Xia Hou Aotian seemed to have known he would come all along, lounging lazily against the back of the chair, legs crossed, and pointed to the small refrigerator in the corner. "Xiao Yuan, go get the president a chilled Coke. You're always so ungrateful—how am I supposed to develop you?" He truly is a sunburst when given a little light, and a full-blown chaos when given a little color! Zhang Yuanqing silently muttered, walked over to the fridge, and brought two bottles of Coke. With a sarcastic tone, he remarked, "I thought the president would drink Cognac from the Louis XIV era, or perhaps the never-ending 1982 Lafite from the films. If not, at least a bottle of flying-in service. Well, this 'homebody happiness water' simply doesn't match your current status." Xia Hou Aotian mentally searched for Cognac and realized it was actually a dry white wine. He huffed, "Then what kind of Coke do you drink? That one will surely match your current status." "That's what I call a pig that can't eat fine grain," Zhang Yuanqing replied. Xiahou Aotian lifted his leg. "A scholar's job requires mental effort, and sugar is the key to combating fatigue in the brain." He opened a cola, took a long sip, and without further hesitation, raised his chin. "Then let's continue our previous discussion. Ancient cultivators can enhance themselves by siphoning others' spiritual energy, but spiritual realm travelers cannot—because they are constrained by their character cards. "Just now, however, I suddenly realized a way to circumvent these character card limitations: during boss battles, by siphoning spiritual energy from other travelers." Siphoning spiritual energy from others during boss battles? This was a path Zhang Yuanqing had never considered. He pondered, "Are you certain?" "Still in the theoretical stage, but I believe the confidence is strong." Xiahou Aotian sipped his sweet, refreshing drink, and his own spirits lifted as well. The tension and pressure he had carried throughout the dungeon gradually dissolved in the sweetness. He said, "When entering a副本, the 'infusion' ability on the character card activates, channeling spiritual energy into the spiritual realm travelers. At this moment, if you promptly perform the 'Eating the Divine Soul' technique, the external spiritual energy will follow the energy infused through the character card and seamlessly enter your body—like fishing in a muddy stream." "Wait!" Zhang Yuanqing promptly interjected: "We previously discussed that spiritual realm travelers cannot absorb others' spiritual energy because the character card needs to track our experience points. Absorbing others' energy would cause the character card to misjudge our experience level, resulting in a system bug during matchmaking for副本. For instance, when you complete a副本, the character card awards you 10% experience points—this value is recorded in the spiritual realm either before or at the very moment it is issued. Unless you are an administrator with the highest level of authority to modify internal values in the spiritual realm, the experience points recorded in the realm will remain unchanged, even if you absorb others' energy during the infusion process." "Xia Hou Ao Tian shook his finger." "Wrong, wrong— you haven't quite grasped my point." Zhang Yuanqing adopted a posture of attentive listening. Xia Hou Ao Tian explained: "We don't need to update the character card's experience points. What we want to do is bypass the character card's level-up mechanism— in other words, bypass the character card's level progression, or rather, the realm progression as described in ancient cultivation traditions. "Although the Lingjing Xingzhe cannot dramatically enhance their cultivation by simply consuming spiritual energy, they can emulate ancient cultivators by entering the guild's副本 (story-based quests), gradually advancing their cultivation through steady practice—this is the only way most Masters develop themselves. "Thus, the character card limits only the 'special advantages' or 'game mechanics,' but it does not restrict the Lingjing Xingzhe from slowly accumulating spiritual energy through consistent practice. As long as this accumulation remains within the character card's capacity, it won't trigger any matching副本 bugs. "Then, at what point can the Lingjing Xingzhe be allowed to 'go on a special journey'—to suddenly gain a significant leap in strength and power?" Zhang Yuanqing's eyes lit up. He understood Xiaohou Aotian nodded slightly: "You have potential!" "In the Lingjing realm, characters can only gain a significant boost in power when completing special quests or during the process of infusing spiritual energy into their character cards—this is when they're allowed to 'go on a power surge.' You need to seize this opportunity and absorb the spiritual energy of other Lingjing realm characters, effectively exploiting a bug in the system." "As a result, while your character card records only 50% of your experience points, your actual combat strength reaches 80%. Experience points become mere data—what matters in reality is your true combat power." Excellent strategy! Excellent strategy! Zhang Yuanqing praised it in his heart. Xiaohou Aotian continued: "However, this shortcut does not allow you to gain levels. The unique talent skills awarded upon leveling up cannot be obtained through absorbing spiritual energy." "That's more than sufficient!" Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed with delight. If his actual combat strength exceeds the recorded experience level, he will be able to enter mid-level quests as a character of late-level seventh rank, even though his recorded level is seventh. The difficulty of the副本 has been greatly reduced. Now, the A-grade副本 at level 7 has become his primary source of experience points. With a few additional forays to gather spiritual energy along the way, he might reach level 9 within a year or so—earning the qualification to compete for the title of Sun Sovereign. ——My uncle once said that the minimum requirement to become a half-god is to reach level 9. Whether at the early or peak stage of level 9 is sufficient, just as entering a killing instance requires level 3 or level 6; the exact percentage of experience—1% or 99%—is not crucial. The real issue lies in the significant gap between these levels, so no early-stage spiritual traveler would willingly enter the instance to die for lack of qualification. Zhang Yuanqing immediately fetched paper and ink, and wrote down the techniques he had acquired from the spirit body of the Yau Guang statue, handing them to Xia Hou Ao Tian. "This is a three-essence formula created by a master alchemist during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, refined and improved over several generations," Zhang Yuanqing said, handing over the scroll filled with incantations and characters. "See if you can master "It was discovered within the ethereal body of the Yao Guang statue," Zhang Yuanqing said. "The former headmaster of the Shu Mountain Sect was precisely skilled in this kind of esoteric technique. Indeed, ancient cultivators at that level were well-versed in a broad range of spells and martial arts—most likely having studied them all." "Such a coincidence?" Xiahou Aotian murmured, intently studying the Sancai Pill formula, his brows furrowing, then relaxing, then brightening, then frowning again. After half an hour, he said: "I've worked through the formula's theory, and it appears sound. Following the prescribed steps, the Sancai Pill should be successfully produced. Once you bring it into the realm, simply take it as soon as the spiritual energy is being infused, and you'll rapidly advance in cultivation level." "But..." the formula lacks a step to purify the spirit from pollution. Your target, however, is the Dayou God—whose spiritual energy is exceptionally strong. If you attempt to absorb him directly, you might risk burning out yourself. You don't want to end up taking pills until you're mentally unwell, do you? The fragmented spirit of the Yao Guang The alchemist who first devised the San-Cai Pill formula will inevitably lose control and die. "This isn't just a case of passing away—it's a poison formula designed to draw you into the abyss." Zhang Yuanqing's brows gradually furrowed. Indeed, with such a strange method of advancement, if he consumed the San-Cai Pill more than twice, he would surely go mad. "What do you suggest?" he asked, seeking advice from a specialist. When it comes to matters of expertise, one should consult a specialist. Xiahou Aotian shrugged. "How can I know? I'm proficient in alchemy, but I'm entirely unfamiliar with soul purification. Ah, it seems there's no shortcut in cultivation—any shortcut comes at a heavy price." At that moment, a spiritual resonance emanated from Xiahou Aotian's ring, originating from the Qin Dynasty's physician: "Hm, finding someone with both the role of a Day-Wandering Immortal and a Scholar would be ideal. Just let me know in advance that I'm primarily a physician, and while I've learned some of the Day-Wandering Immortal's techniques, I haven't yet reached the golden sun's level. "The formula won't change," "Dual expertise in the Day-Wandering Deity and Scholar's profession... After a moment of quiet reflection, Zhang Yuanqing suddenly had a breakthrough—his beloved, closest mentor, a paragon of both beauty and talent. In ancient times, practitioners of cultivation advanced slowly and lived long lives, thus acquiring diverse skills across many domains. For instance, they typically mastered both the art of alchemy and medicine. The temple's introduction to the Lady of San Dao Mountain specifically mentions that she is proficient in alchemical practices and regularly provides free medical consultations and treatments to the surrounding villagers. As a peak-level Day-Wandering Deity, the old baozi is especially crucial in revising prescriptions. However, her personality is strong-willed and assertive—she would certainly not agree. Not only is she my direct disciple, but even if I were her husband, I doubt she'd consent. It's quite challenging! After leaving Xia Hou Ao Tian's office and returning to her home, Zhang Yuanqing still hadn't found a way to persuade the old baozi. ... The inner chamber." The Great Guardian bowed his head, reviewing the thick stack of enrollment records, his voice hoarse: "The leader has already instructed us not to investigate the true identity of Yuan Shi Tian Zun any further." The