I’m a Max-Level Taoist Master, and You’re Throwing Me Into a Rules-Based Horror Game?! - Chapter 123

Chapter 123: Only by Witnessing True Strength Can One Realize Their Own Insignificance!

As the deep-sea bomb detonated, a towering wave erupted.

Seawater cascaded down like a torrential downpour.

Zhang Yangqing remained unmoved, but the female tourist wearing a golden mask behind him reacted swiftly.

She rushed to his side and opened an umbrella on the deck.

Splash! Splash!

The rain poured onto the deck in an instant.

Everyone on the deck—except for Zhang Yangqing and the golden-masked woman holding the umbrella—was drenched.

The world was bathed in golden light. Amid the golden rain, a tall, handsome young captain stood gazing into the distance, as if admiring his own masterpiece.

A breathtaking scene of the captain surveying the sea unfolded before everyone’s eyes.

The manager of the Twilight Hall was so stunned that a fish even flopped into his gaping mouth—and he didn’t even notice.

The four figures behind Zhang Yangqing stood firm and unshaken!

This was the might of their leader. They stood tall behind him, their pride in him overflowing.

The excitement in their hearts was palpable—to follow such a man was a lifetime’s honor!

Then, a hundred-meter-tall tsunami surged toward them.

It felt as though the colossal wave could capsize the entire cruise ship.

Yet Zhang Yangqing showed no panic. With a mere flick of his hand, he uttered a single command:

“Halt!”

At his decree, the towering wave was suppressed, vanishing without a trace.

The sea returned to calm.

Had one not witnessed Zhang Yangqing’s actions, they might never have known anything had happened here.

As the golden light and the tsunami dissipated—

Silence.

Both inside the Strange Tales world and on the live broadcast screens, an eerie silence fell.

Only heavy breathing could be heard, as if the onlookers couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.

After a brief pause, the barrage of comments on the Dragon Country’s live stream exploded like a flood, nearly crashing the system.

Without filtering, the screen was completely obscured by text.

• “Is this really a move a human can perform? Are we sure he’s not a god?”

• “My God, Heavenly Master Zhang’s power is absolutely terrifying! The experts calculated that even a hundred-meter-long sea beast was annihilated—is there anything left that could scare him?”

• “You’re thinking too small. Did you not see Heavenly Master Zhang still holding his seal? That means he wasn’t even using his full strength!”

• “The phrase ‘a mere gesture can shatter heaven and earth’ must have been written for someone like him.”

• “Heavenly Master Zhang seems to be declaring to the world: this is the limit of the Strange Tales world, not his.”

• “Watching Heavenly Master Zhang’s performance has me so excited I can’t sleep. He’s achieved feats I wouldn’t dare imagine!”

• “In the entire supernatural world, Heavenly Master Zhang must be in a league of his own!”

• “I don’t know about others, but I believe Heavenly Master Zhang is the one standing at the pinnacle!”

• “As the saying goes, he ascended too early!”

It wasn’t just ordinary people who were stunned—even supernatural beings watching the broadcast were shaken.

They found it baffling. They were all supernatural beings, so why was the gap between them so vast?

Many so-called “supernaturals” began to doubt themselves.

It felt as though Zhang Yangqing was the only one worthy of the title, while they were merely slightly stronger than ordinary humans.

In his room, the injured supernatural from Sakura Country, Abe Hirohira, let out a sigh.

“After watching a couple of battles, I actually thought I was on his level.”

Now, looking back, he could only laugh at his own foolishness.

“I was overestimating myself.”

Abe Hirohira realized he had been a frog at the bottom of a well. What kind of “chief” was he compared to Zhang Yangqing?

In previous Strange Tales instances, Zhang Yangqing simply hadn’t had the chance to display his full power, leading Abe to believe he could match him.

But now, Abe suddenly understood something profound.

The path of cultivation was far longer than he had imagined.

He had only reached what he thought was his limit—but that limit might just be the starting point of the next realm.

Only by breaking through this self-imposed limit could one ascend to greater heights.

As many powerful figures had said, even among supernaturals, there were hierarchies.

Abe Hirohira never dreamed that watching Zhang Yangqing’s footage would grant him insight into surpassing his own limits.

At this thought, he chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Never before had he been so clear-headed. He had always believed his Onmyōjutsu was the true orthodox path.

Now, he had awakened. If given the chance, he would visit the Dragon Country’s Heavenly Master and seek guidance.

Only by recognizing one’s shortcomings can one improve.

Those who remain trapped in the delusion of being “invincible” will never progress beyond mediocrity.

This Strange Tales world had indeed forced many top-tier experts to reveal their true strength.

Had they not witnessed such overwhelming power, many supernaturals would have continued believing they were the strongest.

Not to mention the Dragon Country’s untouchable existence—even the Red-robed Cardinal from Pasta Country could effortlessly obliterate most supernaturals.

The current state of supernaturals could be summed up as: “Those who’ve never seen true masters all think they’re masters.”

