Guan Ya remained lying on the bed, motionless, as if deaf to the call mere inches away. No reaction? Had she gone into shock? Zhang Yuanqing felt both heartache and tender pity. He had known his return to the Spirit Realm would deal her a devastating blow, but he hadn't expected her to lose even a Scout's basic alertness and keen senses.
Her state could probably only be described as having a heart turned to cold ashes.
He stored the parchment scroll in his item inventory, lifted the light summer duvet, and slipped beneath the covers. Wrapping his arms around Guan Ya from behind, he whispered into her ear, "Sister Guan Ya, I'm back."
Zhang Yuanqing's hands wound past her waist to her lower abdomen, his chest and stomach pressing flush against her delicate back. But no sooner had he embraced his older girlfriend's soft, warm body than Guan Ya violently shuddered, as though startled out of her skin.
She was finally "awake." Realizing she was being held by a stranger, she immediately reacted with intense, explosive reflex.
Her right elbow smashed backward while her left index and middle fingers struck like a sword, lunging toward the man behind her.
Yet the moment this instinctive combo was unleashed, the man behind her neutralized it with effortless ease. Zhang Yuanqing formed a sword-finger with the hand wrapped around her belly and tapped her soft navel, instantly disrupting her breath. She let out a muffled grunt as her tensed, supple body went limp and weak.
He then pinned Guan Ya's right shoulder and turned her over, shifting her from lying on her side onto her stomach.
Her sword-finger thrust missed its mark, tearing through the duvet and striking the ceiling, leaving a deep, narrow pit.
"Sister Guan Ya, it's me! It's me!" Zhang Yuanqing cried out.
Guan Ya, who had been about to thrash with all her might, froze the instant she heard his voice. She was stunned, remaining still for a long while.
Seeing that she had stopped resisting, Zhang Yuanqing rolled off her back and sat up straight.
Guan Ya still lay stiffly against the bed, but her breathing grew faster and faster, increasingly ragged. She abruptly bolted up from the mattress, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared blankly at the man before her.
This was her man.
"Y-Yuanshi?" Her lips trembled, her beautiful eyes wide, her face filled with utter incredulity.
Immediately after, she seemed to remember something, and the shimmering, tear-glossed gaze turned razor-sharp. "Palace Master of Halting Slaughter! What are you playing at, disguising yourself as Yuanshi?!"
Huh? What does this have to do with the Palace Master? Zhang Yuanqing was dumbfounded for a second before catching on, understanding her train of thought.
A Scout's Insight could see through most disguises, and when it came to a man who shared her bed, not even an Illusionist could pull the wool over Guan Ya's eyes.
That left only one possibility: the Palace Master had put on the Perfect Human Skin. Guan Ya was well aware of what the Perfect Human Skin could do.
Instead of explaining with words, Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory and produced the Purple Lightning Hammer to verify his identity. Guan Ya recognized this rule-based item that was bound to his account. Given Zhang Yuanqing's personality, there was no way he wouldn't show off such top-tier gear to his girlfriend after forging it.
Guan Ya stared at the Purple Lightning Hammer, then shifted her gaze to her completely naked boyfriend. Tears flooded her eyes and spilled over.
"N-Not a hallucination?"
"Not a hallucination."
"Not an impostor?"
"If you don't believe me, we can go for a round right now. You know my endurance and dimensions best."
"H-How did you come back to life..." Guan Ya believed most of it now. Weeping, she casually stole a downward glance at her boyfriend's bare lower half.
She took a visual measurement.
Zhang Yuanqing explained the function of the Mother Goddess's Womb, the existence of his spare clone, and why he hadn't breathed a word about resurrection in the dungeon that day.
Having finally confirmed that her lover had returned from the dead, Guan Ya threw her arms around him as if holding the most precious treasure in the world.
She wept aloud, letting out all the despair and agony she had endured during this time, tears cascading down like a broken string of pearls.
She cried so hard her slender frame trembled uncontrollably.
Right then, the ringtone of Guan Ya's phone on the nightstand broke the spell, interrupting the couple immersed in the joy of their reunion.
The caller was Fu Qingyang.
Zhang Yuanqing snatched up the phone and answered, "Boss, I've revived."
Silence lingered on the other end for three or four seconds before Money Prince's calm voice came through:
"I know. Demonic Eye already informed me. Stay in the bedroom for now, and don't let anyone know you've revived. I'll return to Songhai before dark."
With that, he hung up.
Zhang Yuanqing set down the phone. Guan Ya clung to him like a koala, holding him tight, occasionally listening to his heartbeat and peppering kisses over his chest, lips, and cheeks.
