Desire was a highly specialized class. Its skills were almost entirely support abilities like charm and perfecting one's physique, with practically no offensive capability. A class that committed so completely to a single path had glaring flaws, yet it was extraordinarily difficult to deal with.
When it came to self-preservation, Desire ranked among the top three of all classes, always contending for first or second place.
No one could resist the allure of Desire. If anyone ever did, it was purely due to suppression from a higher tier.
Donna was a Dominator of the Desire class. Among Dominators of the same level, there was virtually no ruthless figure who could completely ignore her charm. If the Hunter Guild wanted to control her, having a demigod step in would be the safest route.
At present, the demigods of both the Orderly and evil factions had not entered the field. Both sides were scheming quietly from behind the scenes, as the time for an all-out clash between demigods had not yet arrived. Thus, Zhang Yuanqing could understand the evil faction's strategy of seduction.
What he didn't understand was this: even if Jumang seduced Donna, so what? As a Dominator, Donna had her own judgment. Would she simply follow him to a gathering just because Jumang invited her?
Even if she went, she would immediately sense when something was amiss. If Donna decided to leave then, how could the evil faction keep her there? If they possessed the means to detain her by force, they wouldn't have needed seduction in the first place.
Catherine lightly stroked her fair, satiny thigh with a slender finger and said with a blooming smile, "Since you've already successfully approached Donna, the rest of the plan can be disclosed to you."
She reached into the air and retrieved a triangular silver talisman. "What you need to do is seduce Donna. Use your abilities as an Illusionist to stir up her emotions, making her lose her reason step by step. Then, use this teleportation talisman to bring her into the gathering's venue. When the time comes, she will behold divinity amid supreme bliss. Hehe, there are quite a few big shots in the Free Faction who lust after Donna's beauty."
*Good grief, are you planning an orgy at this gathering?* Zhang Yuanqing took the triangular silver talisman and frowned. "A teleportation talisman requires visualizing the destination in one's mind, and it must be a place you have personally visited before. Neither Donna nor I have ever been to the venue. Besides, I can't use it on Donna's behalf."
"You know quite a bit, don't you? Did you buy teleportation talismans from the Merchant Guild's Interest Faction after disguising yourself? Those things cost an arm and a leg, but you can claim reimbursement from the organization." Catherine naturally assumed as much before continuing, "Ordinary teleportation talismans work that way, but what I gave you is a high-rank teleportation talisman—strictly speaking, a sub-talisman for a teleportation array.
"We've constructed a teleportation array at the party. Once the talisman is activated, it will open a teleportation portal. When the time comes, you'll need to carry her through the portal to reach the venue."
*Needing to actively pass through a portal... No wonder Donna has to briefly lose her senses. To make a Dominator with invincible charm lose her mind, the pleasure between a man and a woman really is the best choice. Hah, when the time comes, I'll carry the President over to beat the shit out of you all...* Zhang Yuanqing accepted the triangular silver talisman, nodding with a stoic expression.
"Understood!
"However, Donna is a patient hunter. If she isn't in a hurry to sleep with me, there's nothing I can do," Zhang Yuanqing said.
"That little slut Donna truly loves playing mind games, teasing and leading men on while keeping them hungry." Catherine frowned. "I suggest you take a slightly more forceful approach. You aren't the real Jumang. Although we have ways to prevent Donna from proactively contacting Heaven's Punishment, it won't last forever. Once Donna goes to Heaven's Punishment, your identity will be exposed."
*I am the real Jumang.* Zhang Yuanqing gave a subtle nod.
With business concluded, Catherine coiled around him like a seductive serpent, her tone silky and her eyes shimmering with lust. "Between Donna and me, who do you like more?"
"I like you more!" Zhang Yuanqing replied deadpan.
"Why?" Catherine asked, delighted.
"Because I've only slept with you! I haven't had the chance to sleep with her yet," Zhang Yuanqing said, staying perfectly in character as Tongtian Jiaozhu.
***
Inside an abandoned building in Queens.
Having refused Catherine's advances through sheer willpower, Zhang Yuanqing handed the triangular silver talisman to the President, who was dressed in a deep red suit.
"Your judgment was correct. There really are corrupted members inside the Merchant Guild, and their rank isn't low," Zhang Yuanqing said.
"To construct a teleportation array, one must be a Dominator." The President exhaled slowly. "It must be the Conservative Faction's doing."
"The Conservative Faction?" Zhang Yuanqing asked in surprise. "Why not the Interest Faction?"
He had always believed the Interest Faction was far more likely to harbor traitors.
"Because the Interest Faction cares more about the organization's dominant status than the Conservative Faction does. The Merchant Guild's trade network spans across both Orderly and evil organizations. The Interest Faction benefits from playing both sides, so they are actually the ones who least want to see turmoil erupt." The President offered the brief remark without elaborating further, then continued:
"Your immediate goal is to stay close to Donna and strive to complete the Hunter Guild's mission. When the time comes, we will give the evil faction a pleasant surprise. At that point, the identity of Tongtian Jiaozhu can be discarded, and the war between the Orderly and evil factions will enter a stage where Dominators step into the fray en masse. You can then bow out and wait for the killing trial to arrive.
