White Dragon, clad in his racing suit, stood on the steps, looking down at Zhang Yuanqing with a teasing grin. "If you manage to enter another S-rank spirit realm this time, you'll definitely be able to take down Li Xianzong when you come out."
Green Vine rolled her eyes playfully. "Jinx!"
Another S-rank instance? I'd rather face Li Xianzong again, Zhang Yuanqing thought. "I asked Wang Tai about it. He said that in all the data they've collected, no one has ever entered three consecutive S-rank instances."
Big Muscle blinked in surprise. "Is that data even available? I never knew."
It's public information, you know. You can check it anytime. Oh, you're a Fire Master. Never mind, Zhang Yuanqing replied with a polite smile.
Tang Guoqiang sighed. "It's a real pity we couldn't finish off Li Xianzong at Pingtai Hospital last time. Primordial, you need to be careful these days. I have a feeling he's plotting something. We'll step up our search efforts to take care of him for you, but you know how difficult it is to find a Spirit Realm Walker in a sea of people."
Green Vine offered a friendly warning. "Be extra cautious when you're out and about these days. Don't let anyone tail you."
After their previous encounter, the captains were terrified that Li Xianzong might secretly kidnap Primordial Heavenly Venerable, who was still developing his powers. Such a loss would be catastrophic.
Distraught by the disappearance of their team members, they exchanged a few brief words before dispersing.
Zhang Yuanqing returned to the dining hall and resumed devouring his meal. Guan Ya, who had only eaten half her steak, stopped and began nibbling on a melon with her fork.
"Aren't you going to finish?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.
"I haven't been exercising much lately, so I don't need to eat so much," Guan Ya replied with a dreamy smile.
Zhang Yuanqing promptly slid her remaining steak onto his own plate.
The Mixed-Blood Beauty didn't seem to mind, teasing, "If you tried to steal Jingwei's food, she'd jump up and smash your dog head. Hmm, I'll be entering an Instance soon too, and it's another Multiplayer Spirit Realm."
Chewing his steak, Zhang Yuanqing chuckled, "Maybe we'll get matched to the same Instance. If Wang Tai were here, he'd say, 'Based on data analysis, the probability of that happening is even lower than seeing your dream girl on the street and discovering she likes you too.'"
Guan Ya blinked. "Isn't it even lower than hitting the bullseye on your first shot?"
This Veteran Driver... Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head and continued eating.
In a City-based Spirit Realm, the chances of matching with someone from the same city are slightly higher. However, given the limited number of Spirit Realm Walkers and Instances, the probability of two people who know each other in the real world being matched into the same Spirit Realm is extremely low. If it actually happens, it's probably fate.
After lunch, Zhang Yuanqing put on a baseball cap and mask, disguised himself as Wang Tai, and left Fu Family Bay using Night Roaming.
He sprinted several hundred meters, using Night Roaming twice in quick succession before reappearing. He then rented a shared bicycle and pedaled home at a leisurely pace.
He hadn't been to school in ages, so he treated some classmates to dinner and asked them to register his attendance for him.
If it weren't for the need to explain things to his family, Zhang Yuanqing would have already dropped out.
Next year, once I've saved enough money, I'll drop out under the pretense of starting a business. My grandparents shouldn't object—their approval is all that matters, he thought as he pedaled.
As for his mother's opinion, Zhang Yuanqing didn't care. After all, he hadn't spent a penny of her money in years.
When he got home, he took a nap. By the time he woke up, it was dusk. On the bedroom floor, he saw Little Goofball crawling around with his uncle's wallet on its head.
Recently, Aunt had been washing her lingerie frequently, either hanging it on the balcony or storing it in the wardrobe. Since Little Goofball couldn't reach either place, it had resorted to bringing money to its Master as a backup plan.
Zhang Yuanqing routinely withdrew three crisp red bills and then instructed Little Goofball to return the wallet.
While waiting for dinner, he started a game. Little Goofball perched on its Master's head, clutching a controller and staring intently at the TV screen, pretending to play along.
Zhang Yuanqing played distractedly, his mind drifting back to the Instance guides he had been studying.
His goals for the immediate future were clear: practice combat, research multiplayer Spirit Realm guides for the Transcendent Phase, and remain vigilant against Li Xianzong's pursuit and assassination attempts.
As dinner approached, Zhang Yuanqing heard the security door open, followed by Aunt's voice:
"Mom, I'm starving! Is dinner ready yet?"
