Holding the crystal cup, I paused for a few seconds, and an item information appeared:
Name: Fallen Grail (Damaged)
Type: Vessel
Function: Control, Corrupt
Introduction: The favorite cup of a certain great being. By chance, it became tainted with the great being’s blood, absorbing the laws within the blood and transformed into a Rule-type Item.
Note 1: Grovel at my feet, submission is your only choice, only death can end this.
Note 2: Please collect the necessary materials to repair this Rule-type Item as soon as possible.
“The introduction for the damaged item is quite simple, but the simpler things are, the more terrifying they can be. To be controlled by the Fallen Grail means only death can release you.”
With limited time, Zhang Yuanqing stored the Fallen Grail in his Inventory, then swiftly took the Scarecrow from the corpse of the Black Guards of Impermanence without having time to check the item information, also stowing it away.
Next were the Red Bridal Veil and Red Dance Shoes. After quickly clearing the battlefield, he squatted next to the corpse to search.
The Register!
Zhang Yuanqing had not forgotten his ultimate goal in hunting down the Black Guards of Impermanence.
The Register is a record of the Fallen, similar to the Sinister Eye Judge’s private ledger; it’s unlikely to be an Item.
And non-Item objects cannot be stored in the Inventory.
Therefore, the Black Guards of Impermanence either carried it on their person or carefully hid it somewhere.
After a quick search, Zhang Yuanqing found a small booklet in the corpse’s pocket. He didn’t take it out immediately but used Night Wandering to turn invisible first.
Only then did he retrieve the thin booklet.
The Register was only the size of a palm, with a black cover and pale yellow pages. Zhang Yuanqing quickly flipped through it, looking for Brother Bing’s information.
The pages rustled quickly as he flipped through the thin Register, which contained only a few dozen names of “Servants.” He scanned through it quickly.
Not there!
Brother Bing’s information was not in the Register!
“That’s not right. According to the audio record from the Cat King Sound System, according to the memory of the Unjust Heavens, Brother Bing is definitely a Servant of the Sinister Eye Judge, there’s no doubt about that. But why isn’t his information in the Register?”
Zhang Yuanqing was puzzled.
Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly, and he flipped open the Register again, this time much slower.
The pages rustled again, and then stopped at a section near the spine, where jagged tear marks were visible.
A page was missing from the Register.
Clearly, the page that contained the real information about Brother Bing had been torn out.
“Who tore out Brother Bing’s information? The Black Guards of Impermanence? No, that doesn’t make sense; the entire Register is his, he would have no need or motive. Following this line of thought, the Sinister Eye Judge wouldn’t either. The Mysterious Figure from earlier?”
“The Mysterious Figure would have no need to tear out a page either; he could have just taken the Register.”
Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds, then came out of invisibility, his eyes darkening as he attempted to communicate with the spirit body of the Black Guards of Impermanence.
He wasn’t doing this to perform a soul-devouring act, but to verify something.
Indeed, there was no remaining spirit body inside the corpse of the Black Guards of Impermanence.
“Was it the Mysterious Figure who erased the Spirit Body of the Black Guards of Impermanence? Why would he do that? Considering the reaction of the Black Guards just now, it seems that the Mysterious Figure is someone from their past, someone whom the Black Guards thought impossible to encounter. Hence, the act of erasing the Spirit Body is understandable.
“Could the Mysterious Figure be the Night Wandering Deity? Well, a powerhouse of that level, even if not the Night Wandering Deity, would surely have the means to eliminate a Spirit Body, perhaps through an Item.
“Unfortunately, the Mysterious Figure quickly silenced the Black Guards of Impermanence. If they had spoken a few more words, I might have learned their identity. Oh, but then I would have to die too; better not to know.”
Zhang Yuanqing’s mind raced as he analyzed and deduced.
He realized that behind the Grail incident, there was clearly an undercurrent hidden from view.
On the surface, this was a series of events triggered by the mutual destruction of the Demon Lord and the Sinister Eye Judge, with the Black Guards of Impermanence concealing the Grail.
