Points: An All-Time High

Boom! Zhang Yuanqing’s thoughts instantly plunged into chaos. Not a single thought remained coherent; slaughter, violence, and bloodlust flooded his heart. Scarlet, twisted runes ignited within his eyes, pitch-black darkness welled from his eye sockets, and fine, lightning-like black veins bulged across the skin around his eyes. Though he was clearly a Night Walker, he actually showed signs of transforming into an Enchanter. He opened his mouth wide in agony, wanting to scream, wanting to call for help, enduring a soul-tearing torment. Just as Zhang Yuanqing felt himself reaching his limit, his body and soul on the verge of “exploding,” he heard the old crone’s somewhat heavy breathing echo in his mind, as if she had just broken free from some terrifying state. In the next second, the solar mark on his forehead radiated scalding heat. A clear, pure beam of golden light illuminated and pierced his sea of consciousness, calming his chaotic, frenzied mind and purifying that dreadful contamination. Was even the old crone stunned? If she had been a step later, I would be dead. What was with those eyes just now? Zhang Yuanqing thought with lingering dread. What level of existence was that? The true form of the Blood Pool Fiendgod? An extremely high-level boss in the Spirit Realm? No, judging from the old crone’s reaction, the term “highest level” would be more fitting. The old crone had used the fiendgod’s remains just now to trace backward and spy on the fiendgod’s true body. Yet with just a single glance from the entity, the old crone had paid a price, and he had nearly perished on the spot... Damn it, did she do that on purpose? Using my physical body for such a reckless gamble... From this move of the old crone’s, Zhang Yuanqing felt a deep sense of “malice.” Yet what came out of his mouth was: “Is Your Ladyship well? Are you all right, Your Ladyship? As expected of Your Ladyship, to actually trace back and find that monster’s true form! Junior has basked in Your Ladyship’s grace and witnessed an existence I might never have seen in my entire life. Many thanks, Your Ladyship~” The old crone fell silent, seemingly at a loss for how to respond. After a long pause, she put on airs with an “Mm” and warned, “What you saw just now must not be spoken of to outsiders. Do not dwell on it in ordinary times, especially within the Spirit Realm.” “Junior understands.” “The next time we meet, this Venerable One hopes to see your words match your deeds.” Her attitude had clearly improved a tiny bit. Amidst the lingering resonance of her voice, Empress Sandao’s Primordial Spirit rapidly dispersed. The peek earlier seemed to have exhausted her power. She’s gone? Whew, she’s finally gone. Dealing with a big shot of this level really puts you on edge... Zhang Yuanqing found that he had regained control of his body, confirming that the old crone had departed. Although the old crone had left, the power gained from the sacrifice did not disappear immediately; it waned at a steady rate. Without the old crone, he became the heir to the immense divine power of the sun in his body. Originating from the blazing sun mark on his forehead, this power connected to his sea of consciousness and remained completely under his control. He tried using his spirit body to communicate with the mark on his forehead, condensing the divine power of the sun onto his fingertips. With a sizzle, a three-foot-long golden flame flared out. With a shift in thought, the divine power of the sun followed his will, transforming into sabers, spears, swords, and bows, shifting shapes at whim. Strangely, this power did not feel foreign to him at all; instead, there was an indescribable familiarity. Is it because I often use the Demon-Subduing Pestle, so my body has gotten used to the divine power of the sun? Zhang Yuanqing did not continue experimenting. With the blazing sun imprinted between his brows, he immediately turned his gaze toward the park’s exit. Before this power completely dissipated, he still had plenty of things to do. By now, the plants in the park had been scorched to ashes across the ground under the erosion of the solar power. A few bare, carbonized trees stood smoking with wisps of blue vapor. Near the park exit, Zhao Chenghuang, Jiang Jingwei, and Kou Beiyue were confronting Nothing Is Taboo and his group. Guan Ya was guarding Asano Ryo, who had lost too much blood and remained unconscious. Riding a gust of fiery wind, Zhang Yuanqing swept whistling across the devastated park, arriving in the air above everyone and looking down upon the mountain ghost faction. Amidst the howling fiery wind, the six members of the mountain ghost faction retreated again and again like cornered rats. Their faces were drained of color, and their eyes resembled those at the end of their rope—nothing remained but despair. Sizzle— Zhang Yuanqing extended his right arm, golden light erupting from his