Hearing the voice from the loudspeaker, Fu Qingyang's stern face froze in disbelief. He wondered if he had misheard, or if Teng Yuan was being recklessly bold, joking with his superior.
After a few seconds of silence, his voice, tinged with anticipation, rumbled:
"Primordial killed Black Guard of Impermanence?"
At that moment, Fu Qingyang's expression turned grave, his entire focus narrowed to the tiny phone, straining to hear every word.
On the rooftop of the teaching building, the Curly-Haired Poodle, with its extraordinary hearing, also picked up the voice from the phone. It leaned over the edge of the roof, its deep, button-like eyes fixed intently, unblinking.
"Yes, and he killed him alone. By the time we arrived, Black Guard of Impermanence was already dead," Chief Teng Yuan's voice remained weak and breathless, but to Fu Qingyang and Elder Miao, it sounded like heavenly music.
Elder Miao leaned even further over the edge, barking urgently, "Ask him if he obtained the Fallen Holy Grail!"
Fu Qingyang nodded slightly and asked, "Did he obtain the Fallen Holy Grail?"
As soon as the words left his lips, he heard Primordial's voice through the loudspeaker, speaking from nearby: "Seeing that his defeat was inevitable, the Black Guard of Impermanence bowed in submission and offered the Fallen Holy Grail, begging for his life. But I was enraged and refused to spare him."
Fu Qingyang automatically tuned out the rest of the message, his usually stern face breaking into a rare smile of delight.
Yet his tone remained coldly professional over the phone: "Understood. Send me the location immediately. I'll be there at once."
Teng Yuan replied, "We're already heading back to the school. We'll be there within three minutes."
Fu Qingyang suppressed his rising excitement and said calmly, "Very well."
After hanging up, he glanced down at his feet. Elder Miao had teleported from the rooftop without him noticing.
"Aren't you leaving yet?" Fu Qingyang asked, surprised.
Elder Miao rarely interacted with Official Walkers outside of his own Deacons. Yet here he was, clearly intending to wait with Fu Qingyang.
The elder chuckled warmly. "How can I leave without seeing the Fallen Holy Grail? Besides, I want to meet our Five Elements Alliance's rising star."
"Hmph, Elder Sun was foolish. When he emerges from the Spirit Realm, I'll be sure to thank him properly."
"Qingyang, Primordial Heavenly Venerable was recruited by Li Dongze under your command. The more merit he earns, the greater his contributions, the more it benefits you. When Headquarters evaluates an individual's Merit Points, the achievements of their subordinates are also factored in."
Fu Qingyang hummed in agreement. "I plan to recruit him into the White Tiger Guards and give him priority training."
Elder Miao pondered for a moment before replying, "That's acceptable, but only if he passes the Grand Inspection."
As they spoke, a group of people hurried over under the starlit sky, shielding a young man at their center.
Elder Miao immediately fell silent.
After Teng Yuan led the group onto campus, Fu Qingyang glanced at Zhang Yuanqing, who stood pale-faced among the crowd, and nodded slightly. "How's your injury?"
Zhang Yuanqing grinned. "I was poisoned, but I've mostly detoxified myself by now."
Fu Qingyang relaxed visibly. "Still, have Captain Green Vine check your pulse later to clear any lingering toxins."
He then turned to Teng Yuan.
The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses. "I've already sent men to retrieve Black guard of Impermanence's body. It will arrive shortly. Also, during the battle between Primordial and Black guard of Impermanence, an elderly man was unfortunately struck by Gu Poison. I've already transferred him to the local Public Security Bureau."
After hearing the report, Fu Qingyang turned to Zhang Yuanqing, intending to ask about the Holy Grail.
Suddenly, he saw the young man trotting over to Elder Miao, squatting down, and vigorously rubbing the dog's head while praising him:
"Centurion, is this your dog? Bringing a dog to a fight? I know the Hundred Flowers Association members can control animals in combat. Did you use some kind of Item?"
"This dog is surprisingly human-like! It seems displeased with me touching its head, even giving me a sideways glare."
Green Vine White Dragon and the others didn't sense anything amiss, but Guan Ya, who knew the truth, stared in disbelief, then looked on with despair.
Fu Qingyang glanced at Elder Miao's head being vigorously rubbed, then at the enthusiastic Zhang Yuanqing, and said calmly:
"Do you enjoy petting animals?"
"Not really, but this guy looks so stiff, I couldn't resist. He's probably not an ordinary Curly-Haired Poodle, right? Does he have any special abilities?"
"He has the power to strip you of your position, expel you from the Five Elements Alliance, and issue a Hunt Warrant against you."
"Huh?" Zhang Yuanqing's hand froze mid-rub, sensing something was off.
"This is one of the Five Elders of the Songhai Branch, my direct superior. Huh, why are you kneeling?"
"My legs are weak, Centurion. What kind of question is that? Isn't it our duty as subordinates to pay homage to the great Elder?" Zhang Yuanqing kowtowed deeply. "May the Elder live a thousand years and unite the martial world!"
The Curly-Haired Poodle glanced sideways at him, its voice ancient and human. "It's been nearly twenty years since anyone dared to pat my head. You're quite the amusing fellow. Now, hand over the Holy Grail."
