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  • After Failing to Find Immortality 225

    Chapter 225: Reaping the Spoils, A Spirit in the Immortal Realm

    Tap

    The crisp sound of footsteps echoed on the deserted street.

    A mysterious woman emerged from the shadows, her movements graceful and seductive, yet also regal and imposing, her aura shrouded in the darkness.

    She flicked her fingers, and the broken fan that had fallen earlier flew into her hand.

    With a flash of light, a pale blue flame ignited, repairing the damaged fan, restoring its intricate floral embroidery and red tassels. It was once again a beautiful and elegant accessory.

    “That unlucky demon. He just had to run into that scholar.”

    The mysterious woman looked down at Fan Qi’s ashes, a mocking smile on her lips. “That Luo Xing title must have gone to his head. So arrogant and impulsive, attacking without even knowing his opponent’s true strength… What a waste of his Crimson Demon cultivation.

    Decades of hard work, reduced to ashes in an instant. How pathetic. And now, someone else will reap the benefits.”

    She flicked her fingers again, and wisps of gray mist converged towards her.

    The mist coalesced into a small orb, which she pressed against her chest, absorbing it into her body.

    “…So Prince Pei has ambitions of his own, hoping to carve out a piece of this chaotic world for himself.”

    She savored the remnants of Fan Qi’s memories, her eyes narrowing, a satisfied smile on her face. “Although he was a fool, his Yin energy is quite pure. It will be useful for patching up this makeshift body.”

    “And as for this—”

    She glanced down at her feet and tapped the ground, creating ripples of energy.

    A strange vessel, about the size of a water pitcher, emerged from the ground beside her, covered in mysterious inscriptions and intricate cracks. A chilling aura emanated from it, the temperature plummeting, frost forming on the surrounding surfaces.

    “An interesting idea, to create chaos and harvest Yin energy before the New Year. But it seems he failed. He even tried to destroy the Human Soul Repository in his final moments, but he died too quickly, only releasing a small amount of Yin energy.”

    She chuckled and waved her hand, storing the Human Soul Repository in her sleeve.

    “This matter is settled. Now…”

    She turned and looked in the direction Lin Tianlu had gone, a playful smile on her lips. “I have to keep my promise and play with you, scholar. I won’t be satisfied until I’ve made you suffer for humiliating me.”

    She looked down at her own body, a thoughtful expression on her face.

    Her short silver skirt, adorned with small jewels, barely concealed her voluptuous figure, its luxurious and revealing design accentuating her curves, her every movement seductive and alluring, her skin shimmering in the moonlight.

    “Fashion has certainly changed in the past thousand years. This outfit might attract too much attention.”

    She recalled the clothing she had seen these past few days and tapped her chest lightly.

    With a flash of light, her silver dress transformed into an elegant and dignified robe, like a court lady’s attire, its long skirt reaching the ground, a jade belt cinched around her waist.

    “This is more appropriate.”

    She smiled, her movements graceful and refined, a delicate fan in her hand, her demeanor like that of a noble lady.

    But her eyes sparkled with mischief as she moved through the deserted streets, her figure blurring like a phantom.

    “The New Year is still a while away. I need to find some entertainment… Hmm?”

    She suddenly stopped, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked towards the distance.

    Invisible to ordinary eyes, but clear to her, a massive amount of Yin energy was converging towards a single point, forming a swirling vortex, like a pillar of light reaching for the sky.

    “That’s not something an ordinary demon or ghost could do. Could it be… that fox I saw at the inn?”

    She frowned, her hand touching the Human Soul Repository hidden in her sleeve. “There was something strange about her, as if she was on the verge of a breakthrough. And now, with the Yin energy released from the damaged Repository, it’s all flowing towards her. What a lucky coincidence.”

    After a moment of thought, she decided not to interfere.

    “It’s pointless. With that scholar there, I would only be humiliating myself.”

    Her eyes flickered, and a playful smile returned to her lips. “I’ll just go ahead and prepare a little surprise for them.”

    With that, she turned and vanished into the night.

    …

    Meanwhile, Lin Tianlu had just returned to the inn.

    “What—”

    He looked up at the torrent of Yin energy erupting from the inn, his eyes wide with surprise.

    Sensing the familiar aura, he instantly teleported to the source, appearing in their room.

    “Senior!”

    Hua Shuya, her sword drawn, was struggling against the powerful Yin wind that filled the room. Seeing Lin Tianlu, she said urgently, “Miss Yun Yue… there’s something wrong with her. Her Yin energy is surging uncontrollably.”

    “It seems to be a sign of a breakthrough, Sister Yun.”

    Mao Ruoyu was also there, using her Yin techniques to stabilize the energy, preventing it from spreading.

    Her expression was serious. “But this breakthrough is… quite unusual.”

    Lin Tianlu asked, “Did she say anything before this happened?”

    “No, she was asleep.”

    “I understand.”

    Lin Tianlu touched his chest, sensing a faint connection.

    It seemed there was a link between him and Yun Yue.

    Hua Shuya’s eyes flickered, and she said with a strange expression, “Senior, Miss Xuanling just spoke to me. She said that Miss Yun Yue has a deep connection with you and that you should try to help her.”

    “How?”

    “She doesn’t know. Perhaps you’ll understand when you get closer.”

    Lin Tianlu’s lips twitched.

    Such a vague answer was typical of that girl.

    But Yu Xuanling wouldn’t lie to him. It was worth a try.

    “Ruoyu, Shuya, stay here. I’ll take a look.”

    He cautiously approached Yun Yue.

    The concentration of Yin energy in the room was increasing rapidly, forming shimmering threads that crisscrossed the air, like a spiderweb, transforming the room into a mystical and dangerous realm. An ordinary person would have been consumed by this power.

    But Lin Tianlu was unaffected. He brushed the threads aside and walked towards the bed, looking down at the white fox curled up on the mattress.

    She seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

    If it weren’t for the chaotic energy swirling around her, he wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual.

    Lin Tianlu reached out and touched Yun Yue’s fur.

    A blinding light erupted, and the surrounding Yin energy dissipated instantly.

    …

    A gentle breeze caressed his face, soft and warm.

    “This is…”

    Lin Tianlu opened his eyes. The mist before him cleared, revealing a serene and peaceful forest.

    But the refreshing spiritual energy filling the air told him that he was inside his own personal space, the ethereal Mount Taiyi… or rather, its foothills.

    He turned to see the towering peak of Mount Taiyi in the distance, its slopes covered in lush greenery, a timeless and beautiful landscape.

    “It’s been a while since I visited the foot of Mount Taiyi. The scenery is still as beautiful as ever.”

    Lush plants and trees grew everywhere, their leaves vibrant and green. A vast lake shimmered in the distance, its surface shrouded in mist, a dreamlike paradise.

    “But Yun Yue, she’s… Hmm?”

    Lin Tianlu’s brow furrowed as he looked towards the center of the lake.

    A slender figure was sitting on a small island, her back to him, a thin, translucent veil draped over her body, swaying gently in the breeze.

    The woman slowly turned around.

    Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw her face.

    Her beauty was ethereal and otherworldly, almost unreal. Her short, silver hair framed her delicate features, accentuating her crimson eyes.

    And her attire was similar to the robes worn by Mao Ruoyu and the others in their transformed states, a black and gold dress that clung to her curves, revealing her smooth shoulders and ample bosom, a golden pendant hanging between her breasts, its ribbons barely concealing her cleavage. A sheer, watery fabric covered her legs, tied at her waist.

    Despite her seated position, she exuded an aura of grace and otherworldly beauty.

    Their eyes met, and Lin Tianlu’s gaze narrowed.

    She shared a resemblance with Yun Yue, but her features were more delicate and youthful, like a younger sister, her figure equally alluring.

    But most importantly, the aura emanating from her…

    “Tianlu.”

    The silver-haired woman’s voice was soft and ethereal. “Do you recognize me?”

    Lin Tianlu sighed softly and walked towards the lake.

    “You’re Yun Yue.”

    He couldn’t mistake that aura.

    Although her appearance, her voice, and even her demeanor had changed, the Yin energy surrounding her was undoubtedly hers.

    And looking around, he recognized the clear lake, the small island… This was the same place he had visited in the Netherworld!

    “I’m glad you recognize me.”

    Yun Yue nodded slightly, her beautiful face devoid of emotion, only a chilling calmness. “But I can’t trust you yet.”

    “What do you mean?”

    Lin Tianlu stepped onto the water, crossing the lake in a single stride, landing on the small island.

    Yun Yue looked up at him, her red eyes calm and unreadable.

    “I gained some insights during my visit to the Lunar Valley. My cultivation has improved, and I’m on the verge of a breakthrough. But you took half of my soul. If I want to break through… no, if I want to truly submit to you, this is my only chance.”

    Half of her soul?

    Lin Tianlu pondered her words.

    When they escaped from the Netherworld, he had indeed used the power of the immortal mountain to extract a large portion of her soul, both as punishment and to sever her connection to that realm.

    But it seemed to have had an unexpected side effect.

    “What exactly—”

    “A demon’s bloodline and a Yin soul, although they can merge to form a demon-ghost hybrid, they’re also opposing forces, difficult to reconcile. And during a breakthrough, this conflict intensifies.”

    Yun Yue touched her chest, her voice calm. “I am formed from the convergence of Yin souls.”

    “And this ‘submission’ you mentioned…”

    “You already have half of my soul. Now, the other half awaits you.” Yun Yue lowered her eyes, her voice soft. “If you absorb me completely into your immortal mountain, I will truly submit to you. My demon bloodline and my Yin soul will become one, and I, the Azure Fox, will be your loyal servant for all eternity.”

    “…”

    Lin Tianlu walked towards her, his expression thoughtful.

    Yun Yue glanced at him. “Is something wrong?”

    “Why would you even consider such a thing?”

    Her face remained calm. “You’re the only man I’ve ever acknowledged. It’s only natural for me to submit to you.”

    “You’ve never mentioned this before. Why now? Does this ‘submission’ have something to do with your breakthrough?”

    “Yes.”

    To Lin Tianlu’s surprise, Yun Yue nodded.

    “Submission is necessary.”

    “Explain yourself, Yun Yue. If I can help, I will. But don’t ever mention being my ‘servant’ again.” Lin Tianlu’s voice was firm. “Such words are an insult to our bond.”

    “I…” A flicker of emotion finally appeared in Yun Yue’s eyes.

    But she suddenly looked away.

    A fox had silently descended from the sky, landing on the opposite side of the lake.

    “‘She’s’ here.”

  • My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 61

    Chapter 61: Coming Home

    The international airport in Jiang Xue’s city was huge. After getting off the plane, Xiao Luohan stayed close to her, afraid of getting lost if she looked away for even a moment.

    Seeing this, Jiang Xue took her sleeve.

    “Okay, now you can look around,” she said.

    Xiao Luohan paused. “Is that alright…?”

    “I only have one bag, and holding your sleeve won’t be a problem.” Jiang Xue smiled. “Take a good look. The next time we come to the airport will probably be during summer vacation after the college entrance exam.”

    Xiao Luohan finally felt at ease observing her surroundings.

    Crowds of people with luggage waiting in line, large screens displaying various data, the electronic female voice announcing flight information from time to time…

    Everything from the videos she had seen came to life before her eyes. She was still young and hadn’t seen much of the world, so she looked around curiously wherever she went.

    Seeing her actions, Jiang Mei, who was observing from behind, breathed a sigh of relief.

    It was good that she was energetic. It seemed Xiao Luo had almost fully recovered and was adapting well to the new world.

    They collected their luggage from the baggage carousel and led Xiao Luohan to the parking lot.

    Sister Cheng was already waiting there. Seeing the slender girl beside Jiang Xue, she felt a surge of emotion and hurried over, sighing with relief. “I’ve been waiting for you, Third Miss!”

    This was the little girl from ancient times who had traveled across time and space!

    Hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Luohan felt a little dazed. When she saw the person approaching, even though she had been prepared, her eyes teared up, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.

    It was the Shizhu of this world…

    Shizhu should be able to live a good life with her daughter here, right?

    “Oh dear, oh dear! Don’t cry!” Sister Cheng was startled and hurriedly took out a clean tissue from her bag. “Don’t worry! Eldest Miss, Second Miss, and the whole family are very kind. They won’t let you suffer anymore!”

    Although she didn’t know the specific reason for the tears, the girl’s crying melted her heart.

    As they walked towards the car, Sister Cheng couldn’t help but say a few more words. “Your clothes and belongings are all ready. The new quilt and pillows are still being aired. I’ll put them away when we get back. By the way, the plum blossom branches you sent are at home. Second Miss specifically instructed me to put them on a sunny windowsill…”

    “Thank you!” Xiao Luohan hurriedly wiped her tears with the tissue, her voice choked with sobs. “Thank you…”

    “You’re welcome! No need to be so polite, oh dear…” Sister Cheng was a little flustered. Fortunately, they had reached the car. She quickly opened the door and started the engine.

    After getting in the car, Jiang Xue gently patted Xiao Luohan’s back to comfort her.

    Dr. Qi, who was also in the car, sat in the passenger seat, explaining Xiao Luohan’s condition to Sister Cheng: what she could eat, what she should avoid, how to take care of her health… she covered everything she could think of.

    Jiang Mei sat next to Jiang Xue, deliberately letting them sit together.

    She had already heard from her younger sister about the correspondence between Sister Cheng and Shizhu.

    Just seeing Sister Cheng had made Xiao Luo so emotional. She didn’t know how she would react when she saw Ms. Wei and Ms. Jiang later.

    But compared to them, Jiang Mei still felt that her own presence might cause Xiao Luo even more pain.

    She couldn’t be Xiao Luo’s elder sister.

    They had different backgrounds and different aspirations. Even if they had almost identical appearances, personalities, and preferences, even if there was a chance for her to inherit Xiao Linghan’s memories in the future, she was still “Jiang Mei,” not “Princess Zhemei.”

    For Xiao Luo, Xiao Linghan was irreplaceable.

    She herself could face Xiao Luohan calmly, but how would Xiao Luohan face her, someone who was both “similar and different” from her elder sister?

    Thinking of this, Jiang Mei couldn’t help but look at Xiao Luohan.

