How can mere, fleeting points possibly represent anything? We're only now entering the phase of free exploration—the true slaughter has yet to come. Zhang Yuanqing mentally chided the Peony Immortal. He then realized that she shared this sentiment, and that most of the official travelers held similar thoughts. For many of the Wuxing Alliance's spiritual realm travelers, they arrived with great confidence in the success of this killing quest, since the renowned master of the quest, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn, was among them. Relying on the big names to get through—this was a mindset shared by many official travelers. Yet, even at the beginning of the quest, the star player they had hoped for had dropped to a solid 23rd place. They might not immediately question or downgrade his standing, but deep down, they were certainly frustrated. I never thought I'd think about such things—looks like I've developed some idol complexes after all... Zhang Yuanqing chuckled to himself, maintaining his usual cool demeanor: "Such minor matters, really. From now on, don't be so dramatic. Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun merely lucked out, passing several S-tier evaluations. His ranking isn't particularly high—shouldn't that be obvious?" He seized the opportunity to make a few pointed criticisms, subtly distancing himself from Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun. Mu-Dan Immortal Princess Li Mei furrowed her brows, feeling a touch of irritation, but restrained herself, continuing on without comment. She deeply admired Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun—not only for his youthful heroism, but also for his striking appearance, which perfectly aligned with her personal taste. As a devoted fan, she naturally disliked hearing Wang Tai speak ill of him. Shinoya Ryouta, who was wielding his scabbarded sword to clear away shrubs and vines, turned around in surprise upon hearing this, remarking, "You sound quite confident. I've heard of Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun throughout Japan. But I have no memory of your name, Wang Tai." How could you speak to a genius like that with such disrespect? Are you a complete fool? Zhang Yuanqing immediately sensed the cultural differences from this Japanese high school girl. Though she was clearly a wise, communicative being, you simply couldn’t figure out how to talk to her. Her mannerisms and speech style always made you feel like there was a deep chasm between you. "Ah-fool means a fool, right?" Zhang Yuanqing said calmly, pulling out her Blood-Drinking Blade. "Let me teach you, guide dog, what happens when you show disrespect to your owner." "Daaah! Daaah!" Shina Reo cried out. She quickly admitted defeat. Zhang Yuanqing then sheathed the blade with a mocking tone. "That's all the backbone you have as a righteous companion?" Shina Reo replied seriously. "My teacher and elders often emphasize the importance of having the courage to admit mistakes." "What else have your teacher and elders taught you?" "As a member of the Lawful faction, we must strive to be righteous companions!" They chatted intermittently, and Zhang Yuanqing gained a deeper understanding of Japanese JKs. Rei Asano is 17, born into a powerful family, yet not a designated heir, so she has remained insulated from power struggles, living a life of comfort and grace like a little princess. Later, as a spiritual realm traveler, she demonstrated remarkable talent and was added to the heir list. She then became a disciple under the deputy head of the Chihara Group, and under her teacher’s guidance, she met various distinguished figures—each polished, elegant, and well-mannered. Moreover, due to the scarcity of spiritual realm travelers in Japan, the Chihara Group actively promoted the concept of "Justice Partners" to reduce internal competition and foster unity, thereby shaping the mindset of its travelers. Raised in such an environment, Rei Asano naturally became a Justice Partner. By the way, Rei Asano and Xie Lingxi are the same age. Compared to the typical "green tea" type, Rei is surprisingly naive—almost like a simpleton. Yet, one might wonder: what kind of family environment would allow a young girl to develop tea skills at the eighth level so early? At this moment, the Peony Fairy said, "We should first meet with the official monks, then decide to proceed into the central part of the forest. This is a battlefield of slaughter—conditions in the central area will surely be perilous. With more companions, we'll have greater security." Upon hearing this, Motonari lightly nodded: "Ssnaaah~" Zhang Yuanqing gave a short breath: "Let's find the signpost first!" ... "I don't recommend going after the Monkey King!" The man in flip-flops, surveying the rough, seated men, explained: "That Monkey King, even conservatively, is only level 4—possibly even level 4. With our current strength, defeating a level-4 Saint is not difficult. But don't forget that the Monkey King commands the entire monkey troop. "Based on the strength of the monkeys we just defeated, each one possesses the physical power equivalent to a level-3 Enchanted Spirit. "If