B-Grade Instance

A bean-sized flame shot up rapidly and consumed the entire matchstick in an instant. The wish had been fulfilled. It was just as Zhang Yuanqing had thought: so long as it did not interfere with the Spirit Realm's core mechanisms, the matchbox could influence it. The Spirit Realm's rule was that an explorer entered an instance once a month, with at least half a month between entries. His next run had been due very soon anyway, so the wish's power had merely moved the instance's arrival forward by a day or two. As the match burned to ash and wisps of acrid smoke curled upward, Zhang Yuanqing heard the Spirit Realm's chime: [Ding. Spirit Realm map initializing. Your instance this time is "Decisive Battle of Chang'an", Number: 69] [Difficulty: B] [Type: Solo (Death-type)] [Main Quest: Slay ten yin creatures.] [Instance No. 69 Introduction: Several months ago, the son of the Ghost King Sect's master was slain by the Buliang Commander. Harboring bitter resentment, Sect Master Ao Cang took advantage of the opening of the Nether Gates on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month—the Zhongyuan Festival—to lead a nocturnal procession of a hundred ghosts, laying waste to Chang'an in a bid to slay the Buliang Commander.] [Note: Non-Spirit Realm items cannot be brought inside.] The prompt ended, and just as expected, there was no countdown. Zhang Yuanqing cast a cool glance at the three enemies who were warily watching him. "See you later!" With that, he vanished right before the eyes of Sect Master Chunyang and the other two. Almost in the very next second, the Southern Sect's Sixth Elder threw his head back and let out a piercing shriek, unleashing a Mental Strike. The Third Protector summoned a blazing sun, illuminating the cabin with dazzling, brilliant golden light—the sun countered the Taiyin, capable of revealing any hidden Night Roamer. Yet the cabin remained utterly empty. Yuanshi Tianzun was truly gone. It was not a teleportation, nor was it night roaming. He had completely vanished. "Where is he? Where did he go?" Sect Master Chunyang screeched. "Damn it, damn it all!" Being half-insane, his emotional control had always been abysmal, and he had never imagined that a bird already in hand could slip through his fingers like this. The Third Protector dismissed the blazing sun. After a second of silence, he said uncertainly, "What... did he say just now?" The Sixth Elder repeated Yuanshi Tianzun's words in a low voice: "'I wish for my solo Spirit Realm instance to descend immediately, skipping the countdown.'" Sect Master Chunyang's screeches cut off abruptly. He widened his large, dramatic Carslan eyes, framed by eyeshadow and false eyelashes. "He... entered an instance?" The Sixth Elder gave an affirmative grunt. "As incredible as it sounds, that is indeed what happened. How else could he break through the item's seal? If he possessed a Dominator-grade teleportation item, he wouldn't have waited until now to use it." "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Sect Master Chunyang raved once more. In the next instant, he wiped away every trace of rage, donning a dark, sinister sneer. "When he clears the instance, he'll still end up back on this plane. He's merely lingering on his deathbed." Wherever a Spirit Realm walker entered an instance, that was where they would return when they came out. His face pale, the Third Protector pointed out, "However, he possesses a teleportation item. He could use it to leave the instance directly." "He won't." The Sixth Elder's voice was frigid. While his eyes beneath his hood burned with intense, chaotic madness, his logic remained razor-sharp. "He carries Dominator-grade consumables and so many top-tier items. The instance he entered must be Dominator-grade. Just wait. He will come out eventually—or die directly inside the instance." Upon hearing this, Sect Master Chunyang's pretty face darkened. Hunting Yuanshi Tianzun was not merely a matter of settling a grudge; it was for the power of a Human Immortal. If Yuanshi Tianzun died inside the instance, wouldn't all his efforts have been for nothing? The Third Protector said, "A Dominator-grade instance will take a long time. When Yuanshi Tianzun fails to return to Songhai today, the elders of the Songhai Branch are bound to notice. We have no time to drag this out. My recommendation is to fly the plane back to the Soldier Master sect's headquarters." "Fly it to the Southern Sect's headquarters!" the Sixth Elder said