Return

Fu Qingyang had cleared the S-rank dungeon? The awkwardness in Xiahou Aotian's heart vanished in an instant, replaced by excitement and joy. With Yuanshi Tianzun unreachable, their small team, Return of the Dead, had felt as though it had lost its backbone. It had left him with no choice but to join Zhai Cai in decadent indulgence with liquor and cigars, sighing: The apocalypse is coming, and as the protagonist, I can only resign myself to wallowing in humiliating material luxury. Now that Fu Qingyang had returned to reality, the team finally had its pillar back. Upon returning to his study, Fu Qingyang's gaze naturally fell upon Xiahou Aotian in the reception area, as well as the Sole-Inheritor Knight cloaked in sleek sable fur. He showed neither surprise nor shock, merely scanning them with calm detachment, unflinching like a supreme commander whose expression wouldn't twitch even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. Then he noticed his prized collection of cognac and cigars—unwrapped, uncorked, and being heartily enjoyed by the two. Xiahou Aotian's eyes darted around, and he quickly poured a glass for Money Prince. "A toast to Elder Fu for clearing the S-rank dungeon and ascending to level-nine Dominator!" Fu Qingyang took the glass and looked down at the amber liquid inside. Just then, the Sole-Inheritor Knight strolled over, a cigar between two fingers and a drink in his other hand, smiling. "Pardon us. We helped ourselves to your collection without the host's permission. You wouldn't be upset, would you?" Fu Qingyang said blandly, "Not at all." Despite those words, the hair on Zhai Cai and Xiahou Aotian's bodies stood on end. Every single pore felt as if it were being pricked by a sword tip; if the cold swordsman had the slightest inclination, thousands of blades would pierce right through them. Not at all my foot—he clearly cares to death! Xiahou Aotian grumbled internally. At the same time, he was secretly astonished. Fu Qingyang, newly advanced to level-nine Dominator, radiated an aura of pressure and crisis even more overwhelming than his great-uncle's. His great-uncle was a peak Dominator, after all. Granted, the Scholar profession was relatively gentle compared to the sharp, aggressive edge of a Scout, but this still proved that Fu Qingyang was no ordinary level-nine Dominator. He must have had an extraordinary encounter in the S-rank dungeon. Seeing them standing rigid as though facing a formidable enemy, frozen in place, Fu Qingyang finally took a leisurely sip of the cognac, pursed his lips, and offered his critique: "When savoring cognac, it's best kept in an ice bucket. The bottle isn't overly expensive, but it's quite rare. If you want to drink it next time, let me know first." He set down his glass, pulled over a high-backed chair, and sat down. Staring at Xiahou Aotian like an imposing leader, he asked: "The Lone Battle dungeon was harder than I anticipated. I wasted quite a bit of time inside and couldn't clear it within the agreed timeframe. What's the situation with Yuanshi right now?" From their subtle expressions, he could read pessimism, gravity, and a hint of despair. The battle for the solar origin is already over; you're so late you wouldn't even catch a fresh pile of shit... Xiahou Aotian muttered in his mind, though he naturally didn't dare say it out loud. He sighed heavily. "Yuanshi Tianzun became the Lord of the Sun. Alas, I'm a failure who couldn't keep up with his pace. I suppose the meta hasn't updated to my patch yet." Yuanshi Tianzun became the Lord of the Sun? This news caught Fu Qingyang completely off guard. His cold, dignified expression shattered in an instant, giving way to a brief, stunned daze. In that heartbeat, all sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from advancing to level-nine Dominator vanished without a trace. The ever-proud Money Prince felt an unprecedented sense of helpless exasperation—an age-old lament of why heaven made Zhou Yu only to create Zhuge Liang. Yet soon, that emotion gave way to deep gratification. Composing his stern, authoritative demeanor, he nodded. "It seems a great deal happened outside while I was in the dungeon." Without delay, Zhai Cai and Xiahou Aotian briefed Fu Qingyang on how the Lord of the Stars had convened a demigod council, forced the Goddess of Beauty and the Void demigod to hand over their compass fragments, and initiated the contest for the solar origin. As for how Yuanshi Tianzun managed to enter the dungeon or how he became the Lord of the Sun, they had no idea. Xiahou Aotian sighed. "According to announcements from Five Elements Alliance headquarters and the Taiyi Sect, the Lord of the Stars betrayed the orthodox faction and became our greatest enemy. Word has it that he and Yuanshi still have one final showdown ahead, though who knows if we can be of any help." It took Fu Qingyang a mere two minutes to fully digest the information and calm the storm within, displaying his extraordinary mental fortitude. He asked calmly, "Where is Yuanshi? Has he returned to reality, or is he still fighting in a dungeon?" Zhai Cai replied, "Last night, he fought Asura in the northwest. The Void demigod was there too. They teleported the entire population of the city to the outskirts of Songhai, and the government is currently mobilizing resources to settle the 'refugees.' Just now, he seemed to be fighting again in the Spirit Realm. Our level is too low to participate, or even to spectate." Xiahou Aotian said resentfully, "Yuanshi let it go to his head after becoming the Lord of the Sun. He couldn't even be bothered to share intel with us. We haven't been able to reach him at all." Zhai Cai shot Xiahou Aotian an annoyed sideways glance. "Don't interrupt me... According to President Void, the ultimate goal of the evil faction is to destroy