The next day, Zhang Yuanqing received a text message from Guan Ya: “Wang Qian’s identity has been verified—no issues. Since it was an accident, there's no violation in creating the spirit servant.” “Got it.” “You go to the hospital and have Wang Qian complete the ‘Spirit Realm Pilgrim File’ and a statement of commitment. Keep these on file—it’s your case after all.” “Understood.” “How sweet of you! I’ve another suggestion: You’ve been part of the official organization for some time now—time to expand your network and channels. Zhishake Palace is one of the more influential civilian organizations in Songhai. Consider making Wang Qian a source there; who knows, we might establish ties with them later.” “That’s excellent—I’ll never have trouble delivering a baby again!” “Haha! You’re so funny… By the way, isn’t it almost time for your second entry into the Spirit Realm?” “I hope this one isn't S-level.” “It shouldn’t be—though statistically, it's certainly possible. Both I and Chief Shi are eager to see how you perform in your next Spirit Realm instance.” “Why?” “A solo Spirit Realm test reveals natural talent; a multi-person Spirit Realm evaluates capacity. The challenges of the instance may not be as severe as in solo missions, but there you’ll meet other Spirit Realm Pilgrims—introducing many unpredictable elements. At that point, one’s overall competence will truly come to light.” As they chatted casually, Zhang Yuanqing finished washing up and sat down at the table. “Who are you talking to?” Aunt Jiang poked her with a little pout. “Nothing to do with you,” said Zhang Yuanqing, pressing her forehead and pushing her away. Jiang Yubi grew increasingly annoyed and launched into a PK match; Zhang Yuanqing responded boldly, and then both of them were subdued by the irritable grandmother. After breakfast, Zhang Yuanqing donned his baseball cap and mask before stepping out, taking a taxi to Ping Tai Hospital. In the outpatient office, Zhang Yuanqing looked at the young doctor who appeared low-spirited and smiled: “You seem a bit down.” After a pause, Wang Qian said softly with a dimmed gaze, “He’s gone—I can’t sense him anymore…” What a pity! Zhang Yuanqing offered comfort: “He had already passed away—separation is inevitable.” Wang Qian expressed his emotional distress: “He was my sister’s first child and also my first nephew. To better care for my sister, my mother resigned from her job early on and purchased strollers, bottles, clothing—all the preparations for a newborn. The whole family waited eagerly for him to arrive—everyone prepared for the next generation.” “After the miscarriage, my sister suffered a major blow—crying all day long. My mother quietly hid away, wiping tears, feeling deeply responsible for not having taken good care of her daughter.” “In the past fifteen days, I’ve been afraid every time I sense him in the hospital—it brings back memories of my own helplessness and of the pain in my family. Yet I can’t help wanting to be near him, wanting to accompany him—he’s so young, surely he feels lonely…” Zhang Yuanqing listened silently without further comfort. Should you perform well, I’ll introduce you to him—on one condition: become an official source for me. Once Wang Qian’s mood stabilized, he said: “I’ve two things today. First, complete a form and a commitment letter—you will officially be recorded as a Spirit Realm Pilgrim. The official organization won’t interfere with you unless you breach any rules or misuse your abilities. Second—would you like to become one of my sources?” “The first is fine. As for the second…” Wang Qian looked at him thoughtfully: “I haven’t served as a source for anyone before, and I’ll need to report upward and gain approval.” Zhishake Palace maintains a decent relationship with the official organization—he’s not resistant to becoming an official source, especially compared to yesterday’s sharp and decisive woman. But he doesn’t quite respect this one—she appears younger than himself. “Understood,” said Zhang Yuanqing, bowing slightly. “What’s your Spirit Realm ID? I need to know who you are.” Each time I report my ID, I’m afraid it will be challenged… Zhang Yuanqing’s face grew solemn as he spoke each word clearly and deliberately: “Yuan Shi Tian Zun!” …… “Yuan Shi Tian Zun? A grand name—but I haven’t heard of it…” Wang Qian shook his head, then quickly edited the text message to inform his supervisor. Zhishake Palace maintains a respectable relationship with the official organization—though there’s always an official-civil distinction. The organization doesn’t want its internal members to grow too close to the official side. Therefore, approval from his superior is unlikely. Moreover, even if contact were needed with officials, it would have to be at the level of Chief or Executive Officer. This young person appears clearly a frontline staff member. If he were an established Spirit Realm Pilgrim, he would certainly know of him. But Wang Qian has no memory of “Yuan Shi Tian Zun”—he finds the connection quite insignificant. Then, he returned to his work duties, and after seeing several patients, his phone rang—displaying: Qing Dian Da Sheng. Wang Qian answered the call. The voice came through clearly and sonorously: “Saint Hand—by your words, the person assigned to you is Yuan Shi Tian Zun?” His ID is “God of Medicine, Saint Hand.” “Yes, Director,” said Wang Qian. “I haven’t agreed—I’ve given him a subtle refusal.” At the same time, he found it strange—such matters should only require a text message notification. Why did Director Qing Dian personally call? “In recent days, Songhai won’t be calm—we need to keep close watch on official developments. So I’d like you to agree with him,” said Qing Dian Da Sheng. “Alright… I’ll reply to