As the footsteps drew near their end, Zhang Yuanqing grew increasingly anxious, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He didn't want any of his team to be lost in this instance—the people present were all his cherished relatives and friends; even the most troublesome young colleague, Xia Hou Ao Tian, was a trusted stalwart, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the others. Even if the team suffered casualties here, the challenges ahead would intensify dramatically, possibly leading to deaths. He didn't merely want to clear the instance—he wanted zero casualties. The footsteps were winding down—quickly, quickly—Zhang Yuanqing instinctively reached for the summoning of his army of yin corpses, sending the expendable units to absorb the blows on behalf of his teammates. But then he reconsidered: the spearhead attacks weren't random—they were being directed by a female statue. That statue possessed intelligence and awareness. This meant her targets would be precise—certainly among the five leaders—and she would never waste a precious opportunity on the yin corpses. There's zero chance of survival if the shadow corpse is used to block the blade. Who will be the statue's target? Zhang Yuanqing rapidly spun through his thoughts, pushing his mental capacity to the absolute limit. For the female statues, Xiahou Aotian and Yin Yao Princess posed the least threat—Xiahou Aotian had three defensive items, while Yin Yao was a Yin entity, neither of whom would be the primary focus. She would choose one among himself, Fu Qingyang, and the Mage-Eye Emperor. Among the three, he was the weakest in combat power, yet as the Sun-Wanderer deity, he specializes in defeating Yin entities, so there's a significant chance she will target him with the blade. It's essential to secure the safety of all three. Within just a few seconds, Zhang Yuanqing reviewed all his available items and strategies. Then, he drew out the Yajime Mirror and shouted, "Boss, where are you?" "Right here!" Fu Qingyang's voice came from ahead on the right. "Catch it, use it, then fold up your sword and cloak." Zhang Yuanqing threw the Yajime Mirror with force toward the source of the voice, and heard a sharp "thud"—as He didn't catch it? Ah, it was the black smoke! Zhang Yuanqing feigned not hearing, swiftly producing the little red hat, shaking off a spectral corpse, then pulling out a flawless human skin and a dragon-energy amulet, and flinging them onto the corpse's face. The flawless human skin adhered to the corpse, pulsing and wriggling, transforming it into a majestic, aloof, and enigmatic sovereign with a subtly arched smile. Finally, he placed the companion spirit moon upon his forehead, allowing the black, vine-like patterns to spread across half his face. At that moment, the footsteps ceased precisely. Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief and entered his night-wandering state. Now, the female statue could only choose between Fu Qingyang and the sovereign mage. If she severed the sovereign mage, the flawless human skin would bear the consequences. If she chose to cut Fu Qingyang, she would still have to determine which of the two was the genuine one. Even if she chose the true one, a duplicate would step in to represent the real Fu Qingyang in battle. Nevertheless, Zhang Yuanqing believed the likelihood of the female statue selecting Fu Qingyang as her target was rather low. First, the mesmerizing gaze of the spirit's eyes is a game-changing control ability—though Fu Qingyang's strikes may seem illogical, the female statue can withstand them physically, yet cannot resist the allure of the gaze. Second, both Fu Qingyang and the female statue are swordsmen, sharing the same profession and deep mutual understanding—what could there be to fear? It's simply a matter of who demonstrates sharper edge and greater resilience during combat. Based on these two points, Zhang Yuanqing believes that as long as the female statue possesses normal reasoning, she will inevitably choose to strike Fu Qingyang or target the spirit's eyes first. Of course, if the female statue's attack is of a rule-based nature—capable of revealing hidden states—Zhang Yuanqing is not concerned, since the Day-Wandering God possesses exceptional vitality, and a mere decapitating strike would not be fatal. Moreover, Fu Qingyang's duplicate form can effectively compensate for Zhang Yuanqing's battlefield absence and easily handle the female statue. As the footsteps cease and the black smoke gradually recedes, Fu Qingyang and the spirit's eyes lock eyes—both of them believe the female statue will choose one of them as her primary target. Seeing each other safe, they first exhaled in relief, then immediately grew alarmed, rushing to search for Yuan Shi Tian Zun, who they spotted beside a thicket several meters away. Dao De Tian Zun and Qian Gong both felt a sense of ease and relief. Xia Hou Ao Tian exclaimed, "No one lost their lives? Who among you managed to deflect the ghost statue's attack!" Phew—safe through the entire night! Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief, pointing to the shadowy corpse beneath his feet. "It's dead. I used it to block the attack from the Yao Guang statue." Everyone's attention turned to the corpse, whose head lay scattered on the ground, covered by a blood-streaked human skin. "Excellent work—truly a contender for second lead, right up there with Fu Qingyang," Xia Hou Ao Tian beamed. Though he didn't know exactly how Yuan Shi Tian Zun had achieved it, in his view, resolving the crisis was precisely what Yuan Shi Tian Zun was expected to do. Within the quest, Yuan Shi Tian Zun consistently provided a stronger sense of security than Fu Qingyang or the Mage-Eye King. Fu Qingyang and the Mage's Eye would never dig deep or engage in mutual promotional flattery. The original Fu Qingyang turned his gaze and looked toward the attic: "It's hidden there. The duplicate—go and draw the attention of the enemy." The duplicate Fu Qingyang caught the sword thrown by the original, gave a slight nod, his expression cold: "Agreed!" He then surged forward like a flowing ribbon, breaking through the gates of Yau Guang Hall. Feng Qingyang, the duplicate, wielded his iron sword, occasionally dodging, blocking, or cleaving off heads. Though fighting with ease, he was gradually entangled by the Flying-Head Array. "Flying-Head Brutes?" Xiahou Aotian was startled. "Now I understand why these heads remain decayed yet intact—they're all elite monsters." "Why has the duplicate weakened?" asked the Mage-Eyed King. "Only able to replicate level 7," Zhang Yuanqing explained casually, then raised his voice: "Boss, come back!" Feng Qingyang instantly understood, transforming into a blade of light and returning to the group. Zhang Yuanqing then activated the Star-Dash Technique, appearing within the midst of the Flying-Head Brutes' array. A golden sun mark shimmered at the center of his forehead, his short hair rising with golden radiance, swirling with light, and his skin shifting to a deep golden hue, as if coated in a layer of gold. He gathered his hands to form a massive golden sword, then planted it firmly. At once, a brilliant golden sun blazed behind his head, its radiant, pure light spreading across a fifty-meter radius, pur The heads whirled through the air, scattering, yet how could they possibly outpace the sunlight? They were all ignited, transforming into golden torches. Xuanzhen's head withstood the golden flame, its fragmented, blackened skull soaring toward the inner chamber. Zhang Yuanqing swung his great sword, and a flash of gold illuminated the scene. The sword drove Xuanzhen's head firmly into the floor at the entrance of the pavilion, where the scorched, broken head struggled briefly before turning to ash. The flying heads, once formidable at the 7th level of swordmanship, crumbled instantly before the Sun-Wanderer. Zhang Yuanqing turned to the quiet pavilion and called out, "Yin Yao, how does my face appear?" From afar, Yin Yao replied, "The bloodlight surges skyward—something is concealed within the pavilion." Choosing to remain hidden suggests that the Dragon Qi amulet's heavenly five declines have weakened it! Zhang Yuanqing spun his thumb's artisan's ring, summoning the slumbering five-clawed golden dragon. The Five-Taloned Golden Dragon roared like thunder, its body winding and spiraling around the pavilion, spewing golden flames several tens of meters long. In an instant, the pavilion was engulfed in golden fire, the intense heat and the power of utmost firmness and yang energy baking the damp,阴 elements within. "Boom!" The windows on the second floor shattered, and a female statue over two meters tall surged forth, crashing fiercely toward Zhang Yuanqing. Zhang Yuanqing released the "Liyang War God" and "Sunrise" techniques, and as the sword energy descended, his body dissolved into a dreamlike cascade of starlight. Xia Hou Ao Tian knelt on one knee, his palms pressed firmly against the ground. A set of Ba-Gua array infused with earth, water, wind, and fire elements ignited, spreading out across the ground to form a circle of sixty meters in diameter, nearly encompassing the entire area. "Destroyed! I'll annihilate you!" He formed hand seals. Within the array, a spectral Ba-Gua furnace descended from the sky, engulfing and absorbing the female statue. At the same time, Xia Hou Ao Tian launched the San-M "Crack, crack~" The Hua Guo Furnace cracked extensively, then exploded, the female statue engulfed in blackened ash rising with a high, piercing cry, its body unleashing streams of sword-energy in erratic, sweeping slashes toward all directions. The sword in its hands had melted into molten iron, now useless. "Zhe!" Xiahou Aotian chanted a series of gestures, activating the character "Zhe" within the array, a viscous, syrup-like energy flowing around the statue, trapping it like a creature in mud, restricting its limbs and dulling the sharpness of its sword-energy attacks. The Mage-Eyed King manifested his tripartite, octopodal form, each of his eight arms wielding a weapon, charging forward with relentless momentum. "Tink, tink, tink…" He shattered and parried one after another of the sword-energy attacks, advancing steadily toward the female statue. Fu Qingyang did the same, though compared to the rugged, ancient war god, he moved with greater grace and agility, like a butterfly weaving through the storm of sword-energy. The two swiftly closed the distance, engaging in fierce close-quarters combat. As soon as they engaged, Fu Qingyang and the Mage-Eyed Emperor immediately sensed that the female statue's power had significantly waned, no longer matching its previous strength. "Thud... thud... thud..." Under the assault of the two Eight-Level Masters, the female sculpture staggered and retreated, stone fragments flying off its body, cracks and sword slashes continuously