Xiahou Aotian lay there for several minutes before rolling over and sitting up. He opened the refrigerator in the living room, retrieved a top-rated beverage, and chugged it down. After finishing the entire six-hundred-milliliter bottle in one breath, he let out a satisfied burp. A rapid surge of dopamine flooded his system, leaving his brain buzzing with exhilaration and pleasure, washing away the exhaustion and gloom brought on by the S-rank dungeon.
*Never again will I enter a dungeon. Not for the rest of this year! Even if Yuanshi Tianzun weeps, wails, and begs on his knees, he can forget about getting me into another one!* Xiahou Aotian swore inwardly.
After clearing the Southern Courtyard of Shushan, he had developed a lingering trauma regarding high-difficulty dungeons. Yet the stubbornness and pride befitting a true protagonist had driven him to resolutely solo a family dungeon!
Now, regret gnawed at him!
With practiced accuracy, he tossed the empty bottle into a trash can several meters away. Xiahou Aotian then wheeled out a speaker half the height of a man from beside his computer desk, pointed it straight at the window, and hit the power switch.
A deafening roar erupted from the speaker's amplifier:
"I, Xiahou Aotian, have emerged from seclusion!
"Xiahou Aotian has emerged from seclusion!
"Emerged from seclusion..."
Amid the racket echoing across the Xiahou family's villa complex, Xiahou Aotian picked up his phone and dialed Yuanshi Tianzun's number.
...
Looking at Demon Eye Heavenly King, whose eyes were filled with dejection, loss, and bitter indignation, Zhang Yuanqing sighed softly to himself, at a loss for how to comfort him.
The formidable Demon Eye Heavenly King naturally had no need for comfort. Still, having invested so much time and effort into him only to be abruptly told that the project had fallen through, Zhang Yuanqing could not help but feel guilty.
So he spoke up. "Under the present circumstances, we can only take things one step at a time. It's true that the Sun dungeon cannot be opened, but since the President instructed me to proceed according to plan, it means he doesn't want to give up either."
Demon Eye Heavenly King's expression remained somber. "Yet he didn't leave behind a method to enter the Sun dungeon. He doesn't know what to do either, and being unwilling to surrender, he is merely putting up a token struggle."
He sounded thoroughly pessimistic.
Zhang Yuanqing was about to offer a few encouraging words when he suddenly remembered that Demon Eye belonged to an extremist evil class. Pessimism was rooted in his nature, making encouragement largely futile. Worse, if this gloom was allowed to fester, Demon Eye might well seize the window while the demigods were trapped in the dungeon to purge the world.
With Demon Eye's current stature, if he truly ran amok, countless Dominators across the orthodox faction would perish, and even peak Dominators could fall.
*I need to soothe his emotions first...* Zhang Yuanqing poured Demon Eye a glass of wine and brought up the recent situations of Fu Qingyang and Xiahou Aotian, deliberately emphasizing phrases like "grand ambitions" and "companions on the path."
Pairing this with his Illusionist abilities, he slowly channeled away the pessimism and gloom.
Just then, the phone resting on the glass table rang. The caller ID displayed Xiahou Aotian's name.
*The protagonist has returned?* Zhang Yuanqing's spirits lifted, and he quickly answered the call.
Truth be told, ever since he had learned from Old Patriarch Xiahou that Xiahou Aotian had entered the S-rank dungeon "An Lushan Rebellion," he had prepared himself for the possibility that Xiahou Aotian might miss their appointment.
War-themed dungeons were notoriously time-consuming. It was not uncommon for people to drift along in such dungeons until they lost all contact with reality. The White Tiger Soldiers had seen plenty of such cases.
One elder had once spent six whole months fighting across northern and southern fronts inside a dungeon, and by the time he returned, every dungeon guide he wrote was composed in classical literary Chinese.
Who would have guessed that the protagonist would manage to return right on the dot?
The moment the call connected, a piercing clamor blared from the speaker: "I, Xiahou Aotian, have emerged from seclusion..."
"The half-month deadline has arrived! Yuanshi Tianzun, my return to reality shall aid you in attaining the mantle of the Lord of the Sun, establishing unprecedented merits, and forging illustrious achievements!" Xiahou Aotian declared, his voice brimming with haughty, peerless arrogance.
