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  • The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 91

    Chapter 91: I Love Slacking Off

    Tao Ning nodded. “It’s beautiful.”

    Callista became even more smug, swimming closer to the edge: “It’s just a scale. I have even more beautiful things. Do you want to see them?”

    Seemingly intrigued, Tao Ning put down what she was doing and walked over: “What is it?”

    Callista extended her arm, opening her palm towards Tao Ning. In her palm lay a shimmering gemstone, even more dazzling than the shed scale.

    Tao Ning had to admit, the first glance made her eyes sparkle.

    She had thought this Mermaid leader came ashore with nothing, but she had quite a few valuable possessions.

    Especially the gemstone in her hand. If it were put up for auction in the First Star System, it would fetch a sky-high price, enough to settle down in the central district and live a life of luxury.

    She had underestimated this wealthy Mermaid.

    Callista raised her hand slightly: “This is even more beautiful than the scale. Since you like it so much, I’ll give this to you too.”

    Tao Ning only touched it lightly with her finger before retracting her hand: “That’s not appropriate.”

    Callista: “What’s not appropriate? I have many of these. This is just one of them.”

    What Callista didn’t say was that she indeed had many such gems, practically filling her nest, using them as a bed.

    But this was her favorite, the one she had kept the longest, so precious that she brought it with her even when venturing out.

    She had been a bit reluctant, but seeing Tao Ning’s attitude, Callista’s stubbornness surfaced.

    She wouldn’t allow anyone to refuse her. Callista said, “You can’t refuse my gift.”

    Tao Ning hesitated: “But…among humans, giving precious gifts is a way of expressing love.”

    Callista’s expression went blank: “…” What are you talking about?

    Tao Ning continued: “For example, we give rings when proposing, as a token of love, to bind our fates together for life.”

    520 silently complained: [There’s no such rule! You’re just taking advantage of the Mermaid’s lack of internet access and tricking her.]

    It didn’t dare say it out loud, only to itself.

    Callista’s expression remained blank.

    Tao Ning said with a solemn expression, “If that’s the case, then my answer is yes.”

    As she said that, she reached out to take the gem, but the open palm retreated slightly.

    Tao Ning’s outstretched hand paused. She looked up at Callista, her beautiful eyes full of confusion: “What’s wrong?”

    Callista: “…” How could she refuse such a look?

    But Mermaids never broke their promises. She would eventually return to the ocean; land wasn’t a place for her to stay permanently. No matter what she did, it seemed to put her in a difficult position.

    But the clever leader, Callista, wouldn’t fall for this trick. Frowning in thought for a long time, she muttered softly, “You humans have so many rules.”

    Tao Ning: “What did you say?”

    Callista’s expression turned serious: “Then don’t take it that way, consider it an ordinary gift.”

    As she said that, she reached out and grabbed Tao Ning’s wrist, placing the gemstone in her hand, avoiding the trouble of back-and-forth refusal.

    A mere scale was nothing; she wouldn’t give such a shabby gift.

    Tao Ning looked reluctant: “But we’re not related, and you’re giving me such a valuable gift. I feel unworthy.”

    Judging by her expression, if Callista couldn’t come up with a convincing reason, the gift would be returned.

    The dignified Mermaid leader, accustomed to having her every command obeyed, whose every gift was a blessing, how could she accept having it returned?

    Callista: “…” What to do?

    Callista, her thoughts derailed, furrowed her brows, thinking hard. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and she slapped the edge of the pool, exclaiming, “You tricked me!”

    520 was startled, thinking the host’s lies had been exposed.

    Tao Ning looked surprised: “How did I trick you?”

    Her face was full of confusion, as if she genuinely didn’t understand what was happening.

    Callista’s tail swished irritably in the water: “Why does everyone call you Zang Yuzhu, but you told me your name is Tao Ning?”

    Tao Ning: “Because they’re both my names. Only you know the latter, and only you can call me that.”

    The Mermaid, who was about to explode, calmed down instantly. She blinked and asked, “Only I can call you that name, no one else?”

    Tao Ning said innocently, “Of course, have you seen me tell anyone else?”

    Callista felt something was off: “Why do you have two names?”

    The Mermaid was only occasionally slow-witted; most of the time, she was quite sharp. She wanted to see what explanation Tao Ning would give.

    Tao Ning offered proof: “You also have two names, Callista and Lita. They’re both your names.”

    Callista: “…” That seems to be true.

    Tao Ning nodded in agreement: “Right? You think so too, don’t you?”

    520 shook its head silently: [See, no wonder they’re a match, two hopeless romantics.]

    Having resolved the name issue, Tao Ning served Callista her first meal of the day. When lunchtime arrived, Tao Ning, refusing to eat nutrient solution, went to the cafeteria.

    Today, Tao Ning wasn’t wearing a high-collared shirt, just a simple top, revealing her long, slender, and pale neck, simple yet elegant.

    Therefore, almost everyone who saw her noticed the scale necklace, perfectly placed at the base of her throat.

    It actually looked quite nice.

    Although everyone avoided Zang Yuzhu, considering her a burdensome flower vase, she honestly lived up to the term “flower vase.”

    Many believed that God had opened a door for her but closed a window, giving her beauty and a terrible personality.

    A classmate passing by glanced at her neck and asked curiously, “Zang Yuzhu, your necklace is so unique, where did you buy it? I want one too.”

    Tao Ning touched the scale with her fingertip, warming it slightly, and smiled: “Someone gave it to me, I didn’t buy it.”

    The classmate looked disappointed: “Oh, well, I didn’t think it was something you could buy in stores.”

    Zang Yuzhu, after recovering from her serious injury, was like a polished gem, even more eye-catching. Many people looked her way.

    That gentle smile captivated quite a few people.

    Including An He, who was about to invite Zang Yuzhu to lunch, but someone beat her to it.

    That person was Song Fangzhou.

    “I thought… where is she?” Tina, who had been talking to her, turned around and found her gone. She looked up and called out to the figure ahead, “Where are you going?”

    Song Fangzhou walked a bit too quickly. She wanted to grab the shoulder of the person in front, but she suddenly remembered what happened the last time Tina grabbed Zang Yuzhu’s shoulder.

    Tina had said it hurt for days, although there were no visible bruises. She quickly retracted her hand.

    Tao Ning turned around before she could touch her, looking at her quizzically: “Something wrong?”

    Song Fangzhou pretended nothing happened, putting her hands behind her back, glancing at Tao Ning’s neck, and asking awkwardly, “What’s that?”

    Tao Ning answered truthfully, “It’s a scale the Mermaid gave me.”

    The Mermaid gave it to her?

    Looking closely at the color, it was indeed the color of a Mermaid’s tail, a clear, icy blue.

    But why would the Mermaid give her something? And why did she smile so…beautifully when asked about the scale?

    Song Fangzhou: “Didn’t the Mermaid make you slip into the water and get a fever last time? She’s still giving you gifts?”

    Not only did she give her gifts, but quite a few.

    But Tao Ning didn’t think it was necessary to tell her, just smiling and getting in line for food.

    Song Fangzhou stopped her: “You haven’t answered my question.”

    Tao Ning said, “She wanted to give it to me, is there something wrong with that?”

    For some reason, Song Fangzhou felt uncomfortable looking at the scale and reached out to touch it.

    Tao Ning quickly took a step back, making Song Fangzhou miss.

    Song Fangzhou felt annoyed, but being young, she pretended not to care: “It’s just a scale, is it really that precious to you?”

    Tao Ning started to regret not eating at a different time. She said, “Anything I like is precious to me, even if it’s just a rock.”

    Song Fangzhou was slightly taken aback: “…”

    Standing close, she could clearly see Zang Yuzhu’s expression and didn’t miss the fleeting gentleness in her eyes.

    It felt as if something was ending before it even began.

    Song Fangzhou, proud and competitive, instinctively felt she should say something to salvage the situation.

    Song Fangzhou said dismissively, “It seems the Gu family didn’t raise you well, treasuring a mere scale like this. My uncle’s auction house will be opening after we land. I’ll give you an invitation, so you can broaden your horizons.”

    The words were out before she could stop herself, and Song Fangzhou immediately regretted them.

    Tao Ning: “We’ll talk about it then.”

    With that, she turned and left, not giving Song Fangzhou another chance to speak.

    There was nothing left for her here. It was better to go back and enjoy Lita’s apples.

    Song Fangzhou instinctively wanted to say something to salvage the situation, but she couldn’t think of anything appropriate, only watching as Tao Ning left.

    Tina walked over, nudging her with her shoulder: “Hey, snap out of it. What did you say to her? Why do you look so dejected?”

    Song Fangzhou: “…Nothing.”

    Not far away, An He turned her back, carrying her tray and silently walking past.

    She couldn’t let Song Fangzhou see her, afraid that the smile on her face would betray her.

    520 was stunned by this sudden turn of events, taking a while to process it.

    No way, could this also be…?

    Remembering Tao Ning’s words, 520 exclaimed: [Zang Yuzhu, you’re a heartbreaker!]

    This time, however, 520 was wrong. The heartbreaker wasn’t Zang Yuzhu.

    The Mermaid’s pool was usually cleaned and refilled every two days, and today was the day. The operation wasn’t difficult; they just needed to get the Mermaid out, and the central control center would handle the rest.

    But getting the Mermaid out was usually a difficult task. They couldn’t communicate, and draining the water abruptly would frighten her.

    With Zang Yuzhu, who could communicate with the Mermaid, things became much easier.

    Callista was in a good mood today, resting her chin on her hands. Seeing Tao Ning approach, she asked, “Why haven’t you worn the gemstone I gave you?”

    She thought the color of the gemstone suited Tao Ning, a deep blue like the ocean, mysterious and profound. She had carried it with her, hidden among her scales, often taking it out to admire.

    And such a color would look frivolous on a young person, or be overshadowed by the gem’s brilliance, due to their lack of experience.

    Perhaps Tao Ning would be an exception.

    With this thought, Callista was looking forward to seeing Tao Ning wearing it, but after she went out and came back, she was still only wearing the scale necklace.

    Tao Ning didn’t know the Mermaid’s complicated thoughts. She said truthfully, “The gift you gave me is too precious and would be seen by many people. I want to admire it in private for a while.”

    So it wasn’t that she didn’t want to wear it. Callista nodded generously: “Alright, then you must keep it safe.”

    “Of course I will,” Tao Ning walked over and extended her hand towards Callista, “Come on, it’s time to change the water.”

    Callista placed her hand in Tao Ning’s and sat on the edge of the pool, saying, “I don’t want to stay in the small tank you prepared. It’s too small, I can’t stretch my tail.”

    Tao Ning knew she had another idea and asked, “Then where do you want to stay? Just sitting by the edge might not work, as the pool needs to be cleaned.”

    Callista’s eyes fixed on the lounge chair Tao Ning had brought. She said, “I want to stay there.”

    She had been eyeing it since yesterday, finally finding the opportunity to ask.

    Raising her long arms, the stunning Mermaid said, “Carry me over there.”

  • You’re Not Allowed to Kiss Me Anymore! [Quick Transmigration] 61p1

    Chapter 61 p1

    “Lick it.”

    Xin Yao sat on the bathroom counter, her head slightly bowed, her long eyelashes fluttering like broken butterfly wings in the soft light.

    She looked at Xu Jingyu’s finger, pale and slender like a piece of jade, held just inches from her lips. After a long moment of hesitation, she parted her lips, her tongue darting out to lick the offered digit.

    Xu Jingyu’s breath hitched, her eyes darkening as she reached out with her other hand, her touch seemingly gentle, yet possessive, as she caressed the back of Xin Yao’s neck.

    After a long moment, Xin Yao withdrew her tongue, her gaze falling on Xu Jingyu’s finger, now glistening with moisture, then quickly looked away, embarrassed.

    She looked up at Xu Jingyu, her eyes soft and pleading, a hint of vulnerability in their depths.

    Normally, Xu Jingyu wouldn’t be able to resist such a look, her desire for Xin Yao too strong to ignore.

    But this time, she didn’t move.

    She withdrew her hand, her fingers gently gripping Xin Yao’s waist, then turned her around so that she was facing the mirror.

    Even on the verge of losing control, she still cared about Xin Yao’s comfort, her actions a testament to her love.

    She turned up the heat in the bathroom, then took off her own clothes and placed them beneath Xin Yao, afraid she would be cold.

    Xin Yao had been sitting on the counter with her back to the mirror, the wide surface more than enough space for her to recline.

