The hidden quest is complete? Exactly as I expected—the final step is to eliminate the mage... The staff should be the reward. After defeating the boss and securing the item, it's all about team endurance. Right now, my physical condition is terrible; my stamina is slipping fast... The Yin-Yang robe, not yet claimed? Where do I go to claim it? Ah, yes—the river. In that instant, Zhang Yuanqing's mind flashed with numerous thoughts. But he didn't have time to ponder further, as Li Xianzong, the closest to the staff, had already charged toward the powerful item. This move sent the lawful faction's members' adrenaline soaring. "Boom!" A distant gunshot rang out. As Li Xianzong bent to pick up the staff, he fell ahead of the others, rolling continuously, leaving behind a dramatic crater at his original position. He had been closely monitoring the "sniper's" movements and made an accurate prediction. Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing, stepping forward on his red slippers, rushed straight to the staff and secured it. "Yuanshǐ!" "The queen cried out. Zhang Yuanqing was startled and realized then that his hands were empty—the staff had vanished, hadn't it? It had never been picked up at all. Picking up the staff was merely a illusion; he had been under a spell. "Pff! Pff!" The mouse-like figures inflated their cheeks, and slender bamboo tubes shot out green toxic needles. Without any need for Zhang Yuanqing's manipulation, the red slippers carried him automatically, spinning, spinning, turning toward the distant area, and the two needles skimmed past him. The young man missing his left ear darted out like a swift arrow, rushing to claim the staff lying still on the ground. As soon as he approached the staff, two circular rings shot toward him, ensnaring his upper body and legs. Thud! The young man, missing his left ear, fell forward with inertia, landing in a clumsy heap. "Bang!" Guan Ya's bullet struck true, piercing the young wizard's head, splattering bone and flesh, and he fell dead instantly. Among the three surviving evil-class members—including Li Xianzong—there was a deep chill. At that moment, the Fire-Star general tossed a flaming spear with a single motion, accurately driving it into the side of the staff, while himself was enveloped in a blaze of fire, emerging within the spear's blazing core. The general quickly bent down to retrieve the staff. As his comrades bent, Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng each locked onto an enemy, pulling the trigger to provide cover for the Fire-Star forces. Excellent work—Zhang Yuanqing smiled, stepping forward on his red ballet shoes to support the Fire-Star troops and ensure they secured the staff. With the staff in hand, control is secured. Li Xianzong had a wooden box appear in his palm without realizing it; as he lifted the lid with a crisp "click," a thick mist immediately spread across the plaza, obscuring the view. During the earlier confrontation with the mage, he had kept this item unused, as the mage possessed a special sense of detection—while the mist had little effect on the mage, it rendered the allies and the lawful faction effectively blind, leaving them vulnerable to a relentless onslaught. Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng's fingers froze, and they were forced to halt their fire support. Under the thick fog, their vision was obscured, and they dared not fire, fearing accidental wounds or deaths to their own comrades. Their ranged attacks were thus suppressed. Though enveloped by the fog, the Fire-Deity troops relied on instinct, reaching toward the position where their staffs lay—right beneath their feet. "Pfft! Pfft!" As the fog rippled, two slender, emerald-tipped poison darts pierced through the gauzy veil and struck the Fire-Deity troops squarely in the chest. Li Xianzong, concealed by the fog, moved like a ghost, closing in swiftly, his butterfly knife sweeping through the air to strike the enemy's throat. "Clang!" Zhang Yuancheng, wearing her red dance shoes, arrived just in time. She raised her willow blade, and the edge of her butterfly knife sparked brilliantly against the bloodthirsty blade. Seizing the Fire-Deity soldier's shoulder, she propelled him backward, shouting, "The Fire-Deity is poisoned." As she spoke, she didn't forget to kick the staff clear toward the distance. The sturdy figure of the Fire-Deity soldier was launched over fifteen meters, clearing the zone of fog. The wood spirit youth swiftly dragged the fire mage away, first pressing several detoxifying pills into his mouth, then producing sandalwood and sprinkling it over the subtle