Spirit Realm Wanderer

Chapter 18: Completing the S-Rank Trial Mission

That tree root, as thin as a thumb, quickly burst into golden flames and then turned to charcoal. The tree roots covering the tunnel wall, suddenly stimulated, all “came to life,” resembling a dense swarm of snakes crawling across the wall. The locust tree spirit hadn’t expected this outsider to possess such remarkable intelligence. Seeing that its lie had been exposed, it gave up pretending and shouted harshly “Since you refuse to come over, then go to your death.” The floor of the cave cracked at the sound of his voice; fragments bulged upward, and thick tree roots burst through the earth, like twisted tentacles, coiling toward Zhang Yuanqing. At this distance, even without the Red Dance Shoes, Zhang Yuanqing could escape. So it really was trying to lure me closer... Instead of retreating, Zhang Yuanqing charged forward. With a sliding tackle, he dodged the entangling roots, closing the distance between himself and the locust tree. Then he leaped into the air, soaring several meters high, and once again evaded the sweeping attack. More and more roots burst through the ground, dancing wildly within the cave. Zhang Yuanqing leapt and weaved gracefully among the tentacles; no matter how hard the roots tried, they simply couldn’t catch him. If he hadn’t tamed the Red Dance Shoes and was relying solely on the Demon-Subduing Mace, the death rate for a novice facing this level would be extremely high. Thud, thud, thud... The Red Dance Shoes sprinted along the wall, dodging the roots’ entanglements and lashes. With a spring from his knees, he propelled Zhang Yuanqing like an arrow through the roots’ encirclement and pursuit, crashing into the tree trunk. Seeing the human hurtling toward it, a look of obvious terror flashed across the tree trunk’s face. Boom! The rocks at the base of the tree split open, and more roots erupted like a geyser, forming a wall of wood. Zhang Yuanqing drove the Demon-Subduing Mace into the trunk with all his might. Golden flames spread across the surface of the wooden wall, causing the locust tree spirit to scream in rage. Zhang Yuanqing seized the momentum to smash through the charred wooden wall, driving the sharp, three-sided tip of the Demon-Subduing Mace deep into the tree trunk. Whoa! The three-edged spikes pierced deep into the tree trunk, and a blazing sun burst forth from the pitch-black cavern. The golden light warped the tree trunk and distorted the human face, causing it to let out a piercing scream as blue smoke hissed from it. In an instant, the souls hidden within the tree trunk also turned into wisps of blue smoke amid the screams. All the ghosts and monsters vanished without a trace, obliterated by the golden light. As the golden light faded, the cavern returned to darkness, yet it suddenly felt clean and clear. Zhang Yuanqing’s first action was not to check whether the locust tree spirit was truly dead, but to quickly remove the Red Dance Shoes and stow them in his inventory. It had been nearly five minutes since he’d entered the cave. After putting away the Red Dance Shoes, Zhang Yuanqing finally turned his attention to the great banyan tree. It had withered; its bark was cracked, its moisture gone, and its roots were scattered throughout the cave. A cold voice echoed in Zhang Yuanqing’s mind [Ding! Congratulations on completing the S-rank Trial Quest. Your character card has been unlocked, and rewards are being processed. ] [Items/Equipment Obtained: Demon-Subduing Mace. ] [Reward Experience: 100%] [You have become the Night Wanderer. ] [Reward Experience: 20%] [Character Card reward activated. Reward item: Red Dancing Shoes. ] [Exiting the Spirit Realm in five minutes... ] It’s finally over....... Zhang Yuanqing felt completely exhausted, both physically and mentally, as if he were on the verge of collapse. He had cleared the Sheling Tunnel, accomplishing what no one had been able to do in decades. As the notification sound rang out, the black crescent mark on Zhang Yuanqing’s forehead became prominent. A strange and mysterious power surged from the scorching mark, rushing into his body with almost brutal force. His skin turned bright red, like a cooked shrimp. The strange, mysterious power washed over his body, seeping into every cell and every bone, while the injuries on his arm healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. He began to convulse involuntarily, and two ethereal black moons appeared in his eyes before vanishing. The pain quickly vanished, replaced by a sensation of comfort akin to soaking in a hot spring. So comfortable... Zhang Yuanqing felt a wave of languor wash over him; the comfort made him want to stretch. He instinctively looked down and was startled to see his body standing right where he had been. “Has my soul left my body?” Panic welled up inside him, and he subconsciously tried to return to his physical body. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, his soul immediately sank downward and merged with his body. Once he regained control of his physical body, Zhang Yuanqing realized this body had gained something new—a quality called “talent.” He accepted this innate talent naturally, as if it had been with him from birth. At the same time, he felt his body brimming with boundless energy and strength—so much so that he even had the illusion he could shatter a planet with a single punch. Zhang Yuanqing opened his character stats panel [Name: Yuanshi Tianzun] [Race: Human] [Class: Night Wanderer] [Level: 1] [Skills: Night Wanderer, Soul Devourer, Spirit of the Dark Moon] [Experience Points: 20%] [Morality: 60 (Initial Value)] [Night Stroll (Active): Channel the power of the Dark Moon to envelop yourself, entering the Night Stroll state. While this skill is active, you become briefly invisible and suppress your scent and breathing, masking the sounds and heat emitted by your body. Duration: 6 seconds. ] [Soul Devour (Active): Devours souls to enhance one’s spiritual power. ] [Spirit of the Dark Moon (Passive): The Night Wanderer possesses a robust physique, vibrant vitality, and powerful self-healing abilities. Under the cover of night, all of the Night Wanderer’s abilities receive a massive boost. ] He had officially become a Night Wanderer, and on top of that, he gained a 20% experience bonus. Combined with the item rewards, the gains from this Trial of the Spirit Realm were truly bountiful. Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory; the Red Dancing Shoes lay quietly in the first slot, and the half-hour countdown had disappeared. He had officially become the owner of the Red Dance Shoes. Two minutes later, he had largely adjusted to his new physical condition, and the wounds on his arms had already healed. Then, Zhang Yuanqing turned his gaze toward the stone sarcophagus. With the quest complete—meaning the exploration rate had reached 100%—was the stone coffin empty? “It seems the locust tree spirit was the temple caretaker after all. With that, all the ‘characters’ have made their appearances. How did he become a tree spirit? Is the body in the stone coffin his physical form?” With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Yuanqing strolled over to the stone coffin, intending to loot it—who knows, there might be some treasures buried with him. There were still a little over two minutes left before exiting the Spirit Realm—plenty of time. To be on the safe side, he summoned the Red Dance Shoes once more and selected “Equip” mode. The stone coffin was wrapped and entangled by withered tree roots. Zhang Yuanqing swung his Demon-Subduing Mace, severing each of these parched roots one by one, and only then could he see the coffin in its entirety. It was about two meters long, with intricate patterns carved into the coffin’s body, and a thin layer of dust had settled on the lid. “Scratch, scratch...” He slowly pushed open the lid and peered intently inside. As a Night Wanderer, even without the divine power of the Demon-Subduing Mace, he could easily see through the darkness. Inside the stone coffin lay the corpse of a woman, clad in an ancient silk skirt that had long since rotted away. Her arms were crossed over her flat, slender abdomen; her waist was as slender as a willow branch, and her figure was graceful—showing no signs of decay. The corpse was strikingly beautiful: the contours of her cheeks outlined a perfect face, her delicate, straight nose stood out elegantly, her lips were sensual yet pale, and her eyes were tightly closed, framed by thick, intertwined lashes. A stunning beauty. This... Zhang Yuanqing recoiled in shock, a single thought racing through his mind Is this really the Lady of San Dao Mountain?! Compared to the sculpture in the main hall, this corpse lacked the same air of benevolence but possessed a more icy, alluring beauty; it lacked the same rounded features but had the slender grace of a young woman. But her features bore a seven or eight out of ten resemblance. “Could it be that the locust tree spirit was telling the truth? Is the Lady of San Dao Mountain the source of the disciples’ disappearances from the temple?” For a moment, he was overcome by an inexplicable sense of dread and began to doubt his own judgment—and a wrong judgment inevitably brought with it a massive crisis. “No, that can’t be right. My mission has indeed been completed, which means my speculation was correct. So, does the Lady in the stone coffin represent a hidden mission?” Zhang Yuanqing suddenly regretted his impulsive decision to open the coffin. Since the Lady of San Dao Mountain lay inside the stone coffin, there must be an even deeper plot hidden within the Mountain God Temple. This was highly likely to set off a series of unfortunate chain reactions—such as triggering a hidden quest. Just as he was about to close the stone coffin, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a dark sheen between the female corpse’s lips. Something there? After a moment’s hesitation, he pinched her pointed chin, parted her full, sensual lips, and got a clear look at that dark sheen. It was a jet-black, pristine bead. [Name: Spirit Crystal] [Type: Consumable] [Function: None] [Description: A soul crystal purified by the power of the Sun God, containing vast spiritual energy; it is the most coveted tonic for the Night Wanderer. ] [Note: The Lady of the Three Paths Mountain has already purified the crystal of all impure thoughts; please consume it with confidence. ] Zhang Yuanqing extended two fingers and pinched the bead between them. The bead quickly dissolved into a viscous stream of energy that surged into the center of his brow. [Ding! You have gained 22% experience. ] Zhang Yuanqing’s strength surged throughout his body, and once again he felt as though he could shatter a planet with a single punch. He felt himself grow noticeably stronger; even without checking his stats panel, he could clearly sense the improvement in his skills. The duration of “Night Stroll” increased by three seconds, from six seconds to nine seconds. “I’ve unexpectedly gotten stronger. Rest in peace, Your Majesty…” Zhang Yuanqing silently closed the stone coffin lid, pretending he had never opened it at all. Next, as he waited for the countdown, Zhang Yuanqing felt restless and exceptionally anxious, terrified that something might go wrong—like triggering a hidden quest or interrupting his return. Fortunately, nothing happened. Zhang Yuanqing watched as the timer on the indigo-blue panel began its countdown 5, 4, 3…… Suddenly, a long, drawn-out sigh echoed through the dark, silent cavern. Zhang Yuanqing: “...” The coffin lid was pushed open from the inside, and a pale, delicate hand reached out, gripping the edge of the coffin. Immediately, the beauty inside the stone coffin sat up. The corpse’s eyes, as deep as a pond, swept across the stone chamber and locked with Zhang Yuanqing’s frozen gaze. She stared at Zhang Yuanqing for a few seconds, then the corner of her mouth twitched upward. That smile nearly scared Zhang Yuanqing to death on the spot. At that moment, the scene shattered like a reflection on water disturbed by the wind, and the countdown ended. Everything in the world became a blur. In an instant, the scene gradually stabilized. Bright, snow-white fluorescent lights shone down from above, illuminating the pristine white walls, a desk, a computer, a television, and a double bed... The curtains fluttered in the breeze, and outside the window came the crisp chirping of birds. He was back in the real world.