This guy's testing me. Zhang Yuanqing was no longer a rookie. The traits of the Demon Lord's Successor were nearly impossible for outsiders to discern.
The only thing that might arouse suspicion was his frequent entry into high-difficulty Spirit Realms, but even that was just suspicion. After all, Nightwalker newcomers had entered the She Ling Tunnel before, and its Trial Mission was S-Rank—hardly proof of being the Demon Lord's Successor.
As for Jinshui Amusement Park, the Spirit Realm had a matchmaking system: the stronger you were, the higher the difficulty of the Instance you'd be matched with. Perfectly reasonable.
Therefore, Ling Jun was undoubtedly testing him.
The Taiyi Sect wouldn't easily abandon their search for the Demon Lord's Successor. Zhang Yuanqing scoffed, adopting a haughty demeanor to better fit his genius persona. "Who do you think you're talking to? What's the Demon Lord's Successor anyway?"
Ling Jun smiled. "Then I guess I was wrong. If you were the Demon Lord's Successor, Elder Sun would be even more confused."
This guy's got some nerve. Zhang Yuanqing dropped the topic and asked curiously, "Aren't you worried about badmouthing an elder of the Taiyi Sect like that?"
"Of course there's trouble, but since everyone's saying it's nothing, it might as well be. Even if Elder Sun is furious, he can only go after the instigator—Captain Yuan Ting of Kangyang District," Ling Jun said with schadenfreude.
"But Elder Sun is currently in an Instance and hasn't emerged yet."
Poor Captain Yuan, I'll burn incense for you, Zhang Yuanqing thought, offering a silent eulogy.
Just then, Fu Qingyang returned with a cold expression, followed by Guan Ya, her face flushed with anger.
After leaving a few elite members to clean up the scene, the group departed. Li Dongze and the others retreated to recuperate, while the reinforcements went to search for Unbridled's true hideout.
Zhang Yuanqing had seen the location of that apartment in his memory visions.
In the business car on the way back, Guan Ya reclined lazily on the leather seat, frowning.
"Fu Qingyang must have taken the wrong medicine today. He gave me a real dressing-down."
Zhang Yuanqing chuckled. "Maybe because he's rich and gullible?"
Guan Ya froze, eyeing him suspiciously. "Did you say something to him?"
Zhang Yuanqing grinned. "Maybe because I'm lustful but lack the courage?"
"You little traitor! You dare sell me out? Prepare for utter humiliation!"
"Arrogant Veteran Driver, how do you know it wasn't you who suffered humiliation beneath my waist?"
"Come on!"
"Come on!"
Li Dongze silently glanced at his two subordinates, their murderous auras blazing yet their buttocks firmly planted on the ground.
Wolong and Fengchu, he thought wryly.
Fu Qingyang returned to his luxurious villa, wordlessly ascended to the second floor, and entered his study.
After closing the doors and windows, he dialed Elder Teddy's mobile phone, the elder in charge of the Black Impermanence Incident.
Elder Teddy wasn't actually a teddy bear. His Spirit Realm ID was "Old Man and Dog," and he was a highly respected elder. Rumor had it that he lost both parents at a young age and grew up relying solely on a dog for companionship.
Consequently, he often possessed various canine forms, rarely revealing his true appearance.
Of course, this was also a way to conceal his identity.
The call connected quickly. Fu Qingyang heard a dog's bark through the speaker, followed by a throat-clearing cough, and then Elder Teddy's voice:
"What is it?"
His tone was gentle yet carried an unmistakable air of authority.
"Tonight, my Spirit Realm Walker Team encountered an ambush while attempting to capture Unbridled," Fu Qingyang calmly explained the situation.
"Someone leaked the intelligence," Elder Teddy said slowly. "What were the casualties?"
His voice carried a heavy weight.
"Three were critically injured, the rest sustained only minor wounds," Fu Qingyang emphasized. "They should have been completely wiped out."
