"Indeed, every point counts—Master Yuan Shi has so many points that he enjoys a high tolerance for errors. If he continues unchecked, it will be detrimental to everyone else." Yin Chi agreed. Tianxia Guihuo deeply inhaled, suppressing the urge to curse, and said, "It's also possible that the Yuanshǐ Tianzun has self-reported the issue—he did exactly that when he first entered the realm. In that case, at least one rule has been tested: a violation can only be reported once." Qingsongzi and Yinchi exchanged a glance and fell into silence. Though Yuanshǐ Tianzun wasn't particularly strong in combat, his sense of pressure within the realm far surpassed that of Zhao Chenghuang. Tianxia Guihuo continued, "Don't worry—we still have a chance to turn things around. That's the armor. Don't forget the game has rules: each player can only equip one armor. With three of us, we have three armors. When necessary, we can sacrifice two to secure one for the third. Both points and armor will go to that one person. After all, the final rewards are shared equally, so who receives the honor makes no difference." His thinking was exceptionally clear. Qingsongzi and Yinchi nodded slightly. With the current situation, only this could help them stand a chance against Yuanshǐ Tianzun and Taimei Gate. If only they could bring the Land God in as well. Tianxigui turned to Yinchi and said, "Try on that chestplate—see what effect it has." Yinchi retrieved the chestplate from his inventory, donning it with the help of Le Nu. [Chime! Cold Iron Chestplate equipped—Yinchi] Tianxigui and Qingsongzi received the spiritual realm notification. After reviewing the chestplate's attributes, Yinchi tried moving around, his expression a mix of concern and hope. "The chestplate greatly enhances my defense, but it's quite heavy, which reduces my speed." He reached into the void, grasping a short sword and plunging it sharply into his chest. The blade, capable of cutting through gold and jade, only left a faint white mark on the armor. "The defense is impressive—nearly on par with a soil monster—but still falls short when compared to the Land God." Yinchi concluded. [Chime! Cold Iron Chestplate equipped—Yinchi] You've been reported by Tianxia Guihuo for lacking basic manners. The report has failed, and the other party has deducted one point from your score. I've indeed been reported... Zhang Yuanqing listened to the notification in his ears and almost laughed out loud. When he took the breastplate, he had momentarily lost his composure and used some coarse language. Later, he realized this was a potential issue. Respecting the intelligence of his opponent, he chose to report himself. Indeed, Tianxia Guihuo's report arrived as expected. "If he fails to report, then my earlier assumption about one of the rules is correct—identical violations cannot be reported repeatedly. For instance, when he removed the trousers from the Yin Shi, that violation can only be reported once. If others try to report it again, their reports will fail. However, actions like removing one's trousers should be reusable—much like a murder charge. A murderer won't be sentenced twice for killing one person, yet if he commits another murder after being released, he will be sentenced again." "Li Tian Gui Huo's brain is indeed sharp, but this time I've let him down—he still has three points left. If he's reported again, he'll be eliminated right away." "The breastplate has already been claimed by the one who's tone-deaf. We need to do our best to secure the remaining armor." Zhang Yuanqing, dressed in pajamas, stood up and brushed off the dust from his buttocks. It was time to go find Yuan Ting to form an alliance, and also to compete for the armor. …… By the riverbank, Zhao Chenghuang moved with a cold, composed demeanor, Yuan Ting trailing behind, occasionally glancing at the lower half of his undead form. Now, the lower half of the undead was wrapped in his outer coat, tied neatly into a simple 'skirt.' This was partly due to psychological discomfort from being reported for privacy breaches, and partly because of the large number of spectators watching, who expected the undead to remain modest and fully exposed—otherwise, the image would suffer. Suddenly, Yuan Ting stopped, his expression changing slightly. "I've been reported by Li Tian Gui Huo." Zhao Chenghuang turned to look at him, raising a brow. Yuan Ting said in a low, steady tone, "It was your operation of dropping the shadow corpse earlier. You didn't report me, but he did." Zhao Chenghuang nodded slightly. "Then it seems that as long as there's any violation, anyone can report at any time—there's no requirement for timeliness." Yuan Ting exhaled with a sense of frustration, saying, "Now I finally understand why the wild wanderers so deeply resent reporting. Under such a high-intensity reporting environment, it's almost impossible to breathe." "Once the reporting mechanism reaches its peak, it demands that everyone becomes a saint—because only a saint never gets reported." He then corrected himself: "Actually, the peak of reporting is a literary persecution. Even saints can be reported. Based on the current rules we've summarized, we're fortunately still far