Chapter 97

At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing had already climbed onto the windowsill, preparing to leap down.

Looking at the twisted form of the vengeful spirit approaching step by step, Zhang Yuanqing felt as if he had returned to the Yu Ling Tunnel, fighting against vengeful spirits and zombies with his ordinary human body.

The situation was fraught with danger and peril.

But it was different from the time at the mountain god temple, where at least the main hall served as a shelter.

In the dream, he had nothing—no props, no reinforcements, no skills. Everything from reality could not be brought into the dream.

Wait!

Suddenly, a forgotten item surfaced in his mind.

The Dream Jade Talisman!

The consumable item given to him by Master Wuhen, a prop for the Illusionist profession, produced by the Nightmare Machine.

Since it was also in the realm of dreams, could it appear in the dream?

But I can't open my inventory. No, since it's a prop from the dream realm, it doesn't necessarily have to be used in reality... Since it's a dream, what if I imagine it into existence?

Seeing the white-clad killer woman getting closer, Zhang Yuanqing no longer hesitated and decided to give it a try.

He immediately visualized the outline of the black jade in his mind.

During this process, he had already stepped halfway out of the window.

At this moment, the white-clad killer woman had already retreated to the window, her arm twisting 180 degrees and raising the kitchen knife high.

At that moment, a deep black aura slowly emerged from Zhang Yuanqing's head.

Mouth!

The kitchen knife, which could easily create cracks in a steel security door, was blocked by this deep black aura.

Immediately, the deep black aura suddenly expanded, covering the entire dream, shrouding the room in a dark veil.

The scenery in the room began to distort and change. Simple stone bricks replaced the elm wood floor, a ceiling painted with deities replaced the ceiling, and bright candlelight replaced the fluorescent lights.

Zhang Yuanqing looked around and found himself back in the ancient temple. The tall Buddha statue reached the ceiling, and under the statue, a figure in a blue robe sat cross-legged.

The white-clad killer woman was a few meters away, maintaining the posture of raising the kitchen knife, as if frozen in place.

Phew, the Dream Jade Talisman really works. Zhang Yuanqing felt genuine joy, having narrowly escaped death and saved his life.

He then looked down at his chest; the knife wound was still there, but for some reason, it was no longer bleeding.

He immediately clasped his hands together and bowed toward Master Wuhen's back, saying:

"Thank you, Master, for saving my life."

Impressed by Master Wuhen's power, Zhang Yuanqing felt even more respectful. This is the power of a Sovereign-level being.

Master Wuhen, facing away from him, spoke in a low, ethereal voice, as if suppressing some kind of pain, echoing in the hall:

"Who have you offended?"

Various people flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind, but he finally shook his head:

"I don't know, but after visiting the hotel during the day, I received a text message mentioning the strange tale of the white-clad killer woman entering dreams to kill, and then I was pursued by her."

Saying this, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the vengeful spirit not far away, unsure of what her face looked like.

But seeing the continuously dripping black blood, he thought it was better not to know.

Master Wuhen's voice echoed:

"This should be a prop, a combination of the Illusionist and Night Walker professions, with a high rank."

Indeed, it's an Illusionist's ability, but a prop combining two major professions? Zhang Yuanqing frowned:

"Is there such a prop that possesses the abilities of two professions?"

Master Wuhen was silent for a moment, seemingly surprised that he didn't even know such basic knowledge, and said:

"The Scholar profession's 'Refining' skill can create props that combine two or more professions. However, this is limited to low-level props. The higher the level of the prop, the greater the exclusivity."

So, is it the Xiahou family trying to kill me? No, Xiahou Xin and his son are already dead, and Xiahou Chi is imprisoned in the zoo. The other members of the Xiahou family have no reason to kill me; otherwise, why would they have turned on Xiahou Tianyuan?

Zhang Yuanqing fell into deep thought.

After a while, Zhang Yuanqing looked at Master Wuhen's back and thought, Why should I think for myself?

"Master, I want to know who is trying to kill me. Do you have any advice?" Zhang Yuanqing asked.

Master Wuhen's calm voice echoed in the hall:

"Ask the spirit!"

Right, it's a prop, but it's also a spirit. As long as it's a spirit, I can devour it. Zhang Yuanqing was initially delighted but then said helplessly:

"But I'm in a dream now, and I can't use my skills."

Master Wuhen patiently explained:

"I will use the power of the dream to trap it and seal it in your mind. When you wake up in reality, you can devour it."

"Thank you, Master Wuhen." Zhang Yuanqing was overjoyed and clasped his hands in gratitude.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the familiar ceiling and realized he was lying on a soft bed, covered with a light air conditioner blanket.

"Hisss~"

The next moment, intense pain surged from his chest, and a strong smell of blood filled his nostrils.

Zhang Yuanqing lifted the blanket and saw a grotesque knife wound on his chest, the flesh torn open to the bone. The bleeding had stopped, but even with the Night Walker's healing ability, it would take time to heal.

