Chapter 86: "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord"


    As Liu Xing and hispanions entered the vicinity of Earth Dragon Vige, KP Snail spoke up, "Alright, it''s time to officiallymence the first phase of this promotion game. yers are not allowed to leave Earth Dragon Vige before themencement of the ritual tomorrow, but you are free to move within the vige. Also, I''d like to mention that there is a hidden fragment of an ancient book within Earth Dragon Vige. If a yer manages to obtain this fragment, it will be their personal item, even if they fail toplete the game, as long as they don''t tear their cards. Consider it an extra perk for this promotion game. Feel free to explore, yers."


    Liu Xing raised an eyebrow. He couldn''t decide if KP Snail was genuinely helpful or deviously cunning. On the surface, KP Snail had provided valuable additional information, but everyone knew that rewards came with risks. The fragment hidden in Earth Dragon Vige was undoubtedly concealed in a secretive location, not easily found. There might even be traps or guardians guarding it. Liu Xing had already deduced the origin of this fragment – the "Earth-Guardian Summoning Scroll" from "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord."


    "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord" was one of the few Chinese works within the Cthulhu Mythos. The book was authored by the ancient Chinese philosopher Xuan Jun, dating back to around the 2nd century AD. It was originally titled "The Seven Secrets of the Earth," but since the original manuscript had long been lost, only this faithful andprehensive Chinese copy, known as "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord," was known to exist.


    This ancient text consisted of seven volumes, each serving as a chapter with different themes and contents. However, each volume contained one or more incantations, and among them was a volume that detailed the spell for summoning the "Earth-boring Demon Worm," known as the "Earth-Guardian Summoning Scroll."


    In Liu Xing''s view, "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord" could be considered a summoning grimoire. Apart from summoning the Earth-boring Demon Worm, it could also summon mythical creatures like Ghoul, Hound of Tindalos, Byakhee, and more. The final volume had the ability to directly summon Nyathotep. However, except for controlling Byakhee using the book, the summoning of other mythical creatures was uncontroble. To these creatures, human summoners were delectable prey, except Nyathotep, who saw humans as mere ythings.


    In addition to summoning various mythical creatures, "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord" also contained two volumes with special spells. One was the "Resurrection of the Dead" spell, which could only resurrect zombies. The other was the "Opening of the Gate of Kadath," which could transport you directly to the celestial realm (or mist). In short, there was no return.


    Hence, "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord" was often referred to as the "Book of Certain Doom."


    However, what puzzled Liu Xing the most was the "Earth-boring Demon Worm" summoning spell. It could summon the Earth-boring Demon Worm but had no means of controlling it. Therefore, the ritual to subdue the Earth-boring Demon Worm must originate from another magical book, suggesting the possibility of another magical book or fragment within Earth Dragon Vige. Yet, Liu Xing suddenly realized it could also be that the expert who suppressed the Earth-boring Demon Worm in the past merely orally conveyed the ritual to the vige residents. With this, Liu Xing began to grasp the essence of the situation.


    Centuries ago, the residents of Earth Dragon Vige stumbled upon a fragment from "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord" that could summon the Earth-boring Demon Worm. They recklessly summoned the creature, but fortunately, a knowledgeable individual intervened and subdued the Earth-boring Demon Worm. This person also orally conveyed the ritual for suppressing the creature to the vigers. Over time, the ritual to suppress the Earth-boring Demon Worm has been lost, leaving only the fragment of "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord."


    As a result, the Vige Chief of Earth Dragon Vige decided to promote the suppression ritual as a unique attraction, attempting to turn the vige into a folk tourist destination. However, they only found the fragment of "The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord" and mistakenly treated the summoning spell for the Earth-boring Demon Worm as the suppression ritual. This inadvertently loosened the seal on the Earth-boring Demon Worm, granting it a degree of freedom!


    At this moment, Liu Xing suddenly felt the return of control over his own body. It seemed he had regainedmand over himself.


    Since they had triggered the task of this promotion game, the possibility of backing out was virtually nonexistent. So, Liu Xing and his group had no intention of leaving Earth Dragon Vige. Instead, they followed the Vige Chief to a somewhat run-down two-story house, with its door slightly ajar.


    "I apologize, dear volunteer friends. This is the only ce avable for amodation in the vige. But rest assured, we have cleaned the interior and prepared clean bedding. We''ve also provided some ingredients, and you are wee to cook your own meals," the Vige Chief cheerfully informed Liu Xing and his group.


    Liu Xing nodded and replied with a smile, "No problem at all. We volunteers are here to assist, not to enjoy ourselves. Having a ce to stay is already a blessing. It''s gettingte, Vige Chief, you should get some rest."


    The Vige Chief nodded with a cheerful smile and then left, with Wang Wei following suit.


    Liu Xing''s group exchanged nces and silently shook their heads before pushing open the door to the house.


    As the Vige Chief had mentioned, the exterior of the house might appear dpidated, but the interior was surprisingly clean and well-maintained. It had electricity and natural gas connections, and the kitchen was stocked with poultry, fish, and seasonal vegetables.


    "KP, we need to activate Private Room mode," Shi Ying said wearily.


    After all, Liu Xing and his group had already discussed how incredibly challenging this promotion game was, bordering on inevitable death. At this point, they were halfway into the grave, so Shi Ying had given up the struggle.


    "Damn it, it looks like we''re all going to die together this time. But if we get swallowed by the Earth-boring Demon Worm, at least it''ll be quick. If we die while fighting those vigers, it could be much more gruesome," Mo Jin remarked as she set down her backpack with resignation.


    Liu Xing ced his own backpack on the table and spoke, "The ''ancient book fragment'' mentioned by KP is probably the one that summons the Earth-boring Demon Worm from ''The Seven Chapters of the Mystic Scripture of the Enigmatic Lord.'' It seems the ritual to suppress the Earth-boring Demon Worm has been lost."