Realm Walker

The Cat King Speaker crackled with static, then fell silent.

Zhang Yuanqing sat motionless at his desk, but his mind was churning. A thousand thoughts surged like waves, crashing together and boiling over into an absolute mess.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally wrestled free from the chaos of his emotions and pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

"So that's how it is," he mumbled. "You were one of Ghost Eye Judge's servants as well..."

Once the initial shock faded, the scattered clues and details from the past converged together in his mind, gradually assembling themselves into the truth.

Demon Lord had been a servant of Ghost Eye Judge, and he'd been enslaved early on, while he'd been weak.

A snippet from an earlier audio recording served as proof. In that audio, Demon Lord revealed he had been assigned a monthly quota of Lawful-class kills. Zhang Yuanqing hadn't been able to figure out who had given him that order before, but if Demon Lord was Ghost Eye Judge's servant, then the logic tracked perfectly.

Ghost Eye Judge was a heavyweight in the Evil-class hierarchy, a natural enemy of the Lawful-class Walkers. Ordering a subordinate to suppress Lawful-class Walkers within his territory, specifically the area controlled by the Psychic Assembly's Eastern Division, made complete sense.

Taiyi Sect's Yuan Ting had once mentioned that Demon Lord was volatile and fiercely independent, slaughtering both Lawful and Evil Walkers indiscriminately. A Nocturnal Specter was a class belonging to the Lawful alignment, and killing other Lawful-class Walkers with any Reputation score would cost the Demon Lord Morality points. Therefore, Demon Lord had to hunt down Evil targets too, to ensure he didn't end up on the Spirit Realm's wanted list.

Zhang Yuanqing continued to work through the implications.

Demon Lord had fallen into the clutches of Ghost Eye Judge when he had been weak. He struggled to survive, desperately searching for a way to break the Grail's hold over him. It was when he was on the verge of reaching the supreme domain that he finally saw a glimmer of hope. He joined forces with Bro Bing, a fellow servant, to hunt down Ghost Eye Judge. Every piece of information I've gathered so far validates this theory. The motive and the logic both check out.

Now that he understood why Demon Lord had hunted down Ghost Eye Judge, what did that have to do with the appearance of the mysterious figure?

His expression darkened abruptly, and a chilling hypothesis surfaced in his mind.

If Demon Lord had been a servant of Ghost Eye Judge, then his identity would have been recorded in the Registry. What if that mysterious figure was one of Demon Lord's people? What if he'd torn out the page not for the sake of concealing Bro Bing's identity, but rather, that the information on Bro Bing and Demon Lord simply happened to be recorded on the same page?

That doesn't make sense, though. If Demon Lord isn't dead, how did Bro Bing end up with his Character Card? Then again, Li Dongze once said that Character Cards are issued by the Spirit Realm, but mine came from Bro Bing...

At that thought, Zhang Yuanqing's scalp went numb.

If that really was Demon Lord, then the reason he didn't kill me is... deeply unsettling, the more I think about it. No, I have to confirm whether he's actually dead.

He rubbed his face to steady himself, pulled a notebook from his desk drawer, and wrote down two questions.

How does a Spirit Realm Walker unbind a Character Card?

How can someone obtain another person's Character Card?

If he could answer those two questions, he'd be able to deduce a great deal. But he absolutely couldn't ask anyone official, especially not Fu Qingyang, who already knew far too much. Zhang Yuanqing twirled his ballpoint pen as a single name coalesced in his mind: Master Wuhen.

He was an Evil-class Walker, completely separate from the Lawful hierarchy. And because he belonged to the Chaotic Good alignment, he wouldn't harbor any malice or pose a threat. On top of that, he was high-level enough to know the answers.

Seeking his advice on this matter was far better than asking the Palace Master of the Slaughter Cessation Palace. Sure, she was of the Lawful alignment, but that didn't change the fact that she was absolutely unhinged.

Whether I have business or not, I should swing by Master Wuhen's place, show my face, cling to his coattails, and shamelessly beg for another Dream Entry Jade Talisman. Unless he explicitly tells me to stop coming...

Then again, Zhang Yuanqing had plenty of confidence in his social skills and his shamelessness.

With his mind made up, he put away the Cat King Speaker, pulled the blanket over himself, and sank into a deep sleep.

***

The next day, Zhang Yuanqing woke to his grandmother's relentless calling. He sprawled across the bed like a starfish, stretching his limbs. He had completely recovered after a full night's rest.

He wandered into the living room just as his cousin Chen Yuanjun finished breakfast. The older man pulled out a napkin, wiped his mouth, gave his younger cousin a nod, and said, "Grandma, I'm heading to work."

