While waiting for the Nine Elders to connect, Zhang Yuanqing recalled Demon Eye Heavenly King's epiphany and said with deep concern, "Boss, Demon Eye wants to use the Merit Roster to place shackles and chains on all of humanity, restricting everyone under Morality Points. I think he's getting crazier and crazier."
Fu Qingyang furrowed his brows. "Tell me the details."
Zhang Yuanqing recounted what he had seen and heard at the orphanage, relaying Demon Eye Heavenly King's exact words to Fu Qingyang.
After listening, the Money Prince looked exceptionally solemn. "Demon Eye's obsession has deepened, and his conviction has grown even firmer. Yuanshi, Demon Eye is a double-edged sword. He is powerful enough to affect demigods, but at his core, he is a lunatic. A madman won't reason with you or weigh pros and cons; one wrong move, and he will turn on you."
Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "For example?"
The Money Prince gazed at him with profound depth in his eyes. "You know that being Orderly doesn't equate to kindness and justice. In any massive organization, there will inevitably be people with crooked intentions. If Ling Tuo gathers evidence of crimes committed by members of your organization and hands it to Demon Eye, what do you think Demon Eye will do?"
Zhang Yuanqing's mouth twitched. "He'd show no mercy to anyone, not even his own people."
He understood what Fu Qingyang meant.
Although Demon Eye was a powerful asset, this blade was uncontrollable. Violate his taboos, and he would undoubtedly show zero regard for kinship or camaraderie—otherwise, he wouldn't be a paranoid fanatic.
He let out a long breath. "Fortunately, I asked Zhai Cai to witness the oath in advance."
As long as the core members didn't fight among themselves, it wouldn't be a major issue.
If Demon Eye set his sights on a core member, bound by the covenant witnessed by the Single-Inheritance Knight, he likely wouldn't risk his own life to purge a wrongdoer—after all, he still had the noble ideal of "shackling all of humanity" left to fulfill.
*Uh, Demon Eye is a fanatic. If something really goes wrong down the line, I'll just have to find a way to seal him...* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.
"Seal him how?" Fu Qingyang saw right through the thoughts of his trusted subordinate. "Demon Eye's Eye of Bewitchment can affect demigods. Right now, he is Return of the Dead's number-one combatant."
"Don't worry. The more obsessive he is, the higher my status. If he loses his mind, I'll just press the Form and Spirit Annihilation Blade against my chest, and he'll drop to his knees begging me not to die." Zhang Yuanqing wore a smug look.
Fu Qingyang was momentarily left speechless.
At that moment, the projection equipment on the ceiling chimed with beeps, its yellow indicator light flashing continuously. Probes popped out from six projectors, casting the holographic image of a luxurious conference table in the center of the spacious meeting room.
Around the conference table, the figures of the Five Elements Alliance's Nine Elders materialized one by one. The projection equipment above Fu Qingyang began scanning his body, transmitting the data to the capital thousands of miles away.
Nine peak Dominators looked toward Fu Qingyang simultaneously.
As the convener of the meeting, Fu Qingyang spoke first: "I have made contact with Yuanshi Tianzun."
The hot-tempered First Elder of the Red Fire Gang immediately asked, "What's his attitude?"
Fu Qingyang pondered for a moment. "It's hard for me to say what his attitude is. You should speak with him directly."
With that, he rose and stepped outside the beam of light.
Under the strange, watchful gazes of the Nine Elders, the fluorescent blue beam flickered, successfully scanning a new figure and turning into an all-too-familiar youthful silhouette.
Yuanshi Tianzun!
Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand with a beaming smile. "Hey, old men, long time no see. Did you miss me?"
Across such a vast distance, he couldn't sense the Nine Elders' emotions. Yet from their somber, grave, dissatisfied, and regretful expressions and gazes, he could clearly read the old fellows' inner thoughts:
*You little bastard, you really do have nine lives, don't you!*
Naturally, among the Nine Elders, First Elder Di Hong, Elder Miao, the Sword Pavilion Elder, and the two elders of the Red Fire Gang held slightly better attitudes toward him. It wasn't love, but their descendants had received favors from him, so out of some gratitude, their tolerance toward him was relatively high.