    Now, turned around by Xu Jingyu, she could see her own reflection in the mirror, and Xu Jingyu’s figure standing behind her, her presence a silent, looming threat.

    It was the same mirror she looked into every day, the same familiar reflection, yet the scene, the two of them in the brightly lit bathroom, Xu Jingyu’s gaze intense and possessive, made Xin Yao’s heart race.

    And then she realized what Xu Jingyu was planning, a wave of panic and shame washing over her as she tried to escape.

    “Xu Jingyu,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, “don’t do this.”

    Xu Jingyu’s arms wrapped around Xin Yao, her embrace seemingly gentle, yet her body a cage, holding Xin Yao captive.

    Her fingers, still glistening from Xin Yao’s touch, tilted Xin Yao’s chin up, forcing her to look at their reflection in the mirror, their bodies intertwined.

    “Yaoyao, what did you just say?”

    Xin Yao’s back pressed against Xu Jingyu’s chest, the warmth of her body, the steady beat of her heart, a stark contrast to the cold, hard surface of the counter beneath her, her lips trembling as she repeated the words.

    “I love you.”

    She knew that if Xu Jingyu had called out someone else’s name during an intimate moment, she would have been hurt and angry.

    And even though Xu Jingyu was Pei Yu, she didn’t remember, and for now, she was a different person.

    Xin Yao, filled with guilt and regret, wanting to appease Xu Jingyu, to calm her down, surrendered, biting her lip to stifle a cry, her body still.

    Xu Jingyu’s fingers held her chin captive as she watched their reflection in the mirror, her own image slowly being consumed by Xu Jingyu’s passion, her lips reddening under Xu Jingyu’s touch, blooming like a flower.

    The overwhelming shame, the humiliation of being watched, made her cry, her body trembling, her tears blurring her vision.

    She felt like she was being lifted into the clouds, then plummeting back to earth, her senses overwhelmed.

    Water splashed against the mirror, distorting their reflection, then trickled down the smooth surface, dripping onto the floor.

    Xin Yao’s body went limp, her tears falling silently.

    Even now, Xu Jingyu wouldn’t let her go.

    She leaned closer, her face next to Xin Yao’s, forcing her to look at their reflection.

    “Yaoyao, look. Who loves you now?”

    Xin Yao, after a long moment, finally spoke, her voice choked with sobs.

    “You.”

    “Who am I?”

    “Xu Jingyu.”

    “Yes,” Xu Jingyu turned her head, capturing Xin Yao’s lips in a tender kiss, her voice a husky whisper. “Say my name. Tell me you love me, Yaoyao.”

    Xin Yao, her voice trembling, her words forced from her lips, repeated, “I love you. I love you, Xu Jingyu.”

    Was she lying?

    Xu Jingyu didn’t know. She couldn’t tell.

    But it didn’t matter.

    Even if it was a lie, she would take it.

    Even if she had to force it, she would keep Xin Yao by her side.

    She kissed Xin Yao softly, her eyes filled with a desperate, possessive love.

    “I love you too.”

    It wasn’t just a casual phrase. It was the truth, torn from her heart.

    Xin Yao had always known about Xu Jingyu’s possessive nature, her tendency towards obsessive behavior, the darkness lurking beneath her calm exterior.

    And tonight, that darkness had surfaced, her control slipping.

    From the moment she had entered the bathroom, seeing Xin Yao’s reaction, hearing her cry out Pei Yu’s name, she had been on the verge of losing control.

    Xin Yao hadn’t known how to explain.

    She couldn’t reveal the existence of the system, or her connection to the original owner. And claiming to be Pei Yu from a past life would only make Xu Jingyu think she was crazy.

    So, she had frozen, her lips parting, but no words coming out.

    Xu Jingyu, standing there, her gaze fixed on Xin Yao’s face, a flicker of sadness in her eyes, had asked, “Yaoyao, why aren’t you saying anything? Even a lie would be better than this silence.”

    Xin Yao, seeing the pain in Xu Jingyu’s eyes, regretted her careless words, regretted not having bought the premium version of the illusion, which would have spared her this heartache.

    “I…” she murmured, “I just… said the wrong name.”

    It was the truth. She hadn’t been lying.

    Pei.

    Xu.

    Pei Yu.

    Xu Jingyu.

    Two syllables, three syllables. A simple slip of the tongue?

    Xu Jingyu looked at her, then chuckled softly.

    “Okay.”

    She would believe her.

    “Then,” she continued after a moment, “are we that similar? Do we look alike? Or are our personalities similar? Or is it just because our names both have the character ‘Yu’?”

    Am I just a substitute for Pei Yu?

    From the moment they had met, during the audition for “Unseen Spring,” Xu Jingyu had sensed a distance in Xin Yao’s eyes, as if she were looking at someone else.

    And now, it seemed her intuition had been correct.

    Xin Yao, during their scenes together, had been thinking of Pei Yu, her attention divided, her gaze not truly focused on Xu Jingyu.

    That’s why she hadn’t recognized her immediately.

    And now, the realization, the sudden awareness of Xin Yao’s divided affections, was a thorn in Xu Jingyu’s heart.

    Xin Yao, seeing the pain in her eyes, realizing that Xu Jingyu thought she was a replacement for Pei Yu, was horrified.

    “That’s not true!” she exclaimed, eager to correct the misunderstanding.

    But she didn’t know where to begin, and there wasn’t time for a long explanation.

    So, she looked into Xu Jingyu’s eyes, her voice firm and unwavering.

    “I love you.”

    “I’ve only ever loved you. No one else.”

    Her words seemed to calm Xu Jingyu slightly, her gaze softening as she stepped closer.

    “Then prove it to me, Yaoyao.”

    Xin Yao, of course, wouldn’t refuse.

    “How?”

    Xu Jingyu’s eyes darkened, her fingertip tracing Xin Yao’s lips.

    “Lick it, Yaoyao.”

    “Then make love to me here, and tell me you love me.”

    And so, Xin Yao, her body a canvas for Xu Jingyu’s desires, her voice a soft whisper in the darkness, confessed her love, her words both a truth and a lie, a desperate attempt to appease the woman she loved, the woman who was slowly losing herself to her own demons.

    The next day, she could barely walk.

    And their lovemaking hadn’t resolved the underlying issue. In fact, Xu Jingyu’s behavior had become even more erratic, her insecurity growing with each passing day.

    The woman who had always craved security, now feeling the sting of Xin Yao’s past love, her mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions, was on the verge of a breakdown.

    Like a character in a drama, Xu Jingyu was about to turn dark.

    Xin Yao had tried to explain, saying that she had been crying over Li Xu’s photo because she had been feeling sorry for herself, that calling out Pei Yu’s name had been a simple slip of the tongue.

    She had repeatedly reassured Xu Jingyu of her love, her words sincere and heartfelt.

    And Xu Jingyu believed her.

    After all, Xin Yao had no reason to lie. If she didn’t love her, she would simply leave.

    In their relationship, Xu Jingyu was the one who couldn’t let go.

    But belief and security were two different things.

    Xu Jingyu couldn’t shake the feeling that Xin Yao would eventually leave her, that one day, she would grow tired of her, of her cold demeanor and her quiet ways, and find someone else.

    And who was this Pei Yu?

    Was she truly just a substitute? Did they really look alike? Did Xin Yao sometimes see Pei Yu in her, her gaze a fleeting memory of a past love?

    Xin Yao had never answered these questions directly.

    And her silence was a thorn in Xu Jingyu’s heart, driving her further into the darkness.

    She wanted to keep Xin Yao by her side, to possess her completely, her actions becoming increasingly possessive, even obsessive.

    She followed Xin Yao everywhere, her gaze never wavering, her touch a constant reminder of her presence.

    One morning, Xin Yao, awakened by a sudden stomachache, had rushed to the bathroom.

    Xu Jingyu, a light sleeper, had woken up and instinctively turned to look for Xin Yao, her heart sinking as she saw the empty space beside her, the bed cold and empty.

    She had jumped out of bed, her eyes wide with panic, and had run to the living room, the rain outside darkening the already dimly lit room.

    She hadn’t seen Xin Yao.

    The world had fallen silent, as if Xin Yao had been erased from her life, her absence a gaping void.

    And Xu Jingyu’s heart, like the falling rain, had turned cold, her mind a blur of confused thoughts, her gaze unfocused, her eyes almost lifeless.

    Xin Yao, emerging from the bathroom, had seen Xu Jingyu standing there, barefoot and motionless, her expression blank, her eyes unseeing, and had been startled by her appearance.

    She had rushed towards her.

    “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

    Xu Jingyu’s eyes had flickered, her gaze focusing on Xin Yao’s face, her expression slowly returning to normal as she saw that Xin Yao had returned.

    She had pulled Xin Yao into a tight embrace, her body trembling.

    The incident seemed to have traumatized her.

    She had become even more possessive, her vigilance constant, her gaze never leaving Xin Yao’s face. And Xin Yao had noticed that she seemed afraid to sleep.

    One morning, Xin Yao had woken up to find Xu Jingyu looking pale and exhausted, her eyes bloodshot.

    That night, she had pretended to sleep, her mind alert.

    She had woken up in the middle of the night and, turning to look at Xu Jingyu, had been startled to find her wide awake, her gaze fixed on Xin Yao’s face.

    She had been watching her sleep.

    Xin Yao, realizing she had to talk to her, had sat up and turned on the bedside lamp, her voice firm.

    “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

    Xu Jingyu, snuggling closer, her head resting on Xin Yao’s stomach, her arms wrapping around her waist, had replied, “I was watching you.”

    Her answer had been so matter-of-fact!

    “Why are you watching me sleep?”

    Xu Jingyu had been silent for a moment, then Xin Yao, understanding her anxieties, had gently stroked her hair, her voice soft and reassuring.

    “I’m not going to leave you. I’ll always be here, with you.”

    “Why don’t you believe me?”

    “Then,” Xu Jingyu had looked up at her, her eyes searching, “who is Pei Yu?”

    Xin Yao had been speechless.

    So, the jealous movie queen hadn’t forgotten.

    She had caressed Xu Jingyu’s face, her voice a playful tease.

    “Pei Yu? She’s an idiot.”

    Not as smart as me.

    “And very possessive.”

    Her personality isn’t as good as mine.

    “And generally annoying.”

    So, Yaoyao disliked her!

    Xu Jingyu’s eyes had lit up. “Do you like her?”

    Seeing her easily appeased, Xin Yao had smiled, turning off the light and snuggling closer to Xu Jingyu, finding a comfortable position in her arms.

    “I only like you.”

    See? Yaoyao only likes me. What chance does Pei Yu have?

    Having successfully banished Pei Yu to the realm of disliked people, Xu Jingyu’s mood had improved, her anxiety easing slightly.

    But only slightly.

    She was still clinging to Xin Yao, her possessiveness a constant presence, her fear of losing her a dark cloud that followed her everywhere.

    For almost two weeks, she had kept Xin Yao practically prisoner in her apartment, forbidding her from leaving, from seeing other people.

    Her behavior had become increasingly obsessive and controlling, her actions bordering on paranoia.

    Until one day, things changed.

  • Transformed into a Female Villain, But Captured by My Beautiful Girl Disciples v2c44

    44. Whose Scheme Is This?

     

    “Unless the demonic spirit in my hand…”

    Gong Yiling continued the woman’s sentence, then suddenly realized something was wrong.

    Where did this woman come from?

    Looking up, she saw Yan Chuyue sitting before her, also examining the number cards.

    “Wait, how did you get in here?”

    Yan Chuyue stood up and showed her her attire.

    It was a palace maid’s uniform.

    With Shangguan Lingyue’s connections, it wasn’t difficult for Yan Chuyue to sneak into the palace.

    However, she was now wearing Gong Yiling’s high-quality disguise, her stunning beauty only slightly concealed by some added blemishes.

    If you looked closely, she looked more like a princess than a maid.

    “You snuck in here without being noticed?”

    “I didn’t sneak in.” Yan Chuyue placed some pastries on the table, taking a walnut cookie for herself.

    “You’re delivering late-night snacks?”

    “Yes. The Head Eunuch said all participants would receive snacks, but Qiu Shui and Xinyao’s are more… refined.”

    “As for you, you…”

    Gong Yiling also took a pastry, her mouth full. “Anything is fine. This young lady isn’t picky.”

    “But what did you mean earlier?”

