Zhang Yuanqing pressed his forehead, where it ached, steadied his emotions, and resisted the turbulent surge of fragmented will, with each deep breath. As he did so, his facial expressions inevitably twisted, shifting between joy, anger, sorrow, and delight. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and silently exhaled: "I've roughly determined my current limits..." Among fellow cultivators at the same spiritual realm, with experience levels below 50%, a single peak performance involves consuming five, and the total limit is ten. Beyond ten, his spirit inevitably collapses or splits, giving rise to a second personality or a dramatic change in temperament unlike himself. Notably, these five spectral figures boosted Zhang Yuanqing's experience level by 6%, with the illusionist contributing 2%, and the remaining four each adding 1%. "My current experience level is at 64%. With the Vumag杵, I can consume unlimitedly. Following the rule that higher experience levels progress more slowly, I'll need to absorb the spiritual essences of approximately eighty more contestants to reach above 90%—which, given the total of just 183 participants in the instance, is even more challenging than breaking the female marshal's record." Zhang Yuanqing set aside the matter of experience level accumulation and distilled and consolidated the information obtained from the residual spirits. While most of the precautions repeated across the groups, Zhang Yuanqing also identified three new ones. "Now even the instructions on the signage seem contradictory... The outer zone seems more complex than I thought, though it's been nearly two hours since I've encountered any major dangers." "Be cautious of the mountain spirits after dark—this outer zone requires passage within five hours. But at that time, it's still not dark. So logically, this instruction should have been posted on the signage leading toward the central forest." Zhang Yuanqing pondered. Based on the current information, he now had the following insights about the outer zone: First, the instructions on the signage are part of a hidden quest—investigable, but optional. Second, these instructions relate to the gameplay in the central forest. By unraveling the subtle clues within them, one gains a distinct advantage upon entering the central forest. "The Japanese high school girl must have passed away already. I've retrieved her residual spirit—let me check her instructions." Zhang Yuanqing pushed aside the vines hanging before him and retraced his steps. He moved through the dense rows of trees, weaving past thick patches of shrubs, stepping through the soft, muddy ground, and returned to the battlefield. The girl had not yet died, though she was drenched in blood from the vines' relentless lashes, her back covered with deep wounds where the whip-like strikes had torn open her flesh. Yet she had stubbornly avoided the vital areas, clinging on through the dense barrage. Zhang Yuan examined her body—the vines had torn her garments, exposing broad patches of smooth, pale skin on her back, and the straps of her underclothing had been snapped. Zhang Yuan was considering either summoning his spirit to eliminate her outright or waiting for her to succumb to exhaustion under the onslaught of the tree spirits. At that moment, the girl spotted Zhang Yuan, rolled away from the vines' attacks, and turned to cry out, "Save me! Please save me!" Her eyes sparkled with hope, her face bright with joy—she believed this night wanderer of the land had come to save her. Zhang Yuan stood beside the tree, embodying Fu Qingyang, his expression cold and composed: "Why should I save you?" "Besides Anne and Mr. Bill, he had never met any other foreign travelers, so he wasn't at all reluctant to chat and gather information. Upon hearing this, Sayo Ryō was clearly taken aback: "We're all Lawful—beacons of justice, partners in righteousness. Shouldn't mutual support be our natural duty?" Seriously, what's so righteous about being Lawful? Did you tell me that Lawfulness equals justice? Are you simply naive, or have you been thinking of me as too naive? Zhang Yuanqing drew his explosive pistol: "Wrong answer. Prepare for death!" Sayo Ryō blinked, surprised that her perfectly ordinary response had led to such a dramatic outcome. After all, mutual support, being a righteous partner—that was exactly what she'd grown up with, what her education and environment had instilled in her. A few seconds later, she realized, her cheeks flushed, her brows arched in determination: "I understand now. You're a fallen one—an evil, fallen one! Fire away. I won't ask for your help anymore. When I fall, justice will rise to avenge me." "Upon entering the combat arena, I've already made up my mind to perish." What on earth is she saying? Zhang Yuanqing had originally intended to leverage the situation—to demand concessions, gather intelligence, extract information from the notice boards, and secure leverage. Yet, he was surprised to find that this seemingly pure and graceful high school girl possessed a resolute, unyielding spirit, willing to die rather than bend. Then, he would extract the information by force! Zhang Yuanqing maintained his aiming stance, observing