Elder Miao gave a hollow smile. "Now that you've advanced to Dominator, your confidence really is something else. Since Fu Qingyang let you negotiate for yourself, lay it on the line: what are your conditions?"
Zhang Yuanqing leaned lazily against the back of his chair, crossed his legs, and said, "You should all know the prophecy of the Light Compass, and you know the position of Lord of the Sun is currently vacant. So I'll cut right to the chase: I want to enter headquarters and take Cai Qinhe's seat, and I want the Five Elements Alliance to back me in becoming the Lord of the Sun."
The atmosphere in the conference room froze. The Nine Elders scrutinized Yuanshi Tianzun.
*Has this kid lost his mind?*
Off to the side, Fu Qingyang gave a silent nod. Knowing to make an exorbitant initial demand before bargaining showed that when it came to dealing with people, Yuanshi was no longer a wet-behind-the-ears greenhorn.
"Back you to become the Lord of the Sun?" The First Elder of the Red Fire Gang spoke bluntly: "Are you out of your mind, brat? The person the Five Elements Alliance is supporting is the Taiyi Sect Master. Even if that Lord of the Stars falls, there's still a queue of level-8 and level-9 Day Wanderers from the Taiyi Sect. In no universe does it fall to you!"
"Then your Five Elements Alliance is completely doomed," Zhang Yuanqing scoffed. "It took the Grand Marshal only a year to become a demigod, and the Demon Lord reached peak Dominator in just six months. Am I, Yuanshi Tianzun, not even more talented than that pair of geniuses? I can reach level 9 in three months! Old man, don't say I didn't give the Five Elements Alliance a chance."
This arrogant, haughty, overbearing demeanor made the two peak Dominators of the Red Fire Gang itch to beat him up.
First Elder Di Hong's voice was deep and gentle: "It seems you do not wish to go to the Qinghe Branch. Yuanshi Tianzun, headquarters intended to appoint you as the top leader of the Qinghe Branch. You have been to Bagui Province; you know how chaotic the borderlands are. I believe that with your ability and personality, you will surely make great achievements at the Qinghe Branch.
"On behalf of headquarters, I can promise that as long as you do not betray the officials, do not harm your colleagues, and do not betray the Orderly faction, you will receive maximum autonomy. Believe me, taking a post there is the best choice for you and for us."
"Transferring me to the Qinghe Branch—headquarters wants to use me to balance out the Qinghe Clan and the Psionic Society Western Branch?" Zhang Yuanqing laid all the cards on the table. "Yeah, with my fiery temper, a clan like the Qinghe that only takes money and does nothing won't get an inch out of me, not to mention the evil forces at the border."
Elder Miao smiled. "We believe you can suppress the Psionic Society, and we believe you possess a patriotic, Orderly heart."
Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help letting out a cold laugh. "I really do want to guard the border, and I can't stand the Qinghe Branch's conduct, but..."
Pausing, his expression turned sharp and grave: "Can the nine elders tell me: how did Poison Chaser die?"
The nine peak elders first wore bewildered expressions before remembering who "Poison Chaser" was.
Elder Miao weighed his words and said gently, "Poison Chaser's sacrifice is our regret, as well as a misstep in headquarters' work. But the culprit, Cai Qinhe, has already returned to the Spirit Realm. What more is there to say?"
Zhang Yuanqing cut him off coldly: "In my eyes, every single one of you bears responsibility! It was your tacit consent and inaction that allowed Cai Qinhe to act without fear, ultimately leading to this wrongful death... Whatever. I don't care to dredge up the past. I can take the post at the Qinghe Branch, but you must agree to one condition."
The First Elder of the Water God Palace immediately said, "Name it!"
