Chapter 144: Terrifying City God Temple

[Returning to the Heaven's Corner Academy, you know that there is an early Profound-ranked monster hidden here.]

[Upon entering the academy, you see dozens of little monsters studying by lamplight, and the teacher appears to be a bear-like monster.]

[The monster spots you and suddenly rushes towards you. You seize the opportunity, infusing your Qi and Essence into your strength, and unleash the "Breaking Sky Strike."]

[The massive monster is sent flying backward. With this strike, you successfully severely injure it, greatly diminishing its strength.]

In his previous premonition, he hadn't been able to inflict such a severe injury on the monster without any enhancement.

This time, he had used his Essence to amplify his physical body, successfully delivering a powerful blow. Considering the boost from his bloodline, his strike was about half as powerful again as the previous attempt.

"If I were to use my Enhanced Specter Body while doubling the Essence and Qi infusion into my body, could I further damage or even kill it?" he thought.

Unfortunately, today, he had already used his Enhanced Specter Body once to hunt down the monster named Lü Er, so he couldn't use it again right now.

"At midnight, the game will reset. I can use this opportunity."

Su Nan's eyes gleamed as he considered planning and thought there might be a chance to kill the bear monster.

The following premonition didn't offer much to see.

The monster had been severely injured but still posed a threat. Eventually, exhausted by the monster's astonishing physique, he ran out of strength and was killed when the monster found an opening.

Leaving the Heaven's Corner Academy behind, Su Nan consulted his map again and headed towards a structure known as the "Dust-viewing Tower."

Here, a mid-level Profound-ranked monster resided, the same one who had killed the previous Bureau Chief.

With the number of premonitions available today, he could test the monster's real power.

The Dust-viewing Tower was a twelve-story structure, relatively tall even within the entire Tianyun City.

[You arrive at the Dust-viewing Tower, but unfortunately, a group of ordinary-level monsters spots you immediately.]

[The monsters shout and quickly summon two early Spirit-ranked monsters.]

[The two monsters, along with their minions, attempt to capture you. Without holding back, you kill them all in a matter of moments.]

[Your killing spree angers the owner of the Dust-viewing Tower. A bolt of lightning shoots down from the top of the tower. You react swiftly, but you still can't avoid the attack.]

[However, it doesn't end there. Dozens of lightning bolts follow, relentlessly striking you. Despite your best efforts to dodge, you are left severely injured.]

[The owner of the Dust-viewing Tower is cautious. Despite having a much higher cultivation level than you, they don't show themselves directly.]

[Helpless, you resort to casting the Flame Serpent spell, setting the tower ablaze. The flames quickly consume the entire structure.]

[Your actions enrage the monster, a creature covered in purple scales, who leaps down from the tower, appearing a kilometer away from you.]

[You sprint towards the monster, attempting to get closer, but it doesn't intend to let you approach easily. It uses its lightning powers to attack you while maintaining a safe distance.]

[With the distance between you and the monster too great, none of your powers can reach it, while its powers can easily strike you.]

[The monster's lightning powers are formidable, and after being hit by several lightning bolts in a row, you can no longer hold on.]

[You have died!]

"This guy is way too cautious," Su Nan muttered to himself.

The monster was stronger than him, and it was cunning.

No wonder it had chosen to ambush him when the previous Bureau Chief was severely injured; it must have had no absolute certainty in winning a direct confrontation.

Thunder powers were already formidable, and their speed was exceptional. Even speed-focused martial artists couldn't be sure to dodge them all.

"This guy's fear of being approached suggests that its physique might be its weakness, which aligns with the characteristics of the Law of Control."

"It seems that my chances of defeating this monster might be even greater than that bear monster!"

In his previous premonition, he hadn't even come into contact with the monster. However, this didn't discourage him. On the contrary, he saw an opportunity to hunt down the creature.

"I have the Heavenly Translocation Technique!"

"I can instantly teleport to the monster's side!"

While others couldn't approach the monster due to its relentless lightning attacks, he could. His Heavenly Translocation Technique, combined with his powerful body from the Law of Control and enhanced by his Soul Power, made him a formidable adversary against Law of Control users.

Unfortunately, the Heavenly Translocation Technique had a limited number of uses in both reality and the game, and he couldn't use it now.

"Decision made, I'll come back to deal with you after the game resets!"

