The coffin lid slowly slid open, revealing a man with a face as fair as jade, his hair secured with a jade hairpin and adorned with a handsome beard.
Though his features appeared youthful, his demeanor exuded a solemn dignity, clearly not that of a young man untouched by the vicissitudes of life.
Beyond his appearance, the most striking feature of the man in the coffin was his robe. It was a long, black garment embroidered with crimson flames at the hem, while silver threads depicted swirling waves on the sleeves and chest.
Both its craftsmanship and material were clearly extraordinary.
Clutched in the corpse's arms was a thread-bound book with a yellowed, brittle cover. Elegant characters inscribed on it read:
Jiazi Cultivation Chronicle
"This man is..." Queen narrowed her eyes, a suspicion forming in her mind, but she hesitated to voice it, glancing at her teammates.
"The Yin-Yang Wanderer!" Zhang Yuanqing declared without pretense, cutting straight to the answer.
The Yin-Yang Wanderer's teammates exchanged bewildered glances.
It really is the Yin-Yang Wanderer! The official strategy guide never mentioned him. Isn't he just a background character in the lore? Wait, when did Primordial trigger the hidden quest? I've been following him closely and didn't notice a thing. Is this what it means to be a genius who clears two S-Rank missions consecutively?
Queen's astonishment deepened, and her admiration for Primordial Heavenly Venerable soared to new heights.
The hidden quest must have been discovered during the fight with the Curse Cat, he had mentioned conducting an experiment. But how did he even find the hidden quest? Li Chunfeng prided himself on his intelligence and vast knowledge, yet while he could deduce the connection between the hidden quest and the Curse Cat, he couldn't fathom how Primordial Heavenly Venerable had triggered it.
How did Primordial realize the Curse Cat could trigger a hidden quest? He had the Queen search this area earlier—did he already know the coffin would appear here?
The coffin must have been in a "hidden" state until the Evil Mage was killed, after which it "refreshed." Was the hidden quest related to the six characters? How exactly did Primordial trigger it? It made no sense, no matter how Guan Ya thought about it. She pondered the matter more deeply than anyone else.
"Where's the Item that can turn the tide?" Grass on the Plain asked.
"This robe," Zhang Yuanqing replied, helping the Yin-Yang Wanderer sit up in the coffin. "Help me support him while I take it off."
Guan Ya immediately stepped forward, preventing anyone else from intervening.
Zhang Yuanqing promptly handed the Yin-Yang Wanderer over to Guan Ya and swiftly stripped off the robe. Throughout the process, his heart pounded with anxiety.
Not because he feared Li Xianzong's return, but because he worried the Yin-Yang Wanderer might suddenly reanimate.
The Old Hag had given him a psychological trauma.
Soon, Zhang Yuanqing removed the Yin-Yang Wanderer's robe, holding the Item in his hands. Only now could he truly appreciate its full splendor: a pitch-black base embroidered with crimson flames at the hem, silver water patterns on the chest and sleeves, and a black-and-white Taiji Fish on the back.
A few seconds later, the Item's description appeared:
[ Name: Yin-Yang Robe ]
[ Type: Clothing ]
[ Function: Water, Fire, Formations ]
[ Description: This robe was worn by a supreme being during celestial sacrifices. Adorned with flames below and waves above, and bearing the Yin-Yang symbol on its back, it is known as the Yin-Yang Robe. ]
[ Note 1: This is one component of a set of celestial sacrificial garments. The remaining three pieces are boots, a crown, and a belt. Legend claims that gathering all four pieces will unlock the secret to immortality. ]
[ Note 2: Wearing this robe grants mastery over water and fire. Nourished by the righteous energy of heaven and earth, it resists corruption and curses. ]
[ Note 3: Unfurling the robe creates a formation covering a thirty-meter radius. During the formation's duration, outsiders cannot enter, and those trapped within cannot leave. The effect lasts for ten minutes. Within the formation's area, the caster transforms into a Water-Fire Clone, impervious to physical attacks. If the formation is not dispelled within ten minutes, the caster's physical body will become permanently altered. ]
[ Note 4: Control your desire for immortality. Your personality may fluctuate slightly, but don't worry—the effects will only last 24 hours. ]
Zhang Yuanqing stared blankly at the item's attributes, his mind racing with a single thought: I'm rich!
This was an item that granted the abilities of both a Fire Master and a Water Ghost, and it was part of a never-before-seen set.
If a single robe was this powerful, what would happen when he collected the entire set? He'd be invincible in Songhai, knocking out Miao elders with a single punch!
