As the pointer pointed toward the black area, everyone’s minds erupted, thoughts surged, and they could no longer contain themselves: "Damn!" "Fuck!" "What in the world—is this really happening?!" "How could this be? We’re so unlucky!" "I just barely escaped with my life—S-tier dungeons are pure nightmares!" After finally defeating the yin spirit boss stationed at the heart of the formation, they hadn’t even had time to catch their breath before facing another terrifying item. "Ugh..." even the yin princess, who usually kept her inner thoughts private, sighed. Red Chicken Brother looked utterly stressed, holding onto his headset, "Black—does that mean we have to answer questions?" The group turned their gaze to the veiled yin princess. Under the continuous effect of the "Water Purifier" skill of the Free Eagle and the absorption from the seaweed, the thick ink had been diluted significantly. Now, the team could see a deep sense of gravity filling the princess’s clear, serene eyes—a gravity she had never felt when facing the purple-robed yin spirits. In the senior steward's eyes of the Taiyuan Sect, the threat posed by the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk appears even greater than that of the purple-robed Yin Corpse. "I've already shared what I know," Yin Ji gently shook her head, conveying her thoughts to her teammates. "My understanding of this artifact is still limited, and I don't have any further additions." The Yin-Yang Rotating Disk is a key artifact of the Jianghu Branch—either of master-tier quality or an elite piece from the Saint Realm—and such information is strictly confidential. As a steward of the Taiyuan Sect, she simply couldn't be expected to know the details in depth. At that moment, a dialogue box visible only to spiritual realm practitioners appeared above the rotating disk: [Pointer: Black] [Note 1: Answer the disk's questions correctly to reposition the pointer. Accumulate three white markings to lift the seal.] [Note 2: Any who answer incorrectly will die.] The dialogue box remained stationary for ten seconds before fading away, and a new one appeared, floating above the disk. [Question: What is the hardest thing in the world?] 】 【Note: Please provide two answers, and at least two more. Respond within thirty seconds. Countdown: 00:29:45】 Zhang Yuanqing quickly pressed his headphones, urgently conveying his thoughts to his teammates: "Everyone, keep it concise—any unnecessary chatter will waste time. The rules are clear: whoever has confidence, step up. Make your decision within five seconds! Red Chicken Brother, stay down!" Everyone glanced at one another, none of them making a move. Yun Meng surveyed the group, her thick serpentine body undulating as she swam forward. Her voice echoed through the headphones: "I'll go. The King of Beasts has one chance to come back from the dead." Seeing this, the others exhaled in relief. Yun Meng's voice came again, slightly embarrassed: "But I dropped out of school in eighth grade. I don't even know what the question is." At that moment, a burst of Xia Hou Aotian's voice filled the ears of everyone: "It doesn't matter if your education level is low—just be a good tool. Now, tell me clearly—what's the question?" "Are you still alive?!" "Red Chicken Brother was surprised and called out in delight. Yunmeng also twisted her snake's head, turning to look behind her. Though the murky 'ink' obscured her view, she couldn't see Xiaohou Aotian. Zhang Yuanqing, the Eagle of Freedom, and Yin Ji made the same motion, gazing toward where Xiaohou Aotian had plunged into the depths. Their expressions remained calm, showing no surprise. 'You know that the scholars aren't particularly skilled in combat. Anyone with a bit of sense would naturally prepare life-saving and healing supplies. I still have some of the tools from the earth monster... my last vial of life essence has been used up. Enough already—let's get down to business. Tell me what's wrong,' Xiaohou Aotian's voice was exceptionally composed. He's quite reliable when it counts... As this thought just began forming in everyone's minds, a roar came through the headset from Xiahou Aotian: "These bunch of dogs! These bunch of dogs! They've watched the protagonist stumble into peril from beginning to end, yet not once have they offered a single word of concern. You're all done. I'm