In less than half a minute, Zhang Yuanqing arrived swiftly and silently, stopping at the bridge archway.
Fu Qingyang nodded, and Zhang Yuanqing approached the archway, peering inside. Through the Nightwalker's vision, which pierced the darkness, he saw a man in a black hooded sweatshirt slumped against the wall.
A finger-thick hole pierced the center of his forehead, from which blood gurgled out.
Zhang Yuanqing scrutinized the corpse. The man had prominent brow ridges, narrow eyes, and a sharp, gaunt face—a clear sign of a villainous nature.
Dying so easily... It seems "Heaven's Injustice," like "Unbridled," was just a Transcendent Phase Witchcraft Master.
Darkness surged in Zhang Yuanqing's eyes as he connected with the residual spirit within the corpse.
Then, he retrieved the Demon Subduing Pestle and handed it to Fu Qingyang.
With preparations complete, Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath. His Spectral Entity transformed into blue smoke and entered his mouth.
Foreign memories flooded his mind, causing his Sea of Consciousness to swell violently, like an inflating balloon.
Images flashed by in rapid succession. From fragmented, scattered memories, Zhang Yuanqing pieced together the rough outline of "Heaven's Injustice"'s life.
His father was a gambling addict, his mother remarried, and he grew up with his grandparents. This unfortunate childhood planted seeds of darkness in his heart, and the hardships of growing up alone and unsupported became the fertilizer that allowed those seeds to sprout.
He eventually matured into a twisted and violent villain.
In a series of shifting images, Zhang Yuanqing saw a dimly lit bedroom. Heaven's Injustice stood by a desk, slicing his wrist and letting blood drip into a bronze bowl.
The blood boiled in the bowl, and crimson mist rose, coalescing into a blurry human face. A shrill voice pierced the air:
"What was Night Rose's response?"
Heaven's Injustice replied respectfully, "They agreed to assassinate the Primordial Heavenly Venerable to avenge Unbridled. Additionally, Night Rose wants the Young Soldier King's real-world information."
The blood mist figure paused, then the shrill voice returned:
"Night Rose shouldn't be interested in that man."
Heaven's Injustice: "This subordinate doesn't know. They were very tight-lipped."
The blood mist hovered over the bowl, swaying slightly. It said:
"If Night Rose successfully assassinates the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, tell them the Young Soldier King's real name is Lei Yibing. He lives in Songhai and attends university in Jiangnan Province. His home address is..."
"Before informing Night Rose, you must first ascertain their purpose in investigating the Young Soldier King."
Heaven's Injustice nodded, then hesitated. "My subordinate discovered that Night Rose is extremely secretive about this matter, as if unwilling to share any information with us."
The Blood Mist Figure flickered a few times. "If they refuse, then let it be. Our immediate priority is securing the Fallen Holy Grail. All other matters can wait."
Amidst a dazzling golden light, Zhang Yuanqing broke free from the Inquire the Soul state and opened his eyes.
His first sight was the pitch-black night sky. He realized he was lying at the entrance of a bridge tunnel, his head throbbing.
Hiss~ Zhang Yuanqing sat up and rubbed his head.
Knocked unconscious again. If Fu Qingyang doesn't reward me with a bunny girl for this sacrifice, it'll be a grave injustice! Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the white-robed young master standing beside him.
"I managed to extract some information, but nothing particularly significant," he said.
He then briefly recounted Heaven's Injustice's memories to Fu Qingyang, omitting any details about Bing Ge.
Zhang Yuanqing frowned. "The Black guard of Impermanence and his subordinates communicate through some kind of Item. Heaven's Injustice doesn't know the Black guard of Impermanence's whereabouts."
Black guard of Impermanence would never reveal his hiding place to his subordinates. If any of them betrayed him or were subjected to Inquire the Soul, his location would be exposed.
An experienced leader of an evil organization wouldn't be so foolish.
Though expected, it was still disappointing. This meant their only hope now rested with Gu King, Zhang Yuanqing sighed.
At that moment, he saw Fu Qingyang reach out, grasp at the air, and retrieve an item from his Inventory.
It was a plain, ugly hand puppet with a round head and a skirt-like body, resembling a teru teru bozu at first glance.
The puppet's eyes were stitched into two black Xs, and its mouth was a straight line.
Fu Qingyang asked, "Did you see his hiding place in Heaven's Injustice's memories?"
"Yes," Zhang Yuanqing replied.
Fu Qingyang nodded and slipped the ugly hand puppet onto his right hand. In the next instant, Zhang Yuanqing saw faint silver threads extend from the puppet's head and hands, wrapping around Heaven's Injustice's corpse.
A few seconds later, rustling sounds came from inside the bridge arch. Heaven's Injustice crawled out, the hole in his forehead already healed, and the blood had stopped flowing.
He was resurrected!
Seeing his stunned subordinate, Fu Qingyang flicked his fingers. Heaven's Injustice's lips curled into a smirk as he spoke in a low, raspy voice:
"This Item is called 'Warrior Figurine.' I requested it from an elder of the White Tiger Corps. It possesses some of the capabilities of a Sovereign Realm Puppeteer, allowing me to recreate the deceased's details, including their voice, mannerisms, skills, and even their fighting style. The figurine is controlled by its wielder."