But in the shadows, the appearance of the Mysterious Figure, the tearing of Brother Bing’s information, and the erasure of the Black Guards of Impermanence’s Spirit Body.
Zhang Yuanqing, adept at analysis, resorted to the method taught by his grandfather when he couldn’t make sense of the complex information—start from the beginning.
Every event has a cause and effect; what’s visible is the effect, while the cause is the hunt aimed at the Sinister Eye Judge.
This leads to a question: Why did the Demon Lord want to hunt down the Sinister Eye Judge?
“Brother Bing was one of the ‘killers’ involved in the hunt for the Sinister Eye Judge. If I can find him, perhaps I can unravel the mystery.”
At that moment, his ears picked up a distant sound of chaotic footsteps.
Looking in the direction of the noise, at the end of the long street, a group of people was sprinting through the night.
Leading them was Decurion Teng Yuan, a middle-aged man who was typically negative about life and work but took the lead when it came to rescuing companions.
On either side of Decurion Teng Yuan were Jiang Jingwei and Guan Ya; the former was purely fast, easily keeping pace beside the Level 4 Plague God.
Guan Ya was different; the Old driver was nearly running her long legs off, holding two guns, her face full of urgency.
The second echelon consisted of White Loong, Green Vine, and Tang Guoqiang.
The third echelon was made up of elite members whose names Zhang Yuanqing had probably seen but couldn’t recall.
More than ten people charged towards them in a mighty procession.
From a distance, they saw a figure standing at the side of the street and another figure lying on the ground. The Official Walkers, without night vision, felt a sudden heaviness in their hearts.
Primordial Celestial Lord against the Black Guards of Impermanence; the one lying down is easy to guess.
Guan Ya’s pretty face set with frost, her beautiful eyes filled with murderous intent, raised her guns towards the distant figure.
A few seconds later, as they got closer, Guan Ya’s cold face paused, then joy flickered in her eyes, and the “frost” enveloping her face melted away.
Teng Yuan, White Loong, Green Vine, and others were all stunned, showing varying degrees of confusion, surprise, and relief.
The standing person was the Primordial Celestial Lord; then who was the one lying down?
A bold thought arose in everyone’s mind, but no one dared to believe it.
Impossible.
At this moment, the young man standing proudly by the side of the street, with his hands behind his back, looking at his belated teammates, said indifferently:
“You’re too late. The Black Guards of Impermanence are now just a soul under my blade.”
The group of runners came to a halt, their eyes wide with astonishment as they looked at the body on the ground.
With a long face and narrow eyes, the corpse was distinctively ugly.
Decurion Teng Yuan glanced at the body, then at Zhang Yuanqing, pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and slowly said:
“You killed a Gu Sorcerer at the Peak of the Saint Realm?”
As he spoke, it was as if he was scrutinizing Zhang Yuanqing, as though seeing his subordinate in a new light.
No, not me, but let me pretend for a while, Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly.
Green Vine’s big, Kaslan eyes widened, “Have you grown to this extent?”
White Loong was dumbfounded, too shocked to speak.
Jiang Jingwei, with hands on hips and head held high, laughed heartily: “As expected of the one I cover, pretty impressive, huh? But you dealt with it too fast, couldn’t you have waited for me to come over and join the fight?”
Guan Ya reholstered her two silver pistols at her thigh, walked over to Zhang Yuanqing, furrowed her brows as she surveyed him, and asked:
“Are you poisoned? How do you feel, is there any discomfort in your body?”
Zhang Yuanqing chuckled softly, “Are you worried about me?”
With any other girl, he wouldn’t dare to speak such flirtatious words.
Guan Ya glanced at him sideways, smiling:
“I’ve heard that a Gu Sorcerer’s poison attacks the reproductive system, causing blood vessel constriction and the like. At your young age, you already don’t have much to boast of, lose a few more centimeters, and even dogs would disdain.”
Zhang Yuanqing racked his brains for a better comeback, but unable to come up with one, he had to concede for now, waiting for inspiration to strike another day to plot his revenge.
