What are the conditions required to advance into the second stage? Killing monkeys? Killing tree spirits? Clearly not. If that were the case, everyone would have reached the central forest long ago and wouldn’t be stuck in the outer layers, facing the Tree King’s vengeance. Zhang Yuanqing believes the condition for advancing into the second stage is choosing a faction. At first glance, the requirements for advancing into the second stage—seemingly arbitrary and confusing—present a tangled web of contradictory information. The monkeys and tree spirits that pose no threat unless approached are complex and inconsistent, and the level of danger does not match the difficulty of the quest. This results in the overall journey feeling both uncertain and effortless—like a leisurely mountain hike. Without a strong, clear narrative thread or primary objective, the journey lacks a compelling sense of purpose, leaving most travelers in a state of confusion. What exactly are the conditions? Yet, when all the information is consolidated and distilled, it becomes evident that every piece of information in the outer region is actually conveying one central message: the contradictions stem from differences in faction alignment. The choice a Lingjing Xingzhe makes deep within the primordial forest is essentially a choice of faction. In this instance, there are two main factions: one, the City of the Lost; and two, the Primordial Forest. Zhang Yuanqing had always believed he had not made a faction choice—precisely because he had come to understand this point, he had refrained from hunting tree spirits to earn points. But upon seeing that message just now, he realized that killing monkeys was no different from killing tree spirits. —Monkeys are the guardians of the forest. Now, just like the other Lingjing Xingzhe who have sacrificed tree spirits to gain points, he himself belongs to the City of the Lost faction. So, how do the members of the City of the Lost faction meet the condition to advance to the second stage? The answer is clear: eliminate the bosses of the opposing faction—that is, defeat both the Tree King and the Monkey King. However, Zhang Yuanqing believes that faction affiliation can be changed. Two points support this belief: first, the conditions for the forest faction are particularly demanding. Now that we reflect on it, the condition to become part of the Forest faction should simply be adhering to the guidelines—these guidelines aren't confined to a single signboard, but encompass all the signboards collectively. Since there are always a few players in the instance who never defeat the tree spirits or monkeys, such as those near the bottom of the leaderboard still holding only three points, who seem rather unusual. Yet, clearly, these individuals never advance to the second stage. This suggests they must have violated the guidelines posted on the signboards—just as Zhang Yuanqing had conversed with the hikers. At the time, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but now we realize that those conversations had already signaled their transition into the Lost City faction. Choosing the Lost City faction appears so straightforward, while joining the Forest faction is so difficult that no one manages to do so—this seems highly unreasonable. Second, the faction rivalry. Since it's a faction-based competition, there should naturally be an opposing faction. Yet in reality, everyone fails to reach the second stage, and everyone ends up in the Lost City faction. Certainly, it's not ruled out that the so-called faction rivalry is actually the realm travelers confronting the副本 bosses. If faction affiliations can be changed, how would that be done? Based on the current intelligence gathered, Zhang Yuanqing has noticed a subtle clue—specifically, a note of attention. From these attention points, he has identified two unique entries: "During your long journey, if you feel unwell, you may gather wild fruits to eat for sustenance." "If you encounter a mountain spirit, you may seek assistance from a monkey." While the rest of the notes serve as warnings about what to avoid, these two specifically indicate what to do. The mountain spirits appear only after dusk, so they can be set aside for now. The note about gathering wild fruits for sustenance may be worth trying. He had previously overlooked this point because it conflicted with the earlier instruction that one should not consume brightly colored fungi or fruits. Yet, the information obtained from the spirit just now made Zhang Yuanqing realize that "wild fruit" referred not to the common fruits found throughout the forest, but specifically to the fruits within the territories controlled by the monkey groups. This explained the contradictions in the instructions—fundamentally, they were not the same fruits at all. There was little else to do now but proceed with gathering the fruit; if that failed, they would have to push forward against the boss. With this thought, Zhang Yuanqing turned to the young woman and the young girl beside him, speaking firmly: "I need to verify a hypothesis. If successful, I should be able to advance into the second stage." "Really?" The mature and radiant face of the Peony Immortal sparkled with joy, yet she still harbored a touch of doubt. Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "You and the guide dog will remain here. Do not wander off." As he spoke, he noticed a subtle dimming in the eyes of Asahi Reina. Taking a deep breath, he continued: "I will stay with this shadow body to assist you. Do not underestimate her—she is stronger than you." Rei Asano's pure face broke into a smile, her heart filled with gratitude as she felt neither abandoned nor forgotten. "King Tai, you truly are a noble companion," she said. Feeling like she'd been handed a 'good guy' card—her generational gap with Zhang Yuanqing was simply too wide for him to explain—she merely nodded, closed her eyes, and entered a state of spiritual meditation. Her spirit body detached from her physical form, pierced through the forest canopy, and soared upward, growing higher and higher until she sensed the limits of her ascension. At that point, she settled. From above, Zhang Yuanqing surveyed the ancient forest, its dense canopy veiling the earth, leaving little else visible beyond it. Focusing his mental energy, he observed the movements both near and far, and soon discovered a sizable pond several kilometers to the east. Surrounding the pond was a grove of fruit trees, laden with clusters of red berries hanging heavy on the branches. The small monkeys, no larger than ants, played joyfully on the branches and by the pond's edge. There it was—Zhang Yuanqing's eyes brightened as he turned his gaze toward the towering, ancient tree. The frequency of the Tree King's attacks had dropped to a minimum. Six or seven trailing vines, most of which struck the ground beneath the trees, caused one tree after another to snap, clearing a clear, open space. Zhang Yuanqing vaguely saw many figures braving the constantly descending vines, gathering beneath the trees. Were they planning to push the boss together? That wasn't the right choice— he muttered under his breath. Of course, if the fruit didn't change their allegiance, he'd gladly rush over and join them in pushing the boss. Zhang Yuanqing descended his spiritual form, returned to his physical body, set the Yin Shi Blood Rose aside, issued the command to protect Shallow Sawara, and then sprinted eastward. … At the base of the Tree King, the group of spiritual realm travelers, after some sacrifices, finally managed to converge. Once they arrived, the attacks from above had largely ceased. Each traveler had successfully absorbed at least one strike, entering a brief period of safety. The spiritual travelers gathered according to their respective organizations. Led by Zhao Chenghuang, including Sun Miaomiao, the Moshan master, and Yuan Ting—eight Night-Wanderers in total. Led by A Yi, including "My fate lies in my own hands, not in heaven," "Human nature is inherently evil," "Boundless in restrictions," "Shatter the Lingxiao"—a total of eighteen evil-profession travelers. Led by Kou Beiyue, including "A loyal minister may kill his sovereign"—only two in total. Led by Jiang Jingwei, including "The soldier who crosses the river," "The White Tiger Forever," "The Boy Who Sells Matches"—a total of twenty-four. Four members of the Five Elements Alliance made the ultimate sacrifice. Additionally, there are those belonging to civilian organizations or independent practitioners—such as "Only I Am Supreme," "All Under Heaven Is White," "The Nine-Leak Fish"—along with foreign spiritual travelers. This group numbers forty-four in total. Together, they amount to ninety-six. "Liangchen, how come you're mingling with an obscure junior officer?" Wen Wujin slightly frowned. Kou Beiyue had The elder of the fat one…the evil professionals around纷纷 cast looks of "May luck be with you" or "The corpses are walking" at Kou Beiyue. I'm not even his elder—Kou Beiyue feels quite uncomfortable. He'd like to explain, but the young man is proud and refuses to lower his dignity. The "I control my fate, not the heavens," dressed in a forest-themed, mature young woman, scans the members of the Five Elements Alliance, frowning: "Where is Yuan Shi Tian Zun? Why hasn't he come?" As soon as she says this, both the lawful and the evil factions turn their attention to the members of the Five Elements Alliance. Jiang Jingwei opens her mouth to respond with a sharp "What business is it of yours?" but is gently restrained by Guo He Zhu, the young man in camouflage pants, who speaks calmly: "I haven't seen him since we entered the arena." The solid-built, honest-looking Guan Zhongkui adds: "I looked all around just now, and I haven't seen