Divestment

Given their tacit understanding regarding the matter, Lingjun instantly realized whom "he" referred to. The young master's face twisted abruptly, struck by the sudden realization of I knew it. His jaw clutched so tightly the masseter muscles bulged, and he ground out word by word, "Is it because my mother discovered the truth about him being a Fallen?" Factoring in the reality that the Lord of the Stars had defected to the evil faction, this was the only reason Lingjun could fathom. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. "With how shrewd and calculating the Lord of the Stars is, and given your mother's rank at the time, it would have been impossible for her to uncover that he was a Fallen. What's more, the Lord of the Stars is not a Fallen; his philosophy merely diverges from the Orderly." Lingjun froze, grinding his molars. "Then why did he kill my mother?!" The tragedy of his childhood and the personality flaws born from being deprived of maternal love were all his biological father's doing. If it had been because his mother discovered the Lord of the Stars was a Fallen, Lingjun could at least accept it; after all, there would be cause and effect. What he could not accept was that all his suffering was merely an unprompted, casual act by his own father. "That remains a mystery—even I haven't figured it out," Zhang Yuanqing said in a low voice. "You've always cared deeply about your mother's death and longed to know the truth. That's why, before the final battle against the Lord of the Stars, I wanted to tell you." Lest there be no other chance. The solar origin had influenced his mindset and temperament, stripping away the flexible moral bottom line he once had, but his emotions remained intact—they had simply grown restrained. Lingjun's features softened considerably. After a moment's contemplation, he pressed, "How did he pull it off? Everyone knows my mother died in a dungeon, and even a demigod cannot forcibly enter a dungeon to hunt the Spirit Realm walkers inside." Zhang Yuanqing said slowly, "The stellar origin represents the computation and deduction of the Spirit Realm. If you compare the Spirit Realm to a computer, the stellar origin is the central processing unit. As such, he can influence dungeon difficulty." Understanding dawned on Lingjun, and he snarled with venom, "So he jacked up the difficulty of my mother's dungeon, causing her to perish in it without anyone being the wiser." Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "I've encountered similar situations myself, as has the sole-heir Knight of the Holy See I mentioned to you before. It's just that our foundation was stronger than your mother's, so we survived. "The Lord of the Stars possesses countless methods, but over the past century, he has never displayed them before outsiders. Because of this, I lost the chance to complete the solar origin and had no choice but to initiate the final battle ahead of schedule. "Lingjun, I am deeply sorry about what happened with Teng'er and Fengyun. Whether you forgive me or not, you are still my brother." With that, he turned to leave. Lingjun watched his retreating back. The resentment and fury in his eyes receded, yet bitterness lingered. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but shout, "The person you should be apologizing to isn't me—it's them!" He paused, then sighed. "You owe them an explanation, too." Zhang Yuanqing stopped for a few seconds. "They're here as well?" Lingjun let out an affirmative grunt. "Grandfather locked Teng'er in the wooden cabin on the back mountain, and Auntie is in the basement." Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to use Star Escape, Lingjun's voice called out again from behind: "Wait..." Zhang Yuanqing did not look back. A few seconds later, a murmur from the young master reached his ears: "You have to win!" Zhang Yuanqing smiled faintly and dissolved into starlight. An instant later, he reappeared at a cliffside cabin more than ten kilometers away. The wooden cabin stood two stories tall upon a sheer precipice, commanding a breathtaking view. Lush green vines coiled around the cabin, sealing the doors and windows completely, leaving not a single gap. "Elder Miao really is a stubborn old coot. Maybe I should just send him back to the Spirit Realm..." Zhang Yuanqing murmured with a sigh, stepping toward the cabin. The vines wrapped around the structure silently disintegrated, drifting away as weightless ash. Zhang Yuanqing pushed the door open. In the living room, a young woman lay on a rocking chair, holding a scroll of a book in her hand. She was whiling away the time reading, yet her eyes were hollow. Noticing the door opening, Miao Teng'er looked over. Across a dozen meters, their gazes met. Though it had only been a few months since they last met, Zhang Yuanqing felt a poignant rush of emotion, as if decades had passed—as if he had wandered half a lifetime before reuniting with an old friend. The young woman before him had a cascade of brown hair and eyes like those of a forest doe. Her sharp, oval face was elegantly ethereal, blending the fresh innocence of a young maiden with the allure of a mature woman. Her appearance was just as before, but she had grown noticeably thinner. Teng'er sprang up from the rocking chair with such sudden force that she stumbled, nearly falling. Yet her gaze remained fixed on Zhang Yuanqing, never wavering for a fraction of a second. She said nothing, merely staring directly at him, withstanding the oppressive aura of the Lord of the Sun. Zhang