By now, Zhang Yuanqing had climbed onto the windowsill, ready to leap.
Watching the Vengeful Spirit approach with its twisted posture, step by step, Zhang Yuanqing felt as if he were back in the She Ling Tunnel, facing Vengeful Spirits and Zombies with nothing but his ordinary human body.
Danger lurked everywhere, and peril was constant.
But unlike the Mountain God Temple, where at least the Main Hall had offered shelter, in this Dream Realm, he had nothing—no Items, no reinforcements, no skills. Everything from reality had vanished.
Wait!
Suddenly, a forgotten Item flashed into his mind: the Dream-Entering Jade Talisman!
A consumable gift from Master Wuhen, it was an Illusion Master's Item, produced by the Nightmare Generator.
Since it belonged to the Dream Domain, could it manifest within the Dream Realm?
But I can't access my Inventory... No, since it's a Dream Domain Item, it might not require real-world activation. If this is a dream, what if I simply imagine it into existence?
As The White-Clad Murderess drew closer, Zhang Yuanqing abandoned hesitation and decided to try.
He immediately visualized the outline of the Black Jade in his mind.
During this process, he had already half-stepped out of the window.
At that moment, the White-Clad Murderess had retreated to the window, her arm twisting 180 degrees with a crack as she raised the cleaver high above her head.
Just then, a deep, dark aura slowly emerged from above Zhang Yuanqing's head.
Buzz!
The cleaver, capable of cleaving through steel security doors, was blocked by this profound aura.
Immediately afterward, the dark aura expanded rapidly, engulfing the entire Dream Realm and shrouding the room in an inky veil.
The room began to distort and transform. Simple stone bricks replaced the elmwood floor, a coffered ceiling painted with celestial deities and Buddhas replaced the plaster ceiling, and vibrant candlelight replaced the fluorescent lights.
Zhang Yuanqing looked around. He was back in the Ancient Temple, its towering Buddha statue reaching the coffered ceiling. Beneath the statue, a figure in a cyan monk's robe sat cross-legged, its back to him.
The White-Clad Murderess stood just a few meters away, frozen mid-swing with the cleaver raised high, as if struck by a Stasis Spell.
Phew, the Dream-Entering Jade Talisman really works! Zhang Yuanqing felt genuine joy, having narrowly escaped death and reclaimed his life.
He glanced down at his chest. The knife wound was still there, but for some reason, it had stopped bleeding.
He immediately clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect toward Master Wuhen's retreating figure and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, Master, for saving my life."
Having witnessed Master Wuhen's immense power, Zhang Yuanqing felt even greater reverence. Is this what Sovereign-level power looks like?
Master Wuhen, his back still turned, spoke in a low, ethereal voice that echoed through the hall, as if he were suppressing some deep pain: "Who have you angered?"
Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced through a list of possible enemies before he shook his head. "I don't know. But after visiting the hotel during the day, I received a text message mentioning the urban legend of the White-Clad Murderess who kills in dreams. Then I was immediately hunted by her."
As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the Vengeful Spirit standing nearby. He couldn't make out her face, but seeing the constant dripping of black blood, he decided it was best not to try.
Master Wuhen's voice echoed again: "This is likely an Item, a fusion of the Illusion Master and Nightwalker classes. Its rank is not low."
So it was indeed an Illusion Master's ability, but what kind of Item could fuse two major classes? Zhang Yuanqing frowned.
"An Item that combines the abilities of two professions?"
Master Wuhen paused, seemingly surprised by Zhang Yuanqing's lack of such basic knowledge. He explained, "The Scholar profession's 'Artifact Forging' skill allows the creation of Items that blend two or more professions. However, this is limited to low-level Items. The higher the Item's rank, the greater its exclusivity."
So the Xiahou Family wants me dead? No, Xiahou Xin and his son are already dead, and Xiahou Chi is imprisoned in the zoo. The other Xiahou Family members have no reason to kill me. Why else would they kick Xiahou Tianyuan when he was down?
Zhang Yuanqing fell into deep thought.
After a moment, he glanced at Master Wuhen's retreating figure and thought, Why am I even trying to figure this out myself?
