[Yuanshi Tianzun: Don't keep too many treasures in your inventories. You might consider building a vault at home. If you're really worried, hand your props over to your elders for safekeeping before entering a dungeon.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: In short, never bring Dominator-grade props into a dungeon. The Spirit Realm will screw you over. I almost didn't make it back this time.]
The four in the group thought about the Dominator-grade props and materials in their own inventories. Secretly on guard, they resolved to take those things out before their next dungeon run.
[Xiahou Aotian: Now that you mention it, I do recall that ever since my clan allocated me a Dominator-quality energy pack, the difficulty of the dungeons I've entered really has ramped up. Last time, I was even matched into an S-rank dungeon. But the elders never told me about this!]
Could it be that your character is just too terrible, so the Xiahou elders intentionally kept you in the dark? Zhang Yuanqing snidely thought to himself.
[Zhao Chenghuang: Given the usual style of prominent Spirit Realm clans, my guess is they're raising venomous insects. Carrying an energy pack raises your hidden score, which spikes the difficulty of the dungeons you enter. If you manage to grow under that pressure, you become truly formidable.]
[Zhao Chenghuang: If you can't survive, it simply proves your aptitude was lacking, and your death is no great loss. For a Spirit Realm clan to endure, it must ensure that every generation reliably produces talent. The reason they don't make this public is probably that it's unseemly—an unspoken rule.]
[Tianxia Guihuo: Zhao Chenghuang's analysis makes a lot of sense. @Yuanshi Tianzun, who did you run into?]
Zhang Yuanqing had been waiting for someone to ask. He typed away rapidly:
[Yuanshi Tianzun: The enemies in this dungeon were somewhat tough: Greed Divine General, Yi Chuanmei, Snake Woman, plus a Level 5 Spiritualist and a Level 5 Mist Lord. All of them were in the state of advancing from Level 5 to 6.]
No wonder he said he had nearly died in the dungeon; he had actually matched against Divine General-tier figures! Sun Miaomiao and the other three were stunned.
The Divine Generals of the Soldier Master sect were among that tiny circle of the strongest experts below the Dominator level. Even though Sun Miaomiao and the others were now Saints, the Divine Generals remained towering figures to be looked up to from afar.
They belonged to the very bottom and the absolute pinnacle of the same stage.
Apart from Greed Divine General, Yi Chuanmei and Snake Woman were also long-renowned Saints, ranking high on the official Most Wanted Heaven Rank for the Saint stage.
[Tianxia Guihuo: Wait. Since you returned, that means the evil faction was defeated. Who were the teammates you matched with?]
Sun Miaomiao, Zhao Chenghuang, and Xiahou Aotian snapped to attention. They suddenly realized what a momentous event this was: Greed Divine General, Yi Chuanmei, and Snake Woman had all perished in the Spirit Realm!
Once announced, such an achievement would send shockwaves in every direction. Who had done it?
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Huang Taiji, Jiang Ju, and Cai Longshen.]
Xiahou Aotian, Sun Miaomiao, and Zhao Chenghuang saw the light. Huang Taiji and Jiang Ju were among the official Four Young Masters and had long been Level 6 experts, the latter even contending with Money Prince, whose skills verged on the supernatural.
Only a lineup like that could defeat veteran evil classes like Greed Divine General and Yi Chuanmei.
[Zhao Chenghuang: So it was them. No wonder... Yuanshi Tianzun, have you reached Level 5?]
He felt a sudden urgency to know Yuanshi Tianzun's level.
*He should be Level 5 by now. Clearing a dungeon of such high difficulty must have granted plenty of experience points...* The other three thought to themselves, their eyes glued to their phone or computer screens.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: I'm Level 6.]
Seeing this reply, a string of question marks flashed across the minds of all four people in the chat.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Greed Divine General, Snake Woman, and Yi Chuanmei were all killed by me. I'm preparing to refine them into yin corpses. @Zhao Chenghuang, once the work is done, I can let you have a feel.]
[Sun Miaomiao: Haha, let me feel them too!]
She had almost been taken in, but upon seeing the follow-up message, she realized Yuanshi Tianzun was joking.
Zhao Chenghuang, Tianxia Guihuo, and Xiahou Aotian thought the same.