After taking a look at the towering Dust-viewing Tower, Su Nan turned and left.

Consulting his map once more, he confirmed his direction and headed towards the City God Temple.

This time, he planned to explore the City God Temple!

Exploring the City God Temple was a four-star mission, and it definitely involved a Monarch-ranked monster.

Although there were officially two Monarch-ranked monsters in Tianyun City, there were secretly three. Most people had no idea where these three monsters were located, and they weren't marked on Su Nan's map either. However, he was fairly certain that one of them was inside the City God Temple.

When you came to a place like this, the only way to stay alive was to become a monster yourself.

This time, instead of getting close before having a premonition, he began to have premonitions from

 a safe distance.

[You head towards the City God Temple, preparing to explore the most thriving temple in Tianyun City.]

[A minute later, you arrive at the City God Temple.]

[You see that the City God Temple isn't a single temple but is composed of two side halls and a main hall, surrounded by a large courtyard.]

[The three golden characters of "City God Temple" on the plaque above the courtyard are quite conspicuous.]

[The gate of the City God Temple's courtyard is tightly closed, but it's not locked, and you can see a flickering firelight escaping through the gap.]

[You hold your breath, approach the gate carefully, and peek inside through the gap.]

[You see several figures standing around a sacrificial incense burner in the courtyard, seemingly performing a ritual.]

[What startles you is that these figures are neither human nor monsters but rather several paper-made figures!]

[The paper figures notice your prying eyes and stiffly turn their heads to look at you.]

[You have died!]

"Paper figures?"

"Ghosts?"

A thought crossed his mind, shaking Su Nan to his core.

He had been in the game for almost a month now, gaining a preliminary understanding of this world. This world had monsters and demons, but he had never heard of ghosts!

The last time he had suspected encountering a ghost was at Turtle King Lake, but it had turned out to be a kind of thought monster, similar to ghosts but not the same.

"No, this time it shouldn't be ghosts either. It's highly likely to be a type of monster I've never heard of."

Surprisingly, he felt more curious than frightened after the initial shock.

Apart from that invisible and intangible thought monster he had encountered earlier, all the beings he had encountered had flesh and blood.

This was the first time he had encountered something so bizarre.

"I have plenty of premonitions left; I should take a closer look at what this peculiar thing is."

Checking his premonition count, after fully mastering the Manganese Serpent bloodline, his premonition count had increased by three, bringing it to a total of 36 times.

He had used 9 times today, leaving him with 27 chances.

As the cooldown for his premonitions ended, he immediately had another one.

[A minute later, you arrive at the City God Temple's courtyard gate. You know that inside the courtyard, several eerie paper figures are performing a ritual.]

[You peer through the gap in the gate, trying to catch a glimpse of one of the paper figures.]

[You react quickly, attempting to use the "Body Transposition" skill to transform into the appearance of one of the paper figures.]

[You fail. "Body Transposition" cannot transform you into a paper puppet without flesh.]

[You have been spotted.]

[You are dead!]

"Paper puppet!"

After the second premonition, Su Nan's eyes lit up. Although the premonitions were still simple, they had given him the name of these creatures: "paper puppets."

Let's continue with the premonitions!

[You arrive at the City God Temple. At this moment, several paper puppets inside the temple are performing a ritual.]

[Paper puppets possess a peculiar ability, able to sense your gaze. This time, instead of peering through the gap, you decide to take action directly.]

[You launch a psychic attack against the paper puppets, but unfortunately, their psychic power is much stronger than yours.]

[You have died!]

"Their psychic power is much stronger than mine? It seems like I've been killed by psychic power every time!"

Su Nan suddenly realized that only psychic power could silently and invisibly kill him.

"Since psychic power won't work, let's try a different approach."

"If they're made of paper, they should be afraid of fire."

Su Nan continued experimenting.

...

[You use the Flame Serpent technique to attack the paper puppets. They feel the scorching heat and instinctively retreat.]

[Unfortunately, your flames are too weak to pose a real threat. The paper puppets are merely intimidated, and your attack doesn't harm them.]

[You have died!]

"As expected, fire is effective!"

"I've finally found a way to deal with these paper puppets!"

Su Nan's eyes gleamed with hope. Although the flames hadn't produced substantial results, it was a step in the right direction.

Let's continue trying.

...

