Seeing the Third Elder perish, the Sixth Protector, who was swimming through the curtain of rain, spread her left palm. An illusory vortex condensed in her hand. The rain, the street, the buildings... everything began to swirl like ink wash, drawn into that vortex.
Within a few blinks, the Mirror World vanished completely. Everyone found themselves standing outside the internet cafe. The night was deep and heavy, the street devoid of passersby.
In the Sixth Protector's hand was now a circular mirror, formed of rapidly spinning water.
"Go!"
With a splash, the Sixth Protector's body collapsed into a puddle of clear water, swiftly seeping into the cracks of a manhole cover and vanishing into the labyrinthine sewer system.
Sect Master Chunyang cast Star Escape, cackling weirdly as he fled.
Although Yuanshi Tianzun and his group had slain the Southern Sect's Third Elder and snatched away an exceptionally high-quality magical artifact, that was a loss for the Southern Sect and Dark Night Rose. What did it have to do with him?
He had suffered no loss at all; instead, he had gained the reward promised by Ling Tuo—the Third Elder's primordial spirit.
Even though the Third Elder's primordial spirit had been attacked by lightning and the divine power of the sun and was severely damaged, it was still a tremendous nourishment to him, bringing him one step closer to his peak.
Next, so long as he hunted down a Day Wanderer and seized their spiritual essence, he would fully recover. When that time came, he could wield the power of a dual-class Dominator to seek vengeance against that wicked disciple hiding in the Spirit Realm.
"Hmph!" The gaunt, middle-aged woman swept a cold gaze across the crowd. "Demon Eye, you betrayed the Soldier Master sect. Just because Asura and Fear let it slide doesn't mean Ghost Blade and I can tolerate it. I'll spare you today, but in the days to come, I will claim all three heads from your neck."
With that, Heavenly King Miejue sprang into the air, leaping into the night sky with astonishing spring.
The street surface beneath her was violently kicked into a crater several meters wide.
Countless slits of eyes opened across Demon Eye Heavenly King's body. He instinctively moved to intercept her, but immediately remembered this was an urban area. If he tried to forcefully detain Heavenly King Miejue, it would inevitably cause massive casualties, so he held himself back.
For the same reason, Zhang Yuanqing and the others made no move to forcefully detain their enemies either.
"Retreat!"
Zhang Yuanqing stowed the beast-hide drum into his inventory, dispelled his avatar, retrieved a teleportation jade talisman, and departed from the entrance of the internet cafe.
Deng Jingguo, Sophia, and the others retrieved their teleportation jade talismans one after another, crushed them with a snap, and left in succession.
Back at his maternal grandmother's house, Zhang Yuanqing headed into the bathroom to wash up. After changing into dry clothes and returning to his bedroom, he heard the door of his aunt's room open, and she entered the bathroom as well.
He took out his phone and first sent a text message to Fu Qingyang to let him know he was safe, then sent a message in the "Return of the Dead" guild chat:
"Meeting in half an hour!"
Putting down his phone, Zhang Yuanqing eagerly opened his inventory, brought out the beast-hide drum, and inspected its item attributes:
[Name: Kui Ox Drum]
[Type: Musical Instrument]
[Function: Intimidation]
[Description: In ancient times, the Sovereign waged war on You. The Mysterious Lady crafted the Kui Ox Drum for the Sovereign. One strike resonated eight hundred li; continuous strikes resonated three thousand li, bringing ten thousand armies to their knees.]
[Remarks: Using it requires formidable mental power and concentration.]
The more powerful an item, the more concise its description... Looking at the item attributes, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, *Isn't this the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou? So this item is the legendary Kui Ox Drum from mythology. No wonder it's so formidable.*
The Kui Ox Drum was a high-grade Dominator-level item, corresponding to the peak of level 8.
"As expected, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were all ancient cultivators. In the item attributes of Extraordinaries and Saints, phrases like 'an indescribable existence' often appear. But Dominator-level items no longer hide things. The higher one's status, the more secrets one learns; just reading item descriptions lets you deduce a great deal of confidential information."
Had he not learned about the existence of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors from the clay mask in the Slaughter Stage, Zhang Yuanqing might have felt a flicker of surprise upon reading the Kui Ox Drum's item attributes.
"I used to think folk myths and legends reflected the history of Spirit Realm Walkers to a certain degree. Now it looks like the purity of those myths is remarkably high—at least fifty percent true."
As he was musing, his aunt pushed the door open and stepped in. She wore an oversized white dress shirt, leaving two warm, porcelain-fair long legs conspicuously on display. Holding a towel in her hand, she was tilting her head to dry her hair.
*Couldn't you just evaporate it dry with spiritual energy? Even after taking a bath, you have to be so ceremonial and dry your hair with a towel...* Zhang Yuanqing complained silently.
"What's the background of this item? Let me see."
Jiang Yu'er very naturally sat sideways across her nephew's lap and reached out a small hand to press against the drum surface.
After reading through the item attributes, she came to an understanding. "Ah, the Yellow Emperor... According to mythical legends, the Yellow Emperor possessed the auspicious Virtue of Earth, so he was likely an Earth Monster."
