Tian Lingling stroked his bald head, pulled out five banknotes, and handed them back. "My information isn't worth this much. Hey, when I sell intel, fairness is key."
He took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and continued, "The Black Guard of Impermanence was taken down last night by the Songhai Branch. Fu Qingyang led the charge—you already know that."
Auntie Xiao Yuan's voice was icy: "So, Fu Qingyang really did kill him? Who else was involved? Where did the battle take place?"
Tian Lingling lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled a dense cloud of white smoke. "I don't know the exact location yet—Songhai's a big place, after all. I can't give you the full details either. What I heard is that both the Holy Grail and the Roster are now in the Songhai Branch's possession. They've already mobilized to capture the Fallen Ones listed on the Roster."
"Also, half an hour ago, the Five Elements Alliance's official forum updated with an announcement: Primordial Heavenly Venerable, a member of the Kangyang District Second Team in the Songhai Branch, has been awarded A-Rank Merit Points for his contributions to the Holy Grail Incident."
Xiao Yuan didn't hear the rest. She seemed lost in thought, remaining motionless for a long moment.
A sudden realization struck her: Black Guard of Impermanence hadn't been killed by Fu Qingyang, but by that newcomer, Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
To be awarded A-Rank Merit Points—one of the Five Elements Alliance's highest honors—one couldn't simply be a participant; they had to play a crucial role.
This alone wouldn't have stunned Xiao Yuan. What truly startled her was recalling what the young man had said that morning:
In this incident, I deserve the primary credit.
He's Primordial Heavenly Venerable?
Xiao Yuan had always assumed the young man was an ordinary Official Walker—a somewhat lecherous but fundamentally good-hearted youth.
She never imagined he was the rising star of the Five Elements Alliance, the newcomer climbing the Bounty List.
So it was him all along. He had been investigating Black Guard of Impermanence, and he was involved in the Holy Grail Incident. This explained his soul-corrupting Item—it must have originated from Black Guard of Impermanence. Auntie Xiao Yuan pieced together the details, her conviction growing stronger.
I'll test him when I get the chance!
"Your intelligence is satisfactory," she said coolly. "Keep me updated on Li Xianzong's movements. I'll check in regularly."
At that moment, a bare-chested man emerged from a corner booth, carrying a bottle of liquor. He swaggered over and sat beside Auntie Xiao Yuan, his gaze greedily sweeping over her alluring curves.
Licking his lips, he chuckled, "Hey, babe, wanna come play?"
Auntie Xiao Yuan turned her head, following the bare-chested man's gesture toward a corner booth. There, a broad, muscular back faced the bar, two dangling legs swaying from the man's shoulders.
For those in the Evil Class, indulgence was the norm—lust for killing, destruction, and carnal pleasure.
Auntie Xiao Yuan withdrew her gaze and said coldly, "Get lost!"
"Tsk, you'll be begging for more later," the bare-chested man sneered, reaching for her shoulder. Suddenly, he gasped for air, then erupted into violent coughing.
His face flushed crimson, and black droplets of blood oozed from his pores.
Tian Lingling took a sip of her drink and warned, "No killing on my turf."
Auntie Xiao Yuan snorted coldly, rose from the bar, her trench coat billowing, and vanished into the stairwell.
A few minutes later, the bare-chested man stopped coughing, his body coated in a layer of black blood, gasping for breath.
Tian Lingling chuckled, "That woman's a real handful. Even I wouldn't dare provoke her lightly."
The man gritted his teeth, "If we get a chance to capture her, we'll have our fun."
Tian Lingling burst into laughter. "Don't forget to call me when that happens!"
"Of course not, Brother Tian! We'll definitely remember you. We'll all play together."
"I meant, call me to come collect your corpse."
As they spoke, footsteps echoed down the stairs. A young man in a black tank top and camouflage military pants appeared in the underground bar.
He was strikingly handsome, with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a tall, muscular build that strained against his tank top. He twirled a silver butterfly knife in his hand.
"Long time no see, Uncle Tian," the young man said, flipping the knife as he sat at the bar.
Tian Lingling glanced at the arrogant youth and said, "A Saint Stage Witchcraft Master was asking about you earlier. I can't tell if they're hostile yet, so keep an eye out."
Tian Lingling was a Seductive Demon and, like Li Xianzong, a member of the Military Doctrine Sect. However, his true identity was kept secret, and he publicly claimed to be an Unaffiliated Walker.
After Li Xianzong decided to come to Songhai for his Trial, the two had already contacted each other in advance.
Li Xianzong nonchalantly hummed in acknowledgment. "How's the intelligence I asked you to gather coming along?"
Tian Lingling snapped his fingers. The bartender, who had been polishing glasses by the liquor cabinet, bent down and pulled out a stack of documents from the cabinet, placing them on the bar.
Li Xianzong eagerly snatched the stack, flipped it open, and began reading carefully.
The first page boldly declared: "Primordial Heavenly Venerable."
Tian Lingling swirled his wine glass between two fingers, his voice smooth as he said, "Compared to the top four on the Bounty List, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's level is likely the lowest—less than Level 3. His rise has been too rapid, his foundation unstable. Hunting him offers the highest cost-effectiveness. I approve of your decision, but...
"This man is peculiar. Information about him is scarce, unlike the top four, whose combat styles we've thoroughly analyzed. If you plan to confront him, proceed with extreme caution."
Li Xianzong chuckled. "That's what makes it interesting, Uncle Tian. I heard from the old veterans in the sect that you used to be fearless in your youth. What happened? Did age make you so timid?"
"If I were twenty years younger, I'd have your head right now," Tian Lingling sneered.
