A golden stream of light illuminated Pingkang Lane, falling straight down with a sharp "thud," embedding itself before Zhang Yuanqing's body. Cracks spread across the cobblestones, sending fine fragments of stone flying, stinging his face with a sharp, burning pain. The light faded, revealing a yellow bronze mallet half as long as a person's arm before them. The handle was engraved with incantations and carved with intricate patterns, finely crafted, and the three-pronged head of the mallet was sharp and pointed. It was the Mallet of Subduing Demons—long absent, in fact, absent for several months. A soft, pale golden glow rose within the mallet, coalescing into a tall, graceful deity dressed in colorful robes. Her features were exquisite and refined, her demeanor serene and elegant, her full, sensuous lips adding to her charm. She hovered above the mallet, her embroidered shoes lightly pressing the mallet's head, gazing down at Zhang Yuanqing with a furrowed brow. "I've already said," she remarked, "that I would not save you within this quest." "You're just being pouty, saying you don't want it, yet your actions speak volumes," said Zhang Yuanqing, delighted and touched, raising his voice: "Since we haven't seen you for a day, it feels as though we've been apart for three autumns. For three months now, I've only thought of you—already feeling as though we've lived through three lifetimes. I've been longing to see you one last time before I pass away!" Though they had already learned the mechanics of the Spiritual Realm, they were still not true Spiritual Realm travelers—many hidden mechanisms only the true travelers could grasp. Zhang Yuanqing explained the matching mechanism of the Spiritual Realm to her. Upon hearing this, the Lady of San Dao raised her eyebrows with a look that conveyed, "This young man is dull—utterly incapable of rising to the occasion." Zhang Yuanqing quickly interjected, "Lady, allow me to explain in detail—there is indeed a reason..." And then, with a flood of tears, began to recount, "All this blame falls on the old, stiff-minded Master of Pure Yang. To eliminate a deep-rooted threat to the Lady, I actively pursued and engaged the Master during my time in the mortal world, outwitting him time and again—each time narrowly escaping death. Recently, with my own cultivation reaching a solid, though not yet peak, level, the Master realized that if he continued to delay, I would surely perish. So he, together with the forces of the evil sects, laid an ambush for me..." He went on to narrate his encounters with the ambush in full, emphasizing two key points: his role as a loyal agent entrusted to remove the After all, the day-god doesn't perceive magic spells, so lying won't be noticed. Upon hearing this, the Lady of San Dao Mountain's composed expression turned serious, her eyes shining with clear light, and she coldly remarked, "Well, very well! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time—today is the day I shall eliminate my master!" She turned to Zhang Yuanqing, her demeanor now gentle, and nodded, "You've shown real care. My true form is still on the other side of the spiritual realm, en route now, and will arrive in one minute. For now, protect yourself with the Vengeance Staff. Once I arrive, we'll discuss our next steps." Seeing this, Princess Yin Yao quickly interjected, "Master, why did I call you, and yet you seemed to have ignored me?" The Lady of San Dao Mountain paused, as if realizing the princess for the first time, and blinked in surprise, "I thought it was someone else who was so noisy—now I see, it was you who called me." "My call was noisy," Princess Yin Yao thought, "while Master Yuan's deep, resonant voice must be the very music of the immortals!" She was deeply shaken "Master, I—" Princess Yin Yao, unconvinced, "I am indeed your only disciple." The Lady of San Dao seemed as though she hadn't heard, merely saying with a calm tone: "You all wait patiently. I shall first dispel this divine awareness." Zhang Yuanqing immediately bowed deeply and declared in a resonant voice: "Respectfully sending off the Lady!" The Lady of San Dao glanced meaningfully at the disciple standing by, then transformed into golden light and returned to the Fumigation Staff. Zhang Yuan清 promptly drew out the Fumigation Staff, holding it gently between his palms, his gaze tender—like that of one gazing upon a long-lost beloved or lover. Princess Yin Yao, truly possessing a clear and