I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

The next day, Zhang Yangqing was still meditating and dozing in his cave. The morning mountain mist brought a touch of coolness through the window.

At eight o'clock in the morning, transcending some invisible boundary, a cold, grand voice, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, resounded directly in the minds of all the qualified and potentially chosen individuals.

At the same time, scarlet text appeared on specific monitoring screens of various countries' authorities:

[The Ghost Story World will open at 22 PM sharp. Warning: This Ghost Story World has been severely damaged and its structure is extremely unstable. It may collapse at any time. Chosen Ones from all countries, please be prepared.]

There was no usual preview of the instance name, no vague hints, just the most straightforward warning: this ghost story world may collapse!

Upon seeing this announcement, many of the chosen ones who were preparing to enter or waiting to be selected felt a chill run down their spines, and some subconsciously swallowed hard, their hearts pounding.

Nine-star difficulty is already a nightmare level. In past experience, very few chosen ones have been able to successfully clear the nine-star dungeon. For example, the death rate was frighteningly high last time.

Moreover, in the later stages of the dungeon, you even enter a superdimensional area called 'Undying Mountain,' which is a hidden difficulty level among the nine stars.

This time, the announcement actually stated directly that the world has been severely damaged and may collapse at any time!
This is unprecedented in the history of the arrival of ghost stories!
Generally speaking, even the most dangerous supernatural worlds maintain their basic rule framework. As long as one acts in accordance with the rules, the chosen ones have a chance to struggle for survival.

What does a potentially collapsing world mean?
This means that the rules themselves may be disordered, invalid, or conflicting; it means that space may collapse, time may be disordered, and all sorts of unpredictable and illogical terrifying events may occur anytime and anywhere!
That difficulty is probably far beyond nine stars; it's a true dead end!

Panic and a somber atmosphere spread to all relevant corners of the world.

International expert teams worked frantically to glean more information from this brief warning, but with little success.

This is more like a cold, death countdown announcement.

Zhang Yangqing naturally saw the announcement as well, but his face didn't show much emotion despite the alarming warning in it.

In his view, which ghost story wasn't dangerous? Ultimately, it was just a matter of choosing between coming out alive or dying inside.

Even so, Zhang Yangqing was not truly careless.

Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit, let alone a nine-star instance that is marked as "potentially collapsing".

He closed his eyes again, adjusted his breathing, circulated his qi, and brought himself to his optimal state.

The spiritual energy within the Purple Mansion is like a tranquil deep sea, seemingly calm, but in reality containing a terrifying power that can unleash towering waves at any moment.

With a clear mind and a pure spirit, one can ensure that one is in the best possible condition to meet unknown challenges.

Time passes while waiting.

The unusual solemnity was felt throughout Longhu Mountain, but no one dared to disturb the Celestial Master's meditation.

It arrived precisely at 10 PM.

Sitting cross-legged on the futon, Zhang Yangqing clearly felt a subtle yet eerie fluctuation in the surrounding space, like ripples spreading across a calm surface after a pebble is thrown in. This was a sign that he was about to be transported into a world of ghost stories.

However, this time the teleportation process was completely different from the past!

Just as the spatial fluctuations reached their peak, an indescribable, intense pain suddenly and violently invaded Zhang Yangqing's mind!
No, it wasn't just Zhang Yangqing; all the chosen ones who were being teleported, regardless of their location or strength, were experiencing this terrifying welcoming ceremony at the same time! It was a soul-tearing headache!
It felt as if countless dull knives were slowly cutting and grinding in the softest crevices of my brain; or as if red-hot iron spikes were drilling and stirring hard into the temples!
The pain doesn't come all at once, but rather comes in waves, one after another, assaulting the defenses of consciousness, making one wish they could just pass out to escape this torture.

But the cruelest thing is that the Chosen Ones' consciousness is forcibly kept awake in this extreme pain, and they can clearly feel the torment every second. It is a feeling that is more desperate and terrifying than death itself!
Immediately following, amidst this torrent of intense pain, chaotic, fragmented, and bizarre images, like maggots clinging to bones, forcibly burrowed into and imprinted themselves deep into my mind.

The images were blurry, distorted, and filled with incomprehensible colors and shapes; they were fragments of a nightmare that had been shattered and then haphazardly pieced together.

The specific content is unclear, but one can feel the extreme emotions it contains: madness, despair, hatred, fear, and hunger.
They attempt to force themselves into memory, or rather, they are more like some kind of external "contamination" or "instruction" being implanted.

Zhang Yangqing frowned. Even with his mental cultivation and spiritual strength, he felt a strong sense of nausea and dizziness under the sudden impact and pollution targeting his soul.

He was still an old Chosen One, having been through so much of the strange tales that he was somewhat used to it. Coupled with his strong willpower, he was already feeling uncomfortable, so one can only imagine the situation of the other Chosen Ones.

Many people couldn't help but scream in agony when the first wave of excruciating pain hit, their consciousness teetering on the brink of collapse.

Just as all the Chosen Ones felt their consciousness was about to be completely torn apart and annihilated by this endless pain and chaos!

Everything came to an abrupt end.

The feeling from just now has vanished without a trace, but the lingering tremor and the weariness on a spiritual level are incredibly real.

A cold blue light screen appeared before my eyes, and the emotionless mechanical voice rang out again:

[The new "Tales of Rules" event has begun. Each nation will select one chosen one to enter the game world of "Tales of Rules."]

If the chosen one dies, a strange tale will randomly descend upon one of the cities in the country.

If the country suffers ten consecutive defeats, ghost stories will spread throughout the nation.

[The world of ghost stories is now open! Current instance: 'Endless Abyss'!]

[Current difficulty level for the supernatural tale: Nine stars.]

In the world of ghost stories, you will play the role of a miner. Please keep a clear head, find the rules within the instance, and use those rules to survive.

The light screen slowly faded away.

Zhang Yangqing suddenly opened his eyes.

The first thing you feel is the sticky sensation of being completely soaked.

The rough, musty, and sweaty linen clothes clung tightly to my skin, feeling icy cold.

My forehead, neck, and back were covered in cold sweat, after all, I had just escaped from a nightmare that had exhausted all my strength.

What may be called a nightmare is, for the chosen ones, a true escape from hell.

Zhang Yangqing's body was clearly not his max-level version either, which was within his expectations. (End of Chapter)