Chapter 21: Different

Zhang Yuanqing was about to speak when the office door was knocked on twice. The three of them turned to see Wang Tai standing at the entrance, holding a laptop.

"Can I come in and listen?" he asked.

After saying that, he fell silent, waiting for a response.

Li Dongze pondered for a moment before nodding.

"Come in. You can also help Yuanshi compile a strategy report."

Wang Tai let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't one to intrude, but the S-rank She Ling Tunnel, a bug within the Night Wanderer's trial Lingjing, was a fascinating subject. He couldn't resist the temptation to observe.

After Wang Tai took a seat, Zhang Yuanqing carefully recounted his experience in the Mountain God Temple.

He omitted the details of the Demon-Subduing Pestle, only describing it as a tool that could restrain Yin entities.

As for the Red Dancing Shoes, he deliberately downplayed them, claiming that his uncle had trained him since childhood, making him proficient in singing, dancing, and rap. Combined with his extraordinary memory, he barely managed to decipher the rules of the shoes.

Of course, he also concealed the fact that his role card had granted him a unique reward—revealing this would expose that he had obtained the Red Dancing Shoes.

Hiding key information was a piece of advice he had received from Guan Ya.

Rule-based artifacts were exceptionally rare. While it was unlikely that the Five Elements League would try to acquire them in exchange for a mere five hundred yuan and a banner, it was best to be cautious.

As for the revival of the Three Dao Mountain Goddess, he planned to bring it up separately for a proper discussion.

Throughout the explanation, Wang Tai listened attentively while typing rapidly to document everything.

When Zhang Yuanqing finished, Li Dongze rubbed the handle of his cane thoughtfully and said,

"That Yin-restraining artifact must have been the clearance reward, and it's certainly a high-tier item."

Guan Ya chuckled.

"You fool, this was an S-rank trial. No way would it only reward a bit of experience points."

She was subtly teaching Zhang Yuanqing a lesson—if you're going to lie, mix truth with fiction, and don't overdo it.

Zhang Yuanqing maintained his smile.

"Oh, I forgot to mention the artifact. Yes, it was indeed a clearance reward."

His face remained composed, his tone unwavering.

Li Dongze didn't dwell on the matter and continued,

"With this, it seems the difficulty of the She Ling Tunnel will decrease."

"Why do you say that?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, puzzled.

Li Dongze patiently explained,

"We often joke that Lingjing is like a game, but in reality, it's not. Within the Lingjing world, artifacts are rare and unique—they can't be duplicated.

"Since you brought that artifact out, the phase involving the Tree Demon might disappear in future trials, thereby lowering the difficulty of She Ling Tunnel."

As Li Dongze took a sip of wine, Guan Ya added,

"Let me explain some basics about Lingjing instances. They are constantly adjusted. For example, if you conquer the Mountain God Temple and take an artifact from it, the difficulty will decrease.

"But if you die inside a Lingjing, and your artifact falls into the hands of a spirit within, the difficulty will rise. The Red Dancing Shoes are a perfect example.

"Another thing—within the same Lingjing, different levels of Lingjing walkers receive different missions. I once entered a survival-themed Lingjing. After reading a guide beforehand, I knew that a senior had played the role of a hunter, tasked with eliminating nine fugitives.

"But when I entered, I found myself as one of the nine fugitives, with my mission being to survive for 36 hours. That's because my level was lower than that senior's.

"So, while strategy guides are useful, they only serve as references—to help us understand the Lingjing environment and potential dangers."

"It won't decrease," Wang Tai suddenly interjected. "Because the Red Dancing Shoes are still there."

Guan Ya and Li Dongze exchanged glances, then fell silent.

Oblivious to their reactions, Wang Tai continued,

"Something doesn't add up. Given this data, the rewards, and the information you've provided, it doesn't quite match the difficulty of an S-rank Lingjing. Are you hiding something?"

That… was too direct. You're making this awkward for everyone…

Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat.

"It's not that I was hiding anything. I was just about to say—besides the Tree Demon, there was also a stone coffin in the cave."

"A stone coffin? What was inside?" Li Dongze leaned forward, his voice urgent.

Wang Tai stopped typing.

Guan Ya's curiosity peaked.

S-rank Lingjing often contained crucial information—sometimes even earth-shattering secrets.

Official organizations, independent groups, and even evil factions gained knowledge about the Lingjing through observation, summarizing patterns, and analyzing data found within.

No Lingjing walker could resist such temptations.

"In the coffin lay the Three Dao Mountain Goddess. When I opened it… she woke up."

Even now, recalling the event sent shivers down Zhang Yuanqing's spine.

Li Dongze's pupils shrank.

"She woke up?"

He shot up from his chair, suddenly unable to sit still. Gripping his cane, he paced the office with a deep frown.

After a while, his expression turned grim.

"We may have completely misjudged the situation. Based on the available information, she must be a high-ranking Night Wanderer. If she has awakened, there are only two possibilities.

"One—the Mountain God Temple will undergo a drastic transformation, ceasing to be a Night Wanderer trial Lingjing and instead becoming a high-tier instance.

"Two—the Mountain God Temple remains downgraded, but given her level, a new, high-tier Lingjing will appear somewhere else.

"For the higher-ups of Taiyi Gate, this is crucial information—it pertains directly to the evolution of a class-specific Lingjing."

Guan Ya looked envious.

"The more important the intel, the better the reward from the organization."

More money? Zhang Yuanqing's mood brightened—only to darken immediately.

"But that old corpse, after lying there for centuries, actually smiled at me. I have a feeling she's going to come looking for me… I don't feel at ease."

If the Banyan Tree Spirit was telling the truth, then half of the goddess's Yang soul was sealed in the Demon-Subduing Pestle. That meant she would definitely come for him.

However, Zhang Yuanqing kept this part to himself.

Wang Tai sincerely reassured him.

"Don't be so self-important. At your level, you won't be encountering someone of that caliber."

...Couldn't you just stay silent instead?

Zhang Yuanqing nodded, feigning gratitude, as if the words had indeed comforted him.

Guan Ya smirked.

"Was the goddess beautiful?"

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her.

"More beautiful than you."

Wang Tai chimed in earnestly,

"And of greater research value."

The veteran seductress erupted.

"Get out!"

---

Beijing, Four Courtyard House.

The sun shone brightly, illuminating the ancient pagoda tree, its leaves shimmering in seven hues.

A breeze passed, making the branches sway. The tree let out the laughter of children.

Under the tree, Elder Sun rocked in his chair, fanning himself. A tea set and an old radio sat on the small table beside him.

A middle-aged man in black stepped over the threshold, quickly approaching.

"Elder Sun, news from Songhai—someone has cleared She Ling Tunnel."

The old man stopped fanning. His cloudy eyes snapped open, shooting out two beams of golden light. The laughter in the tree abruptly ceased.

Sitting up, Elder Sun stared at the man.

"The Night Wanderer that Fu Qingyang recruited?"

The man nodded.

The elder was stunned. Then, with a slap to his thigh, he cried out in frustration:

"I misjudged… I completely misjudged!"