Zhang Yuanqing was about to speak when two knocks sounded on the office door. The three of them turned to see Wang Tai standing in the doorway, holding a laptop.
"Can I come in and listen?" he asked.
After that, he remained silent, waiting for a response.
Li Dongze pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Come in. While you're here, help Primordial compile the strategy report."
Wang Tai let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't one for crowds, but the S-Rank She Ling Tunnel, a known bug in the Nightwalker's Trial Spirit Realm, was a fascinating case study. He couldn't resist the temptation to observe firsthand.
Zhang Yuanqing carefully considered his words. Once Wang Tai had taken a seat, he began to recount his experiences at the Mountain God Temple in detail.
He omitted the Demon Subduing Pestle's true function, simply describing it as an artifact capable of suppressing Yin creatures.
As for the Red Dancing Shoes, he deliberately kept the explanation vague. He claimed to have been trained by his uncle since childhood in singing, dancing, and rapping, and possessed an exceptional memory, which allowed him to barely decipher the shoes' rules.
Naturally, he also concealed the Character Card's exclusive reward, as revealing it would expose his possession of the Red Dancing Shoes.
This strategy of withholding key information was a tip he'd received from Guan Ya.
Rule Items were exceptionally rare. While the Five Elements Alliance might not actually trade such an artifact for a mere five hundred yuan and a small silk banner, it was best to be cautious.
As for the Goddess of Sandaoshan's revival, he planned to discuss it separately later, in detail.
Throughout the discussion, Wang Tai diligently typed notes, his fingers clattering across the keyboard.
Li Dongze listened patiently until the end, then gripped the handle of his cane and said, "That item that repels Yin creatures must have been the reward for clearing the Trial, and it's undoubtedly a high-level artifact."
Guan Ya quickly chimed in with a smile, "You little rascal! It was an S-rank Trial Mission—you didn't expect just a bit of experience, did you?"
She was subtly reminding Zhang Yuanqing that a good lie should be mostly true, with just a touch of falsehood.
Zhang Yuanqing's smile remained unchanged. "Oh, I forgot to mention the item. Yes, it was the reward for clearing the Trial."
He showed no sign of embarrassment or nervousness.
Li Dongze paid no attention and continued, "In that case, the difficulty level of the She Ling Tunnel will likely be reduced."
"Why do you say that?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, puzzled.
Li Dongze patiently explained, "We joke about the Spirit Realm being like a game, but that's just a joke. In the Spirit Realm, artifacts are incredibly rare, each one unique and impossible to replicate.
"Since you brought that item out, the Tree Demon encounter will probably be removed. Naturally, the She Ling Tunnel's difficulty will decrease."
While Li Dongze took a sip of his drink, Guan Ya added,
"Let me explain how Spirit Realm instances work. They constantly adjust their difficulty. For example, if you clear the Mountain God Temple and take its treasures, the instance's difficulty will inevitably decrease. Conversely, if you die in the Spirit Realm and your items are claimed by its creatures, making them stronger, the instance's difficulty will increase. The Red Dancing Shoes are a perfect example of this.
"Another crucial point is that the same Spirit Realm instance can offer different Trial Missions depending on your level. I once entered a wilderness survival-themed instance after reading a guide. The guide described the instance as having a hunter protagonist tasked with hunting down nine criminals in the jungle. But when I entered, I found myself as one of those criminals, with the mission to survive for 36 hours. This was because my level was lower than the guide's author. So, guides should only be used as references to understand the instance, learn basic information, and identify potential dangers."
"The difficulty won't decrease," Wang Tai said. "Because the Red Dancing Shoes are still there."
Guan Ya and Li Dongze glanced at Zhang Yuanqing but remained silent.
Oblivious to their reactions, Wang Tai continued:
"It's strange. These data points, your rewards, and the information you've shared don't match the difficulty of an S-Rank instance. Are you holding something back?"
"That's a bit too direct, isn't it? You're making everyone uncomfortable..." Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat.
"I wasn't hiding anything. I was just about to mention it. There was a Tree Demon in the cave, and a Stone Coffin."
"A Stone Coffin? What was inside?" Li Dongze leaned forward, his voice urgent.
Wang Tai stopped typing.
Guan Ya's face lit up with curiosity.
S-rank spirit realms often contain crucial information, potentially revealing earth-shattering secrets.
Official organizations, underground groups, and even evil factions rely on two primary methods to understand spirit realms: observation and pattern analysis, and information gleaned from the realms themselves.
By piecing together these clues, they gradually unlock the mysteries of the spirit realms.
No Spirit Realm Walker can resist such temptation.
"The Stone Coffin contained the Goddess of Sandaoshan. When I opened it, she... she awakened..." Zhang Yuanqing shuddered at the memory.
Li Dongze's pupils constricted. "She awakened?" he exclaimed.
He shot to his feet, as if unable to remain seated, and began pacing the office, leaning on his cane, his brow furrowed in thought.