wounds where the toxic needles had penetrated his chest. This could only partially neutralize the poison—whether he would survive remained to be seen. As for combat, it was certainly impossible. On the rough estimate of battlefield strength, only three evil-class characters remained, while on their side, only the captain and the queen remained, and the thick mist was still the enemy's stronghold. A concern flickered in his eyes. Or do you still think that red veil can pose a threat to me?" He meant to say that he had a tool capable of restraining the ghost bride. Zhang Yuanqing felt his heart sink. The red veil was his reserve weapon—used against enemies he couldn't yet overcome. If it were now countered, he'd lose one of his key cards for turning the tide. The thick fog obscured Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng's view, preventing them from firing. Though he had the red slippers aiding him, he only had under three minutes before the fog fully enveloped the battlefield. To defeat Li Xianzong within this dense mist seemed difficult indeed. Perhaps even worse—Queen Guan might not survive. Zhang Yuanqing quickly assessed the situation in his mind, his thoughts racing, and though he tried to remain calm, a growing sense of urgency settled in. At that moment, a loud burst of laughter rang out, coming from a distance—clear and triumphant, from the mouse-like figure: "I've secured it! I've obtained the staff!" Zhang Yuanqing's face tightened. Li Xianzong smiled slightly, lifting a corner of his mouth. "Well said. In just one week, you've made such remarkable progress—your What are you standing there for? Curse them! Just moments ago, he hadn’t been idle—he had been holding onto Yuan Shi Tian Zun while subtly signaling his companions, guiding them to the location of his staff, using the thick mist as a guide to help them find it. The mouse-like figure chuckled, raised his staff, and then loudly proclaimed, “Li Xianzong, this is a divine artifact—do you not know how powerful it truly is?” Suddenly, he noticed the mist ahead violently trembling. In the next instant, a long leg transformed into a whip and struck him squarely on the head. The mouse immediately dropped his staff and slammed it against the whip leg that had just snapped out with a roar. “Crack!” Both the staff and the whip leg rebounded in opposite directions. The mouse stumbled, while the whip’s wielder skillfully spun, absorbing the rebound force and then delivering a second, powerful strike. The mouse had never encountered such fierce attacks. The whip struck him across the side of his face, sending him soaring like a cloud, his staff clattering to the ground. Who arrived? Li Xianzong and Zhang Yuanqing both paused momentarily. Then Zhang Yuanqing heard Guan Ya's voice: "Yuanshi, I couldn't see you—I didn't make a sound until I was dead." "How did you get here?" Zhang Yuanqing's heart leaped with joy. Without hesitation, he slammed his palms together, creating an explosive impact like a high-yield hand grenade. The mist trembled violently, scattered by the shockwave and flames, briefly blurring the view into a less expansive field. Now, he could finally make out the figures of the people present and their respective actions. Centered on the fallen staff, the closest figure was the dizzy mouse-like humanoid, whose head was spinning. Behind him stood the tall elder scribe, whose blood-soaked leg wound had already healed. Had she used up the last half of her life essence? At a crucial moment, she truly proved reliable—yet why hadn't she brought her rifle? Zhang Yuanqing glanced elsewhere, toward the other side of the staff, near the edge of the plaza, where a short-statured man was crouching, ready to gather scattered items. In contrast, the queen of our side was also moving stealthily, following the sound of the falling staff toward its point of fall. The two armies exchanged glances, then surged forward together, charging toward the staff. By now, they had fought fiercely, their heads bleeding. The mouse people rose first and launched a volley of toxic darts at Guan Ya, who, as a scout, had anticipated this move and swiftly sidestepped, just grazing the darts—though at the cost of losing her initial advantage. This was precisely why she hadn’t brought her rifle for close combat: if she had, she might have been unable to avoid the darts. The item carried a side effect of bringing misfortune, and Li Chunfeng’s explosive rifle, too, would have unsettled her. The mouse people then moved swiftly and agilely toward the staff, only to have two rings strike the dark staff with a clinking sound, propelling