However, it had its drawbacks. It struggled against exceptionally strong or heavily armored opponents. Moreover, this item was a natural counter to both Water Ghosts and Fire Masters. Hmm, that's not a problem. If its attack power is insufficient, I can always use other items to compensate.
This item concealed the secret to immortality. The Yin-Yang Wanderer had designed this town with a layout that mirrored the Yin-Yang principles, corresponding to the Taiji Fish on the robe. He likely intended to replicate the robe's formation on a grander scale, hoping to achieve immortality through this massive array.
This plan seems rather unreliable... Ah, right. By the Yin-Yang Wanderer's later years, he was probably already heavily influenced by the item's cost, driven mad by his obsession with immortality.
Furthermore, the Yin-Yang Wanderer's presence in the coffin finally resolved Zhang Yuanqing's lingering doubts.
So, the descendant of the Yin-Yang Wanderer died at the hands of the Mage and a few rabble.
Because she never truly possessed the powerful Item. The Yin-Yang Robe remained on her ancestor's body. When the Mage captured her, he couldn't obtain the robe, and in his fury, he killed her.
Wang the Scoundrel participated in this affair, lusting after the beauty of the Yin-Yang Wanderer's descendant. Zhang Yuanqing didn't know the motives of Squire Zhao and Blacksmith Wang; this was a subplot from the Evil Faction's perspective.
But none of that mattered anymore.
"How is it?" Li Chunfeng asked eagerly. "What does this Item do? Can it counter Li Xianzong?"
The Queen, recalling the staff's terrifying power, replied with lingering fear:
"Even a slight advantage could turn the tide. We outnumber them, and only two members of the Evil Faction remain."
Her expression was a mix of anticipation for the coming battle and a glimmer of hope.
Guan Ya and Grass on the Plain looked at Zhang Yuanqing, awaiting his response.
"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be able to take on Li Xianzong alone," Zhang Yuanqing said confidently. "You should retreat now and stay clear of this area to avoid the curse's influence."
"Really? Can we really turn the tide?" The Queen's smoky-eyed face lit up with wild joy.
Zhang Yuanqing nodded in affirmation.
Guan Ya and the others visibly brightened, as if a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders.
"Oh, right, return my Item, and you can leave."
Urged by Zhang Yuanqing, the four quickly departed, carrying the unconscious Chi Ou and Fire Master, fleeing into the distance.
Turning his gaze from his retreating teammates, Zhang Yuanqing looked at the booklet inside the coffin.
[ Jiazi Cultivation Chronicle ]
He picked up the booklet, flipped to the first page, and scanned it briefly. His expression shifted to surprise and excitement.
The text detailed the cultivation journey of the Yin-Yang Wanderer.
[ This is incredibly valuable! Information left by a powerhouse from the Old Hag's era could greatly enhance my understanding of the Spirit Realm and reveal hidden secrets buried beneath reality and history. ]
[ Hmm, now's not the time to read this. Let's see if I can store it in my Inventory. ]
With a mental command, the booklet vanished from his hand and reappeared in a slot within his Inventory.
Just then, Zhang Yuanqing's ears twitched, detecting the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.
He turned to see two figures emerge at the end of the blue-brick-paved street: Li Xianzong, wielding a pitch-black staff, and the hunched Ratman.
Behind them, the Red Dancing Shoes followed listlessly, yet stubbornly pursuing their quarry.
The Seductive Demon possessed the ability to "Mark" its prey, making escape nearly impossible once marked.
This was why Li Chunfeng believed that guerrilla tactics would only prolong their survival by a few moments.
As Zhang Yuanqing spotted the enemy, Li Xianzong also saw him. He immediately quickened his pace, mentally calculating the distance. Once they closed within fifty meters, he would unleash a wide-area Curse, leaving no room for escape and eliminating any potential threats.
"Boss, those guys vanished. They might be setting up an ambush," the Ratman said, his beady eyes darting left and right.
Always cautious, he didn't want to stumble at the finish line when victory seemed so close.
"They're further away, fleeing," Li Xianzong replied, sensing the positions of the other marked targets.
"Fleeing?" The Ratman paused, then chuckled darkly. "So he's staying behind to cover his teammates' retreat? If he wants to play the hero, let's indulge him. Boss, let's finish this quickly. I can't wait to enjoy those two beauties."
The distance between them rapidly closed, soon narrowing to within fifty meters. The Ratman, with his keen eyesight, suddenly exclaimed:
"Hey, what's that kid wearing?"
Li Xianzong wasted no time, raising his Staff of Decay high.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanqing leaned back, swung his arm, and hurled a fiercely compressed fireball at them.
The fireball streaked through the air and exploded between the two sides with a deafening boom. In the expanding flames, Zhang Yuanqing's figure materialized, closing the distance from fifty meters to just over twenty.
