Chapter 223: Aphasiac Village

Chapter 223: Aphasic Village

Upon hearing Yuanshi Tianzun's words, the surrounding companions all turned their gazes in an instant; the fierce battle between Saint-realm contestants lost its allure at this very moment.

Yuanshi is entering a solo instance?

Lingjun, Guanya, the Queen, and the White Tiger Guards felt a surge of excitement first; after all, everyone was curious what difficulty level Yuanshi Tianzun's second solo Spirit Realm would be.

Moreover, there was a factor involved here.

—If Yuanshi Tianzun could accumulate his experience to over fifty percent before the Slaughter Instance arrived, his chances of advancing to Saint through the Slaughter Instance would greatly increase.

One must know, those who dare enter the Slaughter Instance are basically the cream of the crop among Tier 3s.

A group of powerhouses thrown into a major instance to slaughter each other; once Yuanshi Tianzun became a target, the situation would turn dire—enough ants can bite an elephant to death.

Therefore, before the Slaughter Instance opened, an extra measure of strength meant an extra measure of insurance. The solo instance could bring experience growth and item gains, greatly enhancing Yuanshi Tianzun's combat power.

Guanya, Li Dongze, and several other scouts, through Zhang Yuanqing's tone and expression, keenly detected an anomaly.

No way... their hearts clenched.

Could it be another S-rank instance again? If so, they would have to worry about another problem: Yuanshi Tianzun perishing halfway through his venture...

Fu Qingyang frowned slightly: "S-rank again?"

Everyone silently fixed their gazes on Yuanshi Tianzun, awaiting his response.

Zhang Yuanqing silently counted the time, and replied:

"It's A-rank."

A-rank... everyone had just breathed a sigh of relief when they heard him add:

"The Spirit Realm's name is 'Aphasic Village'; it is an instance not in the strategy guides."

An instance not in the strategy guides... Fu Qingyang narrowed his eyes. This situation meant either the Taiyi Gate hadn't recorded it, or like the Sheling Tunnel, the first clear was still unclaimed.

Whichever it was, it meant Yuanshi's entry into the Spirit Realm this time was akin to a blind man crossing a river—he would have to feel his way forward.

And given the peril of an A-rank Spirit Realm, without a strategy guide... let's put it this way: pioneering an A-rank instance would require a whole batch of people to die.

Pioneering an S-rank instance, a whole batch of 2s.

"Too unlucky, right..." the Queen murmured.

Guanya's lovely face changed slightly, her brows locking tight.

Li Dongze slammed his forehead hard.

Ever since recruiting Yuanshi Tianzun, every time this kid entered an instance, for him as a squad leader, it was a challenge of cardiac overload.

The White Tiger Guards behind Fu Qingyang looked at each other in dismay, their expressions grave.

In the Transcendent stage, the A-ranks they encountered were few and far between; every time was fraught with peril, and that was with strategy guides. Without one, the mortality rate exceeded seventy percent.

This Yuanshi Tianzun—every instance run was a life-or-death pass.

"Time is short..." Zhang Yuanqing silently counted the time, swept a glance over the crowd, and said:

"Wish me luck, everyone!

"Return!"

His figure vanished instantly from the sight of Guan Ya and the others.

The scene shifted from blur to clarity; Zhang Yuanqing found himself back in his room. Time was short, and he wasted none of it—he lunged for the bedside table, scooped seven or eight blue pills into his pocket, then yanked open the desk drawer and seized the Mao Wang speaker.

Finally he sprinted to the wardrobe, threw open the doors, and clamped his hand onto Corpse One's shoulder.

A Night Wanderer's solo Spirit Realm could accommodate a Yin Corpse—this was the answer Zhang Yuanqing had dug up from the forums.

According to the Taiyi Sect, a Yin Corpse was an extension of the Night Wanderer's abilities, identical in nature to a Spirit Servant.

In the Spirit Realm's judgment, it counted as an item or a puppet, not a person.

Therefore it could be brought into a solo Spirit Realm.

His hand had barely rested on the corpse's shoulder for a few seconds when the bedroom scenery rippled like water, then dissolved entirely into fog.

…

At the Colosseum, after watching Yuanshi Tianzun depart, Fu Qingyang rose at once, snatched up an azure cloak, and draped it over his shoulders.

Whoosh—

The cloak billowed dramatically; a vortex of wind bore Fu Qingyang aloft, carrying him toward the Elders' seats.

He stood ramrod-straight atop the air current, the unfurled cloak streaming behind him—like Superman in the movies, utterly arresting.

That single move from Fu Qingyang instantly drew the eyes of the audience, who had been avidly watching the fight.

"Huh? What's Young Master Qian up to?"

"Looks like he's got urgent intelligence to report to the Elders..."

"Get the White Tiger Guards to find out."

Elder Dog withdrew his gaze and turned it on Fu Qingyang, studying him for several seconds before intoning:

"What's happened?"

