Zhang Dongze adjusted his words, saying: “The Spirit Realm is a supernatural phenomenon—currently unexplained by science despite our persistent efforts to analyze and understand it. It exists within reality yet transcends it; only those chosen can enter the Spirit Realm.” “As for how one is selected…” He sipped his wine, smiled gently, “you should have already sensed this.” “Regarding that card?” Zhang Yuanqing responded at the right moment. Zhang Dongze nodded slightly: “It’s called a Character Card. Those who receive it are assigned trial missions; upon completing these trials, they gain a specific profession, along with its associated skills and characteristics. The mechanism by which the Spirit Realm selects Pilgrims remains unclear, and the method of distributing Character Cards is inconsistent—sometimes appearing directly within your body; sometimes found on the roadside; sometimes uncovered accidentally when clicking through a web link. Completing trial missions is merely the beginning. To grow stronger and advance in power, Pilgrims must continuously accept new missions and enter the Spirit Realm. However, you need not worry—the frequency of these missions isn’t high, and they do not always pose life-threatening risks. On the contrary, some Spirit Realms are quite enjoyable. For instance, I myself am a Level 3 Scout. Over the past two years, I’ve entered the Spirit Realm once every month, but only once every three months for solo trials—on several occasions, I nearly perished within them. Most of my other entries have been group-based, which are safer and more engaging. After all, to gain superpowers, one must pay a price.” Zhang Dongze paused, giving Zhang Yuanqing time to ask questions. “Is it similar to game instances?” Zhang Yuanqing offered his understanding. Zhang Dongze smiled: “I enjoy speaking with you younger people because you grasp concepts quickly and actively engage with new experiences.” After adding a word of approval, he nodded: “That’s right—just like playing a video game, where each Spirit Realm functions as an instance. Some instances are solo-based, others require group formation or team combat. Solo-type instances are the most dangerous, with the highest mortality rate. Group-type instances are generally more manageable—there are both fatal and penalty types. The latter deducts experience points from your progress.” Zhang Yuanqing asked curiously: “Why do solo-type instances have the highest mortality rate?” Zhang Dongze paused thoughtfully. “Within group-type Spirit Realms, you encounter Pilgrims of other professions. In solo-type instances, however, you face challenges that are specific to your own profession. Take the Scout as an example—the core abilities at the Elevated Realm level are observation, tracking, and analytical skills. Thus, in my three solo trials, I’ve experienced: solving detective-style cases; hunting down a rogue in dense jungle terrain through pursuit and mutual combat; and surviving in wild wilderness conditions. Furthermore, each profession has distinct trial missions at the Elevated Stage and Sage Stage.” “My own profession is Night Wandering Deity—my trials are in supernatural-themed instances. Relief! It’s good I have group-based instances; otherwise, I’d be terrified to the point of urination within the Spirit Realm. Will there be changes in my trials once I reach the Sage Stage?” Zhang Yuanqing nodded as he listened. “Regarding Lei Yibing’s disappearance—did he enter a Spirit Realm?” Zhang Yuanqing asked seriously. He urgently sought official confirmation for his hunch: if Bing Brother had entered the Spirit Realm, then the situation wasn’t entirely dire. After thinking briefly, Zhang Dongze said: “Following an unusual disappearance, the Hangzhou City Police Bureau took over the case. Their assessment is that Lei Yibing has already passed away within a Spirit Realm.” Zhang Yuanqing felt his heart skip a beat—his anxiety and astonishment were hard to suppress. “Why?” Zhang Dongze explained: “Because the duration was too long. Normal Spirit Realm instances at the Elevated Stage last from several hours to up to two days. Lei Yibing has been missing for four full days. The Elevated Realm corresponds to Levels 1–3.” “What about beyond the Elevated Realm?” “The specifics are not clear, but likely there will be longer-lasting instances.” Perhaps Bing Brother is a powerful Spirit Pilgrim after all… Zhang Yuanqing could only console himself this way. For Lei Yibing’s disappearance, at present, both in terms of capability and experience, he feels unable to contribute meaningfully. Compared with that, joining an official organization and