Realm Walker

Chapter 88: Face to Face

Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback. Wait. She wants to meet me?

He had assumed the Palace Master of Slaughter Cessation Palace would make contact through a phone call at most. A phone call would have already made him uneasy, let alone a face to face meeting.

Everyone in Slaughter Cessation Palace is a radical extremist... The Palace Master is batshit crazy... At the peak of Saint-tier...

With these thoughts flickering through his mind, Zhang Yuanqing blurted out, "No, that's against the rules! I have no desire to meet your Palace Master. Keeping our distance is better for everyone."

What did he mean by batshit crazy? In his mind, one moment she was cooing "I love you so much, big brother," and the next she was pulling out a cleaver to hack off said brother's head so they could drift across the ocean together. Zhang Yuanqing considered himself a skilled socializer, but yanderes and psychopaths were beyond his ability to handle. His instincts screamed at him to avoid that type of person entirely.

A Chinese Odyssey hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

—The Palace Master said that you have to meet her in person if you want to know the Xiahou family's secret. She won't discuss it over the phone, and she definitely won't put it in a message. Also, you have to come alone.

A secret related to the Xiahou family, and one that required a face-to-face meeting. That meant it carried serious weight. Zhang Yuanqing fell into a contemplative silence. Noticing Yuanshi Tianzun had gone quiet, A Chinese Odyssey spoke up again.

—Our Palace Master has heard about your exploits. She admires you greatly.

Being admired by a psychopath is never a good thing, Zhang Yuanqing grumbled to himself. He weighed his options for a moment, then said, "Fine. When and where?"

A Chinese Odyssey let out a breath of relief and replied immediately.

—The Palace Master says to meet at the café across from the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau.

She's expressing goodwill, Zhang Yuanqing observed as he nodded and replied, "No problem."

He desperately needed leverage against the Xiahou family, and missing this opportunity would be too great a waste.

Though he privately derided the Palace Master as a lunatic, Zhang Yuanqing recognized that for the time being, Slaughter Cessation Palace was a friend, not a foe. And with the Wang Qian incident, they actually owed him a favor.

***

It was half past four in the morning. The streets stretched out empty and cold, the down yellow glow of street lamps spilling along the road into the distance.

As he neared the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out his phone and used the screen as a mirror, examining his features under the lamplight. They were rather ordinary features, with a slightly stiff expression.

He had disguised himself as Wang Tai.

Wang Tai's face just feels so much safer, he reasoned. My real appearance is far too handsome, far too eye-catching.

He pocketed the phone and walked toward the bureau building, his footsteps echoing down the deserted street. Three minutes later, he spotted the café across from the bureau in the distance, its door open, warm light spilling out.

Zhang Yuanqing lingered at the entrance for a moment, then steeled himself and walked in.

The interior was completely empty. There was not a single person in sight.

Where is she? he wondered. Isn't she here yet?

He glanced around the room and picked a random seat. The moment he sat down, a laugh like silver bells tickled his ear.

"Wang Qian told me you were good looking, but I think you're pretty average. He lied to me. When I get back, I'm going to string him up and beat him."

Zhang Yuanqing's spine went rigid in an instant, then slowly relaxed. He turned his head to look.

Two tables away, a striking figure in red had appeared at some point. She wore a magnificent Han-dynasty palace gown in deep crimson. Its bodice, hem, and flowing sleeves were embroidered with cloud and dragon patterns in gold thread, and the red skirt, slit at the calves, trailed along the floor. She lounged lazily against her chair with one leg crossed over the other, barefoot, displaying her flawless snow-white feet. A golden anklet encircled one delicate, shapely ankle.

She wore a silver mask, and beneath it, a pair of vivid, beautiful eyes studied Zhang Yuanqing with keen interest.

Bewitching. Uninhibited. Noble. Regal. In a single glance, Zhang Yuanqing saw a dozen different qualities layered upon her.

Those are some very nice legs! He decided, stealing a few glances, though he didn't dare look too long. Testing the waters, he ventured, "Palace Master?"