Decurion Teng Yuan came over to check the body of the Black Guards of Impermanence, asking:
“How did he end up here?”
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head: “I just happened to encounter him.”
That was the truth!
Decurion Teng Yuan asked further: “How did you come across him?”
I haven’t thought of a good reason yet! Zhang Yuanqing said gravely: “I think, at this moment, we should first contact the Centurion. The presence of the Black Guards of Impermanence here is surely a ruse.”
Teng Yuan nodded, “Makes sense.”
He immediately took out his phone and dialed Fu Qingyang’s number.
Songhai Third Elementary School.
The big shots playing in the chaos suddenly saw a Black Guard of Impermanence grunt and then fall to the ground stiffly, his soul quickly dissipating, his life force cut off.
Dead?
This unexpected turn of events caught everyone off guard. They stopped their fight and observed the avatar of the Black Guards of Impermanence.
The Black Guards of Impermanence, wanting to conserve strength, had severed the connection with the avatar in advance, or had already transferred to a safe location. The Grand Protector frowned.
With the departure of the Black Guards of Impermanence, he lost the will to entangle further. The Fire Warrior was struggling desperately under the hands of Fu Qingyang, the so-called invincible in the Saint Realm, was no match for this young master of the Fu Family.
As for himself, facing the siege of the Gu King, the Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect, and Elder Dog, defeat was only a matter of time.
Since the purpose of delaying time had been achieved, although the trade wasn’t successful, there was also no loss.
Immediately, the Grand Protector opened his inventory, grabbed an Item from the “Void”, a longsword polished from jet-black carbon, glossy and shining black.
This sword was enveloped in Yin Qi, just looking at it made one’s body chill, and the soul seemed to want to leave the body.
“Please, Leader, assist!”
The Grand Protector grasped the sword’s hilt with both hands, planting it in front of him.
In an instant, the school was shrouded in dark clouds that churned overhead, coalescing into the outlines of numerous evil ghosts and Vengeful Spirits.
The lush, dense “forest” rapidly withered at this moment, with the animal apparitions crouching on the ground, shivering.
The roiling mass of dark clouds finally formed into a vast, blurred human face, and then, a giant hand reached out from the clouds, pressing against the pale green barrier with a gentle push.
The flora and the animal apparitions alike scattered into pure green light.
“Let’s go!”
The Grand Protector’s figure vanished, then reappeared beside the battered Fire Warrior, taking him along for a bout of Night Wandering.
The Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect let out an angry roar, the red threads behind him exploding outward, stretching and sweeping aimlessly, but failing to snag the two retreating figures.
The Gu King snorted coldly, his Flesh and Blood Substance merging with the earth to make a swift exit.
The Elder of the Blossom Society did not attempt to stop them, squatting silently on top of the teaching building, gazing into the distance.
After venting his frustration, the red threads behind the Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect slammed into the ground, propelling her into the sky. Her skirt and hair fluttered as she flew away like Chang’e ascending to the moon.
Fu Qingyang put away the flag that had been planted behind him, glanced over the severely damaged school, and frowned:
“Elder, we have failed.”
The Elder of the Blossom Society uttered a sound of acknowledgment: “The trade between the Black Guards of Impermanence and the Dark Rose cannot be stopped now. I will report this to headquarters, and I will take responsibility for this matter.”
Fu Qingyang exhaled gently, trying to relieve the frustration in his heart.
After more than half a month of hunting, it all ended up being a fruitless effort.
As for joining the Elder Council, that too would have to be set aside for now. He would seek to earn Merit later on.
He withdrew the Bafang sword and pulled out his cell phone to switch it from airplane mode to normal mode, ready to instruct his subordinates to retreat.
But the phone rang before he could make the call.
The caller was Teng Yuan.
With an expressionless face, Fu Qingyang answered, “The capture operation has failed; you guys pull back.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Teng Yuan’s voice, weak yet carrying a hint of life, responded:
“Perhaps, it is not a failure. Centurion, the Primordial Celestial Lord has killed a Black Guard of Impermanence nearby.”