Pure Yang Master, whose eyes shimmered with fierce determination yet who remained profoundly composed, coldly remarked: "You are the guardian of the Night Rose, not I! I shall do as I please. As long as Yuan Shi Tian Zun lives, I shall not rest. Should I eliminate Yuan Shi Tian Zun, I can strip him of his spiritual essence and reclaim my peak status. Then, the unruly disciple hiding within the Spiritual Realm will be left sleepless and anxious." The Pure Yang Master transferred his resentment toward the unruly disciple onto Yuan Shi Tian Zun—after all, they had deep-standing grievances between them. As a devoted, passionate madman, as long as he lived, he would always keep a vigilant eye on Yuan Shi Tian Zun. Da Hufa said nothing, glanced through the academic records, and questioned: "By official means, all information about Yuan Shi Tian Zun has already been erased. In institutions such as the school and the public security bureau—whether in electronic or physical form—there should be no trace of him left. Your records provided to me should contain no mention of Yuan Shi Tian Zun. And if you go around with his photograph, you'll find yourself caught in a cycle with no resolution. Unsolvable! Stupid!" Pure Yang Master said coldly. "With your intelligence, how did you rise to the rank of Day-Wandering Immortal? Do you not know the official's methods and capabilities? Yet Yuan Shi Tian Zun is a native of Songhai. Kangyang District High School only admits students from within the district. That means all his childhood companions, from early on, would have attended this school. Yuan Shi Tian Zun became a spiritual traveler with extraordinary abilities in April last year. At that time, he certainly could not have anticipated that just one year later, he would emerge as a figure unparalleled throughout the world." "So, the one who has acquired extraordinary abilities will surely stand out in front of his close companions—either by offering help or by displaying his specialness. I can't directly inquire about the Master Yuan Shi's identity, as that would trigger a retrospective review, but I can ask these graduates of Kangyang Middle School: over the past year, has any familiar classmate or friend undergone a dramatic transformation, as if reborn? The person who has suddenly changed is likely to be the Master Yuan Shi. As soon as I identify such a person, I may not even need to ask for their name—I'll only need their household address." The master's eyes, beneath his cloak, brightened. The Pure Yang Master gazed at the cloaked guardian: "I would like to leverage the network of connections of the Night Rose to check through the police department whether any of these individuals have recently become unexpectedly wealthy or gained substantial resources. If such cases exist, it is certain that they have received favor from the Master Yuan Shi." "We didn't check at Songhai University because Songhai University students were likely 'brainwashed'—but the high school students have grown up and spread out across the country and provinces. The official couldn't possibly brainwash everyone the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign ever met. The Great Protector remained silent for several seconds, then shook his head, saying, 'It's like a bug stuck in that mysterious force—good idea, but you shouldn't have come to me. I won't defy the leader's orders. You're not part of the Night Rose. The leader can't compel you. Go find out on your own. Don't drag me into it.' Upon hearing this, the Pure Yang Master's eyes flared with growing madness and fury. Yet, through the control of a master illusionist over emotions, he forced himself to remain calm, and scoffed, 'You're not worthy of my counsel!' He then transformed into a streak of starlight and departed from the Great Protector's hiding place. The Great Protector sat quietly at his desk, motionless for a long while, his gaze beneath his cloak dark and profound." The stars blinked one after another, and the Master of Pure Yang hastened toward the airport of this western-north city. Upon obtaining the student records, he immediately boarded a flight to find the Grand Protector, arriving in the region at night. At 3 a.m., he took another flight back to Songhai. Just as he returned to his rented apartment in Songhai, his phone chimed with a notification. He pulled out his phone to check the message: "Contact this number. He will assist you with official resources. This message will be deleted upon reading!" The Master of Pure Yang committed the phone number to memory, deleted the message, and exhaled, "Isn't it impossible to defy the Head's orders? Every time the name of the Primordial Sovereign is mentioned, your tone is always one of apprehension and concern—almost as if you'd rather see him removed." His intuition told him that the Grand Protector of the Night Rose held a hidden connection with the Primordial Sovereign—an unspoken one. Perhaps even the Head of the Night Rose herself wasn't fully aware. Otherwise, the Grand Protector wouldn't be acting in a contradictory, half-hearted manner. Of course, the Master of Pure Yang will not reveal this matter, and on the元始天尊's stance, they are fully aligned. With shared goals, they are friends.