At that moment, the female ghost dressed in a vibrant red bridal gown, her skirt and veil billowing, returned to the side of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Meanwhile, Zhao Chenguang, enveloped in swirling black mist and resembling a fierce, terrifying spirit, led the skilled warriors Sun Miao, Yuan Ting, and Guo He Zhu, charging into the stone temple. Intense combat sounds and the clashing of spears echoed from the temple entrance—mountain spirits outside, engaged in battle with the Order's defenders. The mountain spirits, who had originally intended to fight to the last for the staff, hesitated upon hearing Ban Wu Wujin's call for retreat. Though reluctant, they gritted their teeth, holding their ground against Zhao Chenguang and his companions while gradually retreating toward the temple gates. Though they were closer to the staff than Zhao's party, this slight distance advantage was only temporary and insufficient to secure a decisive edge. Moreover, having endured repeated trials of boots and ceremonial robes, the black jade doll held by Yuan Shi Tian Zun now cast a growing sense of unease upon them. —That is precisely why the retreat of the Shanggui faction occurred: their resolve wavered, and they lost the initial momentum and determination. Zhao Chenguang glanced toward Yuan Shishen, the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, and the mountain deity statue behind him. Seeing the staff now held firmly by the statue, his expression eased slightly. Without needing Zhang Yuanqing's prompting, Zhao Chenguang silently approved the retreat of the Shanggui faction's forces. Sun Miaomiao, Yuan Ting, and the others likewise felt a profound relief, visibly relaxing as though a heavy stone had been lifted from their hearts. Throughout their journey, their only prayer had been—May Yuan Shishen hold on just a little longer! Yet, to their surprise, he truly did endure, single-handedly holding off twenty-two elite warriors. As for Guan Ya, the members of Tai Men naturally overlooked her. After all, she was not well known, and her performance on the platform had been unremarkable. Sun Miaomiao and the others managed to suppress their complex emotions and focused instead on confronting the Shanggui faction directly. Finally, Bai Wujin and the others successfully evacuated the stone temple, and shortly thereafter, the battle outside ceased. The enemies of the Shangui faction retreated into the maze forest. Outside the temple, Zhao Chenghuang's forces surged in, flooding into the temple, bringing the total number to eighteen—three independent practitioners, eight Night-Wanderers, and five official representatives from the Wu Xing Alliance. Seeing their enemies withdraw and their staffs intact, they all looked visibly relieved. "Good thing—we were on the verge of disaster." "If the Shangui faction had seized the staff, the consequences would have been dire." "Thanks to Yuan Shi Tian Zun—how he managed it, truly incredible..." After a few more minutes, Tian Xia Gui returned, leading with Mu Dan Xianzi and Asano Ryō. The official representatives from the Wu Xing Alliance had been continuously monitoring the map. After Yuan Shi Tian Zun and Guan Ya departed, they rushed furiously, retracing the very path they had just traveled. Throughout the process, every few seconds, they had to glance at the map, fearing that the positioning markers representing Guan Ya and Yuan Shǐ Tianzun would fade out, fearing that the Shan Gui faction would seize the staff and put the Shan Shen faction into an irrecoverable disadvantage. But as time passed, the emotions of the Mu Dan Xianzi and others underwent a profound transformation—starting from initial desperation and prayer, evolving into surprise and bewilderment, and finally culminating in: He actually managed to hold the line. When they returned to the summit, beyond the exhilaration of having survived the crisis, they felt a strong sense of security. This sense of security, which had previously only been experienced by officers at the level of steward or above, now was realized by Yuan Shǐ Tianzun, a peer of their own rank. Then, the contingent led by Guan Zhong Kui Bao and the Lamenting Knights finally reached the summit. This entirely composed of independent practitioners' team had suffered significant losses—reducing from an original strength of twelve to just seven members. Yet, their faces showed no signs of weariness or dejection; instead, they radiated excitement and spirited determination. Guanzhong Kui Bao scanned the crowd while shouting, "Master Yuanshi, truly impressive! How did you manage to hold off that group of unruly beasts from the Shangui faction? Hmm, I haven't seen Master Yuanshi yet..." As he spoke, his gaze settled on the young man being protected by the five-element alliance members, and he instantly understood. When he finished speaking, Zhao Chenghuang said in a steady tone, "All except me, Sun Miao-miao, Guan Ya, Yuan Shishen, Yuan Ting, the Mao Mountain master, and the Heavenly Fire Alliance—retire from the Mountain God Temple and take up guard posts on the open ground. The wood spirits shall patrol the nearby forests to prevent any stealth return from the Mountain Ghost forces. 