Wang Tai, brother? He? Li Dongze almost instinctively wanted to remind Miss Xie—the one holding the corner of your dress isn’t Wang Tai; the official Wang Tai is right there beside you. How could you possibly misidentify someone? It’s simply too awkward… But then, Li Dongze’s expression froze. He realized that it was *he* who hadn’t quite grasped the situation. Miss Xie had come specifically for Yuan Shi—she hadn’t even glanced at anyone else from the second team, her focus absolutely clear, so there was no possibility of mistaken identity. Then, why was she saying she wanted to see Wang Tai? Guan Ya’s playful smile instantly turned stiff as she glanced at Yuan Shi, then at Xie Lingxi, her delicate, oval face gradually losing its expression. Only Wang Tai quietly exhaled in relief. "What are you doing in Songhai? Do you still need us to host you, Wang Tai?" Zhang Yuanqing, standing at a towering 1.8 meters, looked down his nose at the petite, green-tea-like Miss Xie, whose long legs belied her actually being a short fellow. "I’ve already told you I wanted to see you!" Xie Lingxi No wonder she's a young lady—light and graceful, unlike Guan Ya, who's so plump that she'd lose her balance when jumping. "There's nothing to find, I've already said—we shouldn't be in touch," Zhang Yuanqing's eyes carried a touch of displeasure. Xie Lingxi pouted, her eyes glistening with tears, her voice full of委屈: "How can you be like this? Last time you were so kind and attentive to me, even took away some of my precious things. Now you've turned cold and unresponsive all of a sudden." Li Dongze, Guan Ya, and Wang Tai all stared at Zhang Yuanqing, puzzled and uncertain. If it were Wang Tai, faced with such a delicate, composed young woman, his mind would surely freeze—any ordinary person would feel awkward, reserved, and hesitant. But Zhang Yuanqing was different. After a brief silence, she suddenly burst into laughter, reached out, and embraced Xie Lingxi's waist, saying, "Xie, she's done it willingly—don't hold me to it." Xie Lingxi was taken aback, feeling the hand pressed against her waist was warm and strong. A sudden chill ran through her, and her cheeks flushed instantly. Like a startled rabbit, she jumped back. "You—you..." she stammered, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Xie Lingxi finally noticed him, and upon hearing what he said, felt a bit puzzled. This man with an unremarkable appearance didn't seem at all disheartened—there was no displeasure or resentment at all. Instead, there was even a subtle sense of relief and happiness? Xie Lingxi's eyes flickered, and she adopted a gentle, delicate demeanor, speaking softly, "You must be the real Wang Tai brother, right? It's a pleasure to meet you. Please don't be angry—I was tricked by Yuan Shi brother, and that's why I mistakenly thought you were his." Wang Tai responded seriously, "I wasn't at all upset—I even felt a small bit happy." Xie Lingxi: "????" Li Dongze cleared his throat and said, "Alright, let the driver take you back." Wang Tai wasn't particularly social, so holding him any longer wouldn't have made sense. After Wang Tai had left, Xie Lingxi guided the three of them to their seats and instructed the server to begin serving the dishes. Ci Jian, with her constant use of 'sister' and 'brother,' her pure and sweet appearance, and her soft, soothing voice, left a "Yuanshi brother, you belong to the White Tiger Army, right? Good thing the other organizations are also there." "The White Tiger Army—I like the White Tiger." "Yeah, I heard from the Elder that the White Tiger Army is the most disciplined. Though their rules are numerous and sometimes seem rigid, they're the most reliable among the Five Elements Alliance." "You're clearly flattery." "How could I be? Yuanshi brother always assumes the worst of others." Xie Lingxi gave him a scolding glance and continued chatting. "Besides the White Tiger Army, the most pure is the Red Fire Clan. But the Elder doesn't particularly like the Red Fire Clan—she finds them too rough and fiery. Yuanshi brother, do you know what the emblem of the Red Fire Clan was before the Five Elements Alliance was formed?" "I don't know." "It was the ox-headed people." "What?" "The Red Fire Clan claims descent from the Flame Emperor, who was, after all, the Shen Nong lineage. The Flame Emperor was a god with an ox's head and human body." I heard that before the Five Elements Alliance was established, people from the four major organizations often used this to tease the Chihuo Clan, and the most effective way to anger a Fire Master was simply to shout in front of him, "The Bull-headed Human must die!" Li Dongze coughed violently, looking at Zhang Yuanqing and seriously reminded her: "Miss Xie is just joking—there's no need to mention old records like that. Don't say such things casually." "What happens if I say them casually?" asked Zhang Yuanqing. "You'll be killed." Then, what if I say, 'The Pure Love Warrior shows up unexpectedly'? Zhang Yuanqing took a bite of the tender stir-fried beef, seizing the opportunity to ask a question she had been pondering for a long time: "I remember the character cards are distributed at random—why do we have the Spirit Realm Traveler noble families?" Xie Lingxi sipped her freshly squeezed coconut juice, tilted her head slightly, and said with a graceful tone: "Has Brother Yuan Shi ever heard of the concept of 'job inclinations'? Different