Realm Walker

Tianlingling stroked his bald head, pulled out five banknotes, and handed them back. "My intel isn't worth that much. Hey, I sell information, and what I pride myself on is fairness."

He raised his glass and took a sip, and smacked his lips a few times before continuing. "Black Wuchang was taken out last night by the Songhai Branch. Fu Qingyang led the operation. You already know that part."

Xiao Yuan's voice was cold and aloof. "So it really was Fu Qingyang who killed him? Who else was involved, and where did the battle take place?"

Tianlingling lit a cigarette and exhaled a slow, dense cloud of white smoke. "The location, I don't know yet. I haven't been able to dig that up. Songhai's a big place, after all. I can't give you detailed specifics of the fight either. What I did hear is that the Holy Grail and the Registry are both in the hands of the Songhai Branch now. They've already organized teams to hunt down the Fallen Ones listed in the Registry.

"Also, about half an hour ago, an announcement was posted on the Five Elements Alliance's official forum. Kangyang District Squad Two member Yuanshi Tianzun received A-rank Merit for his contributions in the Holy Grail incident..."

Xiao Yuan did not catch whatever else he said. She sat there motionless for a long while, as though she had lost herself entirely. A possibility had suddenly struck her. Fu Qingyang wasn't the one who had killed Black Wuchang. It was that newcomer, Yuanshi Tianzun.

There was no way he would have been awarded A-rank Merit if he had just been a participant who did not play a pivotal role. After all, A-rank Merit was one of the Five Elements Alliance's highest honors. That alone wouldn't have been enough to stun Xiao Yuan into silence, but what really got to her was the sudden recollection of what that kid had said earlier that morning: "In this whole affair, I'm the one who deserves the most credit."

So that kid was Yuanshi Tianzun? Xiao Yuan had always assumed he was just an ordinary official Walker. A young man who was a bit lecherous, sure, but good-natured at heart. She never imagined he was the rising star everyone had been talking about, the most promising newcomer within the Five Elements Alliance, the fresh face climbing up the bounty list.

So it was him all along. He really had been investigating Black Wuchang the entire time, and was a direct participant in the Holy Grail incident. That meant the soul-corrupting item he carried had to have come from Black Wuchang. As each detail fell into place, Xiao Yuan grew more and more certain of her suspicion.

I'll find an opportunity to test him later on, she decided.

"Your intel is satisfactory," she told Tianlingling, her tone cool and even. "Keep an eye on any news about Li Xianzong for me. I'll stop by regularly."

At that moment, a bare-chested man emerged from a booth tucked away in the corner and sauntered over with a bottle in hand. He dropped into the seat beside Xiao Yuan, and raked his greedy gaze over her sensuous curves.

He licked his lips and leered, then gestured toward the corner booth. "Hey babe, wanna come have some fun?"

Xiao Yuan turned her head in the direction the man had indicated, where she saw a broad, muscular back facing the bar. A pair of legs were draped over those wide shoulders, swaying lazily back and forth.

For those in evil professions, indulgence was the norm. The urge to kill, the urge to destroy, the urge to satisfy every carnal desire...

Xiao Yuan looked away, her voice flat. "Get lost."

"Tch, you'll appreciate what I've got soon enough," the bare chested man scoffed as he reached for her shoulder.

Without warning, his breath seized in his throat, and he doubled over in a series of violent, chesty coughs. He coughed until his face flushed crimson, until beads of black blood seeped from every pore.

Tianlingling took a sip of his drink and offered a casual reminder. "My turf. No killing."

Xiao Yuan let out a cold snort, rose from her seat, and strode away from the bar. Her coat flared behind her as she vanished into the stairwell.

Several minutes passed before the bare chested man stopped coughing. He gasped for air, coated in a film of black blood.

Tianlingling offered a mocking grin. "That woman's got thorns. Even I wouldn't dare cross her lightly."

The man ground his teeth. "If I ever get the chance, I'll tie her up and do whatever I want with her."

Tianlingling burst out laughing. "Make sure you call me when that happens."

