Of course, regarding the claim that the evil organization has prepared fine wine and cuisine, eagerly awaiting the moment when Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun's spiritual realm collapses—Guan Ya merely regarded it as a jest. Yet, the evil organization must certainly be waiting for the outcome, and harboring a strong expectation that Yuan Shǐ will indeed perish in the spiritual realm. After all, as the champion of the tournament, Yuan Shǐ has, to a certain extent, emerged as a leading figure among the lawful, order-oriented professionals at the extraordinary stage. Once such a player matures, he might well become another Fu Qingyang. Li Dongze said seriously, "Guan Ya, keep in touch. If I can't reach Yuan Shǐ by 12:30, I'll immediately notify the centurion—we may need to convene a meeting." The meeting will naturally focus on discussing "Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun's successful return" and "arranging personnel to impersonate Yuan Shǐ." Given Yuan Shǐ's current fame and stature, if he truly perishes in the spiritual realm, it would certainly not be sufficient to simply issue a press release. It would instead constitute a major public relations crisis. Although Li Dongze had great confidence in Yuan Shi, as a mature leader, one must always be well-prepared for any unforeseen events—this includes psychological readiness. At that moment, Wang Tai said, "That's incredible! The crisis in which the Magus nearly died doesn't necessarily mean Yuan Shi will surely perish. Setting aside combat strength and equipment, the Magus isn't a well-rounded master; he might be completely at a loss in a situation that's straightforward and even basic to others. What seems like a complex challenge to him may simply be common sense to someone else. Your concerns are well-founded, but there's no need to become paralyzingly anxious. The idea that the Magus believes he must die in a certain quest—something Yuan Shi has absolutely failed to overcome—is simply absurd, bordering on low intelligence." Guan Ya and Li Dongze were taken aback, thinking it rare for Wang Tai to speak so openly and at length. "Although perhaps...," Guan Ya said, still a bit stunned, "your points are very convincing. But we never actually said the last part." Wang Tai, his hair disheveled and his gaze slightly dazed, said, "Oh," and added, "These uninformed forum pundits—those keyboard warriors—have been arguing against me, and I simply can't counter their points. So I've been passing their frustrations off on you two." Who gave you the courage to stand up to them? Guan Ya and Li Dongze stared at him expressionlessly. There's probably only one thing left—going out for a date with my girlfriend. Yet I don't have a girlfriend at all... Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself, then reached for his phone, only to find it had shut down due to low battery. He plugged the phone into the charger, and his eyes returned to the device. Opening the jade box, he found three small jade talismans resting inside. "Three—yes, that matches the time of the Magistrate's death...” Zhang Yuanqing had received his character card in April this year, and now it's been over two months. Therefore, the Magistrate's death must have occurred after that date. The jade box produces one talisman per month, and with three talismans inside, the count aligns perfectly with the time of the Magistrate's passing. "Let me find a time to use one talisman to verify its effect—no need to test it in reality. I'll try returning to the spiritual realm instance. Among the ones I've visited, Yin-Yang Town doesn't require a return visit. I'll pick between Jin-Shui Amusement Park and the Temple of the Mountain God." "By the way, does this actually work to transport me back to places I "What would happen if I were to return to my mother's womb?" Zhang Yuanqing had only thought it through casually—he had no concrete plans, after all, having been born 21 years ago and no longer a baby weighing just a few pounds. If he truly went back, his mother would likely pass away right then and there. He set aside the transmission jade box, removed his soiled, tattered clothes and pants, and wearing a four-cornered trousers, walked into the living room and headed to the bathroom. With the sound of water rushing, Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts flowed freely. "At this time of day, Grandma isn't at home—she must have gone out to buy groceries. For someone of her age, how could she possibly eat a meal if her precious grandson went missing for 24 hours?" After bathing and dressing in a clean short-sleeve shirt and sports pants, Zhang Yuanqing unplugged his phone, walked through the living room, and opened the security door with a clear destination in mind—heading to a high-end restaurant outside the community to enjoy