Yuan Shi Tian Zun." Upon hearing this, whether from the lawful or the evil professions, a sense of disappointment naturally arises. Facing the boss at the Saint's level, they needed a top-tier combat force like Yuan Shi Tian Zun. "Are they really afraid and hiding away?" "Perhaps they're just hoping to reap the benefits as passive observers—what a petty, unprincipled little player the official 'genius' really is." A sarcastic tone rose from the evil faction. "Ready to die?" Jiang Jingwei raised her eyebrows. She rolled up her sleeves, adopting a posture of charging through the ranks to strike them down. Jiang Jingwei was not in a good mood. Since arriving, she hadn't seen Yuan Shi Tian Zun or her elder sister Guan Ya. Her colleagues were all strangers. "Such a young girl, yet so spirited—here's a piece of advice from me: 'Don't be a bull-headed fool...'" When the fire specialist clashed with an evil specialist, the two contrasting personalities often only resulted in a physical confrontation. As the evil specialist prepared to unleash their decisive move, Zhao Chenguang from Tai Men suddenly drew a black handgun and fired. Bang! Bang! The evil specialist rolled to one side, nimbly evading the bullet. Zhao Chenguang, his face stern, his gaze sharp and piercing, scanned the assembly before declaring, "A motley crowd. Keep talking—let's go to war right now!" Indeed, if that person had uttered those words, every fire master present would have declared war on him, and thus the two great factions—Lawful and Chaotic—would have been forced into open conflict. Among the independent practitioners, the one who held himself above all others spoke with quiet resolve, saying, "We don't have much time. We must abandon pointless clashes. Whoever provokes us, I'll be the first to strike them down." He clearly understood the fire masters' sensitivities. Though elegant in appearance, the one known as "The One Above All" was overly delicate, with a simmering temper evident in his brow—his face suggested a being of both righteousness and chaos, emotionally volatile. He turned to the members of the Five Elements Alliance and continued, "I've never faced someone of this stature before. I'm not sure how to engage them. Could one of the Wood spirits step forward and speak?" As he spoke, the members of They could hardly see the full form of the Tree King. Before them stretched a trunk resembling a city wall, extending far into the distance, its curved outline barely visible. The gray-brown bark displayed distinct, tightly packed scales, seamlessly interlocking. Among the Five Rows Alliance, a young and energetic member spoke up: "The most effective way to combat tree spirits is through fire attacks or felling. The latter can be easily ignored—fire struggles to ignite it at first, since the bark is saturated with moisture. As for the final method, when plants develop self-awareness, they cease to be mere plants and instead form a core of embedded consciousness, which we call the 'Tree Heart.' Once located and destroyed, that core becomes decisive." The audience nodded in agreement. The young tree spirit walked to the trunk's side, extended his hand, and focused his senses for a moment before saying, "The Tree Heart lies fifty meters above us, concealed within the trunk." At that moment, a freelance practitioner raised his voice: "I recommend you act soon— it's watching us." Everyone turned to look, and there, on the thick trunks resembling city walls, pairs of eye-like formations emerged—without eyelashes, devoid of emotion—gazing solemnly upon the crowd. The young wood spirit spoke, "I have three minutes until my next attack. I can reach the tree's core. Do any of you wood spirits join me?" Spirit travelers at the transcendental realm lacked flight ability, and thus, the adept climbers among the wood spirits found themselves perfectly suited for this task. Immediately, three wood spirits—two men and one woman—stepped forward from the group of independent practitioners. The four wood spirits began climbing upward along the steep trunk, with scarcely any footholds, relying solely on the grip of the uneven bark. Yet their pace remained unimpeded. With their nimble movements, they climbed like geckos, fluid and precise. The onlookers below raised their heads, eyes fixed and attentive. When the four wood spirits reached a height of thirty meters, the scales of bark on their chests and abdomens suddenly split open, revealing long, sharp teeth—like the trunk itself had opened its great, bloodied mouth. "Ah…" Three tree spirits were caught off guard, swallowed whole by the trunk, their cries cut short. Among the five elements alliance, the young wood spirit reacted most swiftly—upon the moment the bark cracked, he promptly released his grip, lying back to allow himself to fall freely. He believed his fellow companions would catch him. "Crack!" A black silhouette streaked across