'With everyone working together to protect the staff, and once the temple gates close sixty minutes later, we will have fulfilled our mission.' He made his arrangements methodically, deliberately placing Guan Zhongkui and the Lich Knight at the entrance so he could keep a constant watch on them. These two are outstanding among the independent practitioners—especially the Lich Knight, who is a native night-wanderer. As the secret organization known as the Night Rose is led by night-wanderers, it is highly likely that any wild night-wanderer has ties to this organization. Therefore, precautions are necessary." With everyone in their assigned positions, Zhao Chenghuang turned to the hall and addressed the several individuals he considered the core of his faction: "The Mountain Spirit faction has moved so decisively—I suspect they have something else in mind." Tianxia Guihuo immediately replied, "The next stage will involve entering the Lost City. The forest-based tasks are primarily tied to the Mountain God, so the tasks within the Lost City must be related to the evil cultivators. Therefore, the Mountain Spirit faction is truly the main force. I believe they intend to leverage the Lost City to turn the tide of the battle." "So their withdrawal has been both timely and strategic—not choosing to go down with us in total destruction," Sun Miao-miao nodded slightly. Tianxia Guihuo pointed to the murals within the temple and said, "These murals are quite interesting—they pertain directly to the Lost City, and I believe they serve as clear hints from the quest itself." The four Night-Wanderers from Taiyuan Sect approached the murals and studied them carefully. Zhao Chenghuang frowned and asked, "What are the evil cultivators sacrificing—large amounts of ordinary people's vital essence—to offer to something, or attempting Yuan Ting thought for a moment, then said, "Sacrifice... I only know that our master seems capable of accepting sacrifices from our disciples. Can other professions also accept them?" Could the master of Taiyuan Sect accept sacrifices from his disciples? Tianxiu Guihuo, Guan Ya, and Zhang Yuanqing were taken aback. This information had never reached them before. Sun Miao Miao cleared her throat. "That's not crucial. What matters is that those who can accept sacrifice are of the highest rank. Will we encounter a boss of such stature in this quest? Perhaps just a background character—yes, we'll find out the truth once we reach the City of Lost Things." Then, Sun Miao Miao pressed her lips together, looking at Zhang Yuanqing with eager anticipation. "Master Yuanshishen, could you lend me that child for a moment?" "Oh, of course!" Zhang Yuanqing expelled a stream of pure Taiyin energy, which gently settled on the ground, forming a round, endearing infant with sparse downy hair. Sun Miao-miao beamed with delight, her eyes sparkling, taking a few determined steps forward and giving the little comic a series of gentle kisses. At the same time, she was slightly surprised—today's Yuan Shi Tian Zun seemed unusually approachable. "Bai Wu Jin Xi nodded slightly: "Our magic staff isn't something we absolutely need to secure—it wouldn't be worth risking the entire team's survival for. Even if we had stayed, just think: the instance has two major factions—the original forest belongs to the Mountain God's faction, while the Lost City is ours. Since we've entered the instance, barely 24 hours have passed, yet our main objective is simply to survive for three days. In terms of time, we've only covered one-third of the journey. The real turning point isn't at the Mountain God's temple. The Lost City is our key to reversing the situation. Moreover, we have two hidden assets—one comes from an item, and the other from the instance itself. Hey, I'll keep that last part a secret for now—you'll find out when the time comes." Upon hearing this, the group's earlier sense of discouragement vanished, and they eagerly asked what the hidden asset from the instance was. Yet Bai Wu Jin Xi smiled and remained silent. What a remarkable strategist—he had completely restored their confidence in just a few words. What exactly was the hidden asset from the instance? I'll figure out a way to notify Yuanshishitan Zun... Kou Beiyue's thoughts turned. ... Inside the stone temple, Guan Ya spoke softly, "What happened just now? You explained so much." She was referring to his lengthy account of how he had delayed the Mountain Ghost faction. Zhang Yuanqing's expression stiffened, and with a sigh of resignation, said, "The cost of Houdu Boots makes people more honest—honest people don't lie..." As soon as he finished speaking, Guan Ya's eyes flashed bright. Yuanshishitan Zun has become honest... The expressions of Sun Miaomiao, Zhao Chenguang, and others instantly grew somewhat strange. Lao Si Ji's eyes narrowed, and for the first time, a hint of cunning appeared on her face. Just as she was about to speak, footsteps drew closer, and Yuan Ting approached with a glowing gaze, saying, "It's time for you to pay me my due, Yuanshishitan Zun." "What kind of due?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, puzzled. "You really forgot," Yuan Ting said, his otherwise calm face showing irritation. "I betrayed the organization to help you, and have "With that, Zhang Yuanqing remembered: 'You mentioned all those rumors... I'm sorry, but at the time, I was lying to you. Those secrets—I can't reveal them.' He honestly shared his thoughts. '???'" Yuan Ting widened his eyes, furious, shouting, "By heaven, are you trying to force me to join the Shanggui faction? Tell me, what can I possibly do?!" His expression—so angry, so desperate—was utterly moving, as if his fiancée had run off with the neighbor's old Wang. Sun Miaomiao glanced thoughtfully, her expression serious: "Master Yuan, you're wrong. Once you've made a promise, you must keep it." The others, Tianxia Guihuo and Zhao Chenguang, exchanged glances at Sun Miaomiao. The very next moment, Tianxia Guihuo added, "Sun Miaomiao is absolutely right. Without trust, no one can stand. As a leader of the team, you must establish credibility—and the first step in building credibility is integrity." Zhao Chenguang's expression remained composed and serious, yet he nodded firmly: "Indeed!" "These people, to some extent, all carry personal grudges... In her mind, Guan Ya criticized their callous behavior and said, "I also believe that one should be honest in personal conduct." Zhang Yuanqing looked somewhat hesitant, after some deliberation, replied, "Then, then, I can share a few secrets. But you must promise not to let anything get out." Everyone in the hall nodded in agreement.