their signature dish, yellow-braised chicken. Having gone without eating for 24 hours, he was fast approaching starvation. As soon as Zhang Yuanqing opened the security door, he noticed the one across the way had also opened, and a middle-aged man in a beach pants and a beach short-sleeve stepped out—clearly embodying the word "stylish." "Hey, Yuanzi, you're so dazed, like you haven't even woken up yet, dragging yourself like you've been drained dry!" Uncle immediately launched into a clumsy rap upon seeing the successor of his legacy. Then he chuckled and said, "Finally, you've come to your senses—knowing to go out and stay with a girlfriend. That makes me really happy." Zhang Yuanqing stared at his uncle, who was all in bloom, and sighed, "Uncle, your outfit—does it mean you're heading off to some remote retreat for vacation? Wait—what did you just say? Staying in a hotel room?" "This summer's weather has been so awful, I've actually thought about going to a remote place to escape the heat. Beach pants really go with this kind of weather," explained the uncle, then winking and furrowing his brows. "Yu'er said you've started dating. Yesterday, you stayed out overnight with your girlfriend. Your Could she have actually lied to my grandparents on my behalf? Zhang Yuanqing added, "When I have my own child someday, I'll have him learn rap from my uncle." The uncle was delighted and handed him a bright red bill, symbolizing the transmission of the legacy. ... "That's quite dramatic, isn't it? Twenty-three unanswered calls?" In the bustling restaurant, with the wind howling, Zhang Yuanqing clutched his phone, now at only 9% charge, wide-eyed in astonishment. Among the calls, five were from his grandmother, the rest from Guan Ya. Though this was part of the standard procedure, calling twenty-three people in a row seemed excessive—Zhang Yuanqing began to suspect his phone had been deliberately turned off by her. The "Silence Village" quest was indeed perilous, but to outsiders, Master Yuanshen had merely entered an A-tier quest. He mused, could Guan Ya's feelings for him have grown so profound? Just then, his phone rang—this time, the caller was Guan Ya. Zhang Yuanqing lifted a corner of his mouth, picked up the phone, cleared his throat, and teased, "Guan Ya, I never knew you cared so much about me. Wow, the depth of your kindness—only an eighteen-centimeter offering can repay it." Yet, Guan Ya didn't respond as he had expected—either eight or eighteen centimeters, I'd like to personally verify that. Or perhaps: will your repayment be like a department store's clearance sale, with everything marked down to 50% off? Guan Ya's voice carried joy, excitement, and a sense of relief tinged with weariness: "Yuanshi, you've finally come out! That's wonderful, that's wonderful..." Hmm? Zhang Yuanqing paused, "What's going on?" Guan Ya didn't reply immediately but shouted, "Shangzhang, Yuanshi has finally arrived!!" A few seconds later, Zhang Yuanqing heard Li Dongze's rather unrefined voice: "Good heavens, Yuanshi! In terms of the quest missions, you've never failed to impress. You're a genius—truly a top-tier genius." "Commander, your voice is too loud—I didn't quite catch what's going on. Could you please explain it more gracefully?" Soon, Zhang Yuanqing learned from Li Dongze about the rumors stirred by Yin Ji's remarks and the concerns of Guan Ya and the others. The魔君misjudged the key point—he should have been just like me, thinking that only by defeating the village's boss could they pass the stage. By the time he realized it, he was already half-dead... My very survival at the hands of the Princess was entirely due to luck—likely the same for the魔君when he first faced the situation. Fu Qingyang has a large team of assistants—ranging from daily matters like food, clothing, housing, and transportation, cared for by a group of elegant rabbit-dressed attendants, to the management of his companies and the smooth operation of the White Tiger Guard, handled by dedicated management teams and strategic advisors who work tirelessly on his behalf. Fu Qingyang didn't look at him, continuing to swing his sword, yet his brows were slightly furrowed and his expression cold, as though deeply displeased with Ling Jun's sudden intrusion. Ling Jun exhaled, smiling gently: "Your sycophant has finally stepped out of the quest." Fu Qingyang paused in his sword motion, stopped for a few seconds, then resumed his previous rhythm, calmly responding, "Understood." His tone was composed, as if this were an unremarkable matter, and the earlier anger had already faded from his face. His sword movements were smooth and natural, fully focused. Ling Jun lounged against the doorframe, showing no sense of wanting to retreat, instead opening up about the matter with enthusiasm: "To be honest, it feels both unexpected and yet perfectly