Chapter 124: Spirit Realm Opening

Chapter 124: The Spirit Realm Opens

Bai Long, clad in a racing suit, stood on the steps looking down at Zhang Yuanqing, teasing, "If you land in an S-rank Spirit Realm again this time, you'll definitely be able to take down Li Xianzong once you're out."

Qing Teng rolled a charming, flirtatious eye at him. "Jinx!"

Another S-rank dungeon? I'd rather face Li Xianzong head-on again... Zhang Yuanqing said, "I asked Wang Tai. He said that in the big data collected so far, there's no record of anyone entering an S-rank dungeon three times in a row."

Da Ji Ba stared, stunned. "There's data like that? How come I didn't know."

It's public data, you can check it anytime. Oh, right, you're a Fire Master, never mind then... Zhang Yuanqing returned a polite smile.

Tang Guoqiang sighed. "What a pity we didn't kill Li Xianzong at Pingtai Hospital last time. Yuan Shi, you be careful these days. I get the feeling he's brewing something nasty. We'll step up the manhunt, try to solve him for you, but you know, hunting down a Spirit Realm Walker in the vast sea of humanity isn't easy."

Qing Teng kindly reminded, "Be careful going in and out these few days, don't get tailed."

Given last time's ordeal, these Captains were terrified that the still-maturing Yuan Shi Tianzun would get his kidneys punched out by Li Xianzong on the sly; that loss would be too great.

Because of the missing team member incident, their moods were foul. They chatted briefly, then dispersed.

Zhang Yuanqing returned to the restaurant and continued wolfing down his food. At this moment, Guan Ya had only eaten half her steak before stopping, spearing a piece of honeydew melon to gnaw on.

"Aren't you eating anymore?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.

"Not much exercise, don't need to eat much." Guan Ya smiled vacantly.

Zhang Yuanqing simply slid her remaining half steak onto his own plate.

The mixed-race beauty didn't find anything amiss, teasing, "If it were Jing Wei, you steal her food and she'd jump up and blow your dog head off. Ahem, I'm entering a dungeon soon too, and it's a multiplayer Spirit Realm as well."

Zhang Yuanqing chewed his steak, smiling. "Who knows, we might match into the same dungeon. If Wang Tai were here, he'd say: According to data analysis, the probability is even lower than you seeing a girl you fancy on the street, and she just happens to like you back."

Guan Ya blinked. "Isn't it lower than a needle drawing blood?"

This old driver... Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head to eat meat.

The odds would be slightly higher within the same city's Spirit Realm, but given the number of Spirit Realm Walkers and the number of Spirit Realm dungeons, the probability of two acquaintances matching into the same Spirit Realm simultaneously in reality is extremely low. If they really did match, it'd probably be fate.

After lunch, Zhang Yuanqing put on a duckbill cap and a mask, disguised himself as Wang Tai, and left Fuwan Bay via Night Roam.

He ran a few hundred meters in one breath, casting Night Roam twice consecutively along the way, before revealing his figure. Then he scanned a shared bike and rode home at a leisurely pace.

He hadn't been to school in a long time. He treated a few classmates to dinner and entrusted them to handle attendance for him.

If it weren't for the difficulty of explaining it to his family, Zhang Yuanqing would have dropped out already.

"Wait till next year when I've saved enough, I'll drop out on the grounds of entrepreneurship. Grandpa and Grandma shouldn't object. As long as they don't object, it's fine."

Pedaling the bike, he mused idly.

As for his mother's opinion, Zhang Yuanqing wouldn't care. After all these years, he hadn't spent a dime of hers anyway.

Back home, he slept a while. When he woke, it was already dusk. On the bedroom floor, Zhang Yuanqing saw Little Rascal again, clutching his uncle's wallet, crawling back and forth.

Recently, his aunt had been washing her underwear diligently, either hanging them on the balcony or stashing them in the wardrobe. Little Rascal currently couldn't reach either place, so he settled for the next best thing, bringing his master money.

Zhang Yuanqing routinely pulled out three bright red bills, then had Little Rascal return the wallet.

While waiting for dinner, he started a game; Little Rascal lay sprawled atop his head, clutching a controller, eyes glued to the television screen, pretending he was playing too.

Zhang Yuanqing played absentmindedly, his mind replaying the dungeon guides he had pored over these past days.

His goals for the near future were crystal clear: practice combat, research multiplayer Spirit Realm guides for the Transcendent stage, and stay vigilant against Li Xianzong's stalking and hunting.

