Welcome to the Bizarre Games

Chapter 559 Opening

Zhou You got up very early, which was unusual for him.

As mentioned before, he is essentially a very laid-back person. Apart from the marriage to bring good luck, he usually sleeps until late morning without any mandatory work requirements—unless Lin Yunshao takes time out of his busy schedule to specifically wake him up.

But today, just as dawn was breaking, he was already stretching his muscles.

There is no other reason.

Today is the day of the sect's grand ceremony.

Similarly, this will also be the end of this instance.

He drew his sword, closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and then simply swung it.

To be honest, even after training for so long, his body is still not very useful—after all, he is only the physique of a teenager, probably just starting high school in the real world—but Zhou You still used his swordsmanship methodically until his breathing was smooth and even.

After completing a set of sword techniques, Zhou You was a little sweaty. He found a towel, wiped his face, and then put on his simple Taoist robe.

At the same time, Lin Yunshao's voice rang out from outside.

"Senior brother, it's time."

"Okay, I understand. I'll be right out."

Zhou You tucked Wan Ren into his waistband, slung the Broken Moon Bow over his shoulder, and then put away the Wine Immortal Gourd, talismans, and a bunch of other miscellaneous items before heading outside.

However, before leaving, he still glanced at the bronze mirror.

Among them was the face of a spirited young man.

He tugged at the corners of his mouth, seemingly trying to suppress the smile that always seemed to appear, but as before, this attempt ultimately failed.

So Zhou You could only shake his head, sigh, and then push open the door.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly.

The young girl didn't stand with her hands on her hips and nag about his disheveled clothes as usual. Instead, she carefully smoothed out his Taoist robe with a serious expression and then stepped back behind him.

Further away, hundreds of disciples stood in neat rows, all with their hands at their sides and respectful expressions. Their faces seemed to show panic and unease, but in the end, it all turned into a tense emotion.

Zhou You stared at the disciples, who were all neatly arranged like an array, for a few seconds, then shook his head with a smile.

"What are you all doing? Why are you all so tense? Anyone who didn't know better would think we're having a funeral. Relax, relax, don't make the atmosphere so serious."

however.

For the first time, no one listened to him.

The disciples of Chongxu Sect all stood there silently, seemingly waiting for an answer.

However, a notification came from behind very quickly.

"Senior Brother, it's time for you to choose your disciples. Each sect needs to send eight disciples for this sacrificial ceremony. Besides the two of us, there are six more to go."

Upon hearing Lin Yunshao's steady voice, Zhou You suddenly realized what was happening and slapped his forehead.

"—Oh right, I almost forgot, my master assigned this job to me, then..."

He thought for a moment, then simply pointed randomly.

"Senior Brother Li, please come out first."

The short, fat man seen at the foot of the mountain showed no surprise, no excuses, and not even a hint of fear. He simply walked out silently and stood behind Zhou You.

"And then, Senior Brother Cheng, you come too."

Another person walked out silently and walked in silently.

"Senior Brother Han, please come here."

Still so.

Within minutes, Zhou You had picked out everyone.

As mentioned before, his sect suffered a severe blow. Almost all the powerful individuals were wiped out, and only the best among the worst were left.

but.

The person maintained his leisurely expression and, after gathering enough people, planned to lead them to the Ancestral Hall.

But just then, a voice suddenly came.

The voice was hesitant and trembling, clearly indicating that it had been thought through for a long time before finally deciding to speak.

"Big brother."

Zhou You turned his head, but did not see the person who spoke; instead, he saw a series of uneasy faces.

He responded with a smile as always.

"what's up?"

After a long while, someone finally raised their hand, albeit tremblingly.

He has an ordinary appearance, just like any other passerby.

"Senior brother, can we really make it through this?"

Honestly, this question is really over the top.

Li Chengfei, standing behind him, frowned and immediately reprimanded him.

"What nonsense are you spouting! Today is supposed to be a joyous occasion, and you... damn it, if I weren't tied up, I would have beaten you to death!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou You raised a hand to stop him.

Then, he turned his head with a smile and looked at the frightened face.