Seeing her look slightly surprised, yet not particularly shocked, Zhang Yuanqing grabbed Jiang Yu'er by her slender waist and brought up old scores: "Someone told me back in Takamagahara that Empress Wa was the only figure in mythical legends considered to be an ancient cultivator."
With her waist held fast, his aunt said in a sweet, melting voice, "Oh my, I was just unlearned and ill-informed back then! I definitely didn't hide it from you on purpose."
Zhang Yuanqing gave her a playful smack on the rear, letting the matter drop, and said in a rather cheerful mood: "After this battle, we can consider ourselves to have gauged the depths of Ling Tuo. His scheming ability isn't so absurdly monstrous after all—half of it relies on the convenience of his status, and the other half relies on information asymmetry."
For instance, the Wind and Thunder lineages sharing the same origin, or Morality Points originating from the Merit Roster.
Had it been him, he could also have arranged corresponding schemes and traps using information asymmetry and twenty years of planning.
"However," Zhang Yuanqing changed the subject, "my true combat strength, the number of my allies, and my force structure are now clearly understood by Ling Tuo as well. If I want to win by surprise next time, I must have other trump cards."
Therefore, what came next was boosting his strength and expanding his repertoire of ace cards. Otherwise, lying low was the best choice; otherwise, he would be toyed to death by the Lord of Taiyin.
As for how to boost his strength, Zhang Yuanqing already had a plan in mind: first, hurry and refine a Dominator-level spirit servant; second, urge his uncle to gather the Thunder God Set; third, urge his Master Youqing to refine Yinyao into a Dominator-level yin corpse; fourth, enter the White Tiger Brigade's Slaughter Stage.
Jiang Yu'er nodded slightly after listening. "Entering a guild dungeon is a good choice."
An expectant look appeared in her eyes. "I've never entered a dungeon with you before."
Half an hour later, in the medieval-style conference hall.
The Dominators who took part in this operation gathered together. Zhang Yuanqing sat at the head of the table and said, "In this operation, we successfully eliminated two Dominators of the Southern Sect and seized two Dominator-grade items."
Opening his inventory, he placed the Ninth Elder's Hundred Ghosts Robe and the Third Elder's Kui Ox Drum on the table. After reading the item attributes, everyone's eyes lit up abruptly, their expressions excited.
The Hundred Ghosts Robe was of average quality, neither especially good nor bad, but the Kui Ox Drum was a genuine top-tier item, a treasure capable of turning the tide of battle.
Its sole drawback was that it required teamwork to be effective, like a battlefield war-drummer who could only beat the drum and do nothing else.
Xiahou Aotian cleared his throat and said, "I think the Kui Ox Drum suits me very well. Guild Leader Yuanshi, let me be the one to wield it from now on. I will provide everyone with compensation in money and materials. Well, you name the price."
*Tsk tsk, the protagonist who once wept bitter tears over a kick costing eight hundred thousand is already a filthy rich tycoon now...* Before Zhang Yuanqing could speak, the Dominators present rejected Xiahou Aotian's proposal, each expressing their desire to control the Kui Ox Drum.
Finally, everyone turned their eyes toward the guild leader.
*You're all dreaming...* Zhang Yuanqing had made plans long ago, and he said in a clear, resonant voice:
"Both of these items are guild property and will be deposited into the guild warehouse. Those who participated in this operation may apply to me when needed. Each person may use them once a month, non-cumulative if unused.
"In addition, each person will receive twenty million in compensation, paid by the guild."
Demon Eye, Xiao Yuan, and the Palace Master supported him unconditionally and raised no objections. Deng Jingguo and Sophia pondered for a few seconds and agreed that such an allocation was the most fitting and reasonable, nodding their assent.
Xiahou Aotian wanted to say something more, but Zhang Yuanqing cut him off preemptively: "You are the protagonist, not a drummer. This item isn't suitable for you."
"Well, all right then..." Xiahou Aotian finally dropped the idea.
Zhang Yuanqing continued:
"This return battle has come to a successful conclusion. Thank you all for your help. Next, I will enter dungeons to accumulate experience and raise my level. Keep a low profile, and especially beware of retaliation from Dark Night Rose and the Southern Sect.
"Colleagues from the First District can seek help from the Merchant Guild and the Association of God of Beauty if you encounter danger. Members of the Second District can turn to Fu Qingyang for help.
"All right, meeting adjourned."
Exiting the conference hall, Zhang Yuanqing returned to his bedroom and saw his uncle already sitting by the desk, sipping red wine.
"Uncle..." Zhang Yuanqing felt a slight wave of relief. His old uncle appearing here safe and sound meant the clash at the demigod level had concluded, and their side had suffered no loss.
"It's a bit strange." His uncle swirled his wine glass. "The Grand Marshal and I ran into the Southern Sect's Illusion God and Ling Tuo. Though the fighting was fierce, at most it was a warm-up. Ling Tuo actually harbored no thoughts of taking this opportunity to trap and kill us. That doesn't match his character."
Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "Do you think he's brewing something in secret?"
