Returning to Reality

[Items/props obtained in reward settlement: Army Soul Lianpu] [Reward Experience: 93%] [Main quest settlement completed!] [Ding! Character card reward activated. Reward item: Gale Gloves.] [Settlement complete! Exiting the Spirit Realm in three minutes...] "Hiss, 93% experience?" Zhang Yuanqing was wild with joy. He had never expected the experience reward to be this generous—Xiahou Aotian had only received 18%. This was almost leveling up in a single dungeon! What an abundant reward—wait, haven't I always leveled up like this? Never mind then. On second thought, it seemed understandable. First, Xiahou Aotian's outstanding contributions in the dungeon had only occurred twice: once blowing up the ghost fleet, and once finding the array core. After that, he had just been coasting. He had barely taken part in the main quests truly meant for Levels 5 and 6. Second, Xiahou Aotian was at the very late stage of Level 5. His 18% was worth no less than 50% at Level 4—and that was a conservative estimate. Finally, except for having no contribution against the ghost fleet, Zhang Yuanqing had turned the tide at the sea floor, and adding in the credit for slaying the boss, a 90% reward was not excessive. For a Level 4 Saint to complete main quests meant for Levels 5 and 6, receiving this much was only fair. As his thoughts wandered, a familiar scorching heat came from his forehead, and a dreamy nebula surfaced. Immediately, a surge of boundless astral energy poured out from the mark, washing over his body gently, merging into every single cell, every single bone. Under the scouring of the astral energy, his physique grew ever stronger, and his presence turned mysterious and ethereal. Because he hadn't leveled up, he hadn't mastered any new skills, but with his experience soaring from 5% to 98%, all of his attributes had at least doubled. The range of his Star Escape had increased dramatically, and he could now control the distance at will. Meanwhile, the bewitching power of Star Illusion had also grown stronger; combined with the techniques he had been diligently cultivating from the Lunar Divine Tempering Scripture lately, he could already create the rudimentary form of real phantoms. Except for special classes like Swordsmen, or people with items or skills that countered illusions, anyone with lower experience than him would fall under its sway. Zhang Yuanqing immediately checked his status panel. [Name: Yuanshi Tianzun] [Race: Human] [Class: Star Official] [Level: 4] [Skills: Night Walker—Night Roaming, Spirit Devouring, Lunar Spirit, Howling Moon, Charm Art, Spirit Talisman] [Star Official—Astrology, Star Illusion, Star Escape, Body of Stars] [Experience: 98%] [Morality Points: 2800] [Reputation Points: 210] After clearing the killing trial and slaying the Divine General's lackey, his reputation had risen to 240, but killing Wei Yuanzhou, a member of the orthodox faction, had cost him 30 reputation. However, after Wei Yuanzhou's case was officially concluded, he had gained 700 Morality Points. "My reputation is still not enough. With 210 reputation, I can at most kill seven or eight orthodox faction members, and that's only if their reputation isn't high. Once I leave the dungeon, it's time to hunt evil classes." Only by killing more evil classes could he better kill members of the orthodox faction. "98% experience, just 2% short of leveling up. What a pity Spirit Devouring absorbs lunar energy, while my level-up requires astral energy." Looking at the 98% on the status panel, he felt a wave of frustration. A Level 5 Star Official could master Stargazing, truly stepping through the doorway to mastery. Yet that 2% experience was like an insurmountable chasm, leaving him helpless. "Wait, there might be a way. Ancient cultivators could devour the power of the same class, cultivating by 'eating people.' Why can't Spirit Realm walkers do the same? Although the leveling method differs, the essence of absorbing power remains unchanged. As long as I have pure astral energy, I can definitely level up." Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up, but then he shook his head: "This method is a bit inhumane. Besides, only ancient cultivators used such secret arts. That old crone considers herself righteous—she definitely wouldn't allow me to do this..." Thinking with regret, he opened his inventory to check the rewarded items. First was the Army Soul Lianpu. It was a white leather facial makeup mask, with a red sun on the forehead, blackened eye rims, and downturned lips—a visage of treachery and deceit. Holding the mask for several seconds, its attributes popped up: [Name: Army Soul Lianpu] [Type: Mask] [Function: Persona Shaping] [Description: During the Southern Song dynasty, there was a renowned general who frequently offended his peers due to his unyielding, upright nature. Unwilling to go against his conscience to curry favor, yet knowing that without change his official career would stall, he asked a close friend who was an Illusionist to craft a lianpu mask for him. The mask contains four faces: White Face, Yellow Face, Blue Face, and Gold Face.] [Note 1: In this life, who isn't living behind a mask?] [Note 2: After each use, it is difficult to control one's emotions for one hour.] As the owner of the mask, he naturally understood the item's functions and costs. White Face: Treacherous and cunning persona, skilled in conspiracies and plotting. Yellow Face: Fierce and belligerent, explosive temper, constantly enraged. Physical attributes and skill power increased by 20%. Blue Face: Upright and unyielding, recalcitrant: never afraid, always possessing a rebellious heart, never