him,” Wang Qian replied calmly. “And while you’re at it—keep an eye on him, specifically Yuan Shi Tian Zun.” “Oh? Why?” Wang Qian paused—after all, that was just a typical official Spirit Realm Pilgrim. “I’ve learned this through a confidential channel: recently, a new recruit passed the She Ling Tunnel, setting a record. Just days ago, he defeated a third-level Enchantment Demon.” “Could it be…” “He’s ID’d simply as Yuan Shi Tian Zun.” As Wang Qian recalled the young man’s expression when he first reported his ID—awe struck! …… The full moon hung high above. The once-abandoned ancient temple stood quietly in the moonlight. A woman dressed in classical robes stood proudly on the roof of the main hall, gazing at the bright moon above. This beauty had a refined oval face, eyes like autumn water, brows like distant mountains, lips rich and sensuous—clearly serene yet radiantly vibrant. “This place isn’t Ming Dynasty. Who brought me here after I fell asleep?” She furrowed her delicate brows, murmuring softly to herself. After a moment of reflection, she fixed her gaze on the full moon. Two beams of radiant golden light burst from her eyes and surged upward, striking the celestial sphere of the moon. “Whoosh…” The space around them trembled intensely. The beams collided with an invisible barrier, splashing forth brilliant golden sparks that transformed the entire realm into a shimmering lustrous gold. These two beams remained steady for half a minute before gradually fading out. Red blood streamed from the eyes of San Dao Mountain’s Lady, tracing down her pale cheeks. “To break through this place, we must recover the other half of the Yang Spirit…” She lifted her slender hand to gently wipe away the blood trail and sighed, “Since we can’t return—then let us cause a commotion within these lands.” With swift movements, she swiftly formed hand seals and pressed her fingers upward. A piercing sword-like surge erupted from between her fingers, rushing into the sky, carving out a gaping hole in the heavens that began to collapse inward. San Dao Mountain’s Lady dissolved into golden light and vanished through the rift. …… In the Capital City, within the Si-Hé-Yuán courtyard. Underneath the locust tree, Sun Elder reclined comfortably on a rocking chair, with Beijing opera drifting softly from the radio atop the tea table. Suddenly, a radiant golden sun appeared at his temple center—vibrantly pulsing and emitting intense heat. A powerful pressure radiated outward from this mark. This… Sun Elder sat up abruptly, his expression serious. At that moment, a solemn voice resonated within his mind: “The Night Wandering Deity Realm has changed—inform all local disciples. Recent tasks may experience abnormalities. Report immediately upon any observation.” “Yes, Master.” …… Mu Qiu is the second-level Night Wandering Deity of Taiyi Gate—a top-tier professional in combat strength. Without relying on props, his fighting power compares fully with that of third-level professionals from other professions. Thus, he holds a leading position as a captain-level figure in Hangzhou’s Liansha District. “Captain,” said the assistant, bringing over a notebook computer, “The Five Elements Alliance’s Hangzhou branch has sent an email—please check it.” Mu Qiu glanced at the screen and said lightly: “Reply them—arrange for another Night Wandering Deity to take the inquiry.” The content of the email requested that he visit to conduct inquiries. Recently, the various branches of the Five Elements Alliance have been actively arresting and interviewing wild Spirit Realm Pilgrims in order to identify potential cases of the Fallen Ones. For those who resist firmly, on-site elimination has become a strategy. Among these eliminated wild Spirit Realm Pilgrims, nine out of ten are truly unworthy—those who uphold discipline and act with integrity do not oppose contact with the official organization. They simply prefer not to be bound by rules. Only those with prior disciplinary records fear being summoned for tea. Mu Qiu declined the inquiry—not due to anxiety about post-encounter symptoms, as he is a man of principle. In his role, he fulfills responsibilities—since he has accepted this position, he must uphold it. But lately, it’s not possible—he has just initiated a new solo Spirit Realm journey that will culminate in his promotion from second to third level, entering the peak tier of the Elevated Realm. Over these past days, he has applied for numerous second-to-third-level solo Spirit Realm instances. Though the Spirit Realm constantly shifts, there is still a certain period involved. The Taiyi Gate’s ability to compile and organize strategies far exceeds the pace at which the realms change themselves. Thus, having an organized strategy greatly enhances success rates. At this moment, Mu Qiu heard the familiar Spirit Realm notification sound: [Ring—Spirit Realm map now loading. You will enter the Realm in three minutes. This is your current entry: “Night Wandering Deity — Ming Lake Town,” ID No. 0128.] [Demand Level: S] [Type: Solo (Death-based)] [Main Mission: Investigate the cause of the mysterious deaths among town residents.] [Note: Inbound items from the Spirit Realm are not allowed.] [Introduction to ID 0128: Since some unknown time, residents in the town have been dying one after another—no one knows why. Some say a coffin was pulled up from the lake; others report cats hanging on the village gate’s locust tree; still others claim a woman-faced serpent appeared behind the mountains; and some speak of an unexpected pregnancy among the widows.] [Whisper now—don’t speak—it’s coming… it’s coming...] Mu Qiu’s face turned pale as paper, his eyes filled with despair and bewilderment. When did Ming Lake Town become an S-level task? ...