The Ninth Mountain was not quite the same today.
The Great Elder sat at the summit, gazing at the foot of the mountain. His brow furrowed slightly, as if deep in thought. After a long hesitation, he suddenly stood up and with a single step reached the foot of the mountain, asking Xu Zhen, who was descending.
"Are you heading to Treasure Ring Scale State?"
"Yes." Xu Zhen nodded, her feet stepping on shimmering white lotuses. She frowned slightly, puzzled.
"Why ask something you already know?"
The Great Elder sighed, shaking his head softly. "You've been in seclusion for too long, and are unaware of the current situation in the Immortal Realm and Treasure Ring Scale State. You can't go. Treasure Ring Scale State is no longer a major state in the Immortal Realm."
"What do you mean?" Xu Zhen's brow tightened, confused by the Great Elder's words. How could a once-great state like Treasure Ring Scale State no longer be part of the Immortal Realm?
"It's a long story. Currently, only East Jia State is in a slightly better situation. The other three states—Treasure Ring Scale State, Upper Cloud State, and Manghei Continent—have all been seized by Divine Realm practitioners. Treasure Ring Scale State is the worst off, with the Divine Realm Lord himself stationed there, making it the center of the Divine Realm in the Immortal Realm."
Xu Zhen's frown deepened, her shimmering white lotuses trembling under her feet.
"What about the Imperial Lords of the Immortal Realm? Don't they counterattack? Just watch as Treasure Ring Scale State falls into the hands of the Divine Realm practitioners?"
"How can they counterattack? The Divine Realm Lord's actions have almost cut off all fortunes in Treasure Ring Scale State. The Imperial Lords have either fled or died. Even the Seventh Mountain Lord, who governed Treasure Ring Scale State, perished in battle. Who would dare to counterattack? Who could even attempt it?!"
Xu Zhen's expression grew agitated, unable to remain calm. She quickly asked again.
"What about Fuyao Immortal Sect now? How is it faring?"
"I'm not sure, but it probably still exists." The Great Elder sighed once more. "That's why I'm here to persuade you not to return to Fuyao Immortal Sect. You've worked so hard to become an Imperial Lord, one of the rare fresh forces in the Immortal Realm. If you return to Treasure Ring Scale State, who knows what might happen to your future."
"This isn't me being unreasonable. It's just that you really shouldn't go back. Many sects from Treasure Ring Scale State have already relocated. You might as well stay here on the Ninth Mountain to stabilize your cultivation and enhance your strength..."
"No, I will return," Xu Zhen interrupted the Great Elder, her voice firm as she stepped forward on her shimmering white lotuses. She looked determined as she headed outward.
"If Fuyao Immortal Sect hasn't moved away, then it's waiting for me to return."
Her resolve was unyielding.
"But you've taken our Ninth Mountain's fortune—your Imperial Lord status is in part due to our mountain. You should heed my advice!" The Great Elder called out loudly, even resorting to this reasoning.
Xu Zhen didn't turn back, only softly replied. "I understand. I'll return the favor to the Ninth Mountain if the opportunity arises."
Her figure soared into the sky, becoming a beam of white light, piercing through the barriers between states and hurtling toward Treasure Ring Scale State.
This was the first time since the Divine Realm Lord's arrival and his takeover of Treasure Ring Scale State that an Imperial Lord from the Immortal Realm dared to venture into it.
Four Divine Realm Imperial Lords had already taken positions at the borders of Treasure Ring Scale State, speculating about the upcoming Immortal Realm Imperial Lord.
"At this juncture, is there still an Immortal Realm practitioner daring to come to Treasure Ring Scale State? Are they courting death or seeking to defect?"
"Isn’t that Xu Zhen—the once-greatest genius of the Immortal Realm and Fuyao Immortal Sect’s Sect Master? She’s actually returned as an Imperial Lord! Hah, does she still think she can lead Fuyao Immortal Sect to its former glory?"
"Genius? Weren’t we all once geniuses? Regardless, her return will indeed make things interesting in Treasure Ring Scale State. By the way, isn’t Fuyao Immortal Sect currently under Ao Pai's rule? What if Xu Zhen comes back and doesn’t submit?"