it several feet away, just as their hands reached out, leaving them unable to grasp it. Thud... thud... thud... The plain-dressed man rushed toward the staff, tapping his finger sharply to cast a spell, creating the illusion that he remained in place. Just as he was about to touch the staff, a deep, resonant drumbeat suddenly rang out, penetrating his very consciousness. "Boom... boom... boom..." The vibrant drumming echoed through the air, piercing the listeners' minds and disrupting their awareness, stirring up instinctive emotions of apprehension, panic, and fear. It was the drum sound from the Cat King speaker! This was indeed a powerful supportive item, but Zhang Yuanqing rarely used it—because the drumbeat was a range-based attack, and only the owner could withstand it; teammates and enemies were vulnerable. If used improperly, it could inadvertently protect the enemies while inflicting heavy damage on allies. But now, such considerations were secondary. The plain-dressed man felt momentarily disoriented, instinctively reaching to kneel and then turning to flee. Yet, as a skilled illusionist, he possessed strong mental resilience, quickly recovering from the mental disturbance and emitting a sharp, piercing scream. The cries instantly woke everyone. At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing leaped forward, delivering a fierce flying knee that struck the flat-headed man squarely in the chest. Thud! The illusionist was sent flying backward, crashing hard into the earth wall behind, sending dust cascading down. He clutched his chest, curled up on the ground, and could no longer rise. Zhang Yuanqing didn't have time to follow up with a finishing blow nor to bend down to retrieve his staff, because through the vision granted by the Seer's Eye, he saw Li Xianzong silently approaching him—his leg muscles tensed, power flowing from above down to his toes. Crack! A powerful upward kick launched with explosive force, sending Zhang Yuanqing reeling backward, deflecting the attack. At the same time, his body defied the natural inertia of the backward motion, as though no preparation was needed, spinning mid-rotation and slicing across Li Xianzong's side, the bloodthirsty blade driving straight for the carotid artery. Even with Li Xianzong's extensive close-quarters combat experience, he had never seen anything like this. He immediately arched his spine, leaning his body in the opposite direction, then leapt with both legs, delivering a powerful kick toward the enemy. During this maneuver, two crimson streaks appeared in Li Xianzong's pupils. Zhang Yuanqing's mind buzzed, going completely blank. Seeing this, Li Xianzong's lips split into a fierce smile—as a master of combat, he had already foreseen Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn's fate. Suddenly, Zhang Yuanqing, caught off guard, inexplicably stepped back, narrowly avoiding the fierce kick. *Crack!* Li Xianzong's knee bounced, and the airborne side kick missed its mark, striking only the air. Impossible—Li Xianzong's face tightened. Then he sensed the sound of impact behind his head. Guan Ya had arrived. The old court maid used her left leg as a pivot, slightly bent her knee, and delivered a powerful strike to Li Xianzong's head. Zhang Yuanqing heard a clear *crack*, and Li Xianzong's cervical vertebrae snapped. The head of the seductive demon bent at an odd angle, like a sandbag, and was thrown flying. At this sight, Zhang Yuanqing and the queen were filled with exhilaration—Guan Ya's strike had nearly secured victory. Tik-tik-tik... Zhang Yuanqing, stepping on his red ballet slippers, moved swiftly toward Li Xianzong, aiming to finish off this major threat. He chose not to use the Purification Staff, partly because of the red ballet slippers, and partly to paralyze Li Xianzong, thus creating an opportunity for Guan Ya. The mouse-like warrior grew anxious, lifting his bamboo tube and blowing out six venomous needles in quick succession. Under the guidance of the red ballet slippers, Zhang Yuanqing spun and leapt with agility, skillfully evading all attacks. Li Xianzong tilted his head, his eyes blazing red, fierce and sharp, and with a sudden clench of his arms, thick mist surged forth, enveloping his body. Guan Ya rushed forward to deliver a follow-up strike, only to find Li Xianzong no longer in his original position. "Ah..." A cry of agony echoed from In the midst of dire adversity, Li Xianzong made a desperate gamble, killing the plain-looking man, and the demonic spirit, enraged by the bloodshed, went berserk. "Indeed, only through slaughter do I find joy, only through slaughter can