruit.
Several servers streamed back and forth, continuously bringing in more food and drink.
Beyond this spacious dining room, the second floor featured card rooms, gaming lounges, rest areas, a billiard room, a screening room, a cigar lounge, and more.
As the hostess, Miao Teng'er wore a simple, elegant plain dress accented by exquisite jewelry. Exuding both innocence and allure, a faint smile graced her face as she welcomed each arriving guest.
This was a dinner banquet hosted for her circle of friends, a social gathering.
Besides close female friends from the three major branches—Songhai, Jiangnan Province, and Sanzhuang Province—she had also invited outstanding young talents from all three branches.
At social occasions like this, no one would bother coming if the opposite sex were absent.
To that end, she had specifically invited her indolent cousin. The moment they heard that the Flower Prince would attend, the women in the chat group had squealed in excitement, immediately declaring they would come have fun and catch up with sworn sisters they hadn't seen in ages.
As time ticked by, most of the guests arrived as scheduled.
Inside the dining room, familiar guests clustered in small groups of two or three—some lounging around the sofas, others standing beside the banquet tables, chatting merrily and savoring the fine food and wine.
Miao Teng'er checked her watch. It was 6:50 PM; only her unreliable cousin had yet to show up.
Already accustomed to this, she carried a wine glass, clinking glasses and exchanging pleasantries with each guest to fulfill her duties as host.
After making a round, she walked over toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. Standing there was an elderly man past fifty with gray hair, a deeply wrinkled face, and a slight hunch in his back.
Yet his gaze remained sharp, fixed intently outside the window without blinking.
He had been standing there for half an hour.
Miao Teng'er spoke gently, "Uncle Yang, if you don't care for the atmosphere here, you can go back to your room to rest."
Uncle Yang was the bodyguard her maternal grandfather had assigned to her, an early-stage Level 6 Saint.
Uncle Yang replied in a deep voice, "Miss, just now there was a presence outside that made me feel uneasy."
Miao Teng'er knitted her brows. "An evil class?"
Uncle Yang shook his head. "Hard to say; it flashed past in an instant. I've already commanded the grass in the courtyard to stay on alert. Hopefully, it was just my imagination."
With that, he glanced back across the crowded room of guests, hesitating as if wanting to say more.
"Uncle Yang, no need to worry," Miao Teng'er comforted him.
Experts were gathered here in droves. Among those she invited, the lowest level was Level 3, and there were plenty of Saints. They had nothing to fear from an attack by evil classes.
Furthermore, this was a private club, and everyone invited was a friend. The privacy was exceptionally high; evil classes couldn't possibly know in advance.
Besides, Yuanshi Tianzun had recently wiped out over a dozen black markets across Songhai, Jiangnan Province, and Sanzhuang Province. Evil classes in Songhai were lying lower than ever, and September had not yet arrived.
An attack was virtually out of the question.
"If there's any danger, notify Elder Gou immediately." Still, proper caution was necessary, so she gave this quiet reminder before leaving the window and heading toward a corner.
Two long sofas were arranged there, where six or seven gorgeous, finely dressed young ladies, young wives, and wealthy women were chatting pleasantly. They whispered among themselves, rating the handsome young men in the dining room, occasionally bursting into crisp laughter.
"Teng'er, who's that handsome fellow over there? Why don't you introduce us?"
The moment Miao Teng'er approached, an exquisitely made-up woman in a black dress gestured with her eyes, smiling playfully.
This lady was from the Xie family of Pangxie City, named Xie Lingyun. Her grandfather was the seventh son of the Xie family's ancestor. Though she didn't wield as much status and power as the family head's direct lineage, she was still of direct descent within the Xie family.
Miao Teng'er followed her gaze. It was a handsome young man in a suit with an upright posture, surrounded by elegant, mature men in their thirties or forties.
He was the only young man among them.
Miao Teng'er smiled. "That's 'Broken Bridge Residual Blood' from the Hang City branch, a Level 3 Scout. A top graduate from Jiangnan University, he became a Spirit Realm walker early this year and reached Level 3 in just six months. He's a key seed being groomed by the Hang City branch.
"Originally, he wanted to enter the killing trial this June, but the Hang City branch felt evil organizations wouldn't let Yuanshi Tianzun off and that the mid-year killing trial posed too much danger, so they didn't approve his participation. He missed a golden opportunity to become a Saint.
"Still, with his talent, advancing to Saint is only a matter of time. A rising talent with limitless potential! If you like him, Sister Lingyun, make your move quickly. I already checked for you—he's single!"
A wealthy lady nearby remarked in surprise, "Level 3 in six months? That leveling speed..."
Not just Xie Lingyun, but several single socialites on the sofa had their eyes light up.
Seemingly sensing the gaze of the beauties, Broken Bridge Residual Blood turned his head toward them, offered an elegant smile, and raised his glass in greeting.
Xie Lingyun pressed her lips together and laughed, "None of you are allowed to compete with me for him."
The wealthy woman who had spoken earlier took a sip of red wine, looked toward the banquet tables, and asked, "Teng'er, who's that?"
She was looking at a middle-aged man with handsome, rugged features, dressed in a casual blazer, with short hair, a mature aura, and deep eyes—an ideal companion for wealthy women.
"Him..." Miao Teng'er reeled off the information effortlessly, chatting with ease. "He's a Deacon from Songhai's Puning District, from our Baihui. His Spirit Realm ID is High Mountain and Flowing Water. He visited my grandfather at my home last year. If he catches your eye, Sister Manyan, I'll introduce you."
