Early the next morning, the curtains were drawn tight. Faint daylight seeped through the narrow gaps, leaving the entire room quiet and dim.
Guan Ya slowly woke up. Subconsciously, she reached out her arm to embrace her bedmate and lover, only to grasp empty air.
Her mind still foggy with sleep, she furrowed her brows. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her beautiful eyes.
The space beside her pillow was completely empty.
With just that glance, the bright mood of waking up to a pleasant morning suddenly soured.
Yet a moment later, as if sensing something, she rolled over and looked toward the desk.
A figure was sitting by the desk. The pale blue glow of the monitor illuminated his face amidst the heavy shadows, accentuating his handsome, clean-cut, and distinct features.
Guan Ya's heart instantly settled, and her quiet, strikingly glamorous mixed-race face blossomed with vitality.
Her voice carried a touch of sweet languor as she giggled. "Entering sage mode this early in the morning?"
"Woman, you're playing with fire again. Have you forgotten who was crying and begging for mercy last night?" Zhang Yuanqing turned his head and sneered playfully.
He watched as Guan Ya sat up clutching the quilt, swinging two long, gorgeous legs out to step on the floor. She leaned down to pick up her nightgown scattered at the foot of the bed. From this angle, Zhang Yuanqing could clearly see the smooth, flowing curve of her jade-like back—delicate as the finest satin, not slender and bony like a young girl's, but filled out with the lush suppleness unique to a mature woman.
What a vixen... Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath, pulled his gaze away, and returned his attention to the computer screen.
Having slipped into her nightgown, Guan Ya walked over to the desk and draped her arms around his neck from behind. "You're reading scenario guides... Oh, right, your next scenario is coming up soon. Let me think—is it a multiplayer scenario this time?"
Zhang Yuanqing gave an "Mm." "The Taiyi Sect's guides are almost never useful for me, but I still have to look. Just in case one comes in handy."
With his performance in the Sea of Yashan, the worst-case scenario for his next run would be encountering another situation where Level 6s carried Level 4s.
One step down from that was Level 5s carrying Level 4s.
Even the most optimistic scenario would be an S-rank dungeon.
Consider this: when your items and trump cards allowed you to effortlessly slay Level 4 Saints, battle toe-to-toe with Level 5 Saints, and even clash evenly with early Level 6 Saints, would the Spirit Realm let you continue frolicking comfortably in scenarios meant for your nominal rank?
The Spirit Realm had a balancing mechanism.
A scenario where Level 6s were matched with Level 4s was rare under the matchmaking algorithm, but rare did not mean nonexistent. The main reason it was so rare was likely because most people's hidden scores simply weren't high enough.
Once your hidden score reached a certain threshold, being matched alongside higher-level Saints might very well become the norm.
However, this phenomenon was probably only known to an exceptional few peerless prodigies—such as the Grand Marshal and the Demon Lord, who had similarly advanced at terrifying speeds and reached the Dominator stage in a short span of time.
Guan Ya rested her sharp, slender chin on his shoulder and said softly, "Come back safe and sound! Once my rating improves, maybe I'll get matched into the same scenario as you again."
Ever since deciding to level up properly, she had stopped deliberately bottlenecking her progression. Following her outstanding performance in the killing trial, Guan Ya's rating could now consistently stabilize at the A-rank.
For her, an A-rank scenario was something she had to risk her life to survive. In her previous run, "The Strange Case of Lin'an," she had faced three brushes with death and nearly perished inside.
It was hard to imagine how Yuanshi had pulled through so many S-rank scenarios in the past.
"I have plenty of treasures now. Even if I'm pitted against a Level 6 powerhouse, I can hold my own." Zhang Yuanqing turned his head and kissed her red lips. The two melted into a passionate kiss, their breaths growing heavy.
Just then, a chime rang from the desk. It was Guan Ya's phone, which was decorated with astrological constellation stickers.
Guan Ya raised her head and reached over to pick up her phone. Upon checking the message, her expression abruptly changed.
"My mom is coming to Songhai tomorrow."
Moving so fast? I thought my mother-in-law would act like a villainous boss, sneering in disdain while giving me time to level up... Zhang Yuanqing instinctively bared his teeth, then rolled up his sleeves.
"The first step toward happiness begins with slaying the mother-in-law."
Guan Ya: "..."
***
At 7:30 PM, at the entrance of the Fujia Bay Villa community.
A black commercial van arrived outside the complex. Sitting in the back row, Yin Ji heard a sharp honk outside the window.
She rolled down the window and glanced out. A blue sports car was parked by the curb, with a handsome young man sitting in the driver's seat.
The young man raised an eyebrow and flashed her a grin. "Hey beauty, hop in! This Heavenly Lord will take you for a spin."
Yin Ji was truly not accustomed to his overly familiar manner, but looking at that grinning face, the melancholy that usually shrouded her heart somehow lightened a bit.
She gave a slight nod and opened the door.
Zhang Yuanqing observed the Demon Lord's widow as she stepped out of the van and walked toward him. As always, she wore a layered black silk gown with exquisite lace trim along the hemline.
