At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing had already climbed onto the windowsill, ready to leap down.
Gazing at the vengeful spirit with its twisted posture, slowly approaching step by step, Zhang Yuanqing felt as if he were back in the Sheling Tunnel, battling vengeful spirits and zombies with his mere mortal body.
Danger lurked at every turn, with perilous threats all around.
However, unlike the time at the Mountain Deity Temple, there was no Main Hall to serve as a shelter then.
But in this dreamland, he had nothing—no items, reinforcements, or skills. Everything had vanished.
The things from reality couldn’t be brought into the dreamland.
Wait a minute!
Suddenly, a forgotten item surfaced in his mind.
The Dream Connection Jade Talisman!
A consumable gifted by Master Traceless, an item of the Illusionist class, produced by the Nightmare Generator.
As it also belonged to the realm of dreams, could it appear in the dreamland?
But I can’t open my Inventory. No, that’s not right. Since it’s an item of the dream realm, it doesn’t necessarily have to be used in reality. Since it’s a dream, what if I imagine it?
As the White Robed Murderess drew nearer, Zhang Yuanqing hesitated no more and decided to give it a try.
He immediately envisioned the outline of the black jade in his mind.
During this process, he had one foot already out of the windowsill.
At that moment, the White Robed Murderess had already backed up to the window, her arm cracking as it twisted 180 degrees, raising the kitchen knife high.
Then, a deep black halo slowly emerged above Zhang Yuanqing’s head.
Buzz!
The kitchen knife, capable of easily cracking a steel security door, was blocked by the deep black halo.
The halo then suddenly expanded, enveloping the entire dreamland and casting a layer of dark veil over the room.
The objects in the room began to distort and change—the rustic stone bricks replaced the elm wood floor, the caisson ceiling painted with deities replaced the ceiling, and bright candlelight replaced the harsh electric lights.
Zhang Yuanqing looked around; he was back in the ancient temple, with the towering Buddha statues reaching the caisson, and under the Buddha, sat a figure in blue garments facing away from him.
The White Robed Murderess was just a few meters away, still holding the kitchen knife aloft, as if frozen in place by a paralyzing curse.
Phew, the Dream Connection Jade Talisman really worked! Zhang Yuanqing felt a genuine sense of joy, having narrowly escaped death.
He looked down at his chest; the knife wound was still there, but for some reason, it no longer bled.
He immediately bowed with his hands clasped in front of Master Traceless’s figure and said:
“Thank you, Master, for saving my life.”
Having witnessed the power of Master Traceless, Zhang Yuanqing felt even more respect in his heart. Was this the power of the Sovereign Level?
Master Traceless, with his back to him, had a voice low and ethereal, as if suppressing some great pain, echoing inside the hall:
“Who have you provoked?”
Many potential adversaries flashed through Zhang Yuanqing’s mind, but he eventually shook his head:
“I don’t know. But after someone visited the hotel during the day, I received a text message mentioning the ghost story of the White Robed Murderess killing people in their dreams, and then I was pursued by her.”
Saying this, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the vengeful spirit not far away, wondering what her face looked like.
But seeing the continuously dripping black blood, he thought it was better not to know.
Master Traceless’s voice resonated:
“Indeed, this should be an Item, a fusion of the abilities of an Illusionist and a Night Wandering Deity, not a low-tier item at all.”
Zhang Yuanqing frowned and said:
“Is there really an Item that has the abilities of two different Classes at the same time?”
Master Traceless was silent for a moment, seemingly surprised that Zhang Yuanqing did not even know this basic knowledge, and then said:
“The ‘Artifact Crafting’ Skill controlled by the Scholar Class can create Items that combine the abilities of two or more Classes. However, this is only possible for lower-level Items. The higher the level of the Item, the greater the exclusivity.”
So, was it the Xiahou Family trying to kill me? No, that can’t be right. Xiahou Xin and his son are dead, and Xiahou Chi is imprisoned in the zoo. There’s no need for other members of the Xiahou Family to kill me. Otherwise, why would they kick Xiahou Tianyuan when he’s down?
Zhang Yuanqing fell into deep thought.
After a while, he looked at Master Traceless’s back and thought, why should I rack my brain over this?