    Yan Chuyue clapped her hands and explained, “Demonic spirits are different from demonic beasts. You can’t treat them as ordinary creatures.”

    “They can exist as the insects you mentioned, or as something you can’t even imagine. Like an earthworm splitting into two after being cut, each becoming an independent individual, although one’s lifespan will be greatly reduced. That’s how some demonic spirits exist, and it can be even more bizarre than that.”

    “So, the spirits in these cards are fragments of a larger spirit?”

    Gong Yiling searched her memory for similar demonic spirits, but none fit this description.

    “There are many spirits with similar existence modes.” Yan Chuyue, seeing her confusion, explained, “Like the Dream Eater, which can enter people’s dreams, or the Bewitching Nightmare, which can control others from afar. And there are also spirits that can numb pain and boost morale.”

    “It could be any of those, but none seem quite right.” Gong Yiling muttered, “But how do you know so much?”

    She was puzzled by the extent of the Divine Physician’s space’s knowledge.

    She didn’t remember it being an encyclopedia. How did Yan Chuyue know so much?

    “Ahem…” Miss Author coughed. “Books hold a house of gold, and books hold beauties. I learned it from books. What’s wrong with that?”

    Was there anyone who knew more about demonic spirits than her, the author? Impossible.

    “Your reading material is quite interesting.”

    “Hmph, you too.” Yan Chuyue quickly retorted. “The spirits you listed aren’t common. Only those with specialized knowledge would know about them.”

    “Yeah, I also learned it from books.” Gong Yiling parroted her, “Books are the ladder of progress, a wooden staircase. I love reading. Reading makes me happy.”

    Their next lines were almost simultaneous—”Are we reading the same book?”

    They exchanged a knowing smile, then Gong Yiling said, “Perhaps I haven’t reached that part of the book yet, so I don’t know much about the later content. I should learn more from Miss Yan.”

    “Not at all. Miss Lü’s ability to deceive so many sect elders is also a form of talent. I should learn from you.”

    Gong Yiling: “Why does that sound like an insult?”

    Yan Chuyue: “You too.”

    Yan Chuyue took a pastry, then stood up, clapping her hands and smiling. “Alright, I’m leaving. Eat if you want, or don’t. I wish you good luck tomorrow.”

    “Thank you.”

    After Yan Chuyue left, Gong Yiling picked up the number cards again and shrugged.

    Perhaps the truth wasn’t as complicated as she thought. These cards were indeed demonic spirits and the keys to some treasures. She had simply overthought things.

    More importantly, she needed to plan her next move.

    Especially—she took out a note hidden beneath the pastries. It read:

    *Investigation reveals that some contestants’ identities have been replaced. Please be careful, Immortal Master.* Signed, Mo Ke.

    The meaning was clear.

    Recalling the events of the competition, Gong Yiling already had a suspicion.

    The next day…

    When she arrived at the palace with the other contestants who had lost, the security was much laxer than the previous day. This was because they also had to guard the royal secret realm, inevitably weakening the palace’s defenses.

    —The current situation depended on who was more cunning and far-sighted.

    On the surface, Emperor Shangguan Long was the mantis, and Shangguan Yaochang and the demonic sects were the sparrows.

    But it couldn’t be that simple. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn’t have reigned for so long, mainly because—he was also a cunning fox.

    Perhaps he had already seen through Shangguan Yaochang’s scheme and was playing along, deliberately revealing his plans to force his brother and son to expose themselves, staging a heartwarming family drama of filial piety and brotherly love.

    Well, of course…

    Regardless of their intentions, it had nothing to do with Gong Yiling.

    If they were part of the food chain of schemes and counterschemes, then she was the one who created the food chain.

    Her true plan began when she entered Yanlie City… or perhaps even earlier, when she first met Emperor Shangguan Long.

     

     

     

     

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 145

    Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Five: Wisconsin

    This time, Lin Jiayao chose to log into No. 3 Goldie first, and did not log into No. 2 to “move the position”.

    Because Lin Jiayao thought that if she logged into No. 2 and got lost, it might waste several hours.

    It was better to log into No. 3 Goldie directly. After all, No. 2 lacked effective means of “self-destruction”.

    It was still quite difficult to make a building-tree guard self-destruct in the vascular network.

    It was better to leave it for a while, and then she could use it to practice with her sister, let her sister “eliminate” No. 2, free up a slot for herself, and let her sister practice her hand.

    Thinking this way, Lin Jiayao’s consciousness moved from the No. 2 building-tree guard to the No. 3 Goldie, and her consciousness clicked in.

    ……

    Wisconsin, dawn was just breaking.

    At this time, the Wisconsin underground reserve station camp was undergoing a fierce debate.

    This debate was caused by the events of a few days ago, and finally divided into two factions.

    They could be simply called the “stay-at-home faction” and the “go-out faction”.

    The classification was so simple because the point they were arguing about was just whether to go out of the reserve station.

    “BOSS, you would rather believe them than someone who has experienced it firsthand?” Monica, who was handcuffed, gnawed on the canned ham forked by the person next to her, and said sullenly.

    Monica was a member of the “go-out faction”, and this confinement was also due to the news brought back by her team.

    A few days ago, Monica’s team claimed to have encountered a powerful Awakened who could even control Hive Zombies.

    That Awakened even asked Monica about the distribution map of the Hive Queen zombies, and then went to the most dangerous forbidden zone.

    It really looked like the style of the “Hand of Freedom”, free and wild.

    But after Monica’s team came back and reported these things, they were immediately handcuffed and isolated for observation, which made Monica so angry that she had been cursing for several days.

    It wasn’t until a terrifying battle that lasted for several days that the reserve station camp completely chose to close.

    From the perspective of the people in this camp, the battle lasted for several days. They didn’t know that the battle was divided into two waves, and each time it ended very quickly.

    Now it was the third day since the battle ended. The calm outside also made the camp have differences on whether to continue the blockade.

    Although the materials stored in the camp were enough for them to seal themselves off for a long time, most people were already about to go crazy.

    And Monica was undoubtedly the strongest opponent among these people. At least others had freed their hands, but she couldn’t even move her hands, and she was almost mad with anger.

    “I told you I wasn’t affected by the Hive Queen, fuck, what are you laughing at, Jack, one day I’ll stuff a zombie’s dick into your ass…”

    Seeing that Monica was really angry, no one in the camp dared to continue to laugh, and they all pursed their lips.

    At this time, the camp BOSS, who was wearing a military uniform, also reached out and pinched his big beard.

    If they continued to be so depressed in this dark underground reserve station, let alone these subordinates, he would be a little unbearable.

    And there had been no movement outside for several days, maybe the person had already left, and they didn’t need to be so vigilant.

    As for why Monica and her team were handcuffed, in addition to excluding the possibility that Monica was affected by the Hive Queen, it was also to exclude the possibility that this team was brainwashed by the “Headshavers”.

    In addition to the “Hand of Freedom”, there was also an extreme anti-human organization “Headshavers” in America, entrenched in the home base of Illinois.

    The “Headshavers” were not an organization that existed at the beginning of the apocalypse, but a terrorist organization that suddenly emerged in the past year.

    It seemed to be established by a B-rank Indian who was good at brainwashing, and quickly expanded in Illinois by brainwashing the leaders of various camps.

    And their logo was also obvious, that was, the scarred scalp… People who joined the Headshavers would have part of their scalp shaved off, so the people in this organization basically had a piece of their head missing hair, which was easy to distinguish.

    And Illinois was just below Wisconsin.

    As for why the Wisconsin camp had been able to preserve itself for so many years, it was precisely because the Hive Queen’s territory almost completely occupied the border of Wisconsin, forming a natural protective barrier.

    And the junction of Wisconsin and Illinois was where the “forbidden zone” was located. Even the Headshavers could not cross it.

    Through the radio, they had long known that the Headshavers had given up attacking Wisconsin, but instead used Chicago as a transit point and had been expanding to Michigan, controlling Detroit.

    Their various evil deeds slowly reached the ears of the Hand of Freedom. A few weeks ago, the Hand of Freedom, which had collected enough anti-human evidence, officially declared war on the Headshavers.

    But at this time, the Headshavers had already developed into a behemoth, and it was obviously not so easy to shake.

    Therefore, the camp BOSS suspected that this time Monica’s team might have encountered an Awakened from the “Hand of Freedom”, or even a person from the “Headshavers”.

    Maybe they had finally found a way to pass through the forbidden zone…

    After all, controlling the Hive Queen, it was estimated that only the crazy leader of the Headshavers had the ability to do it.

    Before the situation outside was clear, he naturally couldn’t unlock the handcuffs.

    But now, after almost a week of getting along, Monica and her team showed no signs of being mentally controlled. They ate, cursed, and were very spirited.

    This made the reserve station camp BOSS have a trace of doubt that he might have misjudged.

    Finally, in Monica’s cursing, the BOSS put down his hand pinching his big beard and snapped his fingers.

    “Okay, stop arguing. Now recruit two teams to go out and see the situation, go to the edge of the forbidden area to see. All the gains from this trip belong to their respective teams.”

    Hearing that they were going to the vicinity of the forbidden area, several exploration teams were a little hesitant, but Monica, even though she was handcuffed, straightened her waist and raised her hand from behind.

    She had finally been able to regain her freedom, and she would not miss this opportunity.

    The edge of the forbidden area was the edge of the forbidden area. She wanted to prove to everyone that the information she brought back was correct, and it was the people of the Hand of Freedom who came to help them!

    She didn’t quite believe that the mysterious Awakened she met that day was a bad person. Yes, it was based on her intuition.

    After a long time, another team that was not afraid of death also raised their hands, and then no other team wanted to go out.

    “Okay, then you two teams will complete this exploration mission, help them unlock the handcuffs, the specific details of the mission…”

    The BOSS ordered to help Monica’s team members unlock the handcuffs, and began to tell them the main points of this mission.

    Soon, the team that received the task spent more than ten minutes forming a team and confirming the weapons to be carried. The closed door of the reserve station slowly opened, and four armored jeeps drove out of the reserve station.

    “Fuck… it feels good to be in the car…” Monica pressed down the car window, cheered at the rising sun outside, and then stretched, put her long legs on the top of the storage box, and lay down to blow the wind.

    The distance to the forbidden area was still very far, and she could rest in the car for about half an hour.

    “George, call me when we get there.” Monica put on her sunglasses, crossed her hands on her chest to support her breasts, and slowly fell asleep.

    She had been handcuffed for the past few days, and it was difficult to fall asleep. Now that she had this opportunity, she had to rest well.

    But Monica had just entered dreamland for more than ten minutes, and their armored car suddenly braked sharply, not knowing what it hit, and also let Monica, who was lying in the passenger seat, lift her legs and slide to the bottom of the car.

    “Fuck…” The awakened Monica found that her posture was stuck between the storage box and the seat cushion. After cursing helplessly, she was pulled out with the help of the team members behind.

    “What happened? George?”

    Monica asked while loading her gun.

    “I don’t know, the car in front suddenly braked sharply… Hey, they got out of the car!”

    From their field of vision, it could be seen that almost all the members of the convoy in front had gotten out of the car fully armed.

    They were still thousands of meters away from the location of the forbidden area, why did they stop now?

    Because the view was blocked by the armored car in front, after making a gesture, Monica’s team also got out of the car with guns.

    As soon as she got out of the car, Monica’s pupils shrank slightly.

    This…

    What the hell…

    Was this?

    It could be seen that hundreds of meters away, the road leading to the front had been completely blocked by blood-red mycelium intertwined between the left and right buildings. It was impossible to see through the mycelium what was happening inside.

    It was as if these mycelia were guarding something inside.

    And in front of these intertwined mycelia like a jungle, there was also a strange white-haired little girl standing, opening her arms between the mycelium, revealing the small tiger teeth at the corners of her mouth… seeming to be threatening and expelling.

    The cute appearance could not hide the danger and terror of the background behind the little girl, and the members of the team in front had already taken out Molotov cocktails and were preparing to advance.

    Are they stupid?!

    Monica felt the alarm bells ringing wildly in her heart, and her eyelids twitched wildly, as if something bad was about to happen. She quickly shouted: “Don’t, don’t go forward!”

    Before the apocalypse, Monica always thought that the cannon fodder in those apocalypse movies who didn’t listen to advice and had to act tough were very stupid, but in fact, after the real zombie apocalypse came, Monica found that there were actually quite a few such fools.