Zhang Yuanqing immediately opened his Inventory and summoned the Fallen Holy Grail.
He had no intention of keeping this Rule Item for himself. For one thing, circumstances wouldn't allow it. The street surveillance cameras and his request for assistance from Chief Teng Yuan meant he couldn't conceal the matter.
Moreover, his true goal was the Roster, not the Holy Grail.
Besides, the Holy Grail was already damaged. Repairing a high-level Rule Item was beyond his capabilities for the foreseeable future.
Given these factors, exchanging the Holy Grail for Merit Points, money, or Item rewards was clearly the more advantageous course.
All eyes immediately fell upon the exquisite crystal goblet, now riddled with cracks.
Miao, the dog elder, narrowed his button-like eyes as he gazed at the empty cup. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Well done, Primordial. I'll call you Primordial from now on—your full name is too cumbersome. You killed the Black Guard of Impermanence and seized the Holy Grail, making you the most deserving of credit. The Organization will reward you accordingly."
"Thank you, Elder," Zhang Yuanqing said, bowing deeply.
"A genius should have the pride of a genius," Miao couldn't help but remark.
"Elder is right. May Elder live a thousand years," Zhang Yuanqing replied, bowing again.
Miao extended his paw, and the Fallen Holy Grail floated toward him. With a faint shimmer, it vanished.
The dog elder glanced at Fu Qingyang and said, "You're in charge of handling the aftermath."
With that, a green light enveloped him, then dissipated.
Fu Qingyang systematically assigned tasks, including sealing off the school and disabling nearby surveillance cameras.
Finally, he turned to Zhang Yuanqing and said, "Primordial, come with me."
The two walked deeper into the campus, one behind the other.
The others dispersed to carry out their duties, but Guan Ya's gaze followed them intently.
Two o'clock in the morning at the Fu Family Bay Villa.
Fu Qingyang sat ramrod straight before his widescreen computer, watching the Five Elders log in one by one.
Once everyone was present, Elder Miao spoke in his weathered, steady voice:
"The Holy Grail Incident has concluded. Black Guard of Impermanence's death has been confirmed, but this matter is far from over. I've distributed the Roster of Fallen Ones to all branches, urging them to initiate immediate manhunts.
"Furthermore, two members of Night Rose intervened during the battle: a Sovereign Realm Daywalker and a Saint Stage Fire Master."
An elder from the Crimson Fire Gang snorted, his gruff voice booming:
"I'll report this to the Alliance Leader and demand an investigation into the Saint Stage Deacon. If he's confirmed to be a Crimson Fire Gang member, I'll personally smash that traitorous bastard's dog head."
Elder Miao frowned. "Watch your language. Moreover, there's more to the Fallen Holy Grail Incident than meets the eye. Qingyang, explain."
Fu Qingyang delivered a concise report:
"The Elders are already familiar with the battle at Songhai Third Primary School, so I won't reiterate the details. Instead, I'll explain how Primordial Heavenly Venerable discovered Black Guard of Impermanence: he possesses a Treasure Hunting Item."
"While staking out the convenience store, the Item resonated with the Fallen Holy Grail, guiding him to the Black Guard of Impermanence.
"I believe there's no reason to doubt this. Surveillance footage shows he genuinely stumbled his way there. I also conducted a lie detector test on him. Furthermore, his immediate call for backup upon spotting the Black Guard proves he had no prior knowledge of the Black Guard's hiding place."
At this point, a voice rich with mature feminine magnetism, yet tinged with a hint of darkness, interjected:
"A Treasure Hunting Item? How could he possess an Item from the 'Void' class?"
Fu Qingyang replied, "My only concern is verifying whether he's lying. I believe subordinates' privacy should not be violated."
After a few seconds of silence, seeing no objection from the Water God Palace Elder, Fu Qingyang continued:
"As for the Black Guard's death, he bears no direct responsibility. The Black Guard was killed by a Mysterious Individual. The Primordial Heavenly Venerable, wearing a red veil at the time, couldn't see the Mysterious Individual's face. Surveillance footage corroborates his account, but the Mysterious Individual wasn't captured on camera. The footage shows a brief standoff between the two, after which the Black Guard inexplicably collapsed and died."
The Central Court Elder spoke gently, "It's normal for the surveillance cameras not to have captured anything. Everyone, what are your thoughts on the conversation between the Black guard of Impermanence and the Mysterious Individual?"
A deep, magnetic female voice replied, "He clearly knew the Black guard of Impermanence, but what do 'time' and 'place' mean? Could it be related to the Nightwalker's ability to glimpse fate? That doesn't quite fit either."
Silence fell over the virtual conference room. After a dozen seconds, Elder Miao spoke up, "Let's set this question aside for now. I've already reported it to Headquarters and await the Alliance Leaders' guidance. I'm more interested in the Mysterious Individual's identity.
"He erased the Black guard of Impermanence's Spectral Entity, clearly wanting to conceal his identity. But the more prudent course would have been to silence the Primordial Heavenly Venerable as well. Yet he didn't."
