In the early morning hours, a commercial passenger flight flew from the Free Confederation toward the capital. In the business class cabin, Zhao Chenghuang reclined beneath a blanket, his eyes closed in a light nap, the sharp contours of his profile accentuating his handsome, aloof demeanor.
After lingering in New York County for a week, Dia International Airport had finally finished repairs and resumed international routes. The Saints of Return of the Dead had at last boarded their flight back to their homeland.
To Zhao Chenghuang's left, Sun Miaomiao was curled on her side, fast asleep. To his right, Yuan Ting was busily browsing group chats and scrolling through forums.
Guan Ya and Tianxia Guihuo had boarded a flight back to Songhai, while Brother Red Chicken had returned to Soup-Brewing Province. As for Asano Ryo, joining Heaven's Punishment was an assignment arranged by the Thousand Cranes Group, so she could not return home just yet.
Rumor had it that the higher-ups of the Thousand Cranes Group pinned immense hopes on her. They believed that war-torn New York County was facing a severe manpower shortage, and by holding her post there, Ryo-chan would surely be heavily relied upon—a once-in-a-millennium opportunity to rise through the ranks.
"Holy crap!"
Yuan Ting's sudden exclamation startled Zhao Chenghuang and Sun Miaomiao awake and drew the attention of a pretty flight attendant in the distance.
Yuan Ting waved a hand to dismiss the flight attendant, then lowered his voice. "Check the forums."
Sun Miaomiao and Zhao Chenghuang immediately reached for their phones and logged into the Taiyi Sect forum. They instantly understood the reason for Yuan Ting's outburst.
Pinned post: #Yuanshi Tianzun Makes a Dominant Return, Slaying Two Southern Sect Elders in a Single Night#
"Confirmed by the Five Elements Alliance: last night between 11:00 and 11:30 p.m., Yuanshi Tianzun ambushed and successfully killed the Third Elder and Ninth Elder of the Southern Sect in Yurong City, Fu Province, and Shuntai County, Jiangnan Province.
"Traffic surveillance footage shows that over ten Dominators took part in the two assassinations. Aside from Heavenly King Demon Eye and Heavenly King Miejue of the Soldier Master sect, Dominators from the First District were also involved.
"As everyone already knows, Jumang, who rose to fame during the faction war in New York County, was actually Yuanshi Tianzun in disguise. It seems he truly made friends with numerous Dominator-level experts during his venture through the First District.
"According to leaked internal intel from the Five Elements Alliance, Yuanshi Tianzun has founded a faction called 'Return of the Dead.' The number of Dominators within its ranks reportedly exceeds ten. One can only say that Yuanshi Tianzun is no longer who he once was. He has completely transformed from a genius of boundless potential into a big shot in the Spirit Realm world—a true heavyweight.
"To repeat an old refrain one last time: Elder Sun was so utterly muddled!"
Sun Miaomiao's mouth hung agape. "Did I wake up in an alternate reality? Return of the Dead has over ten Dominators now?!"
"Neither of you knew either?" Yuan Ting glanced suspiciously at his two companions. "I was just about to accuse you of keeping such huge news from me."
Zhao Chenghuang sighed. "That guy draws attention wherever he goes. Did he really just advance to Dominator?"
He no longer had the drive or desire to compete with Yuanshi Tianzun. How could a mere mortal rival a monster? He had simply been too young and naive before.
Zhao Chenghuang's current plan was to reach Level 6 before next June, then enter the Slaughter Instance to vie for the rank of Dominator. If he failed, he would try again at year's end; if he failed again, there was always next year.
According to historical data, setting aside rare freaks of nature, most Level 6 Saints—even the offspring of demigods—were stuck at the Slaughter Instance for years.
He had mentally prepared himself to stay at Level 6 for a long time. Of course, it wasn't that fast-track methods didn't exist. For instance, Yuanshi Tianzun could take the initiative to gift him a few phased-out Level 6 yin corpses, supplemented by top-grade props from the guild warehouse and his great-grandpa's assistance.
With multiple buffs combined, he would have a real chance of advancing to Dominator within a year.