"Hmm?"
"The newly recruited Nightwalker killed Unbridled, saving the entire team's lives." Fu Qingyang emphasized this to curry favor for Primordial Heavenly Venerable, hoping to increase his standing with the elders.
This way, the elders would be more likely to shield him from troubles arising from the Taiyi Sect.
Elder Teddy remained silent for a few seconds before chuckling. "Well done. It's been a long time since we've encountered such an interesting newcomer. We certainly can't let him go to the Taiyi Sect."
He sighed, his mood seemingly improving considerably. "Anything else?"
Fu Qingyang then recounted the information obtained through Inquire the Soul.
Elder Teddy fell silent again. The line went completely still, even the faint barking of dogs in the background vanished.
"Elder?" Fu Qingyang's eyes flickered. "Do you know the details of the Night Rose?"
A sigh came from the other end of the line. "The last time I heard of that organization was over twenty years ago, during a disturbance involving a Spirit Realm Family."
"A disturbance involving a Spirit Realm Family?" Fu Qingyang pondered, as if something had clicked. "Among the Three Musician Families, one was destroyed twenty-one years ago."
"That's not something you need to know. At least, I can't disclose it here. If you want to learn more, ask your family yourself," Elder Teddy said flatly.
"The Marshal has approved my request. The Tiger Tally will be sent to Songhai soon, and the annual Grand Inspection is approaching. I plan to combine the two events. Heh, let's see how many rotten apples are hiding within the Five Elements Alliance."
At 2:00 AM, Zhang Yuanqing took the elevator back to his apartment. He slipped into the blind spot of the corridor surveillance camera and activated Night Roaming.
He opened the corridor window, deftly climbed out, used the air conditioner's outdoor unit as a foothold, and leaped to grab the windowsill of his bedroom window, pulling himself inside.
He had deliberately left his bedroom window open before embarking on the mission.
After changing out of his bloodstained clothes, Zhang Yuanqing turned the doorknob, pretending to get up to use the bathroom, and took a shower.
Washing away the grime and blood also seemed to wash away his fatigue and minor injuries. Refreshed and invigorated by the Nightwalker's potent vitality, he knew that as long as the wounds weren't fatal—no missing limbs or severed arteries—he wouldn't need medical treatment.
Back in his room, he sat at his desk, closed his eyes, and replayed the day's battle in his mind.
"With my current abilities, taking on three Level 3 Walkers alone wouldn't be a problem. Hmm... Red Dancing Shoes could handle one, Ghost Bride could take on three, Cat King Speaker could control the battlefield, and Little Goofball could provide support.
"It's a shame the Blade of Bloodlust and Demon Subduing Pestle lack self-awareness. They can't engage enemies independently."
Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes, turned on his laptop, and logged into the official data repository.
In the search bar, he typed "Spirit Realm origins."
The search yielded dozens of results, but they were all speculative theories from Official Walkers about the Spirit Realm. The more plausible ones suggested it was either the product of an extraterrestrial civilization or a technologically advanced prehistoric civilization.
The less credible theories claimed the Spirit Realm was a real parallel world. One user even shared a vivid personal anecdote:
"During an Instance run, I fell in love with a cheerful woman. I couldn't help but pour my heart out to her, and she welcomed my advances with open arms. The experience felt indistinguishable from reality. Therefore, the Spirit Realm must be a real parallel world."
"Damn it, the content just took a turn for the worse—no, it got downright pornographic! Why hasn't this post been edited?" Zhang Yuanqing reluctantly closed the data repository.
The search results were all wild speculations from Official Walkers, lacking official endorsement or any insight into the organization's official stance.
This meant either the Officials hadn't conducted any research on the matter, or his security clearance wasn't high enough.
He'd have to revisit this issue after his next promotion. For now, he needed to focus on handling the Taiyi Sect's interrogation, hunting down the Black Guard of Impermanence, and getting revenge on that bastard Xiahou Tianyuan. Zhang Yuanqing left his desk, ready for bed.
