Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun? He's here!! The dim light in Anne's eyes suddenly brightened with hope—the light of someone in dire straits seeing a glimmer of hope. Despite the pain in her lungs, she gasped out, her voice hoarse: "I'm here..." Anne was too close to Yur Ban; he could easily cut her down with a single move. To ensure Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun didn't overlook her, especially given that he was now aiding Bill, Anne felt she had to capture his attention. Bill was still alive, fighting against Beck Farnel. Anne appeared severely wounded, yet as a Saint, she wouldn't die immediately. Zhang Yuanqing quickly scanned the scene. Near the落地 window, Bill was facing off against a middle-aged man who looked like a barrel—his thick beard covering half his face, light blue eyes, a flushed nose, and his belly sagging slightly with fat. The lady fighting against Anne—wearing a black leather suit, smoky makeup, silver ear studs, and hair dyed white—was already overflowing with metallic elements. "Stellar Official?" Beck Farnel, the formal barrel, regarded the support with his perpetually slightly tipsy pale blue eyes, his brow furrowing instantly. It was well known that the Night Wanderer was a balanced, versatile class, skilled at concealment and evasion—just as bothersome as the Void, yet more aggressive. A particularly troublesome profession. "Finally!" Bill's handsome, weathered face broke into a relieved expression, then he spoke rapidly: "First, save Anne. Then join me to hold them off until the Five Elements' elders arrive—by then, even if they've got wings, they won't be able to fly out of Song Sea." Regrettably, the elders wouldn't arrive immediately—they'd need to verify whether any senior figures from the Wine God Club were hidden in the area... Zhang Yuanqing muttered this under his breath. Fu Qingyang was not truly idle—he needed to conduct some investigation. But saving people was like putting out a fire; any delay and Anne and Mr. Bill might be finished. So he had to act first, step in to stabilize the situation and buy time. Mr. Bill hadn’t sustained serious injuries, but his strength seemed to be fading fast. Moreover, he appeared very eager, unwilling to linger at all—he only wanted the enemy to leave quickly, as if the props were now at their limit. "The guy's foreign language isn't quite standard—I'm having a hard time understanding him... Zhang Yuanqing only grasped half the sentence. Then, he saw the woman with silver hair, who, upon hearing Beck's words, instinctively leapt forward, rushing toward the wounded Anne. She understood how difficult the Star Officers were to handle, so she decided to strike quickly and eliminate Anne right away, maintaining a two-on-two situation, waiting for Beck Fernal to deal with the merchant guild's Bill before they could leave—official Star Officers from Songhai weren't their target. Seeing this, Bill grew tense, worried about Anne's safety, yet still chose to trust Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. At the same time, he slid and collided with the charging Beck, his body entering a state of ethereal form, thus evading all skill-based controls and both physical and mental attacks. On the other hand, as the silver-haired woman surged toward Anne, Zhang Yuanqing had already drawn out the Yin Yu doll and activated its final usage permission. "Let's play!" he smiled. A childlike shadow raced along the ground, vanishing into Yu'er Ban as he leapt upward. Yu'er Ban's body stiffened and fell straight down. Zhang Yuanqing's form dissolved into ethereal starlight, materializing beside Yu'er Ban. He had not expected the Yin Jade doll to perform a stability pose on the saint, so after a brief disruption, he immediately activated his elusiveness technique to close in for a close-range assault. At that moment, he noticed a silver-haired woman with smudged makeup on her hands—by some unseen means, a golden ring had appeared in her palm, radiating a sudden, clear and pure golden light. The Yin Jade doll shrieked in distress. As a rule-based artifact, it would not simply vanish, but under the brilliance of this pure golden light, its vitality rapidly diminished, no longer able to affect the silver-haired woman. Divine power of the Sun God? Not quite—less intense and radiant. It felt like a shared origin, yet with a different direction. Was there a profession in foreign lands that mastered such a power? The thought struck him. As the golden light brightened, Zhang Yuanqing lifted Anne and rushed her toward the office area door. Though he couldn't launch an attack on the silver-haired woman, he would first carry the injured away. Just as he took a step and moved a short distance, a rushing sound echoed behind him. At the same time, the silver-haired woman's sharp voice rang out: "Return!" Yur