“Past Without Trace” was one of the Twin Dark Shadows. It was actually him! How could it be him?
*Fuck, fuck, fuck. There's too much information here. Give me a second to process this...* Zhang Yuanqing’s thoughts were tangled in total chaos, his mind practically exploding.
The shock of this revelation hit him with such force that his brain scrambled, temporarily robbing him of the ability to think.
He stood frozen for a long time before he finally sorted through the chaotic jumble of thoughts in his head:
*The last member of the Twin Dark Shadows has always been shrouded in mystery, coming and going like a phantom. No outsider had ever learned his identity or seen his face. Furthermore, he belonged to an evil class, which aligns perfectly with the traits of an Illusionist...*
*In his early years, Master Wuhen believed in halting slaughter with slaughter, redeeming his sins through killing, and specifically hunted evil classes. Philosophically, that fits right in with the Xiaoyao Organization...*
*Master Wuhen was already a peak Dominator many years ago, which also matches the timeline and power level. However, Master Wuhen was already quite famous during his Saint stage. According to the official database records, that was nearly thirty years ago. The master is clearly a full generation older than the other three. How did he end up mingling with a bunch of chuunibyou brats...?*
*No, rather, it was precisely the Xiaoyao Organization's ideals of saving the world that attracted Master Wuhen.*
*It didn't matter if their slogan was immature, so long as their convictions aligned.*
*So the true source of Master Wuhen’s agonizing torment is the curse from back then?*
Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath as even more questions formed in his mind:
*Does Elder Dog know that Master Wuhen was one of the Twin Dark Shadows? Does Master Wuhen know Heavenly Master Zhang’s real identity? Does Master Wuhen know who I am?*
These questions gave birth to a new doubt—or rather, a fatal, harrowing question: *Did Ling Tuo know Heavenly Master Zhang's real identity?*
At this thought, Zhang Yuanqing blurted out, "Wait, I have another question!"
The little rabbit, who was about to hop away, paused once more and shot him an irritated glare. "Your fussiness and nagging must have been inherited from your mother."
*Mock me all you want, but leave my mom out of this...* Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Did the Three Sons of Xiaoyao know Heavenly Master Zhang's true identity? Does Elder Dog know that Past Without Trace was one of the Four Sons of Xiaoyao?"
The little rabbit tilted its head, thought for a few seconds, and said in its crisp, chilly voice, "I told you just now, I promised him I wouldn't tell his name to anyone. Other than you, I have never told a soul that Past Without Trace belonged to the Xiaoyao Organization.
"As for whether the little dog knows, I have no idea. I never told him, in any case. He had a friendship with Zhang Zizhen, but had no dealings with the remaining three, so he shouldn't know.
"Among the Four Sons of Xiaoyao, Chu Shang and Ling Tuo came from prominent clans, and their Spirit Realm IDs made their affiliations unmistakable, so there was no concealing their origins. However, they shouldn't have known Zizhen's background. Zizhen was a cautious man; he wouldn't casually reveal his true identity."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded along, then asked, "Then how did Elder Dog know my dad's family background?"
"Zizhen didn't volunteer that either. That's a story between him and the little dog; you can go ask him yourself," the little rabbit said impassively.
*Elder Dog was either Zhang Zizhen's guide—like the Decurion was to me—or the two of them shared an exceptionally deep bond, just like me and Boss...* Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief.
It made sense when he thought about it. If Ling Tuo had known his father's name was Zhang Zizhen, he could never have grown up peacefully.
And if Zhang Zizhen had disclosed his identity to Ling Tuo, he would have taken the Palace Mistress and Chen Shu into hiding right after the extermination of the Chu family.
*Looking at it this way, Master Wuhen doesn't know who I am either. That figures. Although the master has saved and aided me, it was mostly because I did a favor for his group and resonated with his philosophy. He never actually favored me on a personal level.*
*In three days, Master Wuhen will hold his sermon. Should I take this opportunity to lay my cards on the table and ask about what happened back then?*
After merely two seconds of hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing voiced his thoughts, hoping the artifact spirit could offer some advice.
"I cannot give you advice," the little rabbit said coldly. "Everyone must pay the price for their own choices. That person who pays the price is you. If I give you advice and something happens to you, the one paying the price becomes me. I don't want Zizhen to blame me when he sees me in the future for getting his child killed."
With that, the little rabbit hopped away.
Zhang Yuanqing took out his phone and sent a message to the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter: *Let's meet tonight. The usual place.*
***
Deep in the park grounds, in a secluded pet pavilion.
Elder Dog squatted on the table, staring down at the phone in front of him. The screen indicated a call in progress, and the caller was Fu Qingyang.
