“Forget about borrowing money, forget about borrowing props, forget about borrowing materials, forget about borrowing guides!” Zhang Yuanqing blocked all avenues of approach in one breath, then said with a genial expression, “My dear gang member, Asano Ryō, how can I help you?”

Suddenly subjected to this cold treatment, Asano Ryō was embarrassed to speak for a long time. After a good while, she said with some grievance and nervousness, “It’s like this. A few days ago, a traitor emerged from within the Chizuru-gumi. He stole a treasure from the organization and escaped during the Chizuru-gumi’s siege, and has infiltrated China.

“The Chizuru-gumi would like to ask Yuan Shi-jun for help in capturing him. If successful, we will pay a reward of 100 million yen, but there is one condition: this matter must not be leaked, including to the Five Elements Alliance.”

*This is me taking on a private job ah.* One hundred million yen is about five million RMB. The reward from the Hundred Flowers Brothel hasn’t come down yet, and I’m short on money recently!

Zhang Yuanqing didn’t immediately agree, because he sensed something was off. He asked, “It seems that the traitor who infiltrated the mainland has some secrets. I can understand you not trusting the Five Elements Alliance, but why ask me for help? You could completely request the Punisher organization, especially Agent Pat, to secretly capture him.

“With the Punisher organization’s capabilities, they can get things done even in another country’s territory. Even if it’s exposed, the Punisher is so powerful that you don’t have to worry about the secret being revealed. The Five Elements Alliance might even help.”

All the world’s orderly organizations are in a relationship of competition and cooperation.

The Five Elements Alliance and the Punisher, although they appear outwardly estranged due to political issues, can easily form an alliance if there is external pressure.

If the Punisher organization sends Agent Pat to capture him, the Five Elements Alliance might not interfere, at most asking about the situation and sending people to supervise.

Asano Ryō didn’t answer, but covered the microphone and said in a low voice, “Mori-sen?” After a dozen seconds, a girl’s light, pleasant voice sounded:

“Yuan Shi-jun, we believe you are a warrior with noble character. It’s like this, the thing that the traitor stole is of vital importance to the Chizuru-gumi. The Chizuru-gumi doesn’t want the Punisher organization to know about this.”

After a pause, she said urgently, “If you agree to help, I will fly to the mainland tomorrow morning to discuss it with you in person. Before that, I hope you will keep tonight’s call confidential.”

*Of vital importance to the Chizuru-gumi, but they don’t want the Punisher to know…* Zhang Yuanqing pondered and said, “Before you come, you need to make some preparations. Bring the traitor’s information, bloodstains, fingernails, and other things containing DNA. At the same time, you need to convey my words to your superiors: I must know everything and understand the risks involved, otherwise I won’t help you.”

There was silence on the other end, as if the microphone had been covered. A few seconds later, Asano Ryō said, “Understood.”

The call ended. Zhang Yuanqing held his phone, frowning in thought.

The risk he had to bear in this matter didn’t come from the traitor, after all, China was the Five Elements Alliance’s territory. The real risk he had to bear was—the danger from the Chizuru-gumi or the Punisher organization.

Let’s make a bold assumption: the so-called traitor is just a trap, and doesn’t actually exist. The purpose is to secretly lure out Yuan Shi Tianzun!

Then Asano Ryō smashes the glass as a signal, and three hundred ax-wielding executioners from the Chizuru-gumi and the Punisher organization swarm out, and chop the Five Elements Alliance’s peerless genius Yuan Shi Tianzun to death beneath her pomegranate skirt.

Although this possibility isn’t very high, he had to guard against it.

*Ask Guan Ya. The Fu family is both a local Lingjing family and has inextricable ties with the Punisher organization. With her vision and knowledge, if there really is something fishy, she should be able to detect it before I do.*

Zhang Yuanqing’s body transformed into dreamlike starlight and disappeared from the room. In the next second, he teleported to Guan Ya’s room.

The room, filled with constellation ornaments, dolls, and stickers, was empty. The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom.

A t-shirt, shorts, and underwear were scattered on the bed.

*Is the old driver taking a shower? Hehe, let’s shower together!* Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly took off his pants. At this moment, the sound of water in the bathroom stopped, and Guan Ya’s voice came from inside:

“Who is it? Yuan Shi?!”

Immediately afterward, the tall, voluptuous old driver came out wrapped in a bath towel, her wet hair wrapped in a towel, her charming, sharp oval face rosy.

