"Do I need to come personally?" The Dog Elder sounded as if he hadn't quite caught it, asking again. He didn't think that even an S-tier quest at the transcendental stage would warrant his personal attendance. Fu Qingyang spoke with serious weight: "Yes!" At this, the Elder gave a dignified "Hmm," and hung up. His original intention remained unchanged, but based on his understanding of Fu Qingyang, he decided to make the trip. Fu Qingyang set down the phone and returned to the guest sofa. At that moment, Li Dongze was gently stroking the ghost doll, repeating in astonishment: "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness—rules-based items! Indeed, only A-tier or higher quests yield rules-based items. This is the second time I've personally handled such items." Seeing Fu Qingyang return, Li Dongze raised his hand to his lips, cleared his throat, and resumed his grace. Fu Qingyang's deep, luminous gaze turned to Zhang Yuanqing: "Tell me about the crises encountered in the quest." As he spoke, his eyes briefly scanned the three items. Zhang Yuanqing pointed to them and said, "These are the greatest crises within the副本, well, excluding the main boss." Guan Ya looked at the intricately carved yin jade doll and asked, "Isn't it the most dangerous one?" After all, it was a rule-based item. Unexpectedly, Zhang Yuanqing shook his head and said, "No, it's actually the least dangerous. As long as its rules are understood and resolved, the crisis is eliminated. As for the other two..." He recalled his fear when facing the paper figures, his expression immediately darkened. It seemed that Yuan Shi had been psychologically affected by this副本... The three scouts, observing carefully, sensed Yuan Shi's apprehension and thus gained a deeper, clearer understanding of the threat posed by the speechless village. Rule-based items were surprisingly simple—what remained were the other two items, either exceeding the limits of the extraordinary travelers or completely unsolvable. Ling Jun took a thin slice of ready-to-eat ham, ate it while asking, "What kind of being is the main boss of the speechless village?" "She's a Ming dynasty county lady!" Zhang Yuanqing replied. Lingjun’s eyes lit up, “Pretty, isn’t it?” Zhang Yuanqing’s eyes also sparkled, “Absolutely beautiful. And….” Guan Ya smiled politely but didn’t seem enthusiastic, interjecting, “And what?” I suspect she’s been taken advantage of by the Mage King—really, that man isn’t even human. Zhang Yuanqing nearly spilled his details about the Mage King’s lineage, so he quickly changed the subject. “And she has eyes similar to Guan Ya’s—lively, bright, like the most radiant gemstones in the world.” He said the last part while looking directly into Guan Ya’s eyes. Lingjun nodded with satisfaction—his example had clearly made an impact. “Er!” Fu Qingyang cleared his throat without much expression. Guan Ya was delighted, while her brother-in-law grew irritated. At that moment, the brown double-door wood entrance emitted a steady “thud-thud” sound as it was gently tapped. Fu Qingyang glanced toward it and said, “Please come in!” The rabbit maiden pushed the door open and stood at the threshold, her gaze slightly lowered at a forty-five-degree angle, bowing gracefully to make A fluffy teddy dog strides steadily along the red carpet into the study. The guests in the living room rise promptly, bowing respectfully, "Dog Elder!" The Dog Elder nods slightly, his dark button-like eyes sweeping across the room. Upon noticing the three props on the tea table, he pauses briefly, then shifts his gaze to Yuan Shi Tian Zun, smiling warmly. "I've already told them that the challenge the demonic king cannot overcome might be a breeze for you." Everyone else looks puzzled—expressing the sentiment, "You never mentioned it, yet I'm too hesitant to challenge it." Zhang Yuanqing immediately bows deeply, "Thank you, Elder, for your recognition and guidance!" The devoted dog... Lin Jun quietly turns his face away. The Dog Elder is satisfied, chuckling, "These three props—did you obtain them within the quest realm? Quite generous rewards, aren't they? Now, don't waste time—tell me, what's special about this quest realm that makes it necessary for me to come personally?" "Just as he finished speaking, he noticed the younger attendees all turning their attention to the props: 'Look yourselves!' With a gentle swipe of its paw, the Dog Elder summoned the three items, which floated gracefully into place, neatly arranged before it. Placing its paw gently on the forehead of the Yin-Yu doll, the audience clearly saw the teddy bear's dog-like face express a human-like sense of astonishment. Then, the Dog Elder swiftly moved its paw to the silver rouge box, eyes filled with quiet anticipation. After a few seconds of studying the box, it took a deep breath and raised its paw to rest on the bronze mirror. After reviewing the information of all three items, the Dog Elder lifted its dark eyes to Zhang Yuanqing and said, 'You, kid—every time you enter the realm, you always manage to create some complications.' The tone carried both appreciation and a touch of weary resignation. At the same time, Zhang Yuanqing added, 'If there's a guidebook, nearly