Spirit Realm Walker

That thumb-thin root burst into golden flames and quickly turned to charcoal.

The roots crawling across the corridor walls suddenly came alive, writhing like countless snakes slithering along the stone surfaces.

The banyan tree spirit hadn’t expected this foreign mortal to possess such remarkable intelligence. Seeing its lies exposed, it dropped the pretense entirely and roared, ”Since you refuse to come here, then die!”

The stone floor of the cavern cracked open with a thunderous sound. Chunks of rock rose up as thick roots burst through the earth like twisted tentacles, reaching for Zhang Yuanqing.

At this distance, Zhang Yuanqing could have easily escaped, even without the Red Dancing Shoes.

So it really was trying to trick me into getting closer, he thought. 

Instead of retreating, he advanced instead. He slid across the floor to dodge the entangling roots, closing the distance between himself and the banyan tree. Then he sprang upward, leaping several meters high to evade another sweeping attack.

More and more roots broke through the cavern floor, thrashing wildly throughout the stone cavern.

Zhang Yuanqing danced and leaped between the tentacles with elegant grace. No matter how hard the roots tried, they simply couldn’t catch him.

Any newcomer who had failed to subdue the Red Dancing Shoes and relied on just the Demon-subduing Awl alone would certainly face a high probability of death at this stage.

Tap, tap, tap. The Red Dancing Shoes ran swiftly along the walls, avoiding the strikes from the roots and their attempts at entanglement. By bending both his knees and pushing off, they propelled Zhang Yuanqing like an arrow through the roots’ tightening encirclement and straight toward the trunk.

Seeing the human shooting toward it, the face on the tree trunk contorted in obvious terror.

BOOM!

The stone blocks at the base of the roots cracked open. More roots erupted like a geyser, forming a wooden wall.

Zhang Yuanqing drove the Demon-subduing Awl forward with all his strength.

Golden flames spread across the wooden wall’s surface, making the banyan tree spirit shriek in fury.

Zhang Yuanqing crashed through the charred wall and drove the triangular spike of the Demon-subduing Awl deep into the trunk.

THUNK!

The triangular spike buried itself deep inside the trunk. A blazing sun shone forth within the pitch-black cavern.

Golden light twisted the trunk and distorted the human face, causing it to emit piercing screams while wisps of blue smoke rose from its surface.

In that instant, all the souls hidden within the trunk also turned to blue smoke in a sea of agonized wails.

Every ghost and spirit vanished completely, dissolved in the golden radiance.

When the golden light faded and the cavern returned to darkness, the atmosphere suddenly felt clean and clear.

The first thing Zhang Yuanqing did wasn’t to check whether the banyan tree spirit was truly dead, but to quickly remove the Red Dancing Shoes and store them in his Inventory.

It had been almost five minutes since entering the cavern.

After storing the Red Dancing Shoes away, Zhang Yuanqing turned his attention to the great banyan tree. It had been completely charred, the bark of its trunk cracked and drained of moisture, dried roots scattered throughout the cavern.

A cold voice echoed in Zhang Yuanqing’s mind.

【Congratulations! You have completed the S-rank trial mission. Character Card activated. Calculating rewards…】

【Item/Equipment obtained: Demon-subduing Awl】

【Experience reward: 100%】

【You have become a Nocturnal Specter.】

【Experience reward: 20%】

【Character Card reward activated. Reward item: Red Dancing Shoes.】

【Exiting Spirit Realm in five minutes…】

Zhang Yuanqing heaved a sigh of relief. It’s finally over. 

He felt exhausted in both body and mind, as though his life force had been completely drained.

He had cleared Sheling Tunnel and accomplished what no one had managed in decades.

After the notifications appeared, the black moon mark on Zhang Yuanqing’s forehead grew prominent. A strange, mysterious power flowed out from the burning mark and surged into his body with almost tyrannical force.

His skin turned bright red like a cooked shrimp as the strange, mysterious power washed through his body, fusing into every bone and cell in his body. The wounds on his arms healed at a visible rate.

He began convulsing involuntarily, and two phantom black moons appeared in his eyes before fading away.

The pain quickly disappeared, replaced by a comfortable sensation, as though he were soaking in a hot spring.

It’s so comfortable, Zhang Yuanqing thought. There was a pleasant sense of relaxation throughout his body, making him want to take a slow and luxurious stretch. He instinctively looked down and was startled to see his whole body standing still below him.

Panic rose in his heart. 

Did my soul leave my body?

He subconsciously wanted to return to his physical form. With just that thought, his soul immediately sank down and merged with his body.

After regaining control of his physical form, Zhang Yuanqing discovered his body had gained something new, something called a Talent.

He naturally accepted this Talent as if it were innate.

At the same time, his body felt like it was filled with boundless energy and strength. He felt as though he could punch through a planet with one blow.

He opened his character attribute panel.

【Name: Yuanshi Tianzun】

【Race: Human】

【Profession: Nocturnal Specter】

【Level: 1】

【Skills: Night Wandering, Soul Devouring, Spirit of the Dark Moon】

【Experience: 20%】

【Morality: 60 (Initial value)】

【Night Wandering (Active): Condense the power of the dark moon to shroud yourself, entering Night Wandering state. When activated, briefly become invisible while concealing your scent, breathing, and masking any sound and heat signatures from your body. Duration: Six seconds.】

【Soul Devouring (Active): Devour souls to enhance your own spiritual power.】

【Spirit of the Dark Moon (Passive): Nocturnal Specters possess robust physiques with vigorous vitality and powerful self-healing abilities. Under cover of night, all Nocturnal Specter abilities receive tremendous amplification.】

He had officially become a Nocturnal Specter, and gained an additional 20% experience. Added to the equipment he’d been rewarded with, the gains from this trial Spirit Realm were remarkably abundant.

