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Listening to the Spirit Realm's notification chime in his ear, Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of anticipation regarding the experience point rewards for an S-tier dungeon. He had consulted Guan Ya and Li Dongze before; after clearing their trial mission, Spirit Realm walkers who had just received a character card usually got 0–5% experience. Afterwards, completing a multiplayer Spirit Realm generally awarded about 5–10% experience. A solo Spirit Realm awarded 10–15% experience. In other words, even if a Spirit Realm walker maintained a 100% clear rate, they would still need to go through more than ten multiplayer Spirit Realms, or nearly ten solo ones, to advance by a single level. The immense difficulty of leveling up was readily apparent. Zhang Yuanqing's trial Spirit Realm had been S-tier. Clearing it yielded 20% experience, and subsequently triggering the hidden quest—prying a spirit crystal out of Lady Sandao's delicate mouth—added another 22% experience. A single Mountain God Temple was worth four or five multiplayer Spirit Realms for anyone else. "Under normal circumstances, if I wanted to reach Level 2, I'd have to enter at least five multiplayer Spirit Realms or three solo ones. I wonder if Jinshui Amusement Park can push me all the way to Level 2 in one go." Zhang Yuanqing was brimming with expectation. Within the official organization, Level 1 members were grassroots personnel. Only at Level 2 did one squeeze into the elite tier, where salary and benefits rose accordingly, accompanied by numerous perks. [Settling rewards... Items/Props obtained: Cat King Speaker, Red Bridal Veil] [Experience points awarded: 40%] [Main storyline settlement complete. Ding! Congratulations on completing the hidden quest. Settling your rewards now...] [Items/Props obtained: Prudent Orb] [Experience points awarded: 25%] [Hidden quest settlement complete. Ding! Congratulations on advancing to Level 2 Night Wanderer.] [Ding! Character card reward activated. Reward item: Disguise Ring.] [Settlement complete! Exiting the Spirit Realm in five minutes...] "The rewards are even richer than Sheling Tunnel's! As expected of an S-tier dungeon in the Transcendent stage. 65% experience and four items—I've hit the jackpot..." Zhang Yuanqing stood dumbfounded, hearing the wild thumping of his own heart inside his chest. Immediately after, he felt a burning heat between his eyebrows and knew the black moon crest was about to emerge. *Shoot, I can't let outsiders see the black full moon.* His heart tightened, and he instinctively glanced toward Xie Lingxi. The young girl's pupils were unfocused as she stared blankly into empty space. She was likely checking her character panel and quest rewards, completely oblivious to her surroundings. Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief and turned his back. Immediately, a majestic wave of Lunar force erupted from the scalding black moon crest, surging through his body with almost tyrannical force, washing into every cell and bone. He began twitching involuntarily, feeling a fundamental shift in his life order as his genetic sequence underwent reorganization... Three brand-new innate skills naturally integrated into his instincts. [Name: Yuanshi Tianzun] [Race: Human] [Profession: Night Wanderer] [Level: 2] [Skills: Night Walk, Spirit Devouring, Lunar Spirit, Howl to the Moon, Charm Art, Spirit Talismans] [Experience: 23%] [Morality Points: 90] [Reputation: 15] [Howl to the Moon (Active): Borrow power from the Lunar Yin to significantly enhance your attributes for fifteen minutes. After the skill ends, you will enter a weakened state for three hours. Note: This skill can only be cast at night. Prerequisite action: Look up and howl to the moon.] [Charm Art (Active): Causes the target to hallucinate and lose their bearings. Note: Phantoms and specters favor using this art to bewitch mortals.] [Spirit Talismans (Active): Spiritual runes unique to Night Wanderers, capable of drawing talismans and arrays. Note: Currently can only draw spiritual runes targeting spirit bodies.] Zhang Yuanqing focused his senses, understanding the nature of the skills without needing to cast them. Howl to the Moon and Night Walk were two mutually exclusive active skills. In the Howl to the Moon state, Night Walk could not be used, and vice versa. If Night