Chapter 181: Who Is Yuanshi Tianzun?

The familiar Spirit Realm notification chime rang in his ears, and a moment later, Zhang Yuanqing heard the dungeon introduction.

【Spirit Realm map loading. Entry in 30 seconds. You are entering the Spirit Realm: Life and Death Arena, Number: 3371】

【Difficulty level: Unknown】

【Type: Multiplayer (non-death)】

【Main quest: Defeat your opponents openly and honorably in the arena. Sparring matches only. Stop after your opponent is unable to continue the fight.】

【Note: Non-Spirit Realm items may not be brought inside.】

【Spirit Realm No. 3371 description: This Spirit Realm is a Guild-exclusive Spirit Realm belonging to the "White Tiger Legion." It has been cleared.】

Zhang Yuanqing reached out and gripped Corpse No. 1 by the shoulder, counting the seconds in his head. When he hit thirty, the room around him rippled, and in the next instant, he was staring up at an endless blue sky.

He was in a venue modeled after an ancient colosseum. The place was packed with spectators in every direction, with a sea of dark-haired heads filling the stands across from him and on either side. The official Walkers seated near him were strangers, and he recognized none of them. He had probably been randomly assigned to this section.

For a moment, it felt like standing inside a packed stadium, surrounded on all sides by an energized crowd. The only differences were that this arena had been built from stacked stone blocks, seemed weathered and ancient like a Roman amphitheater, and nobody in the audience was holding up fan-made signs or glow sticks.

The other difference was the silence. Despite the staggering number of people, everyone maintained a tacit, almost reverent silence. Their gazes were fixed on the armored swordsman standing in the plaza below.

He was a tall, imposing man with a face like carved jade, a short beard framing features that were equal parts handsome, masculine, and mature. A sword hung at his waist, and he stood in the center of the arena with the quiet confidence of a general surveying his troops.

Is that the host? Zhang Yuanqing wondered. That's quite the entrance. He studied him for a few seconds and felt an involuntary wave of awe wash over him, the instinctive deference of a foot soldier standing before a commanding officer.

He identified the man's class immediately—Scout. As for rank, he couldn't tell if the man was Saint or Sovereign.

The armored swordsman opened his palm. White light flared, and an ancient parchment scroll materialized in his hand. He tossed it lightly into the air, and with a dry rustle, the scroll unfurled high above them and hung there, motionless.

Zhang Yuanqing squinted, trying to read its contents, but the scroll was sheathed in radiant holy light that made the text impossible to discern.

The swordsman's voice rang out, echoing across the arena. "Everyone, repeat after me! I swear that I will never reveal the details of what I will witness in this Tournament, by any means, to any person."

His voice was sharp and resonant, carrying a gravity that made refusal feel impossible.

A jolt ran through Zhang Yuanqing's heart. Before he could think, before he could stop himself, the words were already leaving his mouth. "I swear that I will never reveal the details of what I will witness in this Tournament, by any means, to any person."

He recognized it for what it was—a high-level Scout's innate authority, which compelled obedience on a subconscious level.

Thousands of voices spoke the oath in unison, merging into a single thunderous wave that rolled across the colosseum. The sheer scale of it was breathtaking.

The armored swordsman continued, "I swear that I will never reveal the appearance of any person I see at this Tournament, in any form, to any person."

The crowd repeated in chorus, "I swear that I will never reveal the appearance of any person I see at this Tournament, in any form, to any person."

High above, the parchment scroll hummed and pulsed, sending ripples of holy light cascading outward like rings on still water. Something invisible settled over the arena, a sensation that certain sacred rules had been written into the very fabric of the space. Anyone who broke their oath would face severe consequences.

The swordsman nodded in satisfaction, then opened his palm again. The scroll in the sky rolled itself up and drifted gently back into his hand.

That item looked like something from the Knight class. A foreign profession. Its ability to create a binding contract was unmistakable. So we can't reveal any details, including item attributes and that sort of thing. And it seems a person's appearance is also protected. The organizers really thought this through.

While Zhang Yuanqing was still mulling it over, the swordsman's voice echoed through the arena once more. "The opening ceremony is concluded. In twenty minutes, we will begin randomly assigning contestants their opponents. Each person has one opportunity per day to leave the arena early. Simply read aloud the word on this sign."

Zhang Yuanqing squinted. The swordsman was holding up a wooden placard with a word carved into it: "Return."

"Return?" said a burly man sitting right next to Zhang Yuanqing, reading the word off the sign without thinking.

He vanished on the spot.

Zhang Yuanqing stared at the empty seat, slack-jawed. That blockhead was definitely a Fire Sage.

