Crisis—Labyrinth Forest

The maximum party size was twenty-four, exactly matching the quota for Saints. After listening to the quest prompt chime, Zhang Yuanqing swept his gaze across the Spirit Realm walkers gathered around him—Jiang Jingwei, World Returns to Fire, Tone-Deaf, Long Live the White Tiger... thirteen people in all. Clearly, this group had remained behind waiting to team up with him. "Where are the others?" Zhang Yuanqing asked casually. "Went with Zhao Chenghuang." Leaning against a tree trunk with a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, World Returns to Fire said, "You can't put all your eggs in one basket. Once you join the team and see the side quest, you'll understand why the more dispersed we are, the better." As they spoke, the quest prompt chimed again: [Ding! World Returns to Fire has invited you to join the team.] [Ding! You have completed team formation. Side quest refreshed.] [Side Quest 3: The Tragic Mountain God.] [Quest Description: Long, long ago, a powerful evil cultivator infiltrated a human city, unleashing a catastrophe. To contain the spread of the disaster and trap the powerful evil cultivator, a Mountain God meditating in seclusion nearby sacrificed himself, gathering the essence of the surrounding mountains, rivers, plants, and trees to form a forest. This cut off the city's connection to the outside world, trapping the powerful evil cultivator and his minions inside. The Mountain God's will transformed into a troop of monkeys, his flesh and blood solidified into lofty peaks, and his hair grew into a lush forest. In memory of the Mountain God, the monkeys built a Mountain God Temple atop the summit and enshrined the Mountain God Scepter within it. Legend has it that whoever obtains the Mountain God Scepter shall gain the Mountain God's authority. Inheriting the Mountain God's legacy, the spirits of the mountain silently guard it. For countless ages, the evil cultivator has continuously dispatched minions to seek the location of the Mountain God Temple, attempting to seize the scepter and escape the Lost City. Not long ago, a band of villains entered the forest, slaughtering the monkeys and tree demons and becoming minions of the evil cultivator. Young warriors, please assist the spirits of the mountain and protect the scepter within the temple.] [Quest Requirement: The Mountain God Temple opens periodically, remaining accessible for 60 minutes each time. Please travel along the mountain trails to reach the Mountain God Temple, protect the scepter, and permit no one to enter the temple.] [Remark: There are three paths leading to the summit. Over the years, the evil cultivator's power has seeped into the forest, tangling and contending with the Mountain God's power and causing mutations in the woods. Each mountain trail harbors distinct dangers. Please stay safe.] After reading the quest briefing, Zhang Yuanqing gained a deeper understanding of the precautions from the outer forest. No wonder the tree demons actively bewitched newcomers, and the monkeys attacked Spirit Realm walkers indiscriminately; their duty was to guard the mountain forest, and all outsiders were enemies to them. Additionally, the inedible fruits and the hikers with whom one could not converse or make eye contact were presumably abominations spawned when the evil cultivator's power contaminated the forest. This accounted for the contradictions in the rules on the signboards. He also understood why the more dispersed the teams were, the better. If everyone clustered onto a single mountain trail, aside from the team size restriction, a single wipeout would mean game over for the entire orthodox faction. "Hiss—" Zhang Yuanqing drew a sharp breath, his expression grave. "The second stage is dangerous. Extremely dangerous." World Returns to Fire chuckled. "How so?" Zhang Yuanqing swept his eyes over the crowd. "The information provided is far too detailed. There's almost no need for Spirit Realm walkers to deduce or investigate anything. That means the difficulty of this stage is entirely concentrated on the physical hazards of ascending the mountain. "Everyone, Saint-stage power lurks everywhere in this trial. I'll state this up front: I have no guarantee of keeping you all safe." The corner of World Returns to Fire's mouth curled up as he looked at the others. "Just like I told you. The dangers of this trial should all be on the mountain paths." The expressions of the crowd tightened slightly. Among them, Long Live the White Tiger laughed. "Yuanshi Tianzun, you're carrying too much idol baggage! We're all seasoned Spirit Realm walkers. We know the risks of entering a trial, and none of us ever expected anyone else to be responsible for our lives. "Life and death are determined by fate, wealth and honor by heaven. The moment we stepped into a killing trial, we were prepared to make sacrifices. Teaming up with you is mainly to reduce the risks." Long Live the White Tiger was a hearty young man with balanced features—neither ugly nor handsome—and eyes bearing the sharp gaze unique to Scouts. His overall demeanor was crisp and battle-hardened, like a seasoned veteran of countless wars. Most Scouts possessed a military bearing. Every class had its distinct aura—such as Fire Specialists being irritable and crude, Night Wanderers being eerie and noble, Earth Monsters being simple and honest... The official Spirit Realm walkers nodded in agreement with Long Live the White Tiger. *Easy to say, but I still have to take responsibility for your lives. Being a leader and not being a leader are two completely different things...