Upon hearing this, everyone's attention shifted from the gradually withering belly to Yuan Shi Tian Zun beneath the tree shade. He stood there, his abdomen slightly swollen, breathing heavily as though just awakened from a bout of fetal movement. Though somewhat out of place, if only there were a smartphone to capture images of Tian Zun's pregnancy, it would surely go viral—this thought spontaneously arose in all five of them, except for Yin Ji. "Er, er..." Red Chicken Brother set aside his urgent concerns and offered a rather generic opening remark: "So, Yin corpses don't actually get pregnant after all." Now that he thought about it, the previous batch of Ling Jing Xing Zhe had been absolutely unlucky. The Yin-Yang Wheel's function was to consume vitality, yet Yin entities were inherently lifeless—lacking vitality altogether. Even the cries of newborn infants fell on deaf ears, rendering them incapable of nurturing life. It was no wonder they had all perished. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt a deep sense of pity for those earlier travelers. "Night wandering, dehydration-induced pregnancy—there should still be treatment options. That's all the boss's abilities." "The Eagle of Freedom furrowed his brows, saying, 'Night wanderers don't need to be worried about—there are plenty of ways to contain them. But dehydration is unsolvable, and so is pregnancy and treatment. How should we formulate our strategy?' Summer Tree of Love added, 'Besides these, the boss himself possesses combat power comparable to a Level 6 Shadow Corpse, and since he's a shadow entity, he has almost no vital points.' After a moment's thought, Xiu Hou Ao Tian spoke confidently, 'While the supporting characters still fret, the main protagonist has already thought of solutions and laid out a clear strategy.' 'Why are you facing away from us?' asked Red Chicken Brother. At that moment, Xiu Hou Ao Tian sat cross-legged on the ground, facing away from the group. 'Anyone who's seen the protagonist's past missteps won't last long. That's what I'm doing for you all,' he remarked with a sniff. 'Enough,' Summer Tree of Love interrupted, urging, 'Now is not the time for you two to engage in a comic routine. Just tell us what you've got.' At such moments, the role of the scholar truly comes to the fore. Xiaohou Aotian said: "Water deprivation is unsolvable—at least at our level. However, earth overcomes water, and a saint-tier earth-based monster artifact can slow down water loss, giving us a little breathing room." Yin Ji replied: "I happen to have one." In fact, the corporeal form generated by the yin-yang array also counters water deprivation due to its intangible nature; however, the water array might intensify the boss's fury... After a few seconds of consideration, Zhang Yuanqing abandoned the idea of deploying the array and said: "I have three saint-tier earth-based monster artifacts." The After-Soil Boots, the Mountain God's Staff, and the Unyielding Shield. Yunmeng had intended to mention that she possessed healing items, but then realized that water deprivation differs from ordinary attacks, and healing might not be effective, so she remained silent. "Good—we now have a way to at least mitigate water deprivation. Next, we need to address that rule-based artifact," Xiaohu Aotian suggested. "Actually, it's quite simple: use the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk!" "Summer Tree's affection brightened: 'Exactly. The Yin-Yang rotating disc can drain vitality, effectively countering healing effects. The boss lacks high spiritual intelligence and won't be able to answer questions.' Xue Hou Ao Tian nodded: 'That's precisely it. First, we'll use Red Chicken Brother's explosive charges to severely damage the boss. Then, Yuan Shi Tian Zun will summon the Yin-Yang rotating disc to counter rule-based items. Finally, Yuan Shi Tian Zun will use that yellow bronze mallet to eliminate it. 'Although this means the bulk of the rewards goes to Yuan Shi Tian Zun, it's acceptable—compared to securing victory, letting him gain an advantage is fine.' Indeed, Xue Hou Ao Tian, speaking confidently and facing away from the group, truly exudes the demeanor of a master. Zhang Yuan Qing, upon hearing this, tapped the tree trunk with a finger: 'It's already been over one and a half minutes. I must point out a critical flaw in this plan—I can't withstand the crying, and the boss itself is merely a level-6 yin corpse, unskilled in any special abilities." "Even if the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk can suppress rule-based items, preventing the boss from reviving or healing, do you really think I—broadening out like this—can defeat it? Not even with all of you added in." Xiahou Aotian fell silent. "Even someone as meticulously calculated as I am will occasionally overlook something." Concern once again settled upon everyone's brows. Yin Ji suddenly said, "The Taimei Sect has a special spiritual scroll array that counters Yin Corpses. I can downgrade its rank; the array takes three minutes to set up." Even after downgrading its rank, it will