profound Dao heart, had grasped the essence of the matter, and softly remarked: "I never thought a master of such stature would be so captivated by flattery and attentions. It truly leaves me deeply disappointed." Zhang Yuanqing silently took up the Fuchu杵, stepped forward, and gently took the young lady's hand, speaking softly, "Your grace, you are not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also possess a straight-forward character—unimpressed by flattery and indifferent to worldly wealth and status. Ah, what a noble quality! I have seen countless women, yet none compare to you." The young lady's previously cold heart seemed to thump vigorously, as if it had surged with a double beat. She withdrew her hand, raised her small trumpet, and said, "Hmph. Master is right—your words are smooth and pleasant, though not entirely convincing. Well, I'll let it go." The tone coming from the trumpet was notably cheerful. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her with a sideways smile, saying, "See? You're not much different from me—aren't you always fond of flattery? Who among the people wouldn't appreciate kind words? Even deities require mortals to kneel and offer incense. After living for several hundred years, haven't you finally grasped this truth?" The young lady was momentarily stunned. The King of Cats' speaker crackled, emitting a deep male voice: "Today, it feels as though I've opened the doors to a whole new world." As they spoke, Fu Xin Ou and Xi Zhe, standing quietly in the background, cautiously approached, expressing their excitement and curiosity. "Li Jun, was that golden phoenix the one you specifically invited, Master?" Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly. Hearing the affirmative, the two junior officials grew even more delighted. "Which sect is she from? That's strange—among the twelve golden phoenixes of the 'Zi Dong Dong Lai' sect in the Eastern Realm, there's no record of her. The Golden Wheel Sect of the South Sea rarely ventures into Central China. Moreover, there's a longstanding tension between the Imperial Court and Master Li's faction..." Mumbling these points, Zhang Yuanqing found his mind buzzing—within just one sentence, he had identified twenty-one golden phoenixes, including those from the Imperial Court and the 'Zi Dong Dong Lai' sect. Were there really so many sun-walking deities in ancient times? What about other professions? Ancient times truly seemed like a relentless hell mode—how miserable the ancient people must have been. Zhang Yuan cleared his throat and said seriously, "This probably has to be asked of the Commander of the Unfavorable Army. By the way, what do you two think—how does this Golden Crane compare to the Commander of the Unfavorable Army, in terms of strength?" Xi Zhe shook his head, while the one with the triangular eyes, Fu Xin Ou, added, "The Commander of the Unfavorable Army has already returned to his pure essence; it's said he's only one step away from becoming a Human Immortal. As for this Golden Crane, even just his manifestation has left me feeling as if I'm standing at the edge of a deep chasm, deeply uneasy. I believe they are on par with each other." The Commander of the Unfavorable Army is currently at the peak of the Dominant level—indeed, he's expected to advance further, eventually reaching the legendary half-divine realm. Yet, for some reason, he has self-immobilized deep within the depths of the Five Elements Secret Quest副本. The Commander of the Unfavorable Army specializes in the Five Elements, whose very origin traces back to Qin Shi Huang. Is there any connection between them? Zhang Yuan grew increasingly curious Never knew it until heard—after hearing, one was stunned. According to the two unorthodox officials, the Marshal of the Unorthodox, one of the six supreme masters of the Tang Dynasty, is surprisingly young—only twenty-six. From rise to dominance over the realm, it has been no more than six years. Born into a noble family, his father served as the Chief Justice of the Ministry of Justice. When the family was disgraced and exiled due to entanglement in the imperial power struggles, the Marshal was still in his early years. His father’s former colleagues in court, moved by their longstanding friendship, ensured his safety. After growing into adulthood, the Marshal carried on his father’s legacy, serving in the Ministry of Justice and solving several landmark cases. Later, he was accused of secretly