The Unmarked Inn. A white car parked at the inn's entrance. Kou Beiyue hurried down, pulled out her key, and swung open the roller door. Xiao Yuan and others got off the car, entered the inn, and took the elevator to Room 404. "Knock-knock!" Xiao Yuan tapped gently on the door and said in a low voice, "Master of the Unmarked Presence, we're back." Then she grasped the door handle and twisted it with a click. The scene before them changed instantly—the carpeted corridor replaced by cold black stone, the ceiling transformed into a vault adorned with images of deities, and the walls now became columns and panelled doors. Everyone, including Zhang Yuanqing, first turned their gaze toward the towering Buddha, matching the height of the vault. The Buddha gazed down with a serene expression, yet seemed stern and even fierce. Still the same—good, still good. Zhang Yuanqing breathed a quiet sigh of relief and glanced at the others, who all looked relieved. Clearly, every time Master of the Unmarked Presence entered the realm, it was a trial of life and death. Among the entire team, if anyone is the most prone to losing their composure, it's not the sharp-tempered Fang Aun, nor the rebellious Tong Tong, nor the combative Lin Chong—but rather, the Wuhen Master. He holds the highest status and has accumulated the most profound bouts of frenzy over these two decades, constantly walking the tightrope day and night. He is certain to spiral into complete chaos, more terrifying than even the half-gods of the evil faction, because those half-gods never suppress their dark impulses; instead, they regularly express their malice, remaining relatively stable. "Master," Xiao Yuan bowed respectfully, saying, "since you entered the realm, the Night Rose and the Southern School have jointly launched an assault that resulted in the death of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. The Grand Elder of the Southern School obtained information about the members of the Guest House from the incident of the loyal minister choosing a sovereign to be overthrown..." She recounted the entire sequence of events—the hunt, the retaliation by Yuan Shi Tian Zun, and the reasons why the group had to evacuate the Wuhen Guest House. "Can you now defeat a Sovereign?" The Wuhen Master's voice, though strained with pain, Zhang Yuanqing was momentarily stunned. The master's tone of joy surprised him—after all, when he learned that the Yuan Shi Tian Zun was the son of an old friend, the master had only expressed heartfelt admiration and mild delight. To find his long-lost nephew, one would expect even greater excitement. Yet, the sheer delight at the nephew's perfect score on the exam seemed almost out of proportion. This clearly didn't make sense. "Master, is my growth truly so remarkable that it has brought you such joy?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, not fully understanding. The master didn't respond immediately. Instead, he said: "I have obtained the key item that will elevate me to a half-divine rank within the quest." This statement struck like thunder, so powerful that Zhang Yuanqing completely forgot to follow up on his earlier question. Could this be it—promotion to half-divine rank? Have I witnessed the birth of a half-divine? No, wasn't it supposed to be difficult? Didn't he say he had been carefully managing his experience points and lowering his evaluation rating throughout? Shouldn't he belong to the weaker group among the peak dominators? How could he now be advancing to half-divine rank? Zhang Yuanqing was completely stunned, with no mental preparation at all—just like one day returning home to find his uncle suddenly beaming and telling him: "Yuanzi, actually, you're my real son. These years, I've been playing a swap-game with your mother." Or perhaps his grandmother suddenly announces: "Yuanzi, actually, your younger sister isn't your sister—she's your mother's daughter, your elder sister." That's exactly the kind of shock it felt like. Compared to the astonishment and surprise of Yuan Shi Tian Zun, Xiao Yuan, Kou Beiyue, and Zhao Xintong were visibly shaken. The little plump guy felt the same way as the three others—he was from the Southern School and knew the rule that the higher the rank, the stronger the malevolent intentions. Hearing that Master Wuhen was aiming for semi-divine status, he nearly had a panic attack. He had never seen a semi-divine-level evil profession with such a kind heart. "Xiao Yuan hesitated, then sighed, saying, 'Yes, Master!' The other three bowed respectfully and agreed to follow the Master's arrangements. The four then vanished into the temple, being summoned out by Master Wuhen. Zhang Yuanqing remained inside the temple, looking here and there, and finally settled his gaze on the Master's back. 