Fu Qingyang looked up. What Yuanshi held in his hands was a pitch-black cloak embroidered with golden cloud patterns—gorgeous, aesthetically striking, and rich in texture. If nothing else, its handsome, vintage style alone made the ostentatious Money Prince's eyes light up.
"Defensive gear?"
No wonder Yuanshi wanted to give it to him. Defense was indeed a Swordsman's greatest shortcoming.
However, in Money Prince's experienced view across the spirit realm, the class with the strongest defense was the Earth Monster. Among defensive items, armor was paramount, followed by rigid protective gear like Yuanshi's heart-protecting mirror.
While this cloak was undoubtedly flashy, judging by its design, its defense wouldn't be exceptionally high. Aside from defense, it likely had other functions.
With that thought, Fu Qingyang shifted his gaze upward to his trusted henchman.
Seeing Yuanshi's expression, he paused.
Mischievous, confident, leering, harboring a sliver of schadenfreude behind malicious intent, as though waiting to watch Fu Qingyang make a fool of himself.
In front of a Scout, Zhang Yuanqing's petty little thoughts were as glaringly obvious as lice on a bald head.
Fu Qingyang looked back at the splendid cloak, his expression turning solemn.
He understood Yuanshi's character very well. For this kid to be so full of "ill intent," it meant the cloak in his hands was far from ordinary and carried special significance.
Fu Qingyang sat up straight and accepted the cloak. After a few seconds of silence, the item's attributes surfaced.
The first thing he saw was the six characters: "Court Swordsman Cloak." Enlightenment instantly dawned on him—so it was an item for the Scout class. No wonder Yuanshi wanted to give it to him.
He scanned the item description, and when his eyes fell upon the [Remarks], Fu Qingyang's pupils contracted violently.
—All skills of Scouts, Swordsmen, and Puppet Masters are amplified by 40%.
As the eldest young master of the Fu family, the renowned Money Prince, and a high-ranking official Elder, what treasure hadn't he seen? Even the Compass of Light fragments, or Yuanshi Tianzun's top-grade item with three forms, had only struck Fu Qingyang as "decent."
Yet right now, holding this cloak, his heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.
This was an item that would drive every Scout across the world mad.
This was an item that could make his combat power surge in the short term, allowing him to contend directly with veteran Dominators. More importantly, it could be used all the way to Level 9, and even grant amplification after becoming a demigod.
It wasn't a rule-based item, yet it possessed functionality that many rule-based items could never match.
A forty percent skill boost, combined with his swordsmanship that was almost one with the Dao—once he became a peak Dominator in the future, he had absolute confidence he could suppress those ten old monsters at headquarters.
Ever since Fu Qingyang made a name for himself, it had been a very long time since he had felt the thrill of "gaining a divine artifact."
At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat and said, "Boss, not bad, right? If I give this to Guan Ya, do you think I should take the opportunity to propose?"
The study suddenly went dead silent.
Fu Qingyang said expressionlessly, "Do not mention that trash. She is unworthy of this item."
With that, he stashed the cloak into his inventory with lightning speed.
Zhang Yuanqing broke into laughter. "Congratulations to Boss on acquiring a divine artifact."
Hearing that, a faint smile appeared on Fu Qingyang's aloof face. "The value of this item cannot be measured. Later, I'll have 'Phoenix Arriving' estimate an approximate price. If there's anything you want, you may also bring it up on your own—"
Before he could finish, Zhang Yuanqing cut him off. "This isn't a transaction."
Fu Qingyang froze.
Zhang Yuanqing said in a solemn voice, "This is a gift for you, Boss. It's not a transaction, so it requires no return."
Fu Qingyang stared deeply at him. In that moment, all he saw was genuine emotion and earnest goodwill.
"Alright!" He lowered his gaze and nodded.
Only then did Zhang Yuanqing smile. He then brought out another secret manual and said, "I got this in the underground palace. Felt like it suits you well, Boss."
Fu Qingyang looked closely. On the aged cover, written in ancient script, were the words: *Sword Control Art*.
A manual collected by the First Emperor was bound to be the finest swordsmanship of that era.