Impulsive, reckless, acting on pure instinct without engaging his brain for even a fraction of a second. It had to be a Fire Sage.

"Anyone who leaves early will be unable to reenter the arena for the remainder of the day," the swordsman continued evenly.

Oh dear. Zhang Yuanqing spared his fallen comrade exactly one second of sympathy.

***

With his announcements finished, the armored swordsman walked to a seat in the front row.

The moment he sat down, the silent colosseum erupted into noise. People waved and shouted, calling out to friends and familiar faces. Walkers scrambled from their seats and rushed through the crowd, trading places as they hurried toward companions and lovers.

Ah, so it's free time now, Zhang Yuanqing realized. And it seems we're allowed to switch seats. He stood up immediately and scanned the arena.

He found her on the left, a considerable distance away—Guan Ya. Even in an arena overflowing with beautiful men and women, the woman's figure and features were impossible to miss. She stood out effortlessly. She was beaming, waving enthusiastically in some direction, her radiant smile broadcasting pure delight.

Who is she waving at? Zhang Yuanqing followed her gaze and spotted a mature, striking woman in a black T-shirt and pale blue skinny jeans. She had smoky makeup, silver earrings, and bold and glamorous features.

He relaxed. Oh, it's Queen.

He got up and made his way over to Guan Ya.

"Sis Guan Ya!"

Guan Ya's eyes lit up when she saw him, her expression brightening with genuine pleasure. "Hey, I was just looking for you! But I spotted Queen first."

At that moment, Queen, who had been waving back at Guan Ya for quite some time with absolutely no intention of actually going over, suddenly locked onto Zhang Yuanqing. Her eyes sparkled, and she abandoned her companions and jogged over without a backward glance.

"I've been waving at her for ages," Guan Ya said, her voice flat and knowing. "She was responding with all this enthusiasm, but I could read from her microexpressions that she had zero interest in coming over. She didn't want to leave her group and figured that as long as she looked happy enough waving back, she could string me along. Then you show up, and she practically sprints over here."

What exactly are you trying to say? That the sisterhood between women is all performative? Zhang Yuanqing thought, though he kept it firmly to himself.

Queen stopped in front of them with her bright, infectious smile and struck a playful pose. "Hey, Yuanshi! Long time no see!"

Zhang Yuanqing offered his most sincere compliment. "Oh, my dear Queen, it's been too long. You're looking more gorgeous than ever. If you keep getting prettier, I won't be able to stop myself from asking you out."

Internally, he breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest fear had been Queen shouting "Yuanshi Tianzun!" at the top of her lungs. Half the arena would have turned to stare. But "Yuanshi" by itself had too many homophones for anyone to immediately connect it to Yuanshi Tianzun. He was safe.

Pleased, Queen smiled and sat down beside him without ceremony.

Zhang Yuanqing turned to Guan Ya on his left and asked, "Who was that guy in the armor just now?"

For some reason, the mixed-heritage beauty was gazing into the distance, her profile stunning yet cold as ice. She seemed deaf to his question.

What's with that attitude all of a sudden? Zhang Yuanqing thought.

"He's an elder from your Songhai Branch," Queen chimed in helpfully from his right. "Or at least I'm pretty sure it's him. He hosted last year's Tournament too."

Her gaze drifted down to the front row. "Everyone sitting down there is at the elder level. I only recognize a few though. Elder Hongying and Elder Sun from the Taiyi Sect, Elder Fusheng and Elder Shuiyi from Sanzhuan Province, and Elder Teddy from Songhai. I recognize the host elder's face, but I don't know his Spirit Realm ID."

As a mid-level official, her knowledge of the upper ranks had its limits.

Zhang Yuanqing craned his neck to look. At least twelve elders occupied the front row, a staggeringly large number, and this was only a portion of the total. A gathering of this many powerful figures happened once a year, and the energy in the arena reflected it.

"Are any of the Five Alliance Chiefs here?" he asked.

Queen shook her head. "The Alliance Chiefs are practically mythical beings. Many stewards have never laid eyes on them, let alone those at our rank."

Zhang Yuanqing felt a twinge of disappointment, though it wasn't exactly surprising.

Before he could dwell on it, a sweet, chirpy voice rang out behind him. "Bro Yuanshi~"

The words were drenched in honeyed, sugary affection.

He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

Xie Lingxi had gone for a girl-next-door look. She had on white canvas sneakers, slim light-colored jeans, and a simple white T-shirt. A pair of sleek, high-tech headphones was draped over her loose, bouncy hair.

Zhang Yuanqing waved her over with a broad smile. "So you made it too?"

