"Tik-tik-tik..." Five days later, along the winding, well-kept official road, a swift brown horse galloped with its four hooves flying, stirring up a trail of dust. On its back sat a graceful young woman with spring-like eyes and fair, beautiful features, gripping the reins tightly and pressing her body against the horse's flank, striking the reins rhythmically as the horse rose and fell. "Huff!" She came to a stop beside the road, gazing into the empty space ahead, her pupils losing focus. To her vision, a 3D-projected map unfolded—depicting mountains, forests, villages, and roads—with a cluster of red-highlighted words: Shenshan Sword Manor! The location of Shenshan Sword Manor was the access privilege granted to her upon completing a side quest and activating the spiritual realm. "The route lies to the left, through that forest—just about half an hour's ride," said Yuchuan Mei, glancing toward the left. In the distance, a forest lay visible, yet the road leading into it was uneven, overgrown with wild grass, lacking a solid, well-compacted path suitable for horses. There used to be a path here, but since the God-Sword Manor was wiped out three years ago, no one has paid attention—its route has long since fallen into ruin. Yuchuan Mei paused, then dismounted, gently tapping the horse's forehead. The yellow-bellied horse startled and neighed, breaking away from the official road with a rhythmic "trot-trot-trot," heading toward the forest. Yuchuan Mei swiftly ran through the overgrown wild grass, following close behind. Near the forest edge, the horse suddenly collapsed, foaming at the mouth and convulsing in its limbs. Yuchuan Mei approached cautiously, spotting vibrant, multicolored serpents gliding through the grass, their scales reflecting the sunlight. A slender, colorful serpent was coiled around the horse's neck. Clearly, a seer had arrived at the God-Sword Manor ahead of time and had laid a trap along the way. Yuchuan Mei gave a soft "hmm," furrowed her brow—she particularly disliked traps, for the illusionists lacked strong defenses, agile movements, and remarkable self-healing abilities. A single misstep could easily lead to disaster—drowning in a trap laid by allies or enemies. She stepped back, then surged forward, leaping over the area where venomous snakes coiled, and continued on. After a few more minutes, she spotted a massive, blackened crater ahead, with several bodies scattered at its edges, broken and scattered. "Someone who knows how to lay 'mines'—clearly a thoughtful firemaster, no, a fire demon," murmured Yuchuan Mei. The lawful orders had also arrived at the Shenjian Manor. The Huang Qi Courier Bureau had stayed two days at the inn, then halted due to heavy rain, resting overnight at the memorial hall. Plus, after she escaped the memorial hall, she had hidden there to recover for one night. Thus, if the other courier groups had traveled at full speed, they should have arrived at the Shenjian Manor two days earlier than her. The lawful and free orders—perhaps they had already been fighting there for two days. How the Shenjian Manor was faring remained uncertain. With this thought, Yuchuan Mei felt a growing sense of urgency. Then she produced a large cloak woven from feathers and draped it over her back. This item, known as "Feather of the Eagle," is of a beast king quality, enabling her to transform into an eagle for five minutes. Though the eagle's attack power is relatively modest, making this item of average quality, the ability to fly for five minutes is a highly sought-after supportive skill for a saint. Instantly, the feather cloak merged with her skin, becoming individual feathers; her garments were torn apart, and her two graceful legs twisted and narrowed into eagle talons. Her arms spread out, unfolding into three-meter-long wings. Her delicate face underwent rapid transformation—feathers and down grew on her, her pupils turned into golden vertical eyes, and her vibrant lips hardened into sharp beaks. "Caw!" With a cry of the eagle, she became a magnificent bird, taking to the skies, soaring through the forest, sweeping over the mountains, and flying toward the Divine Sword Manor. Soon, a vast cluster of buildings came into view in Yuchuan Mei's sight. It is a magnificent ancient manor, sprawling in size, yet somewhat abandoned, with wild vegetation flourishing around pavilions and halls, wild grasses growing through the crevices of the gray stone bricks. The garden's pond has dried up, and leaves have accumulated on the eaves of the pavilions, creating a scene of quiet desolation. Yuchuan Mei hovers high above, her eagle's vision sharp and keen, surveying the estate. Suddenly, her gaze sharpens, and she spots the main thoroughfare—along it,十几 bodies lie scattered across the ground. As she expected, several other groups had arrived earlier and engaged in conflict. …… In the western wing of the manor, the Pavilion of Swords. From the outside, the pavilion resembles a three-tiered tower, constructed from a blend of gray bricks and wood, with its pointed roof and overhanging eaves exuding grandeur. Inside, there are no tables or chairs; on a circular courtyard fifty meters in diameter, swords and weapons are densely arranged, standing in close proximity. In terms of material, they can be categorized into bronze swords, yellow copper swords, stone swords, iron swords, and high-carbon steel swords; in terms of form, into Han-style eight-directional swords, Tang-style knives, large swords, short swords, and