After informing Lady Yinyao, Zhang Yuanqing felt a gentle drowsiness creeping over him, as if the fatigue of staying up late to play a game all night. "Even at this distance, it's affecting me—this sleeping spell is quite formidable..." He opened his contact list and dialed the phone number of the Master of Zhishi Palace. As soon as the call connected, he said, "Master, I've found the冥King." "Ten minutes!" came the Master's soft voice over the phone. After hanging up, Zhang Yuanqing pulled out the Little Red Cap, summoning a Level 4 Yin corpse and expelling a Level 4 Spirit servant. He first directed the Yin corpse toward the pine grove, walking it several dozen meters before it suddenly collapsed, falling into deep sleep and unresponsive to Zhang Yuanqing's commands. He attempted to communicate with the imprint within the spirit body, only to find that the imprint representing the Yin corpse had turned gray-white and was completely unresponsive. "Sleep is a form of sealing—yes, this aligns with the nature of the Eternal Night profession." Zhang Yuanqing glanced at his watch, then activated his spiritual servant to enter the sleeping realm, watching as the servant drifted gracefully several meters before settling like a falling leaf and lying down to sleep. "Everything that is life-sustaining, conscious, and imbued with spiritual energy—will be affected? Remarkable. This profession truly has a distinct identity!" Zhang Yuanqing snapped his fingers, appearing beside the shadow corpse and his servant. Instantly, an overwhelming sense of drowsiness washed over him, as if he had just played a game for a full day and night, his eyelids heavy with fatigue. So tired. He mused, thinking that this person must make a very profitable practice specializing in helping insomniacs. He casually returned the shadow corpse to his little red hat and swallowed the servant. "Snap!" He snapped his fingers again, advancing another twenty or thirty meters. This time, Zhang Yuanqing stumbled, nearly falling. The drowsiness was now endless—no longer just a day or two, but a lifetime of never having slept. Besides the drowsiness, his body felt unwell—his limbs heavy and weak, the power of the Taiyin and the celestial stars blocked, sealing away half of his formidable abilities. Zhang Yuanqing struggled to channel the divine power of the Sun, barely dispelling the drowsiness and keeping his thoughts clear. "The冥King has more experience points than me, and the sleep spell's suppression is quite strong. If it weren't for the pure yang cleansing scroll taking effect, I would have already turned into a dead pig." After thinking it over, Zhang Yuanqing abandoned the idea of reaching the core and instead activated the Star-Flight technique to return. In terms of overall strength, with his Yin corpse, spiritual servant, various tools, and reserve assets, he was clearly superior to the冥King. However, these assets enhanced his combat power but did not counteract the effect of sleep. It would be very difficult to launch an attack on the冥King while he was asleep. "The sleep spell of the Night-Occupation class is a divine technique that comes at the cost of losing a thousand enemies and suffering the loss of eight hundred of one's own—basically, as long as one's level doesn't surpass the enemy's, both will Of course, this doesn't mean Zhang Yuanqing is helpless. As long as the enemy invading the sleeping realm is strong enough, the King of the Underworld will awaken from his slumber. Once awakened, the King will enter a brief state of vulnerability—this is the ideal moment to capture him. As for now, Zhang Yuanqing has a better plan—invoke the Master of the Stopping of Death. By directly summoning a master-level master to suppress the threat, the matter can be settled once and for all, leveraging the advantage of being a local power. Ten minutes pass swiftly, yet the Master still hasn't arrived. Zhang Yuanqing sends a message to inquire, but receives no reply. Five more minutes go by, and then he sees a vibrant crimson silk flowing gracefully toward him. After successfully completing his first instance, he rose swiftly and steadily, upgrading at a pace that astonished the entire spiritual realm, achieving one remarkable feat after another. His rapid growth brought surprise to the Five Elements Alliance, yet also instilled deep apprehension among its leaders—indeed, apprehension. According to the high-level analysis of the Heavenly Judgment, the leaders of the Five Elements Alliance felt more apprehension than joy toward this prodigy. The grassroots members of the alliance remained puzzled as to why the headquarters and the Primordial Sovereign's relationship had grown so strained, and why the headquarters consistently criticized the Primordial Sovereign. They even believed the senior leadership at headquarters to be foolish. This is a classic case of "thinking from the back of the chair"—in a system where class structures are gradually solidifying, what do the leaders most fear? Everything that threatens their own power! The Primordial Sovereign is like a hammer, steadily growing stronger. Once the hammer gains sufficient strength, it will ultimately shatter the deeply entrenched, rigid power structures. Therefore, the powerful factions urgently seek to shape and mold him before he matures, turning him into a hammer firmly held in their hands. The more rapidly Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun advances, the more urgent this effort becomes. As for the consequences—such as a loss of credibility, erosion of trust among grassroots practitioners, and growing disaffection between the extraordinary talents and the organization—these costs pale in comparison to personal and power gains. Didn't the ancient land-accumulating aristocrats well understand the long-term implications? National collapse and family extinction were events unfolding over decades or even centuries; what mattered most in the present