As the third elder fell, the sixth protector, drifting among the rain, spread out her left palm, and a phantom vortex coalesced at her palm. The rain, the streets, the buildings—everything shimmered and rotated like ink in water, flowing into the vortex. In mere moments, the mirror world vanished entirely, and the group found themselves at the entrance of the internet cafe, under a deep night sky, the streets sparse with pedestrians. In her hands now, she held a circular mirror formed by swiftly rotating streams of water. "Come!" With a sound of rushing water, her body collapsed into a pool of clear liquid, swiftly slipping through the cracks of the concrete manhole cover and vanishing into the extensive network of underground drains. The Master of Pure Yang activated the Star-Flight technique, chuckling happily as he disappeared. Though the Prime Elder and others had slain the third elder of the Southern Sect and seized a high-grade artifact, this was a loss for the Southern Sect and the Night Rose—nothing to do with him. Not only had he suffered no loss, but he had gained the promised benefit from Ling Tu—the spirit of the third elder. Although the Third Elder's spirit was severely damaged by lightning and the power of the Sun God, it still proved to be a great boon, bringing him one step closer to his peak. Next, as long as he could slay one of the Day-Wandering Deities and capture their spiritual essence, he would be fully restored and then, with the combined strength of his two divine roles, he could exact revenge on his treacherous disciples hiding within the Spiritual Realm. "Hmph!" the thin middle-aged woman coldly surveyed the crowd, "You betrayed the Commander of the Army, and though the War and Fear Deities may have overlooked it, that doesn't mean we and the Ghost Blade can tolerate it. Today, I'll let you off with a warning—tomorrow, you'll have three of your heads on the chopping block." With that, the Supreme Annihilator leapt into the air with astonishing agility, soaring into the night sky. Her landing had left a deep crater several meters in diameter on the street surface. The Ghost Eye King's body cracked open with countless fissures, instinctively reaching out to intercept—only to recall that this was a city district, and if he detained the Supreme Annihilator, massive casualties would inevitably "Retreat!" Zhang Yuanqing stored the leather drum in his inventory, dissolved his duplicate form, and then retrieved a transmission jade token, stepping out of the internet cafe. Deng Jingguo, Sofia, and the others纷纷 took out their transmission jade tokens, snapped them in half, and departed one after another. The more powerful the item, the more concise its description... Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the item's attributes and thought, "Isn't this just the Huangdi and Chiyou? So this item is the Ku-ox Drum from myth and legend—now I understand why it's so impressive. The Ku-ox Drum is a master-tier, high-quality item corresponding to the peak of Level 8. Indeed, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were all ancient cultivators. In items of extraordinary and sage-tier quality, one often encounters phrases like "unverifiable beings," but at the master-tier level, such mysteries are no longer concealed. Thus, the higher one's status, the more secrets they possess—merely by examining the item's attributes, one can often deduce many hidden details. Had it not been for the terracotta masks from the slaughter instance that revealed the existence of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Zhang Yuanqing might have been surprised upon first seeing the Ku-ox Drum's attributes. Previously, he believed folk myths reflected certain aspects of the Li Jing cultivators' history. Now, he realizes that myths are remarkably pure—perhaps possessing at least 50% authenticity. "Just as he was thinking, his aunt pushed open the door. She wore a large-sized white shirt, her two long legs smooth and delicate as porcelain, quite striking. Holding a towel, she was gently wiping her hair outside. Why not simply use spiritual energy to steam-dry it? What kind of ceremony is this—washing and then carefully patting the hair with a towel? Zhang Yuanqing mentally groaned. "What's the origin of this item? Let me take a look." Jiang Yu E sat spontaneously on her nephew's leg, extending her small hand to press gently on the drum surface. After reading the item's properties, she suddenly exclaimed, "The Yellow Emperor! According to myth, the Yellow Emperor is blessed with the virtue of the Earth element—so this should be a creature of the Earth-based profession." Zhang Yuanqing noticed her