Upon hearing the three questions from the Lady of San Dao Mountain, a surge of dense阴 qi rippled through the air. The lady leaned in to listen for several seconds, her expression growing serious. "He has already visited Jinshui Water Park, yet you missed him..." She sounded slightly irritated. The ghost bride bowed again and then added more words. The Lady of San Dao Mountain's expression softened slightly, and she mused, "So you mean he has had three opportunities to summon you, and only one remains? Then, when he summons you again next time, you shall fetch the Vengeance Staff for me." The ghost bride gently shook her head. "Indeed, you've always been unable to open the storage containers of such people. Then, allow me to send a strand of my divine awareness to you. Should he summon you again, I shall be able to sense it instantly." Suddenly, the ghost bride knelt down. The Lady of San Dao Mountain, however, adopted a stern tone: "You insisted I not harm him—Is he your husband? Hmph. I am to act, and yet you keep interfering!" "Immediately, her expression softened, and she said gently, "I am a genuine deity, officially enfeoffed by the imperial court, not merely a collection of unruly, ill-fated followers from the demonic sects." The ghost bride then rose, silently conveying the information. The Lady of San-San-San listened intently for a while, then her eyes brightened: "You mean you discovered a purity of solar divine energy surpassing even mine that night? Alas, you were then blocked from the realm of reality... Did you catch a clear impression of his appearance? Very well, sketch him for me." A moment later, several small spirits brought ink, brushes, and scrolls, placing them with trembling hesitation at the bride's feet. The brush floated automatically, dipped into the ink, and swiftly sketched on the scroll. Within minutes, a young man's figure emerged—his features ordinary, a gentle smile on his lips, radiating vibrant energy, yet deep lines of unspoken weariness etched into his brow and eyes. The Lady of San-San-San studied the sketch for several seconds, memorized the image, then waved her sleeve, causing the scroll to ignite in golden flames and gradually turn to She turned her head toward the deep night sky, pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "The moment I first saw him in the temple, I sensed that his fate was marked by misfortunes and intricate karmic ties—indeed, quite fascinating." ... Late at night, in a hotel in the suburban area. Li Xianzong stood by the window, holding an old smartphone in his hands, patiently listening to the voice coming through it: "In a few months, new Fog Masters will arrive at Songhai to establish hidden regional bases. The death of Tian Lingling was all due to you. The organization has temporarily retained the right to pursue accountability. If you achieve the rank of Saint in the mid-year killing assignment, the matter will be settled." The voice sounded young, with a smoky tone and a strong masculine resonance. Li Xianzong asked softly: "Master Moge, is the Master of the Cease-Combat Palace a descendant of the Chu family? Who among the Heavenly Kings carried out the family's extermination during the disaster twenty-one years ago?" "The Mage-Eyed King smiled warmly, "It's not me, anyway. Over the past few days, I've received reports that members of the Northern Monasteries have died at the hands of that woman. She's come to the North—she must have gathered quite a bit of information from Tian Lingling." Li Xianzong was stunned, then coldly remarked, "A novice in the Sovereign stage, a lawful occupation—how dare she seek vengeance against the King? Truly, she has no sense of what's happening." The Mage-Eyed King smiled gently, "I don't care about that. What I'm more concerned about is when your multi-player spiritual realm quest will arrive." Li Xianzong replied, "Within ten days." "Once you complete the quest, your experience points will reach the peak of Level 3, and then you'll truly enter the strongest tier of the extraordinary stage. By the way, how is the Primordial Sovereign from Songhai?" "My Lord, you needn't pay attention to such minor figures. The Primordial Sovereign has several useful items and shows some cleverness, but he's still quite a rookie. Rest assured, within half a month, you'll receive the news At that moment, Li Xianzong heard the children's pure, innocent laughter on the phone: "Uncle, uncle, let's play!" The Mago-Eye King then said, "That's enough." Li Xianzong bowed respectfully, "Yes." He ended the call. ... In a remote county in the north, in a welfare home located in the suburban area. The sun shone brightly. Under the shade of the trees in the simple courtyard, a young man was distributing candies, snacks, fairy tale books, and stuffed toys to the children around him. The children ranged from about five or six years old to no older than ten, dressed simply, with dark complexions, their faces glowing with genuine joy. The man was around twenty-six years old, with thick eyebrows, bright eyes, and a thin mouth—his appearance was quite appealing. He wore a black T-shirt and black athletic pants, with a black athletic headband tied around his forehead. He exuded a warm, sunlit energy. The director, a middle-aged woman with gentle features and a kind demeanor, stepped out of the building and into the shade, smiling warmly, "Mr. Yang, you've arrived." The young man nodded and asked, "Have the overdue subsidies finally been issued?" The director sighed and said, "Finally, they've been issued. It's quite coincidental—word has it that the leader from the Civil Affairs department suddenly disappeared without a trace, apparently embezzling funds and fleeing with the money. The new leader has