The Grand Marshal's study.
"Ling Tuo is the Lord of Taiyin and holds administrative authority over the Spirit Realm. He is a coward of the highest order, holed up tight in his shell—dragging him out into the open is practically impossible," Fu Qingxuan said. "As for launching an all-out campaign against the Dominators and demigods of the evil faction to force his hand, that won't work either. A war among demigods would inevitably bring utter ruin to living beings and collapse order itself. Besides, even if an all-out war truly broke out, Ling Tuo wouldn't necessarily show himself."
"It is indeed a thorny problem." Fu Qingyang sat cross-legged opposite his white-haired cousin, signaling that they could talk through the night by candlelight; he had ample time and patience.
Fu Qingxuan summoned an oversized cup of boba milk tea and took hearty, gulping swigs before speaking with deep satisfaction. "Still, it doesn't matter. As long as we understand the enemy's needs and objectives, we will find a way to draw the snake from its hole. At this stage, both Ling Tuo and the rest of the evil faction want to control the Sun and attain supreme authority."
She took another sip of milk tea. "You should know the purpose of the Compass of Light, right?"
Fu Qingyang caught her drift and gave a slight nod. "It's the key to communicating with the Sun."
Fu Qingxuan asked again, "Then have you heard a piece of confidential intelligence? Once Taiyin and the Stars have returned to their positions, the Sun dungeon can be opened."
*As expected...* Fu Qingyang's expression relaxed slightly. "You intend to gather all the fragments of the Compass of Light and open the Sun dungeon?"
Fu Qingxuan shook her head. "There's no need to gather every single one. We've calculated that eight fragments are enough to open it. When the time comes, the Taiyi Sect Master will carry those fragments inside and attempt to assimilate the Sun, becoming the Lord of the Sun. Once that happens, Ling Tuo is as good as dead."
If the Taiyi Sect Master became the Lord of the Sun, the Merit Roster could no longer be cloaked. Wielding both the Stars and the Sun simultaneously, he would become the strongest demigod in the world. Even with the protection of Taiyin, Ling Tuo would have nowhere to hide beneath the all-illuminating sunlight.
This was an open scheme that Ling Tuo could not tolerate.
Fu Qingyang grasped the logic effortlessly, but he showed no joy. In fact, he instinctively furrowed his brow.
"What about Yuanshi?"
Yuanshi was walking the path toward becoming the Lord of the Sun. If the Taiyi Sect Master took command of it, it would effectively sever Yuanshi's path of ascension, barring him from reaching demigod status for the rest of his days.
Fu Qingxuan produced a piece of chocolate as if performing a magic trick, popped it into her mouth, and spoke around it. "I did consider supporting Yuanshi Tianzun, but there isn't enough time. He must reach peak Dominator to even qualify for the throne of the Lord of the Sun, yet we have no idea how long the Sun's remnant heat will last. Once the solar power that the Demon Lord placed upon the Merit Roster dissipates, Ling Tuo will throw the Spirit Realm into turmoil again. When that happens, the other four alliance leaders and I will have no choice but to enter the Spirit Realm to preserve stability.
"Without us, the evil faction will slaughter indiscriminately across the physical world. The Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder are slumbering; once Asura emerges, none can match him. We have no choice but to support the Taiyi Sect Master."
Fu Qingyang's face darkened at once. "How long can the Sun's remnant heat last?"
Fu Qingxuan answered somberly, "It's uncertain, but it cannot possibly hold out for half a year." She suddenly sighed. "However, the plan has hit a snag and cannot be implemented right now."
Fu Qingyang did not know whether to feel relieved or anxious. "How so?"
"Do you know how many fragments of the Compass of Light there are?" Fu Qingxuan replied with a question of her own.
Fu Qingyang said calmly, "I only know Heaven's Punishment has three, and the Five Elements Alliance has two."
Fu Qingxuan nodded. "The Merchant Guild has one, held by the Void demigod; the Association of God of Beauty has one; the Taiyi Sect has one; the Spirit Society has one; the Dionysus Club has one; and the Biological Alchemy Society has one. Add to that the core fragment taken away by the Xiaoyao Organization, and that makes twelve in total.
"The orthodox faction happens to hold eight fragments, but the Merchant Guild and the Association of God of Beauty refuse to surrender theirs. Heaven's Punishment is also wavering, as they have been secretly nurturing Day Wanderers of their own."
"Heaven's Punishment was willing to hand over fragments last time, which means they are more inclined to compromise. With some negotiation and promises of sufficient benefits, securing those three fragments shouldn't be an issue," Fu Qingyang said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "The real difficulty lies with President Void and the Association of God of Beauty, doesn't it?"
Fu Qingxuan nodded.
"The Merchant Guild and the Association of God of Beauty are backing Yuanshi Tianzun—and they are backing him with unexpected, unreasonable, unwavering resolve. Even Heaven's Punishment is willing to yield, yet those two refuse to budge an inch. It's quite strange, though we are actively negotiating."