    Some things, in Monica’s eyes, were dangerous, but in the eyes of fools, they could only see blood crystals.

    “Boom—”

    A rocket-propelled grenade with a tail flame was fired, directly hitting the little girl’s direction.

    “Nice! Accurate!”

    “Yo hoo!”

    The team in front had already cheered, because they saw that after the rocket was fired, those mycelia began to shrink rapidly.

    They had not encountered zombies other than Hive Zombies, or even fungal zombies.

    But they had white varieties here, and they would only infect zombies and would not infect people. After infection, the characteristics were that their hearing became particularly good.

    Here, this was called “Listener”.

    Obviously, they had just regarded this all-white zombie as a “Listener”, and the red mycelium behind it was regarded as white mycelium filled with blood crystals.

    Zombies that were not in the “Hive Queen” territory could be killed at will. This had always been the camp’s survival rule. After all, it had not yet reached the Hive Queen zombie territory.

    In this regard, Monica’s evaluation was.

    “A bunch of idiots!”

    Monica quickly directed her team members to get in the car, and then let the driver put it in reverse and step on the accelerator.

    Monica’s two armored vehicles rubbed out white smoke and quickly retreated, quickly moving away from the front convoy by almost hundreds of meters, completely drawing a clear line.

    Monica knew very well that this entire area was the direction that the mysterious powerhouse was going. She didn’t know where the mysterious powerhouse was stationed, but in her opinion, nothing abnormal here could be touched.

    Maybe it was something left by that big shot?

    Soon, Monica felt fortunate for her caution…

    Because, the mycelium that had just shrunk turned into a huge blood-red giant claw, and slapped it directly from the sky towards the team in front.

    “Boom—”

    The entire street was “submerged” by the blood-red giant hand, and all the people and cars were buried inside and vanished.

    And the contraction of the mycelium finally allowed Monica to see what the mycelium was protecting.

    It was a familiar, pale golden tentacle.

    “Sure enough…” Monica slowly relaxed in her heart, but then tightened.

    Relaxed because she knew that the mysterious powerhouse who manipulated the golden tentacle Hive Queen would not kill indiscriminately.

    Nervous because the team in front, strictly speaking, was with Monica…

    …….

    “Boom—”

    Lin Jiayao, who had just logged in, heard a rumbling sound before she could even open her eyes.

    Before Goldie extracted, she was in a hurry, and directly let Huayibai turn into a giant flying insect and carry Lin Jiayao to the Extraction Point.

    After extracting, Lin Jiayao did not let Huayibai have other actions, but just let her be vigilant around.

    After all, Huayibai was an “invasive creature” here. Without Lin Jiayao, there were no natural enemies, but without Lin Jiayao, it was hard to say.

    But as soon as Lin Jiayao logged in, she saw Huayibai’s hand smash forward.

    Because the front was submerged by the mycelium “ocean”, Lin Jiayao didn’t know what Huayibai was fighting with.

    “Huayibai?”

    Lin Jiayao called out softly.

    It seemed that she heard Lin Jiayao’s voice, and a white figure covered in ash drilled out of the mycelium giant hand in front, and pounced towards Lin Jiayao’s arms.

    As soon as she pounced into Lin Jiayao’s arms, Huayibai burst into tears.

    “Mommy…wuwuwu… they burned Huayibai with fire wuwuwu…”

    “Okay, okay… don’t cry, don’t cry…” Lin Jiayao patted Huayibai’s head while looking in the direction buried by the mycelium giant hand, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

    She knew very well how much Huayibai hated fire and how much she was afraid of fire.

    But Lin Jiayao could still feel that Huayibai did not kill those people, those people were still alive.

    After all, Lin Jiayao had told Huayibai a long time ago not to kill people casually except for the people of the Voodoo Cult.

    It seemed that she had to teach Huayibai again later…

    Except for the people of the Voodoo Cult, anyone who hurt her could also be killed.

    Especially those who burned her with fire.

  • The Delicate Female Lead Only Wants to be Loved by the Villainous Young Ladies 336

    Chapter 336: Angels and Demons

    Although the Hell Queen hadn’t been to the human world for a long time, she didn’t recognize the small pistol that seemed to fire small magic balls, but she knew it was a weapon. Her body trembled, and the blood beneath her skin turned icy inch by inch. She didn’t understand. Why, after so long, so many years, after the flowers bloomed and withered, after the ups and downs, after she had been worn down by the long years and filled with regret in endless pain, why…were you still unwilling to forgive me? My God…

    ………………

    Bang~ The sound wasn’t from Adele’s mithril Desert Eagle, but from the girl’s kissable lips. Unfortunately, the woman before her looked a bit stiff and wooden. Although she was so beautiful, her aura seemed a bit too serious. And her gaze was too deep, as if she was seeing many other things…perhaps events, or perhaps people…through Adele.

    Seeing that she was being ignored, Adele pouted and turned to leave the escape room. She was going to rescue her vampire lover. As for the big sister she had just met, it was a pity that nothing happened between them, or that they didn’t exchange contact information. But if the other person’s personality was too serious and rigid…or even a bit crazy, Adele thought it was better not to provoke her. Who knew if she would demand that Adele love only her, implementing the monogamous system that was considered very backward by vampires? That would turn a romantic encounter into a disaster.

    Moreover, Adele didn’t think the other party could really control her. She couldn’t be a queen who really came from hell. At least, Adele didn’t sense any magical aura from her. She could be sure that she was basically an ordinary person. So the one who should really restrain her power, and restrain other girls, was Adele.

    The girl shook her head, dismissing these thoughts, and decided to focus on the game. If Adele’s guess was correct, Tang Linlang should have already figured out the plot where she was captured by other vampire hunters and understood the origin of her relationship with Adele. The next escape room was their final execution ground, the final chapter of this escape room game. Whether Adele could save her vampire lover there was still unknown.

    It was also worth mentioning that Adele was currently immersed in a thrilling battle royale plot. After opening the door, she entered a maze. This escape room experience center really put a lot of effort into setting this up. The maze was made of interconnected mirrors, and Adele could only move slowly, otherwise she would easily bump into them. Then she would not only embarrass herself but also have to pay for the damage.

    She held the Desert Eagle, her heart pounding, not because of fear, but because of a thrilling sensation. A rapid drumbeat came from the background music, a battle march, indicating that Adele’s relatives, the staff members playing vampire hunters, also known as NPCs, would appear here. They would play a thrilling live-action CS game with Adele using the same pistols.

    Adele had played this kind of game before at amusement parks. But at that time, she didn’t have the chance to use real guns and bullets—not even paintballs. They used laser guns, the point being to continuously fire lasers, and each hit on the opponent would add a point. The winner was determined by the final score.

    Adele’s title of “Miss I Can’t Aim” wasn’t for nothing. But times had changed. Her vampire and witch identities had strengthened her physique, including the training she received at the academy and the Kitty Paw Strike taught by First Snow. All these factors combined to create a brand new Adele.

    Although her physical abilities were still not impressive among vampires, let alone Kaiser, the peak of physical prowess among vampires, even Wofoo, who was slightly inferior, could easily break any world record in the human Olympics if she wanted to. But Adele never thought of comparing herself to them. Everyone had their own strengths. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses was what made someone smart. But for ordinary people, Adele’s physical skills were considered excellent. So it was more than enough for her to deal with the NPCs lurking in the shadows.

    They tried to use the mirrors as a cover to approach Adele, but Adele turned and fired, hitting the correct target almost without thinking. A cloud of red powder exploded on the staff member’s chest, indicating that he had been hit by Adele. The staff member had never encountered such a thing since he started working. Is she…a genius?

    But rules were rules. The NPC stopped chasing and could only signal to his colleagues with his eyes, telling them to be careful, that the girl was very skilled. But clearly, his teammates didn’t think so. They just thought, You’re just bad. Then they experienced the cruelty of a god-like ADC. Bot lane, why are you feeding so hard!? Oh wait, we’re the bot lane, never mind.

    So this live-action CS game turned into a stationary sniping game for Adele. She also found the way out of the mirror maze. The last door appeared before her, and the girl’s eyes lit up, seeing the dawn of victory.

    ………………

    Meanwhile, the Hell Queen hadn’t left yet, but covered the area with her spirit. She finally witnessed the variety of people and the dazzling array of things, the bustling mall and the endless stream of pedestrians, realizing that this human world was vastly different from the one she was familiar with. It was like a new world, and she couldn’t find anything familiar.

    No, wait…there was something. The Hell Queen’s cold and beautiful eyes suddenly narrowed, clearly sensing something, and she began to exert pressure towards the darkness. The next moment, a light appeared in the unmonitored escape room. And after the light disappeared, a small, silver-haired girl appeared out of thin air, staring at the woman before her with hostile and vigilant eyes.

    Jormungandr… The enemy of the supreme Lord, the queen who ruled hell, the opposite of the Lord, like light and darkness. Of course, the Lord was light, and Jormungandr was born from darkness. No one knew her origins, just like no one knew the Lord’s origins. However, angels generally believed that the Lord was the god who created this world. But this didn’t seem to explain why, if the Lord was the creator god, she would create such a mortal enemy as “Hell Queen Jormungandr.” Wasn’t that a redundant act…?

    But in any case, the angel Seraph couldn’t deny that Jormungandr before her was from the same era as the “Lord.” But whether they were on the same level…that was unknown. They were on opposing sides, mortal enemies. It was just unknown why Jormungandr always stayed in the so-called “exile of sinners,” that is, hell. She didn’t participate in the war of the Mythical Era, neither siding with the “Lord” nor supporting the “Witch.” But after the Witch and her city were destroyed, some surviving fallen angels seemed to have been taken in by Jormungandr in hell. Hell became their sanctuary, and Jormungandr their protector.

    If the “Lord” hadn’t suddenly left this world, going away to search for something, then Seraph and the other angels wouldn’t have been so lost and confused. They should have quickly opened a second battlefield, that is, hell, killing the fallen angels and capturing Jormungandr. But there were no ifs. The angels, having lost the Lord’s guidance, were lost. They were originally ruthless war machines that could easily destroy cities and countries, but at that time, they became abandoned children, at a loss.

    Most angels chose to seal themselves away, waiting for the Lord’s return to fight for her again in the long years. A small number of angels, influenced by the fallen angels, began to interact with the human world. Many miracles related to angels in history were their handiwork. Time buried an entire era. Many angels were left behind in that time. They died, not for the Lord’s command, but for what they believed was right, for freedom. In their final moments, would they regret it, or smile in relief?

    Seraph was probably somewhere in between these two types of angels. She had indeed sealed herself away several times, but she had also walked among humans many times. She personally experienced the Black Death in the Middle Ages and also stayed during the era of selling indulgences. It wasn’t until she was awakened again today that she discovered how prosperous the human world had become. It wasn’t until after she avenged Li Lige that she met Adele, and everything that followed happened, including today’s confrontation with the queen from hell.

    Honestly, Seraph wasn’t confident that she could defeat her. Just resisting an opponent of this level might require all her strength. So if she could avoid fighting and figure out the other party’s purpose, Seraph would try her best to avoid it.

    So she broke the silence, her cherry-like lips slightly parting, “Hell Queen, Jormungandr, why are you here?”

    “There are no souls for you to devour here.” It seemed that Seraph considered Jormungandr a monster that fed on souls.

    Jormungandr ignored Seraph’s question, her eyes suddenly turning terrifyingly cold. “That woman…where is she?”

    Seraph felt a powerful pressure crushing her body. She felt like a tiny human in a huge storm, about to be swept away and shattered. Seraph knew who she meant by “that woman.” Using such a title for the Lord was disrespectful. But Seraph didn’t have the power to punish Jormungandr. Only the “Lord” could suppress her in hell forever. So Seraph was more wary. If necessary, she had to be prepared for the worst, to prevent her from wreaking havoc in the human world.

    “The Lord will return soon, and then all of hell will be overturned.”

    “Let it be overturned, it’s her headache, not mine.” After these words, Jormungandr transformed before Seraph. She concealed her demonic horns and retracted her bone wings, becoming pure, like a human. Then, only a pure black dress remained on her body.

    “Angel, you’re lucky, I have no interest in you right now.”

    “I won’t kill you either. Before that woman returns, you can hide in your hole like a squirrel.”

    “There’s only one thing you can do. When she returns, tell me immediately.”

    “Like a human…alarm clock.” Countless pieces of information flashed in Jormungandr’s eyes. She seemed to be madly learning everything about the human world in some way. Human consciousness wasn’t protected, their mental power was weak, and it was indeed too easy to steal.