palm and solidifying into a massive bow. Drawing the bowstring and aiming at Nothing Is Taboo, he said, “Any last words?” Nothing Is Taboo spat and snarled viciously, “You fucking cheated! I refuse to accept this!” He had a stubborn backbone; he did not beg for mercy, feeling only bitter indignation. In this killing trial, the mountain ghost faction had clearly won. The moment they summoned the Blood Pool Fiendgod, the trial’s “pioneering” had reached its limit. The victors should have been them. “This, too, is power I traded my life for. If using power outside the trial counts as cheating, then so be it.” To be precise, it was traded for by bowing and kowtowing... Zhang Yuanqing added in his heart. He drew the bowstring. Dazzling golden light surged from his fingertips, condensing into a brilliant arrow. Nothing Is Taboo wasted no more words. He held his head high, facing death with composure. In his years as a Spirit Realm walker, he had killed many people and nearly been killed many times. While he might not be completely indifferent to life and death, he at least had the resolve. A loss was a loss. The victor becomes king and the loser a bandit; it had always been so since ancient times. Whoosh! The arrow turned into a beam of light, instantly piercing Nothing Is Taboo’s chest. In the next second, golden flames surged across his body, dissolving his flesh and blood and burning him down to a pile of white bones. A’yi’s expression twisted savagely. Unlike Nothing Is Taboo, who had been weakened to the extreme, he still had the strength to resist. Spreading his elytra, he shot into the sky, intending to pounce on Yuanshi Tianzun in a cornered beast’s final struggle. Yet the moment his body took flight, a scorching gale blasted directly into his face. A’yi felt a searing burn against his cheek, and then lost consciousness, every thought extinguished. Clatter— A scalding skeleton dropped, shattering to dust upon the ground. The number one on the Most Wanted list had returned to the Spirit Realm. Seeing Zhang Yuanqing cleanly and decisively dispatch Nothing Is Taboo and A’yi, driven by pure survival instinct, I Alone Am Supreme brought out the Water God Seal. Crash— Water rushed and white waves surged. Riding the torrential flow, he fled toward the blood pool. Zhang Yuanqing drew his bow and loosened his fingers. The arrow chased down its target, plunging into the water. Golden light blossomed within the torrent with a thunderous roar. Dozens of tons of water instantly vaporized, dense steam rising gracefully into the sky. After killing three in a row, Zhang Yuanqing stopped drawing the bow. He flicked a faint beam of golden light with his finger, igniting Dropout Fish and burning him into a dying lump of charcoal. “Sister Guan Ya!” He looked toward Guan Ya, who had the lowest points among them. The Veteran Driver nodded slightly, drew a pistol from her inventory, aimed at Dropout Fish, and pulled the trigger. Bang! Bang! Two shots rang out. Blood burst from the charred silhouette, and then it ceased struggling. “Y-Yuanshi Tianzun...” Hongwei’s pretty face was pale. Taking a deep breath, she said, “You said that as long as we were willing to defect to the officials, your promise would remain valid until the very last moment. Does that still count?” She did not want to die. Nothing Is Taboo was the leader of the group, an evil class with a heavy criminal record; he knew he couldn’t survive. But Hongwei did not consider herself someone who killed indiscriminately. She wanted to try—to try for the sake of staying alive. Zhang Yuanqing asked, “When you threw the blood jade in, if I had begged for mercy, would you have stopped?” Hongwei froze, understanding Yuanshi Tianzun’s resolve. She gave a miserable smile. “I understand...” She wouldn’t have, so neither would Yuanshi Tianzun. Golden light flashed and vanished, and the fair maiden turned into white bones. If I spared you, it would be a disrespect to the teammates who risked life and limb with me. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Hongwei’s white bones, then drew his bowstring toward Little Fatty. “Yuanshi Tianzun!” Kou Beiyue strode out and called out. Zhang Yuanqing turned back to look at him. Kou Beiyue stammered for a moment. “C-can you spare him?” Are you trying to pick an argument with me, kid? I just thought to myself that forgiveness would disrespect my teammates... Kou Beiyue was not good at begging others. With an awkward expression, he pleaded, “I helped you a lot too. For my sake, how about letting him off?” Zhang Yuanqing frowned. “Because he’s your first underling?” How did you know? Kou Beiyue nearly blurted out. Thin-skinned as he was, he instinctively tilted his chin up. “I just don’t think he’s a bad person. No, wait, he’s not completely bad.” Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a moment and said, “Alright, but when we distribute the spoils later, you won’t get a share.” Kou Beiyue had merits. Trading his merits for Little Fatty’s life was Zhang Yuanqing’s sign of respect to this teammate. Kou Beiyue breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “No problem. I’m not interested in those items anyway.” Little Fatty stared blankly at Kou Beiyue from afar, his lips trembling slightly. “Boss...” Just as he was about to say something, he saw Yuanshi Tianzun in midair flick a faint beam of golden light that struck him square in the chest. Golden flames instantly erupted across Little Fatty. He rolled on the ground, screaming until he was barely breathing and his exterior was charred black before the flames finally died out. “Watch over him,” Zhang Yuanqing said, looking at Kou Beiyue. This Little Fatty was very strong. There was no way he would let him roam freely and unharmed within the trial. With about a day left before the trial ended, if Little Fatty flew into a frenzy, he could easily take down one or two orthodox walkers with him. Kou Beiyue rushed over to Little Fatty and confirmed that he was heavily wounded but alive before letting out a breath. His intercession for Little Fatty was indeed because this was the first time in his life he had ever been a boss; he couldn’t help acting on sentiment. Along the way, Little Fatty had stood up for him multiple times and served as a diligent, loyal underling. Moreover, from their interactions over the past two days, he felt that Little Fatty wasn’t an insidious, evil, or twisted person. Thus, he couldn’t bear to see him die here. Having dealt with all the enemies, Zhang Yuanqing swept up Nothing Is Taboo’s blood-red longbow, Hongwei’s bronze mirror, I Alone Am Supreme’s Water God Seal, and Dropout Fish’s dual blades. Keeping the blood-red longbow for himself, he tossed the other three items behind him and said, “Zhao Chenghuang, Sister Guan Ya, Jingwei, pick one.” Guan Ya caught the twin blades without hesitation. Zhao Chenghuang chose the most valuable Water God Seal, leaving Jiang Jingwei with no choice; the bronze mirror was hers. With the spoils divided, Zhang Yuanqing drew his bow to a full moon once more and shot a brilliant beam of golden light toward the park’s exit. Boom! The entire park shook violently as the invisible restriction shattered, whipping up a wild gale across the flat ground. Having loosed this arrow, the divine power of the sun contained within Zhang Yuanqing was finally exhausted. He floated down from the sky, his limbs limp and sore, his spirits languid, and an intense exhaustion welling up through his body. As the vessel that had held the divine power of the sun, merely containing that power had pushed his Transcendent-stage body past its limit, leaving behind overexertion, weakness, scorching pain, and other negative effects. At that moment, hurried footsteps approached from outside the park. A crowd rushed into the park: the Night Walkers of the Taiyi Sect, colleagues from the Five Elements Alliance, and the rogue cultivators led by Guanzhong Kuibao and Undead Knight—thirty people in total, the Mountain God faction swarming in. Having witnessed that earth-shattering battle with their own eyes, they had moved past their initial shock and wild ecstasy, yet the joy of surviving against all odds was still plainly visible on their faces. Everyone stared at Yuanshi Tianzun. Admiration and gratitude shone in the men’s eyes. The adoration and worship in the women’s eyes were even more pronounced, completely undisguised. They had all seen Yuanshi Tianzun transform into a scorching sun and slay the Blood Pool Fiendgod. Though they did not know how this young man had accomplished it, there was no question that he had reversed the desperate situation and allowed everyone to survive. This killing trial was a rare instance in the recorded history of the Spirit Realm where the evil classes were completely wiped out. Good grief, I’m exhausted. I just want to sleep... Zhang Yuanqing looked at the crowd and took the initiative to speak: “There are still nine stragglers from the mountain ghost faction who have fled. Everyone may hunt them down on your own to earn points. However, I have two conditions: First, you must form teams of five, and the distance between teams must not be too great so you can reinforce each other promptly. Second, no infighting over steals or kills. “Discuss amongst yourselves how to divide the gains. Understood?” “Understood!” everyone answered in unison. Excitement surged onto their faces once again. The orthodox walkers whose points weren’t enough to squeeze into the top twenty-four spots were already growing impatient. Wiping out the mountain ghost faction would not only yield points, but also allow them to claim the vacancies left by their deaths. All twenty-four Saint-stage spots in this killing trial would belong entirely to the orthodox faction. On this merit alone, Yuanshi Tianzun’s achievement was enough to shake the entire