I triumph in every battle." A satisfied sigh drifted through the thick mist. "This one..." Guan Ya's face grew serious. Suddenly, she sensed the mist ahead stirring, as though enemies were approaching, and then a swift, powerful punch came crashing in. Guan Ya had already retreated, arms crossed over her chest. Thud! Her arms ached violently, her feet wobbled, and she nearly stumbled. "Yuan Shi, his strength has recovered at least eight parts," Guan Ya roared, forcing herself to steady her stance, and then swept her long legs across in a wide arc. The mist trembled violently—but nothing materialized. A gust of wind blew from the side, and Guan Ya stiffened, drawing back and turning, launching a punch. Crack! The impact of the two punches sent her hearing the snap of her own finger bones; the pain was so sharp that tears nearly spilled over. With the disparity in strength, her martial skills could not restore her advantage, and the dense fog obscured her vision, placing her at a defensive disadvantage. She had no chance. "Boom!" A deafening explosion erupted, its shockwave carrying flames, sweeping away the fog. In her peripheral vision, Guan Ya caught sight of Li Xianzong charging toward her. Under pressure, instead of retreating, she advanced, sidestepping the blade that came slicing at her, and collided into Li Xianzong's embrace—yet only caused him to stagger slightly, failing to knock him back. Worse still—Guan Ya, a master of combat, felt her resolve sink deeply. Li Xianzong snarled, tightening his arms around her neck, his butterfly knife sweeping toward her slender, white neck. "Li Xianzong!" Zhang Yuanqing's face instantly hardened. As the butterfly knife neared her white neck, it suddenly halted—Li Xianzong's wrist was caught by a water whip. The other end of the whip was held firmly in the Queen's hands. The explosion just now cleared away a patch of dense fog, allowing her to see the situation here. Zhang Yuanqing pressed the second button on the "King Cat" speaker, and instantly, a powerful, urgent set of suona melodies erupted—each note sharp and piercing, each one soaring with intensity, capable of shattering stone. Blood vessels surged across Zhang Yuanqing’s pupils, his muscles swelled instantly, and veins beneath his skin burst forth like those of a bull injected with adrenaline. The suona sound revived him briefly, lifting him back to his peak despite his frail condition. However, the suona’s negative effects were severe—akin to a tactic that costs the attacker as much as it defeats the enemy—typically reserved only for life-or-death moments, since it often left him himself wounded before defeating the foe. Ticking, ticking, ticking! With his red ballet shoes, he surged forward with an unprecedented speed, leaving a trail of shimmering afterimages, rushing toward Li Xianzong, his sharp willow blade aimed at the man’s temple. Li Xianzong’s wrist was caught by the "lashing" motion, and immediately he pushed the woman in his arms—Guan Ya—hard toward Zhang Yuanqing. Li Xianzong broke free from the whip, snapped his legs, and charged forward: "You're really going all out, are you? Come on!" "Come on!" Zhang Yuanqing punched Li Xianzong hard, sending him flying. Then he grabbed Guan Ya and ran, heading toward the outer plaza. "Can you really escape?" Li Xianzong landed lightly, unharmed, and smiled coldly as he prepared to pursue. Suddenly, the mouse-man cried out: "Li Xianzong! Something carrying the staff has fled!" Li Xianzong was startled and immediately abandoned his pursuit, turning to follow the sound, sensing the movement of the mist. In his perception, the staff rose on its own—its one end arched upward, the other dragging along the ground—racing swiftly away. "An ethereal form?" he scoffed, continuing to chase the staff while drawing a circular plastic needle container from his sleeve and withdrawing a slender, dark needle. The needle emitted a fierce, chilling aura. The fleeing staff suddenly stiffened, then clattered to the ground. The ethereal form that had been dragging it seemed startled and vanished. On the other hand, Zhang Yuanqing immediately sensed Xiao Doubi’s fear—the fear of crying out. Indeed, Li Xianzong had prepared special tools to counter powerful spiritual beings. Zhang Yuanqing’s last hope vanished, solidifying his resolve to flee. His escape was merely a distraction; his true objective was to manipulate Xiao Doubi into retrieving the staff, thus testing whether Li Xianzong had any specific means against spiritual entities. If Li Xianzong were merely feigning strength, Zhang Yuanqing would have no hesitation in using the red