Fire Walk!
At that moment, the Staff of Decay in Li Xianzong's hand began to emit a faint, dark glow.
Thump-thump! Zhang Yuanqing felt his heart pound violently in his chest, then abruptly stop. The familiar pain and suffocating sensation surged through him, but this time, the heart-stopping agony lasted less than a second.
The Yin-Yang Robe had blocked the Curse.
Huh? The Curse has no effect on him? Li Xianzong's expression shifted as he saw Zhang Yuanqing emerge unscathed.
Zhang Yuanqing grinned at Li Xianzong, who stood nearby, revealing a dangerous smile.
Swish!
He stripped off the Yin-Yang Robe and tossed it into the air with a flick of his wrist.
This action froze both Li Xianzong and the Ratman in their tracks. The Ratman raised his bamboo tube and aimed a poisoned dart at Zhang Yuanqing.
Pfft! The dart shot into empty air. Zhang Yuanqing's figure had vanished without a trace.
At that moment, the Yin-Yang Robe, which had been flung into the air, suddenly unfurled. Its hems and sleeves stretched taut, as if pulled by invisible strings, expanding to their full extent like a sheet of paper.
The Taiji Fish on the robe's back began to spin. The black fish cascaded down clear, illusory streams of water, while the white fish spewed scorching tongues of flame. The falling water and fire converged to form a Taiji Fish that covered a thirty-meter radius.
Fire dominated the left side, while water dominated the right.
"What's happening? What's happening?" the Ratman shrieked. "What kind of Item is this?"
Trapped within the water-covered zone, the Ratman felt himself being buffeted by unseen currents. Like a floating weed, he struggled to maintain his footing, let alone fight.
Li Xianzong's heart sank with a foreboding premonition. Without hesitation, he retreated, seeking to escape this bizarre domain.
Buzz! A transparent Energy Barrier blocked their path.
They couldn't escape?
"Damn it! We're trapped!" the Ratman roared, pounding his fists against the barrier, sending visible ripples through its surface.
Li Xianzong's expression darkened as he slashed his butterfly knife against the barrier. Compared to the Ratman's slow, rippling punches, the knife's strikes created rapid, vibrating waves, yet even these failed to breach the barrier.
Veins bulged on Li Xianzong's forehead, and his arm muscles tensed, intensifying the waves against the barrier.
After a tense standoff lasting several seconds, he retracted his butterfly knife, his expression darkening further.
"We're trapped!"
Hearing this, the Ratman's composure crumbled. His beady eyes darted left and right as he bared his teeth and roared, "Primordial Heavenly Venerable, come out! Get out here now! You think you can trap us like this? How long do you think you can keep us here?"
After painstakingly killing the boss and surviving the perilous battle for the Staff of Decay, they had finally reached the end, victory within reach. But this sudden twist of fate was enough to shatter anyone's resolve.
"Heh heh." A soft chuckle echoed from the center of the illusory water flow. "Trap you? You misunderstand. I'm not trying to trap you."
Li Xianzong and the Ratman turned toward the sound. In the central area, a mass of illusory water slowly rose, coalescing into a human form. The indistinct features vaguely resembled the Primordial Heavenly Venerable.
The figure held a large-caliber pistol in one hand and wore black-framed glasses.
Simultaneously, the same voice echoed from another direction: "Killing you is my true objective. Are you ready to kneel and beg for mercy?"
Li Xianzong and the Ratman Mr. Huo whirled around to see the fire-engulfed area. At its center, flames coalesced into a constantly shifting, burning humanoid figure, wielding the Demon Subduing Pestle and the Blade of Bloodlust.
Water-Fire Clone!
Beneath the Flame Figure's feet lay a black-shelled speaker, its amplifier reverberating with a slightly mournful song:
"You're like a flame, your burning warmth embraces me, you're like a flame, your fiery light illuminates me."
The Water Clone began, "Li Xianzong, I told you—"
The Flame Clone cut in, "Isn't it possible that today, you'll be the ones kneeling and begging for mercy?"
The Water Clone snatched back the words, "You!"
Zhang Yuanqing felt a peculiar sensation. He now possessed two bodies, two sets of sensory systems, yet there was no sense of dissonance, as if he had always had two bodies.
The only unsettling aspect was the division of his consciousness into two parts: one combative and volatile, the other cold and cynical.
Furthermore, while in clone form, he couldn't access his Inventory. Items already retrieved could be used, but those still in the Inventory were "sealed" within.
Without a word, Li Xianzong raised his staff, causing the gem at its tip to emit a dark, undulating aura.
