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  • I’m Surrounded by My Own Pets! 204

    Chapter 204: Lian Xing’s 1v4 with Her Married Pet Beasts!?

    [Monarch-Tier · Shining Species]

    [Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal]

    …

    …

    The Monarch-Tier Shining Rabbit made her grand entrance!

    After defeating Heartless Purgatory Life, the Shining Rabbit had finally achieved perfect evolution.

    After all, she had instantly killed a Monarch-Tier Fallen Species. Why shouldn’t she evolve!?

    Though still Monarch-Tier, this was practically the final hurdle for her perfect evolution.

    Having achieved perfect evolution in her Moon-Embracing Jade Hammer form, her strength had always surpassed her peers, though not enough to transcend the three main evolutionary paths without Triple Awakening. She could, at best, bully ordinary Myriad-Level Emperors.

    However…

    Finally, in this moment!

    She had also lost her initial form.

    At Royal-Tier, Eight-Star Bewitching Moon was her initial form, and Drunken Glaze Eight-Star Bewitching Moon was her Shining Awakened form.

    But now, there was no need…

    Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal, already in her full-power Shining form, could simply adjust her Pet Essence output, no longer needing to activate or deactivate Awakening.

    Just like Gem Concubine, the leader of the Six Stars!

    Within Replay’s testing space, as the Shining Moonlight Rabbit emerged, bathed in starlight, the entire arena fell silent.

    Before her oval-shaped, explosive Shining aura, even breathing and blinking seemed like luxuries.

    All Pet Essence and air within the simulated recording were distorted and blurred.

    Endless stardust swirled around the golden Moonlight Rabbit like a cape.

    This flawless, new form was like the purest essence of all Moonlight Rabbit evolutionary paths, a culmination of all possibilities.

    [Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal]

    Though impressive at first glance, Lian Xing felt increasingly… strange.

    Not bad, just… a strong sense of déjà vu.

    Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal?

    More like StellaLou!

    Both were rabbits, so it worked.

    Lian Xing had owned a few StellaLou plushies in her past life, some cheap knock-offs she won from claw machines, some gifts from friends.

    But after the Beast Taming Evolution Duel open beta, she had flushed them all down the toilet.

    Her apartment had been filled with Pet Beast merchandise; there was no room for other plushies.

    And she didn’t want to risk a haunted doll scenario by throwing them in the trash.

    Flushing them seemed safer.

    Probably…

    ***

    As the Shining Moonlight Rabbit appeared, while the onlookers were puzzled or bewildered, Silver Dragon, Tears Maiden, and the others instantly recognized whose Pet Beast this was.

    They scanned the arena like voyeurs, but without access to their Pet Beasts’ vision, they couldn’t locate Lian Xing among the billions of Beast Tamers.

    Meanwhile, having received Jade Maiden’s thoughts, Lover’s First in Line, the Grand Concubine, stood up abruptly, her face pale with shock.

    That woman… was here!

    Was this Replay trial about to end prematurely…?

    Or was Heavenly Maiden’s head even harder than Storm’s?

    As Cloud Princess and Wu Qie remained bewildered, and Heavenly Maiden’s silence turned eerie, the Shining white fox and the Ancient bird within the simulated recording finally reached their limits.

    The Ancient Black Umbrella Chick’s form began to expand, its massive black feathers obscuring everyone’s vision.

    This was—

    The Ancient Species’ ancestral true form!

    Its size increased rapidly, its massive black wings spanning millions of miles as if trying to engulf the entire simulated battle space.

    However…

    The next second—

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    A massive, hollow sphere, its size comparable to a planet, its surface crackling with lightning, pierced through the Ancient Species’ body with blinding speed, its aura as vast as a black hole.

    The air froze.

    Silence descended.

    A massive hole appeared in the center of the Ancient Black Umbrella Chick, its expansion halted, its eyes vacant and unmoving.

    Then, its aura began to dissipate.

    “…”

    “…”

    “Thud!!!”

    In the dead silence, the seemingly invincible Ancient Species collapsed, killed in a single blow.

    An Ancient Species… defeated…?

    How was this possible?

    As the other Shining Species, the white fox, watched in disbelief, the massive, black, satellite-like sphere returned, swirling around the golden Moonlight Rabbit like an unfathomable black hole.

    This round was a two-Pet Beast battle, but Heavenly Maiden and Wu Qie had only deployed one each, intending a decisive showdown between their main forces.

    But besides the Shining Rabbit, Lian Xing had also placed another Pet Beast.

    Monarch-Tier Calamity Sun, Neverending Tower!

    This battle had been pointless from the start.

    With Calamity Sun’s support, Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal didn’t even need to activate a higher stage of Awakening.

    But…

    The Moonlight Rabbit hadn’t made any throwing motions.

    Not even a feint.

    White Abode, within Heavenly Maiden, stared intently, trying to understand the attack.

    Then, it realized.

    The Moonlight Rabbit didn’t need to throw.

    Simply by standing there, golden spears formed from the surrounding Pet Essence, raining down upon the Shining white fox by the trillions.

    [Initial Talent: Resilience Amplification has vanished.]

    [Replaced by Talent: Lunar Path 0°]

    [Lunar Path 0°: Within its aura’s range, all projectiles, thrown objects, and matter containing Pet Essence must follow its designated trajectory. Any ranged attacks or entities entering its range will be automatically subjected to its throwing force.]

    “Boom, boom, boom!!!”

    As Heavenly Maiden watched with a grim expression, the Shining white fox was instantly engulfed by the golden tide, explosions rocking the arena.

    Seconds later, the clouds churned.

    “Whoosh—!!!”

    A sharp, white aura pierced through the golden wave like a sword.

    A miniature white figure burst forth from the devastated golden zone.

    Under everyone’s gaze, a beautiful fox woman with luxurious white fur and a massive, flowing tail, surrounded by swirling clouds, moved with terrifying speed towards the golden figure.

    Monarch-Tier Shining Species, Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment, Double Awakening!!!

    A companion Pet Beast’s personality usually resembled its master’s.

    Heavenly Maiden was aloof, so her Shining Species was also quiet, leaving all the talking to White Abode.

    But any Beast Tamer who had fought Heavenly Maiden knew that this seemingly unassuming Shining Species was the true powerhouse of her lineup; White Abode was merely a babysitter…

    “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!!!”

    Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment’s movements were like a graceful dance.

    As she moved at blurring speed, her massive, hundreds-of-kilometers-long tail swirled, shattering the golden spears, closing the distance to the golden Moonlight Rabbit.

    But just as many viewers believed the tide was turning, the moment Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment entered the Moonlight Rabbit’s aura—

    Pet Essence froze time.

    [Lunar Path 0°]

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    A deafening explosion nearly shattered the eardrums of all participants.

    Before Heavenly Maiden’s frozen body and White Abode’s disbelieving eyes, they couldn’t even see what had happened.

    But somehow, Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment now lay battered and bruised at the edge of the map, her clothes torn, her massive tail riddled with wounds.

    What… had happened!?

    Silver Dragon and the others were stunned.

    “Isn’t Heavenly Maiden the strongest Beast Tamer in the Moon Soul World?”

    “But… why couldn’t her Shining Species even fight back!?”

    Was this Shining Species truly Lian Xing’s Pet Beast?

    It had been less than half a year since she arrived in the Moon Soul World from the Bubble Pet Beast World.

    Could she really suppress the Moon Soul World’s strongest Beast Tamer so completely?

    As countless participants watched in disbelief, Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment, having been involuntarily thrown, stood up, blood trickling from her lips, her wounds slowly healing.

    The moment she entered the opponent’s aura, she had felt like a human being blasted by a cannon, naturally suffering severe injuries.

    But she was a Shining Species. She wouldn’t be defeated so easily before her Pet Essence was depleted.

    The beautiful, white-haired fox woman assumed a fighting stance once more.

    But then…

    The Moonlight Rabbit, who had remained motionless, suddenly took a step forward.

    Her Shining aura expanded like a collapsing sun, annihilating everything within its reach.

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal walked forward, her radiant, scorching aura expanding, vaporizing all Pet Essence in its path.

    The ground vanished.

    The sky collapsed.

    Everything around the Moonlight Rabbit disappeared.

    Within her aura, every pixel, every particle of Pet Essence, was subjected to her full throwing force, instantly vanishing upon contact.

    Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment was quickly forced to the edge of the map by the Moonlight Rabbit’s expanding aura.

    A shimmering light gathered around her.

    But the Shining combat skill bestowed upon her by Sharp Edge Seven King Mother was instantly vaporized upon contact with the Moonlight Rabbit’s aura. Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment could only watch helplessly as she was engulfed by the Shining light.

    “Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!!”

    Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment’s graceful form was torn apart, her flesh and blood scattering.

    She was repeatedly slammed against the edge of the map by the aura, eventually being forced into the void beyond.

    But it was no use.

    Even Replay’s simulated dimensional barriers were crumbling under the Moonlight Rabbit’s expanding aura.

    Millions of Beast Tamers watched in disbelief as Illusion Fox Heavenly Garment’s body slowly disintegrated.

    Soon, the entire battlefield was reduced to nothingness.

    Only Starlight Never Diminishes, Moon Eternal remained, floating in the white void, the massive golden cube and the black, hollow sphere orbiting her.

    Silence fell over the arena.

    No one seemed able to accept Heavenly Maiden’s defeat.

    Even Lian Xing was slightly speechless.

    She couldn’t tell whether the Ancient Rabbit or the Shining Rabbit was stronger.

    Logically, the Ancient Rabbit should be the one capable of transcending realms and dominating.

    But the Shining Rabbit had Triple Star Pole Awakening and the Monarch-Tier Calamity Sun, Neverending Tower. It was difficult to say who would win in a direct confrontation.

    And this new talent, Lunar Path 0°… how broken was it?

    Which idiot had come up with an ability that didn’t even allow physical contact?

    Suddenly, Lian Xing broke out in a cold sweat.

    Wait!!!

    The Shining Rabbit was already Monarch-Tier…?

    She recalled the promise she had made during their “wedding.”

    Once the Shining Rabbit reached Monarch-Tier, she would become a proper Married Pet Beast…

    And she had also promised to “score” Moonwalker, the Ancient Rabbit, the Shining Rabbit, and Snow Flower together…

    A drop of cold sweat trickled down Lian Xing’s forehead.

    Then, her legs went weak…

    It seemed she was the true loser in this battle.

    After all, she couldn’t escape the fate of a 1v4 with her Married Pet Beasts!

    —

    Meanwhile…

    Under the intense gazes of Silver Dragon, Thunder Fly, and Tear Heavenly Maiden, Jade Maiden sighed.

    “Fine, fine, I’ll confess.”

    “As Lian Xing’s partners, you deserve to know the truth.”

    “You know about the Six-pointed Star Banquet, right? I told you about it before, but I omitted a crucial detail: Lian Xing gatecrashed.”

    “She first used her Shining Species Royal-Tier Moonlight Rabbit to instantly kill that little Fallen parasite(lice) within Storm.”

    “After enraging Storm, she somehow summoned an Ancient Species and fought Storm to a standstill, nearly destroying the world. If not for Sharp Edge Seven King Mother and the other Guardians’ intervention, the entire Moon Soul World would have been flattened…”

    “The most terrifying thing is, that Ancient Species seems to be her Married Pet Beast. Her contract slots were full, and she’s not a Reincarnated Body. Where did she come from?”

    As Jade Maiden spoke, she casually showed her phone.

    Her lock screen was a photo of her and Lian Xing from the Bubble Pet Beast World.

    The Pet Concubines in the Lover channel, who had been furiously insulting and threatening to report her for leaking information, fell silent.

    Report her?

    Yes, she had leaked information. So what?

    She was Lian Xing’s official partner, one of her four human companions!

    It wasn’t up to a bunch of “eunuchs” to interfere with their relationship.

    Jade Maiden had already started considering herself a member of Lian Xing’s harem.

    However…

    As Jade Maiden finished speaking, Silver Dragon, Thunder Fly, and Tears Maiden stared blankly.

    Storm, one of the Four Great Calamities?

    Wasn’t she even more terrifying than Flood?

    Six months ago, Lian Xing had nearly died because of Flood. How had she managed to surpass Storm in less than half a year?

    And an Ancient Species capable of fighting Storm to a draw…

    How high was its level?

    Silver Dragon and Thunder Fly looked at Tear Heavenly Maiden.

    Tears Maiden was equally bewildered.

    How high was the level of an Ancient Species that could fight a Fallen Emperor?

    How the hell would she know? Her Yellow Springs Beckon was only level 104!

    “Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap—”

    Seconds later, crisp footsteps echoed in the silent arena.

    A golden-haired girl in white stockings and twin buns walked towards the center.

    As if sensing something, the other participants stepped aside, allowing her to reach the ranking display unimpeded.

    Heavenly Maiden and Wu Qie moved aside, creating a path.

    Undoubtedly, this golden-haired girl was the victor of Replay’s trial.

    Her aura alone made it clear…

    Finally, under everyone’s gaze, Lian Xing stood alone before Replay’s control center.

    “As promised, I’ve come to retrieve you.”

    “So, join me as a mechanical part.”

    “Replay…”

    Silence.

    Then, an uproar.

    A… mechanical part!?

    She wanted a high-ranking Legend to become a mechanical part in her lineup?

    Why not ask a Guardian to join her harem!?

    Cloud Princess, who had been silently observing from a corner, choked.

    “Pfft—”

    “What the hell?”

    “This woman!!!”

    “She’s wearing the same Cloud Mist Sea uniform as me!?”

    “But I don’t know her!!!”

    Cloud Princess had been a mere extra in this trial, not even placing in the top three.

    Losing was one thing. She never truly believed she could defeat Heavenly Maiden. Even if she had, it was just wishful thinking.

    But she couldn’t understand where this Beast Tamer from Cloud Mist Sea had come from.

    Even Heavenly Maiden and Wu Qie, two top Beast Tamers, couldn’t make a ripple against her!

    Under everyone’s gaze, Replay remained silent.

    Though she had boasted before reincarnation that if Lian Xing encountered her in the Moon Soul World, she would join her lineup as a mechanical part…

    No Mechanical species actually wanted to become a mechanical part.

    It was like being a living person, then reincarnating as someone’s foot, constantly being stepped on and forced to wear various stockings. No one would willingly accept that, right?