    The young woman was looking at the scenery outside the window, but she quickly turned around and asked Jiang Xue with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

    “…It’s nothing, I just get carsick, it’s an old problem.” Jiang Xue leaned against the seat listlessly. “What about you? Are you okay?”

    Although it was Xiao Luohan’s first time in a car, perhaps because she had ridden in bumpier carriages during her journey for the marriage alliance, she felt that Sister Cheng’s driving was very smooth. She shook her head slightly and asked, “Do you need me to open the window for some fresh air?”

    “No, no, it’s too cold outside!” Jiang Xue hurriedly refused, afraid that the wind would make Xiao Luo, who had just recovered from a severe cold, sick again. “I’ll just sleep for a while, I’m really fine!”

    Seeing her about to close her eyes, Xiao Luohan hesitated for a moment, then patted her lap. “You can lie here, it might be more comfortable.”

    Jiang Xue: …?

    Her mind short-circuited, and the words “lap pillow” flashed through her mind like a barrage of comments.

    Before she could respond, a pair of hands rested on her shoulders, guiding her to lie down.

    “She’s a bit heavy. If she sleeps all the way home, your legs will go numb,” Jiang Mei explained calmly.

    “Yes, yes, I’ve gained weight recently, I’m heavy!” Jiang Xue quickly agreed, resting her head on her older sister’s lap and closing her eyes.

    Seeing this, Xiao Luohan didn’t insist on her “kind offer,” only nodding slightly at Jiang Mei and continuing to look at the scenery outside.

    But she was analyzing the details in her mind.

    She felt that Jiang Xue probably didn’t mind lying on her lap, but precisely because she didn’t mind, she was embarrassed.

    Indeed, regardless of the customs of either world, before a relationship was defined, if both parties were interested, they would try to avoid such intimate actions that could easily lead to misunderstandings, at least in front of others.

    And in this world where same-sex couples could marry and have children, even between two girls, they couldn’t be too close.

    She made a mental note, planning to test her guess when she was alone with Jiang Xue.

    Even though it was a weekday, Ms. Wei had taken leave to welcome the “Third Miss” from afar.

    She still remembered the last time she met Xiao Luo, when Xiao Luo had transformed into a cute Ragdoll cat in a dream. Although she hadn’t been able to see the cat, she had felt something soft and fluffy nestled against her, then disappearing at some point.

    Now, this young woman was truly standing before her, bowing respectfully and calling her “Ms. Wei.” She couldn’t help but step forward and pull her into a hug.

    Even though Xiao Luohan was wearing a thick down jacket, Ms. Wei could still feel her thinness and frailty.

    But she didn’t say anything, only ruffled Xiao Luohan’s hair and patted her back, saying softly, “The ‘welcome dinner’ will be ready soon, all your favorite dishes.”

    As she was hugged, Xiao Luohan instinctively thought of her own mother.

    Her mother had lived in the cold palace for many years. Even though she seemed optimistic about everything, Xiao Luohan always felt that there was a hidden shadow in her heart, something even she couldn’t see—it must be the scars her mother didn’t want to talk about.

    …Most importantly, no one could “drag” her mother into the sunlight and completely dispel that shadow, not even the late Empress.

    But the woman hugging her now was completely different.

    —Ms. Wei seemed to radiate warmth and gentleness. Not only did she have no “shadow,” she herself was a source of light.

    She replied with an “Okay,” but was reluctant to leave, feeling her nose tingle again.

    This world was so good, everyone was living a good life.

    Ms. Wei also didn’t want to let go of her so easily. The young woman in her arms, although human, reminded her of a real Ragdoll cat, so well-behaved, gentle, and quiet, completely different from her other two energetic daughters.

    She couldn’t help but hold the girl a little longer, stroking her soft and smooth hair.

    It wasn’t until Jiang Xue gently called out “Mommy” that Ms. Wei let go, smiling brightly. “Take Xiao Luo to your bedroom and study. Sister Cheng already tidied up a bit this morning.”

    Slippers for Xiao Luohan had already been prepared at the entrance. After changing into them, she followed Jiang Xue upstairs.

    “This is my bedroom, and that’s my older sister’s room,” Jiang Xue introduced the rooms one by one. “There’s a piano and a guqin in my study. But I haven’t learned much guqin, and I haven’t touched it in a long time. If you want to play, you might need to have it tuned first.”

    There were too many things in the study, so it wasn’t convenient to introduce them. She first took Xiao Luohan to her bedroom, which she used more often, and showed her the ensuite bathroom. “Every bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, similar to Uncle Seuss’s place. Look, your toiletries are all ready. If you need anything else, just tell Sister Cheng… Oh right! I haven’t added her on WeChat yet.”

    Seeing the WeChat contact card with the name “Shizhu’s Mom,” Xiao Luohan stared blankly for a long time.

    “There’s also a ‘Shizhu’ in this world, but she’s Sister Cheng’s daughter, her name is Cheng Shizhu,” Jiang Xue explained, seeing what she was thinking. “Cheng Shizhu is still in university, but she’ll be back for winter break soon. I’ll introduce you then. Sister Cheng loves her very much.”

    After hearing about the Shizhu here and her daughter, Xiao Luohan’s heart softened, and she nodded.

    After adding Sister Cheng on WeChat, her gaze landed on the screen in the room.

    It was the Japanese-style screen she had chosen, temporarily placed by the bed by Sister Cheng.

    Jiang Xue hadn’t thought much about the screen before, but seeing it now, she was quite satisfied.

    “It’s so elegant!” she praised generously, touching it. “It looks very sturdy. I can even hang clothes on top!”

    Most importantly, when there was a light source, she could see the silhouette of the person behind the screen, but only a silhouette.

    This hazy feeling was beautiful and polite. Even if she stared, she wouldn’t be noticed… cough, it seemed her mind was wandering again.

    “It’s best if you like it too,” Xiao Luohan nodded with a smile. Just as she was about to continue familiarizing herself with the environment, a knock came at the door.

    “Second Miss? I’ve brought the quilt and pillows that were being aired,” Sister Cheng said from outside.

    Jiang Xue quickly opened the door, then pulled Xiao Luohan to the side and watched as Sister Cheng efficiently made the bed—Sister Cheng didn’t like others interfering when she was doing housework.

    “…Although my bed isn’t small, will it be too crowded with two body pillows?” Jiang Xue whispered after Sister Cheng closed the door and left.

    “We can also do without the pillows,” Xiao Luohan said, her beautiful eyes filled with innocence and purity as she looked at her. “When we were at Uncle Seuss’s house, I was thinking, if we unconsciously hug each other in our sleep, does it mean that we can give each other a sense of security?”

    “…Eh?”

    “If it were someone we were wary of, we wouldn’t even be able to sleep soundly, let alone hug them,” Xiao Luohan continued. “Besides, only we know about this. As long as we don’t mind, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

    “You always say to let things take their natural course. I think this is good, there’s no problem.”

    Jiang Xue: “…Yes, there’s indeed no problem.”

    But she still felt something wasn’t quite right.

  • On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 210

    Chapter 210: Even When You’re Unhappy, You Still Have to Eat

    Inside the room, the candlelight flickered, casting long shadows as Chen Yin gently placed Qingying on the bed.

    She was sleeping soundly, her lips murmuring his name softly.

    He glanced out the window.

    …He had sensed someone outside.

    But the presence was gone in a flash.

    Chen Yin opened the window, and a gentle breeze carried a small card into the room. He picked it up. A single line of text was written on it.

    “Yunlin Province. Shen Li.”

    He stared at the card, his gaze fixed on the darkness outside.

    …Yunlin Province. Half a day’s journey from here.

    Chen Yin took out a small paper kite, infused it with his blue spiritual energy, and sent it flying into the night.

    Then, he left the room.

    The darkness over the Wu Xuan Cave was receding, the stench of blood fading slightly.

    Chen Yin followed the path, walking past ruined houses, burning wreckage, and charred bodies.

    He saw Heitie.

    The stubborn boy’s body was now a charred husk, unrecognizable.

    He continued towards the main hall in silence.

    The bodies along the path changed. Fewer villagers, more cultivators, their remains even more gruesome, their bones blackened and broken, their bodies twisted in unnatural positions.

    By the time he reached the main hall, nearly a hundred bodies lay scattered around, not a single one intact. A gruesome scene of carnage.

    Chen Yin stepped over the bodies and entered the hall.

    A bloodcurdling scream echoed from within. “Aaaaagh! No! It wasn’t me—! Grand Witch, please spare me!”

    Chen Yin ignored the screams and went to the side room.

    He opened the door, and Luo Luo stood there, her eyes wide with fear.

    “Young Master…”

    “Don’t worry.” He ruffled her hair gently. “How’s Lian’er?”

    “Big Brother, I’m fine.”

    Lian’er sat up in bed, her body wrapped in bandages.

    Chen Yin sat beside her and checked her condition.

    …Most of her wounds had healed. So many fatal injuries, yet she was stable, her spiritual energy strong. Such resilience… he had only seen it with Master’s “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra.” But Lian’er was just a beginner.

    “Big Brother?”

    Lian’er’s voice brought him back to reality. She blinked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

    “It’s okay. Rest. The Grand Witch has taken care of the bad guys.”

    “I knew she would avenge me.”

    Lian’er’s eyes were red-rimmed, her lips trembling.

    “But… but everyone else…”

    She burst into tears, burying her face in Chen Yin’s chest.

    He gently stroked her back, comforting her silently.

    As dawn approached, the door opened again.

    Grand Witch Bi Luo entered.

    She was wearing a new set of clothes, her dark green hair flowing loosely around her shoulders, a strange fragrance clinging to it. Her fingertips were slightly stained with black.

    Her eyes were cold and lifeless as she sat down at the table.

    “Is Lian’er alright?”

    “You arrived just in time,” Chen Yin said without looking up. “A little later, and her wounds would have healed completely.”

    The Grand Witch didn’t reply, just sat there silently, her arms crossed.

    “…Who were they?”

    “The Lingyu Sect, the Chiyu Sect, and the Huanxi Sect.”

    The Grand Witch’s voice was low. “They’re all cultivation sects from the Southern Region, but they’re located outside the Ten Thousand Mountains.”

    “Someone told them I was fusing with a Heavenly Dao Fragment and that I was vulnerable.”

    Her voice was filled with suppressed rage.

    “…Shen Li.”

    “They’re truly audacious.”

    “I don’t understand why they would do this. Luring those three sects to attack us… aren’t they afraid of angering me?”

    “They were probably trying to pressure you into joining them,” Chen Yin said calmly. “By creating conflict between you and the three sects, they could then swoop in and save the day, earning your gratitude and making you more likely to join them.”

    “But why didn’t they show up?”

    “Because,”

    Chen Yin’s gaze lowered, his voice cold,

    “The one responsible for this plan is already dead.”

    The Grand Witch’s eyes narrowed.

    “You killed him?”

    “He hurt Qingying. I had to.”

    Chen Yin said slowly, “I suspected Shen Li would make a move after my conversation with that masked figure, so I had Ye Huang inform my Master. But… I was too late.”

    The Grand Witch slammed her fist on the table.

    “Shen Li!”

    “I will have my revenge!” She gritted her teeth.

    Lian’er flinched, startled by her outburst.

    She had never seen the Grand Witch so angry.

    It was terrifying.

    Chen Yin calmly poured himself a cup of tea and asked softly, “What did you do to the three Sect Masters?”

    “I locked them up in a secret chamber.”

    The Grand Witch’s voice was filled with venom. “I crippled their cultivation and filled the chamber with flesh-eating insects. They’ll suffer for a long time.”

    “How long?”

    “A decade or two.”

    Chen Yin’s eyebrows twitched.

    This Grand Witch was more vindictive than he had imagined.

    “What about the Wu Xuan Cave villagers?”

    The Grand Witch fell silent, her face darkening.

    “…Almost all of them are dead.”

    “Only Lian’er remains.”

    “It’s my fault.”

    Chen Yin looked at her.

    Her body was trembling slightly.

    Unlike her previous cold fury, she now looked like a child who had done something wrong, her head lowered, her lips bitten raw, her hands shaking.

    Chen Yin was surprised. He hadn’t expected this side of her.

    He had always seen her as a ruthless and powerful leader.

    She had casually crippled Nan Xiaoxiang and cast her out.

    She had slaughtered the three sect disciples without mercy.

    But now, he realized she was just a young woman, around Nan Xiaoxiang’s age.

    “Where’s Nan Xiaoxiang?”

    “Sister Nan is treating the injured villagers,” Luo Luo said softly.

    Chen Yin nodded and stood up to leave.

    As he passed by the Grand Witch, he said,

    “Aren’t you going to see them?”

    The Grand Witch bit her lip and whispered, “What for?”

    “…I can’t heal them. I only know how to kill.”

    “Let that woman have the glory.”

    Chen Yin glanced at her sideways.

    “Why… did you cast her out all those years ago?”

    The Grand Witch didn’t answer.

    But Chen Yin already knew.

    There could only be one Sacred Child.

    Nan Xiaoxiang wouldn’t have been able to defeat Bi Luo in the final trial. Her only fate would have been death.

    Even if Bi Luo had wanted to spare her, the Wu Xuan Cave elders wouldn’t have allowed it. Nan Xiaoxiang knew too much.

    Unless she was crippled and rendered harmless.

    And banished from the Wu Xuan Cave forever.

    That was all Bi Luo could do at the time.

    After a long silence, Chen Yin said,

    “Perhaps I shouldn’t have asked.”

    “But honesty is always the best policy.”

    “Remember, you still owe me a favor. Don’t forget to pay up when I get back.”

    The Grand Witch blushed slightly, then changed the subject. “Where are you going?”

    “To find someone.”

    Chen Yin looked into the distance, his voice soft. “Someone is waiting for me.”

    Yunlin Province.

    Located on the border between the Eastern and Southern Regions, Yunlin Province was a small, unremarkable province.

    Besides its coastal location and bustling trade routes, it had few resources for cultivation. There wasn’t even a single sect with a Supreme Clarity Realm cultivator.

    But due to its convenient location, it had a large mortal population.

