The Northwest Is Far Away

"Roar—!" With a deep, guttural roar, the white lion sprang forward in a violent rush, pinning the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter to the ground. Just as this peerless beauty was about to perish in the lion's jaws, her body tilted, her feet slid across the earth with a sharp hiss, and she transitioned into a half-real, half-ethereal state, slipping right through the pouncing white lion. Zhang Yuanqing immediately shouted: "Throw the belt over here!" Finishing her slide, the Palace Master pressed a hand to the ground, kicked off with both feet, and darted back toward the lakeside. At the same time, she unfastened the azure jade belt from her waist and flung it out with all her might. Zhang Yuanqing rushed forward a few steps, reached out to catch the jade belt, and hurled it to Heavenly King Demonic Eye without hesitation, calling out: "Use it to restore your strength!" From the brief chase between the Palace Master and the white lion, it was plain to see that the beast's power utterly outmatched hers. The only one present who could deal with the white lion was Heavenly King Demonic Eye, but he was far too weak, and there were no blood bags around to trigger a Bewitching Demon's Bloodthirsty Rampage. Heavenly King Demonic Eye caught the radiant jade belt. As he focused his gaze to inspect its item details, astonishment appeared on his handsome face, and he could not help but glance at Yuanshi Tianzun. Then, with a low chuckle and a broad grin, he strapped the jade belt around his waist. The next instant, a rich emerald glow blossomed, washing over his exhausted body, infusing spiritual energy into every cell, and smoothing away his physical damage and weakness. The Azure Emperor Jade Belt was a Dominator-tier item; healing Demonic Eye did not exceed its limits. Fatigue vanished completely. Surging power flooded his limbs and bones. His emaciated frame filled out, and robust muscles stretched taut against his skin. "So comfortable..." Demonic Eye stretched lazily, his signature grin curling at the corners of his mouth. Pressing a hand against the sports headband on his brow, he said, "Get behind me." Zhang Yuanqing and Commandery Princess Yinyao obeyed instantly—the latter was even faster than her master. As the sports headband slid down, a vertical eye with a blood-red socket and a pale gold pupil was exposed. Cold and merciless, brimming with evil and chaos, it rolled in its socket with a sickening squelch. Both the Palace Master and the white lion stiffened mid-chase. The beast abandoned its target, crouching low with bared fangs. It locked its gaze onto Heavenly King Demonic Eye, a rumbling growl vibrating in its throat. *Roll!* The pale gold pupil shifted, fixing straight onto the white lion. Instantly, a beam of scarlet-gold light erupted, shining upon the embodiment of the item spirit's power. "Roar—!" A shrill, agonized roar shook the pitch-black night sky. The white lion rolled on the ground in torment. Its white mane was stained with blood, and bizarre demonic patterns crawled across its sleek body. Its fangs jutted outward, its beastly eyes filled with blood, and its fur shifted from white to black. From an extraordinary divine beast, it had turned into a demonic monstrosity that seemed to have crawled out of the depths of hell. On the other side, though the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter was not caught in Demonic Eye's direct gaze, small bumps rose across her arms and neck as if countless tiny insects were squirming beneath her skin. Her beautiful eyes flashed with madness, and the spiritual energy of her Arbiter of Fate class plunged into chaos. "It is the embodiment of this rule-based item's power. My demonic eye can only suppress it, not kill it. Go first and wait for me outside!" Heavenly King Demonic Eye's vertical pupil kept exerting continuous suppression on the white lion. Zhang Yuanqing and Commandery Princess Yinyao complied without hesitation, darting out from behind Demonic Eye. Zhang Yuanqing sprinted over to the Palace Master, scooped her severely injured, destabilizing body into his arms in a bridal carry, gave the white lion a wide berth, and fled into the dark. Retracing their steps, the three sprinted toward the outer zone with practiced familiarity. Having already grasped the rules, and with the surrounding anomalies keeping their distance, the journey was smooth and peaceful. Finally, they reached the fork leading to the Employee Break Room. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly skidded to a halt. Handing the Palace Master to Yinyao, he said, "I have to go back and check. That diary is bizarre. No one entered the dorm, yet it recorded text on its own. I must go take a look." Commandery Princess Yinyao took the Palace Master into her arms and ran. "Then be careful yourself." Yuanshi Tianzun had Evil-Breaking Talismans, the divine power of the sun to protect him, the Perfect Human Skin, and countless other means. It was hardly the place of a frail woman like her to worry about him. All the princess wanted right now was to leave the Zoo immediately. The horror this place gave her far surpassed the Chaos of the Five Elements trial. The Chaos of the Five Elements had not been horrifying—it was merely a grueling battle, and she had survived many such bitter fights throughout her travels in the jianghu. Watching the princess depart, Zhang Yuanqing snapped his fingers and dissolved into starlight. Before the dormitory building, bright starlight flared. With a clear destination in mind, he