“What’s going on?” Zhang Yuanqing had a hunch already. “The White Tiger Army in Fenghui District is engaged in combat among Realm Walkers—one dead, one injured. We need you to conduct an inquiry.” Li Dongze’s voice was noisy, as if someone were arguing loudly on the other end. Indeed, it made sense—he knew this would be an inquiry request. The Chief had come to him for no help at all, which wasn’t surprising given that he himself was still quite young and not yet well-established. “Where is the Night Wandering Deity of Fenghui District?” Taiyi Gate has stationed a Night Wandering Deity in each major district of Songhai, including Kangyang District—where Yuan Ting serves. Naturally, Fenghui District must have one too. “The deceased is a Wu Gu Master. The spiritual body of a Wu Gu Master is particularly unusual and fierce—the very nature of such spirits tends to be turbulent and malignant. This particular master, however, is somewhat different… the risk of spirit consumption is notably high. The Night Wandering Deity from Taiyi Gate declined to take part in the inquiry, citing this as too risky, which led to a disagreement with our colleague here in Fenghui District.” Li Dongze’s tone was low and steady. As he spoke, the sound of argument grew even louder on the phone line. Wu Gu Master’s spiritual body? Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of optimism. Over these past days, he had reviewed many professional profiles. When categorized by spiritual power level, Wu Gu Masters ranked second—just behind Night Wandering Deities and Illusionists—and ahead of others like Phantom Demons and Enchantment Demons. That would be a significant experience boost for him. Yet, Zhang Yuanqing frowned: “Taiyi Gate is also an official organization. This is within their responsibility. Shouldn’t someone be overseeing them? If they’ve received official benefits and privileges, shouldn't they be actively fulfilling their duties instead of merely standing by?” “Taiyi Gate differs from the Five Elements Alliance,” Li Dongze said with a touch of resignation. “The Night Wandering Deities are relatively few in number. The Council is headquartered in the Capital City. Each district’s Night Wandering Deity Chief holds equal status—there's no hierarchy between them.” Complaints may certainly be filed, but to submit an official report would require going all the way to the Capital. There isn’t a current point-of-contact within Songhai. Eventually, such complaints will arise—but at this moment, what matters most is getting things done on the ground. And because of the turbulent nature of the Wu Gu Master’s spiritual body, other district Night Wandering Deities are unwilling to take risks for events in neighboring areas. At that very point, the importance of Taiyi Gate's own Night Wandering Deity within Fenghui District becomes especially evident. “I’ll be there right away,” Zhang Yuanqing said. At that moment, he could faintly hear someone speaking through the speaker: “Li Dongze, your approach isn’t acceptable. Although I deeply need an inquiry, this person is only Level 1…” The voice cut off abruptly as Li Dongze hung up. Zhang Yuanqing ended the call and turned to Lao Si Ji, who gently rotated her chair and smiled back at him. “From the tone of voice, it sounds like it’s from the Second Team—Li Dongze. The Second Team in Fenghui District hasn’t achieved many accomplishments lately; their performance has consistently lagged behind others. That explains why their Night Wandering Deity holds such a strong position.” Li Dongze? Such a great name! Zhang Yuanqing quietly muttered under his breath. Guan Ya added: “The captain of the Second Team in Fenghui District is also one of our White Tiger Army members.” Lao Si Ji gave him a flirtatious glance. She was signaling that he needed to build rapport with the mid-level officers of the White Tiger Army—and cultivate personal connections. Zhang Yuanqing looked at her, his expression thoughtful. “Guan Ya sister, are you becoming fond of me? Do you feel like an old cow eating tender grass?” Pfft! Wang Tai, who had been drinking water at the table across from them, suddenly sprayed it out in surprise. He stared at the two colleagues—how long had they been developing this relationship? And hadn’t he noticed anything? “An old cow?” Guan Ya frowned, her eyebrows raised, her forehead flushed with tension. Her full lips tightened as she said: “Yuan Shi, I think we still have time for a fight before the Chief returns from his vehicle.” “I see!” Zhang Yuanqing nodded, gracefully adapting. …… The black business sedan entered the Fenghui District Police Office. Through the window glass, Zhang Yuanqing saw Li Dongze supporting himself with a walking cane and already waiting at the entrance of the administrative building. After stepping out, they exchanged nods and then entered