Did he hear a phantom voice? Zhang Yuanqing stood motionless, his face stiff with disbelief. His first thought was that he was experiencing a hallucination—the soft murmuring at his ears was not real, but rather a result of some force affecting him internally. After all, no one outside his family would know his father’s name, so it was most likely that the voice came from within him. Yet why specifically his father’s name? If it were a kind of magical influence affecting him, it should have stirred something deeply yearning within him—something he didn’t particularly cherish. He had only a vague memory of his father, who had passed away years ago. "Zhang Zizhen, you're leaving again—such a faithless little man..." The whisper at his ear suddenly grew sharp and plaintive, like that of a woman abandoned and grieving. Zhang Yuqing tightened his nerves, silently reciting "If the heart is as clear as ice, even if the heavens collapse, I shall remain calm," and quickened his pace, finally stepping out of the zoo gates alongside Fu Qingyang. Instantly, the whisper faded away. Zhang Yuqing dared not pause or look back, rushing straight to the luxurious vehicle. Only after the car had started and driven far away did he dare to glance back. The night sky was heavy, and the zoo's outline emerged and receded in the darkness, quiet and eerie. "Ah!" Zhang Yuqing exhaled deeply, relieved, thinking—how strange, even the Dog Elder's zoo must be quite otherworldly. Fu Qingyang sat calmly in the spacious armchair, his gaze a mixture of wonder and seriousness, asking, "Did you hear something?" Zhang Yuqing hesitated in his words, "A name that shouldn't have been mentioned—Captain. I suspect I've been under a spell. I just don't know who cast it upon me." Fu Qingyang picked up the cigar, half-drawn, lit it himself, exhaled a thick stream of white smoke, and said, "The foundation of illusion magic lies in triggering emotions, targeting the most vulnerable aspects of the human heart. Was the name you heard your inner vulnerability?" The core ability of an illusionist actually lies in guiding and stirring the emotions of the target—being able to instantly perceive the target's inner weaknesses. For this reason, a saint-level illusionist, known as the Master of Dreams, is often referred to as a 'heart-terror'. Zhang Yuanqing's expression froze slightly, and he slowly shook his head. Fu Qingyang continued to exhale the white smoke, "Then it's not illusion magic at all." Not illusion magic... Zhang Yuanqing's lingering doubts were confirmed, yet he remained neither uplifted nor relieved, his voice low and steady. "If what I heard wasn't illusion magic, then—then who is speaking to me? Could it be that staff members from the zoo, or perhaps some animal, were hidden around me all along?" Fu Qingyang once again dismissed this possibility. "No. Nothing was hidden around me at all." This is the judgment of a scout. Zhang Yuanqing fell silent. Fu Qingyang took a strong draw from his cigar, the smoke flowing steadily through his lungs and spilling out in a dense, steady plume. "With the staff and animals eliminated, and Dog Elder also ruled out, it's clear who's speaking," he said, his tone unusually low as he looked at Zhang Yuanqing. "The zoo is a rule-based artifact—capable of self-awareness." By this point, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't have missed the implication. Was it the zoo itself speaking softly in my ear? Did it recognize my father? Was my father... a traveler of the spiritual realm?! Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head, trying to conceal the slight distortion in his expression. The conclusion was profoundly震撼—so overwhelming that he found it hard to accept. If my father was indeed a traveler of the spiritual realm, then he hadn't died in a car accident at all. How could a traveler of the spiritual realm have died so unexpectedly? The zoo recognized him—there must have been a connection between him and the zoo before. Perhaps he was the previous owner of this rule-based artifact. His level must be quite high... The zoo's soft murmurs at my side clearly treat me as if I were my father—has it mistaken me? How does it determine that I am Zhang Zizhen? By appearance? By aura? By bloodline? By character card? Appearance is ruled out—my appearance can hardly resemble my father's. The character card belongs to the Mage King, and the Mage King and my father were not contemporaries. What about bloodline? The zoo is a wooden spirit-themed item, and wooden spirits are naturally associated with reproduction and life-related abilities—so that makes sense. Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts grew increasingly clear. At the same time, he recalled the persistent headache he had been unable to diagnose, only to learn after meeting Mr. Bill that the cause was a soul trauma. Yet the issue remained: as an ordinary mortal, his world and the world of the spiritual travelers were two parallel lines that never intersected—how could he possibly sustain such a wound? Now he understood. Although the exact cause of his injury remains unclear, it at least shows that he is not entirely unrelated to the Spirit Realm world—there is a Spirit Realm traveler within his family background. As for my mother, is she also a Spirit Realm traveler? Zhang Yuanqing recalled the anxious, helpless expression his mother displayed when he suddenly fell ill. If she were a Spirit Realm traveler, she wouldn’t have reacted so urgently and stressed. Yet she quickly found him a pill for soul trauma treatment, indicating she had connections. Therefore, while she may not be a Spirit Realm traveler herself, she is well aware of their existence and has even built some relationships with them. Zhang Yuanqing gradually pieced together the story by connecting these details. Then, he suddenly remembered: as the current owner of the zoo, might the Dog Elder have any connection with his father? "Captain!" Zhang Yuanqing pulled himself back from his thoughts, "How did the Dog Elder acquire this rule-type item? Is there one such rule-type item for each of the leaders?" Fu Qingyang tapped the ash from his cigar and had always answered any questions from his trusted subordinates without hesitation: "The elder's information—well, that's beyond what I can trace. As for the matter of one item per person..." He glanced at Zhang Yuanqing. From the calm yet unimpressive disdain of the general, Zhang Yuanqing found the answer. The luxurious vehicle continued on its way. En route, Zhang Yuanqing sent a message to Xiao Green Tea, arranging to meet again at the usual spot. Then he asked Fu Qingyang for a cigar, held it in his hand without lighting it, and sat silently, gazing off into space, only taking a slow draw when the cigar was nearly extinguished. She was diligently brewing coffee, speaking softly, "Sit by the side for a while, just a few minutes, please." The words sounded so familiar... Zhang Yuanqing murmured, then casually chose a table and sat down. Soon, the Master of Zhishi Palace arrived with two cups of coffee, placed them on the table, propped her chin on her hands, and smiled gently. "You're coming to see me more and more often—have I become a favorite in your heart?" How often she manages to tease me! Zhang Yuanqing lifted his cup, took a sip, and immediately furrowed his brow. "Plain coffee?" He hated plain coffee—only bitter and sour. The Master of Zhishi Palace flashed a sly smile. Zhang Yuanqing sighed, saying, "Master, you're just like this cup of coffee I'm drinking." "What do you mean?" The Master of Zhishi Palace blinked, smiling. "Even though it's bitter, it's full of charm?" "No," Zhang Yuanqing said, laying the groundwork, then delivering the blow. "It's neither sweet nor creamy!" He took the opportunity to retaliate. The smile on the Master of the Stop-Kill Palace froze instantly, her eyes beneath the mask widening in surprise. Zhang Yuanqing shifted smoothly, speaking in a steady tone: "I'm going to see the Eye of the Demon tonight. The old monk has pressed him about the inner details of the Chu family's massacre, and he specifically requested to see me." He dared to mock her with such fiery words—there was clearly confidence behind it. Indeed, the Master of the Stop-Kill Palace immediately forgot about the coffee, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid and her body leaning forward sharply, her bright eyes fixed intently on Zhang Yuanqing. "What have you learned?" Zhang Yuanqing had rarely seen her this unsettled. She replied seriously, "The Ghost Blade Emperor and the Extinction Emperor were the ones who led the assault on the Chu family—Emperor Shu personally issued the order." "Shu..." The Master of the Stop-Kill Palace paused, then shook her head slowly. "The Chu family and the Commander's School are located in the north and south respectively, with no history of enmity. Simply being on opposite sides of the battlefield would not be enough to warrant Shu personally ordering the massacre of the Chu family." The Lady Master of the Stop-Kill Palace remained as still as a sculpture, motionless for a long while, before finally murmuring, "So it is...". She lifted her gaze to Zhang Yuanqing, her eyes shimmering with a distinct emotion, and softly said, "Thank you. You've finally unraveled the knot that has bound me for many years." The cause of the Chu family's massacre had always been an unresolved matter