focusing on self-rescue has become the most crucial course of action. “Ah—by the way, before I introduce you to the official organizations, there’s one important matter.” Zhang Dongze sipped his wine to moisten his throat. “What is your current Moral Value?” “At 60 points—the initial value,” Zhang Yuanqing answered honestly. Zhang Dongze nodded: “For a newcomer like you, Moral Value is often the biggest challenge—this point must be remembered.” “Why so?” Zhang Yuanqing couldn’t conceal his curiosity. “Do you remember the note under the Moral Value section?” Yes—I’ve been told to simply be a good person… Zhang Yuanqing nearly pulled out a ‘Wu’ face. Zhang Dongze said seriously: “The initial Moral Value is 60. Once it drops below this threshold, the Spirit Realm activates its penalty mechanism—it will notify all local Pilgrims of your position and assigns a mission to remove you.” … Zhang Yuanqing stared open-mouthed, exclaiming: “Does that mean I’ll never be able to do anything bad again?” Indeed, I’m not saying I should constantly do good deeds—I’d find it exhausting being a perpetual saint. And what exactly constitutes Moral Value? If actions like making poor craftsmanship or sending delayed invoices are considered moral lapses, then my entire life would be compromised. Zhang Dongze smiled—enjoying seeing newcomers react this way—and slowly said: “Don’t panic. Based on our observations, Spirit Pilgrims who commit thefts, robberies, injuries, or even assaults will have their Moral Value deducted from 1 to 5 points depending on the severity. A homicide deducts 10 points. For severe consequences involving multiple deaths and injuries, deductions are made according to the seriousness of the incident. As for personal shortcomings—such as minor lapses in etiquette—they do not affect your Moral Value. Moreover, while Moral Value can be deducted, it can also be accumulated. Hence, we urge you simply to be good.” This mechanism seems deliberately designed to constrain Pilgrims. Yet why would the Spirit Realm impose such constraints? Moral values and laws are human-invented systems for maintaining order—other beings in nature do not inherently require them. In other words, unless the Spirit Realm holds a human-centered stance, the existence of Moral Value appears somewhat illogical. And yet, the Spirit Realm is a supernatural phenomenon. Zhang Yuanqing instinctively feels this constraint unreasonable—but since Zhang Dongze offers no explanation, it seems he too lacks clarity on the underlying reasons. From their conversation so far, it’s evident that the official organization holds only limited understanding of the Spirit Realm. Zhang Yuanqing realized: “Ah—now I understand. That’s why it’s such a significant challenge for newcomers. So how can one accumulate Moral Value?” After gaining superpowers, new Pilgrims often use their abilities to accomplish things they once hoped but couldn’t manage—such as earning money. Yet the methods of achieving quick financial gains are all codified in existing laws. And what about eating a ‘boiled bao’ with an unbalanced appetite?—I wonder whether supporting financially struggling young women would be considered a moral lapse, or even a violation. In the Spirit Realm’s classification system, does this count as a private shortfall or a legal offense? Zhang Yuanqing refrained from asking—after all, they weren’t yet close enough to risk leaving an unfavorable impression in the future leaders’ eyes. “Accumulating Moral Value is just as straightforward as reducing it—by simply doing good deeds. In fact, many Pilgrims from the Evil Organizations are passionate about charity work and donations, since this is the fastest way to build up their Moral Values—as long as they have sufficient funds, they can even justify killing people without hesitation.” Zhang Dongze chuckled: “How ironic—that you never know what’s behind those generous philanthropists. And how even more ironic—human lives are measurable in monetary terms. That is reality; and that is also the case within the Spirit Realm. Additionally, when Pilgrims engage in combat with one another, no deductions to Moral Value occur.” After Zhang Yuanqing had absorbed these details, Zhang Dongze continued: “Now let’s talk about the official organizations. Our organization belongs to the Five Elements Alliance—a coalition composed of five major forces: the Bǎi Huā Association, the Bái Hǔ Army, the Chì Huǒ Clan, the Shuǐ Shén Palace, and Zhōngtíng. These five factions represent the five professions—Wood Demon, Scout, Fire Master, Water Spirit, and Earth Oddity.” Zhang Yuanqing couldn’t help but mutter under his breath: Official