veil. Unfortunately, after their encounter at Ping Tai Hospital, Li Xianzong had witnessed the power of the ghost bride firsthand and had secretly prepared countermeasures. Oh well, he’d have to gamble on his hidden reserves. Zhang Yuanqing unfolded the second form of the red ballet shoes, issued his command to pursue and eliminate Li Xianzong, then turned around without looking back, pulling Guan Ya firmly toward the exit. As they rushed out of the square, the Queen followed, pale-faced, her eyes reflecting a growing sense of quiet despair. “Have we not been fighting?” “What are we fighting for?” Guan Ya managed a wry, bitter smile. She immediately turned to Yuan Shi, whose muscles were taut and face flushed—a clear sign of potential activation, a method that could not last. Once the effect wore off, his condition would likely be poor. The queen clenched her lips tightly. The conversation between the two had been heard by Lili Yuan Shangcao and Li Chunfeng, who now looked dimmed, their eyes losing their luster and their expressions growing pale. Zhang Yuanqing waved a hand, "Be quiet. Listen to me. Immediately gather the Fire Deity Star Army and the one who eats lotus roots, and take the water route back to our previously agreed-upon tactical meeting point. Queen, can you manage us?" The queen nodded with a subdued expression, "So you're suggesting we adopt a guerrilla strategy, using the vast space of the realm to keep them engaged?" Li Chunfeng furrowed his brow. While this tactic was a last-resort stand, it was the best they could do at the moment—survival would be a matter of time. "Stop talking and act now," Zhang Yuanqing said. He remembered Li Xianzong had a charm item capable of dispelling curses—the red ballet shoes wouldn’t hold on for long now; time was life. As for the existence of the hidden item, he hadn’t revealed it to his teammates, since he still didn’t know its properties. Sometimes, rare items aren’t necessarily powerful in terms of offensive output. If the hidden item turned out to be something with a unique function, his teammates would lose their composure entirely, and lose the mindset of a mobile defense strategy. Yes, if the hidden item couldn’t turn the tide, he’d have to fight Li Xianzong on the move. Immediately, Lili carried the fire master, Li Chunfeng carried the lotus eater, and the group leapt into the river. The water was cool and clear, and the queen moved with the grace of a fish, skillfully directing four strong currents that pushed the teammates forward swiftly, toward their point of origin. … Li Xianzong bent down to pick up his staff, then knelt on both knees, bowing deeply before the red ballet shoes. In an instant, the newly acquired dance shoes turned gray and frail, their attack frequency and foot pressure diminished. Hmph, the robe only counters it—this is a piece of equipment possessing power at the Saint's stage! This pair of red dance shoes must be a true gem; once I defeat the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, they'll be mine. Li Xianzong withdrew his intense gaze and instead checked the staff's information: 【Name: Withering Staff】 【Type: Weapon】 【Function: Curse】 【Description: The weapon of the Toxic Valley's master. Every three years, the master sacrifices thousands of lives, gathering their blood into a pool to nourish this staff. One day, the Yin-Yang Hermit heard of the master's crimes, came to the Toxic Valley, ended his life of wrongdoing, and took away this artifact.】 【Note 1: Activate the gem at the top of the staff to cast a curse upon all beings within a 50-meter radius.】 【Note 2: Can unleash a curse upon the target that has harmed the staff itself—revenge with teeth and blood.】 ] [Note 3: Whenever you use it, you owe it a thousand lives.] What a powerful artifact! With this, I won't just be able to hold my own against the extraordinary stage—against even a fifth-tier Saint-level being, I can engage and delay them for a while. As for large-scale slaughter dungeons, I'll be the one who stands out, the top scorer. Li Xianzong's eyes narrowed, and a surge of exhilaration spread across his face. Large-scale slaughter dungeons are ranked by scores, and while many spiritual realm travelers advance successfully each year, the real spotlight shines on those who rank in the top ten. Travelers who make it into the top ten are invariably future Saint-level talents—just like the four princes of the Five Elements Alliance, who themselves occupy that top tier. Ordinary stewards, on the other hand, may reach Saint-level status but remain outside the top ten. Nevertheless, the cost of this artifact is staggering... Li