Chapter 50: So You're the One They Call the Master of the Palace

Ever since he stepped into the palace, the fellow claiming to be its master had jumped out, using vague phrasing to state the true rules, and then employing petty tricks to guide him into imagining non-existent regulations.

The reason Li Chenqiu was able to reach this conclusion was simply because he saw Number 5 independently choose between a circle and a cross, which reminded him of something the palace master had said earlier:

"That's right, it's tic-tac-toe. Everyone has a chance to place a piece. Circles and crosses—whoever connects a line first wins the victory."

It was a very ambiguous statement. It did not specify who was the circle and who was the cross, only stating that connecting a line meant victory. Nor did it state that the winning side was a team; instead, it used a clever and easily overlooked word: "whoever."

If one were to prefix this sentence with team assignments, it would naturally prompt everyone to mentally fill in the blanks with those unstated rules.

However, if one set aside that sentence, set aside the misleading term "tic-tac-toe," and set aside all other rules, the true rule emerged: Circles and crosses—whoever connects a line first wins the victory.

From the very beginning, this was an individual battle. There was only one key; how could it possibly be given to a group of people?

Li Chenqiu smiled faintly, walking unhesitatingly in the direction of Number 2 and Number 4.

He was not afraid of this so-called palace master making a move against him, because the other party simply lacked the capability.

After all, the palace master had also said: Rest assured, before the game is finished, I won't let him die. Play the game in peace and don't make me resort to killing.

Within the boundaries of the rules, the opponent could not strike. Li Chenqiu had just verified this point.

If the opponent could attack at will, they wouldn't have had to keep repeating the four words "escape the game."

Number 2 and Number 4 watched Li Chenqiu walking toward them, their minds utterly blank, unable to come up with an answer.

They could not figure out why the palace master still hadn't made a move, nor did they understand what Li Chenqiu wanted by walking over here. Could he possibly be planning a two-on-one?

"What do you want? You can't possibly want to break the rules and make us go first!"

"Don't think that just because you're an awakened ice element user we're afraid of you. Hurry up and place your piece obediently, don't force us to take action," Number 2 said, putting on a brave front.

Hearing this, Li Chenqiu did not break his stride, flashing right in front of Number 2.

"You—"

Before Number 2 could finish his sentence, Li Chenqiu delivered a whip kick, sending him flying. With a loud crash, Number 2 became embedded in the wall, his life or death unknown.

Seeing this, Number 4 felt his legs turn to jelly and collapsed straight to the ground, staring at Li Chenqiu with eyes full of terror.

"How can this be? Hasn't the Nether Earth suppressed everything to the First Prohibition?"

"Are they just going to do nothing about this!?"

"Don't come over here, this is a violation of the rules!"

Number 4 propped himself up with both hands, inching backward bit by bit as Li Chenqiu stepped forward, closing the distance step by step.

"Number 1, don't be too impudent! This is my territory!" The palace master's furious voice echoed through the grand hall like a thunderclap.

Hearing this, a flash of mockery crossed Li Chenqiu's eyes: "That strike you used to cut off Number 6's foot earlier barely brushed the threshold of the Third Prohibition. So you'd better hide well; if I flush you out, I'll hack you to pieces with my blade."

"You—" The palace master wanted to retort, but didn't know where to begin. After uttering a single word, he stopped.

Li Chenqiu smiled, the final weight lifting from his heart. He had originally worried that the opponent might be hiding their true strength, but now it seemed there was no concealment at all.

Having fallen to the ground, Number 4 listened to the exchange between the two, his sluggish brain finally grasping a portion of the truth.

Damn it all, this palace master has no real authority here!

Realizing this, Number 4's lips turned pale at a visible rate, the fat on his face trembling uncontrollably as he pleaded, "Big... Big brother, I'm not as formidable as Number 2, he's much more capable than me—"

"It doesn't matter. If you die, I'll make him go."

Li Chenqiu gave a bright smile, bent down, grabbed Number 4 by the neck, and dragged him bodily into the grid.

"I hope you survive. Keep it up."

Li Chenqiu patted Number 4's shoulder with eager anticipation, then stepped back out of the grid.

A few seconds later, Number 4's eyes turned vacant, and he stood frozen in place.

Seeing that the other party did not immediately explode, Li Chenqiu squatted down to the side, touching his chin as if pondering something.

At a certain moment, Li Chenqiu abruptly raised his head, a bright light flashing in his eyes. He then curiously asked the palace master, "I have a question. After I complete the trial, who hands me the key?"

"Why are you asking that?" the palace master demanded with a hint of vigilance.

Li Chenqiu smiled amiably: "I'm just curious."

The hall fell silent for a moment. After a brief pause, the palace master continued, "Focus on playing your game and stop thinking about nonsense."

The corners of Li Chenqiu's mouth curled up as he braced his hands on his knees and stood back up: "Is the key in your hands?"

No one replied.

Li Chenqiu helplessly slapped his own forehead; his brain had really taken a detour not to have figured out such a simple logic sooner.

Since winning the game grants the key, and the key is neither inside the palace nor anywhere else, it must be with the fellow who called himself the palace master. Why on earth was he playing such a dangerous game when he could just go ask the palace master for it directly?

Having figured this out, Li Chenqiu spread his hands: "I'm not playing anymore. I don't think it's worth risking my life for a key."

With that, Li Chenqiu turned and began walking toward the main entrance.

The palace master, hiding in the shadows, clenched his teeth, staring fixedly at Li Chenqiu's back.

"Open the door, or are you waiting for me to kick it open?" Li Chenqiu shouted impatiently.

"Bastard, what do you take this place for?!"

The next second, a crescent-moon-like arc materialized above Li Chenqiu's head, tearing through the air as it slashed toward his neck.

Li Chenqiu's ears twitched; he tilted his head slightly, letting the arc graze past him.

"Didn't I tell you to hide well?"

A flash of cold light crossed Li Chenqiu's eyes as he raised a hand toward an unlit, shadowy corner of the hall: "Gather."

With a phantom-like grip of Li Chenqiu's hand, the blood mist drifting through the hall instantly coalesced into droplets of blood, transforming in a split second into a blood-red giant hand that lunged into the shadows.

"Ah!"

A shrill scream rang out from within the clenched blood hand.

Li Chenqiu pulled his hand back, and the blood hand arrived before him.

"Disperse," Li Chenqiu said indifferently.

The blood hand shuddered slightly and vanished without a trace with a soft pop, dropping a blood-soaked middle-aged man onto the floor.

The man curled up on the ground, his eyes filled with bitter resentment as he stared fixedly at Li Chenqiu.

Li Chenqiu lowered his gaze to appraise the man, then planted a foot squarely on his face: "So you're the one they call the palace master?"

"Bastard!"

The man let out a loud roar, raising his hand toward Li Chenqiu, preparing to unleash another crescent arc. But a blade of blood materialized out of thin air, and with a soft *splotch*, severed the man's arm.