Princess Yin Yao stepped forward with determined strides, placing her palm on the crystal sphere. At that moment, the eye within the sphere suddenly opened—this eye had no pupil, its interior a deep, profound darkness. For all but the half-unconscious Zhai Cai, Zhang Yuanqing, Xiao Yuan, and Ms. JOJO, a silent gaze descended, making them feel uneasy, as though every secret was being observed, every part of their bodies scrutinized. Princess Yin Yao held the crystal sphere with her left hand, her vivid red pupils fixed on the void, appearing scattered. With her right hand, she traced the air, forming a continuous path that spelled out four characters: "Shan He Yong Cun!" After writing the spiritual realm ID, the eye within the sphere grew even deeper, and faint vortices began to take shape. Simultaneously, two powerful whirlpools appeared within the scattered red pupils of Princess Yin Yao. Soon, she lowered her head, closed her eyes, and began to weep crimson tears. Her body swayed unsteadily, and only by gripping the iron cylindrical pillar could she remain standing. She lost all perception of the outside world—her vision and all senses fading away. Her consciousness seemed plunged into absolute darkness, with all perception of the outside world completely lost. Yin Yao, the Princess, trembled as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small horn. "I couldn't locate the target—he's not in this city." Not in YL city... Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit disappointed and said, "Thank you for your efforts!" He took out the Little Red Hat and placed her inside, then folded up the Sky's Eye, carrying Si Cai, whose breath had stabilized but who still couldn't move. He produced a jade scroll for transportation and said, "Now we're heading to Chalahuolan City." Recalling the landmark buildings visible in the photo in his mind, he pressed his fingers firmly, "crack" snapping the scroll in two. Xiao Yuan and Ms. JOJO each broke and pressed their jade scrolls, vanishing from the rooftop of the office building. The very next moment, in the central square of Chalahuolan City, before the Monument to the Revolutionary Martyrs, Zhang Yuanqing, Xiao Yuan, and Ms. JOJO appeared in sequence. The city square is vast and quiet, the statue of the hero draped in frost and icicles. The northwest region is cold and economically underdeveloped. Though it's only eight fifteen in the evening, the square is sparsely populated. Vehicles flow continuously along the streets outside the square. Zhang Yuan, holding the heavy Sky-Eye in his hands, says, "Xiao Yuan, you come first!" The cold, elegant Ms. Yuan nods, walks to the Sky-Eye, places her left hand on the crystal sphere, and with her right hand draws the characters "Everlasting Rivers and Mountains" in the air. Suddenly, the eyes within the crystal sphere open wide, swirling and gazing in all directions. Ms. Yuan gasps in pain, as if struck by intense light—her eyes instinctively close, and bright red blood flows steadily down her face. "I—I see him!" ... Chalahuulan City. A villa in the suburban area, with gardens in front and back. The frozen soil of the flower beds is black, devoid of any grass or leaves. The four-story villa stands dark and still in the night. The northwest region has always been cold, and the temperature near the villa had dropped to below zero—dark, eerie, and utterly still. Two figures approached the villa silently. One wore golden armor, kicked open the wrought-iron gate with a single foot, and stood tall, speaking with composed authority: "Rules of this match: no teleportation outside this location, no outside assistance sought, no entry into the spiritual realm, and no departure from this site." A glow of yellowish bronze spread out, forming a spherical barrier that enveloped the villa. Feeling the intrusion of strangers, vast patches of cold qi surged from beneath the villa, condensing moisture in the air and forming thick layers of white frost on the windows, walls, and eaves. The cold qi rose like dark clouds into the sky, but were blocked by the yellowish bronze sphere, unable to escape. Within the dark, misty qi, golden beams of light burst forth—pure and clear—dissolving the shadows and revealing a bright, miniature sun overhead, its radiant heat searing the protective barrier above. Yet, the divine power of the Sun, capable of purifying and erasing everything, could not even budge the barrier in the slightest. "The mountains and rivers shall endure—there's no point in wasting your efforts. You'll never make it out." Zhang Yuanqing gazed steadily at the miniature sun, reached out, and gently grasped it. The vast golden light dissolved into nothingness. Before the hunt tonight, Zhang Yuanqing had opened his own heart, lifting partial seals on the divine artifact of the Phantom God, reviving it to the eighth level—enabling it to nullify both spiritual energy and the rules of eighth-level items. The latter ability was unique to divine artifacts; ordinary