Zhang Yuanqing blinked. "Bro, it's Sunday."

Chen Yuanjun sighed. "There's been an incident at Songhai Third Elementary School. We need to cordon off the area and maintain order. On top of that, an old man in the neighborhood died. My colleagues say it was an accidental fall from a building, but the neighbors claim they heard people fighting downstairs that night.

"The victim's family insists he was murdered. They showed up at the Public Security Bureau first thing this morning, raising hell. It's going to be a long day."

Zhang Yuanqing sighed quietly to himself. He really was murdered. One shout from him triggered Black Wuchang so badly that I couldn't even save him in time.

The elderly residents of Songhai had notoriously fiery tempers. Cross them, and they'd cuss out the gods themselves without hesitation. Unfortunately, this particular old man had the bad luck of running into a hard case like Black Wuchang.

After Chen Yuanjun left for work, Zhang Yuanqing picked up a steamed bun and bit into it.

"Grandma, where's Auntie?" he asked as he chewed.

"Sleeping in her room. It's Sunday, and I can't be bothered to deal with her," Grandma replied as she placed a fried dough stick on her grandson's plate, then fished out five hundred yuan in cash from her pocket. "Here's next week's allowance."

"Thanks, Grandma."

Zhang Yuanqing was a big shot worth five hundred thousand yuan, but turning down family money would only raise questions. He could hardly tell her that her grandson spent his days licking blades and robbing graves, and thus money wasn't exactly tight anymore.

Grandma slapped the five red bills on the table with a flourish and headed to the balcony to water her flowers. Just then, his aunt shuffled out in a pair of pink cotton pajamas with a large Rikachu print across her chest, her slippers slapping against the floor. She squinted sleepily. Her hair was in a disheveled mess, and she radiated pure laziness.

To be fair, while his aunt was the sweet and adorable type, her figure was nothing to scoff at. Even Rikachu looked like it had gained a size.

She plopped down beside her nephew and hollered, "Mom! Where's my porridge?"

"Get it yourself from the kitchen!" Grandma snapped back.

"Mom, don't you love me anymore?" she whined.

"Don't test me!"

Jiang Yu'er slunk off to the kitchen in defeat.

Zhang Yuanqing waited for his aunt to return with her bowl of congee, then asked, "We didn't even game last night. How'd you sleep so late?"

"It's that time of the month!"

"Your time of the month comes twice a month?"

"Watch your mouth!" she scolded him as she raised her hand and brought it down in a fierce karate chop, bonking her nephew on the head with a resounding thwack. "Since when does a little brat get to sass his elder?"

The moment she finished asserting her authority, her nephew twisted both her arms behind her back and pinned her face down onto the dining table.

Zhang Yuanqing's gaze drifted to his aunt's upturned rear. Before he could stop it, a thought flashed through his mind. What a shame that such a nice butt doesn't have a pig's tail growing out of it—What the hell!

He cursed internally, immediately released her, and sat back down, ramrod straight.

Jiang Yu'er had just been about to call for her mother to witness how her nephew was bullying her, but paused. "Why'd you suddenly back off?"

Zhang Yuanqing let out a cold laugh. "Woman, you no longer attract me."

Sows have gradually entered my field of vision, he added tearfully in his mind.

"Want to go shopping later?" Jiang Yu'er asked.

"No, I've got something to do this morning. Maybe this afternoon, depending on the time."

***

In a dim room, an orange desk lamp cast a feeble glow.

At a brown hardwood desk, a burly man popped the wooden stopper off a glass vial with a soft pop and downed the pale golden liquid in one gulp, then exhaled in satisfaction. The countless cuts and claw marks covering his body healed rapidly, leaving no trace behind.

Then the Fire Sage turned to the black-robed Great Protector standing by the window, watching the rain, and spoke in a low voice.

"I just received word. Black Wuchang has been killed, and the Holy Grail has fallen into the Songhai Branch's hands. Great Protector, we've lost our chance."

Great Protector, standing by the window, watched the rain in silence for a long while, then asked in his hoarse voice, "Who killed Black Wuchang?"

The Fire Sage snorted coldly. "Yuanshi Tianzun. The official database shows he was just awarded an A-rank Merit. Hah! A-rank Merit! If I recall correctly, to become an elder, one not only needs to reach a certain level, but have at least one A-rank Merit to their name. If Black Wuchang wasn't his kill, how would he have earned it?"

