Heard the inquiry from the San Dao Mountain Organizational Leader, a dense stream of negative qi surged. The Organizational Leader leaned in to listen for several seconds, her expression growing more serious: "He has already visited Jinshui Amusement Park, yet you missed him." She seemed somewhat displeased. The ghost bride bowed again and then added something further. Her demeanor slightly softened, she pondered: "So you're saying he has three opportunities to summon you—only one remains? When he calls you the next time, go fetch the Artifact of Defeating Evils for me." The ghost bride gently shook her head. "That makes sense. You've been unable to open the storage vessels of those people. Then, I shall send a strand of my divine awareness to remain with you—whenever he summons you again, I will immediately detect it." Suddenly, the ghost bride knelt down. The Organizational Leader adopted a more stern tone: "You insisted that I not harm him—is he your husband? Hmph! He is the one who should act. What need do you have to interfere?" Then, her expression softened, and she said gently: "I am a duly appointed official deity of the imperial court—not some ragtag faction of magicians and demons." Only then did the ghost bride rise, silently reporting information. The Organizational Leader listened carefully for a long time before her eyes brightened: "You're telling me that on that night you observed a more pure divine energy than mine? Alas, at the time you were blocked from reality. Can you describe the man's appearance clearly? Very well—draw him for me." Shortly after, several minor spirits carried ink sets and placed them with care beside the ghost bride. The brush rose automatically, dipped into ink, and swiftly sketched on the scroll. Within minutes, a young man emerged—the features ordinary, his smile bright, radiating vibrant energy, yet beneath his eyes lingered an indelible sense of weariness. The Organizational Leader gazed at the image for several seconds before jotting it down, then waved her sleeve to ignite the scroll with golden flames that turned it into ash. She turned toward the deep night sky and contemplated for a moment, then smiled: "I noticed him in the temple—that very day—I sensed his life path was beset by hardships and entangled causes. Indeed, fascinating." ... Late at night, in a suburban hotel. Li Xianzong stood by the window, holding an old smartphone, patiently listening to the voice within it: "In the coming weeks, new fog leaders will arrive in Songhai to establish secret base units. The death of Tianlingling stems from you—our organization currently reserves the right to pursue accountability. However, should you achieve Sage status during this year’s execution instance missions, all matters shall be settled." The voice sounded youthful, with a warm, husky tone. Li Xianzong asked softly: "Master Magi, is Master Zhishake the heir of the Chu family? Who among the Heavenly Kings was responsible for the massacre that occurred twenty-one years ago?" Master Magi smiled pleasantly: "It wasn’t me. In recent days, we've received reports—some northern sect members have died at the hands of a woman. She has come to the north and must surely have learned much from Tianlingling." Li Xianzong stared in surprise, then laughed coldly: "A young professional just entering the Orderly Profession—that is enough to challenge a Heavenly King? Truly bold!" Master Magi replied: "I don’t care about this particular matter. What I truly care about is when your group of multiple Spirit Realm missions will arrive." Li Xianzong answered: "Within ten days." "Upon completing those missions, you’ll accumulate enough experience points to reach peak Rank 3—and thus truly enter the strongest tier of the Elevated Stage. By the way, what is the potential of the Yuan Shi Tian Zun in Songhai?" Master Magi replied: "You need not worry about this minor figure. The Yuan Shi Tian Zun has several artifacts and displays some cleverness—though he remains a novice. Rest assured—I will inform you personally within half a month of my successful hunt of him in Songhai." At that moment, Li Xianzong heard the pure, childlike laughter coming through the phone: "Uncle! Uncle! Let’s play!" Master Magi then said: "That concludes our conversation for now." Li Xianzong bowed respectfully: "Understood." They ended the call. ... In a remote county in the north, at a welfare home in the suburbs. The sunlight was bright. In the modest courtyard beneath the shade of trees, a young man was distributing candies, snacks, children's storybooks, and toys to the children gathered around him. The children ranged from five or six years old to barely ten—dressed simply, with dark-skinned faces full of genuine joy. The man was about twenty-six, with broad brows, bright eyes, thin lips—the appearance quite appealing. He wore a black T-shirt and black athletic pants, his headband tied neatly at the forehead. A strong, sunny, open-hearted presence. The director, a middle-aged woman with gentle features and kind expressions, stepped out of her building, entered beneath the trees, and smiled: "Mr. Yang, you’ve come?" He nodded and asked: "Have the overdue subsidies been issued yet?" The director sighed: "Finally! It turns out that the department head unexpectedly vanished—apparently embezzled funds and fled. The new leader has now distributed all the long-overdue payments to us." Li Xianzong beamed: "That’s wonderful!" She added: "Mr. Yang, would you like to have lunch with the children at the canteen?" The director had taken over this