    “What’s wrong, Replay? Are you going back on your word?” Lian Xing’s starry eyes narrowed.

    Then, Replay’s voice echoed from the control panel.

    “Star Concubine, I apologize, I’m not breaking my promise.”

    “I’m just… confused…”

    “Are you truly Star Concubine?”

    “If my backup data is correct, it’s only been 172 days since my last death, not 172 years…”

    “Your growth rate is… somewhat…”

    Lian Xing raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    Though Replay’s memories were fragmented, she had accessed her backup data.

    This saved a lot of trouble…

    Replay’s data clearly showed that 172 days ago, Lian Xing had still been avoiding Myriad-Level Emperors.

    And there had been dozens of Myriad-Level Emperors in this trial.

    Yet, they hadn’t even survived the Shining Moonlight Rabbit’s initial Shining aura.

    Was her pre-reincarnation data wrong?

    Or was this Star Concubine a fake?

    Though confused, Replay didn’t resist, transforming into a ball of light and being absorbed by Mist Colt into her viral space.

    Since she hadn’t yet evolved into a part, she couldn’t merge with the Celestial Anchor yet. She had to wait until she reached Monarch-Tier.

    “Whoosh—”

    As Replay vanished, a massive portal, like a nebula, appeared.

    Stepping through it would return them to reality.

    But no one moved, waiting for the magnificent, golden-haired girl to exit first. This was the victor’s privilege.

    Replay, one of the seventy-two Legends, had been successfully retrieved.

    Lian Xing, playing with a strand of golden hair, a satisfied smile on her face, was about to step through the portal when footsteps caught her attention.

    “Thud!!!”

    As Lian Xing turned, she was tackled by a silver-haired girl, nearly knocking her to the ground.

    A green-haired girl followed, clinging to Lian Xing’s foot with an excited expression.

    Tears Maiden and Thunder Fly, maintaining their composure, observed from the side.

    Lian Xing, startled, quickly recognized Silver Dragon and the others, then coughed, her face flushing slightly.

    “Cough, cough, cough!!!”

    “Let’s talk at home, not here…”

    For some reason, Lian Xing sounded strangely embarrassed.

    As if… she was shy!?

    The four girls exchanged puzzled glances.

    What was going on?

    Silver Dragon had simply hugged her. Why was Lian Xing shy?

    She would have completely ignored such embarrassment before.

    Suddenly, Thunder Fly’s pupils constricted, realizing something.

    She recalled Lian Xing’s infamous words at the All-Pet Beast Tournament.

    Acquaintances were boring. She preferred strangers or enemies…?

    That was it!

    Even mothers and daughters became strangers after half a year apart.

    Lian Xing was embarrassed and shy, even slightly excited, by this unfamiliarity!

    This was Lian Xing’s XP!

    It seemed they had to strike while the iron was hot…

    “…”

    “…”

    “A harem?”

    “Didn’t expect this one to play so hard…” White Abode commented from within Heavenly Maiden.

    A flicker of curiosity appeared in Heavenly Maiden’s vacant eyes.

    Lian Xing’s harem?

    She had lived for over a hundred years, and besides Lian Xing, no one had even held her hand.

    So, what did being in a harem entail?

    Could she, like that silver-haired girl, jump on Lian Xing?

    Sensing Heavenly Maiden’s curiosity, White Abode mentally slapped itself.

    It shouldn’t have mentioned this, sparking impure thoughts in the innocent Heavenly Maiden’s mind…

    “Alright, Xueyi, thankfully this was just Replay’s simulation. We haven’t truly lost. Once we retrieve Cold Moon, we’ll come back for revenge!!!” White Abode quickly changed the subject.

    But Heavenly Maiden stared intently at Lian Xing and her companions, unable to look away.

    She couldn’t imagine how good it would feel to be held by Lian Xing.

    After exchanging pleasantries with Silver Dragon, Thunder Fly, Tears Maiden, and Jade Maiden, Lian Xing helped Silver Dragon up.

    She could tell they had much to say, but she couldn’t hold up the others. If she didn’t leave, the other participants wouldn’t move either.

    So, whatever they had to discuss, they would do it at home…

    Lian Xing led the four girls through the portal.

    ***

    Outside, in Cold Moon Palace…

    Five minutes before Lian Xing captured Replay…

    High above, Cold Moon, the Fourth Guardian and master of Cold Moon Palace, overlooked her territory, her icy blue hair flowing.

    She waited for Replay’s trial to conclude.

    Seconds later, she sensed the surrounding space cracking, all Pet Essence vanishing.

    Then, a massive, black scorpion tail, over eight hundred billion miles long, descended from the void, its segments coiling around Cold Moon Palace like a sausage.

    Cold Moon exhaled slowly, then asked coldly, “Inverse Time already informed me…”

    “But I still don’t understand.”

    “You truly don’t want to see your former master again?”

    “And I don’t believe anyone here can defeat you.”

    “…”

    “…”

    [I can sense my master’s aura reviving. Therefore, I cannot meet her in this form.]

    [My master despises Fallen Species. Her homeland was destroyed by Storm.]

    [I cannot face her again in this ugly state—]

    [Please, Fourth Guardian, seal Cold Moon Palace now. Sharp Edge Seven King Mother will definitely try to stop me. Absolutely do not let her know. She would be heartbroken…]

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    The next second, the massive, black scorpion tail pierced the sky.

    A devastating Fallen aura erupted, engulfing Cold Moon Palace with terrifying speed.

    One of the Four Great Calamities.

    The Fallen Emperor, Drought—

    Despair descended!

  • Shion’s Notes 125

    Chapter 125: Making the Cut

    Ye Zhiyun received an invitation, an electronic one, from the Wenqing Editorial Department, inviting her to their annual New Talent Awards ceremony. Every year, they selected outstanding works to compete for the awards, and the winners usually received publishing contracts.

    Many aspiring writers hoped to make a splash at the New Talent Awards, launching their careers. However, most talented newcomers chose Qidian over Wenqing. After all, Qidian was the largest novel publishing platform and website in the country.

    Wenqing hadn’t attracted fresh talent in years, facing a shortage of new authors. They tried increasing benefits for newcomers, but it wasn’t enough to retain them. Everyone aspired to join Qidian, the publishing giant.

    Luo Nan had submitted her manuscript to Wenqing, hoping to start her career there. They had been interested in signing her, but she had made several demands that Wenqing considered excessive for a newcomer, ultimately rejecting her. The proud Luo Nan, offended, took her manuscript to Qidian and, within two months, secured a publishing deal, her name becoming widely recognized.

    This incident was a significant blow to Wenqing. They had handed a promising talent to their rival, a decision they deeply regretted. There were calls for a change in their approach to newcomers.

    Regardless, the New Talent Awards would proceed as planned, and since Ye Zhiyun had been invited, she would attend. Though she was just a small-time investor, not a prominent figure, her previous dealings with Wenqing and their interest in fostering a good relationship with her had earned her a guest invitation.

    The awards ceremony was scheduled for after the New Year.

    Ye Zhiyun stretched, saved the electronic invitation, and gazed out the window. The weather in England was colder than back home, the streets covered in snow. Yet, people were still venturing outside. Perhaps the British simply enjoyed outdoor activities, she thought.

    “Zhiyun, come here! Let’s go play in the snow!”

    Her mother’s excited voice called from outside her room.

    “Mom, how old are you? Acting like a child.”

    Despite her words, a smile graced Ye Zhiyun’s face as she opened the door.

    “It’s been so long since I played with my precious daughter. I want to make up for lost time! Come on, let’s go! Your cousin’s coming too!”

    “Mom, honestly…”

    Her mother no longer resembled the formidable businesswoman she once was. Who would have thought that the once proud and unyielding woman would become so playful after having children? Li Xiaoyue looked elegant in a gray down jacket, a white scarf, and light brown boots crunching through the snow, her hair tied back in a ponytail. If there were a live stream, the comments would be flooded with messages like, “I love you, Mrs. Ye!” and “Your hairstyle is dangerous!”

    “Zhiyun, come and play! You’ll be busy again after the New Year. Spend some time with me while you can.”

    “Mom, who’s the child here, me or you?”

    Ye Zhiyun chuckled. Around her family, she was always relaxed.

    She had been raised as a princess, doted on by her mother, who perhaps loved her even more than her father, often taking her on trips. Once, when little Zhiyun expressed a desire to shake hands with Mickey Mouse, her mother flew her all the way to Disneyland.

    Her mother was her closest family member; she would do anything for her.

    Ye Zhiyun ran, leaving footprints in the snow.

    The New Year was a time for national celebration. After spending the first few days with Dai Wenqian, Yu Linna was alone again. Everyone had family to celebrate with, returning to their hometowns or traveling abroad, while she remained in the city, solitary.

    But she was content. As long as her friends cared about her, that was enough.

    And on this day, she received good news.

    Logging onto her computer, she found an email from Wenqing.

    “Dear Shion, congratulations! Your novel, Ballad of the Enchantress, has been shortlisted for the Wenqing New Talent Awards! We invite you to attend the awards ceremony on February 17th, where the winners will be announced.”

    She had…

    Made the cut?

    Yu Linna couldn’t believe it. She reread the email several times, finally accepting it wasn’t a dream. Her heart pounded with excitement. She had been prepared for rejection, yet here she was, shortlisted against all odds.

    Was she dreaming?

    Had she really made it?

    “Haha…”

    Staring at the screen, a smile spread across her face. She covered her face with her hands, the feeling surreal, like a dream she might wake up from at any moment.

    “I made it! I made it! Haha… I knew I could do it! I knew I could…”

    She repeated the words, unable to contain her excitement, her joy overflowing.

    And as she laughed, tears welled up in her eyes.

    She was happy, ecstatic, but also… sad.

    Only she knew how difficult it had been to reach this point. The constant failures, the hardships, the setbacks. She had considered giving up, but she couldn’t let go of her dream, her determination pushing her forward. Now, her efforts had been rewarded.

    How could she not cry tears of joy?

    It had been a long and arduous journey, filled with self-doubt, wondering if she would ever achieve recognition. Chasing her dream, she had even been almost forced into a compromising situation. But after leaving the entertainment industry and turning to writing, she had finally found a platform to showcase her talent.

    Though she hadn’t won yet, she had made it to the finals. It was an acknowledgment of her hard work, a validation of her efforts.

    Who could understand her struggles? Her desire for recognition, for achieving her dream, was simply to make a name for herself, to reach greater heights. But it had been so difficult.

    “I did it! I actually did it! wuwu…”

    Overwhelmed with emotion, she couldn’t stop crying.

    From having nothing, to struggling relentlessly, to finally making it to the finals. Her life was a story.

    A story of rising from nothing.

    Though she didn’t know if she would win, she was one step closer to success.

    Since she had blocked Chen Xi on QQ, the editorial department had to assign another editor to contact her. This new editor was Rabbit Princess, a recent university graduate. She had contacted Shion at Chen Xi’s request. Since Chen Xi had been blocked, and Rabbit Princess had a good relationship with her, she took over.

    “Hello, I’m Rabbit Princess, not Rabbit Ski. Hello, Shion (laughs).”

    “Hello.”

    “Your work has been shortlisted for our awards, and we’re interested in signing you. Regarding your novel…”

    “I absolutely will not change it.”

    “Ahaha, I know…”

    How could Rabbit Princess not know about Shion, the author who would rather block an editor than revise their work? In a way, it was impressive.

    Though the novel wasn’t entirely suitable for commercial publication, the chief editor, Tang He, loved it. He had declared it “the most captivating work I’ve read in years.”

    Clearly, Shion was a talented writer.

    “If we sign you, we’ll offer you the standard newcomer royalty rate: 4%. How does that sound?”

    Yu Linna frowned. Did they think she was illiterate? That was a paltry offer, even for a newcomer.

    She knew how to do math; that royalty rate was too low.

    After the Chenghe incident, Yu Linna wouldn’t trust anyone easily, wouldn’t wag her tail for a small favor. She would think, question, and scrutinize.

    She suspected they were offering such a low rate to assert their dominance, to remind her that Wenqing held the power, that she was just a small fry.

    Her impression of Wenqing soured.

    “Let me think about it.”

    Another winter was coming.

    Having just experienced the joy of being shortlisted, she now faced the possibility of not being published. The royalty rate Wenqing offered was too low; she wasn’t stupid. She didn’t want to sell her hard-earned work for such a pittance.

    It was the product of her blood, sweat, and tears.

    Yu Linna was torn. After the Chenghe debacle, she was wary of trusting anyone, especially when it came to contracts. Contracts were always biased towards the powerful, and she, with no influence or backing, was vulnerable to exploitation.

    Chenghe was a prime example. Though they had violated the law with their unfair contract, what could she do? Despite her abilities, she was powerless against them. She lacked the resources.

    While Wenqing wasn’t as powerful as Chenghe, they were still a major force, far beyond her reach.

    Yu Linna was unsure how to proceed.

    Should she sign or not?

    After much deliberation, she decided against it. Burned once, she was twice shy. She replied to the message.

    “I’ll give you my answer after the awards ceremony.”

    How cunning!

    Rabbit Princess’s eyes widened upon reading the message. She had hoped to sign Shion before the results were announced, to avoid a repeat of the Luo Nan incident. But it seemed Shion didn’t trust her, unwilling to sign now.

    At the editorial department, a clear consensus seemed to be forming regarding the winner of the New Talent Awards…

  • Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses v3c5

    Witch’s Night: Chapter 5 Gods

    A young woman stared blankly at Luo Yan and Hua Qingling, her gaze shifting back and forth between them, her pupils trembling in disbelief.

    “Sister Qingling… he, who is he?”

    “…A friend.”

    Hua Qingling murmured, seeming somewhat uneasy for some reason.

    “Yes, I’m Sister Qingling’s friend,” Luo Yan politely extended a hand towards the young woman. “Nice to meet you.”

    She had a good impression of this young woman, but not because she was beautiful.

    It was impossible to tell anyway. The young woman wore a thick mask and sunglasses, and a large, exaggerated gauze hat, as if afraid of being recognized.

    What made Luo Yan even more curious was the clothes the young woman wore.

    …An Old Era Lolita-style dress.

    Not to mention Luo Yan’s mysterious attachment to dresses since her time in Ghost Town, Little Tini’s dresses were mostly of this style, and the young woman’s clothes evoked memories for Luo Yan.

