Seeing the two night-wanderers pass away silently, Zhang Yuanqing's hair stood on end. The Master of Pure Yang was like a dried-up lake—without any inherent rank limitations, as he was a frail Sovereign. With sufficient Yin energy and Stellar energy, he could swiftly regain his peak condition. The deaths of these two night-wanderers sent a sharp alarm ringing through Zhang Yuanqing's mind. Having absorbed the Yin energy of both night-wanderers, the Master of Pure Yang now stood as an exceptional figure among the extraordinary realm. The stronger the enemy, the more perilous the situation for the defenders. "Did you see him make any move?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, fixing his gaze on Yin Ji. Yin Ji shook her head slightly, with a sense of regret: "I didn't pay much attention... The scene was chaotic, and I was preoccupied. At first, I did keep an eye on my fellow disciples, but after being knocked down by Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, I lost sight of everything." Zhang Yuanqing nodded in deep sigh: "I didn't notice either." A strong sense of crisis surged through him as he mentally reviewed all his strategies and tools, and then remembered Little Red Cap. Little Red Cap could form its own space—should everyone be drawn into it, perhaps they could save the group. But the problem was, in that case, he would be alone to face the master-tier artifacts. If he died, the people within Little Red Cap would also perish. And with just him facing those master-tier artifacts, his chances of survival were nearly zero. More people meant greater strength—without even mentioning the discovery of the Master of Pure Yang, when facing the dangers posed by the artifacts, the risks could be somewhat shared, as demonstrated by the recent wave of arrows. In the span of a thought, a question that had puzzled him from the beginning resurfaced: If the Master of Pure Yang was indeed in the restaurant, then where exactly was he hiding? A spiritual being could not have escaped detection by either him or Yin Ji. He hadn't taken over anyone's body unless his initial strategy had been fundamentally flawed... The moment this thought arose, Liu Zhiyi screamed, "The second wave of arrows is coming!!" Along with his cry, guests such as Xie Lingyun and Man Yan sister joined in. On the ethereal circular table, energy arrows reappeared. Even the saints grew pale—having survived the first wave, they owed their lives to both protective props and sheer luck, managing to endure through the gaps in the arrow barrage. But now the props were damaged, and luck could not last forever. "We're going all in!" Ling Jun declared, his expression resolute. He removed his vine armor and grabbed a stone stele from his inventory, inserting it into the ground. A thick, glowing wall rose, radiating a soft yellow light. At the same time, his body suddenly weakened, his feet merging and adhering together, his arms retracting inward. Black scales pierced his skin, and as his form expanded, he transformed into a massive black-scaled serpent, thick as a water storage cistern. The expanding body pushed tables, chairs, and other furnishings aside, crushing glass cups, wine glasses, and porcelain fragments into finer pieces. In an instant, half the restaurant was occupied by the giant serpent's form. The black-scaled serpent opened its massive maw and spoke in human voice: "Quick, come close and take shelter behind my body." Miao Teng'er moved first, nimbly slipping behind the thick, water barrel-like trunk of her cousin. Ling Jun swiftly coiled himself around her, wrapping her at the center and shielding her with his sturdy frame. At that moment, arrows began rapidly gathering, and the second wave of rain was imminent. "Get inside!" Ling Jun shouted. "Useless! You can't possibly hold out—run! Get to the room next door!" Li Zhiyi lost his composure and rushed desperately toward the rest room at the back of the dining area. His actions triggered a ripple effect—many others lost their composure and turned to flee. Lingjun roared, "Stay put! Don't run! Running makes no sense at all..." This is a master-tier artifact—the arrows are aimed at everyone. If reinforced concrete walls can't stop them, then the master-tier status is being vastly underestimated. Yet, it proved futile. Fear erupted within the crowd. Guests clutched their heads and scrambled, rushing toward restrooms and lounges—far from the composed demeanor of seasoned spiritual realm travelers. Pure Yang Master began amplifying the fear, precisely tapping into and magnifying the guests' inner anxieties. If this continued, everyone would perish. Zhang Yuanqing gently instructed Yin Ji, "Take shelter behind Lingjun." Instantly, he dissolved into a streak of starlight, appearing ahead of the