    Many lived there, running small businesses, catering to the merchants and travelers passing through.

    In a remote inn outside Yunlin City…

    As the sun set, casting long shadows across the desolate landscape, the innkeeper was startled by a loud bang.

    A masked figure in black robes stumbled through the door.

    The innkeeper, thinking they were being robbed, froze in fear.

    But the figure just whispered,

    “…A room.”

    “R-right away.”

    The innkeeper and his assistant quickly prepared a room, and the masked figure slowly made their way upstairs, their body weary and wounded.

    “Leave some hot water outside my door. And don’t disturb me.”

    The assistant nodded quickly and hurried away.

    The masked figure closed the door, leaned against it, and slid to the floor, their breath coming in ragged gasps.

    The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood.

    “…I’m impressed,”

    The System’s voice suddenly echoed in their mind. “You actually made it this far in your condition.”

    “Not… far enough…”

    The masked figure’s eyes flickered, their voice weak. “Almost… there…”

    “Even if you reach him, what then? You’re barely alive.”

    “Just one pill would help. At least for the pain—”

    The masked figure didn’t answer.

    The System sighed helplessly.

    “I don’t understand you humans. Such stubbornness… only humans are capable of it.”

    The masked figure’s lips were dry and cracked, the taste of blood filling their mouth.

    A knock came at the door.

    “Just leave the water outside…” they whispered, their voice barely audible.

    But the knocking continued.

    “Sir, I also brought you some food and wine. It’ll get cold.”

    The masked figure gritted their teeth, struggling to stand up. They opened the door, their voice filled with annoyance.

    “I told you not to disturb—”

    Their voice trailed off.

    Chen Yin stood there, a tray of food and wine in his hands, a smile on his face.

    “Please, calm down.”

    “Even when you’re tired, hurt, and unhappy,”

    “You still have to eat.”

  • Friend(GL) 119

    Chapter 119: Don’t Wait

    Zhou Tianzui sat on the sofa while Yu Qiao busied herself with New Year’s Eve dinner preparations. Neighbors came to visit, bringing New Year’s goods, children in new clothes running around, greeting the adults, occasionally stopping in front of Zhou Tianzui, their small hands extended, “Sister, have some candy.”

    Colorful candies in their palms, milk candies, fruit candies. She picked one, “Thank you.”

    “Sister, are you unhappy?” A childish voice, almost drowned out by the noise and chatter. Zhou Tianzui lifted the child onto her lap. She was about three years old, her speech still a little unclear, clinging to Zhou Tianzui. She was the granddaughter of the upstairs neighbor. Yu Qiao was always envious, having mentioned it several times. Zhou Tianzui rarely came home, so she wasn’t very close to the little girl, who, however, seemed to like her, unafraid of her aloof demeanor, looking up at her with a smile, “Grandma said we have to be happy during New Year’s.”

    Zhou Tianzui asked, “Are you happy?”

    “I’m happy.” The little girl, smelling of milk and baby powder, said, “I have candy, and cola, Mommy doesn’t usually let me have these.”

    Zhou Tianzui patted her head, “Then if you eat them, won’t Mommy be unhappy?”

    The little girl paused, as if considering this, Zhou Tianzui watching her. She extended her hand, “Then I won’t eat it, I don’t want Mommy to be unhappy.”

    Her voice was filled with grievance. Zhou Tianzui unwrapped a candy. The little girl watched her, her eyes wide, swallowing. Zhou Tianzui held the candy out to her, “Here.”

    The little girl looked at her.

    Zhou Tianzui said, “We’ll eat it secretly, so Mommy won’t know, and she won’t be unhappy.”

    The little girl blinked, but didn’t take the candy, just looked at Zhou Tianzui, “But Mommy will find out eventually.”

    She climbed off Zhou Tianzui’s lap and ran off. Zhou Tianzui looked at the candy in her hand for a moment, then put it in her mouth. It wasn’t sweet, but bitter. She leaned back against the sofa. Her phone lit up with several New Year’s greetings. She scrolled up and saw You Ruxu’s message. After a moment of thought, she replied: [Are you free tomorrow?]

    You Ruxu and Wu Xiulian were having dinner. Wu Xiulian had initiated a video call, and Wu Xiulian’s mother, seeing them, frowned, “I told you to come home earlier, and you didn’t even come back for New Year’s.”

    Wu Xiulian said, “It was an unexpected situation.”

    Wu Xiulian’s mother asked, “Is Ruxu fully recovered?”

    You Ruxu looked up, “Mom, I’m fine now.”

    “You just don’t listen, I told you not to be a reporter, and you didn’t listen.” Wu Xiulian’s mother started nagging. You Shu said, “You were also a reporter, and you didn’t find it tiring.”

    “I didn’t find it tiring.” Wu Xiulian’s mother said, “I just want my daughter to rely on us, what’s wrong with that? She couldn’t even come home for New Year’s. I couldn’t even go see her last time she was hurt, I could have taken care of her if I were there.”

    You Shu, unable to argue with her, just kept quiet.

    You Ruxu looked at Wu Xiulian’s mother, “Mom, I’ll come home with Aunt after the New Year.”

    “How long will you be staying?” Wu Xiulian’s mother asked. You Ruxu said, “I haven’t decided yet, probably a bit longer this time.”

    Wu Xiulian’s mother smiled, “Okay then.”

    She went to the kitchen, leaving her phone on the table. You Shu sat in front of it. Wu Xiulian handed the phone to You Ruxu, who put down her chopsticks, walked over to the window, and called out, “Dad.”

    “Ruxu, don’t mind your mother’s nagging, she hasn’t been sleeping well lately.” You Shu said, “You and that family…”

    You Ruxu knew he was referring to Yu Qiao and Zhou Tianzui. You Shu and Wu Xiulian’s mother had called after the news broke. Wu Xiulian’s mother had said, “Ruxu, we’ve wronged them, your father and I were thinking of coming to Jindu for the New Year.”

    You Ruxu had dissuaded them.

    It was her fault, she shouldn’t blame Wu Xiulian and You Shu. She had promised to handle it, and after repeated assurances, Wu Xiulian’s mother had finally agreed not to come, but she had been restless ever since, unable to eat or sleep properly, saying she kept thinking about it.

    You Ruxu said, “Dad, don’t worry, I know what to do.”

    You Shu said, “If you need your mother and me to come, just say the word. Ruxu, remember, we’re family, no matter what happens, you’re our daughter.”

    You Ruxu’s eyes reddened slightly, looking at the fireworks outside the window, “Dad, why did you choose me back then?”

    So many children, why her?

    If they hadn’t chosen her, would they be so worried now? Perhaps they would have a daughter by their side, taking care of them.

    You Shu chuckled, “There’s no ‘why.’”

    You Ruxu hung up. Wu Xiulian, behind her, called out, “Xu Xu.”

    She turned around, “What’s up, Aunt?” Wu Xiulian asked, “Talking to your father?”

    You Ruxu said, “I asked him why he brought me home. Aunt, if it wasn’t for me…”

    Wu Xiulian said, “If it wasn’t for you, our family would be happy now?”

    She said, “Xu Xu, do you know how proud your parents are of you?”

    You Ruxu looked at her, “Of me?”

    Wu Xiulian nodded, “You might feel guilty towards Zhou Qiming, towards his family, and so does your aunt, I’m even more…” Wu Xiulian said, “But you’ve never let us down, you’re always our pride and joy.”

    You Ruxu’s lips pressed into a thin line.

    Fireworks exploded outside, their colors reflected on the window. Wu Xiulian said, “Another year has passed.” She said to You Ruxu, “Xu Xu, Happy New Year.”

    You Ruxu suddenly remembered her first New Year at the You family’s home. She had been looking at the fireworks outside, listening to the firecrackers, a table full of food, candies on the coffee table, but she hadn’t dared touch anything, just sat there quietly. Wu Xiulian had sat beside her, offered her a candy, and said, “Xu Xu, Happy New Year!”

    She had smiled, “Aunt, Happy New Year.”

    Just then, her phone buzzed with a notification. You Ruxu took it out and saw Zhou Tianzui’s message, asking if she was free tomorrow. You Ruxu wanted to reply immediately, but thinking of Yu Qiao, her finger hesitated, then after a moment, she replied, “I’m free.”

    Zhou Tianzui was already in bed. Yu Qiao hadn’t spoken much to her since their argument, treating her like a stranger. She hadn’t even said anything when Zhou Tianzui went to her room. She received You Ruxu’s message while lying in bed, staring at You Ruxu’s profile picture for a moment. It was a black and white checkered pattern. When they first added each other on WeChat, You Ruxu’s profile picture had been her ID photo. Zhou Tianzui had chuckled, “Who uses that as a profile picture?”

    And You Ruxu had replied, “I saw other senior reporters use it, isn’t it good?”

    It had been shared countless times in their group chat, but Zhou Tianzui hadn’t told her the truth, just said, “It’s not very appropriate.”

    You Ruxu, listening to her, had changed her profile picture, trying several options before settling on this one.

    Zhou Tianzui clicked on the profile picture, and You Ruxu asked, “What’s wrong?”

    She replied: [I’ll come find you tomorrow.]

    You Ruxu, receiving the message, felt a strange sense of anticipation. She sat on the sofa, listening to the Spring Festival Gala playing on TV. Wu Xiulian asked, “Xu Xu, want some fruit?”

    She called her name twice before You Ruxu reacted.

    Wu Xiulian asked, “What are you thinking about?”

    You Ruxu looked down, “Nothing.”

    Wu Xiulian said, “Thinking about Dr. Zhou?”

    You Ruxu pursed her lips. Wu Xiulian said, “Xu Xu, regarding her mother, your aunt will go talk to her again…”

    “Aunt.” You Ruxu interrupted her. “Let me handle it.”

    Wu Xiulian looked at her, then fell silent.

    The sounds of laughter and cheerful banter from the Spring Festival Gala filled the room. You Ruxu sat on the sofa, like an emotionless doll, her expression blank, just quietly watching.

    She was thinking about Zhou Tianzui, about seeing her tomorrow, what would they talk about, did Yu Qiao know?

    She thought about it even as she went to bed, barely sleeping all night, woken by the sound of firecrackers, she didn’t bother trying to sleep anymore, just sat by the window, wrapped in a blanket, watching the fireworks explode outside, their colors bright and dazzling. She started reminiscing about her first meeting with Zhou Tianzui, their first conversation, sitting in the car together, the scent of disinfectant filling the air.

    She remembered Zhou Tianzui in her white coat, standing at the operating room door, she remembered interviewing her, she remembered Zhou Tianzui smiling at her, those unspoken moments, now sweet and bittersweet memories.

    Outside, Wu Xiulian called out, “Xu Xu, are you awake?”

    She had been sitting for too long, her legs and back numb. She stretched for a bit before going out. Opening the door, she saw Zhou Tianzui sitting on the sofa, she froze, wondering if she was dreaming.

    Wu Xiulian smiled, “Go wash up, Dr. Zhou’s having breakfast with us.”

    You Ruxu snapped back to reality and hurried to the bathroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, her hair disheveled, her clothes rumpled, she felt a little embarrassed. She quickly tidied herself up, even changing her clothes, before going out. Zhou Tianzui was sitting at the dining table. You Ruxu heard Wu Xiulian ask, “Your mother…”

    “My mom went out this morning.” Yu Qiao had been invited to Auntie Yang’s house, but she declined, saying she had something to do. Yu Qiao hadn’t asked what it was, just left quietly. Zhou Tianzui had watched her go, then after a long moment, went to You Ruxu’s apartment.

    She hadn’t slept all night, although she was wearing makeup, her exhaustion was evident. You Ruxu sat beside her, noticing a few gray strands at Zhou Tianzui’s temples. Her heart ached, her gaze lingering on Zhou Tianzui’s profile. Zhou Tianzui turned to her, “What’s wrong?”

    You Ruxu said, “Nothing.”

    Zhou Tianzui sat quietly. Wu Xiulian said, “You two eat, I’m going out to buy some things.”

    She deliberately gave them some space, knowing Zhou Tianzui had something to say. You Ruxu nodded.

    After Wu Xiulian left, You Ruxu put down her chopsticks. Zhou Tianzui looked over, “Not eating?”

    Before You Ruxu could speak, Zhou Tianzui said, “Break that habit of not eating properly.”

    Hearing her words, You Ruxu’s eyes teared up, she lowered her head, “Anything else?”

    Zhou Tianzui said, “Be careful at work.”

    You Ruxu said, “I know.”

    Zhou Tianzui said, “Eat your meals on time, and don’t be so picky.”

    You Ruxu looked down, her vision blurring, a lump forming in her throat, making it painful to swallow. She still managed to say, “You too, eat more, rest more.”

    From the corner of her eye, she saw the gray strands at Zhou Tianzui’s temples, the sight making her heart ache, a suffocating pain. She quickly looked away. Zhou Tianzui said, “I eat more than you.”

    “Do you?”

    “Let’s compare.”

    “Childish.”

    They chuckled softly, remembering their usual banter, Zhou Tianzui took a bite of her food, but couldn’t swallow, the taste lingering in her mouth. She took a sip of soup, chewing slowly, and finally swallowed.

    The living room was quiet.

    She put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and said to You Ruxu, “Give me your hand.”

    You Ruxu turned and extended her hand, “What is it?”

    Zhou Tianzui said, “A New Year’s gift.”

    You Ruxu’s hand was cold. She looked down; it was a key, to their apartment. You Ruxu’s lips twitched, a strained smile, “Are you moving out?”

    Zhou Tianzui said, “Yes, I’m going to live with my mom.”

    You Ruxu nodded, noticing the red string bracelet was gone from Zhou Tianzui’s wrist. She looked at her own wrist, still wearing the matching bracelet, her nose tingling slightly, “That’s good, you should spend more time with Auntie.”

    Zhou Tianzui said, “Then I’ll be going now.”

    “Zhou Tianzui.” You Ruxu suddenly called out, and Zhou Tianzui, about to stand up, stopped and looked at her.

    You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, “I want…”

    “Don’t.” Zhou Tianzui interrupted her, their eyes meeting, a flicker of sadness in Zhou Tianzui’s eyes as she smiled faintly, her expression not cold like yesterday, but calm and gentle, “Don’t wait for me.”