    Many things in Spencer Manor felt quite familiar to Luo Yan, the architectural style, the decorations… and so on. It was hard not to remind her of Ghost Town, where she had lived for an unknown amount of time, and Natalie Manor, which held her memories.

    After all, Luo Yan had only left Ghost Town for a few months, but she had been entangled with that illusory yet real fragment of time for a long time in the first half of her life.

    Initially, she was only dissatisfied with Lannister’s possible surveillance, but now Luo Yan had decided that the trip was worthwhile.

    Regardless of the Lannister nobles’ attitude towards these legacies, at least they had achieved a high degree of restoration.

    Compared to Luo Yan, the young woman’s impression of her… him wasn’t so pleasant.

    Although her good upbringing allowed her to quickly calm down after the initial shock and anger, and she didn’t lose her composure, no matter what, how dare he get so close to Sister Qingling…

    So what if he was good-looking? She had to humiliate him severely!

    The young woman gave a proper smile, extending her white-gloved hand to lightly touch Luo Yan’s palm, as a handshake.

    “This gentleman, my full name is Chris Tina Elizabeth Lequista, representing myself, my parents, and the heritage of our glorious family. I hope you can remember my name; it’s basic respect for me.”

    “Alright, Miss Chris.” Luo Yan replied immediately.

    “…..”

    Chris’s expression twisted almost imperceptibly. She had never seen such a shameless noble!

    Although it was somewhat deliberate, at least… it was in line with noble etiquette!

    According to old noble etiquette, when meeting, one had to address the other party by their full name and title, along with a series of cumbersome greetings.

    However, most of these had been simplified by now.

    Chris’s upbringing limited her humiliation to the scope of nobility, otherwise she would have wanted to immediately take off her gloves and throw them at Luo Yan’s head!

    “I must throw these gloves away when I get back…”

    Chris took a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

    Of course, Chris didn’t show any of these feelings. On the surface, she had only had a friendly interaction with Luo Yan.

    “However… I seem to have seen this name somewhere before?”

    Luo Yan touched her chin and started searching through her memories.

    “Miss Chris is a very popular idol in the Free Federation,” Hua Qingling explained, then looked at Chris and smiled slightly. “Miss Chris, long time no see, still wearing the same clothes.”

    “Long time no see, Sister Qingling! It can’t be helped, it would be troublesome if I were recognized.”

    Chris immediately beamed, but her smile seemed to stiffen slightly when she saw Luo Yan next to her.

    “By the way, Sister Qingling… you haven’t properly introduced this gentleman to me yet.”

    For some reason, Luo Yan felt that Chris’s gaze towards her seemed somewhat hostile.

    But thinking about it carefully, she had been staying put in Lannister recently, so there was no reason to offend someone she had never met before.

    Moreover, she also knew Sister Qingling…

    And after being reminded by Hua Qingling, Luo Yan also remembered where she had seen Chris’s name.

    …It was in Anna’s fashion magazines.

    As a tailor, or rather, a fashion designer, Anna had many fashion magazines in her shop. Luo Yan had also browsed through some out of curiosity, but she hadn’t read much, and she wasn’t interested in them either.

    That was why she didn’t have much of an impression of Chris’s name.

    “She… he, is actually a friend of my younger sister, staying with me for a while.”

    As for Luo Yan’s name, Hua Qingling hesitated for a moment and didn’t say it, because it sounded like a girl’s name…

    “Sister Qingling’s younger sister? I remember she’s in that… what’s it called, Yan City…”

    “Yes, my hometown. She hasn’t traveled much.” Hua Qingling nodded. “I’ll introduce you sometime; she’s quite cute.”

    Cute…

    Luo Yan was a little startled. She couldn’t associate Hua Qiling with the word cute at all.

    And since Chris hadn’t met Hua Qiling, based on Hua Qingling’s image, she could only imagine Hua Qiling as a more youthful and petite version.

    It seemed… indeed quite cute.

    “Mm-hmm, I’ll look forward to it.”

    Chris nodded repeatedly.

    Just then, a woman in a straight formal suit hurried over, stopping breathlessly in front of Chris, panting,

    “Mi-, Miss Chris, why did you come here? You must go and prepare immediately…”

    “I know, I know. Can’t I even say a word to my friends?”

    Chris frowned slightly and said with dissatisfaction.

    “Bu-, But… today’s banquet, Chief Magistrate Norian of the Council of Elders will attend in person… It’s very important!”

    Hearing this, Chris didn’t react much, but Hua Qingling and Luo Yan exchanged glances.

    It seemed that today’s banquet… might be more lively than expected.

    “Oh, I understand.”

    Chris pouted, but she still knew the importance of the matter.

    She looked apologetically at Hua Qingling, her voice immediately softening,

    “Sorry, Sister Qingling, I have to excuse myself for a while… After the performance, I’ll come find you immediately!”

    “Mm, good luck.”

    A standard, gentle, big-sisterly smile appeared on Hua Qingling’s face, but Luo Yan couldn’t help but think of how she drooled and kicked off the covers while sleeping.

    The gentle and considerate big sister image that she had left on Luo Yan during their brief interaction in Yan City had been shattered during these few days of living together.

    Finally, Chris glanced at Luo Yan almost imperceptibly and turned to leave with the woman in the suit.

    “Does she seem to dislike me?”

    Luo Yan asked. She was quite sensitive to emotions. Even though Chris hid all her emotions with good manners, Luo Yan still sensed them.

    But this dislike… didn’t seem to be resentment or dissatisfaction. It was another emotion that Luo Yan had never encountered before.

    A bit sour…

    “Miss Chris seems to be a bit spoiled with strangers, but after getting to know her, you’ll find that she’s actually quite a cute girl.” Hua Qingling chuckled. “Speaking of which, it was quite a coincidence that I met her…”

    “Oh?”

    Luo Yan raised an eyebrow.

    “Remember I said before that a thief, famous for his thieving methods, inexplicably paid me a visit, and only took the silver coins I had prepared for the next day’s meal, leaving other more valuable things untouched?”

    “Yes, I remember.”

    “The next day, I was so hungry that I had no choice but to pick a less valuable piece from my works, intending to sell it.” Hua Qingling recalled the embarrassment at the time, her expression still carrying a hint of helplessness.

    “Then I happened to run into Miss Chris, who was out buying clothes. She fell in love with my work at first sight, not only buying it directly at a price far exceeding the market price, but also treating me to a meal at… Linglong Mansion, yes, that high-end restaurant where one meal could cost me a month’s food expenses.”

    Luo Yan nodded thoughtfully,

    “I see… that really is a coincidence.”

    The silver coins happened to be stolen, she happened to run into Miss Chris, and the two became acquainted because of this…

    It felt like it had been planned.

    “You don’t suspect that Miss Chris stole my silver coins, do you?” Hua Qingling couldn’t help but laugh when she saw Luo Yan’s contemplative look.

    “How could that be? First of all, with her noble heritage and status as a popular idol, there’s no need for her to do such a thing. Even if she wanted to, her strength isn’t even at ‘Ruin’ level. How could she steal my silver coins right under my nose?”

    Because she often lost money, Hua Qingling kept a close eye on her purse and never let it go.

    …Although it was useless, what was lost would still be lost.

    “Indeed, impossible.”

    Luo Yan nodded in agreement, but within the absolute impossibility… there was always a sliver of possibility.

    Of course, this matter had happened a long time ago, and there was no need to dwell on it further.

    The banquet was about to begin. Many nobles in the manor were walking in twos and threes, and many servants were bustling about, preparing to go to the banquet hall.

    At the same time, there were some indistinct gazes sweeping around, seemingly observing every guest attending the banquet.

    Seeing this, Hua Qingling reached out and gently held Luo Yan’s arm, lowering her voice,

    “Do you mind this? We should act more intimately when walking together, so as not to arouse suspicion.”

    “I don’t mind,” Luo Yan shrugged. “Hua Qiling seemed to want to hold me like this before, but unfortunately, she’s too tall. This posture looks like she’s trying to put me under her arm, so we had to give up.”

    Hua Qingling imagined the scene and chuckled.

    Indeed… quite comical.

    However, regarding her younger sister, Hua Qingling rarely had the opportunity to meet and interact with her. She had gradually changed a lot without her realizing it.

    “After the matters at hand are settled, I’ll go back to Yan City for a vacation.”

    Hua Qingling put aside her sentimental thoughts and walked towards the banquet hall with her arm around Luo Yan.

    Behind them, an imperceptible gaze disappeared.

    ……

    “Magistrate Norian, this way please.”

    Count Spencer, the host of the banquet, personally opened the door for Norian, his attitude even bordering on humble.

    Although Norian seemed somewhat worn out in front of Luo Yan and Granny Zoya, no matter what, he was undoubtedly the number one person in Lannister, holding the highest authority. Even the elders who opposed him in the Council of Elders couldn’t deny this.

    Count Spencer was indeed a so-called noble, but unfortunately, the nobility passed down from a thousand years ago had actually changed quite a bit, only the Council of Elders remained standing.

    Before the Council of Elders, even the most esteemed nobles had to lower their heads.

    “Thank you, Count Spencer…”

    But the current Norian looked somewhat haggard and exhausted. As soon as he entered, he sat directly on the sofa, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples.

    Seeing Norian’s appearance, Count Spencer hesitated for a moment and said,

    “Magistrate Norian, if it’s inconvenient for you to attend…”

    “No, I never change my schedule easily.” Norian opened his eyes and exhaled. “Besides, there was indeed quite a bit of chaos in Lannister before, and many nobles fled in panic… At least my presence at the banquet can put your minds at ease.”

    It was precisely because of this that Norian had unusually decided to attend this kind of noble banquet.

    Because the news of his decision to attend the banquet had been released, almost all the families in Lannister had immediately decided to attend and sent carefully selected family members to participate.

    But unexpectedly, before this banquet was held, Lannister encountered more trouble.

    Norian’s haggard appearance showed that he had been troubled by these matters.

    “Magistrate Norian, I shouldn’t be asking you this, but now I have to understand some of the situation,” Count Spencer took a deep breath and carefully chose his words, saying what he had already prepared. “There are rumors that Devil’s Minions have appeared in Lannister…”

    “The rumors are true, but please don’t spread them.”

    Norian glanced at the middle-aged man. He knew at a glance that these questions were asked on behalf of his noble class.

    Just a few Devil’s Minions… Even Yan City could handle them. How could these nobles be so frightened that they had to ask him about the situation?

    Most of these nobles were fat and oily, good-for-nothing waste who only knew how to enjoy themselves, but unfortunately, the backbone of Lannister was made up of this waste. They were the ones supporting Lannister and preventing it from collapsing.

    Hearing this, Count Spencer’s expression became even more serious, and he said in a low voice again,

    “Forgive me for asking again, Magistrate Norian, there are other rumors that these Devil’s Minions come from an ancient cult that has been hidden within humanity for thousands of years, impossible to eradicate.”

    “—The Church of the End Gods.”

    “Indeed, but so what?” Norian snorted coldly, his tone quite displeased. “They are just some insignificant remnants, a group of sewer rats who only dare to hide. Can they actually make you nobles, who also claim to have a thousand-year heritage, feel panicked?”

    “There is only one end for them coming to Lannister, and that is to meet their ‘Gods’!”

  • Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 57p1

    Chapter 57: She Almost Thought the Snow Would Never Stop… p1

    It was late at night, no stars in the sky, only a solitary moon.

    The sea was an inky blue, occasionally rippling with moon-white crests.

    This winter had been long, the endless snow seemingly never ceasing.

    It fell softly, swallowed by the waves.

    So cold, her blood almost freezing.

    A faint light flickered above the sea, and she saw a towering tree, its form hazy and indistinct.

    Its trunk was dark, its leaves a deep blue, its roots entangled and reaching deep into the inky ocean, emanating a soft, moon-like glow amidst the misty water.

    For the first time, she reached out and touched it, as if touching someone in a deep slumber.

    The trunk rippled with light where her fingers brushed against it, the ripples spreading throughout the massive tree.

    Dewdrops formed on the blue leaves, trembling and falling as the sea breeze blew past.

    Like a soft rain, they fell onto the ocean, transforming into moon-white pearls that sank slowly into the depths…

    She saw another “self,” standing amidst the swaying shadows of the tree, faint as a wisp of smoke, as if a gentle breeze could make her disappear completely.

    She instinctively tried to approach, but an invisible force held her back.

    The figure turned to look at her, her deep blue eyes like the deepest ocean, silent and lonely.

    As their eyes met, the figure extended a finger.

    A touch on her forehead, and the countless leaves swayed like waves in a calm sea.

    The faint, misty light in the world around her flowed towards her, like streams converging into a river.

    The cool finger on her forehead lifted, and the smoky figure became translucent.

    She instinctively reached out to hold on, but grasped nothing.

    The figure, fainter than the moonlight, dissolved into specks of light.

    The light lingered beneath the swaying tree, gradually forming a green jade sundial that floated into her palm.

    The towering tree disappeared, the blue light fading.

    And the moon in the sky, seemingly eternal, crumbled like peeling paint, disappearing into the darkness.

    The long night remained, the lightless sea remained.

    Only the snow, falling on her heart,

    Seemed like it would never stop.

    …

    Her head ached, her breathing heavy.

    A burning sensation spread through her body, yet she felt so cold.

    Spiritual energy flowed into her damaged meridians, a cool, gentle touch, like spring rain extinguishing a fire, dispelling the chilling cold.

    She heard voices, muffled, as if underwater, indistinguishable.

    This hazy sensation lingered.

    Li Yu finally opened her heavy eyes.

    Her eyelashes fluttered, beads of sweat glistening on her pale skin.

    Her blurry vision gradually cleared, and she saw her surroundings.

    It was all so familiar.

    Outside the window was a clear sky, the snow gone, replaced by a colorful garden in full bloom.

    She thought she would never see these flowers again.

    How did she get back here?

    Li Yu pondered.

    She had fainted in the passage to the Demon Realm.

    That place, where those inside couldn’t leave, and those outside wouldn’t easily enter, where cries for help went unanswered, she hadn’t even summoned a butterfly message, so who brought her back?

    Her mind felt foggy, unable to think clearly, so she gave up trying.

    Regardless of how she returned, it was good to be back.

    If she hadn’t, she would have woken up in darkness, alone, injured, cold, forced to find shelter and recover by herself.

    Just the thought of that made her shudder; it wouldn’t be much different from being dead.