having affairs with Princess Changping—already married—to the imperial ladies-in-waiting, leading to an official investigation and impeachment. The Emperor dismissed him from his post and demoted him to the rank of an Unorthodox Official. Having slept with both the Princess and the imperial ladies-in-waiting, he was not even sentenced to be beheaded? How magnanimous of an Emperor—how astonishing! Zhang Yuanqing was left speechless. That’s interesting—perhaps the mediocre general and the female emperor were also involved. Having betrayed the emperor, he slept with her trusted ministers and daughter, only to see things fall apart. Zhang Yuanqing wouldn’t think this way out of mere ill will; rather, it was precisely what the Tang dynasty was supposed to be like. Ethical and moral standards were practically nonexistent during the Tang dynasty—a society where "sister-in-law literature," "concubine literature," "daughter-in-law literature," and "court-maid literature" flourished. Oh, and there was also the "temple literature" that Zhang Yuanqing used to respectfully nod at when reading history. "Based on current intelligence, the mediocre general has no connection with the First Emperor. If the First Emperor were to take over the general’s body, then Tang might no longer be the Li dynasty’s realm. Given the First Emperor’s legendary character, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to transform the Tang dynasty into a Qin one—unless he simply didn’t wish to rule, in which case he might be quietly developing into a rather unimpressive figure himself." As he pondered, a sharp, piercing cry suddenly erupted from the buildings ahead. Immediately, the latticed door of the elegant two-story villa burst open, and men and women, disheveled and barefoot, scrambled out, rolling and stumbling as they fled. Their faces were pale with terror, shrieking wildly, as if pursued by ghostly beings behind them. Some men were even completely naked, clutching long robes to cover their chests, their white, swaying buttocks trembling as they rushed out. The escape was nothing short of frantic. Zhang Yuanqing and his two companions hurried over, and soon a large number of well-armed soldiers arrived in response. On the day the Ghost Gate was fully opened, spectral entities silently seeped into various parts of Chang'an. The Pingkang District, being a hub for high-ranking officials and nobles and relatively less fortified, seemed to have drawn the attention of the King of Ghosts. Upon sensing the presence of living breath, the spectral corpse lifted its prominent, fang-like face, extended its hands, and with a heavy gust of wind, surged straight forward, resembling a colossal flea. Zhang Yuanqing had no intention of engaging in a physical struggle with the spectral corpse. With its master-level strength, the corpse would likely pin him down and unleash relentless attacks within a single exchange. Retreating continuously, he drew forth the Magic Staff bestowed upon him by the Lady, propelling it with the force of a strong wind and launching it toward the spectral entity. Perceiving the threat, the airborne corpse defied the laws of physics, making a sudden turn to evade the staff aimed directly at it. "Hark!" The Magic Staff struck firmly into the staircase. After landing, the spectral corpse rose again, swiftly and swiftly lunging to bite. "Crack!" Zhang Yuanqing snapped his fingers, transforming into a streak of starlight and materializing at the edge of the The shadow corpse missed its mark and instead turned its gaze toward the entrance, zeroing in on the fleeing guests. Zhang Yuanqing quickly drew out the Yajime Mirror, creating a duplicate copy of himself. Then, with his hand wearing a pair of blue gloves, he swiftly waved it, generating a gust of wind that sliced through the air like a blade—so sharp it could cut steel. The wind blade struck the shadow corpse squarely on the back of the head, making a clear *ding* sound, yet only severed a tuft of dry, black hair. Even a shadow corpse of master-level status couldn’t escape its low intelligence; upon being attacked, it instantly twisted around in fury, belching foul stench and launching itself with renewed vigor. "Ugh, another sacrificial lamb—how can I, the Supreme Primordial Deity, endure this treatment?" the duplicate sighed, clearly exasperated, only to be knocked down and have its neck torn apart by the shadow corpse. Meanwhile, the original form remained hidden, drawing