Walk was a top-tier assassination skill, then Howl to the Moon made up for the Night Wanderer's weakness in close-quarters combat. Charm Art leaned toward crowd control and support. Although it lacked direct lethality, it expanded the variety of the Night Wanderer's methods and widened his tactical options. As for Spirit Talismans, they could be used to craft paper talismans and carve formations. Talismans and arrays were not solely meant to counter resentful spirits; they could also nurture and refine spirits. *I can finally further nurture Little Doubi,* Zhang Yuanqing thought happily. Then, he opened his inventory to inspect the items. Aside from the Cat King Speaker, the dungeon had awarded two items and one consumable. [Name: Red Bridal Veil] [Type: Accessory (Consumable)] [Function: Summon] [Description: The veil of the Ghost Bride from the ghost wedding scene in Jinshui Amusement Park. An item blessed by an indescribable entity. Originally an inseparable part of the Ghost Bride, it can only be obtained by an exceptional individual who successfully deceives her.] [Remark 1: Covering one's head with the red bridal veil summons the Ghost Bride. This item can be used three times.] [Remark 2: Hahaha! I laugh at that lady's lack of strategy; I laugh at her going for wool and coming home shorn.] [Remark 3: Using the red bridal veil inside the Spirit Realm carries a certain chance of drawing that entity's gaze. Having read Remark 2, I trust you will use it with discretion.] *Hiss, this thing even comes with its own taunt? If Lady Sandao senses it, wouldn't she be infuriated to death...* Zhang Yuanqing drew a sharp breath, feeling both thrilled and exasperated. He suspected the Ghost Bride was either at the peak of the Transcendent stage or touching upon the Saint stage. A summoned creature of that caliber could easily serve as a life-saving trump card. The exasperating part was that, while the veil posed little harm to Lady Sandao, it was profoundly insulting. That lady of peerless grace would probably hunt him across every corner of the Spirit Realm. *I'll never use it in the Spirit Realm even if it kills me...* he secretly resolved. [Name: Prudent Orb] [Type: Orb] [Function: Buff, Defense] [Description: An item of the Earth Monster profession. Infused with the power of the earth, it enhances strength and defense.] [Remark: Heaviness comes at a price.] [Name: Disguise Ring] [Type: Accessory] [Function: Disguise] [Description: A miraculous ring capable of changing appearance, allowing the wearer to adjust their facial features at will.] [Remark: Don't you know what you actually look like?] *Does the Demon Lord's character card reward an item every time I complete a dungeon? Holy shit, that's absurdly broken... The Disguise Ring's function is simple and direct, but the price of the Prudent Orb feels a bit unreliable. Hmm, let's test it...* Zhang Yuanqing retrieved the orb from his inventory. It was the size of a chicken egg, earthy yellow in color, and carried an indescribable heaviness to the touch. Holding the Prudent Orb, he felt himself grow heavier and stronger, a profound sense of security welling up inside him for no apparent reason. Yet he also became slower. Every motion felt as though a great mountain weighed upon him, reducing his movements to an agonizing crawl. *How can anyone fight while holding this orb? The pros and cons are starkly clear. Now this is a regular item—the Demon-Subduing Pestle and the red dancing shoes are both abnormal.* Just as he was pondering this, a joyful cheer sounded nearby: "Brother Wang Tai, can you believe it? I was rewarded with 35% experience, an item, and a consumable! It's so generous, simply too generous—as expected of an S-tier Spirit Realm!" Having finished reviewing her rewards, Xie Lingxi hopped in place, looking as delighted as a little girl who had just received a lollipop. "Brother Wang Tai, what rewards did you get? How much experience, and did you get any items?" The young girl blinked her lively eyes, looking over coquettishly. She had two items on her—one bestowed by her elders, and one obtained in a solo Spirit Realm. Now that she had gained another, she already possessed three items at such a young age. Who could even imagine that? *The smugness is practically written all over your face.