"What happened to your face?" Red Chicken Brother looked at the master leaping down from the gallery, deliberately asking as if he didn't know. Zhang Yuanqing rubbed his deep claw marks and gave the fire master a withering look: "What do you think?" He then excitedly raised the fan-shaped copper piece in his hand and said: "We've secured the sacred disc fragment—now it's time for us to leave." Guan Ya and the others beamed with relief, finally able to escape this haunted place. The group immediately returned to the main hall on the first floor. Zhang Yuanqing produced the mountain deity's staff, placed it against Zhai Cai's forehead, and allowed the emerald gem at the tip to emit a gentle, clear glow. A moment later, he withdrew the staff and roused Zhai Cai. Zhai Cai blinked wearily, then sat up. He checked his condition and found himself only slightly weak, otherwise fully recovered. The knight sighed in relief: "You managed to revive me—what remedy did you use? I'll compensate." "In his opinion, a curse or toxin capable of killing a sovereign must be counteracted by a medicine of equal rank, and sovereign-level items—whether materials, tools, or pills—are truly priceless." "Just transfer one billion federal credits to my account," Zhang Yuanqing said. "???" Zhai Cai said expressionlessly, "Then I retract that statement." Zhang Yuanqing gave a scoff. "Then no formalities at all." As companions, mutual support was expected—especially until they exited the Pan God's Maze, when they would be steadfast allies, bound by life and death. Zhai Cai nodded slightly, rose from her knees, rubbed her forehead, and drew a breath, slightly chilled. "I should look for the Saint's Disc fragments now... Hmm, I actually dreamed someone hit me last night, and my forehead really does feel a bit sore now." Hong Ji pretended to admire the scenery around. Zhang Yuanqing produced the Saint's Disc fragment and tossed it to Zhai Cai. "Found it! As per our agreement, this fragment is yours to keep." Zhai Cai unconsciously took the pieces, standing still as if frozen, his gaze呆stated upon the fragments in his hands. After a while, he gathered the holy plate fragments, exhaled, and said, "That's quite well done!" He then smoothed his expression, gazing steadily at the fragments, his demeanor neither joyful nor sorrowful. "Thank you," he murmured after a pause. Zhang Yuanqing asked cautiously, "We'll make every effort to secure the final fragment from the Free Alliance. Master Fu has a detailed plan in place—this won't take long. When shall we begin unlocking the Church's treasure?" "Not too long," Zhai Cai reflected. "Securing the final piece from the Free Alliance—quite a challenge. Fu Qingyang truly is the most dynamic leader among the Five Elements Alliance." He folded the fragments, his tone serious. "The final piece doesn't need to be urgent. I haven't quite prepared myself yet." Do you know why the generations of knights have never opened the Vatican's treasure? Because our founder once warned that it takes at least level eight to open it—level eight is only sufficient to barely command the semi-divine power of the knight's profession; otherwise, it's like a child carrying gold through the marketplace, destined to die. "And the knights throughout history have all had short lives. To date, no one has ever reached level eight. Even among the outstanding successors of the knightly line, I myself am currently only at level seven." Seeing Quemang's brow furrowed, Zhai Cai added, "Of course, I'm now in the late stage of level seven—only one more quest will be enough to bring me to level eight." "But the cycle for mastering quests is quite long," Zhang Yuanqing said solemnly. "I haven't matched with a quest for seven months now! A level-seven master must enter the spiritual realm at least once every year, which means I will have to enter a quest within three months. And if I'm lucky, it might take just one or two months." Now it's November. In another half-month, I'll enter the Killing Quest... Zhang Yuanqing paused, then smiled—there Zhang Yuanqing looked at the tabby cat and said, "Ms. JOJO, what are your plans next?" This cat had crossed the ocean a century ago, arriving in a foreign land. After the passing of Lu Yue-shuang and Huo Zheng-kui, it had faithfully stayed at the owners' manor, maintaining its daily routines and enduring decades of solitude. Now that the fragments of the Holy Plate have been returned to the knightly lineage of the Church, its mission is complete. A look of bewilderment passed through the cat's eyes. "I don't know what to do. The world outside seems so unfamiliar. I've lived here for half a century, and I'm not sure where I can go. I think I'll eventually leave and spend some time living with Elder Brunet. If it weren't for the temperamental wood spirit who nurtures me, my lifespan would probably only stretch to another twenty years." In twenty years, one can accomplish so many things. I'll go to the seaside to eat small dried fish, have Elder Brent take me out to sea, and when I have time, I can visit the New Covenant County. With half a century having passed, the changes outside must be tremendous... As she spoke, her eyes grew brighter, as if she had discovered joy in life and began to look forward to the future. That's wonderful! Zhang Yuanqing smiled and asked, "I know many master-level wood spirits. Would you be interested in joining me on our journey?" The tabby cat hesitated, showing some interest but also reluctant to leave. After a moment's thought, she replied, "We'll discuss it later. When I grow tired of staying here with Elder Brent, I'll consider returning home." "Viny will know how to reach me—just contact her," Zhang Yuanqing bowed respectfully. "We're leaving now. We'll surely meet again. By the way, please don't reveal the content of today's conversation to the elders." The tabby cat paid no attention to him, still appearing displeased that he had damaged her bed and unimpressed by his promises. Zhang Yuanqing said, "Luo Yueshuang and Huo Zhengkui are both noble and upright gentlemen of refined character. As their family, I'm sure you must be equally distinguished in your conduct." ... The tabby cat nodded weakly. Zhang Yuanqing then felt reassured and strode toward the door, opening the two wooden doors. "Wait!" the tabby cat suddenly asked, "Do you know the correct route out of the maze?" Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, "We've come this way all the way." The tabby cat huffed, "The safe route is 404, 303, 201, 106." Zhang Yuanqing was delighted, "Mr. JOJO truly lives up to his reputation as a refined and principled gentleman." The tabby cat proudly lifted its head, "You're quite good at putting your words in a pleasing tone." In its own era, "Mr." was a truly elevated form of address. After bowing once more to bid farewell, Zhai Cai, still somewhat weak, forced herself to stand firm and enter the courtyard, holding her sword with a low, steady voice: "The local rule is: plants must not possess self-awareness." Copper-gold light rippled outward in concentric waves, the decree issued, the rule established. Zhai Cai sheathed her knight's sword, her body trembling as if under intense counteraction, and urged, "Break through!" The group surged forward through the front courtyard, where the flower beds' soil cracked open, sending up slender, feeble tree roots that tried to ensnare and obstruct them. The seven of them escaped unharmed from Room 503 and reached the corridor. Following the safe route indicated by Miss JOJO, they passed through Rooms 404, 303, 201, and 106, and finally pushed open the entrance to the maze, returning safely to reality. At that moment, the villa was completely dark, the time being eight o'clock in the evening, with the servants still unconscious and having not turned on any lights. They had been inside the maze for an entire day After a day of mental strain, the fatigue now surged as he returned to reality. As they left Elder Brent's villa, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Sir Knight, what are your plans next?" "I'm definitely heading out of here,"翟菜 said. "I can't stay at Elder Brent's anymore—he's no pushover. Even with the Hunter's Guild's president coming, I'll have to carry a few bags of trash before I leave. I'll be away from the New Covenant County for some time, taking cover." "To escape both Elder Brent's pursuit and the tracking from the evil faction," he added. His purpose in coming to the New Covenant County had been fulfilled, and now it was time to go. Zhang Yuanqing quietly opened his inventory, retrieved the disguise ring, and handed it to翟菜. "Keep this," he said. "It should come in handy."翟菜 took the ring and read the item details, immediately beaming with delight. It was exactly what he needed right now. The props used by the illusionist profession are still quite rare in the second-largest region, although they can be found on the black market. However, joining the black market of evil-affiliated professions is no easy feat. "This is a relic from the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign. After he returned to the spiritual realm, he passed it down to Fu Elder, who then gave it to me," Zhang Yuanqing cautioned. "Its previous owner was the Demon King, so you understand—when you wear it, you must always remember to wear gloves." Zhai Cai immediately felt it was a hot potato. "It's a great thing, thank you!" They parted at the villa entrance. Zhang Yuanqing, accompanied by his teammates, boarded the yacht they had taken earlier and departed from Pingdao, heading toward the brightly lit Xinjie County. ... It was still half-light when a shuttle bus traveled along the wide road of the villa district toward the villas. The driver was a handsome elderly man dressed in jeans and a denim shirt, with a meticulously combed, well-pressed hairdo. Tall and broad-shouldered, his weathered face still carried the youthful elegance and vigor of his younger days, and the silver streaks in The ferry vehicle was tied down with tents, fishing gear, and hunting rifles. Winny, dressed in a black shirt and white trousers, wore sunglasses, had a pale complexion with a sharp jawline, and her chestnut hair fluttered in the wind. "Why is the main gate open?" Mr. Brent muttered, "Did Zhai Cai leave?" Winny remained expressionless. Mr. Brent drove the ferry into the courtyard, parking it by the lawn, then took his blind granddaughter by the hand and returned to the villa. As soon as he entered the villa, he saw the servant unconscious. "Are there any intruders?" Mr. Brent's gaze suddenly sharpened, and dozens of lightning balls materialized out of nowhere, filling the entire hall. He strode over to the unconscious servant, checked the pulse and breathing, confirmed it was merely unconscious, then exhaled in relief. With his normally impatient demeanor, he raised his hands and gave the servant two sharp slaps to wake him up. "What's going on?" The servant stirred slowly, looking bewildered. "I... I don't know how I ended up here..." Mr. Brent paused for a few seconds, his expression shifting slightly. "It's the Church of Eternal Night!" He immediately turned to Winny and said, "Winny, come with me into the maze..." Winny stood at the door, motionless, and replied, "Don't worry—it's not the Church of Eternal Night. It's Zhai Cai's doing." "Zhai Cai?" Elder Brent was taken aback. Winny explained, "Zhai Cai wants one of Ho Zhengkui's relics. You wouldn't sell it, so he secretly teamed up with me to help me deal with Qian Ning Lu. In return, I've given him the safe routes through the first two levels of the maze." Elder Brent was suddenly faced with double betrayal—by his granddaughter and his friend—and stood frozen in place. ... The next day. Zhang Yuanqing, who had slept until morning, woke up refreshed and energetic. After breakfast, he left the New Covenant County Bank building and chose an empty house to report to the president about the events surrounding the Pan God's maze. Mr. President replied: 【Agreed. The treasures from the Papal Court are not urgent at the moment. It would be even better to visit them once that young man can master the half-divine power of the knight. This would mean we secure a near-half-divine ally.】 The Papal Court treasures can serve as our reserve strength. I'm married—especially not to my mother. Although he doesn't particularly care about Chen Shu's feelings, the Heavenly Sovereign has dignity; if my mother finds out that my son is sleeping in the upper echelons of passion every day, it would be quite awkward. Mr. Chairman: Understood! No matter how lavishly a man lives outside, there are two women he must keep hidden—his wife and his mother. Zhang Yuanqing silently deleted the chat records with Mr. Chairman and pulled out his backup phone, turned it on, and saw the message from Catherine: Tonight at seven, Tanna will be having dinner at TarTar Restaurant.