the girl pressed against the vines and branches, struggling desperately, and asked, "I can save you, but you must answer me a few questions—what is your name?" If the Japanese girl continues to embody the image of a chaste, noble heroine, Zhang Yuanqing would refrain from shooting—instead, he would simply watch as she perished. Though he acts decisively and without mercy when eliminating evil-class characters, he harbors hesitation when it comes to killing lawful, orderly-class characters. After all, among the lawful ones, there are still many who are fundamentally good. Killing a bad person might cause some discomfort, but not a strong sense of guilt. However, if a good person is mistakenly killed, any reasonable, morally conscious person would carry a lingering burden and struggle to cross the moral threshold. "My name is Asano Reo!" the girl responded promptly. Hmph—where’s your backbone as a champion of justice? Zhang Yuanqing asked. "Please state the precautions you know about the signs posted," he urged. The girl didn’t hesitate. Once again, following her inner conviction, she answered willingly: "One: Please avoid carrying fire sources, knives, or hazardous items when entering the mountains. Two: Please keep your voice low in the mountains... Four: Be cautious of animals, especially monkeys. Five: If you encounter a mountain spirit, you may seek help from the monkeys." Be cautious of animals, yet if you meet a mountain spirit, you can ask the monkeys for assistance? That’s an interesting point. Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds, then asked, "Have you ever cut down a tree before?" "It wasn't me who did it. One of my companions accidentally cut down a tree, and as a result, several tree spirits appeared around us. Fortunately, there weren't many of them at the time, so we managed to escape. "Shinoya Ryō glanced briefly toward the two bodies lying far away. "These were my fellow companions I met after entering the realm. They're from the mainland, and once they heard I'm from the island, they were very enthusiastic—everyone seems to be helping each other out. They're all noble and well-intentioned." They must all be hungry for your body... Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself. Through their conversation, he gained a preliminary understanding of Shinoya Ryō's family background. Shinoya Ryō comes from the Shinoya family, a prominent business dynasty on the island. The family is considered a semi-elite spiritual realm lineage, with several spiritual realm practitioners emerging every one or two generations. Among the current generation, Shinoya Ryō is one of only three spiritual realm practitioners. Her master serves as the deputy head of the Chihaku Group, the official organization of the island's spiritual realm practitioners, and holds the rank of a Level 5 Saint. Due to his exceptional talent and this familial connection, he has been highly valued by the elder family members and promoted ahead of schedule as one of the heirs of the Asano family. Notably, the Asano family's key backing is the Heavenly Punishment Organization abroad—the world's strongest lawful, orderly faction. Additionally, Zhang Yuanqing has learned about the structure of the spiritual realm practitioners in the island nation: there are no independent practitioners. On one hand, the number of spiritual realm practitioners is inherently scarce due to insufficient innate conditions; on the other, the nation's relatively small land area, dense population, and strong corporate control mean that any independent practitioner is quickly discovered and absorbed into organizational networks. As a result, the island nation has only one government-affiliated organization—the Chihaku Group—and a few semi-spiritual aristocratic families. Indeed, no large-scale organization has emerged—compared to the Five Elemental Alliances or the three major evil factions, the Chihaku Group remains merely a small club. Zhang Yuanqing has noted this. Tap! A vine struck Shina Ryō in the abdomen, and she gasped, clutching her midsection, her face pale and weak. "Please... please keep your promise!" Had she already exhausted herself to the point of being unable to activate her passive abilities? Zhang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow, leaned against the trunk, and activated Night-Wanderer, her ethereal form guiding the bloodthirsty blade into motion. The blade sliced through the air with a crisp, resonant sound—*plip, plip, plip*—cutting through the vines and roots lashing toward Shina Ryō, clearing a path for her escape. With renewed strength, Shina Ryō pushed past her pain and frailty, drawing upon her very last reserves, and successfully broke free from the tree spirit's encirclement. *Thud*—she landed heavily on the forest floor, covered in decaying leaves, gasping for breath. Her garments were torn, revealing her smooth, pale abdomen and delicate navel. Yet the numerous wounds that crisscrossed her body turned what should have been a scene of graceful allure into something rather poignant. Rei Shina's chest rose and fell violently, her heart beating beyond capacity as her body hungrily drew in oxygen. By the time she had finally steadied her