“Master, I want to know who wants to kill me. Do you have any guidance?” Zhang Yuanqing asked.
Master Traceless’s calm voice echoed in the hall:
“Inquire the soul!”
Right, although it’s an Item, it’s also a Spirit Body. As long as it’s a Spirit Body, I can devour it. Zhang Yuanqing was initially delighted but then said with resignation:
“But I’m currently in a Dreamland, and I can’t use my Skills.”
Master Traceless patiently explained:
“I will use the power of the Dreamland to trap it, Seal it within your sea of consciousness, and when you wake up in reality, you will be able to devour it.”
“Thank you, Master Traceless.” Zhang Yuanqing was overjoyed and bowed in gratitude.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw the familiar ceiling and found himself lying on a soft bed, covered with a thin quilt.
“Hiss~”
The next moment, intense pain emanated from his chest, and the rich scent of blood rushed into his nostrils.
Zhang Yuanqing lifted the quilt to see an exaggerated knife wound on his chest, cutting through flesh to bone. The bleeding had stopped, but even the healing power of a Night Wandering Deity would need sufficient time to heal.
“The injuries in the Dreamland reflect back to reality. That was close, I nearly kicked the bucket.”
Recalling the experience in the Dreamland, he felt a chill.
Thank goodness for the Dream Connection Jade Talisman given by Master Traceless, otherwise, the Five Elements Alliance would lose a talented genius tomorrow morning.
He didn’t dare to think about how his family would react.
“The Illusionist, truly one of the three Evil Classes, each Top-tier Class has its terrifying aspects. Although I was lucky to save my life today, if the Killer behind the scenes isn’t dealt with, tomorrow, the day after… I will still be in danger.
“And Master Traceless’s talisman can only be used once; he didn’t give me another one, which means he won’t help me next time.”
Zhang Yuanqing calmed his emotions, closed his eyes, and quickly sensed a profoundly evil and violent presence lurking deep within his consciousness, but it was suppressed and Sealed by a powerful force.
Just as he was about to devour the Evil spirit, he remembered that there was no one around to perform Purification for him. So, he steadied himself, opened his Inventory, and Summoned the Demon-suppressing Scepter.
Then he “spit out” Little goof, who could now interact with real-world items after leveling up, which was a significant help.
“Ababa?”
Little goof was shocked to see his master covered in blood and didn’t understand what had happened to him.
“In a moment, when I close my eyes, you hit me with it,” Zhang Yuanqing gestured and finally made Little goof understand the complicated command.
Little goof was very afraid of the Demon-suppressing Scepter, carefully holding it in his arms, and with his sparsely haired little head, he nodded vigorously.
Good son. Zhang Yuanqing lay down on the bed with peace of mind, closed his eyes, and was about to communicate with the Vengeful Spirit deep in his sea of consciousness when his calf suddenly hurt.
A brilliant golden light erupted, and the power of Purification filled his body.
?? Zhang Yuanqing sat up with a stiff expression on his face, looking towards the baby who had already shrunk to the side of the window.
“I just closed my eyes,” Zhang Yuanqing’s mouth twitched.
A few minutes later, after reconnecting, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes again, deliberately waited a few seconds, and seeing that Little goof truly understood his command this time, he calmed down and connected with the Evil spirit in his spirit realm.
His consciousness suddenly expanded, and fragments of memory accompanied by strong negative emotions flooded his mind.
From chaos to clarity, he saw an oppressive, dim sky, underneath dark, heavy clouds, was a small town styled like a Jiangnan water town.
On the stone-paved path lay a corpse with a bloody, mutilated chest.
The scene shifted, and he saw many different corpses, in various corners of the town, on the streets, in ancient houses, on stone bridges.
Was this Vengeful Spirit once the boss of a Solo spirit realm for a Night Wandering Deity? Zhang Yuanqing had an epiphany.
Time passed, and finally, someone cleared this Solo spirit realm, and the Evil spirit, in the form of an Item, became the reward for that lucky individual.
Its original form was a simple celadon vase.
Then, the scene changed, in a Small Shop cluttered with sundries, at the counter, stood a woman in a black wrap, loose pants, sultry and glamorous, pinching a slim lady’s cigarette between her fingers.