fleeing crowd, then raised his hand and brushed it across his face. A gleaming golden paint flowed like a stream down his forehead, spreading over his cheeks, while black and red pigments outlined his eyes and mouth, forming a dignified, imposing facial mask. "Get back!" Zhang Yuanqing bellowed. The ordinary people and extraordinary cultivators lose their composure; the Pure Yang Master can influence them, while the Golden Facet can command and awe them. The Military Spirit Facet is a vessel of a Saint's caliber—even a Saint will be affected. The crowd, panicking and disoriented, halted in unison, filled with profound fear and instinctively obeying his commands. As the people began to return and seek shelter behind Lingjun, Yin Ji exhaled in relief, gazed deeply at Yuan Shi Tian Zun, and said, "Come here..." Then she leapt over the serpent's body and joined the crowd. Lingjun swiftly coiled his body, encircling everyone within, forming a towering, black wall of thick serpentine coils. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the earthen stele standing before the great serpent, then at the gathering barrage of arrows poised to strike—his heart grew heavy. The stele was of Saint-level quality, capable only of enduring for a brief moment. Though Lingjun had transformed into a giant serpent with solid defenses, how could his flesh-and-blood form withstand the relentless onslaught of the arrows? Even if they withstand the first wave, what about the third? They seem to be in a dire situation. At that moment, his gaze dropped, and he spotted his battered Purple Thunder Shield—its surface now riddled with cracks, the pale purple glow engulfing one-third of it. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly had an idea. If he could absorb the arrow attacks over a broad area, allowing the shield to charge up with energy, he could activate that energy and block the third wave of arrows. The activated energy could withstand any level of attack. That was the rule. Let's try! He swiftly retrieved the Unyielding Heart Mirror, leapt onto the serpent's body, and positioned himself beside the serpent's head, saying, "Lingjun, swallow it." He brought the mirror close. Lingjun didn't hesitate—she opened her wide mouth and swallowed the item. Then, Zhang Yuanqing switched the Purple Thunder Shield to a Purple Thunder Mace, and immediately switched it back to the shield. The circular shield instantly restored its integrity. The arrows on the ethereal table coalesced into a solid formation. "Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh…" The second wave of arrows surged forward. Zhang Yuanqing immediately knelt down, raising his shield to block the snake's head. "Thump-thump-thump..." The dense stream of arrows struck the hazy "wall," bursting with energy and creating a brilliant glow. Holding on for just two seconds, the earth tablet collapsed into fragments after deflecting one-third of the arrows. The following arrows surged in, instantly enveloping Ling Jun. The Unyielding Heart Mirror sustained only for a single second before its golden shield was torn apart. "Thump-thump..." Waves of energy arrows exploded across Ling Jun's serpentine body, sending scales flying and flesh cascading; each arrow caused the massive snake to tremble, instinctively contracting its body. He endured intense pain. "Clang-clang-clang..." After absorbing three arrows, the shield held by Zhang Yuanqing shattered. He had to withdraw it, shift his stance, and raise it again. At this moment, his虎fingers had cracked, blood seeping down his arm into his armpit, and the energy shockwaves left him wracked with pain throughout his body. "Ah..." A cry of agony echoed from within the serpent's body. The arrows had pierced Ling Jun's form, breaching his flesh and blood defenses; the guests at that spot fell dead to the subsequent barrage. At the same time, Zhang Yuanqing noticed Ling Jun had gone still. He lowered his head sharply and saw the serpent's head, which he had protected beneath him, its vertical pupils now scattered, its entire presence lifeless. Ling Jun was dead. Finally, after the purple lightning shield had shattered three times, the second wave of arrows came to an end. Wounded and weary, Zhang Yuanqing leaned against the ground and slowly slid down. He switched his weapon form once more, restoring the circular shield to its original state—now completely enveloped in vibrant purple light, indicating that the energy had fully charged. It was done. Zhang Yuanqing held the shield and retreated, drawing out the mountain god's staff to silently treat his injuries. On the other side, the surviving guests gradually emerged from the serpent's body, now perforated by countless holes, their faces filled with relief at having survived—but as they looked