from that point." Yuan Ting went on at length: "Speaking of reporting, I recall another secret matter. I'll tell you, but you mustn't tell anyone else." Zhao Chenghuang interrupted with a twitch at the corner of his mouth: "Not interested!" "Besides, the stands are packed with spectators—telling me that means announcing it to the entire world." Yuan Ting looked disappointed. "Alright!" After walking for about twenty minutes, they suddenly spotted a brilliant glow rising from afar, and immediately rushed toward the source. As they approached the area where the light had brightened, Zhao Chenghuang said, "You stay here and guard the surroundings, on the alert for any surprise attacks." Yuan Ting could only halt his progress, maintaining control of the shadow corpse to remain vigilant and scanning the surroundings. At that moment, he noticed a head peering out from a partially collapsed wall, sparse in downy hair, with large, bright eyes. A servant of Yuan Shihuang! He was right nearby... Yuan Ting was about to issue a warning when he saw the small, endearing spirit servant lift her short, plump hand and gesture gracefully. Shall I go over there? Yuan Ting hesitated slightly, then quickly moved the shadow corpse toward the distant wall. He acknowledged that the infant's innocent and naive appearance was an excellent tactic to confuse potential adversaries, yet he sensed that Yuan Shihuang had a purpose for summoning him. To prevent Yuan Shihuang from launching an unceremonious surprise attack, Yuan Ting stopped a few meters away from the wall, choosing not to rush forward. "Hm, Yuan Captain, you're acting more like a sycophant these days," came the light chuckle from behind the broken wall. "When did you arrive?" Yuan Ting asked. "Just now—I saw you two right away," Zhang Yuanqing said, with a tone of regret, brushing past the armor. Yuan Ting smiled. "You don't seem like someone who's planning to ambush us. What's on your mind?" "I'd like to form an alliance with you," Zhang Yuanqing replied. "An alliance with me?" Yuan Ting shook his head. "Impossible. I represent myself, as well as the Taimei Sect. We three are committed to supporting one another and striving for the championship—how could we possibly ally with you?" Though we've known each other for some time. "Don't rush to reject me," Zhang Yuanqing said. "Listen to my proposal—I can trade you intelligence for an alliance." More precisely, gossip! Yuan Ting gazed at the broken wall and firmly declined: "Metagen, you've misunderstood my meaning. Let me be more explicit—my loyalty to my fellow disciples is unshakable. I will never compromise the honor of the Taiyuan Sect for my own private gain. 'Go now. Otherwise, when Zhao Chenghuang returns, you'll find it impossible to leave.' " With that, he turned and began walking away. Yuan Ting suddenly raised his voice. "Once you ally with me, I'll tell you." ... Yuan Ting remained silent—he was someone with clear boundaries and strong convictions. Zhang Yuanqing: "I know a woman named Anne, a professional lover of the love-driven career path. Within her association, there's a lover of the Mage King, and Anne knows many women who have been in relationships with the Mage King. Today, most of them hold high-ranking positions—something you'd never imagine, given how deeply they once loved the Mage King." Yuan Ting's eyes lit up with strong curiosity. Zhang Yuanqing: "I've been pursued and hunted by the King of the Divine Eye. From him, I've gathered many behind-the-scenes stories about the High Kings of the Army and the Commanding Realm—stories you can hardly imagine." Yuan Ting's face subtly twitched. Zhang Yuanqing: "Would you like to know the secret of enjoying love without paying a cent? When the young nobleman was still young, he once got beaten up by women at the Fu family—only because he did something that infuriated both heaven and earth." Yuan Ting's breathing quickened. Chang Yuanqing: "Fu Qingyang once told me some things before me that could have ruined his reputation, made him despised, and even expelled him from the Bai Hu army. I can tell you that." "Enough!" Yuan Ting roared, taking a few brisk steps toward the fallen wall and rushing to stand before Chang Yuanqing, breathing heavily. "I promise you—I promise you everything!" Chang Yuanqing asked in surprise, "What about your底线?" "At times, we should have flexible boundaries," Yuan Ting said, gripping Chang Yuanqing's hand tightly, full of sincerity and commitment. "Brother, I'll definitely eliminate that dog Zhao Chenghuang!" "Agreed. After the match concludes, I'll share all the information I know with you. For now, listen closely—my plan is…" ... The arena, the audience section. Is the old dog elder speaking about the dog's secrets? Can we actually hear this? Is this the method of a career built on love and passion—without any cost? Set a price—any amount, we'll pay it. The former lovers of the Mage King now hold high offices? Besides the publicly acknowledged Yin Ji, who else is there?! The former wife of Akari? That carefree, aristocratic lady who loves to cultivate handsome men? Does she need ten men just to satisfy her one day? What exactly did Fu Qingyang