You made all the streamers on the internet kneel before you when you were asked to make a game.

[Holy crap? The cult leader?!]

[No! No! I just came from the cult leader's livestream! The cult leader was clearly AFK in the Village of the Dead!]

[Did they urgently update with a new skin?! What are these good guys up to now?!]

Don't panic! This is definitely a trap! It's just an NPC in the game!

[But...but it's so damn similar! The voice, the expression, even that all-knowing look in their eyes...it's exactly the same!]

The entire audience was stunned.

A person who should have been one of their own, a symbol of wisdom and hope, has appeared in the most core forbidden area as the BOSS.

"Everyone, you must have had a long journey."

Lu Zhixing, who was in front, spoke.

His voice was gentle and clear, with a familiar smile, just like the real Lu Zhixing.

He seemed to find the shocked expressions on everyone's faces amusing, and the corners of his mouth curved into a deeper smile.

Welcome home.

Come back home?

Brother Long instantly remembered what the clown puppet had said before disappearing outside the mountain gate.

"Congratulations...you're finally...home..."

Just then, the real Lu Zhixing appeared in the live chat.

That's not me!

Don't believe anything he says! Don't look him in the eye! That's just a facade!

[The evil magic of the Earth Immortal Temple has stolen some of my data; it's a soulless imitator!]

Three consecutive bullet comments, written in a hurried tone and full of warning.

The village of the unjustly killed, under the big locust tree.

At this moment, Lu Zhixing felt an invisible, cold connection trying to establish a link with his soul.

That "painted skin" was like a black hole, trying to drag him into the abyss.

Inside the Earth Immortal Temple, upon seeing the True Master's comments, Brother Long and the others felt as if they had found their backbone, and their chaotic thoughts calmed down a bit.

They carefully observed "Lu Zhixing" ahead.

The facial features and figure are perfectly replicated, but something just feels off.

Because those eyes were just too perfect.

The real Lu Zhixing, though his eyes are calm, always hides a hint of curiosity about the unknown and a madness on the verge of collapse.

But the "Lu Zhixing" in front of me had nothing in his eyes.

There was only a stagnant pool of water.

His smile, too, seemed to have been measured with a ruler, perfectly displayed on his face; any more and it would appear obsequious, any less and it would appear aloof.

This is not a human expression at all; it is indeed a monster in human skin.

"Painted skin? Counterfeit?"

"This Earth Immortal Temple really likes to do things that are all copy and paste."

After a brief moment of shock, Instructor Chen slowly straightened up.

He looked at "Lu Zhixing" in front of him and sighed.

"Amazing, truly amazing!"

As the saying goes, "It's easy to paint a person's skin but hard to paint their bones; you can know a person's face but not their heart." The ancients were right.

"To be able to imitate a living person's appearance, voice, and even some of their spirit to this extent, but..."

Professor Chen then changed the subject, his tone becoming sharper.

"Since you've borrowed my student's appearance, why don't you see his integrity?"

"When faced with a problem, he never just stands around talking; he takes action."

"When he sees a situation, he never sits and waits for the outcome; instead, he breaks the deadlock."

"You stand here, waiting for us to walk right into your trap."

"You and him are different."

But Lu Zhixing on the other side listened quietly, his smile unchanged.

He seemed completely unconcerned about his identity being exposed.

"Professor Chen, you are right."

He clapped his hands, making a crisp sound.

"I am definitely not him."

"I am the guardian of this Earth Immortal Temple."

"My duty is to guide all those who are destined to live long and prosper on the true path to immortality."

"And him..."

Lu Zhixing's gaze seemed to pierce through the screen, meeting the eyes of Lu Zhixing in the Village of the Wrongfully Dead.

"He will be the most perfect 'container' for the 'ancestor'."

"We are simply borrowing his wisdom in advance to make thorough preparations for 'ascension'."

The words fell.

Lu Zhixing gestured to the crowd, indicating "please".

The gray-robed Taoist priests behind him, who were chanting scriptures, all stopped abruptly and made way for a path leading into the depths of the main hall.

"You are all guests who have come from afar."

"Upon entering the temple, how could one not pay homage?"

"Please follow me and offer incense to our ancestors."

Offering incense—a phrase that couldn't be simpler.

But when spoken here and now by this imposter "Lu Zhixing," it carried a chilling and sinister quality.

Brother Long glanced at the ghost bride subconsciously.

The ghost bride shook her head slightly, her cold fingers gently squeezing his palm.

—It's dangerous, you can't go.

Brother Long understood immediately.

He stepped forward, blocking Professor Chen and Liu Yedao, and shouted with his neck stiff.

"Burn incense? Burn your grandma's leg!"

"I believe in science, not these feudal superstitions!"

"You imposter, you think you've forgotten your own name just because you're wearing a disguise?"

"Get the hell out of here, or don't blame my wife for being rude to you!"

Brother Long tried to provoke the other party and disrupt their rhythm by using the most direct trash talk.

However, the "Watcher" simply watched him quietly, his smile remaining perfect.

"My lord, please don't be so angry."

"The key to immortality lies in sincerity."

"If your heart is not sincere, you will not have a chance."

"Those who are not destined to enter my Earthly Immortal Temple are considered 'rude'."

He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"I believe there is a proper way to treat rude people."

The voice just fell.

"Squeak—"

Behind them, the massive mountain gate that had just opened a crack suddenly slammed shut.

A loud bang echoed through the empty passageway.

Their escape route was completely blocked.

At the same time, the gray-robed Taoists who had been standing still on both sides of the passageway all turned their heads.

Their faces were covered with stiff human skin, making it impossible to discern their expressions.

But two eerie green flames ignited in their empty eye sockets.

A chilling, deathly aura emanated from them, locking onto everyone.

[Holy crap! The door's closed! This is like trying to trap a dog by closing the door!]

[Good people are really scoundrels! They've just lured you in, then cut off your escape route!]

[Brother Long, don't be impulsive! This is clearly a rule-based kill! Fighting it head-on won't help!]

Brother Long also sensed that something was wrong.

Although the aura of these gray-robed Taoists was far less powerful than that of the two "kneeling corpses" at the entrance, there were simply too many of them.

There are at least a hundred of them.

If a fight really breaks out, even with the ghost bride present, they won't gain any advantage.

"Don't act impulsively."

Professor Chen reached out and pressed on Brother Long's shoulder, signaling him to calm down.

He stepped forward and bowed slightly to the "watchman".

"You flatter me."

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do; when visiting a temple, worship the gods—this is the proper thing to do."

"We are not rude people, but we are not very familiar with the rules of the temple. We hope you will forgive us."

Professor Chen spoke with neither arrogance nor servility, and his words were perfectly tactful.

He is "giving in" and also testing the waters.

The smile on the "watchman's" face seemed to have a hint of "appreciation".

"Professor Chen is indeed a reasonable person."

"please."