The footsteps drew nearer, and the teammates stopped by the charred, carbonized human form. Red Chicken kicked at the body, sending a spurt of black ash flying. "He's really gone now, finally gone," Red Chicken laughed heartily. "I can go home and have my soup now." While Yin Ji remained relatively composed, everyone else's faces lit up with joy, as if gazing upon a dream come true, at the small emperor who had finally passed. The S-tier mission was officially complete! "From now on, we've earned our S-tier completion badge," said Xia Shu Zhi Lian, her usually cool demeanor softened by a smile. "This is a hidden rating—officially recognized within the organization. Even if someone doesn't have sufficient merits, those who complete an S-tier mission often receive greater attention and recognition from leadership." Xia Hou Ao Tian beamed with delight, lifting his chin proudly. "This is an essential honor and badge for any protagonist," he said. He was truly thrilled—no, ecstatic—though the experience points and rewards were welcome, the S-tier completion badge was the real highlight. Xiaohou Aotian had only cleared two A-level honors in the past, never achieving any S-level honors, which always deeply disappointed him. Now, with the protagonist earning honors befitting his status, he could hardly contain his joy. "S-level..." Free Eagle murmured softly, taking a deep breath, her delight proving impossible to suppress. The "hidden rating" mentioned by Xia Shu Zhi Lian also applies within the Tianfa Organization. This very quest experience will now serve as the stepping stone for her promotion to Second-Class Golden Executive. "Master Yuan Shishen, you're truly amazing—what a blessing it would be if I could always match up with you!" Yunmeng said with genuine delight. The Qinghe Branch, due to its internal structure and ethnic characteristics, has traditionally placed less emphasis on positions and benefits; thus, Yunmeng's joy is the most sincere—she has survived a near-fatal ordeal! As soon as these words were spoken, everyone turned their attention to Master Yuan Shishen and the Thunder-Defeating Staff he held. Initially, they had viewed Master Yuan as—indeed, possessing several notable talents. Yet he never truly admired or trusted him until the battle beneath the sea, when among the three key figures—Xia Hou Ao Tian, who deciphered the formation; Wenshen Free Eagle, who countered the plague; and Yin Ji, who mastered the阴尸 army—he stood out and played a decisive role. After the land campaign, the position of team leader effectively shifted to him without anyone realizing it. Thus, once a plan was established, the team members, with hardly any resistance, entrusted their lives and fortunes to him. Now, looking back, it seems utterly incredible. Though only a Level 4, he had successfully outperformed Xia Hou Ao Tian, a Level 5, and Yin Ji, a Level 6—this was true talent, far surpassing the outstanding peers of his own level. Others could only be considered elite. Xia Hou Ao Tian paused and praised, "Master Yuanshen, your equipment is quite impressive." Oh, for heaven's sake—how many compliments can I take before I collapse? Zhang Yuanqing remained silent, only able to exhale a breath. Without the Fumagong杵, even with the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk providing counter-effects, half the team would have perished. No, actually underwater, if it weren’t for his compatibility with the Yin-Yang Rotating Disk, half the people would have died back then—though even then, Xia Shu and Yun Meng still perished once. Zhang Yuanqing said, “Regarding the props, the rule-based one from the Xie family is mine. Does that sound fair?” Everyone exchanged glances, some frowning, others hesitating. Zhang Yuanqing added, “For the rewards from the two props, I’ll distribute them according to each of your contributions. You’re all welcome to exchange contact information.” Hearing this, everyone felt much better and nodded eagerly. Even if the Prime Immortal had privately taken them all, they’d have been powerless—since all the props had been stored in the inventory. In the most extreme cases, even killing someone to seize the treasures would have been impossible. Now that he was willing to share a portion of the rewards, what could they say? Immediately, everyone exchanged contact details. “Since I’m the main protagonist, giving me eight million shouldn’t be too much, should it?” Xiang Hou Ao Tian said with eager anticipation. Eight million? You'd like me to pay for your energy package, huh? Zhang Yuanqing immediately saw through Xiaohou Aotian's superficial intentions, and with a pleasant tone asked, "Your main quest is complete—why haven't you settled the payment yet?" "We're settling it now," Xiaohou replied. "Just go on—don't wait!" "... "Just as Xiaohou was about to respond, he suddenly stiffened, a small, misty pill furnace appearing on his forehead, and his brown pupils shifted to purple. On the other side, Yin Ji's forehead shimmered with a hazy, mysterious constellation cloud, her stellar power radiating outward. The process lasted for about ten seconds. When both of their intense energies stabilized, Zhang Yuanqing noticed a noticeable strengthening in their vitality. "No wonder it's an S-tier dungeon—here we go, a 18% boost in experience all at once! If I clear another dungeon next month, I'll reach level six," Xiaohou exclaimed with renewed enthusiasm. Zhang Yuanqing observed his teammates' expressions of admiration and anticipation, and thought to himself—ah? Only 18%? Every time I clear an S-tier raid, I receive experience points—30% to 40%! At that moment, Yin Ji glanced at him and said, "I'll head back now. Once I find the right items, I'll reach out to you." Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "I'll keep the information about the items confidential for now." He needs to discuss with Fu Qingyang how to leverage the items to negotiate with the headquarters—otherwise, as soon as he returns from a raid, both headquarters and Jianghu Branch representatives will already be waiting at Fu's village, which would leave him in a passive position. His experience in Jinghai City has made him realize that while merits are beneficial, they have one critical flaw: they cannot offset shortcomings. Often, before the merits can be redeemed, an unexpected event occurs—such as failing to get a promotion within a year. Of course, this is mainly because he has upgraded so quickly, earning merits at an accelerated pace. For ordinary official travelers, the value of merits typically exceeds that of monetary rewards and other benefits. "Good!" Yin Ji lightly nodded. The next instant, she and Long Aotian vanished into the raid, returning to reality. After they left, Hong Ji's face turned pale: "Oh no! Our main objective is to survive for 36 hours. We haven't reached that time yet—we can't get out. My chicken soup...?" You just realized that, didn't you? Zhang Yuanqing glanced at him. "We've been inside the realm for about 16 hours, so we still have plenty of time. Let's all search for materials together. There should be quite a few valuable ones inside this realm." Xiu Shu Zhi Lian said. The materials sold outside were all gathered by the spiritual realm travelers from within the realm. "Unfortunately, it's been reduced to ashes," Free Eagle said, looking at the remains of the young emperor, full of regret. At that moment, she noticed Yuan Shi Tian Zun heading toward the palace and immediately fell silent, hurrying to follow. Xiu Shu Zhi Lian hurried a few steps and walked beside Zhang Yuanqing, speculating, "The monsters inside the realm are concentrated at the ocean floor—there may not be much to gain from the palace." "I'm not here for the materials," Zhang Yuanqing said, stepping over the threshold and entering the palace. "Then what is?" Zhang Yuanqing said nothing, walked through the grassy courtyard, and reached the gate of the Chengyuan Palace—the main palace. The imperial residence was small, roughly rectangular, about one hundred meters long and over thirty meters wide, with three pavilions. The central pavilion, Chengyuan Palace, was where the young emperor’s mother lived. Inside, the layout was simple: to the left was the living quarters, to the right the outer reception hall, furnished with modest furniture and bookshelves, remarkably plain. Zhang Yuanqing circled through the living quarters and reception hall, and asked, “Xia Shu, what do you see?” Xia Shu’s affection looked at a stack of official documents on the bookshelves and replied, “The most valuable are probably these.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded and walked straight toward the bookshelves. The furnishings of Chengyuan Palace were simple and straightforward; he naturally recognized the documents as the most valuable, yet could only see so much. More subtle clues or hidden compartments would require the scouts to uncover them. “Let’s look together,” he said, pulling out one document and brushing off the dust. “What should we look for?” Xia Shu’s affection asked "I don't know—let's take a look first." Zhang Yuanqing shook his head. The official documents were voluminous and covered a wide range of matters, but when broken down, they could be neatly categorized into three types: war intelligence, the operations of the southern court's market towns, and correspondence between the Yuan and Song dynasties. In the war intelligence section, Zhang Yuanqing found numerous records about ancient cultivation organizations. During the late Southern Song period, the orthodox schools were gradually weakening, and the Yuan forces absorbed many active sects and schools from the north—both esoteric and heterodox—before launching their southern campaigns. While the Southern Song court negotiated with the Yuan, it also sent secret messages to these sects, hoping that renowned cultivators and extraordinary figures would return to serve the imperial court and join the resistance against the Yuan. However, despite these efforts, the fall of the Southern Song was inevitable, and no significant reinforcements came to their aid. That's all. No further details. "I'm exactly looking for this," Zhang Yuanqing smiled. "Is this something particularly valuable?" The red-chicken brother hurried over to join the conversation. Xia Shu Zhi Lian and the others exchanged curious glances—did the Prime Immortal go to such lengths just to locate this document? What secret might it hold? "Not particularly valuable—just to satisfy a bit of curiosity," Zhang Yuanqing glanced around at his teammates. "Do any of you remember the introduction to the Spiritual Realm?" Yun Meng interjected: "To prevent a resurgence of the Southern Song dynasty, the Yuan forces dispatched extraordinary individuals and established the Lock-Drake Array, ensuring that the soldiers beneath the sea would never be reborn." "But in reality, the true objective was to cultivate a master-level yin corpse, using the residual dragon energy to stabilize the mountains and rivers—this is precisely what I mean." Zhang Yuanqing spoke with confidence. "In the late Southern Song period, the celestial and terrestrial spiritual energies began to wane—yes, I'm sure you're all familiar with this secret, given that each of you is a saint. If not, then consider it a complimentary gift from "Let's get back to the point. By the end of the Southern Song dynasty, it's safe to say that most of the masters in the spiritual cultivation circles had perished. The extraordinary talents among the Yuan army hoped to leverage the remnants of the Song dynasty to cultivate a master-level yin corpse during the transition