[ Fuck, the Eerie Eye Judge really was killed by the demon lord! ] Zhang Yuanqing's mind surged with turbulent emotions.
Although he had proposed the theory that the demon lord killed the Eerie Eye Judge, it was merely a bold hypothesis lacking rigorous verification.
Therefore, when Fu Qingyang confidently asserted that the Fallen Holy Grail had been influenced by the demon lord and that the Eerie Eye Judge was his victim, Zhang Yuanqing found the Centurion's judgment overly self-assured and dogmatic.
But now, after overhearing this conversation, Zhang Yuanqing was convinced that the Eerie Eye Judge had indeed been killed by the demon lord.
Moreover, he suspected that the Black guard of Impermanence had connected with the Night Rose because of the demon lord.
The pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked into place.
[ Has the Night Rose's influence infiltrated even the Deacon Level? Fuck, the Five Elements Alliance is too massive; it's inevitable that all sorts of monsters and demons would infiltrate it. Bing Ge's warning not to trust the Officials too much might stem from this very issue. ]
[ Why did the demon lord say that killing ten Orderly Class members each month was his "mission"? Where did this mission come from? Was it assigned by the Spirit Realm? Is this why he became a Fallen One and was reviled by the Taiyi Sect? ]
In short, the demon lord was indeed connected to the Eerie Eye Judge and the Black guard of Impermanence. This explained why Bing Ge wanted me to obtain the Roster.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately wondered if he should subtly inform Fu Qingyang about this information. This would undoubtedly be a chance to earn significant merit and improve their relationship.
"No, there's no need. Unbridled's memories already provided hints; I don't need to say anything more. Besides, if the Night Rose can infiltrate Deacon Level figures, I should question Fu Qingyang's trustworthiness first."
Zhang Yuanqing waited a moment, but the Cat King Speaker remained silent.
He immediately wrapped the speaker in a thin blanket for basic soundproofing and crawled into bed.
"The demon lord experienced an Instance set during the Ming Dynasty, where characters relied on cultivation. Isn't that consistent with the notes I saw at the Sandaoshan Goddess Temple? If the Spirit Realm is a parallel world, then we're outsiders with a 'System,' leveling up by completing quests?"
"So I'm not the only one who suspects the Spirit Realm might hold secrets. The demon lord is a high-level Spirit Realm Walker; I wonder if he continued investigating this matter. The best approach would be to meet the Goddess of Sandaoshan, but that old hag is terrifying."
"The Cat King Speaker has recorded too many secrets," he thought, "giving me access to information beyond my clearance. By exploiting this information asymmetry, I can control more secrets and knowledge than other Spirit Realm Walkers."
His thoughts drifted as he gradually drifted into sleep.
Early morning.
In a luxurious private dining room at the Huayu Hotel, Xie Lingxi warmly greeted her two distinguished guests: Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan.
"It's been years since I last saw my niece," Xiahou Xin remarked, taking a sip of his coffee. "She's grown into quite the beauty." With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a small mirror, palm-sized, with a bronze handle and a brass-colored frame.
He smiled. "This is a gift from your uncle—a little trinket. Nothing special, just a toy."
"Thank you, Uncle," Xie Lingxi said sweetly, her eyes sparkling.
Xiahou Tianyuan couldn't help but glance at her repeatedly. He hadn't seen the girl in years; the last time, she was still in middle school—pretty enough, but too young.
He was astonished by her transformation. In just a few years, she had blossomed into an ethereal beauty, her voice soft and coquettish, her bright eyes and pearly teeth radiating pure innocence.
After presenting the gifts, Xiahou Xin immediately cut to the chase. "Lingxi, I heard you came to Songhai to see the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter?"
"Yes, I haven't seen Sister Palace Master in ages, so I came to visit her," Xie Lingxi replied with a demure nod.
Xiahou Xin nodded in satisfaction, his tone gentle as he asked, "Do you know where she is?"
Xie Lingxi shook her head. "She's been hiding ever since her fight with Grandpa Xiahou. I have no idea where she is."
Xiahou Xin wasn't surprised by this answer. He smiled faintly and changed the subject.
"You and Tianyuan are of the same generation. You should get closer. Tianyuan may be a bit of a disappointment, but he's already reached Level 3. Becoming a Saint is only a matter of time."
Xie Lingxi immediately adopted an expression of adoration, clasping her hands together and her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Brother Tianyuan is so amazing!"
Xiahou Tianyuan froze, momentarily stunned. He was used to women flattering and fawning over him, but this pure, innocent admiration—like a young girl idolizing the older brother next door—was so refreshing, so genuine.
He couldn't help but feel a little smug.
Xie Lingxi suddenly changed the topic. "I heard there's a young man in the Five Elements Alliance named Primordial Heavenly Venerable. They say he's a genius."
Xiahou Tianyuan's expression darkened, a sudden surge of anger rising within him—the irrational fury of having something precious stolen. He glanced at his father and casually dismissed the matter, "Clearing two S-rank spirit realms shows some skill, I suppose."
Xie Lingxi glanced at him, her smile radiant. "I believe Tianyuan-gege is even stronger."
After breakfast, the Xiahou Father and Son bid farewell and departed.
As soon as they were gone, the innocent sweetness on Xie Lingxi's face vanished, replaced by a thoughtful calm.
Xiahou Tianyuan had a conflict with Brother Primordial? Hmm, at least an unpleasant encounter.