    Sometimes, she felt like she was playing a game, and Qianlizhu was her respawn point. Whenever she “died” outside, she would wake up here. It was strangely comforting.

    But she didn’t know how long she had been unconscious, how Mu Tao was doing…

    She glanced at the 99% blackening value…

    So close to 100%, what was the reason?

    The little girl must have entered the Demon Realm already.

    Alone in that ruthless, lightless world, with only the power of the Demon Bone to rely on.

    She would face many dangers, many hardships, gradually adapting to and mastering the Demon Bone’s power, forcing herself to grow up quickly, becoming the feared new Demon Lord.

    Everything was unfolding as destined.

    Li Yu tried to recall the little protagonist’s thoughts in the original story when she was abandoned.

    Something about everyone having their own Dao… [T/N: Dao – complex concept in Chinese philosophy, often translated as “way,” “path,” or “principle.”]

    Had Mu Tao also thought that when the Harmony Bells were severed?

    Perhaps she had indeed thought that her master’s Dao was different from her path…

    But that wasn’t true; Li Yu didn’t have a “Dao.”

    She wanted to be with Mu Tao, face everything together. Even weakened, she didn’t want to abandon her.

    But she had no choice.

    If she had known this plot point was unavoidable, she wouldn’t have made so many promises.

    The most hurtful thing was making sincere promises, earning someone’s trust, and then failing to keep them.

    She knew she and Mu Tao would meet again, just like in the original story, Mu Tao would eventually return to Mount Chao Yao.

    But she didn’t know how Mu Tao would look at her then…

    In the original story, it only took Mu Tao three years, relying on the Demon Bone’s power, to establish her reputation in the Demon Realm, become the new Demon Lord, and return to the human realm, filled with hatred, destroying Mount Chao Yao.

    That day, the girl in red, her innocence gone, only a cold, unwavering hatred in her eyes.

    Li Yu had dreamed of that scene countless times.

    Every time, Mu Tao would snap her sword in two, walk towards her step by step, and recount her resentment.

    Then, with a cold smile, she would plunge the broken sword into Li Yu’s chest.

    She knew there wouldn’t be a broken sword this time, no fatal blow.

    But she couldn’t help but feel both anticipation and dread for that inevitable reunion…

    Li Yu realized she couldn’t think about Mu Tao; perhaps her body couldn’t handle the emotional turmoil. Just thinking about her made it hard to breathe.

    So, she stared blankly at the flowers outside the window, letting her mind go blank.

    After a while, she remembered the dream she had while unconscious.

    A dream unlike any she had experienced before.

    In her dream, there was an inky blue sea and a towering tree.

    That tree was her spiritual root; she had known that since arriving here.

    As for the sea, during those days when she was studying spells on her own, the system had told her that it was her sea of consciousness.

    She had been curious and asked, “Do all cultivators have such a sea, such a large tree?”

    The system told her that everyone’s sea of consciousness was different.

    Hers was a blue sea, while others might have valleys, grasslands, forests, deserts…

    And within the sea of consciousness, there might be a single plant, or countless flowers and trees, but the largest and most vibrant one would always be the spiritual root. The vastness of the sea and the size of the root reflected one’s cultivation level.

    What was the significance of a large tree growing in a vast ocean?

    The system’s answer was just a guess.

    It said that the appearance of the sea of consciousness reflected one’s state of mind.

    Cangming Revered One, aloof and solitary, yet carrying a desire to protect the world.

    A vast, lonely ocean, a single tree reaching for the sky.

    Perhaps this was Cangming Revered One’s state of mind.

    Li Yu had often wondered, if this world was real, where did the original owner of this body go after she arrived?

    Did she simply vanish?

    But now, she seemed to have seen her.

    In that strange dream…

    Perhaps it wasn’t just a dream.

    Li Yu closed her eyes, her consciousness entering her sea of consciousness. She looked up at the towering tree.

    The prohibition symbols that once covered it were gone, leaving only the dark trunk and the lush, blue leaves.

    She walked across the surface of the sea, each step creating ripples.

    Reaching the tree, she gently touched it.

    A soft blue light flickered on the tree, and the green jade sundial from her dream appeared in her palm.

    Was this…given to her by the original owner?

    Not just the sundial, but all the light from her spiritual root had flowed into her in the dream…

    Li Yu lowered her gaze.

    【This is the world-protecting artifact, the [Jinxu Gui], entrusted to the original owner by the last ancient god!】

    “Is it powerful?”

    【Probably!】

    “How do I use it?”

    【I don’t know.】

    “Silence or guidance, all to control variables, right?”

    【Well, that…】

    Forget it, there was no point in asking. This system kept so many secrets from her, one more or less didn’t matter.

    This…Jinxu whatsit…

    【[Jinxu Gui].】

    Right, what it was, how to use it, might be important, but it was like advanced math to her; she couldn’t understand it.

    No matter how much she pondered, she wouldn’t suddenly grasp it.

    Since it was a reward from a main storyline mission, she would eventually find a use for it, and the system would surely guide her then. Overthinking was pointless.

     

  • Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 69p2

    Chapter 69 p2

    Shen Yiqiu reluctantly put her phone down and listened to Zhang Meng’s explanation.

    “Do you see the connection between these two messages?”

    Shen Yiqiu looked at the messages again and honestly shook her head.

    Zhang Meng sighed, people without relationship experience were truly innocent.

    But Shen Yiqiu had helped her so much before, and now she finally had a chance to repay the favor, she would definitely do her best.

    “Look, these dishes are clearly not from the university cafeteria, right?”

    Shen Yiqiu nodded.

    “So obviously you weren’t eating at the cafeteria, but why did she ask, knowing this?”

    Shen Yiqiu found this question even more difficult than the ones her professor asked in class, worthy of deep contemplation.

    Zhang Meng didn’t make her struggle, giving her the answer directly, “Because her focus is on who you’re eating with.”

    Shen Yiqiu’s eyes widened in realization, a hint of disbelief.

    “Jiejie could have just asked me directly, why be so subtle?”

    Knowing Qin Qianrou’s feelings for her, what could Jiejie possibly want to know that she wasn’t willing to tell her? She was willing to bare her heart to Jiejie, let alone something that could be explained with a simple sentence.

    “This, my dear, is called restraint.”

    Zhang Meng adjusted her posture and instructed Shen Yiqiu, “Come on, let’s take a photo with the food and send it to your Sister Qin.”

    Shen Yiqiu did as she was told, and this time, Qin Qianrou’s reply came more quickly.

    [Hurry up and eat, the food will get cold.]

    Shen Yiqiu felt a little disappointed; she had finally managed to have a conversation with Jiejie, why did it seem to be ending again?

    “She’s upset with you about something.”

    Shen Yiqiu nodded, her heart sinking. “I can feel it too.”

    Zhang Meng looked at her and chuckled, “Have you figured out why?”

    Shen Yiqiu bit her lip, if she knew, she wouldn’t be so passive.

    But Jiejie wouldn’t tell her.

    “A little hint, it’s related to someone close to you.”

    Shen Yiqiu was confused, there was no one close to her, at least not someone Jiejie knew.

    “Are you talking about yourself?”

    Zhang Meng took a deep breath, reminding herself that people in love had zero IQ, she had also been this foolish once.

    “If it were me, it would be easy to resolve. Think carefully, have you been overly close to anyone recently, or done anything that might cause a misunderstanding? Like your cousin last time, if you hadn’t explained, we would have truly misunderstood.”

    Shen Yiqiu racked her brains, but there was no one, truly no one. Since her rebirth, she hadn’t interacted with many people, besides her cousin, who had suddenly appeared, there wasn’t anyone special.

    Zhang Meng, seeing her struggling, also found it strange and started analyzing the situation with her.

    Finally, she thought of a question. “Could it be that you haven’t told her about your cousin?”

    Shen Yiqiu was taken aback, she hadn’t.

    Initially, it was Yuan Qi who had asked her not to tell anyone, then Sister Li Wan had also advised her to keep it a secret for now, and later, after Jiejie went to Hai City, there hadn’t been a chance to mention it.

    But what did this have to do with her cousin?

    “Have you seen your cousin recently?”

    Shen Yiqiu recounted her dinner at Yuan Qi’s apartment, and Zhang Meng finally found the clue.

    “That explains it, someone must have seen you together and reported it to her.”

    Shen Yiqiu wondered who would be so bored as to gossip about such things.

    Then, she thought about the ridiculous rumors that had been circulating on campus, no less absurd than this.

    “How idle are people these days, actually caring about such trivial matters.” Shen Yiqiu was furious, she couldn’t imagine who would do such a thing.

    She had finally managed to make some progress with Jiejie, if this sent them back to square one, she didn’t know what she would do.

    Zhang Meng, seeing her distress and anxiety, tried to help.

    “Ask someone close to her, find out what’s going on.”

    Shen Yiqiu’s first thought was of Li Wan, but then she realized Jiejie was currently in Hai City, and Sister Li Wan was busy with work, they probably didn’t have time to discuss such things.

    After some hesitation, she clicked on Wen Shao Ze’s WeChat contact.

    After delivering the mooncakes last time, Wen Shao Ze had insisted on adding her on WeChat, and she hadn’t been able to refuse, so she had agreed. However, after accepting his request, they had only exchanged polite smiley face emojis and hadn’t interacted since.

    A truly awkward yet polite exchange.

    Shen Yiqiu hesitantly sent him a message.

    [Shao Ze-ge, are you busy?]

    It was currently lunchtime, and his reply came quickly.

    [Not busy, what’s up?]

    [There’s a small matter I wanted to ask you about.]

    Wen Shao Ze fidgeted with his tie, a nervous sweat breaking out.

    He had a feeling that Shen Yiqiu’s sudden contact couldn’t possibly be to thank him for delivering the mooncakes; her reaction time was a bit too slow for that.

    So…

    After giving those photos to Qin Qianrou that day, Wen Shao Ze had left the hotel feeling utterly ashamed. Qin Qianrou’s words had been a wake-up call, making him realize his own hypocrisy. He had claimed he wanted to win Yuan Qi back, that after all these years, his feelings were certain.

    Yet he hadn’t even been able to match Qin Qianrou’s concern, who wasn’t even in a relationship yet.

    [Don’t mention it, just ask. ] Wen Shao Ze wiped the sweat from his brow, his response in the chat, however, appearing casual and unconcerned.

    Shen Yiqiu felt relieved and started typing her question, seeing the “typing…” indicator appear on the screen.

    However, after waiting for a while, no message came, and Wen Shao Ze’s anxiety grew.

    He was having lunch with an old friend, who, seeing his restlessness, teased, “What, being chased for debts?”

    Wen Shao Ze retorted irritably, “Do I look like someone who would be in debt?”

    “Financial debts, perhaps not, but relationship debts, that’s hard to say.”

    Wen Shao Ze paused, Relationship debts.

    Yes, he owed Yuan Qi a relationship debt from years ago, he didn’t know if he would ever have a chance to repay it.

    He had repeatedly reflected on Qin Qianrou’s words, realizing he hadn’t truly suspected Yuan Qi, he had simply been too anxious, too afraid of even the slightest change.

    Perhaps the sudden news of Yuan Qi after so many years had made him lose his composure and his rationality. Having calmed down, he now mocked his own foolishness, even more immature than he had been in his youth.

    If it weren’t for Qianrou’s guidance, he would have ruined everything again.

    As his thoughts returned to the present, Shen Yiqiu’s message finally arrived. It wasn’t long, but its contents made Wen Shao Ze uncomfortable.

    [Has something happened to Jiejie lately? Or did she misunderstand something?]

    Wen Shao Ze composed himself and quickly typed his reply.

    [Oh? Why do you ask?]

    [She’s been very cold and distant towards me these past few days, as if… she’s angry with me.]

    Since she was asking for help, she couldn’t be too vague or indirect, Shen Yiqiu had decided to be straightforward.

    Wen Shao Ze smiled wryly, wondering how to respond.

    He wasn’t sure if Qin Qianrou’s change in attitude was because of those photos, but since Shen Yiqiu had asked, he might as well use this opportunity to confirm his suspicions.

    Instead of messaging, he picked up his phone, walked to the side, his back towards his friend, and called Shen Yiqiu.

    “Shao Ze-ge.”

    “Mm, I’m not sure what’s going on with Qianrou, but I had coffee with her last week, and she didn’t mention any problems at work.”

    The implication being that it wasn’t work-related.

    Shen Yiqiu responded with a simple “Oh” and didn’t say anything more.

    Wen Shao Ze unconsciously tugged at his tie, until the expensive, custom-made tie was practically wrinkled beyond recognition, but he didn’t seem to notice.

    “Don’t worry, with us around, no one will bully Qianrou in Hai City.” He looked out the window at the bustling traffic, then suddenly changed the subject. “However, the elders in her family are definitely pressuring her, it’s always the same old topics. I think she’s probably annoyed about the upcoming blind date this weekend.”

    Wen Shao Ze wasn’t lying, Qin Qianrou’s grandfather did intend to arrange a meeting between her and the youngest son of the Cheng family, scheduled for this weekend. However, Qin Qianrou had refused without hesitation.

    She had even personally called the young man to apologize, clarifying that it wasn’t because of work, but simply because she didn’t want to meet him, and she had no intention of accepting her family’s arrangements.

    With such a direct rejection, anyone with any self-respect would understand and back off, especially since he was also someone who disliked being controlled by his family. Their conversation had unexpectedly turned pleasant, they even ended up bonding over their families’ constant attempts at matchmaking, which they both found ridiculous.

    However, Wen Shao Ze didn’t know about this, and Qin Qianrou felt there was no need to mention it. There wouldn’t be any further developments, who would bother explaining such a thing?

    He heard a soft sob on the other end, and Wen Shao Ze panicked, thinking he had made the young girl cry.

    Good heavens, he had simply been rambling, forgetting Shen Yiqiu was only eighteen. Just as he was frantically trying to think of how to comfort her, she seemed to have regained her composure.

    “Shao Ze-ge, can you tell me which room Jiejie is staying in?”

    She knew the hotel, but not the room number.

    Wen Shao Ze vaguely guessed her intention and figured there was no stopping her. If Qianrou was truly angry with her, it would be good for them to resolve it face-to-face.

    Many misunderstandings stemmed from a lack of communication.

    After obtaining Qin Qianrou’s room number, Shen Yiqiu opened a travel app and started searching for flights to Hai City on Friday afternoon.