breathing, she had no strength left to care about the way her springtime charm had spilled out. Only then did she recall that she was, after all, a well-known beauty—her appearance and figure held strong appeal for young men. She suddenly stopped breathing, pressing her hands to her chest, and scanned the surroundings with alertness. At that moment, a piece of clothing drifted down and settled over her face. Soon, movement came from the nearby bushes, and a night god of ordinary looks but with a cool, composed demeanor stepped into view. "Put on your clothes and come with me!" Zhang Yuanqing said coldly. "You—you intend to do what now?" Rei Shina realized she had been captured, and this night god had no intention of letting her go. Zhang Yuanqing's tone remained unyielding. "You're a young beauty. Beauties always receive special treatment—preferential treatment. I won't harm you." As Hayano Ryō exhaled in relief, he added, "From now on, you're my jungle guide! What a guide—clearly, you're just a disposable asset." Hayano Ryō's face went stiff. Several rough-looking men chattered on, simultaneously directing their gaze toward the two standing leaders. Bai Wu Jian, the enchantress of persuasion, was about twenty-six years old, with a well-proportioned face, sharp brows, and a bold presence that radiated from him. Yet his attire was utterly out of place—black T-shirt, floral briefs, and slippers. He didn't seem like someone from a perilous background; rather, he looked as though on vacation. Ai Yi, on the other hand, had a refined youth appearance, with vacant eyes and a cold demeanor, as if a robot—or perhaps a creature devoid of emotion. The two groups had reconciled an hour ago, quickly agreeing upon a plan to hunt down the tree spirit and earn points, a plan they've maintained ever since. Everyone's scores had risen by at least ten points, yielding substantial gains. "Won't you say something?" one of the sturdy men asked, growing impatient as Bai Wu Jian remained silent. "I'm just looking at Master Yuan Shi's score," Bai Wu Jian replied, still in his contemplative state. Hearing this, everyone was taken aback and quickly opened the leaderboard. Then, they sighed with relief: "Hey, I thought Master Yuan Shi's points had suddenly surged and he'd made a dramatic climb!" "Still only 20 points—down a spot, now at 23." "Our A-One has already reached 100! Does this mean Master Yuan Shi hasn't lived up to his reputation? The Five Elements Alliance didn't even praise him as a genius at tackling dungeon quests, did they?" "Haha, the elder Qianmian was so enthusiastic during the summit that I thought he was quite impressive. But now, after putting him through the killing dungeon, his true capabilities have finally come out." "A horse is a horse—only when you've ridden it can you tell." The group burst into laughter. Bai Wu Jian, frowning, asked: "So, do you all think Master Yuan Shi's current standing is reasonable? Do you believe his achievements are exaggerated? Can such an exaggerated record actually defeat Zhao Chenguang?" A series of questions silenced the laughter. Everyone stopped smiling, staring in astonishment at Bai Wu Jian. ... Somewhere in the forest, a young man carrying two swords walks alone. His gaze is fixed on the empty space before him, focusing on a specific area—checking the leaderboard. "Something's off. Yuanshǐ Tianzun's ranking shouldn't be this low. Either he's encountering difficulties, or he's deliberately not accumulating points." This is the ninth or tenth time Nine-Lu Fish has opened the leaderboard. Initially, he hadn't paid much attention to Tianzun, but as time passed and he realized accumulating points wasn't difficult, he was surprised to find that Tianzun's ranking remained remarkably stable. There had been a sharp surge just a few minutes ago, but that was all. This situation was unreasonable. "What's his game plan, exactly?" On a stone projecting from the water, Zhao Chenguang, now ghostly with a terrifying countenance, stands—white frost spreads from his feet along the stone’s edge, forming a thin layer of ice at its perimeter. His opponent lies concealed within the water—“The One Who Is Alone,” ranked first on the independent cultivator list. Sun Miaomiao furrowed her brows, saying, “His artifact is truly exceptional; it allows him to create a water ghost’s domain at any moment, which is precisely why he holds the top spot—no empty title.” A mountain-cultivator priest nearby smiled, “Yet water cannot affect spiritual beings. With sufficiently powerful spiritual attendants, one can counter this foe. Zhao Chenguang should be able to defeat him.” Before entering the realm, the Night-Wanderer deity of the Taimei Sect had exchanged his spiritual attendants, who then swiftly gathered around him through shared inner resonance. Just a few minutes ago, they encountered the lone wolf “The One Who Is Alone,” who boasted arrogantly, even attempting to single-handedly hunt down four Night-Wanderers. Seeing this as a prime opportunity, Zhao Chenguang diverted Sun Miaomiao and her companions, and faced the challenger alone. Seeing that the battle was still tied in the short term, Sun Miaomiao turned to Yuan Ting, who was lost in thought, and