Pluto

Annie? Zhang Yuanqing froze for a moment when he saw the name before remembering that he actually had an assistant from the Association of God of Beauty. An assistant who could take care of everything—both work and life. Ever since the Bacchus Club incident blew over, he hadn't contacted the woman once. After that came a succession of crises, walking the razor's edge between life and death. Barely a month had passed, yet it felt as if they had parted many years ago. Had she been consigned to the cold palace for too long and grown lonely? Zhang Yuanqing mused inwardly with amusement. Getting to his feet, he walked over to the desk, sat down, and answered the call. "Annie?" From the other end came Annie's gentle, melodious voice, speaking in somewhat clumsy Chinese. "Mr. Yuanshi, do you have time right now? I'd like to meet with you." "What is it regarding?" Zhang Yuanqing didn't agree right away. If she was just asking him out for a meal, he would refuse without hesitation. Truth be told, the reason he kept his distance from Annie wasn't because he disliked her, but because the charm of the Desire class was truly impossible to resist. A flawless face, a perfect figure, and all the rest—who could withstand that? You couldn't test an official cadre like that. That was why Zhang Yuanqing didn't dare spend much time around her. Lord Tianzun knew his own limits. "The Association of God of Beauty has a mission they would like to ask your help with. It isn't convenient to discuss over the phone," Annie said, lowering her voice. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment. "Two this afternoon. I'll drop by the International Building." "All right," Annie replied. After hanging up, Zhang Yuanqing turned on his computer and logged into his inbox. There was an unread email. The sender was Huang Taiji. The list of dual-cultivation items had arrived. There were four dual-cultivation items in total. Huang Taiji had faithfully replicated the Spirit Realm's exact item info format. [Name: Maiden-Taming Porcelain Bottle] [Type: Porcelain] [Function: Dual Cultivation] [Description: In ancient times, an alchemist obsessed with the art of dual cultivation spent thirty years of effort crafting a piece of porcelain capable of generating dual-cultivation pills on its own, aiming to obtain an inexhaustible supply. He named it the Maiden-Taming Porcelain Bottle.] [Remark 1: The bottle produces one Maiden-Taming Pill per day. Engaging in dual cultivation with a woman while the pill's effects last enhances the user's cultivation. Injecting yang essence into a woman's body enhances the woman's cultivation.] [Remark 2: Without me, you're just Limp Xiao'er.] [Remark 3: Tame three thousand maidens—the more, the merrier.] [Name: Yin-Yang Joyous Union Quilt] [Type: Textile] [Function: Dual Cultivation] [Description: Gray silkworm silk was steeped in the earth veins for thirty years to absorb the power of earth spirits, then placed atop Mount Tai for three years to absorb the essence of the sun and moon, inhaling and exhaling the qi of yin and yang. It was refined using various natural treasures. Engaging in union beneath this quilt enhances cultivation.] [Remark 1: Its greatest flaw is that positions and locations are restricted.] [Name: Pure Yang Garment] [Type: Adult Novelty] [Function: Dual Cultivation] [Description: Crafted from the swim bladder of the Thousand-Eyed Fish, a colossal deep-sea beast. This fish possesses formidable reproductive power, and its flesh and blood are a supreme aphrodisiac medicine. To cure a hidden physical ailment, a Plague God dived into the deep ocean to hunt a Thousand-Eyed Fish, soaked it in fish blood and flesh for seven times seven—forty-nine days—and then entrusted a Mountain God to nurture it for three years. Thus, the Pure Yang Garment was born.] [Remark 1: If the union lasts less than two hours, I won't agree to it.] [Remark 2: Once you put on the work uniform, sacrificing a bit of pleasure is unavoidable.] [Name: Dual-Polar Magnet Rings] [Type: Weapon] [Function: Dual Cultivation, Heart-to-Heart Connection] [Description: A pair of circular bands forged from two pieces of magnetic lodestone born from the earth's veins. Wearing method: Fitted at the base of the thighs—man on the left, woman on the right. Once worn, they cannot be removed. During union, they boost cultivation and create telepathic resonance between the man and the woman.] [Remark: There are only two magnets. One pair for one lifetime.] Along with the item attributes, Huang Taiji had thoughtfully attached photographs. The Maiden-Taming Porcelain Bottle was an earthy-gray little medicine bottle, only palm-sized. The Yin-Yang Joyous Union Quilt was an ochre-yellow silk bedsheet covered in mysterious, intricate patterns. The so-called Pure Yang Garment was an ancient-style fish bladder condom. In the photograph, it appeared limp and baggy, as though it had been recycled and reused countless times. The Dual-Polar Magnet Rings were two black hoops, with a caption below the photo: "Sizes adjust automatically to the thickness of the wearer's thighs." Maiden-Taming Porcelain Bottle: 8,000,000. Yin-Yang Joyous Union Quilt: 11,000,000. Pure Yang Garment: 6,000,000. Dual-Polar Magnet Rings: 23,000,000. Dual cultivation was a Saint-stage skill, so all these items were of Saint quality. Factoring in the rarity of dual-cultivation items, these prices might not be clearance-sale cheap, but they were definitely heavily discounted friend prices. Far from making a profit, he was practically