toward the ethereal round table, slowly gathering arrows one by one, their expressions turned once again to fear. Yin Ji broke free from the serpent's body, turned around, and scanned the surroundings, immediately seeking out Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Seeing him quietly standing at a distance, gazing at his golden facial mask and healing, she finally exhaled in relief. "There's still a third wave of arrows coming. We need to think of something else—just one more defense, and it'll be over," Ling San, Liu Zhiyi, said to the group with a gaze that was almost pleading. Everyone avoided meeting his eyes. "Ling Jun is already dead. Who else can help? He's the only one of the highest rank here. Is there anyone among us who is a mountain deity? Even a mountain deity wouldn't be able to protect us all." Someone remarked. "Who still has defensive equipment? Don't hold back now—bring it out quickly!" Liu Zhiyi grew increasingly agitated. "Our defensive gear was destroyed in the first wave of arrows. What good is defensive equipment now? Can anyone produce a master-level piece?" Du Qiao, barely holding on, replied with growing irritation. A female guest wiped away her tears and said, "Me, and all of us—do we have to die?" I should have stayed away from the dinner party altogether—I just don’t want to die…” Shé Lingyùn, her spirit fragile, immediately shed tears. The stewards grew more resolute, yet no one could remain calm in the face of life and death; each one looked subdued, filled with quiet fear. At that moment, the black-scaled giant serpent’s still eyes regained their luster, and its massive body swiftly contracted, transforming back into human form. “Cough… cough…” Lingjun had revived, but his face was pale and he was gasping heavily, clearly weak. Miao Teng'er had already removed a security staff member’s black robe and pants, and with a look of deep concern, offered them to her cousin. Upon seeing Lingjun awake, Liu Zhiyi urgently asked, “Lingjun, do you still have any means? Use them now—after all, you’re the son of the head of the Taiyi Sect. You must have some master-level items. Keep going, hold on!” Everyone else watched Lingjun with eager anticipation. Lingjun struggled to breathe, barely able to speak. Liu Zhiyi urged, “Hurry up! The third wave of arrows is about to arrive.” "Miao Teng'er's eyebrows shot up in indignation: 'You're also the grandson of the Elder, so why haven't you received any master-level artifacts?' 'I...' Li Zhi remained speechless, growing angry and saying, 'What's with you? I'm not even trying to be fair to everyone!' He then turned to Yin Ji, shouting, 'Yin Ji, aren't you the long-time lover of the Demon King? Hasn't he left you any treasures? Are you just letting him sleep with you for nothing?' Yin Ji paused, a flush of annoyance crossing her face. 'How can you speak to me like this?' a steward scolded. 'How can you even care about how I speak? I'm about to die, and you still expect me to be polite?' Li Zhi stared at the steward with fierce determination, completely unphased by his status. In the face of such dire circumstances, he felt a growing sense of resignation. 'And you,' Li Zhi turned to Miao Teng'er, 'you weren't even just slept with by the Demon King, were you? Don't think I don't know about your little affairs with him. What treasures hasn't the "You're also a King of Beasts! Show some dignity and transform to protect us!" Miao Teng'er shook with anger. An elderly man with white hair stepped forward, positioning himself between the two, his expression stern as he fixed his gaze on Liu Zhiyi: "Miss Liu is only at Level 4. Even in her transformed state, she can't withstand the arrows. If you continue to humiliate her, don't blame me when I turn against you." "Ha! How are you going to turn against me? If you have the guts, just kill me—then no one will survive." Liu Zhiyi spat fiercely. "At least she's a Saint. What good is she, other than acting stubborn in front of me?" As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly gasped, clutching his head and crying out in pain, then collapsed to his knees. The guests were startled by the sudden cry, like birds startled from their flight, turning their eyes toward the ethereal table and realizing the arrows were still gathering momentum. One of the Saints turned toward the distant Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun. The guests finally caught on, staring in astonishment at Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun. After all, Zhang Yuanqing approached, wearing a golden mask, first glancing at Yin Ji, then at Miao Teng'er, and said, "You both are sages. Why haven't you fought him? After enduring life-and-death trials and completing the dungeons, gaining powers beyond the ordinary—what