predictable. I remember telling you once that the Prime Immortal is rather unusual. After getting to know him personally, I have to admit he's quite talented, but my instinct tells me he's not quite as exceptional as the magistrates, the female general, or those other brilliant, unconventional figures—yet somehow, he keeps outperforming them, time and again." Fu Qingyang said calmly, "I've always thought your intuition was that you'd definitely meet a woman who shared your temperament today." "Oh, are you mocking me—a frivolous young man, claiming to understand geniuses? You're a cold, expressionless face, yet you're always trying to impress people with your airs and your sharp tongue." "I'd rather punch you!" Hearing this, Ling Jun straightened his expression. "I'll have to report this matter to the Dog Elder and also clear up the rumors circulating on the forum." "You keep practicing your sword techniques—I'll be off now..." ... #The Magus King and the Master of Taifan both shook their heads, wondering how the Prime Celestial Sovereign would navigate this crisis# #The branch office of Songhai claims the Prime Celestial Sovereign entered an A-level quest—how credible is that claim?# #If the Prime Celestial Sovereign perishes within the quest, it could pose a significant public relations challenge for the official side# #Clarification: Taifan's official statement denies that the Master ever said such things# #Some members of Taifan's team are genuinely unkind, taking pleasure in the situation's hardships on their forums# #What kind of quest is the Silent Village, given that it has received such high praise from both the Magus King and the Master of Taifan?# Zhang Yuanqing, full and satisfied, returned to his bedroom and lay down on the bed, scrolling through forum posts. Within half an hour, he came across over a dozen discussions about "the Prime Celestial Sovereign and the quest," with official representatives from various branches engaging in heated debates. Besides a small number of psychologically reserved individuals who quietly express a touch of envy, most people are deeply concerned about the safety of Yuanshǐ Tianzun. Among these, two factions have emerged. One group believes that a quest receiving such high praise from the Magistrate and the Taiyuan Master must be exceptionally perilous—Yuanshǐ Tianzun is likely to meet with serious misfortune, a truly tragic outcome. The other group holds that since Yuanshǐ Tianzun has already successfully completed an S-tier quest, this current one should pose no real threat, and perhaps even the Magistrate himself is less adept at handling such quests than Yuanshǐ Tianzun. The two sides then begin presenting data, engaging in well-reasoned and heated debates. I hadn't anticipated such high levels of enthusiasm... Zhang Yuancheng now has a deeper appreciation for his growing reputation. Today is different from the past. Now, every move he makes draws attention—not only from his colleagues, but also from the evil organizations—making him as recognizable as a rising star. While fame brings status, it also comes with its share of complications. The most direct phenomenon is being envied and resented. Within the Five Elements Alliance, there are numerous members who harbor hostility and jealousy toward him, and within the Taimei Sect, the number is even greater. Especially after his victory in the arena competition, his popularity among the general public in the Taimei Sect has significantly declined. For instance, he recently came across a post praising the Taimei Night-Wanderer deity with a sense of satisfaction and relief. The poster had included screenshots of official statements from the Taimei Sect's forum, embedded within the post. "Our Master never claimed that the dungeon was a certain death mission—how could the Master have said that, when the Prime Immortal could still survive? Then the Five Elements Alliance should prepare for a feast!" "Even the Demon King admitted he came close to dying in the dungeon, surviving only by sheer luck. The Prime Immortal is likely to fall—luck isn't something that can be compensated for with intelligence." "Please be more mindful of your tone—your acidity has even reached outer space. We'd all be grateful if the Prime Immortal returns alive. The Five Elements Alliance and the Taimei Sect are allies, and in fact, the greatest beneficiaries of the Lost Village's spiritual realm guide are "A-level raids—we might never encounter them in our lifetimes. Besides, there are already nine thousand nine hundred extraordinary-stage spiritual realm raids; missing one isn't exactly a catastrophe." "Of course we're falling short. Who would mind having more raid guides? But who says we have to rely solely on the Primordial Sovereign?" "The Five-Element Alliance has constantly promoted the Primordial Sovereign as a raiding genius, setting up his persona—now he's completely collapsing." Comments beneath the post: ["The King has a complaint: The people from Taiyuan Gate simply envy the Primordial Sovereign."] ["Longer days lie ahead: Probably out of love turned to resentment, after all, the Primordial Sovereign is the man they can't reach."] In contrast, the female members express much stronger sentiments. ["Call me Queen: These people have me up all night, waking up only to hear their sarcastic remarks."] ["The Consort: I'd love nothing better than for the Primordial Sovereign to perish in a raid. I'm going to register an account on Taiyuan Gate's forum and unleash my fury on them."] 