In the suite of a high-end apartment, Guan Ya sat on the bed with her knees drawn up, a tablet computer propped in front of her, playing a melodramatic urban romance series.
After Primordial messed with her head, she couldn't sleep or focus on the show. She'd been sitting there for five or six hours straight, her butt aching from the prolonged stillness.
"Sigh," Guan Ya pinched the bridge of her nose, her usually radiant face showing faint signs of fatigue.
With her constitution, she could easily go two days and nights without sleep. The real problem was her anxiety. Before, when she'd scrolled through the Official Forum and seen reports of someone dying in an instance, she'd merely lamented the capriciousness of fate.
But now, a friend had been suddenly swept into the maelstrom, his fate uncertain.
To be honest, Guan Ya had grown quite fond of the kid. He was good-looking, young, and full of potential, with a witty and humorous demeanor that made him increasingly endearing.
Most importantly, he knew how to push her buttons.
In the Second Team, Wang Tai was a tight-lipped bore, and Li Dongze, self-proclaimed elegant, considered crude jokes beneath a gentleman's dignity. Only Primordial could tolerate her risqué humor and even take it to the next level.
Yet this amusing young man was now likely facing his end.
Guan Ya had never experienced an S-Rank instance herself, but her family had a cousin, a prodigy who had been repeatedly matched with S-Rank instances during both her Transcendent Phase and Saint Stage. Each time, she had narrowly escaped death, and she had vividly described the extreme difficulty of S-Rank spirit realms.
Different S-Rank spirit realms tested different domains. Clearing one S-Rank instance didn't guarantee success in another, because everyone has weaknesses; there are no true polymaths in the world.
Primordial had managed to conquer the Red Dancing Shoes by relying on his exceptional memory (as he himself claimed), but this ability might prove useless in the Jinshui Amusement Park.
Guan Ya had already braced herself for the worst.
Suddenly, a piercing ringtone echoed through the bedroom, startling her.
Hmm? A call at this hour? Her eyes widened slightly as she tilted her head to glance at the illuminated phone screen—Primordial Heavenly Venerable!
In that moment, Guan Ya could almost hear her own heart pounding wildly.
She fumbled for the phone, took a deep breath, and answered, "Primordial?"
After uttering just two words, she held her breath.
"Sister Guan Ya, I've cleared the Jinshui Amusement Park," a familiar voice announced through the speaker.
Guan Ya sat frozen in shock, her mind racing with a single thought: He's cleared another S-Rank spirit realm!
"Sister Guan Ya? Sister Guan Ya, are you still there?"
Zhang Yuanqing's voice snapped her back to reality. Guan Ya exclaimed:
"You've cleared another S-Rank spirit realm! You little rascal, you little rascal...
"Do you realize what this means? When the Chief hears about this, he'll go absolutely mad with joy!"
"Yes, I already know what he'll say," Zhang Yuanqing chuckled. "He'll go, 'Oh my god! Heavenly Father, did you hear my faithful prayers? Yes, you must have!'"
And I'm not a little guy, he corrected inwardly.
Guan Ya let out two amused "ha ha"s, kicking her long legs playfully. "Don't tease the Chief like that in front of him, or he'll blow your brains out."
Zhang Yuanqing laughed along. Guan Ya, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, "Have you checked the Official Forum? Another Official entered Jinshui Amusement Park last night—someone called Riverlord. My colleagues who are about to enter the Spirit Realm are panicking. Can you tell me anything about Jinshui Amusement Park?"
Spirit Realm guides and artifacts held an irresistible allure for Walkers, like a stunning beauty to a pervert.
"No way, I can't tell you," Zhang Yuanqing refused flatly.
Guan Ya was taken aback. She hadn't expected Primordial to refuse; she thought their bond was stronger than that.
"Unless you send me a photo of your beautiful legs in black stockings as a reward," Zhang Yuanqing grinned.
The Veteran Driver scoffed, but her smile returned. "Photos are boring. Why don't you take a taxi to my place right now? I'll let you see all you want. And I'll even give you a pair of stockings to take home and make stocking milk tea."
Zhang Yuanqing discussed with a straight face, "I think using stockings for milk tea is such a waste. They'd be much better for cleaning guns."
Guan Ya lay on the bed, her chest trembling with laughter. "How can you say such things in front of a lady? Tell me more, tell me more!"