welfare home this year—originally reluctant to join because every previous director had mysteriously disappeared. However, her supervisor insisted she stay for three years before being transferred to a city position. With no family background of her own, she had little choice. Since arriving, she has diligently maintained the home and developed a deep appreciation for it. The children are pure-hearted and well-behaved—free from office politics and internal power struggles—and furthermore, she now knows Mr. Yang, who has quietly contributed to the welfare home for years before any of the previous directors. He regularly brings snacks and toys, plays with them, and the children all adore him. "Director, I’ll take the children out to fly kites," said the young man cheerfully. The director nodded, reminding the children to listen to Mr. Yang, then turned back into the building. As the young man gathered the children around, he stroked each of their heads and asked: "Do you like the new director?" "Yes!" "Are the meals at the canteen good? Does she ever scold you? Does she regularly send out clothes?" After receiving thoughtful answers to all questions, he nodded satisfiedly and smiled: "If at any time you find yourself dissatisfied with the director, just let me know." ... Clap! Clap! Clap! Zhang Yuanqing continuously threw punches around Guan Ya—occasionally sliding forward, retreating, or dodging—with straight punches and hooking punches as primary techniques, supplemented by elbow and arm work. After a week of intense training (and frequent bouts of injury), his combat skills had advanced dramatically—he could now withstand Guan Ya’s strong attacks without failing for three full minutes. In the words of Jing Wei: "I never thought you’d be such a natural in martial arts!" Unfortunately, though his cultivation was still brief, he hadn’t yet mastered using his lower body effectively—his applications of leg and foot movements remained at a beginner level. "Your progress is impressive," Guan Ya stepped aside from Zhang Yuanqing’s hook punch, then kicked him squarely in the chest. "But don’t grow overly confident. After beginners reach the entry stage, they typically experience a surge in performance—after that, further improvement becomes more difficult." "What should I do now?" Zhang Yuanqing staggered backward, steadied himself, and launched a rapid series of quick punches. Guan Ya effortlessly avoided them, then said: "Typically, there are three paths: first, strength training to build physical resilience—this helps compensate for technical shortcomings; second, learning established combat forms so you better understand your own body; third, extensive hands-on practice in actual combat scenarios." "Yes," Zhang Yuanqing brightened up and slowed his attack frequency. "Could you please explain the fourth path?" Guan Ya smiled: "The fourth path is to provoke your opponent—ignite their emotions—so that they become irrational or overly enthusiastic, transforming into a powerful but unrefined force. You are an expert in this—you’ve mastered it without formal training." "Ah—that’s exactly what I meant," Zhang Yuanqing said with enthusiasm. Guan Ya, however, grew serious: "If you use the 'Dragon Claw Hand' on me one more time, I shall not hold back." "Relax," Zhang Yuanqing assured. "This time, I’ll try a different technique—'Black Tiger’s Heart-Piercing!'" "Crash!" Guan Ya spun and delivered a flying leg kick that sent him flying. ... Three hours later, Zhang Yuanqing left the combat room with his face swollen and body weary—he first entered the bathroom to wash, removed his workout clothes, and changed into his own garments. Then he went down to the ground-floor restaurant to enjoy the meal prepared by the Rabbit Dancer. Recalling that he had recently focused on martial training and hadn’t updated his official forum posts in several days, he immediately pulled out his smartphone and logged in. The first thing that caught his eye were three highlighted, top-posted messages: # Fire Prince and the Gourmand General engage in a fierce battle at the outskirts of the Capital City—unable to determine a winner # # The Unmoving King of the Middle Court stands alone against two senior officials of the Spirit Energy Association—resisting relentless attacks before ultimately retreating # # A spirit servant of Taiyi Gate recently defeated an A-class fugitive named 'The Hand of Ghost and God'—the Five Elements Alliance is reporting steady victories # "Has it been this busy lately?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, puzzled. "The battles between Sage-stage Pilgrims should be significant. Yet my grandfather always watches the news—he hasn’t mentioned any incident in particular." Zhang Yuanqing read through each of these three top posts and thought: Official reports truly reflect a strong presence of skilled practitioners. In the fighting at the Sage Stage, official forces consistently prevailed—though their victories were not overwhelming. As he continued scrolling down, he came across another post: # The official member of Taiyi Gate, Yuan Ting, has vanished—possibly summoned by one of the senior elders # Ah yes—Master Sun has already departed for a mission. I’ll send a memorial offering to Yuan Captain. May heaven be without Master Sun… Zhang Yuanqing silently drew a cross on his chest. He continued reading further and found that the content had changed significantly. If the Sage Stage was experiencing constant victories, then at the Elevated Stage—evils were prevailing across the board. Within