Zhang Yuanqing walked over to the red dress, gripped her slender arm, and pulled her aside. "Look at you—such good coffee beans, washed Geisha, and you ruin them! What a spendthrift woman!"
The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter caught his arm in return. Her eyes glistened like rippling water behind her mask as she stared at him, her tone urgent. "What intelligence did you find out? Tell me, quick!"
Zhang Yuanqing broke free unhurriedly. "I'm a bit thirsty. Make me a cup of coffee first. Oh, right..."
He pinched the palace master's soft, sleek jawline. "I hate black coffee. Vanilla latte, seventy percent sweet."
Now it was his turn to hold the upper hand.
The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter stared intently at him, took a deep breath to calm herself, and let out an "Mm."
"Your reply should be: 'Yes, Lord Paramour!'" Zhang Yuanqing corrected her.
"Have I been spoiling you too much?"
"Should I leave, then?"
"Please take a seat, Lord Paramour."
"Good girl!"
The vanilla latte was ready in no time. Holding the cup, the palace master swayed her slender waist, her wide sleeves fluttering, and settled her plump, rounded bottom right onto Zhang Yuanqing's lap.
Having regained her composure, she said with a sweet smile, "Lord Paramour, would you like me to feed you?"
Zhang Yuanqing sensed wriggling threads creeping out from under her red dress and binding his calves, and his expression instantly stiffened.
*This woman is so petty. She can't take a joke at all.*
"Sister Palace Master, I was just kidding earlier. Let's get down to business."
He pointed toward the seat opposite him.
The palace master curved her red lips into an enchanting, bewitching smile, her voice meltingly soft and seductive, like Daji tempting the Shang king. "A powerful man must learn how to embrace a woman while sitting on his throne, and also how to savor fine wine, for they are the tangible manifestations of power."
"Fine..." Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of the sweet coffee. Rather than insisting she return to her seat, he got straight to the point. "I met Master Wuhen. He admitted to being one of the Twin Dark Shadows and told me about what happened back then..."
He immediately relayed everything the master had told him in detail.
Behind her mask, the palace master's expression remained hidden, but her eyes shifted between sharp intensity and deep thought. When she heard that all four of the Xiaoyao comrades had left behind avatars, an indescribable radiance blossomed in her eyes, gleaming with ecstatic excitement.
Once Zhang Yuanqing finished speaking, the palace master slowly composed herself and said softly, "But I don't know who my father gave his avatar to..."
She rested her head against Zhang Yuanqing's shoulder. "Perhaps he gave it to my mother. But she has returned to the Spirit Realm as well. As you know, once a spirit realm walker dies, everything in their inventory returns to the Spirit Realm."
Zhang Yuanqing heard sadness and lost hesitation in her tone.
Could items that had returned to the Spirit Realm ever be recovered?
Spirit Realm dungeons were fraught with danger. Could a mindless flesh-and-blood avatar survive inside one?
The answer was no.
"Still, having something to hope for is a good thing," she sighed.
"Did you know my mother was holding Zhang Zizhen's avatar?" Zhang Yuanqing changed the subject.
Snuggling in his embrace, the palace master shook her head.
*Makes sense. If she knew Chen Shu had Zhang Zizhen's avatar, her reaction wouldn't have been so dramatic just now. It's understandable that Chen Shu didn't tell her...* Zhang Yuanqing tightened his arms, holding the warm, supple body close.
Chen Shu was a scheming and capable woman. She also had to consider whether the palace master, who remained within the country, might run into an accident and inadvertently leak the secret of her husband's avatar.
That was her greatest secret.
Zhang Yuanqing knew his mother all too well: deeply calculating, trusting no one, keeping a card hidden from everybody, outwardly cold, and inwardly eccentric and extreme...
Just then, the palace master suddenly spoke up.
"I'm worried about one thing."
"What?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
The palace master straightened up and looked at him. "If you were the leader of the Dark Night Rose, what would you do after Zhang Zizhen died in order to obtain the Compass of Light fragment?"
Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds before answering, "I would investigate Zhang Zizhen's family at all costs, and I wouldn't spare his friends or relatives either."
"Yet Ling Tuo didn't know Zhang Zizhen's family background," the palace master said.