now settled the backlog of subsidies we've been waiting for." The young man beamed, "That's wonderful! That's wonderful!" The female director said, "Mr. Yang, why don't we have lunch together in the canteen with the children?" This female director took over the welfare home this year. At first, she wasn't eager to join, as the director of this home had mysteriously disappeared several times, a pattern that had repeated across multiple administrations. However, her supervisor had assured her that as long as she served for three years here, she would be transferred to the city. For someone without a strong professional network, that seemed to be her only option. After joining, she diligently served for six months and gradually transformed her perception of the home. The children are pure-hearted, well-behaved, free from office politics and internal rivalries, and she has also met Mr. Yang, a kind and caring man. Mr. Yang has been quietly contributing to the welfare home long before her, even before many of the previous directors. He regularly brings snacks and toys, plays with the children, and the kids all love him. "Director, you must be busy—I'll take the children to fly kites," the young man smiles warmly. The female director nods, reminds the children to listen to Mr. Yang, and then turns back into the building. The young man greets the children, helping them pick up their kites and leads them to the grassy area outside the welfare home. He gently strokes each child's head and asks, "Do you like the new director?" "Yes, we do!" "Is the food in the canteen good? Has she ever scolded you? Does she still send out new clothes regularly?" "Once the young man received thoughtful answers to all the questions, he nodded in satisfaction and smiled, saying, 'If you ever grow to dislike the headmistress, just let Uncle know.' ... Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Zhang Yuanqing circled around Guan Ya, continuously throwing punches—sometimes advancing, sometimes retreating, sometimes stepping aside—focusing primarily on straight and hook punches, supplemented by elbow and arm strikes. After a week of intense training (and constant bouts of being hit), his combat skills improved dramatically, enabling him to hold his ground against Guan Ya's strong attacks without a single defeat for three minutes. As Jin Wei put it: 'I never expected you to be such a natural fighter!' Unfortunately, his training experience is still relatively short; he hasn't yet mastered the effective use of his lower body strength, and his application of legs and feet remains at a beginner level. 'You've made impressive progress,' Guan Ya said, dodging Zhang Yuanqing's hook punch and then kicking him in the chest, 'but don't become overconfident. Newcomers typically experience a significant leap during their early stages, after which further refinement becomes more challenging.' 'Then what should we do?' Zhang Yuanqing staggered back, steadied himself, and launched a rapid series of punches. Guan Ya effortlessly dodged, saying, "Under normal circumstances, there are three paths: first, strength training to build a more robust physique, which can compensate for technical shortcomings; second, studying martial forms to deepen one's understanding of their own body; and third, extensive practical sparring. 'Hmm,' Zhang Yuanqing brightened up, slowing his attack pace, 'there's theoretically a fourth path as well.' Guan Ya smiled, 'What would that be?' 'The fourth path is to provoke your opponent, ignite their emotions, and drive them into a state of irrationality and impatience—turning them into relentless, unthinking bull-like attackers,' Guan Ya said. 'You're an expert at this, and you've done it naturally, without formal instruction.' 'So, it's about provocation,' Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed, eyes lighting up. Guan Ya's expression darkened, 'If you use your "Dragon Claw Hand" on me again, I won't hold back.' 'Rest assured, I won't this time—I'll try something else... "Black Tiger Extracting the Heart!"' 'Crack!' Guan Ya spun around, delivering a swift kick that sent him flying. ... Three hours later, Zhang Yuanqing left the combat room with a bruised nose and face, dragging his weary steps. He first entered the bathroom to take a shower, shed his training attire, and changed into his own clothes. Then he went down to the ground-floor dining room to enjoy a meal carefully prepared by the rabbit-dress girl. Remembering that he had been focused on his combat training and hadn't logged onto the official forum for several days, he immediately pulled out his phone and logged in. The first thing that caught his eye were three highlighted, pinned messages: #Fire Prince and the Gluttonous Divine General engaged in a fierce battle outside the capital city—tied in strength and momentum# #The immovable Dharma King of the Central Hall faced off alone against two senior officials of the Spiritual Energy Association, repelling their sustained attacks and eventually retreating# #The Spiritual Corpse Official of the Taiyuan Sect killed an A-ranked fugitive, "Hand of Ghost and God," yesterday—reports of victories from the Five Elements Alliance have been flowing in steadily# "It's been so lively these past few days, hasn't it? The battles among the Saint-level Zhang Yuanqing carefully read the three pinned posts and thought: Official indeed, with so many top-tier talents. During the hunts and counter-hunts at the Saint-level, the official side consistently achieved victories. He scrolled further and suddenly came across a post: #Liu Tian of the Taiyuan Sect has vanished—suspected to have been summoned by a senior monk of the sect#. Ah, right—Master Sun has already exited the instance. Good luck