    Zhang Meng, seeing her swift actions, nodded approvingly, she was finally getting it.

    “Not bad, knowing to book a flight immediately.”

    Shen Yiqiu breathed a sigh of relief after securing her ticket and smiled at Zhang Meng, “Yes, Gu Chao taught me, he said apologizing in person shows more sincerity.”

    Zhang Meng was momentarily speechless, then blushed slightly.

    Gu Chao’s words were indeed correct, but she had been the one who had taught him that.

    She had been the one who had said those words to him initially. She hadn’t expected her “student’s” student to be sitting across from her now, applying her teachings quite effectively.

    **

    Qin Qianrou returned to her hotel room, exhausted, turned on the light, and was greeted by the familiar, uninspiring decor. This week’s training had been intensive, and combined with her private investigation into the He Chao matter, she was feeling overwhelmed.

    She sat on the sofa, drank half a glass of water, and rested for ten minutes, finally feeling a little more energized. It was Friday, and the afternoon sessions were mostly group discussions, but everyone had tacitly ended early.

    Most of her colleagues had gone out for dinner or shopping, which Qin Qianrou had declined. She was all too familiar with the city she had grown up in, there wasn’t much she wanted to explore, she’d rather go back and rest.

    However, just resting felt… unsettling.

    She instinctively opened her phone, checked WeChat, and replied to a few messages. Then, she looked at a familiar profile picture, no new messages.

    Shen Yiqiu had only sent her one message this morning, telling her she was going to school, and hadn’t contacted her since.

    She had been deliberately cold and distant towards her these past few days, not intentionally, but she had been feeling uneasy, unsure how to express it. Seeing Shen Yiqiu acting as if nothing had happened, casually updating her on her daily routine, she couldn’t help but recall the scene in those photos.

    She believed Shen Yiqiu wouldn’t two-time her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t mind. The person she liked couldn’t be shared with others. Qin Qianrou gripped her phone tightly, wondering if she should message her, ask her about her weekend plans.

    After all, they had agreed she would visit Hai City this week, but with her sudden change in attitude, Shen Yiqiu, obediently, hadn’t mentioned it again, so they were still apart.

    Qin Qianrou felt it was a little unfair to Shen Yiqiu, after all, she didn’t know what had happened. But how could she explain it?

    Qin Qianrou felt at a loss, even frustrated. She had always considered relationships to be troublesome, and now she understood even more deeply. However, she couldn’t simply dismiss her worries like she used to.

    Shen Yiqiu…

    Qin Qianrou leaned back against the sofa, her mind blank, silently chanting her name.

    She missed her terribly, but she was still a little angry.

    The doorbell rang, and Qin Qianrou thought it was a colleague inviting her out.

    She opened the door, and the person standing there was slightly breathless, having clearly rushed over.

    Before Qin Qianrou could even speak, she was enveloped in a warm embrace, a slight chill clinging to her clothes, yet the gentleness brought tears to her eyes.

    “Jiejie, I finally found you.”

  • The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 68

    Chapter 68: Disciple and Wife

    At the entrance to his cave, the cultivator’s face paled. “How…?”

    He raised his flute to his lips, its shrill notes echoing through the night, but this time, there was no response.

    Tao Ning knew. His Zombie King was dead.

    Withdrawing her moon-white sword from the shattered skull of the Zombie King, Cen Dianshuang turned to the stunned disciples.

    “Have you seen a woman named Tao Ning? She carries a jade token with the character ‘Frost.’”

    She stood before them like a celestial being, her movements powerful, her techniques vaguely familiar.

    Her aura, however, was overwhelming, demanding obedience. They looked at her like mice facing a tiger, too terrified to speak.

    Cen Dianshuang’s brow furrowed. “You haven’t seen her?”

    She had sensed Tao Ning’s location the moment she emerged from seclusion, surprised to find her not at the Hanshan Sect, but in this remote city.

    Ignoring her senior sister’s message, she had followed the signal from Tao Ning’s jade token, arriving in this desolate, ruined city.

    The resentment clinging to the city was thick, a palpable weight, the result of centuries of suffering.

    Even cultivators struggled to survive in such an environment, let alone mortals.

    One of the female disciples, startled by Cen Dianshuang’s intense gaze, pointed hesitantly down the street. “She… she went that way.”

    Cen Dianshuang: “Thank you.” With a graceful leap, she soared into the sky, disappearing in a flash of white.

    Her speed left the disciples speechless.

    So fast! We couldn’t even see her move!

    The disciple who had pointed the way stammered, “You’re welcome, Senior…”

    Then, someone realized something. “Wait, you didn’t even ask if she was a friend or foe! Why did you tell her where to go?!”

    “She… she looked at me… I just… I couldn’t lie.”

    “She looked furious. What if she’s not looking for someone, but seeking revenge?”

    “Now that you mention it, she sounded… tense when she said the Senior’s name. Like she was gritting her teeth.”

    “Should we follow?”

    “We might need to… intervene.”

    They set off, running down the street.

    Their spiritual energy was depleted, their supply of replenishing pills exhausted. They had no choice but to run.

    The cultivator, his face contorted in rage, threw down his flute. “Dead! Already dead!”

    Years of planning, ruined. But with Demon Lord Qingji standing before him, it wasn’t a complete loss.

    He bowed respectfully. “My Lord, that troublesome cultivator is approaching. What are your orders?”

    520, surprised by this unexpected encounter with someone who knew Qingji, and the imminent arrival of Cen Dianshuang, panicked. This could be bad.

    It frantically tried to contact Tao Ning. 【Oh no! Are you about to be exposed?!】

    Tao Ning, preparing to mute 520 again, paused.

    520 quickly added, 【Wait! I have another update! Your progress bar is active!】

    This was relevant. “What’s the progress?”

    520: 【Current progress: 98.9%. Almost 99%! A bit slower than the last world.】

    Ignoring the fact that the progress bar in the previous world had been delayed, it was indeed slower, slow enough to be noticeable.

    The brief exchange with 520 was imperceptible. The cultivator awaited his Lord’s command.

    Tao Ning: “What do you suggest?”

    The cultivator, his face lighting up, assuming he had finally earned his Lord’s favor, replied eagerly, “My Lord’s return must remain a secret. Those Radiant Realm cultivators are prone to overreacting. We should eliminate these… witnesses… and return to the Demonic Realm. You will reclaim your throne!”

    Tao Ning nodded. “You’re right.”

    The cultivator, beaming, gestured towards his cave. “The Wanhun Cauldron is beneath my cave. I’ll lead you there, my Lord, and break the seal.”

    Tao Ning: “That won’t be necessary.”

    The cultivator’s face fell. “Why not?” He assumed his true motives had been discovered.

    He wasn’t wrong. Tao Ning, raising her hand, sent a wave of spiritual energy into the cave.

    The sheer power of the attack revealed her true cultivation level.

    “You!” The cultivator shrieked, leaping back, drawing his spirit weapon. “I knew it! Your cultivation has regressed! Qingji, you’ve finally fallen!”

    He shook his bell, and a swarm of vengeful spirits, their forms like swirling black smoke, their mouths open in silent screams, emerged, flying towards Tao Ning.

    “Qingji, you said nine pairs of children weren’t enough to awaken the Wanhun Cauldron. But your soul… that will be sufficient.”

    Tao Ning drew her sword, its tip pointed at the cultivator. “You can try.”

    The cultivator specialized in manipulating ghosts, having sacrificed the entire population of Shadow City centuries ago to fuel his spirit weapon, the Heavenly Crippled Bell. He had been gravely injured during the ensuing siege, forced into hiding.

    The attacking cultivators, claiming compassion, hadn’t bothered to eliminate the city’s remaining inhabitants, simply sealing the city and leaving.

    They had intended to let the city destroy itself, the resentment energy dissipating as the bodies decayed.

    Essentially, they couldn’t be bothered.

    These self-righteous cultivators, always preaching about slaying demons and showing mercy, rarely acted unless their own interests were threatened.

    This, however, had allowed him to recover and perfect his spirit weapon.

    The swarm of spirits couldn’t reach Tao Ning. Dodging their attacks with ease, she didn’t flee, but turned, her sword slicing through the black mist, dispersing it.

    Lightning spiritual energy was a bane of evil creatures, the Demonic Realm’s least favorite.

    Even ghosts feared it, its power akin to heavenly lightning, their destruction absolute, their souls scattered, preventing reincarnation.

    Before the cultivator could launch another attack, he felt the ground tremble.

    He wasn’t mistaken. Not just his cave, but the entire mountain was shaking, as if something massive was about to emerge.

    Dark clouds gathered overhead, the river churning, the moans of the undead echoing through the city, the world reacting to the Wanhun Cauldron’s awakening.

    He had spent centuries watching over the cauldron, anticipating its return, but now, as it was finally happening, it wasn’t under his control.

    Continuing his attack, he couldn’t help but ask, his voice filled with doubt, “Are you really Qingji? Are you… her descendant? Why is your cultivation so low? Weren’t you killed by the tribulation lightning?”

    Tao Ning, her attacks relentless, reached him, her gaze cold, her voice calm. “You seem to know a lot.”

    A chill ran down the cultivator’s spine. He understood the unspoken message.

    She wanted him dead.

    His first instinct was to flee.

    Losing one’s composure was a sign of weakness, an invitation for defeat.

    He turned to run, but it was too late. A flash of lightning, and Poheng’s heavy blade, usually too dull to even chop wood without spiritual enhancement, nearly cleaved him in two.

    His spiritual core shattered, beyond repair. He coughed up a mouthful of black blood, collapsing to the ground.

    Tao Ning, not stopping there, placed her hand on his forehead, incinerating his soul, preventing reincarnation and any possibility of his memories being accessed.

    He died with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

    He had once cheated death, his soul escaping his dying body and possessing a mortal, allowing him to cultivate again. This time, however, there would be no second chances.

    Tao Ning, withdrawing her hand, looked at the cave, then at the sky.

    The jade token at her waist pulsed, its warmth intensifying as Cen Dianshuang drew closer.

    A series of crashes and rumbles echoed from the cave, the ground shaking violently, the tremors spreading through Shadow City.

    The Wanhun Cauldron, sensing its master’s spiritual energy, was breaking free.

    520 panicked. 【The cauldron! It’s coming! What are we going to do?! Your master is almost here!】

    Its hopelessly romantic host, if driven to despair by a misunderstanding, would likely destroy the entire Radiant Realm.

    Tao Ning made a decision. “If there’s no other choice, then we’ll face it head-on.”

    520: 【What are you going to do?】

    Tao Ning, channeling more spiritual energy into the collapsing cave, replied, “Midwife.”

    520: 【…You’re joking, right?】 Please don’t joke at a time like this!

    It had never believed the online reviews describing Tao Ning as “unpredictable.” Now, it believed. It was officially Tao Ning’s loyal, if slightly terrified, companion.

    Tao Ning, her hand glowing, a torrent of spiritual energy pouring from her meridians, said, “Who’s joking?”

    The tremors intensified, spreading beyond the city walls, reaching the river, its waves churning violently, the disturbance felt even in the neighboring cities.

    The birth of a divine artifact was a significant event, its power felt even by the cultivators in the distant Heavenly Heart Sect.

    Xiao Haoran, sheltering within a house, lost his footing, tumbling to the ground. He steadied himself with his saber. “What’s happening? An earthquake?”

    He wasn’t sensitive to the unusual spiritual fluctuations, but Er Lan, having lived in the Demonic Realm for centuries, recognized the aura immediately, her expression turning grim. “That aura… It’s the Wanhun Cauldron. It’s awakening.”

    Xiao Haoran’s eyes widened. “It’s awakening? But I’m not there yet! How can it…?” Did the Heavenly Book lie to me?

    A deafening roar echoed through Shadow City, leaving everyone momentarily deafened, their ears ringing, the world around them a muffled blur.

    Their hearing gradually returned, and the disciples running through the streets hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances.

    “Should we continue?”

    Pang Xueting, after a moment of thought, nodded resolutely. “Yes. We have to. Even if we die, we need to know the truth.”

    “Senior Sister Pang is right!”

    Inspired by her words, they continued their journey.

    Cen Dianshuang deflected a shower of falling debris with a wave of her sleeve, standing on Xuan Ying, her gaze fixed on the source of the commotion, her expression grim.

    Below, amidst the dust and rubble, the Wanhun Cauldron, having shattered its prison, hovered in mid-air, its aura radiating outwards, then slowly descended.

    She had sensed the disturbance from afar, but had come anyway.

    And she had found the person she was looking for.

    Tao Ning stood before the ruined cave, her back to Cen Dianshuang, a small cauldron resting in her outstretched hand.

    Turning, she met Cen Dianshuang’s gaze. For the first time, Tao Ning saw no smile on her master’s face.

    Her own eyes, usually bright and playful, were now cold and calm, her gaze steady, almost aloof.

    She stood there, holding the cauldron, as if waiting.

    After a long moment, a faint smile curved her lips. “Why are you just standing there? Come here.”

    Cen Dianshuang landed gracefully, walking towards Tao Ning without hesitation.

    The Wanhun Cauldron wasn’t simply a demonic or spiritual artifact. It could be both.

    Its creator had been a spiritual cultivator, its first user the ghost cultivator Patriarch Wanhun, but its true master had been Qingji.

    Her senior sister had told her this, adding that the cauldron, having consumed countless souls, was filled with resentment, even as a spiritual artifact.

    Such resentment could influence its user, which was one of the reasons Qingji had sealed it away. She didn’t like losing control.

    Cen Dianshuang’s hand touched Tao Ning’s, her fingers enveloped in a warm, firm grasp. “Your hands are cold. Just emerged from seclusion?”

    Cen Dianshuang glanced at the cauldron in Tao Ning’s other hand, feeling her grip tighten, then looked back at her disciple.

    Tao Ning’s voice held a hint of… something… Cen Dianshuang couldn’t quite name. “Why aren’t you talking to me?”

    Cen Dianshuang: “I am. I’m just… thinking about how to answer.”

    Tao Ning’s smile returned, her eyes crinkling at the corners, a flash of her earlier, more innocent self. “You’re still the same. You can’t lie.”

    Cen Dianshuang began, “I…”

    Tao Ning shook her head, interrupting her. “It’s fine. I know you. You came to find me the moment you emerged from seclusion, didn’t you?”

