"Ah, I almost forgot—Yuanshi Tianzun is super dope at clearing dungeons! With him around, things'll be way easier," Brother Red Chicken said with a hearty laugh.
The others thoroughly agreed with the Fire Specialist.
A man's reputation preceded him like the shadow cast by a tall tree. Yuanshi Tianzun possessed extraordinary talent when it came to clearing dungeons, and he had even attained his Saint status on the back of that talent. That was an indisputable fact.
Moreover, Yin Ji's question earlier showed that she, too, wanted to hear his perspective.
"I've read through the intelligence on the Sea of Yashan. The six Saints who perished here back then were all Level 4, which means it was originally a Level 4 S-rank dungeon," Zhang Yuanqing said with calm confidence. "However, our current situation is that our team spans Levels 4, 5, and 6, and our main quests aren't even the same. This implies that after those six Saints died in the Sea of Yashan, the dungeon's difficulty shifted. And the most likely reason for that shift is the items they left behind."
It was also possible they had triggered a hidden quest, causing the crisis that wiped out the earlier team to replace the ghost ship and become the dungeon's boss.
Naturally, he couldn't reveal that particular piece of information, as he had no way to explain where he got it.
His reasoning was sound and well-grounded, and his companions nodded slightly in agreement.
The slightly plump Eagle of Freedom said excitedly in a foreign tongue, "This really is a treasure trove of a dungeon. Beyond the dungeon rewards, there are also the items left behind by the previous team. If we can clear this dungeon, I'll be rich!"
Perhaps she could even use this to take another step forward and become a Second-Rank Gold Executor.
At that point, Yin Ji spoke again. "S-rank dungeons are exceedingly difficult, so we cannot afford to let our guard down. We have no walkthrough, and charging blindly into the quest is far too dangerous. I suggest we analyze the dungeon together and organize our thoughts."
Without anyone realizing it, she had taken command of the team's discussion. Yet no one felt resentful or thought it abrupt; rather, it felt completely natural.
On one hand, she had the highest level and greatest combat strength. On the other hand, her tone was gentle, and the way she phrased her questions was very tactful—she constantly solicited everyone's opinions rather than issuing orders like a demanding team captain.
Skilled at reading people, Zhang Yuanqing possessed a sharp intuition and immediately knew she was a master of interpersonal dynamics.
Sure enough, a woman capable of making the Demon Lord infatuated was far more than just gentle.
Seeing that no one objected, Yin Ji asked, "What do you all know about the Battle of Yamen?"
Brother Red Chicken was the first to chime in. "I know, I know! 'After Yashan, there is no China; after the fall of Ming, there is no Huaxia.' Oh, and the little emperor was carried into the sea on a minister's back, and countless loyal ministers and righteous souls martyred themselves alongside him. Truly tragic and epic!"
"After the Southern Song fell, the Mongols founded the Yuan dynasty. That was the first time in Han history that the regime completely collapsed and came under foreign rule," Natsuki's Love added. "Supposedly, between the Southern Song soldiers and civilians, there were two hundred thousand people. After their defeat, over a hundred thousand jumped into the sea to die for their country, staining the vast waters with blood, and floating corpses didn't disperse for dozens of days. It truly makes one sigh with regret. With millions upon millions of Han men, to suffer such a crushing defeat right here..."
*These are all superficial tidbits of common historical knowledge—doesn't feel very useful,* Zhang Yuanqing mused. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Xiahou Aotian sneer.
"Foolish, superficial, uneducated!"
He first tossed out a scathing critique of his companions' remarks, then tilted his chin up and declared, "The Southern Song's politics were utterly corrupt, bringing disaster upon the realm and misery to the people. Its demise was an inevitable historical trend and the choice of the common populace—what is there to sigh with regret about? The harm a corrupt regime inflicts on the common people is unimaginable; they were honestly better off being ruled by a foreign race.
"Don't look unconvinced. Use your foolish brains and think for a second: the Mongols conquered the realm on horseback, so where the hell would they get a navy? Who was it that actually fought the remnants of the Southern Song in the naval battle of Yashan? Over half the fleet consisted of Han naval forces that had surrendered to the Yuan, and the commander-in-chief, Zhang Hongfan, was also a Han Chinese. To put it bluntly, the Southern Song was corrupt and feeble, entirely incapable of protecting the homeland or its people. A decaying court that couldn't even hold onto its own territory deserved to fall—what pity does it warrant?
"The history books only ever record the loyalty and bravery of civil officials and military generals, praising their stirring deeds and blaming everything on the mandate of heaven, yet they never reflect on the root causes.
"A regime that holds the hearts of the people will never perish. And for any dynasty that collapsed, no amount of whitewashing can hide the fact that it was rotten to the core. Go read more books!"
*Just because you're a Scholar doesn't make you superior...* Everyone present grumbled inwardly.
