Zhang Yuanqing copied down the phone number but didn’t immediately dial it, his face showing a touch of hesitation. The people from the Ling Neng Association were mad—fierce, relentless—and getting involved with them meant playing cat-and-mouse with a tiger. Zhang Yuanqing sighed, worn out. He wanted to be a good person, but he had no choice. No matter who held the roster, as soon as the Five Elements Alliance, the Night Rose, or Black Unseen reacted, his identity as a descendant of the Magus King would come to light. What would happen then? The best outcome would be oversight—losing freedom, confined until they secured what they wanted. Even that was only if the roster ended up in the hands of official organizations like the Five Elements Alliance or Taiyuan Monastery. Should it fall into the hands of the Night Rose or other malevolent guilds, even if he were monitored and imprisoned, he’d likely endure inhuman torments—unimaginably dire. And the worst outcome? Certainly an early death—passing away young, leaving behind nothing. Therefore, securing the roster is essential—his intention to create confusion stems from the fact that he isn't fully confident in persuading the Master of the Stop-Killing Palace or in gaining their trust. "As long as we maintain the right balance, making a few contacts with people from the Spiritual Energy Association wouldn't be out of the question—though during the comprehensive health check-up, we might find ourselves quite overwhelmed..." Still, that's a matter for the future. Without resolving the current challenge, how could one even think about the future? With this realization, he made up his mind and dialed the phone number of the "Blood-Steamed Bun." "Ding-ding-ding—" The call rang for a long time before going unanswered. A few minutes later, the "Blood-Steamed Bun" returned the call, and a mature male voice came through the speaker: "Who is it?" The tone was low and gloomy, immediately conveying a sense of harshness and unease. "Since we've managed to obtain your contact information, we must be friends—at least, we belong to the same category!" Zhang Yuanqing said with a cheerful smile. Yes, I mean the evil professions... The Human Blood Steamed Bun paused, and gave a short laugh: "Just speak, I only have two minutes." This anonymous number was specifically created to expand his network and receive updates—he would post tasks at the black market where the evil professions gather, along with his contact information. This allowed those seeking rewards to reach out to him, though it came with drawbacks: he was often exposed, exploited, for instance, when someone handed the number over to the Five Elements Alliance. To avoid being tracked or identified, he always kept his calls strictly under two minutes. "I'm a member of the Night Rose," Zhang Yuanqing said calmly. "Our organization is searching for Black Uncommon, perhaps we can collaborate." The Night Rose... The Human Blood Steamed Bun furrowed his brow, and scoffed, "What makes me think I have to work with you?" He didn't trust people with unclear backgrounds—no matter how many benefits he offered, they remained empty promises. Because you simply wouldn't dare meet him face to face. Chang Yuanqing sneered, "Weak as a mouse—truly a shame for us in this profession. You and I are different. Every day, I'm thinking about how to dispatch Fu Qingyang, not only to gain fame and glory, but also to secure a substantial reward." The Blood-Mutton Bread gasped, as though stirred to anger. Chang Yuanqing continued, "This benefits you—another channel, another pair of eyes and ears. Wouldn't you like to make your mark? Then, if I have information, I'll send it to you via text message, which you can receive on schedule. I'll do the same." The Blood-Mutton Bread paused briefly, then said calmly, "Agreed. Then, how about some useful information right now?" Chang Yuanqing spoke seriously, "The Fallen Holy Cup has encountered issues, so Black Immortal has asked our leader for assistance. However, their trust level isn't strong yet, so they're still testing each other and have not yet met. That's all I can share." "The Holy Grail has encountered a problem... Black Unusual is in contact with the Rose of the Night? A wave of excitement surges through the heart of the Blood-Mutton, and then it stirs into passionate anticipation—this is the most significant intelligence he has received since joining the search for Black Unusual. Once the setup is complete, Zhang Yuqing asks: 'Now it's my turn to ask: if you manage to capture Black Unusual's subordinates, how will you locate him?' The Blood-Mutton takes a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. Though he initially intended to simply hang up and claim the information for free, reason convinces him that this channel is crucial—losing it would be a direct loss for him. So he coldly replies: 'It will depend on how much useful information the subordinates can provide. However, given Black Unusual's cunning, even if you capture his key subordinates, you may not be able to pinpoint his exact location. If your organization has high-ranking scouts, I can provide a detailed profile of Black Unusual—covering his past experiences, personality, and hobbies.'" "By assessing the scouts' capabilities and drawing inferences, we should be able to gather quite a bit of information. Of course, I'll need to request approval from the boss." Ah, my boss is actually a true-eyed scout... Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up, though his voice remained low, "I'll be waiting for your update." So he walked from the first floor to the fifth, and when he counted the steps for the fifth time, the staircase leading to the sixth floor truly revealed its thirteenth step. The young-faced delivery rider ascended the stairs, as though passing through an invisible membrane, and the surrounding scenery transformed from old residential buildings into a square pond about ten meters long and wide. Within the pond, dense and vibrant, swarmed colorful venomous snakes, spiders, geckos, insects, scorpions, and other spirits of the gūwù. At the center of the pond stood a towering altar of red stone, about three meters high. On the altar lay a mass of red flesh-like substance, slowly pulsing and shifting. The young-faced delivery rider glanced at the various venomous creatures in the pond, his throat moving with a soft "gurgle," and swallowed hard. He forced his gaze away, suppressing the drool in his eyes, and bowed respectfully, saying, "President, I have important information." The flesh on the altar rose, coalescing into a blood-red human form, which then looked down upon him with an elevated presence. The young delivery rider with a doll-like face said, "I've learned that Hei Wu-chang is hiding in Songhai, aiming to meet with an organization known as 'The Night Rose.' I haven't heard of this organization before." The crimson humanoid flesh murmured hesitantly, "The Night Rose..." Does the president know of this organization? The young delivery rider added, "I also discovered that the Fallen Cup has encountered difficulties, and Hei Wu-chang is seeking assistance from The Night Rose. However, trust between them remains insufficient, so they are still in mutual probing." He then supplemented, "Given the importance of the intelligence and the limited time, coupled with the lack of verification channels, I cannot guarantee that this information is entirely accurate." The humanoid flesh slowly replied, "No, it is true—your intelligence has confirmed my own suspicions. The Fallen Cup has indeed encountered problems. Only then can we fully explain Hei Wu-chang's unusual actions." The human-blood steamed bun felt relieved, his mood instantly brightened, and he frankly disclosed the source of the information, adding, "As for whether to provide the Black Undead's records, it shall be up to the Chairman to decide." The humanoid flesh-and-blood figure said gently, "You've been deceived. That person wasn't a member of the Night Rose—they were likely from the official side. Hm. We should provide them with the records. At least until we locate the Black Undead, the official side will be our allies. "You've done well this time. From the pool, choose any three of the insect parasites." The human-blood steamed bun beamed with joy and bowed deeply, "Thank you, Chairman!" He excitedly approached the pool, inflated his cheeks, and after a few seconds of preparation, suddenly expelled a long, slender tongue stretching several meters, snatching a centipede, a red-and-black venomous snake, and a jade-green beetle. His neck swelled visibly, revealing the silhouettes of the three parasites, which he then swallowed with a soft "gurgle." ... After dusk, Zhang Yuanqing, wearing a mask and a baseball cap, quietly arrived at At a distance, he saw a white business sedan parked outside the residential complex, as if waiting for something. Zhang Yuanqing employed stealth, approaching quietly and tapping on the third window. The sedan’s door opened automatically, revealing Fu Qingyang’s composed, handsome face, who gazed out at the entrance and said, “There’s no need to be so cautious.” “Captain, I’m right here,” Zhang Yuanqing’s voice came from the other side of the cabin. Fu Qingyang gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Finally, you’ve stumbled, Zhang Yuanqing thought with quiet satisfaction, maintaining a serious and sincere expression on his face. “I believe, caution ensures long-term success. Your investigative skills, I’d wager, won’t detect a night-wanderer in stealth.” “Not effective below the Saint-level, then?” “Not at all,” Fu Qingyang replied, looking at him. “A night-wanderer at the Saint-level wouldn’t be bored enough to stay on watch near your home for an extended period. The surveillance in the Fu Family Village area—I can see it clearly from my villa. Someone’s monitoring it around the clock.” Zhang Yuanqing said nothing: "The centurion is wise!" Fu Qingyang nodded in satisfaction and instructed the driver, "Let's go." As always, Fu Qingyang had only brought Zhang Yuanqing along, whose role was simply to inquire about the spirit matter. This man seemed to possess boundless confidence—capable of solving any issue on his own, capable of defeating any adversary single-handedly. His calmness and detachment remained constant on his face. After the injustice of the Celestial Way had been addressed, the incident involving Bing Ge would be quietly buried. His trusted subordinate's death would surely cause the Black Immortal to be alarmed and vigilant, but he would not dwell on Bing Ge's matter, since it was merely a request from the Night Rose. Even if curious, he would surely set that curiosity aside. However, once could be concealed, but not twice. It had to be resolved soon, and the matter had to be concluded promptly, or else he would be plagued with anxiety. Zhang Yuanqing gazed out the window at the scenery receding behind, allowing his thoughts to drift. A business sedan raced through the quiet streets at night, slowing down within half an hour before finally coming to a stop by a small river. The river meandered, with a park on its left and a broad avenue on its right; there were no residential buildings nearby. At this hour, aside from occasional vehicles passing by, the surroundings were exceptionally serene. In the deep night, a stone arch bridge stood distant. The electric car doors opened, and Fu Qingyang, dressed in a crisp white suit, stepped out and said softly, "Stay here and wait for my call." With that, he walked into the night, his white silhouette gradually fading into the distance. At that moment, his ear twitched, and he heard a soft, steady footfall approaching—slow and unhurried. It had come... The Celestial Way, unjust and patient, waited quietly for the footsteps to draw near, then chuckled: "Your performance has been commendable. When Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun passed away, did the Five-Element Alliance not jump into a frenzy? Especially Fu Qingyang—Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun was his official envoy under his command. Because of his incompetence, he lost a member with immense potential. The Council of Elders would surely hold him accountable. Yet he would inevitably be left in a state of helpless rage." With the powerful spirit creature giving it their full might—just as he thought this, he saw Fu Qingyang lift his hand and curve his fingers, lightly tapping them. The celestial mandate grew dim, and the world plunged into boundless darkness. Fu Qingyang pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed Zhang Yuanqing’s number: "Come on, ask Ling!"