No health bar? You call this stunningly beautiful NPC sickly?

The players were all stunned. Even the wolf woman's bold expression suddenly changed for a moment before returning to normal. She was really puzzled by this.

What is she trying to do? Could this stone actually be a high-level artifact?

Only Yuexi, the "insider," immediately connected the ancient divine language to Mu Zhixi upon seeing it. Ancient divine language? This was something that the goddess had once used?

"A product made with Faith Points is guaranteed to be of the highest quality." Mu Zhixi looked at the stone tablet and nodded in satisfaction.

This is the [Sanctuary·Myriad Laws Stone Tablet (Replica)] that she just bought from the panel shop for 70,000 Faith Points.

Its function is simple: to replicate and enforce the rules she set in advance. However, since it is a replica, its durability is not very high.

"Anyone who challenges the Holy Land must first clear away the excess thorns in their path; the path to survival is naturally hidden within." Eileen extended her slender finger and gently touched the stone tablet in front of everyone, reciting the rules word by word in her ethereal voice.

This time, Mu Zhixi didn't set any traps. Her original intention was to test the players' execution ability, and then she just made empty promises.

She found the bushes around the village too unsightly and had too many mosquitoes, so she wanted to find someone to help clean them up for free and also to see how the replica stone tablet looked.

But this incredibly simple statement was interpreted in countless completely different ways by the people present.

Clearing away excess thorns from the road? What does that mean?

"What does 'thorns' refer to?"

Is it a literal meaning of thorns, or some kind of metaphor?

The players looked at each other, none daring to be the first to speak up, and began brainstorming.

The wolf woman was also deep in thought, her brows furrowed as she pondered Eileen's words over and over.

She does enjoy the thrill of battle, but those who represent their entire race in war are not truly foolish.

For a being who appears to have survived from an ancient era to issue a decree before the duel, the word "thorns" could not possibly refer to ordinary plants.

[So that's how it is! When people ask me if I'm alive or dead, I say—I understand!]

Thorns, in most ancient texts, symbolize the hardships and tribulations on the path of cultivation! Miss Eileen is testing the contestants; only those who overcome these obstacles will be qualified to speak with her!

[The perspective upstairs is too narrow! Have you forgotten the historian's diary entries? The royal court betrayed, the Holy Realm is tarnished—these thorns must refer to the remnants of the old era, those forces that betrayed the Holy Realm!]

[That makes sense! Miss Eileen is giving them a chance, a chance to abandon their darkness and serve the Holy Land!]

My idea is that as long as they can eliminate even one of the royal court's lackeys, they'll have passed the test, and might even be able to directly obtain a position within the Holy Domain!

The live stream chat exploded instantly, with various "research enthusiasts" and "analysis masters" jumping in to interpret the word "thorns" in countless ways.

Even the dungeon guides who were disguised as players started whispering among themselves.

"Boss, do you think this thorn refers to us?" a multi-headed eerie voice transmitted cautiously.

The white-collar worker wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a strange expression. "It shouldn't be... right? We surrendered voluntarily, so His Majesty has no reason to attack us."

"Who could it be? Could it be... one of the Chaos Knights from the Royal Court?"

The navigators shuddered at the thought of those irrational monsters born solely for slaughter.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire village became incredibly eerie, with everyone's strange gazes focusing on the wolf youth, awaiting her choice.

This robust wolf woman, named "Cangya," is a well-known genius on the multi-race server, known for her wild and fearless fighting style.

However, taking advantage of the chaos in the crowd, Cangya turned around, his honest and fierce expression vanishing instantly. Watching Eileen's retreating figure, he blinked thoughtfully.

This girl's personality is so hard to figure out! She seems aloof one minute and lively the next...

She naturally returned to her clan, and looking into Eileen's calm, icy blue eyes, a sudden realization dawned on her.

So that's how it is. "Thorns" most likely refers to those beings who are enemies of the Holy Land.

But the question is, who is the enemy?

She reverted to her reckless demeanor, looked around, her gaze sweeping over the players with their varied expressions and the eerie, trembling expressions.

Finally, the light landed on the Chaos Knights in the distance, who were clad in blood-red heavy armor and exuded a terrifying aura.

That's them!

Without further hesitation, Cangya made a move that surprised everyone.

Instead of charging at the royal knights who looked like troublemakers, she turned around abruptly and punched a fellow clansman who had just been instigating the crowd not far away.

"Pfft—" Before the wolf player could react, Cangya punched him through the chest, leaving him with an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Cangya...you..."

"I'm sorry," Cangya said, pulling out his blood-stained arm. His voice was icy. "Since we're going to clear away the thorns, we should start with these wavering, ambiguous fence-sitters around us."

Your sacrifice was worthwhile; your community will remember you.

Cangya's actions completely stunned everyone. Internal strife? They've started killing each other already?

"How dare this guy?! This is her own clansman!"

The players retreated in terror, staring in horror at the blood-soaked, crazed werewolf.

Mu Zhixi was somewhat at a loss. Did this generation of players have some serious flaw in their thinking?

She looked at Cangya, then at the still-warm corpse on the ground, and suddenly felt a little tired.

She just wanted to finish the match in peace and quiet, and then find a place to lie down. Why is that so difficult?

[Player 'Azure Fang' has successfully cleared 'Thorns,' meeting the rule requirements.]

[Judgment: From 400 to 200, Cangya advances.]

The system notification sound seemed to bring this farce to an absurd close.

Cangya heard the hint and realized he had made the right bet!

The players suddenly realized that a single sentence had turned an unruly combat genius into a loyal executioner, who unhesitatingly raised his sword against his own compatriots.

This elf lady's scheming and methods are simply unfathomable.

They believe that Eileen's actions were a brutal way of selecting the most loyal and cold-blooded believers, a bloody pledge of allegiance.

Even Yuexi, looking at Mu Zhixi's back, had a solemn look in her beautiful eyes.

She had always thought that the Sanctuary represented mercy and order, but now it seemed that gods were indeed beyond the comprehension of mortals.

Feeling the complex gazes directed at her from all around, and with her faith value surging again in the background, Mu Zhixi just wanted to find a quiet place.

She felt that she might not be suited to be with these players whose imaginations were off the charts.

The silver-haired girl sighed softly, and this sigh, when it reached everyone's ears, was given a new meaning.

"Listen, Miss Eileen sighed."

"She must be dissatisfied with the result, feeling that Cangya only killed one person, which is not sincere enough."

"No, I think she felt that Cangya's methods were too crude and defiled her divine decree."

"I think she felt sorry for the player who died. Gods are majestic, but they are also compassionate. This sigh is a manifestation of their divinity."

The players started a new round of heated debates, and even subtly split into several factions.

One faction, led by Cangya, is the "pro-war faction." They believe that to gain the favor of the Holy Domain, one must prove one's worth through bloodshed and slaughter; the more ruthless the methods, the greater the merit.

The other faction believes that one should uphold the "benevolence" of the sacred realm and earn the favor of the gods by building dungeons and maintaining order.

The two groups stood a distance apart, glaring at each other angrily, the atmosphere tense, as if a fight was about to break out at any moment.

Mu Zhixi rubbed her temples, looking at the increasingly out-of-control scene before her, feeling her temples throbbing. Her retirement plans seemed to be one step further away.

Just then, following the prompts on the panel, the angel and judge disguised as Mu Zhixi, sent to Blue Star, finally descended upon that familiar yet unfamiliar land.