After a long silence, Li Dongze spoke gravely, "Perhaps we've all been mistaken. Based on what we know about the Goddess, she must be a high-level Nightwalker. Now that she's awakened, there are only two possibilities."
"First, the Mountain God Temple will undergo a complete transformation, no longer serving as a Trial Spirit Realm for Nightwalkers but becoming a high-level Spirit Realm instance.
"Second, the Mountain God Temple will still be downgraded, but given the Goddess's status, a new, high-level Spirit Realm instance will inevitably emerge.
"For the Taiyi Sect's leadership, this information is of paramount importance, as it concerns the evolution of Spirit Realms directly related to their core professions."
Guan Ya sighed enviously. "The more critical the information, the greater the rewards the organization will give you."
More money? Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up with excitement, but his expression quickly turned worried. "That old hag who died centuries ago even smiled at me. I have a bad feeling she'll come looking for me. I can't shake this unease."
If the Banyan Spirit wasn't lying, the Demon Subduing Pestle sealed half of the Goddess's Yang Soul. She would undoubtedly, certainly, and absolutely come after him.
However, Zhang Yuanqing kept this information to himself, not sharing it with his colleagues.
Wang Tai offered sincere comfort. "Don't be so arrogant. At your level, you're unlikely to encounter such a high-level entity."
If you can't say anything helpful, just shut up! Zhang Yuanqing nodded gratefully, pretending to find Wang Tai's words reassuring.
Guan Ya grinned. "Was the Goddess beautiful?"
Zhang Yuanqing turned to look at her. "More beautiful than you."
Wang Tai earnestly added, "His research value is also higher than yours."
The Veteran Driver flew into a rage. "Get lost!"
Capital City, Courtyard House.
The sun shone brightly, bathing the ancient locust tree in golden light. Its leaves shimmered with iridescent hues.
A gentle breeze stirred the branches, causing them to sway and rustle like children's laughter.
Beneath the tree, Elder Sun sat in his rocking chair, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan. A tea set and an old-fashioned radio rested on the nearby table.
A middle-aged man in black hurried through the gate and into the courtyard, reporting in a low voice, "Elder Sun, news from Songhai: someone has cleared the She Ling Tunnel Spirit Realm."
The rocking fan paused mid-swing. The white-haired elder's eyes snapped open, twin beams of golden light shooting from his pupils. The children's laughter within the locust tree seemed startled, letting out a collective gasp before falling silent.
The elder straightened in his rocking chair, his gaze fixed on the middle-aged man. "The Nightwalker Young Master Fu recruited?"
The man nodded.
The elder froze, then slapped his thigh with the fan, exclaiming in anguish, "I misjudged! I misjudged!"
The last time the middle-aged man had seen Elder Sun so distraught was when he lost money playing the stock market.
The old man fell silent for a moment before saying, "I remember the administrator of Kangyang District in Songhai City is named Yuan Ting. Send word that this matter must not be leaked. Otherwise, where will I put my old face?"
"But..."
"But what?"
Before the middle-aged man could answer, his phone rang. He pulled it out and said, "It's Elder Black Mountain."
"Answer it."
As soon as the call connected and the old man took the phone, a roar erupted from the other end:
"Old Sun, what the hell are you doing? Sending out a copy of the She Ling Tunnel is one thing, but you actually agreed to Fu Qingyang's demand to reject that Nightwalker? Do you realize the magnitude of your mistake?"
Elder Sun froze for a second. "How did you old bastard find out about this?"
"What does it matter how I know? Do you realize how long it's been since the Taiyi Sect recruited a Nightwalker with exceptional talent? I'm going straight to the Sect Lord to report you!"
The call ended abruptly.
Veins throbbed on Elder Sun's forehead.
Just then, the phone rang again. The middle-aged man glanced at the screen. "Elder Hongying."
"Answer it."
"Uncle Sun, I heard the She Ling Tunnel was cleared? And you specifically rejected that Nightwalker?"
"..."
"Uncle Sun, you'll have to answer for this."
"Elder Sun, I heard you turned away a Nightwalker prodigy?"
"Insolent fool! Since when did a mere Deacon have the right to question me?"
"Ah, Elder Sun, please don't misunderstand. I was just curious."
"Elder Sun, I heard you—"
"Get out!"
Within minutes, Elder Sun received five or six calls.
The middle-aged man in black watched him silently. The last time Elder Sun had lost his composure like this was when he'd overleveraged his stock investments.
Elder Sun took a deep breath and returned to their earlier conversation. "What were you saying just now?"
The middle-aged man hesitated. "If Yuan Ting knows, it means everyone knows."
Elder Sun's blood pressure spiked instantly.
His phone rang again.
Just as he was about to hang up, he saw the caller ID: Fu Qingyang. He slowly exhaled, calmed himself, and answered the call.
"You little brat! Are you calling to mock this old man too?"
