With the rising intensity of Zhang Yuanqing's voice, a dreadful, powerful cold aura surged forth from the Tianji Building, as if exhaled from the depths of hell, swiftly contaminating this magnificent structure. He, stationed on the eighth floor, was the first to be struck directly by the surging cold energy, which violently disrupted and overwhelmed his internal Taiyin power—just as he had been when gazed upon by the vertical eye of the Magi King. His skin turned pale, blood vessels surged in his eyes, his rationality faded, and a bloodthirsty, savage demeanor emerged—just like the other disciples within the building, he too was undergoing a transformation into a Yin corpse. In the next instant, a vigorous, resolute solar divine power surged through his body, suppressing the cold energy and halting the bodily transformation. Zhang Yuanqing swiftly launched himself out of the Tianji Building, soaring into the sky. The entire building now trembled violently, as if on the verge of collapse during an earthquake. All the candles inside flickered and turned into a ghostly green glow. The once brightly lit towers had transformed into spectral, ghostly buildings, glowing with an eerie, unsettling light. The disciples within—whether awake or asleep, whether extraordinary or sage-level—were gradually being consumed by the cold,阴寒 atmosphere, turning into shadowy entities. Their consciousness vanished instantly, their throats emitting guttural, beast-like "hmm-hmm" sounds. The rationality in their eyes faded, leaving only raw, unyielding brutality and bloodthirst. "Man! What a mess!" Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but curse. His assessment was correct—the Grand Abbot was indeed refining the shadow corpses, no, aiming to transform himself into a ninth-tier shadow entity. Based on his recent experience, the Grand Abbot currently stood at a weakened ninth-tier level, surpassing the peak of the eighth tier but not yet fully achieving the ninth. This was due to his failure to secure the dragon's energy, leaving him no choice but to break through the threshold prematurely. "Whirr... whirr... whirr..." The steady hum of the helicopter's propellers reached them, and the swift, agile bee maiden Xiao Yuan arrived first. Though she had now ascended to the rank of "Cont The advantages of the gūshēn would not vanish merely because he had ascended to the rank of Master. Immediately thereafter, a flash of fire surged toward them, exploding at the outer edge of the Tianji Building. Segment, the head of the sect, with dark red hair and a broad frame, manifested before them. He was covered in blood, his injuries neither severe nor minor; the Master-level yin corpse he had fought had been reduced to ash in the intense flames. Finally, the Palace Mistress, dressed in a crimson gown, glided in on a flowing silk robe, like a snow-covered path. Together, the three Masters stood side by side with Zhang Yuanqing, floating in mid-air, gazing toward the Tianji Building. The entire structure seemed imbued with a supernatural aura, radiating a pale green glow, exuding an eerie, otherworldly presence—like a hall from the afterlife materializing in the mortal realm. Zhang Yuanqing spoke calmly: "As I anticipated, the Patriarch has transformed himself into a yin entity, striving to reach the rank of Grand Master. Though my plans have been thwarted, he has already taken a decisive step—his foot firmly planted in the realm of Grand Master." This was Duan Bangzhuan was startled, but even more astonished by the emperor at his side. He scrutinized him carefully and could hardly believe: "Was Wang Beiwang telling the truth?" Wang Beiwang had once told him that the emperor possessed a talent comparable to a celestial prodigy, hence he had been cursed by heaven, with his extraordinary cultivation sealed away. As a result, he had grown disheartened, indulged in wine and women, and lived a life of decline. Duan Bangzhuan and Xu Laozheng found it hard to believe, thinking it merely a fabrication by Zhao Shun to win over the people's hearts. Historically, such stories were not uncommon—many outstanding leaders would invent dramatic legends before launching their campaigns to instill fear and awe in their followers. For instance, tales of slaying a white serpent or declaring themselves the heavenly master. Yet, what Zhao Shun had said was truly true? Now, the undeniable fact of his attainment of the Master level stood before him, leaving no room for doubt. "Never has a sovereign spoken in jest!" Zhang Yuanqing stood with his hands behind his back, "Since ancient times, emperors have been heavenly sovereigns. "Xiao Yuan and the Lady Master still felt shy and didn't speak. At that moment, the four of them felt a sudden chill, as if being watched by a terrifying