Zhang Yuanqing plucked a knife from the inventory slot—no scabbard, no guard—its blade one side white, the other black, totaling 50 cm in length, resembling a compact version of a Tang dynasty or Japanese warrior's sword, in the form of a Japanese rib差. "How is this a Japanese sword?" Zhang Yuanqing was surprised. He had seen this weapon countless times on television, where Japanese people often used it to cut their own stomachs as an act of atonement or for close-range ambush attacks. In reality, the senior officers of the Chianhe group also carried such short swords at their waists. Though the appearance of the Form-and-Spirit-Annihilating Sword was simple and elegant, Zhang Yuanqing found it difficult to accept that it was actually a Japanese short sword. San Dao Shan Lady glanced at him. "This is a Tang dynasty horizontal sword." "Isn't a horizontal sword a long sword? How can it be short?" Zhang Yuanqing was momentarily puzzled. The lady stared at him deeply, said nothing, and then coldly remarked, "You aren't one of the students from the Imperial Academy, are you? Then why don't you know such basic facts?" Zhang Yuanqing noticed the displeasure and disdain in the old baozi's eyes, and suddenly recalled that she was a imperial princess from the Song Dynasty, thinking to himself: "Is this woman now practicing academic elitism?" He sighed deeply and explained: "Your Majesty may not be aware that in recent times, we have also faced upheavals akin to the Five Barbarian Invasions, resulting in a cultural gap. Today, the court is actively pruning its own cultural traditions while foreign cultures are making inroads. Domestic students now yearn for foreign cultures as much as the various states in ancient times once revered the Tang Dynasty—yet they neglect their own cultural heritage with indifference. The court speaks of this with grand rhetoric, hoisting banners and slogans, yet remains indifferent, watching silently. As for me, a student of the Guzǐguan, I can hardly imagine—let alone the current Minister of Literature and Culture at the Imperial Literary Hall—who doesn't know that a short sword is actually a short sword." Upon hearing this, the old baozi fell silent. At this moment, the item's attributes manifest: 【Name: Dao of Form and Spirit Eliminated】 【Type: Weapon】 【Function: Cuts through both body and spirit】 【Description: This sword was crafted by the renowned Tang Dynasty swordsmith XXX, forged from numerous precious natural treasures. After a decade of refinement, it emerged, triggering extraordinary celestial phenomena. It has two faces—white and black. The white face cuts the physical body, while the black face severs the spirit. The two faces can be switched according to the wielder's will.】 【Note 1: Upon its emergence, the sword must drink blood and slay souls; otherwise, it will reverse its effects upon the wielder.】 【Note 2: One soul and one life must be fed every 24 hours; otherwise, it will reverse its effects upon the wielder.】 【Note 3: When the wielder is below the Dominant phase, the sword can be used for no more than thirty seconds at a time; otherwise, it will reverse its effects upon the wielder.】 White Face Skills: Penetrates armor, causes bleeding, induces poisoning, and cuts the physical form. Form-Cutting Calming: Provides a 30% reduction in the strength of spirits, ghostly forms, and spiritual power. Severing: Directly cuts and annihilates a soul; if the target is a living being, the black blade cleaves through their physical body, achieving the same effect as a strike upon the soul itself. Siphoning: Draws out the soul's projection from the body of a living being (halving the effect of Severing). Once the spirit of resentment reaches a high enough level, consumption no longer works—nobody wants to die by drinking poison, so all that remains is intimidation, and even the Spirit Scroll falls short against spirit entities of a higher rank. Now, finally, there is a weapon capable of directly slaying such spirit entities, filling this critical gap. Most importantly, the "Seize Soul" technique allows the opponent's soul projection to be drawn out and then struck with the "War Soul" blade—though the effect is halved, it still delivers a devastating blow to the soul. This move is especially effective against illusionists. The "Soul and Form Annihilation" blade is a magical artifact belonging to the King of Magic; it's best not to use it casually, as doing so would reveal the lineage of the King's descendants. Unless I unveil my secondary identity... Zhang Yuanqing turned to the old creaky man and said, "Your Majesty, see you soon!" His figure vanished into the realm. ... The Celestial Origin Lord has gone missing. The first to learn of this news is Xiao Yuan. After her call abruptly ended, she initially thought the signal was poor and tried reconnecting, but she was unable to reach the Celestial Origin Lord again As a sharp-sighted evil occupation, she immediately sensed something was wrong and promptly messaged Guan Ya in the "The Dead Return" group chat, hoping to officially reach out to Yuan Shi Tian Zun. ——Guan Ya and Xiao Yuan had not added each other as friends. After failing to connect with Yuan Shi Tian Zun, Guan Ya reached out to the Rabbit Maidens to contact the airport, only to learn of the sudden news that Bayi had gone missing. As a scout, she suppressed her anxiety and updated the "The Dead Return" group chat and the Dog Elder. The group instantly erupted with