surprise, though it wasn't quite unexpected. He clasped her waist firmly in both hands and pulled out old records, saying, "That person once told me back at Gao Tian Yuan that the Nüwa Emperor is the only figure in mythological tradition regarded as an ancient cultivator." "My younger aunt, constrained by her delicate frame, softly and gently said, 'Oh, I was indeed quite inexperienced back then—absolutely not intentionally concealing anything from you.' Zhang Yuanqing gave her a firm slap on the backside, thus putting the matter to rest, and with a pleasantly satisfied tone remarked, 'Through this encounter, we've now gained a clear understanding of Lingtuo's depth and breadth. His strategic capabilities aren't as extraordinary as we once thought—half of it stems from his positional advantages, and the other half from information asymmetry.' For instance, the Wind and Thunder system shares its roots, and moral standing originates from the Merit Scroll. If it were me, I could also achieve comparable strategic positioning through information advantage and over two decades of careful planning. 'Nevertheless,' Zhang Yuanqing shifted his tone, 'Lingtuo has now fully grasped my actual combat strength, the number and quality of my allies, and the structure of my power network. Should I wish to achieve a surprise victory next time, I'll need to draw upon other reserves.' Therefore, moving forward, the priority will be to strengthen our capabilities and accumulate additional strategic reserves—otherwise, the best course of action would be to remain concealed and patient, or As for how to enhance his strength, Zhang Yuanqing already has a clear plan: first, expedite the cultivation of master-tier spiritual servants; second, urge his uncle to gather the Thunder God Set; third, press his young disciple master to transform Yin Shī Yōng into a master-tier Yin corpse; fourth, enter the White Tiger's killing raid quest. Jiang Yuē, after listening, gave a slight nod: "Entering the guild raid is a solid choice." Her eyes gleamed with anticipation: "I haven't yet joined you in a raid together." ... Half an hour later, in the medieval-style hall of deliberation. The master-tier leaders participating in the mission gathered together, with Zhang Yuanqing at the head of the table. He declared: "This mission has successfully eliminated two master-tier leaders from the Southern School and secured two master-tier items." He opened his inventory and placed the Hundred Ghost Robe from the Ninth Elder and the Kui Bull Drum from the Third Elder on the table. Upon reviewing the item attributes, the assembled leaders' eyes lit up with excitement, their expressions filled with enthusiasm. Though the Hundred Ghost Robe was of average quality—neither outstanding nor lacking—it was the true gem of The only drawback is that this item requires teamwork—much like a drumming officer on the battlefield who can only beat the drum and cannot do anything else. Xiahou Aotian cleared his throat and said, "I believe the Kuibi Drum suits me very well. Master Yuanqing, Master of the Association, I'd like to take charge of it from now on. I'll provide financial and material compensation to each of you—how much you'd like to pay, just let me know." "The magical eyes, Xiao Yuan, and the Master were fully supportive of him, with no reservations. Deng Jingguo and Sofia paused for a few seconds, then agreed that this allocation was both most suitable and most reasonable. They nodded in affirmation. "Uncle..." Zhang Yuanqing felt a slight relief. With his uncle safely here, it meant the battle at the semi-divine level had concluded, and their side had not suffered any losses. "It's rather strange," his uncle said, shaking his highball glass. "I encountered the Southern-style Phantom God and Ling Tu. The fight was intense, yet it was merely a warm-up. Ling Tu didn't take this opportunity to eliminate our forces—this doesn't align with his usual tactics." As his personal standing improved, his innate talents in the realm of night-wanderers and star-officials also sharpened, making him more attuned to the game's dynamics and more familiar with Lingtuo's strategic layout. He always prepared for contingencies—arranging personnel and equipment to counter the enemy; should things go wrong, he ensured Pure Yang Master would benefit, laying the groundwork for future strategies. Upon hearing his explanation, his uncle nodded in satisfaction: "Well said—only when you truly perceive Lingtuo's game moves can you be said to have truly taken the seat of a master player." With that, his uncle delivered a lively rap, his ever-constant single-line rhythm. After finishing his rap, Zhang Yuanqing