Perhaps because she had experienced the searing agony of losing her beloved, she had transformed from an older girlfriend who doted on her younger man into a clingy, affectionate young girl.
After lingering in the warmth of each other's embrace for a while, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "While I was in the Spirit Realm, what happened within the organization?"
Guan Ya shook her head.
Zhang Yuanqing took her phone, logged onto the forum, and learned from the pinned threads about the Cai family being purged, the Soldier Master sect attacking the capital, and the establishment of the Investigation Department and the Judicial Department.
All of it boiled down to four words in his eyes: *a power overhaul!*
The Five Elements Alliance was undergoing reform. The shift in its high-level power structure would bring earth-shattering changes to this largest domestic official organization.
*Dying once wasn't in vain after all. Worth it.* Zhang Yuanqing sighed with feeling. "Boss finally took the reins."
He then turned to look at the girlfriend sharing his pillow.
"Look at Boss. To avenge me, he wiped out Cai Qinhe's direct faction and stripped power from the Nine Elders, while you just shut yourself at home for five or six days moping? Boss is the one who truly loves me."
Guan Ya gave a soft huff. Her nose and eyes were still red, but the knot of gloom between her brows had completely dispersed. "You can take power too, then. Go on, assist your true love."
Zhang Yuanqing said nothing.
***
At 5:30 in the afternoon.
A gale swept past the Fujia Bay Villa. A flash of sword light darted into the courtyard, resolving into a handsome young man clad in snow-white robes.
Fu Qingyang walked straight into the villa and hurried upstairs. Pushing open the study door, he found his subordinate, who had been gone for days, waiting inside the spacious, luxurious room.
Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply on the spot. "Thank you, Boss, for granting me a second life."
For a moment, Fu Qingyang's expression wavered in a brief daze. He promptly regained his composure, nodding slightly.
"It's good that you're back."
The two sat down in the reception area. Fu Qingyang skipped the pleasantries and cut straight to the chase. "You already know about the internal reforms in the Five Elements Alliance these past few days, don't you?"
"Just read about it on the forum." Zhang Yuanqing nodded.
"None of that is important," Fu Qingyang said. "Since you've just returned, there are a few things I must tell you. First: the higher-ups of both the Taiyi Sect and the Five Elements Alliance now know that you are the Demon Lord's successor."
Zhang Yuanqing froze, utterly dumbfounded. "How could that be?"
*Granted, I lost my cool during the tribunal, but I never once stated I was the Demon Lord's successor! How does the whole world know now?*
Fu Qingyang spoke in a heavy voice: "The news originally leaked from the Taiyi Sect. Think about it—why would they know?"
Zhang Yuanqing's expression darkened slightly. He had a vague guess, but he didn't dare confirm it.
Fu Qingyang said blandly, "What did you redeem through the Universal Merchant Association?"
"...A Fragment of Taiyin Origin. Something left in the character card by the Demon Lord," Zhang Yuanqing confessed.
Fu Qingyang's expression remained steady, as if he had anticipated this all along. Instead, he remarked with deep emotion: "The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars... Now the Moon is nearly back in place. The great tribulation approaches. I've reviewed your situation: your death was a trap laid by Ling Tuo. What he wanted was the Taiyin Origin inside the character card."
Puzzled, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "If he wanted the Taiyin Origin, he could have just killed me directly. Why go through all the trouble and expend so much effort?"
Fu Qingyang said seriously, "Because you were only one cog in his machine. I've pieced together three distinct threads: first, the return of the Taiyin Origin to the Spirit Realm; second, dealing a heavy blow to the Five Elements Alliance; and third, hunting down Past Without Traces to seize the God of Illusion's artifacts. Whether there were more, I cannot say.
"You don't know this yet, but Past Without Traces has returned to the Spirit Realm. He died under the siege of four demigods."
Zhang Yuanqing had already braced himself for this, but hearing the grim news still brought an ache to his nose and a surge of grief to his chest.
"Ling Tuo..." he squeezed the name through gritted teeth.
"A high-tier Night Wanderer's plotting ability is formidable indeed. Your friction with headquarters, your conflict with Cai Qinhe, the leak of the Wuhen Hotel members' information, the ambush on the plane... and many details we cannot see—he guided and arranged all of them from the shadows. Cai Qinhe, you, and the Wuhen Hotel: three separate lines wound into a single rope, set ablaze at the critical juncture to ignite the entire board." Fu Qingyang broke it down, sighing with rare verbosity. He seldom talked at such length.
