Chapter 786: Rule Changes

"The fourth stage is crucial, but our points..."

Nan Qiqi looked at He Pingsheng and began chatting with a smile.

This time she didn't bring any maidservants; last time, the maidservants betrayed her, and she was terrified.

Of course, it's said those four maidservants were all executed.

The cultivation world is this cruel.

"Miss Nan Qiqi!" He Pingsheng said: "The rules for the fourth stage haven't been announced yet. Aren't we discussing it too early?"

He Pingsheng did not want to participate in the fourth stage!

He was looking for an excuse to refuse Nan Qiqi.

After all, with his current points, he was guaranteed a top-thirty ranking regardless of the fourth stage's outcome.

The same applied to the team points.

Yet He Pingsheng still hadn't thought of a perfect reason to tell Nan Qiqi he wouldn't join the fourth stage.

"Heh..." Nan Qiqi said: "The rules are pretty much the same every time—just a few of them!"

"First, the prodigies enter the Grand World and begin fighting!"

"Each time you kill someone or force them to retreat, you earn a jade token!"

"In the end, whoever collects the most jade tokens ranks highest!"

"The top one hundred still advance!"

"Oh!" He Pingsheng nodded: "Is there no bonus system for this stage?"

"Of course there is!" Nan Qiqi said: "Within the Grand World, there are five stone steles!"

"Whoever reaches the top of a stele gains an additional hundred points!"

"You can imagine how fierce the competition for those steles will be."

"By the way, the key point: each prodigy has a life-saving token. If you encounter unknown danger or are about to be killed by another prodigy, you can crush the token to instantly teleport out of the Grand World!"

"Of course, if you crush your life-saving token and exit, you get zero points!"

Hearing this, He Pingsheng understood.

He hadn't wanted to join the fourth stage and had been searching for a good excuse—now, with the life-saving token available, he no longer hesitated.

Once I enter, I'll crush the life-saving token immediately and claim I encountered danger.

Then...

Won't everything be settled?

But!

Just as He Pingsheng and Nan Qiqi were discussing this, Dalun Mingwang arrived.

"Oh..." Dalun Mingwang, upon seeing Nan Qiqi, said with a hint of bitterness: "Alone together in a room... you two chatting?"

Nan Qiqi's face instantly flushed red.

He Pingsheng remained calm: "Don't say nonsense. Miss Nan Qiqi admires my Master Wang, not me!"

"Oh!" Dalun Mingwang walked over to a nearby chair and sat down. "Come here. I have bad news to tell you."

"Actually, two bad ones."

"Bad news?" Nan Qiqi hurried over and stood respectfully before Dalun Mingwang: "Please, Elder, enlighten us!"

He Pingsheng followed closely behind.

Dalun Mingwang pulled out a cup of spiritual tea from nowhere, sipped slowly, and crossed his long leg. "First: the combat trial for the fourth stage has changed its rules!"

"During combat, no magic treasures are allowed—neither offensive nor defensive!"

"And you cannot bring any magic treasures into the Grand World!"

At this, neither He Pingsheng nor Nan Qiqi objected.

After all, if no one is allowed to bring them, it's clearly to reduce casualties.

Fighting barehanded with only spiritual arts should mean fewer deaths.

Then Dalun Mingwang added: "This time, none of the prodigies will have life-saving tokens."

"What?" This time Nan Qiqi lost her composure.

No life-saving tokens?

He Pingsheng frowned slightly: He'd thought the ban on offensive and defensive magic treasures was meant to protect the prodigies—but now even the life-saving tokens were gone.

What did this mean?

He Pingsheng thought again, then his face darkened: "Bad... this is aimed at me!"

"Exactly—it's aimed at you!" Dalun Mingwang said: "First, the tortoise shell you use to save yourself cannot be brought in!"

"Second, without a life-saving token, even if someone plots against you, you can't escape—you must fight!"

"So... it's obvious now!"

"I can't help it!" Dalun Mingwang said helplessly: "The rules were proposed by the Phoenix Clan and voted on by everyone. Most of the Demon Emperors approved. Even if I opposed, it made no difference!"

"And the rules have already been finalized!"

"Then I'm sorry!" He Pingsheng bowed to Nan Qiqi: "You know I still have a 【Soul-Linking Curse Talisman】 on me. If I die in this realm, I'm truly dead. For safety's sake, I decline to participate in this stage!"

"But Miss Nan Qiqi, rest assured—my current score guarantees me a place at the Heavenly Stele!"

"You're mistaken!" Dalun Mingwang continued: "The newly announced rules include one more: if you refuse to participate in the fourth stage's combat trial, all your accumulated points will be erased!"

He Pingsheng laughed bitterly: "So this is forcing me into the Grand World?"

"Exactly!" Dalun Mingwang said: "You can choose not to go—but even if you don't, I suspect they'll find trouble for you when this Stone Platform event ends."

"Because... your consort Qiao Huizhu has already ascended. They have no more restraint!"

The hall fell silent.

Nan Qiqi had no words left.

He Pingsheng frowned.

After brief thought, he nodded: "Fine... I'd like to see who exactly wants my life."

"Want to kill me?"

"Fine!"

"I, He Pingsheng, am not afraid!"

Since it's all schemes either way, I'll go in.

"There's a second rule!" Dalun Mingwang fixed his gaze on He Pingsheng: "The rules for the fifth stage's Stone Platform Ascension have changed too..."

"Of course, the basic ascension rule can't be changed—it's the Breaker rule that's been altered."

"Before, you could find any Mahayana Emperor as a Breaker."

"Now... the rule has changed: the Breaker must be of the same clan as the prodigy attempting the ascent!"

What did that mean?

Simple!

It meant that if He Pingsheng wanted to ascend, he had to find a human Breaker.

If there was no human Breaker, he was forbidden from climbing the Heavenly Stairway!

"I originally intended to be your Breaker, but now I can't!" Dalun Mingwang said helplessly.

"Irrelevant!" After a moment's thought, He Pingsheng shook his head: "Let's get through the fourth stage first."