Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 320 Account
He Yunzhao glanced around, chuckled at the gazes that were involuntarily avoiding his eyes, then walked to the main seat and sat down without any hesitation.

This time, no one spoke.

Firstly, as the head of the Maoshan sect, he is indeed qualified to sit in this position. Secondly, this guy clearly has ill intentions, and no one would be foolish enough to provoke him.

However, most of them secretly sneered.

Maoshan is indeed a major sect in the world, but the Hidden King is not one to be trifled with either. With the two clashing, this time there will be quite a show to watch.

However, He Yunzhao, the sect leader, ignored all the various gazes. He picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and then spat it out with extreme disgust.

"Pah! Is this horse piss? Guards! Is this how you treat your guests?"

Soon, a servant ran over. Under the gaze of several fierce-looking eyes, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat, but still had no choice but to speak.

"My lord, this is Yunshan Wuniang, specially selected from the tribute wine by our prince. It's so rare that a single jar of it would cost a fortune. It couldn't possibly be horse urine."

Headmaster He glared at him with his bull-like eyes.

"Are you implying that I, the old Taoist priest, am deliberately picking a fight?"

--bass!

These are the sounds of longswords being drawn from their sheaths several times later.

The servant was almost in tears, and could only explain in a low voice.

"No, no, no, I didn't mean that. I just thought this wine might not suit your taste. I'll change it right away!"

But just as he was about to make a move, he was immediately stopped by a long sword.

Headmaster He ignored him completely and took another bite of food.

Then he vomited in the exact same way.

"What are you guys doing! It's bad enough that the wine is awful, but why is the food sour too!"

"My lord, this is impossible! All the dishes were prepared fresh by the imperial chefs and served within half an hour. They're still simmering over charcoal; you can see they're still steaming hot."

Headmaster He scoffed at this.

"Who knows if you just reheated the leftovers from feeding the pigs? They'd still be steaming hot!"

This time, the attendant did not answer.

Those with a discerning eye could already see that Sect Leader He was clearly here to cause trouble. Even if the food served was the finest nectar, he could still find fault with it.

Seeing that the servant only knew to prostrate himself and bow his head in apology, Master He did not continue to make things difficult for him. Instead, he gently tapped the edge of the plate with his chopsticks and then spoke.

"Fine, I know you don't know anything—but where are the Houtu Sect members? For such a big event as your prince's birthday celebration, not a single member of the Houtu Sect, who are spread throughout Songzhou and claim to beat up Taoism and Buddhism, showed up?"

Zhou You only realized this after hearing it.

Of the hundreds of people at this table, not a single one was wearing a dark blue robe.

Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case. The Thick Earth Sect and the Hidden King are already more than just accomplices; how could not a single one of them be present?

Before he could think about it further, the servant quickly explained.

"My lord, the celestial masters of the sect have all gone to prepare for the production of the Longevity Pill. They will naturally appear when the pill is presented in a while."

"is it?"

This time, Sect Leader He stopped finding fault and gestured for his disciples to put their swords away. Then, he casually ate the 'extremely unpalatable' food and wine in front of him.

At this moment, Fatty Xun muttered to himself.

"This is trouble! This is no good news. But Maoshan and the Prince have connections and no conflict. Why did they have to come knocking at this time?"

Zhou You looked up and suddenly remembered the equally disheveled old Taoist priest who was wholeheartedly devoted to the people in this chaotic world.

Judging by the time, Fu Yu should have already returned to the mountains by now.

However, Zhou You didn't explain anything to Fatty Xun. Instead, he fiddled with his wine glass and silently gazed ahead.

The commotion caused by Sect Leader He taking his seat quickly subsided. Even though these people were all secretly plotting their own schemes, the atmosphere on the surface remained lively and bustling.

As the wine cups clinked, many people became acquainted. Some of the conversations were simple pleasantries and birthday wishes, but most of the discussion revolved around the elixir of immortality.

After all, these people have long been tired of wealth and beauty, and power is just a word for most of them. But no matter how much they enjoy or how much they possess, there is one word they can never avoid.

That is death.