have you been striving for?" He took a step forward and forcefully kicked Li Zhiyi in the abdomen. Thud! Li Zhiyi's body bent like a shrimp, clutching his abdomen, spitting out large amounts of food and sour fluids. "All for the moment when he's barking—being able to slaughter the dog then," Zhang Yuanqing kicked his face into the mess, pressing down firmly, and looked at Miao Teng'er, saying, "Are you afraid of the senior monks behind him? Or does he mention the Demon King, making you feel unsteady in your own strength? The Demon King is the Demon King—what does that have to do with you?" Miao Teng'er stared at him, speechless. Ling Jun, seated on the ground, chuckled softly, "Teng'er, if you had encountered him back then, wouldn't that have been splendid?" "Oh, Master—didn't you say you wouldn't allow me to flirt with my sister?" Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Yin Ji, saying, "The more kind and gentle someone is, the more easily they're ridden over." Yin Ji chuckled bitterly. "Master Yuan Shi, if you dare touch me, my grandfather won't let you off!" Li Zhiyi gritted his teeth. But before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yuanqing kicked him hard in the face, sending him reeling and spilling blood from his mouth, two front teeth falling out. Silence fell over the restaurant. Everyone had heard of Master Yuan Shi's fiery temperament—capable of even killing official attendants—but seeing him act in person was quite different. He was truly someone who couldn't be easily approached. Indeed, among some of the female guests, this very tenacity was seen as a great asset. Gao Shan Liu Shui glanced at the round table and softly broke the silence: "The arrow rain is coming. Everyone, get ready..." A wave of fear washed over the guests once more. Zhang Yuanqing said no more, simply adding, "Everyone, take shelter behind me," and then strode directly toward the ethereal round table. What was he going to do? The guests instinctively gathered, their eyes following the figure of the Primordial Sovereign. At that moment, the third wave of arrows had fully coalesced and poured down upon them like a deluge. Shē Lingyùn and the other female guests shrieked, instinctively turning to flee, only to see the Primordial Sovereign raise his circular shield. A deep purple glow surged upward, forming a massive, ceiling-reaching shield that blocked all the arrows outside. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" The powerful energy bursts echoed like firecrackers, resonating loudly throughout the spacious dining hall. To everyone's surprise, arrows that had previously broken through even the most sacred artifacts now failed to penetrate the energy shield. The explosions of light were blinding, distorting the Sovereign's form, yet to the guests, his figure remained as majestic and immovable as a mountain. Moments later, the dazzling light faded, and the explosions subsided. The third wave of arrows came to an end. The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, holding the shield, remained unharmed. The deep purple circular shield, which had provided such a strong sense of security, began to gently dissipate. "We made it—we weathered the rain of arrows," he said. A few seconds later, the guests erupted into cheers, several women guests even weeping with joy. Even the serene saints, like the ones embodying the calm of mountain streams and flowing water, could not hide their delight. "Why didn't we bring out this divine artifact earlier? Now I've died in vain," Ling Jun murmured, weakly leaning on his cousin. Miao Teng'er, with her graceful face, beamed with relief and renewed joy. Then she glanced at the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign. At that moment, she noticed Yin Ji approaching, speaking softly and gently, "Are you all right?" The Primordial Heavenly Sovereign shook her head, "Unfortunately, it can only be used once." She silently turned her gaze away, choosing not to look again. The Broken Bridge, with a faint glow of admiration, stared at the circular shield, suppressed his inner envy and jealousy, and loudly remarked, "Based on my observations, the game grows more dangerous as it progresses. If we still can't locate the Master of Pure Yang before the next round, we might very well be wiped out entirely." These words struck like a sudden, refreshing flood of cool water, cooling the hearts of all present. Zhang Yuanqing withdrew his shield and said, "He can't hide anymore." "What can you do?" asked the Broken Bridge, pressing for an answer. Zhang Yuanqing didn't respond; instead, he exhaled a stream of yin energy that solidified upon landing into a round, endearing, slightly-haired infant spirit. Then, he produced his treasure-hunting cloak and draped it over the lively