still be stronger than me. I can't hand you the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk, but I can use the Later-Terrain Boots and the Mountain God's Staff to refine this area, drawing a continuous flow of earth energy. With this balance of strengths and weaknesses, we can attempt it." After a moment of mental calculation, Zhang Yuanqing said, "We shouldn't delay—let's act now." At this point, everyone's abdomens had begun to flatten, and only a few more moments remained until full recovery. Yin Ji quickly pulled out various Yin-element materials infused with spiritual essence from her inventory, speaking rapidly: "Master Yuanshǐ, come and assist." Among those present, only Master Yuanshǐ, a fellow Star Official, could help. "Prepare the ink," she said. In the context of the Night-Wanderer deity, "ink" referred specifically to the pigments used for drawing talismans. Star sand, Yin soil, soul stones, hair, and the spirit grass of the Underworld—Zhang Yuanqing glanced at them all and immediately understood what she intended. The primary functions of the spiritual scroll were to nurture the soul and the body: the soul represented the spiritual essence, while the body represented the physical form. In the correct arrangement, the spirit was cultivated and the body preserved; in the reversed arrangement, the spirit was extinguished and the body sealed. This was not difficult for him. With their seamless coordination, the ink was successfully prepared. Yin Ji poured the dark, viscous liquid into a bowl made of a cat's skull, cradling the skull in both hands while softly reciting incantations. Zhang Yuanqing noticed that the liquid within the skull had grown even more spiritually vibrant. I didn't understand her previous operations underwater, nor do I grasp this one now. I've already mastered the Night-Wanderer's skills—how can I not be able to recite the incantations? Suddenly, he realized that the difference between a rustic, grass-roots heroine and a noble, renowned celestial maiden was indeed evident. Though the contemporary era of the spiritual realm travelers is still relatively young—having only spanned over a hundred years—the Tai Family's master is undoubtedly among the very first such travelers. The Tai Sect has already begun to take shape as a well-established lineage. Members within the sect can learn many spells and techniques that the spiritual realm itself doesn't formally teach, which scattered practitioners never encounter. After reciting the incantation, Yin Ji poured out the viscous, syrup-like liquid from within her skull. The spiritually enriched material did not immediately descend but hovered in midair, then, as though imbued with life, gracefully traced intricate, complex patterns in the space—curved and flowing, full of the essence of the Dao. Hmm, this spiritual scroll seems to resemble a corpse-stabilizing talisman yet incorporates so many stellar and celestial elements—has it combined the array techniques developed from celestial observation with the scroll itself? I understand her method of drawing the array well; it's straightforward, relying purely on strong mental focus, nothing fancy—by the time I reach level six, I'll be able to do the same. Zhang Yuanqing widened his eyes, carefully recording the entire intricate array. He didn't need to make a conscious effort, because this was far beyond what a typical spiritual realm practitioner could remember—only scholars could manage it. However, Zhang Yuanqing suffers from a brain condition, and whenever he encounters something, he recalls it through episodes of illness. Just now, he had noted the types of materials and their proportions, and given sufficient time, he could replicate the array exactly—meaning he had successfully learned it on his own. At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing grew concerned and urged, "Hurry up! My shadow corpse can't hold much longer—it's returning now, only five hundred meters away." Yin Ji stiffened, and noticeably accelerated her drawing of the array. "Three hundred meters!" "Two hundred meters!" "One hundred meters... It's coming!" Zhang Yuanqing roared. The others maintained a stern expression, turning their heads to see the bushes ahead tremble as a Yuan Shi Tian Zun burst from the dense undergrowth and sprinted toward them. Suddenly, a figure in deep green and black descended from the sky, charging straight at the Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Just as the Yuan Shi Tian Zun faced imminent peril, he executed a swift slide, evading the charge of the young emperor. He then leapt up, took off running, and headed toward the group. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" The clear, lively cries of a newborn reached their ears, visibly inflating the stomachs of the onlookers once again. "By the gods! By the gods! Yuan Shi Tian Zun, here's your prop!" Red Chicken Brother tossed his backpack aside, then clutched his stomach, fleeing while shouting in rage. Xia Hou Ao Tian and his companions also hurried away, as if fleeing from serpents or scorpions. Yin Ji's belly was prominently swollen, having been pregnant for two, three, and four months—her brows furrowed in pain, her face beaded with sweat—but she As the Blood Peony and the young emperor closed in, Yin Ji pressed her hands downward, causing the palm that had hovered in the air to settle onto the ground, then vanish into invisibility. "Rush away!" Zhang Yuanqing urged. She glanced at him, her voice soft. "Be careful..." As the echo lingered, her silhouette, swollen with pregnancy, dissolved into scattered stars and disappeared. Once everyone had moved on, Zhang Yuanqing drew out the Yin-Yang Wheel, donned the Lucky Traveler's necklace, and turned the pointer. Instantly, a spell forming over a radius of forty meters took shape—like a bowl turned upside down—enveloping Zhang Yuanqing, the Blood Peony, and the young emperor. Under the blessing of luck, the pointer settled unexpectedly in the black zone. Above the Yin-Yang Wheel, a dialogue box visible only to spiritual realm travelers appeared: [Pointer: Black] [Note 1: Answer the questions posed by the wheel. Correct answers allow you to reposition the pointer, accumulating three white zones will lift the seal.] [Note 2: Those who answer incorrectly—die!] The dialog box froze for several seconds before vanishing, and a new one appeared, hovering above the spinning wheel. [Question: A guest arrived at a boutique hotel. Upon seeing him, others burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Oh, here comes our five-centimeter!"] The guest grew furious, saying, "Every girl who has attended to me has been so comfortable, so relaxed, that she's practically fallen into a state of bliss." [Note: Please use a single idiom to describe the above scenario. Answer within thirty seconds. Countdown: 00:29:45] A straightforward question... Zhang Yuanqing glanced at it and then set the wheel aside. Next, he pulled out two packages of explosives from his backpack, tossed them at his feet, and, while the fetus hadn't completely drained his strength, used the Star-Dashing Technique to escape. He appeared at the gate of the imperial residence and turned to look back, just in time to see the Blood Rose leaping over the explosive packages and rushing toward him. After entering the array laid by Yin Ji, the young emperor's quality declined, his speed noticeably slowed, and he failed to catch up with the Blood Rose, arriving at the explosive package two seconds later. Without hesitation, he pressed the detonator. "Boom!" The ground trembled violently, thick smoke and flames surged upward, engulfing the young emperor's dark, slender form. The violent gusts uprooted trees around him. As the smoke cleared, a blackened human silhouette remained—large sections of his scales had been blown off, his left arm severed, a gaping hole in his abdomen, and his two legs so thoroughly shattered that the bones were clearly visible. His physical form and vitality had weakened with the drop in rank. The explosion inflicted substantial damage. "Wah! Wah! Wah…" His cries grew more intense. Visible on his body, marked with burn scars, the young emperor's wounds rapidly healed, and new scales regrew. At that moment, the 30-second mark arrived, and a concentrated beam of dark light shot from the nearby rotating disk, striking the young emperor directly. The rapidly healing wounds and scales suddenly ceased. The infant continued to cry, yet it could no longer heal the host; its vital energy was greedily siphoned away by a powerful force. Success! The Yin-Yang Wheel had taken effect. Zhang Yuanqing unfolded his Yin-Yang robe, draped it over his shoulders, donned the Unyielding Guardian's breastplate, drew forth the Mountain God's staff and the Hou-Tu boots. The Hou-Tu boots continuously drew upon the earth's power, instantly revitalizing his slightly weak limbs, and with enhanced endurance, his tolerance for abdominal pain dramatically improved. The passive power of the Mountain God's staff further propelled his bodily functions beyond the peak of their optimal state. Feeling an unprecedented strength within himself, Zhang Yuanqing lifted the staff in one hand and gripped the Fú-Mó杵 in the other, charging toward the young emperor. Fifty meters away, his teammates, bracing against their abdominal pains, watched with anticipation and tension as Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun advanced toward the boss. "Roar!" The young emperor roared, staggering forward to meet the enemy. With a swift flick of his sharp right claw, he effortlessly tore the foe apart. Yet this was only a illusion—Star Illusion had created a false image. The true Yuanshǐ Tianzūn materialized behind the young emperor, his Fúmó Staff driving into the enemy's back, where flesh and muscle were already torn. The young emperor spun suddenly, delivering a rapid and vigorous strike with his right claw. At the height of his reach, his body aligned precisely with Zhang Yuancheng's waist, and the dark, sharp claws swept across his midsection. A flash of yellow light—his attack was deflected. Zhang Yuancheng raised his mountain deity staff and struck hard against the