Smoke billowed from her fiery red lips as she chuckled:
“Want an Item that can kill most Supernatural walkers?”
She turned around and rummaged through a cabinet filled with various Utensils and found an old mobile phone.
“This Item combines the powers of the Dreamland and the Evil spirit. Edit a text message and send it to a specific number, and the Evil spirit residing in the phone will infiltrate the recipient’s Dreamland and kill the target.
“It’s ineffective against Level 3 Scouts, Level 3 Bewitching Demons, and Level 3 Illusionists, but it can kill most other Classes. Not expensive, five million, but since you’re a Director of the Five Elements Alliance, I’ll give you a discount. Four million will do. I’ll send you the text content later.”
“Deal!” A hand reached out and picked up the old phone.
Following the hand, it belonged to a man in a white judo uniform, with a square face and a serious expression.
Director Pang?!
The scene rippled like water, and new memories unfolded; he saw Director Pang sitting at a table in a luxurious bedroom, editing a text message with a cold expression.
The message was only half-written when the brilliant golden light destroyed everything.
Zhang Yuanqing’s eyes snapped open, and he saw the Demon-suppressing Scepter fallen at his feet, with Little goof curled up not far away by the gaming console, lying on the floor, propping up his body with his little arms, and looking at him with big, round eyes.
“I’m fine, you did great!”
Zhang Yuanqing first calmed down Little goof, and then fell into deep thought.
Why did Director Pang want to kill me?
I had no interactions with him, let alone any grievance. Why did he want to kill me? Ah, he has close relations with the Xiahou Family, he’s one of their connections within the Official channels. I caused Xiahou Tianyuan to be imprisoned; is that why he wanted me dead?
The motive is there, but it still feels like something’s missing.
Now that I’ve destroyed his Item, we’re definitely enemies. If he finds out I’m not dead after tonight, he might seek revenge. This man must be killed.
Zhang Yuanqing didn’t want to experience another nightmare.
Moreover, since Director Pang is of the Saint Realm and he used an Item for the Assassination to avoid leaving any traces, if he decides to act personally next time, Zhang Yuanqing doesn’t think he could stand against someone of the Saint Realm.
“Should I report this to Fu Qingyang? But the problem is I have no evidence. Without evidence, Fu Qingyang can’t just act against another Official of the same rank.”
An idea struck Zhang Yuanqing, thinking of a solution: ask the Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect to help with the Assassination!
He immediately felt this plan was unreliable.
“Let’s not even say if the Palace Master would agree, even if it worked, I would have a fatal weakness in the hands of a madman.”
Ask Master Traceless for help?
A person of his level, I can’t afford him. Being saved this time was like repaying the favor I owed to the Regretful Father. Zhang Yuanqing felt extremely troubled.
After much thought, he still decided to tell Fu Qingyang.
On one hand, Fu Qingyang was his superior. If a subordinate is targeted for Assassination, the boss should stand up for him. From the way Fu Qingyang dealt with Xiahou Tianyuan, it’s clear that he’s a very proud man.
He wouldn’t allow anyone to touch those under his protection.
On the other hand, Fu Qingyang would definitely see the pros and cons. If Director Pang failed once, there would be a second attempt. If ignored, his Night Wandering Deity subordinate would undoubtedly die.
In such a case, if Fu Qingyang’s attitude was to endure and do nothing without evidence, it would mean that he didn’t consider Zhang Yuanqing important, just a disposable pawn.
In that case, for self-preservation, Zhang Yuanqing would have to contact the Ending Killing Sect and step out of the Official circles to become an Independent Practitioner.
Of course, this was the worst-case scenario, but it was still better than being killed.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Fu Qingyang’s mobile number.
The ringtone went on for a long time, finally getting answered.
Fu Qingyang’s cold, emotionless voice came through the speaker:
“I gave you my contact information, not for you to choose the dead of night to call me.”
I’ll try to be more careful in the future. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and got straight to the point:
“Centurion, Director Pang is trying to kill me!”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, then a voice asked, “What happened?”