returned to that bedroom, rushed inside, and strode over to pick up the booklet from the floor. Amid the rustle of pages, Zhang Yuanqing's pupils shrank slightly. "...I am very happy, because four new employees have arrived at the dormitory building... I... will follow them forever." Reading those words, Zhang Yuanqing felt a chill run down his spine once more. This had clearly been written after they left, and the monster named Wang Mingming had already departed by then. Though he could not rule out the possibility that Wang Mingming had doubled back to write the entry, based on the intel gathered so far, these words were likely penned by the notebook itself. It was fortunate he had returned to check. Had they left directly, the notebook would have exposed their identities. *This Wang Mingming is different from ordinary black-uniformed employees. There is definitely a story behind him, but there is no time to investigate...* Zhang Yuanqing immediately felt the urge to tear out the page, but on second thought, if it could write on its own, ripping out the page would be meaningless. The moment he left, another line would likely appear. *Take it with me.* Rolling up the notebook, Zhang Yuanqing stuffed it into his pocket and cast the Star Escape Technique to vanish from the room. *** Outside the Zoo. Following his mental bond with his yin corpse, Zhang Yuanqing found the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter and Commandery Princess Yinyao in a blind spot hidden from surveillance cameras. The Palace Master sat slumped on the ground, holding a vial of Life Source Fluid and gulping it down. Though Arbiters of Fate possessed formidable self-healing skills, self-healing still required spiritual energy to sustain. Life Source Fluid was originally a regenerative concoction Arbiters of Fate brewed for themselves when their spiritual reserves ran dry. Commandery Princess Yinyao stood guard nearby, her eyes never leaving the Zoo's front gates. Zhang Yuanqing strode over quickly, dispelling his Night Roaming the moment he stepped clear of surveillance. "Suddenly, this desolate suburb feels overflowing with safety. I don't ever want to step foot in that gar—whew, the Zoo. Now I can say 'Zoo' openly." He smiled at the two beauties. As soon as he finished speaking, Commandery Princess Yinyao raised her mini-speaker and said in an eerie tone, "Have you ever considered that everything before your eyes might just be an illusion, and you are actually still inside the Zoo?" The corner of Zhang Yuanqing's mouth twitched. "You'd better be joking." The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter retrieved the Yin-Yang Robe and the Sliding Tackle Shoes, tossing them back to him. Looking toward the Zoo, she said in a still-feeble voice, "Demonic Eye hasn't emerged yet. It's too early to celebrate." Before the words faded, a tall, imposing figure materialized behind them and chuckled. "A Zoo without an administrator can never hold me." Zhang Yuanqing turned toward the voice. The tall, straight figure was none other than Heavenly King Demonic Eye. He wore a black employee uniform with the collar unbuttoned, displaying his muscular chest. The moment Zhang Yuanqing saw Demonic Eye, plumes of black smoke drifted off his body with faint sizzling sounds. Fear Heavenly King's curse had been broken. *Phew...* Zhang Yuanqing finally breathed a long sigh of relief. "How's the white lion? You didn't kill it, did you?" Even though he had played the traitor this once, he still belonged to the orthodox faction. The Zoo was his old man's relic and Elder Dog's item. Heavenly King Demonic Eye smiled. "It has no body of flesh and blood. It's the incarnation of the item spirit's power, so there is no such concept as death for it." He glanced over Commandery Princess Yinyao and the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter. "I have something to say to Yuanshi Tianzun. You two can scram now." "Understood!" Without a shred of loyalty, Commandery Princess Yinyao abandoned her master and vanished in a burst of starlight. The Palace Master arched an eyebrow. "It's fine," Zhang Yuanqing nodded at her and cast an illusion over her. The Palace Master hesitated for a moment without saying anything, then dissolved into ten thousand fluttering silk ribbons. The ribbons gathered into a colorful banner and drifted gracefully into the distant night on the breeze. Heavenly King Demonic Eye unbuckled the belt and tossed it over casually. "Nice item." Zhang Yuanqing reached out to catch it. Then his shoulder dipped under the heavy press of Demonic Eye's hand. Two dark silhouettes soared into the sky, vanishing into the heavy gloom of the night. *** On the rooftop of a skyscraper, Heavenly King Demonic Eye, sports headband once again wrapped around his forehead, looked down upon the brightly lit city. He stretched lazily and opened his arms wide. "Seeing the light of day again... feels wonderful!" he mused in the night wind. Zhang Yuanqing quipped, "I thought the first thing you'd do after breaking out would be killing a few corrupt officials to celebrate." "Purging the world is a long process; there's no rush." Heavenly King Demonic Eye gathered his thoughts, studying the friend he considered a kindred spirit, a smirk touching his lips. "I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me earlier, but you've truly advanced to peak Saint." "Still far from the peak. I've only just entered Level 6," Zhang Yuanqing replied modestly. As soon as he said it, he dreaded that Demonic Eye might chime in with: *As expected of the man I fancy. Come back with me to the Soldier Master sect and make the Northwest prosper!