eighth-level spiritual beings could not nullify the rules of equivalent-level items. As his status elevated, the capabilities of the divine artifact gradually unfolded. The miniature sun vanished, revealing a figure draped in a black robe. Beneath the hood, eyes weathered and sharp, fixed unwaveringly on Zhang Yuanqing, his deep, resonant voice carrying a tone of inquiry: "Master Yuan-Shi? How did you find your way here?" "This is his secret base in Chalahuanglan City—only he knows about it, and it's rarely used. This time, with half-gods gathering in the spiritual realm and the real world losing its 'protective umbrella,' he's activated this location. Under the protection of the Leader, Taiyin, how could Yuanshizhen even find it?" Zhang Yuanqing smiled upward. "You didn't know?" As he spoke, he subtly ignited the chief guardian's sense of fear. With the guardian's gaze suddenly tightening, Zhang transformed into a streak of starlight and moved to the back. "Crack!" His right fist, like a spear, drove straight into the guardian's temple. The chief guardian dissolved into starlight, and though he tried to escape the boundary, he appeared only at the edge of the courtyard. As he stepped into view, a piercing, sharp cry echoed sharply in his ears. Whoosh~ The Great Protector felt his vision blur, blood seeping from his nasal passages and around his eyes, his head as if struck hard—overwhelming dizziness ensued. Zhang Yuanqing surged forward like a streak of light, delivering a powerful blow to his forehead. "Thud!" The Great Protector flew backward, crashing into the unyielding barrier, his forehead now streaked with blood. The impact restored his consciousness. He immediately reached into his inventory and grasped a long sword, polished to a smooth, lustrous finish with a deep black carbon hue. This artifact, known as the Sword of Yin Tianzi, sealed within its blade an immense reservoir of Yin energy and countless powerful spirits of resentment. Even a Level 7 Day-Wandering Immortal would have to summon all their strength to withstand the relentless tide of Yin entities. The stored Yin energy and spirits were sufficient to deplete the entire spiritual power of a newly ascended Day-Wandering Immortal entering the Sovereign Realm. A miniature sun appeared behind Zhang Yuanqing, radiating a brilliant, pure golden light. "Pffft~" The dense negative energy just surged out of the "Lord of the Azure Sky Sword" was instantly vaporized, and before the spirit ghosts could emit their strange wails or cries of anguish, they were completely dispersed. The sword now shone with a clear, pure golden light, losing all its magical qualities and becoming an ordinary object. "This...!" The Grand Guardian's pupils contracted dramatically. Beneath his hood, his weathered and aged face was etched with growing fear. Could the status of the Primordial Sovereign—already at the eighth tier—be sufficient to suppress such a high-tier artifact? How long had he only just ascended to the rank of Day-Wandering Immortal? How could he have advanced so swiftly? The wave of shock surged continuously, unyielding, and of course, compounded by the deep fear of impending disaster. "Thump-thump-thump..." Zhang Yuanqing activated his combined technique of the "Fierce Solar War God" and "Rising Sun," discarding all his props and closing in closely to the Grand Guardian, engaging in straightforward, fundamental close-range combat. Facing another Day-Wandering Immortal of the same profession, he simply relied on his status to dominate—no elaborate Daguard immediately activated his form as the War God of the Scorching Sun, his muscles bulging as he fiercely resisted the violence of Yuanshizhen. Yet Yuanshizhen's status was too high, his strength, speed, and power derived from the Sun God far surpassing his own. Zhang Yuanqing opened a dream that was hazy and chaotic, leaping into it. ... In the dim basement, the Senior Guardian awoke from his desk, feeling as though he had just dreamed. In the dream, he was pursued and killed by Yuan Shi Tian Zun. The young man had unexpectedly ascended to the rank of Eighth Sovereign—a position so high that the Guardian had barely had any chance to resist. Yuan Shi Tian Zun had only recently achieved the rank of Day-Wandering Deity last year, and yet, in just two months, he had risen to the Eighth Rank—an achievement far beyond what even the Magistrate King or the White Tiger Marshal could manage. What a bizarre dream! Yet, the Guardian received a clear revelation from the dream: now that the leader has entered the Sun's instance, he will not return for some time. Yuan Shi Tian Zun harbors deep resentment toward the Night Rose, and will surely seek an opportunity for revenge. It must be prepared for! With this thought, the Guardian picked up his phone, opened his contacts, and dialed a person named "Surgeon." "Ding-ding…" The call connected, and the Senior Guardian spoke calmly: "Until the Leader returns, you must stay hidden—don't go out, don't be drawn