complained, "Yuan Ting, this is a killing instance, isn't it? You're always distracted—have you gone a bit brain-dead from training camp?" Yuan Ting groaned, "Where is the Prime Immortal? Where is the Prime Immortal?" The Miao Mountain sorcerer and Sun Miaomiao exchanged a glance and whispered, "He's completely gone off his rocker." "Ah, after all, the Prime Immortal owes him a blood debt!" Sun Miaomiao said, then furrowed her brows. "Wait—why is the Prime Immortal's score so low?" The Miao Mountain sorcerer shook his head. "Perhaps he's encountered some difficulties." His tone carried a clear sense of relief and amusement. Sun Miaomiao said nothing. She stared intently at the rocks beneath her feet, her large, dark eyes fixed, silently wondering: With the Prime Immortal's capabilities, if he were actively collecting points, he should have at least ranked in the top three—how could he be falling so far behind? Was it intentional? Has he discovered something… I really want to find him and ask him about it… but he’s been迟迟不累积积分, and now the members of the Five-Row Alliance must be growing increasingly anxious. … Under the shade of a towering pine, "My fate lies in my own hands," tilted her head, gazing at the two figures some fifteen meters away, her silken hair flowing like a waterfall, and said: "I’ve encountered hikers before, and from our conversations, I’ve learned that there are two factions hidden within this forest. "Yet, from the information you’ve provided about the notices, it’s clear that the signage itself often contradicts one another—so perhaps the signage also divides into factions? But that seems illogical." The two figures fifteen meters away were the sturdy, robust Tianxia Guihuo and the graceful, musically-inclined yet tone-deaf one. They had just fought a fierce battle, ending in a draw, and now, under Tianxia Guihuo’s suggestion, had come to a mutual agreement, sitting down to exchange information. Truly intelligent individuals do not allow themselves to be dominated by factional thinking—even when they belong to different factions and face no life-or-death conflicts—appropriate cooperation is the The heavens returned the fire with a calm voice: "First, we cannot be certain whether the inconsistencies in the notices displayed on the signs are truly contradictory. Second, the fact that the signs themselves appear contradictory does not necessarily mean that the signs are divided into factions." With a sense of determination, I said, "That makes sense. I believe Yuan Shi Tian Zun hesitated precisely for this reason. However, we only realized this too late, by which time our choice had already been made." The heavens returned the fire coldly replied, "That's your concern—never mine!" ... Shina Ryō advanced cautiously, moving with exceptional slowness. The night-wandering deity behind her kept urging, "Hurry up! You won't die!" Their destination was the sign located in the central part of the forest. How could you not move ahead yourself if you're not going to die? Thought Shina Ryō, quietly muttering under her breath. Behind her, besides the young night-wandering deity, there was also a tall, well-built aunt, and a refined, flawless-faced elder sister. After spotting the Night Wanderer accompanied by his companions, Kiyonari Reiko gave up her plan to flee. Staying put might still allow her to survive, but if she tried to escape, she'd likely be surrounded and pursued by the three, leading to a certain death—no matter how hard she tried to embody the spirit of the artisan. "King Tai—really, your name is Tai?" Kiyonari Reiko asked as they walked. "I didn't see your name on the leaderboard." She had been searching for Tai's name on the leaderboard, but couldn't find it. This girl seems to lack social grace... Zhang Yuanqing remarked calmly. "What does it matter to you?" Tai was a pseudonym—Majestic Peony had surely noticed—but as a married woman, she had certainly weathered the storms of social life, having experienced countless bumps and bruises, and thus possessed both experience and maturity. Throughout their journey, she never once mentioned why Tai wasn't listed on the leaderboard. Zhang Yuanqing didn't mind the pseudonym being exposed, because he had changed his appearance, discarded the props used during the match, adopted the personality of Fu Qingyang, and most importantly, his spectral The Peony Immortal Princess could not simply rely on imagination or speculation to identify his identity. As she was walking, she suddenly exclaimed, "Hmm," her expression growing concerned. Zhang Yuanqing turned his head and asked, "Is there a problem?" The Peony Immortal Princess shook her head, speaking with some unease. "I just feel something is off. It's not that we ourselves are at fault—it's actually Master Yuanshi, his standing is simply too low... He must be encountering some difficulties. He is our official traveler's key support; we absolutely cannot allow anything to go wrong." Just two hours into the journey into the realm, the highly anticipated Master Yuanshi had already been outpaced by Zhao Chenghuang, the evil profession, and the civilian independent practitioners. The Peony Immortal Princess found herself growing increasingly anxious.