Wuhen Hotel. Four in the afternoon, under a blistering sun.
Few people ordered takeout at this hour, and deliveries were practically nonexistent, so Kou Beiyue had brought Little Fatty back to the hotel to enjoy the air conditioning and do some cleaning while they were at it.
Kou Beiyue took the easy chore, pushing a mop across the empty lobby.
Little Fatty diligently wiped down the glass doors.
From time to time, both of them cast a glance toward Xiao Yuan, who sat behind the front desk looking heavy-hearted.
Yuanshi Tianzun had been in custody for four days now, allegedly for colluding with an evil class inside a dungeon to kill the grandson of headquarters' Elder Cai.
When the news broke, the Spirit Realm Walkers of the three major evil organizations erupted in cheers, stopping just short of buying firecrackers to celebrate.
Word had it that the Spiritualists of the Spirit Society had collectively set up altars to cast rituals, cursing Yuanshi Tianzun to be executed by the Five Elements Alliance headquarters.
Foot traffic surged across black markets everywhere as people eagerly dug for intel, following developments with keen relish.
It felt quite like the Jurchen Jin watching the Southern Song execute General Yue Fei.
Xiao Yuan and Kou Beiyue, however, were thoroughly miserable. The former kept a frosty face all day, weighed down by worry, while the latter repeatedly botched food deliveries, plunging his electric scooter into roadside hedges more than once.
With the heavy atmosphere hanging over the hotel these past few days, even Little Fatty had grown quiet.
"Uh, say..." Little Fatty tested the waters. "How about I head over to the Southern Faction's trade market to ask around? It's been so many days; Yuanshi Tianzun's verdict should be out by now. With his illustrious merits and soaring reputation, the punishment can't be too severe."
"But he killed the grandson of a headquarters elder," Kou Beiyue said with a frown.
*Boss, you're always blunt at the worst possible times. Didn't you see Xiao Yuan's face cloud over?* Little Fatty silently complained to himself as he scuttled toward the depths of the hotel.
Gatherings of Dream Masters were peculiar: they did not take place in the physical world, but within dreams and illusions. As long as one possessed the appropriate item, they could meet in dreams even across thousands of kilometers.
Thus, gatherings of the Southern Faction typically conducted trade within dreams and then bartered goods using the faction warehouse as a transfer depot.
If money was involved in a transaction, the cash had to be surrendered to the Council of Elders, who would serve as guarantor.
"That punk definitely just wants to slack off and dump the work on me," Kou Beiyue muttered, curling his lip as he watched his lackey leave.
Xiao Yuan looked at him coldly. "You're doing all the cleaning today."
Kou Beiyue: "...?"
He felt both bewildered and wronged, convinced Xiao Yuan was treating him as an emotional punching bag. Still, not daring to cross her at a time like this, he buried his head and mopped in sullen indignation.
Half an hour later, the elevator doors opened with a ding. Rushed footsteps immediately followed, accompanied by Little Fatty's frantic hollering: "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! Huge news!"
Xiao Yuan's expression darkened abruptly. She stood up and fixed her gaze on Little Fatty.
Kou Beiyue paused his mop as well.
Little Fatty wore a bizarre, exaggerated expression, his face and eyes overflowing with sheer shock.
Forcing down her anxiety, Xiao Yuan took a deep breath. "What happened?"
Kou Beiyue urged, "Out with it!"
#Yuanshi Tianzun joined the group chat#
On the taxi ride to Jinshan City, Zhang Yuanqing rejoined the protagonist group chat.
After returning to Songhai, he hadn't accompanied Fu Qingyang home; instead, he caught a cab straight to Jinshan City.
Cai Longshen's matter had dragged on for too long. With only a few days left of the one-month deadline, he had to speed things up to rescue Demonic Eye. Even if it failed, he would still have time to execute Plan B.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: I'm back, brothers.]
[Xiahou Aotian: Are you back to brag about your grand achievements?]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Just letting everyone know I'm safe. Why the hostility?]