* Zhang Yuanqing exhaled and asked, "Did everyone memorize the maze map from the signboard?" Several Fire Specialists present shook their heads. Others replied, "Each of us memorized a portion. We can piece together a complete map." *That's good. In that case, I won't have to trigger 'Overclocking' mode...* Zhang Yuanqing let out a breath. "No time to lose. Let's climb." When he stayed at the Fujia Bay Villa, he had prepared the blue pills in advance, carrying a whole bottle of the little blue pills in his pocket at all times. The only item he had left behind in the outside world was the Elvis speaker. That prop was far too bizarre. If he used it in full public view, there was no guarantee someone wouldn't remember it and spread word. If the Demon Lord's old flames found out, it would become a massive liability. Although he had used the Elvis speaker in Yin-Yang Town, the only Five Elements Alliance members present then were Guan Ya and Queen. Guan Ya went without saying, and Queen was too far removed from the Demon Lord to know, nor would she leak his details without reason. While it remained a slight hidden danger, it wasn't a major issue. *** High and deep in the profound cosmos, countless stars formed a dazzling galaxy. The Dominators standing outside the Spirit Realm world were all gazing down upon the Transcendent-stage killing trial. Most of the time, they only cared about the intense clashes among the Saints. Even Fear Heavenly King and the female Grand Marshal, who had placed heavy bets, didn't pay overly close attention to the Transcendent walkers. After all, the Transcendent stage was too low in level. Even a peerless talent like Yuanshi Tianzun would merely become a Saint upon clearing the killing trial. He would still be a coiled dragon, not yet truly come into his own. Whereas if Saints took another step forward, they would become Dominators. Dominators were the pillars of any organization, feudal lords holding sway over territories, and prominent figures within the Spirit Realm world. The advantages a high-ranking Dominator could bring were incalculable. Take Fear Heavenly King, who could speak as an equal with the Alliance Chiefs—he was a peak Dominator. Of course, ordinary peak Dominators were not qualified to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Alliance Chiefs; Fear was a freak of nature and could not be judged by conventional logic. Yet in this killing trial, Fu Qingyang showed promise of becoming such a freak. Hence, the big figures watched with exceptional focus. It was only when Yuanshi Tianzun called for the official walkers to assemble that the top figures of both the orthodox and evil classes, including the female Grand Marshal, cast their gazes toward the primeval forest to observe the current situation of the Transcendent youngsters. "He truly is a sharp-witted young fellow. A pity the Fallen Holy Grail became a trophy of the Songhai branch." From beneath the tattered hood of the President of the Spirit Society's Central Branch came a hoarse, low voice. Although he named no names, all the big shots present knew whom he meant. "I wonder how his combat prowess measures up, though!" The Southern Sect Master, whose gender and form shifted incessantly, spoke in an ambiguous voice that sounded neither strictly male nor female. Though he was a genius of an opposing faction, these Spirit Realm walkers standing at the pinnacle possessed an instinctive appreciation for juniors skilled in cracking trials. Fear Heavenly King frowned, glancing sideways at the President of the Spirit Society's Central Branch. "The Fallen Holy Grail should never have existed in this world to begin with. It strips a person of their most fundamental freedom. It is a revolting evil artifact, and I detest it." On the Five Elements Alliance's side, a red-haired young man knitted his brows and said, "This World Returns to Fire not only lacks the spirit of a Fire Specialist, he doesn't even have a shred of collective pride for our class. If he becomes a Deacon, I'll send him right back to the training camp for a bout of psychological counseling. "To make him rediscover the pride and collective honor of being a Fire Specialist." *Forget it. It wasn't easy for the Fire Specialists to finally produce a strategic genius like Wolong...