"Master," Zhang Yuanqing called out, "I want to know who's trying to kill me. Do you have any guidance?"
Master Wuhen's calm voice echoed through the hall:
"Inquire the Soul!"
Right! It's an Item, but it's also a Spectral Entity. If it's a Spectral Entity, I can devour it! Zhang Yuanqing's initial excitement quickly faded as he realized, "But I'm in a dream right now. I can't use my skills."
Master Wuhen patiently explained:
"I will use the power of the Dream Realm to trap it and seal it within your Sea of Consciousness. When you awaken in reality, you may devour it."
"Thank you, Master Wuhen," Zhang Yuanqing said, overjoyed, pressing his palms together in a respectful bow.
When he opened his eyes again, he recognized the familiar ceiling. He was lying on his soft bed, covered by a thin air-conditioned blanket.
"Hiss~"
A sharp pain shot through his chest, and the pungent smell of blood filled his nostrils.
Zhang Yuanqing lifted the blanket to see a gruesome knife wound across his chest, the flesh split open to reveal bone. The bleeding had stopped, but even with the Nightwalker's healing abilities, it would take time to heal.
"The injuries from the Dream Realm carry over to reality... That was close. I almost kicked the bucket."
Recalling his ordeal in the Dream Realm, he shuddered with lingering fear.
Fortunately, he had Master Wuhen's Dream-Entering Jade Talisman. Otherwise, the Five Elements Alliance would have lost a promising genius by dawn.
He dared not imagine his family's reaction.
"The Illusion Master truly deserves to be one of the three great Evil Classes. Every peak profession has its terrifying aspects. Though I narrowly escaped with my life today, if I don't eliminate the mastermind behind this, I'll face danger again tomorrow, the day after...
"Master Wuhen's Jade Talisman can only be used once. He didn't give me another one, which means he won't help me again."
Zhang Yuanqing calmed his emotions and closed his eyes. Soon, he sensed a profoundly sinister aura lurking deep within his consciousness—violent and malevolent, yet firmly suppressed by an overwhelming force.
Just as he was about to devour the Evil Spirit, he realized there was no one to purify him afterward. He paused, opened his Inventory, and summoned the Demon Subduing Pestle.
Then he "spit out" Little Goofball. Now that the little guy had leveled up, he could interact with real-world objects, making him a valuable asset.
"Aba aba?" Little Goofball stared in shock at his blood-soaked Master, unable to understand what had happened.
"Later, after I close my eyes, give me a blast," Zhang Yuanqing gestured wildly, finally managing to convey the complex command to Little Goofball.
Terrified of the Demon Subduing Pestle, Little Goofball carefully cradled it in his arms and nodded vigorously with his sparsely haired head.
Good boy. Zhang Yuanqing lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and prepared to communicate with the Vengeful Spirit deep within his Sea of Consciousness. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his calf.
A brilliant golden light erupted, purifying energy surging through his entire body.
Zhang Yuanqing sat up stiffly, his face rigid, and glanced at the infant who had already retreated to the window.
"I just closed my eyes," Zhang Yuanqing muttered, his lips twitching.
After a few minutes of renewed communication, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes again, deliberately waiting several seconds to ensure the Little Goofball had truly understood his instructions this time. Only then did he calm his emotions and attempt to communicate with the Evil Spirit within his Sea of Consciousness.
His consciousness suddenly expanded, fragments of memories flooding his mind alongside intense negative emotions.
The chaotic images gradually sharpened. He saw a stifling, gloomy sky, dark storm clouds hanging over a small Jiangnan-style water town.
On a stone-paved path lay a corpse, its chest a bloody, mangled mess.
The scene shifted, revealing numerous other corpses scattered throughout the town—streets, ancient mansions, stone bridges.
Is this Vengeful Spirit a boss from a Nightwalker's Solo Spirit Realm? Zhang Yuanqing realized.
After an unknown amount of time, someone finally cleared the Solo Spirit Realm. The Evil Spirit, now in the form of an Item, became the lucky victor's reward.
Its true form was an ancient, rustic porcelain vase.
The scene shifted to a cluttered corner store. Behind the counter stood a woman in a black tube top and loose pants, her beauty striking and alluring. A slender cigarette dangled between her fingers.