creature—each hair on their arms stood up, and a cold dew crept up their spines. Within the ghostly-lit Tianji Building, a deep, profound darkness suddenly surged forth. In an instant, Zhang Yuanqing and his companions found themselves completely enveloped in blackness and silence—no sound reached their ears, not even the stars in the sky. This had happened before—to Zhang Yuanqing, during his journey to the capital, when he had been pulled into a hidden realm by Lingtuo. Without hesitation, he activated his "Sunrise" skill, gathering the divine power of the sun and forming a miniature, concentrated sun above his head. The golden light pierced through the darkness, dispelling the hidden realm and restoring the real world. At the same time, the Lady Master cried out beside him: "Your Majesty, be careful behind you!" A tall, imposing black silhouette materialized behind him, its sharp claws gleaming with dark light, piercing toward his back. Zhang Yuanqing swiftly opened his inventory, Due to not having time to put on the "Master Craftsman's Ring," the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon collapsed into a dragon form and tumbled onto the street below, emitting a thunderous snoring sound. The Purple Thunder Shield faced off alone against the ghostly claws. "Creak... creak—" Under the agonizing sound of metal bending, the gleaming, sharp claws pierced through the Purple Thunder Shield and plunged into Zhang Yuanqing's chest and abdomen. Seizing the moment of breath provided by the artifact, Zhang Yuanqing gathered a golden long sword in his right hand and thrust it into the large black figure's chest. At this moment, he finally made out the true form of the "tall black figure." It was a spectral being dressed in a Taoist robe, with white hair like dried grass cascading down its head, and a black jade Puxi resting atop its shoulders. Its skin was deep black and keratinized, its two eyes emerald green, its sharp incisors projecting from its lips, and a thick, misty aura of negative energy radiating around it. As the golden light entered the spectral being's chest, it was as if a red-hot iron ladle had been submerged in molten iron, Yet at Zhang Yuanqing's chest, frost condensed, yin qi seeped into his body, freezing his vital energies. "Zhao Shun, you have ruined my plans, forcing me to step out of my meditative state prematurely. My ascent to the Grand Master rank now seems hopeless. Today, I shall use your life—and the lives of the city's inhabitants—to atone for my wrongs." The abbot spoke, his voice no longer ethereal or commanding, now raspy and strained, as if mucus blocked his throat. "Ooooh~" At last, the five-clawed golden dragon was awakened by its master, its sinuous body rising with vigor, its neck expanding and then forcefully expelling pure yang fire toward the two figures. The black jade pheasant above the abbot's head opened its mouth, swirling with spiraling currents of energy. The fierce, resolute yang fire was instantly drawn into the pheasant's maw. A deep, dark golden glow ignited within the pheasant's abdomen, as if expanding, only to vanish seamlessly into nothingness the very next moment. The five-clawed golden dragon's eyes bulged outward, clearly stunned. " As he spoke, he coalesced the power of the Sun God into a longbow, shooting two arrows that struck precisely at the chest of the Grand Chancellor. Xiao Yuan, the Princess, and Du's Master instantly understood and swiftly pursued him, heading toward the city's outskirts. A battlefield of master-level intensity could not be sustained within the inner city, as it would involve too many ordinary civilians. The battle had just begun, and neither side had yet fully committed; once the combat turned fierce and emotions ran high, they would inevitably neglect the city's inhabitants. Although most of the creatures within the quest would respawn, what would become of the mission if the capital itself were completely shattered? The Grand Chancellor stood motionless in the air, his voice hoarse and terrifying: "Zhao Shun, if you dare to flee, I shall turn the capital into a ghost city." Zhang Yuanqing scoffed, drew forth his companion spirit, the Moon Spirit, and declared: "Old rogue, I have a precious treasure that can aid you in reaching the level of Grand Master. Come and claim it then." The Grand Chancellor's deep green eyes narrowed, revealing a clear sense of greed, instinctively yearning for the treasure held by Zhao Shun. No entity of He transformed into a streak of black smoke, appearing slow but in fact swift, pursuing steadily. The two continued their chase until they reached the city's outskirts, moving southward until the outline of the city walls faded beyond the horizon. Only then did Zhang Yuanqing halt, turning to look back—and