"Oooohhh~" A deep roar erupted as the white lion surged forward, knocking the palace master to the ground. Seeing the palace master about to be devoured by the lion, she leaned slightly, her feet slipping across the ground with a sharp *shush*, entering a state half-real, half-phantom, and passing through the charging lion. Zhang Yuanqing immediately shouted, "Pass me the sash!" After completing her slide, the palace master braced herself on the ground, pushed off with her legs, and dashed toward the lake's edge, simultaneously unfastening her jade sash and hurling it forcefully. Zhang Yuanqing ran forward a few steps, reached out, and caught the sash, then confidently tossed it to the King of the Magenta Eyes, saying, "Use it to restore your strength!" From the brief pursuit between the palace master and the white lion, it was evident that the lion's power far surpassed that of the palace master. Among those present, only the King of the Magenta Eyes could potentially stand against the lion—yet the king was too weak, and there was no blood bag nearby to provoke the bloodthirsty spirit of the enchanting demon into a frenzy. The King of the Mystic Eye took the luminous jade belt, glanced at the item details, and was momentarily stunned, glancing at Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Then, he exhaled, smiled warmly, and fastened the belt around his waist. Instantly, a rich green glow blossomed, cleansing his weary body, infusing his cells with spiritual energy, and healing the damage and frailty within. The Jade Belt of Qing Di is a master-tier item, and its healing power for the Mystic Eye has not exceeded its capabilities. With fatigue gone, a surge of strength flowed through his limbs and bones, revitalizing his slender frame and filling it with robust muscle. "It's quite pleasant," the King of the Mystic Eye said lazily, stretching his arms and smiling with his characteristic expression. He raised a hand to press gently on the sports headband at his forehead and said, "Stay behind me." Zhang Yuanqing and Lady Yin Yao immediately complied, with the latter moving even faster than the host. As the motion headband slipped away, a vertical eye with a crimson orbit and a pale golden iris revealed itself—cold and unyielding, filled with evil and chaos, rotating with a soft "gurgle." Both the ZhengSha Palace master and the white lion froze in place. The lion abandoned its target, bowed low, teeth bared, fixating intently on the Magician's Eye King, its throat emitting a low, mournful roar. "Gurgle!" The pale golden iris turned directly toward the white lion, and then a beam of bright crimson-gold light surged forth, striking the embodiment of the artifact spirit. "Aahhh—!" The piercing cry shook the dark night sky. The white lion rolled helplessly on the ground, its white mane stained with blood, strange magical patterns spreading across its long body. Its fangs protruded, its eyes filled with blood, its fur turning from white to black—transforming from a majestic white lion into a creature seemingly born from the depths of hell. On the other side, the Master of the Stopping the Kill Palace, though not being watched by the "Eye of Magic," had small lumps rising up on her arms, neck, and other parts—seeming as though countless tiny insects were crawling beneath the surface. Her eyes flashed with wildness, and the spiritual energy of her Life-Weaver occupation was in turmoil. "It is the embodiment of the power of this rule-based artifact. My Eye of Magic can only suppress it, not destroy it. You go first—go outside and wait for me." The vertical pupils of the Eye of Magic King continuously pressed down upon the white lion. Zhang Yuanqing and Lady Yin Yao moved obediently, darting out from behind the Eye of Magic. Zhang Yuanqing rushed to the palace master’s side, lifting her gently across his shoulders—she was severely wounded and her body now out of control—and swiftly moved around the white lion, escaping into the darkness. The three of them raced toward the outer area along the same route they had come, their journey smooth and uneventful thanks to their deep familiarity with the rules and the gradual fading of the strange phenomena. Finally, they reached the branching point of the "Employee Rest Room." Zhang Yuanqing suddenly stopped. He handed the Master of Zhishi Palace to Yin Yao and said, "I need to go back and check on that journal—it's strange. Though no one has entered the room, it records content on its own. I must go back and see." Master Yin Yao picked up the palace master and rushed off, "Just be careful yourself." Master Yuan Shi had the Shattering Evil Seal, the power of the Sun God, and flawless human skin—so many strengths. How could she, a mere woman, possibly be concerned? Right now, the only thing the lady wanted was to leave the zoo immediately. The sense of dread this place evoked far surpassed that of the Five Elements Chaos quest. The Five Elements Chaos had been merely a tough battle—something she'd faced many times during her travels. Watching the lady depart, Zhang Yuanqing snapped his fingers once, and the gesture dissolved into starlight. Before the dormitory building, a bright glow of stars rose. With clear purpose, he returned to the room, entered, and swiftly picked up the journal lying on the floor. As the pages rustled, Zhang Yuanqing's eyes narrowed