Xiahou Aotian continued, "If the naval battle of Yashan represents a complete dungeon, then by my estimation, the danger stems from two sources. First, this sea before us. Second, Yashan Island on the other side.
"Before the naval battle of Yashan began, the remnants of the Southern Song established a temporary traveling palace on Yashan Island, lingering on for a time. There were also many civilians there. I suspect there will definitely be some plotline over on that island.
"Furthermore, based on the Spirit Realm's introduction, I believe our enemies are the heroic Song spirits sealed in the waters of Yashan by the Dragon-Locking Array, and perhaps the vengeful souls of the Yuan soldiers who fell in battle as well.
"In my experience, in a dungeon where the main quest revolves around survival, proactive exploration is necessary. If we just stand around on the shore doing nothing, an insurmountable crisis might suddenly appear near the end of the dungeon and wipe out the entire team.
"Therefore, I propose that we cross this stretch of sea and head for Yashan Island."
Having finished speaking, Xiahou Aotian glanced sideways at Yuanshi Tianzun, his expression half-provocative and half-arrogant. "Regarding this protagonist's speech, does a genius like you have anything to add?"
*Protagonist my ass. With your behavioral style, you're a textbook villain...* The corner of Zhang Yuanqing's mouth twitched.
Meanwhile, Yin Ji, Yun Meng, and the others all turned to look at Yuanshi Tianzun. They welcomed this kind of friction, as it was beneficial to clearing the dungeon.
Past experience told them that in team survival dungeons, people invariably held back their cards, and some couldn't resist using teammates as stepping stones and cannon fodder.
A blunt, outspoken guy like Xiahou Aotian served as a rather good catalyst.
Besides, they also wanted to see what Yuanshi Tianzun was made of, even if they had never underestimated him to begin with.
*The caliber of Saints really isn't something Transcendent practitioners can match. Even this chuunibyou who looks like he lacks a brain is actually quite sharp. Since these guys were matched into an S-rank dungeon, their hidden rating points probably aren't low,* Zhang Yuanqing thought with inward appreciation.
When facing Transcendent practitioners, he would feel a strong sense of superiority, clearly sensing a vast gap between ordinary Transcendent realm travelers and himself; only a tiny elite was worth taking seriously.
Yet now, having just stepped into a Saint-stage dungeon, he already felt pressure from his companions.
"I have nothing to add," Zhang Yuanqing said.
Just as everyone's faces showed a flash of disappointment, he continued:
"However, there are a few questions I would like Protagonist Xiahou to consider.
"First: What kind of enemy could wipe out six Saints equipped with top-tier items right here?
"Second: Spirit Realm walkers must have participated in the Battle of Yamen back then. Was the Dragon-Locking Array mentioned in the intro truly meant to snuff out any chance of the Song court's embers reigniting, or was it set up to seal something away?
"Third: The main quests for Level 4 and Levels 5 and 6 are different. If we follow you two, will we encounter that 'monster'? Would splitting up be better? Or perhaps these differing main quests are precisely the Spirit Realm's plot to divide us so it can pick us off one by one?
"Fourth: And this is the most crucial point—if we're crossing the sea, we need a ship."
These questions plunged the assembled Saints into silence, and even Xiahou Aotian frowned.
The first three questions directly targeted the dungeon's difficulty ceiling, the existence of hidden quests, and the risk of the team fracturing under setbacks.
It was indeed a layer deeper than Xiahou Aotian's analysis.
At that moment, Brother Red Chicken shrugged. "What's the use of yapping so much? When it's time to charge, you charge. If we finish the dungeon early, I can still make it home for morning tea. I've got soup simmering back there—bought the chicken fresh and had it slaughtered right on the spot, super fresh!"
It seemed that in his eyes, the importance of an S-rank dungeon couldn't hold a candle to his fresh chicken.
"But we don't have a ship. Are we swimming across?" asked Yun Meng, the young woman of the Qinghe tribe.
Just as she spoke, Zhang Yuanqing and Yin Ji turned their heads simultaneously toward the sea. On the pitch-black, lightless water, a large ship had drifted in at some point.
This warship was roughly eight zhang long and two zhang wide, with its hull clad in iron armor. It bore no masts or sails; its propulsion came from tread-wheels on both sides of the hull—six wheels per side, each fitted with eight paddle blades.
The entire vessel looked ancient and dilapidated, covered in moss and barnacles. Its color was dark and somber, and the iron plating along the bulwarks still retained the scars of smoke, fire, cleaving blades, and hacking axes.
It had appeared silently, pulling up to the shore under cover of night. Not a sound came from aboard, lending it an eerie, sinister air.
Once the ship came ashore, Brother Red Chicken asked, "Is this here to pick us up?"