As dinner approached, Zhang Yuanqing heard the security door open, followed by his aunt's voice:

"Mom, I'm starving. Is dinner ready yet?"

"Wait a bit longer." Grandma's reply drifted over, faint and muffled.

After a dozen seconds, the bedroom door opened; Jiang Yuer poked her head in, saw her nephew gaming, and slipped inside with a delighted grin, shutting the door behind her: "Let me play, let me play…"

Jiang Yuer sat cross-legged beside her nephew, casually snatching the controller off his head: "Why'd you put the controller on your head?"

In that instant, Zhang Yuanqing sensed a wave of "grievance and anger" radiating from Little Rascal.

But a few seconds later, Little Rascal forgave his aunt, sliding down Zhang Yuanqing's back, crawling over to her, hugging her thigh, and pillowing his head on her lap to watch the TV screen.

Even an infant spirit yearns for a mother's love… Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but sigh in wonder.

At that moment, his aunt lowered her voice, speaking in a conspiratorial whisper:

"I've been thinking about some things lately."

"What things?" Zhang Yuanqing kept his eyes fixed on the screen, manipulating the controller.

"Your superpower is invisibility, right? That day you suddenly appeared right in front of me."

"More or less," Zhang Yuanqing said.

"It just suddenly occurred to me…" his aunt said, working the controller, "Did you steal my underwear?"

…Zhang Yuanqing's scalp prickled; he turned his head to glare at her, saying indignantly:

"How can you spout such slander? As the boss of the Superpower Special Agent Squad, great, radiant, and just, how could I commit the beastly act of stealing my own aunt's underwear?"

His tone was deadly serious, as if he had been deeply insulted.

Besides, would I need invisibility to steal your underwear?

His aunt shot him a sidelong glance: "Oh, I must have overthought it. My mistake."

She suddenly tossed aside the controller and lunged for Zhang Yuanqing's wardrobe.

"!!!"

Zhang Yuanqing displayed reflexes sharper than any combat drill, kicking off with both legs and tackling his aunt to the ground.

Jiang Yuer hit the floor with a flat smack.

They grappled for a moment; Jiang Yuer came out the worse, grumbling, "Knew it. It was you, you ungrateful little brat who betrays his master and destroys his ancestors, stealing my underwear."

She shouted at the top of her lungs: "Mom, Yuanzi stole my… mmph mmph…"

Zhang Yuanqing clamped a hand over her mouth: "I really didn't steal them… Fine, what do you want? Just say it."

Jiang Yuer let out two muffled "mmphs" and nodded.

Zhang Yuanqing let go of his hand.

"You need to tell me more about Ability Users, give my underwear back, and from now on, you pay when we go shopping. Your aunt bought you things for so many years; it's time you paid me back."

"You've been eyeing my savings for a long time, haven't you? Is this how an elder behaves?"

"Is this how a junior behaves?"

...

After dinner, Zhang Yuanqing, barefoot, practiced combat in the bedroom for half an hour, then lay on the bed without washing his feet.

He summoned Little Rascal and instructed him earnestly:

"Don't steal her underwear again, or I'll beat your ass black and blue."

Little Rascal crawled all over the bed, God knows if he listened.

At that moment, Xie Lingxi called. He paused the parenting, picked up the phone, and answered.

"Brother Yuanshi, it's been almost a month since we left the Jinshui Amusement Park. Are you going to enter the Spirit Realm?" Xie Lingxi's voice was clear and melodious:

"I'm entering the Spirit Realm too. Too bad the next instance is Musician-exclusive."

She expressed regret at not being able to adventure with her brother.

"Soon. Maybe even today, who knows. I've been reading instance guides lately." Zhang Yuanqing replied casually, then asked:

"How did the Palace Master bully you that day?"

Xie Lingxi sounded aggrieved: "She strung me up. For several hours. But she went to the Northern Territory on business; she won't be back for a while."

"What did she go to the Northern Territory for?"

"Oh, she found clues about the Chu family extermination case back then. Seems she killed quite a few of the War Lord Cult's followers recently. Hope she doesn't run into a Heavenly King-level powerhouse."

Although she was often bullied by the Palace Master of Cessation, Xie Lingxi's worry wasn't feigned.

"How terrifying is a Heavenly King-level Bewitching Demon?"

"A War Lord Cult Heavenly King corresponds to the Elders of the Five Elements Alliance. Every Heavenly King is a terrifying figure. As far as I know, in the past few decades, only two or three Heavenly Kings have truly died in official sieges. More die on Spirit Realm missions." Xie Lingxi's tone unconsciously turned grave:

"The strongest Heavenly King of the War Lord Cult is called the 'Heavenly King of Fear.' I heard the Old Ancestor say that even if he encountered the Alliance Leader of the officials, the Heavenly King of Fear could retreat unscathed."

