Ye Wen extended his hand and took the ring into his palm. This time, he examined it more closely, continuously tracing the obscure fluctuations contained within the ring while also studying its construction.

The ring, seemingly crafted from some unknown material, emitted a soft, silvery-white glow. As Ye Wen focused his gaze, he felt his sight being drawn into it, as if pulled by an unseen force.

"This one should..."

Flores was still inspecting the hilt of the sword in his hand. The sword wasn't entirely without a blade, but only a small section at the base of the thumb-sized edge remained; the break was remarkably clean, suggesting it had been severed by something far sharper. He had already tested the edge's sharpness earlier, and the result had greatly surprised him.

Just as he was about to ask Zhang Hengguang where he found the item, he noticed the ring in Ye Wen’s hand: "Isn't that the one from last time..."

Zhang Hengguang had already been observing the situation. Seeing the ring Ye Wen held, he felt a slight surprise mixed with a sense of inevitability. "That was a spoil of war obtained when we took down a vampire in Northern Europe last time. It was the spatial storage ring that fellow carried, but unfortunately, it’s sealed with a very formidable prohibition that this junior couldn't break, so I just left it here! Now that the senior fancies it, perhaps I should present it to you!"

Ye Wen understood immediately upon hearing this, and his interest in the ring deepened. "Since this world has cultivators and so many mysterious powers, a storage artifact should be indispensable! A spatial ring... although it's a product of Western magical civilization, its function is the same."

Slipping the ring onto his left hand, Ye Wen channeled his Zhenqi to probe it tentatively. From the initial complete silence against the pure Primordial Purple Qi, to a slight loosening when using White Cloud Smoke, and finally, to the full deployment of the Purple Star River Force, the phenomena surrounding Ye Wen constantly shifted.

From wisps of purple clouds swirling around him, to white mist steaming, and finally, as the mist dispersed entirely, it transformed into specks of purple starlight that coalesced into a magnificent, radiant river circling Ye Wen. Everyone present, save for Ning Ruxue and Huayi, stared blankly at Ye Wen and the incredible spectacle.

"Is this a grandmaster among Eastern cultivators? This starlight-like power even instills in me a sense of deference. Is this person truly that powerful?" Flores secretly activated his Holy Light and continuously chanted hymns in his mind to prevent any outward sign of disturbance.

Compared to him, who appeared relatively composed, Claire—the young policewoman who was a civilian just a few days ago—stood with her mouth agape, witnessing the unbelievable scene before her! Although she knew the people beside her were not ordinary, perhaps not even normal, the sheer impact when it all unfolded factually before her eyes was astonishing: "God, am I watching a movie?"

Compared to the two, Zhang Hengguang felt admiration mixed with shock. The phenomena Ye Wen was displaying filled Zhang Hengguang with deep longing. He had once hoped to achieve this himself, but reality told him that cultivating to this degree required...

Just then, Ye Wen opened his eyes. The ring on his finger seemed to have undergone a slight transformation; the gem set into it now faintly radiated a purple hue. If one looked closely, there was even an illusion that a brilliant starry vault could be seen within the gem.

"This thing is truly convenient!" Ye Wen retrieved the Beretta from the holster on his lower back, then with a mere thought, the handgun vanished from his hand. With another thought, it reappeared.

He then placed the spare magazines inside as well, smiling happily as he looked at the ring on his hand: "Hmph, this thing is good; convenient and practical!"

He even discovered many items within the ring that he urgently needed—vast amounts of gold, occupying more than half the ring's capacity.

Ye Wen didn't know how much money this pile of gold could fetch, but it should be enough to serve as the initial capital for the martial arts school he planned to establish.

However, figuring out how to convert this hoard of gold into substantial funds was giving him a headache. Perhaps he could offer a share of the profits to strike an agreement with these two men?

Ye Wen stroked his chin, observing Flores and Zhang Hengguang. One was deep in thought, while the other looked ecstatic, seemingly wanting to say something to him.

Besides the ring, Ye Wen also found several items with similar but significantly weaker energy signatures. These must be storage treasures too. He also noticed a similar fluctuation emanating from Zhang Hengguang, indicating the arms-loving Daoist also possessed something valuable.

Selecting two of the slightly better items—a pendant and a simple ring—he gave them to Ning Ruxue and Huayi respectively. After teaching them how to use these artifacts, Ye Wen nodded contentedly, then addressed Zhang Hengguang: "Regarding the contents of this ring, we will divide them in detail after this matter is concluded!" Zhang Hengguang had no idea what was inside; he only suspected it held good things but couldn't break the seal. Now that Ye Wen had unlocked it, and having already gifted it, it would be improper to ask for anything back. He replied, "Senior, what are you saying? Since I promised to gift this to you, everything inside naturally belongs to you as well!"

Ye Wen looked at Zhang Hengguang, re-examining him from head to toe. Seeing Zhang Hengguang’s earnest gaze, Ye Wen knew the man wasn't pretending; he was an upright individual who kept his word. "I won't take advantage of you. The contents are indeed of great use to me. I owe you this favor today, and I shall surely repay it in the future!"