surrendering. Endurance increased by 50%, can nullify three mental attacks. Gold Face: Dignified and majestic, capable of intimidating hearts, possesses three Mental Strike capabilities. And it had two costs: First: Once put on, it can never be removed. However, when not in use, it is as if invisible; only when activated does the lianpu appear. —Who isn't living behind a mask? The second cost was clearly written in the note. "This item is so strong, and very cool. Switching faces during battle would definitely scare people." Zhang Yuanqing was both delighted and worried. If nothing else, the Yellow Face alone was equivalent to a 20% experience boost. The worry was, if used for too long, wouldn't it cause a split personality? With mixed feelings, he put the mask on his face, feeling a chill across his skin. A moment later, he sensed a power merging into his sea of consciousness, while his face remained clean and smooth, showing nothing. It merged directly into my sea of consciousness? Zhang Yuanqing was startled at first, then overjoyed. This meant the mask could also be used in dreams. Well, it is an Illusionist's item, and Saint-stage Illusionists are called Dream Masters, so it's not surprising it can be used in dreams... Zhang Yuanqing then took out the item rewarded by the character card. A pair of light blue, fingerless leather gloves that looked fairly sleek. [Name: Gale Gloves] [Type: Gloves] [Function: Wind Blade, Flight] [Description: Gale Gloves allow the wearer to ride air currents and fly for a duration of five minutes. The wind blades released can sever solid steel, and they can stir up air currents to generate gale-force winds.] [Note: If you don't come down yet, are you planning to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun?] This must have been one of the Demon Lord's commonly used items during the Saint stage. It makes up for the shortcoming of most Saints not being able to fly, the wind blades cover my lack of long-range damage, and the gale can counter Mist Lords. Honestly, it's an item with exceptional value... Zhang Yuanqing was once again both pleased and apprehensive. The cost of the Gale Gloves was small: flight could not exceed five minutes; otherwise, one would keep flying into space, toward the sun—which would be certain death for a Saint. But as long as one controlled the time, that cost could be ignored. And whether it was wind blades, flight, or gale winds, all were highly practical abilities. It was likely an item from a foreign Wind Mage. What made people most wary wasn't the item's cost, but the fact that the Demon Lord had likely used it often. "I wonder if a Dominator-level Scholar could slightly modify its appearance. I'll hold off on using it for now, and test it once I get in touch with Lian Sanyue..." Zhang Yuanqing was extremely satisfied with both items. To a certain extent, they made up for the loss of returning the Demon-Subduing Pestle and plugged many of his weaknesses. Adding in the Yin-Yang Dial and the Holy Infant, this dungeon run had been insanely profitable. Finally, he retrieved the component of the Xie family's rule-based item—the infant's head. [Name: Holy Infant (Incomplete)] [Type: ???] [Function: Healing, Gestation] [Description: The Holy Infant is the failed creation of a supreme existence, and the only one of its kind in heaven and earth...... Therefore, it is terribly lonely, and often weeps, attempting to summon companions through its crying.] [Note 1: An infant's cry sometimes nurtures life, and sometimes takes life away.] [Note 2: Please do not complete its body, or it will bring about an unimaginable catastrophe.] "It truly is a harbinger of death—not just lethal, but immensely terrifying... Also, the description of this item contains a massive amount of information," Zhang Yuanqing muttered inwardly. The ellipsis in the description seemed intentionally left out. A failed creation of a supreme existence? A failed creation was already a rule-based item—what level was that supreme being? Furthermore, the information that the Holy Infant's body must not be completed explained why the direct descendants of the Xie family were able to bring just a head into the dungeon, and why they only brought a head. However, Zhang Yuanqing currently didn't know how to crack or neutralize this rule-based item; perhaps he could ask the Xie family. Putting away the infant's head, he turned to Natsuki and the others: "Time is almost up. Everyone, until we meet again. Keep in touch when you're free." As he spoke, the countdown reached zero, and the azure sky and sea rapidly blurred. *** Jiangnan Province, Leather City. Leather City was known in ancient times as Bailu City. Located at the southernmost tip of Jiangnan Province, adjacent to Fu Province, it was the stronghold of the Xiahou family, a prominent Spirit Realm clan. In the suburbs, inside the Xiahou family residential villa compound. Within a small estate spanning four mu, the current family head of the Xiahou family was in the underground forging room "cleansing" materials, preparing to forge items. Suddenly, the warding array outside the forging room was attacked. Runes brimming with Daoist charm flickered one after another, warning the master. Xiahou Qian frowned. He turned over an ancient bronze mirror on the forging bench, which reflected the scene outside the forging room's door. Standing by the doorway was a handsome young man hacking at the protective array with a short sword. Why is this kid here? Xiahou Qian's brow furrowed, a headache coming on. Xiahou Aotian was the grandson of his seventh younger brother and of the Xiahou family's direct lineage. This youth possessed