At 7:30 a.m., the first thing Li Dongze did after waking up was grab his phone from the nightstand to check for missed calls and unread messages.
He couldn't hide his disappointment.
"That boy really knows how to cause trouble."
Li Dongze sighed, stared at the ceiling for a dozen seconds, then got up to dress. His movements were graceful, deliberate, and unhurried, regardless of how terrible his mood or how heavy his heart.
Elegance must never be abandoned.
At the dining table, Li Dongze ate the breakfast prepared by the housekeeper, but his mind wasn't on the food.
The Transcendent Phase instance should be completed by now. If there was still no news by noon, Li Dongze's mood would darken further, and the food would lose its flavor. He set down his chopsticks and said, "Take the food away."
The housekeeper, busy in the kitchen, acknowledged him. Just as she was about to come out to clear the table, the ringtone of her employer's phone sounded from the bedroom.
"I'll get it," she said, turning toward the bedroom. Suddenly, Li Dongze sprang from his chair, his face flushed with excitement. "No, don't bother!"
Then, the man who so valued elegance rushed into the bedroom with uncharacteristic haste.
Li Dongze rushed to the bedside. Seeing the caller ID display "Primordial Heavenly Venerable," his breathing quickened. He grabbed the phone and answered, taking a deep breath to steady his voice.
"Primordial, you're out?" Li Dongze's face tightened.
"Chief, I made it out alive," Zhang Yuanqing replied, his voice weary. "I called you the moment I got out."
He and Guan Ya had been talking for so long, they'd lost track of time.
Li Dongze's tense expression relaxed. "Are you injured? Did you experience any severe mental trauma or psychological scarring?"
"Well, there was the Ghost Bride at the Amusement Park. She was so deeply in love with me, insisting I marry her. I felt terrible for rejecting her, and that left a deep psychological scar."
"Sounds like you're alright. I'm relieved." Li Dongze chuckled. "Since you just got out, rest at home first. You can come to the office in a few days, but get the mission report written and emailed to me ASAP. I'll apply for your rewards and commendations. Oh, do you need any cola? I'll have a few cases sent over."
Strange, the Chief didn't say "Oh my God!" Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. No thanks, Chief. I still prefer you stubbornly saying "Go buy it yourself."
Li Dongze: "..."
After hanging up, Li Dongze took a deep breath, finally losing control of his emotions. "Oh, heavens! Dear God, did you hear my faithful prayers?"
He had been wrong. This kid wasn't just talented; he was a prodigy.
Clearing one S-Rank instance might be attributed to luck, but clearing two S-Rank instances was no mere coincidence. He was fully qualified to be trained as a Deacon candidate, and might even have the potential to reach the Miao level.
Among the younger generation of Spirit Realm Walkers in the Five Elements Alliance, Fu Qingyang was considered the most likely to become a Miao. Yet even he had only cleared one S-Rank spirit realm.
On the second floor of the Lakeside Villa, at the dining table, Fu Qingyang, dressed in a crisp white suit with his handsome short ponytail, calmly cut into his fried egg and steak with a knife and fork, his expression impassive.
Across from him, Ling Jun, in a loose T-shirt and baggy shorts, devoured his meal with gusto.
At that moment, a bunny girl approached, cradling a phone in both hands. "Young Master, a call from Li Dongze," she said softly.
Fu Qingyang glanced at the phone, set down his utensils, and glanced at his friend, who was completely absorbed in his meal, oblivious to the world around him.
"What is it?" he answered the call, his voice cool and detached.
"Centurion, Primordial Heavenly Venerable has emerged! He cleared Jinshui Amusement Park!" Li Dongze's voice boomed with particular emphasis.
Fu Qingyang glanced at Flower Young Master, whose knife and fork had clattered onto the table, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I see."
He handed his phone to the bunny girl, his voice laced with amusement. "My mistake. I should have made a bet with you."
Though his words carried no hint of regret, his tone was undeniably cheerful.
"I always believed the Taiyi Sect would eventually conquer those S-rank spirit realms," Ling Jun lamented, his voice filled with frustration. "Elder Sun was so foolish."
Fu Qingyang looked surprised. "You know about this too?"
"Oh, it's the latest meme on the Taiyi Sect's official forum. I browse it regularly, you know."
"You... you dare criticize an elder like this? Aren't you afraid of punishment?"