  • I’m Surrounded by My Own Pets! 225p1

    Chapter 225: Sorrowful Saintess is Lian Xing’s Wife? p1

    Eyes that make the heavens weep, a single tear turns myriad worlds into a vast ocean.

    Sea Soul World, Eight Emperor Tears!!!!

    As these words appeared, almost every being in the Moon Soul World was stunned. Except for those like Lian Xing, who ascended from the Bubble Pet Beast World, all inhabitants of the six True Spirit Worlds knew about the Sea Soul World.

    Only some from the Bubble Pet Beast World and the transmigrated players of the Beast Taming Evolution Duel game were clueless.

    Even so, the words alone conveyed a chilling atmosphere.

    The five Lunar Divine Festival participants were to be randomly transported to subordinate worlds of the Sea Soul World…?

    An instinctive fear, etched into their very beings, arose.

    The Sea Soul World… the name itself sounded dangerous…

    Even Tai Yin, who had orchestrated several attacks against the Sea Soul World, frowned deeply. She had infiltrated the Sea Soul World’s system before, but that was a meticulously planned operation, using the Mechanical Mountains and Seas to scout and bringing numerous companions and subordinates to overcome the initial system conflict.

    But now, random teleportation? That was too much…

    If she were sent to the Rain Soul World, the most dangerous of the three Divine Ruins, even her top ranking among the seventy-two Legends wouldn’t matter.

    The Divine Ruins were the birthplaces of the Sea Soul World’s ancestors.

    Within them, all beings’ realms were suppressed to their limits.

    Conversely, all inhabitants were constantly tempered by the True Spirits’ aura, ensuring that those who emerged were extraordinary Beast Tamers.

    They were also ideal vessels for the Eight Emperor Tears.

    According to Tai Yin’s intelligence gathered over tens of thousands of years, four Saintess candidates had emerged from the Rain Soul World, two from the Cloud Soul World, and one from the Water Soul World. Only one remained, and then the Eight Emperor Tears’ vessels would converge upon the Sea Soul World.

    Then, the evolutionary systems of the six True Spirit Worlds would be overturned.

    Everything would be corrupted by the Sea Soul World’s traits.

    However, it had only been a few tens of thousands of years since the seventh, [Azure Falling Sky Spring], emerged from the Water Soul World. The eighth shouldn’t awaken so soon.

    The Moon Soul World still had time to prepare…

    Tai Yin felt a sense of relief.

    Having adapted to the Sea Soul World’s system, she held a significant advantage in the second round. With a bit of luck, she would be fine.

    She would likely achieve a landslide victory in this round!

    —

    Meanwhile—

    In the Ice Soul World, thousands of worlds away, the water elemental was ecstatic.

    “Report! Report it quickly!”

    “Report to the Sea Soul World’s higher-ups! Eliminate the Moon Soul World’s chosen ones! Locate their coordinates and wipe them out!”

    “Report what? It took me ten years to conquer the Cloud Soul World. They only have a month. I doubt they’ll even find the exit from the Ice Soul World. Who are we going to report to…?” Sorrowful Saintess interrupted her excited mother-in-law.

    The water elemental blinked, deflated.

    Such a great opportunity, wasted…

    If she had recovered even a fraction more of her power, she could have relayed this information across several Soul Worlds.

    ***

    In the Moon Soul World, at the Lunar Divine Festival arena, the moment the name “Sea Soul World” appeared, many veteran Emperor-Tier experts and Guardians wore expressions of grave concern and shock.

    As one of the six True Spirit Worlds, the Moon Soul World wasn’t afraid of a direct confrontation with the Sea Soul World.

    However, the infamous saying about the Eight Emperor Tears instilled a primal fear in all beings, making their hair stand on end.

    This resulted in a strange phenomenon…

    Even without personally descending, the Eight Emperor Tears of the Sea Soul World posed a greater threat than the Twelve Moons of the Moon Soul World, or even all the ancestors of the six True Spirit Worlds.

    Moreover…

    The Sea Soul World was the only True Spirit World without any post-natal True Spirits.

    This meant they didn’t need more of their kind, no further increase in power.

    This was the ultimate display of arrogance…

    Finally, the Sea Soul World held the largest territory, having conquered and absorbed the seventh True Spirit World billions of years ago…

    Even Nether Concubine simulated the future with a grave expression.

    She found she couldn’t change their destinations, only their actions after arrival, influencing the second round’s rankings.

    But then, she saw something that made her turn sharply, staring at the nonchalant, golden-bunned girl with utter disbelief.

    “How… how is this possible!?”

    “How can such a thing happen!?”

    Nether Concubine was stunned.

    She had simulated Lian Xing with Qianqiu the moment she saw her, even before the Lunar Divine Festival began.

    She knew where Lian Xing would be sent in the second round.

    But somehow…

    Her latest simulation showed Lian Xing returning from a different location.

    This meant Lian Xing’s predetermined destination had been changed…

    But why?

    When had Lian Xing’s fate been altered?

    Was it the moment she stepped onto the first step?

    Meanwhile, the Divine Machine within Mist Colt sensed something, muttering with uncertainty, “The fifth time used, two remaining…”

    “What’s going on? Even a random map selection triggers a miracle. It seems this journey will be extraordinary…”

    Star Goddess and Ice Queen made their preparations.

    Changing combat skills, comforting their Pet Beasts.

    Seeing the second round approaching, Lian Xing also checked her Pet Beast lineup.

    [Legendary Overlord · Mechanical · Divine Machine LV17190]

    [Legendary Emperor · Elemental · Star Sand LV12005]

    [Legendary Emperor · Viral · Mist Colt LV3110]

    [Emperor-Tier · Weapon · White Silk Weaver Girl LV4650]

    [Fallen Species · Emperor-Tier · Nether Leaf Dark King’s Court LV4500 (One of the Four Great Calamities, Avalanche)]

    [Ancient Species · Myriad-Level Emperor · Back-Tailed Moon-Chasing Demon Rabbit LV14999]

    Though some weren’t contracted yet, as long as they were within Mist Colt’s viral space, it made no difference.

    After confirming everything, Lian Xing waited patiently.

    Finally, the hour-long break ended.

    A blurry, miniature spinning wheel appeared above the meteorite platform.

    It displayed hundreds of subordinate Soul Worlds within the Sea Soul World’s territory.

    [Rain Soul World] [Snow Soul World] [Ice Soul World] [River Soul World] [Cloud Soul World] [Water Soul World]

    Though each large Soul World contained numerous shattered worlds and Bubble Pet Beast Worlds, the destinations this time would be drawn from the formal Soul Worlds.

    The five participants, represented by cartoonish Q-version figures, spun simultaneously.

    “Whirr, whirr, whirr—”

    As everyone held their breath, the five pointers spun across the map of the Sea Soul World. Tai Yin felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead.

    Not Rain Soul World, not Snow Soul World, not Rain Soul World, not Snow Soul World… she prayed silently.

    But as everyone knows, what you fear most is what comes to pass.

    After spinning for several seconds, Tai Yin’s pointer landed firmly on the [Rain Soul World] icon.

    Her face drained of color, pale as a ghost.

    [Rain Soul World, a region bordering the Sea Soul World, one of the Divine Ruins, extremely dangerous, currently guarded by the Sea Soul World’s seventh Saintess candidate (Azure Falling Sky Spring).]

    Next, Nether Concubine’s pointer stopped.

    [Snow Soul World, a region bordering the Sea Soul World, extremely dangerous, currently guarded by the Sea Soul World’s sixth Saintess candidate (Snow Robe White Lotus).]

    Seeing Nether Concubine’s fate, Tai Yin’s despair turned to schadenfreude.

    They had both drawn hellish destinations, comrades in misfortune.

    But then, she realized something.

    Looking at Nether Concubine’s impassive expression, her smugness faded.

    Nether Concubine had Qianqiu’s simulations. She already knew her fate, ensuring there would be no dead ends.

    Seconds later, Star Goddess’s pointer stopped.

    [Vast Soul World, a second-tier region bordering the Sea Soul World, moderate danger.]

    Star Goddess’s expression remained unchanged.

    Unlike Nether Concubine and Tai Yin, she had no prior knowledge of the Sea Soul World’s subordinate forces.

    To her, any destination was the same.

    Soon, Ice Queen’s turn came.

    [Ice Soul World, a third-tier region bordering the Sea Soul World, negligible danger.]

    As the result appeared, Ice Queen exhaled slowly, under Tai Yin’s envious gaze.

    Negligible danger. This was practically a guaranteed safe zone.

    Meanwhile, in the Ice Soul World, the water elemental laughed out loud at the result.

    The blue-haired mermaid woman coughed slightly.

    What strange luck…

    They could eliminate a powerful opponent from the Moon Soul World with no effort.

    Newly arrived, these Beast Tamers from the Moon Soul World couldn’t possibly adapt quickly to the Sea Soul World’s system. Capturing them would essentially end the game.

    And they could interrogate them, perhaps even deciphering the Moon Soul World’s evolutionary system.

    However…

    The next second, as the final participant’s result appeared, several people were stunned.

    Even the water elemental and Sorrowful Saintess stared in disbelief.

    Tai Yin’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

    [Water Soul World, a peripheral region bordering the Sea Soul World, one of the Divine Ruins, the location of the most recent True Spirit aura eruption, danger level unobservable.]

    It was… the Water Soul World!!!

    Lian Xing blinked in surprise.

    She had just controlled Tai Yin’s sand projection to invade this place, failing miserably. Now, she was going there herself? What a coincidence…

    The water elemental behind Sorrowful Saintess shrieked.

    “Return to the Water Soul World, now, immediately!!!”

    “Forget about Ice Queen! Capture this woman!!!”

    “The True Spirit observing Ice Queen is only the Tenth of the Twelve Moons, a post-natal True Spirit, insignificant.”

    “But behind this golden-haired woman is one of the original Seven Miracles of the Moon Soul World, an existence on par with the Eight Emperor Tears!!!”

    “…”

    “…”

    “I, I understand~~~” Sorrowful Saintess replied, finally reacting.

    Even without her mother-in-law’s urging, she would have returned immediately.

    The Water Soul World was her home turf!!!

    Her four daughters were there. How could she allow enemies from the Moon Soul World to infiltrate?

    Moreover, the first round of the Lunar Divine Festival had proven that this golden-bunned, white-stockinged gambler was the most dangerous opponent. Eliminating her early was paramount.

    Even Ice Queen, practically on her doorstep, was now a secondary concern.

    With this in mind, Sorrowful Saintess summoned a Pet Beast.

    “Whoosh—”

    A Mythical-Tier snow woman descended amidst a flurry of snowflakes.

    Her pure white, graceful figure, clad in a white shroud, resembled Snow Flower, one of the seventy-two Legends of the Moon Soul World.

    Mythical-Tier was equivalent to Emperor-Tier in the Moon Soul World.

    After summoning the snow woman, Sorrowful Saintess instructed, “Darling, inform your mother to freeze the entire Water Soul World until I return!”

    “Yes…” the snow woman nodded obediently, then began transmitting a message through their bloodline connection.

    Meanwhile, Lian Xing, unaware that her location had been completely exposed to the Sea Soul World’s enemy, was still pondering the scenery of the Water Soul World…

    Completely oblivious to her impending doom.

    Moments later, the second round of the Lunar Divine Festival officially began.

    With flashes of light, Nether Concubine, Star Goddess, Tai Yin, Ice Queen, and Lian Xing vanished from the arena.

    And almost instantly, Tai Yin and Lian Xing’s live projections were cut off by an unobservable force.

    [The Divine Ruins cannot be penetrated by the Moon Soul World’s system. Therefore, this round will only show the perspectives of the other three participants.]

    Many of Lian Xing’s fans expressed their disappointment.

    They had hoped to witness her heroic performance in enemy territory, but now they could only watch Star Goddess and the others.

    ***

  • Dear, it’s time for your medicine! 301

    Chapter 301: Athena’s Peril

    The moment Airi’s killing intent surfaced, Athena, lost in her confusion, grief, and inner turmoil, sensed it.

    The confusion vanished from her eyes, replaced by a sharp, almost predatory glint. She gripped her staff, mana surging around her.

    “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

    Her voice was cold and sharp, her gaze fixed on the forest.

    She sensed two distinct presences.

    A moment of silence, then the rustling of leaves as two small figures emerged.