White smoke billowed from her crimson lips as she chuckled. "Looking for an Item that can kill most Transcendental Walkers?"
She turned and rummaged through a cabinet overflowing with miscellaneous goods and tools, eventually pulling out a battered old cell phone.
"This Item combines the power of the Dream Realm and an Evil Spirit. When you send a text message to the target's number, the Evil Spirit residing in the phone will infiltrate their dream and kill them.
"It's ineffective against Level 3 Scouts, Level 3 Seductive Demons, and Level 3 Illusion Masters. But it can kill most other classes. Not too expensive—five million. Since you're a Deacon of the Five Elements Alliance, I'll give you a discount: four million. I'll send you the text message template later."
"Deal!" A hand reached out and took the battered phone.
Following the hand, the camera revealed a man in a white judo uniform, his square face set in a stern expression.
Deacon Pang?!
The scene shimmered like water, revealing a new memory. He saw Deacon Pang sitting at a table in a lavishly decorated bedroom, his face cold and detached as he typed a message.
Midway through composing the message, a dazzling golden light erupted, obliterating everything.
Zhang Yuanqing's eyes snapped open. He saw the Demon Subduing Pestle lying at his feet, while Little Goofball crouched nearby by the arcade machine, propped up on his elbows, his wide, dark eyes fixed on him.
"I'm fine, you did great!" Zhang Yuanqing reassured Little Goofball before sinking into thought.
Why would Deacon Pang want to kill me?
We have no connection, no history of conflict. Why would he target me? Hmm, he's close to the Xiahou Family, one of their key contacts within the Official Organization. Could it be because I got Xiahou Tianyuan imprisoned? Is that why he wants me dead?
The motive makes sense, but something still feels missing.
Now that I've destroyed his Item, we're officially enemies. If he learns I survived tonight, he'll likely retaliate. This man must be eliminated.
Zhang Yuanqing didn't want to relive that nightmare.
Moreover, Deacon Pang was at the Saint Stage. By using an Item for the assassination, he was trying to leave no trace. If Pang decided to act personally next time, Zhang Yuanqing doubted he could withstand a Saint Stage opponent.
Should I report this to Fu Qingyang? But the problem is, I have no evidence. Without evidence, Fu Qingyang can't just move against a Deacon of his own rank, can he?
A thought struck Zhang Yuanqing. What if I asked the Palace Master of Ceasing Slaughter to help me kill him?
He quickly dismissed the idea as impractical.
Even if the Palace Master agreed, I'd be putting a fatal weakness in the hands of a madwoman. Would she use it to manipulate me? Whips and candle wax, maybe?
What about asking Master Wuhen for help?
I can't afford someone of his caliber. Saving me this time was essentially repaying the "Ashamed Father" debt.
Zhang Yuanqing felt utterly stuck.
After much deliberation, he decided to tell Fu Qingyang after all.
Firstly, Fu Qingyang was his superior. When a subordinate is targeted for assassination, the boss has to step in to settle the score, right? Xiahou Tianyuan's handling of the situation showed that Fu Qingyang was a proud man.
He wouldn't tolerate anyone harming those under his protection.
On the other hand, Fu Qingyang would undoubtedly recognize the gravity of the situation. If Deacon Pang failed once, he would try again. Ignoring this would mean certain death for Zhang Yuanqing's Nightwalkers.
In such circumstances, if Fu Qingyang's response was one of restraint, citing a lack of evidence as an obstacle, it would mean he didn't value Zhang Yuanqing highly, viewing him as a disposable pawn.
In that case, Zhang Yuanqing would have no choice but to contact the Palace of Ceasing Slaughter and abandon his official affiliation to become a Freelancer.
Of course, this was the worst-case scenario, but it was still preferable to being killed.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Fu Qingyang's number.
The phone rang for a long time before finally being answered.
Fu Qingyang's cold, emotionless voice came through the speaker:
"I gave you my number, not so you could call me in the middle of the night."
I'll try to be more mindful in the future, Zhang Yuanqing thought, taking a deep breath before cutting to the chase:
"Centurion, Deacon Pang is trying to kill me!"