[Sun Miaomiao: Because he's eaten up with envy and jealousy.]
[Xiahou Aotian: I just realized something. Sun Miaomiao is sweet and obedient in person, but online, she loves flaming people.]
[Sun Miaomiao: Humph, none of your business.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Meek and timid in reality, heavy puncher on the internet? Huh, why did World Returns to Fire leave the chat?]
[Zhao Chenghuang: Driven out by Xiahou Aotian and Sun Miaomiao's heavy punches.]
#Yuanshi Tianzun invited World Returns to Fire to the group chat#
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Sorry to have worried everyone these past few days. I've successfully weathered the storm. None of you are entering a dungeon in the next few days, right?]
[Xiahou Aotian: I just cleared one while you were locked up.]
[World Returns to Fire: Cleared one half a month ago.]
Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang also indicated they wouldn't be entering dungeons anytime soon.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Return of the Dead is now a Level 2 faction and can open Saint-stage dungeons. I'd like to invite you all for the first clear.]
Everyone in the chat perked up.
Faction dungeons were the only way to gain experience outside of Spirit Realm dungeons (with the exception of Night Walkers).
Faction dungeons offered even richer rewards than normal Spirit Realm dungeons, because faction members running them together received an experience point bonus.
However, faction dungeons were limited in number and one-time affairs. Once cleared, the dungeon was marked as "cleared" and would no longer yield experience.
—Every member had only one chance.
[Zhao Chenghuang: When are we going in?]
He was remarkably proactive, sounding almost impatient.
What Zhao Chenghuang wanted most right now was to level up.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Don't rush. I looked over the faction dungeon rules. To unlock a Saint-stage dungeon, two conditions must be met: first, three Transcendent-stage dungeons must be cleared; second, the faction must have twelve members.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: We're already Saints, so we can't run Transcendent dungeons. We need to wait for the Transcendents in our faction to clear three dungeons. Also, we don't have twelve members yet. Do any of you have trustworthy candidates to recommend?]
Return of the Dead currently had eight members, leaving four spots to reach twelve.
[Xiahou Aotian: How about Brother Red Chicken? He's a great supporting character, well-suited to be my lackey.]
[World Returns to Fire: I refuse!]
He despised that Fire Demon who constantly ran around calling people "the disgrace of Fire Mages."
[Yuanshi Tianzun: It's just to fill the numbers. We can kick him out later.]
He casually appeased World Returns to Fire. In all honesty, Zhang Yuanqing rather liked Brother Red Chicken; the man was simple-minded and easy to get along with.
And having run in street syndicates, he was fiercely loyal.
Queen and Li Chunfeng were part of the patrol team and in the Transcendent stage. There was no reason to hand faction dungeon perks to outsiders, so they were an easy choice. Along with Brother Red Chicken, that left one more spot...
Zhang Yuanqing thought it over, and the final candidate came to mind—Guan Ya!
He hadn't invited Guan Ya previously because he wanted to use the Faction Token to expand his network, making official members a lower priority.
Now things were different: Guan Ya was his woman, someone he could bare his heart and soul to.
Most importantly, once Queen and Li Chunfeng joined the faction, Guan Ya would be the only member of the patrol team left out.
With a Scout's keen senses, she was bound to notice.
Rather than letting Guan Ya overthink things, it was better to take the initiative.
Right then, the taxi slowed to a halt by the curb, and the driver said, "Here we are."
Zhang Yuanqing looked out the window. The sign for Wuhen Hotel was just a dozen meters away.
He paid the fare, pushed the door open, stepped out, and walked straight toward the hotel.
"Originally the verdict was already set, but who could have guessed that right in court, in front of everyone, Yuanshi Tianzun lashed out at Five Elements Alliance headquarters! He actually said: 'Like hell I accept this!'
"In the twenty-plus years since the Alliance was founded, no one has ever dared defy headquarters like that. Heh heh, if only you'd been there! You should've heard how Yuanshi Tianzun cursed those ten old geezers at headquarters—the Southern Faction brothers thought it was an absolute riot!