together into the office complex. A few minutes later, they arrived at the mortuary. Outside the mortuary, a spacious and bright corridor gathered about seven Realm Walkers. Zhang Yuanqing casually glanced around, making quick observations based on their appearance and demeanor. One with strong muscles, appearing impatient—definitely a Fire Master. The one standing with birds perched on his shoulders—the name of which? Ah, yes, the Chief mentioned that the members of the Bǎi Huā Association particularly love animals… The one whose expression was calm and reserved—clearly an Earth Oddity. Each of these Realm Walkers seemed visibly frustrated. Finally, Zhang Yuanqing turned to the man who had approached them—the middle-aged man in question. Around forty years old, with sunken eyes, a sharp nose, and thin lips, giving off a sense of authority and seriousness. “Allow me to introduce you,” Li Dongze said, smiling gently as he shared his ID number. “This is Captain from the Second Team of Fenghui District—Level 3 Scout, Spirit Realm ID: Tang Da Li Yongfang.” “I’ve heard this name repeated often,” Li Dongze sighed as he looked at Zhang Yuanqing with a serious expression. “Ever since I became captivated by dramas featuring Tang Dynasty characters, I've been naming everyone after figures from that era. You must be the new Night Wandering Deity we recently recruited—so young, so well-dressed.” Did they have someone named Di Renjie? If so, their conversations would surely become awkward—no, quite amusing… Zhang Yuanqing managed a quiet smile and eagerly shook hands with him, using the title “Captain” repeatedly. This made Li Yongfang’s expression warm and more pleased. “It's really good to have our own Night Wandering Deity.” After a brief pause, he continued: “I’ve heard the details from Li Dongze—thank you for explaining. I’m truly sorry that the Night Wandering Deity of Taiyi Gate in Fenghui District has refused to conduct the inquiry. We’re forced to turn to you instead.” The young man with strong muscles gave a sharp, dismissive sigh. “Even though the risk of consuming this Wu Gu Master’s spirit is substantial, it doesn’t amount to a life-threatening level—does it? Isn’t there any risk when we, on the frontline, battle against evil organizations?” “After all, Taiyi Gate Night Wandering Deities always seem so high above us. Whenever we request help from them, it feels like we’re asking for permission.” The young man with birds perched on his shoulders smiled and said: “So, clearly, being one of our own is much better.” Li Yongfang waved a hand to interrupt the subordinate’s complaint, then paused and reflected. “Although Li Dongze has assured you, I’d still like to emphasize—it's not just that the Wu Gu Master possesses strong spiritual power. His spirit is also chaotic and restless. The deceased in question was a Level 3 Wu Gu Master.” “The residual spirit remains extremely hazardous—do you have confidence in your ability to manage this?” Several team members immediately turned their gaze toward Zhang Yuanqing, full of hope. Zhang Yuanqing nodded confidently: “I’m certain—I can handle it.” The Realm Walkers from Fenghui District appeared visibly relieved. Li Yongfang’s expression softened slightly—the way he looked at Zhang Yuanqing now carried more genuine confidence. “Thank you,” he said with a slight nod. Li Dongze immediately led Zhang Yuanqing into the mortuary and closed the door, effectively blocking the colleagues from Fenghui District who had been eager to enter and observe. Li Dongze supported himself with his walking cane and walked toward a steel stretcher. He lifted the white sheet covering the body. Upon seeing the corpse beneath the sheet, Zhang Yuanqing was struck speechless—his face showed genuine astonishment. The body sported short dark green hair, deep brown skin that was rough yet resilient, thick layers of keratin-like armor covering the elbows and knees—resembling a suit of plate armor. The fingernails were darkly colored, sharply tapered and curved, each one packed with venom. His facial complexion also had a deep brown hue. His eyes were diffuse and dull, with vertical pupils resembling those of a snake, and the irises were amber-colored. Li Dongze held his walking cane in one hand and explained: “Wu Gu Masters at the Elevated Realm level have two primary techniques: first, cultivating spirits (‘gu’), using these spirit insects to silently kill their opponents; second, merging with the spirits themselves. Depending on the characteristics of the ‘gu’ creatures, they gain specific abilities—such as self-healing, vitality, strength, speed, or toxicity.