'Do you have something you'd like to say to me personally?' Master Wuhen sat cross-legged beneath the Buddha statue and spoke softly, 'Xiao Yuan has grown deeply fond of you. Since her return from the 'Five Elements in Turmoil' quest, her feelings have evolved from mere appreciation into genuine love. Now, they are firmly rooted. Over this period, your relationship should have strengthened considerably.' 'I feel guilty toward her,' Zhang Yuanqing replied. He referred to Xiao Yuan's willingness to serve as his mistress, despite the fact that so far, they had never even shared a simple moment of touching or closeness. 'Do you think it's for this matter that you've called me aside?' Zhang Yuanqing asked, hesitating. Master Wuhen said, "My meditation period is unpredictable—ranging from several months to several years. During this time, the team must have a leader. Xiao Yuan is my disciple and will manage the team on my behalf. You are not only her beloved, but also the descendant of Master Zhang. Therefore, I wish to entrust you with the position of team leader. I will share all the details of the team members with you. Whether or not you accept, it is up to you to decide." He never lost hope while imprisoned, continuously gathering evidence to clear his name, yet repeatedly falling short, returning time and again with growing disappointment—so that the idea of innocence became a distant, unattainable dream. Years of accumulated injustice and resentment, coupled with discrimination and mistreatment in prison, the dual burdens of physical and mental strain, finally erupted in his repeated moments of despair, leading to his complete collapse. He achieved justice through his own means, but at the cost of committing acts of violence, becoming a figure of evil. Yet he felt no joy in this outcome; this way of resolving his grievances was not his intention. He did not wish to succumb, for he firmly believed that justice existed in the world. Nevertheless, the years of relentless suffering had inflicted deep, lasting wounds, and he was tirelessly working to adjust himself, to redeem himself. "Turning a case around isn't that easy—so many people have to bear the responsibility. Between one's own future and the innocence of a completely unrelated person, even a fool knows which choice to make. Ah... Zhang Yuanqing sighed, recalling the day he heard the lecture. When Yang Bo noticed Zhao Xintong's anger deepening, he had still been puzzled—after all, the school was full of classmates and teachers; how could that possibly intensify her anger? Even so, he still held onto a hopeful expectation for both students and teachers. The Master's teachings continued: "Case ID: Fangfang, born as Niu Tianfang. Her colleagues affectionately call her Aunt Fang. For years, she has endured domestic violence from her husband, suffering multiple serious injuries and hospitalizations. She has repeatedly wanted to divorce him, yet her alcoholic husband has threatened her—whenever she dares to leave, he says he'll kill their children, or even her parents." Professionals and media representatives visited her repeatedly to mediate, explaining the costs of divorce and offering psychological support, applying mental pressure. These individuals often claimed they would rather dismantle ten temples than break a single marriage, gaining a sense of achievement and self-worth from their "successful mediation" efforts—unconsciously aligning themselves with the abusive husband and gradually pushing Ni Tianfang to the brink. "Finally, after a violent assault by her alcoholic husband, she could no longer bear the unbearable suffering and, while he was asleep, stabbed him to death and then took her own life. However, Lingjing revived her, transforming her into a vengeful entity. To this day, she cannot forget those years of hardship and carries a deep sense of resentment." "Master Lin, whose birth name is Lin Zi-chong, hails from a rural background. His father died in a conflict when hired outside workers physically beat him to death. Lin Zi-chong intended to go to the authorities to protest, but was intercepted and had his leg broken. To prevent him from continuing his relentless advocacy, the powerful criminal forces moved into his household, subjecting him to humiliation and intimidation, and even compelled his mother to cook meals. "Her mother could not bear the humiliation and took her own life by ingesting pesticides." "Xiao Zhisan, known as the 'Sweet Heart Dragon,' was sexually assaulted by several male classmates during her student years. Those boys were habitual offenders, coming from well-connected families with strong social networks. They orchestrated a series of behind-the-scenes transactions to reframe the incident as 'voluntary financial arrangements involving multiple male partners,' and then managed to suppress the matter through persistent efforts. Yet, those boys never let her go. They took numerous intimate photographs of her and used them as leverage, threatening her