"The injuries from the dream are reflected in reality... Close call, almost done for..."

Recalling the encounter in the dream, he felt a wave of fear.

Fortunately, I had the Dream Jade Talisman from Master Wuhen; otherwise, the Five Elements Alliance would have lost a promising talent by morning.

He didn't dare to think about his family's reaction.

"The Illusionist is indeed one of the three evil professions. Each peak profession has its terrifying aspects. Although I narrowly escaped today, if the culprit isn't eliminated, I will face danger tomorrow, the day after...

"Master Wuhen's jade talisman can only be used once, and he didn't give me another one, indicating he won't help me again..."

Zhang Yuanqing calmed his emotions, closed his eyes, and soon sensed a deeply sinister and evil aura lurking in his consciousness, extremely violent but restrained by a powerful force.

He was about to devour the vengeful spirit but suddenly remembered he had no one to "purify" him, so he opened his inventory and summoned the Demon Subduing Mace.

He then "spat out" Little Dopey, who, after the upgrade, could interact with real-world items, providing a significant boost.

"Uh-uh?"

Little Dopey looked at his blood-soaked owner in surprise, not understanding what had happened.

"Later, when I close my eyes, you give me a shot."

Zhang Yuanqing gestured and finally made Little Dopey understand the complex command.

Little Dopey was afraid of the Demon Subduing Mace, holding it carefully in his arms and nodding with his sparsely furred head.

Good boy. Zhang Yuanqing lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and was about to communicate with the vengeful spirit in his mind when a sharp pain shot through his calf.

Radiant golden light burst forth, purifying power filling his body.

Zhang Yuanqing sat up with a stiff face, looking at the baby who had already retreated to the window.

"I just closed my eyes..." Zhang Yuanqing's lips twitched.

A few minutes later, after re-establishing communication, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes, deliberately waiting a few seconds to ensure Little Dopey understood his meaning before calming his emotions and communicating with the vengeful spirit in his mind.

His consciousness suddenly expanded, and fragments of memories accompanied by intense negative emotions flooded his mind.

The scene shifted from chaos to clarity. He saw a suppressed, dark sky, with heavy black clouds hanging over a small town in the Jiangnan style.

On a stone-paved path, a corpse lay with a mangled chest.

The scene changed, and he saw many different corpses in various corners of the town—streets, ancient houses, stone bridges...

This vengeful spirit is the boss of a single-player spirit realm for a Night Walker? Zhang Yuanqing realized.

After an unknown amount of time, someone finally cleared this single-player spirit realm, and the vengeful spirit, in the form of a prop, became the reward for the lucky winner.

Its original form was an ancient blue-and-white porcelain vase.

The scene changed again, and in a cluttered convenience store, a woman in a black bodice and loose pants stood by the counter, seductive and beautiful, holding a slender lady's cigarette between her fingers.

She exhaled a puff of white smoke and chuckled:

"Want a prop that can kill most extraordinary practitioners?"

She turned around and, from a cabinet filled with various items and tools, found an old mobile phone.

"This prop combines the power of dreams and vengeful spirits. Edit a text message and send it to the designated number, and the vengeful spirit in the phone will enter the target's dream and kill them.

"It's ineffective against 3rd-level Scouts, 3rd-level Enchanting Beasts, and 3rd-level Illusionists, but it can kill most other professions. Not expensive, five million. Considering you're a Warden of the Five Elements Alliance, I'll give you a discount—four million. I'll send you the text message content later."

"Deal!" A hand reached out and picked up the old mobile phone.

Following the hand, it belonged to a man in a white judo uniform, with a square face and a serious expression.

Warden Pang?!

The scene rippled like water, and new memories unfolded. He saw Warden Pang in a luxurious bedroom, coldly editing a text message at a desk.

Halfway through editing the message, radiant golden light destroyed everything.

Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes sharply, seeing the Demon Subduing Mace on the floor and Little Dopey crouching by the game console, lying on the ground with his little arms supporting his body, his big, black eyes looking at him.

"I'm fine, you did well!"

Zhang Yuanqing first comforted Little Dopey and then fell into deep thought.

Why does Warden Pang want to kill me?

I have no connection with him, let alone any grudges. Why would he want to kill me? Hmm, he is close to the Xiahou family and is one of their connections in the official organization. I got Xiahou Tianyuan imprisoned, so he wants to kill me?

The motive is there, but something still feels missing...

Now that I've broken his prop, I've made a mortal enemy. If he finds out I'm still alive after tonight, he might seek revenge. This person must be eliminated.

Zhang Yuanqing didn't want to experience the dream again.

Moreover, Warden Pang is at the Sage level. This time, using the prop to assassinate, he didn't want to leave any clues. If he acts personally next time, Zhang Yuanqing doesn't think he can withstand a Sage-level attack.

"Should I report this to Fu Qingyang? But the problem is, I have no evidence. Without evidence, Fu Qingyang can't just move against a fellow Warden."