"Of course, Ling Tuo's moves left traces. But as for the Taiyi Sect's placement of pieces, even I cannot see through it. He must have known everything—either taking part or simply letting it unfold." Fu Qingyang crossed his legs and leaned back against the sofa.
"It's all in the past now. Giving up the Taiyin Origin might not be a bad thing. Being targeted by two demigods is no pleasant experience. To them, your value is no longer high.
"What are your plans next? I don't recommend you stay in the Five Elements Alliance, nor do I recommend you expose the fact that you've revived. At the very least, wait until the end of the year to clear the killing trial and advance to Dominator. Furthermore..."
Money Prince glanced at his trusted subordinate. "The Demon Lord's negative karma runs too deep. You are his successor. When you were dead, that was the end of it; once people learn you've returned, trouble will follow."
Money Prince was referring to how political rivals would seize upon it to attack and smear him.
Zhang Yuanqing, however, thought of the Elvis speaker. The Demon Lord's lovers all likely knew of the speaker's existence, and they certainly knew it recorded audio...
*If I return as the Demon Lord's successor, even Yin Ji might want to kill me to keep me quiet,* Zhang Yuanqing mused inwardly.
After a few seconds of silence, he said, "Boss, I really don't want to stay in the Five Elements Alliance anymore. I'm cut out for socializing, not playing politics. Only now do I understand: I am Demonic Eye, and Demonic Eye is me."
Then, Zhang Yuanqing voiced his thought: "I might go abroad for a while."
"Go abroad?" Fu Qingyang frowned, his tone solemn. "I must remind you that the First District has far more Spirit Realm walkers and far more intricate factions. The methods of both Orderly and evil factions are even more devoid of a bottom line. Most crucially, you know very little about overseas professions."
Though Yuanshi had risen in prominence, he was still only at the peak of the Saint stage. Going up against Dominator-level enemies remained an uphill battle.
Without an organization to rely on overseas, crossing the wrong major power would be exceptionally dangerous.
And experience had proven that Yuanshi Tianzun was anything but a docile law-abider. He was guaranteed to cause trouble—of that, Fu Qingyang was entirely certain.
"Boss, compile a summary of the First District's professions for me, from Extraordinary to Dominator, and gather information on items if possible. I'll study it thoroughly," Zhang Yuanqing stated his resolve.
He had to go abroad. First, he needed to see Chen Shu and ask about the possibility of resurrecting his father, Zhang Zizhen. Second, he had made a promise to the Association of God of Beauty. Third, if he wanted to gather the Demon Lord's complete "treasure map," he had to go overseas.
Quite a few of the Demon Lord's mistresses were based abroad.
Fourth, traveling and exploring suited his own desires. Moreover, aside from being the Demon Lord's successor, being Zhang Zizhen's biological son was another ticking time bomb.
If that came to light, Ling Tuo would crush him without a second thought.
Going abroad would also allow him to lay low. If he remained in the country, unless he went completely underground and did nothing at all, getting embroiled in any incident would easily expose the fact that Yuanshi Tianzun had returned to life.
Seeing his mind was made up, Fu Qingyang could only nod. "Before you leave, I will prepare a sum of funds for you."
Zhang Yuanqing reached into his inventory and pulled out an ink-black seal. Moisture instantly condensed in the study, making the air stiflingly humid.
"This is Cai Qinhe's rule-based item," Zhang Yuanqing said with a grin. "Boss, to sit upon the seat of power, a single cloak isn't enough. Consider this my congratulatory gift to you."
Before returning to the Spirit Realm, he had stashed this rule-based item into his inventory.
Fu Qingyang stared in astonishment at the River Count Seal, speechless for a long time.
***
Crab City, rented apartment.
Inside the bedroom, Xiao Yuan, who had been depressed for days, heard a knock at the door.
With long, unwashed hair that had gone unbrushed for days and wearing rumpled loungewear, she opened the door.
Standing in the doorway was a man dressed like a Western cowboy, sporting flamboyant riding boots, a leather hat, and a silver mask.
*Snap!*
The Western cowboy snapped his fingers. "We meet again. How do you like this getup? That's how the cowboys in the Free Confederacy dress before stepping out."
Xiao Yuan harbored wariness toward this man and didn't take the bait. She immediately opened her inventory and brought out the blackened, dim heart.
The man snapped his fingers once more, and the heart in Xiao Yuan's hand vanished.
"Just wait at home. There will be good news soon," the old cowboy said, then vanished from Xiao Yuan's sight.
