Zhang Yuanqing took off his jacket, its sleeve scorched by flames, and tossed it into the basket of his bicycle. Then he returned to the Public Security Bureau and had the administrative staff issue him a new phone SIM card.
This SIM was tied to the identity of "Primordial Heaven Sovereign" and could only be handled through official personnel.
His excuse? He said his phone had fallen into a sewer and he couldn't be bothered to retrieve it, so he'd get a new one.
He had no intention of telling Guan Ya or Li Dongze about the incident. If news of the conflict spread and something "happened" to the other party soon after, anyone familiar with standard investigative logic would consider recent conflicts a reason to investigate—regardless of how suspicious they seemed.
And those two did know that he possessed a rule-type item.
For the same reason, Zhang Yuanqing wasn't planning to retaliate immediately. That would have to wait.
After getting his new SIM, he went to a nearby electronics store and bought a domestic smartphone for around 3,000 yuan. Using his ID, he got another SIM card.
Not far from the bureau, in a quiet café, Zhang Yuanqing sipped iced coffee while contemplating how to exact revenge on Xiahou Tianyuan.
He hadn't meant to provoke the Xiahou family. But some things... you don't get to choose.
The father and son had made it clear—cooperate and you'd benefit; refuse, and they'd just take your phone by force.
Small fish don't get to negotiate.
It wasn't unusual. Powerful clans with abundant resources don't just walk away after being denied by a no-name employee. That would be absurd—unless what they sought was entirely trivial.
"This is what my mom always called 'capitalistic trampling'... Never thought I'd actually experience it one day," Zhang Yuanqing muttered under his breath.
"I have Xiahou Tianyuan's blood. I could unleash the Red Dancing Shoes and have them hunt him down until death. But that's too crude—Red Dancing Shoes killings leave very obvious traces. Not many people know I control them, but some do.
"Besides, he's from a Spirit Realm clan, known for crafting items. Unlike rogue or official walkers, he might have something that can counter or resist the shoes. I can't strike rashly without knowing his capabilities. I'll ask Xie Lingxi about the Xiahou family later."
He took another sip of coffee and continued to mull it over.
"Wait, the Xiahou clan is hunting members of Palace of Slaughter, right? I could muddy the waters—use them as a scapegoat and disrupt the Xiahou family's plans at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone.
"Wang Qian knows what I look like. If I intervene directly, it could backfire. But... I could use the disguise ring..."
A rough plan began to form in his mind. He sent a text to his cousin Chen Yuanjun:
"Bro, I need an unregistered SIM card. Can you get me one after work?"
Chen didn't reply, but Zhang Yuanqing knew he would take care of it. His cousin had never refused any reasonable request—especially not from a boy who'd lost his father young and never had a mother's love.
Then, he called Xie Lingxi.
Huayu Hotel, 48th Floor Swimming Pool.
Sunlight streamed in through towering glass windows. The rectangular pool sparkled as the azure water gently rippled.
Xie Lingxi lay on a lounge chair, eyes half-closed, enjoying the post-swim relaxation.
She wore a pink waterproof jacket, just long enough to reach her upper thighs. Her pale, smooth legs stretched out, long and straight. A few more years of maturing and they'd grow into perfect, shapely legs.
Her female assistant sat nearby, focused on slicing fruit.
The phone rang. Just as Xie Lingxi opened her eyes, the assistant wiped her hands and brought the phone over.
Seeing "Primordial Heaven Sovereign" on the caller ID, Xie Lingxi perked up. She cleared her throat delicately and picked up, responding in a soft, syrupy tone that gave her assistant goosebumps:
"Yuanshi-gege~"
"I heard the Xiahou family's experts clashed with the Palace Master of Slaughter. Is that true?" Zhang Yuanqing feigned curiosity.
"You called me... just for gossip?" Xie Lingxi sounded pitiful and wronged.
"Speak normally. Don't be weird. What's wrong with your voice?"
"This is my normal voice~"
"Huh? Sounds like my speaker's about to start singing again."
"Ahem!" She coughed and switched to her normal, youthful tone.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday? Sister Palace Master crippled Xiahou Tianwen, and of course the Xiahou family isn't going to swallow that. Why, are you planning to help them catch Palace of Slaughter members and force her out of hiding?"
"No, just curious. How many people did they send?"
"I don't know the exact number. The leader is Xiahou Chi, Xiahou Tianwen's grandfather. He was a Level 6 Scholar years ago—no idea if he's promoted since. Alongside him are two other direct blood relatives: Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Tianyuan. One is Tianwen's father, the other his younger brother. Tianwen's the one who got beat up."
If their Palace Master can go toe-to-toe with a Level 6, then she must be at least that strong… Zhang Yuanqing asked:
"What do you know about the Xiahou family?"
"I know plenty!" Xie Lingxi rolled onto her stomach, raising her little butt and absentmindedly stroking her long legs.
What kind of posture is that? the assistant frowned. Good thing the pool was rented privately—if someone saw the heiress of the Xie family like this, it'd be a scandal.
