Death Game: Starting as a Trickster, Pretending to Be a God

As the talisman flew into the distance, the tremors of the earth spread far and wide, practically encompassing the entire mountain range.

The Manipulator’s face twisted dramatically. ”The Hundred Tribulations Forbidden Art?! The Hundred Tribulations Forbidden Art again?!”

”Mystic Cloud Master, how can you also use the Hundred Tribulations Forbidden Art—in life, you were merely an outer sect disciple of the Taiqing Sect, and now you’re nothing but a decrepit old dog clinging to existence through the Incarnation Beyond Self technique! How can you possibly do this?!”

His voice was hoarse and desperate.

Mystic Cloud Master emerged from the Taoist Temple, weak but resolute as he spoke. ”Heh... it’s true that I started as an outer sect disciple, but I’m no longer an outer sect disciple now.”

”I am the chief senior brother of the sixth-generation disciples of the Taiqing Sect, the sixth-generation offering master, former elder of the Transmission Hall, former elder of the Enforcement Hall!”

”Did you really think I was just some ordinary old Taoist retiring to the countryside? That was merely a trick—I came here to one day completely eradicate the scourge, the demon that my Taiqing Sect ancestors failed to eliminate!”

”Of course, one of my Incarnation Beyond Self might be somewhat insufficient—but what about five of them?”

Mystic Cloud Master lifted his head. In the sky above the Prison Mountain Realm, above the distant Twin Saw Mountain and the other three mountains’ Taoist Temples, talismans were also flying past.

”This Hundred Tribulations Forbidden Art is the very same ’Mountain-Crushing, Earth-Burying Sealing Talisman Array’ that my Taiqing ancestor once used. Now that I’m using it again, I wonder if you’ve thought of any countermeasures during your three hundred and fifty years of imprisonment? Hahahahaha!”

The old Taoist threw his head back and laughed heartily, as if he had never felt such exhilaration in his entire life!

The ground tremors grew increasingly violent, and even the distant mountain peaks began to shake.

Massive rocks peeled away from the mountainsides, tumbling down the steep slopes.

The rocks collided with each other, producing ear-splitting crashes that echoed through the previously silent mountains.

Around the Taoist Temple, rough cracks emerged across the surface of the rocks and the earth. The violent shaking made even the martial artist puppets with their excellent stance training struggle to keep their footing.

The Manipulator looked at the players, who were also unsteady on their feet, and spoke urgently again. ”You idiots! You actually helped this old Taoist act as his Dharma Protector and activate the Hundred Tribulations Forbidden Art—once this forbidden art is unleashed, the earth will shake and mountains will collapse. This is still just the beginning stage. Once it’s fully activated, it will be like a true earth-shattering catastrophe. The land within a hundred li will cave in and collapse. Even the one who casts the spell and lays down the array won’t be spared. Since you’re all caught up in it, it means this old Taoist doesn’t care whether you live or die!”

”Even if you somehow survive this calamity, all of us will still be sunk and sealed underground. Several great mountains will press down on top of us, isolated within the talisman array’s space. We’ll remain buried beneath the earth for centuries, never to see the light of day!”

As the Manipulator spoke, Mystic Cloud Master added, ”Several chivalrous warriors from beyond, I do not wish to deceive you, but what he says is indeed true... Once this forbidden art talisman array is activated, even I cannot escape unscathed—back then, our ancestor was unaffected because he had already reached the transcendent realm of comprehending the Great Dao.”

”I have no way to send any of you out, but this old Taoist promises that I will do my utmost to protect you during the fall... I have heard earlier that you several warriors seem to need to ’reach Willow Town’ and ’prevent Willow Town from manifesting’... In that case, this might actually be a good opportunity.”

”When this art is activated, because it is completely identical to the forbidden art talisman array my Taiqing ancestor once used, if this old Taoist’s guess is correct, not only will my actions overlap and superimpose with the ancestor’s array, gaining us another hundred years, but it will also send me and all of you directly into the talisman array space that seals Willow Town and the Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord.” Mystic Cloud Master’s eyes were bright and filled with hope. ”If nothing unexpected happens, you all... along with me, will face the Thousand-Eyed Thousand-Silk Demon Lord directly!”