every time we can pass through the Speechless Village with minimal damage.' "The Dog Elder exhaled slowly: 'This matter must be reported to headquarters!' ... In the pet shop, two cats were exchanging vigorous punches on their cat perch, their bodies swaying precariously on the high platform yet always maintaining a delicate balance, like skilled acrobats. Below the perch, a small draft-dog was dozing lazily, his snoring filling the air. Suddenly, a black-and-white husky burst in from the distance, crashing into the cat perch and toppling it—chaos erupted, with cats and dogs all barking and scrambling. Further away, at the dog water bowl, a border collie sat motionless, observing the scene as if watching a group of children with developmental delays. At that moment, the teddy bear by the desk spoke firmly: 'Be quiet!' The noisy pet shop instantly fell silent. The cats and dogs settled down on the floor, motionless, even the husky. Once the quiet was restored, the Dog Elder opened his phone directory and dialed the number for 'The Confused Old Sun.' " "Ding-ding~" The bell rang for a while before finally connecting. A voice from the speaker came through, that of Master Sun: "Have you settled on a price?" Master Dog replied, "Master Sun, there's been an issue with the strategy for the Silent Village route. I'm unable to make a decision on my own and need to report back to headquarters." The other end remained silent for a few seconds, and Master Sun asked cautiously, "Is there anything special about the Silent Village's spiritual realm quest?" Master Dog then explained the rewards for completing the quest, as well as the differences in difficulty levels between having and not having a strategy guide. As he finished speaking, he heard a slightly hurried breath from the phone. ... In the capital, in the four-compound courtyard. Master Sun, seated upright in his rocking chair beneath the locust tree, had just ended the call, yet still maintained the posture of listening. His gaze was fixed on a spot in the corner of the courtyard, his eyes not unfocused but instead shining brightly. For several dozen seconds, Sun Elder tossed his phone to the middle-aged assistant, "Immediately issue a formal summons under my name, convening all elders to meet at Wuyang Mountain." "How will we explain this to the elders?" asked the middle-aged assistant. "Tell them that the breakthrough in the Silent Village campaign might be the most significant opportunity since the founding of Taimei Monastery." With that, he dissolved into golden light and vanished into the sky. ... In a spacious conference room, soft lighting illuminated the newly installed conference table, with curtains drawn tightly, obscuring the view outside. The room's interior appeared exceptionally refined—so polished and refined that it seemed like a carefully curated showroom, from furnishings to equipment, exuding luxury and sophistication, yet clean and well-organized, as if it had never been used since it was set up. "Drip-drip~" Simultaneously, ten sleek metallic sensors mounted on the ceiling flashed yellow light. Then, one after another, beams of light descended, solidifying into figures of dignified and composed presence—some young and handsome, others graceful and radiant, some weathered and wise, others commanding and mature. There were also beings of non-human form, such as a fluffy terrier. At the head of the gathering stood a man in his forties, of ordinary appearance, neither striking nor exceptional in looks, yet exuding an indescribable nobility—like a calm and gentle king. Though neither tall nor muscular, he possessed an extraordinary solidity, simply sitting there with a quiet grace that conveyed a sense of immense, mountain-like strength and weight. The gathered attendees at the conference table turned to him and spoke in unison: “Grand Elder!” Grand Elder Di Hong of the Five Elements Alliance! He is the son of the current Chancellor of the Central Alliance, and the name “Di Hong” was personally bestowed upon him by the Chancellor himself as his spiritual realm ID. A 9-tier Sovereign, one of the strongest among the five Grand Elders of the Five Elements Alliance. This meeting was convened by the Grand Elder Di Hong. Representatives from the five organizations each sent two elders, totaling ten elders. Within the Five Elements Alliance, such a gathering is known as the "Council of the Ten Elders." It is the highest-ranking and most prestigious meeting below the Grand Master's council—the only meeting that the Grand Master can summon to bring together all the elders. The Council of the Ten Elders is not convened casually; when it is, there is invariably a significant matter at hand. This matter may not be urgent or negative, but it is certainly one that requires discussion and resolution. As the elders pondered the purpose of today's meeting, Grand Elder Di Hong spoke: "Master Yuan Shi, the Grand Elder of the Songhai Branch, has just returned from the Spiritual Realm. He brings with him a detailed guide for the Night-Wanderer's exclusive spiritual realm, the 'Silent Village' replica. This meeting requires us to reach a consensus on this matter." He paused, then continued slowly: "Should