    It was phrased as a question, but her tone was certain. And she was right.

    Cen Dianshuang, slightly nervous, not wanting to forcibly take the cauldron and risk injuring Tao Ning, simply nodded. “Yes.”

    Tao Ning’s smile widened, its warmth infectious. Even knowing Tao Ning was likely influenced by the cauldron’s resentment, Cen Dianshuang felt her own tense muscles relax.

    Then, her back pressed against a tree trunk, her lips captured in a sudden, unexpected kiss, a warm, insistent pressure that made her gasp.

    Her eyes widened, her hands resting lightly on Tao Ning’s shoulders, afraid to push her away, afraid of hurting her, of breaking the fragile connection after so long apart.

    Their previous kiss had been a drunken mistake, a hazy memory.

    This, however, was different. She was fully aware, fully present, the sensation… overwhelming.

    Tao Ning’s kiss wasn’t gentle, its intensity almost bruising, but a warmth spread through Cen Dianshuang’s body, melting her usual coldness, her muscles relaxing as if she were immersed in a hot spring.

    The longing, the pent-up emotions of forty years, poured into the kiss, their intensity undeniable.

    Cen Dianshuang, her legs weakening, leaned against Tao Ning, her hands gripping her disciple’s back, their bodies pressed close.

    She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come, only a soft, breathless, “Mmm.”

    The simple sound made Tao Ning’s smile widen, her own hand now resting on Cen Dianshuang’s cheek, her face pressed against her master’s, as if she couldn’t survive without her warmth.

    But remembering Cen Dianshuang’s reserved nature, she pulled back slightly, her words sending a jolt through Cen Dianshuang’s mind.

    “Master, do you remember… that night in Butterfly City? Why did you suddenly enter seclusion? Did you… not want me anymore?”

    Cen Dianshuang’s mouth opened and closed, her tongue darting out to wet her suddenly dry lips. She looked up, her voice soft, almost hesitant. “No.”

    Tao Ning buried her face in Cen Dianshuang’s neck, her voice muffled. “I don’t believe you. You abandoned me.”

    Cen Dianshuang, her awkward attempts at comforting her disciple rusty after forty years, gently stroked Tao Ning’s back, her touch light and hesitant.

    “I didn’t abandon you. I… I had a breakthrough. I didn’t have time to wait for you. I had to go to Thunder God Valley. My situation is… unusual. It took longer than expected. It won’t happen again.”

    Tao Ning, still clinging to her, shook her head, and Cen Dianshuang, assuming she wasn’t convinced, struggled to find the right words.

    Then, Tao Ning’s voice, soft and serious, echoed against her neck. “It’s okay, Master. As long as you’re safe.”

    Cen Dianshuang’s relief was short-lived. Her disciple, still clinging to her, added, “Kiss me, and I’ll feel better.”

    “…”

    Cen Dianshuang pulled away abruptly, turning her back to Tao Ning.

    Tao Ning, her arms now empty, stood there for a moment, then looked at Cen Dianshuang, her expression a mix of confusion and hurt. “Master?”

    Cen Dianshuang wasn’t completely turned away. She was facing sideways, her profile visible, her ears and neck flushed crimson.

    She’s blushing? Embarrassed?

    After a long moment, she turned, her voice slightly flustered. “If you want a kiss, just ask. Why call me Master?”

    She resisted the urge to cover her face, the blush spreading rapidly.

    “I feel like I’m… corrupting you.”

    Tao Ning, interpreting this as rejection, her shoulders slumping slightly, said softly, “Alright.”

    “Alright what? I didn’t say no.” Cen Dianshuang approached, cupping Tao Ning’s face in her hands, showering her with kisses.

    Forehead, nose, cheeks, then finally, her lips.

    Lest her disciple, still slightly influenced by the cauldron’s resentment, complain about unfairness.

    Releasing Tao Ning, she looked away, her voice slightly flustered. “There. This… this isn’t a good thing. I’ll keep it safe. We’ll give it to the sect.”

    She bent down to retrieve the Wanhun Cauldron, which had apparently been kicked aside during their… embrace.

    Thankfully, her disciple hadn’t shown any interest in the artifact that could control the Demonic Realm…

    A thud behind her, and Cen Dianshuang turned, nearly dropping the cauldron as she saw Tao Ning lying unconscious on the ground.

    She quickly scooped her up. Spiritual exhaustion. A spirit gathering formation would fix that.

    Looking towards the nearby trees, she called out, her voice calm, “Come out.”

    A figure emerged from the shadows: Pang Xueting, who had left her junior siblings behind to scout ahead.

    Pang Xueting stammered, assuming she had interrupted something… private. “Senior… is… is Senior Tao alright?”

    She wanted to say, You two are so adorable! So Senior Tao already has a Dao companion!

    But meeting Cen Dianshuang’s gaze, the words came out differently. “So you weren’t an enemy! You were looking for someone! Haha!” She mentally slapped herself. What am I saying?

    Cen Dianshuang, initially looking at Tao Ning with a soft, almost tender expression, turned, her face now cold and impassive. “She’s my disciple.”

    Pang Xueting’s jaw dropped, and she stumbled, landing hard on the ground.

    The other Heavenly Heart Sect disciples, waiting nearby, finally saw their senior sister emerge, only to trip and fall.

    “Senior Sister! Are you alright?!”

    Cen Dianshuang, her voice calm and detached, offered some unsolicited advice. “Your footing is unstable. Practice horse stance for an hour each day with a water-filled urn on your head. It will improve your balance.” She frowned, wondering why she had even bothered. Perhaps seeing a low-level cultivator triggered her “elder” persona.

    She walked away, carrying Tao Ning, her steps unhurried.

    Her disciple needed rest. She recalled the spirit jade bed she had brought with her. It would be perfect.

    Pang Xueting, her face pale, her hands clammy, stared after her, her mind reeling.

    Wait… disciple? Or Dao companion?

    Since when do masters and disciples make out against trees?

  • The Delicate Female Lead Only Wants to be Loved by the Villainous Young Ladies 306

    Chapter 306: Going to Her Side

    “I’m home!”

    Although shouting this to an empty dorm seemed a bit silly, Adele’s happiness was priceless.

    And what if, just what if, her cute, petite, soft, and fluffy little First Snow~ was curled up in a corner of the room, waiting for her return?

    Adele held onto this hope, casually tossing her bag onto the sofa downstairs, then, like a little pony, quickly dashed up the stairs.

    A bang of the door opening followed.

    Adele was back in her room. Although it was small and nothing special, even disliked by Adele before, not even belonging to her, just a temporary accommodation provided by the school, undeniably, most of Adele’s memories, at least most of her memories after transmigrating, were made here.

    She had gradually come to love this place, thinking there was nothing more enjoyable than curling up in her dorm, watching videos and playing games after a tiring day of studying.

    No, wait, there was also petting the cat!

    Therefore, her excitement was self-evident.

    However, unfortunately, when she opened the door and excitedly shouted,

    “First Snow~ I missed you so much!”, she was met with only silence and a cloud of dust that made her sneeze. “Achoo!”

    Adele rubbed her nose, feeling the warm redness.

    After looking around for a while, she finally had to accept the reality before her. “…Not here?”

    So, First Snow wasn’t here…

    With this fact before her, Adele’s excitement instantly vanished, like being doused with a bucket of cold water.

    And what made Adele even sadder, making her purse her lips, was that she clearly remembered the arrangement of her room, including the location of First Snow’s favorite cat toys, scratching post, canned food, and cat food.

    They were all neatly placed in their original positions, not even an inch moved. Combined with the thin layer of dust on the floor that rose when she opened the door, this could only mean one thing: This dorm hadn’t been occupied for a long time. Or rather, First Snow hadn’t been here since Adele left school.

    This was the real reason why Adele felt so sad, her nose aching as if she was about to cry.

    Everything before her seemed to be saying that only she, like a fool, even after leaving school, would still think of First Snow every day, wanting to stroke her soft fur, wanting to tease her about roasting her wings and eating them, but actually ordering chicken wings takeout for the little cat to enjoy, wanting to hold the petite catgirl in her arms and do this and that to her, watching her cute, unresisting, and gently submissive appearance, and then… reaching the peak of happiness together.

    But in the end…

    Was she just a convenient tool for First Snow?

    A tool to pet, to play with, to feed canned food to?

    Even a tool to satisfy First Snow’s adolescent desires!

    Otherwise, it couldn’t be explained why First Snow hadn’t entered this place even once after she left, as if completely abandoning both Adele and her dorm.

    What was this… Did First Snow really miss her? Or was it really like what people said online, that cats only cared about who fed them, and couldn’t be truly tamed?

    Adele’s good mood, the anticipation of petting First Snow upon returning to the dorm, instantly withered like scattered petals.

    Although Adele didn’t want to believe it, the reality was before her. She wanted to find an excuse for First Snow, like perhaps she had gone on a business trip with Headmaster Winona, or perhaps First Snow had slept for many days…

    Even such foolish excuses, as long as First Snow told them to her, she would believe.

    But the point was, there were none. She hadn’t seen First Snow, let alone heard any excuses from her.

    There wasn’t a single trace of First Snow’s presence in the entire room since Adele left, as if she had been completely abandoned.

    Adele’s eyes reddened.

    She bit her lip and silently walked forward, closing the door, embracing this small yet now seemingly vast room alone.

    Then she went to her bed, gently stroking the marks left by First Snow’s claws from their playful fights.

    First Snow’s claws needed to be trimmed regularly. She was afraid of the nail clippers, afraid of the clicking sound. So, every time, Adele would let First Snow snuggle against her chest, feeling her small body tremble every time Adele clipped a nail, then letting out a soft laugh.

    It wasn’t to make fun of First Snow, but simply because… it was such a cute and heartwarming scene.

    Adele shook her head, pulling herself back to reality.

    Now she regretted saying goodbye to Celeste and Sharon.

    She shouldn’t have trusted this little brat cat!

    Shouldn’t have trusted her…

    But even so, if the situation repeated itself, Adele would probably still make the same decision.

    Perhaps it was indeed a small matter; First Snow might simply dislike staying in a dorm without Adele.

    Thinking this way did make her feel a little better.

    But Adele was sensitive by nature, so she easily fell into a pit of sadness, unable to extricate herself. The girl knew this about herself. So, she simply curled up, sniffling, and thinking that as long as she rested for a while, she would be fine after waking up. After waking up, First Snow would definitely appear beside her, meowing softly, rubbing her wet cat nose against Adele’s cheek, licking her hair with her little tongue, purring…

    Unconsciously, Adele actually fell into a deep sleep.

    Perhaps it was because she had been traveling all the way; her body was already tired. It was only the thought of First Snow waiting for her at home that kept her energized. But when the cruel reality shattered Adele’s illusion, her spirit instantly wilted. At this time, sleep and rest were probably the best way for Adele to adjust her mood.

    It was unknown whether it was due to their long-standing connection or something else, but Adele, curled up on her bed, looked exactly like First Snow, who had been curled up in the same spot earlier!

    Yes, First Snow had never left.

    If Adele had been more observant, she would have noticed a tail nervously twitching in the corner of the windowsill, where the curtains were drawn, leaving only a small gap.

    First Snow was hiding on the platform outside the window, squatting like a cat.

    She had deliberately hidden herself and deliberately used her magic to restore the room to exactly how it was before Adele left, even using earth magic to spread a thin layer of dust on the floor to make the disguise more realistic.

    The little catgirl, using this sulky method, wanted to get back at Adele for making her miss her so much that she cried every day and didn’t even have the mood to eat canned food. But after truly getting back at Adele, making her taste the same feeling, First Snow’s heart, for some reason, wasn’t filled with the satisfaction of revenge, but with heartache.

    When tears welled up in Adele’s eyes, First Snow’s golden cat eyes also glistened with tears…

    What Adele didn’t know was that after she fell asleep, a petite catgirl, with light yet hurried steps, went to her side…

  • After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration] 230

    Chapter 230: So I’m the Protagonist After All (26)

    Sui Yihuan hadn’t expected the person on top of her to become even more emotional after she said those words, as if she had done something unforgivable.

    —But she hadn’t.

    Not knowing how to comfort someone who was losing control, but sensing the scalding tears, Sui Yihuan knew she had to continue this task she wasn’t good at.

    So, while being held tightly by Su Mingxiu, she also tried to say something to alleviate the other person’s heavy guilt, which was almost self-destructive:

    “Can you… tell me about your past life? I want to hear it.”

    Her intuition told her that if she didn’t do something, Su Mingxiu might sink into those emotions and be unable to extricate herself.

    But the other person didn’t seem very interested in these things, just listlessly rubbing her warm lips against the ear wearing the snowflake earring, her hot breath making Sui Yihuan itch uncomfortably.

    “There’s nothing to tell.”

    Su Mingxiu murmured, “It’s just a story of a fool falling in love with a heartless scumbag.”

    Sui Yihuan had almost gotten used to being called a “fool” by her. She responded with a helpless look, her eyes shifting slightly, having long since returned to their usual black, now also containing a smile, no longer the cold and distant look she had feigned when they first met in the Demon Abyss.

    “How could you be that kind of person?”

    After a pause, she said, “You shouldn’t belittle yourself like that. I know my own nature. If I like you, it must be because you’re worthy.”

    “But I’m not worthy.”

    “Uh…” Sui Yihuan was both amused and exasperated by her stubborn self-deprecation. Noticing that the clinging kiss had moved from her neck to her face, making her eyelashes tremble uneasily, she didn’t dare to push away the emotionally unstable person at this time. She could only endure it, comforting her haltingly, “The Su Mingxiu I know is a cultivator who never yields to fate and always follows her own path… Whether in the cultivation world, the Demon Abyss, or the underworld, she walks through reincarnation and never bows her head… You are better than you think. I believe in you, even in the previous life, you must have fought.”

    If you also loved me, you must have struggled for me—Sui Yihuan believed so.

    Su Mingxiu cupped her face. After her voice fell, she swallowed the rest of her breath, their lips and teeth entangled for who knows how long. The person who finally let go chuckled, “Where did you get this trust? I don’t even dare to believe in myself like that.”

    It was precisely because she had dissected her own heart that she knew all her flaws. Even though her cultivation had once been below demigod level, an existence that anyone in the Nine Continents would address as “Venerable,” as long as she wasn’t a god for a day, the dark side of human nature, the seven emotions and six desires, would always be bound in her heart, looking for opportunities to do evil.