"Just a little longer," Grandmother's faint reply drifted from the kitchen.
A dozen seconds later, the bedroom door creaked open. Jiang Yu'er poked her head in, her eyes lighting up when she saw her nephew playing. She gleefully closed the door behind her and rushed inside, exclaiming, "Let's play together! Let's play together!"
Jiang Yu'er sat cross-legged beside her nephew, casually picking up the game controller from his head. "Why did you put the controller on your head?"
In that instant, Zhang Yuanqing sensed emotions of "resentment and anger" emanating from the usually goofy Little Goofball.
But after a few seconds, the Little Goofball forgave his aunt. He slid down Zhang Yuanqing's back, crawled over to her, hugged her leg, and rested his head on her lap to watch the TV screen.
Even Infant Spirits crave maternal affection, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but think.
At that moment, his aunt lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I've been thinking about something lately."
"What is it?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, his eyes fixed on the screen as he manipulated the controller.
"Your superpower is invisibility, right? Like when you suddenly appeared in front of me the other day."
"Sort of," Zhang Yuanqing replied.
"Well, I suddenly wondered..." Jiang Yu'er said, manipulating the controller, "Did you steal my underwear?"
A chill ran down Zhang Yuanqing's spine. He turned to her, indignant. "How dare you make such a baseless accusation! As a high-ranking member of the Paranormal Special Task Force—a beacon of righteousness and justice—how could I stoop to such a beastly act as stealing my own aunt's underwear?"
His tone was utterly serious, as if deeply insulted.
"Besides, do I need to be invisible to steal your underwear?"
Aunt glanced at him. "Oh, I was overthinking it. My mistake."
She suddenly dropped the game controller and lunged toward Zhang Yuanqing's closet.
"!!!"
Zhang Yuanqing displayed agility even sharper than during his combat training. With a powerful kick, he knocked Aunt to the ground.
Jiang Yu'er landed flat on her face with a thud.
After a brief struggle, Jiang Yu'er conceded, grumbling, "I knew it! You little ingrate, stealing my underwear!"
She screamed, "Mom! Yuanzi stole my... waah!"
Zhang Yuanqing clamped his hand over her mouth. "It wasn't me. Fine, just tell me what you want."
Jiang Yu'er whimpered twice and nodded.
Zhang Yuanqing released her.
"Tell me more about the Paranormal Special Task Force, give me back my underwear, and pay for my shopping trips from now on. I've been buying you things for years—it's time for you to repay me."
"You've been eyeing my savings for a while now, haven't you? Is this how a senior should act?"
"And is this how a junior should act?"
After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing practiced martial arts barefoot in his bedroom for half an hour before collapsing onto his bed without washing his feet.
He summoned Little Goofball and gave him a stern lecture:
"Don't steal her underwear again, or I'll spank you until your butt is raw."
Little Goofball crawled around on the bed, it was unclear whether he was even listening.
Just then, Xie Lingxi called. Zhang Yuanqing paused his lecture and answered the phone.
"Brother Primordial, it's been almost a month since we left Jinshui Amusement Park. Are you going into the Spirit Realm soon?" Xie Lingxi's voice was crisp and cheerful.
"I'm going in too, but the next instance is exclusive to Musicians. It's such a shame we can't adventure together."
She expressed her disappointment at not being able to join her brother on his next adventure.
"Probably soon, maybe even today. I'm not sure. I've been studying instance guides lately," Zhang Yuanqing replied casually, then asked, "How did the Palace Master bully you that day?"
Xie Lingxi whined, "She hung me up for hours! But she's gone to the Northern Territory on business and won't be back for a while."
"What's she doing in the Northern Territory?"
"Oh, she's uncovered clues about the Chu Family's massacre. She's been killing a lot of Military Doctrine Sect members lately. I just hope she doesn't run into any Heavenly King-level experts."
Though she was often bullied by the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter, Xie Lingxi's concern wasn't feigned.
"How terrifying is a Heavenly King-level Seductive Demon?"
"A Heavenly King-level member of the Military Doctrine Sect is equivalent to an elder in the Five Elements Alliance. Each Heavenly King is an incredibly dangerous figure. As far as I know, only two or three Heavenly Kings have ever been killed in official operations over the past few decades. More have died during Spirit Realm Missions," Xie Lingxi said, her voice turning serious.
"The Military Doctrine Sect's strongest Heavenly King is called the 'Fear Heavenly King.' My Old Ancestor told me that even if he encountered the Alliance Leader himself, the Fear Heavenly King could escape unscathed."