The Crimson Fire Gang Elder cut straight to the point, "Are you suggesting that kid knows the Mysterious Individual?"
Elder Miao replied, "It's possible, or perhaps it was deliberate—a show of contempt. Qingyang, you've had more direct contact with the Primordial Heavenly Venerable. Have you noticed anything unusual in your interactions?"
The Elders remained silent, awaiting Fu Qingyang's response.
After a few seconds of silence, Fu Qingyang replied calmly, "I haven't observed anything out of the ordinary."
The Five Elders immediately dropped the topic. Fu Qingyang, a Scout and a Tier 2 Nightwalker, would have detected any anomalies.
Since he reported nothing unusual, there must be nothing unusual.
The White Tiger Corps Elder mused, "He took the demon lord's belongings but dismissed the Fallen Holy Grail. This man's power is undoubtedly on par with ours. Is the demon lord truly dead?"
The Dog Elder replied, "The Taiyi Sect Lord has confirmed the demon lord's demise. He wouldn't make such a mistake. If he's wrong, then nothing in this world can be trusted."
The White Tiger Corps Elder continued, "Then we can accept the demon lord's death as fact. I'm not questioning his death. My point is, if the Holy Grail Incident holds deeper mysteries, we shouldn't focus solely on the Black guard of Impermanence's concealment of the Grail. We must also consider the battle that claimed both the Eerie Eye Judge and the demon lord."
Fu Qingyang interjected, "I'm also curious why the demon lord killed the Eerie Eye Judge. According to your theories, Elders, the demon lord was on the verge of ascending to the pinnacle. What compelled him to eliminate the Eerie Eye Judge first?"
In his bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing stood before the full-length mirror by the window, wearing only his boxers and toweling his wet hair.
It was now two in the morning. After returning home, he washed away his fatigue and felt refreshed.
Thanks to the Hundred Flowers Association Pill, the residual toxins in his body had been purged ahead of schedule. Apart from some lingering weakness, he felt no discomfort.
"The Steadfast Orb shattered, and the Red Dancing Shoes were tainted. Sigh, I'll ask Fu Qingyang tomorrow if he knows how to remove the corruption. The Organization's rewards should compensate for my physical, mental, and Item losses."
He wasn't worried about the Red Dancing Shoes. Purifying corruption was a Nightwalker's specialty; he could simply request assistance from the Taiyi Sect through the Five Elements Alliance.
What truly lingered in his mind was the Mysterious Individual he'd encountered earlier that day.
The Mysterious Individual's appearance suggested that the Fallen Holy Grail Incident had far deeper layers than previously imagined.
"That miniature sun inside the Holy Grail... my intuition tells me it's something extraordinary. Still, obtaining it at my current level would be dangerous. Ah, it's just not meant for me."
After drying his hair, Zhang Yuanqing lazily reclined on his bed and summoned Little Goofball.
While stroking the child's head, he retrieved the Scarecrow.
This Item was his personal trophy, not surrendered with the Holy Grail and Roster.
Grasping the Scarecrow, Zhang Yuanqing saw its item information pop up in his vision after a few seconds:
[ Name: Cursed Straw Man ]
[ Type: Special Item ]
[ Function: Corruption, Curse ]
[ Description: A doll woven from wild grasses grown in the Cursed Land, it harbors malice toward all things. It corrupts its surroundings, dragging them into the abyss of depravity. ]
[ Note: If you ever find a sow becoming fair and beautiful, congratulations—you've become one of the Fallen Ones. ]
Fuck, Zhang Yuanqing thought, suddenly understanding why the Black Guard of Impermanence's tastes had become increasingly bizarre. He seriously considered whether to keep this item.
In his view, a beautiful woman in black stockings was worth pursuing, but a sow in black stockings was not.
Zhang Yuanqing hastily returned the Scarecrow to his Inventory, as if it were burning his hand.
Time for bed. When I wake up, I'll hand this damn thing in and get an item with less terrifying consequences, he thought, pulling the covers over himself and closing his eyes.
Just then, the Cat King Speaker in the desk drawer began emitting a crackling electrical sound.
Zhang Yuanqing immediately threw back the covers, sat at the desk, pulled open the drawer, and retrieved the Cat King Speaker, placing it on the table.
Over time, Zhang Yuanqing gradually figured out the speaker's patterns. During the day, it would sing without warning, but rarely played content related to the demon lord.
However, late at night, any crackling sound meant it was about to replay an old audio recording.
After a moment of static, heavy panting filled the speaker.
A man's panting.
The panting was interspersed with pained moans, as if its owner were enduring immense torment.
What's going on? Zhang Yuanqing thought. Good thing Grandmother's already asleep. If she heard this, she'd be even more resentful of society. He silently cradled the speaker and entered Night Roaming.
After a long while, the heavy panting faded, replaced by a familiar, deep voice:
"The Holy Grail's corruption grows stronger. I'm becoming less and less myself. I crave slaughter, crave toying with women—no, this isn't the real me."
"I refuse to believe the Holy Grail's control is inescapable. I will find a way to break free."
"Eerie Eye Judge, I will kill you. One day, I will kill you."
It was the demon lord's voice.