    You Ruxu’s throat tightened, she couldn’t even manage a single word.

  • The Saintess Has A Showdown 185-186

    Chapter 185: The Saintess Arrives

    –Water Heart Stage

    The Ranking Battle commenced, and as the participating factions of the Sea Region Alliance prepared to enter, the atmosphere within the arena buzzed with excitement and anticipation.

    It was rumored that the Jade Pot Palace hadn’t even managed to gather fifteen Dead Sea Stage members a week before the competition, scrambling to recruit from smaller, affiliated factions at the last minute.

    As defectors from the Wind Realm, they were viewed with suspicion and distrust by all the other factions, their single Nether Traverse Stage Spirit Master offering little protection.

    Moreover, those who chose to join the Jade Pot Palace after passing the subsidiary factions’ selections were generally considered… less than ideal.

    Top Tier: Winter Floating Sky.
    First Tier: Ice Shield Palace, Sea Concubine Palace, Cold Court.
    Second Tier: Tide Pavilion, Water Wish Pavilion.
    Third Tier: Jade Pot Palace, Snow Fairy Mansion, Azure Stream Palace.

    The higher one’s evaluation during the selection process, the more faction choices they had.

    Regarding the bottom three factions, there was a saying: “Join the Snow Fairy Mansion for pleasure, the Azure Stream Palace for shame, and the Jade Pot Palace for… well, let’s just say they’re not the sharpest tools in the shed.”

    The Jade Pot Palace, lacking connections, resources, and strength, still managed to attract a few… unusual individuals every year. This was the so-called “better to be the head of a maggot than the tail of a phoenix” mentality.

    (Though, technically, it should be “chicken,” not “maggot.”)

    “But I heard that last year’s top recruit joined the Jade Pot Palace…?” someone asked.

    “They must have been offered a hefty bribe. After all, even the top ten recruits who join the Winter Floating Sky have to start from scratch, and all the existing members are also former top recruits. The competition is fierce. If the Jade Pot Palace offered good enough terms, it would be understandable.”

    “Bribing the top recruit… they’re quite ambitious.”

    A few seconds later, the chatter died down, and the restless atmosphere calmed.

    Tens of millions of spectators… in a venue like this, for a performance or a show, it would have been impossible to achieve such silence, as there would be no hierarchy.

    But this was different. Like a teacher entering a classroom, or a CEO entering a meeting, the arrival of powerful Spirit Masters commanded respect and silence.

    The Sea Region Alliance factions began to enter.

    The Jade Pot Palace, led by a young woman in a silver robe, her short, gray hair reaching her shoulders, a single, vertical spike-like marking at the corner of her left eye.

    Unlike the nervous members behind her, the gray-haired woman’s Dead Sea Stage aura was solid and stable, clearly having been at this level for some time.

    She walked towards the center of the arena with an air of confidence and determination, showing no trace of shyness. This was the top recruit they had been discussing.

    The Lost Saintess of the Jade Pot Palace.

    Although her spirit energy was impressive, the other members behind her… their auras were so weak and chaotic, it made the audience cringe.

    How could their spirit energy be so unstable? It was as if they had just barely reached the Dead Sea Stage…

    A few seconds later, the Snow Fairy Mansion’s members also emerged, but their Pure Saintess was stopped at the entrance, causing a commotion, delaying their arrival by several minutes.

    Later, rumors spread that the Pure Saintess had attempted to enter the arena completely naked, hoping to transcend the limitations of shame, only to be stopped by the Winter Floating Sky Spirit Masters.

    Indecent, immoral, a disgrace.

    After a few minutes of struggling, the white-haired girl, now wearing a thin, barely-there skirt, finally emerged, glaring at the Winter Floating Sky Spirit Masters.

    If it weren’t for them, she would have ascended right there and then.

    The Pure Saintess of the Snow Fairy Mansion.

    The difference between the two factions was clear. Although the Saintesses themselves were comparable, the other fourteen Dead Sea Stage Spirit Masters from the Snow Fairy Mansion were far superior to those from the Jade Pot Palace.

    The Hateful Saintess of the Azure Stream Palace, a beautiful blue-haired woman in a strange, nun-like outfit, her appearance somewhat similar to the Six Concubines of the Sea Concubine Palace, clearly also from the water lineage.

    The water lineage was the oldest and most influential cultivation family in the Sea Region, its roots stretching back thousands of years. Many renowned Spirit Masters had come from this lineage, such as Shui Qinghou and Shui Qiu’e of the Six Concubines, Shui Yingge, the Water Emperor, the previous Palace Master of the Cold Court, the previous, previous, previous Palace Master of the Water Wish Pavilion, and even, further back, the Nether Empress’s teacher.

    As the fifteen members of the Azure Stream Palace entered, their combined spirit energy created a palpable pressure, especially for the rogue cultivators from smaller factions.

    They had initially looked down on the Spirit Masters from the Snow Fairy Mansion and the Jade Pot Palace, thinking the Sea Region Alliance was nothing special.

    However, starting with the Azure Stream Palace, the quality of the participating Spirit Masters had clearly increased significantly.

    Each Spirit Master radiated a solid, stable aura, clearly tempered through countless trials at the Dead Sea Stage.

    After the bottom three factions, it was the Tide Pavilion and the Water Wish Pavilion’s turn.

    The Fearful Saintess of the Tide Pavilion, her entire body wrapped in white bandages, resembling a mummy, her aura dark and unsettling, elicited boos and jeers the moment she appeared.

    It was said that the Fearful Saintess enjoyed bullying the weak, torturing her servants, and was generally considered a wicked person, her reputation within the Sea Region Alliance abysmal.

    Unfazed by the jeers, the Fearful Saintess’s expression remained unchanged, while the fourteen Spirit Masters behind her scowled.

    A moment later, the Water Wish Pavilion’s arrival silenced the crowd.

    Led by a beautiful, veiled woman, fifteen Spirit Masters from the Water Wish Pavilion entered the arena.

    The Blissful Saintess of the Water Wish Pavilion.

    Her mere presence evoked a sense of awe, a terrifying aura that seemed to devour everything around her.

    The Blissful Saintess’s spirit energy was as solid as a rock, clearly on a different level from the other Dead Sea Stage Spirit Masters.

    This woman… had definitely battled against Samsara Stage opponents!

    The Water Wish Pavilion and the Ice Shield Palace, both outer factions of the Sea Region, often sent their members to the Wind Valley for training. The Blissful Saintess had likely been battling high-ranking Spirit Masters since childhood.

    However…

    The Blissful Saintess clenched her fists, veins bulging on her forehead beneath her veil.

    She, who had always considered herself superior, felt a deep sense of shame and frustration. That day, traveling to the Wind Realm with the Sorrowful Saintess and the Wrathful Saintess, before they even reached the border, they had encountered that thing…

    Although she had survived, she had been terrified, fleeing back to the Sea Region.

    Half a month later, when news of the Sorrowful Saintess’s incredible feats reached her, she had immediately noticed the first line: [Subdued the Tyrant Demon Seed while passing through the Wind Valley.]

    The Sorrowful Saintess, capable of defeating even that monster… she wasn’t human…

    Recalling Gong Lianyue’s actions, she felt a wave of helplessness and despair.

    With a sense of foreboding, she looked towards the area where the Sea Concubine Palace would emerge.

    That woman… was about to arrive!!!

    Chapter 186: The Saintess Appears (2)

    Jade Pot Palace, the Lost Saintess.

    Snow Fairy Mansion, the Pure Saintess.

    Azure Stream Palace, the Hateful Saintess.

    Tide Pavilion, the Fearful Saintess.

    Water Wish Pavilion, the Blissful Saintess.

    The participating Spirit Masters from the first five lower and mid-tier factions had entered. As the higher-tier factions prepared to appear, the spectators held their breath, their expressions turning serious.

    Even the Spirit Masters from the Tide Pavilion and the Water Wish Pavilion radiated an aura far beyond the reach of these ordinary, smaller factions.

    Just what level of power did these top factions possess…?

    The Wrathful Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace.

    A long, dark green robe trailed behind her, a large, imposing character [Nether] embroidered on the front, and a mysterious number [03] on the back.

    Her arrival seemed to freeze time itself. Her long, flowing green hair, like willow branches, wrapped around her waist, as if it had never been cut.

    Her skin was pale, her face only moderately attractive, her figure thin and wiry.

    Strangely, a delicate, light green vine tattoo, like a creeping plant, covered her slender arms, extending to the hidden parts of her body.

    A powerful, almost overwhelming spirit energy, radiated from her, a violent aura that made the spectators’ scalps tingle.

    No one had ever seen Luo Kuxin like this. Even the members of the Ice Shield Palace were startled, unable to recognize her.

    Was this still the same playful, cute, and curvaceous girl next door?

    “Has she reached the half-step Samsara Stage!?”

    “Perhaps even a glimpse of the Wheel Shadow…”

    The Samsara Stage Spirit Masters in the audience, their faces grim, watched intently. This woman, so young, had already reached a realm they had spent decades cultivating towards.

    And not just Luo Kuxin herself, but all fifteen Ice Shield Palace Spirit Masters radiated a sharp, almost overwhelming aura.

    The Twelve Palaces of Ice, having tirelessly defended the Sea Region for centuries, battling day and night against the Wind Realm Spirit Masters in the Wind Valley, their combat experience far surpassed that of any other Sea Region faction.

    As expected, the Spirit Masters from the Cold Court, who entered next, were completely overshadowed.

    The Grieving Saintess of the Cold Court.

    A white-haired girl with squinted eyes, accompanied by fourteen other delicate-looking girls, entered the arena quietly, causing barely a ripple.

    Although she had known the lineup beforehand, the Grieving Saintess still couldn’t help but glance at the Ice Shield Palace delegation, her expression shocked.

    Twelve of the fifteen Ice Shield Palace Spirit Masters were former Saintess Candidates!

    The Ice Shield Palace, although recognized as the strongest fighting force in the Sea Region, was constantly ranked fourth or fifth because the Saintess Candidates of the Twelve Palaces constantly fought and sabotaged each other. Especially after the true Saintess was chosen, their feuds intensified, with only three or four candidates usually willing to participate in the Ranking Battle.

    But this Wrathful Saintess, Luo Kuxin, had actually united the other eleven candidates…?

    The Ice Shield Palace was constantly at war, its Spirit Masters a group of hot-headed women. How had she managed to quell their internal conflicts?

    At this rate, not even the Winter Floating Sky, perhaps not even the Pool of Hidden Secrets, could withstand them!

    The Grieving Saintess’s eye twitched. If she could change the participants, she would definitely forfeit the Final Battle.

    —

    It was now the Sea Concubine Palace’s turn to enter, but a commotion at their waiting area delayed their arrival.

    As the audience waited impatiently, the Winter Floating Sky, forced to abandon their planned grand entrance, entered the arena first.

    And under the watchful eyes of all, that woman appeared…

    Her skin and hair as white and delicate as freshly fallen snow, her features exquisite, her eyes dull and colorless.

    Like a creature abandoned by the heavens, her frail body bearing countless imperfections.

    Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—all five senses lost, living like a corpse, feeling nothing.

    Xue Beihan, the Desireless Saintess of the Winter Floating Sky.

    Unable to even feel her own heartbeat, unable to see the path before her, she walked naturally towards the center of the arena.

    Some speculated that the Desireless Saintess’s disabilities were a fabrication created by the Winter Floating Sky, a deliberate counter to the rumors about the Sorrowful Saintess’s six teardrop beauty marks.

    However, as Xue Beihan appeared, they realized one thing…

    This woman… wasn’t even a Spirit Master!

    She was still in her Awakening Period…

    Although the Ranking Battle rules limited participation to the Dead Sea Stage, this was only to prevent Samsara and Nether Traverse Stage Spirit Masters from competing. Sending someone of a lower level wasn’t forbidden, but no one would do so.

    The Winter Floating Sky had just made history.

    Xue Beihan possessed no spirit energy and couldn’t even sense the spirit energy of others. And yet, she had walked through the chaotic currents of the Dead Sea Stage Spirit Masters, reaching the center of the arena.

    As for the other members of the Winter Floating Sky’s team, they were… competent, but far from the level of the Ice Shield Palace’s terrifying lineup.

    After them, the Pool of Hidden Secrets’ entrance was… unremarkable, though their uniform black hair did draw some attention. They must be from the same family, their bloodline pure.

    The Pool of Hidden Secrets’ viewing area was also filled with black-haired girls, all looking identical, like generic NPCs.

    However, Hei Luelan, their leader, did make some uneasy, her aura powerful. She seemed to be at the half-step Samsara Stage. The moment she entered, she began a staring contest with the Wrathful Saintess, their clashing auras creating a violent turbulence that made it difficult to even open one’s eyes.

    After another ten minutes, the Sea Concubine Palace finally arrived.

    The first thing the audience saw was a pair of ice-blue, teardrop eyes, shimmering tears seemingly flowing down, freezing on her beautiful cheeks, forming strange, teardrop-shaped marks.

    Icy eyes, innate teardrop markings.

    Her long, sea-blue hair danced in the wind. She was so beautiful, she seemed more like a divine being than a human Spirit Master.

    At that moment, Hei Luelan, a single black teardrop on her forehead, stared in disbelief, her eyes wide, goosebumps rising on her skin, her scalp tingling, a chilling dread washing over her.

    The Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace.

    Her arrival silenced the entire arena, the atmosphere freezing.

    Those downcast eyes, those six perfectly arranged teardrop marks…

    Born in the Sea Region, such markings were a sign of divine favor.

    The legends… were true…

    The Sorrowful Saintess… blessed by a water deity…

  • The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated 511

    Chapter 511: A Domestic Dispute of Epic Proportions

    “—”

    A chilling air filled the silent tree house.

    It was killing intent.

    Real, tangible killing intent.

    Both Lid and Lucy emanated a dense killing intent, making even Millu, who had been sobbing, stop.

    “…Is she telling the truth?”

    Lid stared at Shien, its beastly eyes emotionless, as if looking at a piece of meat ready to be devoured.

    “I’d like to know as well.”