The beautiful eyes beneath the mask curved slightly in an acknowledging smile. "I've heard about what you've done. Thank you for helping Slaughter Cessation Palace. For that, I can grant you one request, within reason and within my ability, of course."

She rested her chin on one hand, smiling with an almost dreamy amusement.

How about three? Zhang Yuanqing thought inwardly, though he nodded with measured composure. "Thank you! I heard from A Chinese Odyssey that you've been running dungeons these past two days, which is why you haven't dealt with the Xiahou family."

The red gowned Palace Master gave a slight nod. "I've just advanced to the Sovereign tier."

Holy shit, Sovereign?! Zhang Yuanqing immediately offered congratulations. "Should I shout 'Long live the Palace Master! May she reign for ten thousand years and unite the martial world'?"

The woman in red giggled. "I'd rather peel your face off and see what you really look like."

She can tell I'm in disguise? And "peel my face off?" Yep, she's definitely insane...

Under normal circumstances, he would have said, "It would be my honor," but he didn't dare this time, since he was terribly afraid the woman might actually do it.

Zhang Yuanqing put on a serious expression. "Xiahou Tianyuan is finished, but Xiahou Xin and Xiahou Chi are still out there. What can I do for you, Palace Master?"

Speech was an art form. The Palace Master of Slaughter Cessation Palace considered this for a few seconds, then spoke in measured tones, "You're close with that girl Xie Lingxi. You should know my identity, then."

Zhang Yuanqing nodded.

The Palace Master's lips curled beneath her mask. "Hah. So she really did tell an outsider about my background. I'm going to strip her naked, string her up, and beat her."

Wait... Did I just accidentally get Xie Lingxi in trouble? Zhang Yuanqing froze, completely blindsided by the sudden turn in conversation. He was having trouble keeping up with this woman's train of thought.

The Palace Master continued speaking in her bell-like voice, "Twenty one years ago, the Chu family, one of the Three Musician Clans, was ambushed by the Bing Zhu Sect. Their core members were annihilated. Only the ordinary clansmen managed to escape. I was still a child then, not yet a Spirit Realm Walker. Under my clansmen's protection, I barely survived.

"The reasons behind the Chu family's destruction were complex, so I won't go into detail. My clansmen brought me to Songhai to settle down. After I came of age, I obtained a Character Card and became a Spirit Realm Walker. I began secretly investigating the truth behind the Chu family's downfall. After years of effort, I finally uncovered something. I discovered that during the incident, a hidden power had been orchestrating everything from the shadows."

"What kind of power?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Have you ever heard of Dark Rose?"

Dark Rose?! Zhang Yuanqing's heart lurched. "I have."

Behind the silver mask, those exquisite eyes flickered with a trace of surprise before curving in a smile. "You know far too much for a newcomer."

Geniuses are always special, Zhang Yuanqing lauded himself in silent self-praise, but he didn't dare engage the Palace Master in casual banter. What if she said something like, "I love geniuses, so I've decided to peel your face off?"

The Palace Master's smile faded. Her gaze drifted toward the cashier's counter, and her voice went calm and flat. "Dark Rose is a covert organization. Very few people know it exists. But through my investigation, I've discovered that it has infiltrated deep into the major noble Spirit Realm families and official organizations alike.

"Many of those who hold high positions in the government are secretly Dark Rose operatives. This includes Xiahou Chi's branch of the family. My investigation only reaches as far as Xiahou Chi. Whether or not the Xiahou family's Council of Elders has ties to Dark Rose, I can't say."

As her words sank in, Zhang Yuanqing felt a flash of clarity ignite in his mind. The pieces finally fell into place, linking cause to effect in a chain he could trace from beginning to end.

"You nearly killed Xiahou Tianwen because you were investigating Dark Rose. Xiahou Chi traveled all the way to Songhai ostensibly to avenge his grandson, but in reality, he's come to silence you."

That would explain why the Xiahou family had been so aggressive and overbearing during the Slaughter Cessation Palace incident.

"Clever boy," The Palace Master murmured in acknowledgement.

"Then why didn't you report this to the Five Elements Alliance?"