in her heart, and after twenty-two years, she finally understood the full context. Zhang Yuanqing replied, "In order to seek vengeance against the Night Rose, the Lady must know who her enemy is. Do you understand the properties of that rule-based artifact?" The Lady Master took her teacup, gently pressing her red lips against the white rim, sipped lightly, then set it down and recalled, "I have never personally examined the properties of that artifact, but the members of my clan who brought me to Songhai told me that it can revive the dead—whether the soul has been extinguished or the body has been reduced to dust, it can bring them back to life." "Its name is the 'Mother Goddess's Womb,' one of the most prestigious rule-based artifacts among musicians. To use it, two conditions must be met. First, one must have prepared the blood of the deceased—alive, active blood—specific in quantity, not merely a single drop. However, I am not certain of the exact amount required. Second, a descendant or a close loved one of the deceased must be offered as a sacrifice, in equivalent exchange. As soon as these two conditions are fulfilled and the artifact's rules are triggered, the deceased can be reborn and nurtured anew within the 'Mother Goddess's Womb,' with no force—neither the spiritual realm itself—able to stop it. It does, however, come with a limitation: once someone is reborn from the 'Mother Goddess's Womb,' they can never use it again. Each person has only one such opportunity—much like no one can return to their mother's womb for a second time." "The Master of Zhishi Palace explained: "When a traveler in the Spiritual Realm passes away, they return to the Spiritual Realm, meaning all their abilities are reclaimed by it. Thus, the blood before and after death differs. After death, the blood can no longer revive the physical body of a traveler in the Spiritual Realm. 'Active blood,' you may understand as blood drawn during life." Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Based on the usage rules of the items, can we reasonably infer that the leader of the Night Rose Clan had anticipated their own demise and thus made preemptive preparations?" "That's inevitable," the Master of Zhishi Palace said, frowning. "What would you like to say?" Zhang Yuanqing spoke with confidence: "From the prophecy of the Bright Compass, we can easily see that the War Lord chose to invest in the leader of the Night Rose Clan—this occurred twenty-one years ago. At that time, the leader of the Night Rose Clan must have possessed a certain rank and standing within the world of the martial arts circles; otherwise, the War Lord would not have chosen to invest in someone so insignificant." Then, by simply checking back twenty or even thirty years, we can identify which prominent, high-level night wanderers rose to prominence during that time—through elimination, we can thus pinpoint the identity of the leader of the Night Rose. Master Zhi Sha’s eyes suddenly brightened, and with enthusiastic addition: “The Taiyuan Sect, as the largest organization of night wanderers in the world, whether among the common people or in official circles, would surely notice and record any exceptionally gifted night wanderers. Through this channel, we can further narrow down the identity of the Night Rose’s leader.” She suddenly furrowed her brows: “However, although both the Taiyuan Sect and the Five Elements Alliance are official bodies, they are not always aligned. If you investigate this matter through the Five Elements Alliance, they will certainly take notice… At that point, the Taiyuan Sect might simply provide you with irrelevant or superficial materials to cover their tracks, while quietly conducting their own investigation. In effect, you would end up being the one wearing the bridal gown. Of course, if the Taiyuan Sect were to investigate directly, it would be feasible—though they would likely keep the information to themselves.” Unless he can develop a subordinate within the Taiden Gate! At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing had no better course of action, so he said, "We'll discuss this further." The Master of Zhishai Palace nodded slightly, "Right now, your priority is the match on the arena—don't expend your energy on these matters." Pausing, she suddenly asked, "The Mage-Eyed King must have a purpose when he sees you. You didn't mention that earlier." Zhang Yuanqing glanced away, avoiding her gaze. The Master of Zhishai Palace felt a weight settle in her chest, furrowed her brow, and said, "Say it!" Zhang Yuanqing looked helpless and replied, "He indeed has a purpose—he has placed a curse upon me, one that will cause me to transform into him. The Dog Elder examined