The Official Walkers filed in, instinctively splitting into two teams. One group focused on treating the wounded, while the other secured the scene, delivered finishing blows, and eliminated any remaining threats.
A female member of the Hundred Flowers Association knelt to examine two poisoned Fire Masters, her voice shifting with concern:
"Centurion, their vital signs are weak. They need diluted Life Elixir immediately, or they'll be in mortal danger."
Within the Orderly Faction, both Musicians and Wood Spirits possessed Life Domain skills. However, at the Transcendent Phase, neither class had the ability to resurrect the dead. Such powerful healing magic was reserved for high-level Walkers.
As a result, the Musician class's Life Elixir remained a crucial strategic resource for the Officials, providing immediate relief to the critically wounded. The Five Elements Alliance purchased vast quantities of Life Elixir from the Three Musician Families annually, making it an extremely precious commodity.
Fu Qingyang ordered gravely, "Treat them immediately."
The Wood Spirit woman unzipped her tactical backpack, retrieved two syringes, and administered intravenous injections of the Life Elixir to the poisoned Fire Masters.
The heavily wounded and unconscious Big Muscle received the same treatment. Li Dongze, however, was tended to by the Hundred Flowers Association's Wood Spirit, who provided basic hemostasis, detoxification, and bandaging.
Green Vine and the others also received medical attention.
Fu Qingyang walked over to Guan Ya, took off his coat, and draped it over her shoulders, frowning. "Are you alright?"
Guan Ya pulled the lapels of the suit tighter and shook her head.
At that moment, the Captain Level Walker leading the battlefield cleanup team returned with his men and reported:
"Centurion, all enemies have been eliminated. No survivors."
The Captain added with a sigh, "The four Gu Beasts were all at the Level 3 Fire Master level. It's incredible that you managed to take them down without any casualties. But there's something I don't understand. Two of the Gu Beasts have no visible wounds, and their bodies are stiff and ice-cold, as if they've been dead for several hours. How did you manage that?"
Hearing this, Ling Jun's eyebrows shot up. He immediately moved to the corpse of "Unbridled" and crouched down to examine it.
Fu Qingyang's heart stirred. He turned to Guan Ya and asked, "What happened?"
"Primordial killed those two," Guan Ya replied succinctly.
"No, not two," White Dragon corrected, leaning on his sword after receiving treatment. "Three."
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable? The newbie who cleared the S-Rank Jinshui Amusement Park? Where is he? I haven't even seen what he looks like yet!" The young woman bandaging Big Muscle looked up, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Her direct Captain shot her a stern glare, silencing her enthusiasm.
The three Fu Qingyangs turned to Camille Tang and Tang Guoqiang of Green Vine. Seeing no rebuttal, and noticing the injured Level 2 Walkers' faces shifting between awe and fear as if recalling something, they understood.
"That's definitely Nightwalker's handiwork," Ling Jun clicked his tongue. "But a Level 2 Nightwalker with such combat prowess? How long has this kid been a Spirit Realm Walker?"
He added regretfully, "Letting him go to the Five Elements Alliance was a terrible decision."
Fu Qingyang glanced at him before turning to Guan Ya. "Where's Primordial Heavenly Venerable?"
"Upstairs," Guan Ya replied, looking up. "Handling some matters."
In stark contrast to the chaotic mess of the main hall, the second-floor rooms remained relatively intact. Zhang Yuanqing found the artifact in the third room facing outward.
It was an incense burner, its three-legged base crafted from bronze. The body of the burner was a squatting toad carved from ebony, its head tilted upward, mouth agape.
The toad incense burner sat silently on the table.
Zhang Yuanqing fought back the tickle in his throat and stumbled to the bed. He yanked open the curtains, pushed open the window, and gulped down several lungfuls of fresh air.