to Captain Yuan—may I send you incense and paper money in the afterlife, Ah Sect—may Heaven have no place for Master Sun. Zhang Yuanqing silently drew a cross on his chest. He then continued reading and noticed a reversal in the situation. While the official side enjoys a string of victories at the Saint-level, the evil faction is prevailing at the Transcendent level. Within just a few minutes, he saw at least six or seven posts reporting the elimination of 3rd-level captains by the evil faction. At the Transcendent-level reward board, the top-ranked figure, "A Yi," has even launched a hunt against a 4th-level attendant from the local area. "Though it sounds a bit disheartening, during the Sage stage, our lawful faction truly hasn't held its own against the chaotic faction." "We're now extremely cautious when going out—often unwilling to travel alone." "Our captain was attacked yesterday and suffered serious injuries. Oh well, we really need a decisive victory at the transcendent level." "Up there, what are you thinking about? Even the Primordial Sage of Songhai, a prodigy who's cleared two S-tier dungeons consecutively, was beaten soundly by Li Xianzong—now he's acting like a turtle pulling his shell in." Gah! He's been trounced again... Zhang Yuanqing felt deeply frustrated. At that moment, Guan Ya brought over a plate of steak and sat down across from him. She had just taken a shower—her hair was still damp—and hadn't put on any makeup, looking completely natural. Zhang Yuanqing stared at her for a while, and couldn't help but admire how stunning a plain-faced woman could be—calling her a "beauty" was certainly no exaggeration. "Stop looking at me," she muttered, "every time you gaze at me, I find myself thinking of your "That's the Sea-Calming Needle you haven't seen yet," Zhang Yuanqing remarked with a sniff. "Unfortunately, though, this Great Saint has nurtured this Sea-Calming Needle for twenty-one years and still hasn't found a suitable sea eye." Guan Ya chuckled. "I'm afraid it might not be a Sea-Calming Needle at all—more like a toothpick. After all, a needle and a toothpick are quite similar, so there's hardly any difference." Zhang Yuanqing, bracing himself, said, "My needle is quite large—perhaps you'll have to bear with it a bit." This was the limit of his tolerance. Any faster, and he'd feel overwhelmed. With a few coughs, he changed the subject. "Guan Ya, our colleagues at the Transcendent Realm have suffered quite heavily." Guan Ya cut into her steak and replied, "That's quite normal. Orderly professions naturally don't fare as well against chaotic ones. And at the Transcendent stage, practitioners often carry only a few tools—some even have none. When facing stronger chaotic professions, defeat is inevitable. As for the Saints at the Saint Realm level, they can now apply to draw from the "Pretty much what I expected! Zhang Yuanqing lowered his knife and fork, cutting a piece of steak. Guan Ya sighed, "It's always like this—official walkers in the transcendent stage keep getting hit. Of course, that's especially true when they're alone. You've been hit too, haven't you?" "Guan Ya, when you have time, I'll bring Xie Lingxi over to visit you. I'd like to learn how you talk." "Oh, how far have you two progressed? Have you managed to turn her into a 'small, fresh one'?" "..." As they were speaking, footsteps echoed down the double staircase. The team leaders—Da Jibu, Li Dongze, Bai Long, the Wushu Champion, Tang Guoqiang—descended with serious expressions. Zhang Yuanqing set down his knife and fork, approaching them, turning to his own shizhang. "What's going on?" It wouldn't be unusual for Fu Qingyang to convene a meeting unless something had actually happened. Li Dongze, holding his cane, sighed, "Three of our members from Kangyang District have gone missing. There have also been missing members from other districts. Now we've accumulated ten in Zhang Yuancheng frowned, "Were they hunted down by evil practitioners?" Da Ji Bu snorted, "No—it was Li Xianzong who took them. He left messages at every crime scene..." The fire master, standing at 1.9 meters tall, looked at Zhang Yuancheng and said, "He said, 'The Prime Immortal, sooner or later, it will be your turn.'" Zhang Yuancheng's face darkened. After being challenged so many times, he was growing increasingly irritated. One day, when I've grown stronger, this man will surely become a black mark in my history... The gentle Qingteng changed the subject, speaking softly, "We still don't know why Li Xianzong took the official messengers. We're afraid he might be planning another major attack." That's why Fu Qingyang convened this meeting. It's unlikely he's planning a second major assault—what worries us is that he might possess the skills of a Wugushi, transforming the messengers into insect beasts, then using them to surround and eliminate me... The more Zhang Yuancheng thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and the heavier his heart grew. Bai Long Liuwei frowned, angrily saying, "This Li Xianzong is being too rude—his actions have left my team members anxious and uncertain." Li Dongze added, "We must act swiftly to arrest him. If we delay, our branch will suffer reputational damage. Already, several posts have been made on the forum about this matter." "But shouldn't our information be confidential?" asked Zhang Yuanqing. Tang Guoqiang shook his head, "Investigating someone's residence doesn't necessarily require information disclosure—tracking is equally effective. As we work to resolve this issue and go to work daily, we're easily exposed and followed." Li Dongze changed the subject, saying, "Yuanshi, you should be entering the副本 soon." Zhang Yuanqing nodded, "It'll be within the next few days."