Zhang Yuanqing then recounted his experience of the day, mentioning every detail, but omitted the name of Master Traceless, simply saying he had received help from a powerful expert.
He knew his story had flaws, and Fu Qingyang would surely pick up on them.
If Fu Qingyang pressed for more details, he would confess honestly; otherwise, he would play dumb.
“Come to me immediately,” ordered Fu Qingyang.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.” Zhang Yuanqing’s voice was weak, and he chuckled bitterly, “I’ve been seriously injured.”
Fu Qingyang’s tone suddenly became stern: “You’re injured?”
“I’ll feel a lot better after half an hour of rest, but for now, I can’t move,” Zhang Yuanqing said.
“I will notify Li Dongze and have his driver come to pick you up,” Fu Qingyang said coldly:
“I’ll handle this before dawn.”
Zhang Yuanqing resisted asking how he planned to resolve the situation, speaking weakly, “Okay, thanks, Centurion.”
After hanging up the phone, he grimaced in pain. “It would be best to kill Director Pang, but if that’s not possible, imprisonment will do.”
Then, enduring the searing pain in his chest, he changed out of his blood-stained air-conditioning blanket, sheets, and clothes, stuffing them into the wardrobe.
After a brief clean-up, Zhang Yuanqing leaned against the headboard and opened the Attribute Panel to check his Experience Points.
Having cleared Jinsui Amusement Park that day, his Experience Points were at 23%, and after superseding Reckless Rampage, Xiahou Tianyuan, as well as a few scattered ordinary human spirits, his Experience Points had increased to 28%.
The evil spirit he devoured tonight had provided him with an additional 5% Experience Points.
So, his weakness was a ruse, a bid for Fu Qingyang’s sympathy.
He was now filled with strength, his Lunar Power growing more profound, and both his physique and skills had improved.
Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing quietly left his home, took the elevator downstairs, and waited outside the residential community.
Before long, Li Dongze’s business car arrived at the entrance of the community, and the electric gate slid open automatically.
About twenty minutes later, Li Dongze’s vehicle stopped outside the Fu’s Bay villa area, where a white business car was also parked at the entrance of the community.
Zhang Yuanqing stepped out of the car and just so happened to see the window of the white business car roll down, revealing Fu Qingyang’s handsome face.
He quickly approached and boarded the luxuriously decorated vehicle.
Fu Qingyang gave him a once-over, his expression slightly easing as he said:
“The Night Wandering Deity’s self-healing ability is enviable.”
Without waiting for Zhang Yuanqing’s response, he instructed the driver: “Let’s go!”
As the car started and sped along the spacious streets, Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to ask, “Centurion, what’s your plan?”
“Inquire the soul after the assassination,” Fu Qingyang replied indifferently.
He glanced at the astonished look on his subordinate’s face and explained:
“To attack a colleague is a capital offense. Besides, I suspect he is a member of Dark Rose and has colluded with the Black Guards of Impermanence.”
A member of Dark Rose? Zhang Yuanqing was shocked: “On what basis?”
Director Pang was close to the Xiahou Family, and the line of Xiahou Chi was affiliated with Dark Rose, an organization that had also infiltrated official organizations.
The possibility of Director Pang being a member of Dark Rose existed, Zhang Yuanqing had made similar conjectures in his previous analysis, but he believed that Dark Rose lacked a motive to kill him.
Such a large organization would not target a minor figure; otherwise, people like Guan Ya, White Loong, Green Vine, and Jiang Jingwei would all be in danger.
If there were an assassination, it would be against Fu Qingyang.
Unless Dark Rose knew of the fact that he was the Successor of the Demon Lord, but in that case, it would not be an assassination, but rather a capture?
“Do you remember the night you were ambushed by Reckless Rampage? I wasn’t in Kangyang District, but in Fenghua District, because that night, in an abandoned factory in Fenghua District, we found traces of the Black Guards of Impermanence.”
Fu Qingyang said lightly, “And the person who sought my help was Pang Wudi.”
“Had you suspected him all along?” Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback.
“I wasn’t sure, so I was observing. Your experience tonight confirmed my suspicion,” Fu Qingyang said.
At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing had already climbed onto the windowsill, ready to leap down.