The mild dizziness faded considerably. Only then did he return to the table, pick up the Heavenly Toad Incense Burner, and see the information floating in his vision:
[ Name: Heavenly Toad Incense Burner ]
[ Type: Artifact ]
[ Function: Toxin ]
[ Description: In ancient times, a genius from a Witchcraft Faction in the Southern Ridge resolved to create a colorless, odorless toxin that could kill invisibly. After years of relentless research, he successfully crafted this incense burner. However, he discovered that while the toxin within was indeed colorless and odorless, its potency was weak and its effects slow. Disappointed, he discarded it. Half a month later, the entire tribe had perished. ]
[ Note: Did you stack your poison resistance? ]
Zhang Yuanqing immediately stowed the item in his Inventory, thinking, [ What a scam! ]
From the description and note, he understood the item's properties. First, the poison didn't discriminate between friend and foe; even the Master would be poisoned. Unbridled could withstand it only because Witchcraft Masters had high poison resistance.
Second, the Heavenly Toad Incense Burner was the type of item whose toxicity intensified the longer it remained active. Its poison would continuously vaporize, and if improperly stored, it could endanger an entire area, even poisoning members of the Witchcraft Tribe.
"Hmm?"
Zhang Yuanqing reopened his Inventory to review the Heavenly Toad Incense Burner's information.
[ Ancient Era. Southern Ridge Witchcraft Tribe? ]
He extracted a different nuance from the information. Based on the "Description," he deduced that a high-level Spirit Realm Walker from a distant era had crafted this item.
It had then either fallen into the Spirit Realm and been acquired by Unbridled, or it had circulated in the real world all along. Regardless, what mattered was the "Ancient Era."
What era did "Ancient Era" refer to? How many years ago was that?
"Were there Spirit Realm Walkers back then? But the Attribute Panel... that's clearly a modern concept," Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself.
Well, whether it's truly a modern concept is debatable. But if ancient people also had the concept of a panel, that would feel incredibly out of place.
He continued, "I should find time to research the origins of the Spirit Realm, if I have the authority to do so."
And if the ancients didn't have the panel concept, then the source of the panel information we're familiar with now becomes even more mysterious.
In fact, we should even question whether the concept of Spirit Realm Walkers existed in ancient times at all.
"The Spirit Realm itself is full of secrets. I've always found the Morality Value system suspicious—it feels too artificial, too deliberately designed, unlike something that would naturally evolve."
Just then, Zhang Yuanqing noticed his colleagues evacuating the building below.
Without hesitation, he left the room and descended the stairs.
The Official Walkers who had been in the first-floor living room had already been dismissed. In the center of the room, a young man in a white suit sat on a high-backed chair, surrounded by shattered furniture, crimson bloodstains, overturned sofas, and cracked walls.
His suit was as white as snow, his features handsome, cold, and severe, creating a stark contrast with the chaotic surroundings.
Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized the white-suited figure, and the white-suited figure scrutinized Zhang Yuanqing in return.
As Zhang Yuanqing reached the final step, the young man in white nodded slightly. "Fu Qingyang."
There's actually a man more handsome than me in this world? Zhang Yuanqing bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Centurion."
He had long heard of this Centurion's legendary reputation. Li Dongze had mentioned him countless times: born into a wealthy family, a natural genius, calm and wise, decisive and upright, and... well, Guan Ya had added the last part: "a rich fool."
Now that he finally met this "legendary" figure, his first impression was one of pride, nobility, and sharp intensity—the kind of person you'd think twice about joking with.
Oddly, Zhang Yuanqing didn't feel any resentment. Fu Qingyang's nobility and pride seemed genuine, his demeanor perfectly matching his refined appearance.
Fu Qingyang sat upright in his high-backed chair and said calmly, "There's no need for formalities. I've been following your progress for a long time and wanted to meet you sooner. But Guan Ya said you were just a lecher with no guts, so I decided to observe you further."
Do you discriminate against lechers? No, I'm not a lecher! Zhang Yuanqing protested, "That's a misunderstanding on her part. I believe Centurion Fu should form his own judgment."
Fu Qingyang said calmly, "She strongly recommended promoting you to Chief, believing you're one of the most promising talents in the Five Elements Alliance's new generation."
Zhang Yuanqing shifted the topic. "She has a keen eye for talent."
Fu Qingyang's gaze deepened as he studied him.
For some reason, Zhang Yuanqing's eyes instinctively flickered away. He disliked this sharp, all-seeing gaze that seemed to penetrate his very soul.