He didn't realize that this single sentence was far more valuable to Zhang Hengguang than dividing the contents. A promise from an elder of such profound skill was, for these juniors in the cultivation world, akin to finding a heavenly treasure or stumbling upon a master after falling off a cliff—an ultimate fortunate encounter. Overwhelmed with excitement, Zhang Hengguang stammered, fumbling through the pile of miscellaneous items and pulling out a box to hand to Ye Wen.

"This item was something I crafted during my time in the sect. Later, my masters saw it and thought well of it, so they had the elders of the Artifact Refining Sect re-consecrate it. Although this item is miraculous, it wasn't very compatible with my use, so I offer it to the senior as a curiosity..."

When Ye Wen opened it, he saw a pair of bracelets and immediately understood why it was given to him.

Turning to look at Huayi and Ning Ruxue, Ye Wen mused that Zhang Hengguang was quite shrewd. Knowing that giving him something might not appeal to him as much as gifting his women something useful, he chose these instead.

Zhang Hengguang pointed to the pair of bracelets: "Actually, these bracelets have an additional function. Once attuned to an owner, the bracelet with the rhombic pendant can transform into a rhombic chain for attacking enemies. And the one with the spherical pendant is for..."

"A spherical chain for defense..." Ye Wen's expression turned incredibly strange, and he felt an urge to spit blood looking at the pair of bracelets in his hands.

"Huh? The senior knows this too?" Zhang Hengguang was still explaining, surprised that the elder before him was familiar with it. Could it be that this senior also enjoyed watching anime?

"Isn't this the Nebula Chain from those cartoons?"

"Haha, the senior knows it too!" Zhang Hengguang felt no embarrassment, instead finding it quite amusing. "I thought those animations were so cool when I was a child. After joining the sect, I thought about making something similar, which led to the creation of this magical artifact..." Ye Wen nodded, not taking it too seriously. Didn't he also enjoy pulling pranks occasionally, turning the Purple Heaven Dragon Qi Sword into something resembling the Lightning Flash Fist? There was no need to criticize others.

Putting the items away, Ye Wen decided not to distribute the artifacts immediately, as the current setting made it unsuitable to give them to either woman. If outsiders saw, Ning Ruxue and Huayi might not protest openly, but they would inevitably feel a little slighted. If given to Huayi, Ning Ruxue likely wouldn't be pleased either. He decided to keep them in the ring for now and discuss it with the two women when they were alone.

After selecting their items, the group left the storeroom. During this time, Flores helped Claire find a necklace that would automatically cast a magical shield upon taking an attack. However, the necklace was depleted of mana, and it took the Paladin using his Holy Light to recharge the necessary magical energy.

Additionally, Claire wanted a spatial ring like Ye Wen's, but since she didn't understand how to use any form of energy, it was no different from an ordinary ornament in her hands. Frustrated, she ultimately chose to give up.

Preparation was complete as dusk approached. The group had initially considered waiting until morning, but they decided against it. Moving during the day would attract too much attention and potentially cause trouble; it was better to resolve the matter under the cover of deep night to avoid extra complications.

After driving to the suburbs, Ye Wen first surveyed the surroundings. The area was filled with high-end villas, each occupying thousands of square meters, with significant spacing between houses. Any significant commotion would likely go unnoticed.

"In this environment, it's a perfect hideout for conducting terrifying experiments!" After getting out of the car, Ye Wen, dressed in a simple leather jacket, jeans, and sneakers, looked around. He then glanced at the people following him: the two women in equally casual attire, Zhang Hengguang fully armed like an American soldier, Claire carrying an M4A1 carbine despite her casual clothes being weighed down by weapons, and the Paladin, impeccably dressed in a suit, adjusting his hair in the rearview mirror.

"What kind of ensemble is this?"

Just then, a scruffy homeless man passed by. Seeing the group, he froze in place. Ye Wen waved friendly, earning a muttered response from the man: "Are all rich people this weird?"

The group exchanged glances, shrugged, and then walked toward the large house, which was so dark it seemed capable of devouring everything.

"Wait!" Ye Wen suddenly stopped, peering over the tall perimeter wall at the upper half of the massive villa. "Doesn't this scene look a little familiar to me?"

"Don't tell me you're thinking of Resident Evil again," Claire retorted coldly, gripping her M4A1, but she immediately regretted speaking.

"I see," Ye Wen replied, tapping his left palm with his right fist. "Now that you mention it, it really is like that!"

Ignoring Claire's fiery glare, he turned back and asked Flores, "Do Dark Mages summon things like zombies?"

"Uh, that depends on whether the mage is interested in that. If they like making their dwelling place smell foul... But generally, those who enjoy being foul-smelling are Necromancers; Dark Mages tend to be quite mindful of their personal hygiene." Zhang Hengguang never understood why so many young people now viewed falling to darkness as cool—worshipping Dark Mages, Dark Demons, and even Necromancers.