There may be people in this world who are not afraid of death, but they will never be among them.

The crowd talked about immortality, wondering if the prince would take them, his pets and servants, with him after he became an immortal, and how they would enjoy life if they could truly extend their lives.
Their words grew increasingly fervent, but at a certain point...

All sound suddenly ceased.

As if a mute button had been pressed, the scene changed from noisy to completely silent in just a few breaths.

Everyone looked toward the innermost part of the main hall, where the dragon throne should have been placed.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a weary face pushed a wheelchair slowly to the very center in the utter silence, then bowed slightly and stepped back.

As for the person in the wheelchair, it was an old man.

Or rather, he was like an old man who looked like a corpse.

The old man was emaciated, almost like a layer of skin covering his bones. His blue veins bulged outwards, and his teeth, hair, and even eyebrows had all fallen out. Only a pair of old and cloudy eyes looked at the crowd.

But no one dared to speak up.

Even though he was almost as old as a corpse, even though he was now halfway to the grave, his gaze was still like that of a greedy vulture—everyone who was seen by him felt as if their skin and muscles had been stripped away alive, leaving only their naked heart still beating.

Most people involuntarily lowered their heads, leaving only a few still staring straight ahead.

This included a group led by He, the leader of Maoshan Sect, as well as Zhou You, who was holding a sword and had a half-smile on his face.

After a long while, one of the more astute officials finally knelt down and shouted.

"Greetings, Your Highness! I wish Your Highness a long and healthy life, and that you may ascend to immortality and attain eternal youth today!"

Immediately, a cacophony of deafening sounds filled the hall.

"Greetings, Your Highness! I wish Your Highness a long and healthy life, and that you may ascend to immortality and attain eternal youth today!"

But the hidden king ignored him.

He glanced at the empty main seat, then lingered on Headmaster He's face for a moment before opening his mouth as if with great effort.

The sound was like scratching a blackboard with fingernails, or like rusty gears rubbing against each other, so grating it made you want to vomit.

"Where's Zuo Lianshan? Where's Zhao Situ? Why are there so many empty seats this time?"

The middle-aged man behind him bent down and whispered a few words in the Hidden King's ear—and a slight smile immediately appeared on his dry face. "Let's forget about Zuo Lianshan. I knew he was a good-for-nothing. I just kept him around for fun. But as for the others, I have indeed lived too long. So long that many people have forgotten my authority."

The Hidden King suddenly turned his gaze to the official who had shouted the first.

"What's your name? And what's your position?"

The official kept his head on the ground, not daring to lift it.

"My surname is Yuan, and I am a third-rank Imperial Censor."

Before he could finish speaking, the Hidden King coughed impatiently and then said...

"Alright, the Grand Minister will die suddenly in five days. You will fill his place then."

Although the official was somewhat quick-witted, he was still bewildered by these inexplicable words.

"I am only a third-rank official, how could I possibly be promoted to one of the Three Dukes? Besides, the Grand Minister of Works is currently in his prime, in good health, and I have never heard of him having any illnesses."

“I said he would die suddenly from an illness, and he will die suddenly from an illness. It has nothing to do with him.”

With a few light words, he sentenced a high-ranking official to death. The old man, as withered as twigs, didn't even bother to look at the official anymore. He said a few words to the middle-aged man next to him, and then closed his eyes as if he were extremely tired.

The middle-aged man responded softly, then raised his head and spoke with a smile.

The sound wasn't loud, but for some reason, it resonated clearly throughout the spacious hall.

"Your Highness is somewhat lacking in energy, so I will give a speech first—many of you probably know me. My name is Xie Anming, and I am currently the leader of the Hou Tu Sect, and I am also responsible for refining the Longevity Pill for Your Highness."

Zhou You didn't listen to the rest of the polite conversation.

He looked at that tired face with dark circles under his eyes and suddenly laughed.

—As luck would have it, this middle-aged man was the same one who had spoken to him yesterday.

I originally thought he was just a high-ranking Taoist priest, but I never expected him to be one of the final bosses in the script. Is this a coincidence or intentional?
The middle-aged man didn't notice Zhou You. Instead, he finished his introduction in a calm and polite tone, and then raised his glass.