The old driver stood at the bathroom door, looking at Zhang Yuanqing, who had stripped down to his underwear, with a squint similar to an emoji, and scolded, “What do you want to do?!”

“Ah, you’re done washing? Why didn’t you wait for me?” Zhang Yuanqing put on his pants without blushing or skipping a beat, covering up the towering tent.

The old driver sized him up, walked to the desk, pulled out the ergonomic chair, and sat down. She said, “What’s wrong?”

Zhang Yuanqing didn’t hide his inner thoughts; insight could see his 'thoughts'. “I have something to discuss with you!”

While putting on his clothes, he told Guan Ya about Asano Ryō’s call for help.

Guan Ya crossed her long legs, folded her arms, leaned back in the chair, and furrowed her long, straight eyebrows. She slowly said, “The Chizuru-gumi has always been a vassal of the Punisher organization, and on the surface, they are the most loyal lackeys. However, no one in the world is willing to be a lackey. As far as I know, the current head of the Chizuru-gumi, Kōbe Ichirō, is ambitious and unlike the previous heads, who were willing to be obsequious. He has always wanted to strengthen the Chizuru-gumi and gain more say.”

Zhang Yuanqing nodded. “So this matter is completely reasonable in terms of motivation.” Guan Ya gave an 'mm' sound.

“As for the motive to harm you, although the Punisher organization is domineering, they are unlikely to actively hunt you down if there is no conflict of interest. The Chizuru-gumi has even less reason to do so.

“However, be careful in everything. You can ask Asano Ryō to come to Fu Jiawan for a face-to-face discussion. This way, we have enough control and won’t be afraid of accidents. Also, I can listen in. If she lies, I can tell.

“When handling the matter, remember to use Astrology and the Great Luo Star Plate to deduce. If you’re still not at ease, have Fu Qingyang or Lingjun secretly protect you.”

Zhang Yuanqing went over her words in his mind and nodded in agreement. “That’s what I was thinking too. Then let’s decide on that.”

He first sent Asano Ryō a text message: 'Face-to-face meeting tomorrow morning.'

Then he pulled Guan Ya up from the desk, threw her on the bed, and pressed his strong body on top of her.

Guan Ya hooked her long legs around him, tightly clamping him. With their bodies pressed together, Zhang Yuanqing was unable to move.

Guan Ya chuckled. “You move, then.”

Locked in place, Zhang Yuanqing helplessly said, “Guan Ya-jie, it’s not good for you to always tease me like this. Aren’t you afraid I’ll cheat?” “Not afraid. If you cheat, I’ll be able to tell right away.” Guan Ya was full of confidence.

Because everything was under her insight, she tolerated Xie Lingxi and the Queen’s various antics. Zhang Yuanqing was a little angry. “I’m going back to sleep!”

But Guan Ya didn’t let go, hooking her long legs around him even more forcefully, hugging his head to her chest, and said with a smile, “Are you angry??”

“No.”

Guan Ya thought for a while and said, “When you reach level six, I’ll take you back to the Fu family.” Before Zhang Yuanqing could speak, she sighed, “To the Fu family, level four is not enough. My mom definitely won’t like you, and some people in the Fu family might not want to see us doing well. I don’t want you to be humiliated for nothing.

“When you reach level six and have the same combat power as Fu Qingyang, the Fu family won’t object. If anyone with no sense jumps out, you can just suppress them directly.”

Zhang Yuanqing thought for a while and said, “But my head hurts a lot now.” “And then???”

Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing returned to his room satisfied, took a shower, changed into pajamas, thought for a while, then took out the Mao Wang speaker, entered Night Wander, and said in a low voice, “I want to know the Demon Lord’s real identity.”

After speaking, he canceled Night Wander and played music on his phone.

When a song ended, static came from the Mao Wang speaker’s speakers.

Zhang Yuanqing concentrated, waited and waited, and waited and waited, and found that there was no information other than static.

*Is there no information, or is it unwilling to tell me?* Zhang Yuanqing slapped the Mao Wang speaker, put it in his newly bought fanny pack, and stuffed it back into the drawer.

The next day at nine o’clock.

After eating breakfast, Zhang Yuanqing received a call from Asano Ryō, saying that she had arrived at the entrance of the Fu Jiawan villa. He immediately called the gatekeeper and asked to let her in.