Zhang Yuanqing straightened up, his eyes burning with intensity. "All nine of you go to Poison Chaser's grave together, bow, and repent. And I want to livestream it! That way, it'll show the nine elders' willingness to correct their mistakes, and it will also serve as a formal statement welcoming my return to the Five Elements Alliance."
The expressions of the nine peak Dominators darkened.
"Outrageous!" An elder of the Red Fire Gang glared fiercely. "Do you think that just because you advanced to Dominator, the entire Five Elements Alliance will beg on their knees for you to come back? Yuanshi Tianzun, you're only a level-7 Dominator. Do you take yourself for a demigod?"
The words were harsh, but the logic stood. Thus, the other eight peak Dominators remained silent, staring coldly at Yuanshi Tianzun.
Zhang Yuanqing adopted the posture of a shameless rogue. "Then there's nothing to discuss. If the Five Elements Alliance doesn't want me, I'll go to Heaven's Punishment. With the Wind and Thunder Twin Gods having just fallen, Heaven's Punishment happens to need a reputable, high-combat powerhouse to boost morale. And during my time in New York County, I happened to build up quite a reputation. When the time comes, let's see who looks like the fool."
This struck right at the Nine Elders' soft spot.
Yuanshi Tianzun had advanced to Dominator and made a powerful return. If crowned with the glory of "resolving the crisis of Morality Points vanishing," his prestige would be at its absolute zenith. If he ended up joining Heaven's Punishment...
At this point, the Sword Pavilion Elder spoke: "Yuanshi Tianzun, say directly what you want, but drop the matter of visiting the grave."
Seizing the opening, Zhang Yuanqing got straight to the point: "Although headquarters failed me, as a Spirit Realm walker of the Second District, my roots are here and hard to leave behind. I won't join Heaven's Punishment, and we can drop the grave visit. How about this: I'll take a step back. I won't return to the Five Elements Alliance; instead, I will form my own faction. However, it requires official endorsement. My organization's members will enjoy the rights and privileges of semi-official walkers, including but not limited to accessing the Five Elements Alliance forums, cooperating with official walkers, and drawing on official resources to a certain degree. In short, whatever benefits the Spirit Realm aristocratic families have, I want them too."
Before the Nine Elders could speak, he quickly added: "Though I won't take up an official post in the Five Elements Alliance, I can join the White Tiger Brigade and become a member of the guild."
Only then did the Nine Elders' expressions soften. After exchanging glances for a moment, First Elder Di Hong said, "Let us end today's meeting here. We need to deliberate and will give you an answer tomorrow."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "No problem."
The holographic projection vanished, the probes retracted into the equipment, and the red indicator light blinked for a few seconds before going dark.
Zhang Yuanqing exhaled a breath of turbid air and looked toward the Money Prince beside the table. "Shouldn't be any problem, right?"
Fu Qingyang gave an "mm." "If the Five Elements Alliance doesn't agree, you can just go to Heaven's Punishment. There are plenty of options; no need to hang yourself from a single tree."
Pausing, he offered his view: "The Sword Pavilion Elder didn't expose your little trick, which indicates he has great tolerance for you. He will persuade the other elders."
Zhang Yuanqing's negotiation tactics were clear as day before a level-9 Mechanist, completely impossible to conceal from the White Tiger Brigade's two peak Dominators.
Yet since neither of them had interrupted him, the White Tiger Brigade faction, at least, would support it.
"If headquarters doesn't agree, then I'll head to New York County, make the Relief Society the headquarters of Return of the Dead, and turn this side into a branch," Zhang Yuanqing said. "Boss, how is your training in Skill Bordering the Dao going?"
Fu Qingyang glanced at him. "Hacking you down won't be a problem."
He saw through Yuanshi Tianzun in an instant: the kid wanted to slyly test his level and show off his own strength.
***
Suburbs of Songhai, the Zoo.
At the main gate teeming with tourists, a curly-haired toy poodle squatted by the curb, waiting quietly.