giving them away. Huang Taiji was truly a man of loyalty and honor. Zhang Yuanqing thought it over and immediately ruled out the Pure Yang Garment. God only knew how many people had used that thing. Even if Huang Taiji hadn't, according to the item description, the person who made it back in the day certainly had. Besides, the cost was somewhat steep—it reduced the user's pleasurable sensations. Admittedly, the other condition was quite tempting; it guaranteed an endurance of two hours, but that overlapped with the Endurance Spray. Furthermore, Zhang Yuanqing didn't care about duration. Although his peak was only half an hour, a Night Walker's recovery power was terrifying. He could go for several half-hour rounds back-to-back. A Demon Lord using Endurance Spray might manage a single thrust that lasted all night, but Lord Tianzun could manage seven rounds in a night. Rounding it off, they were basically even. Next, he eliminated the Maiden-Taming Porcelain Bottle. In terms of portability, the porcelain bottle was undeniably number one. Pop a pill whenever needed, anywhere, anytime—supremely convenient. However, its drawbacks were very unfriendly. First, it only produced one pill a day, limiting dual cultivation to just half an hour daily, which was too inefficient. Second, pop these pills for too long, and without them, you'd become totally limp. The best way to defeat Yuanshi Tianzun wouldn't be to kill him, but to snatch his bottle, leaving him in agony and devoid of all hope in life. Third, it would turn him into a stud like Demon Lord, sleeping with every pretty woman he saw. Finally, he eliminated the Dual-Polar Magnet Rings. Zhang Yuanqing's reason was simple: it was too expensive. It definitely had nothing to do with the "one pair for one lifetime" restriction. Of course, if Guan Ya found out about it, she would surely hold a sword to his throat and force him to buy it. Zhang Yuanqing quietly deleted the email, picked up his phone, and sent Huang Taiji a message: "Godfather, I choose the Yin-Yang Joyous Union Quilt." This item had the lightest drawback. At most, Guan Ya would only be able to lie down, lie face down, or lie on her side in the future, without being able to sit on the desk, arch up against it, or hang suspended in the bathroom. Without waiting for Huang Taiji's reply, he sent another message: "But I don't have enough cash. Two options: First, trade an item of equivalent value. Second, put it on tab, and I'll settle the payment with you within a month." He could scrape together ten million in cash, but it would leave him quite strapped. Fortunately, after their chat yesterday, Fu Qingyang had decided to roll out the mechanism weapon distribution plan. When that time came, there would be a steady stream of dividend income. Huang Taiji replied, "Item trade." As the biggest real estate mogul in the country, the one thing he didn't lack was money. For Spirit Walkers, materials and items were the true hard currency. "No problem!" Zhang Yuanqing immediately sent over the information for the Beast King Bracelet, then asked, "Should I come to the Capital City today?" Huang Taiji: "I'll have my assistant bring the item to Songhai. Just hand the bracelet and the Living Soil over to him." Zhang Yuanqing replied with a string of "OK" emojis. Flying in from the Capital City would take four hours, so Zhang Yuanqing decided to go see Annie in the meantime and find out what mission the Association of God of Beauty had lined up for him. As an affiliate member of the Association of God of Beauty, Zhang Yuanqing enjoyed the privilege of purchasing items and intelligence, posting bounties, and using the association as an intermediary to get acquainted with prominent figures. Supposedly, there was even the perk of attending wild parties... Though he had never made use of those privileges, he might find them useful later on (not referring to the parties). Therefore, maintaining good relations through the Association of God of Beauty channel was worthwhile. Zhang Yuanqing called Annie right away, informing her that he was free now and could head over to the International Building whenever. To his surprise, Annie sent him a residential address instead, asking to meet there. Half an hour later, a white BMW arrived at the destination. Queen, wearing sunglasses, rolled down the car window and stuck her head out to look at the upscale residential complex. "Whoa! Master, do you have a friend living here? I came here to view an apartment last time. It sells for two hundred thousand per square meter. It looks straight out over the Song River—the view is fantastic!" "What were you doing looking at apartments here?" Zhang Yuanqing said while texting Annie. "Fujiawan, where we live, is much more expensive than this. A downtown villa beats a riverfront apartment any day. Also, what's with the 'Master' stuff? Just call me Captain." "Every woman loves this kind of luxury flat with a great view! When is Lord Tianzun going to buy a little home for this humble lady?" Queen winked at him flirtatiously. Beside her, Xie Lingxi sneered. "Brother, she wants to be your concubine! Just buying a flat here is all it takes—her hint couldn't be more obvious. Hmph, materialistic woman. Unlike me! As long as Brother likes me, even if we have to live on the cold northwest wind, it'll still be sweet." Queen spat playfully. "Your family is swimming in money, of course you're not materialistic!" Just then, Zhang Yuanqing saw Annie's reply: "I live in Building 3, Room 1202." He set down his phone and shot