kicking you out of the main cast!" The voice cut off abruptly, as if he'd timely restrained himself. Upon hearing this, everyone quietly shelved their thought of him being reliable. Yunmeng spoke swiftly, outlining the issue with the spinner. Upon listening, Long Aotian exclaimed with urgency: "Wait—this doesn't make sense. It's too vague. First of all, the word 'things' is rather imprecise. If he means natural materials, it's definitely charcoal. If it's metals, then it's chromium. For alloys, it's high-strength steel. And what about 'world'? Does it refer strictly to the physical world, or does it also include the spiritual realm?" If we include the Spirit Realm, then I'm sorry, I don't know—my best guess is that it's a rule-based item belonging to the Earth Monster profession." Hearing Dragon Aodan's long explanation, the team members were struck with sudden concern. At that moment, the countdown had only fifteen seconds left. "Then what do we do? What's the actual answer?" Fire Master Hong Jiguo was so anxious that he started circling in place. Yin Ji, Xia Shu, and Free Eagle Eagle furrowed their brows. "Yunmeng, the first answer is charcoal," suddenly, the voice of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign echoed throughout the group. Everyone turned to look at Yunmeng immediately. Zhang Yuanqing spoke calmly, "Don't worry—you can revive yourself. Your life is part of the trial; you're helping us discover the rules of these items." His words were meant for Yunmeng, but also addressed the team as a whole. Upon hearing this, the team members' anxiety noticeably eased. Yunmeng quickly swam toward the wheel, but how could she speak underwater? She tried to place her snake tail on the turntable, silently murmuring the words "charcoal blocks." The next instant, the words "charcoal blocks" appeared in the "dialog box." [Question: What is the hardest thing in the world?] [Answer: Charcoal blocks!] At this moment, eight seconds remained until the countdown ended. Yunmeng withdrew her tail, turning with surprise toward her teammates, "Correct! What's the second answer? Hurry, hurry—only six seconds left!" "Try the equipment of the earth-based monster class," Xiahou Aotian's voice came. Before he finished speaking, Xiatu Zhi-lian's thought forcefully interrupted: "Timid ones—blanket!" "Yunmeng, try the 'timid ones—blanket'! This is a rules-based item from one of our division's elders. By hiding inside the blanket, you can withstand every kind of attack." Time was running short. Yunmeng quickly repositioned her snake tail on the turntable, silently reciting: "Timid ones—blanket." Everyone turned their gaze to the dialogue box on the turntable, holding their breath. Suddenly, a message appeared slowly within the dialogue box: 【Answer incorrect!】 At that moment, the black surface of the rotating disk glowed with a deep, profound black light, shining straight onto Yunmeng's serpentine body. "Ah..." Yunmeng cried out in pain, her body writhing violently and her tail sweeping wildly in all directions. A few seconds later, she went still, her black pupils filled with stillness and silence. She had passed away. Zhang Yuanqing quickly raised his arm, using the water-controlling ability of his Yin-Yang robe to pull Yunmeng's body—over ten meters long—toward him. Just as he had pulled her halfway, the massive black-scaled serpent stirred slightly and swiftly revived. She swiftly swam to the back of the group, conveying her thoughts: "What a terrifying item! I don't want to experience this again!" "Once you go through it a second time, you'll return to the spiritual realm..." Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself, but was immediately exposed by the headset. At that moment, no one noticed his comments, as everyone's attention was once again drawn back to the Yin-Yang rotating disk. 