the Earth, and the deities behind them will intervene." Fu Qingyang scanned the two of them and said coldly, "So the apocalypse is upon us, yet you two hide in my study and steal my liquor?" Zhai Cai shrugged, wearing a cynical, devil-may-care grin. "Seize the day!" He trotted out his earlier philosophy once again. Fu Qingyang looked at the Sole-Inheritor Knight and said blandly, "Yuanshi was right. You truly are a human punching bag." "What's that supposed to mean?" "You make people's fists itch." "..." Fu Qingyang thought for a few seconds, then said, "Out, both of you. I need to convene a Nine Elders meeting!" Zhai Cai and Xiahou Aotian promptly cleared out of the study—one pocketing the cigar box, the other snatching the cognac. *** Crab City, the Xie family ancestral residence. Dressed in a red gown, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter materialized out of thin air in the courtyard. The silver mask on her face was gone, revealing an exquisite, lovely face. The beauty mark at the corner of her eye gave her a playful charm, yet layered over her allure was a soft, distinct glow of maternal grace. She had successfully advanced to level eight and mastered the "Gestation" skill. As the core skill of an eighth-rank Arbiter of Fate, "Gestation" could manifest in three ways. The first was forcing a target into pregnancy to nurture an embryo; as the fetus developed, it would siphon away a portion of the target's spiritual energy and skills. The second was gestating a clone within herself. This avatar would possess seventy percent of the original's strength and exist as a true living being, sharing the original's personality and preferences, and could even serve as a contingency for resurrection if necessary. The third was taking the flesh and remnant spirit of a newly deceased person into her body, using herself as the mother to give birth to them anew. The newborn would be no different from an infant, yet retain most of their past life's memories. Its core purpose was replenishing residual spirits and reshaping physical bodies. In that regard, it closely mirrored the Mother Goddess's Womb. This final application was exclusive to female Musicians; male Musicians could not cast it because men lacked a womb. Her lively eyes drifted across the courtyard to the tender, fair boy sitting at the stone table, savoring hairy crabs with yellow wine. "You're back?" The fair-skinned child looked up. The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter smiled faintly. "My current rank should be barely enough to accommodate Empress Wa's Body. But to truly control it and become a demigod, I'll need to reach level nine." The Xie Family Ancestor took a sip of wine and remarked, "Once you assimilate Empress Wa's Body, I'll hand the Holy Infant over to you. Raising children is a woman's job; keeping him with me is a waste. Still, unless you become a demigod, it won't make much difference..." Hearing the underlying meaning in the ancestor's words, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter frowned slightly. "What happened?" "While you were inside the guild dungeon, the outside world was turned upside down." The Xie Family Ancestor scooped a piece of crab roe into his mouth, relishing its rich, savory richness, though his tone was heavy with emotion. "The Lord of the Stars rebelled, Ling Tuo perished, the orthodox demigods all fell into deep slumber, and Yuanshi Tianzun ascended to Lord of the Sun—though an incomplete one." The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter froze in stunned disbelief before falling silent. With a soft sigh, she murmured, "He recovered his memories..." Having played an essential role in reviving the Demon Lord, she was not surprised by Yuanshi Tianzun's ascension to Lord of the Sun. Her shock stemmed entirely from the betrayal of the Lord of the Stars. Like all orthodox walkers, she found it hard to believe and accept that the Lord of the Stars was actually a corrupted fallen one. "Ancestor, what on earth happened? Tell me in detail." The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter sat down beside the stone table. The Xie Family Ancestor recounted the entire battle for the solar origin from beginning to end. Her brow furrowed deeper as she finally understood why the ancestor had said merging with Empress Wa's remains held little significance. Unless one reached demigod status, influencing the outcome of this war was nearly impossible. The clash between Yuanshi and the Taiyi Sect Master was a contest at the Spirit Realm's absolute apex. "If Yuanshi Tianzun completes the solar origin while the Lord of the Stars happens to merge with Taiyin, victory is a fifty-fifty toss-up. If the Lord of the Stars fails to merge with Taiyin, Yuanshi Tianzun will undoubtedly win," the Xie Family Ancestor said. "Conversely, if the opposite occurs, the Lord of the Stars is guaranteed victory. That is why both are racing against time, each striving to complete themselves or merge with Taiyin before the other succeeds." The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter pressed, "And how stand things now?" The Xie Family Ancestor smiled. "Who knows? All we can do is await news. Perhaps word will come any moment." No sooner had he finished speaking than a man wearing a silver mask and a wine-red suit appeared in the courtyard. "Oho, Yu'er has finished seclusion!" President Void sighed. "Just in time to catch the grand finale, though it might end in tragedy." The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter scowled. "What do you mean by that!" The president gave no direct answer, turning instead to the Xie Family Ancestor. "Old geezer, stop eating crab. The Lord of the Sun is summoning us. Something bad has happened. Alas, our young Lord of the Sun has fallen for the old fox's trick after all."