*I wasn't even trying to scare you guys...* Zhang Yuanqing opened his camera, aimed it at Greed Divine General and Bai Ren Zhan on the floor, and snapped a photo. Then he saw a reply from Fu Qingyang:
[Fu Qingyang: The strategy report looks fine. I'll forward it to Huang Taiji.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Thanks, Boss. By the way, I brought back the corpses of Greed Divine General and the others. I'm planning to refine them into yin corpses: three Level 6 yin corpses and one Level 6 spirit servant. Two of the yin corpses are in the middle of advancing from Level 5 to 6. Roughly how much money will that require?]
[Fu Qingyang: Without factoring in failed refinements and wasted materials, roughly two hundred million.]
*Two hundred million... My material quota is only one hundred million, leaving me short of that small target. But the merits from killing Greed Divine General, Yi Chuanmei, and Snake Woman should be more than enough once converted into cash and materials...* Zhang Yuanqing typed a reply:
"Boss, the sooner yin corpses are refined, the better. Headquarters' review process takes time. Could you lend me some money?"
At the same time, he tagged Xiahou Aotian in the group:
[Yuanshi Tianzun: @Xiahou Aotian, have the antiques been auctioned off?]
[Xiahou Aotian: I'm going to Wanbao House tomorrow to collect the money. The auction brought in sixty million in total, twelve million per person. Lian Sanyue was so conquered by my handsome looks and dominating aura that she decided to waive our commission.]
Sun Miaomiao, Zhao Chenghuang, and Tianxia Guihuo were all delighted, looking forward to the arrival of the massive windfall.
Though the first two hailed from prominent clans, their families being wealthy was quite different from having their own money. As for Tianxia Guihuo, coming from a grassroots background left him with few avenues to earn cash. A massive sum of twelve million would keep him living lavishly for quite a while, whether he used it to improve his quality of life or purchase materials.
And they still had plenty more such antiques.
*Conquered by your dominating aura? Lian Sanyue doesn't strike me as someone who does charity...* Zhang Yuanqing quipped internally. Soon after, he saw Fu Qingyang's reply:
"Send me a list. I'll gather the materials for you by tomorrow."
Zhang Yuanqing replied with a "frantic kowtow" sticker.
Then, he posted the photo into the "Protagonist Squad Struggle Group."
The photo displayed two corpses: an elderly man with disheveled white hair and a burly man covered in facial tattoos.
The two lay side by side on the warm-toned elm flooring.
Sun Miaomiao and the others didn't recognize the tattooed burly man, but they had all seen the dossier on the notorious Greed Divine General, one of the top names on the wanted list.
[Sun Miaomiao: ???]
[Xiahou Aotian: !!!]
Zhao Chenghuang and Tianxia Guihuo simply responded with ellipses.
***
In the Capital City.
Beside his desk, Zhao Chenghuang stared at the photo in the group chat, utterly dazed.
As one of the Eight Divine Generals of the Soldier Master sect and an evil class with a mountain of criminal records, Greed Divine General was someone Zhao Chenghuang naturally recognized.
Without a doubt, the white-haired elder with shoulder-length hair in the photo was Greed Divine General.
*Could it be that someone from the orthodox faction gave the Divine General's corpse to Yuanshi Tianzun?* Zhao Chenghuang still couldn't bring himself to believe that Yuanshi Tianzun had reached Level 6.
He suspected Yuanshi Tianzun had traded for the corpse from his dungeon teammates. But on second thought, for a Level 4 Stargazer to refine a Level 6 yin corpse was entirely impossible.
Level 5 was the absolute limit.
Just then, he saw a private message from Sun Miaomiao:
[Sun Miaomiao: Go check the Five Elements Alliance forum, quick!]
*The Five Elements Alliance forum?* Filled with doubt, Zhao Chenghuang opened the alliance's forum.
As a member of the Taiyi Sect, he had viewing privileges, though he couldn't post or comment.
The interface flickered, and the forum page loaded. Zhao Chenghuang's pupils instantly shrank.
Right at the top of the homepage was a pinned post in bold red font:
*#Yuanshi Tianzun Jumps Two Levels, Slays Senior Deacons of Three Major Organizations#*
The poster was the Songhai Branch.