by any information. I'm worried about Yuan Shi Tian Zun's retaliation. He's now a Day-Wandering Deity, at the same level and profession as us. Don't let your guard down." On the other end, the Third Guardian responded seriously with a firm "Yes." Then he dialed another contact named "Shaman Wizard," repeating the same instructions and issuing the same warnings. "Shaman Wizard" remained unconcerned, saying, "Senior Guardian, you're nearly at Level Eight now—how can you still be afraid of a newcomer? Yuan Shi Tian Zun is only just entering the Sovereign Realm, while you have over 90% experience. Even if there were two Yuan Shi Tian Zuns, they wouldn't stand a chance against you." The Senior Guardian replied coldly, "Yuan Shi Tian Zun's equipment can compensate for the experience gap, and he's well protected by Fu Qingyang. Fu is deeply loyal and sincere to him—definitely will step in to help." The Shaman, pride is your flaw. If you don't overcome this habit, you'll eventually suffer serious losses. In the great transformation, the 7th-level Day-Wandering Deity holds nothing of significance. Upon hearing this, the Shaman-Wizard finally suppressed his condescending tone and responded with, "Definitely, I'll keep that in mind." After hanging up, the Senior Guardian continued dialing the phone of the Night-Rose Guardian. He was unaware that, standing right beside him, was the one he deeply respected—the Prime Heavenly Sovereign. He set down his phone and retrieved a stack of documents from the drawer, each sheet containing information about one of the Night-Rose members under his command. At the top of the stack were the records of the nine Night-Rose Guardians. The Night-Rose organization, though established only twenty years ago, has relatively shallow roots and has been cautious in actively recruiting members, resulting in only nine masters cultivated within the organization—each at the 7th level. Among these nine Guardians, only three are Day-Wandering Deities. The documents detail the regions each Guardian oversees. Daguanfa reviewed the documents, recalling the countless moments over the past twenty years, suddenly struck by a sense of time slipping away and years passing swiftly—like stepping back into the 1900s, an era of war and upheaval. The dream abruptly transformed: the dim desk lamp was replaced by a pale crescent moon, and the study became a winding mountain road with distant, rolling hills. In a simple cotton robe, carrying a Type 38 rifle, Shanhé Yǒngchén, bloodied and walking steadily through the uneven terrain of the rugged path. At that time, he was still young—his brows thick, eyes bright, his face resolute. The Tongzhou Branch of the North China Region was holding an emergency meeting tonight, and all members were required to attend. During the day, he had been pursuing a Japanese spy who had been secretly operating in the Hucheng River Province. After a fierce battle, he finally defeated and killed the spy. When he received the organizational message, it was nearly dark. Shanhé Yǒngchén, still fresh with blood on his clothes, hurried off with his defensive Type 38 rifle— —this rifle could inflict significant damage After walking for over an hour through the mountain trails, he arrived at the branch office of the North China Division—a remote mountain village. The location was chosen for its seclusion and its natural protection: nestled against the mountains, even if the invading forces from the island nation discovered it, they could retreat into the hills. Of course, Japan has already announced its surrender and the war has officially ended. Yet the outpost has not yet been updated. This emergency meeting is likely addressing post-war developments. Ah, with the war just settled, our nation's spiritual travelers—those who dwell in the realms of the spirit—seem scattered and unruly. For now, the most prudent course is to maintain a cautious, diplomatic stance, playing along with the foreign powers and using their strength to contain domestic threats. That’s what Shanhé has been thinking. He is a proponent within the organization, believing that a rupture with the headquarters of the United Boat Society at this critical juncture should be avoided. Yet the organization is filled with too many radical members, whose impassioned, yet often irrational, patriotism has been hindering sound decision-making. Beyond a mountain pass, the destination came into view—then, Shanhe Yongcun suddenly saw a sea of flames, the roaring fire staining the night sky. The small village was engulfed in the blaze. His expression changed instantly; instinctively, he thought the Japanese had arrived! Only then did he recall that the Japanese had already been driven out of China, and the war was long over. Could it be that some evil force had discovered this outpost? Without hesitation, Shanhe Yongcun removed his Type 92 rifle, stepped onto his worn-out canvas shoes, bent forward, and sprinted wildly along the mountain path toward the burning village.