"My advice to you is to enter a trial, cultivate the Pure Yang Body Cleansing Record, and master the application of your solar divine power until it reaches perfection. As a Day Wanderer, if you wish to be stronger than Dominators of the same level and class, you must ensure that at the moment of your advancement, you become a Day Wanderer who specializes primarily in the sun."
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head repeatedly. "My solar divine power has already reached peak fullness. If I want to make further progress, I have to advance to Dominator."
The President scoffed.
"Your solar divine power wasn't attained through your own cultivation. You forcibly accommodated the divine power left behind by the Ten-Sun Crow by relying on the Source Liquid of Life inside the Bronze Sacred Tree.
"It's just like a young hero in a wuxia novel who receives an infusion of internal energy from a grandmaster. He possesses shocking, world-shaking power, yet has no idea how to wield it properly. Against Saint-level enemies, that staggering power alone can sweep the field, but before true masters, brute strength isn't enough. As far as I know, aside from Lady Sandao, there isn't a single Day Wanderer in this world today who specializes primarily in the sun."
Zhang Yuanqing pondered this. The old crone was indeed outrageously powerful. Her most staggering feat had been during the Superhuman-level killing trial, when she dared to use the Eight-Armed Demon God as a medium to trace back to the source, gazing upon an evil god suspected to belong to the Bewitching Demon class.
That was a divine entity!
Even a divine entity couldn't harm her or corrupt her. Such was the sheer confidence that came from specializing primarily in solar power.
"Then in November, I can just devour someone who has already entered a trial. That way, I can be exempt from this month's trial and directly wait for December's killing trial..." Zhang Yuanqing nodded, agreeing with the President's suggestion.
As for entering a trial, he could choose a guild trial or have the President take him in, rather than relying on standard Spirit Realm quests.
Besides, it had been a while since he last saw the old crone.
After sending the President off, Zhang Yuanqing took out his phone, opened his email, and drafted a long message to Fu Qingyang:
"Respected Elder Fu, it has been many days since we last met. Please allow Jumang to extend his greetings from halfway across the world. We have successfully secured the final fragment of the sacred disc.
"In the process, we uncovered an old incident. After the founding of the nation, Huo Zhengkui once intended to return to China to establish an official organization... Upon arriving in China, he was ambushed and nearly assassinated by an organization called the 'Tongzhou Society.'
"An organization capable of assassinating a Dominator in the early days of this version, yet I have never heard of it..."
After typing out the message, he hit send.
Zhang Yuanqing leaned back on the sofa, waiting for Fu Qingyang's reply. It was currently ten in the morning Beijing time; if Fu Qingyang saw it, he would surely respond.
*Once I wrap up this Donna situation, I can make a graceful exit. I can enter a trial to cultivate the Pure Yang Body Cleansing Record, patiently await the killing trial, advance to Dominator, and return home for vengeance!*
*Dark Night Rose, Sect Master Chunyang, and the Southern Sect—all of them must die!*
Well, he couldn't afford to provoke Ling Tuo or the Southern Sect's demigods yet, but as for the Dominators and Saints of those organizations, he would hunt down every last one he could find.
*Ding!*
At his desk, Fu Qingyang heard the crisp notification sound.
He glanced at the computer monitor as it lit up automatically, gripped his mouse to open his inbox, and read through the email.
*The Tongzhou Society?* Fu Qingyang's sword-like brows furrowed tightly. Just like Yuanshi, he had never heard of this organization either.
He opened the Five Elements Alliance database and typed in "Tongzhou Society." The search result returned: *Entry does not exist.*
Fu Qingyang immediately realized something was off. Although the Five Elements Alliance had only been established twenty years ago, its database originated from the five founding organizations and could be traced back to the Republic of China era.
How could there be no records of the Tongzhou Society? If such an organization had truly existed back then!
After considering it, Fu Qingyang sent a reply to Yuanshi Tianzun:
"There is no information regarding the Tongzhou Society in the Five Elements Alliance database. Even with my clearance level, nothing turned up, which means there really is nothing on file. I will attempt to investigate. Wait for my word."
Zhang Yuanqing, whose mind had been drifting, heard the chime of his phone. He picked it up, took a look, and set it back down.
*Even Fu Qingyang's clearance couldn't dig up anything?* His brow furrowed at once. This Tongzhou Society was certainly something. In the hundred and thirty-odd years since the Spirit Realm emerged, just how many unfathomably secretive organizations were out there?
Still, since Fu Qingyang had promised to investigate, there was no need for him to stress over it.
*Better to bang Donna—no, better to attend to Donna's business first.*
Dissolving into starlight, he vanished from the vacant building.
***
Just after Fu Qingyang finished replying to his subordinate's message, a figure appeared in his study, wearing a silver mask and a wine-red suit.
"Mr. President?" Fu Qingyang asked, his expression unchanging.
The President walked over to the liquor cabinet unhurriedly, opened a bottle of vintage wine Fu Qingyang had collected for years, uncorked it, poured a glass, and added ice cubes. The entire sequence was effortless and smooth, just as if he were in his own home.
"I need to see the Grand Marshal!" The President took a sip from his glass. "To talk big business."
Chapter 753