CHAPTER 321: CHAPTER 286: THE FRAUD OF THE GOD OF JUSTICE_2

"At that very moment..."

"You suddenly open your palm, and a pendant chain, without you knowing when it appeared, is draped around your middle finger. It radiates a seven-colored halo, and waves of mysterious energy ripple through the void. The once vibrant ’Secret Cultivator’ now wavers unsteadily, their figure trembling before their eyelids droop, and they fall asleep in no time."

"And frame after frame of unfamiliar images begin to flash through your mind."

"That’s right, this pendant is none other than the legendary miraculous object... the Heart Dream Source."

"Although the ’Secret Cultivator’ did not exhibit any strange reaction afterward and behaved as though nothing was wrong, considering her earlier unusual urgency and ’Dabai’s’ warning, you couldn’t shake off the unease inside you. You worried about a potential backstab while exploring the third floor’s ’Taboo Treasure,’ so you resolved to conduct a proactive test..."

"Soon, after reviewing the ’Secret Cultivator’s’ many memories, you found nothing suspicious."

"Unwilling to give up, you further employed your dream-guiding ability to delve into the sea of consciousness deep within her mind. Yet the illusory surface of that sea was pristine and tranquil, devoid of any trace of external interference, let alone horrifying contamination."

"The ’Secret Cultivator’ has no problem?"

"Could the issue lie with... the ’House of Truth’ itself?"

"This thought blooms in your mind, and for a fleeting moment, you feel disoriented. It seems as though the stairs, walls, and carpet before you have twisted out of shape. You instinctively shake your head, and the scenery before your eyes returns to normal."

"What’s going on?"

"Your gaze turns sharp in an instant. You attempt to observe the surroundings using a divine perspective but come away empty-handed."

"Huh, why did I fall asleep...’ As you withdraw the power of the ’Heart Dream Source,’ the ’Secret Cultivator’ awakens from her slumber, stands up, and looks around in mild confusion."

"You pause for a moment, then decide to share the abnormalities you observed concerning her along with your suspicions, carefully omitting the existence of ’Dabai.’ At the end, you inquire further... why were you so insistent on urging me to the third floor earlier?"

"The reason? Huh, that’s strange. I indeed seemed odd just now, almost as if some force was compelling me to do so...’ The ’Secret Cultivator’s’ voice carries an undertone of bewilderment."

"Nothing substantial could be gleaned from this information..."

"But it does confirm the existence of a genuine anomaly?"

"Your gaze drifts upward to the even dimmer and more foreboding staircase... ’Miss Secret Cultivator,’ the House of Truth is suspicious and might be hiding unimaginable danger. Are you certain you still want to ascend to the third floor and seek this so-called ’Taboo Treasure?’"

"The ’Secret Cultivator’s’ expression shifts, her inner turmoil evident, but she soon makes a decision."

"Let’s go..."

"We’ve come this far; how could we possibly give up now? Whatever the end result is, I will accept it."

"The allure of treasure is undeniable, not to mention the opportunity to ’ascend to godhood.’ Moreover, you yourself are curious about the true nature of the ’Taboo Treasure.’ With a shrug, you decide not to dissuade her further."

"Soon, the two of you move toward the third floor..."

...

Huh?

The anomaly isn’t on the ’Secret Cultivator’s’ Game Character, but rather the House of Truth itself?

Yang Qizhou glances ahead, noticing the ’Secret Cultivator’ looking at him as well. In her eyes, he perceives faint traces of ’unease,’ ’anxiety,’ and ’expectation,’ but curiously, there’s no urgency. A somewhat heavy voice also resounds at the same moment...

"’Lamp Holder,’ please don’t forget your earlier promise."

A promise?

Oh, to ensure her safety on the Real World level...

It seems the ’Secret Cultivator’ is deeply worried that her Game Character might encounter something terrifying, potentially affecting the Real World and, by extension, herself as a player. Nevertheless, she is determined to obtain the ’Taboo Treasure,’ pursue the opportunity to ascend to godhood, even if it means taking a huge risk."

One has to admit, humanity is indeed a conflicted creature.

Yang Qizhou gives a solemn nod and says, "I will do my best."

The game continues.

...

"You proceed toward the third floor."

"You can’t help but wonder if it’s a mere illusion, but the staircase feels incredibly long, as if it stretches endlessly. And the further you ascend, the dimmer the light around you becomes, nearly plunging into total darkness."

"Three minutes, five minutes, eight minutes..."

"Suddenly, you become aware of something... Wait, since when was the House of Truth this tall?"

"’Dark Crow of Profane Fortune,’ look, we’re here... at that moment, the ’Secret Cultivator’ exclaims excitedly. Following the direction she’s pointing, you spot a vast space enshrouded in light."

"The darkness surrounding the staircase and the light above form two distinct worlds, one black, one white."

"Suppressing the myriad questions in your heart, you speak in a low voice... Let’s go. Let’s grab the ’Taboo Treasure’ and leave the House of Truth as soon as possible. For some reason, this place gives me a bad feeling."

"Alright."

"Soon, you both reach the end of the staircase and arrive at the vast third-floor space."

"The first thing to greet your eyes is an immense and boundless star map. Numerous galaxies, stars, and celestial bodies seem to encompass the entire cosmos, casting a vivid projection that fills every corner of the room, immersing you as though you’re within the universe itself..."

"At the center of the room rests an ancient and weathered table, with a hazy and indistinct figure sitting in front of it. They sway a pendant in their hand, murmuring in an incomprehensible tone, seemingly conducting a divination of some sort."

"Apart from this, the enormous room is completely empty."

"Could the hazy figure at the table be the ’Taboo Treasure’ mentioned by the Sect Leader of the Black Mist Sect? Ha, what a joke. Impossible."

"Your thoughts quickly refocus, but just as you brace yourself for potential terrors and prepare to approach the hazy figure cautiously, a gentle, kind, and amiable yet oddly out-of-place voice suddenly resounds... Impressive, bearer of ’Fate,’ the profane Wizard. You managed to notice the anomaly surrounding this ’woman.’ Unfortunately, you only got half of it right. The so-called anomaly does not rest with her, but with you."

"This House of Truth, no, I should say this Imaginary World created by ’correctness,’ is guiding you here."

"And ultimately, you were unable to resist the power of the ’signpost.’"

"This voice, this tone, is it... the God of Justice?"

"He not only knows I am a ’profane Wizard’ but is also aware of the power of ’Fate’ I wield?"

"As the incredulous thought crosses your mind, a streak of white light flashes before your eyes and begins to float in mid-air—it’s the ’Emblem of Justice.’ This insignia, no larger than a palm, suddenly seems to come alive, as flesh writhes across its surface. Pure white feathers drift down from it under the projection of the stars, while radiant white light expands outward, morphing into an illusory sun."

"You have lost the ’Emblem of Justice.’"

"At that very moment, the illusory star map in the room appears to be disturbed by an unknown force, abruptly collapsing into a black hole, devouring the surrounding reality with an alarming rapidity."

"If swallowed by the black hole, death would not be its only consequence."

"You ponder this silently, while outwardly your demeanor hints at panic, laced with an undercurrent of fury... You deceived me. You never truly separated the ’Emblem of Justice.’ That artifact has always been a part of you. The ’Taboo Treasure’ doesn’t even exist. This was all a trap, wasn’t it?"

"Soft, kind, and amiable, yet unwaveringly domineering, the voice replies again from the Emblem of Justice, now transformed into an illusory sun... That is correct. So the experience you had in the ’Dota Clan’ ruins and the acquisition of the ’Seed,’ I am fully aware of."