the sky, striking the falling wood spirit with force, shattering his body mid-air. Flesh and blood splintered, limbs and organs mixing with blood, falling in soft, rhythmic drips. Landing among the crowd, hitting the colleagues of the five elements alliance who had rushed to catch him. "He still had three minutes of safety time, right?" "What's going on? For heaven's sake—everyone's dead!" Shouts erupted everywhere. Even among the evil faction, the sight left them visibly pale. In response, cascades of vines descended from the sky, thudding, thudding, thudding—gashes appeared one after another across the ground. The spiritual realm travelers either darted with agile maneuvers or used props to shield themselves. Yet the vines came in such numbers and density that three of them were instantly torn apart. On the tree trunks, countless eyes remained impassive, gazing down upon the scene as if observing mere insects. "From within the tube, Bao roared: 'You all are so impressive—why aren't you charging now? What are you waiting for?' With each roar, the body of Zhao Chenguang surged with vibrant yin energy. His skin deepened to a rich, dark blue-black, and thick black essence filled his eyes, spreading across his field of vision. Black, sharp claws sprouted from his fingers and toes, his muscles rippled, and black veins crawled across his entire body. Beneath him, ice and frost swiftly moved across the ground, solidifying into a thin layer of frost. How powerful... Witnessing Zhao Chenguang's transformation and feeling the overwhelming chill that could not be contained, the independent cultivators and evil-class characters all felt a sudden sense of awe. Zhao Chenguang was already so formidable—then what kind of being was the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign who had defeated him? Zhao Chenguang's form vanished. Moments later, the group saw a series of frost-encrusted footprints appearing on the tree trunk, shifting left and right, their paths erratic and unstable. The tree trunk continuously opened its mouth, its interlacing thorns reaching out, yet always lagging behind, unable to catch up with Zhao Chenguang A few seconds later, a loud "crack!" echoed—fifty meters away, a three-inch palm imprint suddenly plunged into the hard, scale-like bark, tearing through the rigid fibers. Plump! Zhao Chenguang landed steadily, his fists bleeding profusely, bones exposed. He drew deep, labored breaths, and said in a steady voice: "The trunk is unyielding; we must work together to break it." As soon as he finished speaking, Ai Yi's pupils suddenly contracted, her sclera turning amber, her skin thickening into a hard armor, her legs transforming into strong, powerful hind limbs, and a pair of wing cases rising from her back. Hush-hush… the delicate wings vibrated, stirring a gale, and she rose into the sky. "Take me with you!" Jiang Jingwei called out. She rushed forward several steps, leapt into the air, trying to grasp Ai Yi's feet. Ai Yi's blank, impassive vertical pupils fixed on her for a moment, then willingly lowered her height, extended her arms, caught Jiang Jingwei's arms, and carried her upward toward the heavens. During this process, he moved with the swift agility of a fly, darting sideways or plunging downward to evade one vine after another. In no time, he reached a height of fifty meters. Suddenly, A Yi surged forward, hurling the red-haired girl against the tree trunk wide as a city wall, while he himself dove headfirst to meet the vine descending directly upon him. His hands instantly transformed into long, bone-like swords, sweeping upward in a flourish. Half of the thick vine was severed and fell downward, granting Jiang Jingwei precious time. The red-haired girl exhaled a burst of flame, rising like a cannonball, trailing a fiery wake, and crashing forcefully into Zhao Chenghuang's palm imprint. "Boom!" A wave of crimson flame erupted, instantly carbonizing the tree bark in the area and sending a powerful shockwave that tore through large sections of tough fibers, expanding the imprint into a deep gash. Jiang Jingwei, having sacrificed eight hundred of his own forces to defeat a thousand enemies, inhaled blood and groaned as he fell. Devastated, the massive tree trunk, broad as a wall, roared with a deep, furious sound, shaking the forest leaves into a rustle. Countless vines, like angry tendrils, swayed and whipped toward the ground, striking at the sky-bound A Yi and Jiang Jingwei. As the deluge of vines closed in, A Yi swiftly retracted his wing plumes, curled into a tight ball with his knees drawn up. His keratin on the surface surged rapidly, thickening and forming a dense, rigid sphere of bone. "Crack! Crack! Crack!" The vines struck relentlessly, cracking the hard keratin sphere and seeping out dark green blood. The bone sphere plunged downward with urgency. So too did Jiang Jingwei, who clutched a yellow jade