my body afterward, but couldn't locate where the curse is hidden..." As soon as she finished speaking, the Master of Zhishai Palace pressed down on his shoulders. Immediately, a sharp stinging sensation spread across his skin. Turning his head, he saw countless wriggling red lines emerging from the Master's delicate, pale hands, like parasites, seeping into his body. Suddenly, Huanlin retracted the magical eye back into the palace's core, released her grip, and gritted her teeth, saying, "Indeed, no anomalies have been found... This magical eye is a mere loss. You shouldn't have met him." Zhang Yuanqing spoke with solemnity, "Given its connection to the Palace Master's long-standing emotional ties, I believe the risk is well worth it." The Palace Master paused, taken aback. Seeing that she was lost in thought, Zhang Yuanqing gently concluded his remarks and stood up, saying, "Don't worry about the curse—just take it step by step. Palace Master, I'll be off now." Without waiting for a response, Zhang Yuanqing began to walk out of the café. After walking a short distance, he turned back and noticed the café's lights were still on, unlike previous times when the lights would go out as soon as he left. "The final move was solid—she received credit without overstepping, leaving her to reflect quietly. Though Lingjun may be ordinary, his skills in handling women are indeed refined." "I can clearly sense that her attitude toward me has improved..." Zhang Yuanqing continued to walk farther away. … The next morning at nine, he opened the official forum to check the updates. Feng Laiyi was right—the today’s arena match had indeed been canceled. The official posted a notice: #Due to recent scheduling adjustments, today’s arena match is canceled#. It seems the headquarters truly intends to revise the competition format. Zhang Yuanqing, instead of being concerned, felt genuinely pleased. After all, this was good news for him. While he wasn’t confident in one-on-one duels, he had strong confidence in tackling dungeons. 【White Dragon: I heard from Yuan Ting that the official plans to send the top eight contestants into dungeons. They’re currently discussing the appropriate difficulty level for the dungeons.】 【Queen to Be: Ah, I heard this yesterday, but wasn’t sure. With even the main hall’s announcement confirming it, it’s likely true. Now, Yuan Shi Tian Zun will surely take first place.】 【Longer Days Ahead: @Queen to Be, could it be possible that the other seven contestants unite and eliminate Yuan Shi Tian Zun first?】 He's been consistently pessimistic about me, yet every word he says holds some merit. The players who make it to the quarterfinals are clearly sharp, and the dungeon matches aren't like stage competitions—expecting them to be fair and impartial is simply unrealistic. I do need to remain vigilant. Zhang Yuanqing scrolled through the comments for a while, then logged off from the forum. Since there's no need for today's stage match, he decided to find something else to do. Between choosing to see Xiao Yuan and visiting his mother, he hesitated for a long time. If his father truly is a Lingjing Traveler, then she must have concealed many things from him—after all, the very existence of Lingjing Travelers is a phenomenon beyond ordinary explanation. Moreover, I used to be just an ordinary college student; what good would it do to tell her that? If I reveal to her that I myself have become a Lingjing Traveler, perhaps she'll then share with me the truth about her past, explaining the origin of my persistent headaches. This would be best handled face-to-face once she returns home. If things go poorly over the phone and she simply hangs up, I’ll be completely at a loss. And in person, I can make use of the Insight Lens to observe her more closely. Zhang Yuanqing decided to visit Xiao Yuan. Following the advice of her life coach, she aimed to strengthen her relationship with Aunt Xiao Yuan while also gaining a better understanding of the challenges she was facing. The quiet hotel is located in the suburbs and is a modest establishment, targeting mid-to-lower-tier guests. In the past few years, several factories were nearby, bringing consistent foot traffic. Business has been fairly solid. However, since last year, due to the sluggish economic climate, several factories on the outskirts have closed down, leaving the area suddenly quiet. With nothing to do, a small, composed woman picked up her phone, tapped the profile of Yuan Shi Tian Zun, and typed: "Who's my match today?" She paused, deleted the message, and closed her phone expressionlessly. At that moment, the glass door of the hotel was pushed open, yet the entrance remained empty. A person unseen had entered.