with the lives of her parents, relentlessly bullying her for an entire year. Eventually, driven to the breaking point, they poisoned her and killed her. Since then, she has been living as a fugitive, never having seen her parents again. Even after becoming a villain in her own career, she has never returned home—she can never forget the past and feels too ashamed to face her parents." "The story of Xiang Wang parting from his lady, his experience echoes that of a noble who is chosen at the right time to be killed—long subjected to bullying from his classmates, his timid parents failing to support him, and school teachers often choosing to do nothing rather than intervene. Gradually, he comes to detest men, and in despair and suffering, he begins to imagine himself as a woman..." The Master of Unseen Traces spoke calmly about the team members' pasts, his tone steady and unvarying, yet deeply infused with their blood and tears. Power dominates, appeals go unanswered, enduring humiliation and bitter madness. The lives of the unfortunate follow a uniform pattern. While listening to Yang Bo's story, Zhang Yuanqing would often furrow his brows; by the end, his expression had grown numb. "Master," Zhang Yuanqing chuckled bitterly, "you don't need to tell me these stories—I've already come to see and accept them." The Master shook his head. "Their lives are indeed unfortunate, but compared to the countless others, they are no more than one among many unfortunate souls. Countless others share their fate, and countless more suffer even greater misfortunes." They could become evil practitioners precisely because they made the perpetrators pay with their lives. Each one of them is a criminal, each one bearing bloodstains on their hands. Therefore, you must consider: do these sinners have the opportunity and the power to reform and renew themselves? "Master Yuanshi, I know you share the team's ideals and appreciate them. But appreciation doesn't necessarily mean action. As a leader, you must be accountable for them. Don't tell me your decision—just act once you've thought it through. If you're unwilling, then consider today's conversation to have never taken place." Without waiting for Zhang Yuanqing's response, Master Wuhen gently waved his hand. The very next moment, Zhang Yuanqing found himself back at the hotel, where Xiao Yuan and the others were waiting at the door. I haven't yet asked myself why the evil practitioners haven't had any half-gods... Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself. "What did Master Wuhen say?" asked Kou Beiyue first. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at him and sighed, "Master said I should get along well with Xiao Yuan from now on, strive to have a child by next year, so that our hotel can flourish and grow strong." Kou Beiyue was both angry and indignant. "Master is simply confused!" "Do you really believe that?" Xiao Yuan coldly stared at him. She then turned to examine Zhang Yuanqing, furrowed her brows, and asked, "Has Master ever told you why he insists on becoming a half-god?" "No. He only asked me to take care of the team and to accompany you all to leave the hotel. Since he needs time to achieve his promotion, team members should remain hidden and quietly support each other—when difficulties arise, just come to us for help." Zhang Yuanqing said. "Xiao Yuan, send out a notice in the group later." Xiao Yuan sighed helplessly and gave a reluctant "Hm." ... At 4 p.m., Zhang Yuanqing changed his appearance and took a taxi back to the Fu Family Village villa. On the way, he found himself increasingly puzzled—even without that conversation, he would still have helped the team whenever they faced difficulties. As a master-level illusionist, shouldn't everyone's emotions be evident to him? Then that candid conversation seems rather redundant—almost like a final farewell. Is he worried about failing to reach the status of half-divine? Indeed, the master is a self-rescuer; reaching half-divine status carries risks, so entrusting the team to me in advance makes perfect sense. But what if he fails? Will he return to the spiritual realm, or go completely mad? If the latter, that would be troublesome—without the master, I'll need to inform the Elder Dog promptly and prepare accordingly. The Pure Yang Master, currently soaking in the bathtub, received a call from the Grand Protector. "The Leader has made contact and is particularly interested in the retired teacher's background information. The offer he has made is to help you regain your peak performance," came the breathless voice from the speaker. A smile played on the Pure Yang Master's lips as he said, "I'm very satisfied with your proposal—deal confirmed! But there must be a deadline." "Recently!" the Grand Protector chuckled, "The Leader mentioned that once you've regained your peak, you'll be required to pay us the final compensation."