Zhang Yuanqing closely followed Shanhe Yongcun, continuing to guide the dream and stirring memories that had been dormant in his mind for several decades. It was precisely this disaster that claimed the lives of all members of the Tongzhou Association's North China branch. The perpetrators have yet to be identified. Soon, Shanhe Yongcun plunged into the flames, withdrawing a black pearl from his pocket and holding it in his mouth. Instantly, a layer of moisture enveloped his body, shielding him from the intense heat. He dashed through the village, where collapsed, modest homes lined the path—no villagers in sight, not even a single body visible. Yet the sharp, acrid smell of burning reminded him that the villagers had not fled; they had silently perished within their homes. Finally, Shanhe Yongcun stopped before a compact, earth-built house with a courtyard—a village ancestral hall. This was also the headquarters of the North China branch. The villagers had strongly supported the branch's resistance efforts, providing them with food through frugal living, and generously offering their most imposing ancestral hall as the branch's base of operations. The mountains and rivers surged past the half-collapsed lintel, entering the ancestral hall. The main hall had already collapsed, its broken tiles scattered everywhere, and the burning beams lay scattered across the ground. Bodies blackened by fire lay haphazardly amidst the flames—some leaning against walls, others overlapping one another, some stretched out beneath the corridors. All of his former companions had perished in the inferno. Shanhe Yongcun stood motionless in the midst of the flames, his anger and sorrow as if ignited by the very fire. His fingers, gripping his Mauser rifle, were swollen with veins standing out prominently. Suddenly, his body stiffened, gooseflesh rising on his back, a cold sensation like a serpentine chill crawling up his spine to his crown. Zhang Yuanqing turned sharply, and saw, five meters behind Shanhe Yongcun, a terrifying ghostly figure standing there—formed entirely of shadow, its jaws agape and limbs outstretched. Zhang Yuanqing strained to examine the figure, trying to make out its features and determine its profession, yet the figure remained pure shadow, devoid of any distinct attributes. He suddenly realized that the ghostly figure was not the murderer's true face, but rather Shanhé Yǒngchén's feelings and imagination of the killer. Decades ago, on the night the North China branch was destroyed, Shanhé Yǒngchén had encountered the real murderer. When the murderer did not turn away, he became a shadow etched in Shanhé Yǒngchén's heart. Like someone who had just woken up from a nightmare, Zhang Yuanqing immediately broke free from the dream and returned to the front courtyard of the villa. Ah well, Shanhe Yongcun hadn't seen the murderer's appearance or professional characteristics—of course not. If he had, the murderer would have already eliminated him. He was still alive precisely because he knew nothing. The murderer seemed to be suffering from some mental disturbance, acting uncontrollably, perhaps influenced by a malevolent profession or under psychological manipulation. The person who carried out the killings was clearly strong—no less than a peak-level Saint Realm cultivator. Otherwise, how could they have wiped out all the members of the North China branch, especially considering the attacks were likely surprise assaults? Zhang Yuanqing felt a touch of regret, yet it was entirely within expectation. At that moment, Shanhe Yongcun's brows subtly twitched, signaling his imminent awakening. Zhang Yuanqing then produced a jade bottle made of white jade, tilted the bottle so that its spout faced the centenarian draped in black robes, and softly recited, "Seal!" A spiraling current of energy formed at the bottle's opening and gently drew Shanhe Yongcun into it. The jade bottle of sheep-fat jade was borrowed from the head of the Xiaohou family, and its function is to seal. Any item or creature absorbed into the bottle will have their spiritual energy sealed, preventing them from opening their inventory, entering the spiritual realm, or achieving spirit separation. To secure this item, Zhang Yuanqing mortgaged the Tian-Chu Beast to the head of the Xiaohou family. The head of the Xiaohou family was very satisfied, repeatedly emphasizing that even if the bottle were damaged, it would be perfectly fine—damage would be no issue at all. Should the jade bottle be damaged, the Tian-Chu Beast would become his. Zhang Yuanqing stored the bottle and turned to Ci Cai, who was handling the ink sword, saying, "I still have two more targets, though I probably won't have time today. For the next few days, you'll stay at Fu Family Village to assist in setting up protective barriers during the upcoming battles." There are also two day-wandering deities among the Night Rose—first, the third protector, the 'Surgeon,' who once attacked him on a private flight; and the seventh protector, a Shaman-Wizard named Saman. There is indeed documentation on the operational areas of these two protectors, but his reserves of jade symbols transmitted and the number of staff members equipped with the Sky-Eye tool are insufficient. The former will