It makes no sense that my enemy is Ichan Mei. I always found that unreasonable. There's apparently another mountain deity in the team. The official count of six-tier mountain deities is neither abundant nor scarce—so who is this one? Zhang Yuanqing feels both delighted and slightly disappointed. Delighted because six-tier mountain deities are renowned for their resilience, almost never falling. Disappointed because, though resilient, mountain deities are relatively weak in both damage output and agility compared to the five mainstream order-based classes. Yet now it seems clear that Ichan Mei is the one who's been matched with the hard mode—the unfortunate one. Among the five escort teams, six order-based members, only Huang Qi Diao Ju has two order-based members. This is understandable, since the Heavenly Sovereign hasn't fully developed yet, holding only a fourth-tier rank and thus unable to conquer a sixth-tier demon maiden single-handedly. Two supporting units are required. "Who am I? I'll tell you before you die," Chen Xiedao flips his sword and drives it into the ground. "Clang!" The tip strikes the green stone steps, sending out a golden-yellow ripple that spreads out, enveloping the entire arena. In an instant, a terrifying weight descended from the heavens, intensifying the earth's gravity countlessfold. Ichiwa Mi, frail in body, collapsed to the ground, her chest wound tearing open, spewing out thick streams of blood. "Thump, thump, thump..." Zhang Yuanqing heard his heart pounding fiercely, struggling to maintain blood flow under the strain of the overwhelming pressure. His calf muscles spasmed, his shoulders shook violently, and he felt as though a mountain had pressed down upon him. To him, the Chen-Xue Dao, hanging beneath the eaves, seemed sovereign, invincible, and utterly unyielding. This was both a matter of hierarchical dominance and the inherent invincibility of the Chen-Xue Dao within the Mountain God's domain. As Zhang Yuanqing prepared to draw out his Hou-Tu Boots to counter the Mountain God's pressure, he suddenly felt his body grow light—gravity vanished. Chen-Xue Dao spoke calmly: "She cannot leave my domain. Let us act together and wear her down." "Wear down the opponent"—this is a phrase often repeated by the earth-type monsters, and it's also their go-to strategy. As a profession built on endurance and defense, the earth-type monsters have the confidence to wear down any opponent. With that, he raised his palm, aiming directly at Yuchuan Mei. Earth spirit energy surged from the ground, coalescing into slender, rapidly spinning stone spears that encircled her from all sides. Chen Xue dao gripped his blade tightly, and the stone spears launched in a torrential rain. Zhang Yuanqing summoned his Wind Rider gloves and immediately unleashed two gusts of wind blades. Yuchuan Mei's hair "pop!" exploded, transforming into black vines that curled around her head, forming a wooden shield. This was a creature-king item she had collected, known as "The Tree Spirit's Hair." "Tap, tap, tap…" The stone spears embedded into the shield's surface, and the wind blades carved deep grooves, yet none penetrated. The shield formed by the vines soon unraveled, and the countless vine-like strands crawled along the ground, spreading across the entire courtyard. "Though your domain is powerful, the elemental principle of mutual克制 allows you to triumph over the stronger with the weaker—sealing your earth-based spiritual energy is quite achievable." Icchu Mei lay on the ground, gasping for breath. The vines spread across the surface, taking root and firmly pressing down on the earth spirit, preventing Chen Xue Dao from freely shaping solid earth into weapons. At the same time, the vines climbed up her wrists, tightly binding and wrapping around him. As Icchu Mei focused all her strength to control Chen Xue Dao, a dreamlike streak of starlight rose from behind her. Zhang Yuanqing held a large-caliber hand cannon, thirty centimeters long, aimed at Icchu Mei's head, and fired. "Crack—crack—" Electric arcs leapt from the muzzle, rapidly coalescing into vibrant purple lightning spheres. "Ah!!" Icchu Mei lifted her delicate, graceful neck, emitting a sharp cry. A mental assault. At that moment, a deep blue glow illuminated Zhang Yuanqing's brow, forming a resolute, unyielding facial expression—shielding him from the mental attack. The spherical lightning coalesced and shot out of the barrel. Hitting Ikuwami's side at an angle, it produced a thunderous "boom"—the ground exploded into a deep crater, blackened soil fragments spraying outward, and the vines covering the area turned to ash. Ikuwami was thrown violently by the force of the shockwave, her left leg severed just below the knee, half her body blackened with a fresh, pinkish hue. The mere shockwave from the spherical lightning had already claimed half of her life. I had aimed for her head—my shot had missed. Zhang Yuanqing was not