Killing

Cai Longshen had never imagined that what seemed like an inevitable defeat could take such an unexpected turn. He had already prepared to pull out, but harboring a desire to catch a glimpse of the ending, he had stealthily lurked over—just in time to see Yuanshi Tianzun hunting down the evil faction's combatants one by one. Both shocked and bewildered, Cai Longshen had no idea what had happened, so he observed patiently. Only when he saw Yuanshi Tianzun take out Life Source Fluid to treat Huang Taiji and the others was he finally certain that the tide had turned. Now that the orthodox faction had won, there was naturally no need to teleport away. His appearance now was aimed squarely at the ultimate secret of the Chaos of the Five Elements. With Cai Longshen's background and experience, it was easy to see that this realm was extraordinarily valuable. If the Five Elements Secret Art could be brought outside the realm, it would surely cause a massive stir throughout the entire Five Elements Alliance. Such immense merit was something he could never pass up. Zhang Yuanqing's gaze drifted past Xiao Yuan to the young man walking over. He sneered, "Someone's still alive? Which insect is this?" It was originally an exclamation of genuine surprise, but by the time the words left his mouth, they had turned into mockery. Hearing the word "insect," Cai Longshen's brow furrowed. He tilted his chin slightly and introduced himself: "Cai Longshen. My grandfather is Elder Cai of the headquarters." He needed to establish his status first to pave the way for dividing the spoils. *The grandson of a headquarters elder?* Zhang Yuanqing tilted his head, thinking it over. He had never heard of an Elder Cai, but that was his own fault, not Elder Cai's. He had never paid attention to the IDs of the headquarters' ten elders. He only knew that the Grand Elders of the five major guilds were among them, and the only name he knew was Huang Taiji's grandfather, Grand Elder Dihong. "Yuanshi Tianzun, you did well." Cai Longshen nodded slightly, praising a grass-roots talent of the organization like a pedigree scion of nobility. "You've accomplished a great feat. Once we return from the Spirit Realm, I will report the truth in the mission debrief and ensure the headquarters rewards you handsomely." He was using his status to seize the initiative and claim authority. Zhang Yuanqing tilted his head, curling his lips into a smirk. "I hate the way you talk. You should consider yourself lucky that my mental state is decent right now. Go stand aside." Cai Longshen's expression stiffened. The moment Xiao Yuan saw Cai Longshen, her willow-leaf brows snapped together, her gaze turning cold and sharp. The head hanging at Commandery Princess Yinyao's waist swayed, as though she wanted to say something through her mini-speaker. However, Huang Taiji beat them to it, saying in a deep voice, "Besides Cai Longshen, Jiang Ju is also in this realm, but he's heavily injured and should still be recuperating. Yuanshi Tianzun, didn't you say you wanted to enter the tomb?" The arrogant, wild Yuanshi Tianzun grunted an acknowledgment, ignoring Cai Longshen entirely as he strode straight toward the tomb entrance. Xiao Yuan and Commandery Princess Yinyao cast their gazes—one from above, one from below—at Huang Taiji simultaneously, displeased with him for covering for Cai Longshen. Yet a moment later, Xiao Yuan understood Huang Taiji's good intentions. Yuanshi Tianzun had a prior record of killing colleagues, and his mental state right now was erratic and somewhat neurotic. If he were told everything Cai Longshen had done, there was no guaranteeing Cai Longshen would make it out alive. Given Cai Longshen's identity and rank, if he died in the Spirit Realm, official headquarters would definitely inspect the mission report to uncover the cause of his death. The death of any noble second- or third-generation heir would be investigated thoroughly by headquarters. Dying at the hands of evil classes would be one thing, but if he were slain by a fellow official member like Yuanshi Tianzun, the repercussions would be severe. Conversely, when it came to Cai Longshen standing by and refusing to save others, headquarters could not mete out severe punishment. Cowardice, selfishness, and fear of battle were human nature. Inside a realm, no one was obligated to be responsible for another's life. Xiao Yuan didn't care about Cai Longshen's life or death, but she cared about Yuanshi Tianzun's future. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the tomb. Zhang Yuanqing paused at the entrance, pressing a hand to his brow to force down the chaotic emotions surging within him. He turned his head and called back, "Yinyao, tend to your future companions." Commandery Princess Yinyao halted immediately. She gathered the corpses of the two Mist Lords, tied them together, and borrowed a dagger from Xiao Yuan to begin dissecting Snake Woman. The scales, snake skin, venom glands, and other parts of Snake Woman's body were all top-tier materials. Her venom glands, for instance, could be used to refine a yin corpse proficient in toxic attacks. Watching the busy Commandery Princess Yinyao in the distance, Huang Taiji glanced at Cai Longshen and spoke with rare coolness: "You shouldn't have come over." "Shouldn't have come over to snatch your treasures?" Cai Longshen's gaze turned dark, a smirk touching his lips. "Since the orthodox faction won, as a member of the orthodox faction, why shouldn't I come? And don't hold a grudge against me. Realms are just like this—life and death depend on fate. When things go south, survival is the first priority. Even Grand Elder Dihong can't fault me for that." Huang Taiji frowned. "He devoured Murong Long's soul. His current state is extremely unstable." "I can see that. What, trying to use him to scare me?" Cai Longshen gave a half-smile. Yuanshi Tianzun's state was indeed off, but not to the point of total insanity. As long as he had any sanity left, he wouldn't dare offend the grandson of a headquarters elder. Huang Taiji turned and walked away, murmuring coldly, "Don't speak out of turn, and don't do anything reckless." That was his final warning. At the tomb's entrance, Xiao Yuan murmured softly, "That Cai Longshen seems to have a way to leave the Spirit Realm." Zhang Yuanqing suddenly wrapped an arm around Xiao Yuan's waist, his smile brimming with unbridled wicked charm. "Don't be afraid. I have a way to get you out of here." Xiao Yuan's brow furrowed tightly. Pushing him away at once, she whispered, "You're a Night Roamer. The power of the Five Elements doesn't belong to you. Keeping it in your body could cause serious problems." Zhang Yuanqing let out an exaggerated, affectionate sigh. "Xiao Yuan, even though I already have a girlfriend, your sacrifices for me today deeply moved me. I wouldn't mind taking another girlfriend. Once we leave the Spirit Realm, let's sleep together." ...Xiao Yuan's mouth twitched for several seconds. Finally, taking a deep breath, she decided to stop talking to this madman. Something was undeniably wrong with Yuanshi, but there was nothing she could do. Before long, Commandery Princess Yinyao had harvested all the valuable materials from Snake Woman's body. Led by Zhang Yuanqing, the four ducked into the tomb entrance and descended the narrow stone steps. Minutes later, they arrived at the burial chamber. Murong Long's tomb was built with a brick structure mimicking timber architecture, divided into front and rear chambers. The front chamber was oblong with a corbelled ceiling, its east and west walls decorated with murals. A passage connected the two chambers, nine meters long, with vertical-slat lattice windows set into both walls. Below the eastern window was an inscription marking the year: *First Year of Jingde, Murong Fu*. In the center of the corridor, they found a stele erected for Murong Fu by his descendants, detailing his life's deeds. Huang Taiji quickly scanned the inscriptions, his brow furrowing. "'Ventured north in his youth, wandered the Central Plains, encountered a miraculous opportunity, and mastered the Five Elements Secret Art...' Strange. I've cleared quite a few Song Dynasty realms and read countless guides. During the Song Dynasty, immortal sects were everywhere, yet none of them seemed to touch upon anything like the Five Elements Secret Art. Murong Fu came from humble origins, yet he was so unique in that era." Zhang Yuanqing raised a finger to rub his throbbing brow, letting out a bizarre, cackling laugh. "Of course he was unique. Because he was the sole successor to the art of the Five Elements." Commandery Princess Yinyao bit down on her mini-speaker, looking thoughtful. "I never heard Master mention that the Five Elements Art existed in the Song Dynasty." "That old crone loved staying home to cultivate all day, obsessed solely with the Golden Crow Secret Art and hearing flattery. What the hell would she know?" Zhang Yuanqing scoffed with utter disdain. Commandery Princess Yinyao only wished her mini-speaker had a recording function. Xiao Yuan