"The Xiahou clan is one of the oldest Spirit Realm families. Huge, with a complex internal power structure. If you want to understand, just look at the Spirit Realm walkers.
"First, there's the 'Old Ancestor'—a rumored first-generation Spirit Realm walker. His level is unknown. Under him is the Council of Elders: three elders, all Lord-level. They're the true power behind the family.
"Below that is the Enforcement Team and Provincial Heads. Enforcement cooperates with the authorities to hunt evil walkers and punish internal violators. The team's head is Xiahou Chi.
"The provincial heads—like feudal governors—manage family assets across the nation. They're usually Level 6s too. Our Xie family has a similar setup. My dad's the great-grandson of our Old Ancestor and current patriarch.
"But he's not at the top. He has to deal with elders and provincial heads all the time. It's all political infighting."
Girl, ever heard of not airing your family's dirty laundry? Zhang Yuanqing resisted the urge to retort and asked:
"What level is Xiahou Xin?"
"Probably Level 4." Xie Lingxi grinned mischievously. "Their internal backstabbing is intense. After Tianwen got crippled, lots of folks were secretly laughing."
"What's your family's stance on this?"
"Xiahou Chi may be direct blood, but he doesn't speak for the whole clan. We Xie folks aren't afraid of him. As for the Five Elements Alliance, that's the official force—we don't want to get involved, so we just say it's none of our business."
So... If you want respect, you need power. Zhang Yuanqing chatted a bit longer before ending the call.
7:30 p.m., Dinner Table.
Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of soup and looked at his ruddy-faced aunt. "Auntie, your period's over already? That was fast."
"Still feeling a bit off…" Jiang Yuer responded absently.
Uninspired by the lack of banter, Zhang turned to his cousin. "Hey bro, where's that SIM card?"
"In my briefcase. Get it after dinner," Chen Yuanjun said, then frowned as he sipped his soup. "Grandma, this has too much ginger."
After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing retrieved the SIM and hurried back to his room. He opened his messaging app and sent a voice message to Wang Qian:
"I know about the Palace of Slaughter and Xiahou clan incident. They approached me today, asking me to help lure you out. I refused. That's the most I can do.
"I have a contact—strong and reliable. If you need help, reach out. His number is…"
He waited a long time but received no reply.
"Still guarded, huh…" he muttered.
This plan hinged on the disguise ring—and Wang Qian's trust.
Under normal circumstances, Wang Qian wouldn't believe so easily. But if he got cornered, desperate for help... it'd be a different story.
Of course, if Wang Qian never asked for help, Zhang Yuanqing could always fall back to plan B—take Xiahou Tianyuan out solo.
The only downside? No Palace of Slaughter to blame.
Late Night, Riverside Apartment.
Cold wind pushed aside the curtains and slipped into the pitch-black bedroom, swirling beside the bed.
The man sleeping there suddenly jolted awake, amber pupils narrowing into vertical slits.
"Don't be alarmed."
A semi-transparent figure formed at the center of the cold vortex. Though lacking distinct features, it spoke in a clear voice.
Streetlights outside cast a dim glow through the open window, illuminating a man with narrow, predatory eyes and a sharp jawline—cold and fierce.
Hengxing Wuji (Unbridled Tyranny) stared at the ghostly figure, silently wary. "So, you've finally come. Where's your leader?"
The ghost chuckled. "And where is Black Wuchang? Trust is the basis of cooperation. Seems we're both not there yet."
"I don't know where he is. No one does," Wuji said coldly.
After a pause, he added, "We've been under pressure. Lost a few brothers. Our boss almost got tracked by Fu Qingyang."
"Fu Qingyang is the Five Elements Alliance's top young talent. Below the Lord level, few can match him. If he's locked on, even Black Wuchang might not escape. You can't just keep running—you must counterattack."
"Easy for you to say," Wuji sneered. "The Gu King's people are hunting us too. How exactly do we counterattack?"
"That's why I'm here." The spirit smiled.
"You have two options. One: wait for the fallen on the list to go berserk, spreading the Alliance's forces thin. But they're scattered, and your enemy is in Songhai Division.
"Two: gather fallen ones near Songhai, control them, and strike at official squads. Create chaos—ease your pressure."
"Easier said than done…" Wuji grunted. "We need intel for that."
The ghost said, "To show good faith, I'll provide official deployment and operations intel."
Wuji was tempted. "I need to report this to the boss."
Next Morning.
Zhang Yuanqing woke and instinctively checked his phone—no reply from Wang Qian.
Disappointed, he got ready, ate breakfast, and took a cab to the office.
Just as he sat down and started discussing depth and technique with his seductive colleague, Li Dongze came out of the office in his black vest and white shirt.
"Yuanshi, Guan Ya—come with me."
He checked his watch and said, "There's a meeting at 9 a.m. with the Kangyang District Search Team. We've tracked 'Unbridled Tyranny's' whereabouts."
Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up.