CHAPTER 396: CHAPTER 324: THE CURTAIN RISES

In reality.

Seeing the contents of the text, Yang Qizhou let out a long sigh of relief.

When the game character and the incarnation of the "Fraud Lord" were locked in a stalemate for an extended period, with signs of counterattacks emerging, Yang Qizhou’s heart truly felt like it was in his throat, deeply worried that all his meticulous planning might go up in smoke.

Fortunately, the result turned out well.

The game character successfully subdued the incarnation of the "Fraud Lord" and discovered the subtle tricks the "King of Nature" had played on him.

"Wow, the game character has really outdone himself, using ’fraud’ techniques to overcome this Pillar Old God who wields the authority of ’Fraud.’ This feat could absolutely be bragged about for a lifetime." Yang Qizhou murmured secretly, his lips instinctively curling into a grin.

This expression... Lord Lamp Holder seems to have caused yet another major stir. Should I ask about it? Mr. Death reflexively adjusted his glasses, hesitating in his mind.

But in the end, Mr. Death couldn’t bring himself to ask.

Although this enigmatic "Lamp Holder" had never reproached him nor displayed any violent tendencies, there was an inexplicable feeling—Mr. Death simply felt a sense of fear toward him.

Previously, Mr. Death hadn’t understood the reason, but later, he realized it stemmed from... the disparity in rank.

"It’s truly unimaginable that such a terrifying figure exists within the player community, capable of engaging in events on the level of the ’Fraud Lord.’ The Hermit falling to his hands—it was not undeserved."

At this moment, Yang Qizhou hadn’t noticed Mr. Death’s inner astonishment. His attention quickly returned to the game.

...

"You smiled."

"I must admit, the ’King of Nature’ is indeed cunning. His meddling wasn’t directly reflected in the incarnation of the ’Fraud Lord.’ Instead, he took a roundabout approach, using some unknown method to secretly manipulate the ’Star Color Ancient God,’ and exerting influence on the mental realm of the ’Fraud Lord’s’ incarnation, subtly convincing it that the ’King of Nature’ had already left Asgard."

"But soon, your expression reveals doubt... You know that the symbol of ’Nature’ inherently lacks concepts like ’manipulation’ or ’domination.’ The Ancient God King, inherently flawed and incapable of accommodating additional symbolic power, naturally does not possess such capabilities."

"So, what method could the ’King of Nature’ have used?"

"You looked contemplative."

"Suddenly, inspiration flashes across your mind, and a bold hypothesis takes shape."

"The ’King of Nature,’ when searching for ’Blasphemous Wizards’ who had previously shepherded gods, may have even actively nurtured them. Back then, he had seen through your need for a ’lucky coin’ to serve as the core material for crafting the ’Winning God Potion,’ step by step guiding you toward completing the refinement of the ’Winning God Potion.’

"However, by then, you had already seen through the true identity of the ’King of Nature,’ who was still playing the role of the ’Tree Ancient God,’ and you utilized techniques like ’Fate Line Reboot’ and the ’Dream Hidden World Clothes’ to sidestep him multiple times."

"But could it be that..."

"Long before your involvement, the ’King of Nature’ had already cultivated and taken control of other ’Blasphemous Wizards,’ not just one, including the shepherd of the ’Star Color Ancient God,’ who manipulated him to secretly exert influence on the ’Fraud Lord’s’ incarnation."

"Multiple thoughts race through your mind, but in reality, only a brief moment has passed."

"With such a bold conjecture, your awe and dread toward the ’King of Nature’s’ methods deepen. You dare not delay any further and promptly activate the power of the [Residual Ring of the King of Truth] to begin purging the influence exerted by the ’Star Color Ancient God’ on the incarnation of the ’Fraud Lord.’"

"Because within the ’Old Roots of Profanation,’ there exists an Ancient Old King that governs the ’Mind’ domain, with profound knowledge of mental symbols, this task was not overly difficult for you. Within just a few breaths, the passive tricks on the ’Fraud Lord’s’ incarnation had been completely eradicated."

"At this moment."

"The incarnation of the ’Fraud Lord’ suddenly ceased its struggles. Unfortunately, its facial region was shrouded in pitch-black emptiness, making it impossible to discern any changes in expression."

"Without hesitation, you reiterated the ’King of Nature’s’ fact: he had never left Asgard and had been lingering on this land all along with the aid of the ’Hidden Wizard King.’ In the end, you added in a heavy tone... ’Believe me now? Quickly stop the Divine Descent Ceremony. Though I can’t discern what the ’King of Nature’ has been plotting during these millennia of concealment, one thing is certain — it’s bound to be no good.’"

"Under the combined suppression of ’Power of Royal Authority’ and the [Residual Ring of the King of Truth], the ’Fraud Lord’s’ incarnation, with slightly dimmed eyes in the dark golden hexagram on its abdomen, let out a bitter chuckle."

"He spoke."

"As the source of all deceptions, the King of the No-True World, the Fraud Lord who rules the Endless Abyss, to think I’ve been deceived twice already... Truly ironic. But it’s too late. Do you think the Divine Descent Ceremony is being maintained by me? How wrong you are! From the moment the first incantation was chanted and the entirety of Asgard became shrouded in deceit, it has already been taken over by my true form."

"The deep and sinister voice paused before the incarnation of the ’Fraud Lord’ continued... ’See, Blasphemous Wizard from the Otherworld, behold my true form, descending.’

"Upon hearing this, you abruptly turned, gazing at the scene behind. A flicker of disbelief and horror emerged in your eyes..."

...

Yang Qizhou’s heart was greatly alarmed.

It turned out that the entity maintaining the ’Divine Descent Ceremony’ was not the incarnation of the ’Fraud Lord,’ but the true form of the Fraud Lord far away in the ’Endless Abyss.’ Although the two were one, they scarcely communicated. Thus, unless one could breach the deepest depths of the ’Endless Abyss’ and confront the ’Fraud Lord’ directly, this ’Divine Descent Ceremony’ was utterly impossible to stop.