[Introduction to Scenario No. 012: After the Battle of Yashan, the Southern Song Dynasty fell, and the world came under Yuan rule. To prevent the lingering spirits of the Southern Song from reigniting, the Yuan commander dispatched his extraordinary talents to establish the Lock-Drake Array, imprisoning the souls of the fallen heroes and emperors within the Yashan Sea, where they would remain eternally bound, never able to transcend.] Yashan Sea? A Tier-S scenario... Zhang Yuanqing mentally muttered, "Wow," but wasn't entirely surprised—indeed, he felt somewhat relieved. After all, among the three options, only one in three led to the Immortal Transformation Realm. As for the Yashan Sea, at least there was some existing information; the other scenario was completely unknown. Thus, entering the Yashan Sea turned out to be a fortunate stroke of luck amid the less favorable outcomes. He quickly sat up, pulled out his phone from under the pillow, opened the messaging app, and sent a voice message to Fu Qingyang: "Boss, my scenario is Scenario No. 012—the Yashan Sea, Tier-S." "Instead of making a phone call, Zhang Yuanqing chose to send a voice message, knowing that Qian Gongzi didn't have the habit of placing his phone beside the pillow or by the bedside. Fu Qingyang, who considered himself born into a noble family, shared the common flaw of affluent offspring—always being meticulous about everything. To him, a phone was merely a communication device, and such equipment should remain in its designated place—on the table or with his assistant. The air conditioner circulated cool breezes. On the bedside table, the smartphone emitted a clear alert, its screen illuminating the sculpted, handsome face beside the pillow. Fu Qingyang opened his eyes and reached for the phone to check the messages. ——Due to the rapid progression of the Yuan Shi fast-forwarded quest, he had kept his phone with him these days. After briefly scanning the messages, Fu Qingyang's expression darkened. He sat up abruptly, stepping barefoot onto the soft carpet, and walked decisively toward the outer hall. Sitting at the desk by the projecting window, he opened his laptop, logged into the official database, and searched—“Cliff Mountain Sea, Quest 012.” “It’s indeed this one,” Fu Qingyang said, his brows furrowed. He remembered having a vague impression of Cliff Mountain Sea, with the Jianghu Branch and the Xie family having issued related rewards. He was certain it was the S-tier quest that had cost the official side and the spiritual realm families six Saint-level figures—still unclaimed to this day. The reasons why it hasn't been conquered yet are twofold: first, the difficulty is too high, and second, it appears too infrequently. There are many elite talents among the official ranks and within the spiritual realm, who might well overcome the Sea of Cliffs of Yashan—such as Fu Qingyang himself. Yet they may not have the opportunity to enter this specific instance. "His performance in the transcendent realm instance was exceptionally outstanding; it was expected he'd reach the S-tier instance. But we didn't anticipate it would be the Sea of Cliffs of Yashan. The Primordial might be in danger... " Fu Qingyang expressed concern, yet he also felt that Yuan Shi was truly blessed—just recently demoted, the spiritual realm promptly bestowed upon him a major achievement. With the successful conquest of the S-tier instance, combined with the rewards from the Xie family and the Jianghu division, he would find it nearly impossible not to rise again. ... The view gradually settled into calmness, the scenery becoming increasingly clear. Before seeing the landscape, Zhang Yuanqing first detected the briny sea breeze, then the clear, starlit night sky. He stood by a shallow shore strewn with stones, the stars above dense and brilliant, the distant landscape dark and hazy, the sea stretching out ahead, its waves whispering in the darkness, the night breeze cool and refreshing. Zhang Yuanqing surveyed his surroundings: behind him lay an open plain, distant mountains faintly visible in the distance, and beside him, his team members for this quest. The woman has golden hair, a round face with ordinary features, and a slightly plump build. She's wearing black athletic pants and a white T-shirt featuring the flag of the Free Federation. Oh, is it Hatsuji no Koi? Really lucky—I didn't expect to run into her here. She seems to be from a minority ethnic group; quite