Zhang Yuanqing had an idea: ask the Palace Master of the Stop-Killing Palace to help eliminate him!

But he immediately thought this plan was unreliable.

"Regardless of whether the Palace Master agrees, even if the plan succeeds, I'll have a fatal weakness in the hands of a crazy person. Will she torture me, like dripping wax...?"

Ask Master Wuhen to help?

At this level, I can't afford it. This time, he saved me, which repaid the debt of "failing as a father." Zhang Yuanqing felt the situation was extremely difficult.

After much thought, he decided to tell Fu Qingyang.

On one hand, Fu Qingyang is his superior. If a subordinate is targeted for assassination, the boss should step in to handle it. From the way Fu Qingyang handled Xiahou Tianyuan, it's clear he is a proud person.

He won't allow anyone to harm those he protects.

On the other hand, Fu Qingyang will certainly see the stakes. If he ignores it, his Night Walkers will surely die.

In this situation, if Fu Qingyang's attitude is to endure and say there's no evidence, it means he doesn't value me much, treating me as a dispensable pawn.

In that case, to save myself, I can only contact the Stop-Killing Palace and become a rogue practitioner.

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario, but it's better than being killed.

With his mind made up, Zhang Yuanqing dialed Fu Qingyang's phone number.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.

Fu Qingyang's cold, ruthless voice came from the speaker:

"I gave you my number, not for you to call me in the middle of the night."

"I'll be more careful in the future," Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and said straightforwardly:

"Centurion, Warden Pang is trying to kill me!"

There was a brief silence on the other end before Fu Qingyang asked: "What happened?"

Zhang Yuanqing recounted the day's events in detail but omitted Master Wuhen's name, only saying he knew a skilled person who helped him.

He knew there were inconsistencies in his story, and Fu Qingyang would certainly notice.

If Fu Qingyang pressed for details, he would confess; otherwise, he would play dumb.

"Come to me immediately," Fu Qingyang said.

"I'm afraid I can't," Zhang Yuanqing's voice was weak, and he smiled bitterly: "I'm seriously injured."

Fu Qingyang's tone suddenly turned serious: "You're injured?"

"I'll rest for half an hour and should be much better, but I can't move right now," Zhang Yuanqing said.

"I'll notify Li Dongze to send his driver to pick you up," Fu Qingyang said coldly:

"I'll resolve this before dawn."

How do you plan to resolve it? Zhang Yuanqing held back the question and said weakly: "Alright, thank you, Centurion."

After hanging up, he winced, "Best if he kills Warden Pang, or at least imprisons him."

Then, he endured the burning pain in his chest, changed the blood-soaked air conditioner blanket, sheets, and clothes, and stuffed them into the wardrobe.

After a simple cleanup, Zhang Yuanqing leaned against the headboard, opened his attribute panel, and checked his experience.

After clearing the Golden Water Amusement Park, his experience was 23%. Later, after exorcising Heng Xing Wu Ji, Xiahou Tianyuan, and various ordinary spirits, his experience increased to 28%.

The vengeful spirit he devoured tonight added 5% to his experience.

So, the weakness was fake, to gain Fu Qingyang's sympathy.

He was now full of power, his Yin energy more robust, and his constitution and skills improved.

Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing quietly left home, took the elevator downstairs, and waited outside the neighborhood.

Soon, Li Dongze's business car arrived at the neighborhood entrance, and the electric gate automatically slid open.

About twenty minutes later, Li Dongze's car stopped outside the Fu Family Bay villa complex, and a white business car was parked at the neighborhood entrance.

Zhang Yuanqing got out of the car and saw the window of the white business car lower, revealing Fu Qingyang's handsome face.

He quickly approached and climbed into the luxurious car.

Fu Qingyang glanced at him, his expression relaxing slightly, and said:

"The self-healing ability of Night Walkers is enviable."

Without waiting for Zhang Yuanqing to respond, he instructed the driver: "Let's go!"

The car started, speeding down the wide, empty street. Zhang Yuanqing took the opportunity to ask: "Centurion, what do you plan to do?"

Fu Qingyang said calmly: "Kill him, and question the spirit."

He glanced at his subordinate's shocked face and explained:

"Betraying a colleague is a capital offense. Additionally, I suspect he is a member of the Dark Rose and has connections with the Black Wraith."

A member of the Dark Rose? Zhang Yuanqing was surprised: "Why do you think so?"

Warden Pang is close to the Xiahou family, and the Xiahou Chi lineage is part of the Dark Rose, which has infiltrated the official organization.

There is a possibility that Warden Pang is a member of the Dark Rose. Zhang Yuanqing had similar suspicions during his analysis, but he thought the Dark Rose lacked the motive to target him.

Such a large organization wouldn't target a minor figure; otherwise, Guan Ya, Bai Long, Qing Teng, and Jiang Jingwei would all be in danger.

If they were to assassinate, they would target Fu Qingyang.

Unless the Dark Rose knows I am the heir of the Demon King, but in that case, it wouldn't be an assassination