Her hair cascaded like a waterfall, a black veil concealed her face, and her eyes were serene and beautiful. Her aura was ethereal and mysterious, carrying an understated nobility, like an elf of the dark moon.
The orange glow of the streetlights spilled over her, lending her a touch of earthly warmth.
*Thump!*
Yin Ji entered the car and softly closed the door.
Brilliant starlight flickered within her calm, dark eyes. She spoke softly, "My master gave me two magical artifacts to guard against unexpected trouble. Before the meeting, we should nip any danger in the bud and avoid falling into an enemy trap. Let me examine your physiognomy..."
As she scrutinized Yuanshi Tianzun's face, she suddenly froze.
A few seconds later, she smiled. "Congratulations!"
His Affinity Palace was radiant and glowing, signifying that Yuanshi Tianzun was deeply in love, yet a faint, lingering haze hovered around it.
Yin Ji thus offered a kind warning: "Your relationship will face some turbulence in the near future."
Zhang Yuanqing started the engine and merged into the traffic, sighing with feeling. "My future mother-in-law and father-in-law don't approve of my relationship with my girlfriend."
Yin Ji blinked in surprise again, then smiled. "Given your status and standing, it's hard to imagine her parents would object."
"Because they have a better option," Zhang Yuanqing said helplessly as he steered onto the elevated highway. "My girlfriend is a direct descendant of the Fu family. The family originally intended for her to enter an arranged marriage with the Miller family of Heaven's Punishment. In Fu Qingyang's words, it's a project worth a hundred billion—high return, low risk.
"Meanwhile, I'm just a grassroots nobody with no assets, no influence, and no money. All I have is intangible potential: high risk, slow payoff. If I die in the Spirit Realm tomorrow, the return drops to zero.
"Conversely, in a marriage with the Millers, it wouldn't even matter if the kid died. Their goal is a partnership with the Miller family, not with the brat himself."
Hearing this, Yin Ji furrowed her brows, feeling unoptimistic about Yuanshi Tianzun's love life.
She came from a major faction. Sects differed from aristocratic families in that they didn't force members into arranged marriages, but even if she had never tasted pork, she had seen pigs run.
Arranged marriages among Spirit Realm clans were never like those TV dramas where true love moved heaven and earth and melted the future mother-in-law's heart.
As Yuanshi Tianzun had pointed out, a political marriage was a massive venture tied to the development of clans and power blocs. The stakes behind it were immeasurable. How could someone simply refuse to marry just because they didn't want to?
Before the clan, most members possessed zero bargaining power—unless they were peerless prodigies of a different breed altogether.
Although Yuanshi Tianzun had limitless potential, just as he said, he was high-risk, slow-yield, with the potential of wiping out all investment overnight. By comparison, the Miller family offered low risk and high returns. For any investor, the choice was self-evident.
At this point, the conversation should have ended without prying further. Yet for some reason, Yin Ji felt an inexplicable urge to inquire, and she pressed, "Then... what do you plan to do?"
Zhang Yuanqing replied calmly, "Fight to the bitter end, of course."
"Fighting back might not bring a good outcome. It could drag you down," Yin Ji cautioned.
"What's there to fear? I'm an official member. What can the Fu family do to me? First, I'll get Sister Guan Ya pregnant and present them with a done deal. Then they'll have to pinch their noses and accept it." Zhang Yuanqing spoke with brazen bravado, then added, "Though her mom is clearly very experienced. She saw right through my wolfish ambitions and refused to give me a chance. She's flying to Songhai tomorrow, and I haven't figured out how to deal with her yet."
"That's true... you have official status. You have official status..." Yin Ji murmured softly to herself. In the end, it was different. What they faced was a relationship dilemma, not a life-and-death crisis.
In her ears, the stern reprimand of her mentor seemed to echo once more: *If you want him dead, keep staying by his side, and see if the other elders spare his life the next time they come knocking.*
After a few seconds of silence, she couldn't help but ask, "What about her? Isn't she afraid of dragging you down? The Fu Clan Council of Elders is notoriously strict. Even if she isn't worried about implicating you, how can she resist her clan?"
Yin Ji is quite chatty today... Zhang Yuanqing answered candidly, "Since we've chosen to be together, we naturally share the risks. She said that if the Fu family dares to intervene by force, she'll turn herself into an orphan."
Yin Ji froze.
After that, she said nothing more, merely staring blankly at the passing scenery along the street. The night wind ruffled her lustrous hair and fluttered her dress, making her look like a lilac laden with sorrow.
Half an hour later, the blue sports car left Songhai and crossed into the borders of Jinshan City.
"Pull over for a moment."
Yin Ji, having remained silent the entire drive, finally spoke.
Zhang Yuanqing parked on the shoulder. He watched as she retrieved a tortoise shell from her inventory and handed it over. "Shake it three times to the left and three times to the right. It can divine your fortune and misfortune for the immediate future."
This divination item complemented Star Physiognomy, adding an extra layer of insurance.
She should have taken it out at the start, but her conversation with Yuanshi Tianzun had stirred up memories of the past, and she had only remembered it just now.