nice. Wait a minute—Yin Ji?! As she entered the scene, Zhang Yuanqing nearly gasped. She's supposed to be a 6th-tier Saint, right? Then why have I been matched with Yin Ji? Good heavens—I haven't even prepared myself to meet the Magus's "widow." Instinctively, Zhang Yuanqing reached out and tapped the Cat King speaker inside her waistbag. From now on, please remain silent. The Magus's wife is the very person Zhang Yuanqing is most reluctant to meet, since he has inherited so much from the Magus—many things the Magus's enemies may not know, but the Magus's women certainly do. For instance, the disguise ring, the King of Cats' speaker, even the transmission talisman and the Long-Lasting Spray—well, the ladies of the魔king probably won't have the chance to see the latter two here. Once any of these items is revealed, suspicion will inevitably arise. Among these, the King of Cats' speaker is the most unpredictable—you never know when it will suddenly burst into a random, off-key song to add to the ambiance. That rather unrefined style is surely familiar to the magic king's ladies. While the magic king is assessing his five companions, the others are equally observing their teammates. Especially Yin Ji, a fellow star official, immediately takes notice of Zhang Yuanqing, her eyes—soft and thoughtful—flashing with surprise. The young man, dressed in a short shirt, shorts, and slippers, raises his hand and with a "whoosh," a column of flame shoots skyward, casting a dancing glow. "The quilt, I'm coming into the instance at midnight, and I've been stewing soup all night, planning to drink it in the morning—now I've given up hope. As for the Thunder Tower mother...!" He grumbled while glancing around at the group. "Hi everyone! Let me introduce myself—I'm Red Chicken, the mainstay of the Lu Tuo Head Clan's soup-making team. I'm a Level 4 Fire Demon; just call me Red Chicken." After saying that, he urged, "Now, everyone, please introduce yourselves so we can get to know each other." The first to respond was a young native girl wearing a silver crown, speaking with a delicate voice: "I'm Wu Yundong—call me Yundong. I'm from Gu Province, of the Qinghe Clan, and I'm the official envoy of the Qinghe Branch. I'm a Level 4 Beast King." She was exceptionally graceful, with fair skin, bright and clear eyes, and a naturally pure, unadorned beauty that conveyed a sense of simplicity and authenticity untouched by the world's bustling elegance. Next came the handsome young man with silver ear studs, raising his chin with an air of lofty disdain: "Xiaohou Aotian, a Level 5 Fangshi. Upon hearing my name, you should already know which family I belong to." Xiaohou family? Zhang Yuanqing was momentarily taken aback, then furrowed his brows in quiet concern. He and the Xiaohou family had a long-standing grudge. "Free Eagle!" the slightly plump woman wearing a T-shirt bearing the Federal flag spoke fluently in foreign language, "I'm from the Free Federation, a Level 4 Plague God, a Second-Class Silver Executive of the Heaven's Judgment Organization." When speaking of the Federation and the Heaven's Judgment Organization, her tone carried a clear sense of pride, and she glanced at the six of them with a slightly superior air. "Cover—cover!" Red Chicken Brother poked his ears, saying, "You can't just speak foreign language, I don't understand a word!" Free Eagle gave a disdainful huff. "She says she's been a Second-Class Silver Executive of the Heaven's Judgment Organization of the Free Federation, a Level 4 Plague God." The cold and elegant officer finished translating and introduced herself: "Xia Shu Zhi Lian, Senior Officer of the Hangzhou Branch, Jiangnan Province, 4th-rank Swordsman." She turned to Zhang Yuanqing, smiling lightly. "I didn't expect our second meeting would be inside a quest副本—Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun!" Yuan Shi Tian Zun? Immediately, everyone except Yin Ji turned to look. "Master Yuan Shi Tian Zun—such a familiar name. I seem to have heard it before…" the young girl from Qing He Clan tilted her head, thinking. "The prodigy from the Five Elements Alliance who recently broke the record for points earned in the transcendent realm killing quest?" Free Eagle regarded him with a critical gaze. "Such a great person! Such a great person!" Red Chicken Brother brightened up, taking a few quick steps to reach Zhang Yuanqing and grasping his hand. "I've long admired your reputation. One day, I'll