Communication

Central Plains, Kaifeng Prefecture. Dressed in a light autumn outfit and wearing a peaked cap, a middle-aged man bought a ticket at the scenic area's ticket window, walked through the towering city gate, and entered this ancient city steeped in historical atmosphere. In Kaifeng, there was an old saying: *Kaifeng City, city upon city, with several cities buried beneath the ground.* Due to silt accumulation from the nation's mother river, the downstream riverbed had risen until, in many areas, it was actually higher than the city itself. Thus, whenever the river flooded, mud and sand would submerge the entire city. Later generations rebuilt on the ruins, giving rise to the phenomenon of city piled atop city. The ancient cities had long been buried deep underground, becoming part of a vast history. Today's Kaifeng was a modern reconstruction, and in truth, it lacked much genuine antiquity. Under bright sunshine and a gentle breeze, the middle-aged man strolled through the unfamiliar ancient city before finally stopping beside a secluded pool adorned with willows and a covered bridge. "Visiting the old haunts once more—how does it feel?" A figure rose from the water. Its body was composed of flowing currents, its face indistinct, and everything below its waist remained hidden beneath the surface. Not many tourists passed by, and the scattered few acted completely blind to the entity in the pool, as though they saw nothing at all. The middle-aged man in the peaked cap stared at the figure in the water, a manic gleam flickering in his eyes as he chuckled darkly. "If the Emperor back then had helped me master my divine art, I could have extended my life by two hundred years. In that era's environment, I would have been invincible under heaven. How would mere northern barbarians have dared disturb the Central Plains? The fall of the Song Dynasty is truly cause for celebration." The watery figure in the pool spoke slowly: "And what about your beloved disciple? Why didn't she step in back then?" The Pure Yang Sect Master sneered. "The Pure Yang Sect follows the mandate of heaven. We observe the constellations and understand all things, yet we can only remain bystanders. A mere mortal's strength cannot halt the turning of heaven and earth; one must act according to the trend. "My beloved disciple was pedantic and foolish. She would rather watch the dynasty collapse into pieces than intervene. "Of course, I used to be just as pedantic." With that, he fixed a gaze laced with madness upon the figure in the pool. "Why is your Dark Night Rose helping me?" The person in the water smiled. "Because you have sufficient potential. You aren't bound by Morality Points, so you can act as recklessly as you please in the real world. That is what we envy most." "I have no interest in destroying the world," the Pure Yang Sect Master said coldly. "Tell me the truth!" The watery figure shrugged. "That is my truth. If I weren't restricted by Morality Points, I could play those official Spirit Realm walkers to death. "Of course, the Great Protector might have deeper intentions. You are a Night Walker too, so you know how cryptic your class is. You look ten steps ahead for every step you take; outsiders have no way of knowing your real thoughts." The Pure Yang Sect Master went quiet for a moment before asking, "Why did you ask to meet?" He didn't care what Dark Night Rose's goals were. As long as they could genuinely help him recover his cultivation, that was all that mattered. "The Taiyi Sect and Five Elements Alliance may make a move soon. The Great Protector can no longer clearly foresee the path of your fate, because the enemy is Elder Hongying, who also possesses the protection of the Lunar," the watery figure said slowly. "When extraordinary forces cancel each other out, the contest comes down to intellect and cunning—and in that regard, you are the most adept." The Pure Yang Sect Master gave a dry laugh. "They're already being spun in circles by me." "The Great Protector also mentioned that we might need your help in the near future." The figure in the water paused thoughtfully, then continued in an odd tone, "The Leader observed the constellations at night and informed the Great Protector that someone has set their sights on the Leader." "The one from the Taiyi Sect?" "No, not him. If it were him, there would be no need for us to worry—how could ants intervene in a clash between immortals? But the Leader only saw fluctuations regarding his own fate; he couldn't see the opponent clearly." The Pure Yang Sect Master said, "If conditions allow, I will take action." He paused, then added, "That little wench from the Taiyi Sect possesses an aura that is thick and pure. I like it very much. If Dark Night Rose can help me consume her, I will repay you." "Yin Ji, huh... If the Demon Lord were still alive, I would advise you not to touch her." The half-bodied figure of flowing water chuckled. "Right, one more thing. Stop killing the Illusionists of the Southern Faction for now. If you