official administration. “Sister Guan Ya, stay behind,” Zhang Yuanqing instructed the long-legged beauty, then said to Zhao Chenghuang, “I’ll trouble you to lead them and keep the situation under control.” Seeing that his complexion looked off, Zhao Chenghuang nodded slightly. Once everyone had left, Zhang Yuanqing flopped backward, sprawling out across the ash-covered ground. “Too exhausted... I need to sleep for a bit. Sister Guan Ya, heheh, pillow...” Guan Ya scoffed playfully, but she still walked over, knelt down, lifted Zhang Yuanqing’s head, and rested it on her smooth, soft thighs. “Your score broke the record!” Guan Ya said softly with a curling smile. “How much...” Zhang Yuanqing murmured. Just as Guan Ya was about to speak, she discovered that the guy enjoying her fine legs was already snoring like thunder. “The overall outcome is decided!” Elder Dog declared. As he spoke, the elder’s beady eyes were fixed on Fear Heavenly King. If clapping with dog paws weren’t so undignified, he wouldn’t have minded provoking this Heavenly King a bit more—just as Fear Heavenly King had provoked the female Grand Marshal earlier. “Not bad, not bad! Yuanshi Tianzun wiped out the entire evil faction; that deserves at least an A-rank merit. We’ll issue one to him when we get back.” The red-haired elder clapped and laughed heartily, looking for all the world like an arrogant villain reveling in his triumph. Two other Scarlet Fire Gang elders laughed with their hands on their hips: “Yuanshi Tianzun swept the Transcendent Most Wanted list clean. He should be awarded an S-rank merit! Why not just promote him to elder?” Excellent Fire Mages never needed to rein in their emotions. Just as flames never concealed their light and heat, acting unbridled and flamboyant was in their very nature. The other elders were much more restrained, looking gratified or stroking their beards with smiles, their expressions turning from overcast to sunny. The female Grand Marshal gazed at the Transcendent-stage killing trial. She hadn’t paid attention to the Saints’ battle for a long time; ever since Empress Sandao’s Primordial Spirit had descended upon the park, her gaze had never shifted away—even though that ancient Day Wanderer had already departed. The elders knew the Grand Marshal was in very high spirits. “Fear, remember to send over the rule-based item,” the female Grand Marshal said. Fear Heavenly King’s cheek twitched with heartache. He shook his head and sighed, “Pity, such a pity...” The leader of the Nihility Sect remained silent for a few seconds before slowly saying, “Such is fate.” As one of the highest-level Spirit Realm walkers in the world, this sect master accepted the outcome with equanimity. Behind the three leaders, the Dominators of the evil organizations were not necessarily throwing fits of rage, but losing so many exceptional seeds in the trial made their chests ache with suffocating grief. The elders of the Spirit Society’s Central Branch, in particular, even felt the urge to head to Songhai to hunt down Yuanshi Tianzun. A’yi’s status in the Central Branch of the Spirit Society was equivalent to Yuanshi Tianzun’s status in the Five Elements Alliance—an elite groomed for the upper echelons. When Zhang Yuanqing woke up, darkness had already fallen. “Still a bit tired...” He sat up and stretched lazily, glancing at a large patch of drool on Guan Ya’s trouser leg, and asked, “How long did I sleep?” He had probably slept his fill, but his body still felt languid, his limbs limp and devoid of strength. Guan Ya rolled her eyes at him. “You practically slept through the rest of the trial! Once dawn breaks, we can leave.” I slept for a full day and night? No wonder my bladder feels a bit full... Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself as he looked out across the scarred, open ground of the park, where Spirit Realm walkers sat cross-legged. Gathered in clusters of twos and threes, some curled up resting, some chatted in hushed voices, and some roasted meat to eat. Sitting atop the charred ruins, they looked like refugees who had survived a battlefield. The great war had ended, and a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere drifted among the survivors. Guan Ya said in a low voice, “In the future, this batch of Saints will be your natural allies and connections. Yuanshi, you have begun building your own network within the official faction. These people are very important to you.” I’ll just have to hold it in; it’s embarrassing to pee with so many people around... Zhang Yuanqing squeezed his legs together inconspicuously. “To me, Sister Guan Ya is the most important one.” Guan Ya smiled radiantly. “Is that so, Ning Caichen?!” Huh?! Zhang Yuanqing froze. “Could you explain why that female ghost called you ‘husband’?” Guan Ya’s smile was gorgeous, but fraught with danger. “Sister Guan Ya, that’s just the spirit servant’s setting, you can’t take it