moment was immediate, tangible benefit. The high-level leadership of the Heavens believes Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun will face three possible trajectories: first, he will marry into a prominent family, becoming an integral part of the established class; second, he will break away from the Five Elements Alliance and establish his own organization. Third, he would maintain a loose, peripheral relationship with the Five Elements Alliance, unable to reach the power core until he became a half-deity and was formally elevated by the alliance as its sixth leader—only then would he be placed aside, still out of touch with the core power. Osmon learned from within the family that the high echelons of Tianfa were already secretly plotting a scheme to fracture the relationship between Yuanshiben and the Five Elements Alliance. Quickly scanning through the materials he had already reviewed, Osmon finally located Yunmeng in the Yishan Sea intelligence report. "It makes sense that she mentioned Yuanshiben," Osmon mused, giving a dry chuckle. He examined the documents, calculating his next moves. By securing the Queen of the Underworld, he would invite Yunmeng to Songhai, then challenge Yuanshiben publicly under the banner of Tianfa—defeating him in front of that woman. Whether or not he slept with her no longer mattered; the nobleman simply could not bear this grudge. The more beloved a person was, the more petty their grievances tended to be. Of course, his challenge to Yuanshish Tianzun wasn't merely jealousy—he was rising too quickly. If he didn't put pressure on him now, by next year, that young man might very well become a Master himself. No matter how confident Osmon was, facing such a prodigy, he could only proceed with caution. At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard. Cloud Meng, who had gone out to feed the pigs, returned with a hurried expression. "I've found them! I've located the fugitives you've been searching for," she announced as soon as she entered the living room. Osmon sprang to his feet, his gaze sharp and his spirit lifted, eager to learn, and asked, "Where exactly?" Cloud Meng pointed toward the northeast, saying, "There, in the northeast, at the junction between the central and outer regions of the Hundred-Ten Mountain Range—our patrol team there has been gradually eroded by an unknown force and now lies dormant, even the animals have fallen asleep." "The northeast, at the junction between the central and outer regions..." Osmon murmured to himself, then quickly pulled out his phone and dialed the hunter's number. … Red silk burst open with a soft *pop*, and among the spreading thousand strands, a young woman in a magnificent ancient gown, barefoot and as white as snow, gracefully descended. “Why so late…” Zhang Yuanqing had just begun speaking when the woman suddenly swooped down like a swan landing, settling into his arms. The Lady of the Stilled Killers hooked her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck, humming, “Does this count as having a wife like Zhong Wu Yan when things are going well, and a summer spring like Xia Yingchun when things are quiet?” How can I answer that… Zhang Yuanqing instinctively opened his arms, making a gesture of purity, but the next moment, they naturally closed again, his hands cradling the full, supple curve of her buttocks, feeling the softness seeping through his fingers—continuing, “Why five minutes late?” The Lady of the Stilled Killers shifted her hips downward, transferring her weight to his palms, then pointed toward the sky, whispering, “I encountered a hunter-mage on patrol. I didn’t dare move.” The Eye of the Sky possesses extraordinary insight—every movement on the ground is Zhang Yuanqing’s relaxed demeanor, just eased by the arrival of the Palace Master, immediately tightened again: “Have the Hunt-Mage patrols arrived here?” The Palace Master nodded slightly: “What’s the current situation?” “Lord Yin is within this pine grove. The search teams have already been affected—though we don’t yet know how long they’ve been unconscious. The Qinghe branch could detect disturbances at any moment. Time is running out. We must act immediately,” Zhang Yuanqing said. As the Palace Master was about to speak, a sudden movement in his ear caught his attention, and he exclaimed, “The Hunt-Mages have arrived!” As soon as the words fell, Zhang Yuanqing felt a light breeze brush past, causing the pines to sway. With no hesitation, he immediately retrieved the little red hat, placed the Palace Master and the two Qinghe clan members, along with the two unusual beasts, into its space, and activated the night-wanderer’s invisibility, remaining motionless in place. Just as he completed this, the swaying of the pines intensified. Raising his head, Zhang Yuanqing’s gaze pierced through the darkness. In the deep night sky, a slender, His heart leapt instantly. The king of the Underworld was sleeping deep within the pine forest. Once the hunters sensed something amiss, the situation would inevitably spiral out of control. Even if the king remained unaware, as soon as the Qinghe branch noticed that one of the search teams had gone missing, perhaps the next moment, the hunters' phone would ring. The Elder's villa, Wu Agui, a simple and honest farmer, held his phone tightly, his voice steady and unassuming: "Yunmeng said the target has been found, heading northeast, near the outer perimeter. You should immediately gather the clan members and head over to secure the site." He stammered this message three times—typical of a man who wasn't naturally eloquent. In fact, Wu Agui had always been a farmer. For most of his life, he had farmed and completed quests. Only later, when the clan grew wealthy and built a grand villa, did people begin to enjoy a more comfortable life. Wu Agui still maintained his old routine—rising with the sun, carrying his hoe, sitting quietly in the mountain fields, enjoying the breeze and sunlight, watching his crops grow steadily each day. He returned home at dusk. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy comfort; he was indeed happy when the villa was built. But after a lifetime of farming, one day he no longer needed to work the fields—what then? What could he do? He felt only apprehensive. "Thank you, Elder Wu." Osmon spoke politely and respectfully, yet a touch of disdain flickered in his eyes. Even the lowest-ranking servants in the family could deliver a fluent speech at a gathering of a thousand people. Yun Meng walked to the window and saw the town lights coming on—members of the family with combat abilities were rising from their beds and swiftly heading northeast. This high level of efficiency wasn't due to the prestige of the family head, Wu Agui, but rather to the influence and promise of the sixth patriarch, Wu Youhua: anyone who participated in the mountain search and the blockade would receive ten thousand federal coins upon success. "Let's go as well," Yun Meng said to Osmon, her eyes full of enthusiasm. You're not truly simple or naive, are you? You're just as fond of money—Osmon smiled, feeling more confident now. "Very well," he added, "once we capture the wanted fugitive, I'll reward Miss Yun Meng an additional ten thousand federal coins." Yun Meng didn't respond; she hurried out of the living room with eager anticipation. Osmon hurried to catch up, and as soon as the two of them had crossed the courtyard, they spotted an elderly, plump man in a dark blue robe rushing in, looking hurried and preoccupied. Upon seeing the two of them arriving together, the man immediately stopped and stared at Yunmeng in surprise. "Wait a moment," he said, "Yunmeng, how come you're here? You weren't supposed to be accompanying Cao Niu on her mountain patrol?" "Oh—well—" Yunmeng stammered, her face turning crimson as she gestured excitedly. "Uncle, I came back early—halfway through my patrol, actually—because I spotted the fugitive's trail." She seemed genuinely unable to lie, her hands and arms moving with agitation. Uncle remained puzzled. "But just a moment ago, Cao Niu reported that you were right beside her. You've never been good at lying—ever since you were a child." The uncle was in charge of coordinating with the patrol teams. "Oh, now I understand!" he exclaimed, catching on. "Cao Niu must have been lying to me. You must have been lounging at home, letting C Osmon narrowed his eyes. At that moment, the ninth uncle said, "We'll address this later." He then hurried inside, but Osmon called him back, "If you're not responsible for coordinating with the mountain patrol staff, then what are you doing here?" The ninth uncle replied, "Ah Xin and Dong Ha haven't reported as scheduled. I'm coming to inform the clan head—perhaps we should send someone out to look for them." The missing personnel were located in the southwest, exactly opposite the place where the King of the Underworld was discovered... Wu Yunmeng had clearly been on patrol with her companions, yet she appeared here now... Osmon's blue eyes narrowed sharply, and without hesitation, he reached out to grasp Wu Yunmeng beside him, shouting, "Who are you?" His hand came up empty. Wu Yunmeng had already stepped back, tearing at her face as she retreated, ripping off a thin, translucent membrane like a delicate wing. Where Yunmeng was, there stood a resplendent corpse-ghost—her eye sockets dark, her pupils crimson—strange, beautiful, and otherworldly. The ghost woman coldly glanced at the two, then raised her hand, snapping her fingers with the grace of her host—her fingers' sound dissolving into starlight. Osmun stood stunned for two seconds, his expression suddenly shifting. Something was wrong. Someone was misleading them. Someone... wanted to seize the King of the Dead. As he pulled out his phone, he turned to the ninth elder and said, "Immediately gather your people and search for the two missing individuals. I'll go and summon your clan chief." The elder glanced at him but didn't pay much attention. "I'll add another one million. Split it evenly." "Always, always, you can count on the warmth and sincerity of the Qinghe clan, esteemed guest." Warmth? Good heavens—Osmun nearly choked on the local slang he'd learned in Beijing. He turned and rushed toward the villa. On his way, he burst into the living room, just as the hunter mage answered the phone. "Executive, we've been deceived. The King of the Dead is in the southwest. We must move immediately. Someone is competing with us for the King." "Before the warrior-mage could reply, he hung up and said, 'Liu A, Grand Chancellor, please take me immediately toward the southwest—I'm willing to pay...' 'Good!' Liu A stood up. Osmun was taken aback, 'You—you won't hear my price?' 'That's what Uncle Six wants,' Liu A stepped forward, placing his hand on Osmun's shoulder. 'Let's go.' A green glow faded, and the living room was empty. ... In the pine forest. Zhang Yuanqing watched Hong Ling drift deeper into the woods, waiting quietly. A few minutes later, as he felt his slight drowsiness fade, he knew the king's sleeping spell had been lifted. Zhang immediately rushed into the pine forest and spotted Zhishi Palace's master holding a section of red silk, the end of which was tied to a short-haired foreign man. The man wore summer hiking clothes, his arms and legs bent, his torso wrapped in the red silk, only his head visible, staring desperately and in fear at the back of Zhishi Palace's master. Zhang Yuanqing immediately confirmed, "This is the Plutonian." "Master, let's move quickly," Zhang Yuanqing took out the little red hat and quickly approached. Suddenly, his steps halted, and his pupils contracted as he stared at the figure behind Master Zhi Sha. A green glow settled ten meters behind the master, where an elderly farmer with white hair stood, and beside him, a handsome, dignified member of the Heaven's Judgment, Osmon.