professions have different inclinations—such as Fire Masters, who are typically impulsive, passionate, and headstrong." Zhang Yuanqing nodded Xie Lingxi smiled and said, "Character cards are selective—people with fiery temperaments are most likely to receive the Fire Master card, while those who are reserved and introspective are more likely to become Water Spirits. As for the evil offenders, they typically receive the Evil Professions. Moreover, the profession itself shapes personality: those who are naturally passionate grow even more so, and those who are reserved grow even more reserved. What do you think the likelihood is that children born to two Fire Masters will inherit a fiery temperament? Over time, this gradually establishes noble families. Yet even within the noble families of Lingjing Travelers, not everyone secures a character card." Zhang Yuanqing suddenly understood, thinking to himself, "Then, why did I receive the certification for the Night Wandering God role?" What are the defining traits of the Night Wandering God—mysterious and noble? The evening banquet concluded pleasantly, and the four of them enjoyed their meal and conversed warmly. Li Dongze timely proposed to leave, but Xie Lingxi gently held Zhang Yuanqing's arm, cooing, "Li Chief, could you lend him to me for a while? I'll send him back later." Seeing Li Dongze hesitate, she quickly clasped her hands together, her face full of earnest appeal. Who could refuse such a young lady? Li Dongze nodded slightly, "No need for Shie Miss to trouble herself. I'll have my driver waiting at the hotel entrance. Yuanshi, when you're done, please call me." Zhang Yunqing nodded, and their eyes followed Jiang Ya and Li Dongze as they departed. Only when the two figures disappeared around the entrance to the rotating hall did Xie Lingxi furrow her nose, sighing, "Such a large chest, so round hips—clearly a woman made to charm men!" ... In the elevator, Jiang Ya chuckled, "Not old for her years, but full of strategy. Nowadays, do young girls really have such strong tea in their demeanor?" Any pretense before the scouts proved futile. Li Dongze held his walking stick, gently stroking his short mustache. "She has some reservations toward you, as if she holds a strong affinity for Yuan Shi. Moreover, it seems she has something specific she'd like to discuss with Yuan Shi, and deliberately arranged for us to be diverted." The young girl continuously praised Guan Ya's beauty and figure during the meal, with a look of admiration, saying, "Guan Ya sister is so beautiful—she must have had quite a few boyfriends, surely." Guan Ya rolled her eyes. "She doesn't stand a chance against Yuan Shi when it comes to strategy; Yuan Shi is far more thoughtful and insightful." Guan Ya had entered Zhang Yuanqing's room and reviewed his computer files—beneath his open, optimistic exterior lay a quietly reserved heart. Yet, with her reconnaissance skills, she simply wouldn't have detected this depth unless she had examined these private details. As for Xie Lingxi, she had immediately perceived the essence of the woman. There was a clear difference in their levels. … You called Guan Ya 'sister' just now, quite warmly and endearingly, didn't you? Zhang Yuancheng stopped playing games, furrowed his brow and said, "What are you doing in Songhai? Didn't you come specifically to see me?" Xie Lingxi patted her tongue, her tone lively. "I came to Songhai to pay a visit to an old acquaintance in my family. Brother Yuanshi, have you heard of Zhishake Palace?" Zhishake Palace? The Zhishake Palace where everyone is a bit unhinged? Zhang Yuancheng nodded. "Of course I have." "The family that hosts the Palace has been long-time relatives of the Xie family. After a sudden turn of events, that family declined, and the two families lost touch." Xie Lingxi sighed. "Who would have thought that the Zhishake Palace Master has recently risen to prominence, becoming a high-level spiritual realm traveler, and thus re-established contact with the Xie family." If memory serves, Zhishake Palace possesses a high-level item for musicians, and many of its members are musicians as well. The Xie family is also a renowned musical lineage. Zhang Yuancheng suddenly understood. Xie Lingxi beamed. "I actually have another matter to attend to in Songhai, "At the moment of my death, I only asked you to pass on a message to my friends," said Xie Lingxi, hesitantly. "Could I go too?" "Reason?" "I don't want to owe anyone a favor. He didn't tell me, which made me suspect that he thought I came from an official background. But in reality, you're the official one." Xie Lingxi kept her lips tight. "So you're watching me closely," Zhang Yuanqing said, looking at her sideways. "You actually knew I was the Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun all along. You made such a big deal about meeting the second team and specifically requested that I host them—because you wanted to give me a reason I couldn't refuse, so that your private appeals wouldn't fall on deaf ears." It was clear that Xie Lingxi, as a father, was wary of the official establishment. He had asked that the matter not be handled by any official members, but he didn't know that the Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun himself was from the Five Elements Alliance. If things went wrong, it might just bring in the wolves. "...You've guessed my thoughts perfectly," Xie Lingxi said, beaming