we rush in to attack the troop, the outcome will likely be a mutual defeat. I and A-1 will survive, but you'll probably lose half of you—perhaps even more." "With that, the enthusiastic evil professions suddenly grew calm. Hunting tree spirits clearly offers better value. At this moment, A-Yi, whose eyes were blank, suddenly said, "How long have we been inside the instance? I'm sorry, I can't recall the specifics." Most of the time, he appeared like a child with developmental delays—staring blankly, either motionless or simply puppet-like, speaking little, showing no expressions, and his eyes always empty. Bai Wu Jian immediately replied, "Nearly three hours." A-Yi slowly nodded, his expression still lagging, "Three hours now—we still don't know how much longer it will take to reach the central area." Bai Wu Jian mused, "So you feel…?" "Intuition tells me that entering the central forest—staying in the outer layers will be dangerous." Hearing this, Bai Wu Jian looked at A-Yi in surprise, noticing a sharp gleam flickering deep within those blank eyes. Bai Wu Jian's pupils slightly contracted, and he said firmly, "Excellent! We should immediately head toward the central forest." He trusts the instinct of the beasts. Renowned for his innate gift as a spirit-beast, Ai Yi possesses a keen sense of crisis—far surpassing that of ordinary humans. Under the tall, straight pines, the young woman in a white T-shirt and light blue jeans, embodying a simple, nature-inspired style—“I control my fate, not the heavens”—sits cross-legged, asking: “So, what are your plans moving forward?” Tianxia Guihuo chuckled, “Why should I tell you unless you offer me information? Also, give me a simple name—your spirit realm ID is too long, too awkward.” The young woman, smiling with grace and composure, remained calm: “Hong Wei!” Hong Wei… Tianxia Guihuo nodded. “I plan to seek out the information board in the central part of the forest.” Hong Wei frowned: “Seeking the information board…?” She noticed that Tianxia Guihuo hadn’t mentioned entering the central forest. “I believe Yuanshixian currently is also searching for the information boards in the central region.” "Everything is falling into place, and with a smile on her lips: "He hasn't chosen a faction, which means he's hesitating. Hesitation implies he hasn't gathered enough information to make a decision. Therefore, it makes sense to go seek the signpost in the central forest now." The tone-deaf one slowly nodded: "In the spiritual realm quest, each regional boundary is clearly marked by signposts. The central region's signpost might just provide the information we need." Tian Xia Gui Huo, though proud, displayed a wise gaze: "So, my next move will be to head to the heart of the forest, follow the signposts, and make my faction choice. As for you—since you've already made your choice, you'll stay here, accumulating points. As long as you reach the central forest before the deadline, you'll be fine." Hong Wei studied him, murmuring: "I've reviewed your profile and know you're skilled at tackling instance dungeons, yet I still find it hard to believe—you're truly a Fire Master?" "Under the heavens, the fire sovereign calmly stated: 'Violence only fulfills its true purpose when guided by wisdom. Do not compare me to those mindless fire masters.' 'This indeed underscores the strength of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign.' Red Wei interjected with a single cut. The fire sovereign's lips slightly twitched, and he coldly remarked, 'Enough with the small talk—now it's your turn to provide the information.' Red Wei tilted her head, pondering, then said, 'The information within the realm has already been exchanged. I'll share some updates from outside the realm. This year, our free agents have come bearing the mission to defeat the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, willing to make any sacrifice. 'The upper command has granted us a particularly special artifact—supposedly capable of slaying the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign.' That special artifact is currently in the hands of Bai Wu Jianji. I can use this intelligence to exchange something valuable with the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign.' The fire sovereign said. 'You simply handed this information over to me like that?' "Hong Wei's graceful face beamed with a smile as she said, 'It doesn't matter to me. I've never considered slaying the Prime Immortal a necessity. In the killing quest, survival is the key—nine lives lost, one achieved as a Sage. As for the Prime Immortal, whether he lives or dies, it has nothing to do with me. 