"I don't trust the officials," she declared with a shake of her head. "How do you know the person you trust isn't a Dark Rose operative? I might be willing to meet directly with Songhai's Five Elders, but I have no way to reach them. Xiahou Chi isn't worth worrying about, but I have to guard against any attempt by Dark Rose to silence me."

Zhang Yuanqing thought for a few seconds. "You're telling me all this because you want me to report it up the chain?"

The Palace Master laughed. "You're a newcomer, and your record is clean. So I'm giving you the information. What you do with it after that is your business. I don't need to use you to bring down the Xiahou family. As I am now, I could crush Xiahou Chi with a flick of my wrist."

"Do you know Fu Qingyang?" Zhang Yuanqing probed, testing the waters.

"Not well." The eyes behind the silver mask turned toward him. "You want to tell him about this?"

She paused for a few seconds to think, then continued, "Half the Fu family's people are overseas. Fu Qingyang himself grew up abroad."

So she's inclined to trust Fu Qingyang. Zhang Yuanqing nodded, then his thoughts raced onward. The Palace Master was also investigating Dark Rose, and Dark Rose was preparing to make contact with Black Wuchang. If he could convert this woman into an informant, his plan to track down Black Wuchang and obtain the Registry would go much more smoothly.

After a moment's pause, he said, "I have a piece of intelligence about Dark Rose. Are you interested?"

At those words, the Palace Master straightened sharply, sitting upright. She stared at Zhang Yuanqing with a hint of surprise. "What kind of intelligence?"

"Not long ago, I participated in the operation to hunt down one of Black Wuchang's subordinates. You know about the Black Wuchang case, right?"

When the Palace Master nodded, he continued, "From the memories of the Hex Master we captured, I discovered that the reason Black Wuchang has been hiding in Songhai. He's waiting for the leader of Dark Rose."

As the words left his mouth, he faintly sensed the Palace Master's breathing quicken. "The leader of Dark Rose is coming to Songhai?" she asked, though her voice betrayed no emotion.

"Yes," Zhang Yuanqing answered, pressing his advantage. "We can work together."

The Palace Master drew a deep breath, her tone settling back to its previous calm. "Very well. I'll investigate the Psychic Assembly's Hex Masters. If I find anything, I'll notify you. And if you uncover any leads on Dark Rose, contact Wang Qian."

"Understood," Zhang Yuanqing replied, then allowed himself a smile.

After a stretch of silence, the Palace Master spoke. "If there's nothing else, we'll wrap up for today."

Zhang Yuanqing rose and took his leave. He walked out of the café, took a few steps forward, then couldn't resist glancing back over his shoulder.

The café door was locked tight. The interior, visible through the floor-to ceiling-windows, was pitch black. The place clearly hadn't been open for business at all. Everything that had just happened might as well have been a hallucination.

"In a horror novel, this would be a textbook example of 'I've just seen a ghost,'" Zhang Yuanqing muttered under his breath.

At least the Palace Master, while a bit eccentric, wasn't as yandere or as insane as the rumors suggested. Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself with that thought.

He continued walking, replaying the entire conversation in meticulous detail and trying to sort out his thoughts.

So Xiahou Chi's branch of the family has been secretly colluding with Dark Rose. This is enough to put the final nail in the coffin for Xiahou Xin and his father. And they must know something about Dark Rose, like the members of the organization and so on.

Black Wuchang is hiding in Songhai like a turtle in its shell, nearly impossible to find. But if I can trace the Dark Rose connection, maybe I can find a breakthrough.

I need to report this to Fu Qingyang.

Zhang Yuanqing still trusted him, more or less. For one thing, the centurion had already learned about Dark Rose's existence during the Rampaging Recklessly incident. If Fu Qingyang were a Dark Rose operative, he wouldn't have helped with the Xiahou Tianyuan affair. If anything, he would have used the opportunity to quietly eliminate a subordinate who knew about Dark Rose.

More importantly, the highest ranking official leader Zhang Yuanqing could actually reach was Fu Qingyang. Therefore, there was simply no other option.

He surveyed his surroundings. The streets were deserted. He quietly pulled out his phone and dialed Fu Qingyang's number.