    “Airi?”

    “Eileen?”

    Athena was slightly surprised. Qin Chu had been right. Loseweisse had sent them.

    Loseweisse was too greedy. If she had focused their efforts on a single objective, either Lomond or the Snow Chain Mountains, they might have succeeded.

    Instead, they had gained nothing from Lomond, and the incident had caused a rift between Sylph and the Twin Thieves, fracturing the former Hero Squad.

    And here, Muse was dead.

    Even this soul fragment had been given to her by Qin Chu…

    Despite being in the Snow Chain Mountains and disliking Loseweisse, Athena still maintained contact through Information Magic, so she was aware of the events unfolding elsewhere.

    She lowered her staff: “It’s you. What are you doing here?”

    Airi smiled sweetly: “Sister Loseweisse sent us to help you and Muse.”

    That damned woman’s senses are too sharp! she cursed inwardly.

    She had sensed Airi’s killing intent almost immediately. Airi felt a surge of frustration.

    Of course, she kept her emotions hidden, her cute face feigning innocence as she looked around, as if searching for something. After a moment, she asked: “Athena, where’s Muse?”

    “Where’s he? Aren’t you here to help him?”

    Athena frowned, a hint of sadness touching her face.

    Despite their strained relationship and her dislike for his brutality, he had been her comrade for years. And she had killed him. A pang of guilt stabbed at her as she looked away: “He… died.”

    Her simple answer stunned the twins.

    Muse was dead?

    Their first reaction wasn’t grief or shock, but a shared look of cold indifference.

    Airi had suspected Muse might be killed by Athena.

    Her prediction had come true.

    Poor Muse, killed by that woman.

    That shameless bitch, pretending to be sad after killing him.

    They didn’t ask how or why he died. They seemed to have already concluded that Athena was responsible. Asking would be pointless. She would have prepared an excuse.

    They were more concerned about something else: “What about the soul fragment? Did you get Jie Luo’s soul fragment?”

    Athena nodded: “I have one of Jie Luo’s soul fragments.”

    The twins’ eyes lit up, their breathing quickening.

    Airi couldn’t contain her excitement, stepping forward: “Let me see it!”

    It was Jie Luo’s soul fragment.

    Even if this woman had killed Muse, obtaining the soul fragment was all that mattered. Everything else could be forgiven.

    Although Athena knew the former Hero Squad members were devoted to Jie Luo, Airi’s near-fanatical eagerness still unnerved her. She opened her hand, revealing a shimmering crystal.

    Hiss…

    They instantly sensed Jie Luo’s aura emanating from the fragment.

    There was no doubt. This was it.

    The first step towards his resurrection.

    The former Hero Squad had already sacrificed so much for this: Benson, Muse, Karsus, Ronald… four out of ten members were dead.

    But it didn’t matter. As long as Jie Luo could be resurrected, even if the other nine members, including her own sister, died, Airi wouldn’t care.

    And I’m sure they’ll be grateful for their sacrifice… A twisted smile touched her lips as she approached Athena, her hand reaching out.

    As her fingers were about to touch the soul fragment, Athena closed her hand, pulling it away.

    Airi’s face contorted with frustration and anger: “Athena, what are you doing?”

    “Give me Jie Luo’s soul fragment!”

    Her voice was sharp, her beautiful face twisted in a snarl.

    She arched her back like an angry cat, ready to pounce.

    “Why should I give it to you? It’s safe with me.”

    “Besides, I found it. It’s rightfully mine,” Athena said calmly.

    Airi paused, a flicker of embarrassment crossing her face. She stepped back, scratching her head: “Uh, sorry, I got a little excited. You won’t hold it against me, will you, Athena?”

    Athena smiled and shook her head: “Of course not… I reacted similarly when I first saw it.”

    She paused, then continued: “We should head back.”

    She stood up, brushing the dirt from her clothes.

    The twins exchanged a look, their eyes narrowed. This bitch was clearly trying to keep the soul fragment for herself. She wasn’t on their side.

    She had killed Muse and was now keeping the soul fragment.

    Their suspicions were confirmed. She was Qin Chu’s spy.

    This woman had to be eliminated.

    A single glance was enough for them to understand each other’s intentions.

    They moved to flank Athena, one on each side.

    The Twin Thieves weren’t stupid, but they were self-centered and impulsive. Once they decided on a course of action, they acted without hesitation, regardless of the consequences.

    The night was silent and oppressive.

    Their long shadows stretched across the snow-covered ground under the silver moonlight.

    The sound of their footsteps crunching on dead branches echoed through the stillness.

    They chatted idly, their laughter breaking the silence.

    “By the way, Athena, you haven’t told us how Muse died. What happened in the Snow Chain Mountains?” Airi asked casually.

    Athena froze… she didn’t know how to answer.

    Normally, she would have prepared an excuse, but her mind was too preoccupied with her own doubts and confusion.

    As she hesitated, the twins’ daggers flashed, appearing in their hands.

    The blades gleamed in the moonlight.

    Like shadows in the night, they lunged, their daggers aimed at Athena’s neck and heart.

    Their attack was swift and precise, no wasted movements. They were assassins, and few could survive their combined assault.

    The Twin Thieves might not be strong in prolonged combat, but their burst damage was formidable. They were certain Athena was doomed.

    Fast!

    Too fast to react.

    Too fast to even hear the whistling of the blades or see the glint of metal.

    In a split second, their daggers were about to tear Athena’s throat and pierce her heart.

  • Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses v3c29

    Witch’s Night: Chapter 29 Whispers of the Oracle

    A mere fall from a high altitude wasn’t a dangerous act for a “Destruction” level ability user, even if that altitude was near the starry sky.

    And Luo Yan, even more so. For a spatial ability user to die from falling from a high altitude was an inconceivable event.

    Soon, both of them returned to the ground, although in different ways.

    Chris and Cecilia watched in disbelief as Hamid fell from the sky, crashing straight through the residential building, while Luo Yan leisurely climbed down a spatial rift next to them.

    …Although she had seen it many times, Chris’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably every time she saw Miss Luo Yan perform the death-defying act of Void Traversal as if she were just climbing over a wall.

    “Miss Luo Yan, how did it go?”

    Chris nervously approached, but Luo Yan looked contemplative, as if pondering something important.

    Could it be… that the talks didn’t go well? Or…

    Chris craned her neck slightly, looking at the hole that went straight through the building. Did this cultist named Hamid convince Miss Luo Yan?

    Just then, Luo Yan suddenly nodded and said seriously,

    “So that’s how it is. I definitely won’t get lost next time!”

    “…Ah? What do you mean?”

    “Miss Chris, I’ve completely mastered the rules of the Void nodes,” Luo Yan looked at the bewildered Chris and said, “This time the location was correct, just the altitude was a bit off.”

    “Altitude?”

    Chris suddenly had a bad feeling.

    “Yes, I accidentally went to an altitude of about three thousand meters,” Luo Yan nodded. “Don’t worry, we’ll definitely succeed next time!”

    Three thousand meters!

    Chris was shocked. This wasn’t something to be repeated. Getting the location wrong just meant taking a detour, but you actually had an altitude deviation as well?

    For a “Destruction” level ability user, high altitude wasn’t a problem, but for a “Ruin” level ability user to go to an altitude of three thousand meters was simply courting death. Neither the environment nor the risk of falling could be handled.

    Moreover, since the New Era began, very few humans had been able to reach such heights.

    “I think it’s better to walk…”

    Chris said awkwardly.

    “Sometimes we need to travel quickly.” Luo Yan raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry, if you feel uncomfortable in the Void, I can knock you unconscious before taking you in.”

    That sounded even more dangerous. Chris thought for a moment and decided it was best to quickly divert Miss Luo Yan’s attention from this suicidal topic.

    At this time, Cecilia was already lying on her stomach by the large hole Hamid had created, carefully looking down, calling out weakly with a hint of crying,

    “Um… Grandpa Bishop…”

    “He’s fine.” Luo Yan walked to the hole and put her hand on Cecilia’s shoulder. “Besides, I still need to talk to him about your situation.”

    “Ah?” Cecilia looked up blankly. “My… situation?”

    “About your illness, Cecilia,” Luo Yan whispered. “To be honest, I, like you, also have… the same illness.”

    Not long ago, Luo Yan was still troubled by the symptoms caused by demonic power. Although she wasn’t a God’s Chosen, she faced the same problems as them, namely the irreversible erosion of living beings’ constitutions by demonic power.

    “Oh? Have you also suffered from this?”

    Hamid’s voice came slowly from the hole, and then his figure reappeared before them.

    “Grandpa Bishop!”

    Cecilia’s eyes lit up, and she was about to rush over, but was stopped by Luo Yan.

    “I can see your solution to this, Hamid.” Luo Yan said in a low voice. “I have reason to suspect you have ulterior motives. Cecilia is now practically no different from an ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’.”

    “‘Ice Coffin Weapon’? No, Cecilia’s situation is more dangerous.” Hamid didn’t greet Cecilia as usual. “As for my ulterior motives? Heh, perhaps… I don’t even know myself.”

    “You know what will happen if this continues.” Luo Yan’s eyes turned cold. She had experienced a similar situation to Cecilia’s in the past, so she empathized even more with this poor little girl.

    “But I have no other way. At the end of Cecilia’s life, I will respect her wishes, whether it’s self-destruction or self-exile.”

    Hamid glanced at Cecilia, a flicker of pity and emotion in his eyes, and sighed inwardly.

    He hadn’t wanted to tell Cecilia all this at this time, but now… he had to.

    Not only because of this transaction, which he didn’t want to call a transaction, but also because Hamid had no solution to Cecilia’s illness. In his hands, Cecilia could only become an “Ice Coffin Weapon.”

    For this girl whom he had rescued and raised, it would be an absolute lie if Hamid said he hadn’t invested any emotion.

    He was still human, and humans had emotions and feelings, even the Church of the End Gods was the same, and Hamid had never denied his own feelings.

    “Grandpa Bishop…”

    Cecilia timidly looked at Hamid. In her perception, Grandpa Bishop seemed different from usual.

    Grandpa Bishop’s emotions suddenly became so complicated that Cecilia’s little head couldn’t understand.

    She could only tilt her head in confusion, not daring to approach.

    “Although I don’t know why you value a God’s Chosen so much, you also said that this is a transaction.” Hamid said softly. “Here are all my records about Cecilia from these years, my research on her illness… and on God’s Chosen. I’m giving them all to you, Miss Luo Yan.”

    After he finished speaking, Hamid took out a notebook and tossed it to Luo Yan.

    After conducting all the research within his power, Hamid discovered that he knew nothing about the power of the Gods. The more he researched, the more lost and confused he felt.

    It was common knowledge that the power of the Gods was the pinnacle of all power, but using the word “pinnacle” to describe it was too general and misleading.

    Because a pinnacle could be reached, but the height of demonic power, mere mortals couldn’t even glimpse a trace of it.

    The conclusion was that the situation of a God’s Chosen was hopeless. No God’s Chosen could live to adulthood. It could even be said that all God’s Chosen who survived birth were miracles, even if they died young.

    As for the situation of the Misters of Dawn, perhaps only they themselves knew.

    And now, the incomprehensible Miss Luo Yan had appeared before him. Hamid knew that if Cecilia had any intention of living according to her own will, Miss Luo Yan would be her only chance.

    “Are you saying…”

    Luo Yan took the notebook and froze. She remembered that the terms of the transaction were just to understand Cecilia’s situation.

    She could see that Cecilia and her Grandpa Bishop had a very deep bond, and she hadn’t intended to separate them.

    Whether it was right or wrong, it was their business. Luo Yan only decided to help this little girl out of sympathy and empathy.

    “If you don’t mind her being a burden, let her follow you.”

    Hamid said indifferently. Although he inevitably felt some reluctance, he still made this decision.

    This was human weakness. Seeking warmth in a world destined for destruction seemed to be a mistake as well, but Hamid didn’t intend to change.

    “Grandpa Bishop… are you abandoning Cecilia?” Cecilia said weakly, her expression looking somewhat aggrieved.

    Why did Grandpa Bishop… become like this after going out for a while?

    “Don’t worry, Cecilia,” Hamid’s expression softened a little. “Follow this big sister, and when you’re completely healed, Grandpa will come back to find you.”

    “Big sister…”

    Cecilia looked up, her hand involuntarily grabbing the corner of Luo Yan’s skirt.

