Dancing? Ou Xiangrong was startled, his mind momentarily at a loss.
How could an enchanted prop invite him to dance?
Ou Xiangrong scoffed. Of course he wouldn’t dance with the enemy’s red dancing shoes during battle—right then and there, he bit through his tongue and spat out a stream of blood onto Liu Ren’s bright-bladed sword.
As an experienced Realm Walker and member of the Evil Organization, he had fought countless battles against the Night Wandering Deity, knowing well its skill set.
Enchanted props were renowned for their strangeness—Ou Xiangrong once suffered from one that clung to him for several days, proving quite troublesome.
Yet, there was a clear drawback: limited actual damage output. Furthermore, enchanted props generally feared strong yang energy, and such a prop harboring a restless spirit could be subdued by just a sip of blood at the tip of the tongue.
This wasn’t problematic in any way.
The red dancing shoes waited several seconds, then seemed to grow annoyed when the human refused to dance—dark crimson glimmers appeared along their surface, and with an urgent “tap-tap” rhythm, they surged toward Ou Xiangrong.
Ou Xiangrong remained steadfast as the shoes approached. When they leapt toward his head and attacked, he calmly swung Liu Ren’s blade, aiming to deliver a decisive blow to the spirit residing within the shoes.
But upon cutting through the shoe, there was no sensation of physical impact—the red dancing shoes seemed to exist in another realm entirely, unrealized in this present reality.
“Thump-thump!”
Next moment, two powerful kicks landed on Ou Xiangrong’s chest and face—each one with a solid force that sent shockwaves through his body.
He felt exactly what Zhang Yuanqing had experienced when pierced by the pain, unable to breathe, heart rate slowing as if it stopped. His cheeks burned; warm liquid trickled out from his nasal passages.
This… this wasn’t the Night Wandering Deity’s typical prop! Ou Xiangrong stood stunned and bewildered:
“Void?”
The characteristics of this item resembled those of a foreign occupation—an entry-level Night Wanderer possessing such a prop? That seemed rather odd.
Before he could ponder further, the dancing shoes changed direction again, advancing once more toward him.
Ou Xiangrong didn’t bother wiping blood from his nose—his arms crossed in front of his chest, and with two solid thuds, the Enchantment Demon rolled off the car roof.
Ou Xiangrong moved in a series of fluid actions: he staggered forward, dashed, rolled, or used the vehicle as cover, weaving through the spacious underground garage. He avoided most of the shoe impacts—yet still was repeatedly stepped upon. Each time, it caused him intense pain; the wounds from last night’s battle flared up again, and blood began seeping from his internal organs.
Strong indeed… The owner Zhang Yuanqing stood by, watching in deep amazement.
He now fully grasped the terrifying power of prop-type items—its relentless pursuit could not be interrupted or disrupted; its target was forced to endure it passively unless the rules were broken—that is, by dancing.
But that was impractical. Even if Ou Xiangrong bowed and endured, trying to keep his dignity and perform a tap-dance, Zhang Yuanqing would intervene, causing mistakes in his steps—any misstep rendered all efforts futile.
Still, Zhang Yuanqing clearly recognized the strength of the Enchantment Demon—the sheer force of the shoes had managed to withstand the very strong physicality of Ou Xiangrong.
The body’s resilience was astounding.
“Ou Xiangrong wouldn’t just stand there and die—he’ll escape once he realizes he can only endure attacks, unable to respond.”
Zhang Yuanqing thought clearly—his mission now: strike before the enemy fled.
He didn’t need to kill; merely needed to hold off this killer long enough.
“Thump-thump!”
Ou Xiangrong missed another evasion—the shoes struck him twice on his face and neck, sending him staggering back and momentarily losing consciousness.
Opportunity!
Zhang Yuanqing surged forward like a leopard—grasping the Artifact of the Fungal Demons, he charged in an arcing path, circling behind Ou Xiangrong, then thrust the spear directly at his back.
“Hooom!”
Suddenly, a dense, misty white light emerged—blocking the sharp triangular tip of the artifact. The force came from the bronze belt token tightly held by Ou Xiangrong in his left hand—a weathered, cracked ancient token stained with blood, like an item belonging to a seasoned veteran soldier.
This was Heng Jingjun’s defensive prop.
“Defensive prop?”
Zhang Yuanqing felt a chill—his footfall faltered as he stepped around Ou Xiangrong, repeatedly striking the white light barrier with the Artifact of the Fungal Demons, producing ripples of luminous waves.
Now protected by the dancing shoes, he managed to avoid several sword strikes and punches without being “severed.”
“Crack!”
Eventually, under the high-frequency blows from both the artifact and the dancing shoes, the bronze belt token shattered into fragments—the white light dispersed into shimmering dust.
At that very moment, Zhang Yuanqing’s night-wandering state ended—his body materialized fully.
Ou Xiangrong had been waiting for this exact moment—red glimmers surged in his eyes, and twisted, eerie sigils appeared on the surface of his vision.
Enchantment!