* Elder Dog and the others shook their heads. The female Grand Marshal stared at the vast primeval forest, her gaze piercing through layers of barriers as if scrutinizing something, her long, straight brows knitting slightly. She had seen that ring before. She had seen it on the Demon Lord. *** Not long after Zhang Yuanqing led the Five Elements Alliance members deeper into the forest, two figures darted out of the dense woods, racing toward the signboard. Leading the way was a youth with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. Though handsome, he possessed none of the delicate gentleness of a pretty boy; instead, he resembled an aggressive young pup. Trailing behind the little wolfdog was a chubby young man. "Boss, slow down..." The little fat man shouted as he gave chase. As an Illusionist, his speed and stamina were far inferior to those of a Bewitching Demon. Soon, Kou Beiyue pulled up beside the signboard, glancing around before finally fixing his eyes on several longan-sized red berries scattered on the ground. There were no similar fruits nearby, meaning someone had deliberately left them behind. Kou Beiyue had pondered it for a long time and deduced that these berries were very likely a message left for him by Yuanshi Tianzun. Yuanshi knew he was participating in the killing trial. While they couldn't openly acknowledge each other, Yuanshi wouldn't just leave him to fend for himself; he was bound to leave some obvious clues behind. Before entering the killing trial, Xiao Yuan had given him stern, repeated instructions: once inside the trial, he had to use his head more, especially where Yuanshi Tianzun was concerned. Yuanshi Tianzun would definitely leave messages for him. "There aren't any fruits like this nearby. There's definitely something fishy about them!" Kou Beiyue said with an air of profound wisdom. The chubby youth looked around, assessing the surroundings, and then stared at the berries for several seconds. He took out a ring woven from thin black vines, slipped it onto his finger, and walked over to a tree. After confirming it was just an ordinary tree rather than a tree demon, he pressed the ring to his lips and muttered an incantation. A few seconds later, the chubby youth said solemnly, "It tells me that earlier, that group of people went inside after eating the fruit." Kou Beiyue was overjoyed. "You can enter just by eating the fruit? Quick, let's split the berries! That way we don't have to risk fighting the boss and can smoothly enter the second stage." The chubby youth stared blankly at him, his expression turning stranger and stranger by the second. He had taken this guy as his boss because he saw that the youth wasn't particularly bright, was thin-skinned, and cared deeply about saving face. After some shameless pestering, he had successfully become his lackey. In truth, the chubby youth knew deep down that this blockhead of a boss likely wouldn't survive the killing trial. He would probably end up as the shortest-lived boss in his personal history. Especially when he saw his new boss mindlessly abandon the evil organization to chase after orthodox classes, he felt even more convinced of his deduction. What sane person would dare pull such a stunt? Wasn't he afraid of being rounded upon and humiliated by the orthodox walkers? Yet contrary to all expectations, the orthodox walkers had just happened to leave, and they had just happened to casually toss aside the leftover fruit. What seemed like a reckless, impulsive, brainless act had, by some uncanny twist of fate, neutralized a deadly crisis for his new boss. Could it be that this boss he had randomly picked up was actually a rare individual blessed with formidable luck? *Right, he's so foolish. If not for sheer luck watching over him, how could he have survived until now?* The chubby youth said solemnly, "Boss, you're right, but I wouldn't advise you to do that. "If you eat the fruit, you'll become part of the orthodox faction. The orthodox classes will hunt you, and those cold-blooded bastards will hunt you too. Caught in the crossfire, we wouldn't survive at all. "The best course of action is to return to the main force and raid the boss together." Kou Beiyue's brow furrowed as he listened. The Tree King was immensely powerful, and there was also the Monkey King. Raiding bosses was extremely perilous, and he certainly understood the wisdom of avoiding danger and seeking benefit. However, the chubby youth's analysis was spot on. Furthermore, if he could remain undercover within the evil faction, he could better gather intelligence and coordinate with Yuanshi Tianzun at crucial moments... *Then I'll just have to take the risk!* Kou Beiyue readily took the advice and gritted his teeth. "Fine! Then let's head back to take down the boss." No sooner had the words left his mouth than a Spirit Realm prompt chimed in both of their ears: [Ding! The Tree King has perished. Your faction has achieved victory, earning 30 points. Please assist the mountain ghosts in exterminating the monkey troop.] *The Tree King is dead? We don't even have to fight the boss...* The chubby youth stared at Kou Beiyue, his jaw dropping wider and wider. *** Led by Zhang Yuanqing, fifteen orthodox walkers traveled through the dense forest, pushing toward its deeper reaches. Night had deepened. Layers of canopies like giant umbrellas blocked out the moonlight, plunging the woods into pitch darkness. Led by the lone Night Wanderer, the group advanced at a steady pace. "The signboard in the central forest didn't forbid using fire. I believe we can light torches for illumination," World Returns to Fire called out. The crowd remained silent, waiting for Yuanshi Tianzun's verdict. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds before answering, "Go ahead!" The outer forest had its own side quest, and the central forest had its own. As far as things stood, the two did not overlap. The core of the central area was faction confrontation, so there was no possibility of alignments suddenly changing on the fly; otherwise, it would cause a bug in the trial logic. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* The Fire Specialists eagerly raised their arms, conjuring plumes of rising flame like torches to illuminate their surroundings and drive away the darkness. Everyone subconsciously relaxed, feeling a renewed sense of security. After trekking for about fifteen minutes, the group crested a ridge. Ahead lay a broad mountain col—a stretch of flat ground nestled between two ridges—where visibility opened up and vegetation thinned out. The night sky was clear, bathed in bright moonlight. In this desolate, wild expanse, absolute silence reigned, carrying an indescribable sense of dread. Within the col lay a small path leading into the dense forest of the opposite mountain range. Barring any surprises, this was the mountain trail mentioned in the side quest that led to the summit. Zhang Yuanqing halted and looked toward the peak on the other side of the col. "The summit over there should be where the Mountain God Temple is. Everyone, take a five-minute rest." At that moment, Guan Ya sidled up to Zhang Yuanqing and said with a teasing smile, "When did you swap in a new yin corpse? She's quite pretty. I've been eyeing her for half the day and couldn't spot a single flaw." "That's because she's got a surgically crafted face. How could she possibly compare to a natural beauty like Sister Guan Ya?" Zhang Yuanqing praised her first, then promptly threw Fu Qingyang under the bus, putting on an aggrieved look. "The Centurion prepared her for me. I didn't expect him to give me a yin corpse like this either. He even told me to please stay far away from Guan Ya in the future." Under the dim firelight, Guan Ya scrutinized Yuanshi Tianzun closely, only to discover in astonishment that he wasn't lying... "Well, I certainly have to thank him, don't I?" Guan Ya gritted her teeth. She then looked toward Asano Ryo, who was bowing repeatedly in the crowd and chirping, "Ohayou!" "Did you pick up this kid too?" "Peony Fairy picked her up; it has nothing to do with me," Zhang Yuanqing hurried to clear his name. Just as he spoke, Asano Ryo piped up from nearby, "Yuanshi Tianzun is my savior! I will never forget his tremendous grace and virtue! I'll work hard to do my part in clearing the killing trial! Please look after me, everyone!" Guan Ya smiled radiantly. "Why don't you try on my defensive mask?" "No way!" "Just try it on!" "I'm not putting it on..." Five minutes passed quickly. Descending along the slope, the group entered the col and formally stepped onto the mountain trail. As they entered the dense woods, a quest prompt sounded in their ears simultaneously: [Ding! You have entered the Labyrinth Forest. Please stay safe and beware of hazards along the way.] The official walkers inhaled deeply, tensing their nerves. From the rear, a middle-aged man instructed, "Keep walking straight. When you hit the first fork, go left. At the second fork there are three paths—take the middle one..." Following the directions, the party navigated through the Labyrinth Forest in an orderly fashion. During the trek, Zhang Yuanqing attempted an out-of-body astral projection to observe the labyrinth from above. But just as he rose to tree-canopy height, an invisible barrier rebounded him. Quest prompt: [Flight is forbidden!] A Wood Demon in the team tried communicating with the trees, but received no response whatsoever. The Labyrinth Forest could only be navigated on foot; every possible exploit had been sealed off. Guided by different colleagues, the group wove through the maze for half an hour until a young girl finished reciting the section of route she had memorized and said cheerfully, "We've already covered half the distance!" No sooner had she spoken than thick fog billowed through the dense forest. Like gauze and dust, the mist blotted out their vision. *Ramping up the difficulty?* Zhang Yuanqing called out loudly, "Everyone hold hands! Slow down our pace—" Before he could finish, a scream tore through the crowd, only to be abruptly cut short. "What happened? What was that?!" Panic erupted, and the scene descended into chaos. Zhang Yuanqing caught the scent of blood, his heart sinking. Holding his "torch" aloft, World Returns to Fire dashed toward the origin of the scream, using the flames to push back the dense fog. Upon getting a clear look, his face changed instantly. A corpse lay there, head severed from the torso, blood gushing from the neck stump. It was none other than the young girl who had spoken just moments before. Her lifeless eyes were wide open, the expression of her final scream still frozen on her face, as if she hadn't even understood how she died. She was a young Wood Demon girl. She had died instantly, without even the chance to activate her "Resurgence" skill. How had she died? None of the surrounding Spirit Realm walkers knew either, a chill rising inexplicably from the depths of their hearts.