    Recalling the reincarnations in those illusions, Su Mingxiu didn’t even dare to tell Sui Yihuan how many excessive and terrible things she had done to her…

    She had made her long for something she couldn’t have, and she had also made her suffer, lose hope, and break down… Thinking of these, Su Mingxiu felt that Sui Yihuan was really a fool, because a smart person wouldn’t like her.

    “No one can escape the power of this ‘blood curse,’ only you… broke free from it and insisted on remembering me. It’s the same now, and it must have been the same before.”

    Sui Yihuan wasn’t lying. She admired Su Mingxiu’s unyielding spirit the most, which allowed her to stick to her heart and remain unshaken no matter where she was or what kind of despair she faced.

    Su Mingxiu was her anchor.

    Because the other person had never lowered her head, she wouldn’t allow herself to give up either. Su Mingxiu in this life, after that night in the fishing village, was able to break free from her power.

    Even though there was the temperament honed by reincarnation, who said that Su Mingxiu in the previous life was mediocre?

    The fact that she could maintain her heart in those countless reincarnations already proved that this person was the same as before—if it were any other cultivator, they would have long since lost themselves in the repeated changes.

    Therefore, Sui Yihuan was very sure that whether it was in the previous life or this life, this person was worthy of her love and her devotion.

    Even though she didn’t have the memories from before and didn’t know why Su Mingxiu belittled herself like this, she firmly believed that the other person had also tried to fight against the Heavenly Dao in countless midnight hours, and had never stopped, never yielded.

    “You really are…”

    The usually eloquent cultivator was speechless in front of this pure Demon Lord.

    The two snuggled close, drawing warmth from each other, the atmosphere incomparably warm. But just then, there was a sudden fluctuation of demonic power outside the room, making them both put away their expressions. Sui Yihuan took the initiative to ask, “What is it?”

    “Above the Demon Abyss, the formation has changed. Please preside over the situation, Demon Lord.”

    Half an hour later.

    Su Mingxiu accompanied Sui Yihuan to the Demon Abyss’ discussion hall in Black Stone Dock. The hall was located at the very top of the tower, overlooking most of the Demon Abyss. Looking at the abyss shrouded in black and red mist, Su Mingxiu turned her gaze and swept over the agitated demons.

    “This cultivator must be a spy sent by the Nine Continents. If it weren’t for them, the formation we altered wouldn’t have been broken so quickly—”

    “Kill her!”

    “We’ve been cooped up here for too long, it’s time to let the Nine Continents see the spirit of our demon race!”

    But the cultivator, who had already been sentenced to death hundreds of times in these demons’ proposals, was very calm. She just looked behind the City Lord of one of the cities, at the demoness standing there with her head lowered.

    This person looked familiar. She remembered that in her previous life, when the Demon Abyss and the Nine Continents were at war, this person was standing beside Sui Yihuan, and her identity was…

    The future Demon Queen?

    So that’s how it was.

    So that’s what the final holographic game world meant.

    Listening to the agitated crowd, there was one person who hadn’t expressed any opinion from beginning to end, and that was the Demon Lord beside Su Mingxiu, Sui Yihuan.

    But even without speaking, just those crimson eyes calmly sweeping over everyone present made the rising clamor quiet down.

    Just then, Sui Yihuan heard a soft chuckle beside her ear. She couldn’t help but turn her head, a subtle puzzlement in her eyes, wondering where her good mood came from.

    Su Mingxiu didn’t have time to share her interesting discovery, about the final story of her previous life. Her expression just changed slightly, and she looked towards the top of Black Stone Dock, the emotions in her black eyes gradually cooling, like an icy plain swept by a cold wave, everything frosted over.

    “They’re here.”

    Hearing her words, Sui Yihuan also focused and sensed for a moment, her expression turning serious, “Those Nine Continents cultivators are so fast…”

    But she clearly remembered that she had already grasped the whereabouts of those intruding cultivators. Where did they get their information from? Was it that elusive Buddhist Sect again?

    “It’s not the Nine Continents.”

    Su Mingxiu shook her head, sensing the change in the heart demon oath in her spiritual platform, “There are very few people coming—but one of them couldn’t wait to cheat.”

    Almost as soon as she finished speaking, a rumbling sound suddenly came from above the Demon Abyss, alarming all the demons.

    The meeting of the city lords and demon elders in Black Stone Dock also became meaningless. When the first lightning bolt pierced through the formation barrier and struck the top of the Black Stone Dock tower, the demons inside all stepped out.

    Sui Yihuan and Su Mingxiu stood in mid-air, saw the countless rolling thunderclouds vaguely carrying a figure inside, and raised their eyebrows.

    But Su Mingxiu still revealed the other person’s identity:

    “Xiao Xingwei.”

    Peak of Tribulation Transcendence.

    One thought away from becoming an immortal, even able to break through the void and no longer be bound by the rules of the Heavenly Dao here.

    Sensing his pressure descending upon the Demon Abyss, Sui Yihuan’s expression was quite ugly. She obviously thought of what Su Mingxiu had said before, knowing that this person must have achieved great success in the Buddhist Sect’s secret treasure—

    According to their plan, they should have arrived at the Buddhist Sect first and killed these cultivators who were favored by the Heavenly Dao before the Nine Continents’ plan succeeded.

    But they didn’t expect the Buddhist Sect’s secret treasure to be so terrifying… Peak of Tribulation Transcendence, how many years had it been since the Nine Continents had seen such a powerful existence?

    When Xiao Xingwei drew the Tai’e Sword from the rolling thunder and lightning, it shook the entire Demon Abyss. The mountains and the ground trembled, almost like the world was splitting apart in ancient times.

    When he held the Tai’e Sword, the thunder that entered the Nine Continents with him continued to strike the Black Stone Dock tower. The terrifying rumbling poured down towards the Demon Abyss. A City Lord of the Demon Abyss was originally very close to the lightning strike and was trying to retreat, but was caught by the jumping ball lightning and instantly turned to ashes.

    “It’s tribulation lightning…”

    “Ascension tribulation lightning!”

    It had been too long since a cultivator ascended in the Nine Continents, but the demons of the Demon Abyss still remembered how those cultivators from the Nine Continents had taken advantage of the Heavenly Dao and exterminated them tens of thousands of years ago.

    But after so many years without another ascender, the Demon Abyss thought that the Nine Continents’ luck had run out, who knew…

    Now there was another Child of Heaven! There had been Tribulation Transcendence cultivators who could pluck stars, seize the power of the sun and moon, and move mountains and fill seas, but which Tribulation Transcendence cultivator could control ascension tribulation lightning?

    None! This was the first!

    The remaining City Lords of the Demon Abyss hurriedly retreated eight hundred miles away, afraid of being touched by even a wisp of the lightning that Xiao Xingwei had torn through the formation and brought into the Demon Abyss. This destructive power was too terrifying. Anyone below Tribulation Transcendence would die if touched…

    But their expressions were sorrowful, and some even showed grief, knowing that this time, it was the Nine Continents, it was the Heavenly Dao, that wanted to completely destroy them.

    After lying dormant for tens of thousands of years, the Demon Abyss’s grand plan to return was like an absurd joke under the will of the Heavenly Dao.

    The male cultivator holding the Tai’e Sword glanced at Sui Yihuan and the high-ranking demon cultivators scattered around, but didn’t acknowledge anyone, his gaze finally settling on Su Mingxiu.

    After a pause, Xiao Xingwei raised his other hand and reached out to Su Mingxiu:

    Sui Yihuan subconsciously looked at her, as if wanting to say something. But in the end, she didn’t say a word, just quietly watching her.

    The green-clothed female cultivator stood still for a moment, saw the lightning surrounding Xiao Xingwei that symbolized the will of the Heavenly Dao, and understood the arrogant words it had spoken to her when it was disguised as a system.

    【You lost. I told you long ago that you should abide by your predetermined destiny. If you were still my protagonist, you wouldn’t have to face such a tragic end. You could have looked down upon the Nine Continents.】

    She curled her lips and suddenly said to Xiao Xingwei, “Okay.”

    Then she ignored the lightning surrounding him and walked towards him step by step in the sky above the Demon Abyss.

    The surrounding protective lightning hesitated at this moment, and then magnanimously made way for her to pass, as if generously forgiving the child who had once betrayed it.

    Xiao Xingwei stood with his sword, watching her approach. Just as Su Mingxiu was only a foot away from him, Xiao Xingwei’s wrist suddenly moved—

    It was this movement that allowed him to block a ball of thunder spiritual power and lightning that had condensed in Su Mingxiu’s hand at some point. He subconsciously raised his sword and slashed across.

    The green-clothed woman was cut in half, but not a single drop of blood fell from the sky.

    Xiao Xingwei looked closely and saw Su Mingxiu and Sui Yihuan appearing in mid-air in another place.

    And in the Demon Lord’s hand, a large pearl had appeared at some point, emitting a faint light… The figure of Su Mingxiu pretending to surrender earlier was just an illusion created by the pearl’s misty aura.

    He frowned and coldly spat out four words, “Child’s play.”

    “Tch.”

    Su Mingxiu smiled faintly, wondering what he had to be proud of besides the Heavenly Dao’s favor. He was clearly a loser in every aspect compared to her.

    “Just returning the favor.”

    She said calmly, not answering the momentary confusion in Xiao Xingwei’s eyes. She was referring to the final memory of her previous life that she had just recalled. As the protagonist of the Heavenly Dao, with peak Tribulation Transcendence cultivation, she shouldn’t have died in the battle between the Nine Continents and the Demon Abyss.

    But there was someone who was very jealous of her, and because she couldn’t have her, she developed hatred. So she actually… ambushed her on the battlefield.

    The Heavenly Dao kept saying that she was too rebellious, but it wouldn’t admit its poor judgment. Because the one who made its plan collapse was clearly the male protagonist it had chosen, Xiao Xingwei.

    If he hadn’t ambushed Su Mingxiu in their own camp, none of what happened later would have happened. But the Heavenly Dao didn’t want to admit its blindness and attributed everything to Su Mingxiu being too rebellious, insisting that it was because she refused to accept Xiao Xingwei that all the subsequent accidents occurred.

    It even felt that Sui Yihuan was hindering Su Mingxiu’s future. So it readily accepted her soul’s destruction in exchange for Su Mingxiu’s rebirth, and then in those many reincarnations, it tried its best to reshape the protagonist into the way it wanted, but failed again.

    Now it seemed—

    “I suddenly understand why it chose you as the male protagonist. After all, you’re birds of a feather.”

    Su Mingxiu thought, if the Heavenly Dao could take human form, it would definitely be a man like Xiao Xingwei. If someone surpassed them, then that person would eventually have to submit to them, otherwise they shouldn’t exist in the world.

    If they chose someone, and that person didn’t want to accept their arrangements, then that person was too ungrateful, too rebellious, and had taken the wrong path.

    To describe it in modern terms, both the Heavenly Dao and Xiao Xingwei were full of that condescending “fatherly” attitude.

    Thinking of this, she once again sincerely felt that being able to be enemies with these two things at the same time was truly the most satisfying thing.

    Seeing the two of them standing on the same side, Xiao Xingwei snorted coldly, ignoring Su Mingxiu’s inexplicable words, and slashed towards the front. He instantly cut the Black Stone Dock tower into ruins, but that was not his goal.

    As the tower fell…

    The prisoners imprisoned by the Demon Lord, at this moment, all saw the light brought by the thunder and looked towards the sky.

    Sui Yihuan’s expression changed drastically. Sure enough, beneath the endless ruins, she saw a black shadow breaking free from the blood pool, carrying the black and red, ancient power of curses, laughing maniacally as it swept up from below, “Sui Yihuan!”

    “I said, when I see the light of day again, it will be your death date!”

    It was the Heavenly Demon.

    Thinking that this guy only needed a little more time to be completely dispersed in that pool, eternally sealed beneath the Black Stone Dock tower, but now she was adding fuel to the fire, Sui Yihuan’s eyes darkened to the extreme.

    And Su Mingxiu, facing this long-lost master, didn’t have the leisure to greet her. She just glanced at Xiao Xingwei, “You really colluded.”

    With Xiao Xingwei’s abilities alone, how could he know the relationship between the Heavenly Demon and Sui Yihuan?

    Looking at the lightning strikes that were falling everywhere but not on him, the one who deserved it the most, it was a clear fact that this person had colluded with the Heavenly Dao.

    Xiao Xingwei didn’t care about her comments. For him, the most important thing was to become the strongest in the Nine Continents. No matter who the obstacle in front of him was, they couldn’t stop him.

    He had considered giving Su Mingxiu a chance. After all, her character and beauty were truly worthy of him. It was a pity. Since she didn’t want to submit to him and was also someone the Heavenly Dao wanted to eliminate, let this beauty perish in the Demon Abyss.

    “To be a stepping stone under my reputation—”

    “You should feel honored.”

    He raised the Tai’e Sword, its tip pointing towards the two people in front of him, his imposing manner making the entire Demon Abyss tremble.

  • On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 194

    Chapter 194: No Goodbyes, No Partings

    Inside the Wu Xuan Cave’s main hall, the Grand Witch idly played with her teacup as the masked man spoke.

    “Grand Witch, have you made a decision?”

    “Sigh,” the Grand Witch sighed dramatically and glanced at him sideways. “Does Shen Li really need me that much?”

    “Your talent is exceptional, Grand Witch. We at Shen Li value talent and would be honored to have you join us.”

    “But I’m not sure I want to get involved in your affairs.”

    The Grand Witch’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. After a moment, she said,

    “Tell you what.”

    “I’m about to enter a secret realm with Chen Yin and the others to retrieve the Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma.”

    “Whoever brings me the Ganoderma first, I’ll grant their request.”

    The masked man fell silent.

    “What?”

    The Grand Witch narrowed her eyes. “You don’t like my offer?”

    “I think it’s quite generous.”

    “Not at all,” the masked man replied respectfully. “As you wish, Grand Witch.”

    He bowed and left the hall.

    The Grand Witch watched him go, a thoughtful expression on her face. Lian’er’s voice suddenly came from behind her.

    “Grand Witch, if you don’t want to join them, just refuse.”

    “You don’t understand,” the Grand Witch rolled her eyes. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Shen Li and the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion are enemies, and behind the Pavilion stands Immortal Yu Ling.”