Though Fu Qingyang perpetually wore a poker face, Elder Dog caught a gravity in his eyes.

The surrounding Elders either turned at the sound or listened with rapt attention.

Fu Qingyang spoke with concise precision:

"Yuanshi Tianzun entered a dungeon. Just now."

Elder Dog, reading his trusted subordinate's expression, felt a stir in his chest: "An S-rank again?"

As he asked, Elder Dog's feelings were a tangled knot—he couldn't tell if it was anticipation or dread.

Fu Qingyang shook his head: "A-rank. Mute Village!"

A-rank... The surrounding Elders exhaled in relief yet felt a pang of disappointment.

On one hand, an A-rank dungeon shouldn't trouble Yuanshi Tianzun; on the other, if Yuanshi Tianzun could clear three S-ranks at the Transcendent stage, his Transcendent record would surpass the Female Marshal's.

He became the most dazzling figure in the history of the Five Elements Alliance during the Transcendent stage.

At this moment, Elder Sun furrowed his brows and said:

"Mute Village? I don't recall the Taiyi Sect's database containing an instance called Mute Village. Hongying, do you have any impression of it?"

As an Elder, he knew the strategies for the Transcendent, Saint, and Ruler stages within the sect's database like the back of his hand.

The intellectual and gentle Elder Hongluan shook her head slightly:

"I've never heard of it..."

She immediately thought of something, her expression turning serious:

"Could it be an uncleared instance, or an A-rank not recorded by the Taiyi Sect?"

Upon hearing this, the originally listless Elders simultaneously cast their gazes over.

Instance strategies were the foundation of official organizations, and a crucial means of recruiting talent.

The attitude of the upper echelons toward instance strategies was always: the more, the better.

Elder Gou finally understood why Fu Qingyang looked so grave; the Primordial Heavenly Venerable had gone to pioneer a new instance.

"An instance not recorded by the Taiyi Sect..." Elder Sun and Elder Zhao's eyes suddenly lit up. Regardless of whether it was an uncleared instance, as long as it wasn't in the Taiyi Sect's database, its value was immense.

The Armored Sword Keen stroked the hilt of his sword, musing:

"Given the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's caliber, the probability of clearing an A-rank is extremely high; there is no need for worry. Rather..."

A smile touched his stern, majestic face:

"How much is your Taiyi Sect prepared to pay for the strategy?"

Elder Hongying spoke with a straight face:

"If the Primordial Heavenly Venerable can clear an A-rank instance, the Taiyi Sect will certainly buy it; you name the price."

Elder Sun and Elder Zhao did not object.

"Interesting," a Five Elements Alliance Elder laughed, "I recall the Primordial Heavenly Venerable has been supplementing our Alliance's database with strategies since the Sheling Tunnel. Pioneering is a task for top-tier geniuses, after all."

"Indeed, this time it's another A-rank instance strategy."

Meanwhile, news of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable entering the instance spread rapidly among the audience.

"What? The Primordial Heavenly Venerable entered an instance, and he's going to pioneer it?"

"He actually matched into an instance not in the Taiyi Sect's database; talk about rotten luck."

"He's even cleared S-ranks, so A-rank should be no problem. A Transcendent-stage instance takes a day at most. Ah, I'm dying to know the result."

The matches on the arena suddenly lost their appeal.

...

Overcast skies, weak daylight filtering through thin clouds, cast a dull, heavy gloom over the dilapidated mountain village, along with an indescribable oppression.

Zhang Yuanqing stood at the village entrance, surveying his surroundings.

Ahead lay a dead, dilapidated mountain village; behind, black-soil fields and mountain ranges standing in silent vigil.

At his side stood Corpse Walker Number One, wooden and motionless.

The village's age was impossible to gauge; stone houses of varying heights stretched to the horizon, their straight roof ridges laid with tiles weathered by wind and frost.

At the village entrance, the path leading deeper in was a packed dirt road, the kind that turns into impassable mud the moment it rains.

"Compared to the architectural style of Yin-Yang Town, this place feels far more sinister... but the more sinister and dead silent a place is, the more at ease I feel, as if I've returned home."

Zhang Yuanqing did not enter the village immediately; before entering the instance, he needed to clear his thoughts.

"The main quest is to survive for 24 hours. For a survival-focused task like this, the advantage lies in high maneuverability—Spirit Realm Walkers entering the instance can move freely, unrestricted.

"The downside is the lack of hints; the Spirit Realm won't tell you what to do. Everything must be discovered and explored by the 'players' themselves, and during that exploration, one might stumble into a lethal crisis at any moment, just like when I was inexplicably possessed by a Shoulder-Riding Resentful Spirit.

"According to the instance info, the final boss should be the woman from the ancient tomb; she followed Wang Xiaoe out..."

So I have to push the boss? Hmph, a proper, legitimate push!

"The two key figures in this instance are the ancient tomb's female ghost and Wang Xiaoe. I'll go look for Wang Xiaoe first, assuming he's still alive."