Zhang Yuanqing opened his Star Eyes and examined everyone's physiognomy. Dark clouds loomed over every person's head, laced with blood-red light, foreshadowing that every single one of them could die here.
And this ship was the vessel meant to ferry them straight into hell.
"From the looks of it, yes," Zhang Yuanqing replied.
Even so, nobody moved—not even Brother Red Chicken, a Fire Specialist notorious for reckless impetuousness.
Beside Yin Ji, the male yin corpse dressed in a black robe suddenly stepped forward. He dashed toward the sea, leaped into the air across a distance of over a dozen meters, and landed heavily onto the deck.
A dozen seconds later, Yin Ji said, "There is no danger aboard."
With that, the hem of her skirt fluttered, and she actually rose into the air, gliding toward the sea like an immortal maiden.
Only Zhang Yuanqing could see that a blurry yin spirit was attached behind her, carrying her in flight.
*A yin spirit capable of flight? Tsk, senior Starlords really have incredible foundations,* Zhang Yuanqing thought with envy.
So far, his only spirit servants were Little Doubi and the Ghost Bride, and his only yin corpse was Blood Rose. By contrast, Yin Ji—likewise a Starlord—had two powerful yin corpses right out in the open, and she surely had no shortage of spirit servants.
At the end of the day, his rate of advancement had simply been too fast. It had only been a little over three months since he became a Spirit Realm walker, leaving him no time to build up reserves.
Refining yin corpses and spirit servants required nurturing and collecting; above all, it demanded time to accumulate.
With Yin Ji taking the lead, the others displayed their own abilities. Brother Red Chicken leaped into the air, roaring flames bursting from the soles of his feet like rocket boosters, propelling him upward and slamming him down onto the warship.
Yun Meng spread her arms, rapidly transforming into a large bird with colorful feathers, and took flight. Seeing this, Natsuki's Love sprinted forward a couple of steps, leaped up, and caught Yun Meng by the ankle.
The two of them wobbled through the air toward the warship, landing safely on the deck.
Behind them, plumes of water shot up into the sky. Eagle of Freedom vaulted between the water spouts, boarding smoothly.
Xiahou Aotian, meanwhile, leisurely pulled out a jetpack, boarding the warship amidst a piercing roar of engines.
*Such high-tech items? Seriously, do Scholars rely entirely on gear in the late game? That's a completely different style from poor folks like us who rely on mutations,* Zhang Yuanqing thought, his body dissolving into an ethereal glow of starlight.
Fortunately, Starlords had escapist techniques, or it would have been embarrassing.
The group gathered on the deck and looked around. The planks were damp and mildewed, riddled with insect holes, creaking beneath their feet.
However, it was sturdy enough; Brother Red Chicken stomped down hard with his foot, and no hole opened up.
Yet the next problem arose immediately—who was going to steer the ship?
Everyone turned their gazes toward Xiahou Aotian in unison.
"Forget steering a ship; I can fly an airplane with no problem," Xiahou Aotian said proudly, his chin raised high, before pivoting: "But I need assistants."
Yin Ji said softly, "Will spirit servants do?"
"Fine, I suppose..." Xiahou Aotian reluctantly agreed.
Immediately, Yin Ji exhaled a breath of chilling air that condensed into several spirit servants to help Xiahou Aotian operate the warship.
The paddle wheels turned, and the warship parted the black sea, sailing out into the boundless expanse.
The others remained on the deck, gazing out across the waters and maintaining a vigilant guard.
Eagle of Freedom was rather unsociable. She seemed disinclined to mingle with her compatriots, quietly keeping watch on the other side of the deck.
Yin Ji stood at the bow, her fine hair and skirt fluttering in the wind. She was an exceptionally stunning woman; though veiled in black gauze, those eyes concealing faint melancholy were enough to outshine most women.
Her curvaceous, tall figure and transcendent aura made her stand out even among a crowd of beauties.
A life mentor of his had once said that third-rate beauties relied solely on their faces, which held the least enduring value. Second-rate beauties paired a pretty face with a great body; they were prime catches, coveted by everyone.
A first-rate beauty possessed looks, figure, and presence all at once.
The so-called presence was a beauty's inner spiritual core, cultivated through years of refinement, unattainable for ordinary women.
A top-tier, transcendent beauty possessed looks, figure, and presence while also boasting a distinct personality.
For instance, being unhinged, scheming, playing the innocent schemer, acting tsundere, being obediently docile, or like Guan Ya, having a penchant for making dirty jokes. In short, whenever one encountered a top-tier beauty, one should make a move without hesitation.
Hesitate, and she'd belong to someone else.
After hearing this back then, Zhang Yuanqing had criticized the mentor: *You're objectifying women; that's politically incorrect.*
Then he had quietly committed it to memory.
He didn't know much about Yin Ji's temperament, but for now, she was at least a first-rate beauty who combined face, figure, and presence.
