Song Hai. After dinner, Chen Yuanjun returned to his sister-in-law's home, took a simple shower, then removed his watch—a companion for many years—and held his phone in his hands, rotating it thoughtfully. His doubts remained unanswered; his sister-in-law also couldn't figure out the reason and was unable to reach Yuanzi. For now, the issue regarding that memory had to be put on hold. Chen Yuanjun didn't particularly mind, after all, it wasn't an urgent matter. Compared to this, the conversation with his sister-in-law had shaken his worldview to the core, yet it also brought a sense of grounded clarity—he now understood the background and the full context, and the weight on his heart finally lifted. No more mental exhaustion! Nevertheless, the fact that his father, long regarded as a "family failure," was actually a half-divine being still felt strange to him—like the absurdity of a monastic floor-sweeper being the true master of the martial arts world. It also made sense now why his father had always insisted that Yuanzi was his true successor. He, as a son who falls short of his father's standards, naturally had no claim to becoming a disciple of a half-divine. From another perspective, given Yuanzi and his father's standing in the martial world, wouldn't the next chief of the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau be none other than me? Chen Yuanjun thought, almost unconsciously. Then he shook his head and chuckled, if the half-divine truly lived up to Li Dongze's description, what would a mere public security chief be? I must indeed be the most unambitious child in the family. Chen Yuanjun muttered to himself, placing his phone on the bedside table and preparing to turn off the light for rest. Suddenly, a dreamlike glow of stars rose up in the room. From within the light stepped a handsome young man. "Yuanzi..." Chen Yuanjun was first startled, then quickly brightened and asked, "Has your cousin made contact with you?" Though amazed by his cousin's "magic," he found it entirely believable. After all, in Li Dongze's words, the half-divine was capable of world-shattering power, and Chen Yuanjun himself had long since grown beyond his earlier simplicity, having witnessed the extraordinary abilities of a spiritual realm traveler Yuan Zun would never be surprised even if he performed feats like "dividing his efforts," "taking a bath in boiling oil," or "being剖 open and dissected." Did Auntie have something to discuss with me? Zhang Yuanqing said in a steady tone, "Let's address Auntie's matter later. Brother, do you remember—roughly two years ago—I once came to you and entrusted you with something very important?" "I was just talking to my sister-in-law about this today," Chen Yuanjun nodded slowly, "but I only recall that such a thing happened—I can't remember the specific details." Unremembering the specifics... Zhang Yuanqing felt a bit disappointed, yet it was exactly as expected. Even the Cat King's speaker couldn't recall its content—how could Brother Chen Yuanjun, who was even more ordinary, remember such details? This very trait already pointed clearly to what he had originally entrusted to Chen Yuanjun! Zhang Yuanqing pulled out a digital watch from his pocket without a strap, holding out hope, and infused spiritual energy to activate it. Under Chen Yuanjun's astonished gaze, the electronic watch slowly floated upward, radiating a soft, ethereal glow. The light coalesced into a circular disk, with a clockwise pattern of the Eight Trigrams forming along its edge. A gentle vibration reached him from beside him. Chen Yuanjun turned to see, in amazement, his watch continuously trembling. ... As the Earth-Sky Array and the Chengyang Array were breached, the strength of the Main Array diminished sharply, easing the pressure on Zhang Yuancheng. A sense of relief washed over him—like the weight of a thousand pounds being lifted from his shoulders. With the pressure easing, Zhang Yuancheng found himself gaining a fighting chance. He drew himself into a bowing stance, gathering a long bow in his right hand and projecting a golden light from his left fingertip, which solidified into an arrow. A golden phoenix emerged from the Sun's essence and merged into the arrow. "Whoosh!" The arrow shot toward the black hole. Zhang Yuancheng did not look at the arrow. He opened his inventory and retrieved the Merit Scroll. On the Merit Scroll, the ID of "Awakened Ones" appeared, then was gradually erased by golden This time, the celestial punishment that was triggered was the Five Deteriorations of the Celestial and Human. The golden arrows successfully pierced through the starlight and entered the heart of the black hole. The very next moment, within the black hole—once dark at its core and radiant at its edges—burst forth a subdued golden glow, like a firework dropped into water. Boom! The black hole nearly collapsed, shaking violently. After summoning the Golden Bird, Zhang Yuanqing immediately raised the essence of the Sun, forming a blazing golden sun. Then, he immersed his own body into that solar essence, causing the golden sun to expand rapidly and transform into a colossal celestial body occupying half the sky. Instantly, an endless stream of golden light spread to every corner of the realm, suppressing and purifying all within. Golden flames ignited across the barren desert, soared into the sky, and set the entire realm ablaze. The massive golden sun descended and collided with the black hole. The array that had long suppressed him finally weakened. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yuanqing launched a full-scale, life-or-death assault. He knew well that the residual spirit of the Sovereign of the Moon could not endure much longer. One after another, the roars of shadow surged against him, and with the continuous erosion from the Lord of the Stars, Lingtuo's lingering spirit flickered like a candle in the wind—perhaps extinguished in the very next moment. At that point, even if the Lord of the Stars merged with the Yin Celestial Force and fully commanded both primal essences, he might still not prevail, despite securing the complete Sun Primal Force. The black hole stabilized rapidly, expanded, and grew into a powerful celestial body that rose steadily, meeting the Sun with equal strength. The sky of the quest was now shared between the black hole and the Sun, each claiming equal dominion. The two celestial bodies slowly approached each other, their blended primal forces—originally mingling with the Yin—constantly consuming the power of the Sun God, gradually stripping it away like unwinding threads. Meanwhile, the Sun Primal Force radiated intense light and heat, evaporating all in its path, turning the desert landscapes into molten lava, glowing red and brilliant. "This is what you called a shift in attack and defense?" came a resonant, layered voice from within the black hole, echoing the tones of the Stars: "You intended to kill me before Lingt Zhang Yuanqing, rooted in the essence of the Sun, paid no heed, pressing against the black hole with a resolve as resolute as a mutual destruction. This silent clash unleashed the forces of stars, the Moon, and the Sun, rendering any sovereign instantly vaporized upon exposure—no rule could take root under such conditions. The lord of the stars within the black hole felt his body and soul being roasted over an open fire, both showing signs of collapse. Yet he could not divert his focus to summon the Moon's power to mend the damage; his entire effort had to be dedicated to countering the Sun. He was well aware that the Sun's lord would fare even worse—only the combined forces of stars and Moon could temper and weaken the Sun's divine power. To injure the Sun's lord, the Sun itself would have to expend double the effort. Though the black hole appeared to be receiving the brunt of the assault, it was in fact gradually siphoning off the Sun's divine energy. As the two powers balanced each other, the Sun's lord's spiritual strength would eventually be depleted—then, his end would come. On the contrary, if one disperses energy throughout the struggle to heal the body and soul, one may very well be reduced to ashes. This is a battle of endurance—a fight to the very last breath! Most importantly, such intense clashes will cause the residual spirits of Lingtuo to dissipate swiftly. Indeed, under the relentless scorching, as the soul of the Star Sovereign writhed in agony, black smoke surged forth from the core of the black hole in great, gushing waves, transforming into the form of Lingtuo. "Father, do you truly believe you have won?" the residual spirit of Lingtuo roared, laughing wildly, before finally vanishing entirely. ... Late at night. On this night destined to be sleepless, Lingjun, dressed in a robe, stands on the balcony of the villa, holding a thick-bottomed glass cup. Victoria, mature and alluring, leans lazily against the head of the bed, a cigarette between her fingers, the neckline of her silk nightgown slightly open, revealing her fair, glowing skin. Her face still carries a gentle blush, and her full red lips exhale long, soft plumes of white smoke. She watched her beloved's back, chuckling, "When did you suddenly become concerned about the nation and the world? Given your nature, even if the world were to crumble, you'd still be busy flirting and sleeping with women—far from focused tonight." Ling Jun remained silent for a few seconds, then sighed, "Both Yuan Shi Tian Zun and Fu Qingyang have entered the realm, yet I can do nothing. Sometimes, I even find myself resentful of my own helplessness." Victoria tapped off the ash from her cigarette, laughing lightly, "Honestly, you're asking for too much—thinking you can make a real difference in matters of this magnitude is quite fanciful and self-important." Ling Jun rolled his eyes, ready to say, well, here comes my lady, let me show you just how truly skilled I am—so you'll finally see what I'm made of. Suddenly, he spotted a ghostly figure stepping out from beneath a streetlamp, dressed in a cloak. The figure raised its head, and the gaze beneath the brim of the hat quietly fixed upon him. Victoria, lounging lazily against the head of the bed, suddenly sprang to her feet, her expression now serious. She walked to the balcony with the wind in her skirts, standing beside Ling Diao, her gaze deeply focused on the ghostly figure beneath the streetlights. "Is it truly a spirit of resentment?" Ling Jun was astonished. "How can I see such a spirit?" He wasn't a master of illusion arts nor a night-wanderer. Victoria spoke in a low, steady tone. "If it so chooses, you can see it." This also implied that the spirits outside were of exceptionally high rank. "Intentionally making me see it?" Ling Jun was both startled and wary. "Needn't be so cautious—I am no enemy of yours..." A surge of spiritual energy flowed into Victoria's consciousness. Victoria raised an eyebrow, communicating in the unique way of a spirit of resentment: "Who are you? What is your purpose?" Though the spirits outside held a lofty status, as a daytime deity, she possessed sufficient confidence. "I am the spiritual servant of the Sovereign of the Moon!" the street spirit replied.