[You use the power of lightning, and bolts of electricity explode on the paper puppets. However, the paper puppets remain unharmed.]

[You have died!]

...

[You use the power of water, and water arrows pierce through the paper puppet's body, but unfortunately, it has no effect on them.]

[You have died!]

...

[You unleash the innate skill "Destruction Serpent Dance," gathering the full power of the Fire Serpent within you to explode inside the City God Temple.]

[You have died.]

"These paper puppets are too strong!"

He had tried both psychic power and elemental magic, and there was no point in attempting physical attacks since he couldn't even get close to them.

"I wonder if I can enter as a human?"

Su Nan didn't give up, and he still had 20 premonition attempts left, which was more than enough.

He activated the Samsara Scripture and switched back to the character Wang Nan. Exploring the City God Temple was Wang Nan's mission, and it made sense to use his character for it. If he used Zhang Yang's character, there was a risk of encountering another difficult task related to the City God Temple, which would be challenging for him to complete.

[You arrive at the City God Temple. At this moment, you know that inside the City God's Hall, a group of eerie paper puppets is performing a ritual.]

[Without any disguise, you approach the courtyard gate like an ordinary worshipper.]

[However, to your surprise, when you push open the gate, the courtyard is pitch black with no signs of fire, and there are no paper puppets.]

"The paper puppets left?"

"Is it because I'm human? Or is it just a coincidence?"

Su Nan was puzzled and couldn't be sure.

It had been six or seven minutes since every premonition took one minute to wait for.

If the paper puppets had just finished their ritual and left, it was also possible.

[Perplexed, you step into the courtyard without any incident, quickly arriving at the incense burner in the center of the courtyard.]

[The incense burner has a thick layer of ash, but upon closer inspection, you find no clues. Regrettably, you give up on the incense burner and head straight for the main hall.]

[The main hall's doors are also unlocked. As you push them open, a statue comes into view in the darkness.]

[The statue has a fierce face with sharp teeth and a fierce expression, its eyes a crimson red, entirely different from the City God's statue you've seen before.]

[You know that this is not the City God's statue, but you have no idea what deity it represents.]

[Below the statue, there is a dark red shrine with offerings such as fruits, incense burners, and more.]

[After observing for a moment, you proceed to explore the left side of the main hall.]

[Just as you take a couple of steps, a hoarse voice suddenly questions you, asking why you didn't offer incense after bowing to the City God.]

[You are attacked, and you immediately lose consciousness.]

[Two minutes later, you wake up in excruciating pain. To your horror, you find yourself lying on the dark red shrine.]

[A green-faced, sharp-toothed monster is voraciously devouring your internal organs, and your fresh blood flows down from the shrine.]

[You have died!]

"Wow! This is brutal!"

Su Nan's face darkened. As an outsider, he would leave no trace behind after death. This time, the enemy didn't kill him outright but made him lose consciousness.

This made Su Nan suspect that the enemy knew he was an outsider.

"No wonder the shrine is dark red; it's probably stained with blood!"

As the premonition cooldown ended, he tried again.

This time, he attempted to switch back to his Yaozu (Monster Clan) identity.

[You arrive at the City God Temple, and you can vaguely see firelight seeping through the gap in the gate.]

[When you open the courtyard gate, several paper puppets come into view.]

[You have died!]

The paper puppets had reappeared!

It seemed that the reason he was allowed to enter the main hall during his previous premonition was that he used a human identity.

"So, the reason the monster let me in was to eat me?"

The Samsara Scripture rotated, and Su Nan switched his character back to Wang Nan, starting another premonition.

[You approach the City God Temple without any disguise, pretending to be an ordinary worshipper.]

[The courtyard gate is unlocked, and you walk into the courtyard, heading straight for the main hall.]

[You arrive at the main hall, bowing to the City God statue three times immediately.]

[After bowing, you proceed to the left side of the main hall to explore.]

[Just as you take a couple of steps, a hoarse voice suddenly questions you, asking why you didn't offer incense after bowing to the City God.]

[You are attacked, and you immediately lose consciousness.]

[Two minutes later, you wake up in excruciating pain. To your horror, you find yourself lying on the dark red shrine.]

[A green-faced, sharp-toothed monster is voraciously devouring your internal organs, and your fresh blood flows down from the shrine.]

[You have died!]

Let's update one more chapter. The next chapter will be late. (End of this chapter)