】 【Note: Please provide two answers, and at least two more. Respond within thirty seconds. Countdown: 00:29:40】 At this moment, the sages felt profoundly heavy-hearted. "Once again... again..." Free Eagle's face fell, turning his gaze toward the distance, "Xia Hou Ao Tian, what is the correct answer?" "I... I don't know," Xia Hou Ao Tian replied, his demeanor weakened, completely lacking the confidence and grandeur of a leading figure. "How can you not know? You're a scholar! If you don't know, aren't we all going to perish?" Red Chicken Brother grew increasingly urgent and impatient, nearly losing control of his emotions. Yin Ji's brows were furrowed in concentration: "Perhaps there's a bug we can exploit. After the Night-Wanderer activates the 'Divine Sojourn' skill, their body enters a state of apparent death—essentially, their physical vitality is severed. Maybe this would grant them immunity to the spinning wheel's damage. "Too risky," Xue Hou Ao Tian rejected her proposal. "There's a difference between apparent death and true death. If it directly drains the vital energy from your body, you'll have to serve as a spiritual servant to the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign; otherwise, you'll return to the Spiritual Realm." Yin Ji furrowed her brows, silent. With Xiahou Aotian's level of knowledge, this question isn't difficult." Listening to Yuanshizhen's analysis, the team members' eyes brightened, and their thoughts became much clearer. Yin Ji's initial irritation faded, replaced by thoughtful concentration. If this were a matter of real-world physical substances, then, with Long Aotian's knowledge base, he would surely have arrived at the answer—indeed, it was already implied in his earlier description. Yunmeng's trial-and-error approach had yielded solid results. Yet at that moment, they heard Yuanshizhen's thoughts through the headset: "No, not quite—tricked." Tricked? What did that mean? Everyone turned to Yuanshizhen, and the eager fire master asked urgently, "What exactly is being tricked? What does that mean?" Red Chicken's thoughts interrupted Zhang Yuanqing's reflection. He glanced at the countdown, then looked at his teammates, who were all eagerly waiting for him. Immediately, he conveyed his thought: "The question itself has a flaw. The most rigid substance in the world is described using the word 'most,' yet it requires two answers." Everyone was taken aback. "Yes, if it's the hardest thing, how can there be two of them? So this is a thinking trap?" Xiahou Aotian sent his thought. "But what does that really tell us? The question itself is already rather inconsistent—you've simply uncovered another one." At the same time, Xiahou Aotian's inner murmurs were converted into spoken words through the headset: "He managed to analyze so many points so quickly—quite impressive. Truly worthy of having successfully navigated two S-tier subplots..." His thoughts quickly settled. "You just said yourself it's a thinking trap, designed to deceive someone like you, full of knowledge." Zhang Yuanqing walked toward the turntable: "I've roughly figured it out, but I don't have time to explain now. I'll come back to it later. If I die, then there's no point in explaining at all. Yin Ji, the steward, please remember to transform me into a spiritual servant. I still don't want to return to the spiritual realm." With that, he paused before the turntable, under the mixture of anticipation and concern in Xiahou Shu's gaze, and gently placed his hand on it. Yin Ji, Hong Jiguo, Yun Meng, and Free Eagle all turned their attention to the chat window. [Question: What is the hardest thing in the world?] [Answer: Charcoal! A high school boy!] [Correct answer!] A high school boy?! As they stared at the chat window, the holy sages lost their expressions, their eyes momentarily stunned. Then, the excitement among the team members surged through the headphones: "A high school boy? What kind of answer is that? What kind of answer is that? I can't believe it—I'm not satisfied at all, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn has taken the spotlight from me..." "This guy has real talent—his mind is simply outstanding. I'm genuinely envious."—that was Hong Jiguo. "Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn's combat strength remains to be assessed, but his abilities are A+. He compares favorably with top prospects nurtured by the Heaven's Judgment Organization. He's worth cultivating and bringing on board. However, I still can't determine whether he matches the caliber of the elite prospects." "Why a high school boy? Why a high school boy?" "The 'Rogue Disk'... Yes, the 'Rogue Disk'. I'm almost about to forget this detail, yet he remembers it—no wonder he was so confident just now." Yin Ji calmly settled her thoughts, remaining silent. "Summer Tree is right—the very name 'Rogue