The gap between Saints is far greater than I imagined, Zhang Yuanqing mused inwardly once again.
He had felt a similar awe when Fu Qingyang pierced Deacon Pang with his sword at the Fenghua District Public Security Bureau. But back then, both combatants had held back, not fighting for their lives.
Zhang Yuanqing had assumed that when their lives were truly on the line, Deacon Pang might put up a decent fight against Fu Qingyang. Instead, the deacon had merely flailed a few times before falling.
Zhang Yuanqing stepped onto the balcony, his foot landing in a pool of blood. His eyes swirled with dark energy as he connected with the Spectral Entity within the corpse.
Just then, he felt a tap on his arm. Turning, he saw Fu Qingyang's aloof face.
"Give me the Demon Subduing Pestle."
"Ah, right." Zhang Yuanqing nearly forgot. He immediately retrieved the pestle and handed it over, then hesitated before adding, "Can you skip the handcuffs this time?"
Fu Qingyang nodded coolly. "It'll just take a slap anyway."
"..."
I can't even argue with that! Zhang Yuanqing resumed communicating with the remaining Spectral Entity. After a dozen seconds, he gathered the fragmented Spirit and summoned it forth.
Deacon Pang's Spectral Entity appeared, its face stern and slightly vacant, but its solidity far surpassed any other Spectral Entity Zhang Yuanqing had ever seen.
I wonder how much experience a Saint Stage Spectral Entity will give me, Zhang Yuanqing thought, both excited and apprehensive. Beside him, Fu Qingyang remarked:
"Pang Wudi was a Level 4 Saint. Devouring his Spectral Entity carries the risk of mental corruption, but with this purification Item, that risk will be minimized while the benefits remain unchanged."
Hmm, compared to the gains from consuming a Saint's Spectral Entity, this risk is entirely acceptable, Zhang Yuanqing thought, nodding in agreement.
Fu Qingyang continued, "But this Item isn't omnipotent. You need to understand your limits. Level 4 Orderly is the maximum you can handle. Do not touch the Spectral Entities of Level 4 Evil Classes, Nightwalkers, or Level 5 Orderly Classes."
"What would happen if I did?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
Fu Qingyang glanced at him. "You would die."
Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and swallowed Deacon Pang's Spectral Entity. In an instant, a torrent of Mental Energy, carrying fragmented memories and negative emotions, surged into his Sea of Consciousness.
He felt like a drowning man clinging to a branch on the riverbank, constantly at risk of being swept away and crushed to dust by the raging current.
This was the most perilous Inquire the Soul he had ever attempted.
After what felt like an eternity of desperate struggle, the overwhelming flood finally subsided. Zhang Yuanqing's Sea of Consciousness stabilized, and he began absorbing the fragmented memories with ravenous hunger.
Through the hazy haze, he glimpsed an elegant chamber filled with the scent of sandalwood incense. A cloaked figure stood by the window, his voice rough and indistinct:
"If the Five Elements Alliance were to discover the things you've been doing, even if they didn't execute you, you'd face a long prison sentence. Have you considered the matter I asked you to?"
Zhang Yuanqing then heard Deacon Pang's voice: "What can you offer me?"
"Your talent is exceptional. Joining the Night Rose guarantees you cultivation and advancement. We can also provide you with resources and assistance to climb the ranks within the Five Elements Alliance. Furthermore, we can help you pass the Grand Inspection smoothly. But most importantly..." The figure by the window paused before continuing slowly, "The Night Rose will ultimately rule the Spirit Realm. Our Leader will become the supreme Nightwalker, surpassing even the Taiyi Sect Lord."
"Very well, I agree to join the Night Rose!"
"Excellent. From now on, I am your superior. You may address me as Grand Protector."
The scene shifted, returning to the same elegant room filled with sandalwood incense. The cloaked figure by the window spoke in a deep voice:
"Black guard of Impermanence has contacted us. He's currently hiding in Songhai, and the Leader has entrusted me with handling the liaison."
"What do you need me to do?" Deacon Pang asked.
"Monitor the Five Elements Alliance's every move closely, then await my instructions."
"Understood!" Deacon Pang hesitated, then asked, "What are the Leader and Black guard of Impermanence plotting?"
The cloaked figure, his voice rough and grating, chuckled:
"The Demon Lord and Eerie Eye Judge are dead. That artifact and the Fallen Holy Grail now balance each other, maintaining equilibrium. If Black Guard of Impermanence wants to control the Fallen Holy Grail, he must seek our Leader's help."
"That artifact?"