pendant—the item originating from the earth-based class—whose defensive barrier not only stabilized her but also added weight, propelling her swiftly toward the ground. Though Jiang Jingwei was not particularly intelligent, her innate combat instinct enabled her to instinctively know when and which item to use, without conscious thought. "The gap is closing..." a vigilant scout loudly announced. The breach created by Jiang Jingwei was now rapidly healing. The Tree King of the Saint's Realm naturally mastered restoration abilities. At that moment, the one who exuded an elegant, gentle presence raised his palm, holding aloft a black seal. The seal was carved with waves and its material resembled both jade and stone. "Boom!" A water column several meters in diameter surged forth from the seal, rising skyward. The figure of the Sole Sovereign became semi-transparent, as if merging with the water, ascending against the sky while effortlessly overcoming the vines drawn upward. Soon, he reached the breach Jiang Jingwei had created. As his form solidified, he raised a long blade forged of blue ice and struck it forcefully into the gap, which was continuously contracting. Cracking sounds echoed continuously, and the ice shell covered an area the size of a human head, spreading outward. The healing process was effectively halted. "Crack!" A deep, resonant gunshot echoed through the forest, reverberating in the sky. The icy crust that had formed over the trunk's fissure instantly shattered, splashing out fragments of wood. "Bang, bang, bang..." The shots followed one another in rapid succession, striking the same spot repeatedly, each one deepening and widening the fissure. The hidden shooter not only wielded a formidable weapon but also possessed an exceptional marksmanship. Beneath the tree, the Miao Mountain master drew a mourning staff wrapped in white cloth strips and tossed it to the shade spirit, guiding it toward the Tree King. Sun Miaomiao opened her mouth, releasing a series of spirits of resentment that intertwined and wove together into a shimmering, ethereal whip of spectral energy. The mourning staff and the divine whip struck the trunk in perfect synchrony. The vines swaying above, once lively and vigorous, instantly stiffened and then drooped softly. The Tree King's soul was wounded, entering a state of stunned stillness. Seizing the opportunity, the shamans transformed into their respective spirits, unfurling their elytra and wings, lifting one by one with firemasters and enchanted spirits, soaring upward toward a height of fifty meters. One after another, fire balls, fire spears, and fire blades exploded, sending out surging waves of heat and blazing into the sky. Meanwhile, the enchanted spirits used their piercing weapons to create bleeding effects, effectively hindering the Tree King's recovery. For the first time, rare as it was, members from the chaotic and lawful realms of the spiritual realm fought side by side, combining their efforts to deliver massive damage. At the fifty-meter mark on the trunk, the breach widened, wood shavings flew in all directions, deepening and expanding continuously, eventually seeping out a deep red liquid, with fibers thinning and giving way to tender, fresh red flesh. "See the tree heart! It's encased in a layer of flesh—unbreakable!" A spirit shouted as he rapidly descended. The very next moment, he was torn apart mid-air by vines, and more and more firemasters and shamans, like mosquitoes, were crushed into a pulp, their bodies splattered with blood. The Tree Sovereign broke free from the influence of the Divine Whip and the Lamenting Staff, sensing an intense crisis and launching a frantic counterattack. Meanwhile, trees around them began to reveal human faces, glaring at the group with fierce resentment, their dense vines and roots coiling and wrapping around, launching attacks. The independent practitioners were unable to hold their ground against the Tree Sovereign, desperately clashing with the assaults from the tree spirits. "Take me up!" a young man, wielding a straight sword in each hand, roared. "The Nine-Leak Fish is yours..." Guan Zhong Kui, with both palms pressing down on the ground, caused the soil beneath the Nine-Leak Fish's feet to rise, forming a colossal hand that lifted him skyward. As the giant hand surged upward for just over ten meters, several vines intersected and struck it with a series of sharp thuds, causing the solid earth hand to shatter into fragments. The Nine-Leak Fish leapt with grace, seemingly perilous yet precise, through the gaps between the vines, inevitably descending. "Crash!" The water column shot skyward, precisely striking the Nine-Leak Fish, lifting him several meters higher and just clearing the sweeping vine that came across. At the same time, Jiang Jingwei stepped forward, forming a white-hot sphere in his palm, then hurled it with the force of a lead