Chapter 136: Battle of Wits and Courage

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"Indeed, it must be a mage," Li Chunfeng said with a surprised expression, pondering for a moment before speculating, "Is it because of the story Wang Po told?"

Zhang Yuanqing nodded and replied, "In Wang Po's story, the mage was hired by Zhao Yuanwai to help him subdue the demoness who was stealing people's hearts. According to normal logic, a mage would be a stronger role compared to the blacksmith and Zhao Yuanwai."

"It wouldn't make sense for the dungeon to throw the strongest boss at the Evil Faction right from the start," Zhang Yuanqing continued, connecting the dots between Wang Po's story and Xu Xiu'er's description.

In Wang Po's story, the demoness was stealing hearts, and Zhao Yuanwai had hired the mage to deal with her. In Xu Xiu'er's description, Wang Po's son and Zhao Yuanwai had conspired to kill the descendant of the Yin-Yang Hermit. Both stories had a common element: two groups of people dealing with the descendants of the Yin-Yang Hermit.

The difference lay in their intentions.

The mage in Wang Po's story must have existed because if Zhao Yuanwai and Wang Po's son were capable of dealing with the unfortunate woman on their own, there would be no need for the mage's role in the story. They would have simply created a different narrative.

Of course, these were just Zhang Yuanqing's speculations before the spiritual realm notification appeared.

Furthermore, he finally understood who had arranged the decorations in Wang Po's house.

It was the mage!

"The mage should be a Witch Doctor," the queen suddenly remarked.

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at her, realizing that she had also put the pieces together. After confirming that Xu Xiu'er wasn't a Cursed, hearing the spiritual realm notification sound, and recalling Wang Po's story, if she still didn't understand, then her identity as a Level 3 Water Ghost would be wasted.

Li Chunfeng said, "Witch Doctors are capable of placing curses, but the descendants of the Yin-Yang Hermit can also curse others. Looking at it this way, could the Yin-Yang Hermit also be an evil profession?"

The queen shook her head and explained, "No one knows the true identity of the Yin-Yang Hermit. In other guides, it's mentioned that the townspeople believed the Yin-Yang Hermit could control the weather and use raging fires to drive away bandits. Now, with the added ability to curse, it's most likely the result of an item's power."

"By the way, we've been through the storyline, but there's no information about it in the official database," Fire Deity Star chimed in. He had always believed that the Five Elements Alliance's official database should contain information on all spiritual realm dungeons.

The queen explained, "The number of spiritual realm dungeons in the Transcendent Phase is vast and varied. Many players may only enter less than ten spiritual realm dungeons from the Transcendent Phase to the Saint Phase, and some may have entered only two dungeons and still reached Level 2."

She continued, "The affection a woman has for a man is often expressed by speaking with him from time to time." Guan Ya glanced at her attractive female colleague, who was speaking with Zhang Yuanqing.

With these thoughts in mind, she glanced at Yuanqing and saw him deep in thought.

The storyline that the Demon Lord should follow should be the same as the current one, so he analyzed afterward, thinking that there might be a hidden mission in the dungeon. This seemed obvious, and if it were him, he could have deduced it as well.

However, that guy had already slept with Xu Widow and killed the cat's corpse, so he didn't trigger the hidden mission.

Furthermore, he now understood why the Yin-Yang Town dungeon had multiple "routes." The overall strength of different teams varied. When they encountered the cat's corpse and Xu Widow's storyline, they were most likely wiped out. Therefore, different routes corresponded to teams of different strengths.

As he was contemplating this, Li Chunfeng suggested, "Before we head to the town center, I think we should plan our tactics. Don't worry; I believe that being a few minutes early or late won't affect the overall situation much."

Given the difficulty of this dungeon, the big boss couldn't be defeated by any faction within a few minutes.

Due to the delicate balance of the "Three-Faction Standoff," Li Chunfeng believed that if they didn't appear, the Evil Faction probably wouldn't dare to engage the boss directly. No one wanted to be caught in a crossfire.

His suggestion was approved by the team captain, Zhang Yuanqing, who asked, "How much combat strength do you have left, Queen, Guan Ya?"

The queen assessed her condition and replied, "About seventy percent."

She hadn't been injured, and just like Chubby, her energy had been greatly depleted, but the diluted Life Essence had replenished most of her deficit. Otherwise, she would have had only thirty to forty percent combat strength.