out the Fumagou Staff and moving to the shadow corpse’s back, delivering a swift thrust to its back. A brilliant wave of golden light erupted, overwhelming even the bright candle flames. The shadow corpse had Dealing with low-intelligence undead corpses is no challenge for Zhang Yuanqing, who wields a one-hit-kill masterpiece. "Damn it, how strong is this master-tier undead? I feel like being pounced upon by a tiger—this sheer force is simply beyond human capability." The duplicated body, whose neck has been severed, struggles to breathe, offering fragmented complaints. Zhang Yuanqing looks at him and says, "Here's a good news: upon reaching the Master Realm, we'll develop close-combat prowess comparable to ancient war gods. Even with the Five Elements unified within us, we can only contain them." The duplicate chuckles, "That truly sounds like good news—I'm looking forward to seeing you perform your sky-shattering, earth-crushing melee feats by year-end." Zhang Yuanqing then adds, "Here's a bad news: I've been cornered by three Master-tier beings at a spring source outside. If we can't pass this threshold, you'll be gone." The duplicate's smile falters, and he bursts into anger: "I'm about to die—I'm not even allowed to die peacefully?" "I'm just a duplicate! Why treat me this way, you old six?" "Mind your tone—don't let those cringey, clichéd remarks tarnish me." Zhang Yuan turned the mirror, sealing away his duplicate. As he resolved the seventh shadow-being, a gentle golden sun first diffused across the dark night sky, then spread out, spreading along the glass-like aerial barrier and gradually covering the entire night sky. Pingkang Pavilion was instantly bathed in daylight. Zhang Yuanqing lifted his head with delight, the golden light making him half-close his eyes, and saw a fairy in flowing colorful robes descending gracefully. Her eyes like polished ink, her lips rosy and vibrant, her delicate brows graceful, and her pale face cool and exquisitely beautiful. She was a rare fairy whose grace did not fall short of that of a celestial being known for sensuality. Zhang Yuanqing bowed deeply, "Respectfully welcoming, Your Grace!" Yin Yao, the Princess, immediately applied what she had learned, and bowed deeply, "Respectfully welcoming, Master!" The Cat King's speaker announced, "Recording successful." Both Zhang Yuanqing and the Princess turned their gaze toward the speaker. For several seconds, a tense stillness held among the three. The Cat King's speaker, flexible and adaptable, then said, "Audio has been deleted." Both Zhang Yuanqing and the Princess nodded in satisfaction and shifted their gaze away. The guests, courtesans, and soldiers of Pingkang Lane stared in rapt awe at the celestial maiden descending from the sky, a mixture of reverence and enchantment filling their hearts. Zhang Yuanqing rose and instructed two companions: "You and the other soldiers remain outside, while I and the Lady proceed to the pavilion to discuss matters." He respectfully guided the Lady of San Dao Mountain into the pavilion, closed the door, and then, in rapid succession, recounted the situation, concluding: "I have been inside the副本 for two full hours. If the Master of Pure Yang alters their course, the Five Elements Alliance should have detected my distress by now. The location where I went off course is still one hour's journey from Songhai. If those obstacles wish to return the aircraft to the headquarters, their most likely route would be northwest, then to the Southern Branch Headquarters—each of these segments would take over three hours." The enemy will certainly change course, as a master-level副本 cannot predict time, and even the Saint-level ones can take a full week. At that moment, the aircraft was only one hour away from Songhai. Therefore, the Master of Pure Yang cannot allow the Bay Current to return to Songhai. The plane will definitely be detected as soon as it deviates from its course, and thus the Five Elements Alliance will know something has gone wrong. With the Master of the Original Beginning mysteriously missing, the Alliance's leader might even be dispatched—making it the most reliable course to return the plane to the Evil Headquarters. Among the major Evil organizations, the Commander of the Northwest is the only place the Orderly Half-God refuses to go unless traveling in a group. "After three hours, I'll be deep inside the enemy's territory—no divine being can save me. Lady, what shall we do?"