a glance at Queen, who was secretly watching him with anticipation. "If Guan Ya agrees, I have no objections. You two wait here. I should be back soon." With that, he snapped his fingers with a showman's flair and vanished from the car in a flash of dreamy starlight. Inside the living room of Room 1202, brilliant, dreamy starlight flared, and Zhang Yuanqing materialized from within it. Sweeping his gaze around, he saw Annie leaning against the balcony railing, looking down toward the complex entrance. The moment he appeared, the blonde, blue-eyed beauty sensed it. She turned, and a delighted smile bloomed across her gorgeous face. "You haven't come to see me in ages." Annie quietly tucked away her joy, replacing it with a look of delicate, pitiable grievance. She wore a sharp business suit—a skirt suit with a tailored blazer over a white blouse and black stockings. Women's professional attire came in different styles. Female executives and leaders typically wore trousers and more formal suits. Those handling reception, secretaries, and assistants wore skirt suits and sleeker blazers, accentuating their decorative charm. "We agreed you wouldn't use Charm on me." Zhang Yuanqing sat down on a single armchair. "An iced Coke, please." Annie attentively served him an iced Coke. Under normal circumstances, she would have taken the opportunity to sit on his lap, but Yuanshi Tianzun crossed his legs, neatly foiling her scheme. "Let's talk business." Zhang Yuanqing pointed to the sofa across from him. Annie instantly reined in her coquettish smile and slipped into business mode. "Headquarters wants your help capturing a wanted fugitive, and it must be done secretly, without alerting the official headquarters." She picked up a stack of documents from the coffee table. "Here is the fugitive's file." Zhang Yuanqing gently exhaled a wisp of lunar energy, summoning the Ghost Bride. The Ghost Bride softly uttered, "Husband," and presented the documents to him. To Annie, it looked as though Yuanshi Tianzun had simply breathed out a puff of yin qi, causing the papers to float into his hands on their own. Powerful and effortlessly stylish. Zhang Yuanqing focused on reading the dossier. Annie had thoughtfully translated it into Chinese. The fugitive the Association of God of Beauty wanted to apprehend went by the Spirit Realm ID "Pluto," an Abyss Walker, Level 6. Abyss Walker was the advanced class title for the Eternal Night profession. Pluto was a member of a foreign evil organization called "Night Dream." While it couldn't compare to behemoths like the Spirit Society or the Nihility Sect, it was a formidable nongovernmental organization active throughout Europe. Roughly two years ago, the organization was crushed, and its leader was sent back to the Spirit Realm by Heaven's Punishment. As a key core member, Pluto had embarked on a lengthy life on the run. Over the past years, foreign lawful organizations had been secretly hunting him down. Driven to a dead end, Pluto had recently smuggled himself into China. The Five Elements Alliance and Heaven's Punishment had no extradition treaty, and Heaven's Punishment members had no stationed forces or law enforcement jurisdiction within China. Consequently, the territory of the Five Elements Alliance was actually a safe haven for him. "An Eternal Night class, huh..." Zhang Yuanqing clicked his tongue. A Level 6 fell within his capabilities. Naturally so; if it were a Dominator-level expert, the Association of God of Beauty wouldn't have handed the mission to him. Still, the Eternal Night profession was a massive headache. If he remembered correctly, the Eternal Night class excelled at seals and hibernation—suppressing their aura. Just like the native Illusionists, they were deeply mysterious and exceptionally difficult to capture. Yet it was precisely because he was so slippery that Pluto had managed to evade foreign lawful organizations for so long. "I can give it a try, but I don't guarantee success," Zhang Yuanqing said. A brilliant smile blossomed on Annie's face. "The mission reward is six million federal dollars and 160 points. With points, there is much more you can do." Killing a Level 6 Saint only yielded six million federal dollars—roughly forty million RMB. A bit low, but the points awarded were quite substantial. Zhang Yuanqing nodded quietly to himself. Posting missions through the Association of God of Beauty required points, as did the wild parties. When issuing bounties, if funds were short, one could take out an interest-free loan from the association using points. Once points accumulated to a certain threshold, an affiliate member could be upgraded to a silver member, unlocking even more privileges. "I accept the mission, but I have a question." Zhang Yuanqing asked gravely, "Why does it have to be a secret capture? If we could mobilize the power of the Five Elements Alliance, it would make tracking him down vastly easier." Annie immediately showed a look of hesitation and discomfort. "It seems there's an intriguing inside story behind this," Zhang Yuanqing noted. A Level 6 Saint was important, but not to the extent that foreign lawful organizations would pursue him so relentlessly. The Divine Generals of the Soldier Master sect were also Level 6, yet the Five Elements Alliance's attitude toward them was simply to capture them if possible and let them go if not. As long as they didn't cause a major terrorist incident, the authorities wouldn't obsess over hunting down a specific evil-class practitioner to the bitter end.