Disk' already tells us the disk's character. That's why the official walkers who've answered questions have come to call it the 'Rogue Disk.' Zhang Yuanqing removed the Lucky One necklace and fastened it around her neck, then bent down, extending her finger to move the pointer: "Now it's time to accumulate three whites. I'll do it myself." The sensitive pointer spun swiftly, gradually settling in the white zone under the steady gaze of all present. Nothing happened. Relief surged through everyone—this was their shared thought. The lucky necklace seemed to be a powerful counter to the Yin-Yang Disk... Zhang Yuanqing, confident, extended her hand again and moved the pointer a second time. The pointer spun smoothly, then settled steadily in the white zone. Perfect. Zhang Yuanqing continued to move the pointer. This time, the pointer stopped on the black section. His expression grew stiff, and the red-chick teammates behind him instinctively stepped back a few paces, as if shaken by psychological stress. "Is it black? What's the issue this time?" asked Xue Hou Ao Tian, currently surrounded by the undead army and under relentless attacks. A holographic dialogue box appeared above the dial: 【Pointer: Black】 【Note 1: Answer the dial's question correctly to re-spin the pointer. Accumulate three white sections to lift the ban.】 【Note 2: Anyone who answers incorrectly will die!】 Ten seconds later, a new dialogue box popped up: 【Question: What is the most inexpensive element in the poetry you know?】 【Note: Please answer within thirty seconds. Countdown: 00:29:45】 Xia Shu's Love held onto her headset. "This time, the question is: What is the most inexpensive element in the poetry you know? As a science major, I'm sorry, I can't help much." Xia Hou Ao Tian, it all depends on you." The scholar had a gift for remembering things instantly—though Xia Hou Ao Tian wasn't primarily known for poetry and verse, he was undoubtedly the one among the gathered guests who remembered the most. "What in the world is going on? What in the world is going on?" Xia Hou Ao Tian couldn't help but shout, "This is even more vague than the previous question—how am I supposed to answer that?" After expressing his frustration, he immediately sent a thought to the others: "Either fame and fortune, or the well-being of the common people. "Since ancient times, poets have often expressed disdain for fame and fortune and deep concern for the welfare of the nation—'the rise and fall of the nation bring suffering to the people,' and the ruling class has always been the one suffering." "But this answer isn't particularly bold," Red Chicken Brother emphasized. Xia Hou Ao Tian paused for a few seconds, then suddenly exclaimed, "So now I'm asking—how am I supposed to answer this? You'll have to find your own way." The others immediately turned their attention to Yuan Shi Tian Zun. He seemed more reliable. The countdown had now reached just four seconds. With everything on 【Question: What is the most ordinary thing you know in poetry?】 【Answer: By the mountain, it ends.】 【Correct!】 Correct answer—well, that’s already good enough… Zhang Yuanqing’s嘴角 twitched, clearly a rough card. Looking back, his teammates stood there, looking utterly stunned, as if they had lost their minds. Yin Ji’s eyes also seemed slightly glazed. Zhang Yuanqing turned his gaze away and, for the fourth time, adjusted the pointer. The red needle spun smoothly and finally came to rest in the white zone. The dialogue box vanished instantly, and the sense of enchantment surrounding them dissolved. The dark, shallow sea water flowed outward in all directions. “Great job! Outstanding work, Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun!” Red Chicken clapped his hands firmly and pumped his fists. “…Hmph!” came the reserved, slightly dismissive tone from the protagonist. “By the mountain… Yuan-Shi really is… really is…” Summer Tree of Love gathered her thoughts. “Impressive…” Yin Ji’s thoughts flashed briefly and then faded. After the surprise, all five of them turned simultaneously to the Yin-Yang wheel, their gazes intense. Zhang Yuanqing quickly bent down to pick it up and looked back at his teammates: "This item is mine—no objections?" Seeing no response from them, he gave a mix of half-joking and serious lift to his嘴角, adding, "If you have any objections, I'll eliminate you!"