organizations are nothing short of a collection of ghosts and goblins! “Beyond the Five Elements Alliance, there are several other organizations with official recognition. I’ll share their details in my documentation shortly,” Zhang Dongze said as he stroked his wine cup. “The five member organizations within the Five Elements Alliance formed a coalition only over the past twenty years—before that, they operated independently and maintained strained relationships. This reflects the interplay of the Five Elements and differences in professional cultures.” Zhang Dongze sipped his wine, then shrugged: “Take the Bǎi Huā Association—their members are all fervent environmentalists and animal protection advocates. Heavenly! They’ve even attempted to push for a regulation from the Five Elements Alliance headquarters prohibiting its members from consuming dog meat—so extreme is their dedication that even God might find it unreasonable. Every time I see them championing animal welfare with such an obsessive, almost pathological zeal, I can’t help but imagine kicking them in the rear with my leather shoes.” Next came a sharp critique of the other four professions besides the White Tiger Army. This gave Zhang Yuanqing a clear picture of the other organizations within the Five Elements Alliance—such as the Chì Huǒ Clan, known for their hands-on, no-nonsense attitude; the Shuǐ Shén Palace, characterized by its reserved personality and focus on cultivating microorganisms and viruses; and Zhōngtíng—the earth-based landlords involved in real estate and mining development. “Only our White Tiger Army Scouts stand out as wise, composed, and decisive—making them the ideal profession,” Zhang Dongze concluded. Zhang Yuanqing silently thought: Do you really believe that? Does the other group agree with this assessment? “Aha—the comparison is beginning to sound like a game, isn’t it?” Zhang Dongze added. “Within the Five Elements Alliance itself, some members refer to the Spirit Realm as their ‘game server.’ Pilgrims possess character profiles, use props, complete missions, and each Spirit Realm functions like an instance. Each profession differs—those from the Chì Huǒ Clan are bold and impulsive, often emphasizing violent actions, much like a warrior class. The Shuǐ Shén Palace members wield water-based abilities, functioning as sorcerers or spellcasters. The Bǎi Huā Association can care for pets and treat injuries—they serve as healers and summoners. As for Zhōngtíng, their members are tough and resilient—typical tank-type characters.” Zhang Yuanqing couldn’t help but quip: “And what about our Scouts—are we the equivalent of a 75-coin-per-unit eyes in the game?” Zhang Dongze paused, his expression initially surprised. He tightened his staff’s handle, then said calmly: “If I were a Fire Master from the Chì Huǒ Clan, I’d already have crushed your dog’s head with one well-placed strike.” “I apologize!” Zhang Yuanqing quickly offered. After this exchange of humor, their atmosphere grew even more relaxed. Zhang Dongze smiled and said: “Once you reach the Elevated Stage, Scouts will develop exceptional solo combat abilities—this is no exaggeration; it truly is a perfectly balanced profession. Of course, among the official professions, the Night Wandering Deity is widely regarded as the strongest. I mean, by ‘official’ professions—I’m excluding the Evil Organizations. Even our Scouts must admit that the Night Wandering Deities surpass them in excellence.” Ah? Is the Night Wandering Deity truly so powerful—can they defeat ten opponents at once… Zhang Yuanqing’s heart leapt with excitement: “Could you tell me more about this profession?” Zhang Dongze smiled slightly, understanding the young person’s admiration for strength. He said: “At the early stages of the Elevated Realm, Night Wandering Deities demonstrate outstanding stealth and striking capabilities—remarkable burst power—and also possess skills in soul communication, corpse manipulation, and spirit control. Their skill set is diverse and their combat effectiveness is strong. However, Night Wandering Deity Pilgrims are extremely rare. Currently, there are no representatives of this profession within the Songhai City branch—the primary reason being that the night-wandering trial instances in Songhai are scarce. Additionally, the Taiyi Gate in the Capital City continuously recruits Night Wandering Deities from across the country.” By then, it naturally came to his attention to inquire about Zhang Yuanqing’s own profession: “What is your profession? I hope you’re not a Fire Master—I find young people with such a rough and impulsive demeanor particularly challenging.”