forming. Without its weapon, the statue's sword power diminished sharply. Though it inflicted numerous sword wounds on the Mage-Eyed Emperor, the ancient war god's sturdy frame absorbed the blows—no bones broken, meaning the injuries were effectively negligible. Fu Qingyang, with his ability to perceive subtle changes, managed to strike without causing any damage at all. While the three fought fiercely, Zhang Yuanqing removed his companion spirit moon and placed it against his forehead, entering a concealed state and moving silently. He approached the female statue from behind, completely undetected, raised his left hand, and opened a dark, hollow gun-like opening in his palm. "Buzz—buzz—" purple-golden electric arcs leapt between the fingers. Then, he emerged from his hidden form. "Whoosh!" A purple lightning sphere roared forth, aimed directly at the female statue's damaged, remaining At the very instant the spherical lightning surged forth, the female statue instantly perceived the anomaly behind it, sharply turned around, and with her right arm extended and fingers locked together like a sword, delivered a sudden cutting stroke. A flash of light split the spherical lightning in two, triggering a thunderous explosion. The violent shockwave and electric surge forced Fu Qingyang and Mo De Tianzun to retreat hastily. The right hand of the statue exploded, sending shards of stone flying like rain; its heavy body was thrown several meters into the air. "Clang, clang..." The gourd, always held in the statue's left hand, fell out. Its first instinct was to retrieve the gourd rather than defend against potential incoming attacks. Seeing this, Xia Hou Aotian quickly chanted incantations, transporting the female statue several meters away. Fu Qingyang's physical form and his duplicate, along with Mo De Tianzun, pressed on relentlessly, engaging in a new round of close combat, while Yin Yao, the county's noble lady, observed from the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Seizing the moment when the three were engaged with the enemy, Zhang Yuanqing bent down to pick up the weathered yellow gourd. He has been paying close attention to this item for a long time. During the previous battle, the female statue also showed particular care for it, carefully placing it on her head whenever she raised her left hand. Holding the yellow gourd, after a few seconds, the item information unexpectedly appeared: 【Name: Divine Blade of the Heavenly Cut】 【Type: Weapon】 【Function: Decapitation】 【Description: A sacred treasure from ancient times, imbued with a thin beam of light. It has eyebrows and eyes, measuring about seven inches in length. When presented in a ceremonial dance, the beam of light can be summoned to sever an enemy's head, sealing their spirit and magical essence so that they cannot transform or escape, nor can they resist. A second ceremonial dance can lift the seal.】 【Note 1: Cooldown time is ten minutes.】 【Note 2: If the dance is performed improperly, the summoned blade will revert and harm the wielder.】 【Note 3: This is a dungeon-specific item and cannot be stored in the inventory.】 Hey—Divine Blade of the Heavenly Cut?! Zhang Yuanqing was utterly astonished. Though he was well-versed in the history of ancient cultivators and even possessed a mythical kui-ni drum, seeing the renowned "Divine Blade that Slices Immortals" still left him deeply moved—a sense of the mythical becoming part of everyday life. Immediately, he caught another key point and declared, "Hold off on killing it!" The three attackers surrounding the female statue simultaneously slowed their assault. The Mage-Eye King grinned, "We only have two minutes—spur your words now." Zhang Yuanqing spoke calmly, "The head-cutting attack originates from this gourd. Now that I have it in my hands." Everyone's attention instantly turned to the yellow gourd. "Focus on the battle, don't divert your attention—hold it steady for me." Zhang Yuanqing drew out the "Form-and-Spirit-Annihilating" blade and immediately activated the "Soul-Seizing" skill. A dark glow enveloped the blade. He placed the gourd atop his head, infused his left hand with a deep black radiance, and made a reaching motion toward the female statue. After the curse of the Five Deteriorations of Heaven and Man and the relentless assaults from the crowd, the female statue had long since weakened and was easily extracted by Zhang Yuanqing of her inner spirit. A beautiful woman clad in a Taoist robe. Without hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing lowered his short blade and severed the spirit projection. The statue suddenly stiffened, her soul severely wounded. With the rule of "Voidification," Zhang Yuanqing materialized directly before the statue, black, viscous energy welling up in his eyes, then flowing into his mouth. A significant portion of the spirit from the statue's head was drawn off, while the lower half of her body remained firmly lodged within the statue, refusing to emerge. Yet, thanks to Zhang Yuanqing's unique bond with the companion spirit moon, his control over the spirit reached an unprecedented strength. Ultimately, the graceful woman within the statue dissolved into a stream of black smoke and was drawn into his mouth. Immediately thereafter, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes, beginning to digest the fragments of memories from the beautiful woman, enduring a relentless flood of spiritual contamination.