extraordinary talent, standing out among his peers in the family at a young age, far surpassing the boys from Xiahou Chi's branch. However, he was exceptionally rebellious and arrogant. The younger generation of the Xiahou family used the "Tian" character generation in their Spirit Realm IDs, but Xiahou Aotian had felt his original Spirit Realm ID lacked sufficient style, so he had taken the liberty of changing it to "Aotian." Utter rebellion. Within the clan, Xiahou Aotian frequently mocked his peers, casually throwing out verbal insults such as "idiot," "mediocre fool," or "trash, your parents would have been better off raising a placenta." When the family elders took offense and scolded him, he would recite lines like: "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not bully the young and poor!" or "Today you make things difficult for me, but tomorrow you will bow before me as vassals!" In short, he was an infuriating, overgrown problem child. Xiahou Qian had not wanted to pay him any mind, but the array's alarms were too distracting for him to focus on forging. Resigned, he deactivated the array and waved his sleeve to open the iron door. "Aotian, what brings you here to disturb your granduncle's forging?" Xiahou Qian took a deep breath, trying his best to sound pleasant. "Granduncle, take a look at this sword." Xiahou Aotian proffered the gleaming longsword in his hand. Xiahou Qian took it, looked closely, and asked in surprise: "A fine sword—Saint stage, top quality. Where did you get it?" Xiahou Aotian seemed to have been waiting precisely for those words. He promptly lifted his chin: "This protagonist is not one to boast, but since Granduncle is humble enough to ask, there's no harm in telling you. I've just come out of a dungeon..." Before he could finish, Xiahou Qian cut him off: "You entered a dungeon? And you didn't report it again? Xiahou Aotian, do you really hold no regard for family rules?" Xiahou Aotian said, "Why should this protagonist report his actions to anyone in this life? Granduncle, do not interrupt me." Xiahou Qian usually had exceptional composure, but whenever dealing with this junior, his blood pressure inevitably soared. Taking another deep breath, he asked gently: "What dungeon did you enter?" The quality of the item was directly proportional to the dungeon's difficulty. "S-grade, Sea of Yashan," Xiahou Aotian answered impatiently, thrusting his chin high, his entire face screaming, Praise me! Sea of Yashan?! Xiahou Qian was genuinely stunned. He froze for a few seconds. Then, the white-haired old family head narrowed his eyes and said: "With your skill level, you couldn't clear an S-grade. Out with it—who were you matched with?" Hearing this, Xiahou Aotian flared up in anger: "Granduncle! Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully—" "You used the energy pack, didn't you?" "...Granduncle is truly wise; Granduncle truly deserves to be the family head." Xiahou Aotian's momentum deflated instantly. "Who were you matched with?" "Yuanshi Tianzun..." As for the others—who were they again? Xiahou Aotian had eaten a meal after leaving the dungeon and already forgotten them. The protagonist was busy managing a myriad of affairs every day; how could he remember the names of minor characters? Xiahou Qian pondered for a long time, let out a deep sigh, and then asked, "Did you obtain the two items from the Xie family and the Jianghuai Branch?" "What would I want them for? I conceded them to Yuanshi Tianzun," Xiahou Aotian said. The Xiahou family head understood immediately and sighed again. "This boy is truly extraordinary. Back then, out of consideration for the Songhai Branch, suppressing the discontented voices in the family was indeed the right move." Pausing, he asked, "How is your relationship with Yuanshi Tianzun? Did any conflicts arise?" "Naturally not! He admired me immensely, saying he wanted to follow me as my lackey. He even said that as long as I agreed, he would come to the Xiahou family bearing brambles on his back to apologize. But I told him I'd have to consider it." Xiahou Aotian stood with his hands behind his back. Xiahou Qian chuckled. "Not bad. The cost of the energy pack can be paid in installments!" Upon hearing this, Xiahou Aotian was overjoyed and hastily snatched his sword back. "I was originally planning to sell this sword to the family to pay off my debt. Hmph, Granduncle has eyes but cannot see Mount Tai; you fail to recognize quality." The seventy-year-old Xiahou Qian suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to beat someone. He pointed at the door. "Get out!" Xiahou Aotian departed thoroughly satisfied. Just as he stepped out of the estate, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to ask Granduncle to make an announcement on the clan's internal forum. He pondered for a few seconds, flagged down a passing shuttle cart, kicked the security guard off, and drove the cart away from the estate himself. Next, he pulled a megaphone out of his inventory, pressed the record button, and shouted loudly: "Xiahou Aotian has cleared the S-grade mission, Sea of Yashan!" Setting it to single-track loop, he tossed it onto the passenger seat and drove the shuttle cart on a grand tour around the family residential compound. *** The surroundings gradually came into focus. Zhang Yuanqing returned to the basement cell at Fujia Bay. He walked straight to the bedside, grabbed his phone, and dialed Fu Qingyang's number. The ringback tone played for a few seconds before connecting. Fu Qingyang's aloof, cool voice came through: "Cleared?" "Yes!" Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Boss, I got both items."