*To think such a top-grade older woman fell for a scumbag like the Demon Lord—what a waste.* Zhang Yuanqing certainly wasn't jealous of the Demon Lord.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Yin Ji looked over and gave a slight nod.
It was clear that she was not an easy person to approach, carrying a noticeable sense of distance.
She didn't treat him any differently just because of Yuanshi Tianzun's fame.
"Is your Qinghe Branch located in the Shiwan Dashan?" Brother Red Chicken drifted over to Yun Meng's side, asking with great anticipation.
"Yes!" Yun Meng nodded.
Brother Red Chicken rubbed his hands together, chuckling. "How about we swap contact info?"
Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit surprised, thinking this was the first time he had seen a Fire Specialist so proactive about hitting on girls.
Then he heard Brother Red Chicken say, "Once we're out of the dungeon, mail me some fresh game so I can use it to brew broth!"
Yun Meng looked troubled. "It's really troublesome to send packages from where we live."
"Then what if I visit your Qinghe Branch?"
"That... the Old Ancestor doesn't allow us to interact with Spirit Realm walkers from the outside."
"What era do you think this is? Great ethnic integration is the way to go! Your Old Ancestor is way too rigid," Brother Red Chicken grumbled before asking tentatively, "If I went to the Qinghe Branch, would I get ambushed with a club to the back of the head?"
*Good grief, this is an S-rank dungeon, not a vacation tour. Can you be a little more serious?* Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself nearby.
Gazing into the distance while on alert, Yin Ji turned her head and cautioned softly, "You had better not go to the Qinghe Branch. The Qinghe tribe's Old Ancestor is fiercely xenophobic. Although the Qinghe Branch is affiliated with the Five Elements Alliance, it isn't a subordinate relationship, but an alliance of equals."
"Special treatment for an ethnic minority?" Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help chiming in.
Yin Ji shook her head slightly. "This isn't special treatment for an ethnic minority. The Qinghe tribe's Old Ancestor is terrifyingly formidable. Among the high-ranking leadership of the official faction, he is reputed to be the sixth Alliance Leader. Back when we sought to recruit the Qinghe Branch, the Lord of the Central Court traveled in person to the Shiwan Dashan."
*A sixth Alliance Leader? A demigod?* Zhang Yuanqing was stunned.
Yin Ji offered no further explanation, turning her gaze back to the sea to resume her watch.
A period of silence followed as the warship sailed at a steady pace toward distant Yashan Island. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly looked over at Natsuki's Love, who had remained silent throughout while carrying out her duties, and said, "Natsuki, has there been any follow-up regarding that Pure Yang Sect Master affair?"
Ever since he was placed under house arrest, his information from the outside world had been cut off.
Natsuki's Love looked back and said, "Elder Gao Feng has been following up on the case. But as you know, a Pure Yang Sect Master unbound by Morality Points is even harder to track down than the evil professions. Neither the Taiyi Sect's Stargazing nor the Scholars' divination could lock onto his location. It seems he possesses counter-divination measures."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded slowly. "Then that makes things difficult. As long as the Pure Yang Sect Master lives, the trouble will be endless. He's trickier to deal with than any evil profession."
*Unbound by Morality Points?* Yun Meng and Brother Red Chicken were thoroughly bewildered by what they heard, whereas Eagle of Freedom seemed to catch the scent of crucial intelligence, her eyes gleaming as she stared intently at Zhang Yuanqing, full of curiosity.
Just then, the smoothly sailing ship came to a stop, followed by thumping footsteps as Xiahou Aotian walked over.
He pulled out a black, high-tech helmet, put it on, and retrieved an underwater drone robot from his inventory.
"What are you doing?" Brother Red Chicken voiced the question on everyone's minds.
"Didn't the Spirit Realm's introduction say there's a Dragon-Locking Array under the water? I'm sending a robot down to scout it out," Xiahou Aotian mocked. "You can't rely purely on brute force in an S-rank dungeon; you have to use your brain."
"Aiya, you damn punk, your tone is asking for a beating! Believe me, I'll boil you into soup!" Though Brother Red Chicken was only a meter seventy tall, his aura seemed almost three meters high.
"No need for that, no need for that—it's not like he's from Fujian," Zhang Yuanqing said, defusing the escalating conflict.
Fangshi were masters of formations; Xiahou Aotian's approach was completely sensible.
*Splash!*
A searchlight lit up on the half-meter-tall diving robot's chest as it plunged into the sea.
Xiahou Aotian stood where he was, focusing on piloting the drone.
Zhang Yuanqing and the others waited patiently.
"Fuck!"
Suddenly, Xiahou Aotian cried out in shock, frantically tearing off the helmet. His face was pale with sheer terror, as though he had been terrified by something, and goosebumps erupted across his neck and the backs of his hands.
Chapter 347