    “The previous transaction didn’t mention this.”

    Luo Yan frowned slightly. She didn’t dislike Cecilia being a burden, but she herself… had problems.

    The reason she was so normal now was because of One and Nine. Once the life force they gave her was exhausted, her situation wouldn’t be much different from Cecilia’s.

    “I said, putting everything about the Gods on the negotiating table is an insult to us and the Gods.” Hamid lowered his head slightly. “I’m willing to entrust Cecilia to you. This isn’t a transaction. As for the oracle, whether you are willing to tell us… is up to you.”

    “Oracle?” Hearing this, Chris’s eyes widened. “Miss Luo Yan, have you received some kind of oracle?”

    The so-called Gods were the Malice of All Worlds, the Primordial Demons, and the oracle… could be some kind of doomsday prophecy.

    Chris was quite nervous about this. Another important reason she had been following Luo Yan was to stop her dangerous actions at critical moments.

    Now was the most critical moment, and Luo Yan had actually made a deal with the cultists to tell them the oracle of the Gods!

    “Don’t look at me like that, Miss Chris, the oracle or whatever is just their wishful thinking.” Luo Yan seemed quite helpless at Chris’s almost murderous gaze. “And I’ve mentioned it to you many times, right? About the Witch of Envy…”

    Chris thought back. She seemed to have said something… but those were just your casual complaints! How could those be considered an oracle!

    Wait, could those… actually be considered an oracle?

    Chris looked like she had seen a ghost.

    “Church of the End Gods… I’ve heard about your beliefs and learned some things from the Witch of Envy.” Luo Yan looked at Hamid seriously.

    “But… to be precise, I’ve only been in this world for a few months. The so-called civilization and world are very unfamiliar to me.

    “I don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong. I’m just experiencing the… rhythm of this world in my own way, yes, that’s right, rhythm.”

    Although many things had happened, the time Luo Yan had experienced the most was still her days in Ghost Town.

    If that had continued, perhaps one day, the Witch of Envy would awaken, discover her in Ghost Town, and the whispers of divinity might have succeeded.

    Unfortunately, there were no ifs. After personally experiencing the rhythm of the world, Luo Yan had her own thoughts, walking her own path, no longer ignorant, no longer lost.

    “She said,” Luo Yan whispered, “‘I will disappear, but ‘Hope’ (true name) will live forever.’

    “‘Civilization may be destroyed, eras may be annihilated, but this world… will never give up its struggle.’”

    Luo Yan spoke these words using the divine language, the language of True Names. To Chris, it was just a few strange syllables, and then nothing.

    “You… what did you say?”

    Chris asked, completely bewildered.

    But on the other side, Hamid’s expression was like he had been struck by lightning, his whole body trembling,

    “Th-this… how is this possible…”

    “The God of Hope… has truly fallen…”

    And it was Her own decision.

    It turned out that Miss Luo Yan hadn’t lied to him. One of the Gods had truly fallen. She hadn’t successfully revived from Her long slumber, but chose to self-destruct.

    The fall of a God was a severe blow to the Church of the End Gods. It meant that the world’s destruction, foretold in the truth, was one step closer.

    Hamid didn’t want to believe it, but the oracle had been given, the facts were right in front of him, and he couldn’t deny it.

    For a moment, Hamid was distraught.

    “I didn’t lie to you, did I?” Luo Yan spread her hands.

    Cecilia, hiding behind her, looked up at Luo Yan in confusion. Wasn’t this big sister the God of Hope? She was clearly alive and well…

    Why didn’t Grandpa Bishop recognize her? Could it be because she wasn’t wearing that beautiful and scary dress?

    The only person on the scene who was completely clueless was Chris, her face full of question marks.

    What, what, what was all this! What were they talking about!

    She knew the God of Hope, it was the Witch of Envy, so why had She suddenly fallen?

    Wasn’t She still endangering Sister Qingling’s hometown, Yan City, before? How did She disappear in such a short time?

    And why did Hamid believe Miss Luo Yan as soon as she said it?

    Many questions swirled in Chris’s mind, but she held back. Because everyone present seemed to understand, and if only she didn’t… it would be embarrassing to say it out loud.

    “I didn’t expect that after hundreds of years, we would receive such an oracle.” A bitter smile appeared on Hamid’s lips. “If that’s the case… who was the destruction of Lannister, which we were supposed to offer, for?”

    “I don’t know.”

    Luo Yan chimed in.

    “….”

    Chris broke out in a cold sweat. So these cultists really did intend to destroy Lannister… She didn’t know where they got the confidence.

    If Chris knew that hundreds of cultists were lurking in Lannister’s administration, and that more than a dozen hereditary nobles had become members of the Church of the End Gods, and that even an Elder was secretly assisting the Church, she wouldn’t have such doubts.

    Lannister had only superficially controlled the situation. Once these moles acted, coupled with the resurgent wave of Calamities, Lannister would truly be in danger of destruction.

    “It was only for yourself, Hamid.”

    Just then, a lazy voice sounded behind Hamid,

    “Long time no see, you’re still as foolish as ever.”

  • After Failing to Find Immortality 234

    Chapter 234: A Woman’s Plot, Retribution Served Cold

    “Y-You, how did you get here!”

    Pei Yan cried out in alarm, assuming a defensive stance. “You clearly said you would come find me in a few days, why—”

    “As a prince, you’re still too naive.”

    Lin Tianlu blew on the hot tea in his cup and chuckled softly. “Just because I said I would come find you in a few days, you believed it without a doubt? Or do you really think I’m some rigid scholar who adheres to every rule and observes all formalities and etiquette?”

    He raised his indifferent eyes and said calmly, “From the moment I met you, I knew you were a treacherous enemy. And when dealing with enemies, there’s no need for righteous methods. Such petty tricks are child’s play. It’s a pity that Your Highness seems unable to comprehend even such simple jokes, believing them to be true. Truly pathetic.”

    “You—”

    Pei Yan’s face twisted even more at these nonchalant taunts.

    “Lin Tianlu, do you know who you’re talking to!”

    Li Jinghe, standing beside him, roared angrily. “You, a mere commoner, not only didn’t kneel and pay respects when meeting His Highness, but you dare to utter such disrespectful nonsense!”

    “A prince who uses despicable methods to abduct women, even secretly plotting rebellion. If this news were to spread, I’m afraid you would become the laughingstock of the world.”

    Lin Tianlu calmly finished his tea. “If His Majesty and the others were to hear this, in order to maintain the royal family’s reputation, what do you think would happen to you, Prince Pei? After all, I’ve heard that Prince Pei has eight sons. Although they have different temperaments, many of them are impulsive and easily angered, but at least they can control their lower bodies.”

    He slowly put down his teacup and smiled meaningfully. “What kind of future do you think this Prince Pei… still has?”

    Li Jinghe’s eyes widened, his fists clenching in anger and shock, but he couldn’t find any words to refute.

    The struggle for power among Prince Pei’s sons…

    As Pei Yan’s confidant, he naturally knew it well.

    “You’re trying to use this as blackmail…”

    “No.”

    Lin Tianlu’s face was extremely calm. “I’m just here to eliminate potential dangers.”

    “Please wait!”

    After his initial panic, Pei Yan quickly cupped his hands. “Mr. Lin, my words just now… although they might have sounded harsh, I truly wanted to befriend you and had no intention of harming you. As for Miss Cheng, I guarantee I will not go near her again and will never have any improper thoughts about her.”

    Lin Tianlu chuckled, stood up, and waved his sleeve. “Your Highness, do you really think a few flattering words can make me willingly forgive and forget?”

    Pei Yan’s eyes twitched, and he took two deep breaths. “Although I did speak carelessly, I haven’t done anything inappropriate to Miss Cheng. She hasn’t suffered any grievances these past few days. I haven’t even touched her. I only hope that Mr. Lin can be magnanimous and not make a big deal out of this. If you have any requests, I will order my servants to fulfill them. Let’s put this dispute behind us… If Mr. Lin is still angry, you can punish me however you see fit. I won’t utter a single word of complaint.”

    “Did you hear His Highness?”

    Li Jinghe said in a low voice, “Miss Cheng is clearly unharmed. At worst, this is just a matter of a few careless words. Even if Mr. Lin were to report this to the authorities, we wouldn’t be punished. Or is Mr. Lin so petty that he would resort to threats and violence over a few rumors? You’ve already injured His Highness, and he hasn’t blamed you, even forgiving your disrespect. Those were just a few angry words spoken to his retainers after returning home. Why take it so seriously?”

    “Please reconsider, Mr. Lin!”

    Pei Yan bowed deeply again.

    “…”

    Lin Tianlu silently looked at the two of them.

    After a moment of silence, he smiled faintly.

    “Your double act is quite entertaining.”

    Li Jinghe’s face darkened. “Lin Tianlu, are you determined to be our enemy? So arrogant and unreasonable, you don’t deserve to be called ‘Master.’ You’re just an ignorant brute who acts on impulse! Relying on your strength to vent your anger, what’s the difference between you and those bandits outside the city!”

    Lin Tianlu’s smile didn’t change at all upon hearing these words.

    “You’re right. If you had just made a few lewd remarks, a few punches would have sufficed. When I was on my way to Ascension Immortal Restaurant, I indeed didn’t have any killing intent, only thinking of teaching you a lesson. However, do you think I came here empty-handed?”

    As he spoke, he clapped his hands.

    “Thank you for your trouble, Miss Yang.”

    As soon as he finished speaking, a graceful figure materialized behind him like a phantom, her face cold and indifferent. She took a large scroll of documents from her wide sleeve.

    “You—”

    Pei Yan and the others were startled, a sense of unease washing over them.

    Yang Chanzhen’s eyes were calm as she casually opened the first scroll and slowly said, “Regarding matters with traceable evidence, thirteen years ago, Prince Pei secretly took a life, killing three commoners on a whim and leaving their bodies exposed in the wilderness. Nine years ago, in order to obtain a woman surnamed Wang, Prince Pei plotted the downfall of a county official’s son, ruining his reputation. He then used sweet words to take the young man’s fiancée, who is now his personal slave. Eight years ago, Prince Pei made an enemy of someone of the same generation and secretly sent assassins after him. Not content with that, he had the young man’s entire family, thirty-seven people in total, executed. All because the young man had offended His Highness, causing him to lose face in public. Six years ago, Prince Pei had matured and learned to control his temper. However, his actions became even more sinister and ruthless. He established his own private army and underground organization. Although he appeared to be keeping a low profile these past six years, cheerfully interacting with everyone and making friends, he has committed countless heinous acts in secret.”

    Yang Chanzhen emotionlessly shook the remaining stack of documents. “This contains records of over two hundred cases of injustice committed by Prince Pei. The number of people he has killed is difficult to count, and even more are still living in pain. Do you need me to detail each crime, each incident, from beginning to end?”

    “T-This is impossible—”

    Pei Yan’s face was pale, his expression incredulous.

    Li Jinghe’s face was twisted as he roared, “These are fabricated lies!”

    “Whether it’s true or false, your expressions speak for themselves.”

    Lin Tianlu smiled, taking the documents from Yang Chanzhen. “Or do you need the victims and their families to confront you before you admit your guilt?”

    Pei Yan’s expression changed several times before he waved his hand abruptly. “Impossible! You’ve only just met me. How could you have collected all this information! I’ve always been active in other provinces and counties. Even traveling back and forth takes half a month. How could you know what I’ve done in the past!”

    “That’s why I said, Your Highness, you’re too naive.”

    Lin Tianlu shook his head and chuckled.

    “From the very beginning, you never took Miss Cheng seriously, treating her as nothing more than a ‘trophy.’”

    “What are you—”

    “These past ten days or so were enough for her to secretly gather intelligence and investigate. And some of your less intelligent guards and servants don’t seem to be very tight-lipped.” Lin Tianlu gestured towards Yang Chanzhen beside him and continued, “This young lady has been working in the shadows, helping to collect all the secrets you tried to hide. On the one hand, she kept her distance from you while attracting your attention. On the other hand, she grasped the overall situation, gathering intelligence and compiling a list of all the crimes you’ve committed… In the end, you were the ones being played by two women, and you haven’t even noticed anything amiss.”

    “N-No way!”

    Pei Yan’s face was filled with shock and disbelief, his eyes wide. “Cheng Yishi… when did she…”

    “You genuinely saw Miss Cheng as a helpless burden, never thinking she could cause any trouble.”