Two days ago, Brother Primordial had called to ask about the Xiahou Family. She found it odd; if he was merely curious, he could have easily gathered information within the Five Elements Alliance. Basic details were readily available and would have satisfied simple curiosity. Why ask her?
So she had tested the waters earlier. Given Xiahou Tianyuan's arrogant nature, her subtle flattery, laced with her Musician abilities, should have sent him soaring with pride. Yet when she praised Brother Primordial, Xiahou Tianyuan restrained his temper.
They must have clashed, and the Xiahou Family wants to keep it quiet. After all, Brother Primordial has earned Merit Points. Ah, was he bullied by Xiahou Tianyuan?
As Xie Lingxi pondered whether to call and comfort her brother, her female assistant spoke up:
"Miss, they were testing you with a lie detector just now," the female assistant said.
Xie Lingxi hummed in acknowledgment. "Go find out if the Xiahou Family clashed with Brother Primordial. Investigate the reason."
"Yes, Miss!"
In the elevator, Xiahou Tianyuan clicked his tongue.
"This girl gets more beautiful every day, Dad. I want to marry her. You should propose to the Xie Family on my behalf."
Xiahou Tianyuan differed from his brother Xiahou Tianwen. While the latter's debauchery stemmed from his obsession with women, Tianyuan's arrogance, overbearingness, and domineering nature were rooted in his personality.
Xiahou Xin pondered.
"Speaking of which, your third aunt is a distant relative of the Xie Family. We could have her sound them out. With your talent, you're more than a match for her."
The father and son fell silent. They exited the elevator and, surrounded by bodyguards, entered their car.
Xiahou Xin gazed straight ahead and turned to business.
"The girl truly doesn't know the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter's whereabouts. She might have a way to contact him, but it's irrelevant now. We can't force the Xie Family's direct descendant. The leads on the other members of the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter have also gone cold. You've been training with me for so long—what are your thoughts?"
Just as the Official Organization was searching for the Black Guard of Impermanence like looking for a needle in a haystack, the Xiahou Family faced similar difficulties in finding the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter.
Locating a high-level Spirit Realm Walker in the vast sea of humanity was an immense challenge. Such individuals possessed countless methods to evade detection in the real world.
Xiahou Tianyuan chuckled. "No matter how powerful a Spirit Realm Walker is, once we uncover their real-world connections, we can make them submit. The Xie Family has been in contact with her, so they must know something about her identity in the real world. She must have people she cares about in the real world."
"We can't get to the Xie Family's core members, but we can bribe ordinary members to gather information."
Xiahou Xin glanced at his son. He favored his younger son over his eldest. Though arrogant and unruly, this lack of restraint allowed him to break free from conventional norms.
Xiahou Xin had recognized this quality in Tianyuan since childhood. Over the years, he had indulged him while occasionally disciplining him, believing he had nurtured him well.
Tianyuan had indeed lived up to his expectations. While many young members of the family possessed greater natural talent, when conflicts arose, Tianyuan was never the one to be bullied.
After a few more years of refinement, once he masters the art of "arrogance," his achievements will undoubtedly surpass those of his elder brother, Xiahou Tianwen.
"Anything else?" Xiahou Xin asked.
"Of course," Xiahou Tianyuan replied, touching his silver ear stud with a cold smile. "That Wang Qian may be hiding, but his family can't. His relatives and friends can't either. I'll have someone run down his family members as a warning. He'll come crawling out soon enough."
Xiahou Xin shook his head. "Too extreme. This isn't our territory. It would provoke intervention from the Five Elements Alliance."
As if anticipating his father's response, Xiahou Tianyuan immediately proposed a second plan:
"Then we'll kidnap his family. Capture them, but don't kill them. Once we've lured Wang Qian out, we'll release his family. The Five Elements Alliance won't have grounds to retaliate."
Xiahou Xin nodded slightly. "Execute both plans simultaneously."
He fell silent, his gaze drifting out the car window, a shadow of worry darkening his brow.
The fact that woman had managed to trace the Xiahou Family meant someone was backing her.
This situation was delicate. Even the most drastic measures had to be considered.
Xie Lingxi changed into her workout clothes and stretched her willow-like figure by the window, preparing for a half-hour workout in the hotel gym.
There was no helping it. She'd been eating too much lately—rich meals, desserts after every meal. Even as a Musician in the Transcendent Phase, her physical enhancements were limited. Without regular exercise, she risked gaining weight.
Of course, gaining weight wasn't inherently bad, as long as it went to the right places. She just didn't want it accumulating where it shouldn't.
Xie Lingxi glanced down at her stubbornly small chest and consoled herself:
"This is better for combat. Big-breasted women die quickly."
Just then, her assistant, dressed in a business suit and skirt, entered the room.
"Miss," she said, "we've just confirmed that the Xiahou Family contacted the Primordial Heavenly Venerable. One of his informants is a member of the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter. The Xiahou Family wants the Primordial Heavenly Venerable to help them expose this informant.
"However, it seems no conflict occurred between them."
Xie Lingxi's brow furrowed at the first part of the report, but her face lit up at the second half.
"So, after Brother Primordial refused them directly, the Xiahou Family tried to approach him secretly. Quick, hand me my phone. I need to worry about my brother—he must have been beaten up by Xiahou Tianyuan."
The assistant immediately walked to the bedside, unplugged the phone from its charger, and moved toward the floor-to-ceiling window, saying, "There's one more thing, from last night."