Xie Lingxi didn't go straight to him. Her bright eyes swept sideways, landing on the glamorous Queen, and she put on her sweetest voice.

"Hi, Sis! Would it be okay if I sat next to Bro Yuanshi?"

The look on her face was so gentle and innocent that it triggered an immediate protective instinct in anyone watching. Queen hesitated for a moment, then quietly shifted over to make room.

Xie Lingxi beamed. "Thank you, Sis!"

She wedged herself into the gap between them, and promptly latched onto Zhang Yuanqing's arm with both hands.

Queen looked faintly disappointed. Guan Ya's expression grew even icier.

"Bro Yuanshi, I came using my dad's invitation," Xie Lingxi said happily. "Only a few high-ranking people from the unofficial noble families get to attend events like this. My dad has a dungeon run coming up, so I got to come. Lucky me!"

She continued in a single breath, "By the way, Bro Yuanshi, you should come to our house this autumn and eat crab with us. Almost no outsiders are allowed into the Xie family’s Crab Banquet, but my dad specifically asked me to invite you!"

Beside her, Queen's eyes widened, and she studied the girl who seemed like a high schooler with renewed interest. This girl is from the Xie family?

Queen was from Sanzhuan Province too.

"Sweetie, you're from the Xie family? Which branch?" she couldn't help asking.

"Oh, Sis, my dad is the Xie family head," Xie Lingxi replied, maintaining her innocent, carefree persona without missing a beat.

Queen's eyes went wide, and she lowered her gaze. She's from the main branch of the Xie family.The Xie family's eldest daughter is this obsessed with Yuanshi Tianzun?

So, there were people from the unofficial noble families there as well.

A thought struck Zhang Yuanqing, and he turned to Xie Lingxi. "Hey, do me a favor. Can you spot the Zhu family head's sister? Chi Yue'an's ex-wife."

Xie Lingxi gave a small sound of acknowledgment and immediately stood up, craning her neck, scanning the massive crowd with laser focus.

After a long moment, she let out a delighted gasp. "There! Right there. That's her!"

Zhang Yuanqing looked in the direction she was pointing, squinting hard, but it was too far. He couldn't tell who she was singling out in that sea of people.

Well, if Demon Lord kept her around, she has to be stunning. I can question his morals, but I can't question his taste.

Going off intuition, he searched the crowd and settled on a potential candidate—a voluptuous woman in a white dress. She was too far away for him to make out her features clearly, but even at this distance, she exuded a sensuous, regal elegance that set her apart from everyone around her.

Should I go test her? See how she reacts to the mention of Bronze Sparrow Tower, or Chi Yue'an? Or just memorize her face for now and sit tight?

After a moment's deliberation, he chose the latter. There was no urgent need to deal with the Zhu family's eldest daughter. That could wait until after he advanced to the Saint tier. He shifted his gaze away, expression unchanged.

***

There was still some time left in the twenty-minute intermission, and the random matchmaking hadn't started yet. Most people had found their friends by now, and the earlier chaotic crush of bodies rushing every which way had given way to a low hum of conversation. Only a few stragglers were still wandering about.

Zhang Yuanqing caught snippets of an excited, barely restrained conversation between two women behind him.

"That one, that's Rich Young Master Fu Qingyang! In the white suit! He's unbelievably handsome!"

"And there's the Flowery Young Master. I heard he's incredibly gentle, attentive, and knows exactly what a woman wants. Every girl dreams of dating him."

"Really? I heard he's a total playboy that changes girlfriends like socks."

"You don't get it. True beauty is never about forever. It's about what you had while it lasted."

Similar whispers rippled through the crowd everywhere. Hunting for the celebrity contestants was practically a spectator sport.

"That redhead has to be Jiang Ju. Oh no, we just made eye contact. I think he wants to hit me."

"Hey, there's a redheaded girl next to him too. Is that Jiang Jingwei?"

"Ha! Old man Earth God, you're as sharp as ever. Still going strong!"

"Where's the Fengdu Ghost King? Point him out for me."

"Right there, behind Elder Hongying."

"Oh, him? He's not exactly handsome, but his presence is overwhelming. I noticed him earlier. With all those Taiyi Sect people around, he's the only one you can't take your eyes off."

"Then the one next to him must be Yin Ji. Why is she veiled? I want to see how beautiful Demon Lord's woman really is."

"Don't mention Demon Lord. Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Is that effeminate guy in the traditional robes Tone Deaf? He's pretty, I'll give him that, but I prefer my men to be more rugged."

"Ugh, so you like Fire Sages? Give me a beautiful, delicate man any day. I'm absolutely wrecked."