we sell this guide to the Taimei Sect?" Upon hearing the name of Master Yuan Shi of the Songhai Branch, the elders exchanged silent glances, each reflecting a sense of surprise. Among them, some met the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign through the arena competitions, while others only heard about him. Yet regardless of which group, none could comprehend how a transcendent night-wanderer could prompt the Grand Elder to convene the Assembly of the Ten Elders—one of the highest-level meetings within the Five Elements Alliance. And yet, the Grand Elder called for this meeting merely over a transaction involving a transcendent guidebook? Di Hong turned to the shaggy Teddy dog, speaking gently: "Senior Elder, could you please explain?" The other elders turned their attention to the only non-human present. The dog elder remained in a relaxed, crouched posture, speaking calmly: "By now, you must have heard the rumors circulating on the forum yesterday—the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign entered a quest called 'The Silent Village,' which is quite unusual." "We've heard all this before—just get to the point," urged a red-haired, sturdy man, growing impatient. The Dog Elder merely seemed to have heard nothing, continuing with his own pace: "According to Yuan Shi Tian Zun, that was a bug-level instance—now detached from the realm of the extraordinary. A regular Night-Wanderer Spirit entering it would surely perish. However, if properly prepared, the instance becomes quite manageable." "But merely that doesn't justify convening a special meeting. There must be a more significant reason, surely." A senior elder from the White Tiger army chuckled. "A-grade spiritual realm access is rare, but over time, eventually, enough individuals will enter—within a few years or decades, the Taimei Sect will accumulate a substantial number of qualified imitations." "If we sell them to the Taimei Sect, the transcendent-level Night-Wanderer deities will gain a decisive advantage when facing evil professions of the same rank. This could be a pivotal opportunity to reshape the current landscape, with the evil organizations' strength significantly diminished over the next decade." "Agreed—the base-level practitioners are the largest group, forming the foundation of all major organizations. Eliminating the transcendent evil professions effectively undermines their core." "But then, the Taimei Sect will grow stronger and inevitably compete with us for influence. Grassroots organizations and spiritual realm families will gradually align with them, and even the government may increasingly favor support for the Taimei Sect." "I think we can sell it, but I need to figure out how exactly to sell it..." At 10:30 p.m., Sun Miaomiao, freshly out of the shower, sat at her computer, a dry towel wrapped around her sleek, dark hair, wearing a cartoon nightgown, furrowing her brows as she browsed the Taimen official forum. From yesterday until today, the online-savvy woman had witnessed the Night-Wanderers' discussion about the Yuanshish Tianzun event—starting from a quiet, underhanded sense of relief and envy, shifting to a stubborn, "Well, really lucky!" or "The quest wasn't that hard!" attitude. She had also observed and participated in the heated exchanges and verbal sparring between members of the Wu-Xing Alliance and Taimen. "Really, they're still arguing—everyone seems so tense and passionate." The conflict had lasted all day, sparked by screenshots of the Night-Wanderers' sarcastic remarks being shared with the Wu-Xing Alliance. This morning, Yuanshish Tianzun made a strong comeback, turning the tables on everyone, prompting members of the Wu-Xing Alliance to rush to Taimen's forum and chat The critics from the Five Elements Alliance relentlessly mocked the Night-Wanderers of the Taiyuan Sect, repeatedly echoing, "Their faces must hurt so much." The Night-Wanderers, unable to counter these points, shifted gears and launched their own sharp retorts: "It's not like we haven't been working for the Taiyuan Sect!" "Just spend a little extra, and you'll have them obediently handing over their strategies." Sun Miao-miao sighed. What a bunch! These people are usually refined, courteous, and composed in person, but online, they behave like lawbreakers—completely unbridled. With this in mind, Sun Miao-miao logged into her account named "Sun Wukong" and typed rapidly: "Five Elements Alliance—complete dummies!" "I'm the mother of Yuan Shi Tian Zun!" "Yuan Shi Tian Zun stronger than the Demon King? Truly impressive—how about that! I'm stunned. Why didn't you say Yuan Shi Tian Zun is the sovereign of the Spiritual Realm?" "I'm really stuck on this Q-Chat." Sun Miao Miao wasn't deliberately targeting Yuan Shi Tian Zun; she simply enjoyed arguing. In real life, she was a well-behaved, sweet, and gentle princess—everyone watched her every move. Only online could she freely maneuver, launch attacks from a distance, and defeat opponents with the rapid tapping of her keyboard. She felt uncomfortable if she didn't vent her frustrations to someone every single day. And now, with this intense clash between the two parties unfolding so vividly, how could she miss it? "Absolutely refreshing!" Sun Miao Miao paused her swift keyboard typing, held the mouse to refresh the screen, and lifted her cup to drink water, as if just now she had unleashed a torrent of verbal outbursts. Suddenly, she spotted a new post—its title read: #Just saw this on the Wu Xing Alliance Forum—really?