Zhang Yuanqing was stunned, then filled with both surprise and delight. "You mean..."
Heaven's Injustice's raspy voice continued calmly:
"I will use this body to contact the Black guard of Impermanence and uncover his next move."
This is incredible! Zhang Yuanqing thought, his heart racing with excitement. Fu Qingyang had anticipated that they wouldn't find any trace of the Black guard of Impermanence on Heaven's Injustice's body, so he had preemptively requested this Item.
Even though he's arrogant and aloof, he's undeniably formidable. He's the kind of teammate who gives you peace of mind.
A sudden pang of anxiety struck Zhang Yuanqing.
He had concealed certain details during the soul inquiry. What if the Black guard of Impermanence asked about Bing Ge?
If Fu Qingyang couldn't answer, their deception would be exposed, rendering their efforts over the past few days futile.
Yet, if they confessed about Bing Ge, Fu Qingyang's sharp intuition might uncover far more than they intended.
This was a classic case of plans being disrupted by unforeseen circumstances—a reminder of life's inherent unpredictability.
"Centurion, your wisdom and martial prowess are unparalleled," Zhang Yuanqing said, suppressing his anxiety and offering his usual flattery.
Heaven's Injustice smirked faintly, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Next time, try using more refined compliments. I don't mind."
With that, the puppet strode to Fu Qingyang's side and hoisted his master onto its back.
Is this the price of using the Item? Zhang Yuanqing wondered, observing the scene. Then he heard Heaven's Injustice say casually:
"The Warrior Figurine has two drawbacks: first, it can only control the dead. Second, while controlling the puppet, the user's body remains immobile and unable to speak."
This price is a bit steep. What is this, carrying myself on my own back? If I replaced the puppet with a girl, I'd suddenly have so many mischievous ideas... No, I can't let my mind wander further. Zhang Yuanqing shook his head, banishing the bold thoughts from his mind.
The trio returned to the van and, guided by the images Zhang Yuanqing recalled from his memory, located Heaven's Injustice's hideout.
It was a semi-new apartment building situated on the border between Kangyang District and Fenghui District.
The night was deep, streetlights cast lonely pools of light, and tree shadows swayed in the wind. Apart from a few 24-hour convenience stores still open, all other shops had closed for the night.
The white van parked outside the apartment building. Zhang Yuanqing got out and used his Seduction ability to charm the security guard.
Heaven's Injustice, carrying its true form on its back, followed Zhang Yuanqing into the building.
Zhang Yuanqing led the way, following his own memories to the third floor, where they stopped at the door of Room 302.
Fu Qingyang, controlling Heaven's Injustice, produced a key and unlocked the door.
Entering the apartment, Zhang Yuanqing scanned the darkness. The two-bedroom, one-living room apartment was approximately 70 square meters in total area.
The furnishings were sparse, the dining table covered with a dust cloth, and the kitchen utensils hadn't been used in ages, lacking any sense of life.
It seemed Heaven's Injustice only used this place as a temporary hideout.
"The item to contact the Black guard of Impermanence is in the bedroom," Zhang Yuanqing said, leading the way and pushing open the bedroom door.
As soon as he stepped inside, he detected a faint, peculiar odor. Immediately, he felt dizzy, his lungs burned, and he couldn't suppress a cough.
Fu Qingyang, controlling Heaven's Injustice, said calmly, "The bedroom is filled with toxic gas. Tell me where the item is, then take my body outside."
Zhang Yuanqing nodded, retreated a few steps, and said, "It's in the wardrobe."
Heaven's Injustice nodded, handed his body back to Zhang Yuanqing, and entered the bedroom.
Bang! The door slammed shut.
Zhang Yuanqing, carrying Fu Qingyang on his back, retreated from the apartment and waited in the silent corridor.
Inside the bedroom, Heaven's Injustice quickly wiped the bloodstains from his body, opened the wooden wardrobe, and retrieved a bronze bowl.
The bowl felt heavy in his hand, its surface carved with venomous creatures like snakes, insects, and centipedes. A slightly acrid odor wafted from its rim.
Heaven's Injustice carried the bowl to the table, slit his wrist, and let the blood flow into it.
According to the information Zhang Yuanqing had obtained through Inquire the Soul, the bowl required no further manipulation—simply enough blood.
The blood quickly pooled, covering the bottom of the bowl and filling it nearly halfway.
Moments later, the blood began to boil. Wisps of crimson mist rose, coalescing into a blurry human face that emitted a piercing voice:
"How goes it?"
Heaven's Injustice lowered his head and bowed deeply. "Boss, the Primordial Heavenly Venerable is dead. The Night Rose has proven their sincerity."
The blood mist shifted, and a hint of amusement tinged the piercing voice.
"Excellent. I'll have The Madam handle the subsequent handover. I plan to meet with the Night Rose in two days. Be at the usual spot then."
Heaven's Injustice bowed again. "Understood!"
The Blood Mist Figure then asked, "What response did the Night Rose give regarding the Young Soldier King?"
Heaven's Injustice stiffened slightly.
In the corridor, Zhang Yuanqing had been weighing his options the entire way. Finally, he gritted his teeth and whispered, "Centurion, I have something to report."