* Zhang Yuanqing gave a slight nod. "Not bad! "My rewards weren't much: 65% experience, three items, and one consumable." Xie Lingxi froze. Her small face stiffened, her mouth dropped open bit by bit, and she stared at him with a glazed look. *I can clearly feel the hatred of the rich radiating from you!* Zhang Yuanqing felt thoroughly amused. Xie Lingxi mumbled, "How could that be... Why are your rewards soooo much higher than mine? The Spirit Realm is unfair!!" Zhang Yuanqing consoled her, "Perhaps the Spirit Realm wanted to show you the disparities of this world." "???" Xie Lingxi looked on the verge of tears. *If you knew this was only my second time entering the Spirit Realm, the disparity would feel even more dramatic!* Zhang Yuanqing refrained from badgering her further and patiently waited for the return. At the same time, he considered his future gains from clearing the dungeon. Having successfully secured the first clear of an S-tier Spirit Realm, the experience rewards for future walkers who cleared it would definitely decrease, and the item rewards could not possibly match the initial haul. Yet the rewards would still be superior to those of ordinary Spirit Realms, making the walkthrough immensely valuable. The Cat King Speaker had been left here by Brother Bing, and it seemed to possess some knowledge. Once he returned to reality, he would examine the item thoroughly; perhaps he could glean useful information. Right, he still needed to handle the matter Ashamed to Be a Father had entrusted to him before his death... "Brother Wang Tai, why don't I see Hebo? Can we exchange phone numbers?" Xie Lingxi suddenly asked, eyeing the countdown timer as it neared zero. "Hebo should still be over by the roller coaster. Didn't we already exchange them?" "The number I gave you was fake, silly." "Oh. The one I gave you was real." "No, the one you gave me is definitely fake too." Xie Lingxi wrinkled her nose. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her, thinking to himself that they were just online acquaintances from the Spirit Realm. Once the dungeon ended, everyone went their separate ways, so why stay in touch? She was still too young; once she turned eighteen, they could have an in-depth exchange. "Spirit Realm walkers had better not have too much contact in reality, even if they're from the same faction," Zhang Yuanqing said indifferently. "I'll find you!" Xie Lingxi huffed. The moment her words fell, the scenery of the Detective Mystery Hall rippled like the surface of water and rapidly blurred. As the scene shifted from blurry to clear, Zhang Yuanqing saw his familiar desk, double bed, desk lamp, and television... He was back in reality. The room was pitch-black and silent. The curtains were tightly drawn, and the soundproof glass shut out all outside noise. The digital alarm clock on the nightstand showed that it was five o'clock in the morning. He had stayed in the Spirit Realm for five hours, yet Zhang Yuanqing felt as though an eternity had passed. Drawing the curtains, he saw the pale, predawn sky. Vehicles were scarce on the streets, and a sanitation worker rode a garbage tricycle, slowly pedaling past. The breakfast chain across the street was already open for business, thick plumes of steam billowing into the air. Zhang Yuanqing turned on the light and stood before the full-length mirror by the window, examining his reflection. His skin had become fairer. His facial features remained unchanged, yet they felt distinctly more refined, and between his brows lingered a peculiar aura. Racking his brains for a moment, four words flashed across his mind—sinister and noble! *I remember Yuan Ting carries this exact temperament as well. The higher the level of the Night Wanderer, the more pronounced the aura...* Evidently, this was a transformation brought about by the dense Lunar force following his level advancement. *In the future, I can manage a wicked, charming smirk too. No, I shouldn't do that. If young girls start clinging to me, it'll just be a headache.* Zhang Yuanqing chuckled softly, walked over to the bed, and fished his phone out of the cold sheets. Lighting up the screen, he saw an unread text message: "The moment you're out, call me immediately. Everyone is waiting for you. —Guan Ya." *What if I didn't make it out? Well, once dawn breaks, she'd probably reach out on her own to confirm whether I died in the Spirit Realm!* Zhang Yuanqing exited his inbox and dialed Guan Ya's number.