# What? Sun Miao Miao clicked on the post out of curiosity. Post content adapted from the Wuxing Alliance. Original post title: #Reliable News: Senior Leadership Holds a Decade-Old Meeting to Discuss Selling the Strategy for the Transcendent-Stage Quest to the Taimei Sect# @Lingjun: Little thing, believe me or not, you guys stop comparing yourselves already—right now we're begging them to sell, but the Five Elements Alliance might not be willing. Ah, if only Master Sun had agreed to Fu Qingyang back then, this strategy would have been ours from the very beginning. Sun Miaomiao's expression suddenly froze, and she instantly lost the pleasure of being a critic. This post created a massive stir on the Taimei Gate forum. They didn't believe the Five Elements Alliance's claims, yet they had to believe Lingjun and Zhao Chenghuang. Could someone who just came out of the Silent Village beat Zhao Chenghuang? What a joke—wouldn't that mean anyone could become one of the very top figures in the transcendent stage? So, so the Five Elements Alliance convened its Ten Elders' Council? In an instant, all the night-wandering deities felt a surge of enthusiasm—how special the Silent Village truly was. They were determined to secure the Silent Village strategy. At the same time, they realized that now, it was the Taimei Gate's turn to watch the Five Elements Alliance's every move. They were now watching the face of the … On the same night, in the bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing sat in a human-engineered chair worth 3,000 yuan, speaking rapidly and passionately: “Recently, this man known as the ‘Demon King’—a bizarre, sexually obsessed psychopath—has murdered three young women in their prime and raped six beautiful middle-aged wives. Facing such a relentless, super-powered criminal, the local police were unable to handle the case and referred it to our special super-powered unit. “I led the team in a full-night ambush. Finally, when the Demon King was about to attack a young female bartender named Zhu Rong, I launched a decisive counterattack, engaged him in fierce combat, and ultimately brought this thoroughly wicked offender to justice.” His aunt sat by the bed, listening in wide-eyed astonishment. After the nephew finished, she stared at him with admiration, eyes shining: “That’s amazing! Yuanzi, you’ll be my hero from now on.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded seriously: "Protecting the vulnerable is what we, as people of our kind, are supposed to do. There's a great figure in our organization, known by the title 'The Primordial Sovereign,' who once said: 'The greater one's abilities, the greater their responsibilities. Superpowered individuals must always bear the mission of upholding the weak and strengthening the strong, and view societal well-being as their sacred faith.' My aunt was deeply moved: 'His sense of purpose is truly admirable.' Here's what happened: three nights ago, my aunt noticed her nephew had gone missing, leaving only his phone behind in the room. Being so perceptive, she immediately deduced that he had received an order from the organization and was on a mission. So, she quietly concealed the news and gave the impression of being in a relationship with a distant, somewhat elusive girlfriend to placate her parents. Tonight, after dinner, she went straight to her nephew's room, excitedly recounted the entire story, and then asked whether he truly had a mission last night. That's how we arrived at the scene just now. My aunt is now eager to know: 'Did the magical sovereign perish?' "Of course!" "What about Zhu Rong, the barmaid? Did you manage to save her?" "Ah, yes—we did save her, but she suffered severe psychological trauma. Later on, she was completely stripped of her facial skin by a madman." "Oh my! That's truly terrifying. What was the madman's name?" …… June 12th. The championship match at the Saint's Realm Arena concluded as scheduled, without any surprises or underdog upsets—exactly as everyone had hoped—Fu Qingyang emerged victorious, defeating Jiang Ju, Yin Ji, and Fengdu's Ghost King. This should have been a major highlight, yet due to the ongoing controversy surrounding the 'Silent Village' dungeon campaign, most of the attention and conversation had been diverted away. The Tai Men and Wu Xing Alliance forums were dominated by discussions about the Silent Village campaign, with only occasional posts celebrating Fu Qingyang's triumph. As for the dispute over the Silent Village campaign, the Wu Xing Alliance members felt particularly aggrieved, claiming they had been treated unfairly, even going so far as to accuse Tai Men of neglecting them and repeatedly visiting Tai Men's forums to criticize and belittle them. The members of Taimei suddenly lost their pride and lost the courage to argue, only able to mutter in frustration: Sun Elder is utterly confused! Fujiawan Villa, Study. Fu