Chapter 816: Wind and Wave Shift

Jian Changsheng felt as if he was experiencing a life review.

First, there was an endless series of dice rolls, followed by a frantic descent. Then, he was inexplicably ambushed; an overwhelming barrage of attacks nearly took his life. Just as he thought he had escaped, he stumbled, and his body spun wildly in the darkness for dozens of seconds, like a rollercoaster, before he finally landed here.

This brief, one-minute experience was as twisted as his own fate. Now, as Jian Changsheng lay on the ground, everything around him seemed to be spinning.

Even Chen Ling, who was beside him...

Chen Ling?!

Jian Changsheng's eyes widened. He shot up, gritting his teeth, and declared, "You scoundrel, Red Heart!! I'm going to fight you..."

"I heard you told the Strangler that your name was Lin Yan?" Chen Ling said calmly, without turning his head.

Jian Changsheng: "Uh..."

Jian Changsheng's aggressive demeanor immediately deflated by more than half, and he awkwardly turned his head away.

Seeing this, Chen Ling knew that his own revelation to the Assassin — that he was Jian Wubing — had not yet been exposed. Otherwise, given Jian's personality, he would have retorted with the same words. Of course, Chen Ling would never voluntarily expose it, as he was currently standing on the "moral high ground."

"So, this is where you secretly orchestrate everything?" Jian Changsheng naturally changed the subject. "Looks quite impressive."

"Just a cuckoo occupying a magpie's nest."

Chen Ling gazed at one of the mirror-like surfaces. "They... are nearing a conclusion."

Jian Changsheng looked towards that mirror, seeing a stone gate leading to the outside world slowly opening in the deepest part of the Dark Palace. At the same time, Tu Tian had forcefully fought his way to Pu Xiachan, showing no fear despite his battered body.

After a fierce struggle between the two, Pu Xiachan was still smashed into the wall by a staff. In such a confined space, neither a Book God practitioner nor a Chess God practitioner could possibly be a match for a rampaging Strength God practitioner.

Tu Tian snatched the stone orb from her hand, then, carrying his flag, stumbled out of the passage, disappearing from everyone's sight.

The nearby Pot-Throwing Master, seeing this, narrowed his eyes slightly. He did not immediately pursue Tu Tian to fight him. Instead, he bent down, picked up a wisp of dust from the ground, and casually scattered it into the air.

The dust particles drifted through the air, seemingly guided by some force, following Tu Tian towards the surface.

"Li Shengmen, why didn't you intervene?!"

Pu Xiachan rose from the ruins, blood staining her clothes. She glared angrily at the Pot-Throwing Master opposite her. "Can't you see he's at the end of his rope? Why didn't you stop him?! Once he leaves the Dark Palace with the 'privilege,' that thing will be bound to him!"

"Of course I know that, but a dying beast is the most dangerous."

"So you're just handing over the privilege?"

Facing Pu Xiachan's questioning, Li Shengmen, the Pot-Throwing Master, calmly replied, "Miss Pu, you seem to have overly high expectations for the 'privilege.' That privilege only allows one to designate the location where a 'star position' descends during the final stage; it doesn't mean directly obtaining a seat. In other words, it merely provides an early advantage."

"But if you think about it carefully, you can still gain such an advantage even without holding the 'privilege'..."

"...What do you mean?"

"Tu Tian will inevitably use the privilege to designate the star position to descend near him. This means that by simply locating Tu Tian, we can also predict the approximate landing spot of the star position. Furthermore, do you truly believe he, severely injured, can ultimately secure that seat?"

Pu Xiachan fell into thought upon hearing this.

"Are you saying... we wait until he summons the star position, then strike to kill him and seize it?"

"Precisely."

"But there's still some time until the final stage. If Tu Tian finds a place to recuperate and heal, he should eventually recover his full strength. Are you so confident you can kill him then?"

"In that case, we just need to ensure he doesn't get a chance to heal, wouldn't you agree?" Li Shengmen's lips curved slightly upwards.

"We know that once he leaves the Dark Palace, the 'privilege' will be bound to him, but the other participants don't. If we spread the word outside, letting everyone know that Tu Tian holds the 'privilege' and is severely injured..."

"Do you think he'll still have a chance to rest?"

Pu Xiachan was taken aback. She stared at Li Shengmen for a long time before letting out a soft click of her tongue.

"You Chess God practitioners, your hearts are truly devious..."

"Me? You flatter me," Li Shengmen said with a slight smile. "I'm just a pot-throwing player. If you'd ever dealt with those chess players, you'd know what 'devious' truly means."

As Li Shengmen finished speaking and was about to leave, he suddenly noticed a Club 7 standing in the corner and paused, slightly surprised.

The Club 7's presence was so inconspicuous that Li Shengmen had completely forgotten about him while talking with Pu Xiachan. Accidentally, he had revealed his "wicked plan."

Sensing the strange glances from both Li Shengmen and Pu Xiachan, Club 7 remained silent for a moment.

"You're absolutely right," he said. "Count me in on this scheme against Tu Tian."

Li Shengmen's mouth twitched slightly. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, wondering whether to simply eliminate this person. However, upon further thought, anyone who could survive this far in the hellish Dark Palace was certainly no simple character. With the 'privilege' no longer present, there was no need to take such a risk.

"And you are...?"

"Oh, I am Jin Fugui, from the common folk."

"Mr. Jin, since we are all headed the same way, why don't we travel together for now?"

Although Club 7 had indicated he wouldn't disrupt their plans, Li Shengmen still felt a little uneasy and decided to simply take him along.

"No problem at all."

"Please, both of you."

"No, after you!"

"Oh, no, you first..."

Li Shengmen, Pu Xiachan, and Club 7 feigned politeness, lingering at the entrance for a long time before, each with their own ulterior motives, entering the passage and gradually disappearing into the Dark Palace.

The underground space, which had just been a scene of fierce combat, fell into a deep silence.

After an unknown period, two figures slowly emerged from a secret passage.

"You actually let a few of them go... I thought you intended to trap and kill them all here," Jian Changsheng said, looking in the direction where the three had departed. "Or perhaps, their plan was also part of your calculations?"

"It's not about calculation, merely simple psychological manipulation," Chen Ling said calmly. "If no one survived in the Dark Palace, it would undoubtedly arouse suspicion from other arbiters and participants. If only one person left with the 'privilege,' no one outside would know what truly happened here."

"However, if two or three people escape and spread the news about the 'privilege,' the turmoil within the Dark Palace will sweep across the entire Old District. The more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it is for us."