Zhang Yuanqing opened his Inventory. The Red Dancing Shoes lay quietly in the first slot, and the thirty-minute countdown had disappeared.

He had officially become the master of the Red Dancing Shoes.

Two minutes later, he adapted to his physical condition, and the wounds on both arms had completely healed.

Zhang Yuanqing turned his gaze toward the stone coffin.

Now that the quest was complete, that meant exploration of the Spirit Realm had reached 100%. In that case, the stone coffin had to be empty.

It looks like the banyan tree spirit really was the temple keeper, he reasoned. That means all the ’characters’ have appeared. But how did he become a tree spirit? Is his original body in the stone coffin?

With that thought in mind, Zhang Yuanqing strolled over to the stone coffin, planning to loot it. Perhaps there were precious burial goods inside.

There were still over two minutes before he would be made to exit the Spirit Realm—plenty of time.

To be safe, he summoned the Red Dancing Shoes again and equipped them.

The stone coffin was wrapped and bound by withered roots. Zhang Yuanqing brandished the Demon-subduing Awl and cut through the desiccated roots one by one, fully exposing the coffin.

Intricate patterns were chiseled all along the two-meter long coffin. The lid was covered with a thin layer of dust.

He slowly pushed open the coffin lid and peered inside. As a Nocturnal Specter, he could easily see in the darkness, even without the Demon-subduing Awl’s divine assistance.

Inside the stone coffin lay a female corpse wearing an ancient silk skirt that had long since rotted away. Her arms were crossed over her flat abdomen. Her waist was slender as a willow, and her figure graceful. Her body showed no signs of decay.

The female corpse had refined facial features. The lines of her cheeks outlined a perfect face. Her nose was straight and delicate, her lips sensual but pale in color, her eyes tightly closed with thick, intertwined eyelashes.

She was an absolutely stunning beauty.

Zhang Yuanqing stumbled backward in shock, with only one thought in his mind. This…Is this really the damn Three Paths Mountain Goddess?!

Compared to the statue in the main hall, this female corpse seemed less kind, and possessed a beauty that could be described as more aloof; there was less roundness, and more of a young woman’s slenderness.

That said, the features were definitely seventy to eighty percent similar.

Could the banyan tree spirit have been telling the truth? he wondered suddenly. Is the Three Paths Mountain Goddess really behind the missing temple disciples?

For a moment, he felt an inexplicable terror and began doubting his own judgment. Wrong judgment would inevitably bring about calamity.

No, that’s not right, he reassured himself. My main quest is definitely complete, which means my deduction was correct. So does that mean the goddess in the stone coffin belongs to a hidden quest?

Zhang Yuanqing suddenly regretted his impulsive decision to open the coffin.

Since the Three Paths Mountain Goddess lay in the stone coffin, there had to be deeper plot elements hidden within this mountain temple.

This simple act could very likely trigger a series of negative events like a chain reaction, such as activating a hidden quest.

He was about to put the lid back onto the stone coffin when he suddenly noticed a dark gleam between the female corpse’s lips.

Is there something there?

After slight hesitation, he grasped her pointed chin and pried open those full, sensual lips, getting a clearer look at the object emitting that dark gleam.

It was a jet black, pure bead.

【Name: Spirit Crystal】

【Type: Consumable】

【Function: None】

【Description: A soul crystal purified by the Power of the Diurnal Spirit, containing vast spiritual energy. The most desired supplement for Nocturnal Specters.】

【Note: The Three Paths Mountain Goddess has purified the crystal, removing all impurities. Please consume with confidence.】

Zhang Yuanqing extended two fingers and extracted the bead.

The bead quickly dissolved into a viscous energy that rushed into his forehead.

【You have gained 22% experience.】

Power surged throughout his body, again giving him the illusion he could punch through a planet.

He felt himself grow noticeably stronger. Without needing to check his attribute panel, he could clearly sense the improvement in his skills.

Night Wandering’s duration has increased by three seconds, from six seconds to nine seconds, he concluded.

He had unexpectedly become stronger. 

Rest in peace, goddess. 

With that, Zhang Yuanqing silently put the stone coffin lid back, pretending he had never opened it.

As he waited for the countdown to end, Zhang Yuanqing felt restless and anxious, afraid some bad anomaly might appear, like the triggering of a hidden quest that would interrupt his return.

Fortunately, nothing happened. Zhang Yuanqing watched as the timer on the blue panel counted down.

5, 4, 3…

Suddenly, a long exhale echoed through the dark, silent cavern.

What the hell…?

The coffin lid was pushed open from the inside. A pale, delicate hand emerged, grasping the coffin’s edge. Then the beauty in the stone coffin sat up.

The female corpse’s eyes, as deep as endless pools, swept across the stone cavern and met Zhang Yuanqing’s gaze. He stiffened.

As she stared at Zhang Yuanqing, her lips curved upward.

That smile nearly scared Zhang Yuanqing to death on the spot.

At that moment, the world in front of him rippled, like a watery reflection disturbed by wind. 

The countdown ended. Everything became a blur.

Soon, the world in front of him gradually stabilized. Bright white fluorescent lights shone down from overhead. White walls, a desk, computer, television, a double bed. Curtains swayed in the breeze, while the trilling of birdsong drifted in from outside the window.

He had returned to the mortal world.