Realm Walker

The moment he realized it was the palace master of Slaughter Cessation Palace who had appeared in the underground bar, Tianlingling's face drained of color. The glass in his hand shattered with a sharp crack, crushed in his grip.

The palace master? Li Xianzong's expression twisted with shock as thoughts flooded his mind unbidden. When did she start tracking me? I've never had any dealings with Slaughter Cessation Palace...

The palace master was a Musician suspected to be at the peak of the Saint tier, who had recently emerged unscathed after being besieged by the Xiahou family, and was at present a wanted fugitive.

Li Xianzong slipped his hand into his pocket, his fingers closing around the piece of chalk. "Uncle Tian, what's this about the Chu family massacre? She seems to have come specifically for you."

"Li Xianzong, you've gotten me killed, you bastard!"

Tianlingling's face was ashen. The instant he'd heard the words "Chu family massacre," he knew this woman had come for him. Li Xianzong had been tracked without realizing it, and she had followed the trail straight here.

Despite wanting nothing more than to cave in his nephew's skull, Tianlingling made the rational call. "Kid, I'll hold her off. Find a way out."

He was a Level 5 Fog Lord. Given the combat multiplier that Evil-class Walkers innately possessed, he could trade blows with a Level 6 Lawful-class Walker. The palace master might be at the peak of the Saint tier, and he certainly couldn't defeat her, but he could tie her up for a while. Besides, there were still twenty or thirty Evil-class Walkers in the bar. Every last one of them was messed up in the head, but ferocious in a fight.

However, the thugs in the underground bar hadn't yet grasped what was happening. A few men near the staircase whistled with sleazy grins, showering her with catcalls as she descended.

"Hey there, little lady. All dressed up for a night out? Damn, that dress is something else. You look like a noblewoman straight out of ancient times."

"A noblewoman, huh? Lift that skirt up and give us boys a peek."

Laughter erupted around them. They assumed the girl in the antique red dress was one of their own, coming to the underground bar for entertainment.

The palace master turned her head toward the man who had spoken. The next instant, a thread thin as a strand of hair lashed through the air with a piercing shriek.

The man's lewd grin froze on his face. Then, slowly, his head slid free from his neck. The red thread coiled itself around the severed head, dragging it in a rolling, bloody trail across the floor until it came to rest at the hem of her skirt.

The palace master raised one pale, delicate foot and placed it on the face belonging to the severed head, giggling sweetly. "Can you see under my skirt now?"

The underground bar plunged into dead silence.

Where did this lunatic come from? That sick laughter, that ruthless decisiveness... She was more bloodthirsty than an Enchanting Demon, more deranged than an Illusionist.

"Everyone, watch yourselves!" Tianlingling bellowed. "She's the palace master of Slaughter Cessation Palace, a peak Saint-tier Musician. If we work together, we can take her down!"

Chairs scraped back as every person in the bar rose to their feet, staring at the woman in red with grim expressions.

The few couples who were mid-act froze as well. The women who had their legs clamped around their men's waists released them. They didn't even bother dressing before scrambling into combat stances.

So this madwoman is the palace master. That explains everything.

As native Songhai Walkers, they all knew the palace master's reputation. She was one of the strongest fighters in the region below the elders.

"Damn it, Tianlingling! I came here to spend money, not to die!"

"What are you scared of? She walked in here alone. We wear her down in waves and she's finished. Anything below the Sovereign tier isn't walking out alive."

"Tianlingling's a Saint too. With us backing him up, what's one crazy woman going to do?"

The palace master bent down and scooped a handful of fresh blood from the severed head, smearing it gently across her silver mask, the crimson liquid tracing the contours of that hauntingly beautiful face.

The next second, countless slender red threads unfurled from behind her, blooming outward like a bouquet of crimson flowers, or perhaps a writhing nest of terrible tentacles.

The bartender snatched a shotgun from a drawer beneath the liquor cabinet and tossed it to Tianlingling at the bar. He caught it, aimed at the palace master, and squeezed the trigger.

With a bang, the muzzle flashed, letting out a puff of gunsmoke and spraying a fistful of buckshot toward the staircase. The devastating spread of pellets was batted aside effortlessly by those hair-thin red threads.

That shot served as a starting pistol. Evil-class Walkers at the booths drew firearms, produced items, and those who had neither relied on skills and bare fists. The palace master tilted her head back, baring her slender white throat, and from it burst a voice of soaring, crystalline beauty.

As the song reverberated through the underground space, the thugs in the bar felt their minds go hazy. Killing intent was dissolved, and fear smoothed away. Their hearts settled into an impossible calm.