said: "With this successful elimination of the Ninth Elder, I now believe you can finally set aside your doubts about the Master of the Stars." His uncle sipped his red wine and sighed: "Ah, you know, the initial cohort of Lingjing practitioners wasn't quite pure. Otherwise, why would the former Marshal have lacked confidence in them during major matters?" Moreover, the half-gods of the Five Elements Alliance are giving their all on the front lines, while this Lord of the Stars is constantly retreating to meditate. Don't you think he's just floating through the day? "If he were a spy, that would make sense," I said earlier. "For a half-god of the Day-Wandering deity path, conspiracy theories are never excessive—don't worry about imagining too much; the only thing you might overthink is the obvious." Zhang Yuanqing shrugged. "If the Lord of the Stars were a spy for the evil faction, I would have already died by now." Ling Tu couldn't see through to him because he had a hidden protection. But that protection didn't reach the level of the Lord of the Dark Moon, so it couldn't conceal him from the Lord of the Stars. If the head of Tai Monastery were a double agent, he would have already perished. "Besides, the Sun purifies everything. If the Lord of the Stars were a spy, he wouldn't have actively requested that the five alliance leaders provide the Compass of Light," Zhang Yuanqing added. His uncle nodded. "The more eager he is for the fragments of the Compass of Light, the less likely he "If he can quell the disasters and uphold order, then why not hand over the position of Sovereign of the Sun? Zhang Yuan thought to himself. ... Yufeng City. Upon receiving the report from the Office of Public Security, the official from the Yufeng Branch, whose title is 'The Tide Remains Unchanged,' immediately led an official team along with two units of public security forces, driving their police vehicles in a grand procession to 'Yufeng Dongfeng Gear Co., Ltd.' It is suspected that a battle involving the spiritual realm practitioners has taken place here, causing significant commotion. Given that the society is still recovering from the recent crisis involving the disappearance of moral values, he could not afford to delay and promptly dispatched his team to the scene. Upon arriving at the factory, he first inquired about the casualty situation. Alleviated upon learning that no one had been injured, he exhaled a deep breath of relief. Then, he immediately instructed the factory's security department to retrieve the surveillance footage." The security team leader opened the monitor while reporting, "The conflict involved two patients infected with the virus—one appearing like smoke, the other glowing golden all over..." The video画面 revealed a graceful woman whose form resembled smoke, and a handsome young man. "These two didn't stay at the factory long—they just exchanged a few words before leaving. We called the police out of concern that their conflict might escalate into a disaster," said the security team leader. His voice suddenly stalled as he noticed several security officers staring at the monitor in wide-eyed astonishment—like they had seen the ghost. Yuan, the Prime Immortal?! This is no ordinary clash—it's a confrontation at the level of the Supreme Sovereign! "The Stillness of the Waves" official turned abruptly and rushed toward the exit, urgently instructing his subordinates, "Immediately notify the Fujian branch—Master Yuan Shishen has appeared in Yuzhong City. He's in conflict with a senior monk from the Southern School, and we're preparing for a large-scale casualty event." From the skills and characteristics of the nine elders, he identified their professional roles—only a Master could fight against the Primordial Sovereign. A Master-level illusionist, and here, in Yufeng City, it was undoubtedly a senior figure from the Southern School. The subordinates bowed and took out their phones, stepping aside. At that moment, the phone that had been ringing steadily—still as the tide—rang again. It was another steward from the Yufeng Branch: Xian Yuwan! "Old Tao, how's it going on your end?" Xian Yuwan asked. Tao Shi Jiu relayed the situation at the factory. Xian Yuwan said with an odd tone, "Now it's clear—the Primordial Sovereign and the senior elders from the Southern School have fought all the way from the gear factory all the way here." "What was the outcome of the battle?" Tao Shi Jiu asked promptly. "The senior elders from the Southern School have been killed," Xian Yuwan said softly. Tao Shi Jiu drew in a deep breath, both surprised and exhilarated, "I knew it. Once the ancestor returns, things won't settle down."