”Originally, I planned to use this move when my lifespan was about to end, but since you warriors today also have the same ambition... this old Taoist might as well seize the moment. Please do not blame me—for the sake of all living beings in the Prison Mountain Realm, Mystic Cloud Master implores you warriors to enter the Twin Saw Mountain talisman array with me, to fight the demon together, and strive for a permanent solution by slaying it!”

Mystic Cloud Master clasped his hands in a formal bow, then knelt down.

Snowy Owl let out a sigh. ”Old Taoist, you’ve got some nerve... you actually managed to hit me right where it hurts!”

”Dammit, you set us up, and yet you’re in the right... no helping it. Lives in the Prison Mountain Realm are lives too—I’ll settle the score with you after we beat that spider.”

As Snowy Owl spoke, Seagull scratched his face. ”Yeah, you’ve already acted first and reported later. What else can we do? We’ll help you fight!”

”Anyway, if we win, that’s the same as us clearing the game—honestly, when you think about it, you didn’t even need to scheme against us like this. It seems like this is the only path to victory for us now.”

High Mountain’s face was firm. ”At this point, we have no choice but to burn our boats and fight with our backs to the wall.”

These two members of the Night Watchmen and one from Order all possessed high awareness and righteous convictions. Even though they knew Mystic Cloud Master had tricked them and forced them to go down and fight the big spider, considering that his intentions were good, no one really minded.

As for Lin Yu’s three-person team, accepting reality wasn’t so straightforward.

”This... do we really have to go? It sounds terrifying!”

Flying Knife weakly voiced his opinion.

By now, Lin Yu had also returned from outside the Taoist Temple to inside it.

Hearing Flying Knife’s words, he curled his lips.

”What else is there to do... Anyway, our original plan was to go down too.”

”Besides... we can’t escape now anyway.”

Lin Yu gestured toward the increasingly large cracks outside the Taoist Temple—many of the puppet martial artists outside were already being swept into them by the rolling rocks and debris.

Above, countless talismans flew back and forth. Even if they had wings, escape would truly be impossible.

But Li Nian lowered her voice and spoke.

”We can leave—Sister Zhu Ming, if you really want to go, we can.”

She moved closer to Lin Yu, using her body to block everyone’s view, and pulled out a transparent bag filled with blue-green gravel and a scroll.

”This is a [Blink Scroll], a reusable short-distance teleportation skill that activates instantly for one person...”

”One person, short distance, even if it’s instant and the cooldown is short—it still won’t get us out.”

Lin Yu looked at Li Nian and shook his head.

Li Nian shook another transparent bag. ”But there’s this too.”

Lin Yu took a closer look and felt that the items in the bag looked somewhat familiar.

”Wait, is that...”

”[Limit-Breaking Jue]—while one isn’t enough to let this [Blink Scroll] carry us out... I have over two hundred of them here.”

Lin Yu suddenly understood a bit why Li Nian was so ridiculously powerful compared to other Thieves...

So her biggest trump card and unique trait were these two hundred Limit-Breaking Jue!

Li Nian looked at Lin Yu seriously. ”Sister Zhu Ming, with these things, I can definitely get you out safely.”

”But I need to know... do we really need to escape?”

Lin Yu looked at Li Nian and felt the sincerity she was showing by revealing the Limit-Breaking Jue.

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Yu decided to be somewhat honest with Li Nian.

”It seems you’ve already figured it out...”

”We really don’t need to escape—in fact, going into that talisman array space and facing the demon directly is exactly what I want.”

”Not only is it a shortcut that’s dangerous but potentially the fastest way to clear the game, but there’s also likely something inside that I want.”

Upon hearing this, Li Nian nodded gently.

”I understand—since it’s what Sister Zhu Ming wants, then I’ll go with you.”

She smiled softly.

Even though they were about to face an extremely dangerous demon, Li Nian seemed somewhat happy at this moment.

”Next time, tell me a bit earlier, Sister Zhu Ming—especially when there’s something you want.”

”Don’t forget, I’m pretty good at getting my hands on the things I want!”