A golden light surged forth, blazing like a comet. The sovereigns focused their gaze, their eyes slightly stinging as though gazing directly into the sun. At the source of this radiance stood a goddess of unparalleled beauty—her features exquisitely refined, flawless in every way. Yet for the high-ranking figures present, it was not merely her physical grace that commanded attention, but the powerful, purifying aura she radiated—an aura that stirred both awe and apprehension. As she approached the two stellar fragments formed by the recent killing quests, the composed, serene goddess suddenly paused. The Lady of San Dao Mountain surveyed the gathered figures, her dark, lively eyes transforming into radiant golden ones. She scanned each person carefully, pausing slightly as she assessed their standing, then gently raised one elegant brow. "All of you are Master-level figures... three legendary human immortals? Indeed, after the revival of the celestial and terrestrial energies, human immortals have now emerged among the practitioners of this age." Her voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a serene, untouchable grace, untouched by earthly concerns. The elder dog gazed at the woman riding the golden light, his mind suddenly stirred. He exclaimed, "Lady of San Dao Mountain?" He had once heard from Brother Sun describe the appearance of the mountain deity. As Brother Sun put it, she was exceptionally beautiful—like a painting of a celestial maiden—though rather sharp-tempered and difficult to handle. "Human immortal is the term used in your era. In today's time, a practitioner of my level is called a 'half-god'!" The woman with white hair, standing with her arms folded, radiated an aura that matched neither in strength nor dignity to that of the mountain deity. Turned her head toward the Dog Elder, "Is she the ancient sun deity who awakened within the Shu Ling Tunnel?" The female marshal's voice was equally pleasing, clear in articulation and melodious, yet carried a sense of authority that made listeners involuntarily recall the Empress seated upon her throne. "Indeed!" the Dog Elder nodded. The leaders of the malevolent organization stared in astonishment at the Three-Path Mountain Lady, their minds simultaneously drawing upon the relevant information—Master Yuan Shi had passed through the Shu Ling Tunnel, thereby reviving the ancient sun deity. Moreover, this ancient sun deity had triggered changes in the night deity's spiritual realms, prompting the official to issue a public announcement. And this very one? "A half-divine being..." the Three-Path Mountain Lady murmured, then turned her gaze to the White-Haired Marshal, correcting herself: "In our era, the sun deity was known as Jin Wu!" After speaking, she paid no attention to the group of immortal projections and proceeded directly to the transcendent realm's killing quest, her foot tip lightly touching the void before colliding with the small, star-like world. The Primordials offered no resistance, nor could they resist. They were merely projections of intent into the Spiritual Realm. Yet the Spiritual Realm blocked the three Deities of the Mountain, enveloping the Killing Campaign in an invisible barrier and pushing them aside. Witnessing this, the leaders of the Orderly and the Chaotic factions exhaled in relief. Should such a powerful boss enter the Killing Campaign, it would indeed be a catastrophe—threatening the very future of their valued younger members. The Fearful King stroked the silver rings at his ears and smiled, "Though you differ from us in that your true form resides within the Spiritual Realm, you are ultimately constrained by it. How, then, could you enter the Killing Campaign?" The three Mountain Deities slightly furrowed their brows. After a moment's contemplation, the Mountain God decisively intervened. Raising her right arm, she emitted a golden glow from her palm, forming a long golden bow. With her left hand, she drew the bowstring, and with a golden flame spilling from her fingertips, she shaped a blazing arrow. *Whoosh!