Holding the crystal cup, I paused for a few seconds, and an item information appeared:
Name: Fallen Grail (Damaged)
Type: Vessel
Function: Control, Corrupt
Introduction: The favorite cup of a certain great being. By chance, it became tainted with the great being’s blood, absorbing the laws within the blood and transformed into a Rule-type Item.
Note 1: Grovel at my feet, submission is your only choice, only death can end this.
Note 2: Please collect the necessary materials to repair this Rule-type Item as soon as possible.
“The introduction for the damaged item is quite simple, but the simpler things are, the more terrifying they can be. To be controlled by the Fallen Grail means only death can release you.”
With limited time, Zhang Yuanqing stored the Fallen Grail in his Inventory, then swiftly took the Scarecrow from the corpse of the Black Guards of Impermanence without having time to check the item information, also stowing it away.
Next were the Red Bridal Veil and Red Dance Shoes. After quickly clearing the battlefield, he squatted next to the corpse to search.
The Register!
Zhang Yuanqing had not forgotten his ultimate goal in hunting down the Black Guards of Impermanence.
The Register is a record of the Fallen, similar to the Sinister Eye Judge’s private ledger; it’s unlikely to be an Item.
And non-Item objects cannot be stored in the Inventory.
Therefore, the Black Guards of Impermanence either carried it on their person or carefully hid it somewhere.
After a quick search, Zhang Yuanqing found a small booklet in the corpse’s pocket. He didn’t take it out immediately but used Night Wandering to turn invisible first.
Only then did he retrieve the thin booklet.
The Register was only the size of a palm, with a black cover and pale yellow pages. Zhang Yuanqing quickly flipped through it, looking for Brother Bing’s information.
The pages rustled quickly as he flipped through the thin Register, which contained only a few dozen names of “Servants.” He scanned through it quickly.
Not there!
Brother Bing’s information was not in the Register!
“That’s not right. According to the audio record from the Cat King Sound System, according to the memory of the Unjust Heavens, Brother Bing is definitely a Servant of the Sinister Eye Judge, there’s no doubt about that. But why isn’t his information in the Register?”
Zhang Yuanqing was puzzled.
Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly, and he flipped open the Register again, this time much slower.
The pages rustled again, and then stopped at a section near the spine, where jagged tear marks were visible.
A page was missing from the Register.
Clearly, the page that contained the real information about Brother Bing had been torn out.
“Who tore out Brother Bing’s information? The Black Guards of Impermanence? No, that doesn’t make sense; the entire Register is his, he would have no need or motive. Following this line of thought, the Sinister Eye Judge wouldn’t either. The Mysterious Figure from earlier?”
“The Mysterious Figure would have no need to tear out a page either; he could have just taken the Register.”
Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds, then came out of invisibility, his eyes darkening as he attempted to communicate with the spirit body of the Black Guards of Impermanence.
He wasn’t doing this to perform a soul-devouring act, but to verify something.
Indeed, there was no remaining spirit body inside the corpse of the Black Guards of Impermanence.
“Was it the Mysterious Figure who erased the Spirit Body of the Black Guards of Impermanence? Why would he do that? Considering the reaction of the Black Guards just now, it seems that the Mysterious Figure is someone from their past, someone whom the Black Guards thought impossible to encounter. Hence, the act of erasing the Spirit Body is understandable.
“Could the Mysterious Figure be the Night Wandering Deity? Well, a powerhouse of that level, even if not the Night Wandering Deity, would surely have the means to eliminate a Spirit Body, perhaps through an Item.
“Unfortunately, the Mysterious Figure quickly silenced the Black Guards of Impermanence. If they had spoken a few more words, I might have learned their identity. Oh, but then I would have to die too; better not to know.”
Zhang Yuanqing’s mind raced as he analyzed and deduced.
He realized that behind the Grail incident, there was clearly an undercurrent hidden from view.
On the surface, this was a series of events triggered by the mutual destruction of the Demon Lord and the Sinister Eye Judge, with the Black Guards of Impermanence concealing the Grail.
