Surrounded... Zhang Yuanqing felt a sudden surge of alertness, maintaining composure on the surface while his gaze deepened, sweeping over the surroundings, the six competitors. Tian Guo Hu slowly exhaled, rubbing his temples that felt tight, and smiled, "All of you, let's work together to eliminate Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn—fifty points each, based on your own abilities!" The two music-averse competitors, who had quietly formed an alliance, turned their black bamboo flute in their hands, agreeing, "I have no objections!" Qing Songzi stood among the green vines, his smile bright, "This quest is all about points—whichever of you accumulates the most, they shall be eliminated. I agree." Yuan and Zhao Chenguang remained silent, yet both directed their eyes toward Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn, clearly thinking the same. The Earth God picked up his cigar, smiling contentedly without speaking. "Oh, are you treating me like fish on a plate, ready to be sliced and divided at will?" Zhang Yuanqing scoffed. "Isn't that exactly it?" Qing Songzi countered. As they spoke, Zhao Chenguang and the others subtly contracted the surrounding circle, preparing for immediate action. If I use up all my reserves, I should be able to escape—but the yin corpses won't have a chance. It's perfectly allowed to destroy the yin corpses. Among these people, aside from Yuan Ting and the land god, no one has shown me much friendliness… Driven by quiet envy, they’d absolutely be capable of destroying my yin corpses at the right moment. I can’t just charge in head-on—I need to think strategically, come up with a plan. Zhang Yuanqing’s mind raced swiftly, and soon he had a clear solution! These people aren’t truly cohesive—between the small teams, there’s little unity, and even the contestants from the Wu Xing Alliance and the Tai Men Alliance don’t trust one another. Their ability to reach a consensus against me stems from the absence of pressure and urgency. To create that urgency, I need to generate a sense of crisis—where they begin to fear that their allies might suddenly strike them down. With this insight, the solution became clear: deduct points from their standings. Zhang Yuanqing remained calm, his gaze turning to the land god, a smile forming on his face. “Grandfather, you’ll help me, won’t you?” The land god, holding his cigar, Zhang Yuanqing quietly introduced his slightly comic personality, instructing him to remove the deceased's pants, while remaining composed and saying: "Look, Zhao Chenguang is the strongest here. If we actually fight, I'm certain I'll be defeated by him. Then, the 50-point points will be taken away by the Taimen Sect. That won't do—I may die at the hands of my own people, but I absolutely won't die at Zhao Chenguang's hands." The Earth Deity thought the same, readily agreed, and smiled, saying: "That makes sense!" Stepping forward, he positioned himself between Zhao Chenguang and Yuan Ting. Tianxia Guihuo immediately remarked, "Grandfather, hold on—we'll quickly deal with Yuan Shǐ Tianzūn." In fact, what he truly desired was for Zhao Chenguang to serve as the main force and decisively defeat Yuan Shǐ Tianzūn, after which the Earth Deity and they would unite to push Zhao Chenguang back, eliminating Yuan Shǐ Tianzūn. This state of mutual struggle—where each party uses the other—was precisely the strategy of driving the tiger to devour the wolf, leveraging one to eliminate the other. Yet Immediately, the musically inept player held the bamboo flute against his lips. Qingsongzi reached for a stick from his inventory, while Tianxu took out a spray gun nearly half a meter long, with a small gas canister as its handle. "I, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, formally report Qing Song Zi for intruding upon the private parts of the deceased—grounds: violation of law!" "I, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, formally report the one with poor musical talent for intruding upon the private parts of the deceased—grounds: violation of law!" "I, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, formally report Yuan Ting for intruding upon the private parts of the deceased—grounds: violation of law!" "I, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, formally report Zhao Chenghuang for intruding upon the private parts of the deceased—grounds: violation of law!" Have I been reported? Are three points just gone like that? Previously, the penalties imposed were due to the Prime Immortal Sovereign still figuring out the reporting rules—now, these are the rules he's finally established? Zhao Chenguang's eyes flashed, and he instantly grasped the meaning. He seized Yuan Ting's ghostly body and violently flung it between the crowd. During this action, Zhao Chenguang used force to tear off the ghost's pants. What the Prime Immortal Sovereign can do, I can do too. Zhao Chenguang was sharp—he immediately recognized this as a golden opportunity to decisively defeat a key contender from the Five Elements Alliance. "Plink!" The ghostly body, now bare from the waist down, landed squarely among the stunned onlookers. Deadly... everyone turned to look. But it was too late. Zhao Chenguang looked up to the heavens, his tone calm and composed, and declared: "I, Zhao Chenguang, hereby formally report the Prime Immortal Sovereign for intruding upon the private parts of the deceased body. The grounds for my report: violation of law!" "Me, Zhao Chenguang, am formally reporting