kill Extraordinary Illusionists, they can overlook it, but Saints are the pillars of any major organization. If you keep this up, the Southern Faction might well join forces with the Taiyi Sect." The madness in the Pure Yang Sect Master's eyes surged abruptly, and he said coldly, "Are you telling me what to do?" "It's a piece of advice! Whatever, you're a lunatic who won't listen to reason anyway." With that, he collapsed into water and splashed down into the pool. *** Fujia Bay. Inside a spacious, luxurious study. Fu Qingyang sat behind his desk, staring at the smartphone in front of him. Speakerphone was on, and a woman's shrill, reprimanding voice rang out from the speaker: "Fu Qingyang, is this how you look after Guan Ya? Since when does she have a boyfriend? Why didn't you tell me? "The marriage alliance was decided by the Council of Clan Elders! Are you trying to defy them as well?! "You'd better not defy the elders! Without the Fu family's backing, don't even dream of ever entering the Five Elements Alliance headquarters!" Fu Qingyang unhurriedly lifted his glass to sip some water, calmly listening to his elder's scolding. Once the overwhelming barrage of furious shouting on the other end died down, he said in a calm, indifferent voice, "I am not your subordinate; I have no obligation to report to you. Guan Ya is your daughter, not mine. What does her dating a boyfriend have to do with me? I'm not her guardian." Hearing her nephew's detached reply, the woman on the other end felt her rage flare once more. If Fu Qingyang hadn't shielded Guan Ya in the first place, could she have hidden away peacefully in Songhai? To now claim "what does it have to do with me" was utter shamelessness. The next round of scolding came pouring out, but before she could finish more than a few sentences, Fu Qingyang cut her off coldly: "Enough. You are my aunt, which is why I can tolerate you for ten minutes. And only ten minutes." The moment he finished speaking, the call timer ticked over to exactly 10:00. The voice on the other end seized up. She truly held great wariness toward this nephew of hers—and it wasn't just her; even the Council of Clan Elders was wary of this kid. Yet more than being wary, the council looked forward to his growth. Those old codgers were like that: as long as you displayed sufficient capability and talent, even if you flung a blade right in front of them or climbed on top of their heads to relieve yourself, they would simply chuckle and say: *Well done!* The old fellows were pragmatic and cold; they believed only in the law of the jungle. As long as Fu Qingyang didn't openly rebel, the council's tolerance for him was limitless. And that very tolerance made Fu Qingyang increasingly lawless, leaving the family elders entirely helpless. After a few seconds of silence, the woman gritted her teeth. "Who is her boyfriend?" If Guan Ya's boyfriend was merely an ordinary person, it wouldn't matter—he could be dismissed with a wave of the hand. If he was a Spirit Realm walker, it depended on his identity. Different identities called for different handlings. An ordinary Deacon or scion from a Spirit Realm clan wouldn't catch her eye, and breaking them apart wouldn't be difficult either. What she feared was Guan Ya picking an older man with substantial power. For the Fu family, the marriages of high-caliber descendants were strictly planned out, tied directly to the clan's development direction and strategic plans. It wasn't enough for a prospective match to merely be powerful. For example, if the Fu family wanted to enter the internet sector, they would seek an alliance with a giant in that field. If you went and married a coal boss from Jin Province, forget it. Fu Qingyang replied, "Yuanshi Tianzun!" The moment those four words left his mouth, dead silence fell over the other end. Fu Qingyang picked up the phone and hung up. He looked toward the desk, where two individuals had their necks craned and ears pricked to eavesdrop on the drama, and said coldly, "Finished listening?" Zhang Yuanqing and Lingjun pulled their heads back. The former remarked ruefully, "My mother-in-law is truly terrifying. I already want to fly over and beat her up." He had just returned from Jinshan City, having developed quite a taste for intimacy, and originally intended to find his girlfriend to pour his all into her, only to be summoned by a phone call from Fu Qingyang on the road. Fu Qingyang had told him the roster for the Qinfeng Academy had been compiled. So he had taken a detour to the study first, arriving just in time to overhear this scene. Guan Ya's mother's voice had rubbed him entirely the wrong way. Not because it sounded unpleasant, but because it was too domineering. Her tone was remarkably similar to Chen Shu's, both carrying an underlying, non-negotiable self-centeredness. The only difference was that while Chen Shu was an incompetent mother, she was merely incompetent. She still cared about her son, just not very much. Lingjun waved a dismissive hand. "That won't