of dynasties. Unfortunately, they failed. Handling the thousands of yin corpses proved too cumbersome, so they simply abandoned them—thus, the young emperor was left beneath the sea." It's roughly the same, but the cause-and-effect is different. In fact, the Magic King survived, though it seems he never informed Yin Ji of this. So, did he secretly undermine his teammates back then? Otherwise, how could he have expressed such sentiments in the Cat King's speaker—about "exceeding performance targets"? Zhang Yuanqing mentally pondered this, maintaining a calm demeanor: "Exactly like that." With a sense of sudden clarity, Red Chicken Brother borrowed a transcendent-level water spirit artifact from Yun Meng and set out toward the seaside with his teammates. Aside from the materials within the Yin corpses—enough to number over ten thousand—these alone would be sufficient to make a substantial fortune. Yet, just as they stepped out of the palace, the once-blue sky was suddenly covered in golden light. A vast, resolute, and commanding presence enveloped the entire Yashan Sea. "What on earth is going on?" Red Chicken Brother exclaimed, his face pale with alarm, his head raised skyward, visibly uneasy: "The quest isn't supposed to have ended, is it? Have we triggered a hidden mission?" Under such weighty pressure, even the Fire Master could not muster courage or battle spirit. Xia Shu-zhao's face grew serious as he silently summoned his short sword. Frey and Yunmeng regarded this as a major threat, their faces filled with apprehension. "Do not be afraid," said Zhang Yuanqing in a tone of profound reverence. "This is an unparalleled being I have summoned—a majestic, holy, dignified, and beautiful mountain goddess, whom I am truly honored to call her favorite descendant." The words of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun sounded like the most beautiful voice in the world to everyone present. He had summoned such a grand presence at this very moment? As they exhaled in relief, a deep sense of admiration and envy stirred within them—being able to summon such a being within the quest was something even Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun would find impossible. Compared to others' admiration, Frey thought more deeply: Could this be the very reason Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun had advanced so swiftly? Where had he obtained such extraordinary fortune? This is invaluable intelligence that will enable the organization to better understand the reasons behind the rise of a true prodigy. I appreciate the way you all are looking at me... Zhang Yuanqing remained composed on the surface and said, "You all go to the seaside first." Once everyone had departed, the golden light in the air swiftly contracted and condensed into a flowing beam, settling at the entrance of the imperial pavilion. Standing within the glow was a serene and dignified goddess, clad in a magnificent robe, her dark hair flowing like a waterfall. Her refined and dignified features carried a subtle, faint smile. She appeared as if a delicate, pure blossom from the celestial realm had gracefully descended to earth. Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply and declared, "Your Majesty, forgive me." The Lady of San Dao was slightly surprised and asked, "What is there to forgive?" Zhang Yuanqing replied, "I should not have praised Your Majesty in front of others. Your grace is unparalleled, timeless—how could I possibly describe it adequately?" A touch deeper warmth seemed to spread across the Lady of San Dao’s exquisite features. She then softly said, "Bring the Vow of Defeating Demons!" Zhang Yuanqing held out both hands, raising the Fumagong杵 to his head. The Fumagong shimmered into a beam of golden light and faded into the body of the Lady. Ah, our fate has run its course—we shall now have to walk our own paths from here on. Deep within Zhang Yuanqing’s heart, a profound sense of reluctance stirred. The Fumagong and the Red Dance Shoes were his original tools, the very foundations upon which he had built his fame and achieved victory in battle. They carried a sense of emotion. The old boulder lightly tapped his finger, and a scroll of sheepskin drifted gently toward Zhang Yuanqing. "This is the simplified version of the sacrifice ritual. Whether in the mortal world or in the realm of the副本, you may communicate with me and use it repeatedly." The Lady’s voice was clear and melodious. "Madam, I have one more request." Zhang Yuanqing carefully folded the scroll and said, "Of late, I have been plagued by inner demons, growing increasingly rigid in my actions and finding it hard to control myself. I would like to ask for a piece of sacred artifact from you." "Inner demons?" she gently furrowed her delicate Lady San Dao said, "Agreed. Within ten days, I will deliver the mirror to you." She had not hesitated at all—she had even offered the disciple's most important spiritual artifact without delay. After all, she had said the same thing to the disciple herself. What a wonderful gesture! Zhang Yuanqing smiled and gently asked, "Has the Lady any matter that has delayed her?" "Once I leave the Spiritual Realm, I shall have no role card and will find it difficult to return. Yet within the Realm lies the hope of ascending to the rank of Human Immortal." She did not conceal this. "May the Lady of San Dao ascend swiftly to the rank of Human Immortal, living as long as the heavens, eternal and unvanquished," Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply. Indeed, this young disciple never failed to meet her expectations. The Lady of San Dao smiled gently. "Is there anything else?" "Respectfully sending off the Lady," Zhang Yuanqing remained seated. The Lady of San Dao nodded lightly and dissolved into a golden light, vanishing into the heavens.