How terrifying must the Military Doctrine Sect's Asuras be? Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. "I remember Li Xianzong was a close aide to the Demonic Eye Celestial King. What about that Heavenly King?"
His current clearance level didn't allow him to access information on Heavenly King-level experts.
"Hmm..." Xie Lingxi pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly,
"The Demonic Eye Celestial King has a nickname: Hothead Heavenly King. I think that's it, Brother Primordial. I don't know much else."
"Are you worried that killing Li Xianzong will bring trouble from this Heavenly King?"
"Don't worry. I'll ask the Old Ancestor for information about him. I'll even throw a tantrum if I have to."
After expressing his gratitude, Zhang Yuanqing ended the call.
I hope the third Spirit Realm comes soon so I can quickly increase my strength. I can't keep being so passive. He pulled the air conditioning blanket over himself, trying to drift off to sleep.
Suddenly, a faint crackling sound jolted him awake.
Zhang Yuanqing knew it was the Cat King Speaker about to play audio again. After several days of silence, it was finally stirring.
He hadn't dared carry the Cat King Speaker around much lately, as the Item's tendency to play music uncontrollably could easily offend people.
Like that time it blared, "Always acting like a weak, spineless coward."
He placed the Cat King Speaker on his desk, ready to Night Roam at a moment's notice, in case it suddenly broadcast the demon lord's bedroom activities.
The crackling quickly stopped, followed by a low, raspy voice:
"I heard from a senior that the Fallen Holy Grail corrupts the mind, amplifying one's deepest, darkest desires. The longer it's used, the less one resembles their former self. No, it's more like completely unleashing one's true nature."
"Cat King Speaker, you were the first Item I ever obtained. I want you to record my words and actions, document my experiences. If I ever lose myself, I can use you to find my way back to who I once was."
At this time, the demon lord had likely only recently fallen under the Eerie Eye Judge's control, his mind still uncorrupted. Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy when he recalled the demon lord he knew later.
The demon lord was a Nightwalker, and Nightwalkers were an Orderly Class. According to the Spirit Realm's selection mechanism, those who could become Orderly Class members were at least not complete and utter villains.
"The Faction Token is a valuable asset. If I can cultivate my own faction, my chances of hunting down the Eerie Eye Judge in the future will greatly improve. Unfortunately, I missed an opportunity to obtain one.
"I'm becoming increasingly isolated and distrustful of strangers. There's no way to obtain a Faction Token in a competitive Instance with this mindset, even if I clear it. I need to take on a leadership role and earn the trust of my teammates."
The demon lord continued in a low, raspy voice:
"Today's instance was Yin-Yang Town, Spirit Realm 2273. After reviewing the details, I realized I missed a hidden quest. If I had resisted the allure of beauty and bloodshed, I might have triggered it and obtained an Item left behind by the Yin-Yang Wanderer. What a pity—once you enter a Spirit Realm, you can't return."
Spirit Realm 2273, Yin-Yang Town. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds, recalling the relevant information about the instance.
It was a constantly shifting, multiplayer PvP instance, classified as A-Rank. The opposing factions were typically the Orderly Faction and the Evil Faction.
The official database contained seventy-six guides for Spirit Realm 2273, but each guide described a different scenario, making it an exceptionally bizarre and challenging instance.
Of course, A-Rank instances were inherently difficult.
Just then, another crackling sound interrupted the demon lord's message. After a few seconds, a new message began playing:
"Hey, I hooked up with an operative from the Goddess of Beauty Association stationed on the mainland. Her name is Dale, a Level 4 Saint, and an absolute stunner. She has eyes as blue as the ocean, gorgeous golden hair, and a perfectly toned figure. Her ass is the biggest I've ever seen on a woman."
"She told me the Spirit Realm is divided into three major regions, each with its own Orderly and Evil Factions. Spirit Realm Walkers from different regions never encounter each other in Instances."
"This is strange. Why would the Spirit Realm be divided into three regions? And why specifically three? This makes me suspect the Spirit Realm isn't merely a supernatural phenomenon. Furthermore, while Spirit Realm Walkers from different regions never meet in the Spirit Realm, all Official Organizations in the real world are allied, or at least friendly."
"This makes it virtually impossible for Evil Organizations to team up with foreign Official Organizations to oppose the local Orderly Faction."