Zhang Yuanqing felt a thunderous roar in his mind—the world dissolved into silence. He lost all thought; as if he were floating, unaware of the battle unfolding around him. A single voice echoed constantly in his mind:
“Set down your weapons—don’t resist. Set down your weapons—don’t resist…”
Ou Xiangrong sneered, drawing Liu Ren’s blade toward the young Night Wandering Deity’s neck.
He preferred to endure the relentless assault from the dancing shoes rather than use this defensive prop—because he was waiting for the Night Wandering Deity to make the first move.
The prop, originally assigned by a scout class, had already suffered partial damage; if used earlier, it could only resist the shoes momentarily before failing completely.
So instead, he endured, created a flaw in his defense, and deliberately invited the opponent to act.
As anticipated—the young Night Wandering Deity lacked experience and was impatient—she had indeed fallen for the ruse.
Yet, just as the blade touched her neck, Ou Xiangrong saw the deities’ body suddenly collapse. The blade swept lightly across her scalp, cutting a few strands of hair.
At that very moment, the red dancing shoes—previously relentlessly pursuing him—appeared now on the young Night Wandering Deity’s feet, compelling her into a split-legged stance, thereby avoiding the throat-cutting attack.
Meanwhile, this very deities, who should have been enchanted and disoriented, suddenly flashed with golden light in her eyes—she regained full composure instantly, then leapt forward, driving herself forcefully against Ou Xiangrong’s chest.
Ou Xiangrong had never anticipated such a reversal—he couldn’t believe that even a Level 1 Night Wanderer could escape his enchantment.
And at this very moment, he still maintained the position of his blade, unable to withdraw or control it—only watching helplessly as the yellow bronze spear plunged into his chest.
“Puff!”
Tissue torn apart—the tip of the artifact burst out with a radiant golden glow, extinguishing life in his torso.
Ou Xiangrong felt himself grow dim, nearly fainting under the pain—but being an experienced Enchantment Demon, he rallied at the brink of death, drawing back his right arm and using Liu Ren’s blade to slash across the young Night Wandering Deity’s throat.
At the same time, he tightened his left arm muscles, extending his elbow, transforming the fist into a powerful spear-like weapon—then struck with sharp precision toward the enemy's shoulder.
Zhang Yuanqing gasped in mid-motion—he dodged the cutting blade and was then struck squarely by Ou Xiangrong’s fist, launching him like a sandbag, flying backward.
“Clang!”
He slammed into one of the business vehicles—cracks spread across the windshield—and even before he landed, his form began to dissolve slowly, vanishing from Ou Xiangrong’s sight entirely.
Once again, Zhang Yuanqing entered his night-wandering state.
Ou Xiangrong didn’t look at him—he staggered and rushed toward Xu Yingying.
His heart had been shattered—now the only thing that could save him was fresh human blood; he needed to kill people to enter a state of wild fury, thereby healing his injuries and reversing his fate.
Then he would storm out into the campus, cleanse the land with the Enchantment Demon’s inherent blood-thirstiness, restoring himself.
Yet this meant his morality score would plummet below 60—leading to an official summons by the Spirit Realm—and being surrounded by all the Realm Walkers in the city. But now, he couldn’t care less.
“Tap-tap-tap…”
Two distinct crimson glimmers materialized from nowhere—evolving into a pair of fresh red dancing shoes that immediately began pursuing and cutting off Ou Xiangrong’s life.
To Ou Xiangrong’s ears at this moment, these footsteps sounded like the funeral bell, the sigh of death, or the verdict of Yama—the King of Death.
“Thump-thump!”
The face of Ou Xiangrong was repeatedly stomped—his flesh and tissue torn—uncontrollably he lifted his head and collapsed. But at the very last moment, he hurled Liu Ren’s blade into the air.
A forty-centimeter-long weapon, it glowed silver and shot toward Xu Yingying in the distance.
Ou Xiangrong kept his eyes locked on the blade’s tip.
“Clang!”
Suddenly, sparks flew—the blade was knocked off course by a bronze spear extending from the void—revealing a clear silhouette beside Xu Yingying.
It was Zhang Yuanqing.
Seeing this scene, Ou Xiangrong’s hope transformed into despair and resignation.
Then, the dancing shoes descended from above—landing squarely on his face, crushing his nasal bone, splitting his lips—and forcing two of his eyeballs to burst out.
Ou Xiangrong spasmed briefly before finally losing consciousness.
Zhang Yuanqing sat down heavily beside Xu Yingying, breathing deeply—as though he had been drained of strength.
His chest surged with a deep resentment—his hands and feet trembled continuously.
This was not fear—it was the surge of adrenaline brought on by extreme urgency; when people face life-threatening danger, adrenaline floods their bodies, enabling them to act with unwavering intensity—people are said to go “on fire” in such moments.
In other words, he had truly become aggressive and unrelenting!
The mission plan had succeeded.
Before engaging the battle, Zhang Yuanqing had clearly mapped out his strategy—with only one obstacle: overcoming the Enchantment Demon’s skill of enthrallment. Therefore, prior to launching his surprise attack, he had already sacrificed the Artifact of the Fungal Demons in anticipation.