"Zhao Chenghuang is over there! I see him! Handsome and cold as ice. Do you think he'd refuse if I asked for an autograph?"

"There's a noble air about him. Most Level 3 Nocturnal Specters have something similar, but his is on another level entirely."

"Too bad I'm afraid of ghosts. Otherwise I'd be all over him."

"Sun Miaomiao is way too pretty. I love girls with round faces. So sweet and adorable."

"Beautiful and crazy talented. Completely out of reach. It's infuriating!"

"There's Green Pine, and there's Crossing Pawn, and that's World Ablaze... but where's Yuanshi Tianzun? I can't find him anywhere."

"Yuanshi Tianzun is a newcomer. Not many people have actually seen him. I'd love to get a look at the guy who cleared two S-rank Spirit Realms."

Yuanshi Tianzun was a figure of near-mythical status, and his ranking of eleventh in the top twenty did little to dampen the crowd's curiosity. He had spent less than three months as a Spirit Realm Walker and was already at Level 3, with a string of high-difficulty S-rank and A-rank dungeon clears since his debut. Not to mention the legendary kill on the infamous Li Xianzong. With a resume like that, the modest ranking only made people more desperate to put a face to the name.

The problem was that he hadn't been around long enough, and even many of the official Walkers from Songhai itself had never met him.

***

Zhang Yuanqing was doing his own scouting, and was focused primarily on the Taiyi Sect contingent.

They were easy to spot. The Sect's Nocturnal Specters were clustered directly behind Elder Sun and Elder Hongying, a dense mass of black dresses and dark clothing that stood out like a shadow on the stone bleachers.

His main targets were Sun Miaomiao, Yin Ji, and Zhao Chenghuang.

The distance made it hard to read their features clearly. He could vaguely make out that Sun Miaomiao had a round, lovely face, and was unmistakably beautiful. Yin Ji wore a veil and layer upon layer of black. Her figure and features were obscured, though her silhouette gave off an alluring and mysterious air. Zhao Chenghuang was sharp-featured and handsome. He sat perfectly still with his arms crossed, radiating a quiet arrogance and confidence that bordered on disdain.

A voice, silky and sweet as warm honey, interrupted his reconnaissance. "So, you're here too."

Zhang Yuanqing turned. A golden-haired, blue-eyed woman had appeared beside him at some point. Beautiful wasn't the right word for her. Words like "temptress," "femme fatale," and "bewitching," with the slight edge of disdain to their definitions, fit better.

A regular beauty was pleasant to look at, someone who stirred admiration and gentle affection. Annie was something else entirely. She made you want to tear her clothes off and take her on the spot.

The three women flanking Zhang Yuanqing bristled in unison, instinctive hostility flashing across their faces. Xie Lingxi felt it worst of all. She was being outclassed in every dimension. That seductive smile, those shameless curves, those impossibly round hips... The woman was in an entirely higher weight class.

She tightened her grip on Zhang Yuanqing's arm. She hadn't finished growing yet. She was just a small, helpless girl whose only talent was caring about her Bro Yuanshi.

Zhang Yuanqing greeted the newcomer with an easy smile. "Miss Annie? You received an invitation from the Five Elements Alliance too?"

Annie nodded, her voice melodic and warm. "I came with Mr. Bill. I happened to spot you, so I thought I'd come say hello. I just realized I never asked for your Spirit Realm ID, so I don't know what to call you."

Come to think of it, she didn't even know his real name. All she knew was that his mother was named Chen Shu.

Zhang Yuanqing followed her gaze and spotted Bill Tarantino with his chiseled features, radiating the kind of mature masculine charisma that transcended nationality. The foreign Merchant gave him a polite nod.

Zhang Yuanqing returned it, then looked back at Annie with a casual grin. "I'm nobody important. Not worth mentioning."

Annie didn't press the matter. She smiled faintly, turned, and walked away.

Zhang Yuanqing turned his attention back toward the Taiyi Sect section when Guan Ya's voice suddenly reached his ears, low and tense. "That little maniac Jiang Jingwei is coming this way."

What?! His heart lurched. He whipped his head around. Sure enough, there she was. Jiang Jingwei, bouncing through the crowd, face lit up with pure, unfiltered excitement, barreling straight toward him and Guan Ya.

The moment she saw that he'd noticed her, she waved with manic energy and bellowed at the top of her lungs, "YUANSHI TIANZUN! OVER HERE! I'M OVER HERE!"

Yuanshi Tianzun? Annie, who had taken only two steps, froze mid-stride. Yuanshi Tianzun?!ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Every official Walker in the vicinity turned to look at once, their heads snapping around in perfect, synchronized unison.