A few minutes later, a stretched black car slowly parked outside the small villa.

The car door opened, Asano Ryō stepped out of the car, looked around the courtyard, and saw the long-absent Yuan Shi Tianzun. He was as handsome as ever, his temperament possessing both the star official’s lofty mystery and the Night Wanderer’s evil nobility.

Asano Ryō’s beautiful face bloomed with a pure and sweet smile. She trotted into the courtyard, crossed her hands over her abdomen, and bowed deeply, “Yuan Shi-jun.”

Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized the island nation girl. She was wearing a girlish white dress, simple and refreshing, Mori-kei style, with square-toed leather shoes and knee-high socks.

A red bow was pinned to her waterfall-like hair, and she was carrying a small leather bag. “Just you alone??” Zhang Yuanqing asked with a smile.

“Because the teacher and the head have different identities and are watched by all sides, it is inconvenient for them to come, so I was entrusted to visit Yuan Shi-jun.” Asano Ryō seemed to remember something, and hurriedly turned around, beckoning the driver to take out large and small bags of gifts from the trunk.

“I brought island nation specialties for Yuan Shi-jun,” she said earnestly.

It could be seen that she was trying hard to socialize and maintain the image of a 'Chizuru-gumi representative'. “Let’s go inside first.”

Zhang Yuanqing nodded, leading Asano Ryō into the screening room. After instructing the Queen to serve tea and water, the soundproofed screening room was left with only three people!

“She’s my girlfriend. You’ve seen her in the Killing Instance. No need to introduce her,” Zhang Yuanqing said.

Asano Ryō naturally recognized Guan Ya. Hearing that she was Yuan Shi-jun’s girlfriend, she breathed a sigh of relief, because a girlfriend meant someone on their side.

“I didn’t report your matter to the Five Elements Alliance. Now, I want to hear the specifics,” Zhang Yuanqing said straightforwardly.

Asano Ryō paused for a moment, and said, “The traitor is the vice head of the Chizuru-gumi, whose Lingjing ID is Edo Swordsman, a level 5 Swordsman. He stole a very important item. It’s the key to entering Takamagahara.”

“What is Takamagahara?” Zhang Yuanqing felt that it sounded familiar. Asano Ryō straightened her back and explained earnestly, “Takamagahara is the heavenly world where the gods live in island nation mythology, ruled by the supreme Amaterasu Ōmikami. Yuan Shi-jun knows that ancient myths are more or less related to Lingjing Xingzhe.”

Zhang Yuanqing nodded without interrupting. Asano Ryō said softly, “Since the birth of Lingjing Xingzhe, the Chizuru-gumi has been researching ancient myths. We found that the so-called Takamagahara is likely to be the gathering place of ancient espers.

“They ruled ordinary people from above, and divided ancient island nation society into three levels: 'Takamagahara', 'Ashihara no Nakatsukuni', and 'Yomi-no-Kuni'!

“Among them, Takamagahara is the most mysterious. It is a place where only espers can enter and live. Over the past hundred years, the Chizuru-gumi has been searching for the location of Takamagahara. We have glimpsed from some unofficial histories, official histories, and Chinese materials that Takamagahara may be a Lingjing. This is not a guess, there is actual evidence.”

She thought for a while, and shook her head.

“It’s not correct to explain it with Lingjing. It should be a blessed land established by ancient cultivators, which requires specific means to enter. If we can enter Takamagahara, we may be able to obtain the legendary Three Sacred Treasures.”

“You are absolutely certain that Takamagahara is real? What evidence is there?” Zhang Yuanqing asked. Asano Ryō nodded vigorously.

“Ten years after the end of World War II, the island nation government unearthed a jade from an ancient tomb. At first, everyone thought it was an ordinary cultural relic until a high-level member of the Chizuru-gumi saw it and discovered that the pattern on it was exactly the same as the emblem of Takamagahara recorded in the records.”

As she spoke, she opened her small leather bag and took out a document.

The document depicted a round jade the size of a bowl, engraved with beautiful flames and cloud patterns. In the center was a totem: a black bird resembling a swallow flapping its wings and flying high, with two eggs falling behind its forked tail!

The totem was extremely abstract and full of the charm of ancient civilization. At this moment, Guan Ya, who had been observing all along, gave a light “Eh” sound.

“I’ve seen this totem before, at the Qin Feng Academy.”

Chapter 1 The Beginning