Fu Qingyang's eyes brightened. He took the manual and flipped through it, his gaze sparkling with vigor.
Having nothing else to do, Zhang Yuanqing said, "Then I'll head back to write my report."
"Wait," Fu Qingyang said, his eyes still cast downward as he read the manual. "There is an unclear point in what you went through inside the underground palace."
"Where?" Zhang Yuanqing was startled.
"The core controlling the terracotta warrior army was never found," Fu Qingyang said.
The terracotta army differed from the terracotta warriors on the steps and outside the Palace of Immortality; the latter two had souls, while the former did not.
Things without souls were dead objects. It was impossible for them to fight with such strict discipline.
Zhang Yuanqing recalled quickly, then frowned. "We really didn't find the core mechanism. Perhaps the spirit realm granted them their special nature?"
Fu Qingyang shook his head. "Not necessarily. But one thing is certain: there's nothing wrong with you. I suggest you notify your companions from back then and have them inspect their bodies."
*He makes it sound like a horror movie...* Zhang Yuanqing muttered inwardly, agreed, and then vanished as dreamlike starlight.
The moment he left, Fu Qingyang impatiently retrieved the Court Swordsman Cloak, snapped it open, and draped it over his shoulders.
At that instant, he distinctly felt his power receive a massive boost. The sword qi within him stirred restlessly, showing signs of overflowing from his body.
His Insight, Iron Will, stamina, agility, sword control, puppetry—every single active and passive skill was elevated.
This sense of might was so vivid, so profound.
The cloak's drawback was "Focus"—wearing it meant he could no longer use items from other classes. But to Fu Qingyang, that sheer purity was precisely to his liking.
It was conducive to his cultivation of swordsmanship.
Cloaked in black, Fu Qingyang paced over to the floor-to-ceiling window. The mirror-smooth glass reflected his tall, straight silhouette.
He gazed at his reflection: clothes as white as snow, a cloak as dark as ink, golden cloud patterns dancing across the fabric, strikingly handsome.
The more he looked, the more he loved it.
*This will be my foundation to hone my swordsmanship and claim supremacy over headquarters...* Fu Qingyang spread his arms wide, adopting a posture of embracing the world.
In that moment, vast, heroic ambition surged through his chest...
Suddenly, dreamlike starlight rose inside the study.
Fu Qingyang's posture froze instantly.
"Ah, this..." Zhang Yuanqing looked at Fu Qingyang's wildly dramatic pose, guessing that his timing might have been poor. He tested the waters carefully, "I just wanted to ask where Sister Guan Ya went."
He had remembered his girlfriend.
Fu Qingyang ground his teeth. "Knock before entering!!"
***
Inside a dimly lit secret chamber, the black-robed Grand Protector sat cross-legged on the floor.
Before him was a circular formation etched with spirit talismans, adorned within by the celestial constellations. At first glance, it looked as though the entire night sky had been branded into the ground.
From beneath the voluminous black robes, a pair of withered hands extended and pressed down gently.
Resplendent astral power flowed into the circular formation.
In an instant, the constellations in the circle radiated bright, pristine starlight, coating the dim chamber in a layer of silver frost.
The celestial stars spun rapidly within the circle before freezing in place, presenting a complex, incomprehensible star chart.
"No reason..."
A raspy voice sounded from beneath the hood.
The Grand Protector had been divining the web of causes and effects surrounding Ren Junzi's death.
If he had died for "treasure," the corresponding stars would have shifted. Had he died for any other reason, changes would have appeared as well.
Yet the star chart before him offered no hint whatsoever.
Ren Junzi's death had no special cause. He had died very smoothly, very naturally.
After a few seconds of silence, the Grand Protector took out a phone and dialed a number.
"Grand Protector, what are your orders?" The call connected quickly.
"Obtain the roster of this term's Qinfeng Academy training, monitor their recent movements, and await my orders," the Grand Protector instructed.
Ren Junzi's purpose in hunting down students at Qinfeng Academy remained unknown. Stargazing could provide no answer. Having no reason also meant it could be any reason at all—
Including that one of the students had cleared the hidden quest.