tell Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun? How could such a statement lead to his complete ruin, even result in his expulsion from the White Tiger Army? After all, he’s the moneyed公子, the eldest son of Fu Family! The scene is utterly silent, an eerie stillness pervading the gathering. A series of heavy, steady breaths drifts quietly among the crowd. At the senior council seat, Sun Senior leans toward the opposite seat’s Teddy, murmuring: “Old dog, having taken up residence in Teddy—do you have something you’d like to share that you haven’t been able to express?” The dog senior, rarely seen so agitated, grinds his teeth: “Just plain fond of dogs. Don’t overthink it. Didn’t I tell you that before?” Ah, fond of dogs… The other seniors exchange thoughtful glances. “Did you say that before? I didn’t know.” Sun Elder’s mind sparked with inspiration—he suddenly had a brilliant idea. Perhaps, maybe, possibly, he could leverage this point to generate buzz and replace his own vague, clumsy remarks. “Dog Elder just wants to dive headfirst into the realm and crack Metatron’s skull open.” “What did you say to Metatron?” Guan Ya asked softly. Everyone’s gaze now fixed on the handsome young man in his white suit. …Fu Qingyang sat still, composed as if a mountain had collapsed before him—yet now, he felt uneasy, as though needles were pricking at his back. He struggled to keep his expression steady, suppressing any noticeable shifts. Still, it might be best to expel him from the White Guard. Money Gentleman took a deep breath, gently rubbing his fluttering eyes. “I’ve never mentioned the matter of the Demon King to Metatron,” Anni said, somewhat hesitant. “White-billed, love-driven, a career of pure passion?” If I haven't misunderstood, in Chinese, "white-sipping" means engaging in a romantic or sexual relationship without paying any compensation—Mr. Bill, I certainly can't be treated like that and simply be slept on without any return. You haven't even shared a night with him yet, have you? Mr. Bill sighed, "He may not be telling the truth—he's simply trying to win me over." As for the relationship between the Mage King and the Goddess Association, that's no secret. With the authority of the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign, it's entirely feasible and quite straightforward to gain a general understanding through the Five Elements Alliance. The young, nervous man looked at Zhu Rong with trembling anticipation, only to find her smiling with a dangerous, radiant beauty—like a rose in full bloom. "The more he undermines me, the more I'll make him suffer! I'll drain every ounce of energy from him, yet keep him in a constant state of arousal, so that he's in relentless pain, unable to stop, even when he wants to." ... Yuan Ting watched the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign depart for the night, then stepped out of the low wall and returned to his original position after a quiet pause. A minute or so later, he saw Zhao Chenghuang leading a spectral corpse over. Yuan Ting's eyes fell on the other's arms and asked, "Arm armor? What function does it serve?" Zhao Chenghuang's arms were encased in dark arm armor, covering both forearms and upper arms. His expression remained calm: "Defense and strength." He gently clenched his fists and struck forward. A soft "popping" sound echoed through the air, and a wave of force surged out, collapsing a distant, partially collapsed building. "Excellent!" Yuan Ting praised. Zhao Chenghuang nodded and inquired, "Is there anything unusual around?" Yuan Ting replied, "I first noticed the spiritual attendant of Yuan Shang appearing. I watched it from a distance, and when I went to join it, it had already disappeared." Zhao Chenghuang murmured, "Then it appears he is still alone—no allies have formed with him." Yuan Ting spoke calmly, "With such a high score, everyone wants to eliminate him. No one will ally with him unless he offers something substantial." "... Yuan Ting, Zhao Chenghuang, Qing Songzi, and the one with poor musical talent each have four points. The Earth God has seven points, Tian Xia Gui Fire has three, and Sun Miao Miao has ten. If there's another chance for team battles, we must first find a way to eliminate Tian Xia Gui Fire. The Earth God still has one more reporting opportunity—he counts as a half-friend for now, so we can hold off on that. We need to work on reducing Sun Miao Miao's points. So far, we've secured three pieces of armor, yet I haven't obtained any myself. I still don't know how many components the armor has, nor has the副本 mentioned anything about it. Zhang Yuanqing and Yin Shi are crouched in a patch of ruins, with broken tiles and lush grass beneath their feet. After the chest armor and arm armor, a new piece of equipment has appeared—the Cold Iron Battle Blade, which has been acquired by Tian Xia Gui Fire. When the Cold Iron Battle Blade first appeared, Zhang Yuanqing was exploring in the southern part of the city, positioned north and south of the blade, too far apart to be able to claim it. 'It's been nearly half an hour Zhang Yuanqing waited patiently, and eventually a brilliant glow surged upward, appearing just under a hundred meters south of him.