"Um, um... I remember you're a junior disciple who just joined the sect not long ago, right? I think your surname is Chu. By the way, have you taken a Daoist name yet?"

The man was already a little unsteady on his feet—everyone in this sect had heard the legend of Zhou You's fondness for killing with a smile—but he still forced himself to answer.

"Replying to Senior Brother, my surname is Guang. Master did not give me a Daoist name. Also, also... I know I was wrong. Please spare my life, Senior Brother."

But Zhou You didn't answer. Instead, he slowly walked up to the guy and, just as the guy was about to collapse to the ground, he suddenly reached out his hand.

Instead of drawing his sword, he casually pulled on it.

Then he said with a smile.

"Don't worry, no matter what happens to the others, your senior brother will definitely succeed, no doubt about it."

The words weren't inflammatory, but they had a peculiar quality that made people want to believe them.

The person he helped up stood there blankly, so he didn't hear him.
Zhou You only mentioned himself, not his 'master'.

After stepping out of my own mountain gate, everywhere I looked was filled with a joyous atmosphere.

This year's ceremony is not only the sect's grand festival held every ten years, but also a crucial time when the sect leader is about to pass away and a successor needs to be chosen. Therefore, more preparations have been made than in previous years.

Not only were the visiting birthday celebrants allowed entry, but even ordinary people were permitted to enter—although the imperial court was practically nonexistent now, the government offices still followed the old system, and looking around, everyone among the guests was dressed in official robes, including quite a few high-ranking officials from the prefectures. However…

Upon seeing Zhou You and his entourage, all these people, regardless of their official rank or wealth, respectfully made way for them. Some even prostrated themselves on the ground and softly chanted Taoist scriptures.

"After the sutra was recited once, all the heavenly sages simultaneously praised its virtue, and at that time, the deaf men and women of the entire country all regained their hearing."

At first, there were only a few hymns, but soon they joined together and resounded throughout the entire mountain forest.

“After reciting the sutra twice, the blind will regain their sight. After reciting the sutra three times, the mute will be able to speak. After reciting the sutra four times, the lame and chronically ill will all be able to walk.”

Amidst the unanimous praise, Zhou You kept his eyes straight ahead and walked steadily forward.

Finally, we arrived at the ancestral hall.

The house remained unchanged, just like all the other buildings in the Five Aggregates Temple, but Zhou You still looked up at the dark roof.

For some reason, whether it was instinct or pure delusion, he seemed to feel a familiar sensation.

—The ghosts that lingered outside the door during the marriage ceremony, the luring books in the scripture library, the vengeful spirits that wandered among the tall grass—all the great monsters of the sect were gathered here.

They await an outcome, a result that will either allow them to remain dormant or unleash a massacre.

The Heavenly Dragon bloodline was constantly warning of danger, and even Wan Ren began to tremble uncontrollably. However, Zhou You still pushed open the door with a smile on his face.

—The ancestral hall is now more spacious than before.

No, it shouldn't be called "some". Compared to when he last saw it, the room was twice as big. Those creepy "gaps" were still there, but they had been pushed to the innermost part. In the middle of the corridor, it was neatly divided into eight areas.

Among them, Zhou You also saw many familiar faces.

Needless to say, there was Qingxia and her disciples, as well as the beautiful woman and strong man from when they were evaluating the senior disciples, and the drunkard they had met before—that guy's place was the only one that was empty, with no disciples accompanying him, and he was drinking alone.

When Zhou You came in, he struggled to lift his head, his eyes showing a hint of surprise, but it quickly turned into boredom, and he lowered his head again.

As for others.
The reactions are varied.

Aunt Qingxia's eyes were somewhat cold, but still held a hint of expectation, while the beautiful woman and the burly man were blatantly hostile—but in any case, Zhou You completely ignored them like they were nothing, and then walked happily to his master.

Compared to the other side, this place was much quieter, with only Yun Zhongzi and Chongxu Shangren's sects, quite a distance apart. However, upon seeing Zhou You, Chongxu Shangren still managed a forced smile, then turned his head and gestured.

"It's good that we've arrived. Don't be too nervous. Although the difference in strength seems huge right now, everything is still under control."