the case of Tianxia Gui Huo..." One after another, the immortal spirits beneath the heavens draw their bows and shoot five arrows downward. Immediately thereafter, besides Yuan Ting, Zhang Yuanqing and others receive a spiritual realm notification. Ah, so you're learning on the spot, huh... Zhang Yuanqing's face turns pale. "Man...!" Tianxia Gui Huo, after all, is a master of fire magic, finally loses his patience and lets out a sharp exclamation, but then, his face contorts as he adds, "Man, really green..." For Tianxia Gui Huo suddenly realizes that if one's private body parts can be reported, then saying something crude is likely to be reported as well. Qing Songzi and the one with poor hearing step back, their faces pale with growing unease. In just one minute, they've lost six points—now down to four—and there's still one shade corpse lingering near Zhao Chenguang. Zhao Chenguang gently holds the shoulder of the 4th-level shade corpse and says calmly, "A solid strategy, Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun. I truly appreciate your initiative!" "I'll thank you later after I've filed my formal complaint," Zhang Yuanqing sneered, lifting his head with a commanding voice. "I, Yuan Shishen, officially accuse Zhao Chenguang of indecent exposure—specifically, of committing the offense of indecent assault!" They were panicking, no longer trusting one another... Seeing the attackers' wary, insecure expressions, Zhang Yuanqing knew the moment had arrived. He placed both hands on his waist and declared loudly, "I, Yuanshǐ Tianzun, am formally filing a complaint..." Before he finished speaking, he suddenly pulled his hands sharply downward. The staff, caught in the wind, transformed into a thick, thorny vine that struck the back of Yuan Shi Tian Zun, tearing through his robe and drawing faint streaks of blood. This artifact, known as the "Like-Will Staff," can change form at will, each form bringing unique effects—when used as a staff, it inflicts dizziness on the opponent; when used as a whip, it causes bleeding. It excels in both ranged and close combat, making it particularly well-suited for agile wood spirits. Among artifacts of the transcendent realm, it stands out as a premium piece. He hadn't expected such boldness from this opponent. The single lash dealt only minor injury to Yuan Shi Tian Zun and, in fact, awakened him. If it were any other adversary, the one with no sense of music would have already taken the initiative, dispatching his moon servant to launch an attack. But Yuan Shi Tian Zun was a night-wanderer; his moon servant could effectively hold him at bay from a distance through song, yet up close, he would likely be swallowed whole—gone without a trace. Thus, the act of playing the flute served to delay Yuan Shi Tian Zun's efforts to rescue the shadow corpse, buying time for the allied forces to mount their defenses. Yet, the scene was disrupted by Qing Song Zi's sudden lash. The prey had already escaped the trap, making its way into the deep mountains. The hunters now stood in quiet contemplation, their mutual hostility and vigilance subtly intensifying. Who would be the next target? After a silence of perhaps two or three seconds, everyone simultaneously and with perfect coordination performed the same action—pressing their hands against their waistbands. They locked eyes, their gazes sharp, expressions resolute, infused with a quiet determination and a sense of heroic sacrifice. "Let's "The Earth God waved his hand, hurriedly, as if driving away flies," "Disperse, disperse," he said. Tian Gui, Qing Songzi, the one with poor musical sense, and Yuan Ting slowly retreated, pressing gently against their waistbands—just like ancient warriors holding their sword handles. Zhao Chenghuang supported the shade of the corpse and stepped back. Once they had pulled away to a sufficient distance, everyone turned and hurried off at the fastest pace. ... Behind Yuan Ting came a shade without pants. ... The arena felt stiff and tense. The audience watched the star-level contestants retreating slowly, pressing against their waistbands, their minds buzzing with confusion—what on earth were they doing? Picking up the shade's crotch like a bird-walker? Using the waistband as a threat? How could such performers, hailed as stars, do this? Didn't they care about dignity? This wasn't the kind of battle they had come to see. How had the tone of the performance become so wildly off-kilter? It reminded one of a well-worn trope—was this a distortion of human nature or a moral collapse? Though the trope felt a bit outdated, it resonated perfectly here. The senior council members, eight in total One of the senior elders from the Taimei Sect, Zhao, had his eyes twitching repeatedly and his temples bulging with veins. Since the establishment of the tournament twenty years ago, no battle had ever been so humiliating to the Sect's prestige—how would the official face of the Sect be saved if this were to become known? "Metatron himself..." sighed another elder deeply. ... "In the current standings, Zhao Chenguang, Tianxia Guihuo, Yinchi, and Qingsongzi each have four points remaining. The Earth Deity and Yuan Ting have seven points each, while Sun Miao-miao still holds ten points." Sitting against a wall in a ruined area, Zhang Yuanqing was calculating the opponents' points. "Given the current situation, there are two possible outcomes. First, those with fewer points will covet those with more, while the latter will lack trust in the former. As the points of the former have now dipped below the safety threshold, everyone will remain on guard, weakening their alliances. This will eventually lead to mutual covert attacks, all driven by the desire to seize points. This development would be most favorable to me." "Second, to address the issue of trust deficits, individuals with a broad strategic perspective will go to great lengths to strengthen their alliances. The most effective and suitable approach is to leverage external interests. After all, this is a competition, not a genuine spiritual realm mission. Losing doesn't mean death—only a drop in ranking and reduced rewards. Therefore, offering tangible external benefits is a proven way to rebuild trust among allies. 