"Come on, let's fight!" Li Xianzong recklessly challenged the Saint Stage elder.
Tian Lingling ignored him.
Li Xianzong had become a Seductive Demon less than a year ago, yet he was already a Level 3 Peak Walker. Naturally combative and cunning, he had even managed to kill a Level 2 Walker of the same class back when he was still Level 1.
By Level 2, he had few rivals among his peers and was recruited by the Demonic Eye Celestial King, one of the Four Celestial Kings, who invested heavily in his development.
He didn't disappoint the Organization. After reaching Level 3 Peak, he single-handedly assassinated a Level 4 Saint from the Southern District Branch of the Spiritual Energy Association.
Just as the Primordial Heavenly Venerable of the Songhai Branch shone brightly in the eyes of The Officials, Li Xianzong was equally revered within the Military Doctrine Sect.
Once he became a Saint, he would be qualified to visit Headquarters and meet "Asura."
Flipping through the files, Li Xianzong asked, "What other intelligence do we have? I remember the Eastern Branch of the Spiritual Energy Association is also in Songhai. What's their status?"
Tian Lingling murmured, "After the death of the Eerie Eye Judge, the Eastern Branch's strength has been severely diminished. They might not even participate in this year's Trial. There'll be no one in Songhai to compete with you."
Li Xianzong grunted in acknowledgment.
"Uncle Tian," he continued, "I've secretly gathered some of the Eerie Eye Judge's former servants. I'm planning a major operation to test the Songhai Branch's reaction. This Primordial Heavenly Venerable is in Kangyang District, right? You're the local expert—help me choose a suitable location."
Tian Lingling grinned, "If you want to make a big splash, choose a shopping mall, hospital, or school. Guaranteed to cause a sensation."
Li Xianzong stroked his chin. "Shopping malls are too crowded; I don't have enough manpower to control the situation. As for schools, my dad always admired intellectuals, so I won't target them. Hmm, my dad died in a hospital, and they drained our family's savings before he passed. Let's go with a hospital."
Tian Lingling pondered for a moment. "The best hospital in Kangyang District is Pingtai Hospital, right?"
Li Xianzong slammed his hand on the bar. "That's the one."
On the Official Forum, the recent announcement had ignited a frenzy.
Primordial Heavenly Venerable Secures Holy Grail During Black Guard of Impermanence Hunt, Awarded A-Rank Merit
The announcement was concise, just a few sentences, yet its brevity left Official Walkers scattered across the land speechless.
[ Li Dongze: Oh my god, oh my god! I haven't slept all night! Yes, you heard right—I'm too excited to sleep! ]
[ Queen: Who's this weirdo? ]
[ White Dragon: @Queen, Primordial Heavenly Venerable is the guy this idiot picked up. Talk about dumb luck! ]
[ Queen: Ah, his ancestral graves must be smoking with blue smoke! I'm so jealous! ]
[ Ample Time Ahead: Didn't Primordial die already? ]
[ Green Vine: That was a deliberate false rumor to mislead the Black Guard of Impermanence. ]
[ Ample Time Ahead: Oh, I see! Sister Green Vine, did the Heavenly Venerable really kill the Black Guard of Impermanence? ]
[ Green Vine: Yes, I witnessed it myself. ]
[ Please Call Me Queen: That kid—I mean, the Heavenly Venerable—is defying the heavens! Just a while ago, he was a newbie, and now he's already an A-Rank Merit powerhouse. Even I, a Captain, have to treat him with utmost respect. ]
[ Little Pig George: How many years has it been since a low-level member was awarded A-Rank Merit? Sigh, we're witnessing the rise of a genius. Speaking of which, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable must be at the top of the Evil Class bounty list by now, right? ]
[ The Bitter Past: Exactly. I wonder if he'll be hunted by the Evil Class's elites. Still, with the Heavenly Venerable's skill, few in the Transcendent Phase could defeat him, right? ]
[ Little Pig George: Not necessarily. Check out the Five Elements Alliance's Transcendent Phase Bounty List—the top five are all freaks of nature. ]
The comment section quickly accumulated thousands of messages, overwhelmingly expressing shock and fervent discussion about the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's achievements.
The Five Elements Alliance had produced another monstrously talented newcomer. Official Walkers who regularly browsed the Official Forum had anticipated this, given that the Primordial Heavenly Venerable had cleared two S-rank spirit realms.
The Headquarters' awarding of an A-Rank Merit was a clear signal—a sign of a future high-ranking official on the rise.
With enough Merit Points, he would be eligible for a corresponding position once he reached the appropriate rank.
"This is pretty sweet," Zhang Yuanqing thought, scrolling through his phone as he strolled through the brightly lit mall with his aunt. "Keep the compliments coming, everyone. I love reading them."
"Stop playing on your phone all the time!" his aunt grumbled, puffing out her cheeks like steamed buns.
Zhang Yuanqing obediently slipped his phone back into his pocket.
"Let's catch a movie later," his aunt suggested. "We haven't seen one this month yet."
Years ago, mall trips, movies, and good food had been their weekend routine. After the weekend, the nephew and aunt would part ways—one to the grind of school, the other to the drudgery of work.
"Sure, why not?" Zhang Yuanqing replied. "Check if they have tickets for Jade Futon."
"Get lost!"
"Ha, you've seen it too, haven't you?"
The next day, Zhang Yuanqing arrived at work with his backpack, wearing a mask and a baseball cap.
"Primordial, Chief Li is back," the receptionist greeted him with a smile. "He's waiting for you upstairs."
Chief Li? Zhang Yuanqing thought. My chief's name is Teng Yuan. He returned the smile. "Thank you."