asked in a low voice, "What do you know?" Everyone knew he had devoured Murong Long's soul and gained information, but they tacitly avoided bringing it up, actively ignoring his abnormalities and deliberately steering clear of mental contamination so as not to provoke him—just like handling a psychiatric patient with extreme care. Zhang Yuanqing said, "When Murong Fu was young, he loved meddling in other people's affairs and offended people in the pugilistic world. As a result, he was hunted down, fled into deep mountain forests, and stumbled into a cavern. The cave had been left behind by a reclusive hermit. Inside were a Five Elements manual, a few treasures, and the skeletal remains of that hermit who had passed away in meditation. Within the skeleton, Murong Fu found a divine pill patterned with yin and yang colors. From the manual, he learned that ingesting this pill could grant a rapid entry into the Five Elements Secret Art. So he swallowed the divine pill and cultivated in seclusion for three years. Once he achieved minor mastery of the Five Elements Secret Art, he left the cave to roam the martial world." Xiao Yuan nodded, while Huang Taiji asked, "Is this what you learned from Murong Long?" "No," Zhang Yuanqing revealed a sinister smile. "Murong Fu told me himself. Murong Fu is Murong Long. Back then, Murong Long slipped into his ancestor's tomb to steal the Five Elements manual, and in his ancestor's skeleton, he discovered a divine pill. By consuming that divine pill, he was able to cultivate the Five Elements Secret Art. But swallowing the pill carried a side effect: Murong Fu's will awakened inside his body, which caused Murong Long to suffer qi deviation and fall into madness." Hearing this, Huang Taiji and the others changed color. "Then Murong Fu back then..." "Exactly!" Zhang Yuanqing put on an exaggerated expression like someone telling a ghost story. "That reclusive hermit had also revived inside Murong Fu's sea of consciousness back then. 'The Five Elements transform and circulate endlessly'—that's what it means. Fortunately for Murong Fu, after leaving the cave and falling into madness, slaughtering innocents across the martial world, he was subdued by an itinerant Daoist. That Daoist was proficient in Night Roamer arts and extinguished the hermit's will for him. To prevent his descendants from repeating the tragedy, Murong Fu established the ancestral rule forbidding anyone from practicing the Five Elements Secret Art." In the dim, gloomy tomb, everyone felt a chill creep down their spines as they watched Yuanshi Tianzun's sinister grin. Cai Longshen's heart skipped a beat. *If cultivating the Five Elements Secret Art allows this, wouldn't it be a form of immortality?* Passing through the corridor, they entered the rear chamber. The rear chamber was hexagonal, crowned with a canopy-style, truncated six-lobed pointed roof. The faux-timber structures bore painted patterns, and the four walls were adorned with colored murals. An opened stone sarcophagus lay on a central pedestal, containing a dry skeleton and six items: A longsword with a decayed scabbard; a brass bell; a fiery red gourd; a long black ribbon embroidered with gold thread; a bamboo basket; and finally, a five-colored metal tablet made of bronze, engraved with three characters: "Buliangren." Cai Longshen's eyes lit up as he looked at the items in the sarcophagus. He had made the right choice by coming. If he had remained hidden in the Sword Pavilion without checking the cemetery, his evaluation rating would have been pitifully low even if the mission succeeded, yielding negligible rewards. As the victory rewards of the realm, the items in this sarcophagus were bound to be of extraordinary quality. What attracted him most was the five-colored bronze tablet. Bearing all five colors, it was undoubtedly no ordinary object. Huang Taiji searched around and said disappointedly, "There is no Five Elements Secret Art..." Everyone felt a wave of disappointment. Clearly, the Spirit Realm did not want spirit realm walkers to acquire such an art. The legendary secret art had not appeared among the rewards. Cai Longshen swiftly adjusted his mindset, coughed once, and announced loudly, "We can divide the items now. There are six items here, which, counting Jiang Ju outside, happens to be six people." He knew very well that when dividing spoils, it was first come, first served. With his status and background, as long as he moved quickly to take what he wanted, others wouldn't press the matter even if they were unhappy. Without hesitation, he reached for the Buliangren bronze tablet, saying, "I'll take this one—" *Splatter!