At this point, she turned to look at Fu Qingyang. "I suspect Yuanshi Tianzun shares an unusual relationship with the Void demigod. You are close to Yuanshi Tianzun—do you know the reason?"
Fu Qingyang replied coldly, "I have no idea whatsoever."
Fu Qingxuan chuckled softly. "No one can lie in my presence."
Fu Qingyang maintained his cold, poker-faced solemnity. "I will not reveal any information to you that disadvantages Yuanshi Tianzun."
Fu Qingxuan took a sip of her milk tea. "If the Merchant Guild and the Association of God of Beauty persistently refuse to cooperate, we will take coercive measures. This concerns the survival of humanity and the orthodox faction. We can accept defeat, but we cannot lose the war for such a ridiculous reason. I think very highly of Yuanshi Tianzun, but I must shoulder my responsibilities as Grand Marshal. Therefore, I hope you can persuade Yuanshi Tianzun to speak with the Merchant Guild and the Association of God of Beauty.
"Naturally, I will buy you some time and help keep the other alliance leaders in check. But if the final moment truly comes... you must understand that order takes precedence over everything."
Without waiting to see his reaction, she gave a gentle wave of her hand and transported him out of the study.
***
As the scenery before his eyes shifted from blurry back to sharp, Fu Qingyang found himself back in his study at Fujia Bay.
He sat at the desk in silence for a long time, then picked up his phone and dialed Yuanshi Tianzun.
The ringtone chimed repeatedly before the call finally connected. Yuanshi Tianzun's voice came through, heavy with sleep and sounding half-dead: "Hello, Boss..."
Fu Qingyang frowned. "You're still asleep?"
"I woke up and passed out again..." Zhang Yuanqing said weakly. "What is it, Boss? If it's nothing important, I'm going back to sleep."
"Come over to my study." Irritated and weighed down by worry, Fu Qingyang hung up the phone.
He had expected Yuanshi Tianzun to star-travel over immediately, but more than ten minutes passed before the young man finally shuffled in, dressed in pajamas and leaning against the wall for support.
Fu Qingyang stared at the deep dark circles under his eyes, his pale lips, sallow complexion, and disheveled hair, momentarily stunned. "What happened to you?"
Zhang Yuanqing looked completely detached, his pupils unfocused as he muttered, "Drained dry."
*Guan Ya is capable of that?* The poker-faced young scion was thoroughly shaken.
Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward, stared at Fu Qingyang for a few seconds, and eyed him with suspicion. "Boss, I feel like you're imagining something indecent... Forget it, why did you call me here? I'm exhausted. Let's finish quickly so I can go back to sleep."
Fu Qingyang's expression grew solemn, his tone dropping low. "The officials plan to gather the fragments of the Compass of Light, open the Sun dungeon, and support the Taiyi Sect Master in becoming the Lord of the Sun. This is to suppress Ling Tuo and permanently prevent the Merit Roster from being cloaked again."
Zhang Yuanqing's glazed pupils contracted abruptly.
"However, the Association of God of Beauty and the Merchant Guild are unwilling to surrender their fragments of the Compass of Light, taking a stance even firmer than Heaven's Punishment." Fu Qingyang looked at him. "If negotiations continue to yield no results, the officials will very likely resort to force to seize them. The Grand Marshal hopes you can negotiate with both organizations. As long as they are willing to provide the fragments, they can name any price."
Zhang Yuanqing sank slowly onto the sofa, thought for a few seconds, and raised a question. "The evil faction also holds fragments of the Compass of Light. Why not try wresting them from their hands?"
Fu Qingyang provided the answer: "In my view, on the one hand, demigods of evil classes are hard to track down. On the other hand, since both sides know the stakes, Ling Tuo is likely to use such an attempt to lay a trap—and not even the Lord of the Stars can foresee his schemes, which could easily cause unexpected complications. Furthermore, the officials need to demonstrate an unyielding stance. Everyone belongs to the orthodox faction and ought to live and die together. If the Association of God of Beauty and the Merchant Guild hold the entire faction hostage for their private interests, then everyone goes down together."
"If that moment truly arrives, I will persuade the President to hand over the fragment," Zhang Yuanqing said.
Fu Qingyang looked at him. "If that happens, you will never be able to become a demigod."
"It doesn't matter." Zhang Yuanqing shrugged with a smile. "I never had a burning desire to become a demigod in the first place. All this time, I pushed myself to level up out of sheer necessity—enemies, crises, and death dogging my heels at every turn, forcing me forward step by step. If the Taiyi Sect Master can suppress Ling Tuo and lead the orthodox faction to victory in this war, what reason do I have left to charge toward demigodhood?"
Though he said the words lightly, Fu Qingyang caught both reluctance and relief in his eyes.
Only then did young master Qian remember that Yuanshi Tianzun was not like him. Fu Qingyang had spent his life striving for supremacy, never allowing himself to retreat; even if a sea of daggers and flames lay ahead, he would face it without fear. It was this conviction that had brought him to where he was today, fueled by an intense hunger for power and divine status.