"Right, but Ling Tuo and Zhang Zizhen were brothers. He knew his circle of friends. I would try to start with the close friends who had ties to him. For example... for example..." Zhang Yuanqing's breathing hitched. "Elder Dog, who was entrusted with the Zoo."
The palace master gently held his hand and said softly, "What else?"
The warmth flowing from her soft hand brought a touch of heat to Zhang Yuanqing's chilly heart. Her gentle voice, like a mother's murmur, smoothed over his unsettled emotions.
Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath.
"Zhang Zizhen was a Night Walker. If he had an heir who happened to become a spirit realm walker, that child would definitely be a Night Walker. I would pay close attention to the Night Walker community."
"In the past fifteen years, has there been an exceptionally monstrous Night Walker?"
"Yes. The Demon Lord."
"And what was the Demon Lord's fate?"
"..."
Zhang Yuanqing found himself speechless, his face draining of color.
He had long known there were deeper secrets behind the mutual destruction of the Demon Lord and the Deceitful Eye Judge.
Back then, the Demon Lord had been a half-step supreme figure and possessed a divine artifact that countered the Fallen Holy Grail. How could he have possibly perished together with the Deceitful Eye Judge?
Among the figures Zhang Yuanqing knew were involved, there was the mysterious backer who had invested in the Demon Lord. Thinking about it now, the leader of the Dark Night Rose was very likely among them as well.
*So the Demon Lord died in a high-stakes game that involved a demigod?*
*It fits. I found it strange before—the Demon Lord was a half-step supreme Night Walker with top-tier Stargazing skills, and he had prepared meticulously. How could he have died just like that? But if his opponent was the leader of the Dark Night Rose, it makes complete sense.*
That demigod specialized in the Lunar path.
The Demon Lord had most likely died within Ling Tuo's scheming web. Unfortunately, he wasn't the person Ling Tuo had been searching for. After the Demon Lord, the most remarkable Night Walker was Zhang Yuanqing himself. And he frequently visited the Zoo, while also having close ties with Master Wuhen's group...
"Yuanshi, you've been targeted. You might very well already be inside the game," the palace master said softly.
Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help hugging her tighter. The world felt so cold; only a warm body could offer him comfort now.
"Don't worry." The palace master cupped his face, pressed her lips together, and said, "Your energy is beyond your imagination. At the very least, you aren't fighting alone. But what you need to do now is improve your strength as quickly as possible."
*But I don't drink Red Bull...* Zhang Yuanqing thought, seeking humor amidst his misery.
The palace master smiled sweetly.
"So quit women. Break up with Guan Ya right now. Women will only hinder your leveling speed. If you're too embarrassed to bring it up, I'll talk to Guan Ya for you."
*Damn, so this was the trap waiting for me...* Zhang Yuanqing snapped, "I'm not in the mood to joke around with you."
"Fine, I won't mention it. Just hold me," she said softly.
The coffee shop was brightly lit, while the night outside hung heavy and dark. The mirror-smooth floor-to-ceiling window reflected their embracing silhouettes—the red dress blazing like fire, picturesque and serene.
***
"Mentor, I need to confess. I'm scum. I don't deserve Sister Guan Ya."
The next morning, on the rooftop of his compact villa, Zhang Yuanqing whispered into his phone.
"Did you sleep with another woman?" Lingjun's voice sounded sluggish, as though he hadn't gotten out of bed yet.
"Not that. My self-control is still quite strong," Zhang Yuanqing sighed, reflecting sincerely. "But I really have fallen for other women."
"Which woman?"
"Not just one. Two..."
"You little..." Lingjun gasped on the other end of the line. "Wait a sec. Let me put on some clothes. Someone's in my bed; it's not convenient to talk."
About three minutes later, Lingjun's voice came through the speaker.
"I'm in the bathroom, and I've put up a sound-insulating item. *Tsk, tsk.* You're different from me. I'm a playboy. What I pursue is 'not caring about forever, only having had it once.' The girls who are with me think the same way, which is why I can pass through thousands of flowers without a single petal clinging to me, never letting anyone down."
"You just mean looking for short-term hookup buddies."