"Henceforth, cease touting yourself as the sole genius of dungeon conquest. If you must brag, be sure to include my name."
How immense an honor was it to solo an S-rank dungeon? It was equivalent to achieving a perfect score on the civil service exam.
It was precisely by clearing S-rank dungeons that Yuanshi Tianzun had become a star figure of the official faction, recognized far and wide as an extraordinary prodigy.
Xiahou Aotian felt he was now fully worthy of standing side by side with Yuanshi Tianzun as the twin prodigies of the orthodox faction!
Curious, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Did you advance to level eight?"
"That is irrelevant. What matters is that I cleared an S-rank dungeon all by myself," Xiahou Aotian replied. He was unlike Yuanshi Tianzun; while the latter treated A-rank dungeons as leveling grounds, Xiahou Aotian typically ran B-rank or even C-rank dungeons. Only after accumulating abundant experience points and hoarding sufficient items did he finally grit his teeth and tackle an S-rank dungeon.
His experience bar was currently at 86%. To advance to level eight, he would still need to complete another A-rank dungeon.
"Oh, so you haven't reached level eight yet. But I'm already level eight."
"That is irrelevant! What matters is that I cleared an S-rank dungeon alone!" Xiahou Aotian's voice took on a grating edge of gnashing teeth.
"Demon Eye also cleared an S-rank dungeon alone, and he's level nine."
"..."
Xiahou Aotian suddenly felt like entering another dungeon. He could not swallow this humiliation.
"Get ready. Enter 'Mohist Mechanism City' in sixty seconds," Zhang Yuanqing said, then hung up.
Demon Eye Heavenly King leaned lazily against the sofa and remarked indifferently, "Knocking down that arrogant Xiahou Aotian seems to be a collective pastime in your guild."
Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "Along with teasing Brother Red Chicken and watching Brother Red Chicken mock the Disgrace to Fire Specialists. Those are known as the three greatest joys of Return of the Dead."
He pinched a slice of ham, tossed it into his mouth, and chewed as he said, "I've already lost my qualification to compete and will most likely miss the chance to become the Lord of the Sun. But after fighting for so long, I refuse to give up. I will keep walking this path until the Lord of the Sun is born."
With that, he waved a hand at Demon Eye and vanished from the study.
...
Inside the Mohist Mechanism City dungeon.
At the edge of the woods by the foot of the mountain, Zhang Yuanqing held a brush and completed the final stroke of a spirit talisman array. A golden circular formation three meters in diameter formed, shimmering with brilliant light as the surrounding temperature rose by several degrees.
A three-legged bronze furnace stood at the center of the formation, the golden patterns etched onto its body aligning seamlessly with the array beneath its feet.
Zhang Yuanqing produced the Jade Pure Bottle and asked, "Should we refine all three together, or take them one by one?"
The incomparably handsome Xiahou Aotian raised his chin. "In refining pills, as in deploying troops, the more, the better."
"Impressive, truly impressive. Worthy of being the pillar of Return of the Dead. As the guild master, I'm merely a background character, while you, Xiahou Aotian, are the true protagonist. So, is the success rate high?" Zhang Yuanqing clapped mockingly.
Xiahou Aotian scoffed. "When you need me, you call me the protagonist; when you don't, you flaunt your superiority without restraint. Yuanshi Tianzun, you are a worse villain than Yang Guozhong."
Pretending not to hear, Zhang Yuanqing pulled the wooden stopper from the Jade Pure Bottle and tilted it, pouring out three slumbering figures draped in black robes.
Their appearances corresponded to an elderly man, a middle-aged man, and a young man—Shanhe Yongcun, Surgeon, and Shaman Priest.
The three of them slept peacefully, their breathing steady and even.
Xiahou Aotian examined them for a few moments before nodding. "Their minds are tranquil, and their essence, energy, and spirit are balanced. There's no need to administer additional medicine."
He pressed his index and middle fingers together like a sword and raised them lightly. "Rise!"
