【Ping! The spiritual realm map is loading. You will enter the spiritual realm in 30 seconds. This spiritual realm is "The Five Elements in Chaos," designated as No. 028.】 【Difficulty Level: A】 【Type: Multiplayer (Death-based)】 【Main Quest: ???】 【Side Quest: Deliver the mysterious coffin to the Divine Sword Manor.】 【Note: Non-spiritual realm items cannot be brought in.】 【Introduction to Spiritual Realm No. 028: During the Northern Song Dynasty, the renowned Divine Sword Manor commissioned the "Yellow Banner Courier Bureau," "Far Sea Courier Bureau," "Red Flame Courier Bureau," "Spirit Monkey Courier Bureau," and "Three Swords Courier Bureau" to each transport a mysterious coffin back to the manor. However, during the journey, a series of unusual incidents began to unfold...】 The Five Elements in Chaos? Designated No. 028—hmm, quite a high number. Zhang Yuanqing calmly summoned Blood Rose and Lady Yin Yao, steadied their shoulders, and simultaneously pondered the副本 details. Among the instances he had encountered, No. 028 was the first one where the main quest remained There's no main storyline—instead, we're given side quests, which to a certain extent reflects the difficulty and longevity of the instances. This instance is likely not something that can be cleared within just a couple of days. Moreover, the difficulty level A came as a surprise; he had expected it to be S-tier. But upon reflection, Instance 028—likely a Level 5 or even Level 6 A-tier instance—might be considerably more challenging for him, especially as a Level 4 character, possibly even more daunting than the S-tier Yishan Sea. Finally, the "Five Elements in Chaos" of Instance 028 isn't listed in the official repository. The more prestigious the instance, the rarer it appears—so it's entirely normal that it's not included. Outstanding instance travelers may never encounter such instances in their lifetimes, while those exceptionally talented might simply not have enough time due to their rapid advancement. Take, for instance, the Magistrate and the Marshal—each of them has experienced no more than ten Seer-tier instances and no more than three Level 6 instances. Thirty seconds passed swiftly. The scenery before Zhang Yuanqing rippled like ripples on water, then faded into complete darkness—everything vanished. In the boundless darkness, his ears caught the sound of knocking at the door, and a young man’s urgent call: “Brother Seven, wake up! Wake up! Our father-in-law has summoned us.” Who is this? It’s unbearable—S Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes and saw the pale cotton curtains and the crosswise beams of the structure. The presence of the beams indicated he was in an ancient building. Then, he felt soft, smooth pressure on his chest and waist. Looking down, he nearly exclaimed, “Whoa!” A young, beautiful woman lay asleep in his arms—her skin delicate and pale, her face fresh and charming, her long, thick lashes gleaming. Indeed, she was: Dark as a crow’s feather, cool as a sparrow’s gaze, graceful and captivating by the bedside. Soft as water, noble as jade, turning the bed into a spring breeze. Had he started out by sleeping with such a beautiful woman? Zhang Yuan thought the spiritual realm had treated him well. At the same time, a memory that didn't belong to him surfaced in his mind: He was now known as "Lin Ci," the adopted son of Chen Xuejiao, the head of Huang Qi Courier Bureau. Because of his exceptional talent and potential to master the art of night-walking, Chen Xuejiao took him in as his son. The Huang Qi Courier Bureau was one of the most renowned courier agencies in the Central Plains, founded by Chen Xuejiao. Chen Xuejiao was a celebrated name in the martial world—his true name had long since been forgotten. He was once a mountain deity. During a severe drought in the Central Plains, bandits roamed freely, and a group of them had seized the courier convoy of the Huang Qi Bureau. All the couriers escorting the convoy perished. In rage, Chen Xuejiao single-handedly charged into the bandit stronghold, killing every one of the five hundred attackers with his sword, from dusk until dawn—his endurance and strength were truly astonishing. It was during this event that he earned his renowned name. Chen Xuejiao had six adopted sons and one biological daughter, and Lin Ci was The young lady in his arms was Chen Wei, daughter of Chen Xue dao, the third among her siblings, and thus Lin Ci's third sister. Chen Wei had a marriage engagement with her elder brother, Zhu Peiran, yet she was deeply in love with her seventh brother, Lin Ci. For years, they had kept their romance secret from both her adoptive brother and their father, growing increasingly passionate and devoted, often meeting secretly in the quiet hours of the night—such as last night. Zhao Youcai gave a parting instruction and then gradually faded into the distance. At that moment, Chen Wei in his arms opened her eyes, propped herself up on the bed, exhaled a sigh of relief, and chuckled, "Thank goodness Fourth Brother didn't walk in. Otherwise, our secret would be out, and Father would surely beat us to a pulp." Her eyes were large and bright, her jawline sharp and elegant, her shoulders wide and smooth, her red bodice slightly swollen from her martial training. With a lithe, athletic figure and a strong, spirited bearing, she perfectly embodied the image of a bold, passionate