Gazing at the vengeful spirit with its twisted posture, slowly approaching step by step, Zhang Yuanqing felt as if he were back in the Sheling Tunnel, battling vengeful spirits and zombies with his mere mortal body.
Danger lurked at every turn, with perilous threats all around.
However, unlike the time at the Mountain Deity Temple, there was no Main Hall to serve as a shelter then.
But in this dreamland, he had nothing—no items, reinforcements, or skills. Everything had vanished.
The things from reality couldn’t be brought into the dreamland.
Wait a minute!
Suddenly, a forgotten item surfaced in his mind.
The Dream Connection Jade Talisman!
A consumable gifted by Master Traceless, an item of the Illusionist class, produced by the Nightmare Generator.
As it also belonged to the realm of dreams, could it appear in the dreamland?
But I can’t open my Inventory. No, that’s not right. Since it’s an item of the dream realm, it doesn’t necessarily have to be used in reality. Since it’s a dream, what if I imagine it?
As the White Robed Murderess drew nearer, Zhang Yuanqing hesitated no more and decided to give it a try.
He immediately envisioned the outline of the black jade in his mind.
During this process, he had one foot already out of the windowsill.
At that moment, the White Robed Murderess had already backed up to the window, her arm cracking as it twisted 180 degrees, raising the kitchen knife high.
Then, a deep black halo slowly emerged above Zhang Yuanqing’s head.
Buzz!
The kitchen knife, capable of easily cracking a steel security door, was blocked by the deep black halo.
The halo then suddenly expanded, enveloping the entire dreamland and casting a layer of dark veil over the room.
The objects in the room began to distort and change—the rustic stone bricks replaced the elm wood floor, the caisson ceiling painted with deities replaced the ceiling, and bright candlelight replaced the harsh electric lights.
Zhang Yuanqing looked around; he was back in the ancient temple, with the towering Buddha statues reaching the caisson, and under the Buddha, sat a figure in blue garments facing away from him.
The White Robed Murderess was just a few meters away, still holding the kitchen knife aloft, as if frozen in place by a paralyzing curse.
Phew, the Dream Connection Jade Talisman really worked! Zhang Yuanqing felt a genuine sense of joy, having narrowly escaped death.
He looked down at his chest; the knife wound was still there, but for some reason, it no longer bled.
He immediately bowed with his hands clasped in front of Master Traceless’s figure and said:
“Thank you, Master, for saving my life.”
Having witnessed the power of Master Traceless, Zhang Yuanqing felt even more respect in his heart. Was this the power of the Sovereign Level?
Master Traceless, with his back to him, had a voice low and ethereal, as if suppressing some great pain, echoing inside the hall:
“Who have you provoked?”
Many potential adversaries flashed through Zhang Yuanqing’s mind, but he eventually shook his head:
“I don’t know. But after someone visited the hotel during the day, I received a text message mentioning the ghost story of the White Robed Murderess killing people in their dreams, and then I was pursued by her.”
Saying this, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the vengeful spirit not far away, wondering what her face looked like.
But seeing the continuously dripping black blood, he thought it was better not to know.
Master Traceless’s voice resonated:
“Indeed, this should be an Item, a fusion of the abilities of an Illusionist and a Night Wandering Deity, not a low-tier item at all.”
Zhang Yuanqing frowned and said:
“Is there really an Item that has the abilities of two different Classes at the same time?”
Master Traceless was silent for a moment, seemingly surprised that Zhang Yuanqing did not even know this basic knowledge, and then said:
“The ‘Artifact Crafting’ Skill controlled by the Scholar Class can create Items that combine the abilities of two or more Classes. However, this is only possible for lower-level Items. The higher the level of the Item, the greater the exclusivity.”
So, was it the Xiahou Family trying to kill me? No, that can’t be right. Xiahou Xin and his son are dead, and Xiahou Chi is imprisoned in the zoo. There’s no need for other members of the Xiahou Family to kill me. Otherwise, why would they kick Xiahou Tianyuan when he’s down?
Zhang Yuanqing fell into deep thought.
After a while, he looked at Master Traceless’s back and thought, why should I rack my brain over this?