"Thank you all for attending this birthday banquet and ascension ceremony. On behalf of the Prince, I offer my sincere gratitude."

However, before he could finish speaking, he was rudely interrupted by a voice.

"These trivial matters can be discussed later. I have something I'd like to ask your prince now."

All eyes turned to him—and sure enough, it was Sect Leader He who spoke.

The man stood upright, legs crossed, his gaze fixed intently on Xie Anming and the old man who seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep.

Xie Anming showed no displeasure whatsoever; he simply raised his hand and gestured for Xie to proceed.

"Your Excellency, please speak."

Sect Leader He immediately laughed, his yellowed teeth appearing almost tempting to devour under the lamplight.

“I, Lao He, originally didn’t want to get involved in your messy affairs. What birthday banquet, what immortality and eternal youth, it’s all none of my business. After all, many years ago, Maoshan and several other families wrote a document stating that we would never extend our reach to Songzhou before your prince’s death.”

Xie Anming nodded politely.

"Sect Leader He has always kept his promise. Although our Hou Tu Sect and the Prince have not said it, we have always been grateful."

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Sect Leader He without any politeness.

"You should also know that we Maoshan have a tradition of going down the mountain for trials. Originally, because of this document, I would not have sent anyone to Songzhou. However, a few days ago, a disciple heard that a scourge was about to emerge in Songzhou. Fearing that it would harm the common people, he disregarded my objections and forcibly applied for the trial with his own disciple, and came to your territory to try to stop this catastrophe."

Xie Anming showed no displeasure and even spoke in his usual gentle voice.

"That is indeed a noble cause. May I ask if this Taoist priest is still here today? Could you introduce me to him?"

Upon hearing this, Sect Leader He and his disciples all burst into laughter.

But the laughter stopped abruptly.

Then, his words suddenly turned icy.

"An introduction? What a fine introduction! But how can I introduce a dead man to you? Instead of asking me, you might as well ask your General Zuo where my disciple's body is hanging now!"

Upon hearing this, the seemingly asleep Hidden King finally slowly opened his eyes.

He glanced at Sect Leader He, then spoke with difficulty.

"It's Xiao He. I thought I mistook you for someone else. The last time I saw you, you were just a young novice. Time flies! In the blink of an eye, you've become the sect leader. Why did you come all this way today to celebrate this old man's birthday?"

Xie Anming, who was standing next to him, quickly bent down and whispered a few words in his ear.

The Hidden King's face showed no change in expression—in fact, he remained completely unmoved throughout, as if nothing could arouse his interest whatsoever.

After listening, he sighed and then looked at Sect Leader He.

"I roughly understand what happened. What do you want?"

"Headmaster He said coldly."

"An explanation."

"What if I don't give it to them?"

"The Maoshan sect will give the prince an explanation."

The Hidden King tilted his head, seemingly finally showing some interest, and said with a smile.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Don't dare."

Despite saying he wouldn't dare, Sect Leader He had already stood up—clearly, he was prepared to start a fight on the spot if they disagreed.

The Hidden King squinted at it for a while, but in the end he just shook his head.

"You've got potential, young man. You should know that even your master wouldn't have dared to speak to me like that back then. If it were fifty years earlier, based on what you just said, I would have slaughtered everyone in your Maoshan sect. But now that I'm older, my heart has become much kinder. Let's leave it at that. We can talk about it after this banquet."

It wasn't a question; a conclusion was given directly.

Upon hearing these blunt, even insulting, words, the disciples behind Master He gripped their sword hilts—but for some reason, Master He, who had been the most aggressive just moments before, stared at the Hidden King for a while before actually sitting down again.

Only then did Xie Anming finally have the opportunity to say the next sentence.

"In that case, let's continue. I remember we should have the dancers perform first, and then each of us should present our birthday gifts, right?"

Although it was a question, Xie Anming simply waved his hand.

Soon, accompanied by the sound of zithers and lutes, the vermilion gate was opened again.

Then, a crystal-clear jade foot gently stepped into the doorway.

(End of this chapter)