"Dale also mentioned that the Nightwalker class is special, though she didn't know why. The President of the Goddess of Beauty Association had instructed her to recruit Nightwalkers whenever possible."
"She invited me to her room tonight for drinks and a chat. I understood her implication. I saw the desire in her eyes—she wants me to sleep with her."
The message ended, replaced by static.
The demon lord who recorded the first message was likely still in the Transcendent Phase. But by the second message, which mentioned the Goddess of Beauty Association, it's clear he had already reached the Saint Stage.
Because he felt no awe or wariness toward Level 4 foreign Walkers and was consumed by lust for foreign women, his confidence swelled, and his mindset grew even more twisted.
Just as Zhang Yuanqing was lost in thought, the demon lord's voice boomed again, this time filled with rage and regret.
"Damn it! I never should have slept with Dale!"
"Never, ever sleep with a woman from the Goddess of Beauty Association! Fuck! Never!"
Huh? Zhang Yuanqing was momentarily stunned. Weren't you obsessed with foreign women? Didn't you say her ass was the biggest you'd ever seen? He couldn't understand why the demon lord's attitude had suddenly shifted so drastically.
Did she pull out something bigger than yours?
Besides, you weren't always like this. Later on, you slept with another woman from the Goddess of Beauty Association—repeatedly. You even called her an irresistible temptress.
The demon lord's furious voice blared from the loudspeaker:
"Sleep with her once, and you have to grant her a wish? What kind of bullshit skill is that?! Is the Class of Love and Desire just a bunch of Spirit Realm prostitutes? I refuse to pay for sex! I'll never agree to do that thing she wants! Damn it! Damn it!"
Zhang Yuanqing gradually understood: women of the Class of Love and Desire possessed the ability to forcibly demand payment for their services. Any man who slept with them was obligated to fulfill one of their requests.
The demon lord had been too young and naive at the time, unaware of the treacherous depths involved, and had fallen into the trap.
The message ended with the demon lord's curses, followed by silence.
Zhang Yuanqing put away the Cat King Speaker and went back to sleep.
In a daze, he was startled awake again. This time, it wasn't the Cat King Speaker that woke him, but the familiar chime of the Spirit Realm notification ringing in his ears:
[ Ding! Spirit Realm map activated. Entering the Spirit Realm in 60 seconds. The Spirit Realm you are entering is Yin-Yang Town, ID: 2273. ]
[ Difficulty Level: A ]
[ Type: Multiplayer (Death-Type) ]
[ Main Quest: Reach Yin-Yang Town's central plaza and defeat the enemy. ]
[ Note: Non-Spirit Realm items are prohibited. ]
[ Spirit Realm 2273 Introduction: Legend has it that Yin-Yang Town was founded by a highly accomplished cultivator known as the Yin-Yang Wanderer. In his later years, seeking a breakthrough, the Yin-Yang Wanderer established Yin-Yang Town, hoping to comprehend the Great Dao and achieve immortality. Tragically, he ultimately failed. ]
In the apartment, Guan Ya lay on her side on the bed, wearing a pink T-shirt and soft sweatpants, her breathing even and relaxed.
As an experienced Spirit Realm Walker, Guan Ya knew better than to sleep in lace or silk pajamas during the days leading up to a Spirit Realm Mission.
You never knew when the Spirit Realm might activate at night, and entering it in revealing sleepwear would be disastrous.
Especially since she was well aware of her own striking beauty.
So for the past few days, Guan Ya had been sleeping with only her shoes off, wearing no nightgown.
Suddenly, she jolted awake from her light slumber, hearing the familiar Spirit Realm notification in her ear:
[ Ding! Spirit Realm map loading. Entering Spirit Realm in 60 seconds. You are entering Yin-Yang Town, Instance ID: 2273. ]
"Yin-Yang Town? An A-rank instance. Tsk, this is going to be a pain."
Guan Ya frowned deeply, grabbed her phone from under her pillow, and prepared to report to Li Dongze.
In the hotel room,
The curtains were drawn tight, plunging the room into pitch darkness. Li Xianzong, who had been dozing lightly, opened his eyes as the Spirit Realm notification chimed in his ear:
[ Ding! Spirit Realm map loading. Entering Spirit Realm in 60 seconds. You are entering Yin-Yang Town, Instance ID: 2273. ]
"Yin-Yang Town, an A-Rank Spirit Realm. Looks like fate wants me to significantly boost my strength before the Grand Slaughter Instance arrives."