He had instinctively viewed the equally bold and relentless Yuanshi as a kindred spirit, which was why he had flatly rejected Fu Qingxuan's demands, unwilling to see Yuanshi's path of ascension cut short.
Now, reflecting on everything Yuanshi Tianzun had endured over the past year, Fu Qingyang suddenly realized that this infinitely gifted subordinate and brother had been pushed along by fate the entire time.
Perhaps Yuanshi Tianzun had never dreamed of becoming a demigod or ruling over the world.
He only wanted to survive.
Fu Qingyang let out a gentle breath. "The Grand Marshal promised to give us a bit more time. You don't need to rush into accepting or refusing; think it through carefully on your own. Besides that, in five days, we will tackle another dungeon."
*Big cousin is pretty loyal after all!* Zhang Yuanqing nodded, setting the matter aside for now. "Which dungeon are we picking?"
"Probably still an A-rank, but I haven't decided yet," Fu Qingyang replied.
The two discussed dungeons for a short while before Zhang Yuanqing, having recovered a bit of vitality, stood up to take his leave and dissolved into starlight.
Returning to his bedroom, he was just about to lie down and catch up on sleep when a soft knock sounded at the door.
Immediately after, the bedroom door opened, and Guan Ya stepped inside wearing a purple strap nightgown, clutching a Scorpio plush doll in her arms.
She had just showered, her slightly wavy hair still damp. Her pale shoulders were slender and tender, her mixed-race features exquisite and alluring, and her lips plump and sexy.
Beneath the hem of her gown, her legs were fair and shapely, ending in petite, rounded feet clad in white slippers, her toenails painted crimson.
Zhang Yuanqing lifted his head, gave her a glance, and collapsed back onto the bed without reacting.
Guan Ya walked over to sit by the edge of the bed, studying her boyfriend in surprise. "What's wrong? You look exhausted."
Zhang Yuanqing offered a feeble "Mmh," sounding just like a half-asleep husband brushing off his wife. "I stepped out for a bit."
Guan Ya's mind was elsewhere, so she didn't probe further. She melted softly into his embrace, hooked her arms around his neck, and purred with a teasing smile, "Yuanshi, I want to put on some lipstick."
Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes and planted a kiss on her mouth. "There, wet now."
"I want to put on lipstick."
"How should I know where you left your lipstick? Want me to tell Little Doubi to search for it?"
Guan Ya sat up abruptly, glaring in annoyance. "Quit playing dumb! You look like you've been thoroughly ravaged by debauchery! What did you step out for? Speak! Was it Xiao Yuan or the Palace Master?"
"It was Fu Qingyang!"
Guan Ya froze.
Zhang Yuanqing snapped crankily, "I just got back from his place talking about serious business. Don't ask me why I look drained—I'll tell you after I sleep."
Guan Ya swatted him upside the head. "So now you're choosing to dodge the battle?"
"Fine, fight, fight, fight!" Zhang Yuanqing sprawled flat across the bed. "Hop on then, auto-mode."
***
At noon.
Zhang Yuanqing left Fujia Bay feeling refreshed and flew off toward his maternal grandparents' home. He had originally intended to bring Guan Ya along, as his grandmother had been eager to meet her grandson's future bride for a long time.
However, Guan Ya had practiced her "squats" late into the night with grueling vigor. She had swayed and tumbled like turbulent waves, shuddering ten thousand times before collapsing in a final cry. Up and down, teetering back and forth while refusing to give in, none knew the true flavor of a Day Wanderer better than she.
Never crying grievance nor begging for quarter, she readily bent her back for love, standing as a true hero in bed.
Naturally, out of pity for his girlfriend, Zhang Yuanqing chose not to disturb her rest.
Arriving home, he revealed his form in the hallway, keyed in the passcode, and opened the door.
A rich aroma of food greeted his nose. His grandmother, grandfather, and aunt were eating lunch. Seeing him return, his grandmother beamed with delight and rose to fetch a bowl from the kitchen, though her mouth grumbled, "Coming back without even a heads-up! You never call, drifting in and out whenever you please—you're acting more and more like your uncle!"
His aunt teased, "Acting more and more like your father, too..."
Suddenly, she twitched her nose, straightened her face, and spat in disgust. "Impure degenerate!"
"Thank you, Grandma!" Zhang Yuanqing took the bowl and called out dutifully.
He had come home to spend more time with his family, and also to ask that family scum of an uncle about his stance on backing the Taiyi Sect Master.
Only after discovering that peace was merely an illusion, with the world facing ruin and catastrophe on the horizon, did he understand just how precious harmony and stability truly were. He realized his grandparents were growing old, and he ought to make time to keep them company.
After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing knocked on the door next door. His aunt-by-marriage had gone out for a facial, leaving only the family scum alone in the house.
Chapter 887