* Water burst out. Cai Longshen stared in shock as water splashed from his severed wrist, before instantly coalescing back into a hand. He stared at Yuanshi Tianzun in utter disbelief. "You dared to cut off my hand?!" Yes, his wrist had just been sliced clean off, triggering the Water Ghost's passive ability. The one who had struck was Yuanshi Tianzun. Zhang Yuanqing's lips split open wider and wider, his expression taking on a neurotic cast, like the Joker from Gotham City. "Who gave you the nerve to touch my loot?" Cai Longshen erupted with rage. "Who gave you the nerve to attack me?! Whether inside a realm or outside, striking a fellow official member is a capital offense! Yuanshi Tianzun, have you forgotten who I am?!" Even if you were a genius, what was that status compared to the grandson of a headquarters elder? In the entire Five Elements Alliance, very few in the younger generation were qualified to stand on equal footing with him. The light in Zhang Yuanqing's eyes grew increasingly dangerous, the corners of his mouth curling higher and higher. Suddenly, he rubbed his face vigorously with both hands, muttering, "Calm down, calm down... Impulsiveness is the devil!" Ignoring Cai Longshen, he picked up the Buliangren bronze tablet. Huang Taiji fixed Cai Longshen with a stern, sharp gaze and shook his head slightly. Cai Longshen snorted coldly, but his eyes turned increasingly venomous. A few seconds later, the item's attributes materialized before Zhang Yuanqing's eyes: [Name: Buliangren Waist Token] [Type: Accessory] [Function: Key] [Description: The waist token worn in the early years of a supreme entity. Having accompanied him for many years and been steeped in the power of the Five Elements, it gained a certain degree of divinity. Holding this waist token grants an audience with that great entity.] [Remarks: The prerequisite for using a key is finding the keyhole.] This waist token was precisely the interesting item Zhang Yuanqing had glimpsed in Murong Long's memories. Murong Fu had brought it out of that mountain cavern. According to Murong Fu's memories, the reclusive hermit had lived in the late Tang Dynasty, and holding this waist token was how he had gained an audience with that great being, thereby obtaining the Five Elements Secret Art. This item was likely the true key to acquiring the Five Elements Secret Art. At that moment, Huang Taiji spoke up: "Cai Longshen, do you have a teleportation item? Now that the realm exploration is finished, once we divide these spoils, give that item to her so she can leave the Spirit Realm." The realm's main quest was to eliminate the hostile faction's walkers; otherwise, the mission could never be completed, and they could never return. Cai Longshen glanced at the five-colored bronze tablet in Yuanshi Tianzun's hand, displeasure flashing in his eyes. "A teleportation item is priceless. Why should I give it to a Spirit Medium? Of course, she can buy it with money." Huang Taiji frowned. "How much do you want?" Cai Longshen didn't look at him, letting his gaze sweep across Xiao Yuan and Yuanshi Tianzun. "I want three items from the sarcophagus, and you have to give me that bronze tablet in your hand." Huang Taiji warned in a low voice, "You'd better rethink that." Zhang Yuanqing didn't even look at Young Master Cai. He turned to Xiao Yuan and said, "I have a teleportation jade talisman to send you out. Pick three items from the sarcophagus as compensation for losing a level. Once we return, I'll make it up to you with some Life Source Fluid and cash." *Yuanshi has a teleportation item too?* Cai Longshen was taken aback, his expression darkening slightly. With that, his leverage to extort them had vanished. Zhang Yuanqing then looked at Huang Taiji, a frivolous smile on his lips. "Godfather, you can take one." For a moment, Huang Taiji couldn't tell whether this "Godfather" was banter or mockery, but figuring Yuanshi Tianzun was currently unhinged, there was no need to take offense. He simply nodded. Zhang Yuanqing then said to Commandery Princess Yinyao, "You take one as well." He didn't keep any for himself. The Princess's items were essentially his items, and when necessary, Xiao Yuan's items could be his as well. He had too many top-tier items in his inventory. Rather than hoarding them all for himself, it was better to distribute them so each of his companions had one. Just like in this realm: if the Princess had held a few items, or if Little Red Riding Hood had been on Blood Rose's head, the orthodox faction wouldn't have faced such a perilous crisis. Cai Longshen's face darkened completely. He realized that Yuanshi Tianzun had no intention of giving him anything. *He's openly opposing me?