"Elder Dog, back then, you were the one who registered Heavenly Master Zhang's death. Yet when you saw that fake yesterday, you charged out without hesitation. Deep down, do you also believe Heavenly Master Zhang isn't dead?"
"When Heavenly Master Zhang handed the Zoo over to me back then, he specifically instructed that if he didn't return within three years, he had most likely returned to the Spirit Realm."
"I see. But since Ling Tuo could use the Mother Goddess's Womb to revive, why didn't Heavenly Master Zhang and Chu Shang revive as well?"
"Could it be possible that they did revive, but ended up dying anyway in the end?"
"That does make sense, Elder Dog. I have one more question: What was your relationship with Heavenly Master Zhang? For him to entrust a rule-based item like the Zoo to you, your connection must have been extraordinary. I looked through your dossier in the database..."
"Fu Qingyang, say whatever you have to say directly."
"I want to know Heavenly Master Zhang's family background. He became a peak Dominator at such a young age. With such genetics, his offspring might very well be a Night Walker as well."
"Perhaps. But even for the patriarchs of Spirit Realm clans or the sect master of the Taiyi Sect, the probability of siring a Spirit Realm walker is quite low. Besides, the country was enforcing family planning back then and advocating for single-child families. The probability of having a Spirit Realm walker in a single birth is probably rather low."
Their exchange sounded like casual banter, but every sentence bristled with hidden barbs and undercurrents.
"Compared to these ancient accounts, after reviewing the files, I am more curious about where those two Voidwalkers from the Southern Sect went," Elder Dog said.
It was now certain that the Dark Night Rose and the Soldier Master Sect had dispatched a total of four Dominators. At that time, the Ghost City had not yet awakened. With that level of combat strength, it was impossible for them to slay the two elders of the Southern Sect.
Yet the reality was that halfway through the fight, the two elders of the Southern Sect had simply departed.
Fu Qingyang said, "At the time, Sect Master Chunyang was not present, and the ambush plan had failed. It is understandable that the Southern Sect elders seized the chance to withdraw, and they could even use the opportunity to entrap us."
Elder Dog pondered for a moment before saying, "I've dealt with that bunch from the Southern Sect for years. Something still feels off. Doesn't Yuanshi Tianzun know that Dream Master from the Southern Sect? Have him ask."
"Understood!"
***
The Dreamscape Realm.
Sixteen thick stone pillars supported the vaulted ceiling of the grand hall. A scarlet carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to a golden throne.
A six-meter-tall figure sat perched atop the golden throne, draped in a cloak. Beneath the cloak writhed a flickering mass of dark light, symbolizing the filthiest and most chaotic emotions in the mortal world.
Two phantasmal beams of light condensed in the silent hall, twisting into two cloaked figures.
"You have returned?"
A voice emanated from the golden throne, impossible to distinguish as male or female, young or old.
"Greetings, Great Elder." The two cloaked figures bowed. The one on the left spoke: "The ambush failed. Sect Master Chunyang did not appear. Heavenly King Silver Moon of the Soldier Master Sect fell under Fu Qingyang's blade. Fu Qingyang's combat strength is sufficient to contend with Level 8. We recommend raising his rank on the Kill List."
"Combat strength capable of contending with Level 8..." The Great Elder muttered softly, his voice vast and ethereal. "Like Yuanshi Tianzun, his momentum remains relentless even after advancing to his next stage. He will become a grave threat in the future."
Judging a person's potential hinged on their performance after advancing.
Many geniuses of the Transcendent stage were reduced to mediocrity after becoming Saints. Many elites of the Saint stage became utterly ordinary upon becoming Dominators.
Therefore, those capable of ascending to peak Dominator were the absolute geniuses among geniuses, monsters among monsters.
Presently, the official factions had two figures whose momentum remained ferociously strong after their advancements: Yuanshi Tianzun and Fu Qingyang.
The former was guaranteed to reach the Dominator stage, while the latter likely possessed the strength to advance to peak Dominator and perhaps even claim a seat among the Ten Elders.
The person on the left continued, "Dark Night Rose's operation to hunt the three official elders ended in failure. We gathered intelligence today that the Grand Marshal arrived in time and extracted them from the Ghost City."
"That person's scheme failed? That is rare indeed," the Great Elder said slowly.
"No, it cannot truly be considered a failure," the elder on the right spoke up. "During the clash, the Third Protector of Dark Night Rose located our hiding spot. He delivered a message."
Pausing briefly, the elder continued:
"The leader of Dark Night Rose wishes to speak with our Sect Master."
"Speak with the Sect Master?" The Great Elder's tone abruptly hardened. "What reason did Dark Night Rose offer?"
"He said: an opportunity to attain demigodhood," the elder on the right replied. "If the Sect Master is willing to meet him, then seven days from now, deliver an item capable of connecting to the dreamscape to Room 206 of the Hangzhou Sanlong Hotel."