youngster. "Let's go treasure-hunting!" Zhang Yuanqing gently stroked his son's head and issued the command. This was the strategy he had conceived during the second wave of arrows. Since this ancient practitioner was so remarkably skilled, and since they couldn't find him directly, he had decided to shift his approach. Instead of searching for him, they would now seek out the very essence of "The Great Adventure of Green As long as the item remains outside the inventory, its original form will always be present—the phantom round table is merely a projection of the item's function, not the item itself. Once you locate the item and place it in the inventory, will you still fear Master Yuanqing of the Pure Yang Sect? The young, lively spirit scrambles around the dining hall, occasionally lifting its head to look left and right, and at other times moving its limbs to crawl. It first reaches a broken item, then turns to the host with a sense of pride. Zhang Yuanqing shakes his head, "No, keep going!" The spirit then crawls to the second fragment of an item. "No, keep going!" On the surface, Zhang Yuanqing remains patient, yet within, he grows increasingly anxious. His time is limited, and the young spirit's treasure-hunting function always prioritizes the items closest to him—no matter how urgent the situation, he can only proceed one by one. Two minutes, four minutes, six minutes, eight minutes… As time passes, the spirit eventually locates all the broken item fragments throughout the dining hall. Yet each one is rejected one by one. The infant spirit raises its sparse tuft of hair and gazes around in confusion. As the infant spirit's gaze settled on the plant-dog with the golden coat, its head lowered and its limbs swiftly moved to draw close. Dog?! Zhang Yuan's pupils contracted slightly. Could the prop be hidden within the dog? The Pure Yang Master... if I've extracted the dog's spirit, he couldn't have taken over the golden coat dog. Yet if he's concealed within it, there's only one possibility—Zhang Yuan suddenly grasped the Pure Yang Master's method of concealment and immediately issued the command to end the little comic character, bringing him back. This was to prevent the little comic from approaching the golden coat dog and being reversed-killed by the Pure Yang Master. At that moment, Yin Ji urgently said, "Yuan Shi, the dice has started spinning." The ten-minute safety period had passed, and now the dice spun rapidly on the ethereal round table. Without hesitation, Zhang Yuan grabbed the Purple Thunder Shield from his inventory and switched it to Thunderstorm Cannon mode. The purple-gold liquid swiftly transformed into a hand cannon measuring 30 centimeters in length, its thick, elegant barrel exuding power. Zhang Yuan aimed it at the golden coat dog and pulled the trigger. The muzzle flashed with a vibrant purple light, and a spherical burst of bright purple lightning, the size of a clenched fist, shot forth into the air, with purple arcs crackling and jumping in the sky. "Boom!" The ball of lightning roared forward, striking the golden-haired dog and shattering the wall and floor, creating a gaping hole that opened a passage to the first floor. The golden-haired dog was reduced to carbonized chunks, its flesh and stone fragments scattering everywhere. Amid the chaos, Zhang Yuanqing saw two objects roll out from the dog's abdomen. One was a palm-sized, blood-stained disc, bearing images of forests, rivers, swamps, and witches—exactly matching the game board patterns displayed on the ethereal table. The other was a pearl the size of an egg, radiating a dreamlike glow, within which countless scenes seemed to shimmer and unfold. At that moment, Yin Ji's voice came from behind: "Six o'clock." The little figurine stepped briskly to the position marked twenty-one, where a wooden cottage stood, and a female witch with a pointed nose stood at the cottage's entrance. The information displayed in the dining hall instantly updated: "You have entered the witch's house and accidentally consumed her magical potion, causing everyone to feel weak." The next moment, guests throughout the dining hall collapsed to the floor, their faces instantly pale and lifeless. Zhang Yuanqing felt his energy suddenly drained, both his spirit and physical form weakened. His legs gave way, and he too sank to the ground like the other guests. Not only he, but the ghost bride and the lively little comic within him also fell into a state of weakness. At the same time, he observed black smoke gradually detaching from the golden-hued remains of the fragmented limbs and flesh, rising gracefully into the air and reuniting there to form a young man with white hair and a handsome appearance. His eyes were filled with wild intensity, fixed firmly on Zhang Yuanqing.