coldly. The two Dominators locked eyes, gazes chilly. "You two had better not start infighting here," Sect Master Chunyang snorted. "If the plane gets destroyed, Yuanshi Tianzun will reappear ten thousand meters in the air. If he tries to flee then, neither of you will be able to stop him." Pausing, he continued, "If the Songhai Branch catches on and notifies the Five Elements Alliance headquarters, that Grand Marshal will definitely come in person given how highly she values Yuanshi Tianzun. Your Southern Sect only has a single demigod, whereas the Northwest is the headquarters of the Soldier Master sect—Asura is there, the Fear Heavenly King is there, and several Dominators from the Dark Night Rose are there as well. If that Marshal White Tiger dares to show her face, she'll only be marching to her death." The Sixth Elder pondered for a few seconds before snorting. "Pledge that Dominator-grade item of yours to me." Sect Master Chunyang smiled enchantingly. "No problem!" Opening the service compartment door, he beckoned with a hand, summoning the miniature board game and handing it over to the Sixth Elder. *** As the blurred scenery sharpened, Zhang Yuanqing found himself standing on a bluestone-paved street. Rows of buildings lined both sides of the road, their dark roof tiles and upturned eaves outlining an elegant, antique architectural style. The moon was just rising over the willow branches. Inside the brightly lit pavilions, the sounds of string and wind instruments drifted out, accompanied by the coquettish laughter of women and the clear, melodious recitation of poetry by men. Evidently, he had entered the instance and arrived in ancient times. "Li Jun, what are you standing there daydreaming for?!" A shove from behind snapped Zhang Yuanqing out of his thoughts. He turned to find two young men standing behind him. The one who had pushed him was a triangle-eyed young man wearing a putou headwrap and a knee-length, round-collared robe with narrow sleeves, tucked into tight trousers and cloth shoes. A bronze token hung at his waist, faintly engraved with the words "Buliangren". The other young man was broad-shouldered and brawny with a fierce, scarred face, dressed in the exact same attire and bearing the same token at his waist. Both carried arrogant, menacing expressions; one look was enough to tell they were no upstanding citizens. The triangle-eyed youth held a short blade, while the burly youth gripped a bamboo tube, his short blade sheathed at his hip. In addition, their robes bulged suspiciously at their chests, as though stuffed with numerous items. *Li Jun, Li Jun...* A snippet of memory suddenly flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind. His current identity was Li Jun, a Tang Dynasty Buliangren skilled in stealth and ghost-taming, with a thieving technique so deft he could pluck feathers from a flying goose. A few years ago, he had botched a burglary and was apprehended by the authorities. Appreciating his talents and noting that he had committed no heinous, unforgivable crimes, the court spared him and inducted him as a Buliangren under the command of the Buliang Commander. The two young men behind him were also Buliangren. The triangle-eyed one was named Fu Xin'ou, and the burly, fierce-faced one was Xi Zhe. Both were martial ruffians with criminal records of their own. "I'm talking to you!" Fu Xin'ou, who had shoved him, frowned. "The Nether Gates open on the Zhongyuan Festival, cloaking all of Chang'an in eerie yin qi. We've been ordered to guard the Pingkang Ward, where all the dignitaries and nobles gather. If anything goes wrong, you and I will lose our heads." Zhang Yuanqing replied coldly, "Understood. No need to prattle on." With that, the three resumed their patrol of the Pingkang Ward. The Pingkang Ward measured 1,022 meters from east to west and 500 meters from north to south, covering a total area of about 500,000 square meters. Patrolling such an expansive territory was impossible for just three men. Aside from the three Buliangren, armored and armed soldiers were also patrolling the ward. During their patrol, Xi Zhe would periodically raise his bamboo tube and slowly scan the surroundings, including the roadside dwellings. This was his magical apparatus; looking through the bamboo tube allowed him to perceive yin spirits and vile entities, tracking traces of yin qi. Zhang Yuanqing glanced around, feigning a diligent search while inwardly cursing up a storm. Instance No. 69—Decisive Battle