activity—Red Chicken Brother, Xia Hou Ao Tian, and others were left confused, with no clear details. [Guan Ya: Bayi couldn’t have just lost contact out of nowhere—he must have been ambushed. He’s been out of touch for over ten minutes now; his fate is unknown.] [Guan Ya: Yuan Shi Tian Zun said he was going out for business this morning, but didn’t tell me the details. We actually know almost nothing about the situation.] [Sun Miao Miao: I know—he has an evil occupation friend who was captured by the Baxia branch @X She clearly sounded urgent. [Xiao Yuan: I have a companion who was accidentally injured and taken into custody by the Baxiang Division—this is something I personally asked the Yuan Shi Tian Zun to intervene for.] It was you... Guan Ya read this message and gritted her teeth in fury, eager to find this woman and deliver a sword stroke to her! In her eyes, whether it was Xiao Yuan or her companion, neither held a single strand of hair worth comparing to Yuan Shi—she considered it utterly unworthy of the effort to protect them. [Heaven's Fire Returns: This is a deliberate scheme—otherwise, how could it be so coincidental that just as Fu Qingyang had requested a leave of absence, Yuan Shi Tian Zun was drawn out to Songhai and then ambushed? The evil organization's intelligence couldn't have arrived so swiftly. This clearly points to the Night Rose as the orchestrator.] The Fire Master calmly and precisely analyzed the situation. [Sun Miao Miao: I'll immediately have my grandfather come to Songhai to take his DNA for divination.] [Xia Hou Ao Tian: We should move quickly—our faction's warehouse is now inaccessible.] [Zhao Chenghuang: Has No, he has fallen into a special kind of sealing. This means the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign has been cut off and isolated. A master at the peak of the Sage Realm—when faced with an opponent of sovereign rank and sealed in place—has no choice but to meet a certain fate. Now, it has been fifteen minutes since the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign went missing. Guan Ya feels dizziness sweeping through her mind, her heart racing; she takes a deep breath to steady herself and quickly relays the news to the Dog Elder and Ling Jun. The senior elders of the Songhai Branch convene an emergency meeting and swiftly formulate three search strategies: first, utilizing military satellites for search operations; second, requesting search tools from headquarters; third, inviting senior elders from the Taiyuan Sect to trace the Sovereign’s whereabouts, while having the Masters of the Scholar Families perform divination to assess his fortune and fate. Additionally, the senior elders of "Huangsha Bai Zhan" and "Tianhuo Liao Yuan" personally head to the bay to investigate the area where the Sovereign went missing. Should the Sovereign indeed be trapped in place, their timely arrival may still offer a chance for rescue. Soon, the news that Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun had been ambushed and lost contact while returning to Song Hai via the route from Bai Xi branch spread throughout the Tai Yi Men and the headquarters of the Five Elements Alliance. ... Headquarters of the Five Elements Alliance. Zhou Secretary dialed Carleung's mobile phone and smiled. "Director, I have some good news for you—Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun has encountered an incident. He went missing during his journey from the Bai Xi branch to Song Hai; the entire flight lost contact, suggesting he was ambushed." If Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun entered the realm, the flight would not have gone out of contact. Carleung paused for a few seconds, then said, "We must fully engage in the rescue efforts. Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun is a key talent highly trusted by the organization—no loss is acceptable. However, every procedural step must be strictly followed." Zhou Secretary smiled slightly. "The search and rescue operations are being handled by the Patrol Headquarters, so they're outside our scope. Still, our procedural review is urgent—we must adhere to the process. What if someone takes the opportunity to appropriate headquarters assets or embezzle funds? Before "Master Cai gave a neutral 'hm' sound: 'What's he doing at the Bai Xia branch?' 'Still investigating,' said Zhou, the secretary. Master Cai gave another 'hm': 'Once he has it all figured out, let me know.' ... Bai Xia Branch. Zhao Xintong finally felt at ease, alert, as the two were very close. She could see the restlessness and concern in the young man's eyes and asked, "What happened?" Ling Jun said coldly, "The Prime Sovereign went missing during his return journey—likely intercepted. Now that I think about it, your emotional outburst must have been influenced by the high-ranking phantom sorcerer. "This isn't the crucial point. The headquarters is currently searching for the Prime Sovereign. They will surely send someone to investigate his movements. If they find out he came to the Bai Xia branch specifically to save you, you'll die, and he'll be finished too." The joy that had been spreading across Zhao Xintong's features instantly froze. She urgently asked, "Will he be safe? Will he be alright?" "Who knows? He might already be dead. Though that young man is resourceful, the ones who ambushed him are undoubtedly the Sovereigns. That's not something you need to worry about." With the handcuffs and wooden