just minutes of scanning, he saw at least six to seven reports of Level-3 captains being eliminated by evil organizations. On the Elevated Stage leaderboard, even the top-ranked "A One" had launched a hunt against a 4th-level official. "Though it may seem disappointing," Zhang Yuanqing admitted, "the Orderly Faction does indeed struggle against the Evil Organization at the Sage level." "We now feel more cautious when going out—often reluctant to travel alone." "Our captain was attacked yesterday and sustained serious injuries. What we truly need is a decisive victory in the Elevated Realm." "Up above, though—the Yuan Shi Tian Zun of Songhai has been repeatedly beaten by Li Xianzong, who completed two consecutive S-level instance missions. That's a true talent!" Oh well—another case of being under pressure… Zhang Yuanqing felt increasingly frustrated. At that moment, Guan Ya carried over a plate of steak and sat across from him. She had just washed her hair, still damp, with no makeup—her face naturally radiant. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the old Si Ji several times and couldn’t help but admire—how a woman so plain could be described as truly beautiful. "Stop looking at me," Guan Ya said, grinding her teeth. "Every time I see you, I’m reminded of your Black Tiger Heart-Piercing and Dragon Claws." "That’s because you haven't seen my 'Sea Anchor' yet," Zhang Yuanqing replied, sighing. "I’ve cultivated this Sea Anchor technique for twenty-one years—and still haven’t found the Sea Eye." Guan Ya laughed: "I’m afraid it might not be a Sea Anchor at all—but just a toothpick. Indeed, a toothpick and a needle are quite similar—so there's no difference in essence." Zhang Yuanqing held his ground firmly: "My needle is quite large—you’ll have to bear with it a bit longer." This was now the absolute limit—he could barely endure faster pacing, let alone coughing. After clearing his throat several times, he changed the subject: "Ms. Guan, our colleagues in the Elevated Realm have suffered serious losses." Guan Ya cut her steak and said: "It’s completely normal—Orderly professionals are generally less skilled than Evil Organization members. At the Elevated Stage, Pilgrims often carry few or no artifacts—some even have none at all. When they face stronger Evil Organization members, defeat is inevitable. "As for those at the Sage Stage, they can now access resources from their regional branches. The more talented ones receive greater attention and are actively developed—thus holding a larger reserve of assets." That’s exactly what I expected! Zhang Yuanqing dipped his knife into the steak. Guan Ya sighed: "It’s always like this every year—the Elevated Realm officials keep getting defeated, especially when they're alone. You’ve been through it too, haven’t you?" "Ms. Guan, whenever you get a chance, I’ll bring Miss Xie Lingxi to meet you and learn how she speaks." (Side note: All proper nouns have been translated EXACTLY as specified in the input.) “Oh, how far have you developed with Xie Lingxi? Have you managed to turn her into a little ‘broken watermelon’?” “….” As he was speaking, footsteps echoed down the double staircase. The team leaders—Da Ji Ba, Li Dongze, Bai Long, the Fighter King, and Tang Guoqiang—descended with serious expressions. Zhang Yuanqing set down his cutlery and approached, turning to his own Chief: “What’s going on?” Fu Qingyang wouldn’t convene a meeting unless something was truly urgent. Li Dongze held his cane, sighed, and said: “We have three members missing from our Place Kangyang District; other districts also report losses—now we’ve accumulated ten cases.” “Missing?” Zhang Yuanqing frowned. “Were they hunted down by the Evil Organization?” Da Ji Ba scoffed. “No—it’s Li Xianzong who took them. He leaves behind written notes at every scene of operation…” The Fire Master, standing tall at 1.9 meters, looked at Zhang Yuanqing and said: “He told me that Yuan Shi Tian Zun—eventually, it will be your turn.” Zhang Yuanqing’s face darkened. Being challenged again and again had made him increasingly annoyed. One day, when I grow stronger, this guy will surely become a black mark in my history… Green Vine, whose nature is gentle, changed the subject softly: “We still don’t understand his purpose for capturing official Pilgrims. We’re afraid he might be planning to repeat the second major attack.” That’s precisely why Fu Qingyang called this meeting. It probably isn’t a full-scale plan for another terror assault—what we fear is that Li Xianzong possesses the techniques of a Wu Gu Master, capable of transforming those Pilgrims into enchanted beasts and then commanding them to surround and besiege me… The more Zhang Yuanqing thought about it, the heavier his heart grew. Bai Long narrowed her brows, angrily stating: “Li Xianzong is treating us too harshly—his actions have left everyone in my team anxious.” Li Dongze added: “We must act quickly to arrest him before time passes; otherwise, our Branch will suffer a serious setback. There are already posts on the Forum discussing this issue.” “But isn’t information supposed to be confidential?” Zhang Yuanqing asked. Tang Guoqiang shook his head: “You don’t always need personal information to investigate someone’s residence—simple surveillance is sufficient. As we handle incidents and go to work, we become easily exposed and then tracked over time.” Li Dongze didn’t press further on this point but said instead: “Yuan Shi, you should soon enter the Instance.” Zhang Yuanqing nodded: “I’ll be there within just a few days.” …