The two clones stood motionless in the distance. The Fire Clone chuckled, "Useless."
The Water Clone said calmly, "Curses have no effect on me."
All expression vanished from Li Xianzong's face—no arrogance, no defiance. The hand gripping his butterfly knife trembled slightly from the strain.
The Ratman shrieked, "Impossible! If you had this Item, why didn't you use it before? This can't be happening!"
He refused to accept the reality before him.
Bang! Bang!
The Water Clone raised his pistol and fired at the hunched Ratman.
The Ratman recoiled in terror, ducking low and attempting to dive sideways. But illusory streams of water surged forth, forming invisible restraints that pressed in from all sides, sealing him firmly in place.
"Damn it!" the Ratman cried out, his body writhing like a fish. His slick, oily fur helped him shed the water's force, allowing him to narrowly evade the two lethal bullets.
"Oh, a water rat!"
The Flame Clone sneered and stomped his foot.
The Yin-Yang Robe swirled in the air, shifting the Water-Fire Millstone. Li Xianzong and the Ratman were drawn into the fiery half of the Taiji symbol.
Sizzle...
Blue smoke billowed from the Ratman's fur, carrying a acrid, burning stench. He shrieked in agony.
The Flame Clone vanished silently, reappearing behind the Ratman using Fire Walk. The Blade of Bloodlust flashed toward his hunched back.
Li Xianzong lunged forward, his staff slamming into the Flame Clone's wrist. The fiery arm exploded, sending the Blade of Bloodlust flying from its grasp.
Bang! Bang!
In the distance, the Water Clone swiveled its gun, unleashing a barrage of crimson bullets. The suppressive fire forced Li Xianzong to duck for cover.
The Flame Clone's arm reformed instantly. Instead of retrieving the Blade of Bloodlust, it plunged its hand into the raging flames, drawing out a blazing longsword that radiated intense heat. The blade crashed down with lethal force.
The Ratman, surprisingly agile, sprang away with a powerful leap of his hind legs, narrowly avoiding the fatal strike.
Before he could celebrate his escape, a gunshot rang out. A searing pain tore through his abdomen as a bullet ripped through his tough hide, leaving two gaping wounds.
The Water Clone, enhanced by the Eye of Insight, had anticipated his every move.
The Fire Clone seamlessly transitioned forward, its flaming longsword slashing upward in a swift arc. With a boom, blinding flames erupted from the Ratman's abdomen.
He writhed in agony, curling into a fetal position. No blood flowed from the wound; the intense heat had cauterized the flesh, but his internal organs were charred beyond repair. Death was inevitable.
"Impossible..." the Ratman rasped, his voice a desperate whisper as the light in his eyes gradually faded.
Witnessing this, Li Xianzong's pupils constricted violently, as if struck by a sudden shock. Instinctively, he summoned the Wooden Box, snapped it open, and unleashed the Misty Veil to envelop the area.
The Fire Clone roared with arrogant laughter. "Useless! This is my territory, my domain!"
The Water Clone countered coldly, "Water is my eyes. Fire is that creature's aura."
As the words left its mouth, both clones struck simultaneously. The Water Clone fired into a specific point within the dense fog, while the Fire Clone hurled scorching fireballs that exploded with the force of high-explosive grenades.
The fog trembled under the shockwaves, momentarily dispersing to reveal Li Xianzong. He knelt on the ground, clad in a filthy, reeking overcoat. The bullets had narrowly missed him, and the coat's dark aura deflected the explosive blasts.
Li Xianzong retrieved the Wooden Box into his Inventory, then summoned a white chalk and drew a circle around himself.
This was his last resort!
A pillar of earthy-yellow light descended from the heavens, enveloping Li Xianzong. After a few seconds, the light dissipated, leaving him still standing in place.
A flicker of despair crossed Li Xianzong's eyes.
At that moment, the Fire Clone arrived, slashing down with its flaming longsword, a wave of scorching heat washing over Li Xianzong.
Forced to interrupt his "Prayer," Li Xianzong leaned back to evade the fiery blade, his eyes flashing with crimson talismans.
The Fire Clone froze mid-strike. In the next instant, its body exploded in a violent shockwave accompanied by searing flames, the force slamming into Li Xianzong's chest in successive waves.
Pah! Li Xianzong spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.
The Fire Clone reformed in the distance, taunting, "Lucky I reacted fast and self-destructed in time."
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable," Li Xianzong snarled through gritted teeth, "how... how did you discover this Item?"
He couldn't accept that a rookie he had once crushed could now outperform him so spectacularly in the Instance, a performance that even stirred his envy.