ball. Boom! The fire sphere exploded beneath the Nine-Leak Fish, sending out an unimaginably violent surge of air that launched him skyward, yet the chaotic gusts disrupted his balance, causing him to spin uncontrollably in the air. As the moment arrived, Ai Yi, tending to his wounds, took to the skies like a fighter jet, following closely behind the Nine-Leak Fish, guiding him straight toward the opening—now a diameter of one meter. Plink! The Nine-Leak Fish planted his feet firmly on the edge of the opening, arched his spine like a drawn bow, and with his two swords blazing with a brilliant white light, drove them forcefully into the heart, encased within a thick flesh wall, in a chopping motion. Pffft... Great streams of blood gushed from the opening, staining the Nine-Leak Fish entirely crimson. The cascading vines instantly stilled, then sagged helplessly, their pairs of cold eyes embedded in the serpent-scaled bark slowly closing and retreating into the trunk. The tree spirits around them likewise lost their vitality, reverting to ordinary plants. ... Near the pond, Zhang Yuanqing activated his ability of nocturnal movement, blending into the shadows and advancing silently. Soon, he reached the pond and observed the fruit trees growing around it, their branches heavy with plump, abundant berries. Yet he did not immediately pick the berries—nor did he pause to watch the mountain monkeys climbing the branches or grooming each other, brushing lice and playing near the pond—because of the sleeping monkey king lying on the smooth, green stone beside the pond. The king was nearly three meters tall, his body covered in thick, dense white fur, with black hands and fingers and a black face. A lively yellow-furred monkey lounged lazily against the king’s chest, occasionally swaying its tail and softly calling out. At that moment, a male monkey slightly larger than the yellow-haired one quietly approached, snatched the brightly colored monkey, and dragged him several meters away. Then, he raised his tail and settled on the back of the brightly colored female monkey, rapidly flicking it. Initially reluctant, the female monkey called out a few times before finally bowing down, tucking her rear end, and gradually yielding. How bold of him—stealing the queen in secret while the king remained oblivious! Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit more confident. Yet, the sage-level king must possess senses so powerful and formidable that if discovered during the stealthy gathering, he would be utterly unable to escape. Night-walking could mask scent and sound, but not the disturbances caused by movement—such as the body brushing against leaves or bushes, causing them to sway. To be safe, he needed to devise a way to divert the king’s attention. Zhang Yuanqing thought it over and quietly retreated. Once he reached a distance where he felt secure, he ended his night-walking and released his small, cheerful monkey. "Aba!" The little comic lay on the ground, tilting his head toward his master. Zhang Yuanqing knelt down, running his fingers over the sparse fur on the baby’s head, entrusting this newborn infant with a significant task: “Crawl over there, pick a bunch of fruit, and then run as soon as you’ve finished—run as far as you can.” The baby made a soft “ah-bah” sound, swiftly moving its limbs and slipping into the thicket. Zhang Yuanqing then resumed his night-wandering journey, heading toward the pond. Upon returning to his original spot, he silently waited. About half a minute later, he spotted the thicket across the pond, where a head with sparse fur emerged, followed by the small infant—still shorter than an adult’s arm—quickly climbing up a tree trunk. Zhang Yuanqing occasionally glanced at the sleeping Monkey King. He had chosen the little comic over himself or summoning the ghost bride precisely because the baby’s energy was weaker. Although the Monkey King wasn’t a night-wanderer by profession, being a saint, his strong spiritual presence made it difficult to guarantee that the two others wouldn’t sense him. Well, it didn't spot the little comic. The Monkey King remained sound asleep, unaware that a fragile spirit had entered his territory. Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief. Under his watch, the little comic climbed the trunk and reached the branches, clutched a cluster of red berries, and with the strength of his spirit, gave them a firm twist. Crack! The cluster detached from the branch and fell straight down. The little comic smoothly descended, landing with his head on the berries, flailing his limbs and darting off swiftly. "Zhi-zhi~" Several mountain monkeys on the tree were stunned, pointing at the cluster that had flown away and emitting sharp, urgent calls. The zhi-zhi sounds drew the attention of more monkeys, and as the calls grew louder, the sleeping Monkey King was finally awakened. Just a few meters away, two monkeys engaged in vigorous reproduction suddenly froze in place. The male monkey watched the waking king with wide eyes, scratching his head... "Roar!" The king roared in fury, baring his sharp teeth and biting down hard on the male monkey's neck, which was still deeply embedded in the mother monkey's body—delivering a fatal shake. Meanwhile, the mountain monkeys leapt and jumped, pointing toward the distance, shrieking in alarm. The king listened intently for a few seconds, his dark eyes blazing with anger, then released the lifeless male monkey, lowly growling. With a powerful, heavy leap, he surged into the air, clearing a water pond over fifteen meters wide, and charged after the thief who had dared to steal the clan's grain, thundering steadily with each step. Seeing the leader in motion, the mountain monkeys finally stepped forward to join the pursuit. Time was of the essence... Zhang Yuanqing quickly ran toward the pond, approaching the nearest tree, leapt into the air, and snapped off a branch about half a meter long, bearing four clusters of red berries. As soon as the branch broke, it vanished under the influence of the night breeze. Zhang Yuanqing didn't pause—he turned and ran, simultaneously instructing the lively youngster to drop the berries and flee immediately The Ling Pu has no physical form and makes no noise—Monk Sun will never be able to pin down this lively little fellow. After sprinting several hundred meters, he leaned against a tall tree, waiting for the little one to make contact while examining the half-stick in his hand. "Whether it works or not, just try one and find out," he said, plucking a red fruit the size of a dragon eye and chewing it. The juice burst with a tangy-sweet flavor, dissolving instantly in his mouth. A warm current surged into his stomach, spreading throughout his body, bringing a soothing warmth that dispelled his fatigue. "Hiss… hiss…" black vapor rose from his body, as if impurities within him were being purified. The fruit had healing and revitalizing properties—so it made sense that it was used when one felt unwell. But what was this black vapor? It seemed as though he had been cleansed. A thought struck him: the black vapor symbolized a purification of his inner circle, or perhaps a transformation. "Go back and verify this—see if I can reach the central part of the forest." Soon, Zhang Yuanqing and the small, talkative servant merged, swallowed the little spirit servant, and returned to the spot where they had parted from the guide dog and the Peony Princess. The scene was a mess—trees lay uprooted, gullies纵横, and large chunks of soil had been heaved up, as if the area had undergone a massive logging operation, leaving behind a landscape of devastation. Rei Ryō lay bloodied on the ground, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her ice-spirit blade was diagonally embedded beside her, and her left lower leg was bent at an awkward angle, the bones piercing through the flesh, spilling blood across the ground. The Blood Rose stood motionless by the side, muddy and disheveled, her outer T-shirt torn, and the inner nanofiber combat suit beneath it also ripped, revealing her smooth, white, jade-like back, now streaked with fresh wounds. The Peony Princess knelt beside Rei Ryō, gently pressing her palm against the injury on the leg, soft green light flickering in her palm. This was a healing mage’s treatment skill—quick to stop bleeding and mend wounds, but insufficient to reattach broken bones. "Looks Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward, examined the guide dog carefully, and confirmed it had no life-threatening injuries. Hearing a familiar voice, the Peony Fairy felt a surge of joy, turned around, and stared in astonishment at the branch in Zhang Yuanqing's hands, asking, "You've been gone so long—how come you only brought back a few red berries?" Zhang Yuanqing dropped a few berries and said, "Feed her these." Then, he walked straight toward the distant information board, paused by it, took a deep breath, and proceeded with steady steps. This time, he easily crossed the board without encountering any invisible barriers. [Beep! You have entered the central forest. Task 1 completed. Reward: 20 points.] [Beep! You are the first traveler to meet the conditions. Reward: 100 points.] [Beep! Your faction is now—The Mountain God. Please remember your faction.] [Beep! Task 2 is refreshing... please form a team...] The task prompts ended here. Does one need to form a team to refresh a task? Can't it be done by a single traveler? Zhang Yuanqing paused for a few seconds, then stepped back to the notice board and glanced at it. To his surprise, a map had appeared on the board—a highly complex maze. The lines were drawn haphazardly; even with ten brains, one would struggle to remember it. "Hmm," he murmured, shifting his gaze to the guide dog and the Peony Princess. The