Then the War Lord Cult's Asura must be even more terrifying... Zhang Yuanqing mused inwardly. "I remember Li Xianzong is the Heavenly King of Magic Eye's confidant. What about this Heavenly King?"

His current clearance level still couldn't access data on "Heavenly King-level" powerhouses.

"Hmm..." Xie Lingxi recalled carefully, speaking with uncertainty:

"The Heavenly King of Magic Eye has a nickname, 'Angry Youth Heavenly King,' should be that one. Brother Yuanshi, I'm not too clear on the rest.

"You're afraid killing Li Xianzong will bring trouble from this Heavenly King? How about this, I'll go ask the Old Ancestor later. I'll throw a tantrum and roll on the floor if I have to, but I'll get the info for you."

Zhang Yuanqing expressed his thanks and ended the call.

Hope the third Spirit Realm comes soon, so I can improve my strength quickly. Can't stay this passive forever... Zhang Yuanqing pulled the AC quilt up, coaxing sleepiness.

Suddenly, he was startled awake by a faint "zzzt" sound.

Zhang Yuanqing knew it was the Mao Wang speaker about to play audio again. After many days, it finally stirred once more.

Lately, he hadn't dared keep the Mao Wang speaker on his person, because this artifact always played music uncontrollably, making it terribly easy to offend people.

For instance, "Always looking like a frail, spineless coward."

He placed the Mao Wang speaker on his desk, ready to Night Roam at a moment's notice, lest it suddenly broadcast the process of the Demon Lord sleeping with women.

The "zzzt" static quickly ceased, followed by a low, hoarse voice:

"I heard a senior say the Fallen Chalice warps the mind, stirring the wicked thoughts at the bottom of one's heart. The longer the time, the less like yourself you become... no, it is a complete release of the self."

"Mao Wang speaker, you are the first artifact I obtained. You must record my words and deeds, record my experiences. In the future, if I gradually lose myself, I can find the old me through you."

At this time, the Demon Lord should have only recently been controlled by the Yin-Yang Judge; his mentality hadn't yet twisted... Zhang Yuanqing recalled the later Demon Lord and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

The Demon Lord was a Night Roamer. Night Roamers were Lawful classes. According to the Spirit Realm's selection mechanism, those who could become Lawful classes were at least not thoroughgoing villains.

"Gang Tokens are good things. If I could cultivate my own retinue, my chances of hunting the Yin-Yang Judge later would be greater. A pity, I missed a chance to obtain a Gang Token.

"I've grown increasingly reclusive, increasingly distrustful of strangers. There's no way to get a Gang Token in competitive instances like this. Even clearing them won't work. One must demonstrate leadership, make teammates convinced."

The Demon Lord's low, hoarse voice continued:

"The instance I cleared today is Yin-Yang Town, Spirit Realm No. 2273. I reviewed the details within the Spirit Realm and found I missed a hidden quest. If I could have resisted beauty and slaughter, perhaps I could have triggered the hidden quest and obtained the artifact left by the Yin-Yang Sanren. What a waste. A Spirit Realm entered once cannot be entered a second time."

Spirit Realm No. 2273, Yin-Yang Town... Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds, the relevant data on this Spirit Realm surfacing in his mind.

This Spirit Realm was a constantly shifting multiplayer competitive instance, A-rank. The opposing sides were usually the Lawful and Evil factions.

In the official database, there were seventy-six guides for Spirit Realm No. 2273, but the content of every single guide differed. It was an extremely bizarre, extraordinarily difficult instance.

Of course, an A-rank instance was bound to be hard.

Just then came another "zzzt" of static. The Demon Lord's voice cut off. Seconds later, a new message rang out:

"Hey, today I hooked up with the clerk the Goddess of Beauty Association stationed on the continent. Her name is Dael. She's a Level 4 Saint, and a mouthwatering stunner. She has eyes blue as the ocean, beautiful blonde hair, a fit figure. Her ass is the biggest I've ever seen on a woman..."

"She told me the Spirit Realm is divided into three major zones. Each zone has its corresponding Lawful and Evil factions. Spirit Realm Walkers between the three zones never meet in instances."

"This is strange. Why divide the Spirit Realm into three zones? And why three? It makes me suspect the Spirit Realm isn't a simple supernatural phenomenon. Also, though Walkers from the three zones don't meet in the Spirit Realm, in reality, all official organizations are allied, or at least friendly."