There were only so many students in this batch; screening them would be simple.
Of course, the Grand Protector could not yet confirm whether Ren Junzi's killing of official students was tied to the hidden quest. Otherwise, it wouldn't be mere monitoring, but outright capture.
"Yes!" a respectful response came from the other end of the line.
***
Capital City.
Suburbs, Maple Forest Mountain.
Around the outer edges of Maple Forest Mountain grew sprawling groves of maple trees. Come autumn, the entire mountain range turned a golden red.
Tourists from out of town and locals alike loved to hike and sightsee here during the crisp autumn season.
Yet few ventured deep into the mountains, and so they never saw the primeval forest shrouding the terrain within.
Inside that primeval forest stood Bai Manor, grand and luxurious, complete with expansive glasshouses and marble villas.
Viewed from above, this cluster of fashionable architecture resembled an ecological research institute built within the jungle.
Bai Manor was the residence of Grand Elder Baihui and the sanctuary of the entire family.
Years ago, Miao Teng'er and her voluptuous, stunningly beautiful mother had been confined right here for a full year.
Yet originally, this had been nothing more than an ordinary barren mountain—until the Grand Elder casually picked a spot to sleep, happening upon this place.
Grand Elder Baihui had slept for six months. By the time he woke, the entire area had transformed into a dense forest comparable to a tropical rainforest.
Inside the manor, beneath a tall green pine, Yunzhongzi held a handful of corn kernels in his palm, attentively feeding two little squirrels.
Behind him stood an assistant in a suit and bow tie, currently reporting on the investigation into the Qinfeng Academy incident.
Yunzhongzi wore a loose, flowing green robe with his hair tied in a Taoist topknot. His features were refined, his skin smooth, and his temperament weathered yet restrained. Against the backdrop of the wild, overgrown forest, he looked like a Taoist priest who had attained the Dao.
He was Grand Elder Baihui's son, and the maternal uncle of Lingjun and Miao Teng'er.
"Hold on." Yunzhongzi gently rubbed a squirrel's little head with his finger. "Focus your report on the submission from the Songhai Branch, as well as the feedback from Elder Sun of the Taiyi Sect."
"The report submitted by the Songhai Branch matches those of the other students. As for Elder Sun's side, it has been confirmed that the armor was a life-saving gift he gave to Sun Miaomiao," the assistant said.
Yunzhongzi gave a gentle hum, his tone placid. "Notify Lingjun to keep an eye on Yuanshi Tianzun. The others can be ignored."
The assistant frowned slightly. "Did you notice something?"
"In Qinfeng Academy, the only thing that could interest the Dark Night Rose is the hidden quest. Thinking with that core in mind makes it easy to guess why Ren Junzi had to kill students." Yunzhongzi smiled faintly. "Think further: why was the one who killed Ren Junzi Yuanshi Tianzun?"
"Are you saying Yuanshi Tianzun was in the academy... Impossible. He couldn't have had the key to open the stone doors." The assistant was also a higher-up of Baihui.
"It's merely a suspicion. If I had proof, I would have gone to Songhai to grab the kid already, which is why I'm having Lingjun watch him." Having finished feeding the corn kernels, Yunzhongzi turned around. "There's no need to make a big fuss about this. Arrange for new personnel to take up posts at the academy. And send that white ape on the back mountain to Hundred Beasts Island."
"Understood."
***
Protagonist Squad Forging Ahead Group Chat:
[Sun Miaomiao: The Five Elements Alliance headquarters just sent someone over to inquire. My grandpa took the blame for Ten Thousand Slaughter, so there shouldn't be any issues going forward.]
[Tianxia Guihuo: Pressure from the organization can be ignored. Without concrete evidence, they won't do anything. What I'm worried about is the Dark Night Rose.]
The Dark Night Rose had sent Ren Junzi to infiltrate the academy, scheming after the treasure in the underground palace. Now that Ren Junzi was dead, any higher-up with half a brain would wonder if someone had beaten them to the punch.
After all, if he had come up empty-handed, Ren Junzi would have kept his identity concealed and left the academy.