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded in awe: “This is truly powerful—no wonder it’s considered an Evil Organization.” Notably, among native Spirit Realm professions, Wu Gu Masters, Illusionists, and Enchantment Demons are all elite-tier roles—on par with Night Wandering Deities. Thus, the Evil Organizations consist of only three types—and their overall numbers significantly lag behind those of the official Spirit Realm Walkers. Li Dongze continued: “He was killed during the process of merging with his spirit insects—the body remained in this state throughout. Honestly, it wasn’t a graceful death at all. Because he’s so deeply fused with the spirits, his spiritual essence is full of aggression and animalistic instincts—his mental aura has been profoundly corrupted. That explains why the Night Wandering Deity from Taiyi Gate declined to intervene.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded. He had the Artifact of the Vow of the Martial Deity protecting him—he was immune to such mental contamination. Li Dongze added: “The opponent he faced was also a Wu Gu Master—our team arrived just in time and eliminated one, while the other escaped wounded. We suspect this person may be a member of the Spirit Ability Association or possibly an underling of Black Unusual.” “Hurry up,” Li Dongze said. “We need to gather as much information as possible—by the way, I believe the colleagues from the Second Team are already eager for updates.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded and opened his inventory. He retrieved the Artifact and handed it over to Li Dongze. Then he walked toward the humanoid corpse and awakened the residual spiritual essence still present within. A faint, ethereal figure slowly emerged—his face expression dazed, yet filled with a fierce, shadowy intensity. More turbulent than even Ou Xiangrong’s spirit—both wanting to devour him and simultaneously resisting… Zhang Yuanqing sighed quietly. Thick black light surged in his eyes, filling the orbit of his vision. He opened his mouth and gently sucked it into his abdomen. A sharp pain flared across his brow. A flurry of fragmented memories swirled through his mind—one by one, he began piecing together fragments of the deceased’s life story. This Wu Gu Master had once been an unemployed professional—bold, passionate, known for fighting fiercely—notably collecting debts from financial institutions, managing high-interest loans, and often using tactics like “tricking” women into selling their services at night clubs—creating numerous grievances while enjoying a comfortable lifestyle. By chance, he was discovered by the Spirit Realm and granted a role card—became a Spirit Realm Walker. He named himself “The Outsider’s Rebel,” inspired by his sense of justice. After becoming a Spirit Realm Walker, he grew passionate about philanthropy—eventually, once he accumulated sufficient moral value, began to act out with violence: killing ordinary people and women for emotional release, channeling his deep-rooted malice through these acts. These fragmented memories were deeply painful. They profoundly challenged Zhang Yuanqing’s worldview—fostering a growing sense of disdain and hostility toward everything that was once considered normal. Then, he encountered the critical memory he sought. In an elegant tea room, a man with a silver mask covering his upper half sat at a glass round table sipping tea from a ceramic cup. He looked across to the figure—“Zhang Yuanqing”—and said: “The Night Wandering Deity has passed. The position of East District President of the Spirit Ability Association is now secure—after years of rivalry between the two vice-presidents, it’s finally settled.” “What exactly happened?” Zhang Yuanqing heard the voice of the host. “That isn’t something you’re expected to know,” the man in the silver mask said, his tone sharp. “I’m truly sorry,” Zhang Yuanqing replied politely. The man softened his gaze and poured him a cup of tea. “The Black Unusual has taken both the Sacred Cup and the Register—and hidden away. The Sacred Cup is a rule-based Prop for the Wu Gu Master profession—its importance cannot be overstated. The Register collects all the subordinates whom the Night Wandering Deity has trained over the years.” “By controlling the Register, one can effectively command numerous Spirit Realm Walkers—both are extremely valuable. This is our opportunity to make a breakthrough—help the master locate the Black Unusual and consolidate the strength of the East District Branch. Then we’ll be able to stand on par with the Five Elements Alliance’s branch in Songhai.” “So, Master, what should I do now?” The Outsider’s Rebel breathed slightly faster, his voice filled with excitement. “I have a list of subordinates under Black Unusual—go through each name and locate them. Perhaps you’ll find where the Black Unusual is hiding. Naturally, these individuals have already disappeared—they are known as: ‘Unimpeded,’ ‘Injustice of Heaven,’ ‘The Man Who Kills Without Mercy,’ and ‘The Graceful Wife.’ Their actual identities are…”