Among its functions, there was one that purified—thus enabling him to engage in close combat with the second form of the dancing shoes, which proved effective at deflecting a fatal throat-cutting attack.
He had thoroughly analyzed all of Ou Xiangrong’s abilities: marking, enchantment, rage, and close-range fighting—he had anticipated each one precisely. If he still couldn’t defeat him by now, Zhang Yuanqing believed there was no point in continuing on.
After calming his breath for a few minutes, Zhang Yuanqing regained composure. He heard the Spirit Realm’s voice in his ear:
【Ping! You have defeated a Level 3 Enchantment Demon—gaining 30 Moral Points and 15 Reputation Points. Reputation is now activated.】
Zhang Yuanqing paused—he quickly opened his character attribute panel, noticing that a new “Reputation” column had been added.
What was reputation? Did defeating an opponent from the opposing Spirit Realm earn him this reward? As a seasoned gamer, he knew of reputations in other worlds—but didn’t know how it functioned within the Spirit Realm world.
Zhang Yuanqing thought briefly—deciding to set it aside for now and head over to the official Forum to investigate further.
Compared with the rewards from the Spirit Realm, tangible battlefield spoils held more immediate value for him.
He rose and walked toward Ou Xiangrong’s body, kicking his eyes into the base of the vehicle, then dragging the corpse into a shaded corner.
Carefully searching over the body, he found a smartphone and a wallet.
The smartphone was an older model—only capable of phone calls; the wallet, however, was full and substantial—he opened it to discover a stack of one-hundred-yuan bills, plus a fake ID card.
Zhang Yuanqing counted them carefully—“As a fugitive on the run, carrying only over 1,500 yuan? That seems rather improbable…”
Seized! He extracted the money and placed it into his pocket.
Then he walked to the far side of the garage and picked up Liu Ren’s sharp blade.
At that very moment, a new message appeared in his vision:
【Name: Blood-Thirsty Blade】
【Type: Weapon】
【Function: Bleeding, blood-thirsty, armor-piercing】
【Description: A powerful Enchantment Demon once fed her own essence into this blade—over time, it became exceptionally bloodthirsty. Its edge can cut through hardened steel; wounds inflicted by it rarely heal, and it absorbs the vitality of its victims to nourish the wielder, making them stronger over time.】
【Note: A blade that doesn’t serve its master isn’t truly a good weapon.]
“This blade is impressive—had I allowed it to kill Xu Yingying earlier, Ou Xiangrong would have received the benefit of this blade’s nourishment through reverse feed-back… Good thing I kept watch over Xu Yingying.”
Zhang Yuanqing returned to Ou Xiangrong’s body and removed his sword sheath from behind the waist—equipping it on himself—and then inserted the “Blood-Thirsty Blade” into the sheath.
Currently, the blade had no master—it would simply need to be stored in the inventory to claim ownership.
But Zhang Yuanqing didn’t plan to take possession of it yet—the note inside made him feel uneasy.
This blade clearly belonged to a sacrifice-type item—its use came at a price.
Based on its description, he could guess two possible costs: either those who wielded it would be cursed and ultimately die; or they’d have to regularly feed their own essence into the blade. The latter seemed far more likely.
Another requirement of blood sacrifices—the Artifact of the Fungal Demons has already drained my vitality! If I now add this Blood-Thirsty Blade, how will I manage day-to-day life?
At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing saw the Divine Object “tapping-tapping-tapping” walk towards him, one step forward and one back, and a message appeared:
【Would you like to dance with me? If so, please stand still in place.】
He realized then that he had not yet returned the prop to his inventory, and as he was about to decline and retrieve it, a prompt suddenly reached him from the Spirit Realm:
【Note: Each time this prop is used, you must perform a dance. Should you refuse, the Divine Object will no longer appreciate you and will launch an assault upon you.】
Zhang Yuanqing opened his mouth in surprise—this was the first time he had used the prop in reality after acquiring it, completely unprepared to pay such a cost just by using this rule-type prop.
If I don’t dance with you, you’ll kill me? That’s truly quite demanding… Zhang Yuanqing smiled warmly and rose from his seat, “I’d be delighted.”
Soon, clear tapping sounds echoed throughout the spacious and quiet parking garage.
This time, Zhang Yuanqing did not experience a flare-up of his old ailment—he managed to perform a full dance thanks to his extraordinary physical constitution—but his steps were frequently off-beat.
Fortunately, as the owner of the Divine Object, he remained unharmed by its attacks.
After completing the dance, the Divine Object stepped back with its right foot, then lifted both toes and bowed gracefully in a kneeling gesture.
Just as Zhang Yuanqing returned the Divine Object to his inventory, a sharp sound of footsteps came from the steep slope behind him.
Looking in that direction, he saw Li Dongze leading Guan Ya, along with seven or eight strangers who were unfamiliar to him, rushing through and entering the underground garage.
Some held guns, others carried swords, and some even carried cats—fully equipped.
Thank goodness, thank goodness—he had just finished dancing… Zhang Yuanqing felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
…