"Absolutely. I wouldn't dream of forgetting you, Bro Tian. We'll have our fun together."

"What I mean is, call me so I can go collect your corpse."

***

Just as they were talking, footsteps echoed from the stairwell, preceding a young man in a black tank top and camouflage cargo pants as he walked into the underground bar. He was strikingly handsome, with sharp brows, bright eyes, and an athletic frame that filled out his tank top nicely. With one hand, he constantly played with a silver butterfly knife.

The young man flipped the butterfly knife between his fingers and settled onto one of the empty bar stools. "Long time no see, Uncle Tian."

Tianlingling glanced at the cocky newcomer. "A Saint-tier Hex Master was just in here asking about you. Can't tell yet whether she's hostile, but keep your guard up."

Tianlingling was an Enchanting Demon. He was a member of the Bing Zhu Sect, just like Li Xianzong. His identity, however, was a closely guarded secret. To the outside world, he was nothing more than a freelance Walker.

Once Li Xianzong decided to come to Songhai for his trial, the two had coordinated in advance.

Li Xianzong gave an indifferent grunt. "What about the intel I asked you to gather? How's that coming along?"

Tianlingling snapped his fingers. The bartender who'd been polishing glasses by the liquor shelf bent down, pulled a thick stack of files from beneath the counter, and set them on the bar.

Li Xianzong snatched them up eagerly, flipped open the cover, and began reading with care. On the very first page, written in bold, was the name "Yuanshi Tianzun."

Tianlingling held his glass between two fingers, swirling it gently. "Yuanshi Tianzun's level should be the lowest compared to the top four on the bounty list. He's not even Level 3. He leveled too quickly, and his foundation isn't stable. Hunting him will give the best return on investment.

"I agree with your decision, but there's something strange about this one. There's very little information on him. He's not like the top four, whose fighting styles we've already mapped out thoroughly. If you're going after him, be careful."

Li Xianzong grinned. "That's what makes it fun. Uncle Tian, I've heard the old timers in the sect say you were absolutely fearless back in your day. Getting on in years has made you timid, huh?"

"If I were twenty years younger, I'd have your head off your shoulders right now," Tianlingling scoffed.

"Come on then, let's go a round," Li Xianzong challenged him, taunting the Saint-tier elder without an inkling of self-preservation.

Tianlingling ignored him. This Li Xianzong was something else. He had reached the peak of Level 3 less than a year after becoming an Enchanting Demon. He was a born fighter, with a sharp mind to match. At Level 1, he'd already managed to turn the tables and kill a Level 2 Walker of the same class.

By Level 2, there were no worthy opponents among his peers. One of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Demon Eye Heavenly King, had taken him under his wing and invested heavily in his development.

Li Xianzong did not disappoint. After reaching the peak of Level 3, he had single-handedly assassinated a Level 4 Saint from the Psychic Assembly's Southern Division. However brightly Yuanshi Tianzun shone within the Five Elements Alliance, Li Xianzong burned just as fiercely within the Bing Zhu Sect. Once he reached the Saint tier, he would be qualified to travel to headquarters and seek an audience with "Asura" himself.

Li Xianzong flipped through the files. "Is there any other intel? I recall the Psychic Assembly's Eastern Division is also based in Songhai. What's their situation?"

Tianlingling lowered his voice. "After Ghost Eye Judge died, the Eastern Division took a massive hit. They may not participate in this year's trial at all. Nobody in Songhai is going to compete with you."

Li Xianzong grunted in acknowledgment. "Uncle Tian, I've secretly gathered a few of Ghost Eye Judge's old servants. I'm thinking of doing something big, to test how the Songhai Branch reacts. This Yuanshi Tianzun is in Kangyang District, right? You're the local expert. Help me pick a location."

Tianlingling bared his teeth in a grin. "If you want to make a splash, go for a shopping mall, a hospital, or a school. It’s guaranteed to cause an uproar."