A Deacon in Songhai carried much more weight than one from other branches; those who served as Deacons in the Songhai Branch were typically Level 5, or exceptionally promising Level 4s.
The wealthy woman nodded with a beaming smile. "Just making friends, of course."
Miao Teng'er chuckled behind her hand. This Sister Manyan was also a Baihui Deacon, from the Jizhou Branch. She happened to be on vacation recently and had come along to hang out after seeing the announcement of the banquet in the group chat.
She had been divorced once, but had no children.
Next, she introduced the hall's prime bachelors to her friends one by one.
"That one over there is Elder Liu's maternal grandson from the Hang City branch, Liu Zhiyi. Elder Liu is the second-in-command of the Hang City branch."
This was directed at several friends looking to marry up.
"And that one is Huayangzi. Supposedly, he used to be a monk in a Daoist monastery. He's thirty-three this year, and rumor has it he's on excellent terms with the Fire Prince."
This was meant for friends looking for a high-potential partner.
"That one is Danqing Shengshou, the mascot of the Xie City Branch. He has a wonderful temperament, average talent, but quite a handsome face..."
This was aimed at friends looking for a pretty boy to keep.
The women listened with giggles and chatter. One young woman laughed, "Teng'er, don't just introduce them to us; pick one for yourself first!"
Miao Teng'er smiled wryly, murmuring softly, "Once you've seen the best, other men can hardly catch your eye anymore."
In terms of wicked charm, arrogance, domineering presence, and innate talent, she had met countless men, but hardly any could compare to him.
The table fell silent at once, the atmosphere turning somewhat awkward. The wealthy lady Manyan chuckled and smoothly steered the subject away, her expression seductive:
"Teng'er, where is your cousin?
"After introducing this one and that one, can't you see these little vixens are all lusting after the Flower Prince?"
The atmosphere immediately livened up.
Hearing the title "Flower Prince," several women not far away also turned their heads to look.
One could see just how immensely popular the Flower Prince was with women.
Miao Teng'er said irritably, "He's habitually undisciplined. Who knows when he'll show up? Ignore him—drink, drink!"
Just then, a young girl dressed in a light-blue gown and glamorously decked out asked:
"Sister Teng'er, did you invite Yuanshi Tianzun?"
Even more women turned their heads, and among them were men as well.
Miao Teng'er shook her head. "I'm not familiar with him, so I didn't invite him."
The gorgeously dressed girl's face immediately fell into disappointment. The young women beside her teased:
"Yan'er, you're actually pining for Yuanshi Tianzun?"
"Even if your dad is the second-in-command of the Xie City Branch, seducing Yuanshi Tianzun would still be quite a stretch."
Despite their respectable standing, to reach someone like Yuanshi Tianzun—a prodigy destined for supreme power and influence—their status fell somewhat short.
They too wanted to befriend Yuanshi Tianzun, get acquainted, or have something happen between them. But even Miao Teng'er had prudently refrained from inviting him, let alone them.
Miao Teng'er's grandfather, after all, was Grand Elder Baihui, an Elder with a seat at the headquarters.
Yan'er huffed, then looked toward the windows on the opposite side. "Are those people over there from the Taiyi Sect?"
By a round table near the window sat two men clad in black. They possessed wicked, captivating temperaments and handsome features.
One table away from them sat a woman veiled in black gauze, her lustrous hair cascading down like a waterfall. She wore a black gauze skirt, a black T-shirt, and a short black jacket over it.
Her demeanor was quiet and refined, her beautiful eyes harboring a hidden melancholy—like a night-blooming cereus in full flower, radiantly breathtaking yet isolated in self-admiration.
"I originally intended to introduce those two to you, but who knew that as soon as Sister Yin Ji arrived, they'd turn into flower-guarding envoys," Miao Teng'er smiled wryly.
"Why did you even invite her?" Xie Lingyun hummed softly with displeasure. "Once she sat down there, not a single man's eyes could look away."
Yin Ji's status within the official faction was rather unique.
First of all, she possessed immense talent with the potential of a Dominator. Had she not been held back by that man and fallen into prolonged despondence, she might have advanced to Dominator by the end of last year.
Secondly, both her character and beauty were widely celebrated, winning her countless admirers in the Taiyi Sect.
Finally, she was the only woman the Demon Lord had ever acknowledged as his true love—the femme fatale over whom the Taiyi Sect had torn them apart, provoking the Demon Lord's vow to annihilate the Taiyi Sect.
This undoubtedly made her the ultimate conquest for those hunting for romance.
Miao Teng'er said helplessly, "She wasn't on my guest list. I just heard she arrived in Songhai today and sent a token invitation; who could have known she'd actually accept..."
Though she said this, she was secretly pleased that Yin Ji had come.
After that man died, Yin Ji had veiled her face, carrying herself as though all love and emotion were dead. What, did she plan to remain a living widow for him?
Miao Teng'er was intensely jealous of her. She couldn't stand Yin Ji's chastity-memorial-arch routine and secretly wished some man would bed her one day.
Why should the Demon Lord have loved only her?
At this moment, a server ushered two young men into the dining room. Unlike the suited and booted gentlemen around them, these two were dressed in loose cropped pants, sneakers, and T-shirts that couldn't have cost more than two hundred yuan.
Chapter 388