"Find a way to kill him," Great Protector said. "Also, spread the word that Black Wuchang has been eliminated and the Registry is in the hands of the Five Elements Alliance. Let's rattle the Fallen Ones whose names are on that list."

***

At half past nine in the morning, Zhang Yuanqing slung on his backpack, beaming from ear to ear, and strode into the lobby of the Wuhen Inn, heading straight for the front desk.

"Sis Yuan, I'm back!" He leaned against the counter.

The glamorous woman in her wine red blazer over a white blouse glanced at him and demanded flatly, "What is it this time?"

"I'm here to thank you for your help last time, Sis Yuan. Black Wuchang has been eliminated and the Holy Grail incident is resolved." As he spoke, Zhang Yuanqing unzipped his backpack and pulled out a thick stack of bills, setting them on the counter. "That's a hundred thousand. The extra fifty thousand is a personal token of gratitude."

Xiao Yuan raised an eyebrow, a flash of surprise breaking through her cool gaze, followed quickly by wariness. "Black Wuchang is dead?"

The Five Elements Alliance's capabilities had exceeded her expectations. They'd rooted out Black Wuchang and killed him in such a short time.

She furrowed her delicate brows. "If I remember correctly, the person in charge of this case was the Kangyang District Steward, Fu Qingyang of the White Tiger Legion."

"That's him," Zhang Yuanqing said, "but I was the one who earned the most merit in this operation."

Xiao Yuan ignored his claim entirely, and her wariness toward Fu Qingyang deepened. After a moment, she shifted her attention to the thick stack of cash, and a brief pause later, she accepted the hundred thousand.

For people like them—surviving in the cracks between factions, constrained by Morality limits, and hunted by official Walkers—sources of income were extremely limited. They couldn't exactly be called destitute, but they were far from wealthy, and a lack of funds caused serious inconvenience.

Maintaining contacts, gathering intelligence, trading—all of it required money. Spirit Realm Walkers needed to make a living too.

The moment Xiao Yuan pocketed the cash, Zhang Yuanqing jumped in. "Actually, there's one more small favor I'd like to ask."

Xiao Yuan's heart sank.

"I'd like to see Master Wuhen," he said, his expression one of pure sincerity.

She looked down at the money in her hand, the corner of her eye twitching. Her face remained cold. "Wait here. I can only pass along the request. Whether Master Wuhen sees you or not is up to him."

With that, she turned on her heels and walked toward the elevator.

A few minutes later, the elevator descended. Xiao Yuan returned and gave a nod. "Go ahead."

Zhang Yuanqing rode the elevator to the fourth floor and stopped in front of the second door on the left: Room 404.

He gripped the door handle and turned it gently.

The scene before his eyes rippled. The door vanished, and the hotel corridor transformed into a vast and ancient hall. The red carpet underfoot was replaced by mottled stone bricks. In front of him, beneath a caisson ceiling painted with celestial gods and Buddhas, sat an enormous golden Buddha holding a flower, eyes lowered, its expression simultaneously compassionate, majestic, and severe.

Zhang Yuanqing pressed his palms together and bowed to the figure seated on the meditation cushion. "Master Wuhen."

"What is it?" That ethereal, deep voice echoed through the hall, laced with restrained suffering.

"I have two questions I'd like to ask, Master." Zhang Yuanqing spoke clearly. "How can a Spirit Realm Walker unbind their Character Card without dying? And how can someone obtain another person's Character Card?"

Master Wuhen considered his questions for two or three seconds, then answered slowly, "For any Spirit Realm Walker, only death can unbind a Character Card. The same goes even for the five Alliance Chiefs of the Five Elements Alliance and the supreme leaders of Evil organizations. As for obtaining someone else's Character Card, I've never heard of such a thing. But from my limited understanding, there must be one prerequisite: you have to be inside the Spirit Realm."

The answer seemed baffling. Not even the five Alliance Chiefs can unbind a Character Card? Then again, given Master Wuhen's level and status, he has to be certain if he states it so definitively. So Demon Lord really is dead?

He thought about the second half of the Master's answer. You can only obtain someone else's Card inside the Spirit Realm. That makes sense, since the Spirit Realm reclaims the cards after a Walker's death. If you want to intercept one, you'd have to do it while in there.

Even Master Wuhen didn't even know of a method to do such a thing, yet Bro Bing had somehow managed it.

Zhang Yuanqing thought for a moment, then asked another question. "High-level Nocturnal Specters have immortal souls. Is it possible to fake one's death?"

"A faked death would not cause the Character Card to unbind. If the Card is unbound, the person is certainly dead," Master Wuhen said.