However, he would never bring it up himself. Young Master Zhao had his pride and dignity.
Sun Miaomiao excitedly opened the "Return of the Dead" guild chat and posted a screenshot of the Taiyi Sect forum thread.
[Sun Miaomiao: @Yuanshi Tianzun, what's going on, what's going on? Our Return of the Dead has this many Dominators? Does that make us a first-rate faction now?]
[Xiahou Aotian: Dominators are about quality, not quantity. As long as I am here, even if Return of the Dead had only a single Dominator, it would still be a first-rate faction.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: We do indeed have over ten. Heavenly King Demon Eye has also abandoned the dark path for the light and joined us.]
He explained to the veteran Saints that the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter and the Relief Society had merged into Return of the Dead, the Anti-Black-and-White Alliance had become an affiliated organization, and the Merchant Guild and the Association of God of Beauty had signed on as financial backers.
[Brother Red Chicken: That's like a small business expanding into a joint-stock corporation, and the next step is going public to become an official organization! Truly magnificent, absolutely magnificent!]
[Xiahou Aotian: Oho, Brother Red Chicken can actually say something like that? Look who grew a brain.]
[Brother Red Chicken: You have a very punchable tone.]
[Xiahou Aotian: All beneath Dominators are mere ants. A paltry Saint dares challenge this Dominator?]
[Brother Red Chicken: I'll have Grandfather beat you up.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: @Zhao Chenghuang, once you're back in the country, come visit Songhai. I'll give you two yin corpses: Greed Divine General and Hundred-Man Slash.]
Level 6 yin corpses were no longer very useful to him. If used as cannon fodder, Level 4, Level 5, or even Extraordinaries would suffice. But raising a Level 6 yin corpse to Dominator required a cost so exorbitant that even his uncle would shake his head. It was far more cost-effective to just kill a few enemy Dominators.
Zhao Chenghuang felt a wave of relief. He knew that with Yuanshi's loyalty and generosity, this had only been a matter of time. Still, seeing him bring it up voluntarily brought a sense of closure and relief, along with a touch of warmth.
Zhao Chenghuang typed out "Thank you." Just as he was about to hit send, he saw Xiahou Aotian post:
[That is food handed out in contempt! Little Zhao, you must be like me: never beg from others, always strive for self-reliance.]
*Food in contempt? Little Zhao...* The muscles in Zhao Chenghuang's cheek twitched, and he silently deleted his "Thank you."
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Strive for self-reliance? By embezzling public funds from company accounts to achieve self-reliance?]
[Xiahou Aotian: Borrowing! That was borrowing! Is exchanging mere worldly silver and gold for a Dominator not a worthwhile bargain?]
[Brother Red Chicken: When you embezzle funds, it's borrowing, but when Zhao Chenghuang accepts a gift from Yuanshi, it's charity from a handout? Shameless!]
Fire Masters always spoke their minds plainly and fairly.
[Sun Miaomiao: What about me, what about me? @Yuanshi Tianzun]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: You don't refine yin corpses. As for spirit servants, didn't I already give you Ishikawa Mi at Level 6?]
[Sun Miaomiao: I also want Little Doubi and the Ghost Bride.]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: How could I possibly give you my son and my wife?]
[Guan Ya: ???]
#Yuanshi Tianzun recalled a message#
Zhao Chenghuang didn't care to watch the banter between the members. He clicked on Yuanshi Tianzun's profile picture and sent a private message: *Thank you.*
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Brothers don't need to thank each other. Nor should brothers keep secrets from one another. Little Zhao, I have a mission for you.]
[Zhao Chenghuang: What mission?]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Do you remember Lu Yueshuang's diary in Pan's Labyrinth? It mentioned the Tongzhou Society.]
[Zhao Chenghuang: The organization that assassinated Huo Zhengkui?]
[Yuanshi Tianzun: Exactly. The Tongzhou Society was established during World War II, backed by Western financiers—specifically, the Free Confederation. Their original assassination of Huo Zhengkui was meant to hinder the development of official factions in the Second District...]