Zhang Yuanqing took the tortoise shell. Like a fraudulent fortune-teller, he raised it high to the left and shook it three times, then to the right and shook it three times. The clinking and jingling of copper coins resonated from within the shell.
He tilted the shell and poured out the coins.
Three large copper coins spread across his palm. Zhang Yuanqing glanced down at them, then looked up at Yin Ji.
"How does it look?"
He was not the owner of the tortoise shell, nor was he a Fangshi; he had no idea how to interpret the hexagram.
Yin Ji's pupils constricted. "An omen of great calamity!"
"What?" Zhang Yuanqing froze.
Yin Ji repeated, "An omen of great calamity. Your life will be in mortal danger in the near future."
With that, Yin Ji opened her Star Eyes once more and examined Yuanshi Tianzun's physiognomy, only to find that his Calamity Palace was clear, with no signs of bloody disaster.
Star Physiognomy and hexagram divination had conflicted.
Why the hell am I in danger again? Can't I just get a few peaceful days? I literally just slept with Sister Guan Ya... Zhang Yuanqing's mind overflowed with exasperated complaints.
The prophecy from the Magic Mirror of Fate was still unresolved, and now the tortoise shell divination had dealt another blow.
Zhang Yuanqing didn't think the tortoise shell's divination was wrong. The Lunar fragment had a mind of its own; it would grant concealment when necessary, such as back in the killing trial when big shots were prying from outside, causing it to mask the full moon mark on its own.
Most of the time, however, it did not interfere.
Which meant he truly faced a massive crisis in the near future.
Yin Ji picked up the tortoise shell, shook it three times to the left and right, and poured out the coins. The hexagram shown by the coins caused her brows to knit once more.
Her reading indicated safety!
In other words, only Yuanshi Tianzun faced a great crisis.
Yin Ji pondered for a few seconds before analyzing, "The crisis probably doesn't stem from tonight's meeting; otherwise, my reading would be the same as yours. Star Physiognomy can only perceive short-term fate, covering no more than a day, whereas the hexagram predicts a broader timeframe further out... Are you entering a scenario soon?"
"Yes!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded in realization.
The grave crisis predicted by the hexagram comes from the scenario?
Well, there's also the possibility of my mother-in-law hiring an assassin... he added silently to himself.
Yin Ji's gaze immediately filled with worry.
"Let's go meet the people from the Southern Sect first. We can worry about the scenario when the time comes." Suppressing his heavy mood so as not to pass it on to Yin Ji, Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Every scenario I enter is a matter of life and death anyway. I'm used to it, used to it..."
Yin Ji hesitated, but Zhang Yuanqing gave her no chance to speak, stepping on the gas and returning to the road.
Twenty minutes later, the two arrived at the agreed rendezvous: the office of a small logistics company.
Inside the office, which was barely a dozen square meters in size, parcels were piled haphazardly. On the only two chairs sat Xiao Yuan—glamorous, commanding, and pale-faced—and Kou Beiyue, who sat spread-legged in an imposing posture, looking every bit like a gang boss leading a negotiation.
The true protagonist, Little Fatty, stood obediently to the side instead.
As Zhang Yuanqing and Yin Ji stepped into the office, Kou Beiyue spoke first. With sharp eyes and a deep voice, he began: "Whether this negotiation succeeds or not depends on the Taiyi Sect's sincerity—"
Before he could finish, Zhang Yuanqing strode forward, grabbed him by the collar, and tossed him aside.
"Off you go! The adults are talking, so step aside, kid."
Kou Beiyue stumbled, but thanks to Little Fatty catching him, he managed to stay on his feet. He glared furiously at Yuanshi Tianzun, seething with anger he dared not voice.
Zhang Yuanqing gestured for Yin Ji to take a seat, then turned toward Xiao Yuan, whom he hadn't seen in days, and smiled playfully. "Auntie Xiao Yuan."
She was as breathtakingly cold and elegant as ever, with a dominating aura. Sitting there, she radiated the poise of a noble matriarch, completely overshadowing the gentle and kind Yin Ji.
Seeing Xiao Yuan here put his heart at ease. This meant Master Wuhen would also be keeping an eye on this negotiation.
The master was reliable after all; he didn't trust the Southern Sect's morals, so he had sent Xiao Yuan to supervise.
Or perhaps Xiao Yuan had heard about the meeting and deliberately came to hold down the fort. She possessed a dream-entering jade talisman—her presence meant Master Wuhen was virtually present as well.
Xiao Yuan kept a frosty expression, ignoring him completely.
What's wrong now? I haven't provoked her recently. Honestly, this woman blows hot and cold... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly wondered if perhaps the only reliable one was Master Wuhen.
If Xiao Yuan truly cared about his safety, why would she give him the cold shoulder?
Yin Ji looked at Xiao Yuan and asked softly, "What is your Southern Sect's plan?"
At this moment, Little Fatty meekly raised his hand. "Um... I'm actually the envoy of the Southern Sect."
Yin Ji looked at him, a silent question mark flashing in her eyes: "...?"
Chapter 460