    “Chen Yin’s visit is not as simple as it seems. Perhaps Immortal Yu Ling is trying to force our hand, to make us choose a side.”

    “The Triennial Day is approaching, and the Heavenly Tribulation is almost certainly real.”

    “We have to be cautious…”

    The Grand Witch continued her explanation, then turned around and almost burst out laughing.

    Lian’er was happily licking a lollipop, her face beaming with delight.

    “You…” The Grand Witch sputtered, then waved her hand dismissively.

    “Forget it! I’m a fool for even trying to explain such complex matters to you.”

    Lian’er blinked at her innocently.

    “But Grand Witch, Lian’er doesn’t know anything about the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion or Immortal Yu Ling.”

    “Those are secrets of the cultivation world, only known to high-ranking members of major sects. Of course, a little servant like you wouldn’t know.”

    “Then why did you call Lian’er stupid…?”

    Seeing her pouty lips and teary eyes, the Grand Witch snatched the lollipop from her hand.

    “Waaaaah!”

    Lian’er’s eyes welled up with tears.

    “My candy…”

    “You’re my servant. What’s yours is mine.”

    The Grand Witch licked the lollipop, her eyes widening slightly.

    “Hmm. This is quite good. Where did you get it?”

    “Big Brother gave it to me… but you took it…”

    The little girl looked like she was about to cry.

    “It’s not bad.”

    The Grand Witch nodded with satisfaction. “Go get me some more.”

    “Huh?”

    Lian’er looked up at her with teary eyes. “B-but Big Brother said that if Lian’er wants more, I have to—”

    “Just agree to whatever he asks.”

    The Grand Witch waved her hand dismissively. “Go on, go on, don’t bother me.”

    Lian’er pouted and left the hall.

    As soon as she was gone, the Grand Witch took the lollipop out of her mouth.

    Her eyes were calm and distant as she whispered, “System.”

    “…Are you going to ask about that again?”

    “She’s started cultivating. She meets the basic requirements now.”

    “I can complete some missions and earn enough points in the next few days.” The Grand Witch’s voice was serious.

    “Transferring the Heavenly Dao Fragment isn’t just about having enough points.” The System sighed. “If you want to give it to that little girl, you have to convince me first.”

    “Don’t you approve of her?”

    “…I need more time to observe.”

    The System suddenly changed the subject. “Besides, why would you give me up so easily? You’re such an excellent host. Why would you want to be with a little girl? Is she really that important to you?”

    The Grand Witch didn’t answer.

    The only sound in the hall was the soft jingling of her silver bracelets.

    “Think about it carefully,” she finally said.

    The System sighed and fell silent.

    The masked figure left the main hall and went to his secluded cave.

    “System, contact the Divine Son.”

    The Divine Son’s image appeared before him.

    “…That’s the situation. The Grand Witch is still hesitant, but if I can help her obtain the Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma, she’ll join us for sure.”

    “That’s good. But our plans are being delayed.”

    The Divine Son’s voice was cold and indifferent. “The Triennial Day is approaching. We can’t afford to wait any longer.”

    “Please give me another chance, Divine Son!” The masked figure’s voice was filled with a desperate urgency.

    “Don’t worry, I’m not blaming you.”

    The Divine Son’s voice softened slightly. “We’re all family in Shen Li. We’ve dealt with the Grand Witch before. She’s always been fickle. It’s not your fault.”

    “Continue with your plan. Regardless of the outcome, you’ll be promoted to Divine Messenger after this. We’ll handle the rest.”

    The masked figure hesitated, then bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Divine Son.”

    The image disappeared, and the masked figure looked up, his gaze distant.

    “…What are you worried about?” The System asked.

    “The Divine Son’s last words…” The masked figure’s voice was filled with uncertainty. “It seems he’s planning to get personally involved in the Wu Xuan Cave matter.”

    “Are you worried about his safety?”

    “At least for now, I’m not a Divine Messenger yet. I don’t know enough about the situation. If the Divine Son intervenes, things will be beyond my control.”

    The System sighed. “It’s too difficult for you alone. Why don’t you just tell him the—”

    “You promised me.” The masked figure interrupted sharply.

    The System fell silent.

    The cave was silent and dark.

    After a long pause, the masked figure whispered,

    “No goodbyes, no partings.”

    “I’ve made up my mind.”

    “Don’t try to dissuade me.”

    The System nodded silently.

    Outside, the wind howled through the mountains.

    The masked figure stared out into the darkness, his gaze distant and filled with a quiet resolve.

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 132

    Chapter 132: Proper Treatment

    In a verdant, untouched section of Kun City, three figures walked along a street overgrown with vines and moss.

    Well, two were walking, one was being pushed in a makeshift wheelchair fashioned from woven vines.

    Lin Jiayao sat in the vine wheelchair. Surprisingly comfortable and sturdy, thanks to the vines’ natural flexibility and the reinforcing fungal tendrils.

    It even moved smoothly on Kun City’s uneven streets.

    Lin Xiwan pushed the wheelchair, her eyes scanning their surroundings with curiosity.

    Even after leaving Guangdong Province and traveling almost a thousand kilometers, she’d never seen a city like this.

    Now that the immediate danger had passed, she finally had time to observe.

    Most cities, whether large or small, were dilapidated, overgrown with weeds, littered with abandoned vehicles, barely a single intact window in sight.

    This city, however, covered in lush greenery… if it weren’t for the ever-present danger of zombies, it would be a beautiful sight.

    “Yao, how much further?” Lin Xiwan asked, her hand sliding from the wheelchair’s push handle to her sister’s shoulder, gently squeezing it.

    “Almost there…” Lin Jiayao replied hesitantly.

    With half the city burned down, the familiar landmarks gone, she was slightly disoriented.

    And [Vascular Network] only showed her the flow of energy within the city’s interconnected flora, not the actual layout.

    She’d seen several clean, water-filled reservoirs while controlling the second zombie, the Building-Tree Guardian.

    Turning a corner, she spotted a large, semi-circular structure and breathed a sigh of relief.

    “There’s water over there,” she said, pointing.

    It was a massive, semi-circular structure, which, if not for the vines covering it, would have been an open-air football stadium.

    Now, its entrances sealed by vines, it resembled a giant, natural reservoir, filled with filtered rainwater.

    “There? Alright.”

    Lin Xiwan pushed the wheelchair towards the stadium and then, reaching the massive entrance, blinked.

    “How do we get in?” she asked, squeezing her sister’s shoulder.

    Thick tree roots blocked the entrance, the gaps filled with vines. Opening it would be difficult.

    “It’s okay, they’ll let us in,” Lin Jiayao said, beckoning to Huayibai. “Come closer, Yibai.”

    As Huayibai reached her, Lin Jiayao lifted her and placed her on her lap.

    A tendril extended from her wrist, connecting to the vines on the ground.

    Having activated Vascular Network earlier, vines from the stadium’s outer wall reached towards her, stopping just in front of them.

    Lin Jiayao’s tendril split, connecting to one of the dangling vines. “Sister, hold on tight,” she said.

    The vines beneath their feet intertwined, forming a platform which then slowly lifted them upwards, like an elevator.

    As they ascended, Lin Xiwan, through the still-intact windows, saw the interior of the stadium.

    Filled with water?

    Before she could process it, they reached the top, the vines retracting into the water after depositing them on the edge of the platform.

    They could now see the stadium clearly.

    Crystal-clear water filled the entire structure, the water level almost reaching the platform’s edge.

    And through the clear water, the stadium’s interior was clearly visible, almost pristine, except for a few submerged seats covered in algae.

    A rare sight in the apocalypse: cleanliness.

    If it weren’t for the ripples where the vines had retracted, it would have been hard to believe there was even water there.

    This place is good, but the water is a bit too… deep…

    Just as Lin Xiwan was about to suggest they just take some water from the edge of the platform, more vines emerged from the water.

    The vines formed a smaller, scoop-shaped platform just below them, seemingly for easier access to the water.

    “Yao, did you do this?” Lin Xiwan asked, looking at the vine-scoop, large enough for several people to sit in. “Impressive~”

    “But… isn’t it a waste to bathe in this? This water is drinkable. We should just take some…”

    Even seeing such a large amount of clean water, Lin Xiwan, accustomed to scarcity, still thought of conserving.

    Clean water was a rare commodity.

    “It’s fine.”

    Lin Jiayao simply nodded and then, using Vascular Network, raised the vine-scoop.

    It moved past them, towards the other side of the platform.

    “This way, we won’t contaminate the main water source,” she said, smiling at her sister. “There are many reservoirs like this in the city, and they refill every time it rains. There’s plenty.”

    “Oh, I see… good!” Seeing the smaller pool of water separated from the main reservoir, Lin Xiwan relaxed and started undressing.

    After removing her clothes, she gently lifted Lin Jiayao and undressed her as well.

    Only then did she notice the two band-aids on her sister’s chest.

    “I’m taking these off now. 3… 2… 1!”

    Giving her sister ample warning, she carefully peeled off the band-aids.

    Then she looked at Huayibai.

    “Xiao Yibai, do you need help?” she asked.

    “Eh? Yibai can do it herself.”

    Huayibai bent down, gripped the hem of her white dress, and, with a swift upward motion, lifted it over her head.

    Seeing Huayibai undressed in less than a second, Lin Xiwan’s jaw dropped. “You should… wear more clothes…” she finally managed.

    “Okay!” Huayibai nodded obediently.

    In reality, the white dress was its fungal tendrils, modified at Mommy’s suggestion after their second encounter.

    Otherwise, removing the dress would have revealed a mass of bloody tendrils.

    Now naked, Huayibai curiously peered into the vine-scoop.

    Although it had seen people bathing in others’ memories, it had never bathed itself.

    Beside it, Lin Xiwan dipped her foot into the water, testing the temperature.

    “It’s a little cold. Is that okay?” she asked, gently lowering Lin Jiayao towards the water, her bottom touching the surface.

    “It’s fine,” Lin Jiayao nodded.

    With her enhanced physique, unless it was ice water, she wouldn’t catch a cold.

    Lin Xiwan carefully lowered her sister into the water, the small pool overflowing slightly as they settled in.

    The overflowing water trickled down the side of the platform, watering the plants below.

    “Hoo…”

    Sitting on the soft vines, the water level reached her neck.

    But if she put her sister down, it would probably reach her nose.

    So, she kept Lin Jiayao on her lap.

    Cold water, but still a luxury after so long.

    “Ahh…” The feeling of being immersed in clean water was incredibly relaxing.

    “Splash—”

    Huayibai, perhaps because it had slipped, suddenly fell into the water.

    Before Lin Xiwan could react, it had already sunk to the bottom, its hands crossed over its chest, blowing bubbles, a serene expression on its face.

    “Uh… what’s it doing…?” Lin Xiwan, confused, looked at Huayibai.

    “It’s… happy,” Lin Jiayao said, sensing Huayibai’s excitement, searching for a suitable analogy. “Like a puppy rolling around in mud.”

    “Is it… okay down there?” Although reassured by her sister’s words, she was still worried, seeing Huayibai blowing bubbles.

    “It’s fine, its ability allows it to hold its breath indefinitely.”

    “Oh… good…”

    After observing Huayibai for a while, confirming the blissful smile on its face, Lin Xiwan relaxed.

    Just as she was about to start washing her sister, enjoying the warmth of her body against hers, Lin Jiayao suddenly moved, escaping her embrace.

    “Hmm? What is it?”

    Lin Xiwan released her, curious.

    Her sister, using her legs to turn around with some difficulty, then with Lin Xiwan’s help, settled into a position facing her, straddling her lap.

    “Removing the stitches. They’re all over the burns,” she said, looking at her sister’s body.

    Lin Xiwan hadn’t even noticed them.

    Thin, almost invisible tendrils, acting as sutures, closing her wounds.

    After a night, the burns had mostly healed, so the tendrils needed to be removed.

    “Stitches…?”

    She hadn’t felt any discomfort and hadn’t realized there was anything there.

    Now, upon closer inspection, she saw the thin, thread-like tendrils on her arms, abdomen, and other burned areas.

    As if she’d undergone major surgery.

    She hadn’t noticed them with her clothes on.

    “Did… did you do this? So skillful!” She looked at the neatly closed wounds on her arm, impressed.

    She’d thought her sister had simply used her usual healing method.

    She hadn’t realized she had other abilities.

    But after witnessing her sister’s numerous and varied abilities, she wasn’t surprised anymore.

    She’d expected her sister to pull out the tendrils, but instead, Lin Jiayao cupped her arm and then, lowering her head, licked it.

    “Eh? Don’t you… pull them out?” Lin Xiwan instinctively pulled her arm back, creating ripples in the water.

    Lin Jiayao looked up at her, a slightly exasperated expression.

    “Pulling them out would hurt,” she said, stating the obvious.

    Pulling the tendrils out now, after they’d fused with the flesh, would be incredibly painful.

    Imagine having stitches removed without anesthetic, the thread pulled taut…

    Just the thought made her wince.

    So, the thoughtful Lin Jiayao would use her tongue.

    Her saliva had healing properties. Removing the tendrils while also healing the wounds would minimize the pain.

    She could even make a small cut on her tongue to add the numbing effect of her blood to her saliva, making it even less painful.

    “Okay…”

    Lin Xiwan nodded, not questioning her sister’s… methods.

    She didn’t know much about healing abilities.

    Relaxing, she let her sister continue.

    Lin Jiayao gently cleaned the skin around the stitches with water, then lowered her head and licked.

    With each lick, a few tendrils disappeared.

    It didn’t hurt… Lin Xiwan only felt her sister’s soft tongue, a strangely… pleasant sensation.

    Soon, Lin Jiayao sat up, and Lin Xiwan, looking at her arm, saw that the stitches were gone, her skin smooth and unblemished, the healing perfect.

    Relieved, she could finally relax completely.

    She’d been worried about making strange sounds while her sister was… licking her…

    It was supposed to be a medical treatment, if she’d moaned or something…

    Her image as the responsible, reliable older sister would be shattered.

    “Eek—!”
    “Mmm!”

    A sudden warmth, and Lin Xiwan shuddered, her hand instinctively covering her mouth.

    She saw her sister had submerged herself, her long hair spread out, obscuring her movements.

    But she knew… her “reliable older sister” persona was about to be tested.

    If she remembered correctly, her sister had said the stitches were all over her burns.

    And she…

    Was covered in burns.