Li Xianzong rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "There are too many people in shopping malls. I don't have enough manpower to control the situation. As for schools... My old man always had the highest respect for educated folks, so I'll leave them be. Hmm, my dad died in a hospital. They bled him dry of every last cent before the end. Let's go with the hospital."

Tianlingling considered for a moment. "Among the better hospitals in Kangyang District, the best target would be Pingtai Hospital."

Li Xianzong slapped a hand down onto the bar counter. "That's the one."

***

The official forum was ablaze. The recent announcement had sent waves of excitement rippling through the community.

【#Yuanshi Tianzun captured the Holy Grail during the Black Wuchang operation. Awarded A-rank Merit.#】

The announcement itself was brief, with just a handful of sentences. Yet those few words left official Walkers across the country speechless.

⤷ Li Dongze: Oh my God, oh my God, I haven't slept all night. That's right, don't question it. I'm too excited to sleep.

⤷ Wang Fei: Who is this guy? What a weird way to talk.

⤷ White Dragon: @Wang Fei, this idiot is the one who recruited Yuanshi Tianzun. Dumb luck, that's all.

⤷ Wang Fei: Ah, the stars must've aligned for him! I'm dying of jealousy over here.

⤷ Long Road Ahead: Yuanshi... didn't he die??

⤷ Green Vine: That was disinformation to mislead Black Wuchang. Deliberate.

⤷ Long Road Ahead: Ohhh, I see! Sis Green Vine, did Tianzun really kill Black Wuchang?

⤷ Green Vine: Yes. I saw it with my own eyes.

⤷ Call Me Queen: That kid... I mean Tianzun... is really defying the heavens now. Wasn't he just a rookie not long ago? In the blink of an eye, he's already secured A-rank Merit under his belt. Even I'd have to show him proper respect as a squad captain.

⤷ Little Pig George: How many years has it been since someone at the bottom ranks received A-rank Merit? We've truly witnessed the rise of a genius. Speaking of which, Yuanshi Tianzun must be near the top of the Evil-class bounty list by now, right?

⤷ Days Gone By: Definitely. I wonder if any strong Evil-class Walkers will come hunting him. Then again, given Tianzun's level, hardly anyone in the Transcendent tier can beat him anymore.

⤷ Little Pig George: Not necessarily. Go take a look at the names on the Five Elements Alliance Transcendent-tier bounty list. The top five are all freaks of nature.

The comment section rapidly accumulated thousands of posts. The overwhelming majority expressed shock at Yuanshi Tianzun's accomplishments, sparking endless debate.

The Five Elements Alliance had produced yet another monstrous talent. The official Walkers who spent time browsing online had seen this coming after Yuanshi Tianzun had cleared two S-rank Spirit Realms. Now that headquarters had awarded him A-rank Merit, it was yet another signal. A rising future leader making his ascent.

With the necessarily A-rank Merit secured, all he needed was to reach the corresponding level, and in time, a position of authority would follow.

"It's all pretty satisfying, I must say. Keep the compliments coming, everyone. I love reading these," Zhang Yuanqing mumbled as he scrolled through the forum on his phone. He was in a bustling, brightly lit shopping mall, strolling alongside his little aunt.

"Stop playing with your phone!" his aunt demanded, puffing her cheeks out like a steamed bun and glaring at him in protest.

Zhang Yuanqing obediently slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Let's catch a movie later. We haven't seen one all month," she suggested.

For many years, browsing the mall, watching movies, and eating good food had been their weekend tradition. Once the weekend ended, the two would part ways. One trudging miserably back to school, the other grinding through another week of office life.

"Sounds good!" Zhang Yuanqing replied. "Check if they've got tickets for Sex and Zen."

"Get out of here!"

"Ha, so you've seen it too."

***

The following day, Zhang Yuanqing slung on his backpack, put on a face mask and a baseball cap, and headed to work.

"Yuanshi, Squad Leader Li is back," the girl at the front desk said with a smile. "He's upstairs waiting for you."

Squad Leader Li? Who's that? My Squad Leader is Teng Yuan.

Zhang Yuanqing returned her smile. "Thanks."