Yuanqing knew what she wanted to hear. In the raspy voice unique to the Demon Lord, he said softly, "I'm back!" Instantly, tears streamed down Miao Teng'er's face. ... Starlight flared at the entrance of a basement. Zhang Yuanqing stood in the corridor, where emerald vines sprouted from the pristine white walls, hanging down like bead curtains to block a heavy, dark-iron security door. Zhang Yuanqing did not undo the seal, nor did he make a sound. He simply stood quietly before the door for several minutes. Then, he turned and walked away. Behind him, the emerald vines stirred slightly, as if yearning to hold him back, but ultimately drooped in exhaustion. ... Du, Myriad Treasures House! A cold drizzle fell continuously. Dressed in an immaculate white suit, Fu Qingyang held a large black umbrella as he walked through the rustic, rain-slicked alley of the old city. Water dripping from the roof tiles formed curtains of beads, the mist dampening the moss at the foot of the walls. Fu Qingyang's white leather shoes stepped through the puddles without gathering a single speck of dirt or water. Behind him were two young men, each also holding a black umbrella. One wore a black mink coat, while the other was clad in a black trench coat. Going purely by looks and build, both were strikingly handsome and well-proportioned—stunning figures in their own right. Behind the three stood Xiao Yuan, wearing a face mask and a light-colored long dress. Led by Money Prince, the four navigated the winding, modest alley before halting in front of a small storefront. The shop's folding metal door was closed, bearing a battered, dilapidated sign that read: Myriad Treasures House! Umbrella in hand, Fu Qingyang did not pause his stride as his body phased right through the folding door. The three behind him followed in unison, passing through the door as though stepping across an illusion. Inside the cluttered shop, which looked no better than a hardware store, Lian Sanyue wore a black tube top beneath a black leather jacket. She reclined languidly in an ergonomic chair with her legs crossed, a cigar held between her fingers. Seeing Money Prince arrive with an umbrella, Lian Sanyue gave a low click of her tongue. "To what do I owe the honor of Money Prince gracing my humble shop? Shall I curtsey for you?" Fu Qingyang wasted no words, cutting straight to the chase. "I need to borrow your Hundred Refining Furnace. How many firestones do you have?" Lian Sanyue's rosy lips pursed around the cigar tip, puffing out a languid stream of white smoke. "How many do you need?" Fu Qingyang replied indifferently, "As many as you have." "Oho!" Lian Sanyue's eyes lit up. "The New Year is coming up—are you here stocking up on goods? Tell me, what grade of item are you looking to refine?" Zhai Cai stepped forward and placed a dripping wet, vibrant willow branch onto the counter. Lian Sanyue took a close look. Her hand holding the cigar trembled violently, and she cried out in shock, "The Three Treasures Purity Branch?!" Isn't that the rule-based item of Elder Miao from Baihui?! The rule-based items of the official faction's Ten Elders were hardly a secret to high-ranking Spirit Realm walkers. After all, those ten old fellows had relied on their rule-based items to dominate their peers, forge illustrious reputations, and cement their standing. Those items were their primary reliance, not hidden trump cards kept under wraps. Records of them existed among both evil organizations and Spirit Realm clans. As a direct-line Dominator of the Liu family, Lian Sanyue was naturally familiar with it. The corner of Zhai Cai's mouth curled up in a breezy tone. "A gift from Yuanshi Tianzun. I didn't want it at first, but his generosity was simply too hard to decline." Though he wasn't well-acquainted with this woman, he instinctively uttered those words anyway. Still reeling from shock, Lian Sanyue took quite a while to regain her composure, taking a deep breath. "No wonder you, Money Prince, had to come in person. Melting down a grade-nine rule-based item is a matter of immense gravity." She pondered for a moment, then added, "However, I can't guarantee the Hundred Refining Furnace will definitely melt down a rule-based item of this tier. Theoretically, aside from demigod items, the Hundred Refining Furnace can reforge any item—after all, it was Empress Wa's dedicated crafting furnace. A Scholar's crafting furnace and Samadhi True Fire are the banes of all items. "Still, melting a grade-nine rule-based item is a first—at least the first time since I took control of the Hundred Refining Furnace." Fu Qingyang said, "Give it a try. If it works, all of our items will be refined here. If not, we'll seek help from the Xiahou family head." Lian Sanyue nodded. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly froze. "Your items?" Treading carefully, she probed, "What items?" Xiahou Aotian chuckled. "One grade-nine rule-based item each for us." Fu Qingyang added blandly, "Two for me!" Lian Sanyue's fingers loosened, and the cigar dropped onto the table, scattering sparks. She mumbled, "Where... where did you get all these rule-based items?" "Yuanshi Tianzun purged the headquarters' Nine Elders and seized all their rule-based items," Zhai Cai laughed. "Ah, we didn't want them, but someone has to help the Lord of the Sun dispose of his trash." Is there any more of this trash? Can I help dispose of some too?! Lian Sanyue stood frozen, her expression utterly blank. ... Leaving the primeval forest on the outskirts of the Capital City, Zhang Yuanqing arrived at the CEO office of Huazi Construction Group Co., Ltd. Head bowed over documents, Huang Taiji felt a sudden presence and looked up. He sprang up from his chair in an instant, bowing solemnly. "Huang Taiji greets the Lord of the Sun." Looking at the stern, upright young man, Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Godfather, what need is there for such formality?" Huang Taiji forced a bitter smile. "Please don't tease me." Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory and produced a stack of yellow paper talismans. "These are pure yang talismans I refined, equivalent to a grade-nine Sunrise. They will be more than enough to protect yourself." Huang Taiji's expression turned serious as he accepted them reverently. "Thank you!" Then he sighed, "I feel ashamed!" Zhang Yuanqing looked at him and smiled. "Your grandfather is your grandfather, and you are you. Since he showed no regard for our friendship, I naturally won't pardon him on your account either. We keep our matters separate." Huang Taiji nodded, his voice grave. "Make sure to return alive." Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "I will. After all, right now I have neither a boss to lean on nor a godfather to back me up." A strange pang of heartache stirred within Huang Taiji. After leaving Huang Taiji's office, Zhang Yuanqing went to see Jiang Jingwei and Jiang Ju before returning to Songhai, arriving at the glass building behind the Kangyang District Police Station. This was the very first unit he had worked for after joining the official faction—in the words of official members, the place where the legend began. Zhang Yuanqing stepped into the glass building and looked around. Most of the clerical staff on the first floor were still there, though several female clerks were missing—not because they had resigned, but because they had perished in the previous incident when merit points disappeared. He walked up the stairs as if nobody else were around. The older sisters and aunties on the first floor remained completely oblivious, acting as if they couldn't see him at all. The moment he set foot on the second floor, Li Dongze's voice rang out: "Oh, my God! Word just came down from higher-ups: no time off for Spring Festival this year. Everyone on full standby." As soon as the words fell, the entire office area echoed with: "Oh, my God..." Zhang Yuanqing's gaze slowly swept across the office. Most of the faces were unfamiliar; only Wang Tai still kept his head lowered, huddled quietly at his desk in the corner, isolated from the world and untouched by dust. Of the original Kangyang District Team Two, only Li Dongze and Wang Tai remained. Jiang Jingwei, Guan Ya, and Teng Yuan, the anti-overwork champion, had all been transferred away. "How can this be..." A girl with exquisite makeup and curly brown hair pulled a long face. "I've been working overtime for two whole months, and now I have to keep going through Spring Festival? My mom said she was going to introduce me to a handsome guy over the holidays." She was sitting in the very seat Zhang Yuanqing once occupied. Li Dongze scoffed, "Who are you kidding, Little Demon Fairy? Last year you said your criteria for a partner was Yuanshi Tianzun!" The girl shook her head repeatedly. "Last year was last year! This year, Lord Tianzun has become a demigod. I still have some self-awareness." A male colleague burst out laughing. "Narrow-minded! Your perspective is far too narrow! Now that Lord Tianzun has become a demigod, he's bound to establish an expansive harem! Only then will you, Little Demon Fairy, stand a chance. Otherwise, you wouldn't even be fit to carry Lord Tianzun's shoes!" "Piss off!" Little Demon Fairy spat back at him. Li Dongze cleared his throat, his expression turning solemn. "Branch leadership issued an official document. A decisive battle between Yuanshi Tianzun and the Taiyi Sect Master is imminent. To prevent the evil faction from exploiting the opportunity to cause chaos, everyone must work overtime." Having soothed the team members' emotions, Li Dongze returned to his private office, only to find an extra sword resting on his desk. Puzzled, he picked up the sword and inspected its item attributes. Li Dongze froze on the spot. He bolted out of the office like a madman, looking left and right across the office floor as if searching for something. Under the bewildered and astonished gazes of his team members, Li Dongze stared at the undisturbed office, gripped by an empty sense of loss. ... In the northwest. At an empty orphanage, the Demon Eye Heavenly King sat outside the classroom in a cracked corridor, gazing blankly at the desolate little playground. After an unknown amount of time, he turned his head toward the orphanage's tightly shut iron gate. The chains melted away, and the iron gate swung open on its own. A young man coated from head to toe in gold lacquer walked in at a leisurely pace. Zhang Yuanqing halted before the Demon Eye Heavenly King. Opening his inventory, he laid out the remaining grade-nine rule-based items and said with a smile, "Pick one. Consider it the return on your investment in me." Demon Eye said nothing, nor did he reach for an item. He simply raised his eyes, looking at him impassively. Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing offered a helpless smile. "It seems you already know of the evil god's schemes. True enough, that aligns better with your goal of cleansing the world. Demon Eye, you can also choose to divest. "You may still choose one item from here to take with you."