need to borrow from Pan Xi, the Vice President, while the latter will require coordination with the organization's leaders. After all, Xue Hou Ao Tian hasn't yet exited the realm, so no one is currently assisting in crafting the San-Cai Pill. "With nine days remaining until the 35-day deadline, I just need to capture three Day-Wandering Deities within this period and then wait for Xue Hou Ao Tian to return to the real world." "And I can also take the opportunity to select one of the S-tier instances..." Zhang Yuanqing quietly calculated in his mind. His current experience level stands at 11%, and even combined with the spiritual essence from the three seven-tier Day-Wandering Deities, it may not be enough to propel him to level nine. The most secure approach would be to enter one more S-tier instance and consume the San-Cai Pill at the moment of clearing it. With the Turtle-Back Map, his success rate in clearing S-tier instances will be significantly enhanced, minimizing any risks. Zhai Cai "What kind of worldly compensation do brothers expect?" Zhang Yuanqing sternly rebuked. "..." The half-gods waged fierce battles around Xisang, their crimson fire seas melting the desert into molten rock, consuming all matter. The molten rock vanished instantly, only to evolve into myriad forms, before being dispersed by clear dragon roars and pure golden light. Surging seas formed a land of wetlands, where strange sea creatures emerged; these creatures soon mutated into monsters that turned against their hosts, yet were torn apart by spores settling upon them, their flesh consumed and transformed into nourishment, giving rise to endless forests. The forests were then swiftly devoured by dense swarms of gus, which drained their essence and multiplied rapidly, forming thousands of clans, before being utterly consumed by a single great fire. Throughout this process, the heavens and earth alternately reached their peaks and underwent transformations, with the Ten Magus-Deities constantly shifting forms—some exhaling toxic vapors, others summoning the names of the lawful half-gods, triggering distortions at the half-god level. The lawful half-gods, in turn, gradually developed horns and tails. At such times, bright cries of newborns rise, causing the half-gods of the chaotic faction to swell with abdominal tension and their spiritual embryos to form subtly. The spiritual realm repeatedly reorganizes and restores the broken matter, eradicating the lingering spiritual energy of the half-gods, thus sustaining the operation of the realm. After the Sun's Battle began, the lawful-aligned half-gods followed the command of Fu Qingxuan, first dispatching the most mobile Void half-god, along with the Central Court's sovereign and the Goddess of Beauty, to the core of a major array. ——Each major array spans 500 to 700 square kilometers, with a total area exceeding three thousand square kilometers, comparable in size to a small nation. To secure control of an array, one must remain bathed in the light beam for five minutes. Then, the remaining half-gods gather at another array to claim its mastery. If the chaotic faction similarly consolidates its forces and engages the lawful-aligned forces in direct confrontation, Fu Qingxuan and her allies' primary task becomes to hold the enemy in place. Given the nature of the Sovereign of the Central Courtyard and the goddess of beauty, it would be difficult for even a few half-gods to defeat or repel them. With just two half-gods, the two major arrays could be successfully secured. Should the evil forces split their armies, the core of the main force on the order side would be firmly established, and then the void half-god could, based on the enemy's troop distribution, lead reinforcements to support the goddess of beauty and the Sovereign of the Central Courtyard. The Celestial Sovereign and the elder of the Liu family studied and divined the situation, and the outcome was auspicious. Yet, soon after, the lawful half-gods were swiftly discredited—two phantom gods created illusions that confused the void half-god, making him believe that the evil forces' main army was launching a direct assault on the lawful forces, aiming for a decisive battle. In reality, the evil forces' main army had already split into two, advancing separately to attack the goddess of beauty and the Sovereign of the Central Courtyard. The goddess of beauty was thus forced to retreat and reported the situation to the main force of the lawful side. Fu Qingxuan made an immediate decision, leaving behind the elder of the Xie family, the elder of the Liu family, and the chairman of Tianfa to guard the array, while she seized the core, with everyone else providing full support to the central figure. Thus, the half-divine-level clash unfolded. ... The Battle of Zhuolu. Gales lashed with heavy rain pounded against her face, dark clouds obscured the sky, and streaks of lightning occasionally flashed across, illuminating the dim world. After the fog lifted, a flood of unknown origin surged in, submerging Zhuolu and transforming the vast land into a sea of murky waves. The bodies of the fallen, the deformed monsters, the valiant beasts, and the warriors still engaged in battle were all swept away by the overwhelming