With that thought, Zhang Yuanqing, accompanied by Corpse Walker Number One, entered the village along the packed earth road.

All the way through, the village houses were mainly stone structures, rammed-earth walls, and thatched huts; not a trace of green could be seen at the wall corners or roadsides, only dead wild grass and desiccated moss.

As he walked, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly sensed a gaze spying on him.

He whipped his head around and saw, in the only small square window of a rammed-earth house to his left, a pair of eyes staring fixedly at him.

Realizing it had been spotted, the pair of eyes swiftly retreated into the darkness.

"Human or ghost?"

Zhang Yuanqing instantly perked up. If human, he could communicate; if ghost, he could devour. Either way, he'd gain intel. What he feared most was a deserted wasteland, encountering nothing for half a day, only to run straight into the Big Boss around a blind corner.

He immediately circled to the front of that rammed-earth house. The front was a small courtyard. He stopped before the wooden door, raised his arm, and curled his knuckles to knock.

The dry, blackened wood door let out a series of "thuds" under his knuckles.

Zhang Yuanqing knocked for a long time; the courtyard remained deathly quiet, no one answering.

Then I'll just climb the wall... Zhang Yuanqing immediately manipulated the Yin Corpse, vaulting over the two-meter-high rammed-earth wall and leaping into the yard.

At the same time, he communicated with the brand in his Sea of Consciousness, possessing the Yin Corpse's body.

Through the Yin Corpse's vision, he scanned the courtyard, spotting a millstone, a firewood stack, and a jujube tree.

Facing the courtyard gate was a rammed-earth house; to the west stood a simple shack. Zhang Yuanqing stepped up to the shack and peered inside—it was a dry latrine.

"A dry latrine... the village's architectural style should be Northern. I remember the textbooks saying Northern jujubes are sweet, so sweet..."

Zhang Yuanqing guessed Aphasia Village was a Northern village. A university student of his age, born in Songhai, was unfamiliar with the countryside, especially since Aphasia Village seemed ancient; here, not a single modern thing could be seen.

No telephone poles, no streetlights, no bus stop signs, no solar panels...

After circling the yard once, he didn't linger, heading straight for the rammed-earth house and knocking on the door.

Still, no one answered.

Zhang Yuanqing kicked the wooden door clean off its hinges. With a clang, dust drifted down; the heavy door slammed onto the floor, kicking up a cloud of grit.

The light inside was dim, but it could not hinder a Night Wanderer’s vision. His gaze swept over the room’s furnishings one by one, finally settling on a white-haired old man.

The old man pressed himself against the wall, clutching a hoe, staring at him with terror and wariness.

"Old sir?"

Zhang Yuanqing probed, his voice low.

"Ah, ah, ah—"

The old man let out the unique, voiceless sound of a mute, waving the hoe a few times in a shooing gesture.

Can't speak?

Seeing the old man's reaction, Zhang Yuanqing understood the meaning of "Mute Village."

If they can't speak, the living in the village hold no value. Might as well kill him and interrogate his spirit; he's just an NPC in a Secret Realm anyway, he should respawn... The thought flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind, then was immediately dismissed.

The old man's expression, his demeanor, were no different from any ordinary person. He couldn't bring himself to kill a seemingly normal old man.

Unless the old man turned into a monster wreathed in resentment the very next second.

"Old sir, can you write?" Zhang Yuanqing asked again.

But the old man paid him not the slightest heed, just kept waving the hoe, letting out "ah, ah" sounds in threat.

Fine then! Zhang Yuanqing gave up.

Though the old man couldn't communicate, his existence itself was a clue. The woman in the ancient tomb hadn't massacred the village; she didn't seem all that dangerous... Ignoring the old man's threats, he circled the room once, found nothing, and returned to the outer room, asking:

"Old sir, do you know where Wang Xiaouer lives?"

The old man was stubborn as a mule, ignoring him completely.

Now Zhang Yuanqing was in a bind. He racked his brains, thought for a moment, and a plan formed. He picked up a stool and cursed:

"What the hell are you? I'm asking where Wang Xiaouer lives, just spit it out! Keep giving me attitude, and I'll knock your block off your shoulders."

At that, the old man pointed his hoe to the west.

"Deal, goodbye then, Old sir!"

Zhang Yuanqing tossed the stool aside and backed out of the house.

Stepping into the courtyard, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him—a way to get intel on the dungeon.

The Cat King Speaker!

If the dungeon he'd entered was one the Demon Lord had once cleared, then knowing the Demon Lord's style, he would definitely have recorded it on the Cat King Speaker.

No, even without a recording, as long as the Cat King Speaker had been here, it surely knew some intelligence.

The Cat King Speaker sealed the Cat King's soul; it was a sentient artifact with a will of its own, capable of communication.

It would proactively record things.

Just like back at the Jinshui Amusement Park, this guy had once leaked info on the Three-Way Mountain Goddess. Nobody had been recording back then.

...