"This reduces the possibility of evil organizations allying with foreign official organizations to oppose the native Lawful faction to near zero."

"Dael also said the Night Roamer class is special, but she didn't know why. The President of the Goddess of Beauty Association once ordered her to recruit Night Roamers whenever possible.

"She invited me to her room tonight to drink and talk freely. I understood her implication. I saw desire in her eyes. She longs for me to go sleep with her."

The message ended. Static replaced the Demon Lord's "monologue."

The Demon Lord in the first message should still have been in the Transcendent stage. But in the second, the one about hooking up with the Association clerk, it was obvious the Demon Lord had already reached the Saint stage.

Because he held no awe or wariness toward a Level 4 foreign Walker, and was filled with longing to sleep with the foreign mare. He had confidence now, and his mentality was even more twisted.

Just as Zhang Yuanqing was deep in thought, the Demon Lord's voice rang out again. This time, his tone was filled with rage and regret.

"Damn it! I never should have slept with Dael."

"Must never sleep with a woman from the Goddess of Beauty Association. Fuck. Must never sleep with one."

Huh? Weren't you craving that foreign beauty? Isn't her ass the biggest you've ever seen? Zhang Yuanqing froze for a moment, unable to comprehend why the Demon Lord's attitude had shifted so abruptly.

Because the other party whipped out something bigger than his?

Besides, you weren't like this later on—you went and slept with a woman from the Beauty God Association, repeatedly at that, and even called her an irresistible temptress…

The Demon Lord's frantic, exasperated voice blasted from the speaker:

"Sleep with her once, and I have to grant her one demand? What kind of bullshit skill is this? Is the Love and Lust class just a prostitute in the Spirit Realm! I refuse to pay the whore's fee—I absolutely won't agree to do that thing for her, damn it, damn it!"

Zhang Yuanqing gradually pieced it together: women of the Love and Lust class possessed a skill to forcibly extract "payment"—any man who slept with them was compelled to fulfill one of their demands.

Back then, the Demon Lord had been too young, ignorant of the depths he was wading into, and had stepped right into the trap.

The voice message ended amid the Demon Lord's curses, and no further sounds followed.

Zhang Yuanqing stowed the Cat King speaker and went back to sleep.

In a hazy daze, he jolted awake again—this time not from the speaker, but from a familiar Spirit Realm prompt chiming in his ear:

[Ding, Spirit Realm map initializing, entering Spirit Realm in 60 seconds. Your designated Spirit Realm: Yin-Yang Town, Code: 2273]

[Difficulty Level: A]

[Type: Multiplayer (Deathmatch)]

[Main Objective: Reach Yin-Yang Town Central Plaza, defeat the enemy.]

[Note: Non-Spirit Realm items cannot be brought in.]

[Spirit Realm 2273 Description: Legend has it that Yin-Yang Town was founded by an accomplished cultivator known as the Yin-Yang Recluse. In his later years, seeking a breakthrough, he established Yin-Yang Town to comprehend the Great Dao and achieve immortality. Alas, he ultimately failed.]

…

Inside the apartment.

Guan Ya lay on her side on the bed, clad in a pink T-shirt and soft sweatpants, breathing evenly.

As a seasoned Spirit Realm Walker, she knew that in the window before a Spirit Realm mission, one must not sleep in sheer or silk lingerie.

Because you never knew if the Spirit Realm would descend in the dead of night—and entering it wearing sexy sleepwear would be a catastrophe.

Especially since she was keenly aware of her own allure.

So these past few days, Guan Ya only took off her shoes to sleep, refusing to wear nightgowns.

Suddenly, she snapped awake from her dream, hearing that familiar Spirit Realm prompt in her ear:

[Ding, Spirit Realm map initializing, entering Spirit Realm in 60 seconds. Your designated Spirit Realm: Yin-Yang Town, Code: 2273]

"Yin-Yang Town? An A-rank dungeon… Tsk, big trouble."

Guan Ya frowned deeply, snatched the phone from under her pillow, preparing to report to Li Dongze.

…

Inside the hotel room.

Curtains drawn tight, pitch-black darkness. Li Xianzong, in a light sleep, opened his eyes—the Spirit Realm entry prompt sounding in his ear:

[Ding. The Spirit Realm map is initializing. Entry in sixty seconds. Your designated realm: Yin-Yang Town. Designation: 2273.]

"Yin-Yang Town. An A-Rank Spirit Realm. It seems the heavens themselves intend for my strength to surge before the great slaughter dungeon descends."