】 【Jenny, the affectionate one: When the itineraries for Jinshui Water Park and Sheli Ling Tunnel were first released, Taiyuan came to us shy-faced, asking for the guides. Now, does he have the courage to claim he doesn't rely on Yuan Shi Tianzun's guidance to conquer the副本?】 Upon reading this, Zhang Yuancheng simply exited the post. He began seriously considering whether to submit the guide for the Silent Village quest. Based on the rewards outlined in the task completion, as long as the Silent Village is successfully cleared, he is certain to obtain replicas of the three items; completing the hidden quest would add three additional instances of each item. Once the guide is shared, the difficulty of clearing the Silent Village will drop from its current level to B, or even C, yet the rewards are so substantial they are truly impressive. Thus, if this guide is delivered to Taiyuan Sect, any Night-Wanderer entering the Silent Village in the future will instantly rise to the rank of the most elite transcendents—though this elite status may not last long. Zhang Yuancheng reflected upon whether, should he face an opponent who controls the three items of the Silent Village He would never forget that the official side had both good people and villains like Chi Yue An. "The Silent Village is a sacred realm exclusively for the Night-Wanderers. The Five Elements Alliance's Waywalkers cannot enter—it's only when they hand over their exploration plans that they see any immediate results. Over time, however, as years pass, more and more Night-Wanderers gradually accumulate in the Silent Village, and the number of replica items for the three key artifacts grows steadily. As a result, the Five Elements Alliance's extraordinary Waywalkers have become nothing but junior members in front of the Taimei Gate..." Thinking of this, Zhang Yuanqing already had a plan. He wouldn't give in! He refreshed the forum, and a red-highlighted, pinned post pulled his scattered thoughts back. #Good News: Just received an update from the Songhai Branch—Master Yuan Shi has successfully passed through the Silent Village# He then noticed that the post's views and replies were rising at a pace visible to the naked eye. Now, a large number of people were gathered at the forum, waiting for updates. 【Go Day, Long Days: Hahahaha, I knew Yuan Shi wouldn't easily fall. He's a true talent who's already conquered two 】 【Jiang Yang: Regarding raid dungeons, Yuan Shi Tian Zun never fails to deliver—look at his performance in the raid events; it's clear he doesn't easily fall during raids.】 【Call me Queen: Ah ah ah ah~】 【Binglang Plus Yinli Force: Honestly, I'm curious—what kind of raid dungeon allows a demon king to survive only by sheer luck? The records don't mention it at all.】 【South Edinburgh: Uh, probably hasn't been written yet—let's just wait a bit.】 A few minutes later, the Queen posted another comment: 【Call me Queen: The people from Tai Men have already asked about raid guides on their forum—what a shame! But they're so proud of themselves, hahahaha (crossing arms, laughing).】 【The Consort: I'm not giving them the satisfaction (sighs angrily).】 【The Sovereign is Unwell: Guides should still be provided—after all, they're allies, right? We can't just ignore them.】 The opinions of the lower-level staff simply couldn't influence the decisions made at the top. The sentiments of the Night-Wanderers were no different. … "Old dog, I heard from my assistant that Yuan Shi Tian Zun has appeared?" At the pet shop, the dog elder crouched at the table, his black button eyes fixed on the smartphone screen, where the caller was displayed as—Confused Old Sun! "Isn't that entirely expected?" the dog elder replied, his tone as if a parent proudly recounting how their son, who had just finished elementary school, scored a perfect 100. "Yuan Shi wouldn't falter in a mere A-tier dungeon. Only an S-tier challenge could truly test him." But when he opened the computer and searched for "the Village of Silent Speech," the result that appeared was: "No relevant content found." "Yuanshi probably hasn't finished writing the guide yet; I'll ask Qingyang to check," said the Dog Elder.