"Word is, in the end, the Scarlet Fire Gang's Sect Master personally descended and openly backed Yuanshi Tianzun, giving those ten old bastards at headquarters another vicious dressing-down... That kid Yuanshi Tianzun didn't just walk away unscathed; his fame shot through the roof..."
The moment he stepped through the door, Zhang Yuanqing saw Little Fatty standing beside the front desk, gesticulating wildly, spit flying everywhere.
Xiao Yuan and Kou Beiyue were listening intently. Kou Beiyue chimed in from time to time with "holy shit" and "fucking awesome," his face flushed with excitement.
Xiao Yuan's expression was soft, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she listened with undivided attention, seemingly terrified of missing a single detail.
"Alas, in the end Yuanshi Tianzun was acquitted without charges. What a pity! Truly the greatest tragedy in the mortal world—" Little Fatty heard the chime of the door sensor saying "Welcome," turned toward the hotel entrance, and abruptly pivoted: "—ahem, not my words! That's what the Illusionists in our Southern Faction are saying!"
Xiao Yuan and Kou Beiyue looked over. Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up.
Kou Beiyue wore his heart completely on his sleeve; eyes widening and mouth splitting into a grin, he strode over in huge steps.
"Fuck, I thought you were done for! Cursing out the official Ten Elders right in court, and an Alliance Leader coming out to back you up—fucking legendary! Next time there's a chance like that, call me along!"
*If you were there, even an Alliance Leader couldn't have saved me...* Zhang Yuanqing pressed a hand against Kou Beiyue's forehead, shoved him aside, and walked straight toward Xiao Yuan.
"Don't worry, I'm fine now," he said, looking at the magical auntie's stunning face.
Xiao Yuan gave a soft "Mm" and asked, "Are the repercussions serious?"
"With Sect Master Jiang backing me and public opinion making such a huge stir, there won't be any danger in the short term. But Elder Cai has formed a grudge against me, so I'll have to watch out. A figure like him is like a viper whose venom kills upon drawing blood—he won't strike casually, but once he does, he'll go for your life," Zhang Yuanqing said.
Hearing this, Xiao Yuan frowned even deeper.
Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand and gently smoothed the space between her eyebrows with his thumb, teasing, "You're already not that young. Frown any more and you'll get frown lines."
*Not that young?!* Xiao Yuan glared at him with murder in her eyes.
"Cough, cough, cough!!"
Kou Beiyue coughed violently while leaning on his mop, warning the two not to take things too far.
Xiao Yuan hurriedly stiffened her face and swatted Zhang Yuanqing's hand away.
"They also said that if the officials locked Yuanshi Tianzun up and used you as bait, they could definitely fish out lots of Dominators. For the evil organizations to trade Dominators for Yuanshi Tianzun would be a huge bargain," Little Fatty chimed in, backing up his boss.
He was determined not to give the two any room for flirting.
Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the round-faced fatty and said, "I came to find you to discuss dealing with Dark Night Rose and Sect Leader Chunyang. Come with me."
He turned and walked toward the hotel's rear.
Hearing that it was serious business, Little Fatty hurried after him.
Fifteen minutes later, the elevator chimed, and Yuanshi Tianzun stepped out.
"Xiao Yuan, Beiyue, I'm heading back first."
Clutching his phone, he walked briskly, looking like a man with urgent matters to attend to.
A few minutes later, Little Fatty returned to the lobby, thoroughly dejected.
"You look like you just got bullied by Yuanshi Tianzun," Kou Beiyue observed, eyeing his little brother.
"What happened?" Xiao Yuan asked in a rare show of good humor.
Little Fatty said with a crestfallen face, "It's bad. I've become the bait. He wants to use me to fish out Sect Leader Chunyang, and the Grand Elder agreed."
*Wait, should I consider getting a new lackey?* Kou Beiyue thought to himself, but offered comforting words out loud: "It's fine. With the Nihility Sect and the officials watching over you, there won't be any danger."