seriously... Uh, the moon is quite lovely tonight. Allow me to check the leaderboard first...” He hurriedly opened the points leaderboard. After killing Nothing Is Taboo and the other three, his score had reached a terrifying 1,528 points. A new all-time high. Moreover, the total points in the entire trial were limited. Since he alone had swept up 1,528 points, everyone else’s scores were generally below the normal average. Furthermore, because he had preserved the vast majority of official walkers, the survival rate of the orthodox faction was higher than in previous killing trials. With fewer casualties, once the points were distributed, nobody’s individual score was exceptionally high. Thanks to the old crone... I’ll safekeep the Demon-Subduing Pestle for you a while longer. Zhang Yuanqing silently thanked Empress Sandao in his heart. This situation was an isolated anomaly—virtually impossible to replicate. After all, even chosen figures like the Grand Marshal and the Demon Lord could never have plunged in and out of enemy ranks, slaughtering with impunity back in their Transcendent stage. After reviewing the points leaderboard, he was quite satisfied with the rankings; all the companions he cared about had made the list. Of the twenty-four Saint-stage spots, twenty-two belonged to orthodox classes, while the remaining two were occupied by Kou Beiyue and Little Fatty. Having worked themselves into a killing frenzy, the orthodox classes had originally intended to finish off Kou Beiyue and Little Fatty to plunder their points after hunting down the nine mountain ghost faction fugitives, but Zhao Chenghuang had stopped them. Only upon asking did they learn that these two had been spared by Yuanshi Tianzun. Though disappointed and even somewhat reluctant, no one dared to defy Yuanshi Tianzun, whose prestige was at its zenith. Kou Beiyue and Little Fatty were currently under protective detainment in a corner, watched over by Jiang Jingwei, Zhao Chenghuang, Sun Miaomiao, and a few others. Having suffered severe blood loss, Asano Ryo had received effective treatment from the Wood Monsters; apart from fractures in both legs, she had suffered no major harm. Right now, she was surrounded by Peony Fairy and the others. The young girl who had risked life and limb for everyone received immense praise. Though her legs were broken, Asano Ryo was walking on air. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that one day she would steal the show in a killing trial. She wouldn’t have to bid farewell to “Otou-san” and “Okaa-san,” and advancing to Saint had become a certainty. A Saint! How many Saints were there in the Island Nation? One could count those as young as her on a single hand. Time flew by. Dawn arrived, morning light piercing the night sky, and the sun shyly peeked out a corner in the east. The Spirit Realm walkers, filled with anticipation, finally received the quest notification chimes: [Ding! Main quest completed. Rewarding 100 points.] [Ding! Calculating points...] [1: Yuanshi Tianzun, Night Walker, Level 3, 1628 points] [2: Zhao Chenghuang, Night Walker, Level 3, 580 points] [3: Guan Ya, Scout, Level 3, 450 points] [4: Kou Beiyue, Enchanter, Level 3, 420 points] [5: Asano Ryo, Water Ghost, Level 3, 400 points] [6: Sun Miaomiao, Night Walker, Level 3, 363 points] [7: Jiang Jingwei, Fire Mage, Level 3, 350 points] [8: World Returns to Fire, Fire Mage, Level 3, 340 points] [9: Undead Knight, Night Walker, Level 3, 320 points] [10: Crossing-River Pawn, Scout, Level 3, 270 points] [11: Guanzhong Kuibao, Earth Monster, Level 3, 220 points] Among the remaining thirteen spots, there were Yuan Ting, Niulanshan Little Fairy, Peony Fairy, a member of the White Tiger Guards, None of Your Business, and others. Most were occupied by members of the Taiyi Sect and Five Elements Alliance, with only one rogue cultivator among them. Of course, there hadn’t been many rogue cultivators to begin with. [Ding! Points calculation complete.] [Ding! Congratulations on completing the killing trial—Lost City, ID: 0000, Difficulty Level: “Unknown.” Calculating rewards...] Whew, the killing trial is finally over! I can’t wait for the Star Officer skills! Zhang Yuanqing sat beside Guan Ya, listening to the Spirit Realm’s notification chime, his heart overflowing with joy. Suddenly, his expression changed as he remembered a detail he had forgotten—the full moon mark! Oh crap! My Night Walker mark is a black full moon, not a crescent! That’s the exclusive mark of the Demon Lord’s successor! Zhang Yuanqing sprang to his feet. “I need to hit the bathroom!” “Didn’t you just go?” Guan Ya called out. “Frequent urination!” With that, he bolted toward the park exit. Meanwhile, outside the killing trial, the crowd of big shots from both the orthodox and evil organizations once again turned their eyes toward the park. The little fellows of the Transcendent stage were about to have their rewards tallied.