slightly. “…I'm really glad, since four new employees have joined our dorm building… I… will stay with them.” Seeing these words, Zhang Yuanqing felt a fresh chill once again. Clearly written after their departure, and at the time, the monster named Wang Mingming had already left. Although it's not impossible that Wang Mingming returned later to jot down his journal, based on the current intelligence gathered, these words seem to have been penned by the notebook itself. Fortunately, he had returned to check. If he had simply departed without returning, the notebook would have directly revealed their identities. Wang Mingming was different from ordinary black-clad staff—he certainly had a story, but now there was no time to explore it. Zhang Yuanqing immediately wanted to tear out this page, but then realized that since the notebook could write itself, tearing it would be pointless. ——After he leaves, there will likely appear another line of writing. He’ll take it with him. Zhang Yuanqing rolled up the notebook and tucked it into his pocket, then used the Star-Transcendance technique to leave the room. … Outside the zoo. Zhang Yuanqing, following the connection with the shadowed corpse, spotted the Chief of Zhishi Palace and Lady Yin Yao in a concealed corner where surveillance cameras could not reach. The Palace Chief had collapsed to the ground, holding a tube of Life Source Liquid, drinking it down steadily with a gurgling sound. Though the Life-Weaver possessed a powerful self-healing ability, that ability required spiritual energy to sustain, and the Life Source Liquid had originally been prepared by the Life-Weavers as a self-recovery remedy when their spiritual energy began to wane. Lady Yin Yao stood by, on guard, her eyes fixed on the zoo's main entrance. Zhang Yuanqing hurried over, and at the moment he passed unnoticed by the cameras, he activated his night-wanderer mode. "Suddenly, this quiet suburban area feels incredibly secure. I don't think I'll ever want to go back into the zoo again... Ah, the zoo—now I can finally say it openly." He smiled warmly at the two beauties. As he spoke, Lady Yin Yao raised her small megaphone and said solemnly, "Have you ever considered that what you're seeing right now is all illusion? That you're still within the zoo?" "...Zhang Yuanqing's mouth twitched slightly, 'You'd better just be joking.' The Master of Zhi Sha removed the Yin-Yang robe and the sliding shoes, returning them to him, her gaze fixed toward the zoo direction, her voice still somewhat weak: 'The Magician's Eye hasn't emerged yet. It's still too early to be talking about this now.' As she finished speaking, a tall, imposing figure appeared behind the group, smiling warmly. 'A zoo without a manager can't hold me.' Zhang Yuanqing turned to follow the sound. That tall, imposing figure was none other than the Magician's Eye King, dressed in a black employee uniform with his collar open, highlighting his broad, well-developed chest. At the very moment he appeared, black smoke surged from Zhang Yuanqing's body, hissing softly. The curse of the King of Fear had been lifted. 'Ah,' Zhang Yuanqing finally exhaled in relief, 'How is the White Lion? Did you manage to defeat it?' Though he had momentarily acted as a reluctant ally, he remained fundamentally aligned with the lawful faction—the zoo was his father's legacy, a tool of the Dog Elder. The Mage-Eyed King smiled, "It isn't flesh and blood—it's an embodiment of the spirit of the artifact. Death doesn't apply to it at all." He glanced at Lady Yin Yao and Master Zhi Sha. "I have something to say to Yuan-Shi Tian Zun. You two—go on." "Certainly!" Lady Yin Yao abandoned her host without a shred of dignity, dissolving into starlight. Master Zhi Sha raised an eyebrow. "No worries," Zhang Yuanqing nodded to her, bestowing a layer of illusion upon her. After a moment's pause, she said nothing, her form gradually disintegrating into countless strands. The strands coalesced into a colorful ribbon, drifting gently on the wind toward the distance. The Mage-Eyed King unfastened his sash and tossed it over. "A good piece of equipment," he remarked. Zhang Yuanqing reached out and took it. Then, as her shoulders settled, the Mage-Eyed King's hand pressed gently upon her shoulder. Two dark silhouettes rose into the sky, vanishing into the deep night. ... On the rooftop of a grand building, the Mage-Eyed King, his forehead wrapped in a sports headband, looked down "Feeling like I've been reborn—really wonderful!" he murmured in the night breeze. Zhang Yuanqing teased, "I thought your first act upon escaping would be to slaughter a few corrupt officials to make a splash." "Revitalizing the world is a gradual process; we don't need to rush," the Mage-Eyed King regained his composure, gazing thoughtfully at his fellow traveler, whom he believed shared his vision, and lifted a corner of his mouth. "I almost thought I'd made a mistake—turns out, you've truly ascended to the peak sage rank." "Still far from the peak," Zhang Yuanqing modestly admitted. "Just beginning at the sixth level." Before he could worry that the Mage-Eyed King might say, "No wonder I picked you—let's return to the Commander's Academy and revitalize the western regions," he added, "It seems there's been a great deal happening during my captivity. When I return to the Commander's Academy, I'll go