pale complexion of Asano Ryō had gradually turned rosy. His bent legs had straightened, and now he walked with a slight limp, holding the Ice-Soul Blade, his face beaming with joy. "My legs are better now, Wang Tai," he said. "I'll repay you, if I can make it out of this Killing Realm alive. By the way, you just entered the second stage, didn't you? I saw you go in—how did you manage to do that?" How to repay? A snow maiden's way of showing gratitude—I'll be looking forward to it! "Just eat the fruit and you can enter!" Zhang Yuanqing offered casually, turning to the plump young woman. "Majesty, have you eaten one?" The Peony Princess nodded slightly, staring at him with an utterly strange expression. She just now saw Yuan Shi Tian Zun rise to the top of the leaderboard. Impossible! How could this be? Yin Shi doesn't match at all—her personality doesn't fit—and yet Wang Tai is so skilled at tackling dungeons... Mu Dan Xianzi felt her heart fluttering, unsure of what exactly she was anticipating. Taking a deep breath, she was about to ask the question that had been forming in her mind when the sky suddenly darkened. The last streak of sunlight dipped below the horizon. Night fell. A dungeon notification sounded in Mu Dan Xianzi’s ears: 【Ping! The forest-dwelling mountain monkeys have been slaughtered by outside visitors. The monkey king is furious and is preparing to unleash its wrath upon them!】 【Ping! As night falls, the mountain spirit hidden deep in the mountains is about to emerge. Please evacuate immediately and head toward the central forest region.】 The Monkey King and the Mountain Spirit—exactly as he had predicted... Mu Dan Xianzi couldn’t help but glance again at Wang Tai. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, a sudden weight settled in her chest, and she gasped, calling out: “The colleagues from the Five Elements Alliance are in "...Success?" Watching the nine-leak fish destroy the heart encased within the flesh wall, and as the commotion around them fade away, the lower-level spiritual realm travelers rejoice. Each one had contributed their unique strengths, sacrificing over a dozen travelers—the cost had been heavy. Yet, finally, they had pushed this boss aside. With so many elite warriors working in unison, even a Saint would have to give way. "Man, this slaughter quest—this is just the outer layer! It's even more terrifying than an S-tier quest," one fire specialist spat. "Wait—wait, why no task prompt? Why no points reward?" a wandering cultivator asked in confusion. As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone suddenly noticed the nine-leak fish high above, leaping down with a hurried, almost panicked demeanor, as if fleeing something dreadful. In the next instant, the cold, lidless eyes on the scale-like tree bark opened once more. The vines that had hung lifeless suddenly regained strength, springing up with vigor and energy. One wood spirit exclaimed, "It's revival! It even knows how to use the revival ability!" Revival is the signature passive skill of wood spirits, much like the self-healing ability of the Night Wanderer. When nearing death, the revival ability allows wood spirits to come back to life, though at the cost of half their health and entering a weakened state—no longer at their peak. The faces of the two factions' spirit travelers grew pale. The Tree King proved more resilient than they had anticipated; it would take many more casualties before it could be fully defeated. At that very moment, as the final streak of sunlight faded, a new blow fell upon them. [Chime! The mountain macaques living in the forest have been slaughtered by outside visitors. The monkey king is furious—prepare for its wrath!] [Chime! As night falls, the mountain spirits hidden deep in the hills will emerge. Please evacuate immediately and head toward the central forest region.] In an instant, the spirit travelers present turned pale, their eyes filled with despair. "Done..." "We'll have to fight three bosses?" A sage-level tree spirit is already so tenacious—how could three bosses possibly not wipe us out? What's going on? Shouldn't the orderly and free factions be pitted against each other in a killing raid? Instead, it's our raid that's being crushed? The independent adventurers' morale completely collapsed. Members from the official and evil organizations managed to stay composed, yet they were clearly at a loss, their fighting spirit fading. Even Zhao, the proud one, and Ai, the cold and detached, now had stiffened expressions. This raid simply didn't make sense—how could it be this difficult? It was clearly designed to extinguish us in the outer regions. "Have we, from the very beginning, been going in the wrong direction?" Yuan Ting questioned. Everyone fell silent. At that moment, from a distant horizon, a profoundly resonant cry rose: "I am the Prime Immortal. All official travelers, gather here!"