“Master, I want to know who wants to kill me. Do you have any guidance?” Zhang Yuanqing asked.
Master Traceless’s calm voice echoed in the hall:
“Inquire the soul!”
Right, although it’s an Item, it’s also a Spirit Body. As long as it’s a Spirit Body, I can devour it. Zhang Yuanqing was initially delighted but then said with resignation:
“But I’m currently in a Dreamland, and I can’t use my Skills.”
Master Traceless patiently explained:
“I will use the power of the Dreamland to trap it, Seal it within your sea of consciousness, and when you wake up in reality, you will be able to devour it.”
“Thank you, Master Traceless.” Zhang Yuanqing was overjoyed and bowed in gratitude.
When he opened his eyes again, he saw the familiar ceiling and found himself lying on a soft bed, covered with a thin quilt.
“Hiss~”
The next moment, intense pain emanated from his chest, and the rich scent of blood rushed into his nostrils.
Zhang Yuanqing lifted the quilt to see an exaggerated knife wound on his chest, cutting through flesh to bone. The bleeding had stopped, but even the healing power of a Night Wandering Deity would need sufficient time to heal.
“The injuries in the Dreamland reflect back to reality. That was close, I nearly kicked the bucket.”
Recalling the experience in the Dreamland, he felt a chill.
Thank goodness for the Dream Connection Jade Talisman given by Master Traceless, otherwise, the Five Elements Alliance would lose a talented genius tomorrow morning.
He didn’t dare to think about how his family would react.
“The Illusionist, truly one of the three Evil Classes, each Top-tier Class has its terrifying aspects. Although I was lucky to save my life today, if the Killer behind the scenes isn’t dealt with, tomorrow, the day after… I will still be in danger.
“And Master Traceless’s talisman can only be used once; he didn’t give me another one, which means he won’t help me next time.”
Zhang Yuanqing calmed his emotions, closed his eyes, and quickly sensed a profoundly evil and violent presence lurking deep within his consciousness, but it was suppressed and Sealed by a powerful force.
Just as he was about to devour the Evil spirit, he remembered that there was no one around to perform Purification for him. So, he steadied himself, opened his Inventory, and Summoned the Demon-suppressing Scepter.
Then he “spit out” Little goof, who could now interact with real-world items after leveling up, which was a significant help.
“Ababa?”
Little goof was shocked to see his master covered in blood and didn’t understand what had happened to him.
“In a moment, when I close my eyes, you hit me with it,” Zhang Yuanqing gestured and finally made Little goof understand the complicated command.
Little goof was very afraid of the Demon-suppressing Scepter, carefully holding it in his arms, and with his sparsely haired little head, he nodded vigorously.
Good son. Zhang Yuanqing lay down on the bed with peace of mind, closed his eyes, and was about to communicate with the Vengeful Spirit deep in his sea of consciousness when his calf suddenly hurt.
A brilliant golden light erupted, and the power of Purification filled his body.
?? Zhang Yuanqing sat up with a stiff expression on his face, looking towards the baby who had already shrunk to the side of the window.
“I just closed my eyes,” Zhang Yuanqing’s mouth twitched.
A few minutes later, after reconnecting, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes again, deliberately waited a few seconds, and seeing that Little goof truly understood his command this time, he calmed down and connected with the Evil spirit in his spirit realm.
His consciousness suddenly expanded, and fragments of memory accompanied by strong negative emotions flooded his mind.
From chaos to clarity, he saw an oppressive, dim sky, underneath dark, heavy clouds, was a small town styled like a Jiangnan water town.
On the stone-paved path lay a corpse with a bloody, mutilated chest.
The scene shifted, and he saw many different corpses, in various corners of the town, on the streets, in ancient houses, on stone bridges.
Was this Vengeful Spirit once the boss of a Solo spirit realm for a Night Wandering Deity? Zhang Yuanqing had an epiphany.
Time passed, and finally, someone cleared this Solo spirit realm, and the Evil spirit, in the form of an Item, became the reward for that lucky individual.
Its original form was a simple celadon vase.
Then, the scene changed, in a Small Shop cluttered with sundries, at the counter, stood a woman in a black wrap, loose pants, sultry and glamorous, pinching a slim lady’s cigarette between her fingers.