Musicians could channel emotion through song, influencing all who listened. Ordinary Musicians wielded three core abilities, Hypnosis, Pacification, and Rally, while seasoned Musicians could achieve far more nuanced effects. By leveraging a specific song, they could amplify the emotions embedded in the melody and lyrics, compelling listeners to feel whatever the performer desired. The more songs in their repertoire, the more tools at their disposal.

In that sliver of time in which everyone was lulled into serenity and lost their will to fight, the red threads behind the palace master shot forward, splitting into two waves. One wave struck at the Evil-class Walkers by the booths, while the other lanced toward the bar, where Tianlingling and Li Xianzong were.

Thwip, thwip, thwip...

Six or seven people died on the spot, red threads punching through skulls and hearts. They fell without a sound. One Illusionist managed a piercing shriek before she died.

Her voice couldn't compare to the palace master's, but it was like a pebble breaking the surface of still water, sending out ripples. Tianlingling, who had been straining against the song with every fiber of his will, managed one final push against the psychic shockwave and tore free of its hold.

Li Xianzong snapped awake. Without thinking, he summoned the filthy, reeking greatcoat and threw it over his shoulders.

He squeezed his eyes shut, muttering under his breath, "Can't hit me, can't hit me..."

The red threads that came screaming toward him pierced his abdomen, thigh, and arm, but the threads aimed at his skull and heart veered away in bizarre trajectories, some arcing toward the ceiling while others buried themselves in the floor.

He was using the third ability of his Saint-tier item: Blessing.

Curse and Fortune Shearing would never work on the palace master, so instead, he simply made his own luck better.

Li Xianzong hissed through clenched teeth, his face twitching with pain. On the other side, Tianlingling stood firm. His muscles swelled, shredding his outer shirt with a tearing sound. Two spectral arms, translucent and not fully solid, extended from his shoulder blades. One gripped a long saber, the other a short blade.

The twin weapons whirled, severing the incoming red threads, which drifted to the ground like crimson rain.

Tianlingling was about to press forward with both blades to engage the intruder in close quarters combat when he saw the woman in red raise one pale wrist and snap her fingers

Crack.

The severed threads sprang back to life, coiling around Tianlingling like tentacles, binding him in layer upon layer of red.

The threads tightened, constricting, slowly slicing into the skin of the Level 5 Fog Lord. Blood seeped from wounds as thin as paper cuts.

"Sovereign?" Tianlingling muttered in disbelief, his expression showing fear.

A Level 5 Fog Lord possessed a signature ability: Copper Head, Iron Arms. This skill cemented an Enchanting Demon's dominance in close range combat. Tianlingling had absolute confidence in his defense. He believed that even a Lawful-class Walker at the peak of the Saint tier could not easily breach it. Yet in their very first exchange, his vaunted iron body had been cut through by the palace master's red threads.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. When did she reach the Sovereign tier? The slaughter dungeon hasn't even opened yet.

Beside him, Li Xianzong's heart lurched. He quickly created distance between himself and Tianlingling, retreating toward the far corner of the bar. At the same time, he pulled the chalk from his pocket. Her real target is Tianlingling, not me. As long as he can keep the madwoman busy, I can escape...

The twisted, interlocking tattoos on Tianlingling's bald head flared with a sinister light. The glow spiraled into vortexes that warped the minds of all who saw them, spawning hallucinations before the eyes and phantom sounds in the ears.

The patterns on his scalp weren't tattoos at all. They were the physical manifestation of the evolved Enchant skill. At the Transcendent tier, an Enchanting Demon's runes were hidden within the eyes. At the Saint tier, they gradually spread across the entire body.

At the Sovereign tier, enchanting runes would cover every inch of their skin, and any lower-level Walker who so much as glanced at them would lose their mind and fall under the Demon's thrall.

Tianlingling spoke again, his voice low and ethereal. "Kill her. Kill her at any cost."

Instantly, the surviving Evil-class Walkers at the booths were overtaken by an insatiable bloodlust and threw themselves at the palace master with reckless abandon.

In response, the palace master raised her arm and swept it outward. Dense clusters of red threads erupted around her like a fountain, twisting and flailing as they scythed across the entire bar.

A cacophony of crashes and bangs filled the air. Chairs were snapped clean through. Hairline fractures spiderwebbed their way across the bar counter. Tables fell in halves, the cuts mirror smooth. Evil-class Walkers were torn apart. Heads flew. Bodies were severed at the waist. Limbs were scattered everywhere.