    The smile on Lin Tianlu’s face gradually disappeared. “But in reality, you, a so-called learned prince, are inflexible and pretentious, nothing more than an arrogant fool. You truly believe that you control all the rules and principles of the world, and everyone will act according to your will.”

    Yang Chanzhen blinked her beautiful eyes and said indifferently,

    “Pathetic.”

    “…I don’t believe it!”

    Pei Yan’s eyes turned bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead. “We’ve already erased all traces of those past events. No one in this world besides me knows about them. What can two women possibly do!”

    “Your Highness can’t even be bothered to pretend anymore…”

    Lin Tianlu sneered. “Unfortunately, in terms of martial prowess, you’re clearly no match for the young lady beside me. So why continue your arrogant bluster?”

    Bang!

    Just then, Li Jinghe’s figure flashed, shattering the ground as he charged towards them like a streak of light!

    “Die, you wretch!”

    Li Jinghe’s roar shook the hall, and the force emanating from his body stirred up a gale. His fist shot out like a coiling dragon!

    Yang Chanzhen’s eyes narrowed slightly, her slender fingers forming hand seals within her sleeves, preparing to counterattack.

    However, a shadow flickered in front of her, and Li Jinghe, who had been charging forward with overwhelming momentum, suddenly vanished as if he had evaporated into thin air.

    “Eh?”

    The hall fell silent.

    The gust of wind caused by his fist also disappeared, returning to calmness.

    Yang Chanzhen blinked twice, then looked up as if sensing something.

    Li Jinghe was swaying back and forth from the ceiling at a leisurely pace, only his head poking through the roof like a hanging corpse, his limbs dangling limply.

    “…”

    Pei Yan looked up blankly at this scene, his mind frozen.

    What just happened?

    Although his Uncle Li wasn’t unparalleled in the world, his cultivation was considered among the best in the Crimson Demon Realm. He could deal with ordinary mortals without even lifting a finger, and even against other ghost practitioners, he was overwhelmingly powerful.

    But now…

    Had he… lost?

    “This man’s hands are stained with blood.”

    Lin Tianlu brushed the dust off his sleeves and walked forward with an indifferent expression. “Aiding a tyrant, unable to distinguish right from wrong, he has committed countless cruel sins under the guise of being the prince’s confidant. The number of people he has killed is unknown. His crimes are truly deserving of death!”

    “Hiss—”

    Pei Yan gasped, taking two steps back instinctively.

    In his panic, he couldn’t help but look at Bi Junheng not far away.

    Bi Junheng’s face was also unsightly, but after a moment of thought, he still stepped forward, forcing himself to speak. “Mr. Lin, please calm down. You’ve already dealt with that Li Jinghe. Your anger should be—”

    “Do you think I didn’t hear your conversation just now?”

    Looking at Bi Junheng standing between them, Lin Tianlu smiled kindly. “Raping, looting, committing all sorts of evil. You have a handsome appearance, but your heart is extremely vicious. I wonder how many innocent women you have harmed and ruined.”

    “!”

    Bi Junheng’s heart trembled, and he instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

    Only then did he truly feel… true terror!

    This person’s cultivation was definitely far beyond his imagination!

    It felt as if a single thought from him could reduce him to ashes!

    His mind raced as he forced an awkward smile, trembling as he retreated. “I-I won’t say another word. Please continue, Mr. Lin.”

    Pei Yan, who had been about to catch his breath, cried out in alarm, “Bi Junheng! How dare you—”

    Bi Junheng simply closed his eyes, his face pale as he retreated step by step, clearly unwilling to be involved any further.

    “Y-You, wait!”

    Pei Yan’s expression grew increasingly ugly as he waved his hands and shouted, “I was wrong! I committed many sins in the past! Please spare my life, Mr. Lin, and hand me over to the authorities. Even if you don’t trust the authorities, let His Majesty—”

    Lin Tianlu slowly closed his eyes.

    “Do you hear them?”

    “What… what are you talking about?”

    Pei Yan was stunned.

    Lin Tianlu sighed sadly. “The cries of those you’ve killed are still ringing in my ears.”

    “How could I possibly—” Pei Yan opened his mouth, then turned around blankly.

    In the previously empty corner of the hall, a multitude of figures now crowded together.

    Some were headless, some had decaying bodies, and some had faces streaked with blood and tears…

    With just a glance, countless vengeful spirits surged forward and pounced on him.

    In the end, he didn’t even have time to let out a single cry for mercy.

    He was completely devoured by the countless resentful ghosts.

  • On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 218

    Chapter 218: A Lingerie Show

    At midday, Chen Yin woke up and sat up in bed.

    A pair of smooth arms wrapped around him from behind.

    “…Wandering off again?” Luo Qiaoqiao’s voice was filled with playful reproach.

    “I still have some unfinished business,” Chen Yin said, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

    “I have to take care of things at the Wu Xuan Cave.”

    Luo Qiaoqiao shook her head. “I don’t believe you. You’re probably going to see your other women.”

    …Although that wasn’t entirely wrong.

    He did have to deal with the situation at the Wu Xuan Cave.

    “Be a good girl.” He ruffled her hair. “After we cure Ye Huang’s daughter, I’ll stay on Mount Yu and won’t go anywhere. You can visit me anytime.”

    “And aren’t you worried about your parents? You’ve been gone for a while.”

    Luo Qiaoqiao’s head drooped at the mention of her parents.

    She had been selfish, running off without a care.

    She had been neglecting her filial duties.

    “Go home and see your parents. Spend some time with them.”

    Chen Yin’s voice turned serious. “The Triennial Day is approaching. Your parents must be busy preparing for it.”

    Luo Qiaoqiao nodded obediently.

    Before leaving, she clung to his robe, her voice a mixture of petulance and threat.

    “If I can’t find you again, I’ll cause trouble at Mount Yu!”

    “You can live on Mount Yu if you want,” Chen Yin said seriously. “My bed is big enough.”

    “No way.”

    Back at the Wu Xuan Cave, it was afternoon.

    The village was quiet and peaceful, even more so than before.

    The stench of blood had almost completely dissipated.

    Chen Yin went straight to Lian’er’s room beside the main hall.

    As he was about to knock, he heard hushed whispers coming from inside.

    Curious, he leaned closer to the door and listened.

    “…Really? Big Brother likes that kind of thing?”

    “Definitely. Young Master always asks me to wear this.”

    “But… it looks so strange.”

    “Are you shy because it’s so revealing? I felt the same way the first time I wore it.”

    “Not really. We don’t wear much in the Ten Thousand Mountains. Our skirts are even shorter than this. It just feels… weird.”

    “Wow, you look so cute in it, Lian’er!”

    “Mmm… it feels a little tight here…”

    “M-maybe your size is bigger than mine… But is Luo Luo really that small…?”

    “Ouch! It’s too tight! It’s going to break…”

    Ahem.

    As a seasoned connoisseur of such matters,

    Chen Yin knew it was time to intervene.

    He pushed the door open and saw the two girls sitting on the bed, their eyes wide with surprise.

    The bed was covered in a pile of clothes, and both Luo Luo and Lian’er were wearing only their undergarments, Lian’er struggling with a dress.

    The air was thick with the sweet scent of young maidens, a strangely erotic atmosphere filling the room.

    They stared at him, speechless.

    Then, Luo Luo’s face turned crimson, and she quickly buried herself under the pile of clothes, only her eyes peeking out shyly.

    Lian’er, however, blinked at him innocently and continued struggling with the dress.

    “Big Brother, you’re finally back!”

    “Lian’er is stuck! Help me!”

    Chen Yin looked at Lian’er’s developing figure and coughed awkwardly.

    “What… are you doing?”

    “Sister Luo Luo said—”

    Lian’er pointed at the pile of clothes. “She said Young Master had given her many pretty clothes and told me to try them on and see if I liked any.”

    “They’re pretty, but some are too tight… they don’t fit…”

    She tugged at the straps of a lacy camisole. “Look at this.”

    “I can’t even get it on! It hurts…”

    Chen Yin just glanced at her and knew where it hurt.

    …It seemed Luo Luo really was on the smaller side.

    They were about the same age, and Luo Luo was still developing.

    Or perhaps Lian’er’s genetics were just superior?

    But Luo Luo’s mother was also quite… well-endowed. Chen Yin still remembered Qingmei Niang’s impressive figure.

    Luo Luo’s ears drooped slightly, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

    “Ahem… everyone develops at their own pace.”

    Chen Yin tried to comfort her. “Luo Luo is a fox demon. Your lifespan is much longer than a human’s, so naturally, you’ll develop slower.”

    “If you like any of these styles, I can find you a size that fits.”

    Lian’er nodded and continued struggling with the camisole.

    Chen Yin, seeing her efforts, chuckled and approached her.

    “Here, raise your arms.”

    Lian’er obediently raised her arms above her head, and Chen Yin gently untangled the straps and helped her remove the dress.

    Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Chen Yin couldn’t help but swallow nervously at the sight of Lian’er in her undergarments.

    …She usually looks like a child, but her figure is… surprisingly well-developed.

    Of course, admiring a beautiful girl in her underwear was just a bonus.

    He took the opportunity to examine her injuries.

    …They had completely healed.

    Not even a scar remained.

    But it had only been a day.

    Even with his spiritual energy and the medicinal pills, this speed of recovery was astonishing.

    Even his “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra” wasn’t this effective at the early stages of cultivation.

    “Big Brother, what’s wrong?” Lian’er’s voice brought him back to reality.

    She blinked her large, innocent eyes and asked seriously, “Is Lian’er’s body too beautiful?”

    Chen Yin was speechless. This girl had no filter.

    Luo Luo, seeing this, quickly jumped up and hugged Lian’er, covering her with her own body, her face crimson.

    “D-don’t look, Young Master!”

    “I’m looking, I’m looking. Looking at both of you.”

    Chen Yin grinned and looked at them with an appreciative gaze.

    Luo Luo hadn’t had time to get dressed either, her shoulders bare, her face flushed as she looked at him shyly.

    “Y-Young Master… stop looking…”

    The two young girls, huddled together on the bed, the blankets and clothes tangled around them, their faces flushed, were a sight to behold.

    Chen Yin could have stared at them all day.

    But a cold voice suddenly came from the doorway:

    “Are you enjoying yourself, bullying these little girls?”

    Chen Yin coughed awkwardly and put on a righteous expression.

    “I’m just checking on Lian’er’s injuries.”

    The Grand Witch, Bi Luo, her dark green hair cascading down her back, stood at the doorway, her eyes narrowed, a disdainful look on her face.

    “You’re truly indiscriminate, Young Master Chen, even little girls aren’t safe from your lechery.”

    “You misunderstand, Grand Witch. I prefer mature beauties like yourself.”

    The Grand Witch snorted and crossed her arms. “Did you take care of Shen Li?”

    Chen Yin nodded. “It’s done. They’re all dead. Shen Li no longer exists.”

    The Grand Witch’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, then she smiled faintly.

    “Good riddance.”

    “Thank you.”

    Chen Yin looked at her, surprised. He hadn’t expected her to thank him.

    “We’re even now,” she said, her voice still cold, but a hint of warmth in her eyes. “You’re a benefactor of the Wu Xuan Cave. I won’t forget this.”

    “But we’ll talk later. I have some personal matters to attend to.”

    “What matters?” Chen Yin asked curiously.

    “…I’m going to destroy those three sects.”

    Her voice was calm, devoid of emotion, but her eyes held a chilling glint.

    Chen Yin shook his head. “I advise against it. The ordinary disciples in those sects are probably unaware of their masters’ crimes. Even if they knew, what could they do? Killing innocent people won’t bring back the dead. It’s just pointless revenge.”

    The Grand Witch’s lips were pressed together tightly, her reluctance evident.

    Chen Yin sighed and patted her shoulder gently.

    “You have more important things to do.”

    Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then she turned away.

    “…In two days,”

    “I’ll go with you to save that little girl.”

    With that, she left.

    Chen Yin watched her go, then rubbed his head tiredly.

    …This Grand Witch, Bi Luo, was a strange and interesting woman.

    Her most striking quality was her fiery temper.

    She was straightforward and blunt, her words and actions direct and unrestrained.

    But beneath that fiery exterior was a surprisingly delicate and thoughtful mind.

    Like just now, she hadn’t truly intended to slaughter those three sects.

    She just needed someone to stop her.

    Chen Yin found her little act both amusing and endearing.

    But ultimately,

    No one could dislike a girl like that.