"Damn them, thinking hanging out with corpses and bones all day is cool? If they really had to live as a Necromancer, smelling terrible all the time, I'd like to see who still thinks it's cool!" He rarely bothered engaging with those types.

"What a shame," Ye Wen sighed. "I was hoping to experience a real-life Resident Evil!"

The group easily scaled the high wall. For Ye Wen, Ning Ruxue, and Huayi, it was no different than walking on flat ground. For Zhang Hengguang and Flores, though slightly more troublesome, it wasn't beyond their ability to handle. As for Claire? Ye Wen didn't bother letting her climb; he simply grabbed her by the collar and lifted her over, as easily as carrying a kitten.

"Put me down! You unchivalrous brute!" Claire nervously held her carbine with both hands, her feet dangling mid-air, kicking uselessly trying to find anything to brace against.

Ye Wen grinned at Claire in his grasp and said, "If I lacked chivalry, you'd still be outside struggling with this wall!" Then he let go. Fortunately, Claire saw his smile and realized something was amiss, managing to steady her center of gravity just in time, otherwise, she might have hit the ground.

Feeling Ye Wen had a point, Claire huffed and said no more, preparing to move forward. Unexpectedly, the perpetually smiling Flores suddenly became grim, holding out his hand to stop her. "Wait, something isn't right! I sense a strong aura of death..."

"You mean..." Zhang Hengguang's face changed drastically, and he immediately brought his M16A4 to a ready position, adjusting his large goggles: "Damn it, there are so many! Besides them, there are quite a few vengeful spirits too."

Ye Wen closed and then opened his eyes. "It seems the homeowner has prepared a very grand welcoming ceremony for us!" He then explained to the slightly confused Ning Ruxue and Huayi, "Hmph, a swarm of very disgusting and foul-smelling monsters has surrounded us!"

"You mean..." Huayi and Ning Ruxue didn't speak; they didn't consider this much of a problem. Claire, however, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

"Congratulations, Officer Claire, you will soon earn your title by surviving a horde of zombies!"

"Shit, what is there to congratulate?"

Although the group grew wary, they showed no sign of tension, chatting and laughing. In stark contrast, in a location across from the mansion, a group of people was in chaos.

"Who are those few people who just went in? Which faction do they belong to? Why are they here? Someone give me an answer!" a man in black roared at his subordinates, who were flipping through documents, tapping furiously on computers, or frantically making calls.

One person put down his phone, glanced at the computer screen, and turned to the man in black. "Boss, one of the women is an officer with the NYPD. She's been involved in two special incidents in quick succession recently and is currently on leave! Intelligence suggests her brother went missing during the last special incident, and she has been investigating privately, but her inquiries have always been within our purview..."

"Then why is she here, and why now?" The man in the suit walked over, casually glancing at the screen displaying Claire's file, photos, and current status, but he had no interest in those details. He only wanted to know why this minor officer suddenly appeared at the hideout of the target he had finally located, and why she charged in with several others who were clearly not ordinary people.

He had already sent men in to scout, but without exception, they all fell silent. Through the surveillance equipment, he only knew his operatives were dead; he had gained no useful intelligence, not even knowing what killed his reconnaissance team.

"Boss, perhaps we should request a Special Emergency Response Team from higher-ups..."

"To hell with the Special Emergency Response Team! Must we rely on them for everything? Are you all useless?" The man in the suit swept the computer off the desk, sending it crashing to the floor with a loud clatter. "Send men in! Capture those inexplicable individuals first. We cannot allow these unknown elements to run wild!"

"Yes, sir!"

One person rushed out, and immediately, dozens of soldiers, armed even more heavily than Zhang Hengguang, prepared to move out, listening as the man in the suit announced their mission and objectives.

"Mission One: Capture the three men and three women who just entered that mansion! These individuals likely possess special abilities. Except for the blonde woman, who is one of ours, the others may be terminated on sight. Of course, if the blonde woman attacks you, you are authorized to neutralize her as well."

"Mission Two: I require you to breach the villa and capture its master! Eliminate all resistance encountered along the way!"

"Understood?"

"...YES, SIR!" came the crisp reply, followed by the sound of equipment being frantically checked. Then, with the captain's call of "Move out!", the contingent of soldiers charged toward the all-consuming mansion!

"Interesting!" Ye Wen, who had been moving slowly, suddenly stopped and called out to Flores and Zhang Hengguang ahead of him. "It seems we have acquired some unwelcome helpers! Perhaps we should find a spot to watch the show!" Since grasping the basic principles of Soul Extraction, Ye Wen had been testing his ability to use this technique.

He found that using it purely was difficult, and he couldn't move. However, when combined with his personal aura, although the detection range was smaller, virtually nothing within a certain radius could escape his perception. Everything that had just happened, Ye Wen had not only clearly "seen" but also heard entirely.

"So these are the mysterious figures Claire mentioned. They do look like a government special unit. But... is this all they've got? A bunch of ordinary American soldiers?"