Inside the Strange Tales World

After annihilating the overlord of these waters, Zhang Yangqing turned to the Twilight Hall manager and said mockingly:

“That little shrimp just wasted some of my time. Have you made up your mind yet?”

His tone was deliberately provocative.

I’m not afraid of offending you—this is my strength.

Call all the reinforcements you want. If I lose, it’s on me.

He might as well have written “invincible” on his face.

Hearing this, the Twilight Hall manager immediately dropped to his knees and shouted:

“Captain, I pledge my loyalty to you!”

His voice boomed, as if afraid his new captain wouldn’t hear him.

After witnessing Zhang Yangqing effortlessly obliterate what he knew as the “strongest creature,” any thought of resistance vanished.

“Boss, if I’d known you were this strong, I’d have knelt the moment you showed up!”

He cursed his own ignorance for trying to scheme in front of such a being.

His kneeling posture was the most submissive possible—forehead pressed to the ground.

The confident, all-knowing demeanor he had earlier was gone.

Before Zhang Yangqing, this was the only posture that guaranteed survival for a supernatural creature.

The Twilight Hall manager trembled, not daring to move.

He knew his life now hinged entirely on Zhang Yangqing’s whim.

With his patron slain, begging for mercy was his only option.

“I appreciate your willingness to admit your mistakes. However… I didn’t like your tone earlier.”

Zhang Yangqing’s message was clear: On this ship, you obey me—you don’t negotiate.

The manager shuddered violently, nearly collapsing flat on the deck.

“Captain, I was wrong! Please give me a chance!”

Now prostrate, he held out a box containing the Heart of the Ocean.

“Fine. I’ll overlook your absence this afternoon. Report for duty tomorrow—understood?”

“Yes, Captain! I’ll work hard!”

With that, Zhang Yangqing gestured for his subordinates to take the box and turned to leave.

His exit was meticulously staged—a subordinate opened the door, and only after he stepped out did the others follow.

This was the bearing of the cruise ship’s undisputed ruler.

All Zhang Yangqing left behind on the deck was an invincible silhouette.

Outside the Strange Tales World

While the world reeled from Zhang Yangqing’s display of power, only Su Muyu twitched her lips in exasperation.

“You have the nerve to lecture others about skipping work? Weren’t you the one constantly absent?”

It seemed that after she covered his shifts, this guy had gotten a bit too full of himself.

…..

Meanwhile, in the Strange Tales World

Zhang Yangqing had arrived swiftly because, after assigning two deputies in the control room, he no longer needed to worry about internal affairs.

The Red-robed Cardinal from Pasta Country, Gregorio, had taken longer to secure everything before venturing out for the hidden treasure.

Without subordinates, he couldn’t afford to be careless, hence the delay.

When he reached the stern deck, he too encountered the Twilight Hall manager.

Gregorio was tempted to kill his target outright and return to rest.

But to gather more intel, he engaged the manager in conversation.

Then, the terrifying deep-sea leviathan emerged.

Gregorio, though clever, realized he’d been played.

Unlike Zhang Yangqing, however, he hadn’t anticipated the manager’s stalling tactics from the start.

If Zhang Yangqing’s guess was correct, the manager had orchestrated the chaos to steal the Heart of the Ocean—knowing the captain would come for him.

His plan was to use the leviathan to kill the captain, seize the captain’s insignia, and take command of the ship.

Once Gregorio realized the deception, he was furious—and the consequences were dire.

He cursed and attacked without hesitation.

In the next instant, holy light illuminated the entire area.

With a mere flick of his fingers, he appeared before the leviathan’s massive eye.

A single punch infused with sacred energy shattered the eyeball.

The impact cratered the eye inward before a waterfall of blood erupted, painting the ship crimson.

The sheer force of the holy energy tore through the leviathan’s body, triggering violent shockwaves.

With a deafening death cry, the ruler of these waters perished, sinking into the abyss.

As the saying goes, “When a whale falls, ten thousand creatures rise.”

The corpse of this once-dominant beast would now nourish countless marine creatures.

Gregorio had slain the leviathan effortlessly—barely breaking a sweat.

He then executed the Twilight Hall manager without hesitation.

His goal was a swift exit, ensuring maximum rewards upon clearance.

As for the manager’s promised treasure, Gregorio deemed it too risky to pursue.

Deviating from the set path invited unnecessary danger.

Besides, its existence was questionable.

Gregorio was formidable, but this was his first attempt.

He could only operate within the rules, pushing his limits where he saw fit.

He lacked the audacity to emulate Zhang Yangqing’s boldness.

Many secrets required multiple entries to uncover—Gregorio simply didn’t have that luxury.

Gazing at the night sky, he wondered if his homeland had witnessed his performance.

The global chatroom erupted in praise for his feat.