* *You say I get nothing, so I get nothing?!* Cai Longshen had grown up in the official system and feared conflict least of all. Sneering internally, he lunged forward, grabbing the bell, the bamboo basket, and the gourd, stuffing them into his inventory. "You—" Huang Taiji's expression changed drastically. He immediately looked at Yuanshi Tianzun, only to see veins bulging on Zhang Yuanqing's face, the madness and brutality in his eyes spreading rapidly. *This is bad!* Huang Taiji's heart sank, and he barked, "Cai Longshen, take the items back out. Now!" "Take them out?" Cai Longshen sneered. "These are my spoils! Why should I take them out? Huang Taiji, if you're not satisfied, you can file a complaint against me with headquarters once we're out of the realm!" He directed the words at Huang Taiji, but they were aimed at Yuanshi Tianzun, subtly asserting his background. Zhang Yuanqing turned around slowly, fixing his gaze on Cai Longshen as a smirk crept across his face. "Take another look. What did you actually grab?" Cai Longshen froze. Subconsciously looking at the sarcophagus, he saw all five items lying undisturbed beside the dry bones. *What did I grab just now?* Cai Longshen hurriedly opened his inventory, only to discover he hadn't taken anything at all. He had fallen under an illusion. "Yuanshi Tianzun, are you sure you want to cross me?!" Cai Longshen roared in fury. Zhang Yuanqing grinned widely. "Sorry, I can't hold it back anymore. Young Master Cai, today I'm sending you back to the Spirit Realm." He raised his right hand. Black and white energies surged from his palm, churning into a violent vortex that engulfed the illustrious Young Master Cai. Cai Longshen quickly experienced the exact despair and terror Huang Taiji and the others had felt earlier. Pinned in place by the cyclone, his origin spiritual energy began draining away in torrents. In just three or four seconds, the cold breath of death loomed over him. "Yuanshi Tianzun, do... do you realize what you're doing?!" Cai Longshen's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "You'd better clear your muddled head! My grandfather is an elder at headquarters! If you dare kill me, no one can protect you!" "Let him try!" Zhang Yuanqing said chillingly. The vortex surged violently, and the light in Cai Longshen's eyes dimmed at terrifying speed. "No, no... don't kill me, I beg you..." He finally realized that his status was useless here. The identity that had opened every door since childhood was utterly powerless. Yuanshi Tianzun truly intended to kill him. Overwhelming terror flooded his heart. He tried to beg for mercy, but the pleas from his mouth grew fainter and fainter... "Don't kill me... don't..." His voice faded entirely, leaving behind a pale corpse. Meanwhile, as if nourished by a potent tonic, Zhang Yuanqing's face grew flushed and radiant. Huang Taiji let out a heavy sigh. What he had feared most had come to pass. Yuanshi Tianzun had killed Cai Longshen. Regardless of how the mission report was written, headquarters would scrutinize it thoroughly. Once they left the Spirit Realm, he would have to call Fu Qingyang to see how to suppress the fallout. "Killed. Very good!" Commandery Princess Yinyao commented. Zhang Yuanqing released his grip, casting the corpse aside. Next, he retrieved a jade case, drew out a jade talisman, and said, "Pick three items and leave the realm." Xiao Yuan looked at the corpse on the ground, hesitating with unsaid words. In the end, she silently took the jade talisman and chose the bell, the sword, and the bamboo basket from the sarcophagus. Under Zhang Yuanqing's watch, Huang Taiji picked the black ribbon, while Commandery Princess Yinyao chose the fiery red gourd. Xiao Yuan looked down, focusing on the jade talisman to read its item information and master its usage. Lifting her gaze, she said, "I'm heading back first. You'd better find a way to deal with your mental issues." *Crack!* She crushed the jade talisman. In the next instant, she vanished from everyone's sight. As soon as Xiao Yuan departed, the orthodox walkers received the Spirit Realm's notification chime: [Ding! Congratulations on completing the multiplayer Spirit Realm mission—Chaos of the Five Elements, ID: 028, Difficulty Level: A. Calculating rewards.]