Spirit Realm Wanderer

Chapter 29: The First Battle

How could Ou Xiangrong be at Songhai University? And with Xu Yingying, no less? How dare he show up at Songhai University? He’s wanted by the authorities—is he just bold because of his talent, or is he out of his mind? Zhang Yuanqing’s whole body tensed up. He stopped in his tracks and said to the classmate beside him “You guys go ahead. I’m going to make a call.” He’d better call for backup first... He walked to the side of the road, pulled out his phone, and dialed Li Dongze’s number. “Sorry, the number you dialed is turned off.” The voice prompt indicated the phone was turned off. He tried calling Guan Ya’s cell phone, but it was also turned off. “In a meeting? Planning an operation? Or maybe he’s lying low near Songhai University?” Various possibilities flashed through Zhang Yuanqing’s mind. If it’s the latter, then this has nothing to do with me. But if he’s unreachable because of a meeting, Ou Xiangrong—as a fugitive—couldn’t possibly stay at Songhai University for long. It would be a shame to miss this opportunity. With that in mind, Zhang Yuanqing opened his contacts and dialed Wang Tai’s number. Thanks to his social habits, he’d saved Wang Tai’s number in his contacts as well—even though this guy was taciturn and didn’t like to socialize, and every time he tried to strike up a conversation, Wang Tai’s face would betray a subtle expression that said, “Go away, don’t bother me.” “What’s up?” Wang Tai’s listless voice came through the speaker. “I ran into Ou Xiangrong—the guy who killed Zhao Yingjun. You know about that case, right?” “Yeah, I know. But why are you contacting me? You should be calling Section Chief Shi.” Wang Tai’s tone was as calm as ever. “Aren’t you supposed to say something like ‘Holy shit, that’s awesome’? You’re way too calm...” Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself as he continued “We can’t get in touch with Squad Leader Shi or Old Si Ji.” “Who’s Old Si Ji?” “That’s not the point.” Zhang Yuanqing briefly explained the situation here and asked, “Can you get in touch with any Spirit Realm Walkers from other squads?” “Sure…” Wang Tai tapped away at his keyboard rapidly and said “I pulled up Zhao Yingjun’s case file. He was keeping a string of female college students as mistresses, and one of them is from your school—her name is Xu Yingying. Based on what you’ve told me, I suspect he’s trying to find a breakthrough through the women in Zhao Yingjun’s circle.” So Xu Yingying’s sugar daddy was Zhao Yingjun—no wonder a public security officer showed up at her door yesterday... Zhang Yuanqing suddenly understood. Wang Tai continued “Ou Xiangrong is a Level 3 Seduction Demon imbued with evil power. He was severely wounded in yesterday’s ambush, so his threat level has dropped significantly—but he’s still far beyond your capabilities. “I’ve analyzed the situation for you. The right approach is to keep an eye on him and wait for official backup. You can use your ‘Night Stroll’ skill to harass him a bit, but don’t engage in a prolonged fight—otherwise, you’ll die a gruesome death.” “He may not be good at socializing, but he’s actually pretty reliable when it comes to getting things done.” Zhang Yuanqing pretended to take in the scenery while using the crowd to keep a safe distance behind Ou Xiangrong and Xu Yingying. “We can’t get in touch with Squad Leader Shi or Sister Guan Ya. Are they deployed somewhere near Songhai?” Zhang Yuanqing asked hopefully. “No, Xu Yingying is just an ordinary college student—she’s of no value. As for Ou Xiangrong… he’s already lost his mind a bit,” Wang Tai said. “That female classmate of yours is as good as dead.” Given Ou Xiangrong’s cruelty, he would certainly leave no survivors. Just then, Zhang Yuanqing saw Ou Xiangrong “wrap his arm around” Xu Yingying as they entered the underground parking garage of the complex. The two followed the steep downward slope and disappeared from view. “They’ve gone into the garage. I’ll talk to you later—notify the members of the other teams as soon as possible.” Without waiting for a response, Zhang Yuanqing hung up the phone. This area was secluded; he couldn’t use passersby as cover like he had just done. If he followed them into the underground parking garage, he would surely be detected. Zhang Yuanqing paused for a few seconds, took off his backpack, and tossed it into the green belt by the roadside. Then, he channeled the Taiyin energy within him; an ethereal black mist exploded with a “boom,” and his figure was forcibly erased. After activating “Night Wander,” he sprinted into the underground parking garage. With the Red Dance Shoes and the “Night Wander” skill, even if he couldn’t defeat Ou Xiangrong, escaping wouldn’t be a problem. So it was worth the risk. Although Xu Yingying was a materialistic and snobbish woman, she was, after all, a living, breathing human being. As long as he was able, Zhang Yuanqing wouldn’t stand by and watch her die. Besides, a deranged guy like Ou Xiangrong—the sooner he was dealt with, the sooner there would be peace. He didn’t need to deliberately muffle his footsteps, because the “Night Stroll” state masked the sounds