I hate the way Scouts look at people, Zhang Yuanqing grumbled inwardly. Just as he was about to meet Fu Qingyang's gaze, the Centurion shifted his attention to Unbridled's corpse and asked, "What's your assessment of this battle?"
His tone was calm, more like testing a valued subordinate than seeking information.
Remembering how highly Centurion Fu regarded him, Zhang Yuanqing chose his words carefully. "The enemy knew our deployment and numbers in advance. They were intimately familiar with our plans. There's something very deep going on here."
Fu Qingyang stated bluntly, "Someone within The Officials colluded with Unbridled and betrayed you."
In other words, there's a traitor among us! Zhang Yuanqing nodded.
"That's why I sent everyone else away. From now on, only you and I will know what happens next." Fu Qingyang glanced at Unbridled's corpse.
Zhang Yuanqing understood his meaning. He walked over to the grotesque corpse, the pitch-black, viscous substance in his eyes churning.
The lingering spirit within the body stirred to life, wisps of it drifting upward to coalesce into a translucent phantom above the corpse. The phantom bared its fangs at Zhang Yuanqing, its ferocity palpable.
"After consuming the Spectral Entity of an Evil Class, I might become somewhat... unstable," Zhang Yuanqing said, retrieving the Demon Subduing Pestle and handing it to Fu Qingyang. "This artifact can purify spiritual corruption."
He had entrusted the Demon Subduing Pestle to Li Dongze out of trust in his character, but he gave it to Fu Qingyang because the man was rich and foolish—no, wealthy and generous—and wouldn't covet his artifacts.
Fu Qingyang accepted the artifact with a slight nod.
Zhang Yuanqing fell silent, took a deep breath, and devoured the Spectral Entity.
His forehead suddenly swelled as something foreign forcefully invaded his Sea of Consciousness.
A torrent of fragmented images surged through his mind, flashing by like a revolving lantern. These were the most vivid memories from Unbridled's unrestrained life.
Unbridled had been born into poverty and studied diligently to escape his fate. Upon entering society, he discovered that his prized education held little value. After years of relentless work, he realized that his diligence only earned him more tasks from his superiors, reducing him to a corporate slave.
He couldn't compete with those who had connections, nor with the sycophants who lacked talent. After a decade of work, he still couldn't afford a house, yet owning one was considered the bare minimum for starting a marriage. His father, an honest and simple farmer, had no savings to speak of.
Honest work offered no hope, while shady dealings promised riches beyond measure.
Lost and uncertain about his future, he stumbled upon an opportunity to exploit his position for immense wealth. From that moment on, Unbridled abandoned all restraint, embracing the thrill of such reckless ventures.
Finally, the scenery shifted. Zhang Yuanqing found himself in a dimly lit bedroom, where a spectral figure floated beside the bed.
"Where's the Black Guard of Impermanence? Trust is the foundation of cooperation, yet it seems we still lack mutual trust."
"You have two options: wait for the Fallen Ones on the Roster to gradually lose control..."
"To demonstrate my sincerity, I will reveal the Official Walkers' deployments and operations to you."
In the same dimly lit bedroom, Unbridled slashed his wrist, letting the blood drip into a black wooden bowl carved with arcane runes. The blood in the bowl twisted and coalesced into a human face.
"Boss, the Night Rose people are here. They want to meet with you."
"It's too early for that. Dealing with tigers requires caution. Did their leader come?"
"I don't know. Boss, securing the Fallen Holy Grail as soon as possible is the key."
"Are you teaching me how to do my job?"
"I wouldn't dare."
"What else did he say?"
"He said he would provide me with the Official teams' operational plans, allowing me to set up ambushes and relieve some of the pressure on you."
"We can try it."
Night Rose? The Black Guard of Impermanence was lurking in Songhai, waiting for the leader of Night Rose? What kind of organization is this? They seem to be brewing some grand conspiracy. Tsk, the information I've obtained this time is quite significant.
A golden light flashed, the vision dissipated, and Zhang Yuanqing's consciousness returned. He opened his eyes to find himself handcuffed to a high-backed chair.
Huh? No pain. No signs of being beaten. Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of relief, but then he realized this meant Centurion Fu had completely overwhelmed him, and his joy quickly faded.
Seeing him awake, Fu Qingyang immediately asked, "What did you learn?"