found the Master of State missing. At that moment, the black jade pheasant on the national master's head expanded its abdomen, opening a black void-like mouth. The golden light of the heavens dimmed, and Zhang Yuanqing clearly sensed the divine power of the sun rapidly flowing into and being absorbed by the pheasant. Thick negative energy surged in, seeking to envelop and carry him away. Master Duan surged through the air, his entire body blazing with intense flame, resembling a descending meteor. He swiftly closed the distance to the High Priest, and with a sharp hiss from his palm, a jet of flame erupted, coalescing into a tangible, blade-like flame sword. It was the same flame sword, yet wielded by a master-level fire master, radiating power as if capable of splitting heaven and creating earth. The intense heat radiating from it scorched Zhang Yuanqing's cheeks, prompting him immediately to deactivate his "Sunrise" skill to avoid affecting his allies. Master Duan leapt upward, rotating his body to swing the flame sword with force, delivering a powerful strike to the enemy's head. The pheasant on the High Priest's head once again inflated its belly and opened its dark mouth. The flame sword in Master Duan's hands instantly dissolved into streaks of crimson light, which were then drawn into the pheasant's mouth, washing over the High Priest's body and cleansing the impure spiritual energy—both of which were absorbed. The High Priest raised both arms, and the crimson lines cracked and fragmented, while his dark, sharp claws swept upward in a sweeping motion. Duan's right arm was severed at the shoulder. Despite the intense pain, he clenched his fists and delivered a series of powerful blows. The Mang Huoshen was thrown backward, his chest dented and his abdomen sliced open, intestines dangling. The skilled close-combat specialist, the Fire Master, suffered a swift and devastating defeat. At that moment, the severed red thread seemed to undergo time reversal, restoring itself to its original state—no attack was launched against the State Master, instead, its delicate tendrils wrapped around and cradled Duan's broken arm. A series of red flashes illuminated the scene, and suddenly Duan realized he had a renewed connection with his severed arm, as though it were still fully attached to his body. The State Master's Revival Skill! A skill that grants a second life to tangible matter. With a sharp gaze, Duan ignited the fire-based spiritual energy within the arm. "Boom!" The explosion was deafening, the expanding flame engulfing the State Master. The Pizhui's abdomen swelled again, and it opened its mouth to fully absorb the blazing fire. Witnessing this, even Duan himself, and Zhang Yuanqing's three companions, felt a wave of discouragement. The miniature sun rose once more, creating a domain that repelled all spiritual energies and safeguarded the Master of State from a covert assault. Zhang Yuanqing retreated to his teammates and said in a steady tone, "We must first deal with the Phoenix on his head; otherwise, we won't be able to advance." Although he still had many props and sets unused, without eliminating the phoenix, the potential of those items would be greatly limited. The Palace Master drew out the Spirit-Transforming Pot, stroked its body, and poured in the concentrated life essence, healing the injured Deputy Commander. The Deputy Commander said solemnly, "That phoenix is a magical artifact with the ability to refine and assimilate any spiritual energy." Ah? Zhang Yuanqing didn't understand. The Palace Master whispered, "It's a terrain monster's specialty, a master-level skill known as 'decomposition.'" Terrain monster? That explained its tenacity. Zhang Yuanqing quickly asked, "How should we counter it?" He was familiar with several master-level terrain monsters, but had never faced them in combat. As the Master of State surged forward with renewed阴energy, even at his half-Grand Master level, he could have easily defeated these Grand Master-level foes without resorting to a night attack. The four swiftly fled, and the Palace Master spoke rapidly: "Seize it!" "Don't be joking," Zhang Yuanqing immediately rejected. The Master of State was already nine levels weaker, and he had a Pixin capable of siphoning spiritual energy—something even Segment's Master couldn't withstand for more than three attacks. How could they possibly seize it? Moreover, the Pixin clearly possessed intelligence, not just a mere inanimate object, making it difficult to capture. "What else could we do?" the Palace Master sighed, "I'm not even a scholar. If Xiahou Aotian were here, perhaps he could devise a counter-strategy." Zhang Yuanqing's mind suddenly clicked, and he quickly opened the clan's warehouse, retrieving a pair of black-framed glasses.