But in the shadows, the appearance of the Mysterious Figure, the tearing of Brother Bing’s information, and the erasure of the Black Guards of Impermanence’s Spirit Body.
Zhang Yuanqing, adept at analysis, resorted to the method taught by his grandfather when he couldn’t make sense of the complex information—start from the beginning.
Every event has a cause and effect; what’s visible is the effect, while the cause is the hunt aimed at the Sinister Eye Judge.
This leads to a question: Why did the Demon Lord want to hunt down the Sinister Eye Judge?
“Brother Bing was one of the ‘killers’ involved in the hunt for the Sinister Eye Judge. If I can find him, perhaps I can unravel the mystery.”
At that moment, his ears picked up a distant sound of chaotic footsteps.
Looking in the direction of the noise, at the end of the long street, a group of people was sprinting through the night.
Leading them was Decurion Teng Yuan, a middle-aged man who was typically negative about life and work but took the lead when it came to rescuing companions.
On either side of Decurion Teng Yuan were Jiang Jingwei and Guan Ya; the former was purely fast, easily keeping pace beside the Level 4 Plague God.
Guan Ya was different; the Old driver was nearly running her long legs off, holding two guns, her face full of urgency.
The second echelon consisted of White Loong, Green Vine, and Tang Guoqiang.
The third echelon was made up of elite members whose names Zhang Yuanqing had probably seen but couldn’t recall.
More than ten people charged towards them in a mighty procession.
From a distance, they saw a figure standing at the side of the street and another figure lying on the ground. The Official Walkers, without night vision, felt a sudden heaviness in their hearts.
Primordial Celestial Lord against the Black Guards of Impermanence; the one lying down is easy to guess.
Guan Ya’s pretty face set with frost, her beautiful eyes filled with murderous intent, raised her guns towards the distant figure.
A few seconds later, as they got closer, Guan Ya’s cold face paused, then joy flickered in her eyes, and the “frost” enveloping her face melted away.
Teng Yuan, White Loong, Green Vine, and others were all stunned, showing varying degrees of confusion, surprise, and relief.
The standing person was the Primordial Celestial Lord; then who was the one lying down?
A bold thought arose in everyone’s mind, but no one dared to believe it.
Impossible.
At this moment, the young man standing proudly by the side of the street, with his hands behind his back, looking at his belated teammates, said indifferently:
“You’re too late. The Black Guards of Impermanence are now just a soul under my blade.”
The group of runners came to a halt, their eyes wide with astonishment as they looked at the body on the ground.
With a long face and narrow eyes, the corpse was distinctively ugly.
Decurion Teng Yuan glanced at the body, then at Zhang Yuanqing, pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and slowly said:
“You killed a Gu Sorcerer at the Peak of the Saint Realm?”
As he spoke, it was as if he was scrutinizing Zhang Yuanqing, as though seeing his subordinate in a new light.
No, not me, but let me pretend for a while, Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly.
Green Vine’s big, Kaslan eyes widened, “Have you grown to this extent?”
White Loong was dumbfounded, too shocked to speak.
Jiang Jingwei, with hands on hips and head held high, laughed heartily: “As expected of the one I cover, pretty impressive, huh? But you dealt with it too fast, couldn’t you have waited for me to come over and join the fight?”
Guan Ya reholstered her two silver pistols at her thigh, walked over to Zhang Yuanqing, furrowed her brows as she surveyed him, and asked:
“Are you poisoned? How do you feel, is there any discomfort in your body?”
Zhang Yuanqing chuckled softly, “Are you worried about me?”
With any other girl, he wouldn’t dare to speak such flirtatious words.
Guan Ya glanced at him sideways, smiling:
“I’ve heard that a Gu Sorcerer’s poison attacks the reproductive system, causing blood vessel constriction and the like. At your young age, you already don’t have much to boast of, lose a few more centimeters, and even dogs would disdain.”
Zhang Yuanqing racked his brains for a better comeback, but unable to come up with one, he had to concede for now, waiting for inspiration to strike another day to plot his revenge.