***
At 11:30 that night, inside a café across from the Kangyang District Security Bureau.
"I plan to go abroad. This will be the last time we meet at this café," Zhang Yuanqing said, stirring with a small silver spoon as he gazed at the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter across from him.
*Don't you have anything to say?*
"Going out to see the world is nice too," the Palace Master said. "Do you want to tell your mother?"
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head.
"Then we won't tell her." The Palace Master adopted the demeanor of a considerate little girlfriend. Then, she watched as the stone-hearted man opposite her produced a badge.
"Words alone aren't proof. Make an oath."
The Palace Master huffed, "Is this how you treat the pretty girl who brought you back to life? Bah, scumbag!"
"It's only Saint-grade; it won't bind you completely, but it will make you uncomfortable for a while." Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "Asking you to swear is to make my stance clear. This matter is crucial to me. If you betray me, I'll be angry."
He wanted to first observe his mother's work and life abroad and only show himself after gathering enough intelligence.
Otherwise, with how shrewd Chen Shu was, asking her directly would most likely yield half-truths and evasions.
Resting her chin on her palms, the Palace Master asked with a sweet smile, "And how will you be angry?"
"Angry enough to sleep with every woman in the Association of God of Beauty," Zhang Yuanqing replied.
The Palace Master fumed, snatched the badge, and swore the oath. She then tossed the item back into his chest, holding out a delicate hand. "Give me back the teleportation scroll."
Zhang Yuanqing fetched the parchment scroll and returned it to her.
Stowing the teleportation item, the Palace Master said, "You can go abroad, but I have two conditions. First: a video call every three days. Second: you are not allowed to fool around with those sluts from the Association of God of Beauty. If I catch you, I'll snip it off!"
*I'm going to the Association of God of Beauty to appreciate beauty, not to chase tail.* Zhang Yuanqing nodded in agreement.
"Then swear it on the badge too."
"..."
After swearing the oath, Zhang Yuanqing said, "Besides saying goodbye and thanking you, there's something else I want to ask. Can Master Wuhen be revived? Fu Qingyang mentioned that Master Wuhen had already advanced to demigod."
Meanwhile, the Mother Goddess's Womb was a Dominator-tier item. Though its revival ability was a rule, its tier was clearly lacking.
"Revival is an absolute rule; even the Spirit Realm cannot block it. As long as Master Wuhen's flesh clone is found, he can be revived," the Palace Master answered affirmatively first, then added, "However, if the target is a demigod, they will drop a rank and return to the Dominator stage."
"That's not an issue." Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief.
Aside from Ling Tuo, every member of the Xiaoyao Organization still had a chance at revival.
Next, he brought up the second matter:
"Heavenly King Demonic Eye said that during my resurrection, something went wrong with the Mother Goddess's Womb, and it almost failed to revive me."
He relayed Demonic Eye's words word for word to the Palace Master.
"That..." The Palace Master tilted her head, pondering for a long while. "Strange. For such a thing to happen... I'm not really sure either."
*I can't tell if you're bullshitting or not.* Zhang Yuanqing sighed inwardly. "Fair enough."
This was another reason he insisted on going abroad. He carried two big secrets: being the Demon Lord's successor, and being Zhang Zizhen's son.
Now, the highest-tier item—and secret—in his character card, the Taiyin Origin, had already returned to the Spirit Realm. The rest was all on Zhang Zizhen. To figure out the glitch with the Mother Goddess's Womb, he had to consult Chen Shu.
As his thoughts flickered, the Palace Master stood up gracefully, walked over to his side, rested her rounded, plump hips on his lap, and looped her pale, lotus-root arms around his neck.
"Before you go abroad, hold me again." Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying a trace of coquettishness.
Zhang Yuanqing naturally wrapped his arms around her slender waist. He had grown accustomed to this ambiguous yet tender way of being together.
Before they laid bare their families' historical ties, the Palace Master's teasing had been limited to words. Ever since that open, candid conversation that night, she dropped the act entirely, using her soft, enchanting body to tease and entice him relentlessly.
Yet for some reason, she never pushed things further, keeping their bond in the pure, idyllic state of a campus romance.
***
At 1:00 in the morning.
Inside the bedroom of the Fujia Bay Villa, dreamlike starlight rose.
Having suppressed a raging erection all night around the Palace Master, Zhang Yuanqing was just about to dive into his girlfriend's arms when his phone chimed with an alert.
He pulled it out to check.
[President: I'm at your home. Your maternal grandparents' home.]
Zhang Yuanqing's scalp went completely numb.
Chapter 646