Jianghu female warrior. As to what Master Lin had summoned us for—she hadn't yet drunk the Bizi decoction, so she mustn't forget. Zhang Yuanqing naturally spoke in a way that matched Lin Ci's character. In memory, Lin Ci had always been a young man of spirited independence toward his third sister, someone who would surely have been reluctant to reject a beautiful sister's advances. Yet he remained cautious about both his adoptive father and his elder brother, torn between his desire for her body and his fear of exposing their secret. "Once you've taken me as my wife, if you ever betray me, I'll burn your very essence to ash." Chen Wei narrowed her eyes and reached down with her hand. What does Lin Ci's actions have to do with me, the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign? Zhang Yuanqing bowed low, skillfully avoiding his third sister's playful hands. "Also, next time, remember to cover those two corpses with a linen cloth. Every time we're handling matters, they stand there watching—every time, I feel uneasy." Chen Wei said, glancing toward the bedside. Zhang Yuanqing turned his head and saw two figures standing at the foot of the bed, dressed in sturdy garments, exquisitely beautiful—none other than Lady Yin Yao and Lady Xue Chang. How remarkably ordinary it is to accept the presence of these two spectral figures, and even the characters in the story arc have been imbued with memories through the spiritual realm? This Chen Wei is truly alive—she has blood, soul, and self-awareness; she's not just a static NPC. Well now, the spiritual realm does possess the ability to create life. Speaking of that—if I make her pregnant within the story, will the child be born, or will the spiritual realm If she were born in the realm, would that alter the副本's setting? Would the child count as an NPC born within the realm, or as a regular human? Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts swirled. Due to the tight schedule, Chen Wei had not lingered with her lover, hastily donned her robed gown, picked up her jacket, and focused her senses for a moment before her body transformed into a blazing flame. Using the oil lamp from the adjacent room, she cast her fire-based departure spell—her room was right next door. After she had gone, Zhang Yuanqing dressed calmly in her courier's attire, reached out, and grasped the ghost mirror, holding it up to her face. "Lady Yin Yao shook her head slightly: 'I blacked out momentarily, lost consciousness, and then arrived here—my clothes have changed...' She reached into her robes and felt around. 'My little horn is still there.' Her physical form hasn't changed, only the garments... Zhang Yuanqing reached down and gently explored his crotch, carefully examining the area. In his mind, a clear picture began to form—his body hasn't changed; it's still the original form of the Primordial Sovereign, but the spiritual realm has veiled his true identity with an extremely profound illusion, allowing him to operate within the campaign under the guise of 'Lin Ci.' The evidence supporting this theory is that the second son of the Zhang family is completely clean and fresh—well known is the fact that when a drill is plunged deep into a well, it always emerges coated with oil and sticky. It's impossible for him to be so neat and tidy. Therefore, Zhang Yuanqing's current physical form is his true self, not that of Lin Ci. 'Where are the allies from the Lawful Order currently? Are they also part of a courier convoy, like me? And where are the enemies from the Chaotic Order?' "I don't know whether the spiritual realm has randomly assigned this role to me, or if there's some hidden purpose—perhaps a concealed quest..." Zhang Yuanqing murmured, walking to the window and pushing open the paneled window. The bustling sounds of the crowd surged into the room. Outside, the sunlight was bright, the streets alive with activity, pedestrians flowing continuously, with scroll banners displayed at street corners and shops lining the way. Occasionally, wealthy families passed by in carriages, their wheels rolling smoothly. Zhang Yuanqing's eyes widened slightly, struck by the vivid impact. This was his first time within the realm, experiencing the sensation of stepping back into ancient times—not the eerie amusement park, the gloomy town, the eerie wilderness, or the suspense-filled northern village. This was truly the charm the spiritual realm was meant to offer! Every person here had life, breath, and soul—fully authentic, faithfully recreating the daily life of an ancient city. "I've suddenly fallen in love with this place, Your Grace. Let's go and experience the ancient world," Zhang Yuanqing said, excited. "The ancient world doesn't need to be experienced." "Lady Yin Yao spoke calmly." "Oh, I almost forgot you're also a traditionalist from the ancient days," Zhang Yuanqing said. "Master said you used to secretly call her 'the old traditionalist' behind her back—how did you manage not to get scolded?" Lady Yin Yao asked humbly. "Because I never stole the Empress's coffin." "...” As they conversed, one person and two coffins ascended the wooden staircase to the inn's main hall. By now, the morning light was bright, past breakfast time, and still well before lunch. The several square tables in the hall were empty. The inn was named "You Ke Lai," where the messengers of Huang Qi Courier Bureau rested. Three