The Blessing on Li Xianzong deflected most of the attack, but a sudden line of pain flared across his neck as a single hair-thin thread grazed past.

He clapped a hand to his throat and staggered backward, blood jetting between his fingers.

Blood... I need blood...

His eyes darted wildly until they landed on a target a few meters away. An Evil-class Walker, his torso separated from legs, thrashing in agony, not yet dead. He lurched toward the body.

Meanwhile, Tianlingling seized the opening to slash through the threads binding him and bolted for the bar's rear exit. As he ran, he pulled a battered black clay pot from his Inventory and smashed it against the ground.

In an instant, layers of illusions that were constantly warping flooded the space. The palace master's form shattered, dissolving into a crimson tide that surged into the illusions in pursuit of Tianlingling.

Li Xianzong saw his chance. He whipped out his butterfly knife and drove it into the dying Walker's heart.

The Enchanting Demon's bloodthirst passive activated. Crimson light blazed in Li Xianzong's pupils as he drained the man's blood essence in a steady stream. As he did so, the wound on his neck began to close.

Then, ignoring the terrifying, twisted illusions swirling around him, he crouched down and drew a circle on the floor with the chalk.

A hazy yellow barrier of light descended, enveloping him, and he vanished.

***

The floor at the rear exit of the bar was littered with arms, legs, and torsos, steaming viscera mingling in rivers of blood.

The palace master walked barefoot through the gore, Tianlingling's head dangling from one hand. Piece by piece, she reassembled his body.

Once done, she draped a black cloak that radiated spectral energy over her shoulders. Instantly, a dark power churned in her pupils as she communed with the lingering spirit within the remains.

"Tianlingling, Dilingling... Tell me which Heavenly King led the massacre of the Chu family twenty-one years ago. Tell me where the rule-type item belonging to the Chu family is..."

She chanted the phrases several times in a singsong murmur, then swallowed the spirit whole.

***

A post appeared on the official forum around noon. It rocketed to the top of the official forum, pinned and highlighted in red.

【#Li Xianzong Attacks Pingtai Hospital, Target: Yuanshi Tianzun#】

【According to a reliable senior from the Taiyi Sect, today's attack on Songhai's Pingtai Hospital was a carefully orchestrated attempted assassination of Yuanshi Tianzun, planned by Bing Zhu Sect's Li Xianzong.

【Fortunately, although Yuanshi Tianzun sustained severe injuries, he survived. Based on this incident, we can gauge the gap in combat strength between the two. According to the Taiyi Sect senior, the fog engulfed the hospital interior and dissipated in roughly two minutes.

【By the time Songhai Branch colleagues located Yuanshi Tianzun, he was already at death's door. This confirms that Li Xianzong possesses formidable combat ability. Do not underestimate him.

【This attack marks the opening salvo of the Evil faction's trials. All branches are advised to stay vigilant against potential ambushes in the coming days.

【As for developments regarding Yuanshi Tianzun and Li Xianzong, this thread will be updated continuously. Hit follow.】

During this period, official Walkers across the country had been on high alert, though things remained relatively quiet so far. As the post stated, Li Xianzong's attack was the starting gun that kicked off the Evil faction's trial season. From this point on, Evil-class Walkers everywhere would begin moving, launching hunts against their chosen targets.

Across the forum, official Walkers from every region chimed in with their opinions.

⤷ Long Road Ahead: So even Yuanshi Tianzun can't beat Li Xianzong. But I didn't expect him to go down in under two minutes.

⤷ Days Gone By: Yuanshi Tianzun still lacks depth. He is strong at the Transcendent tier, sure, but there's a significant gap between him and the truly elite. This clash at least gives us a clearer picture of where he stands.

⤷ Call Me Queen: You two up there, what happened to calling him "Tianzun"? Don't boost the enemy's morale and crush our own. Yuanshi Tianzun has only been a Spirit Realm Walker for a little over a month. Give him another six months and he might not lose to Li Xianzong.

⤷ Little Pig George: I expected he'd be targeted by an evil organization sooner or later, I just didn't think it'd be Li Xianzong. Hopefully he pulls through.

⤷ Jiang Yang: To be safe, I think Yuanshi Tianzun should go into hiding for a while. Let things cool down.

⤷ Passionate Jenny: There goes Old Jiang with his slacker mentality again. Hide from what? Go all-in. Hunt down Li Xianzong, take him out, and collect the bounty.

Twice a year, at midyear and year end, the forum would be abuzz with activity. However, it was also the heaviest time. A colleague celebrated for a breakthrough one day might fall to an Evil-class Walker's ambush the next.