The lid of the three-legged pill-refining furnace flew straight into the air. Manipulating over a dozen auxiliary herbs, Xiahou Aotian sent them soaring into the furnace chamber, followed immediately by the three Day Wanderers.
During the process, the Dominators' garments tore apart on their own, leaving them entirely stripped.
*Clang!*
The furnace lid fell back into place, sealing with seamless precision.
Xiahou Aotian opened his palm and summoned a flame whose base was white, middle was black, and outer edge was crimson, flinging it toward the pill furnace.
The Samadhi True Fire flickered and swayed, settling at the base of the furnace.
Next, he stamped his foot, extending the formation beneath the furnace's legs. The array began to rotate clockwise, causing the Samadhi True Fire to surge fiercely.
Roused by the searing heat, the three Day Wanderers inside the chamber snapped awake at once. They hurled themselves against the furnace walls in a desperate attempt to break free.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
The sound of violent impacts echoed against the bronze walls. The furnace lid rattled like that of a boiling teakettle, nearly getting thrown off. Each time it lifted, the array on the furnace and the ground flared with golden light, weaving a seal that steadied the cauldron.
Worried it might not hold, Zhang Yuanqing sprang into the air and landed with one foot planted atop the furnace lid.
The lid stopped moving entirely.
"Yuanshi Tianzun, you will die a miserable death! To use such venomous methods for advancement—you are unworthy of being an orthodox practitioner!"
"Yuanshi Tianzun, I will kill you! I'll tear you apart..."
The furious roars of the three Dark Night Rose protectors resonated from within the furnace.
As experienced Spirit Realm walkers who had attained the status of Dominators, they were naturally familiar with the heinous cannibalistic sorceries practiced by ancient cultivators. Sect Master Chunyang, who had collaborated closely with Dark Night Rose, was a living testament to such arts.
Thus, the moment they realized they were trapped inside a cramped furnace chamber and felt the excruciating burn of the flames, they instantly deduced Yuanshi Tianzun's sinister scheme.
Zhang Yuanqing looked down, the corners of his lips curving upward.
"There is no inherent good or evil in the means used to acquire power; right and wrong lie only in the hands of the person who wields it. Gentlemen, why lecture an idealist like me on pedantic morals? Did you only meet me today?"
The curses from within abruptly choked.
Yuanshi Tianzun was just as extreme as the Demon Lord—extreme enough to drag a peak Dominator down into mutual destruction for the sake of total strangers.
Xiahou Aotian drove the formation with all his might. As it spun faster and faster in a clockwise circle, the Samadhi True Fire flared dramatically, its leaping tongues of fire engulfing nearly half the furnace.
Perched atop the lid, Zhang Yuanqing saw his shoes and pants instantly incinerated. Intense, blistering pain stung his flesh, forcing him to activate Blazing Sun God of War to withstand the furnace's scorching heat.
Time slipped past, and the enraged curses inside the chamber grew weaker and weaker until they faded into utter silence.
After another hour, a crimson mist billowed from the furnace's vents, carrying a dense, metallic fragrance.
Seeing this, Xiahou Aotian hastily extinguished the Samadhi True Fire. Once the golden spirit talisman array pulsed to cleanse the pills of any lingering mental corruption, a look of delight crossed his face.
"It's done!"
Refining a cauldron of pills or forging a powerful item brought immense satisfaction to a Scholar.
Unable to wait any longer, Zhang Yuanqing kicked the furnace lid open. A sludge-like layer of black and red impurities coated the bottom of the chamber, cradling three egg-sized, deep golden-red blood pills half-embedded within the residue.
A thick, concentrated spiritual power drifted out, brimming with potent life force and solar divine power.
Zhang Yuanqing retrieved a small wooden box and carefully stored the pills away one by one.
Having finished the refinement, Xiahou Aotian thought for a moment before probing, "The old man who's bound to abdicate the family patriarch seat to me sooner or later told me that all the demigods have entered the Sun dungeon, and the Lord of Taiyin and the Lord of the Stars are bashing each other's brains out inside?"
Right after Xiahou Aotian had called Yuanshi Tianzun earlier, his granduncle had come knocking on his door.
Xiahou Aotian had spoken with the old patriarch for quite some time before contacting Yuanshi Tianzun.