A few seconds of silence followed. "What happened?" Fu Qingyang asked.
Zhang Yuanqing recounted the day's events in detail, omitting Master Wuhen's name and simply stating he had been rescued by a skilled acquaintance.
He knew his explanation had flaws, and Fu Qingyang would undoubtedly notice them.
If Fu Qingyang pressed for details, Zhang Yuanqing would confess everything. Otherwise, he would play dumb.
"Come find me immediately," Fu Qingyang ordered.
"I'm afraid I can't," Zhang Yuanqing replied weakly, forcing a bitter smile. "I'm severely injured."
Fu Qingyang's tone turned sharply cold. "Injured?"
"If I rest for half an hour, I should feel much better. But right now, I can't move," Zhang Yuanqing said.
"I'll notify Li Dongze to send his driver to pick you up," Fu Qingyang said coldly. "I'll resolve this matter before dawn."
How do you plan to resolve it? Zhang Yuanqing resisted the urge to ask, replying weakly, "Alright, thank you, Centurion."
After hanging up, he grimaced. Ideally, we'd kill Deacon Pang. If not, imprisonment will do.
Forcing himself to ignore the burning pain in his chest, he stripped off the blood-soaked comforter, sheets, and clothes, stuffing them into the closet.
After a quick cleanup, Zhang Yuanqing leaned against the headboard, opened his Attribute Panel, and checked his experience points.
Upon clearing Jinshui Amusement Park that day, his experience points had stood at 23%. Later, after exorcising Unbridled, Xiahou Tianyuan, and scattered ordinary spirits, his progress had risen to 28%.
The Evil Spirit he devoured tonight had granted him a 5% experience boost.
So, the pretense of weakness was just that—a ploy to earn Fu Qingyang's sympathy.
He now felt brimming with power, his Lunar Power growing increasingly potent. His physique and skills had also improved.
Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing quietly left his home, took the elevator downstairs, and waited outside the residential complex.
Soon, Li Dongze's business sedan arrived at the gate, the electric gate sliding open automatically.
Approximately twenty minutes later, Li Dongze's vehicle parked outside the Fu Family Bay Villa District. Another white business sedan was already parked at the entrance.
As Zhang Yuanqing stepped out of the car, he saw the window of the white sedan roll down, revealing Fu Qingyang's handsome face.
He quickly approached and climbed into the luxurious vehicle.
Fu Qingyang scrutinized him briefly, his expression relaxing slightly. "The Nightwalker's self-healing ability is truly enviable," he remarked.
Before Zhang Yuanqing could respond, he instructed the driver, "Let's go!"
The car accelerated, speeding down the wide, empty streets. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Centurion, what's your plan?"
Fu Qingyang replied coolly, "Kill him. Inquire the Soul."
He glanced at his subordinate's startled expression and explained, "He's already dead. Inquiring the Soul will reveal the truth."
"Murdering a colleague is a capital crime. Moreover, I suspect he's a member of the Night Rose, colluding with the Black Guard of Impermanence."
"A Night Rose member?" Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed, startled. "What makes you say that?"
"Deacon Pang is close to the Xiahou Family, and Xiahou Chi's lineage are members of the Night Rose. The organization has also infiltrated the Official Organization."
The possibility of Deacon Pang being a Night Rose member had crossed Zhang Yuanqing's mind during his earlier analysis. However, he believed the Night Rose lacked a motive to kill him.
Such a large organization wouldn't target a small fry like him. If they did, Guan Ya, White Dragon, Green Vine, Jiang Jingwei, and others would all be in danger.
If they were going to assassinate anyone, it would be Fu Qingyang.
Unless the Night Rose knew he was the Successor of the Demon Lord. But if that were the case, it wouldn't be an assassination—it would be an abduction, right?
"Remember the night you were ambushed by Unbridled? I wasn't in Kangyang District. I went to Fenghua District because we discovered traces of the Black Guard of Impermanence at an abandoned factory there that night," Fu Qingyang said calmly. "And the one who sought my assistance was Pang Wudi."
"You've suspected him all along?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, surprised.
"I couldn't be certain, so I observed. Your ordeal tonight confirms my suspicions," Fu Qingyang replied.