Just then, the Cat King Speaker in the drawer emitted a crackling electrical sound.
Is it going to play music, or is it going to play the audio from that pornographic film? Zhang Yuanqing froze, stopping in his tracks. He yanked open the drawer, and almost simultaneously, a hoarse, low voice rasped from the speaker:
"I just finished a Solo Spirit Realm set in the Ming Dynasty. I discovered a strange phenomenon: they actually cultivate to gain supernatural power. Is this just part of the setting, or is there another reason?"
"Forget it, no use dwelling on it. I'm already Level 3. After my first Slaughter Instance, I'll advance to Saint. I still haven't found a way to break through the restrictions. Hopefully, I'll find something in the Saint Stage."
Zhang Yuanqing's pupils constricted. It was the demon lord's voice.
He held his breath, listening intently.
"Not joining The Officials was my biggest mistake. The Nightwalker's Solo Spirit Realms are too difficult. There are no Instance guides. Even A-Rank Spirit Realms make my scalp tingle, and the S-Rank ones have a 90% mortality rate. I wonder if there are even harder Instance levels. Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I can't join The Officials—I'd never pass the Grand Inspection."
"I heard the Female Marshal of the White Tiger Corps cleared S-Rank Spirit Realms repeatedly during both her Transcendent Phase and Saint Stage. What a badass woman! I want to sleep with her."
No, you'll never sleep with her. You'll get your ass kicked later. Hearing this, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but scoff.
So, the Female Marshal of the White Tiger Corps was already a Marshal back when the demon lord was in the Transcendent Phase. How old is she now?
The Female Marshal is the pinnacle of Spirit Realm Walkers, a distant ideal. She can be a grand ambition, but for now, I need to focus on the practical. I have to hunt down Evil Class Walkers. Without Reputation, I can't attack Orderly Faction Walkers. I need to kill ten Orderly Class Walkers each month—that's my mission.
I'm still one short this month. Today, I captured a Wood Spirit from the Hundred Flowers Association. Tsk, she had such delicate skin. She offered her body in exchange for her life, but I decided my quota was more important.
The Wood Spirits from the Hundred Flowers Association are truly luscious—absolute beauties. As a trade, I spared her life. Heh, a man must keep his word.
Keep your word, my ass! Zhang Yuanqing's brow twitched at this.
He finally understood why Yuan Ting of the Taiyi Sect had called the demon lord a fallen Nightwalker. This man's twisted morals and lack of integrity clearly marked him as an enemy of the righteous path.
How could Bing Ge be associated with such a person?
The Cat King Speaker emitted a crackling static as the demon lord's voice faded away. After a moment, the second audio clip began.
This time, the demon lord wasn't speaking to himself; he was conversing with someone else:
Demon Lord: "I killed a Deacon from the Five Elements Alliance today. I saw some interesting things in his Spectral Entity."
A sharp, piercing voice replied:
"Spit it out."
"That guy was outwardly a member of the Five Elements Alliance, but secretly he was loyal to the Night Rose."
"Night Rose?"
"Oh, you haven't even heard of them? They must be deeply hidden. Based on the intelligence I've gathered, the leader of the Night Rose is likely a Nightwalker. Heh, a Spirit Realm Walker of that level probably doesn't even go by the name 'Nightwalker' anymore. I can give you their contact information. Weren't you always plotting to overthrow the Five Elements Alliance?" the demon lord chuckled.
"Deal! You'd better not be lying to me, or you'll pay the price," the sharp voice warned.
"Then hand over the strategy guide for Spirit Realm 0029," the demon lord demanded.
After a dozen seconds of silence, the demon lord said with satisfaction:
"The deal is done. Black guard of Impermanence, are you planning to enter a Solo Spirit Realm soon?"
"What's it to you?"
"Just don't die. I'm quite interested in your head. One day, I'll personally claim it—along with your boss's, of course."