Zhang Yuanqing rolled his eyes. "Did you ask the venerable patriarch before tacking on that whole long string of prefixes to his title?"
After complaining, he added with self-deprecating humor, "My account isn't even maxed out yet, and they've already started playing the peak tournament over there."
Xiahou Aotian neither gloated nor mocked him, remaining unusually quiet.
"Well, isn't that great!" Xiahou Aotian suddenly shrugged. "I don't have to enter any more dungeons now. I can just take a nice vacation and study crafting techniques. When I emerge from seclusion, if the world hasn't been destroyed yet, wonderful. And if the world has been destroyed, I'll just activate protagonist mode, quietly level up in the apocalypse, and turn the tide all by myself."
He waved at Zhang Yuanqing and exited the guild scenario.
Zhang Yuanqing did not leave the Mohist Mechanism City. After pondering for several seconds, he opened his inventory and began arranging a summoning ritual.
He intended to summon Empress Sandao to inquire about the specifics.
If Her Ladyship had already entered the Sun dungeon, he would return to reality and consult each of the peak Dominators in turn, asking whether they possessed any means of entering the Sun dungeon.
Only if the peak Dominators in the real world all gave negative answers would he truly give up.
Before long, ripples of golden light spread across the sky above the Mohist Mechanism City. Draped in fluttering feathered robes, Empress Sandao descended upon the dungeon, stepping upon the golden radiance.
Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply. "Disciple pays his respects to Master!"
Empress Sandao appraised him, her beautiful eyes displaying unreserved relief and admiration.
"Your cultivation progress has exceeded my expectations. There is no need for such grand formalities in the future. Given your stature, you are entitled to serve at my side."
Zhang Yuanqing insisted on maintaining his prostration. "A teacher for a day is a mother for a lifetime. Disciple shall always remain beneath you."
Seeing Empress Sandao crack a faint smile, Zhang Yuanqing promptly asked, "Disciple has heard that experts of the Human Immortal realm have gathered in the Sun dungeon, with Taiyin and the Stars competing for the Sun. Master, your ambition lies in reaching the Human Immortal realm—why did you not take part?"
A look of helplessness appeared on Empress Sandao's fair face.
"Initially, the Sun dungeon barred anyone below the Human Immortal realm who was not of the Night Wanderer class. Later, a beam of purple light breached the Spirit Realm and shattered the restrictions on the Sun dungeon.
"The Human Immortals of the present era swarmed inside... This seat knows her own limits. A clash among Human Immortals is beyond my reach."
*True enough. Though the old dowager is a peak Dominator, facing a Human Immortal would mean certain death, let alone an all-out brawl among Human Immortals!* Zhang Yuanqing looked dissatisfied. "Master, is there any way to breach the Sun dungeon? With your profound abilities, you could wage guerrilla warfare and fish in troubled waters."
Empress Sandao shook her head regretfully. "The Sun dungeon seems to have undergone a shift. Its restrictions have grown increasingly impenetrable. Before the Lord of the Sun is born, it will be impossible for anyone from the outside to enter."
... Although Zhang Yuanqing had anticipated this, he could not help but feel a pang of disappointment upon hearing it confirmed.
"What was the origin of that purple light?" he asked.
Empress Sandao answered, "It was very similar to the Lethal Alchemist class we encountered last time in the First District dungeon."
Her words instantly brought clarity to Zhang Yuanqing.
*The Demon Seed intervened!*
It was the Demon Seed—a divine being—who had breached the restrictions of the Sun dungeon, ushering the demigods of the evil faction inside, while the orthodox demigods took advantage of the breach to follow close behind.
In other words, the dungeon had been unsealed by divine-level entities!
The Demon Seed's stature stood above that of demigods. In reality, no such entity existed, nor could one be found in the Spirit Realm... Zhang Yuanqing shook his head in disappointment once more.
"What does Master intend to do next?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
Empress Sandao replied, "Once the Lord of the Sun is born, I shall depart the Spirit Realm and return to the mortal world. There, I will personally settle my karmic ties with my master and uphold the righteous path."
"Master's righteousness is boundless!" Zhang Yuanqing bowed reverently once again.
Chapter 958