Ban's eyes shimmered with wine, distorting the young star official's sense of direction. Those whose sense of direction was disrupted would turn in ways entirely different from what they expected—left becoming right, forward becoming backward. "Back, behind..." Anne, spitting blood, urgently reminded him. Curling in the embrace of Yuan Shi Tian Zun, she had a clear view of what was behind her. The female saint from the Wine God's Club rose into the air, cutting with a short blade. Zhang Yuanqing released his right hand, which had been supporting Anne's thigh, and kept his left hand encircling her waist, allowing her to lean against him. With his now-free left hand, he reached upward and grasped a flexible steel sword. Clang! The elastic steel sword drew itself like a whip, striking off the short blade's path, then alternately stabbing, drawing, lifting, and piercing, its sharp tip raining down in precise points. Yu'er, master of the battle axe technique, managed to withstand only a dozen exchanges before being pierced in the chest and abdomen by the steel sword. Throughout the entire sequence, Zhang Yuanqing never turned his body nor looked back—seeming to him, nothing mattered more than having the stunningly beautiful Anne serve as his support. These mere Saint-level opponents were not worthy of facing him directly. Yu'er stepped back in astonishment, marveling at the opponent's exceptional swordcraft while puzzled that her own skills had failed to take effect. This young star official had completely ignored her abilities and remained calm and composed. Zhang Yuanqing removed his chest guard and handed it to Anne, saying, "Find a safe place to hide!" Then, he pushed her gently against her shoulder, sending her out of the way. Next, Zhang Yuanqing reached into his inventory and pulled out a red lacquered wooden box adorned with a white infant. He opened the lid and casually set it down beneath his desk. Instantly, a gentle, melodic classical piece began to play throughout the office—its instrumentation indistinct, neither crisp nor melancholy, yet warm and soothing to the ears. It evoked the feeling of being back in infancy, with a mother softly humming lullabies by the cradle. Yur Ban felt a wave of drowsiness rise within him—not overwhelming, but lingering and enveloping, affecting his combat readiness. Even the wounded Anne, who had just run several meters, began to feel the same sensation. She leaned against the desk, slowly sliding down, her face gradually smoothing out from pain as she drifted into sleep. Her condition could no longer withstand the box’s hypnotic influence. Mr. Bill and the Barrel Man, both immersed in the soothing music, were subtly affected to some degree. Both of them diverted a portion of their attention to the Prime Sovereign (the Star Official). While the crowd was still under the influence of the hypnosedic melody, Zhang Yuanqing unfolded his Yin-Yang robe and draped it over his back. Considering the need for close combat, he donned the Observer's glasses, summoned the Red Slippers, activated his second form, and wore them on his feet. Finally, he drew forth the Mountain God's Staff. This artifact is quite similar in nature to the Hou-Tu Boots—both require a certain period of time to fully integrate with their environment before reaching their peak power. Back when he was pursued by the Passionate One, had he been given sufficient time to settle into and harmonize with that mountain range, he would certainly not have suffered such a decisive defeat. With all his gear in place, Zhang Yuanqing performed the Star Illusion Technique, creating a stationary phantom image, while his physical form moved silently, approaching the silver-haired Saint. "Watch out—that's a deception!" Beke reminded from a distance. Upon hearing this, Yur Ban rushed to the side of her fallen comrade and removed a sky-blue bracelet from the companion's wrist. Then, she picked up the silver pistol that had fallen from Anne's hand and fired two shots at random. The bullet carried a spiraling gale, piercing through the office walls and leaving two massive craters—without the protective seal items, the reinforced concrete walls could no longer withstand the propellant-powered handgun. The gale raged across the office, carrying with it the enemy's movements. She immediately pivoted, targeting the unoccupied area to the left, and fired. "Bang!" A terrifying gust surged again through the office. Zhang Yuanqing used the red ballet shoes to evade, darting sideways just as Yur Ban raised his gun, avoiding the bullet. Clattering, clattering—like a war chariot advancing—he surged forward, his mountain deity staff striking hard against the female saint. Yur Ban's eyes shimmered with a drowsy haze, his gaze becoming blurred; he distorted the star official's sense of distance, causing him to misjudge the gap