"Relax, relax. Elder Sun doesn't even know how to use the internet, let alone a smartphone," Ling Jun said, picking up his knife and fork again. "But this time, it'll be hard to keep it a secret. When he cleared the She Ling Tunnel, he was just a promising rookie to watch. Now that he's cleared an S-rank instance, it proves he's got brains and potential. His future achievements will be extraordinary. Sigh, I'm starting to resent Elder Sun myself now.
"Speaking of which, after clearing two S-rank missions, his next one will be at least A-rank. If he survives, the sky's the limit. If he fails, he'll die young. Sigh, where are you going?"
Fu Qingyang continued walking toward the exit without breaking stride.
"Report to the Elders' Council and request the Merit Points and bonuses be expedited. Before the Taiyi Sect tries to poach him, I need to win him over with kindness. Oh, and by the way, if the Taiyi Sect wants the Jinshui Amusement Park guide, they'll have to pay extra."
The Scattered Province, Lakeside Villa.
Morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows as Xie Lingxi emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a bath towel. Her youthful figure, not yet fully developed, lacked the voluptuous curves of a mature woman, but compensated with its fresh, youthful beauty and delicate, rosy knees.
The artificial lake shimmered, its golden waters reflecting the sunlight. Weeping willows lined the shore, their tender new branches swaying gently in the breeze, creating a picturesque scene.
At that moment, a convoy of luxury cars began arriving along the lakeside road, heading toward the villa.
Knock, knock~
A few taps sounded on the bedroom door. Xie Lingxi picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said in a cool voice, "Come in."
A female assistant in a tailored suit entered the room and stopped respectfully behind her. "Miss, here are the documents you requested."
Xie Lingxi didn't take them. She settled onto the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window, still wrapped in her bath towel, crossed her slender legs, and exuded the cold, elegant authority of a female CEO. "Read them to me," she said casually.
The assistant opened the file and began reading: "Wang Tai, member of the Five Elements Alliance's Songhai Branch, Kangyang District Second Squad. His superior is Li Dongze, a Level 3 Scout in the White Tiger Corps. His occupation is Scholar."
"This is basic information. We can only access basic details like photos and official identities, not their real-world identities."
Within the Official Organization, such basic information is public and accessible, considered part of personnel records. However, real-world identities are restricted to direct superiors and the Elders' Council.
Scholar Xie Lingxi nodded, her voice exuding a commanding aura. "Investigate the other members of Second Team and Wang Tai's social circles. Monitor the official forums of the Taiyi Sect and Five Elements Alliance. Notify me immediately if there's any news about Jinshui Amusement Park being cleared."
Her assistant nodded.
Xie Lingxi continued, "Arrange transportation to Songhai. Also, send a formal invitation in the Xie Family's name to the Songhai Branch of the Five Elements Alliance. Inform them that I'll be visiting Songhai on business and request that Wang Tai from Kangyang District's Second Team be assigned to receive me."
The assistant glanced out the window, hesitating. "The family elders are arriving soon. Shouldn't you greet them first? There's a celebratory banquet at noon. Everyone's waiting to celebrate your clearing of the S-Rank spirit realm."
"Waiting to be charmed, I suppose," Xie Lingxi huffed, abandoning her aloof demeanor and adopting the coy manner of a young girl.
"I'm only seventeen. What's wrong with being a little playful? The ancestors adore me; they won't scold me."
The female assistant sighed helplessly.
After reporting to the Chief, Zhang Yuanqing changed into his pajamas, tousled his hair, and feigned a sleepy yawn as he twisted the doorknob and entered the living room.
His grandmother was in the kitchen, his grandfather had already left, and his cousin Chen Yuanjun had finished breakfast. The only person at the table was Jiang Yu'er, perched on a chair, daintily holding a fried dough stick with her orchid-like fingers.
She chewed with her lips pursed, her already round cheeks puffing out like a hamster stuffing its pouches.
Hearing the door open from her nephew's room, Jiang Yu'er glanced up and called out in a sweet voice, "I'm going to eat all the fried dough sticks and leave you with just plain congee!"
Her words trailed off as she stared blankly at Zhang Yuanqing.
"What are you staring at?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, sitting down beside her.
Jiang Yu'er turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
"Aunt, why are your ears so red?"
"None of your business."