'The higher-ups only assign tasks; they never care about our lives. They don't treat our lives as valuable—then why should we not value them ourselves? We deserve to be low on the life ladder!'" Behind him was a plump young man wearing black-framed glasses, smiling warmly, clearly acting like a press agent trying to win over the big boss. The young man shook his head vigorously: "You're different from them. You're pure in mind and clear in thought—only someone like that can be my boss. The others are too muddy, they don't deserve it!" Kou Beiyue frowned, "Are you just mocking me as foolish?" "No, no," the young man insisted, shaking his head firmly. "This isn't foolishness—it's the heart of a true child!" "Really?" "Absolutely. If it's not true, let the heavens strike me down with thunder and lightning!" The young man looked earnest. "Alright," Kou Beiyue said, seizing the opportunity to propose a condition, "as long as you help me find the Prime Immortal, I'll agree to be your boss." He had grown increasingly restless during his journey through the realm. The forest was vast, and finding the Prime Immortal wasn't easy. He believed that the capable official ranked second on the list—though he appeared kind and pleasant—must surely have some real talent beneath the surface. "Oh, well, Senior, you may have the makings of a dragon and a phoenix, but right now isn't the time to face off directly against Yuan Shi Tian Zun." The plump young man looked hesitant. "Let's cut the chatter—either agree or pack up and leave!" "Alright, if you want to find Yuan Shi Tian Zun, it's not too hard—just head to the central part of the forest and see what happens." The plump young man said. Kou Bei Yue blinked, "The central part of the forest? How do you know he's there?" The plump young man chuckled, "Just guessing!" ... "Ah! There's a cluster of red mushrooms right here!" Shina Ryō stopped by a fallen log covered in moss, pointing excitedly at the vibrant fungi on the ground. The Japanese people have a special affinity for mushrooms, especially for matsutake. Zhang Yuanqing paused, then looked closely—the mushrooms had red caps and white stems, quite striking. But upon closer inspection, one could see fine, intricate dark red patterns running across the caps. These patterns were twisted and unusual, and somehow familiar. The brightly colored mushrooms and fruits cannot be eaten... Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Asano Reo and had a sudden thought—what if she tried the poison? After all, even if she didn’t survive, she could just lie flat on the board. He said coldly, "Pick some!" and then added, "But don't eat them." The Japanese girl beamed, "Of course, of course..." The three continued forward, picking several more vividly colored fruits along the way and handing them over to the corpse of the blood rose for preservation. During the long journey, if you feel unwell, feel free to gather wild fruits to eat—this note flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind. "Hunting a villainous profession for experimentation—seeing which conflicting instructions actually hold water!" he murmured to himself. Yet at this moment, the most pressing task was to locate the signpost in the forest's central area. Suddenly, a strong wind swept through the dense, hot woods, and the rustling of leaves echoed steadily above their heads. A faint, wavering call echoed behind them: "Asahina Reo, Asahina Reo..." The Japanese high school girl, carefully probing ahead, instinctively turned around, her mouth opening—only to have her words stifled. A hand pressed against her lips, and the words that nearly spilled out became soft, muffled sounds: "Wuuu..." Her wide, clear eyes widened in alarm. One hand reached down to her waist, where several kami were tucked in, while her thumb pressed firmly against the guard of her sword. At that moment, King Tai's serious voice came through: "Keep moving forward. Do not respond to the call." At that very instant, Asahina Reo realized the call had been coming from behind. She glanced back, and saw the trees behind her swaying vigorously, their branches trembling as if they had come to life. He was reminding me... A chill ran through her. She now understood that she had mistaken the young night wanderer. She nodded seriously, her face solemn. After Zhang Yuanqing released her hand, Sayo Reina lowered her head and walked slowly forward, ignoring the calls coming from behind. The calls gradually faded into silence. Relieved, Sayo Reina took a few shallow breaths and said with a delicate tone, "Really terrifying, isn't it? Mr. Wang, I misunderstood you. You're a noble ally, not a fallen one." Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her but said nothing—firmly holding onto his image as Fu Qingyang. Sayo Reina didn't mind at all; she thought this was simply Mr. Wang's nature, and she smiled happily, "You also found me clothes. You didn't look at me, nor did you even think of taking advantage of me." What's there to admire about a旺仔 small steamed bun? Just holding it in your mouth, and it melts right away... Zhang Yuanqing muttered with a sigh. Although Ryo Asano is a very good high school girl, similar beautiful young women are not uncommon around him—like Xie Lingxi, or Jiang Jingwei—so when it comes to looks, he doesn't stand out in intelligence. As for mature, well-rounded elder sisters, there are simply too many. Ryo Asano's appearance and figure are not enough to make him seem awkward or shy. The Japanese girl smiles warmly, strides forward with a light, cheerful step, clearly delighted. She feels she has finally encountered a good person—and a truly capable one. In such a daunting quest, having reliable teammates means having a real chance at survival. Finally, after an hour of walking, the guide dog at the front excitedly calls out, "The signpost! We've found the signpost!" Zhang Yuanqing and the Peony Princess follow her finger and indeed spot a signpost standing among the lush, green undergrowth. The three immediately quicken their pace and draw closer. What's disappointing, however, is that it's a completely blank signpost—blank? Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback—this was not what he had expected. He had come all the way to gather the information from the signposts in the central part of the forest, hoping to complete the outer-layer details. Instead, the signposts were blank. Not only could he not complete the information, but their blankness meant that once they entered the central region, they would have to navigate entirely by trial and error. This was the worst possible scenario. "What's wrong?" asked the Peony Fairy. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head slightly. "Nothing. We've come this far—let's just take a look at the central part of the forest." With that, he gave a glance to the jungle guide dog, signaling her to enter and explore ahead. Standing there idle would serve no purpose. Rei Ryō took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the Ice-Soul Blade, and stepped over the blank signposts, heading toward the central region. "Clang!" Her head jolted suddenly, as if she had collided with an invisible wall. Rei Ryō pressed her hands to her forehead and stumbled backward, unsteady. "Ah—oh! It's so painful..." Her Zhang Yuanqing raised an eyebrow, stepped forward to the notice board, and extended his hand, carefully probing ahead. He felt a wall that was invisible to his touch. At the same time, a task prompt sounded in his ears: 【Ping! You have not met the conditions required to advance to the next stage.】 "Didn't meet the conditions..." Zhang Yuanqing repeated softly. He found it surprising yet not entirely unexpected. Upon reflection, he realized the outer difficulty level was too low. Whether it was tree spirits or monkey flocks, neither posed a real threat to the spiritual realm travelers. And as a seasoned practitioner of his level, he had arrived unharmed in the central part of the forest. Clearly, this difficulty level didn't align with a combat-focused quest. "What exactly counts as meeting the conditions—resolving the contradiction in the instructions, or choosing a faction? I haven't killed any tree spirits, but I have defeated monkeys. Does that count as selecting a faction?" With that thought, Zhang Yuanqing asked: "Chang, have you ever fought a tree spirit?" "Asahi's cheeks flushed slightly: 'Suddenly, you're calling me so intimately... I killed a tree spirit, during my very first encounter with one.' She was referring to the time when her two fallen companions triggered the tree spirit's resentment. The condition required wasn't simply choosing a faction—wasn't there more hidden narrative content as well?" Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brow, thinking deeply. "How could it be like this? What condition needs to be fulfilled?" The Peony Immortal tried, then turned to Zhang Yuanqing. "Wang Tai, what shall we do now?" "We'll wait!" Zhang Yuanqing said. "We'll wait?" "Yes, we'll wait until the time limit expires, and until other spiritual realm travelers arrive. When no one can enter, and no one can exit—when everyone is blocked—we will naturally begin to organize, to discuss how to proceed." Zhang Yuanqing spoke with confidence. "This is the most cost-effective approach." "Has no condition been met?" Kou Beiyue looked at the small, plump figure beside her, puzzled. "What condition exactly?" "The plump young man stopped smiling, his expression serious, shaking his head: 'I'm not sure.' ... 'Indeed, passing into the next stage isn't that simple.' Tianxia Guihuo paused for a few seconds, then said: 'We'll stay here and wait until the time runs out.' The one known for his poor musical talent nodded in agreement—this was exactly his own thought. ... As time passed, more and more people made their way toward the central part of the forest, only to encounter the same issue. ——They couldn't get through! The central area was vast, even though its circumference was smaller than the outer ring. Yet, the Spirit Journeyers still found it difficult to gather together. They formed small clusters, fidgeting, discussing among themselves. 'Is it only us who haven't met the requirements?' 'What exactly are the requirements? We've encountered nothing but the tree spirit monkey throughout our journey. We've strictly followed every notice posted—yet we still can't figure out what this quest is all about.'" "I just noticed that Tian Xiang Gui Huo and I Ming Yu Bi Yi Tian have come together—seems like they're having the same difficulty getting through." "Even Tian Xiang Gui Huo can't make it? That's good. At least it shows that it's not just us who can't get in—it's everyone." "Where is Yuan Shi Tian Zun? In cases like this, following him seems the most reliable." "Not very steady, actually. His points have dropped all the way to 36th place."