    Lucy also nodded, her movements gentle, her voice pleasant, but the killing intent emanating from her was even stronger than Lid’s, the ferocious Beast Demon.

    “Haha…”

    Shien laughed.

    What else could he do?

    Cry?

    He wanted to, but it seemed the people here weren’t going to give him the chance.

    Especially Airi, who, as if she hadn’t noticed anything, said directly,

    “Of course, it’s true.” Airi said calmly, “He even saw my chest. What do you think?”

    “Pfft!” Shien spat out blood.

    “Hoho…” The killing intent emanating from Lid and Lucy intensified.

    It was now tangible, like sharp knives, capable of shredding a person to pieces.

    Under this killing intent, Lilith and Millu looked at each other, seemingly not realizing what was happening, or not thinking anything was wrong.

    Lasha, however, for some reason, also emanated a chilling aura, just like Lid and Lucy, her gaze towards Shien colder than ever before.

    This made Shien shout,

    “You can’t possibly believe that!?”

    Shien wanted to say, how could such a clumsy lie fool anyone?

    They were all top figures in their respective races. Weren’t they smarter than that?

    However, before Shien could say this, Lucy spoke first.

    “I believe it.” Lucy looked at Shien disdainfully. “Because that’s definitely something a shameless person like you would do.”

    Shien’s past actions had finally come back to bite him.

    “I believe it too.” Lid said coldly, “After all, as far as I know, you two are almost always together, and I know this girl, she would never lie about something that didn’t happen. She’s not that shameless.”

    This time, Shien really wanted to vomit.

    But it had to be said that Lid’s words made sense.

    “Didn’t you sleep with me?”

    Airi stared intently at Shien.

    “…”

    Shien was speechless.

    He did remember using this girl as a body pillow and sleeping comfortably with her a few times.

    “Didn’t you see my chest?”

    Airi continued calmly.

    “…”

    Shien’s lips twitched.

    It seemed… he might have… probably… seen it…

    “Heh.”

    Lid and Lucy sneered simultaneously, like judges passing judgment, their killing intent surging.

    “Wait!”

    Shien had to defend himself.

    “Although I did sleep with this girl a few times, it wasn’t every day. She’s exaggerating!”

    Shien accused Airi.

    Although this girl wouldn’t lie about something that didn’t happen, she definitely had a talent for exaggerating things.

    Unfortunately, Lid and Lucy didn’t listen.

    “Even if it was just a few times, you still slept together, didn’t you?”

    Lid remained unmoved.

    “And you even saw her chest, right?”

    Lucy also stared at Shien, anger burning in her eyes.

    “It was just her chest!”

    Shien continued to defend himself desperately.

    He was certain that both Lid and Lucy had gotten the wrong idea.

    He had only seen what was hidden under Airi’s pillow, not seen through her clothes. Besides being shocked, he hadn’t enjoyed any eye candy at all!

    But hearing Shien’s words, Lid and Lucy’s thoughts went even further astray.

    “Just…?”

    Lid repeated.

    “And ‘just’…?”

    Lucy looked at Shien as if he was a beast.

    Even Lasha, who had been silent, spoke.

    “I know Mr. Shien is very thirsty.” Lasha dropped the final bomb with an impassive face. “Next time, I’ll try to improve and let Mr. Shien take care of his needs with me, instead of him even laying his hands on a child.”

    These words caused an explosion of killing intent.

    “…You even touched her?”

    Airi’s expression changed, and she also stared at Shien, her expression turning cold.

    Even Millu stared intently at him, as if someone important to her had been bullied.

    “Haha… hahaha…”

    Shien laughed again.

    His laughter was hollow.

    He knew that no matter how much he explained, it was useless.

    Countless cliché plots told him that in this situation, trying to reason with a group of angry women and clear up the misunderstanding was impossible.

    At this moment, they had transformed into the most unreasonable beings in the world, not listening to anything he said.

    “Fine!”

    Shien gave up.

    “Isn’t this just a death trap? Come on! Let’s see what you can do!”

    Shien abandoned his attempts to explain and drew the Holy Sword from his waist.

    Seeing this, the girls’ expressions changed again.

    “Interesting. Want to fight us?”

    Lid licked her fangs.

    “You actually dare to fight back?”

    Lucy was furious.

    “…”

    Airi didn’t say anything, but seeing Shien drawing his sword so decisively (or desperately), she slowly stood up.

    “Bad person!”

    Millu, perhaps not fully understanding the situation, also seemed to be targeting Shien, her face puffed up like a bun.

    Before Shien, a group of girls entered battle mode.

    This was undoubtedly a terrifying group of opponents.

    Three of the Six Demon Lords: the Dragon Demon, the Beast Demon, and the Ghost Demon.

    The Kingdom’s treasure, the inheritor of the Mitra Holy Sword, the human princess known as the modern Hero.

    Plus Lasha, who silently retreated to the side, not pleading for Shien, but watching coldly.

    Undoubtedly, this was the most formidable lineup Shien had ever faced.

    Shien was under immense pressure.

    Truly immense.

    He wasn’t confident he could defeat any of them individually, and now they were joining forces. How could the pressure not be immense?

    Including Lucy, Shien didn’t dare to underestimate any of them.

    This princess possessed the Mitra Holy Sword. Once it was unsealed, she would be at least at Aldia’s level.

    Moreover, this princess also had a hidden Unique Skill she had never revealed.

    Even facing Lucy alone, Shien felt like he would have to use all his means, let alone with three of the Six Demon Lords also present.

    Fortunately, Shien wasn’t completely without help.

    “Swish!”

    Lilith appeared before Shien in a flash, evil aura surging around her, emanating a terrifying presence.

    That presence made Airi, Lid, and Millu’s eyes narrow.

    “Lilith, stand down.”

    Airi said to Lilith in a deep voice.

    Lilith naturally wouldn’t back down.

    She didn’t know what was happening.

    She only knew that these people were planning to bully Shien.

    And anyone who planned to bully Shien was her enemy.

    Therefore, Lilith shook her head resolutely.

    “Lilith…”

    Shien was touched.

    As expected, his clingy little jacket was the best, he hadn’t doted on her for nothing.

    “Good girl, today we’ll fight against these unreasonable women together and show them that truth is justice!”

    Shien said these passionate words to the strongest evil goddess.

    “Mmm-hmm!”

    Lilith nodded obediently, ready to unleash her power as an evil god for the sake of so-called justice.

    Airi, Lid, Millu, and Lucy were all angry.

    “It seems you two need to be taught a lesson.”

    “It’s been years since anyone dared to provoke me like this.”

    “Bad people! Bad people!”

    “I don’t care anymore. I’ve endured enough. Today, I’ll let it all out!”

    Astonishing auras erupted from the three girls and the little beast.

    Instantly, the night sky above the Elven Homeland was filled with swirling winds and dark clouds, lightning and thunder gradually appearing.

    All the elves in the Elven Homeland were terrified by this and panicked.

    “Wh-what’s going on…!?”

    “S-such terrifying magic power!”

    In the Queen’s Palace, Leia and Nia, who were discussing matters, changed their expressions drastically and cried out in fear.

    “What… what are they doing?”

    Sophie was dumbfounded.

    With the power of the Queen’s Palace, she clearly sensed the source of everything and was shocked and bewildered.

    “Roar!”

    Even Yulin was startled and flew from the giant tree canopy towards the tree house.

    “This…”

    Even Melika, who was whispering with her elven childhood friend and sharing a bed with her, jumped up in a panic, looking at a loss.

    “What happened…!?”

    Carol, with the members of the Elven Corps, had appeared, looking at the turbulent sky with shock.

    Finally, even Nadue was anxious.

    “I… I just shifted my attention for a moment, trying to find the one behind the ritual in the Tegor Forest, how did it turn into such a big commotion!?”

    The great Goddess of Nature felt her vision darken.

    Seeing a terrifying disaster about to befall the Elven Homeland, even the entire Tegor Forest, Nadue was at a loss.

    “It can’t be helped.”

    Within the Elven Homeland, a dense natural magic power suddenly converged.

    “Hmm?”

    Shien and the others, who were about to fight, all sensed the abnormality, looked up, and let out sounds of surprise.

    “Th-this… this is…!?”

    All the elves in the Elven Homeland, sensing this anomaly, widened their eyes in excitement.

    Including Carol.

    Including Leia and Nia.

    And also Sophie.

    Airi and Lid exchanged glances.

    Shien and Lucy were both surprised.

    This sudden phenomenon attracted everyone’s attention.

    Until a clear, incredibly vibrant voice reached everyone’s ears.

    “Please, for my sake, show mercy.”

    When this voice rang out, all the elves in the Elven Homeland knelt on the ground.

    Even Sophie, the Elven Queen, and Melika, who was with her childhood friend, were the same.

    Their faces were filled with excitement.

    Their eyes were full of fanaticism and reverence.

    Without hesitation, all the elves chanted in unison,

    “We welcome the descent of the Goddess of Nature!”

    “We welcome the descent of the Goddess of Nature!”

    “We welcome the descent of the Goddess of Nature!”

    The loud and respectful voices echoed through the air.

    As for Shien and his group, they naturally looked up at the sky.

    “The Goddess of Nature?”

    Shien was still dumbfounded.

    What was going on now?

    A domestic dispute had attracted the descent of a top goddess of the Divine Race?

    “Lady Nadue…?”

    Lucy seemed to have calmed down.

    The same went for Airi, Lid, and Millu.

    “Nadue?” Lid said calmly, “So you’ve come to the human world?”

    “That one…” Airi muttered, “Sneaking into the human world again to peek?”

    Clearly, they were both used to the Goddess of Nature’s sudden appearances.

    Nadue naturally wouldn’t admit this.

    “No, I haven’t come to the human world yet. It’s just that something unusual happened in the Elven Homeland, so I sent my voice and will here through the connection between the Elven Race and myself.”

    Nadue said this without batting an eye.

    Since no one could see her, and no one knew her current situation, she naturally could say whatever she wanted.

    Otherwise, if she was really seen as a peeping Tom goddess, wouldn’t that damage her perfect image?

    Unacceptable!

    Nadue quickly changed the subject.

    “Although I don’t know what happened, you all possess astonishing power. If you fight here, the damage to the Elven Homeland would be devastating. Please calm down, okay?”

    Nadue’s pleasant voice did have an incredible power, soothing the rising anger in everyone’s hearts.

    Shien also breathed a sigh of relief.

    The situation wasn’t in his favor.

    This wasn’t just a group of ordinary women.

    Even excluding Lucy, the other three were Demon Lords.

    Half of the Six Demon Lords were here, and they were planning to teach him a lesson. Wasn’t that terrifying?

    Even though Shien didn’t intend to be bullied by these unreasonable women, facing these opponents, even with Lilith’s help, he was still a bit apprehensive.

    Therefore, Shien spoke first,

    “This has nothing to do with me. It’s all these unreasonable women, acting all tough and picking on a weak man like me.”

    Shien used his Unique Skill—[Shifting Blame].

    Airi, Lid, and Lucy almost lost their tempers again.

    This bastard, truly shameless.

    Who was acting tough?

    And was he a weak man?

    How dare he say that?

    Damn it!

  • Reborn to Stew Soup (GL) 123

    Chapter 123: Get Up and Shoot!

    Ji Junxin, having confessed her feelings despite her earlier resolve to remain just friends, had been prepared for rejection. To receive a warm response after taking such a risk, with such a low probability of success, it was like being pulled from hell to heaven. The emotional rollercoaster was indescribable.

    The most beautiful thing in the world was loving someone who also loved you.

    But… the most beautiful thing must be wanting to kiss someone who also wanted to kiss you.

    Ji Junxin thought this, turning over in bed. To avoid having her sleeping posture broadcast live, she had turned off the lights after showering. The room was dark, only the small indicator lights on the cameras flickering occasionally.

    They had confessed hurriedly and clumsily last night, to avoid being seen by the crew or the audience. Mi Hongdou’s earlier question, Ji Junxin also wanted to ask… When did you start liking me? How long ago?

    After “Imperial Secrets” wrapped, Ji Junxin had returned to Jiang City and spent a long time readjusting to living alone. It had been her usual life, yet after filming, she found it difficult to be alone again.

    The “long time ago” Mi Hongdou mentioned must have been before “Imperial Secrets” wrapped up. Ji Junxin felt a pang of regret. If she had known Mi Hongdou’s feelings then, she wouldn’t have had to endure that loneliness! She wouldn’t have even gone to Japan, she could have gone to Shudian with Mi Hongdou for “Divorce, So Be It 2”!

    Thinking about it now, that period of loneliness…

    Mi Hongdou must have also felt… unhappy…

    But it’s over now.

    In the darkness, Ji Junxin touched her lips under the covers.

    Their confession had been hurried and clumsy, but that limited time in the bathroom… hadn’t been wasted.

    The bathroom’s soundproofing is really good… Ji Junxin had told Mi Hongdou she was going to bed after showering, but after a long time, there was no sound from the bathroom, she wondered if Mi Hongdou was asleep.

    Well, good soundproofing is a good thing. In this remote, strange village, how could there be only one cockroach? Heh…

    Ji Junxin was destined for a sleepless night.

    Not just because of the unfamiliar environment and the cameras, but also because of… the events in the bathroom earlier.

    Yes, not remembering, but reliving.

    Mi Hongdou, showering, had no idea what Ji Junxin was… reliving…

    This shared bathroom, accessible from both bedrooms, is a terrible design. Why not just have us share a bedroom? Well, with both men and women in the cast, that wouldn’t be appropriate.

    But now, on the same team as Ji Junxin, Mi Hongdou found the shared bathroom… rather convenient.

    After making her bed, Mi Hongdou had been tidying up her room when Ji Junxin opened the bathroom door. That simple, light green, ancient-style pajama set looked really good on Ji Junxin.

    Mi Hongdou always felt that Ji Junxin looked good in ancient costumes, but the plain, single-colored team uniforms and pajamas, although cute… she still wanted to earn more coins and buy her more beautiful clothes!

    Well…

    Food first.

    As she showered, Mi Hongdou thought about working harder tomorrow, to earn coins for Ji Junxin, for a better life. Lost in her thoughts, her shower took a little longer.