Decurion Teng Yuan came over to check the body of the Black Guards of Impermanence, asking:
“How did he end up here?”
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head: “I just happened to encounter him.”
That was the truth!
Decurion Teng Yuan asked further: “How did you come across him?”
I haven’t thought of a good reason yet! Zhang Yuanqing said gravely: “I think, at this moment, we should first contact the Centurion. The presence of the Black Guards of Impermanence here is surely a ruse.”
Teng Yuan nodded, “Makes sense.”
He immediately took out his phone and dialed Fu Qingyang’s number.
Songhai Third Elementary School.
The big shots playing in the chaos suddenly saw a Black Guard of Impermanence grunt and then fall to the ground stiffly, his soul quickly dissipating, his life force cut off.
Dead?
This unexpected turn of events caught everyone off guard. They stopped their fight and observed the avatar of the Black Guards of Impermanence.
The Black Guards of Impermanence, wanting to conserve strength, had severed the connection with the avatar in advance, or had already transferred to a safe location. The Grand Protector frowned.
With the departure of the Black Guards of Impermanence, he lost the will to entangle further. The Fire Warrior was struggling desperately under the hands of Fu Qingyang, the so-called invincible in the Saint Realm, was no match for this young master of the Fu Family.
As for himself, facing the siege of the Gu King, the Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect, and Elder Dog, defeat was only a matter of time.
Since the purpose of delaying time had been achieved, although the trade wasn’t successful, there was also no loss.
Immediately, the Grand Protector opened his inventory, grabbed an Item from the “Void”, a longsword polished from jet-black carbon, glossy and shining black.
This sword was enveloped in Yin Qi, just looking at it made one’s body chill, and the soul seemed to want to leave the body.
“Please, Leader, assist!”
The Grand Protector grasped the sword’s hilt with both hands, planting it in front of him.
In an instant, the school was shrouded in dark clouds that churned overhead, coalescing into the outlines of numerous evil ghosts and Vengeful Spirits.
The lush, dense “forest” rapidly withered at this moment, with the animal apparitions crouching on the ground, shivering.
The roiling mass of dark clouds finally formed into a vast, blurred human face, and then, a giant hand reached out from the clouds, pressing against the pale green barrier with a gentle push.
The flora and the animal apparitions alike scattered into pure green light.
“Let’s go!”
The Grand Protector’s figure vanished, then reappeared beside the battered Fire Warrior, taking him along for a bout of Night Wandering.
The Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect let out an angry roar, the red threads behind him exploding outward, stretching and sweeping aimlessly, but failing to snag the two retreating figures.
The Gu King snorted coldly, his Flesh and Blood Substance merging with the earth to make a swift exit.
The Elder of the Blossom Society did not attempt to stop them, squatting silently on top of the teaching building, gazing into the distance.
After venting his frustration, the red threads behind the Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect slammed into the ground, propelling her into the sky. Her skirt and hair fluttered as she flew away like Chang’e ascending to the moon.
Fu Qingyang put away the flag that had been planted behind him, glanced over the severely damaged school, and frowned:
“Elder, we have failed.”
The Elder of the Blossom Society uttered a sound of acknowledgment: “The trade between the Black Guards of Impermanence and the Dark Rose cannot be stopped now. I will report this to headquarters, and I will take responsibility for this matter.”
Fu Qingyang exhaled gently, trying to relieve the frustration in his heart.
After more than half a month of hunting, it all ended up being a fruitless effort.
As for joining the Elder Council, that too would have to be set aside for now. He would seek to earn Merit later on.
He withdrew the Bafang sword and pulled out his cell phone to switch it from airplane mode to normal mode, ready to instruct his subordinates to retreat.
But the phone rang before he could make the call.
The caller was Teng Yuan.
With an expressionless face, Fu Qingyang answered, “The capture operation has failed; you guys pull back.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Teng Yuan’s voice, weak yet carrying a hint of life, responded:
“Perhaps, it is not a failure. Centurion, the Primordial Celestial Lord has killed a Black Guard of Impermanence nearby.”