young emperor's head, sending showers of scales flying. "Thump, thump, thump…" He circled the young emperor, continuously striking with the staff, complemented by his solid combat skills, steadily containing the boss. Yet even with his diminished strength, the young emperor's power and speed still surpassed those of a Level 4 Star Official. Though it was falling behind, continuously being struck and its compact frame already scarred and battered, it would launch furious counterattacks every time Zhang Yuanqing attempted to strike it with the Fumu杵 at close range. "Ah! Ah..." The cries of an infant grew more intense, echoing with the cries rising from within Zhang Yuanqing's own abdomen. A sudden, sharp pain surged through his belly, leaving a clear imprint of a newborn's face on his skin. Seizing the moment, the young emperor swung his remaining right paw and delivered a heavy blow to the enemy's waist. Zhang Yuanqing flew off like a kite with the string severed. As he rolled to a stop, he heard the metallic clasp of his waist belt give way with a soft "click"—the high-quality branded belt, finally unable to bear the strain, sustaining damage. Now, his abdomen had swelled to an extraordinary degree, as though about to deliver a baby. And his only means of delivery would be to rupture his own belly. Time was pressing. Zhang Yuanqing didn’t have time to attend to the King Cat speaker—the prop couldn’t be stored in the inventory, and the buckle on his sash had snapped. Trying to pick it up would only be a burden; he simply couldn’t carry it into battle. His condition was deteriorating rapidly. If he couldn’t resolve it within twenty seconds, he’d have to resort to using the King Cat speaker. Zhang Yuanqing pondered, assessing his skills and available props. The fetus within him was steadily draining his strength and abilities. Under such continuous "bleeding," any means of enhancement became especially valuable. The King Cat speaker’s suona sound still offered a certain boost. Even if he had to reveal his identity as a descendant of the Mage King, he’d have to use it—once he returned to the spiritual realm, everything would be lost. Soon, he came up with a solution. "Thud!" The Mountain God’s staff was driven into the ground, half of its shaft sinking into the soft soil, and the emerald gem at its tip radiating a gentle glow. The grass and trees around swiftly transformed, their branches piercing the earth, reaching out to ensnare the young emperor. The young emperor, entirely black and sleek, opened his dark, black lips and drew in a sharp breath, causing the remaining scales on his body to expand and fan out, desperately siphoning moisture from the surrounding environment. Zhang Yuanqing's body rapidly lost its hydration, his skin wrinkling and drying, his condition growing steadily worse. Fortunately, the invincible guardian amulet on his chest slightly slowed the moisture loss, while the endurance and earth power provided by his Later Earth boots sustained his weary frame. Zhang Yuanqing then retrieved a tool he had nearly forgotten. ——the Blood Rubbing Powder! He opened the silver box, lifted a streak of deep crimson powder with his fingertip, and applied it to the Vengeful Spirit Staff. Then, he gently exhaled his Yin energy, summoning a vibrant red figure dressed in a bridal gown, cradling a charming infant. Next, he activated his spiritual journey, allowing his spirit to detach and join the ghost bride as they both soared toward the young emperor. Together, master and servant collided into the young emperor's body. "Hoof…!" The young emperor opened his dark lips, roaring in fury. His body shook violently, his limbs convulsing as two Saint-Realm spiritual beings within him fiercely contested control of his form. At the same time, a streak of ethereal ghostly aura emerged, clinging to the blood-stained Vumó Chariot, and surged toward the young emperor. "Pfft!" The Vumó Chariot pierced through the young emperor's chest, causing him to suddenly stiffen. Zhang Yuanqing, however, had already retrieved the Bai Lan back into his spiritual form before the Chariot reached him. The very next instant, the golden sun burst forth, golden light erupting from the emperor's mouth, eyes, and nostrils, reducing his body to ash. The ghostly aura clinging to the Vumó Chariot also vanished in the radiance of the Sun God's power. This time, the young emperor could not be revived, as the black light of the Yin-Yang Wheel enveloped the infant's head on his shoulder. The crisis was resolved. Zhang Yuanqing picked up the Vumó Chariot, stepped firmly upon the charred body, cradled the infant's head, and gently extracted I've taken the rule-related item components... Zhang Yuanqing placed the infant's head into the inventory, returned to where the Cat King speaker had dropped, held the satchel in hand, and then picked up the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk, adding it to the inventory. The restrictions lifted. Having completed all this, he heard hurried footsteps approaching and saw Yin Ji returning with her teammates, all visibly excited.