• “Gregorio is a legend—Pasta Country’s pride!” (IP: Pasta Country)

• “Gregorio’s strong, terrifyingly so… but after watching the Dragon Country’s supernatural, he just seems… meh.” (IP: Curry Country)

• “He’s way stronger than most challengers, but in terms of sheer spectacle, the Dragon Country’s guy wins.” (IP: Kimchi Country)

• “Say what you will about flashy moves, but that Dragon challenger is just too strong.” (IP: Eagle Country)

• “First day immigrating to Dragon Country, just here to flex. dives” (IP: Dragon Country)

• “Damn, you’re set for rewards! So jealous!” (IP: Baguette Country)

• “Wait, how’d you immigrate so fast? They barely accept anyone!” (IP: Tea Country)

• “I was Snow Country’s challenger. After my last run, my people exiled me for ‘killing too much.’ Dragon Country took me in.” (IP: Dragon Country)

• “Damn, a clear-tier immigrant? Lucky bastard.” (IP: Kangaroo Country)

• “Next run, I’m signing up. Clear it, move to Dragon Country!” (IP: Maple Country)

A global consensus had formed:

While other nations might harbor hidden powerhouses, the Dragon Country’s representative was in a league of his own—unstoppable and flawless.

Thus, whether out of bandwagoning or genuine judgment, Dragon Country had become the prime immigration destination.

Back in the Strange Tales World

After securing the hidden treasure, Gregorio returned to the control room and ordered full speed to Buro Port.

Having resolved most threats, he aimed to clear the instance first—just as the Dragon Country’s challenger had done before him.

Gregorio knew one truth: speed determined rankings.

He was certain of an SSS-grade clearance. While not perfect, finishing before the Dragon challenger would secure him the top spot.

This was indisputable—sheer, hard performance.

To him, it was now a race against time.

Pasta Country’s viewers cheered Gregorio’s brilliance.

Meanwhile, Dragon Country’s audience was puzzled: Why wasn’t Zhang Yangqing speeding up?

Other challengers, as mere crewmen, lacked the authority to command full speed.

But Zhang Yangqing did.

Yet despite their confusion, none dared question his judgment.

Any doubting comment was met with: “Are you questioning a god’s choices?”

Everyone knew that if they could think of it, Zhang Yangqing already had.

His mindset operated on a plane beyond their comprehension.

Su Muyu, however, suspected the guy was just slacking off to avoid work.

But she was wrong.

Zhang Yangqing was testing the World Rules—the only challenger on Earth bold enough to do so.

The Next Morning

Challengers began their duties diligently, avoiding the ship’s luxuries to minimize risks.

Tasks like deck scrubbing and cargo handling were executed flawlessly.

They knew the upper decks still harbored dangers—recklessness now could cost them their lives.

Enduring the final stretch was the hardest part.

Gregorio remained vigilant in the control room, ensuring the senior crew’s compliance.

Under his watch, they behaved impeccably.

Of the 82 remaining challengers, he was the fastest.

Yet Zhang Yangqing’s actions baffled everyone.

In just one day, viewers were stunned.

On-screen, he was the captain—commanding the ship with effortless authority.

It was as if he’d been a cruise captain for decades.

Some wondered if he’d been a sailor before becoming a Heavenly Master.

Every detail of the massive ship was now under his control.

He’d devoured every manual in the captain’s quarters.

This was the terror of his maxed-out comprehension.

What took others months or years to master, he absorbed in a day—then surpassed.

Without exaggeration, even if every senior crew member died, Zhang Yangqing could single-handedly pilot the ship.

Complex operations were child’s play to his photographic memory.

For him, learning wasn’t about ability—only willingness.

Three Days Later

By the third dawn, Gregorio’s ship reached Buro Port.

He swiftly located the woman named Sernas and delivered the crewman’s diary.

Without a doubt, Gregorio was the first to clear the instance.

Pasta Country erupted in celebration—this was an SSS-rank clear, surpassing the Dragon Country’s challenger.

Even the Pope, though puzzled by the Dragon challenger’s actions, praised Gregorio’s performance.

By noon, most challengers had arrived at Buro Port, found the woman, and exited the instance.

Gregorio’s first act upon returning was checking Dragon Country’s broadcast.

Seeing Zhang Yangqing in captain’s attire didn’t surprise him—if he could do it, so could the Heavenly Master.

But Zhang Yangqing’s sluggish pace filled him with relief.

At last, I’ve surpassed him.

Gregorio was certain the Heavenly Master would still score SSS—just slower.

Yet what followed left everyone, including Gregorio and the Pope, utterly bewildered.

When the Mary docked, Zhang Yangqing oversaw ship maintenance like a true captain.

After disembarking one group of passengers, he welcomed a new batch.

With new passengers came a new destination.

From start to finish, Zhang Yangqing never left the ship.

Instead, he tasked a golden-masked female passenger with finding and protecting Sernas in Buro Port.

As his loyal subordinate, she obeyed without question.

Of the 82 challengers, 81 had exited—only Zhang Yangqing remained, with no intention of leaving.

For others, this Strange Tales world was an escape.

For him, it was just the beginning.

He knew the journey ahead held countless dangers and formidable supernaturals.

But he feared none.

Before him, supernaturals had two choices: submit or perish.

“Leaving early is an advantage? No. You’re only fit to watch me perform.”