of Chang'an—was set in the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty corresponded to the Dominator stage, meaning he had walked right into a B-grade Dominator instance. *If it's a Dominator-grade instance, the teleportation jade talisman won't work,* he thought, anxiety welling up inside him. Zhang Yuanqing's original plan had been to wish himself into an instance with the matchbox, strike a second match to wish for a teleportation jade talisman, and then use it to break out of the Spirit Realm and return to reality. That way, at most, he would drop back to level five. He still had two guild instances he had yet to clear. By tackling an S-grade instance next month, he could easily recoup his losses and reclaim level six. As long as he could survive this ambush, any sacrifice was worthwhile. Yet his luck was abysmal. *With a Five Elements Spiritual Power Trial Card in hand, the Yata no Kagami lying in my inventory, Little Red Riding Hood filled with Saint and Dominator-grade materials, plus all my top-tier items, it's really no surprise I matched into a Dominator-grade instance.* He gritted his teeth and scanned his surroundings with utmost caution, feeling as if endless murderous intent lurked in the dark night. The main quest was to slay ten yin creatures. Given the instance's baseline difficulty, they were likely all Dominator-grade. Even though Night Roamers naturally countered wraiths, defeating ten such yin creatures in succession was an impossible task. *Unless I lure ten yin creatures at once and pop the trial card to wipe them out, completing the quest is outright impossible—I'll just die here. But if I do that, even if I clear the instance and return to reality, without the trial card, I won't even have the strength left to put up a dying struggle.* *I'm utterly screwed. The crisis in reality is still unresolved, and now I'm stuck in a Dominator instance...* Zhang Yuanqing smiled bitterly. He continued patrolling while wracking his brain for a way out. In his current predicament, surviving the instance came first; only then could he figure out a solution to the death trap waiting for him in the real world. Since this was a Dominator-grade instance, was it possible to acquire Dominator-grade power here? *A spirit servant definitely won't work. My strength isn't enough to subdue a Dominator-grade wraith; it would only backlash and kill me. The same goes for a yin corpse... Could I obtain an item directly from the instance? Dominator-grade items are exceedingly rare; a B-grade instance won't drop one...* After racking his brain for a long while, Zhang Yuanqing's eyes suddenly lit up as he remembered Empress Sandao. *I almost forgot my beloved Empress! I do know a method to summon her in an instance. Though, last time in the Sea of Yashan, she did say she wouldn't help me in an instance again... Well, women have soft hearts. A little sweet-talking should do the trick.* As Zhang Yuanqing pondered, he heard Xi Zhe snort from beside him. "The Ghost King Sect Master is about to bathe Chang'an in blood, yet these high-and-mighty officials are still wallowing in lust and music with courtesans." It was worth noting that the Pingkang Ward was one of the most famous wards in Chang'an. Bordering the East Market—one of the city's two great marketplaces—to the east, the Chongren Ward where literati and scholars gathered to the north, and the Xuanyang Ward where high-ranking officials resided to the south, its prime geographic advantage made it Chang'an's premier pleasure quarter. Its patrons were invariably wealthy merchants, officials, and examination candidates. The triangle-eyed Fu Xin'ou remarked indifferently, "The Buliang Commander has won the favor of the Emperor, and his power is growing by the day. Moreover, he possesses an unprecedented Five Virtues Body. Those useless parasites feel threatened. Perhaps they're actually looking forward to the Ghost King slaughtering the city, so they can use it as an excuse to impeach and eliminate the Buliang Commander." The background of this quest was the Ghost King Sect Master's revenge. The Ghost King Sect was a behemoth that held sway over the north, and its master, Ao Cang, was the foremost expert of the Northern Territory, invincible throughout the land in the arts of ghost-controlling and corpse-refining. Relying on his father's prestige, Ao Cang's only son had run amok across the northern lands, tyrannizing the common folk. Several months ago, he came to Chang'an, murdering