Zhou You nodded, then led Lin Yunshao and the others to the disciples' seats. After arranging for them to sit down, he didn't sit down himself, but instead looked up and gazed into the distance at the end of the road.

The only thing that remained unchanged in the ancestral hall was the large bed covered with curtains.

The ruthless old man, who could kill all his disciples, was also shrewd and calculating, painstakingly maintaining the Five Elements Temple for nearly a hundred years. At the same time, he was very kind and friendly to those who offered sacrifices for good luck, and showed no signs of malice. He was lying there half-reclined.

Even through layers of curtains, Zhou You could still sense it from that posture, breathing, and movements.

—This person probably really doesn't have much time left.

The remaining life is like a candle in the wind, which can be extinguished at any time.

but.

The sense of danger emanating from that aged body did not diminish in the slightest; in fact, it became even more intense.

Upon seeing Zhou Youting standing there, Lin Yunshao, who was sitting next to him, whispered.

"Senior brother, what are you doing? Everyone's watching you. Don't make a mistake."

Hearing those concerned words, Zhou You finally smiled and shook his head, then plopped down in his seat.

—Have you ever thought about it?

As soon as he sat down, he felt something under his buttocks.

Zhou You glanced around discreetly out of the corner of his eye, then pretended to yawn—and in that moment, his hand swiftly reached down and grabbed a small object.

Immediately, a familiar and reverent voice came from beside my ear.

"Master Zhou?"

Zhou You didn't make a sound, and his expression didn't even change much, but with each breath, his abdomen moved slightly imperceptibly.

At the same time, an even fainter sound was transmitted to the past.

"Wang Chongming?"

This was a little trick he learned from the "Nine Palaces Dragon Suppression Book," a secret communication method used by tomb raiders—or rather, feng shui masters—to avoid disturbing the tomb owner when they entered the tomb. It mainly used feng shui and Bagua techniques, involving very little magical power, so there was no need to worry about others discovering it.

Upon hearing his words, the other side eagerly replied.

"That's right, it is indeed me, Your Excellency Zhou's most loyal servant, Wang Chongming."

Zhou You, both amused and exasperated, stopped the guy from showing his loyalty.

"Alright, you're awake. Enough with the nonsense. There are plenty of people watching me right now, so let's keep it brief—did you do what I asked you to do?"

Who would have guessed.

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongming, who had been talking incessantly, suddenly fell silent.

Only after Zhou You urged him again did he cautiously reply.

"Reporting to Master Zhou, I did go early, but the problem is... I really didn't see that guy, Aqua."

Zhou You immediately frowned.

He had originally planned to take advantage of the lack of supervision and the presence of many ordinary people in the mountains to slip Aqua, who had little fighting ability, down the mountain—that way, he could reduce his burden. However...
The fool who never leaves the gatehouse is not here.
Could it be that Uncle-Master Yun Zhongzi brought him here?
Zhou You glanced at Yun Zhongzi's face, but immediately shook his head.

—No, Aqua is a burden to him, and an even bigger drag on Yun Zhongzi. This guy must be crazy to let Aqua take up a key spot.

But the question is, where exactly can that kid run off to?

Just as Zhou You was frowning in thought, a cough suddenly came from the bed.

The cough, though heart-wrenching, wasn't loud—yet it sounded like the breath of a dying person, instantly silencing the entire scene.

Whether it was the whispering voices or the scheming glances, they all vanished the moment they heard the cough, leaving only a multitude of drooping heads.

The same principle applies to traveling around.

Then, a hoarse and weak voice rang out from behind the curtain.

"What time is it now?"

Master Chongxu quickly stood up—at this moment, only respect remained on the man's face—and bowed as he spoke.

"Sect Master, it is now the middle of Chen Shi (7-9 AM)."

"It's already this late? I've slept for a really long time. Sigh, getting old is tough; I almost missed this crucial moment."

The person behind the curtain kept talking incessantly, but no one dared to speak from beginning to end. Finally, the person himself came to a conclusion.

"Now that the time has come, shouldn't the grand ceremony begin?"

(End of this chapter)