"It was controlled by the Demon Lord, one of the highest-level items in the Nightwalker profession. Both the Taiyi Sect Lord and our Leader have long coveted it."
The river flowed through the pitch-black night. This was a dark bridge arch, where a deep male voice echoed:
"Kill the Primordial Heavenly Venerable and avenge Unbridled."
"The Eerie Eye Judge was indeed killed by the Demon Lord. Besides the Boss, there was another person present—his Spirit Realm ID is Young Soldier King."
"In three days, if I receive news of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's death, meet me here again, and I'll give you Young Soldier King's real-world identity information."
Young Soldier King's real-world identity information?
At this point in the Inquire the Soul ritual, Zhang Yuanqing finally cursed inwardly.
His worst fears had come true. The Night Rose was indeed searching for the Successor of the Demon Lord.
If the Night Rose obtained Bing Ge's identity information, Zhang Yuanqing's status as the Successor of the Demon Lord would be completely exposed, leaving him no choice but to confess to the Five Elements Alliance.
Yet he still didn't know the true purpose behind the Taiyi Sect and Night Rose's pursuit of the Successor of the Demon Lord.
Fortunately, the Night Rose and the Black Guard of Impermanence distrusted each other, and Deacon Pang hadn't revealed the Successor of the Demon Lord's existence to "Heaven's Injustice."
This is like dancing on a tightrope, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself.
Still, the information he'd obtained was crucial. If used wisely, it might even lead to capturing the Black Guard of Impermanence.
A searing, pure golden light erupted, piercing through his Sea of Consciousness and cleansing his spirit. Zhang Yuanqing broke free from the Soul Inquiry and awoke.
"Hiss~"
He found himself lying on the sofa, his head throbbing as if pierced by steel needles.
Was this a side effect of the Soul Inquiry, or did Fu Qingyang beat me up? Could I have a brain hemorrhage? Zhang Yuanqing sat up, clutching his head.
On the single sofa a few meters away, Fu Qingyang asked with a hint of anticipation in his voice, "Any leads?"
Zhang Yuanqing massaged his temples, waiting for the pain to subside slightly. "Deacon Pang's superior is a Walker who calls himself the 'Grand Protector.' They always meet cloaked. They likely have a special communication method, but I didn't find it in the Spectral Entity's memories. It might have vanished with death, or perhaps it was deliberately hidden."
He recounted the information gleaned from the Soul Inquiry piece by piece, starting with the Grand Protector's existence, moving on to the Grand Inspection, and finally explaining the Holy Grail's power to restrain the Demon Lord.
Fu Qingyang listened patiently. When he learned that the Night Rose had found a way to evade the Grand Inspection, his eyes narrowed.
"Anything else?" Fu Qingyang asked.
The information was valuable, but it fell short of his expectations and offered little immediate benefit to the hunt for the Black Guard of Impermanence.
Zhang Yuanqing replied, "I know why Deacon Pang tried to kill me. Two nights ago, he met with Heaven's Injustice, a trusted lieutenant of the Black Guard of Impermanence. Heaven's Injustice ordered him to kill me as revenge for Unbridled."
Fu Qingyang's eyes lit up instantly. He straightened his posture and nodded. "Excellent! This is our breakthrough. If we capture Heaven's Injustice, we'll be one step closer to the Black Guard of Impermanence."
Zhang Yuanqing asked, "What's the Centurion's plan?"
Fu Qingyang's gaze settled on him, a corner of his mouth curling into a smirk. "This will require you to 'die' for a while. Take two days off. Meet me at Fu Family Bay tomorrow night."
Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed, "Brilliant idea, Centurion! Your wisdom never ceases to amaze me. What about Deacon Pang?"
Fu Qingyang was in high spirits. "I'll handle him. You may leave now."
Zhang Yuanqing excused himself and entered the elevator, exhaling a sigh of relief as the doors closed.
He had deliberately saved the most crucial information for last, hoping to exploit Fu Qingyang's emotions. By hearing about the meeting in three days, Fu Qingyang would feel a sense of satisfaction, like the final piece of the puzzle had fallen into place, and overlook certain details.
Zhang Yuanqing knew very well that after each Inquire the Soul session, Fu Qingyang would observe him closely, using his Scout abilities to determine if he was lying or concealing information.
This didn't bother him. If their roles were reversed, Zhang Yuanqing would do the same. It wasn't about distrust, but about maintaining control over critical matters.
"Fu Qingyang probably didn't notice my deception. Ten percent experience from a Saint Stage Spectral Entity? That's amazing!"