His uncle grunted an assent. "When facing the Lord of Taiyin, one must always deduce things through the lens of conspiracy theories. It's better to assume the worst than let your guard down."
Zhang Yuanqing quickly replayed the course of the operation in his mind, then let out a chuckle. "I know where he placed his piece. It's Sect Master Chunyang."
Throughout the entire process, the only beneficiary on the enemy side was Sect Master Chunyang.
As his status increased, his innate talents as a Night Wanderer and Stargazer had also improved; he was more sensitive to the chessboard, and understood Ling Tuo's scheming habits even better.
Prepare two hands for every matter: arrange manpower and items to deal with enemies; if that failed, let Sect Master Chunyang profit from it, laying the groundwork for future plots.
Hearing his explanation, his uncle nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. Being able to see Ling Tuo's moves means you've truly taken a seat at the player's side of the board."
With that, his uncle happily broke into a rap verse, using his eternal, unchanging single rhyme.
When his uncle finished rhyming, Zhang Yuanqing said, "Now that I've successfully hunted down the Ninth Elder, Uncle, you can lay your suspicions about the Lord of the Stars to rest as well."
His uncle took a sip of red wine and sighed helplessly:
"Ah, you know as well as I do that the first batch of Spirit Realm Walkers didn't have the cleanest backgrounds. Otherwise, why couldn't the previous Grand Marshal trust them with major matters? Besides, while the Five Elements Alliance's demigods are shedding their blood on the front lines, this Lord of the Stars spends all his days in secluded cultivation. Don't you feel like he's been slacking off the entire time?
"If he were a spy, it would explain everything. Like I just said, with demigods of the Day Wanderer class, no amount of conspiracy theorizing is excessive. Overthinking isn't dangerous; taking things for granted is."
Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "If the Lord of the Stars were a spy for the evil faction, I would already be dead tonight."
Ling Tuo couldn't divine him because he had the protection of secrecy.
However, his secrecy did not reach the level of the Lord of Taiyin, so it was impossible to hide from the Lord of the Stars.
If the Taiyi Sect Master were a traitor, he would already be dead.
"Besides, the sun can purify everything. If the Lord of the Stars were a spy, he wouldn't have actively demanded that the five alliance masters hand over the Bright Compass," Zhang Yuanqing said.
His uncle nodded. "The more he desires the Bright Compass fragments, the less likely he is to be a spy. However, he is still your rival."
*If he can pacify the calamity and maintain order, what harm is there in yielding the throne of the Lord of the Sun to him!* Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.
***
Yurong City.
Upon receiving the report from the Public Security Bureau, Deacon "Tao Sheng Yi Jiu" of the Yurong branch immediately took an official squad and two public security units, driving police cars in a grand convoy toward "Yurong Dongfeng Gear Co., Ltd."
It was suspected that a battle between Spirit Realm Walkers had taken place here, causing a tremendous commotion. With the turmoil of the disappearance of Morality Points having only just ended and society still experiencing growing pains, he did not dare be negligent, rushing over with his people right away.
Upon arriving at the factory, he first inquired about casualties. Learning that no one had been injured or killed, he let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and immediately had the factory's security department pull up the surveillance footage.
The security chief opened the surveillance while reporting:
"The ones who clashed were two virus patients. One looked like smoke, and the other was glowing with golden light all over..."
The surveillance video opened. On screen appeared a delicate, beautiful woman whose body was like smoke, and a rather handsome young man.
The security chief said, "Neither lingered in the factory for long. After exchanging a few words, they left. We were afraid a conflict between them would cause a disaster, which was why we called the police..."
The security chief's voice abruptly faltered. He noticed several public security officers staring dumbfounded at the surveillance footage, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
Yu—Yuanshi Tianzun?!
*This is a fucking Dominator-level clash...* Deacon "Tao Sheng Yi Jiu" spun around and walked straight out, urgently instructing his subordinates:
"Notify the Fu Province Branch immediately: Yuanshi Tianzun has appeared in Yurong City and clashed with an elder of the Southern Sect. Prepare for mass casualty incidents."
From the Ninth Elder's skill characteristics, he identified the class, and someone capable of fighting Yuanshi Tianzun had to be a Dominator.
A Dominator-level Illusionist, and here in Yurong City—undoubtedly a senior figure of the Southern Sect.
The subordinate acknowledged the order, took out his phone, and stepped aside.
Just then, Tao Sheng Yi Jiu's phone rang. It was another deacon of the Yurong branch: Xian Yu Wan!
"Old Tao, what's the situation on your end?" Xian Yu Wan asked.
Tao Sheng Yi Jiu recounted the factory's situation.
Xian Yu Wan said in an odd tone, "Then that explains it. Yuanshi Tianzun and the Southern Sect elder fought all the way from the gear factory to here..."
"What was the outcome of the battle?" Tao Sheng Yi Jiu asked hurriedly.
"The Southern Sect elder was killed by Yuanshi Tianzun," Xian Yu Wan said in a low voice.
Tao Sheng Yi Jiu drew a sharp breath, both astounded and thrilled. "I knew it! Ever since this ancestor made his return, he was never going to stay quiet."
Chapter 827