Zhao Chenghuang's breath hitched, and he hurried to click open the post.
"A few days ago, Yuanshi Tianzun encountered Soldier Master sect's Greed Divine General, Nihility Sect (Southern Sect)'s Yi Chuanmei, Spirit Society West District Branch's Snake Woman, and Northwest Broadsword Alliance Leader Bai Ren Zhan in a dungeon...
"At the critical juncture, Yuanshi Tianzun turned the tide, slaying three Level 6 Walkers in succession to reverse the situation. This battle stands as the pinnacle of his career since his debut, as well as a monumental victory for the Five Elements Alliance..."
*Yuanshi Tianzun...* Zhao Chenghuang leaned back against his chair, his expression frozen.
[Sun Miaomiao: This guy is a total freak. He's really Level 6! Back during the arena tournament, his level was lower than yours, and now he's completely crushing us! *Waaaah*]
The corner of Zhao Chenghuang's mouth twitched. Every word of Sun Miaomiao's pierced straight into his heart.
A fierce wave of anxiety welled up within him, making him wish he could dive into a dungeon right this second and leap two levels himself.
***
"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! None of this is real! I must be trapped in an illusion!"
In his villa bedroom, Xiahou Aotian slammed his desk furiously in front of his computer, his expression utterly contorted. "Yuanshi Tianzun is clearly my lackey! Even I, the protagonist, haven't pulled off such a feat, so what right does he have?!
"What right does he have to perform a feat meant only for the protagonist?!" Xiahou Aotian repeated through gritted teeth.
He had also been reading the Five Elements Alliance forum. The moment he saw the post's contents, he felt deeply provoked—especially by the official members mindlessly fawning over Yuanshi Tianzun in the comments below:
"Lord Tianzun is awesome!"
"This battle record surpasses Money Prince!"
"Number one at the Saint stage!"
"I bet the senior deacons of the evil organizations are trembling in their boots!"
Comments like these filled the self-proclaimed protagonist Xiahou Aotian with so much envy that his very soul felt torn apart.
A mental ripple from the Qin Dynasty sorcerer drifted out from the ring. "This child is truly a heaven-sent genius. The Turmoil of the Five Elements? Five Elements..."
Xiahou Aotian reined in his emotions. "What about the Five Elements?"
The Qin Dynasty sorcerer sighed wistfully.
"Haven't you always been asking me for information on the First Emperor? Heh, the First Emperor was the first extraordinary genius in all of history to comprehend the mysteries of the Five Elements.
"He crafted the Sacrificial Robe to Heaven. Rumor has it that wearing that robe during the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Tai allowed him to commune with Haotian. From Haotian's divine oracle, he obtained the secret to immortality."
Xiahou Aotian scoffed. "Then how did the First Emperor still end up dead?"
The Qin Dynasty sorcerer chuckled. "I only heard that from Xu Fu. But that lad was full of lies, and the First Emperor never addressed it directly. Who knows if it was true or false?"
***
At the Kangyang District Police Station.
Tianxia Guihuo quietly browsed the official forum, his brow furrowed with solemnity.
"He levels up too fast..." the Shame of Fire Masters sighed.
Over the past few days, he had cultivated the Red Flame Severing Fire Blade relentlessly until he attained full mastery. He considered himself top-tier among Level 4 Fire Demons and was confident he could advance to Level 5 within two months.
Yet compared to Yuanshi Tianzun, he was still far behind.
This completely shattered the pride in his heart, sending his anxiety skyrocketing.
*The competition is just too brutal!*
***
In the Capital City, at Thousand Birds Lake.
Thousand Birds Lake was an artificial lake named after the abundant water birds that flocked there during spring and summer. It was not large, spanning merely seven mu. The water was crystalline, devoid of both fish and weeds; one could see the pebbles at the bottom through more than a dozen meters of water.
The water here was clean enough to drink directly, all because Elder Cai of the Water God Palace slept beneath the surface.
Along the lake's landscaped shore, a group of people approached at a brisk pace and halted by the water's edge. Leading them was a pale, beardless middle-aged man with somber eyes.
"Give me the report and all of you step back," Cai Shuishi said with a grim expression.
His assistant respectfully handed over a folder, then departed with the bodyguards.