flood—some sinking to the depths, others struggling desperately on the surface. The Mage-Eyed King raised his form, transforming himself into a giant several dozen feet tall, only then managing to wade through the turbulent waters. At this moment, his left eye had vanished, leaving behind a blood-soaked, gaping socket. Once a triple-bodied, eight-armed figure, he now remained with only one body of three arms; the rest had been severed. Though his wounds pulsed with life, new limbs refused to grow. Along this journey, he had been blinded by eagles, pierced through the chest by wooden arrows, his head severed by sword blades, and his arms blown apart by flames. All his enemies had fallen, yet he continued to advance. Multiple forces within him clashed, making it impossible to dislodge them. As he moved deeper, both enemies and allies grew fewer—no one dared to intervene in the final clash between the half-gods—thus, his bloodthirsty fury could not unfold, and his life essence had long since been drained. Now, he clings to life only by two healing items. The Kui-ox drum at his side causes his heart to tremble constantly. The Magi-Eye King feels himself nearing the end, as if the lamp is about to go out. He knows he will collapse suddenly at any moment. Yet, the unyielding spirit of battle and his passionate ideals drive him forward— Today is the final day of the quest. Although the thick fog blankets the sky and there's no timer inside the quest, he has been mentally tracking the time. However, the Mage's Eyes only remember the general timeframe, not down to the minute or second. Perhaps just in the next second, his main storyline will conclude, and he will step out of the quest and return to reality. Until then, he must trigger the "hidden storyline" and gain the favor of the Supreme Existence—only then can he achieve power on par with, or even surpass, the peak Dominators. He has no doubt about the information regarding the Heavenly King, as the Battle of Zhuolu features a high-level standing with powerful semi-divine forces colliding. Normally, in an eighth-tier quest, semi-divine beings are merely background figures and rarely appear. Therefore, the Zhuolu quest truly has a hidden storyline. After an unknown duration, as he journeys against the floodwaters, circumnavigating a range of mountains, he spots the key figures from the Battle of Zhuolu, illuminated suddenly by a flash of lightning. A towering figure stands as tall as the mountain, with a skin the color of deep ink, adorned throughout with blood-red runes. Simply gazing upon these runes causes the "Eye of Enchantment"—a magi's eye refined to its highest state—to feel dizzy and disoriented, with its spiritual energy becoming turbulent. Like the ancient war gods, He possesses a tripartite, octopodal form, yet the solidified eight arms and three heads appear utterly real, free of any sense of illusion. This kind of tangible, truly realized form, the magi's eye has only witnessed on the War God Shura. Yet the fierce, lofty, and majestic aura emanating from Him—something the magi's eye has never sensed on Shura—is entirely new. At this moment, the divine god Ch'i-yu is covered in scorch marks and wounds; all the weapons held in His eight arms have shattered. One of His two heads is cracked, another has lost its cranial dome, while the central head remains intact. To the left and right of the divine hero Chiyou stand two giants. On the left is a flame giant hundreds of meters tall, his body composed of molten lava, with long flowing hair and beard, draped in a long robe of flame, wearing a deep crimson crown. His face is clear and resolute, his features strong and upright, his eyes perpetually blazing with fury. On the right stands a deity clad in a green robe, his form resembling rolling sand, crowned with a blossoming floral headdress, gently supporting a miniature mountain in his hands. Tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves circle around him, while birds and eagles soar above his head. Among the clouds above the three semi-gods, a golden dragon spirals—scaled, clawed, and equipped with vast membranous wings. Instead of antlers, it bears the horns of a bull, a hallmark of a Western dragon. The dragon lowers its head from the clouds, opening its mouth to unleash a thunder column so thick and powerful it is almost unimaginable. This white-golden bolt engulfs Chiyou, who has eight arms, and the weight of the strike presses down. The fire dragon then spirals upward, encircling the thunder column The lightning then faded, revealing the half-carbonized form of the divine being, followed by a piercing, mournful wail. A massive gust of wind sliced through the clouds, rushing straight toward the earth. The head of the divine being Chiyou detached from its body and rolled to the ground. Once more, the wind roared, and a terrifying gust severed its limbs. Witnessing this, the King of the Divine Eyes, staggering yet resolute, made his way toward the remains of Chiyou's body—steadfastly, despite not belonging to his battlefield. "Boom!" As he drew near, a bolt of lightning struck him, instantly carbonizing his form and dimming the brilliance in his single eye. The body of the King of the Divine Eyes then collapsed with a tremendous sound.