paired swords. A young man with a full head of red hair stands proudly at the doorway of the pavilion, intently observing the goings-on outside. He wears the agile attire of the Chiyan Archery Bureau, with fire-red half-fingered gloves on both hands. His features are strikingly handsome, yet his eyes and expression radiate impatience, as if he would leap to action at the slightest disagreement. A few meters behind him, a young man in dark-colored agile attire sits in meditation, his chest embroidered with white wavy patterns, his eyes shadowed and his complexion pale—clearly someone prone to mood swings and difficult to get along with. Nearby, six or seven archers, severely injured and seated in stillness to recover, are dressed in dark attire—members of the Yuanhai Archery Bureau. "Useless!" the young man with shadowed eyes lifts his gaze to the red-haired man at the door, speaking coldly The voice was cold, laced with fury and restlessness. The situation within the lawful order faction was extremely critical. Among the five teams, only the Yuhai Courier Service and the Chihuan Courier Service had successfully reached the Divine Sword Manor. Of the remaining three teams, the Lingyuan Courier Service and the Sanjian Courier Service were wiped out en route, with the lawful order travelers returning to the Ling Realm. The evil characters embedded within these teams successfully completed their side quests and reached the Divine Sword Manor with coffins. Although the Chihuan Courier Service's Fire Lord, Jiang Ju, had arrived at the Divine Sword Manor, he was expelled by the courier team. During the journey, he was manipulated by freelance members of the team, transformed into a werewolf by a werewolf, and then besieged and attacked by the other members of the courier team, ultimately breaking through and arriving at the Divine Sword Manor ahead of schedule. Currently, only the Yuhai Courier Service has fully completed its side quest. However, both the Yuhai Courier Service and the Fire Lord are now under siege at the Divine Sword Manor—attacked by four evil characters and the courier staff from the Chihuan team—struggling to hold on, with their coff Thus, they fought while retreating, eventually taking refuge in Jiange, relying on the sword formation here to withstand the enemy and barely holding on. "Shut up!" Jian Ju furrowed his brows, suppressing his growing impatience. "I hate group dungeons more than anything—chaotic, senseless... those fire masters from Chihyan Courier Bureau are utterly clueless; they believe whatever the others say without question. Still, at least the Huangqi Courier Bureau hasn't arrived yet. We might not lose after all." Now facing a two-to-four disadvantage, their side had no real chance of victory—only the steadfast defense of Jiange remained. The Huangqi Courier Bureau had become the decisive point for the orderly faction to survive. The reserved young man spoke coldly, "Never place your hopes in others. If even the Huangqi Courier Bureau fails..." He paused, then looked at Jian Ju. "If the Huangqi Courier Bureau manages to reach the Divine Sword Manor, Jian Ju, you'll be responsible for escorting them. You know well that the Huangqi Courier Bureau is our last hope." "Carry Dragon Shen—do you really intend to make me a disposable asset?" Jiang Ju arched his brow. He didn't need to know when Huang Qi Diao Bureau would arrive—he had gone out alone to assist, facing four evil professionals. He'd likely not make it back alive. Cai Longshen's gaze flashed cold and sharp: "I don't raise useless people. If you're not satisfied, when they attack next time, I won't manipulate the sword formation to save you." Jiang Ju's temples bulged with veins. He stared at him for several seconds, then broke into a grin. "Once we exit the quest, I'm going to kill you!" Cai Longshen sneered, "I'll be ready at all times!" At that moment, both of them heard the clear cry of an eagle. ... Outside the Sword Pavilion, an elderly man with white hair sat cross-legged on a black coffin, a long red blade four feet long planted before him. He was broad-shouldered and strong, his white hair tied into a ponytail, with thick brows and sharp eyes. A mesmerizing symbol glowed like a tattoo across his forehead. Though he was an elder, he clearly had the strength to uproot a willow tree. The elder lifted his head and spoke with a resonant voice: "My friends will rest upon the roof of my rear attic, while my enemies will settle upon the roof of my front sword pavilion." His voice rolled like thunder, echoing across the sky. "Hoo!" A great eagle circling in the heavens cried out, then dove down and landed upon the roof of the elder's rear attic. Instantly, the light shimmered and twisted, and the eagle transformed into a beautiful woman dressed in a feathered cloak. She smiled warmly at the sturdy old man and said, "Long time no see, Greedy General! Hm, yet you're showing your true form today." "Yi-chuan Mei..." The elder, with his flowers tied in a flowing braid, gazed at the feathered cloak, his eyes filled with longing, then shifted his gaze to Yi-chuan Mei's graceful figure, his gaze growing more eager. He chuckled and said, "To me, you're a treasure that never ceases to captivate. With so few flying items in my collection, I'll take them all—otherwise, my great sword will grow hungry." "Yi Chuan Mei patted her cheeks and suddenly said, 'After arriving at the manor, did your vest disappear?' She promptly set that detail aside and chuckled, 