Once they had left, Cai Shuishi bowed toward the water and called out loudly:
"Father, Longshen died in the dungeon."
The tranquil lake surface suddenly surged with tempestuous waves, roiling violently.
Though it was merely a small lake, the churning swells radiated a terrifying pressure akin to a tsunami.
A figure formed of clear water rose from the surging waves, its deep voice echoing across the lake: "Longshen had a teleportation prop. How could he die?"
The voice carried fury and interrogation.
Cai Shuishi's body trembled instinctively, his face draining of color. The formidable aura of his father even made it difficult for him to breathe.
Cai Longshen was his father's most beloved grandson, valued far more than any son or daughter.
Facing his father's questioning, Cai Shuishi lowered his head even further, offering the folder with both hands. "These are the mission reports from Jiang Ju, Huang Taiji, and Yuanshi Tianzun."
The folder flew up on its own, opened, and hovered before the watery figure.
Elder Cai's water form swiftly read through the mission reports, remaining silent for a long while.
"What do you think?" Elder Cai said slowly.
Cai Shuishi wore a look of deep grief. "Longshen was too reckless. Had he left the dungeon earlier, this wouldn't have happened..."
He knew his own son best.
What the reports described was likely the truth; that was precisely the kind of thing Cai Longshen would do.
"Hmph!"
Elder Cai let out a cold snort.
In an instant, a colossal pressure descended from above, flattening Cai Shuishi straight to the ground.
"F-Father?"
Kneeling on both knees, Cai Shuishi—whose somber features mirrored his son's—looked up, feeling both bewildered and wronged.
"Yuanshi Tianzun was in a stalemate with the boss, and only then did Longshen move to claim his equipment set? Heh. He didn't lose early, and he didn't lose late, yet he collapsed right when Longshen made his move?" Elder Cai's voice was frigid and sharp.
"If the boss could instantly kill Longshen, it could have instantly killed Huang Taiji as well. Why didn't Huang Taiji die? Yuanshi fell just as Longshen acted, and the moment Longshen died, he immediately leveled up to strike back against the boss—what an exquisite coincidence."
Cai Shuishi took a sharp breath. "Father, you mean..."
"I am neither a Diviner nor a Stargazer," Elder Cai snapped coldly at his son. Then he commanded, "Take my seal, draft an application to requisition the Tiger Tally, and go question Yuanshi Tianzun and Huang Taiji yourself."
"Yes!" Cai Shuishi replied solemnly.
***
Seven o'clock in the evening.
Zhang Yuanqing spent the entire night bombarded by text messages and phone calls, mostly from colleagues who had advanced to Saint alongside him during the killing trial.
Xie Su of the Xie family, as well as non-official contacts like the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, sent texts of congratulations as well.
Then came a reminder from Xiao Yuan:
[Magical Aunt Xiao Yuan: Good Minister Chooses His Master to Slay says that the three major evil organizations have bumped you from the Earth Rank to the Heaven Rank, placing you sixth.]
Yuanshi Tianzun's current bounty was three hundred million, plus one top-grade Saint-stage prop and three fine-grade props.
Notably, Fear Heavenly King of the Soldier Master sect had personally called him.
Fear Heavenly King expressed his displeasure with Yuanshi Tianzun, claiming that Yuanshi Tianzun was a natural jinx to the Soldier Master sect. From Heavenly King Demonic Eye to Lust Divine General, and now Greed Divine General, three high-ranking members had already suffered because of him.
Zhang Yuanqing had promptly replied with a long-winded speech about his own understanding of freedom, which earned Fear Heavenly King's deep appreciation. The Heavenly King had then subtly reminded Yuanshi Tianzun that the one-month deadline was fast approaching.
If he didn't want to join Greed Divine General in returning to the Spirit Realm, he had better put his mind toward rescuing Demonic Eye.
Zhang Yuanqing didn't even have an appetite for dinner.
On the villa's rooftop, starlight rose. Zhang Yuanqing glanced up at the gloomy night sky and sighed.
"Let me use Stargazing to divine the pros and cons of saving Demonic Eye. If the cons outweigh the pros, I'll use the Perfect Human Skin to offset the curse..."
Gazing into the pitch-black night, Zhang Yuanqing opened his Star Eyes.
Chapter 487