'The strategy of forming alliances and forging coalitions is inherently part of the game's mechanics—this isn't a violation of the rules. Thus, I will rationally utilize external benefits to both divide and consolidate my allies. While the Land God and Yuan Ting are close to me, I am still unfamiliar with the elder's personality and preferences. Compared to the Land God, I do know Yuan Ting's tastes better.' Zhang Yuanqing immediately had a plan: he would exchange private anecdotes and inside information for Yuan Ting's support." For instance, the young female dog of the Elder Dog of the Zoo unexpectedly became pregnant; for instance, how, while at the Zhu family, she witnessed her wife sharing beds with several male favorites; for instance, the hidden truths behind the Zhu family's massacre; for instance, the women the Emperor of Magic had slept with over the years; for instance, how, during his youth, the Flower Gentleman was repeatedly tormented by the Fu family sisters. He knew too many secrets. ... In a relatively well-preserved yet weathered small building, the tone-deaf one, Qing Songzi, and Tian Xia Gui stood in separate corners of the room. They did not trust one another; they remained watchful and cautious, yet they longed for alliance. Tian Xia Gui spoke calmly: "We each still have four points of credit, enough to withstand two accusations. If the Prime Immortal and Zhao City God continue to employ their clumsy, underhanded tactics, we will surely lose. Therefore, we must unite." Qing Songzi replied softly: "How exactly do we unite? What is our foundation of trust?" Tian Xia Gui smiled: "Needn't be so cautious. This is merely a competition, not Our conversations have been watched closely by the Elders, the Deacons, and so many colleagues—they are the witnesses. "All of you are well-respected figures, aren't you? I can solemnly promise that, regardless of our final rankings, the rewards will be equally divided after the competition—those Elders and colleagues outside the arena can serve as witnesses." This differs from the backroom dealings during the match. Once the Celestial Fire has raised its name, and has brought forth the Elders, Deacons, and colleagues as witnesses, it becomes binding. Qingsongzi's demeanor immediately softened. "Then, what would you like to do?" "Right now, what we need to decide is whom to target. My proposal is this: if the Primordial Celestial Sovereign remains the lone wolf, we should try to win him over and focus our efforts on the three representatives from the Taimei Sect. If the Land God allies with the Primordial Celestial Sovereign, we will simply watch the two sides engage in their own rivalry. Our tactics will have to be more cautious—everyone has limited points, and we can no longer afford to be reckless." With the other two companions nodding, Tianxia Guihuo said, "Also, Yuan Ting reviewed the private areas of his own corpse earlier, but Zhao Chenghuang did not report him. I think we need to verify a rule—whether reporting can be delayed. If it can be delayed, then we should report Yuan Ting right now, and then report Yuan Shiyi, since he used crude language when he was competing with us for the breastplate." Yinchi nodded: "I heard that too, but—we don't have enough points to test the rule." Reporting fails, and the reporting function is sealed for half an hour, deducting one point. Currently, everyone has four points. In theory, they can withstand two reports. However, if one point is deducted due to a failed report, then just one more report will be enough to push them over the edge. Tianxia Guihuo thought for a moment, then sighed, "I'll do it!" To be the team leader, he must make the sacrifice. Immediately, Tianxia Guihuo raised her head and declared loudly, "I, Tianxia Guihuo, officially file a complaint..." [Ping! Complaint submitted successfully.] Tianxia Guihuo was overjoyed, "It's done!" ... "I, Yuanshish Tianzun, officially file a complaint against Yuanshish Tianzun for using crude language, reason: it damages moral standards." Inside the ruins, Zhang Yuanqing lifted his head and loudly announced the complaint content. [Ping! Complaint submitted successfully.] [Ping! You have been complained against by Yuanshish Tianzun. Complaint submitted successfully. Three points deducted.] "Indeed, delays are possible—as long as you've completed certain tasks within the quest, you can file complaints at any time... This rule is quite good. Now I'll file a complaint about the Earth God using crude language, and I'm certain it will be well received." Zhang Yuanqing gained another rule of the game. ... In the dilapidated small building. Upon hearing this, Qing Songzi urged, "Then what are you waiting for? Immediately file a complaint against Yuanshish Tianzun."