at all pleased. What force had disrupted his aim, causing the spherical lightning to fall short? "It's the prayer..." The Chen Xue Dao, bound by vines, suffered mental strain, blood seeping from his nasal passages; his body dissolved into sand and flowed through the gaps in the vines. The sand reformed into a human shape, and Chen Xue Dao, holding his long sword, walked steadily toward Ikuwami, half of whom lay scorched and blackened. The vines only slightly constrained him; they did not suppress him. Only a higher-tier Mountain God could suppress a Mountain God within the realm of a Mountain God. Ichi-Kawa Mi deeply breathed, gazing with trepidation at the Purple Thunder Cannon in Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun's hands, her eyes brimming with relief and fear after the ordeal, as well as a faint, pathological pleasure. As she had anticipated, Yuan-Shi Tian-Zun indeed possessed a rare treasure—this artifact in his hands was exceptionally powerful, its destructive force truly terrifying. As the Chen-Xue Dao approached steadily, Ichi-Kawa Mi lifted her head again, emitting a piercing, high-pitched cry. With all three of her豁免s exhausted, Zhang Yuan-Qing let out a low groan, as though struck hard on the forehead with a wooden rod, suddenly leaning back, spewing two serpentine streaks of blood from her nostrils. The Chen-Xue Dao staggered slightly, warm blood gushing from her nasal passages, but her reaction was less dramatic than Zhang Yuan-Qing's—she continued advancing toward Ichi-Kawa Mi. The earth monster possessed remarkable endurance, evident even in its ability to endure pain Yi-Chuan Mei's continuous shrieks delivered a series of mental assaults, while skillfully manipulating the vines, which swayed and rose in abundance—some winding around Chen Xue Dao's ankles, others coiling into wooden shields. This effectively hindered the already inflexible mountain deity. Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing immediately drew forth the mountain deity's staff, gently tapping it against the ground, causing the emerald gem at its tip to radiate bright light. The objects in the courtyard were bathed in a layer of verdant glow, and the vines exposed to it underwent sudden transformations—no longer attacking Chen Xue Dao nor forming shields, but instead flailing wildly like outstretched tendrils. They had lost control. Another high-quality artifact from the Saint's Realm... Watching this unfold, Yi-Chuan Mei felt a growing weight of frustration in her heart. Chen Xue Dao's eyes and orifices gushed blood, yet his steps remained unimpeded. Freed from the vines' obstruction, his blade surged with a golden light, growing immensely heavy as he powerfully struck down. With great effort, Yi-Chuan Mei raised her hand and produced a small, earthy shield, then pushed it forward. The earthy shield shattered with a thunderous roar; even this holy-tier defensive item could not withstand Chen Xue's single strike. Yet, taking advantage of the brief respite afforded by the artifact, Ichiu Mei rolled with great effort. "Boom!" The blade, glowing yellow, gouged the ground, leaving an impressively deep crater. On the other side, Zhang Yuanqing withdrew his Mountain God's staff, bracing against the agony of his soul's near-collapse, his pupils shimmering with starlight. He activated his blue mask, gaining endurance to counteract the cumulative spiritual blows threatening to shatter his spirit. Then, he caused a gust to surge through his Wind-Bringer gloves, a gust that roared with intensity. Following this, he launched a wind blade toward the point three meters to his left and front. "Pff!" The blade struck solid flesh—solidifying the form of Ichiu Mei, while the original version of her dissolved like foam. Ichiu Mei gasped, stunned, her chest and abdomen torn open, revealing her internal organs. Zhang Yuanqing, using the "Forecasting" technique of Stellar Divination, successfully devised a strategy that leveraged the wind's feedback to pinpoint the true enemy, effectively Consecutive blows of injury left Yuchuan Mei nearly at the brink of death. She swiftly pulled out a jade ring from her inventory and slipped it onto her finger, causing ripples to form in her pupils. "Pffft!" At that very moment, Chen Xue dao arrived, his sharp blade cleaving her in two. Yet instead of spilling blood, her body transformed into two separate Yuchuan Meis. These two figures rapidly expanded, growing into towering giants five meters high, who now coldly surveyed Yuan Shi Tian Zun and Chen Xue dao. "Damn it, another dream!" Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed with a sharp exhalation. "You both are going to die!" The two Yuchuan Meis, standing high above, issued their death declarations with fierce determination. Though a chronic sufferer of adversity, she still found herself angry when pushed to such an extreme. "You cannot kill me," Chen Xue dao replied, his expression unwavering. A thick yellow light surged from his body, enveloping and shielding his soul. His Mountain God Domain—the core skill at this stage—not only enhanced his physical strength but also fortified his spiritual resilience. While he could not defeat the Master of Dreams within the dream realm, he Chen Xue dao stepped beside Zhang Yuanqing, lifting his hand to reveal a dark vortex in the palm. He gently tossed the vortex. "Whoosh!" The vortex suddenly expanded, forming a massive black hole three meters in diameter, its swirling currents rushing outward. This was the path through which he had emerged from the dream. "Want to leave? It's not that easy," both YiChuan beauties sneered simultaneously. "Chen Xue dao, you were able to escape the dream only because I wasn't present in your dream." With a simple press of his hand, the vortex instantly collapsed. Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "Father, is there any way to counter her dream-ability?" "Dream-weaving is the core skill of the Dream-Masters. If it were that easy to counter, the Dream-Masters would have been wiped out long ago. Of course, they do have weaknesses—the more numerous and higher-ranked the Dream-Masters, the harder it becomes to draw them into the dream." "Chen Xue dao spoke calmly, utterly unruffled despite being immersed in the dream, exuding steady composure: 'Remember, each profession's core ability is quite formidable. She may be at a disadvantage now, but she still has the chance to mount a decisive counteroffensive—don't lose confidence. Also, don't call me your adoptive father.' Zhang Yuanqing nodded: 'Good adoptive father.' Chen Xue dao glanced at him: 'I now understand why Fu Qingyang likes you so much.' Turning to the towering Yi Chuan Mei, he asked, 'As the sovereign of the dream, you're invincible within it—yet you cannot kill me. Are you certain you want to engage in a prolonged attrition battle with me?' In reality, he had subdued Yi Chuan Mei, while she had imprisoned him within the dream. The two were now locked in a stalemate. 'If I'm not mistaken,' Chen Xue dao said, 'the creature within the coffin will awaken only at a certain point in time, and once dawn arrives, it will fall back into slumber. After that, your ability as the master of dreams will be sealed—your path will be cut off.' "I can't kill you, but I can deal with Yuanshǐ Tianzun." Two Yi-chuan beauties summoned rocket launchers, aiming them at Zhang Yuanqing. Chen Xue dao spoke calmly, "You should have done this earlier—prioritize Yuanshǐ Tianzun, then handle the side quests. That might have been enough to win. When did I first suspect your identity?" The Yi-chuan beauties shifted their gaze from Yuanshǐ Tianzun to Chen Xue dao, asking, "When?" Chen Xue dao silently positioned Yuanshǐ Tianzun behind him. "When Yang Shuo and Wang Ping died." Zhang Yuanqing, hidden behind his adoptive father, couldn't help glancing at his back. Did the deaths of Yang Shuo and Wang Ping hold a deeper significance? Chen Xue dao continued slowly, "They were just like Zhang Hu and Zhao Ma—both scouts. If I'm not mistaken, the deadly entity inside the coffin only requires the flesh and blood of scouts. Therefore, the danger last night wasn't mine nor Yuanshǐ Tianzun's—it was Yang Shuo's and Wang Ping's." Yi-chuan Mei paused, and breathed, "Your analysis is accurate." Chen Xue dao continued, "There's even better: I've already discovered Lin Ci's identity. This morning, I arranged for him to speak with Zhuo Peiran. Zhuo noticed that the four victims were all scouts, while Lin Ci didn't make that connection. "That made it clear to me—he doesn't understand the profession of the courier staff. Only as the head courier do I know this. So then I asked myself: how did the outside enemies know about information that Lin Ci himself didn't even know?" I had already sensed my own identity... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly remembered that night when Chen Xue dao had urged him and Chen Wei to "run away together," sharing heartfelt confidences. Given Lin Ci's deep respect for Chen Xue dao, my reaction that evening had indeed been somewhat awkward. I should have knelt, apologized, and pleaded for my father's forgiveness for having slept with his daughter. As for how Chen Xue dao learned about Lin Ci and Chen Wei's "affair," Zhang Yuanqing believed it was information conveyed by the Ling Jing. Based on Chen Xue dao's remarks, it appears that the Spirit Realm has provided the three of them with different information, and as himself, Lin Ci's own perception likely received the least. Yi Chuan Mei said, "Couldn't it have been the information I uncovered in my dreams?" Chen Xue dao shook his head, "At that time, you weren't certain who the Spirit Realm travelers were..." Zhang Yuanqing interrupted, "No, she had already suspected me." Chen Xue dao frowned and silently stepped aside. Zhang Yuanqing quickly said, "Father, please