Zhang Yuanqing savored the changes brought about by the experience boost.
The Night Roaming Skill's invisibility duration had finally reached 37 seconds, and his other passive abilities had improved significantly.
"If I kill another seven or eight Saints, I might reach Level 3. Compared to the Taiyi Sect members, Fu Qingyang trusts me more. If we catch Heaven's Injustice, he'll definitely ask me to Inquire the Soul again. Then I'll conceal Bing Ge's information again."
He hoped tomorrow night's operation would go smoothly.
The next morning at 8:30 AM, Guan Ya arrived at the Public Security Bureau in her blue sports car.
She carried a designer handbag in one hand and a homemade low-fat, nutritious breakfast in the other. Her crisp white blouse, black pencil skirt, and silk-stockinged legs exuded professional elegance. Her meticulously styled hair framed her fair, Eurasian face, radiating delicate charm.
Every morning, as she stepped out of her sports car, young men and middle-aged men would gather by the windows of the Public Security Bureau's administrative building, pretending to smoke while admiring the goddess of the special department.
In this day and age, beautiful women are a dime a dozen. With micro-plastic surgery and semi-permanent Korean makeup, even those with average features can become beauties.
But women with such alluring figures are rare. Even rarer are those who possess both a captivating figure and refined elegance, and who can afford sports cars.
On the third floor, Chen Yuanjun stood by the window, smoking.
"Old Chen, checking out the beauties too?" A middle-aged Security Officer approached, lighting his own cigarette.
Chen Yuanjun exhaled a plume of blue smoke. "Not really." He was just here for a smoke.
The Security Officer admired the swaying figure in the distance, clicking his tongue. "Look at that hip sway. What's wrong with appreciating beauty? You're not getting any younger, still single... Hmm, could it be you're pining for her?"
In the Public Security Bureau, young men secretly infatuated with their "colleague" were everywhere.
Chen Yuanjun smiled, offering no explanation. The woman was undeniably beautiful, but his aesthetic standards had been raised too high by his Aunt since childhood. Even the most stunning women rarely impressed him.
"Speaking of which, there's been a young guy hanging around her lately, always coming and going with her. Might be her boyfriend," the Security Officer said. "I'll let you know if I see him."
In her office, Guan Ya ate breakfast while waiting for Primordial to arrive.
In her opinion, her colleagues on the Second Team were all so dull. The more time she spent with Primordial, the more interesting he seemed. When he wasn't around, the office felt empty.
Come to think of it, that kid was growing up way too fast. Just over half a month ago, he was still a rookie. Now he was already at her level.
Guan Ya's talent was actually quite remarkable, especially in combat. Scouts at the Saint Stage were renowned for their exceptional solo combat capabilities.
The Fu family elders had high expectations for her, believing she would experience a breakthrough in overall strength upon reaching the Saint Stage.
But Guan Ya had little desire to level up. She preferred gourmet food, shopping, binge-watching dramas, getting her nails done, and driving.
She just didn't like leveling up.
After a few years of being a slacker, the Fu family elders gave up on her, and her mother even tried to arrange a marriage for her.
Guan Ya fled to her cousin for refuge.
Yet even then, she still refused to level up.
"Sigh, if our levels keep diverging, we won't be able to play together anymore," Guan Ya thought, eating her bland breakfast. "I can't keep being a slacker. I should make an effort and reach Level 3 next month."
As she ate breakfast, she opened her phone and logged into the Official Forum.
A red-highlighted, pinned post immediately caught her eye:
Kangyang District Second Team's Nightwalker, Primordial Heavenly Venerable, Dies Unexpectedly
The morning sun shone brightly.
In an outdoor park, a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt sat on a bench. His face was completely concealed by a hat, mask, and sunglasses.
Ding!
A text message notification sounded.
He pulled out his phone and checked the message:
"Kangyang District Second Team's Primordial Heavenly Venerable is dead. There's a post on the Five Elements Alliance Official Forum claiming the news came from Nightwalker Yuan Ting. That guy's a notorious blabbermouth, but his information is usually highly accurate.
"I'll keep monitoring the situation and confirm further."
The message included a screenshot of the forum post.
This was a message from his informant. As a skilled Witchcraft Master, Heaven's Injustice had cultivated his own network of contacts.
After contacting the Night Rose members the previous day, he had instructed his informant to closely monitor activity on the Five Elements Alliance Forum.
Heaven's Injustice scoffed, turned off his phone, shoved his hands into his pockets, lowered his head, and left the park.