Smoke billowed from her fiery red lips as she chuckled:
“Want an Item that can kill most Supernatural walkers?”
She turned around and rummaged through a cabinet filled with various Utensils and found an old mobile phone.
“This Item combines the powers of the Dreamland and the Evil spirit. Edit a text message and send it to a specific number, and the Evil spirit residing in the phone will infiltrate the recipient’s Dreamland and kill the target.
“It’s ineffective against Level 3 Scouts, Level 3 Bewitching Demons, and Level 3 Illusionists, but it can kill most other Classes. Not expensive, five million, but since you’re a Director of the Five Elements Alliance, I’ll give you a discount. Four million will do. I’ll send you the text content later.”
“Deal!” A hand reached out and picked up the old phone.
Following the hand, it belonged to a man in a white judo uniform, with a square face and a serious expression.
Director Pang?!
The scene rippled like water, and new memories unfolded; he saw Director Pang sitting at a table in a luxurious bedroom, editing a text message with a cold expression.
The message was only half-written when the brilliant golden light destroyed everything.
Zhang Yuanqing’s eyes snapped open, and he saw the Demon-suppressing Scepter fallen at his feet, with Little goof curled up not far away by the gaming console, lying on the floor, propping up his body with his little arms, and looking at him with big, round eyes.
“I’m fine, you did great!”
Zhang Yuanqing first calmed down Little goof, and then fell into deep thought.
Why did Director Pang want to kill me?
I had no interactions with him, let alone any grievance. Why did he want to kill me? Ah, he has close relations with the Xiahou Family, he’s one of their connections within the Official channels. I caused Xiahou Tianyuan to be imprisoned; is that why he wanted me dead?
The motive is there, but it still feels like something’s missing.
Now that I’ve destroyed his Item, we’re definitely enemies. If he finds out I’m not dead after tonight, he might seek revenge. This man must be killed.
Zhang Yuanqing didn’t want to experience another nightmare.
Moreover, since Director Pang is of the Saint Realm and he used an Item for the Assassination to avoid leaving any traces, if he decides to act personally next time, Zhang Yuanqing doesn’t think he could stand against someone of the Saint Realm.
“Should I report this to Fu Qingyang? But the problem is I have no evidence. Without evidence, Fu Qingyang can’t just act against another Official of the same rank.”
An idea struck Zhang Yuanqing, thinking of a solution: ask the Palace Master of the Ending Killing Sect to help with the Assassination!
He immediately felt this plan was unreliable.
“Let’s not even say if the Palace Master would agree, even if it worked, I would have a fatal weakness in the hands of a madman.”
Ask Master Traceless for help?
A person of his level, I can’t afford him. Being saved this time was like repaying the favor I owed to the Regretful Father. Zhang Yuanqing felt extremely troubled.
After much thought, he still decided to tell Fu Qingyang.
On one hand, Fu Qingyang was his superior. If a subordinate is targeted for Assassination, the boss should stand up for him. From the way Fu Qingyang dealt with Xiahou Tianyuan, it’s clear that he’s a very proud man.
He wouldn’t allow anyone to touch those under his protection.
On the other hand, Fu Qingyang would definitely see the pros and cons. If Director Pang failed once, there would be a second attempt. If ignored, his Night Wandering Deity subordinate would undoubtedly die.
In such a case, if Fu Qingyang’s attitude was to endure and do nothing without evidence, it would mean that he didn’t consider Zhang Yuanqing important, just a disposable pawn.
In that case, for self-preservation, Zhang Yuanqing would have to contact the Ending Killing Sect and step out of the Official circles to become an Independent Practitioner.
Of course, this was the worst-case scenario, but it was still better than being killed.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Fu Qingyang’s mobile number.
The ringtone went on for a long time, finally getting answered.
Fu Qingyang’s cold, emotionless voice came through the speaker:
“I gave you my contact information, not for you to choose the dead of night to call me.”
I’ll try to be more careful in the future. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and got straight to the point:
“Centurion, Director Pang is trying to kill me!”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, then a voice asked, “What happened?”