"Boss, your emotions have already betrayed you..."
***
Late at night.
The air conditioner hummed, and the large bed creaked.
After an unknown amount of time, following a tempestuous rhythm, all the noise ceased, leaving only the two of them breathing heavily in the room.
Zhang Yuanqing lay on the soft mattress, gazing at the ceiling. Free of desires and cravings, he felt as though his state of being had attained a grand transcendence.
Guan Ya nestled against her boyfriend, slick with sweat. After catching her breath for a moment, she purred seductively, "You're getting harder and harder to satisfy. My bones feel like they've been rattled apart by you. Looks like I'll have to take in a concubine for you. That Xiao Yuan seems pretty good—deeply devoted to you..."
Zhang Yuanqing's body stiffened. "Sister Guan Ya, don't talk in that sarcastic tone."
"Isn't it true?" In the darkness, Guan Ya blinked her seductive, liquid eyes, clicking her tongue. "A woman willing to throw away her life for you—if that's not true love, I don't know what is. How about we break up? I wouldn't want to get in the way of your true love."
The tribunal was over, but his girlfriend's trial had begun.
"Xiao Yuan is a heroine of the Jianghu. I saved her life, so she returned the favor with her own—that's Jianghu chivalry," Zhang Yuanqing declared loudly and self-righteously, as if he had anticipated this hurdle long ago. "But darling, that's not love. The only one I love is you. You are the only true love in my heart."
Guan Ya gave a soft, cat-like "Mm."
*Huh, she didn't demand to sign a contract. Looks like Fu Qingyang was only scaring me; the boss couldn't bear to scheme against me after all...* Zhang Yuanqing breathed a silent sigh of relief, though his body remained stiff. He tested the waters in a low voice: "Then, Sister Guan Ya, could you let go of it? It worked so hard just now; even if there's no glory, there's plenty of sweat..."
"Not enough. Overtime!"
"Yes ma'am!"
The air conditioner hummed, and the large bed creaked...
***
Two days later.
Night fell. Little Fatty finished his day of food deliveries, riding his electric scooter back toward Wuhen Hotel.
Two days ago, after Yuanshi Tianzun departed, Kou Beiyue had stopped accompanying him on delivery runs.
The Southern Faction's Grand Elder told him the organization would secretly have someone leak the address of "Good Minister Chooses His Master to Slay." He didn't need to do anything—just wait for Sect Leader Chunyang to take the bait.
The Grand Elder had also informed him that elders from the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance were watching in secret, while the Southern Faction had dispatched two elders this time.
A total of four Dominators were keeping watch over him, so safety was not a concern.
Little Fatty found this utterly unreliable. In a Dominator-level clash, a stray fart could blow him to smithereens.
*Sigh, when the Southern Faction elders see me delivering takeout here, they'll probably think an embarrassing Saint like this might as well return to the Spirit Realm, and intentionally let me die...*
*I finally found a tough boss whose life isn't easily snuffed out, and life was so peaceful and comfortable. That dog Yuanshi Tianzun just has to keep stirring up trouble for me...*
Little Fatty accelerated while keeping an eye on the road, eager to get back to Wuhen Hotel.
Master Wuhen was stationed at the hotel.
Just then, he suddenly realized that the vehicles on the street had vanished at some point. At the last traffic light, the road had still been bustling...
At the intersection ahead, a ragged figure appeared, pale and swollen, eyes wild and vicious, bearing zombie-like fangs. It stared sinisterly at the oncoming electric scooter.
A yin corpse?
Little Fatty slammed on the brakes, the pads screeching against the tires.
At the same time, yin corpses emerged one after another from the roadside storefronts, while human faces appeared in the upper-story windows, staring down at him from above.
The entire world was teeming with yin creatures.
Little Fatty's face drained of all color.
He had entered an unreal world—a world filled entirely with yin creatures.
Terror surged through his heart. *I'm just a measly Level 4 Saint. What makes an absolute powerhouse use methods like this on me?!*
Chapter 501