"Playing Instances requires brains, not just mindless slaughter," the Fire Clone retorted angrily. "Back at Pingtai Hospital, you only bullied me because I was low-level. You really thought you were some kind of hero? I've accomplished more in half a month than you have in half a year! What makes you think you're anything special?!"
A flash of anger crossed Li Xianzong's face, but beneath it surged a profound sense of defeat and helplessness.
Bang! Bang!
The Water Clone calmly fired, forcing Li Xianzong to roll aside. The Water Clone sneered, "Fool, why waste words? Just kill him. The Demon Subduing Pestle's Purification requires a sacrifice of vital essence. You're no longer flesh and blood—what use is it to you? Toss it aside."
"Makes sense, makes sense!" The Fire Clone exclaimed, suddenly enlightened. He casually discarded the Demon Subduing Pestle and declared, "Let's change positions."
The Water Clone stomped his foot, shifting the Water-Fire Millstone's position and trapping Li Xianzong within a surging water array.
The omnipresent, turbulent currents instantly restricted Li Xianzong's agility.
The Water Clone tossed a bullet and the Black Frame Glasses to the Fire Clone, saying coolly, "You take the shot!"
With a sudden clench of his fists, the illusory currents surged toward Li Xianzong from all directions, sealing him in place.
Simultaneously, the Water Clone glided across the water's surface, lunging toward Li Xianzong. Mid-leap, he thrust his knee upward.
Bang!
Unable to evade, Li Xianzong braced himself, lowering his stance and positioning the Staff of Decay horizontally across his chest.
The Water Clone's impact shattered his form against Li Xianzong's chest, eliciting a muffled groan from the latter. Seizing the opportunity, the Fire Clone frantically pulled the trigger, unleashing a hail of bullets.
Caught off guard by the undercurrent, Li Xianzong reacted a split second too late. Though he dodged most of the bullets, one pierced his right chest.
His face drained of color, and beads of sweat the size of beans dotted his forehead.
"Let's make this more interesting!" the Water Clone snapped its fingers. Moments later, towering waves erupted from the river channel, surging like snow-white lions and dragons.
The Water Clone absorbed the real water, transforming into a three-meter-tall giant that enveloped Li Xianzong in a crushing embrace.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The Flame Clone unleashed a relentless barrage of bullets.
Crimson trajectories crisscrossed the water-shrouded Li Xianzong, leaving him no escape. The bullets pierced through the Water Clone and slammed into Li Xianzong's body, erupting in crimson blossoms of blood.
The three-meter-tall Water Clone was instantly stained crimson with blood.
Glug... glug...
Li Xianzong coughed up a stream of bubbles, his body riddled with bloody, gaping wounds.
His consciousness rapidly faded, and memories flashed through his mind like a flickering slideshow: his mother, who abandoned her husband and child; his father, gentle and kind but easily bullied; the years of hardship they endured together. These memories twisted into a burning rage and resentment.
His fading consciousness flared back to life with a final, desperate clarity.
I'm going to die by his hand. With his last shred of willpower, Li Xianzong forced open his Inventory.
In an instant, his filthy, foul-smelling coat, the butterfly knife in his right hand, the Staff of Decay in his left, and the chalk in his palm all vanished into the Inventory.
Summoning Items from the Inventory and retrieving them was as simple as a thought.
Having completed this, Li Xianzong slumped his head, letting the current carry him. The bubbles escaping his nostrils gradually diminished in size and frequency.
Bang!
The Fire Clone fired another shot, blasting Li Xianzong's head apart.
The Water Clone finally dispersed its Manifestation, allowing the river to cascade down with a thunderous roar.
Immediately afterward, Zhang Yuanqing deactivated the formation. The Taiji Fish on the back of his Yin-Yang Robe reversed direction, tongues of flame surged skyward into the white fish, while streams of illusory darkness flowed back into the black fish.
The Yin-Yang Robe descended, landing perfectly on Zhang Yuanqing below.
Far from the riverbank, in a narrow alleyway, Guan Ya and Queen sat slumped on the ground, desperately recovering their strength. Grass on the Plain tended to the poisoned and unconscious Fire Master.
Li Chunfeng stood guard at the alley entrance.
Chi Ou had regained consciousness and was slowly recovering his energy. Seeing the silent, grave expressions of the others, he apologized, "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."
"I'm sorry, I couldn't be of any help."
No one paid him any attention. Their hearts remained suspended in anticipation, waiting for news, waiting for a verdict.
Finally, the familiar Spirit Realm notification chime rang in their ears:
[ Ding! Congratulations on completing the Multiplayer Spirit Realm Mission—Yin-Yang Town, ID 2273, Difficulty Level A. Calculating rewards... ]