do. With your current level, going to the Fu family is walking right into a trap. Guan Ya's mom is just like that—a bitter woman aged like fine wine for twenty years, though she does look quite attractive." "Naturally. Just look at Guan Ya and you'd know." Zhang Yuanqing had a fair idea of his mother-in-law's looks. The corner of Fu Qingyang's mouth twitched. "Though I dislike this aunt of mine, isn't it rather impolite to appraise her right in front of me?" Zhang Yuanqing hurried to ask, "Boss, will she cause trouble for me?" "Yes!" Fu Qingyang rose from his desk and walked toward the liquor cabinet, speaking as he went: "You can think of the Miller family alliance as a project worth over a hundred billion federal dollars. Guan Ya's parents are the project leads, and the investors are the Fu family and the Miller family. "If this deal went through, the two of them would have earned an enormous cut." Unscrewing a bottle cap, he poured himself a small glass, took a sip, and looked at Yuanshi Tianzun. "Now that you've ruined it, what do you think? Will she come after you or not?" Lingjun nodded vigorously, chiming in from the side: "You definitely ruined Guan Ya, and aside from so-called potential, you have nothing. No faction, no assets—you'd have to be dreaming to expect her parents to agree." Fu Qingyang shot him a cold glance, then looked back at Zhang Yuanqing. "Your official status is an excellent umbrella. At most, she'll mobilize her influence to suppress you within permitted rules, and then look to negotiate with you. "She won't readily resort to assassination." *Assassination...* Zhang Yuanqing frowned. If something like this happened among ordinary people—a mother-in-law hiring an assassin because she was displeased with a son-in-law—it would be utterly absurd. But among great clans, it was practically commonplace. Once vast interests and power were at stake, ethics and morals became mere decorations. It had been this way since ancient times. "Then what if she does try to assassinate me?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. Fu Qingyang said impassively, "Assassinating an official member carries the death penalty!" Zhang Yuanqing knew this was Money Prince's stance. His mind immediately felt at ease. Fu Qingyang walked back to the desk, pulled out a folder, and handed it over. "Every training roster since the founding of Qinfeng Academy is here." Zhang Yuanqing's heart surged with excitement. *** That afternoon, Wuhen Hotel. Little Fatty parked his electric scooter, returned to the hotel, greeted Xiao Yuan at the front desk, and hurried toward the interior. "What happened?" Xiao Yuan asked in a calm tone, her eyes fixed on the hotel entrance. She was always aloof and rarely smiled, her chilly beauty resembling winter plum blossoms in the twelfth lunar month. "I just met Yuanshi Tianzun," Little Fatty stopped and said. "The Taiyi Sect seems to want to cooperate with the Southern Faction, and he's the middleman. I'm going to report this to the Grand Elder." Xiao Yuan's delicate brows furrowed slightly. "He came to Jinshan City?" "Yeah! He's already returned to Songhai." The moment he said this, Little Fatty, as an Illusionist, emotionally sensed a sharp surge of displeasure erupting from Xiao Yuan before quickly subsiding. The winter plum seemed all the colder and aloof as she gave a chilly, "Oh." *Turns out the Boss's worry was justified...* Little Fatty stared at her for a few moments. Boss Kou Beiyue had said that the old woman Xiao Yuan had something going on with that kid Yuanshi Tianzun, and he was terrified she would be stolen away by him. At the time, Little Fatty had thought: *When the sky wants to rain, a mother wants to remarry—there's no stopping it anyway.* Naturally, he had never dared say that aloud, or he would have been pummeled into the ground at close range by a Bewitching Demon (Fire Specialist). As an Illusionist, Kou Beiyue's emotions were like an unpassworded local network in his eyes—accessible whenever he wished. Xiao Yuan's emotions, however, were exceptionally reserved, making them difficult to catch without actively using his skills. He had previously taken the boss's claims with a grain of salt, but now he believed them. Before Xiao Yuan could cast a cold glare his way, Little Fatty slipped into the interior of the hotel and rode the elevator back to his room. Taking out a sleek, high-tech black helmet, he walked toward his bed, put the helmet on, and lay down. After passing through a bizarre, hazy expanse of void, his consciousness materialized within a dream palace. Sixteen thick stone pillars held up the vaulted ceiling, and a crimson carpet stretched from the palace entrance all the way to a golden throne at the far end. Seated upon the throne was a six-meter-tall figure draped in a cloak, beneath which twisted a flickering mass of dark light. "Greetings, Grand Elder!" Little Fatty knelt prostrate on the ground and said, "There is feedback on the task you assigned. Yuanshi Tianzun came looking for me just now."