Death Game: Starting as a Trickster, Pretending to Be a God

Chapter 783: Invocation Method

Even though his voice trembled, even though the fear had reached its zenith.

The moment A-Yin set down three incense sticks and finished his words, the fear on him vanished.

In almost the span of a single breath, A-Yin's trembling stopped.

He slowly rose from the ground, and golden runes lit up beneath his feet, one after another.

Those runes connected in concentric rings, expanding like a magic formation.

Golden light flared in his eyes, and chains began to appear across his body.

"Kan!"

The diminished fear flames, weakened because the fear itself had been dispelled, were completely extinguished by the water surging from A-Yin.

Although fear flames are notoriously difficult to quench, clearly that water was no ordinary water!

A-Yin was left with many scorch marks, but he simply shaped a seal with one hand, and the burned skin temporarily became coated in bark-like wood.

At this moment, A-Yin's other trump card was fully revealed.

"This is... an Invocation Method?! Isn't that a type of esoteric art?!"

Fish said in disbelief.

Among the esoteric arts of the Prison Mountain Realm, "invoking gods" was a relatively major branch.

Although esoteric arts resemble Daoist spells on the surface, they are fundamentally different.

Daoist spells are techniques recognized by the Prison Mountain Realm's celestial law and blessed by the Dao Ancestors. They use true energy as a link to communicate with heaven and earth. Whether talismans, incantations, hand seals, or formation arts—even forbidden techniques—their essence is borrowing the great power of heaven and earth and aided by celestial laws.

But esoteric arts are more like martial arts; they are performed with the self as the core.

"The Invocation Method in esoteric arts actually stems from orthodox Daoist techniques. It was developed by imitating Daoist invocations," the Diviner said calmly. "Because it isn't orthodox, the esoteric invocation requires many external items and rituals. The spirits it calls are usually powerful past warriors, or demon remnants purified until only benevolent intent remains... sometimes even creatures mocked by the common folk as 'mountain masters and river lords.'"

"After all, that's all they can summon."

"And when Daoist schools created this spell, there were truly founding masters whose consciousness persisted within the celestial law and could descend to aid others," the Diviner explained, "but in the past century Daoist schools have changed so quickly that many lineages were broken... Yet schools like Hunyuan Dao Palace still retain the Invocation Method."

"Of course, Fish, it's normal you don't know, because Daoist disciples in the Prison Mountain Realm rarely perform invocations... this trick consumes heart and soul, and in a place like Prison Mountain Realm it's very hard to recover afterward."

As the Diviner spoke, Fish understood.

"I see... so now he's essentially a Hunyuan Dao Palace ancestor possessing him to fight on their behalf?"

"No. What you described is still esoteric arts. Orthodox Daoist techniques are only able to pass on part of a master’s knowledge to disciples."

The Diviner said indifferently.

"In other words, the account and player are still A-Yin's, but many of his skill sets are being maxed out by some Hunyuan Dao Palace ancestor, then chained together into a one-click combo script."

Neptune explained as well.

Fish blinked: "That's really underhanded."

On the field, watching A-Yin performing the invocation, Lin Yu remained calm.

He already knew A-Yin's trump card—though A-Yin had never used it in actual combat, Lin Yu had extracted the dorm address of A-Yin's cousin who studied abroad during two hours of chatting.

"Knowing is one thing, seeing it in action is another."

Lin Yu watched A-Yin’s aura grow even more terrifying than before and exhaled.

"Old Zheng, help me time a one-minute countdown."

As he spoke, Old Zheng immediately responded: "No problem."

Then...

A-Yin charged at Lin Yu.

"Kun!"

The paving stones beneath Lin Yu shook violently, breaking his balance.

As he took a step back to steady himself, A-Yin had already closed the distance.

He launched another reckless strike; this time he opened with "Tiger's Squat in the Woods" from the Demon-Subduing Nineteen Forms!

His hand formed a tiger-claw posture and struck like thunder, precise and fast, aiming for Lin Yu's throat.

Lin Yu rotated his fear torch to block the tiger claw, and Stiller immediately moved to help.

"Boss, I'll assist you!"

But just as Stiller stepped forward, A-Yin’s other hand slyly shifted the claw into a palm and struck Stiller in the chest.

"Thud!"

Power burst from his palm, and Stiller was thrown flying.

That Demon-Subduing Nineteen Forms was not purely martial—embedded within it was Hunyuan Dao Palace's Nine-Dipper Freehand!

After Stiller flew out, A-Yin used the freehand strikes against Lin Yu as well.

"He moves it fluently."

Lin Yu commented.

"Ten seconds, boss."

Old Zheng's reminder sounded.

"So slow, time!"

Lin Yu barely blocked the freehand’s assault and A-Yin delivered another palm.

When Lin Yu followed the previous rhythm to block, A-Yin suddenly changed his palm into a fist and struck with "Tiger's Squat in the Woods" aiming for Lin Yu's face.

Lin Yu retreated immediately, but A-Yin changed technique again.

"Li Fire!"

A hand opened midair while the other formed a seal, and flame suddenly erupted.

Li Fire was A-Yin's strongest Five Elements Dao technique. After invoking the spirit, its use now was even more savage.

The flames coalesced into a fire dragon that surged toward Lin Yu.

The instantaneous heat made Lin Yu realize this strike could not be taken head-on.

Fortunately, even with A-Yin changing techniques three times a second, dodging was not difficult.

[Most Suitable for the Virtuous and Frugal], activate!

Lin Yu stepped aside and bent low, avoiding the fire dragon with millimeter precision in the narrow corridor.

[Most Suitable for the Virtuous and Frugal], deactivate!

Seeing Lin Yu already backed to the edge of the stone path, A-Yin lunged forward again—Hannah spat ink to create a brief disruption, allowing Lin Yu to right his stance.

"Boss, twenty seconds."

Hearing Old Zheng's time call, Lin Yu continued to block A-Yin's three moves without flinching, even having enough energy to counterattack with his torch.

"Shua!"

Flame grazed A-Yin's lower body. He jumped to evade and instantly formed another seal midair.

"Xun!"

A violent updraft lifted him several spans higher, and he waved his hand as gale winds rolled toward Lin Yu, making Lin Yu squint.

But it didn't matter...

Lin Yu was already capable of short-term fighting without relying on sight.

His spiritual power released, locking onto A-Yin’s form, then he counterattacked!

"Bang!"

A-Yin in midair altered his posture again and executed "Dragon Submerges into the Abyss" from the Demon-Subduing Nineteen Forms, both feet viciously kicking toward Lin Yu's face.

However, it had minimal effect.

"Thirty seconds, boss!"

Old Zheng announced again.

At the same time, A-Yin landed—but he chose to retreat a great distance, widening the gap between him and Lin Yu.

Five meters of separation reappeared between them.