The group chat lapsed into a prolonged silence. For a long while, no one said a word; everyone had gone to check the official forums.
A quarter of an hour later, Brother Red Chicken first posted over a dozen forum screenshots, followed by Sun Miaomiao sharing screenshots from the Taiyi Sect's Stargazer group. The quiet faction chat livened right back up.
[Sun Miaomiao: Outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. Taking on three alone and still winning? The Great Elder is even lecturing the Stargazers in person! Did I only enter an instance for a few days? Why does it feel like years?]
She was utterly dazed. The pinned post on the Taiyi Sect's official forum was titled: *This Is Probably the Peak Limit of Play for the Stargazer Stage!*
After clicking into the thread, she had not watched the video immediately, choosing instead to skim the comments. Once she pieced together the general situation from the chatter of her fellow sect members, Sun Miaomiao, filled with disbelief and impatience, clicked on the video and watched it all the way through, jaw hanging open the entire time.
One versus three!
Single-handedly, Yuanshi Tianzun had defeated three peak Saints from Heaven's Punishment—figures on par with the official Four Young Masters.
[Brother Red Chicken: Yuanshi Tianzun, you actually beat down those three guys? Wicked awesome!]
Not only had he finished watching the video of Yuanshi Tianzun crushing the three Saints in the pine forest, but he had also caught up on the videos of Fire Prince and Yin Ji suffering defeat.
Connecting the events from start to finish, watching Yuanshi Tianzun overpower the three great Saints was extraordinarily cathartic. In his delight, Brother Red Chicken downed three bowls of chicken broth in succession to express his utmost respect.
[Brother Red Chicken: Jiang Ju really shamed us Fire Masters. Self-destruct! In that situation, if you don't self-destruct, are you just going to live in humiliation?]
Brother Red Chicken was not being sarcastic; he genuinely believed it. Putting himself in Jiang Ju's shoes, he would have blown himself up.
Compared to Brother Red Chicken's lighthearted cheer, a profound sense of powerlessness welled up in Zhao Chenghuang.
Just moments ago, he had been rejoicing over clearing a Grade A instance, full of ambition as he approached Level 5. The very next moment, a bucket of freezing water had been dumped over his head.
Chilled to the core!
[Zhao Chenghuang: Is this your true combat strength? You didn't show your real power in Mohist Mechanist City at all. No, this probably isn't even your full capability. @Yuanshi Tianzun]
Yuanshi Tianzun clearly had not entered an instance, yet he was stronger than he had been in Mohist Mechanist City.
Zhao Chenghuang had watched the video too. Only a fellow Stargazer could truly appreciate the sheer terror of Yuanshi Tianzun's Stargazing. As a Level 4 Stargazer, Zhao Chenghuang felt like an elementary schooler watching a university student solve advanced calculus.
He had no idea how it worked, but it felt terrifyingly profound!
[Tianxia Guihuo: He clearly didn't go all out. The victory came too easily.]
While Tianxia Guihuo did not harbor the same competitive vanity as Zhao Chenghuang, coming from a grassroots background gave him a fierce sense of crisis. Seeing that Yuanshi Tianzun—who had been a peer just months ago—was now counted among that tiny elite beneath Dominator rank, his sense of crisis spiked.
He felt an urgent pressure: if he did not improve immediately, he would be left in the dust.
[Xiahou Aotian: Did you two suffer a mental breakdown? I told you not to bring up this topic. Serves you right!]
Tianxia Guihuo and Zhao Chenghuang each sent a string of ellipses.
Asano Ryo, who had sparked the discussion, had been using translation software to read the images. Relying on her less-than-stellar Chinese, she finally finished reading the screenshots.
She sent three consecutive *Sugoi*s in the chat to convey her astonishment.
Asano Ryo already worshipped Yuanshi Tianzun, viewing him as a genius seen once in three millennia. After watching the video, she realized her estimate had been too conservative.
Furthermore, the stronger Lord Yuanshi was, the happier she became, because her standing within the Thousand Cranes Group would rise with his.
Perhaps in the future, even her teacher would have to bow respectfully to her and ask, *"Lady Asano Ryo, are you attending another meeting hosted by Lord Yuanshi today?"*
Zhang Yuanqing began typing: *Oh right, this time I made five Dominator-grade materials, forty Saint-grade materials, and a rule-based item...*
*Would this be too obnoxious?* After a moment's thought, he deleted the message. He was not sure about the others, but Zhao Chenghuang, Tianxia Guihuo, and Xiahou Aotian would definitely suffer a shattered Dao heart.
Only then did he remember that Xiao Yuan had not said a single word throughout. Itching with curiosity, he clicked on her profile picture:
"Xiao Yuan, are you out of the shower yet? Why haven't you spoken in the group?"
[Magical Auntie Xiao Yuan: Do you want me to praise you, praise you, or praise you?]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: I want to hear you say you love me.]