    The viewers on the live stream had been buzzing since Ji Junxin pulled Mi Hongdou into the bathroom.

    From their efforts to crowdfund for the Team Change Card, to Ji Junxin’s tearful embrace, plus their earlier performance in “Imperial Secrets,” the chemistry between them was undeniable. The “Sweet Red Bean Soup” fan group was flooded with new members, no advertising needed. In just a few hours, the group, just a few months old, was now rivaling the three-year-old “LuYu” group.

    With the increasing number of viewers watching their live streams, when Ji Junxin pulled Mi Hongdou into the bathroom, the comments almost exploded.

    There were no cameras in the bathroom, and their microphones had been removed. The perceptive viewers sensed a moment of sweetness, a CP needs sugar! Sugar! Sugar! They demanded that the crew film them! Get up and shoot!

    Initially, a few rational fans had commented, They’re just dealing with a bug, do you really need to see it? Give us a break!

    But as they entered the bathroom, the cameras outside unable to capture anything, the rational fans also joined the chorus of “Get up and shoot!”

    Of course… the crew wasn’t asleep, but they couldn’t just barge into the bathroom.

    They could only endure the criticism.

    Fortunately, after a while, a sound, like a bug being squashed, came from the bathroom, and Mi Hongdou emerged.

    The viewers gradually calmed down.

    The crew, seeing Mi Hongdou calmly making her bed, were touched. She’s so professional.

    As the comments returned to normal, a few senior “LuYu” fans drifted into Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin’s comment sections, leaving a message: “Once you’ve chosen your CP, the world changes. – To our friends from Sweet Red Bean Soup, congratulations on your reconciliation.”

    At first, the new Mi Hongdou/Ji Junxin shippers didn’t understand.

    But they soon did!

    When Ji Junxin opened the bathroom door, wearing her pajamas, and appeared in Mi Hongdou’s bedroom, the CP fans frantically switched between the camera angles in Mi Hongdou’s room, searching for the perfect view.

    That look in their eyes… it was love! Wasn’t it! It was sugar! Sweet, sweet sugar!

    They finally understood the meaning of “Once you’ve chosen your CP, the world changes.”

    From now on, it’s a life of sugar and dog food, there’s no turning back…

    Even after Ji Junxin turned off the lights in her room, and Mi Hongdou also turned off the lights after showering, the cameras only showing darkness, many viewers still kept the live stream open, hoping for a late-night treat.

    Seeing the dark screens, the comments on Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin’s pages were filled with fantasies of them sneaking into each other’s rooms through the bathroom. The “LuYu” fans, observing, commented, new CP fans, such wild imaginations!

    The heartbroken “LuYu” fans went to bed, leaving the “Sweet Red Bean Soup” warriors battling the darkness!

    The night passed.

    No sugar.

    Dawn arrived.

    Those who stayed up all night were few. Fortunately, it was the first day of the National Day holiday, they could catch up on their sleep.

    When the filming schedule was first decided, many at Qiong Yu hadn’t understood Qiao Rubai’s insistence on starting on September 30th. Logically, if they wanted to air during the holiday, they should start on October 1st, when most people were off work, guaranteeing a larger audience. Or start earlier and end during the holiday, for a higher viewership for the finale.

    Qiao Rubai had said that starting on September 30th was perfect, people could cancel their travel plans and watch the show at home. Of course, she wouldn’t tell them the real reason: Yang Lianyi had also invested in “Reality Online,” and September 30th was her birthday.

    The Qiong Yu staff thought she was joking. Cancelling travel plans meant losses! And who would cancel a trip for a reality show that would eventually be broadcast on TV?

    Qiao Rubai, as always, had her way. And indeed, many viewers cancelled their travel plans and even bought new computers…

    The show’s popularity was within Qiao Rubai’s expectations, but a surprise to many. Anyway, the viewers were happy, no CP, no problem, we have sugar, we have dog food!

    Daily tasks started at 8 AM, team challenges at 9 AM.

    Mi Hongdou woke up around 7:30 AM.

    Ji Junxin had already had two meals of plain rice and pickled cucumbers the day before. Even without her saying anything, Mi Hongdou knew that she had reached her limit.

    Unfortunately… their combined game coins… equaled zero.

    Mi Hongdou regretted discarding the small bowl of chicken blood Jiang Lingling had collected while slaughtering the chicken, they had thought it was too little to make a dish. Now, thinking about it, it was still meat, what a waste!

    Mi Hongdou got up early and went straight to the chicken-feeding task. She thought she was the first to arrive, but Yu Naihao was already there, mixing chicken feed.

    Yu Naihao, who had always seemed immature and emotional, was surprisingly diligent.

    “Good morning, you’re early,” Mi Hongdou said, her surprise and approval evident. “Alone?” Such a hardworking person, being forced onto Jiang Duo’s team, how pitiful.

    Yu Naihao blushed slightly and, after a moment of hesitation, mumbled, “In our team, whoever earns the money, gets to use it.”

    Mi Hongdou was stunned.

    In broad daylight, on camera, such honesty!

    Before Mi Hongdou could recover, Yu Naihao continued hesitantly, “Your team isn’t like that too, right? Sister Ji worked so hard washing clothes yesterday, for the Team Change Card…”

    Mi Hongdou froze.

    Wait! That resentful and accusing look, what’s that about!

  • Malicious Female Lead’s Guide to Causing Trouble [Quick Transmigration] 62p1

    Chapter Sixty-Two p1

    Her clothes half-undone, the red dress alluring. Bo Chi posed seductively on the bed, thinking about how to seduce Yu Zhao later, when she suddenly realized that there were only a few wisps of yin energy left in her body. If she didn’t replenish it quickly, she might turn back into a ghost without a physical body in a few minutes!

    Bo Chi’s face paled in shock, and she immediately jumped out of bed, ignoring her exposed body, and wanted to run outside.

    Just as she reached the door and before she could open it, Yu Zhao pushed the door open and came in from outside, holding a basin of water in her hand.

    Seeing Bo Chi standing behind the door, wearing a thin and transparent dress that revealed the pattern of her dudou, Yu Zhao’s eyes instantly darkened a bit, she subconsciously licked her lips, then looked away, and said hoarsely: “There’s no need for Chi Niang to go this far, I’m not someone who is greedy for beauty, you—“

    Before she could finish speaking, Bo Chi lowered her head and tried to run out from under her arm.

    Yu Zhao’s movements were faster than her thoughts. She grabbed Bo Chi’s arm, pulled her back forcefully, and said angrily: “How can you run outside casually in this dress! What if someone sees you?!“

    Bo Chi was stunned, her little head filled with anxiety and guilt, and she suddenly realized something. She turned her head, grabbed the nearest gray robe, hurriedly wrapped it around herself, and said: “Let me borrow your clothes first, I’ll wash them and return them to you later.“

    Seeing her so anxious, Yu Zhao suppressed the various emotions in her heart, frowned, and said: “What’s wrong? Did you encounter something difficult to solve?“

    Bo Chi nodded like a pecking chicken: “Yes, yes, yes.“

    Yu Zhao’s expression turned serious, and she immediately said: “Then I’ll go with you to solve it.“

    Bo Chi’s eyes widened: “Huh? No, no, no, it’s not a big deal, I just want to go find Jin Xi… to play with Jin Xi!“

    Yu Zhao’s face gradually darkened, she pursed her lips and didn’t say anything. After a long time, she finally spoke, sour and jealous: “If I didn’t stop you, you would go find her in this red dress?“

    Bo Chi hurriedly shook her head and explained: “I was just too anxious, so I didn’t pay attention to this.“

    “Anxious about what?” Yu Zhao pressed relentlessly: “Anxious to go play with Jin Xi? Anxious to see if Jin Xi has woken up? Anxious to get close to Jin Xi?“

    Bo Chi opened her mouth, but before she could answer, a voice came from the door next door, asking weakly: “Well… I think I heard my name, are you talking about me?“

    Bo Chi’s eyes lit up, she pushed Yu Zhao away and ran towards Jin Xi, her beautiful face full of joy, in stark contrast to Yu Zhao, who was pushed away.

    Looking at Bo Chi, who was happily rushing towards her, and then at Yu Zhao, whose eyes were cold and staring at her as if she was staring at a dead person, Jin Xi’s face suddenly changed drastically, and she said in horror: “Don’t come over!“

    Of course, Bo Chi didn’t listen to her, and rushed over to give her a bear hug. After plucking a large amount of wool, she retracted her hand with satisfaction, and greeted: “Good morning.“

    Jin Xi said with a trembling voice: “Go, good morning… Good morning my ass! You and Master Yu are having a fight, why are you dragging me into this!“

    She was extremely frustrated. It was fine that she was forced to know that these two were having an affair, but why did she have to be the innocent middleman! She just wanted to hug their thighs!

    Bo Chi exclaimed, and said strangely: “What fight? Ah Zhao and I are on good terms.“

    As she spoke, she even turned around and smiled sweetly at Yu Zhao.

    Yu Zhao was silent for a moment, snorted coldly, entered the room, and closed the door with a bang.

    Bo Chi was confused: “What’s wrong with her?“

    Jin Xi: “…Probably angered by you.“

    Bo Chi didn’t believe that her wife would be so petty. She stepped forward and was about to knock on the door, but Jin Xi was afraid that she would say something inappropriate and she would be the one to take the blame, so she dragged her into her room and said: “We’re leaving today, and we don’t know if there will be a place to rest on the road. You should prepare more dry food and clothes, so we won’t run out when we need them.“

    Bo Chi said casually: “It’s okay, I don’t eat much.“

    Jin Xi chattered: “You don’t eat much, but your Master Yu Zhao eats a lot… And, how did you suddenly get together with Master Yu? And you’re even wearing Master Yu’s clothes everywhere, you said you were a decent person before!“

    Bo Chi coughed lightly: “Cough, it was an accident, little children shouldn’t ask too many questions… By the way, did you see anyone touch my and Yu Zhao’s bowls yesterday morning?“

    She couldn’t understand why such a perfect plan had failed, so she could only ask Jin Xi unwillingly, to see if the other party knew anything.

    A guilty look suddenly appeared in Jin Xi’s eyes, but she wouldn’t admit that she had switched the bowls just to eat the one with more porridge, so she said firmly: “I didn’t see it, I don’t know anything!“

    Bo Chi didn’t suspect anything, nodded, and continued to ponder this unsolved mystery.

    They stayed at the inn for a while, and after having breakfast, they left the city, carrying two bamboo baskets, and walked towards the capital.

    Yu Zhao silently followed them.

    She originally wanted to say goodbye today, stay away from the two of them, and leave alone.

    However, plans couldn’t keep up with changes. After having sex with Bo Chi half-willingly, she found that she could no longer be distant and restrained, and leave in time.

    Thinking that outside the city, there were bones everywhere, demons and ghosts rampant, and wild beasts running wild, she couldn’t let go of Bo Chi. If the other party disappeared from her sight for a while, she would couldn’t help but worry.

    The strong worry made her unable to say goodbye, and in the end, she still followed Bo Chi and set off together, and also made two plans in her heart – if the ghost came after her first, she would immediately separate from Bo Chi. If the ghost hadn’t appeared after they arrived in the capital, then she would settle Bo Chi down before leaving.

    Yu Zhao was meticulous and thoughtful, but Bo Chi didn’t know anything about this. Instead, she was thinking about other things – Always plucking wool from Jin Xi alone was both troublesome and not enough, she had to find a few more fat sheep, and take action on each of them!

    If it were a time of peace and prosperity, Bo Chi might not be able to find people on the road, especially women. But they happened to be in an era of corrupt government, rampant demons and ghosts, and people struggling to survive. Ordinary people were just trying to survive, and gender didn’t really matter.

    When she was in the city, Bo Chi not only went shopping and played around, but also carefully observed the surrounding environment, and found that many women chose to go out and do business. These people had to support their families, and naturally wouldn’t leave with Bo Chi. So it wasn’t until now, after leaving the city, that Bo Chi started to look around, her eyes burning as she searched for lone female figures.

    Her behavior was too obvious. Not only did Yu Zhao look at her a few more times, but even Jin Xi wiped her sweat, walked to her side, and wondered: “Chi Niang, what are you looking for?“

    Bo Chi said frankly: “Looking for girls.“

    Jin Xi: “???”

    These words… what was the difference between them and the words of a playboy visiting a brothel?

    And in this wilderness, where would there be girls??

    Jin Xi couldn’t understand what Bo Chi was thinking. She only knew… the gaze behind her was so sharp, the eyes staring at the top of their heads were so cold, and this killing intent seemed to be mixed with jealousy…

    In short, it was very dangerous!

    Jin Xi shivered, and quickly said: “Chi Niang, don’t joke, there are no girls in this remote place.“

    Bo Chi looked at her with a strange expression: “You think of white arms when you see short sleeves, I said I was looking for girls, and you think I’m looking for prostitutes.“

    Jin Xi was confused: “What do you mean? Didn’t you say you were looking for girls?“

    Bo Chi said with disgust: “You pervert, the girls I’m looking for are not that kind of girls, but – hey, yes, that kind of girl ahead!“

    She sharply noticed a thin and small woman lying on the path ahead, and immediately said excitedly: “Let’s go, let’s go pick up a fat sheep!“

    Jin Xi couldn’t understand her meaning even more, and could only follow in confusion.

    After taking two steps, Bo Chi was suddenly grabbed by the arm by the person behind her. She turned around in confusion: “What’s wrong?“

    Yu Zhao’s expression was not good, and her tone was also very fierce, but her words were full of care: “This person might be a demon in disguise. If you want to save her, hide behind me, and I’ll check first.“

    Bo Chi snapped out of her excitement of ‘catching a fat sheep’, and grabbed Yu Zhao’s sleeve with her backhand: “How can I let you stand in front alone? What if this is a trap, wouldn’t you be in danger?“

    Yu Zhao hummed, and deliberately said: “Then should we bypass her? Ignore her?“

    Bo Chi shook her head decisively: “No, no, we still have to save people.“

    After going back and forth, Yu Zhao finally showed an impatient look, pointed to Jin Xi, who was doing nothing, and said decisively: “Then she and I will scout ahead, and you follow behind, don’t run around.“

    Jin Xi, the onlooker: “???”

