Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Embryo (The Plane Will Exerts Its Power Again!)

Shrek City, office of the Vice President of the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce.

A gray demiplane gateway opened soundlessly, and Kong Ming'an and Meng Hongchen, both dressed in white casual clothes, emerged one after the other.

Ju Zi, who had been bent over her desk handling documents, looked up. Her Chestnut Hair slipped over her shoulder, and when she saw the visitors, her eyes froze slightly before a gentle yet professional smile appeared on her face.

Rising to her feet, Ju Zi respectfully bowed slightly. Her fitted uniform tightened subtly with the movement, outlining the full curve of her chest. In a respectful tone, she softly said:

"President, you're here."

Then Ju Zi straightened and turned her gaze toward Meng Hongchen behind Kong Ming'an, bowing slightly once more. "Miss Meng, it's been a long time."

"It's been a long time, Sister Ju Zi." Meng Hongchen greeted her, while recalling Ju Zi's earlier movements. Her sharp intuition told her that Ju Zi's actions had definitely not been unintentional.

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Miss Meng shifted a little, casually exposing the hands she and Ming were holding.

In a familiar tone, she asked:

"Still busy, Sister Ju Zi?"

"It's simply part of my duties." Ju Zi replied softly, her tone remaining as gentle as before, seemingly unchanged in any way.

As usual, she took out the folder beside her and looked at Kong Ming'an. "President, do you need me to report on the Merchant Guild's recent situation?"

"No need. Meng and I are just out for a stroll."

Kong Ming'an spoke calmly, though he noticed the traces of weariness around Ju Zi's eyes. "Has work been busy lately?"

Ju Zi paused before explaining, "...Heaven Dou City will be hosting the next Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament. The Heavenly Soul Royal Family has shown goodwill toward the Merchant Guild and transferred part of the tournament-related business to us.

"Because it involves the Heavenly Soul Royal Family, there are rather a lot of transfer matters that need my review, so it took a little more time."

"I see..."

Understanding, Kong Ming'an thought for a moment before taking a small bottle of emerald green liquid radiating pure life energy from his Soul Guide Storage Ring and placing it on the desk.

"Life Essence. It can ease physical fatigue, but as for mental exhaustion... I still suggest getting some sleep and resting."

Ju Zi stared at the Life Essence on the table for quite some time before speaking with inexplicable difficulty. "...Thank you, President."

"Consider it an employee benefit."

Kong Ming'an smiled. "Meng and I will head out now. Take your time, Sister Ju Zi."

"...Yes, President."

Ju Zi wore her usual gentle smile as she watched the two leave the office. Yet once the door closed, her gaze unconsciously fell upon that small bottle of Life Essence on the desk.

Pressing her lips together, Ju Zi's eyes darkened uncertainly, as though she did not know what she was thinking.

"You're pretty good to your employees, huh? You even give them things directly?"

That was a strong whiff of jealousy...

Kong Ming'an glanced at Miss Meng beside him in slight surprise, then shook his head.

"I just don't want to exploit my employees."

"Tch..."

Miss Meng clicked her tongue softly. She believed that Ming truly had no other intentions for the moment and was genuinely just concerned for his employee.

But... he had promised Ju Zi revenge and given her power, then given her value and established a new spiritual anchor for her...

After all that, if it were her, she probably would not be able to help developing other thoughts, right? Especially when Ming was so good-looking...

At this rate... she felt that she might have quite a few rivals in the future.

Miss Meng sank into troubled thought.

A short while later, the two walked side by side out of the Merchant Guild building and blended into Shrek City's bustling crowds.

Meng Hongchen temporarily set aside her worries. It had been a long-awaited outing, after all, so she should relax and enjoy herself first.

Miss Meng wandered around looking here and there, sometimes stopping before a stall selling little trinkets, sometimes having her attention drawn by street performances from Soul Masters.

After all, this was Shrek City. In terms of prosperity and cultural heritage alone, it was unquestionably number one in Douluo.

Kong Ming'an walked beside her, occasionally sweeping his gaze around as he observed the city as well.

But at one particular moment, his gaze happened to pass over the window of a private room in a teahouse across the street, meeting a pair of cool eyes tinged with faint exhaustion.

It was Zhang Lexuan.

She held a cup of clear tea in her hand and looked toward the restaurant opposite the teahouse, as though observing something.

Their gazes met briefly in the air. Kong Ming'an froze slightly, then politely nodded to her with a faint smile, considering it a greeting.

Then he naturally withdrew his gaze and walked away with Meng Hongchen, who was pointing toward a sugar painting stall in the distance and saying something.

By the teahouse window, Zhang Lexuan's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.

That handsome youth... she remembered seeing him at the Merchant Guild entrance last time. Back then, there had been another little girl with purple hair by his side. Why had he switched to another little girl with silver hair this time? Had he changed that quickly?

Zhang Lexuan frowned slightly, but soon shook her head and cast this insignificant interruption from her mind.

Shrek City was neither particularly large nor particularly small. Besides, that youth was far too conspicuous to overlook. It must have... simply been a coincidence.

She drained the slightly cool tea in her cup and turned her gaze back toward the restaurant below.

She was here today because she had discovered that someone in the Shrek Outer Court Logistics Department was selling Academy resources privately, and now she was waiting to catch them in the act.

Looking somewhat tired, she gently rubbed the space between her brows, forcing herself to wake up a little.

She simply could not understand why there was so much filth hidden within Shrek. But it was fine... she would definitely make Shrek better. She definitely could...

Zhang Lexuan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and pulled herself together once more.

"Some things are rotten to the core. How could it possibly be so easy to cure them?"

Kong Ming'an murmured softly, feeling a little sympathy for his nominal older cousin.

Trying to save a great tree whose roots had already rotted away, one careless step might leave her battered and bruised by falling branches.

And at that time, whether it was the tree itself or the people standing by with folded arms, they would still say that the person treating the tree was at fault. They would say she insisted on treating it, only to end up killing it.

The despair that surged forth then would be enough to swallow anyone whole.

Shaking his head, Kong Ming'an withdrew his attention and did not continue thinking about it. Today, he was accompanying Miss Meng for some fun. Everything else could be set aside for now.

Their outing through Shrek City ended in a relaxed yet subtle atmosphere.

After returning to the Mingmeng Chamber of Commerce headquarters, they were about to return to Mingdu through the demiplane. However, before the gateway could open, Ju Zi pushed the door open and entered, her face carrying a hint of urgency unlike her usual work reports.

"President," she first saluted Kong Ming'an, then nodded to Meng Hongchen before hurriedly speaking.

"President, my subordinates have reported that we found something from the list you previously asked us to search for."

"Something from the list?" Kong Ming'an raised a brow. He had indeed given Ju Zi a list containing various treasures that had appeared in the Original Work.

For example, treasures such as the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone that had appeared at the auction and the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow from Earth Dragon Gate had both been on that list.

But... judging by Ju Zi's expression, this did not seem to be an ordinary item?

"Yes." Ju Zi took a deep breath, her voice softer but every word clear. "At our branch headquarters in Star Luo City... we purchased a 'Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Embryo.'"

Kong Ming'an's hand, which had been about to lift his teacup, froze in midair.

Wait...

What the hell?

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Embryo?!