He shared all the details regarding the Tongzhou Society, including the secret that all three Alliance Leaders had hailed from it.
A cold sweat broke out across Zhao Chenghuang's skin. He understood Yuanshi Tianzun's point: although the Tongzhou Society had disbanded, given the style of the Covenant of Freedom, there was bound to be a spy from the evil camp among the first generation of Spirit Realm walkers.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: I already questioned Gang Leader Jiang about this and temporarily cleared the three Alliance Leaders of suspicion. At the same time, I locked onto a new suspect—one only you can approach.]
Reading this, Zhao Chenghuang felt a sudden surge of foreboding.
[Yuanshi Tianzun: That person is your great-grandpa.]
*Great-Grandpa...* Zhao Chenghuang bolted upright, staring fixedly at his phone screen, his expression dark.
"What's wrong?" His two companions craned their necks at the same time to peek at his screen.
Zhao Chenghuang locked his phone, leaned back against his seat, and murmured, "Nothing."
He closed his eyes to feign sleep, but his mind refused to settle. There was a problem with the first generation of Spirit Realm walkers, and his great-grandpa was among that very generation.
*Impossible. Great-Grandpa is strict and overbearing, seemingly cold and unpopular, but all these years, he has conducted himself uprightly. He cares nothing for women, nor does he crave power or wealth. I don't believe he's a Fallen walker...* Zhao Chenghuang thought to himself.
Yet if his great-grandpa truly was a Fallen walker, how was he supposed to face it?
Yuanshi Tianzun had shared this with him so that he could make his own choice.
Faced with family versus righteousness, which path would he choose?
Images flashed through Zhao Chenghuang's mind: the destruction New York County had suffered, the endless lists of casualties on the Five Elements Alliance's casualty reports, the tragic devastation left in the wake of terrorist strikes in various places.
In his heart, he already had an answer.
Amid such internal torment, Zhao Chenghuang arrived at Capital International Airport.
The three of them got into a private car dispatched by the Taiyi Sect. Zhao Chenghuang instructed, "Head to the old headquarters."
The old headquarters referred to the courtyard residences where they had grown up, whereas the new headquarters was an upscale residential compound closer to the city center.
Most elders still lived in the old headquarters, while the new headquarters was preferred by the younger members.
Forty minutes later, the car pulled up to an aged alleyway that retained the aesthetic of the previous century. Leaving his luggage in the trunk, Zhao Chenghuang transformed into starlight and vanished directly from the car.
***
New York County.
Asano Ryo, who had just been promoted to Deacon of the Disciplinary Department, received a phone call from Kobe Ichiro, the leader of the Thousand Cranes Group.
"Ryo-chan, did you know all along that Yuanshi Tianzun wasn't dead?"
"Yes."
"*Baka!* Why didn't you report such critical intelligence to the organization? Have you forgotten your origins?!"
Asano Ryo bowed repeatedly to empty air, chiming, "*Sumimasen.*"
"Still, the fact that Yuanshi-kun shared this secret with you shows he considers you one of his own." Kobe Ichiro followed up his scolding with sweet words, offering a few comforting remarks before finally revealing his true objective: "Since Yuanshi-kun isn't dead, the Yata no Kagami ought to be returned to the Thousand Cranes Group. Ryo-chan, the Yata no Kagami is vital property of the Thousand Cranes Group. A Dominator-grade prop cannot be lost under any circumstances.
"The organization hopes you will step forward and ask Yuanshi-kun to return it."
"Ah, well..." An awkward expression spread across Asano Ryo's face.
"Do you intend to watch the hope of the Thousand Cranes Group's rise fall into an outsider's hands?" Kobe Ichiro demanded.
"Definitely not!" Asano Ryo said loudly, then lowered her voice. "Group Leader, Yuanshi-kun is already a Dominator, and he has numerous allies of the same caliber. I believe gifting him the Yata no Kagami as a congratulatory gift for his advancement to Day Wanderer would do far more to deepen his bond with our group."