over everything in detail." "How is your relationship with the official establishment now?" the Mage-Eyed King asked, as if certain that the connection between Yuan Shi Tian Zun and the official "King of the Mystic Eyes smiled warmly: 'If we spread the news about saving me, the official channels will no longer have a place for you—you'll have to come to me.' That's not exactly honorable of you..." Zhang Yuanqing's expression slightly stiffened. "Clearing the world requires great dedication. You haven't awakened yet. Forcing you into this alliance isn't what I intended." King of the Mystic Eyes firmly patted the shoulder of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun. "I seek partners who share my vision. A forcibly united alliance won't be sweet. But I believe that day won't be far off." Truly rational—unlike a typical evil character! Zhang Yuanqing mentally remarked. "By the way, who advanced to the rank of Sovereign in the mid-year combat instance?" asked the King of the Mystic Eyes. "Fu Qingyang, King of Fengdu, and the Silver Moon General," replied Zhang Yuanqing, suddenly remembering something, and curiously adding, "I recall that the Commander of the Army can only have four Kings. Will there be a decisive battle between you and the Silver Moon?" The King of the Mystic Eyes ranked fourth among the four Kings of the Commander of the Army. "For the Silver Moon "The Mage smiled, "Though I hold the lowest rank, that doesn't mean my combat strength is the weakest." Among the native enchanting spirits, only he has refined his Enchanting Eye to the highest level—except for the Vajra. This is similar to Fu Qingyang's approach, where technique nearly reaches the Dao. "Still, the rules are the rules. It's not easy for the Commander to produce a Heavenly King. Once Silver Moon returns to her General rank, she won't have to face a life-or-death battle," the Mage explained. He gazed calmly, even gently, at Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, "I will ensure that Fear keeps your actions confidential tonight. Should you encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to reach out to me—this is my way of returning your trust." Zhang Yuanqing added smoothly, "During your two-month stay at the zoo, how well do you understand this artifact?" After a moment's thought, the Heavenly King replied, "This artifact was likely crafted specifically to contain certain things. On the journey to the Weak Water Lake, guided by that tree, I sensed an ancient presence—emanating from... the animals within the zoo." "Those animals confined in cages?" Zhang Yuanqing paused in thought. After a few seconds, he stopped and asked, "Ancient?" The Mage with the Divine Eye nodded: "An ancient aura, just like that of the Asura." "I still don't quite understand," Zhang Yuanqing admitted honestly. "The Asura is different from us—though both are spirits of enchantment, he carries the aura of the ancient ones... the ancient ones are the term we use privately." The Mage with the Divine Eye thought for a moment, then said, "Do you know the three fundamental powers of the Night-Wanderer deity?" "Yes," Zhang Yuanqing replied. The Mage with the Divine Eye was momentarily surprised, reevaluating Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn, and smiled slightly: "Indeed, when I first saw you, you were still quite inexperienced. In just two months, you've transformed completely." Pausing briefly, he returned to his earlier point: "The Asura has mastered the fundamental power of the spirits of enchantment—let's call it that." "Heard the reason for the Asura's strength, but still don't grasp the second part." "Do you know that evil professions have no half-gods?" "I do." "Orderly professions have half-gods because they possess a fundamental source of power—once you attain that power, you become a half-god. But evil professions don't." Magi-eyes King said: "Everyone now knows that evil professions are stronger than orderly ones, but in fact, before the Shurō reached their peak, orderly professions were dominant—because orderly ones had half-gods. Otherwise, how could the orderly faction have come to rule the world?" "It wasn't until Shurō rose that people realized evil professions could rival half-gods. Yet no one knows exactly how Shurō achieved this. To this day, the evil professions who have finally uncovered this secret have all become half-gods—specifically, the highest leaders of the three major evil organizations." There's still such a backstory... Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "So, the secret behind evil professions' path to becoming half-gods is hidden within the animals at the zoo?" "It's no wonder that the Ghost Elder and the Dog Elder spoke of the secret of the spiritual realm hidden within that ancient site." "Alright, I've said everything I needed to. I'll head back to the Commander now." The King of the Magical Eye smiled warmly. "I look forward to seeing you again." With that, he rocketed upward, making a loud *pop* as if launching into the sky. Zhang Yuanqing watched his figure vanish, then saw it reappear—only to *crash* against the rooftop of the great hall. "Wait—what else is there?" Zhang Yuanqing asked cautiously. The King of the Magical Eye gazed at him, silent for a few seconds, then said: "The northwest is far away. I'd like to borrow a little money from you."