'I'd rather you're eager for your other great sword.' As she spoke, she removed her cloak and placed it in the inventory. The senior officers of the military commander often have serious personality flaws—they sometimes override reason. There's no need to deliberately wear props to entice them. Internal conflicts would be disastrous. Yi Chuan Mei first glanced toward the distant sword pavilion, then surveyed the surroundings, and smiled, 'It seems I've come at the perfect time. No need to hide anymore—I can sense your spiritual vibrations. Come out now.' As she spoke, the roof beams beneath her feet trembled slightly, and the tiles cracked open, revealing a massive serpent, as thick as a water bucket, rushing upward. The creature had a human body and a serpentine tail; its dark-brown scales shimmered with a metallic sheen under the sunlight, its muscles rippling powerfully as it moved. Her figure was that of a graceful young woman, with pale golden eyes and delicate, colorful scales curling at the outer corners of her gaze, forming elegant, sweeping arcs. Her lips were a vibrant red, exuding a beauty that was both breathtaking and strangely haunting. A senior saint of the Western Division, a serpent woman! She wore a light and refreshing ensemble—only a black bodice, which gently held her full, supple flesh in a weighty embrace. Her skin was as porcelain-white as fine china, her waist slender and graceful, her navel sensuously outlined. As the serpent woman passed through the broken opening, two more figures burst forth. One was a sturdy man, his face adorned with intricate tattoos, his gaze fierce and combative, wielding a military blade and dressed in white, his chest embroidered with three small swords. The other was a delicate bee woman, her body covered in a blend of black and yellow patterns, her eyes like polished gemstones, her face refined and ethereal, with two slender, curved tendrils rising from her forehead. She possessed a humanoid form with arms and legs, yet her abdomen was full and sensuous, and at the end of her body, a sharp, dark stinger was embedded. Yi Chuan stepped back gracefully, smiling, "Don't come this close to me—otherwise I'll be unable to resist pulling you both into my dreams." She turned to the bearded man covered in tattoos and the bee maiden, smiling, "Who are you two?" The tattooed man chuckled, "I'm the Grand Commander of the Great Axe Alliance, with ID 'Hundred Slash,' a Level 5 Enchanted Puppet. It's perfectly normal that Yi Chuan Mei doesn't recognize me—I mostly operate in the western regions." The greedy general added, "This is the quest that elevated him to Level 6." A Level 5 peak Enchanted Puppet from the west—was this a secondary force under the Army of Commanders? Yi Chuan nodded slightly, then turned her gaze to the bee queen. The bee queen was stunningly beautiful and composed, speaking calmly, "A freelance practitioner, Level 5 to Level 6. You have no need to know my ID." Yi Chuan narrowed her eyes, smiling, "I really admire your confidence! By the way, there's one more?" "Dead!" The snake maiden flicked her tongue, her voice alluring, "He failed his You came alone, which means your mission has failed, right? Who are the enemies of Huangqi Courier Bureau? I Chuan Mei paused: "The side quests have been completed, yet they too have failed... I'm not even sure if I can count them as completed." "A system glitch?" the Serpentine Woman raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?" The various evil-class characters turned to look. I Chuan Mei didn't respond; instead, she smiled and asked: "How's the situation inside the manor? Who is trapped in the Sword Pavilion? What's your main mission? Have you fully understood the storyline of Shenjian Manor?" While completing the side quests, the Spirit Realm had assigned the main mission: ["Visit Shenjian Manor and awaken the sealed demon."] It's clear that among the five courier bureaus, the coffins they're transporting contain parts of the demon. The free agents' task is to unlock the coffins and release the creatures within—this is the first step toward awakening the demon. But aside from the main storyline, she knew nothing about the events at Shenjian Manor—the unknown became a liability in high-level raids. The group was encircling the Jian Ge without launching an attack, clearly stuck in a deadlock. As a newcomer, she had to be on guard against her teammates potentially sacrificing her life to break the impasse, using her as a stepping stone to resolve the situation. This was a common occurrence in team-based raids, where freelancers often went to great lengths. "Cai Longshen..." Yi Chuanmei suddenly became excited, chuckling joyfully, "This quest is truly interesting—full of official's sons and daughters. Why not push through and attack them?" Jiang Ju is the son of the head of the Chìhuǒ Help, and Cai Longshen is the grandson of Cai Lǎngzhǎng, the Water Deity Palace's senior elder. Cai Lǎngzhǎng ranks among the Ten Elders at headquarters, one of the most powerful figures in the official hierarchy. "The Cai Longshen has completed the side quest and secured control of the Sword Pavilion. That array is exceptionally strong—direct assaults might result in failure due to unexpected setbacks. So, instead, he's holding firm, waiting for developments from Huangqi Diaoju." The Greedy Divine General explained. "You've come at the perfect time, Yi Chuanmei. The sword array cannot withstand the dreams. It's up to you to break through."