    No, why was she being blamed for something she didn’t do?

    She was just a weak woman with no power, and she also wanted to be properly protected!

    Jin Xi looked at Yu Zhao with pleading eyes, hoping that she would change her mind.

    However, Yu Zhao didn’t even look at her, pressed Bo Chi’s head and gave a few more cold instructions, and then strode towards the woman on the path.

    Jin Xi could only follow with a sad face.

    After coming to the woman’s side, Yu Zhao took out the spirit-seeking compass from her arms, lightly tapped it in four directions with her fingertips, and the pointer on the compass suddenly turned.

    Bo Chi peeked twice, and found that the pointer always slightly paused in her direction, so she hurriedly took some more yin energy from Jin Xi and wrapped her soul tightly.

    The pointer on the compass turned a few times, and finally returned to its starting point, indicating that there were no demons or ghosts within a few miles. Jin Xi breathed a sigh of relief, Bo Chi also breathed a sigh of relief, and Yu Zhao’s face remained unchanged. After putting away the compass, she drew her peach wood sword and suddenly attacked the woman.

    Just as the tip of the sword was about to pierce the woman’s forehead, the woman still remained motionless like a corpse. Yu Zhao finally stopped the sword at the critical moment, sheathed her sword, and said: “She’s just an ordinary refugee.“

    Bo Chi and Jin Xi’s worried hearts relaxed, and they quickly half-dragged and half-carried the woman to under a tree, feeding her some water and dry food.

    After a while, the woman woke up in a daze, chased after the food and ate almost greedily for a while, then calmed down, looked at Jin Xi in front of her, and said gratefully: “Thank you, young lady, for saving my life.“

    Jin Xi smiled, her voice rough and heroic, like a strong man: “You’re welcome!“

    Woman: “…”

    Looking at the woman’s expression of ‘Am I still not awake‘, Bo Chi suppressed a smile, and asked: “What’s your name, miss? Why are you alone in this wilderness?“

    The woman followed the voice and looked at Bo Chi and Yu Zhao, her eyes instantly showing a look of amazement, and then she said timidly: “This concubine is Liu Qinger. I was originally going to the capital with my master to escape the chaos. On the way, I couldn’t stand the bumps of the carriage, and vomited a few times. I also cherished the water and didn’t use it to bathe, so my master disliked Qinger, and kicked Qinger out of the carriage.“

    She smiled bitterly, and said softly: “This concubine didn’t have any food or water with me, and barely made it here before collapsing on the road, unable to go any further. If it weren’t for you, ladies… benefactors, this concubine probably wouldn’t have made it.“

    ——She still couldn’t figure out Jin Xi’s gender, and changed the word ‘young lady’ to ‘benefactor’.

  • A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 167

    Chapter 167: Turmoil in the Imperial Palace, The Princess Assassinated

    “I… must escape the imperial palace as soon as possible.”

    After a night of contemplation, Luo Xue came to this conclusion.

    All the clues indicated that she was just a stand-in for Princess Xue, and the real princess was hidden in the imperial study.

    And what were stand-ins usually used for…

    Usually, they were used as sacrifices!

    Coupled with Imperial Concubine Min’s current tragic situation, the Empress lurking in the shadows, and the Immortal Emperor whose attitude was still unclear…

    The imperial palace was like a bottomless vortex.

    Luo Xue, just standing outside and glancing in, felt suffocated.

    These powerful figures, playing their mind games, with Luo Xue’s shallow cultivation and limited experience, she was no match for them.

    They had lived for tens of thousands of years, she couldn’t play their game…

    So, if she couldn’t play, she would run!

    However, Luo Xue knew very well that as an important chess piece, a stand-in for Princess Xue, neither the Empress nor the Immortal Emperor would let her leave the imperial palace easily.

    To escape this bottomless vortex, Luo Xue needed a trump card.

    And now, the trump card was right before her.

    —The real Princess Xue.

    “Although I don’t know what illness she has, or why they’re using me as a stand-in, or why she’s hiding in the imperial study,” Luo Xue took a deep breath, “there’s no doubt that she is, at least to the Immortal Emperor, very important.”

    The imperial study was a very private place, not even the Immortal Emperor’s closest guards could approach.

    If not for her identity as a stand-in, Luo Xue wouldn’t be able to enter such a confidential place.

    And the real Princess Xue could freely enter and exit… This showed the Immortal Emperor’s true affection for her.

    “I finally have a reasonable explanation for the recent events, but it’s not enough.” Luo Xue’s eyes flickered. “If I want to leave the palace, the real Princess Xue… is the key.”

    And… she also had to cause some chaos in the imperial palace.

    As for how to cause chaos… Luo Xue had already thought of a plan. She had originally intended to use this after finding a Core Formation secret realm, to escape the palace.

    Luo Xue turned slightly and looked at the mirror beside her. This fragile and beautiful face didn’t match her temperament.

    “Senior Sister Li, I’m sorry, but I have to borrow your appearance…”

    Luo Xue took a deep breath, and her face began to change.

    Not Li Guijiao’s classic ghostly girl appearance, but Li Guijiao’s true face, that of a slightly melancholic, beautiful girl.

    With Luo Xue’s current divine ability talent and her experience with disguise techniques, her Thousand Faces Cultivation Art was now almost on par with Li Guijiao’s. Even those closest to her couldn’t tell the difference.

    This was a technique that truly changed one’s appearance with divine power. Even the most profound illusion-piercing techniques couldn’t see through it, unless they forcibly searched her soul.

    Luo Xue put on a black veil, quietly left her palace, walked along a pre-planned route, then quietly returned and undid the disguise.

    Finally, Luo Xue lay down on the bed, took out a dagger, and stabbed herself in the heart.

    “Ugh…”

    This feeling of being stabbed in the heart was indeed quite painful…

    Luo Xue collapsed on the bed, blood soaking the sheets.

    She had controlled her strength, putting herself in a near-death state, but not truly dead.

    The will of withering approached, but couldn’t reach her.

    Luo Xue didn’t completely lose consciousness. Only after hearing the panicked cries of the palace maids did she close her eyes, relieved.

    “The Imperial Daughter… assassinated…”

    “Find the assassin…”

    “Your Highness… Your Highness…”

    The last thing she heard was the etiquette official’s worried and panicked voice.

    …

    No one expected that Her Highness would be assassinated in her own palace.

    This was an extremely serious incident!

    His Majesty had just left for his southern tour, and an assassin had already bypassed the layers of security in the imperial palace and assassinated the little princess! The implications were terrifying.

    Several Sea Crossing Realm experts intervened, using their power to retrace the scene, and were even more shocked.

    The assassin was just a minor cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment…

    But the route seemed to be planned, bypassing several restricted areas, making the remaining traces intermittent and impossible to follow. They couldn’t determine where the assassin appeared or where they left.

    This incident caused panic among the palace guards.

    For a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator to calmly assassinate someone within the imperial palace and escape could only mean two things.

    First, the security of the imperial palace had decayed to the point where it couldn’t even stop a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    This was a serious dereliction of duty. If not for the intervention of several Sea Crossing Realm experts, and the fact that changing the guards at this critical juncture wasn’t practical, all the guards would have been exiled to the southern barbarian lands.

    Second…

    Such a familiar route, such a casual assassination, if the assassin wasn’t familiar with the imperial palace, it would have been impossible.

    In other words, there was an inside accomplice!

    The entire palace guard immediately launched an internal investigation and did find a few spies, but none knew anything about the assassination.

    However, putting aside these issues, the most pressing matter was the little princess’s injuries.

    After discovering the assassination attempt, the imperial physicians immediately rushed to the scene. After examination, the little princess’s injuries were almost fatal, but she was still alive.

    The dagger had completely pierced her heart, but it was slightly off, not instantly killing her.

    As long as she was still alive, no matter how serious the injuries, the imperial physicians could save her.

    The main problem was that the little princess hadn’t cultivated, her soul was weak, and she couldn’t withstand too much, otherwise, even if she died, they could still bring her back.

    After careful treatment, Luo Xue finally woke up, and the first thing she saw was the worried face of the etiquette official.

    “Your Highness, you’re finally awake…”

    The etiquette official breathed a sigh of relief, her worried heart calming down slightly, but then another wave of worry arose.

    All signs pointed to an inside accomplice.

    She recalled the Empress’s recent words. Could this so-called accomplice be… the Immortal Emperor?

    She hadn’t expected the Immortal Emperor to act so quickly…

    “Are… you worried about me?”

    Luo Xue looked at the worry and concern in the etiquette official’s eyes and blurted out.

    After the truth was revealed, she could tell that the etiquette official knew she was just a stand-in.

    A mere stand-in, was she really worth such worry?

    “Of course, Your Highness,” the etiquette official said,

    “If anything happened to Your Highness, this old servant would even give her life… This old servant is speaking nonsense. Your Highness is blessed and will naturally overcome this danger.”

    “…I hope so.”

    Luo Xue said softly.

    At this moment, she saw a resolute look in the etiquette official’s eyes. These words seemed to be her true feelings.

    But for a mere stand-in, was it worth it…

    “Madam, you can leave now. I want to rest for a while.” Luo Xue closed her eyes wearily. “Just have the maids bring in my meals…”

    This wasn’t an act. The dagger wound was real, and she was indeed near death. Only in this way could she avoid suspicion.

    And in everyone’s eyes, Luo Xue was a powerless mortal. No one would think that she had staged this herself.

    “Yes, Your Highness, please rest well.” The etiquette official stood up shakily and said in a low voice, “Don’t worry, I will definitely find the culprit for Your Highness.”

    Just a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even if it was an assassin sent by His Majesty, if she accidentally killed him during the capture… it shouldn’t be a serious crime, right?

    Luo Xue shivered slightly upon hearing this.

    The etiquette official’s words… sounded like she would kill the culprit once she found them.

    But Luo Xue was the culprit…

    Well, she was in disguise, and they couldn’t search her soul just with a retracing technique.

    Many important palaces couldn’t be subjected to retracing techniques, to prevent secrets from being leaked. Luo Xue knew this, which was why she could plan such a perfect escape route.

    She felt a bit sorry for Senior Sister Li. Luo Xue had her reasons for using her appearance.

    Firstly, Senior Sister Li was probably still in the nine provinces and four domains. Escaping the caged world wasn’t easy. Even the ancestors couldn’t break through before their deadlines, let alone Senior Sister Li, who was only at Spirit Condensation when Luo Xue left that world.

    Secondly, Luo Xue was more used to the ghostly girl appearance and would need it when she left the palace, so she couldn’t have it on the wanted notice.

    The most important reason was that the faces Luo Xue created herself were too poor and easily exposed as disguises.

    If her disguise was questioned, this seemingly flawless plan would unravel.

    Now it seemed that no one doubted the authenticity of the assassination attempt, nor the existence of the assassin. The first step of Luo Xue’s plan was successful.

    After the etiquette official, the imperial physicians, and the maids left, Luo Xue opened her eyes again.

    Almost instantly, her injuries completely healed.

    “Now, it’s time to prepare the room…”

    Luo Xue took out the formation runes she had prepared and began constructing the formation.

    The second step of her plan, the key to escaping the imperial palace.

    “Fortunately, I’ve already deciphered the Dao inscriptions on the exit token and constructed the formation these past few months. Otherwise, this would be quite troublesome…”

    Luo Xue muttered as she worked.

    The reason she didn’t directly use the exit formation was that under normal circumstances, it would be easily detected, and she wouldn’t be able to leave the Imperial Capital.

    The disappearance of an imperial daughter was even more serious than an assassination attempt… and once they started searching, her Thousand Faces Cultivation Art might be exposed.

    Only with a detailed plan could she successfully escape the imperial palace.

    However, after learning about the existence of the real Princess Xue, part of her plan had to be changed.

    It could even be said that with the real Princess Xue, Luo Xue’s plan could become even more perfect.

    After setting up everything in the room, Luo Xue took out her small storage pouch, filled it with the necessities she had prepared, tied it to her waist, and lay back down on the bed.

    “Now, I just have to wait… for dinner time.”

    …

    “Princess Xue… was assassinated?”

    The Empress was slightly stunned. It wasn’t the etiquette official who reported to her, but an ordinary maid.

    The Nangong clan had many spies within the imperial palace, and the Empress had received the news even before the imperial physicians arrived at the princess’s bedroom.

    “Yes, this is the recording of the retracing, please examine it, Your Majesty.”

    The kneeling maid respectfully presented a Dao inscription token, holding it above her head with both hands.

    The Empress reached out and touched it slightly, then after a moment, she chuckled.

    “Heh, so that’s how it is, how interesting…”

    The maid remained silent, her head lowered.

    “You may leave.”

    The Empress waved her hand, her eyes narrowed, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the blooming flower buds.

    “You should be thankful that Dugu Di is on his southern tour. Otherwise, with your little trick… you wouldn’t be able to fool him.”

    The image in the recording was of an unfamiliar girl, her behavior and movements completely different from Princess Xue’s. Even the Empress couldn’t find any flaws.

    But after watching the recording, the Empress knew that this was just a self-directed act.

    Because she controlled the entire imperial palace, even the spies within were known to her.

    More importantly, the Empress already knew that Luo Xue possessed peak Foundation Establishment cultivation, just concealed through some method.

    All of this allowed the Empress to instantly deduce the truth.

    However, what the Empress couldn’t understand was Luo Xue’s motive.

    “But it’s quite convenient. I was just planning to add some fuel to the fire in this boring imperial palace… This little girl has helped me. I’ll have to thank her when I have the chance.”

    The Empress played with her slender fingers, a bright smile on her lips.

    “Let Concubine Min and her daughter meet…”

    “What a pitiful child, but dying in her mother’s arms should be a happy ending.”

    The Empress couldn’t kill Concubine Min, because the Immortal Emperor had placed an unprecedented restriction on her, making it as difficult to harm her as facing the Immortal Emperor himself.

    Even Concubine Min couldn’t commit suicide. Her life was no longer her own.

    However…

    Killing someone didn’t necessarily require taking action.

    There was no greater sorrow than despair.