"Crude!" Lingjun snapped at him before continuing, "If a kid like you genuinely falls for a girl, you won't be able to let go. But you can't build a harem either. You're not a demigod—what right do you have to keep a harem?"
Presently, those who openly maintained harems and took multiple wives and concubines were all first-generation spirit realm walkers—demigod-level figures.
"Cut the nonsense. I'm feeling a bit lost," Zhang Yuanqing said.
"Useless college kid," Lingjun sneered. "It's simply a matter of picking the one you love the most."
"I love all of them."
"Loving all of them means you love none of them."
"Hey, hey, hey, I didn't call you to get roasted."
"Then tell me, what do you love about each of them?"
"Guan Ya is pretty, has a great figure, and possesses the knowledge and perspective of a wealthy heiress without any of the princess syndrome. Being with her always makes me happy and relaxed. No matter what I do, she supports me."
"Mm, a fine, capable partner."
"Xiao Yuan is a bit older, but she fits my ideal partner perfectly. Every time I see her, my heart races, and she treats me with deep, genuine devotion."
"A devoted confidante shouldn't be let down either. What about the other one?"
"I won't talk about that one. She's always teasing me..."
"Yuanshi," Lingjun mused, "from a biological standpoint, a man's wandering eye is innate nature. Spreading one's genes is an evolutionary instinct honed over tens of thousands of years. It's just like women preferring wealthy men—at its core, they're looking for a provider to support them and their children. It's likewise an evolutionary instinct branded into their genes for reproduction. You don't need to feel ashamed or guilty. Of course, things that are too realistic and bare-faced don't sound very romantic, so let's set that aside..."
He paused, then spoke with easy eloquence. "Solving your problem is very simple. Let me ask you: are you and Guan Ya on equal footing?"
"Of course!" Zhang Yuanqing answered as if it went without saying. "Lovers are naturally equals."
"If you're equals, what makes you think you can have a harem?" Lingjun countered.
Zhang Yuanqing froze.
"Were emperors and their concubines equals? Were ancient lords and their wives and concubines equals? It was precisely because they weren't equal that they could maintain vast inner palaces and take three wives and four concubines. The provider is the superior; those who rely on the provider are the inferiors. People in ancient times recognized this rule, which is why providers held a supreme status within a household. That rule still exists today; it has merely shifted from an explicit rule to an unspoken one," Lingjun explained.
"Your future is limitless. A Dominator is merely your starting point; perhaps one day you'll even make a push for demigod status. For a demigod to talk about equality with their spouse is inherently irrational and doesn't align with objective reality.
"Would my stud of an old man talk about equality with a whole building of concubines? Do the old ancestors of spirit realm clans talk about equality with their spouses? Taking a step back, do the powerful tycoons out in society talk about equality with the aging wives at home?
"The key is that nobody has ever criticized them for this unequal behavior. Why? Because that's reality. It might not sound pleasant, but reality is reality. Well, if the spouse is also a demigod, that's another matter.
"In the future, when you become a Dominator or a demigod and say you want a harem, if Guan Ya refuses, believe it or not, that older but remarkably gorgeous mother of hers would be the first to step forward and suppress her."
*Why did you have to emphasize 'older but remarkably gorgeous'?* Zhang Yuanqing silently griped.
"You need to learn to assert dominance over Guan Ya, over Xiao Yuan, and over that woman you don't want to name. You are the one who sits upon the throne of power, and they can only sit upon your lap. If they refuse to sit there, they can only sit on the floor," Lingjun said.
"I won't teach you pickup techniques today. Those are all superficial. Reality and truth are eternal."
Zhang Yuanqing listened, utterly dazed. "I kind of understand, but I don't completely get it either."
"You're a smart guy. You already understand; you just don't want to accept it," Lingjun said calmly. "It takes time. Anything else? My provider is calling for me. As the inferior party, I need to go serve her."
*I originally wanted to discuss the blood feud between our two families...* Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "Nothing else."
Lingjun hung up.
Zhang Yuanqing returned quietly to the bedroom. The rushing sound of water came from the bathroom—Guan Ya was taking a shower.
They were heading into a faction dungeon this morning. He opened the faction interface, entered the ID "Brother Red Chicken," and sent an invitation.