Anger simmered over Li Xianzong's brazen attack, but for those outside Songhai, there was little they could do. The best they could manage was to offer advice. Lie low and bide his time. A gentleman's revenge never comes too late. If he waited it out, it was possible Li Xianzong would be dead in a few days anyway, given the massive ongoing manhunt.

Official Walkers from other districts in the Songhai Branch, meanwhile, made bold declarations about hunting Li Xianzong down themselves, with thinly-veiled jabs at the Kangyang District team for dropping the ball.

***

Inside the underground black market, Champion Fist led a few squad members on patrol through his territory, keeping order.

Songhai's Spirit Realm Walkers hadn't been spooked into hiding by the tensions between the Lawful and Evil factions. If anything, they were visiting the black market more frequently than ever.

On one hand, intelligence and information was critical during periods like this. On the other hand, these times always brought a surge in those who gambled. Gambling was a fundamental human vice.

One of the squad members at Champion Fist's side kept glancing toward the betting tables, then leaned in and said quietly, "Boss, the odds on Yuanshi Tianzun versus Li Xianzong have hit 20-to-1. You just got back from the meeting. You must know something. What do you think? Should I bet on him winning?"

Champion Fist gave him a sideways look. "You can bet on a draw, but don't bet on Yuanshi Tianzun winning."

The men behind him understood at once. The forum post had been telling the truth.

***

Night fell heavily over the city. In the presidential suite of the Huayu Hotel, Xie Lingxi sat by the balcony, brow furrowed, refreshing the Five Elements Alliance's official forum over and over.

Her female assistant stood to one side, delivering a report. "We've already checked in with Kangyang District's Squad Two. Yuanshi Tianzun is resting at home and out of danger. However, I'm told that when the team found him, he was barely clinging to life. Miss, if you're this worried about Yuanshi Tianzun, why not just call him yourself?"

Xie Lingxi shot her an irritated look. "You've never dated anyone. I can't be bothered to explain."

Neither have you... The assistant bristled inwardly at the unexpected jab, but held her tongue.

Xie Lingxi's brow creased gently. "If the post isn't exaggerating, then the gap between Bro Yuanshi and Li Xianzong really is huge. This is dangerous for him. Lying low would be the smartest move."

"Li Xianzong was personally cultivated by the Bing Zhu Sect," the assistant noted. "He's one of the best at the Transcendent tier."

Xie Lingxi closed her laptop and fixed her gaze on the assistant. "My father told me to keep observing Bro Yuanshi, and now this happens, but he still hasn't reached out to me. Hah. He contacted you privately today though, didn't he? What did he say?"

The assistant hesitated, then answered honestly, "Nothing much. The Family Head told me to maintain a wait-and-see approach, and keep a closer eye on you during this period. There should be no contact with Yuanshi Tianzun. I suppose he wants to see whether Yuanshi Tianzun can survive first."

Xie Lingxi pursed her lips. "Figures. Making investments requires a certain caution. That's always been his style."

But I have my own style.

She grabbed her phone and recorded a sugary voice message. "Bro Yuanshi, can you come by the hotel tomorrow? I want to treat you to a nice meal."

***

In his bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing lay on his back with his eyes closed, sinking his spiritual energy inward. He channeled the Power of the Dark Moon in a slow, steady current, nurturing Little Goofball.

His complexion was wan, like someone just emerging from a serious illness. Even with a Nocturnal Specter's formidable vitality, a full recovery would take another two days.

He alternated between tending to Little Goofball and replaying the day's battle in his mind, over and over again.

No matter how I played it, I had zero chance of winning. My Red Dancing Shoes weren't on me. The level gap is real. Using the Red Veil to scare him off was the lowest risk option available.

But I only have one use of the Red Veil left, and Li Xianzong has a teleportation item. This is different from the incident with Rampaging Recklessly back then. If he comes at me one or two more times, I'm dead. I need to reach Level 3. Fast.

Losing so decisively to Li Xianzong stung. Pretending otherwise would be a lie. Li Xianzong might be higher in level, but they were close in age, practically the same generation, and were both at the Transcendent tier. Telling himself he simply hadn't been a Walker long enough felt like self-deception.

He had nearly died tohat day, and Little Goofball had almost been obliterated entirely.

This was a debt that had to be repaid. But when he thought about the raw gap in their combat power, helplessness crept back in, heavy and suffocating.

Just then, light footsteps sounded outside his door. From the sound alone, he knew it was his little aunt.