Xianzong subdued his joy and furrowed his brow. Once he begins using this item, he must pay the cost of one thousand lives after three years—subject to a merit value cap. How many merit points will it take? Ten thousand! Even if he starts doing good deeds now and never stops, he may not accumulate that many merit points in time. Could he gift it to someone else before the three-year deadline? No—then it would be too simple. Such a high-tier item wouldn't have such a major flaw. The mouse person chuckled beside him, "I was right, wasn't I? This item is absolutely extraordinary. Boss, those two women just now were absolutely stunning—could I have them tied up and play with them for a while?" With a tongue flicking against his lips and a gleam of lust and desire in his eyes, the mouse person leaned in, eager. Li Xianzong, now holding the top-tier item, felt elated. He endured the pressure of the red heels pressing down and smiled warmly, "Certainly! If you want to play with men, I have no objection at all." "The mouse-people immediately said, 'Then let's hurry up and chase them. These youngsters want to play guerrilla tactics—ah, what a dream!'... After two consecutive breaths of air taken while floating, Zhang Yuanqing, through the suspended fine particles in the river water, spotted a coffin appearing ahead. He promptly tapped the queen's翘臀, pointing toward the coffin and indicating that they should proceed. The queen turned to look back, her expression puzzled. She had searched this stretch of water thoroughly, even stirring up the silt at the riverbed—when exactly had a coffin appeared? She didn't know about the hidden quest, nor did she understand the young adventurer's treasure-hunting skills. She hadn't grasped at first why Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun had chosen to investigate this area. Now, she suddenly felt a bit clearer. Yet—how had he known about it in advance? What lay inside the coffin? The queen swayed her hips with graceful fluidity, like a fish, guiding the group to stop in front of the coffin. She gestured upward, indicating that they should climb up. Zhang Yuanqing and the others then moved their limbs, rising gently in the current, and finally lightly reached the shore. Zhang Yuanqing staggered to his feet, pale as a sheet, his expression weary and drained, as though his strength had been completely siphoned away. The relentless, high-intensity combat, the purification from the Fumigation Staff, the explosion of the gloves, the wind instruments from the Cat King speaker—had nearly exhausted him. He hadn’t collapsed outright, thanks only to the robust vitality of the Night-Wanderer Spirit. As soon as he steadied himself, a loud "hiss" echoed behind him—the powerful surge of water pushed the coffin out of the water, carrying it to the shore. The Queen then leapt out, different from the damp, water-streaked Guan Ya. She remained completely dry. "What is this?" Li Chunfeng approached the coffin, studying it closely. It was a wooden coffin nearly two meters tall, its black finish weathered and water-stained, unremarkable in every way. "Now isn’t the time to collect trash," Lili Yuan Shang urged. "We must focus on survival." At that moment, Li Chunfeng, Guan Ya, and the Queen all turned their attention to Zhang Yuanqing, each of them appearing thoughtful. Zhang Yuanqing finally spoke, his voice weak: "Whether the hidden mission can turn around depends entirely on what we uncover." At this, the four present were struck with a surge of renewed hope, as if they had just found themselves in a life-saving moment. Had he really kept this secret all along? The Queen took a sharp breath: "Let's open it up." Li Chunfeng was already eager to push the coffin lid, but no matter how hard he strained, the coffin remained stubbornly closed. He turned back to Zhang Yuanqing with growing urgency: "It won't budge! What now? Is the condition not yet met? What is the hidden mission?" Guan Ya also turned to Zhang Yuanqing, her expression increasingly anxious. Time was running out—Li Xianzong was closing in at every moment, and with just one staff wave, he could bring the entire room to a standstill. Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate. He retrieved a circular white jade from his inventory and placed it gently on the coffin lid. The ordinary white jade emitted a soft glow, spreading across the coffin, and then gradually faded into invisibility. Zhang Yuanqing, his hand trembling from exhaustion, pressed it against the coffin lid. With a smooth motion, he pushed it open. Everyone's gaze instantly turned toward the interior of the coffin.