between the two. In this state, the young star official would misread her position. Yet, the opponent remained resolute, repeatedly striking with tendrils woven into palm-like gestures, completely ignoring her abilities. In a rush, Yu'er Ban could only parry with his sword. "Crack!" The staff struck the blade with a terrifying force, knocking the sword from his grasp as he lost his hold and flew backward. The Mountain God's Staff—unbelievable power! Thud! Zhang Yuanqing stepped forward with her left foot, tightened the muscles in her right leg, and ignited a fierce blaze of flame, launching a rapid, relentless assault toward Yu'er Ban. Her leg struck his waist and abdomen, instantly snapping several ribs, sending him flying like a kite with broken strings. Thud! Thud! Thud! Zhang Yuanqing moved with the speed of a wild beast, striking one after another with her staff and foot, leaving Yu'er Ban struggling to keep up, unable to find openings to use his equipment. Were it not for her intensive combat training, her refined techniques and agility, and the decent physical strength granted by the "Drunkard" class, she would have been severely wounded by now. Having absorbed the abilities of the "Drunkard" class, Zhang Yuanqing now had a basic understanding of that profession's skills. In the Transcendent Realm, drunkards possess three core abilities: "Disorientation," "Cognitive Impairment," and "Cerebral Paralysis." Disorientation — the target becomes as confused as a drunk man, unable to distinguish between north, south, east, and west. Cognitive Impairment — the target loses awareness of the function of objects. Cerebral Paralysis — the brain loses control over the body. Together, these three abilities perfectly replicate the state of a person completely drunk. Notably, the drunkard's abilities are all strong control effects and negative conditions, perfectly counteracted by the power of the Sun God. Therefore, when the barrier was about to be destroyed, Zhang Yuanqing activated the Vamapada杵 in advance. The Sun God power contained within the Vamapada杵 is a master-level force, a decisive counter to the drunkard's condition. This artifact is often equivalent to having a significant advantage, which is why Zhang Yuanqing never willingly returned it to the old boulder. How could anyone willingly give up a master-level power at the Transcendent Realm stage? "Fenar, my abilities have no effect on him. He possesses purification capabilities Yur Ban cried out urgently, seeking help from Beck. Everyone was a Saint—once they fell into the rhythm of the other side, it was hard to regain the advantage on their own, especially when their professional skills failed. At such a moment, outside assistance was needed. Upon hearing this, Beck broke off his struggle with Bill, grabbed a bottle of wine from his inventory, and hurled it with force. The wine bottle soared over one desk after another, crashing against the floor with a series of sharp "clunks," shattering into pieces as the unconscious employees lay beneath. Instantly, a strong aroma of alcohol filled the air. Zhang Yuanqing immediately held his breath and intensified his attacks, refusing Yur Ban any chance to catch her breath. Yet at that very moment, he suddenly felt his heart race, his cheeks grow warm, his limbs grow weak and numb, and his head spin with dizziness—his body wavered and lost its balance, as though he had drunk counterfeit wine. I had clearly held my breath... Before I could think further, he swiftly retreated, widening the distance to avoid a surprise attack from the enemy, while noticing Yur Ban's eyes glazed over, her steps unsteady—like a lone, heavily intoxicated guest. She too had been affected, though her condition was clearly more pronounced than merely slight. Zhang Yuanqing was relieved he had managed to retreat in time. "Go!" Beck, like a war chariot, crashed into the floor-to-ceiling window of the office area. As glass shattered and shards flew in all directions, he plunged from the high-rise building, descending dozens of floors. He had acted decisively—seeing that he could not secure victory in the near term, he chose immediate withdrawal. Yur Ban staggered after him, leaping out through the window. "Don't follow," Mr. Bill said, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath. I certainly won't pursue—should I decide to do so, I'd have to examine my facial expression; perhaps the current overcast would turn into a blood-related disaster... Zhang Yuanqing covered her mouth and nose, standing still in place. A few seconds later, Mr. Bill rallied his strength, hurriedly removed his black shoes, and turned to Zhang Yuanqing, saying, "Take Anne to my office—she needs her gunshot wounds treated." Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly, retrieved the hypnosis box, walked to the corner, and carried Anne across his shoulders, passing through the office area, following Mr. Bill toward the spacious, luxurious office space. Along the way, employees of Ante Pharmaceuticals remained unconscious, still in a state of coma. The entire company was in disarray—the roar of the "bomb man" had caused significant structural collapse, and the fire activated the security system, with water sprayers in the ceiling releasing a strong stream of water. Amid the scattered patients and the fallen, the scene resembled that of a battlefield. Mr. Bill pushed open the heavy office door and strode directly to the bar, pouring himself a glass of spirits without a word, then drank it down in one go. Zhang Yuanqing noticed that his left hand was convulsing violently, and his right leg was streaked with fresh, thick red blood, dripping steadily down the leg of his trousers. Mr. Bill removed a wooden sculpture of a goat's head and held the glass cup close to the goat's mouth. A clear, jade-green liquid flowed from the goat's mouth, clearly a prop—specifically one associated with the Wood Spirit class. After taking a half cup, he drank it down swiftly, and his pale complexion visibly warmed. He exhaled, saying, "My injury isn't serious. I don't need the Life Essence fluid—it would be too costly, and a loss on that front wouldn't align with our merchants' principles." He glanced at Anne, who was lying on the sofa, and added, "She was shot. Before treatment, the bullet needs to be removed, Master Yuan Shi—please take care of that." Zhang Yuanqing looked at Anne, whose back was stained with blood, then at the older man. "You go ahead. I'm not skilled in surgery." "No, no!" Bill shook his head. "Just make a direct incision and remove the bullet. The Saint's vitality isn't that fragile." He set down his wine glass, glanced at Anne’s pale yet beautiful face, and shrugged: "I’m not in a position to attend to her right now—she’s seriously injured. After removing the bullet, administer a treatment potion to her." He pointed at the carved stag head. As if I were any easier! Zhang Yuanqing muttered under his breath, and without further hesitation, pulled out his phone to call Fu Qingyang. "Master, the battle at the International Building is settled. Two Sages have escaped. From their reactions upon departure, it seems the senior management of the club wasn’t concealed nearby. Send your people over to secure the scene—please bring several ambulances as well." "Thank you!" Fu Qingyang nodded appreciatively before hanging up. Mr. Bill sighed, "I’ll step out to assist. Many innocent employees have been affected—ordinary people, really. I feel deeply regretful that the conflicts among the spiritual realm travelers always involve the ordinary. His face grave, he left the office. Zhang Yuanqing then drew out his blood-thirsty blade, cutting open Anne’s jacket and white shirt to reveal the beautifully curved back. He gently severed the black straps along her back, wiping away the blood with a tissue and clearly seeing the jagged entry wound. Straightening his glasses as the sharp tip of the blade rested gently against Anne’s delicate skin, he was about to begin surgical procedures—when suddenly he realized: “Wow, doing surgery with the Blood-Thirsty Blade would surely send Anne off to the afterlife right here!” He muttered, stood up, and walked out of the office, finding Bill waiting at the front desk for the official arrival. He borrowed a sharp dagger from him. Returning to the office, he carefully guided the blade along the wound, slicing through the soft skin and flesh, extracting the bullet amid the steady flow of blood. Anne remained unconscious, the wine spilled by Buck just before he left having provided excellent pain relief and anesthesia. She continued to sleep, only frowning slightly in pain and murmuring incoherently. "Tink-tink~" The bullet struck the glass coffee table with a crisp, clear sound, vibrating gently. Zhang Yuanqing retrieved a clean glass cup from the wine cabinet, brought it to the wooden carved goat's mouth, and poured a half-cup of the emerald liquid into it. Then, he summoned the holy staff of the mountain deity, placing it against Anne's shoulder to activate its self-healing function. The deep green gem at the top of the staff glowed brilliantly, slowly repairing the damaged lungs, gradually healing the gaping wound from the gunshot and the lacerations. The healing power of a Saint-tier ability surpassed that of a Transcendent Realm, yet it still wasn't fast enough to match the potency of life essence. The entire process lasted over ten minutes, and by then, Anne's injuries on her back had been restored to about seven-tenths of their original condition. She emitted a soft "mhm," her eyelashes trembling, and slowly opened her eyes. "Awake? Drink the potion," Zhang Yuanqing said, picking up the glass cup from the coffee table.