Misery: There is a pawn shop here

Chapter 197 The King's Game
To sever the cause of evil, the Good Law Emperor stepped into the illusory chess game, only to find the scene before him suddenly changing. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a completely different world.

The prosperous kingdom before me was shrouded in an eerie halo. The ornate buildings exuded an extravagant wealth of gold and jade, yet it couldn't conceal the subtle air of decadence emanating from every street corner. A chaotic memory surged back like a tide: a game was spreading across this land, where nobles used human lives as bargaining chips, and kings viewed the common people as mere ants. A massacre, disguised as "entertainment," was wreaking havoc through the power of the twenty-eight gems.

How absurd, how cruel, how ridiculous, how pathetic.

The palace attendant leading him was unaware of Emperor Shanfa's intentions, and simply continued forward, his steps slow and deliberate. His brocade boots clattered on the bluestone slabs as if stepping on a pile of withered leaves, producing a soft, muffled sound. The palace walls stood high, and the bronze bells on the eaves hummed mournfully in the still air. Emperor Shanfa's gaze swept over the mottled bloodstains on the pillars of the corridor, the marks so fresh they seemed to have just solidified, their dark red color gleaming oily in the sunlight, creating a stark contrast with the silks and satins hanging below.

"Master, we've arrived." The palace servant's voice suddenly lowered, trembling almost imperceptibly.

The Good Dharma Emperor raised his eyes and saw a majestic palace ahead, its vermilion gates wide open like the maw of a giant beast. The stench of blood emanating from within was almost tangible, mingling with the cloying sweetness of ambergris, forming a nauseating stench. He paused slightly, not out of fear, but because of the murderous intent that surged straight to his mind—though the illusion was illusory, the karmic force generated by the anger and ignorance of sentient beings was truly palpable.

"Please welcome the master to the hall!"

The eunuch's voice pierced the deathly silence, its echo swirling in the empty hall, stirring up dust that pattered down from the beams. The virtuous emperor, his brow furrowed, ascended the steps. The stone steps were icy cold, each step feeling like treading on the bones of the dead. The courtiers stood with their heads bowed, their bodies trembling slightly beneath their robes. Only the figure on the throne remained shrouded in a hazy halo, his face obscured, revealing only a pair of eyes burning with a mad rage.

"A sorcerer from the Divine Land." The king's voice had a metallic quality, with a rising tone at the end, revealing the child's interest in playing with ants. "That day you advised me to practice benevolent governance, talking about compassion, saving the world, and all living beings, but after thinking it over, I came up with a more brilliant idea."

He casually tossed the wooden box to the ground with a clatter, and twenty-eight gems flew out.

The "slaughter" is as red as congealed blood, the "indulgence" is as black as an abyss, the "conquest" is as gold as raging fire, and the "luxury" is as jade as rotten soil. Each gemstone shimmers with an eerie luster, and they float in pairs, four rows, like four swords hanging overhead.

With a slight twitch of his fingertips, the Buddha's power touched the gemstone, and at that moment, he felt an extremely evil desire surge into his mind like a venomous snake: the pleasure of slaughtering living beings, the intoxication of indulging in wine and women, the clamor of iron hooves trampling through cities, the madness of spending money like water...

As the king threw out the wooden box, revealing the twenty-eight gems, the atmosphere in the court became even more tense. A silent fear spread through the crowd, and everyone present was even careful with their breathing.

"Indulgence, slaughter, conquest, extravagance..."

“The twenty-eight gems correspond to these four extraordinary powers. Now I entrust these supreme powers to the mage and pardon all the mage’s sins in this city.”

“O mage from the Divine Land, when you destroy these twenty-eight gems, you will have the opportunity to leave this place and fulfill your heart’s desire.”

The king stood up, the aura surging with his movement, revealing a half-distorted smile, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

"Since you believe that what I have done is against the will of Heaven and is not a virtuous path, then when you have this power, I am very curious to see how you will act, Master."

"Of course, there is a rule of thumb: whenever a mage takes out a gem, he or she has only seven days to destroy it. If the gem is not destroyed within seven days, the mage will suffer the most cruel punishment and be left here forever."

"Therefore, in this game, I sincerely extend an invitation to the master. May I ask, master from the Central Plains, would you dare to accept the invitation? Hahahaha."

The echoes were devoid of any respect for life, only endless mockery and the unrestrained pursuit of pleasure and desire. Facing those eyes and the gazes of countless people, the Good Law Emperor knew that what he was seeing was just an illusion, but he could still feel the increasingly strong smell of blood in his nose.

……

……

Such cruel methods... Inside the pawnshop, Tan Wuyu watched this scene with equal tension.

Indulgence, slaughter, conquest, extravagance...

Each of the four precepts is a major precept for monks. When this difficult problem was posed to the Good Dharma Emperor, even Tan Wuyu could not think of a better solution. If everything really needs to be resolved by participating in this game, then even if the Good Dharma Emperor leaves after participating in this game, would he still be the same Good Dharma Emperor as before?

“The Moon Talent’s emotions have been stirred,” Li Xuanxiao said with a smile.

The Five Illusions each have a trap set for those who enter them, but there are exceptions. For example, the trap set by the Good Law Emperor is the result that Li Xuanxiao can guide.

It can be said to be the most suitable "game" for the Good Law Emperor to challenge, and for the Good Law Emperor, it is also the most difficult game.

"I never imagined it would be such a perilous challenge. Seeing these conditions, I feel a chill run down my spine. The shopkeeper's ingenuity is truly astonishing, and I admire him greatly."

"what."

Faced with Tan Wuyu's flattery, Li Xuanxiao only chuckled lightly.

"Mr. Tan's praise is truly pleasing, which only makes me more curious. If you were to enter this game, what kind of changes would it cause?"

"Ha, I'm afraid I'm not worthy of such good fortune."

……

……

Above the palace, twenty-eight gems floated in the air, and the king on the throne lowered his eyes, looking at the virtuous prince who had remained silent from beginning to end.

"Well, does the mage merely talk about saving everyone, yet lack the courage to even step into the fray himself?" the king said slowly. "If that's the case, then the mage must bear the consequences of fooling the king."

"Amitabha."

At this moment, the Good Law Emperor slowly spoke, saying, "Good Law Emperor is willing to play this game for you."

"Oh?"

"What this humble monk sees is not the evil of the gemstones, but the delusion of the human heart." The voice of the Good Dharma Emperor was calm yet carried immense power. "Those who indulge in desires are never satisfied, those who kill are never compassionate, those who wage war never know restraint, and those who are extravagant never cherish what they have. These four things are not powers, but prisons for the human heart. If this humble monk can use the opportunity of destroying the gemstones to awaken one or two people who are deluded, even if it is a violation of precepts, it is still the practice of a Bodhisattva."

Upon hearing this, the king burst into laughter, causing the glazed tiles on the palace roof to rattle: "What a fine 'Bodhisattva practice'! Let's begin then. Which one do you choose for the first one?"

(End of this chapter)