come to your place to have a soup and chat—I'll treat you to soup." Zhang Yuanqing nodded and then withdrew his hand, not exchanging further words, as at that moment, Xue Hou Ao Tian approached with an unpleased expression. "Master Xia Hou Ao Tian lifted his chin and said, "Xia Hou Chi is my uncle, my grandfather's younger brother, and Xia Hou Tian Wen is essentially my cousin." "So what? Before the mission even begins, shall we settle our fates right now?" Zhang Yuanqing spoke evenly. "Hmm, quite a strong sense of resentment—lacking in maturity and a truly noble demeanor. Even with such talent, he can never become the protagonist." Xia Hou Ao Tian chuckled with a tone full of condescension, stating proudly, "The Xia Hou Chi lineage has always been obstinate and ruthless, doing countless wrongs—far from noble. That's why they were eliminated in Song Hai. As for me, Xia Hou Ao Tian, I conduct myself with integrity and exceptional talent—born to be the protagonist!" The others by the side stared at Xia Hou Ao Tian, either bewildered or astonished, finding it hard to believe that such an immature, self-absorbed narrative could emerge from a Saint. This, in turn, left Zhang Yuanqing at a loss. "Xia Hou Ao Tian—mid-teenage, arrogant, deeply rebellious and immature, constantly imagining himself as the hero of a热血 manga. The only "Summer Tree's affection," she said. Seeing Xiahou Aotian glaring at her, she smiled, "This is the Five-Element Alliance's assessment of you. Don't look so stern—I've merely repeated what they said." Oh, a classic case of mid-level adolescence... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly realized—add a touch of 'dramatic flair' and 'two-tailed monkey' energy, and this makes perfect sense. Too bad for this handsome appearance; if only he were a homebody, he'd be perfect. At that moment, Yin Ji, still standing at a distance, untouched by the crowd, spoke softly, "Don't waste time discussing the副本—what's your primary objective?" Amid the slightly damp evening breeze, Yin Ji, dressed in a black gown, moved like a spirit of the night, her dress fluttering gently, serene and beautiful. "Ladies and gentlemen, my primary objective is to survive for 36 hours," said Summer Tree's affection. Zhang Yuanqing and the others nodded slightly. Xiahou Aotian scoffed, "Indeed, a weakling. My objective is to defeat the revived monsters." "It's clearly a two-tier, five-level instance, given the significant gap in levels—so the main quests differ. The Level 4 characters don't need to fight the boss head-on." "My main quest is the same as Xiahou Aotian's," said Yin Ji, her voice soft and pleasant, like that of a warm, kind neighbor sister. "You four at Level 4 have relatively straightforward main quests that don't require direct confrontation with the boss. However, the S-tier instance is extremely challenging—surviving for 36 hours would still be a disaster for you. Before the quest begins, we should thoroughly discuss the instance details, which will significantly improve your survival rate." Yin Ji continued: "There's no established strategy for the Cliffs of the Sea. The only recorded instance of failure involved the official faction and the Spirit Realm families losing six S-tier saints—this was a severe blow. Their equipment was also left behind in the instance, prompting the official faction and the Xie family to issue rewards for recovery." She immediately recited the reward details, which caused the group to be visibly impressed. Especially the Chinese-American free eagle and the turkey guy feel as though the treasures are reaching out to them. Summer Tree's affection mused, "Items left behind in the realm may no longer be here—they are likely being reclaimed by the spiritual realm." Currently, based on observations from various organizations, some items left behind in the realm become integral parts of it, altering the realm's difficulty. Others, however, are reclaimed by the spiritual realm and distributed to corresponding profession-specific realms. The specific criteria determining whether an item is reclaimed or becomes part of the realm have not yet been distilled into clear patterns. At this point, Zhang Yuanqing spoke with unwavering confidence, "These items are still here, and they have become part of the realm." Everyone turned to him immediately. The free eagle, in English, asked, "How do you know?" Zhang Yuanqing paid no attention to her. Yin Ji whispered, "How do you know?"