days ago, a mysterious visitor claiming to come from Jian Shen Manor arrived at the bureau, bringing a coffin and requesting that the bureau escort it to Jian Shen Manor, paying a deposit of 20,000 taels. The final payment of 30,000 taels would be settled upon arrival. A total of 50,000 taels. But there was one condition: the journey must be personally escorted by Chen Xue Chen Xuedao immediately agreed without hesitation. The Huang Qi Courier Bureau had been escorting a mysterious coffin, traveling through the night and day, and upon arriving in the city yesterday, had chosen this location to settle and rest, booking the entire inn and evicting all the original guests. As he walked around to the main hall and entered the spacious courtyard, Zhang Yuanqing took a quick glance and saw over twenty young courier staff dressed in the official courier uniforms, standing straight and poised in the courtyard. Chen Wei, the fire master who had just been lively and active last night, now dressed in the crisp, spirited uniforms, was giving him subtle eye signals, urging him to come over and join the group. Zhang Yuanqing kept his head down, quickly joining the line with the two shadowed corpses, while simultaneously looking toward the eastern wing. The latticed door of the eastern room was open, and inside, a firm voice was issuing stern instructions: "Two of our couriers have gone missing from your inn. As the manager, you cannot escape responsibility. I'll ask you once again—did you hear any unusual sounds last night?" Zhang Yuanqing immediately recognized that voice as his elder brother, Zhu Peiran. Then a middle-aged man, visibly nervous, stepped forward to explain: "Master, you're so skilled—your own senses haven't picked up any anomaly, how could I have noticed anything at all?" After listening carefully, Zhang Yuanqing had roughly pieced together the situation: the two镖masters who had been responsible for guarding the coffin overnight had vanished this morning. The Huang Qi Courier Office had searched the inn thoroughly but found no trace of them, now questioning the innkeeper and the serving staff. The guide's description mentioned that strange incidents had occurred repeatedly during the journey of the black coffin—this was precisely what had happened. Zhang Yuanqing felt a quiet sense of alertness. At that moment, a steady, resonant voice came from the eastern guest room: "Has Lin Ci arrived?" The couriers turned their heads, all looking toward Zhang Yuanqing. Zhang Yuanqing declared loudly, "Uncle!" "Come in!" said Chen Xue dao. Zhang Yuanqing immediately stepped forward and walked briskly toward the eastern guest room. Inside, the light was dim. Beyond the threshold lay a reception hall, with a private bedroom to the side. The chairs and tables in the reception hall had been cleared The coffin's surface and lid are polished black, adorned with crimson ink inscriptions of spiritual records. A yellow talisman is affixed to the coffin's head, and a purple one to its tail. The entire coffin exudes an eerie, somber atmosphere, instantly sending a chill down one's spine. Chen Xue dao, with slightly silvered hair, stands before the black coffin, arms folded, gazing intently at the lid. Standing beside him is a broad-shouldered, bald man whose scalp is densely patterned with twisted incantations, his eyes fierce and relentless—like a bloodthirsty deity of vengeance—projecting a powerful sense of pressure. This is Zhu Peiran, the eldest among the brothers of the guild, a master of the mist realm. In the Song Dynasty, the immortal academies held a lofty status, while the martial world was diverse and chaotic, with no clear division between order and disorder. Due to the weak central government's authority, it struggled to regulate the martial figures. Thus, throughout the land, there were countless instances of swift justice—where one killed a person over ten paces, leaving no trace over a thousand miles—making the predatory nature of the spirits and demons seem less striking and more commonplace Certainly, the illusionary demon that has wronged the innocent and left one side's people devastated will still be condemned as a malevolent spirit and slain by the martial folk, including those from other evil professions. Though there is no clear division of realms based on spiritual realms, the martial world still upholds its own rules. "Uncle!" Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply, quickly gathering information: "Did Zhang Hu and Zhao Ma, who were on duty last night, vanish?" Chen Xue dao nodded seriously: "We've secured the entire inn. I didn't notice anyone entering last night, nor did I hear any cries from the back courtyard. Zhang Hu and Zhao Ma have served me for years—both seasoned and capable—and their sudden disappearance is most puzzling." He then extended his palm, showing Lin Ci the copper lock severed in two. "We've matched the traces—either Zhang Hu or Zhao Ma cut it open. Last night, they broke through the lock, entered the room, and then vanished." Chen Xue dao said, turning his gaze toward the black coffin. "Uncle," Zhang Yuanqing asked, "do you mean the disappearance of Zhang Hu and Zhao Ma was caused by this coffin?" Zhang Yuanqing turned his gaze toward the coffin. Chen Xue dao nodded slightly and said in a low, steady voice, "As the Night-Wanderer God, examine this coffin—does any yin qi leak out?"