Qingyang sat with confident posture on a brown leather sofa, a cigar held between his fingers. On the coffee table before him lay pastries, desserts, fruits, ham slices, and two bottles of whisky. "The elders have been arguing for two days, and finally reached a conclusion," Fu Qingyang said, glancing at the empty wine glasses and gesturing to his aide to refill them. "Should we sell or not sell?" Zhang Yuanqing understood immediately and poured a full glass for the centurion. He knew that over the past few days, the elders had been holding meetings (arguing), and that at one point, the elders of Chihuo Clan even declared they would personally challenge each other in person. They would challenge every single person present. In short, because of his one strategic plan, the elders had convened for two full days. "We'll sell!" "How should we sell?" Fu Qingyang said, "Two conditions. First, both parties enter into a contract: any items obtained by Taiyuan Gate personnel upon passing through the Stammering Village must be equally shared with the Wuxing Alliance. Second, Taiyuan Gate must provide us with all A- and S-tier records from its archive for the Level 4 dungeons." The second condition was specifically proposed on my behalf. Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Has Taiyuan Gate agreed?" The dungeon strategies at the Saint Realm level are all A- or S-tier, each of which holds immense value. Fu Qingyang lifted his wine cup, took a graceful, light sip, and smiled lightly, "They certainly aren't eager, but the headquarters has been firm—Taiyuan Gate has no choice. He set down the cup and continued, "In three days' time, the combat dungeons will begin. Your shadow corpses have been lost in the Spiritual Realm. By tomorrow at the latest, I will hunt down and secure the body of a Level 3 Enchanted Deceiver for you. "As for anything else you need to prepare, you should take the initiative and handle it yourself." Zhang Yuanqing felt both eager and nervous, and nodded vigorously. The killing raid is his opportunity to advance to the rank of Saint. Once he becomes a Saint, he can then begin investigating the disappearance of his comrade. Fu Qingyang set down his wine cup and added, "Tonight, the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyuan Sect will hold an online meeting, and all members planning to join the killing raid will participate—you must attend as well." "A mobilization meeting?" Zhang Yuanqing asked. Fu Qingyang nodded. "At this time of year, the evil organizations gather their members to discuss plans for hunting down the lawful, orderly professions. During the meeting, the Saints will share their firsthand experiences from the killing raids, giving you insight into the evil organizations' routines and tactics." ... Jinshan City, in the suburbs. Two electric scooters traveled side by side, eventually stopping at a logistics company located in a remote area. Kui Beiyue, dressed as a delivery rider, single-footed on the ground, looked at the logistics firm that had leased an abandoned factory as the venue and expressed her admiration: "I know logistics is a profitable business—your skills are truly impressive." The companion standing beside him was a young man with a doll-like face, speaking carelessly: "All the funds come from the organization. I'm the manager. "From now on, this will be the Ling Neng Association's hub in Jinshan City, as well as its black market. If you ever want to gather information, buy or sell equipment and materials, just come to me. Though currently few people are willing to transact here, I'm confident that the number will grow steadily." This man was one of the subordinates of Gu Wu—the Ling Jing ID known as "Human Blood Dumpling." "Generally speaking, the best venues for us are bars, hotels, and places like logistics companies—high foot traffic, yet not suspicious. Also, the term 'evil organization' is officially defined by the authorities. Don't keep saying 'evil' all the time; when you meet colleagues, they'll probably knock you out." Ah, that's why Xiao Yuan initially decided to buy a hotel... Kou Beiyue suddenly understood, and then asked, "Do you have any recent intel?" Gexing glanced at him, wrapped his arm around Kou Beiyue's shoulder, and sighed, "Beiyue, before asking about such things, make sure you've got some cash ready. Though I know you're short on funds—seeing as we share such a strong interest in each other, I'll give you two updates free of charge. The first one: Yuan Shishen has returned alive from the quest. Honestly, this guy is no ordinary talent—he truly impressed us, and we all thought he'd be finished this time. As the old saying goes: 'Good people don't live long; evil ones leave their legacy for centuries.' " "It sounds odd coming from you, given your evil profession... Kou Beiyue suppressed her urge to comment and asked, "What about the second message?" "The second message is this: I've heard that this year's summit of the major organizations will be held in Jiangnan Province, with Yuan Shishen and Fu Qingyang serving as the two central figures. According to upper management, one of them must die during the mid-year killing quest—this is a firm requirement."