he made—and even his body heat. As soon as he burst into the underground parking garage, he heard Xu Yingying’s trembling, tearful voice “I—I don’t know where the thing you’re looking for is. I was only with Zhao Yingjun for his money. He gave me 20,000 a month, so I pretended to be his girlfriend...” T-twenty thousand? Before I was even a full-time employee, my monthly salary was only twenty thousand—that money must be way too easy to make... Zhang Yuanqing looked in the direction of the voice. Against the wall behind a black sedan, Xu Yingying stood pressed against the wall in terror, while Ou Xiangrong stood to one side, holding a knife. “Don’t tell me you don’t know. Ou Xiangrong’s eyes were fierce as he snapped neurotically. “I’m giving you one last chance. Did Zhao Yingjun ever tell you anything about the Holy Grail or the roster?” “I—I really don’t know what you’re talking about...” Xu Yingying’s eyes were red-rimmed, and tears the size of beans streamed down her face. Ou Xiangrong fell silent for a few seconds, and a weary sigh echoed through the underground parking garage. A crimson glow flared in his pupils, and the expression beneath his mask turned ferocious and frenzied, tinged with a touch of madness, as he muttered “I gave you a chance, but you were useless. Ou Xiangrong’s calloused hands clamped around Xu Yingying’s fair neck, and his thick arms hoisted her up. Xu Yingying’s face instantly flushed red, then turned purple; she kicked her legs wildly, and her eyes rolled back. Ou Xiangrong let out a delighted, savage laugh, then pressed the tip of the knife against Xu Yingying’s chest. Just as he was about to plunge the blade into the woman’s heart, suddenly, the Bewitching Demon’s instincts sent him a warning signal, and the hairs on the back of his hand stood on end. There was no one nearby, and there was no sound or sign of anything out of the ordinary. Yet he felt a chill deep within his heart; an unforeseeable danger was closing in on him, enveloping him. A Spirit Realm Walker! The seasoned Ou Xiangrong immediately realized he was under attack by a Spirit Realm Walker. Gripping Xu Yingying by the throat, he relied on his instincts to fling her violently backward. Thud! Xu Yingying crashed heavily to the ground, rolled several meters, and lost consciousness. Seeing that the attacker hadn’t come to the woman’s aid, Ou Xiangrong retreated with a series of “thud, thud, thud” as he simultaneously swung his willow blade forward. The sharp blade traced a gleaming arc through the air, and a sharp “ding” rang out from the void ahead, sending dazzling sparks flying. He had struck the opponent’s weapon. Relying on the sensation of the weapons clashing, Ou Xiangrong pinpointed the enemy’s position. He immediately tensed his leg muscles, his entire body springing forward like a coiled spring as he bent his knees and charged headlong. A dull “thud” echoed as Ou Xiangrong’s knees took the full force of the impact, and he heard the assailant’s muffled groan. Immediately afterward, a figure “flew” out of thin air—a young college student wearing sweatpants and a baseball jersey, with handsome features and a sunny demeanor, clutching a brass pestle about half an arm’s length long. “The Night Wanderer?” In an instant, Ou Xiangrong understood—he realized why last night’s attack had come so suddenly. He realized who was behind that ambush that had nearly cost him his life. With his mind clear of any status effects, a flash of ferocity and hatred crossed his eyes, and he felt a strong urge to kill and seek revenge against the Night Wanderer before him. Ou Xiangrong leapt into the air, the willow blade in hand. His powerful jump propelled him over a distance of more than ten meters as he ferociously pounced on the college student, who was still rolling on the ground. He was as ferocious as a human-shaped Tyrannosaurus rex. Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing nearly cried out, “I’m sorry for the disturbance! Please spare my life, hero!” Instead of trying to get up, he let his momentum carry him as he continued rolling, simultaneously channeling the power of the Dark Moon to enter the Night Wanderer state once more. As he rolled, he suddenly vanished from Ou Xiangrong’s sight, and the seducing demon lost its target. Having evaded the attack, Zhang Yuanqing—still invisible—crouched low and sprinted to a white car on his left, leaning against the wheel as he gasped for breath. That knee strike had nearly stopped his heart. “It hurts like hell...” The pain in his chest had turned his face pale; even breathing felt agonizing. Fortunately, the Night Wanderer possessed formidable vitality and considerable self-healing abilities, so this minor injury would heal quickly. However, through their recent skirmish, Zhang Yuanqing had come to realize the gap in their respective strengths. This “Deceiver Demon” possessed keen intuition and extensive combat experience, along with immense physical strength—he appeared to be a melee-type fighter. Just then, he heard a “thud” as Ou Xiangrong leaped onto the roof of a black sedan several meters away. Ou Xiangrong’s fierce gaze swept across the underground parking