[Magical Auntie Xiao Yuan: Screenshot taken. I'll send it to Guan Ya in a bit.]
Tactfully, Zhang Yuanqing replied with a sliding-kneel meme.
Xiao Yuan had a cold personality, so Zhang Yuanqing never expected flattery from her. He sent another message:
"Has Master Wuhen returned?"
[Magical Auntie Xiao Yuan: No. Kou Beiyue has been telling me about what happened in Bagui Province. Did you meet Mortal Vagabond?]
Zhang Yuanqing recounted his experiences in Bagui Province.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: I'm pretty curious about his past. He and Poison Chaser are sworn brothers despite having different parents.]
[Magical Auntie Xiao Yuan: It's a long story. If you're interested, come by Wuhen Hotel. His story isn't a secret in our group; it can be told.]
*Auntie Xiao Yuan, you might as well just say 'Come visit me.'* The corner of Zhang Yuanqing's mouth curled up. Just then, he heard the bathroom door click open. After twenty-five minutes and forty-two seconds, Guan Ya had finally concluded her grand, drawn-out cleaning routine.
Without batting an eye, Zhang Yuanqing deleted his chat history with Xiao Yuan.
Guan Ya wore a loose white dress shirt over black lace panties. The hem of the shirt rested against the tops of her thighs, showing off her fair, gorgeous legs.
Standing beside the desk, head tilted, she dried her hair with a towel.
"What gift did you say you were giving me?"
"Let's eat first."
It was mealtime. Once Guan Ya finished drying her hair, the two headed into the living room for lunch.
After lunch, Guan Ya returned to the bedroom. Looking at Zhang Yuanqing suspiciously, she said, "The way Queen looks at you is a little off."
"Off how?" Zhang Yuanqing's eyes were clear, his expression placid.
Under his current level suppression, Guan Ya's Insight could no longer see through him. At the dining table, however, Queen had indeed stolen glances at him more frequently than usual.
While eating, Guan Ya had kept her eyes glued to the group chat, but in truth, she had already registered Queen's micro-expressions.
Before a Scout, nothing remained hidden.
The seasoned driver stared at her boyfriend, frowning. "Did you teach her how to do squats recently? Hmm... Judging from her expressions, squats probably haven't happened yet... but motorboating, brainwaves, or stroking tofu might not be out of the question."
"Nonsense! I've always guarded my chastity," Zhang Yuanqing said, thinking to himself that he had nearly forgotten what a shameless driver she was.
Guan Ya grew a little unhappy, sitting on the edge of the bed in silence.
"Hey, that doesn't sound like you. In the past, you always acted like all those 'seductive vixens' were nothing to worry about. Why the sudden loss of confidence?" Zhang Yuanqing examined her. "Oh, I get it. Did that video put pressure on you? Do you feel like you can't keep a hold on me?"
Guan Ya gave a cold scoff, but did not deny it.
"I'm going to sleep." She slipped off her pants and burrowed into the quilt.
She truly felt the pressure. As a direct descendant of the Fu family, her talent, looks, figure, and horizons were far beyond ordinary girls. She had always been exceedingly confident.
After watching Yuanshi's combat video today, she, like the other faction members, felt a profound sense of helplessness.
Yuanshi was a despair-inducing monster. Any genius or elite would feel immense pressure before him.
For Zhao Chenghuang, Tianxia Guihuo, and the others, that pressure manifested as urgency, a sense of crisis, dejection, and frustration. For Guan Ya, it was self-doubt and anxiety.
She was afraid she might not be able to hold onto this man.
She had worked so hard to level up, yet she still could not keep pace—not by a long shot.
Amidst her wandering thoughts, exhaustion crept in, and Guan Ya fell into a deep slumber.
When she woke again, darkness had fallen outside. The electronic clock on the nightstand read: 21:35:40.
Nine-thirty at night.
Instinctively, Guan Ya glanced beside her pillow. Seeing that Zhang Yuanqing was not there, a wave of disappointment washed over her as she sat up. Then, her eyes fell upon a gift box sitting on the desk.
Only then did she remember the gift Yuanshi had mentioned. Curious, she pulled back the covers, walked to the desk, and opened the ribbon-tied box.
Lying inside was a blood-colored silk armguard.
*An item?* Guan Ya felt the sword intent within her stir, realizing this was an item meant for the Scout class.
She actually possessed quite a few items—a full five Saint-stage items, some acquired from high-difficulty instances, others gifted by Fu Qingyang.
Speaking of items, Guan Ya was reminded of that Swordmaster Cloak, which instantly annoyed her. While she rationally supported her boyfriend giving a divine relic to her cousin, reason was one thing; emotionally, she still felt irked.
With that in mind, Guan Ya picked up the armguard and read its item information.
After reading it, Guan Ya set the item down, rubbed her eyes, and picked it up again.
A few seconds later, she set it down once more, took a deep breath, and picked it up a third time.