Compared to regular Spirit Realm dungeons, faction dungeons only had stage restrictions, not level restrictions.
Extraordinaries couldn't team up with Saints, but Saints could team up with other Saints. In other words, a Level 3 could carry a Level 1, and a Level 6 could carry a Level 4. That was a unique feature of factions.
Correspondingly, however, the dungeon difficulty would also increase.
Additionally, the player limit for faction dungeons differed from normal Spirit Realm dungeons.
A Level 2 faction dungeon required twelve members before entry was permitted, with twelve being the maximum team size.
In standard Spirit Realm dungeons, the player limit per faction was capped at no more than six.
*I hope Xiao Yuan and Guan Ya don't start fighting inside the dungeon. Well, at least I haven't flirted much with Sun Miaomiao...* Thinking this, Zhang Yuanqing's expression suddenly froze.
*Oh right! That was what I wanted to ask Lingjun about, not that bullshit provider theory!*
Zhang Yuanqing rubbed his face and sighed softly.
After his conversation with the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter last night, his mind had been thrown into disarray.
It wasn't because the palace master had stirred his heart, but because Ling Tuo had thoroughly terrified him. Even after waking up this morning, he still felt somewhat out of sorts.
Though he harbored a sliver of wishful thinking deep down, reason told him that upon Ling Tuo's chessboard, there was definitely a piece named "Yuanshi Tianzun."
He just didn't know when this piece would be slated for slaughter.
***
Du, the Black Dragon Society.
Inside the main hall adorned with a gilded plaque, the fresh aroma of seafood congee drifted through the rising steam.
An elder and a young man sat around an antique round table, having congee.
The young man wore flip-flops, a T-shirt, and oversized shorts. He had ordinary features and an ordinary height. He cradled a porcelain bowl, slurping loudly.
The elder wore a black martial arts suit. His white hair was sparse, and his attire made him look like a veteran martial arts master straight out of a kung fu movie.
Both were Fire Specialists, and both possessed average heights and plain facial features. Consequently, rumors had long circulated within the Du branch that Brother Red Chicken was Elder Jiangbao's illegitimate son.
Age-wise, Elder Jiangbao could easily be Brother Red Chicken's grandfather, and he truly treated the boy like his own grandson—in fact, he valued him even more than his flesh-and-blood grandchildren.
Brother Red Chicken's father had once been Elder Jiangbao's trusted underling, having taken a blade for him and lost his life in the process.
Elder Jiangbao had taken Brother Red Chicken under his wing to raise him. As Brother Red Chicken grew to adulthood, his temper resembled Elder Jiangbao's more and more, and he subsequently became a Fire Specialist.
Elder Jiangbao was very pleased with this young man he had raised with his own hands. His only complaint was that the Fire Specialist wasn't very bright, having dropped out of school right after finishing junior high.
Even though he had finished junior high, his actual literacy level was at most that of a seventh grader.
Elder Jiangbao himself disliked studying and thought book-learning was useless, but when it came to the younger generation, he still hoped they could become cultured people.
"How have the society's earnings been lately?" Elder Jiangbao asked in a dignified tone.
"Thanks to the project Grandpa gave me," Brother Red Chicken grinned, "holy shit, it's fucking amazing."
Elder Jiangbao delivered a swift smack to his head. "Stop with the damn 'holy shit' all day! Does one 'holy shit' get you through life? You're too uncouth to take anywhere, an absolute embarrassment."
Having been smacked, Brother Red Chicken readily admitted his fault. "Got it, Grandpa. I'll watch my mouth. Ask me again."
"How have the society's earnings been lately?"
Elder Jiangbao truly doted on this grandson of his, blood-related or not.
Brother Red Chicken slapped his thigh. "They're great, obviously! It's practically like a nightclub hostess's income—shooting up with every lay!"
"..."
Elder Jiangbao slapped him straight under the table.
"Both of my grandsons go to Tsinghua and Peking University. How did you turn out so useless?"
"Maybe because... they weren't raised by you?"
"...I'm going to cripple you today!"
"Stop hitting, stop hitting! Grandpa, Yuanshi Tianzun invited me to join his faction!"
Chapter 528