Zhang Yuanqing then recounted his experience of the day, mentioning every detail, but omitted the name of Master Traceless, simply saying he had received help from a powerful expert.
He knew his story had flaws, and Fu Qingyang would surely pick up on them.
If Fu Qingyang pressed for more details, he would confess honestly; otherwise, he would play dumb.
“Come to me immediately,” ordered Fu Qingyang.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.” Zhang Yuanqing’s voice was weak, and he chuckled bitterly, “I’ve been seriously injured.”
Fu Qingyang’s tone suddenly became stern: “You’re injured?”
“I’ll feel a lot better after half an hour of rest, but for now, I can’t move,” Zhang Yuanqing said.
“I will notify Li Dongze and have his driver come to pick you up,” Fu Qingyang said coldly:
“I’ll handle this before dawn.”
Zhang Yuanqing resisted asking how he planned to resolve the situation, speaking weakly, “Okay, thanks, Centurion.”
After hanging up the phone, he grimaced in pain. “It would be best to kill Director Pang, but if that’s not possible, imprisonment will do.”
Then, enduring the searing pain in his chest, he changed out of his blood-stained air-conditioning blanket, sheets, and clothes, stuffing them into the wardrobe.
After a brief clean-up, Zhang Yuanqing leaned against the headboard and opened the Attribute Panel to check his Experience Points.
Having cleared Jinsui Amusement Park that day, his Experience Points were at 23%, and after superseding Reckless Rampage, Xiahou Tianyuan, as well as a few scattered ordinary human spirits, his Experience Points had increased to 28%.
The evil spirit he devoured tonight had provided him with an additional 5% Experience Points.
So, his weakness was a ruse, a bid for Fu Qingyang’s sympathy.
He was now filled with strength, his Lunar Power growing more profound, and both his physique and skills had improved.
Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing quietly left his home, took the elevator downstairs, and waited outside the residential community.
Before long, Li Dongze’s business car arrived at the entrance of the community, and the electric gate slid open automatically.
About twenty minutes later, Li Dongze’s vehicle stopped outside the Fu’s Bay villa area, where a white business car was also parked at the entrance of the community.
Zhang Yuanqing stepped out of the car and just so happened to see the window of the white business car roll down, revealing Fu Qingyang’s handsome face.
He quickly approached and boarded the luxuriously decorated vehicle.
Fu Qingyang gave him a once-over, his expression slightly easing as he said:
“The Night Wandering Deity’s self-healing ability is enviable.”
Without waiting for Zhang Yuanqing’s response, he instructed the driver: “Let’s go!”
As the car started and sped along the spacious streets, Zhang Yuanqing seized the opportunity to ask, “Centurion, what’s your plan?”
“Inquire the soul after the assassination,” Fu Qingyang replied indifferently.
He glanced at the astonished look on his subordinate’s face and explained:
“To attack a colleague is a capital offense. Besides, I suspect he is a member of Dark Rose and has colluded with the Black Guards of Impermanence.”
A member of Dark Rose? Zhang Yuanqing was shocked: “On what basis?”
Director Pang was close to the Xiahou Family, and the line of Xiahou Chi was affiliated with Dark Rose, an organization that had also infiltrated official organizations.
The possibility of Director Pang being a member of Dark Rose existed, Zhang Yuanqing had made similar conjectures in his previous analysis, but he believed that Dark Rose lacked a motive to kill him.
Such a large organization would not target a minor figure; otherwise, people like Guan Ya, White Loong, Green Vine, and Jiang Jingwei would all be in danger.
If there were an assassination, it would be against Fu Qingyang.
Unless Dark Rose knew of the fact that he was the Successor of the Demon Lord, but in that case, it would not be an assassination, but rather a capture?
“Do you remember the night you were ambushed by Reckless Rampage? I wasn’t in Kangyang District, but in Fenghua District, because that night, in an abandoned factory in Fenghua District, we found traces of the Black Guards of Impermanence.”
Fu Qingyang said lightly, “And the person who sought my help was Pang Wudi.”
“Had you suspected him all along?” Zhang Yuanqing was taken aback.
“I wasn’t sure, so I was observing. Your experience tonight confirmed my suspicion,” Fu Qingyang said.