After repeating the cycle thrice, Guan Ya could hear her heart hammering violently against her ribs, feeling her blood roaring through her veins.
At the Saint stage, fighting above one's level was extraordinarily difficult. Aside from special environments, only by possessing unique items could one achieve such a feat.
Items capable of helping a Spirit Realm walker fight above their level were peerless treasures. Across the entire Spirit Realm, their numbers were strictly limited; only major organizations and formidable powers could produce them.
The air conditioner hummed, blowing cool air. On the spacious double bed, Zhang Yuanqing held himself in a push-up position beneath a bright yellow silk quilt, looking down at his girlfriend's alluring expression as she bit her lip with eyes closed.
They were working hard at cultivating to increase their experience points.
Guan Ya's brows were knit, her lips parted slightly, her body glistening with sweat. Her petty grievances had arrived quickly, but dissolved just as fast; between kneeling and lying flat, they vanished into thin air.
*Giving gifts to women really works wonders...* Zhang Yuanqing thought from the bottom of his heart.
Upon receiving the gift, all of Guan Ya's minor sulks had evaporated. Moved to tears, her eyes shone with affection, and she had even shyly called him "gege." Taking advantage of the moment, Zhang Yuanqing brought out the Yin-Yang Joyous Bedquilt and proposed dual cultivation.
The first round of cultivation quickly concluded. Wrapped within the quilt, Zhang Yuanqing finally released the desires he had held back for so long.
With tacit understanding, both opened their character panels to check their experience points.
"It seems... the exp didn't increase? I'm not sure, let me check again."
"Mm~"
Zhang Yuanqing pulled the bedquilt back over them.
Time flew by. They cultivated for an entire night until dawn broke.
When Zhang Yuanqing finished the final round of cultivation, the thoroughly sated pair opened their character panels simultaneously to check their experience points.
The experience points had indeed increased.
By 0.03%.
"I worked myself to the bone all night, my waist is about to snap, my throat is hoarse, and the exp only went up by this tiny sliver?!" Snatching the Yin-Yang Joyous Bedquilt, Guan Ya threw it onto the floor in total exasperation.
Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly tried to soothe her. "Don't be angry, don't be angry, Guan Ya. Have some water first."
"Get lost!" Guan Ya whipped her head around and roared like a lioness.
"Yes, yes, yes, it was my fault for wearing you out, Guan Ya." Zhang Yuanqing apologized repeatedly. A Scout was nothing like a Night Walker; Scouts did not possess boundless stamina or horrifying endurance.
All night long, Guan Ya had endured endless pounding, gritting her teeth and hanging on solely in anticipation of a massive spike in experience from dual cultivation.
Now, she found the result utterly unacceptable.
"Actually, it makes a lot of sense! Gaining 0.03% exp in one night means 3% in a hundred days, and 10% in a year. That's equivalent to clearing a Grade B instance! If dual cultivating once gave a massive boost, wouldn't Earth Monsters be completely invincible?"
Furious, Guan Ya pummeled him hard. "You were the one who told me exp would shoot up! Don't even think about touching me for the rest of the month!"
***
Breakfast, in the dining room.
Queen asked, "Why isn't Guan Ya having breakfast?"
"She's catching up on sleep!" Zhang Yuanqing answered.
Aside from feeling a little tired and having a fiery tingle at the scalp, he was in fine shape.
Xie Lingxi grumbled resentfully, "How could she not catch up on sleep? She cried out the entire night..."
Only then did Zhang Yuanqing notice the fatigue on the little green tea's face, along with the heavy dark circles under her eyes.
*Did this girl listen in all night...?* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself that he needed to find a way to confiscate her surveillance earphones.
"Cried out all night?" Queen also sounded aggrieved. "Even if absence makes the heart grow fonder, there was no need to go that far. Master, you could totally have had someone help Guan Ya share the burden."
Xie Lingxi was startled, looking at Sister Queen in disbelief.
While everyone had their eyes on Brother Yuanshi, Sister Queen had always maintained some decorum in the past. Even when she dropped her reserve, it had mostly been in jest. Why had she suddenly become so forward?
What had given her such boldness?
Zhang Yuanqing suddenly mused that the mythical Yellow Emperor, who was said to have bedded three thousand women before ascending in broad daylight, must have had an enormous harem serving as dual-cultivation furnaces around the clock.
*It seems a devoted, monogamous man like me is destined never to master the path of dual cultivation!* he thought with regret.
Still, an occasional session was better than nothing.
Right then, a sharp, ringing ringtone sounded.
Zhang Yuanqing took out his phone. The caller was Xiao Yuan.
"Hello!" He answered the call. "I was just thinking about dropping by your place today."
With Queen and Xie Lingxi beside him, he refrained from speaking playfully, keeping his tone serious.
"Yuanshi, something happened to Tongtong," Xiao Yuan said, her voice hurried and solemn.
Chapter 596