Guan Ya, on the other hand, was different. Her leg wound had already stopped bleeding and was slowly healing. However, the most troublesome aspect of her injury was that the pain made her leg immobile, greatly affecting her combat ability.

"Physical skills at fifty percent, unchanged for ranged combat," she calmly assessed her condition.

With Chubby incapacitated, the team was down to six members. Li Chunfeng was a Scholar, and his minimal stamina boost was virtually useless in the eyes of evil professions. Guan Ya was a "Sniper." In terms of direct confrontation with evil professions, there were only four of them who could do so effectively. Little Dumbass, a Level 2 Wood Spirit, was more of a support role. So, Zhang Yuanqing quickly analyzed the situation in his mind.

Li Chunfeng was well aware of his own abilities and said, "I can stay close to Guan Ya, providing protection for the Sniper. When necessary, I can also take over the Sniper role."

"Although I lack confidence in hand-to-hand combat, I have trained in marksmanship, and I am proficient in most firearms," Li Chunfeng added.

Zhang Yuanqing then took out a high-caliber handgun and handed it to Li Chunfeng, saying, "Here, take this item. It's quite powerful, and you and Guan Ya will be responsible for long-range attacks."

The others couldn't help but be curious and envious as they all turned their attention to the high-caliber handgun.

Li Chunfeng received it with astonishment, checked the item information, and said excitedly, "This item is incredibly powerful!"

Seeing Li Chunfeng's reaction, the others felt a mixture of curiosity and envy, while also marveling at the wealth of the Primordial Celestial.

Zhang Yuanqing decided to give Li Chunfeng the handgun because he would most likely have to engage in close combat to draw the attention of the Evil Faction. If he carried a firearm as a Fire Mage, he might be tempted to charge into the enemy recklessly, thinking he could take on ten opponents at once. This would be suicidal.

Next, Zhang Yuanqing took out a scarecrow and handed it to the Earth Elemental, Chubby, saying, "During the

upcoming battle, don't show yourself. Stay hidden at a distance and use this item to deal with the Evil Faction."

Using the scarecrow required a few seconds of preparation time and was difficult to use in close combat, so it was essentially a "last resort" item.

Chubby accepted the scarecrow, checked its item information, and had an even more exaggerated expression than Li Chunfeng.

"This, this..." the skinny young man was at a loss.

"Is this really something I can use? I've never even touched such a high-quality item in my entire life."

He looked at the team captain with a stunned expression, wondering just how wealthy he was. He also hoped that the queen, Fire Deity Star, and a few others could get some items. He stared at the team captain, wide-eyed.

"That's all I have," Zhang Yuanqing quickly waved his hand.

It made sense. After giving away two items in a row, he could keep only one more. He didn't have any more inventory.

His teammates understood and didn't press further.

The "Hooligan's Fist" boosted agility for him, the "Sharp-Eyed" improved his ability to predict enemy attacks, the "Bloodthirsty Blade" was his melee weapon, and the "Demon-Suppressing Staff" was for countering bewitchment and illusionists. These four melee artifacts couldn't be loaned out. The "Red Dance Shoes" and "Red Veil" were essential items for his survival. The "Disguise Ring" had no offensive capabilities, and as for the "Moon-toad Incense Burner," he was unsure whether it would poison himself or the enemy.

Li Chunfeng could become a close-quarters fighter with the "Hooligan's Fist," the "Sharp-Eyed," and the "Bloodthirsty Blade," while Chubby could use the scarecrow from a distance.

With that settled, the team began to discuss their battle strategy.

"I really don't have any more items," Li Chunfeng said with delight as he put away the items. He continued, "Yuanqi, Fire Deity Star, and the Queen will engage the enemy head-on. Liliyuan and I will provide support and seize opportunities. Guan Ya and I will focus on long-range attacks. If there's an opening, you can use the scarecrow as needed based on its capabilities."

In the center of the town:

The meandering river divided the central square into two halves. This open space in the town center was typically used by the townsfolk for drying grain, gatherings, events, and trade.

Near the swiftly flowing river, there was a stone platform for washing clothes.

A figure cloaked in black stood in the center of the square, lifting their head to bask in the sunlight, seemingly enjoying the feeling of being back in the open air.

They had been trapped in the town for a long time, and the endless days without seeing the sun had driven them mad.