pins removed, Ling Jun pulled Zhao Xintong roughly, "Get moving! I don't want to see you anymore." He saw the little girl and immediately recalled Victoria's reminder: Yuan Shi should never have associated himself with these evil professionals. Zhao Xintong donned her mask and cap, and hurriedly left the Police Headquarters. By the roadside, in a spot not captured by surveillance cameras, she used props to engage a passerby, secured his phone, and dialed Xiao Yuan's number. The call took several rings before it finally connected. "I'm out," Zhao Xintong said. The other end responded with a simple "Hmm." "I heard Yuan Shi Tianzun has had an incident," Zhao Xintong whispered, "I'm sorry..." Xiao Yuan didn't comment on the matter. "For now, don't go home. Stay at Wuhen Hotel for a while—I'll be arranging a new school for you," she said, her tone somewhat weary and hollow. ... The Bay Stream flight was cruising at several thousand meters above the ground, heading toward the remote northwest. Inside, the cabin was in disarray, with the three protectors in a gloomy mood standing at the aisle, one in front of the other, followed by the Sixth Elder dressed in a cloak. Master Pure Yang held a glass of juice, lounging lazily against the window with a graceful face that occasionally flashed a cold smile, then calm, then wildly ecstatic. From the eastern coast to the northwest, it would take at least six hours—even at full speed, nonstop flight would still require four. Yet since the Primordial Master entered the realm, only forty minutes had passed. In those three hours, if the aircraft could reach the northwest, the Primordial Master would surely be dead. Should any of the Sovereigns or half-gods intercept it en route, all would be lost. In silence, the Sixth Elder began, "Many at the headquarters of the Five Elements Alliance wish to see the Primordial Master perish. They will delay us, but the half-gods are not bound by the headquarters' authority." If the Marshal wishes to save the Primordial Master, no one can stop him. Suddenly, the Third Guardian chuckled, "Rest assured—she's a complete lost in the woods. From the capital to Songhai, without navigation, she could circle the globe." "Pausing momentarily, he added, 'Moreover, the King of Fear has been stationed outside the capital. As long as a half-divine being intervenes, he will surely intercept them.' The Master's task of securing a single missing aircraft proves exceedingly difficult. As he spoke, a figure suddenly appeared within the cabin—none other than the Prime Celestial Sovereign. '????' The Pure-Yang Master, the Third Guardian, and the Sixth Elder all stared in astonishment—how had he materialized? He had materialized! The very next instant, the Sixth Elder launched a mental assault, opening his mouth to emit a piercing cry, while the Third Guardian raised a blazing sun above his head, purifying all spiritual energies to prevent the Prime Celestial Sovereign from experiencing any elemental power glitches. Zhang Yuanqing had anticipated this move. Before the cry reached its peak, he smoothly slid aside to evade the mental strike, simultaneously channeling spiritual energy into the protective outer casing of his Vengeance Staff and the leather scroll. Seeing the mental assault fail to take effect, the Sixth Elder faced the advancing Prime Celestial Sovereign, raised his gaze, and a transparent vortex formed within his eyes. Entranced—into the But Zhang Yuanqing executed a seamless second slide, leaving himself in an unselectable state and advancing directly toward the Sixth Elder. Even before rising, he used his exceptional muscle control to perform another slide, deflecting a golden lance hurled from behind. After three consecutive slides, the羊skin scroll imbued with the essence of materials erupted in powerful golden light, as if communicating with some unseen presence. "This is a summoning ritual!" the Pure Yang Master instantly recognized the spell's roots, shouting, "This young man intends to summon his disciple." Disciple? The Third and Sixth Elders were momentarily stunned, then quickly recalled the Pure Yang Master's background. In the ancient cultivator's terms, the disciple referred to was the Goddess of San Dao Mountain—a suspected peak-level sovereign, a celestial deity known for her daily journey through the heavens. Had the Original Supreme Sovereign even entered the realm to summon reinforcements? The Pure Yang Master expressed both disdain and fear, unable to bear watching any longer, and cooperated with the Sixth Elder to unleash spiritual assaults, illusions, and dream-inducing spells, simultaneously drawing various spiritual scrolls in an effort to attack Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun. Zhang Yuanqing slid smoothly to the head of the cabin, only to be blocked by the magical restrictions of the table game props—this was now his fourth slide. Without hesitation, he turned and delivered a sweeping blow, evading the relentless barrage of attacks from three enemies. Then, he retrieved the Artisan's Ring and executed a sixth sweeping motion. Finally, the sheepskin scroll absorbed all the materials' spiritual essence and surged upward, forming a luminous column that bridged the void, while the Vengeance Mallet was bathed in radiant orbs. Zhang Yuanqing cast aside the now lifeless materials and cried out, "Please, let the Lady descend!" A translucent figure emerged from the column and grasped the Vengeance Mallet.