continue." Chen Xue dao then resumed his position, "Although you suspected Lin Ci, you didn't know he was the Prime Sovereign, and a sixth-level Star Official isn't someone to be taken lightly—thus, to be safe, it was wiser to first complete the side quests." Yi Chuan Mei, having her thoughts confirmed, remained silent. Chen Xue dao added, "We can't go one by one into dreams to test each of them—then how could we quietly uncover the profession of the couriers?" "Practice them!" Zhang Yuanqing suddenly had it. That day, after returning from the courtyard, Chen Wei pretended to be sulky and gave the镖师s an extensive training session. It was then that she fully understood their professional routines. Chen Xuedao nodded. Yuchuan Mei said calmly, "Since you know my identity, why didn't you act directly?" Chen Xuedao offered a reason, "To observe the battle between the two parties and strike when the moment is right—wouldn't that be better?" Zhang Yuanqing and Yuchuan Mei fell silent. The latter gave a light scoff, "Well-planned, I've got a good guess now—Yellow Taiji!" Indeed, it was him! In Zhang Yuanqing's mind, a clear image of a serious and reserved young man instantly emerged. Yellow Taiji was one of the Four Princes of the official court, the grandson of the esteemed Imperial Elder, Di Hong, and the great-grandson of the Chancellor of the Central Court. Unlike the fiery Prince who was bold and assertive, nor the benevolent Prince who won people over through virtue, nor the graceful Prince known for his charm and elegance, Yellow Taiji was remarkably reserved. As a result, he was the least But a smaller name doesn't mean weaker. Zhang Yuanqing had watched this Huang公子 perform in the match bouts, emphasizing a principle of "treating the opponent as the standard and defeating them through that standard"—steady, unadorned, steadily pushing forward. "It's me," Huang Taiji nodded. "Do I need to say 'long time no see'?" The expanding flame engulfed the two. …… The Yizhuang courtyard. Lady Yin Yao, the esteemed disciple favored by her master, gently pressed her jade finger against the young man’s brow, imprinting a spell rich in Daoic resonance upon his forehead. With a light flick of her fingers, she activated the seal. Plink! The seal sank deep into his awareness. Zhang Yuanqing’s eyelashes fluttered, and he suddenly opened his eyes. The night was still and quiet, the rain having ceased. The bonfire within the Yizhuang had gone out, leaving only a heap of red coals covered in ash. In that moment of peril, the Lady had pulled him out of his dream. "Thank you, Lady! You should now step out of the Yizhuang—don’t let yourself be drawn into the dream as well." The Master of Dreams’ power was so tenacious that Lady Yin Yao had to serve as a wake-up agent. As she spoke, Zhang Yuanqing quickly glanced toward Yi Chuan Mei. As a conjurer, like the Night Wandering Spirit, his soul could remain intact even after death. Lady Yin Yao’s decision to save Yi Chuan Mei rather than to Lady Yin Yao did not move, but instead turned her gaze toward the Yi Zhuang, conveying a strong surge of mental activity: "It seems... something has gone wrong." Just as Zhang Yuanqing had been about to launch an attack, he suddenly turned his head, his eyes piercing through the darkness, seeing Zhao Youcai holding a courier, his face fierce, standing before the black coffin. "Clang!" Zhao Youcai kicked open the coffin lid with a powerful blow, his expression wild as he roared: "Father-in-law, my third sister is mine—she has always loved me. You would rather kill her than allow us to be together. If that's the case, then I, Zhao Youcai, will only go down with you in flames." —As Zhang Yuanqing and Huang Taiqi had anticipated, the coffin lid could be opened at night. With that, he tossed the courier officer he was holding into the coffin. At that moment, Huang Taiqi and Yi Chuan Mei simultaneously stepped out of the dream, opening their eyes. The first one listened intently to Zhao Youcai's words, his expression darkening. The second, though severely wounded, burst out in a joyful, breathless laugh: "Master Yuanshi, do you think my bedchamber trysts with Zhao Youcai were merely about satisfying our desires? The intricate interpersonal dynamics established in this副本 were clearly a hint—tell me, the courier team belongs to you, but it can also be mine. I've already planted seeds of anger, pessimism, and a determination to go down with the ship within his consciousness. All I've been waiting for is the right moment to deploy this pawn." Baseless, unscrupulous—those who play strategy strike at the heart! Zhang Yuanqing's face grew serious. "Ah!!" The cry of the messenger rang out from within the Yi Zhuang. Then, a dreadful, clear chewing sound reached the ears of the three and the corpse. A powerful, chilling aura surged forth from within the Yi Zhuang, carrying with it a damp, cold mist. Rain began to fall again, heavier than before.