garage, and he said in a cold tone “A Night Wanderer from the Taiyi Sect shouldn’t be in Songhai. Are you a Night Wanderer from the Five Elements Alliance? “Hmph. A mere Level 1 Night Wanderer dares to ambush me. Let me see—with Level 1 Night Wanderer skills, your invisibility won’t last more than twenty seconds. How long do you think you can stay hidden?” Ou Xiangrong was certain his opponent was a Level 1 Night Walker; if it had been a Level 2, he wouldn’t have had the upper hand in their earlier skirmish. And if it had been a Level 3, he’d be the one trying to escape right now. Severely injured and weakened as he was, there was no way he could defeat a Night Wanderer of the same level. Night Wanderers, like the Demons of Seduction, were both top-tier professions. Twenty seconds? You’re overestimating me—I’ll last ten seconds at most... Zhang Yuanqing huddled by the tire, holding his breath. “This guy is ridiculously strong, and he hasn’t even used the Seductive Demon’s skills yet. Let me think about the Seductive Demon’s abilities...” He recalled the intelligence about the Seductive Demon from the official forum. This evil class, at the Transcendent Realm, possesses formidable close-combat abilities; after killing an opponent, it enters a berserk state, taking its combat prowess to the next level. Furthermore, once combat begins, the ‘Enchanting Demon’ can mark its opponent using a special method; even if the prey escapes, they will relentlessly pursue and hunt them down. Finally, there’s the core ability of the Transcendent Realm—Seduction! “Seduction” is a mind-control skill that is actively cast; when combined with their overwhelming close-combat prowess, it is virtually unstoppable. At that moment, the ten seconds were up, and his figure came into focus. The next moment, the piercing sound of air tearing through the void rang in his ears. Zhang Yuanqing’s heart sank—he knew Ou Xiangrong’s attack had arrived. Without even daring to look, he dove forward and rolled on the spot, vanishing once more. Clang! A deep dent was torn into the white sedan’s body by a whipping kick, and the shrill sound of the alarm echoed through the air. Ou Xiangrong swept his cold gaze around the area, remaining on guard while goading his opponent with his words “Judging by your appearance, you’re a student at Songhai University, aren’t you? Do you know that for a Spirit Realm practitioner, revealing your identity means bringing disaster upon your family? Now that I know you’re a student, I can take my time tracking you down, then kill you and wipe out your entire family.” After uttering these words, Ou Xiangrong gripped the willow blade in his hand tightly, silently counting down in his mind as he waited for the rookie to reveal himself—or to attack. “A madman…” Zhang Yuanqing’s heart sank. Although he knew the other man was trying to goad him, he had to admit that he was already getting angry—and he did indeed feel a strong sense of apprehension. Hiding behind another car, Zhang Yuanqing’s mind raced as he devised a strategy to counter his opponent. “This guy’s instincts are terrifying. If I can’t kill him with a single strike, I’d better not risk a sneak attack. But I can’t stay hidden forever—my stamina will only last for two more ‘Night Wander’ spells at most, after which I’ll have no choice but to flee, and the authorities won’t be able to arrive in such a short time.” “If I let this guy get away, Grandma and the others will be in danger.” “The Seduction Demon has three abilities: Rage, Mark, and Seduction. The first one isn’t worth considering unless it kills. As for the second, I’ve most likely already been marked, but ‘Night Wander’ can block his perception.” “What we really need to be wary of is his close-quarters combat ability and his mind-control skills. Sigh, if only it were nighttime right now....” As the thought flashed through his mind, Zhang Yuanqing had already formulated a plan. It involved having Red Dance Shoes serve as the main damage dealer, with her useless master standing by to provide support and wait for an opportunity to launch a surprise attack. It would be the perfect opportunity to test this rule-based item’s combat effectiveness. “Bang!” Ou Xiangrong leaped onto the car roof once more, looking down on the underground parking garage from above. He silently counted down the time, waiting for the enemy to emerge from Night Stroll mode, when suddenly he heard eerie footsteps behind him. The sudden footsteps echoed through the empty garage, sending a chill down even the seasoned Ou Xiangrong’s spine. Out of reflex, he spun around, knife in hand, assuming a defensive stance. Then, he saw the source of the eerie footsteps. It was a pair of brand-new Western-style red dance shoes, rising and falling three meters away from him in the empty, quiet space, as if an invisible person were marching in place while wearing them. This eerie and terrifying scene would be enough to make an ordinary person’s legs go weak and send them screaming. A paranormal prop? Just as Ou Xiangrong spotted the red dance shoes, a message appeared in his field of vision [Would you like to dance with me? If so, please march in place. ]