On the southern side of the square, in an alley, a curious and wary figure with big, round eyes occasionally peered out from behind the corner, observing their surroundings.

Further in the distance, Zhang Yuanqing and his teammates pressed against a wall, speaking in hushed tones:

"The mage is idling in the open square, and we haven't spotted any members of the Evil Faction yet. Li Chunfeng's guess was correct; they're being quite secretive. They want to watch the show unfold without getting involved. They're despicable."

But didn't we have the same idea? Fire Deity Star thought.

"Let's wait a bit longer," the Queen cautioned.

In another part of the square, also in an alley, a thin middle-aged man pressed against the wall, cautiously peering out and then withdrawing his head.

He returned to the deeper part of the alley where his companions were waiting.

"Those lawful faction kids are crafty; they haven't shown themselves," the thin man suggested. "Shouldn't we forget about the mage for now and try to pick them off first?"

The situation of three factions locked in a standoff was the most stable. Nobody wanted to be the cannon fodder; everyone hoped the others would play that role.

The young man with the missing left ear snorted, "At times like this, it's all about patience. I hope there's a Fire Mage among the lawful faction."

The man in a suit and tie shook his head, "Even if there is a Fire Mage, they probably won't survive. Most likely, they won't make it to the end. Right now, it's all about patience."

Li Xianzong contemplated for a moment and said, "Let's wait a bit longer. The most patient one among us will become the hunter. Let me think of a plan."

Time continued to pass.

"Damn, I can't take it anymore. Let's do it!" Fire Deity Star's patience had run out.

Li Chunfeng and Liliyuan each placed a hand on his shoulders.

"Exercise restraint. You must endure!" Li Chunfeng cautioned.

Zhang Yuanqing added, "Wait a little longer. We must be the hunters, not the prey. If you really can't control yourself, we'll withdraw and search for traces of the Evil Faction."

At this moment, Guan Ya analyzed, "Remember the description in the guide? The first team to reach the square will receive a reward. The recent spiritual realm notification was about killing the mage to trigger a major battle. In other words, whoever kills the mage will get the reward."

Zhang Yuanqing then looked at his team and said, "I have an idea."

"Kill the mage instantly?" the thin middle-aged man fixed his gaze on Li Xianzong in surprise. "Are you sure you can instantly kill a big boss? Based on the analysis of the blacksmith and Zhao Yuanwai's combat power, this mage is most likely a Saint, even if they're Level 4, they're still a Saint."

"You've forgotten about this, haven't you?" Li Xianzong turned over his palm, revealing a steel needle stained with dried blood.

The young man with the missing left ear recalled the item's information and his eyes lit up. "It can kill the mage. Even if it doesn't, it can severely injure them. We can work together to swiftly eliminate an injured Saint. Don't forget, Li Xianzong has killed a Saint before."

"Afterward, I'll release a mist to obscure the vision of the lawful faction. Stick close to me, and we'll act quickly. However, before that, give me a few minutes," Li Xianzong said.

As a Witch Doctor in the Saint phase, he possessed an item that could cleanse curses placed by Witch Doctors. However, its effect on poisons was minimal.

Liliyuan immediately chimed in, "I have antidote pills to weaken the poison."

Guan Ya pondered, "I can provide cover with my firearms. Even if the opponent is a Saint, they'll be injured after taking my bullets."

Chubby added, "I can curse the mage using the scarecrow. It might not be effective against a Witch Doctor, but it can still have an impact."

Li Chunfeng supplemented, "The handgun that Yuanqing gave me has armor-piercing capabilities. I'll assist Guan Ya with long-range shots."

After a thorough discussion, they formulated their plan of action. Zhang Yuanqing then spoke in a solemn tone, "Let's go!"

"Let's go!"

Li Xianzong, still wearing the dirty and foul-smelling coat, held a butterfly knife in one hand and a wooden box in the other as he led his teammates out of the alley.

Just at that moment, when they had rushed out of the alley and were exposed to the sunlight, Li Xianzong suddenly saw a group of people rushing out from the opposite side of the square.

Oh no, are those bastards from the Evil Faction? Damn, have the lawful faction kids all come out too?

Both sides were caught off guard, and their expressions stiffened as they hurriedly halted their steps.

They had all meticulously set up ambushes for their enemies, only to discover that their enemies were doing the same to them.

(End of this chapter)

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