people to refine corpses and defiling women, until the Buliang Commander captured him and had him beheaded at the vegetable market execution grounds. Upon receiving the news, Ao Cang had immediately vowed to make the Buliang Commander pay in blood and drag the people of Chang'an down into the grave alongside him. With the Ghost Festival drawing near, bizarre incidents plagued Chang'an one after another, throwing the populace into widespread panic over the haunting specters. The imperial court immediately bolstered defenses, stationing expert patrols day and night throughout the vital wards. Seizing the opportunity, the Buliang Commander's political rivals repeatedly submitted memorials demanding that the Emperor execute the Buliang Commander to appease the Ghost King's wrath. *The Buliang Commander... the Five Virtues Body...* Zhang Yuanqing's heart stirred, recalling the "Buliangren" waist token he had obtained in the Chaos of the Five Elements instance. According to the token's attribute description, its owner was a supreme being who cultivated the power of the Five Elements, matching the description of the Buliang Commander. With this realization, Zhang Yuanqing quietly accessed his inventory, pulled out the five-colored waist token, and displayed it to his two companions. "Do you recognize this token?" Fu Xin'ou and Xi Zhe looked closely, their expressions shifting drastically as they blurted out, "How could the Buliang Commander's personal token be in your hands?!" *It really is the Buliang Commander's token. So, in the Secrets of the Five Elements instance that Brother Bing and Lian Sanyue entered, was the figure slumbering at the bottom of that abyss the Buliang Commander? If that's the case, I probably won't be meeting him in this Decisive Battle of Chang'an instance...* Zhang Yuanqing's gaze flickered as countless thoughts raced through his mind. *What a pity. If the Buliang Commander were actually in this instance, with my talent for bowing and buttering people up, I definitely could have milked some benefits out of him without needing to summon the Empress. For now, I should fool these two Buliangren first.* With that, Zhang Yuanqing's expression turned stern, and he said in a solemn voice, "The Commander entrusted me with a mission, the details of which I cannot disclose to you. From this moment on, you are to cooperate with me unreservedly and obey my orders. If anything goes awry with this task, you will both lose your heads." Fu Xin'ou and Xi Zhe exchanged a look of shock and suspicion. They truly could not fathom why the utterly mediocre Li Jun would be so valued by the Buliang Commander—to the point of being gifted the token that symbolized his identity. Zhang Yuanqing's eyes chilled. "What, do you intend to disobey the Commander?" "We wouldn't dare!" The two hastily bowed. Zhang Yuanqing put the token away with satisfaction. "Stand guard for me. On the Commander's orders, I must summon an expert to aid us. If any strange phenomena occur shortly, do not panic." He had neither the time nor the strength to clear a Dominator-grade instance properly. He intended to summon Empress Sandao directly, explain his current predicament, and lie back to let her carry him through. "Understood!" the two answered with a bow. Zhang Yuanqing then found a secluded corner, took out the scroll for summoning Empress Sandao, and inspected his guild storage once more. He only had a single set of materials left to summon Empress Sandao, meaning he had only one shot. If it failed, he would truly be done for. He rarely interacted with the Empress under normal circumstances. After the Sea of Yashan, the old crone had said plenty of harsh, cold words, claiming she wouldn't care even if he died and so on. Because of that, Zhang Yuanqing hadn't placed much reliance on her, so naturally he hadn't kept many materials for the summoning ritual in his inventory. He laid out the parchment scroll and arranged the materials. Just as he finished the preparations, Xi Zhe, who was peering through his bamboo tube, shouted in alarm, "There... there's a ghost..." At the same time, Zhang Yuanqing sensed a terrifying surge of yin qi sweeping in. Startled, he turned toward the source. Through the hazy darkness of the night, about ten meters behind them beside a garden plot, stood a woman in white robes. Her head hung low, long black hair cascading down, her skull drooping limp against her neck as though broken. Chilling and grotesque. The first yin creature had appeared.