    Not long after, another commotion arose within the imperial palace.

    The Cold Palace… was on fire.

  • The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v2c68

    Chapter 68: Linna’s Little Secret, The Full Picture of the Past 

    Inside the room.

    A silver-haired girl in a Lolita dress, arms crossed, looked down at the two figures kneeling before her, one tall and one small. Her long, unbound white hair was adorned with various accessories.

    “Explain yourselves,” Luo Ling said, her voice as calm as ever, yet with a hint of an unspoken emotion.

    She hadn’t expected these two to secretly plot against her. Elsa was easy to understand; she often came to hug her.

    But Linna had kept her consciousness and memories sealed. Luo Ling couldn’t understand what the long-absent knight was thinking.

    So… what exactly was this “bad thing”?

    Luo Ling’s gaze turned subtle.

    “Wu…” Elsa lowered her head and mumbled, “I’m sorry, Sister White, it was all Sister Linna’s idea… It’s all Sister Linna’s fault! It’s all her fault!”

    “Heaven knows, Miss Luo Ling, I haven’t done anything yet,” Linna immediately raised her hands in surrender, an innocent expression on her face. “Your clothes, your hair, and everything else, it was all Elsa. I haven’t even touched a single strand of your hair.”

    “Lies, that’s a lie!” Elsa retorted, but realizing it was indeed true, quickly changed her tune. “If Miss Luo Ling hadn’t come back… you definitely would have! You would have done bad things…”

    “But, little Elsa, you have to admit… I haven’t actually done anything. Miss Luo Ling, please don’t look at me like I’m trash, I really haven’t.” The knight’s clear and sincere eyes made it easy to trust her, to believe in her integrity.

    “Whether you have or haven’t, I’ll know after I check.” Luo Ling stepped closer, raising her hand and placing it on Linna’s hair.

    Luo Ling’s expression was serious; she was clearly getting down to business.

    Out of respect, even though Linna had kept her memories sealed, only sharing them when necessary, Luo Ling hadn’t crossed that line to peek into Linna’s mind, nor had she asked any questions.

    But now, things were different. Linna had planned to do something to her that even Elsa considered “bad,” so Luo Ling had to be cautious. She had to ensure both her own and Linna’s safety.

    Linna’s memory block was practically nonexistent to Luo Ling. She could break through it at will.

    As she placed her hand on Linna’s hair, a look of panic finally appeared on the knight’s face.

    “Wait, Miss Luo Ling…”

    She realized what Luo Ling was about to do and even showed a hint of resistance.

    “So, you’ve been influenced or corrupted by the Godchosen in the Kingdoms during this time…”

    A sharp glint flashed in Luo Ling’s eyes. No matter what, she had to break through Linna’s memory block.

    “No, don’t—”

    Before Linna could finish her panicked words, Luo Ling had completely invaded her memories. All of Linna’s experiences, everything she had gone through during their separation, was completely revealed to Luo Ling.

    “……”

    Linna’s experiences in the Kingdoms were far from the carefree life she had described.

    Although she was a God’s Favored, she was alone and helpless in the unfamiliar Kingdoms. Even the Godchosen who brought her there hadn’t acted out of goodwill, but out of a desire for her Authority, wanting to use her for their own purposes.

    In the dangerous Kingdoms, relying on the abilities Luo Ling had given her and her own considerable strength, Linna had carved out a formidable reputation, but she had also suffered greatly.

    Although the body created by the Silent Demise Path was difficult to kill, the Godchosen possessed many strange and unpredictable methods, some even bearing the shadow of High-Order Grotesqueries. Linna had been in mortal danger several times, nearly facing complete annihilation.

    But… no matter how desperate or helpless the situation, Linna had persevered, because she was a knight with unwavering faith, a resilient warrior.

    And the knight’s faith… was a fleeting glimpse of silver.

    Luo Ling calmly observed the dazzling silver within Linna’s memories and instantly understood.

    Linna’s faith… was her, the White Witch.

    It was that small figure in the Incubation Barrier, clinging to a dying body, refusing to give up, desperately trying to save her.

    Linna had once fought for the future of humanity, but upon being reborn, the only thing she protected was this unforgettable silver.

    However…

    Luo Ling also saw more… hidden aspects within Linna’s memories.

    A tall, slender blonde woman, half-immersed in a steaming hot spring, her eyes slightly lowered, a seductive blush on her face, her mind completely occupied by the small, silver figure.

    In the hazy mist, she slightly moved her scarred, beautiful body, seemingly doing something, whispering, “Miss Luo Ling, my Miss Luo Ling…”

    Soft, melodious moans echoed. Luo Ling fell into a long silence.

    She now knew what Linna meant by “bad things.”

    How dangerous…

    On the bright side, at least the knight hadn’t been influenced or corrupted by other Godchosen.

    However…

    “No wonder she refused to open her memories to me. So that’s what it was.”

    The usually upright and rigid Linna was like this in private. Suddenly, Luo Ling understood why Linna had immediately assumed she and Odeletta were engaging in some special play when they first met.

    …Although it did look like it.

    “Next time I withdraw my consciousness, I should add a barrier to my main body,” Luo Ling thought, rubbing her forehead helplessly, then withdrawing from Linna’s memories.

    The knight, her face unusually flushed with embarrassment, didn’t dare raise her head, kneeling properly on the ground and saying, “I’m sorry, Miss Luo Ling, I was wrong.”

    She knew that everything she had tried to hide had been completely exposed to Miss Luo Ling, leaving nothing behind.

    Luo Ling didn’t speak, only moving her face closer to Linna.

    Elsa, sensing the unusual atmosphere, paused for a moment, then quickly said, “Actually, Sister Linna’s bad things… aren’t that bad…”

    Her voice was weak, and her face was flushed crimson.

    Ignoring Elsa’s plea, Luo Ling stared intently at the knight, whose gaze darted around nervously, and lifted her chin.

    “Look into my eyes, Linna.”

    Linna paused, seemingly surprised by Luo Ling’s action, a look of astonishment appearing on her face. Being so close to the silver-haired nun she longed for made her flustered, losing all the confidence she had during their secret plotting.

    A faint blush added a touch of charm to the knight. Linna and her mother, Fiona, were quite similar in appearance, but Linna possessed a battle-hardened aura, while Fiona exuded mature gentleness and consideration.

    The staring contest between the silver-haired girl and the knight didn’t last long. Just as Linna anxiously awaited the next move, Luo Ling suddenly released her hand and flicked her forehead sharply.

    Bonk!

    “Ow, that hurts…”

    Linna clutched her forehead, which was now sporting a bump, tears welling up in her eyes.

    “We’re even now, Linna. Don’t do it again,” Luo Ling said, massaging her slightly numb fingers, then added, “And don’t corrupt Elsa, she’s still young.”

    Luo Ling then turned and pinched Elsa’s cheek, her voice softening. “Don’t listen to your Sister Linna’s nonsense, she’s full of bad ideas. Be good.”

    “Ah… that’s right, that’s right, she’s full of them! Sister Linna always tries to corrupt me!”

    Hearing this, Elsa knew Miss Luo Ling wasn’t angry with her, her heart filled with warmth as she snuggled closer to Luo Ling as usual.

    But as the familiar gentle fragrance wafted over, Elsa suddenly remembered Linna’s words at the doorway, a different feeling arising in her heart.

    Especially as she saw Miss Luo Ling bending down, her slightly loose Lolita dress inadvertently revealing a glimpse of her fair shoulder, Elsa couldn’t help but swallow.

    “No, no, I can’t listen to Sister Linna…”

    Elsa quickly shook her head, suppressing the thoughts that surfaced in her mind, encouraging herself not to be influenced by the devil’s whispers.

    After this small incident, Luo Ling composed herself and asked, “Linna, how is Aunt Fiona these past few days? Has her condition worsened?”

    “No, she’s still the same, no change,” Linna shook her head. “Her vital signs are like she’s asleep. With the Puppet Ballad’s fungal threads providing nourishment, there’s no need to worry for now.”

    “I haven’t found any other solutions for now,” Luo Ling said after a moment of thought. “Although it’s good news that her condition hasn’t worsened, further delays might cause more problems… Tsk, I really don’t want to ask her.”

    “Her” naturally referred to the First Seat. Not only were her prices exorbitant, but every interaction with her left Luo Ling feeling slightly uncomfortable.

    Whether it was her overly enthusiastic attitude or her seductive words…

    “Forget it, it’s for Aunt Fiona.” Luo Ling sighed inwardly, then straightened up and said, “I’ll be away for a while, Linna. Watch over the situation in Victoria for me.”

    As a part of the White Witch, Linna naturally had access to the intelligence network and Alyssa, although she couldn’t use them as effectively as Luo Ling.

    But simply monitoring the situation wouldn’t be a problem.

    The main concern was the erratic flow of time in the Lost Kingdoms. Luo Ling was worried that too much time would pass in the real world while she was away.

    Leaving again?

    Hearing this, Elsa and Linna’s eyes lit up slightly. Linna quickly lowered her head and said, “No problem, Miss Luo Ling. You can leave without worry.”

    “…Don’t get any ideas, this time I’m leaving with my main body,” Luo Ling said, seeing through Linna’s mischievous thoughts.

    “Oh…”

    Linna and Elsa replied in unison, both sounding slightly disappointed.

    “Hmph.”

    Luo Ling snorted, quickly transforming into her Naraku form.

    The ill-fitting Lolita dress and hair accessories scattered on the floor, but before the two could see clearly, Miss Amethyst had already changed into suitable clothes.

    Their disappointment deepened.

    “Before I go to the First Seat, I’ll visit Twilight Victoria and see Miss Iris,” Luo Ling said, her expression turning serious. For some reason, after she experimented with the truth of the Immortality disaster in her Kingdom, Miss Iris had become somewhat cold towards her.

    However, Miss Iris was still very concerned about the past events of Twilight Victoria, as it concerned her ascension to godhood and saving her deity, Jingwei.

    Following the mark left by the Spider, Luo Ling’s figure gradually faded, leaving Linna and Elsa alone in the room, staring at each other.

    “I didn’t expect Miss Luo Ling to react like this after seeing my memories,” Linna said, a subtle smile appearing on her lips. “I thought she would be more resistant. So that means…”

    The reason she had kept her memories sealed wasn’t because of shyness, but because she was worried Luo Ling would be disgusted by her. Even encouraging little Elsa to approach the sleeping Luo Ling was a form of testing the waters.

    A woman’s cunning could be deeper than the ocean, even a knight’s.

    Only little Elsa was naive and easily fooled, jumping at the bait without hesitation.

    She was truly an easy target.

    “Sister Linna, what bad ideas are you thinking of again!” Elsa said, looking up at Linna with a serious expression. “I’m warning you, don’t do anything bad to Miss Luo Ling!”

    “Really?”

    Linna looked down at the red-haired little girl, who barely reached her armpits, her smile widening. “Haven’t you… ever thought about it?”

    “No, no, absolutely not!”

    Elsa said repeatedly, but her flustered expression and racing heart betrayed her. Her thoughts were written all over her face.

    “Haven’t you ever thought about…”

    As Linna spoke, Elsa started yelling and covering her ears, chanting like a mantra, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening, lalala, I’m not looking, I’m not looking, lalala…”

    Despite her words, Linna clearly saw that Elsa was only covering one ear, and she was even unconsciously moving closer to her.

    “If you really don’t want to listen, I won’t say anything…”

    “Not listening… not listening…”

    “I really won’t say anything.”

    “……”

    “Hehe… little Elsa is so easy to read.”

    “…Not listening!”

    Light, cheerful laughter and the girl’s frustrated grumbling filled the small room.

    ………

    The pale yellow sun hung low on the horizon, its fading light casting a melancholic glow over Victoria. This was a place of despair shrouded by the Immortality disaster, the Kingdom, Twilight Victoria.

    After a ripple of distortion in the air, a tall, grey figure appeared. But before she could even land, a small, elderly woman rushed over, shouting,

    “Don’t move!”

    “Miss Iris, it’s Amethyst,” Luo Ling said, turning around helplessly.

    “Precisely because it’s Miss Amethyst… Don’t move!” The old woman’s wrinkled face couldn’t hide her anxiety. At the same time, she seemed to be manipulating something within the Kingdom.

    …Probably the sapling, and her deity, Jingwei.

    Luo Ling was speechless. She had said she wouldn’t do it again, and she always kept her word. When had she ever lied?

    Even if she had, it was definitely because the other party was in the wrong first.

    Luo Ling considered herself a person of integrity. Miss Iris’s anxiety was completely unnecessary.

    After a while, Iris finally finished her preparations, wiping the sweat from her forehead and sighing in relief. “Alright, you can move now.”

    “Iris, you’re not disguised,” Luo Ling kindly reminded.

    “Ahh!”

    Iris, seeing her wrinkled arm, yelped and quickly summoned a mystical aura, enveloping herself completely.

    “But if you ask me, Iris, your disguise is unnecessary. In Twilight Victoria, you’re an old woman anyway. No one can see your original appearance,” Luo Ling added.

    “…Mind your own business.”

    Iris said grumpily. Amethyst’s words were sometimes really annoying. Which girl didn’t love beauty? Becoming an old woman was unsightly.

    If it weren’t for this Kingdom sustaining Lord Jingwei’s life, she would have sold it long ago and found another Kingdom.

    Dangerous, aging, unsightly, and… and with a giant hole created by Amethyst.

    Thinking about this made Iris furious, her gaze towards Luo Ling turning hostile.

    “How are things progressing?” Luo Ling asked.

    Mentioning business slightly improved Iris’s attitude. After a moment of silence, she said, “It’s now confirmed that the Company triggered Guixu’s Immortality disaster. Multiple traces in the city prove this.”

    “Not surprising,” Luo Ling nodded slightly.

    She had suspected this before, but she couldn’t be completely certain.

    “However… the Company didn’t trigger this disaster intentionally. The arrival of the Immortality disaster was the last thing they wanted.”

    Iris paused, her voice turning heavy. “Their objective… seems to be… to summon the true Guixu.

    “The tenth Taboo in the Sequence, Guixu of Silent Demise, the embodiment of Immortality.”