* The golden light surged suddenly, and the vivid arrow shot forth like a beam of light. Boom… it immediately exploded on the surface of the star, dispersing into a wave of light that spread across the entire star before fading away. The Three Mountain Lady pressed her lips, raised her brows, and steadily intensified her breath, transforming from a pure, unsoiled goddess into a female warrior capable of drawing her divine bow taut like a full moon. Whizz, whizz, whizz… a continuous stream of golden arrows shot forth, exploding repeatedly on the star’s surface, their golden waves engulfing this small world. "Sustaining half of your yang essence, yet still wielding the power of a high-ranking sovereign—clearly, you're just one step away from reaching the pinnacle," the female marshal remarked, standing with her arms folded. … White Tiger, in a resonant voice, declared: "The map of this region is quite simple—it has only one intersection, just twenty meters ahead. Once you pass through that point, you'll find yourself on a single, winding path that leads in one direction only. "Even without consulting the map, you wouldn't get lost, since there's only one route and no branching paths. "When I was tracing the route, I found it rather unremarkable—too simple, I thought. "The more straightforward the path, the more easily one feels lost, because there's no longer any need for intersections to confuse us. Tianxian Guihuo felt neither delighted nor relieved; instead, a sense of weight settled upon his heart. At that moment, a magnificent, radiant golden light suddenly burst forth, piercing through the dense forest and illuminating the faces of all present. "What on earth is going on?" The members of the Wu-Xing Alliance, their spiritual practitioners, raised their heads in astonishment, gazing at the golden light streaming through the tree canopies. By now, their fuller chests had returned to normal—after leaving the reproductive forest, the spores within their bodies had lost their vitality and naturally expelled themselves. Though they could not see the night sky, they could easily imagine that it was now completely enveloped in golden radiance. This unexpected development left everyone bewildered, uncertain, and alert, standing still, hesitant to move. "This golden light... it seems rather similar to the artifact of the Primordial Sovereign," remarked the Peony Immortal, expressing her surprise. Upon hearing this, everyone turned swiftly to look at the Primordial Sovereign. This guy truly keeps surprising everyone... Is that possible? Has the old, sturdy one really arrived? So quickly? Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat. But it seemed she couldn't make it in—indeed, the killing quest was one that even high-ranking figures couldn't intervene in. He remained calm, speaking softly, "Just a minor matter. No need to pay attention." No need to pay attention... The attitude of Yuan Shi Tian Zun was so calm—was this event merely a trivial matter in his eyes? The team members were quietly astonished. "Shh... shh..." Stepping carefully over the fallen leaves and dry branches scattered across the ground, the group moved forward slowly. The golden light piercing through the tree canopy brought a steady brightness. No longer did they need the fire master to carry torches. As Zhang Yuanqing advanced with caution, regaining his strength, he opened the map to check the positions of the four teams. The marker representing the evil faction was precisely located within the Forest of Reproduction. Hey, let these folks also experience that satisfying sense of chest expansion and contraction—without purification tools, crossing the Forest of Reproduction won't be easy... Though, the traitor within the group must have already warned them about the dangers in the forest beforehand; they're surely well-prepared. By the way, the little boy does indeed touch the trees at regular intervals, but he never makes any marks on the trunks. Without a means of truth-testing like a lie detector, only through murder and inquiry can the truth be revealed—there's little room for trial and error. As the thought of questioning the spirits arose, Zhang Yuanqing paused and turned to Guan Ya beside him, saying, "Guan Ya, please protect me while I examine the memory of 'innate human evil.' " The mixed-blood beauty in vine armor gave a gentle nod. Zhang Yuanqing immediately closed his eyes, dispersing the Taiyin energy that enveloped the spirit of 'innate human evil,' completing the absorption. A powerful surge of intense malice poured into his consciousness like a tidal wave. Because he had used the Fumagong杵 several times, Zhang Yuanqing had long since cleared away the chaotic consciousness within him, standing firm and calmly enduring the onslaught of evil spirits. Soon, he accessed the corresponding memories. — It was Bai Wujinshi who had set the ambush for the illusionary practitioners. — It was also Bai Wujinshi who knew the Primordial Sovereign had laid an ambush. And in the maze forest, Bai Wujinshi frequently performed one gesture: he would press his ears. From the memory fragments of "human nature being inherently evil," Zhang Yuanqing noticed a small object resembling a snail shell embedded in the left earlobe of Bai Wujinshi. Was this the device he used to communicate with the traitor? A spiritual version of earphones? Then, to identify the traitor, it would now be straightforward. Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes, forcibly ending his inquiry to the spirit realm, and declared aloud: "Stop! Everyone, stop!" His voice cut off abruptly. Before him, the tree shadows shimmered gently, golden light flickered on and off, and the path extended deep into the forest—yet there was not Zhang Yuanqing turned stiffly, searching for Guan Ya's figure beside him. The space beside him was empty. Guan Ya was gone. Everyone had vanished silently—without a sound, as if the entire world had shrunk down to just him alone. ... The golden light faded slowly. The Lady of San Dao stopped shooting arrows, frowning silently. Seeing her pause, the Dog Elder said: "If you establish an alliance with us and serve us in the Spiritual Realm, I will return the artifact to you." A high-ranking sovereign, even one just one step away from the highest rank, capable of traversing the Spiritual Realm, could accomplish many things. "Esteemed Lady," the Lady of San Dao replied with a cold, composed demeanor, "I am free and self-governed—unbound by any obligations." The Dog Elder fell silent. A sovereign from the Void Sect interjected, "Lady of the Mountain God, why not cooperate with us? We can recover the artifact for you, and in the process, we may even defeat Yuan Shi Tian Zun and settle your grievances." The Lady of San Dao Mountain glanced at him: "I shall not be tainted by the magistrates of the demonic sect." Even a lofty, self-assured Day-Wandering God... The leading figure of the evil faction cast her a critical glance. Yet, within the spiritual realm, they must indeed revere this ancient Day-Wandering God, for she could effortlessly extinguish the consciousness projections of the others, banishing them from the realm. "The demonic sect members..." the King of Fear inquired, "Are you from the Song Dynasty or the Tang Dynasty? Your attire seems more in line with the Ming Dynasty." The composed Lady paid no attention, her silk skirt flowing gently as she approached the battlefield of slaughter, surveying the primeval forest within the small world. The King of Fear shrugged, "Your indifference is rather displeasing, but whether or not you answer is entirely your choice." As she gazed upon a figure in the forest, hesitating here and there, the usually stern expression on her face suddenly softened into a smile. I still have my backup! ... "By 'moving the forest,' do you mean this?" Zhang Yuanqing furrowed his brows. All my teammates have vanished—completely, even, without knowing where they went. I can't delay much longer; the evil forces are closing in. Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate. He immediately pulled out the Fumigating Staff and drove it firmly into his thigh. Once he absorbed the purifying power, he turned and surveyed the surroundings, checking for any illusions, only to confirm that the ability to move the forest was indeed a "spatial transfer." His teammates had truly been transported to other locations. He then pondered the mechanics of the forest's transportation: "Most likely, the transfer happens only within the moving forest, not to other areas—otherwise, the difficulty level and level design wouldn't make sense. My position hasn't changed, and the leaves at my feet bear witness to that. Therefore, it must be the others who were transported. What about the destination of the transfer? Is it the objects currently in motion?" He was analyzing, when suddenly a strong, resonant cry came from Jiang Jingwei: "Master Yuanshi, Sister Guan Ya..." Turning to see, a red-haired girl stepped out from the path they had come. She walked on, making a continuous, lively chatter. Indeed, calling out to attract companions was such a simple and direct method—sometimes, plainness of mind had its own advantages. Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward to meet her. "I'm right here." Jiang Jingwei was delighted to finally have someone respond, her heart leaping with joy as she bounced over to him. "I was walking along, and suddenly everyone just disappeared. Did I get caught in one of your night-wanderers' ghostly hallway effects?" She collided into Zhang Yuanqing's arms, thrilled. "It wasn't a ghostly hallway effect. More like a spatial teleportation." Zhang Yuanqing asked, "How did they vanish?" "Just... walking, and then they were gone." Jiang Jingwei replied. …Zhang Yuanqing gave up on asking for details, paused thoughtfully, and said, “Let’s hold hands and walk together—see if we’ll lose our way. Also, keep calling out, don’t stop.” They immediately held hands and started walking forward. Jiang Jingwei kept talking and babbling as they went, but the names she called eventually settled down to just Guan Ya. Jingwei seemed to have few friends too—indeed, she was young, spending most of her time at home with her private tutors, and given her sensitive position, her circle of acquaintances probably consisted mainly of family members and us from the second team. Zhang Yuanqing thought this while observing the surroundings. Not long after, their voices drew the attention of Shina Reo. The Japanese high school girl rushed forward, her clear and beautiful face glowing with joy, like the heroine in a horror film finally seeing a living person. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her and said, “Don’t waste time—hold my hand and walk with me. Yes, you too, start calling out.” The sound of voices grew noticeably stronger. Thus, they found one teammate after another. Unlike the first two, Zhang Yuanqing would ask each new teammate to turn his head slightly, exposing his ears to verify whether he had earbuds in place. This included even the "little boy who sold matches." After counting the numbers, Zhang noticed one person was still missing and said, "The one who can't sing hasn't been found yet. Let's keep calling—no, pause for a moment. Based on my observations and verification, the location where we are standing is constantly shifting as we walk, which is why we've become scattered throughout the moving forest. If we stay still, we won't experience spatial shifts; if we hold hands, we won't disperse. Yet we must keep moving forward. As long as we maintain this forward motion, we will continue to experience spatial shifts, meaning we'll keep circling within the forest without ever being able to escape. What solutions do you have? The evil forces are closing in, and time is running out. Let's think creatively." He had originally thought they would need to discuss it thoroughly, but to his surprise, a member from the middle of the team, Tian Xia Gui Huo, said: "First, we need to understand that spatial movement may be irregular, but it is not continuous. Otherwise, we would never be able to escape—this insurmountable challenge would never arise at such a relatively simple stage. Therefore, it must pause at some specific point in time. During that pause, anyone passing through will remain stationary. That moment is our opportunity." The group nodded in agreement. Tian Xia Gui Huo continued: "It's simple—we just need to establish reference points. We take our current position as the starting point, write a '1' on the ground, then write a '2' twenty steps ahead, and continue this pattern. We begin timing from the moment we write the first '1'. When we reach the number '10', whether we return to the original '1' or to another location, the interval between writing the first '1' and reaching '10' will be our safe window." After calculating the safe time, it's straightforward—say the safe time is ten minutes. Then we can sprint for nine minutes and stop abruptly in the final minute. Standing still will not result in being transported. "Wait until the ten minutes have passed, then continue moving forward." This method of spatial transportation gained universal approval among the group. Immediately, they began writing numbers on the ground as they advanced, simultaneously calling out the names of the individuals who were initially deaf to the sounds. When the number reached fifteen, the deaf individual who had been called finally arrived, successfully joining the group. By the time the number reached twenty, they had still not encountered any of the numbers left behind along the way. "The spatial transportation must have occurred, but since the forest area is so extensive, we haven't managed to reach the exact location where the numbers were left," Zhang Yuanqing mused. "Keep moving forward!" When the number reached one hundred, the advancing group noticed a "22" appearing on the ground ahead of them. Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up, "The reference point has appeared—start counting!" Everyone began silently counting time and slowed their pace. When they passed the number "45," the number "46" that should have been ahead had now become "30." "Four minutes, from 22 to 30—exactly four minutes!" Bai Hu Wan Shui shouted. "Go! Run!" Zhang Yuanqing yelled. Thus, they paused every two and a half minutes, and finally, ten minutes later, they burst through the single-directional, winding corridor without any branches. 【叮！You have successfully crossed the Moving Forest. Reward: 10 points.】 "We're finally out!" "Good—no one died this time." "Huff—almost out of the maze forest. Let's hurry to the summit now." At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing scanned the group sharply. "Who—who received the reward item?"