"Mock you?" A cold, clear voice came through the phone. "I wouldn't waste my time on such trivial matters. I'm here to repay a favor. The Mountain God Temple strategy report is complete and has been sent to your email."
Fu Qingyang added casually, "I believe this intelligence should be of significant importance to the Taiyi Sect."
Elder Sun's interest was immediately piqued. He hung up abruptly and turned to the middle-aged man. "How do I check my email?"
The middle-aged man silently took the phone, logged into the email account, opened the document, and wordlessly handed it back.
Elder Sun squinted, reading the document word by word.
He remained calm, his expression unchanging. For a Spirit Realm Walker of his rank, Trial-level Spirit Realms were mere child's play.
But when he saw the information about the Goddess of Sandaoshan's revival, his face changed drastically.
Creak! Elder Sun leaped from his rocking chair, his expression grave.
"Elder?" the middle-aged man asked, startled.
"An ancient Daywalker has awakened," Elder Sun said, his voice heavy with concern. He transformed into a golden streak of light and shot into the sky, vanishing without a trace.
He was heading toward the Sect Lord's residence.
Second-floor of a small building.
Zhang Yuanqing sat at his desk, skillfully booting up his computer. Following Guan Ya's instructions, he opened the Five Elements Alliance's internal forum and began browsing the pinned posts one by one.
These were all basic materials about the Spirit Realm world.
He first reviewed "Spirit Realm Types." As Li Dongze had explained, Spirit Realms were classified as either "Solo" or "Multiplayer." Solo Spirit Realms typically featured challenges unique to a specific class, such as the paranormal-themed Solo Spirit Realm for Nightwalkers in the Transcendent Stage.
Multiplayer Spirit Realms were divided into two types: team-based combat and team-based adventure.
The former pitted Spirit Realm Walkers against each other in specialized Spirit Realms, while the latter involved facing dangers within the Spirit Realm itself. Some were death-type scenarios, while others were non-death-type.
The non-lethal penalty mechanism deducted experience points.
Furthermore, Multiplayer Spirit Realms varied greatly in their scenarios and gameplay.
Next, he read the "Level Divisions" post, which was remarkably simple:
Transcendent Phase: Levels 1-3 Saint Stage: Levels 4-6
Note: For stages beyond Saint, please click the link below.
Zhang Yuanqing clicked the link, only to be met with a "Insufficient Permissions" message.
Damn permission-gated content! he grumbled inwardly, reluctantly browsing other posts.
Comprehensive List of Spirit Realm Walker Classes
Orderly Classes: Nightwalker, Scout, Wood Spirit, Water Ghost, Fire Master, Earth Fiend, Musician, Scholar Evil Classes: Seductive Demon, Witchcraft Master, Illusion Master
If I remember correctly, Wang Tai was a Scholar. What's a Musician class? And only three Evil Classes? No wonder Guan Ya said the Official Organization were the true hunters. Zhang Yuanqing's gaze drifted downward, landing on a startling note:
[ Note: To view foreign classes, please click the link below. ]
Unsurprisingly, his permissions were insufficient.
Foreign countries have Spirit Realm Walkers too? And different classes than ours? Zhang Yuanqing lifted his head, staring at the back of Guan Ya's head in front of him.
Is this some kind of global server split?
The Veteran Driver turned her head, smiling. "Why would you think our country is the only special one?"
Zhang Yuanqing was speechless.
He had to revise his understanding of the Spirit Realm once again.
If the Spirit Realm spanned the entire globe, and if other Spirit Realm Walkers and professions existed abroad, then the structure of the Spirit Realm world—both its instances and its reality—was far more complex than he had imagined.
"Spirit Realm Walkers are fiercely territorial," Guan Ya explained. "Official organizations rarely interact with each other, except when combating evil organizations. So for now, you don't need to worry about foreign Spirit Realm Walkers. This isn't something a Transcendent Stage Walker needs to concern themselves with."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded and clicked on "Nightwalker" to review his profession's description.
"Nightwalker: Favored by the Taiyin, spirits of the night, skilled in assassination and commanding Yin creatures. Their profession mark is a black crescent moon, making them one of the top Orderly Classes with formidable combat prowess.
"Every Nightwalker is a natural assassin, and their ability to command Yin creatures makes them even more formidable. Nightwalker is the profession name for the Transcendent Phase. After reaching level three, they can advance to a higher class."
Note: To view the Nightwalker's advancement classes, click the link below.
Zhang Yuanqing clicked repeatedly, only to receive a "Insufficient Permissions" error message.
Damn permission-hoarding bastards! He nearly cursed aloud.
Wait, something felt off. Zhang Yuanqing paused, reread the description, and realized what was wrong.
Profession mark: black crescent moon? But I clearly saw a black full moon on my forehead that night.
What was going on? Was his Character Card different from everyone else's?
Zhang Yuanqing instinctively looked up at the back of Guan Ya's head, wanting to ask her about it.