Kobe Ichiro rejected her suggestion. "With you around, the friendship between Yuanshi-kun and the Thousand Cranes Group is already rock-solid; there's no need to sacrifice the Yata no Kagami. It is an indispensable asset of our group. Ryo-chan, this is an order from the organization."
In the past, Asano Ryo would have agreed on the spot without thinking twice. But after everything she had been through, she was no longer that naive high school girl.
The group leader was eager to reclaim the Yata no Kagami to secure a lifeline for himself in an increasingly fierce faction war.
After all, no matter how close their connection with Yuanshi Tianzun was, it could not compare to holding a Dominator-grade prop in one's own hands. Besides, if a major catastrophe struck, Yuanshi Tianzun would be swept up in it as well and might not have the time or energy to aid the Thousand Cranes Group.
Furthermore, with her personal connection, even if they took the mirror back, the group leader believed Yuanshi-kun would still lend a hand if she personally asked.
Her thoughts racing, Asano Ryo replied submissively, "I will convey the organization's request to Yuanshi-kun."
***
The courtyard residence.
Zhao Chenghuang materialized from starlight, looking around the courtyard. He saw no sign of his great-grandpa. The house was dead quiet, devoid of anyone.
He walked over to a locust tree and asked, "Where is Great-Grandpa?"
A pale ghostly face emerged from the trunk, projecting mental ripples: "Master has gone out."
The senior leaders of the Taiyi Sect preferred using spirit servants as caretakers and sentries, so they all planted locust trees in their courtyards. Locust trees possessed a yin nature that nourished spirits, making them ideal habitats for spirit servants.
"When did he leave?" Zhao Chenghuang asked.
"Just an hour ago. The outside world has been in turmoil lately. The Grand Elder's physical body was destroyed, and a replacement vessel has yet to be crafted, so sect affairs have all been entrusted to Master," the spirit servant replied.
Zhao Chenghuang acknowledged with a nod. He texted Sun Miaomiao to ask her to deliver his luggage to the upscale compound, then sat cross-legged beneath the locust tree to wait patiently.
Leaning his back against the trunk and bathed in the morning light, he mulled over Yuanshi Tianzun's words again and again.
He began recalling his impressions of his great-grandpa, trying to unearth any clues.
His great-grandpa was among the first generation of Spirit Realm walkers. Rigid, strict, and reclusive by nature, he wasn't well-liked, but he had always acted with fairness, earning him the respect of the elders in the sect.
Character-wise, Zhao Chenghuang could not find the slightest trace of a Fallen walker. If he had to nitpick, it would be his eccentric, withdrawn temperament—but that was because his primary cultivation was in Lunar.
*Primary cultivation in Lunar...* Zhao Chenghuang's expression shifted slightly.
The Lunar path governed secrecy, making it ideal for a Fallen walker to hide in plain sight.
*Yet plenty of people in the sect specialize in Lunar. Suspecting him of being a Fallen walker on that basis alone is too arbitrary.* Zhao Chenghuang shook his head.
Just then, leaning against the locust tree, he suddenly recalled an incident from his childhood.
There was a basement in the courtyard, situated right beneath the locust tree. When he was young, he and friends like Sun Miaomiao and Ling Jun had played exploration games, and he had once led them down into that basement.
The basement was pitch-black and forbidding. No one except his great-grandpa was permitted inside, making it the perfect site for an adventure.
Yet the moment they entered, they had been blocked by spirit servants. When his great-grandpa found out, he was furious and gave Zhao Chenghuang a brutal whipping with a bamboo rod.
From that day forward, the basement became a forbidden zone in Zhao Chenghuang's heart, and he never dared entertain thoughts about it again. As he grew up, he gradually forgot its existence.
Reflecting on it now, it had only been a basement. So what if they entered? Why had his great-grandpa flown into such a rage?
If the basement held dangers, his great-grandpa could have simply said so. Protected by spirit servants, even if there were dangers, children wouldn't have been able to get far anyway. His great-grandpa's fury had been disproportionate.
Childhood memories surged back into his mind. Zhao Chenghuang lowered his gaze toward the tree roots and decided that while his great-grandpa was away, he would head down to investigate the basement.
Chapter 828