Xia Lun and Aina arrived at a secluded grove. Naturally, they hadn’t come here for anything indecent—the powerful aura they sensed earlier had emanated from this very place.
"Hah!"
"Hah!"
"Hah!"
The sound of sword swings and shouts echoed from ahead. Xia Lun stepped forward and saw a lean, short-haired man diligently wielding a rusted iron sword.
The man wore coarse linen clothes, and a roughly carved wooden scabbard stood propped against a nearby tree. He was no ordinary human—his ears were noticeably longer and more pointed than a human’s, and his hair was a striking golden hue. His youthful face was exquisitely refined.
Like Liyana, he was an elf.
Every swing of his sword appeared unremarkable at first glance, yet there was an undercurrent of energy that seemed to ripple through the surrounding space.
Xia Lun couldn’t discern the man’s true age—Liyana might have been able to tell. Among elves, the ability to gauge each other’s age to avoid misaddressing seniority seemed innate. Though, when asked how it worked, even Liyana couldn’t quite explain it.
"Hah!"
The man continued his focused practice, oblivious to Xia Lun’s approach. Xia Lun and Aina exchanged glances—this guy was far too absorbed.
Xia Lun lightly stepped on a dry branch at his feet, producing a crisp snapping sound.
"Who’s there?" The elf finally reacted, lowering his rusted sword with a hint of nervousness.
Upon seeing Xia Lun and Aina, the elf froze momentarily—a common reaction, as most people were taken aback by their extraordinary appearances.
"We’re passing adventurers. We saw you practicing and couldn’t help but take a look," Xia Lun said with a warm smile.
"O-oh? You’re professional adventurers? This is just… just some clumsy training. Nothing worth watching, really…" The elf swordsman stammered, waving his hands dismissively, his expression flustered.
Clumsy? Hardly. Just from his grip alone, Xia Lun could tell this man had poured countless hours into honing his swordsmanship.
Yet, strangely, his humility didn’t seem feigned.
No arrogance, no bullying of the weak.
And that sword in his hand… truly unremarkable—just an ordinary iron blade, as if picked up from any blacksmith’s shop.
Hmm… This was the epitome of returning to simplicity.
A glint of admiration flickered in Xia Lun’s eyes.
Setting everything else aside, in pure swordsmanship, this man might even surpass him.
"I’m Xia Lun. May I ask your name, sir?" Xia Lun introduced himself first.
"I-I’m Joli Servi. Just Joli is fine," Joli replied, stumbling over his words.
Servi… What a coincidence. A strikingly familiar surname.
Liyana’s full name was Liyana Servi, and "Servi" was the family name for male elves. This one might have some connection to her.
Given their long lifespans, elven family trees could grow incredibly convoluted, with many branches sharing the same surname.
Still, Xia Lun found it odd—Joli’s demeanor didn’t match what one would expect from a warrior of his caliber.
Then it dawned on him.
Ah… So he’s already sensed something unusual about me—or perhaps even Aina’s true strength? That’s why he’s so unsettled.
What an extraordinary fighter.
Intriguing. The thought made Xia Lun’s fingers itch.
"Joli, would you care for a spar?" Xia Lun extended the invitation. "Just swordsmanship, nothing more."
"A spar? With me?" Joli blinked, then his breathing quickened slightly. "Of course! Please go easy on me!"
"The honor is mine. I look forward to learning from you."
Aina, seemingly out of nowhere, produced two wooden practice swords and handed them to Xia Lun.
The swords had a decent heft and were still warm—freshly made.
Xia Lun tossed one to Joli.
The moment the wooden sword touched his hand, Joli’s aura shifted dramatically—from an unassuming passerby to a predator locking onto its prey.
Xia Lun grinned. He hadn’t misjudged him.
The thick calluses on Joli’s hands alone were proof of his exceptional skill.
Why would someone like him live in such a remote village…?
No, the reason was obvious. A warrior like him, indifferent to fame and fortune, would naturally seek solitude to pursue the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Neither made the first move. Instead, they circled each other, silently predicting trajectories, their minds already clashing countless times.
Aina watched, bored. As a mage, she had little interest in swordplay.
The two stood frozen like statues, locked in an endless stare.
Seeing Xia Lun maintain eye contact with someone else for so long—even if it was another man—Aina felt a twinge of irritation.
"Go on, Xia Lun. Win, and I’ll reward you," she whispered mischievously into his mind.
Xia Lun sighed inwardly.
That split-second distraction was all Joli needed. His wooden sword shot forward like a gust of wind.
Thud—
Xia Lun parried the thrust and retreated several steps.
What followed was a relentless barrage of piercing strikes—like a downpour, leaving no room to dodge.
Xia Lun’s sword became a blur, weaving an impenetrable net of defense. The clashing of wood merged into a seamless cacophony, without a single pause.
Amid the flurry of blades, leaves fluttered down around them.
Slash, block, strike, thrust, tap, shatter—every technique flowed seamlessly between them as they danced across the grove, their wooden swords clashing again and again.
Aina covered her mouth slightly, amused. Admittedly, the spectacle was quite entertaining.
Xia Lun’s excitement grew. A truly matched opponent was a rare find.
Thud—
Finally, with a solid impact, Joli’s wooden sword was sent flying.
"I yield," Joli admitted, raising his trembling hands as he panted.
Xia Lun exhaled deeply.
In pure skill, he was no match for Joli. At the start, Joli had overpowered him.
Of course, if Xia Lun had unleashed his full strength, he could’ve brute-forced his way to victory—but where was the fun in that?
Still, enduring Joli’s onslaught had secured his win. The intense exchange drained Joli’s stamina, leaving openings… whereas Xia Lun’s endurance was something even a demon king would concede to.
He felt a twinge of guilt—this victory wasn’t entirely fair.
Xia Lun cleared his throat.
Well… Aina’s promised reward was too good to pass up.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