The serene hall suddenly trembled. The dark light beneath the Great Elder's hood flared brightly.
Evil classes had no demigod stage; a so-called "opportunity to attain demigodhood" referred to a channel to acquire demigod-level power.
The elder on the left added, "Analyzing it after the fact, the two of us believe this was one of Dark Night Rose's motives for taking the bait. That leader wanted to use this battle as an opportunity to establish contact with the Sect Master.
"It was only after the two of us departed that Dark Night Rose's Grand Protector awakened the Ghost City. Otherwise, we definitely would not have escaped. Even if we hadn't died in the Ghost City, we would have been eliminated by the Grand Marshal."
The Great Elder remained silent for a long time before that ambiguous voice resonated through the hall once more. "Among the three major independent organizations, only Asura of the Soldier Master Sect has obtained that power multiple times. Our Nihility Sect and the two presidents of the Spirit Society have each only received that opportunity once. If the Sect Master can obtain it a second time, there will no longer be a Southern or Northern Sect within the Nihility Sect. I will inform him. You have done well."
***
Kangyang District Police Station, coffee shop.
Zhang Yuanqing sat in front of a clean, tidy floor-to-ceiling window, gazing blankly at the brightly illuminated station building.
Come to think of it, he hadn't seen the Decurion in a while. Although he often heard the Decurion preach about "lacking elegance" and "elegance never goes out of style" while surfing the web in his free time, he hadn't heard it in person lately and occasionally missed it.
Across the round table, the Palace Mistress, wearing a silver half-mask, had sunk into a protracted silence.
Ever since Zhang Yuanqing told her that Ling Tuo was the leader of Dark Night Rose, she seemed to have shut herself off.
The enemy who had exterminated her entire clan turned out to be her late father's sworn brother; no one could easily stomach that.
Zhang Yuanqing took a sip of his coffee. Finding it insufficiently sweet, he added another spoonful of sugar and stirred gently.
"That's washed Geisha from Panama—the absolute pinnacle of coffee beans, with an annual yield of only ten kilograms. Who on earth dumps sugar into it like that?" The Palace Mistress puffed her cheeks, speaking in exasperation.
*I still think cola tastes better...* Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Back to reality? There was another reason I called you out today. Do you know who the other member of the Twin Dark Shadows was?"
The Palace Mistress shook her head.
"It was Past Without Trace—Master Wuhen, whom I know."
As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing rubbed the platinum Scout ring on his thumb with his pad, staring intently into the eyes of the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter.
He saw shock and sudden realization in her gaze, but nothing that seemed feigned.
The ring had been borrowed from the White Tiger Guards' guild warehouse; Fu Qingyang always possessed a dizzying array of flashy items.
"He certainly knows how to hide. Uncle Zizhen and my father are both dead. Why do you think he's still alive? Why didn't Ling Tuo kill him?" The Palace Mistress let out a cold laugh. "Do you think he's in league with Ling Tuo?"
"Don't let your emotions get the better of you. Master Wuhen is a good person; I have faith in his character." Zhang Yuanqing got straight to the point. "The day after tomorrow is his sermon. I intend to lay all my cards on the table with him."
Seeing the Palace Mistress's gaze turn sharp, he quickly added, "Naturally, I will report it to my cousin beforehand."
"Cousin?" The eyes behind the mask flickered with confusion. "Where did you get a cousin from?"
"Guan Ya's cousin is my cousin, of course." Zhang Yuanqing pointed upward. "The Grand Marshal of the White Tiger Guards. If an accident really happens to me, my cousin and my younger cousin will avenge me."
"Oh, and the younger cousin is Fu Qingyang, right?" She curled her lip.
The Palace Mistress gripped her silver spoon and lightly stirred her coffee. "You made up your mind long ago. It's not like my objections would stop you anyway. Go ahead and try, then."
Zhang Yuanqing downed the rest of his coffee in a single gulp and said softly, "The moment I get to the bottom of what happened back then, you'll be the first to know."
He raised a hand and snapped his fingers with a sharp *clack*, dissolving into starlight and fading away.
The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter stared at the empty seat and muttered, "Ignoring the good stuff and picking up all the bad habits."
***
The following day, 9:00 PM.
With his arms braced against the bed and his back drenched in sweat, Zhang Yuanqing was demonstrating the endurance and explosive power of his lumbar and back muscles to Guan Ya again and again. Suddenly, a Spirit Realm prompt chimed in his ear:
*[Ding! Return of the Dead has completed the conquest of 'Dongxing Hotel.' Members will return in twenty seconds. The second Spirit Realm world is now unlocking. Please check back shortly.]*
Chapter 521