Hearing that, the hypothesis Zhang Yuanqing had been building began to waver. The Taiyi Sect Master had said Demon Lord was dead, and Master Wuhen had just confirmed that the unbinding of a Character Card was a certain indication of death.

Could his own deductions really be more reliable than the knowledge of two powerhouses? Obviously not. But if the mysterious figure hadn't been Demon Lord himself, then who could it have been?

Zhang Yuanqing sighed inwardly. "Thank you for clearing that up, Master."

Master Wuhen spoke evenly. "You and I belong to different alignments, and you're a member of an official organization. It would be best if we didn't associate any further. The full inspections that the Five Elements Alliance carries out aren't just for show. Don't bring trouble upon yourself."

That figures. Powerful thighs aren't so easy to cling to, Zhang Yuanqing thought as he offered up a bitter smile. "Understood."

The moment the words left his mouth, the hall around him began to shimmer and grow translucent before vanishing entirely.

He was back in front of Room 404.

He sighed inwardly again. Little Green Tea still has her unused Dream Entry Jade Talisman, and she's not a member of an official organization either. When the time comes, I can send her to test the waters. If she refuses, I've already got my line ready: "Don't you care about your dear Bro Yuanshi anymore?"

He took the elevator back down to the lobby. As Zhang Yuanqing said his goodbyes and turned to leave, Xiao Yuan suddenly called out to him. "Have you run into something recently?"

Zhang Yuanqing paused, a flicker of hope rising inside him, though his face betrayed nothing. "What do you mean?"

Could Sis Yuan have noticed something?

Xiao Yuan considered for a moment, then said, "The first time you met me, you looked at my chest three times, my face twice, and my legs five times. The second time you met me, you looked at my face once, my chest four times, and my legs six times—"

"Ma'am, I absolutely did not!" Zhang Yuanqing cut her off, his voice rising in alarm. "Don't slander me. You Evil-class types love making baseless accusations!"

"But this time, you only looked at my face once," Xiao Yuan continued coolly. "Your spirit body has been contaminated. It isn't deep, and the affected area won't drastically alter your personality, but it corresponds to 'desire.'"

Zhang Yuanqing swallowed hard and ventured, "You are...?"

"A Level 5 Hex Master," Xiao Yuan said flatly.

Zhang Yuanqing's attitude transformed instantly. Like a chronic sufferer who'd finally found the right doctor, words tumbled out of his mouth. "Here's the thing, Sis Yuan. I recently acquired a Hex Master-class item. Its cost is that it gradually changes your sexual orientation... Well, that's not exactly right. More like species orientation. To be honest, I looked at my aunt today and actually felt it was a shame she wasn't a pig. But I never even used it. I just put it in my Inventory."

Xiao Yuan's eyes filled with pity. "Most items have costs that are visible and straightforward, paid upon use, with nothing to worry about beforehand. However, some items have costs that influence you slowly and never stop. Hex Master-class items of corruption belong to this category. The moment you placed it in your Inventory, it recognized you as its owner, and the effects began."

Zhang Yuanqing listened with mounting horror and blurted out, "Sis Yuan, let me sell it to you at a discount."

Xiao Yuan scoffed. "What would I want it for? So I can gradually develop an interest in boars? Keep it."

Zhang Yuanqing's expression was one of pure despair.

***

What a scam. Even worse than the Celestial Toad Incense Burner that could poison an entire tribe, Zhang Yuanqing cursed as he stepped out of the inn, deeply troubled over what to do about the Cursed Straw Doll.

The item was undeniably powerful. It could taint and corrode even the Red Dancing Shoes. In a fight between equals, it could be considered a strategic weapon.

But the cost of it was simply unbearable. Black Wuchang had been thoroughly evil and completely unfazed by a shift in his sexual desires toward other species. Xiao Yuan's reason for declining the item was probably that she didn't consider herself truly evil. She had a heart that leaned toward good, and so she was willing to pass on the chance to strengthen herself.

I have a heart that leans toward good too, Zhang Yuanqing complained as he made up his mind. I might as well hand it over to the organization and trade it in for items.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, his phone rang. It was Fu Qingyang.

"Hello, Centurion?" Zhang Yuanqing answered.

"Come to my place. The Songhai Branch has finalized the terms of your reward. In addition to Merit and a cash bonus, the elders have decided to award you two items. You'll choose two from a selection of ten."

Fu Qingyang's voice was as cold as ever, but to Zhang Yuanqing's ears, it was the voice of a god of fortune.

"Yes, Centurion!" Zhang Yuanqing answered, overjoyed.