This morning he had received a phone call from Yuanshi Tianzun, saying he had a big present to give him: a Dominator-stage battle pet.
Wood Monsters could call upon plants and animals to fight on their behalf. Ordinary plants and animals had virtually no combat capability, so most Wood Monsters actively cultivated flora and fauna.
Among them, cultivating animals was the hardest; a battle pet of the Dominator stage required several times the spiritual energy and resources compared to plants.
Furthermore, a Wood Monster's class name at the Saint stage was Beast King, allowing them to transform into beasts at will according to the situation. Consequently, most Spring Gods would not cultivate Dominator-stage battle pets—peak Dominators being the exception.
However, battle pets had very obvious advantages. They possessed high intelligence and could be regarded fully as Dominator-stage Spirit Realm walkers. If one got lucky and raised the animal kingdom's equivalent of an invincible protagonist, the master could simply lie back and relax.
The battle pet fights for you, clears dungeons for you, and if your sexual orientation isn't strictly rigid, the battle pet can even bear your offspring.
So the moment he heard Yuanshi Tianzun wanted to gift him a battle pet, Elder Dog was thrilled out of his wits, hanging up and dashing to wait by the zoo's entrance.
Time slipped by. Soon, Elder Dog saw an alcove bed drifting along the street.
The alcove bed was one meter long and half a meter tall, exceptionally miniature. A mosquito net hung neatly over it, and inside the net sat the elegant, graceful silhouette of a cat.
Carrying the bed were four bean sprout figures, their roots serving as feet, bearing two slender arms, each bean sprout cotyledon bearing a beady little eye.
The surrounding vehicles and pedestrians seemed completely blind to the alcove bed.
The miniature alcove bed came to a stop in front of Elder Dog. A paw with tender pink pads pushed aside the mosquito net, looking down at Elder Dog from above.
"Are you the zoo owner's battle pet? Did he have you wait here to greet me?" the civet cat asked in a crisp, clear voice.
"...I *am* the owner of the zoo."
"A dog can obtain a character card?"
"I am human!"
"Then why do you meet me in the body of a dog? Are you looking down on me?"
"Personal preference."
"I find Your Excellency's eccentricity rather hard to accept. I had better find another Spring God. Farewell."
"Fellow Daoist, please wait..."
***
Fu Province, Myriad Treasures House.
Zhang Yuanqing stood before the counter, looking at Lian Sanyue, who was clad in a black tube top, held a cigar between her fingers, and radiated a languid aura.
"Are you truly not going to join my organization? Although your Myriad Treasures House is run decently enough, it's worlds apart from the Zhao family. If you want the head of the Zhao family to see you in a new light, doing it through levels is impossible. Dominator dungeons have long intervals; even after another ten years, you might not reach level 8.
"Your only breakthrough is expanding your influence. Hang out with me, and you're bound to soar straight to the top in the future."
"I'm used to being lazy and have no interest in living under someone else's roof." Lian Sanyue exhaled a puff of white smoke and gave a succinct refusal: "Scram!"
Zhang Yuanqing: "I plan to develop Myriad Treasures House into Return of the Dead's 'covert division,' specifically responsible for gathering intelligence on the evil faction. You have unmatched natural advantages for this. The covert division's existence will be known only to me, so in everyday matters, you can do whatever you please. I won't restrict you; you'll remain free. Everything continues as usual."
Lian Sanyue snapped irritably, "Everything continues as usual? Then wasn't everything you just said utter bullshit!"
Zhang Yuanqing sighed. "In that case, I won't talk about ideals with you anymore."
He opened his inventory, hauled out a black iron box, and slammed it onto the counter with a heavy thud. "As long as you join Return of the Dead, this is yours."
Suspicious, Lian Sanyue reached out to touch the box, reading the item's information.
The very next second, a deferential, submissive smile bloomed across her face: "Greetings, Guild Master!"
Chapter 814