[Xiahou Aotian: Allow me to ponder... Mm, Yuanshi Tianzun and Sun Miaomiao are in danger, but it has nothing to do with the three of us.]
[Zhao Chenghuang: There were only so many students. A simple process of elimination will do. You aren't safe either.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: @Sun Miaomiao, copy that. Everyone, set the Dark Night Rose aside for a moment. Something is very bizarre: did we really never find the control core for the terracotta army we encountered in the palace? I suggest you all consult your Elders. If there's an issue, better to root it out early.]
[Zhao Chenghuang: I just met with my great-grandfather.]
[Sun Miaomiao: My grandpa is right beside me.]
[Tianxia Guihuo: I just left Elder Fu's villa.]
[Xiahou Aotian: Yuanshi Tianzun, don't go scaring people. By my deduction, the terracotta army's uniqueness likely stems from the spirit realm.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: @Sun Miaomiao, little darling, ask your grandpa for me if he can sell me the Taiyi Sect's secret art. I want to major in Taiyin.]
[Sun Miaomiao: Yuanshi Tianzun, you disgust me. We're not even close, why use such a sickening pet name? (disgusted)]
# Sun Miaomiao has left the chat #
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Just a joke, was that really necessary? Did she take the wrong medicine??]
He had figured he was on good terms with Sun Miaomiao and wanted to take the chance to seek a core cultivation art, killing two birds with one stone. Who knew he would get that kind of response?
Xiahou Aotian replied with a string of gloating "Hahaha"s, while Zhao Chenghuang and Tianxia Guihuo remained silent.
Somewhat dejected, Zhang Yuanqing exited the group chat and sent a message to the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter:
"Are you free tonight? Let's meet up."
Now that he had the Double Dragon Jade Pendant, it was time to return to Takamagahara. Along the way, he could hold her accountable—that woman clearly knew about Empress Wa, yet had played dumb with him.
The message sank like a stone into the ocean, yielding no reply.
Zhang Yuanqing checked Xiao Yuan's profile picture and found that she hadn't replied to him either.
*What is going on today? Nobody's talking to me?*
Gritting his teeth and steeling his resolve, Zhang Yuanqing sent a message to the Fear Heavenly King:
"So you used to belong to the Five Elements Alliance. How did you change class from a Swordsman to a Bewitching Demon?"
After sending it, he followed up with another line:
"Of course, whether you want to answer is your choice."
Seeing the message, the Fear Heavenly King replied instantly:
"For you, that kind of intel is far too advanced. Focus on saving Demonic Eye; I won't answer you."
Zhang Yuanqing hesitated briefly, then typed:
"I once saw a pair of eyes in a killing trial—the eyes of a Bewitching Demon. I almost transformed into a Bewitching Demon because of them."
He didn't send this message to seek death, but to exchange intelligence with the Fear Heavenly King.
A transition from Order to Evil was unheard of; it likely held massive secrets.
[Fear Heavenly King: You know quite a bit.]
[Fear Heavenly King: Heh, if you became a Bewitching Demon, Demonic Eye would be happy enough to jump three levels on the spot. The reason I changed class to a Bewitching Demon was that my character card was destroyed. Well, 'destroyed' isn't accurate—more like it was replaced. Of course, the main reason was that my own mindset underwent a transformation.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: A character card can be replaced?]
There was a massive amount of information in that statement! If character cards could be replaced, wouldn't the boundary between Order and Evil be thrown into utter chaos?
[Fear Heavenly King: Character cards can be replaced, but only from Order to Free. Free cannot change to Order. Just like a glass of water—you can pour ink into it to make it murky, but you cannot pour the ink back out.]
*If I said you could just use a water filtration system, would the Fear Heavenly King fly over and beat me up?* Zhang Yuanqing used this sarcastic thought to take the edge off the intense shock the news had brought him.
[Fear Heavenly King: The existence of the character card is a form of protection for spirit walkers, and also the spirit realm's self-defense mechanism.]
Those words whipped up monstrous waves in Zhang Yuanqing's heart.
Chapter 445