* "It seems a great deal has happened during my imprisonment. Once I return to the Soldier Master sect, I will look into everything." Heavenly King Demonic Eye gave a slight nod. "How are your relations with the official organization right now?" He seemed confident that Yuanshi Tianzun was not on great terms with the authorities. Sure enough, Yuanshi Tianzun gave a wry smile. "We're estranged." Heavenly King Demonic Eye chuckled with delight. "If word spreads that you rescued me, the official organization will have no room left for you. Your only option will be to defect to me." *That's playing dirty...* Zhang Yuanqing's expression stiffened slightly. "Purging the world requires profound enlightenment. You have not awakened yet, and dragging you in by force is not what I want." Demonic Eye clapped Yuanshi Tianzun hard on the shoulder. "What I want is a partner of the same mind. Forced melons aren't sweet. But I believe that day will not be far off." *You're so rational you don't even act like an evil class!* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. "By the way, who became Dominators in the mid-year killing trial?" Demonic Eye asked. "Fu Qingyang, the Ghost King of Fengdu, and Divine General Silver Moon." A sudden thought occurred to Zhang Yuanqing, and he asked out of curiosity, "I remember the Soldier Master sect can only have four Heavenly Kings. Will there be a life-or-death battle between you and Silver Moon?" Demonic Eye was ranked fourth among the sect's Four Heavenly Kings. "For Silver Moon, yes; for me, no," Demonic Eye chuckled. "Though I am the lowest in level, that doesn't mean I am the lowest in combat strength." Among all domestic Bewitching Demons, he was the only one who had cultivated the Eye of Bewitchment to the absolute pinnacle—apart from Asura. It was similar to Fu Qingyang's mastery bordering on the Dao. "Still, rules are rules. It isn't easy for the Soldier Master sect to produce a Heavenly King. As long as Silver Moon steps back down to the position of Divine General, there won't need to be a fight to the death," Demonic Eye explained. He looked at Yuanshi Tianzun with a calm, almost gentle expression. "Regarding tonight's operation, I will convince Fear to keep it secret for you. If you face any difficulties in the future, you can contact me. Consider this my repayment to you." Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to ask, "You spent two months inside the Zoo. How much do you know about that item?" Heavenly King Demonic Eye pondered for a few seconds before saying slowly, "That item was likely forged to imprison certain things. While that tree was escorting me toward Ruoshui Lake, I sensed an ancient aura coming from the animals in the park." "The animals locked in the cages?" Zhang Yuanqing fell into thought. A few seconds later, he ceased thinking and asked, "Ancient?" Heavenly King Demonic Eye nodded. "An aura as ancient as Asura's." "I don't follow," Zhang Yuanqing answered honestly. "Asura is different from us. While he is also a Bewitching Demon, he carries the aura of an Ancient One... 'Ancient One' is what we call them privately." Demonic Eye considered his words and asked, "Do you know about the Night Walkers' three source powers?" "I do," Zhang Yuanqing nodded. Demonic Eye was taken aback. He scrutinized Yuanshi Tianzun once more, his lips curving up. "Not bad. When I first met you, you were just a weak little rookie. In barely two months, you've completely transformed." Pausing briefly, he returned to the topic: "Asura has mastered the source power of the Bewitching Demon class—or what can be treated as source power." "I understand why Asura is so strong, but I don't understand the rest." "Do you know that evil classes have no demigods?" "I know that." "Orthodox classes have demigods because they have things called source powers. Obtain one, and you become a demigod. But evil classes have none," Heavenly King Demonic Eye said. "Nowadays, everyone knows that evil classes are stronger than orthodox classes, but before Asura reached the absolute pinnacle, orthodox classes completely crushed evil classes because they possessed demigods. Otherwise, how could the orthodox faction have won dominion over the realm back then? "It wasn't until Asura rose to prominence that everyone realized evil classes could also rival demigods. Yet no one knows how Asura accomplished it. To this day, every evil class who has cracked that secret has become a demigod, and they are now the supreme leaders of the three major evil organizations." *So there's a history like that...* Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "In other words, the animals in the Zoo hold the secret to how evil classes advance to demigods?" No wonder that conversation between his late father and Elder Dog mentioned that the ruins held the secrets of the spirit realm. "All right, I've said all there is to say. I'm heading back to the Soldier Master sect." Heavenly King Demonic Eye flashed a radiant smile. "I look forward to our next meeting." With that, a loud *boom* erupted, and he shot into the heavens like a rocket. Zhang Yuanqing watched his figure vanish into the distance, only to see him reappear a moment later—crashing back down onto the skyscraper rooftop with a heavy *thud*. "Is... is there something else?" Zhang Yuanqing asked cautiously. Heavenly King Demonic Eye stared at him in silence for several seconds before speaking: "The Northwest is far away. Lend me some money." "..."