Ao Pai's gaze sharpened as he sneered. "If she doesn’t submit, then Fuyao Immortal Sect should no longer exist. In Treasure Ring Scale State, it’s the Divine Realm practitioners who call the shots!"
"Very well, let's wait and see then, hah!"
Xu Zhen's white light drew the attention of many, eliciting sighs, admiration, or mockery. However, none stopped her as she entered Treasure Ring Scale State, blazing a path straight to Fuyao Immortal Sect under the gaze of numerous practitioners.
An elderly practitioner hurriedly approached her, bowing respectfully.
"Imperial Lord, why have you come? Please, come in. We know it’s almost tribute time. Vice-Sect Master Chen Xi has gone to prepare, so don’t worry. Grant us a little more time, Vice-Sect Master Chen Xi shall arrive shortly."
"I’m Xu Zhen," the white light faded, revealing her figure and an emotionally charged statement.
The old man froze, then looked up in disbelief.
"Sect Master?"
His voice rose sharply.
"The Sect Master has returned! The Sect Master has returned!"
An uproar spread across Fuyao Immortal Sect as all its practitioners flooded toward where Xu Zhen stood.
Chen Xi naturally arrived as well. She stood at the sect entrance, her previously numb eyes showing a flicker of relief. She nodded in satisfaction.
"Returning is good… returning is good…"
Her voice paused suddenly, and she shook her head with a bitter smile. "No, returning isn’t good at all."
Is there anything good about returning to this Treasure Ring Scale State, except for suffering?
Xu Zhen didn’t know what had happened to Fuyao Immortal Sect, but just hearing the word "tribute" made her sense something was amiss. She questioned Chen Xi in detail, learning the full story with a wry smile and a surge of killing intent in her gaze.
Chen Xi noticed this and reached out in an attempt to dissuade.
"Xi, there’s no need to dwell on it. For the sake of maintaining stability, Fuyao Immortal Sect can endure a few tributes."
"Mmm." Xu Zhen nodded calmly, though her eyes held an undercurrent of intense emotion.
The return of Fuyao Immortal Sect’s Imperial Lord Sect Master caused a significant stir in Treasure Ring Scale State—that was until fifteen days after Xu Zhen’s return.
Hu Jiao returned, demanding tributes from Fuyao Immortal Sect.
Fuyao Immortal Sect complied, handing over every single tithing without shorting or adding more.
Hu Jiao, as usual, poured the tributes onto the ground and kicked them around to count. Satisfied, he sneered.
"Hmph, so unruly. Did the reappearance of the Sect Master embolden you? The tributes are even fewer than before. Soon, I can’t even imagine what you’ll do, maybe even overthrow our Divine Realm’s rule."
Chen Xi was standing upfront, ready to bow her head and apologize.
Xu Zhen stepped forward directly, crossing her arms and standing face-to-face with Hu Jiao. Her gaze sharp as she pointed at the scattered tributes, ordering coldly.
"Pick them up."
Hu Jiao’s expression faltered, then he sneered. "What if I don’t? You’re merely an Imperial Lord, would you truly dare…"
Bang!
In a sudden move, Xu Zhen launched a decisive blow, sending Hu Jiao plummeting from the heavens, crashing into the mountains below. His chest collapsed, blood pouring out uncontrollably.
She followed up, stepping on Hu Jiao’s head and grinding it into the ground with contempt.
"Next time you want to challenge me, send an Imperial Lord. Do you think you, a mere Quasi-Imperial Lord, are qualified?"
The members of Fuyao Immortal Sect were stunned for a moment, then filled with uncontrollable excitement and emotion. They began to shout.
"Sect Master! Sect Master!"
Chen Xi looked at Xu Zhen, her eyes filled with relief, excitement, and apprehension.
The Divine Realm Imperial Lords would come. They would definitely come to retaliate. What would happen then?
Xu Zhen eventually let Hu Jiao go, reclaiming the tributes herself and declaring that if the Divine Realm Imperial Lords didn’t personally come for them, Fuyao Immortal Sect wouldn’t pay anymore tributes.
Was this Fuyao Immortal Sect’s savior rising? No one could say for certain.
Seven days later.
Three Divine Realm Imperial Lords descended upon Fuyao Immortal Sect with overwhelming power, declaring.
"We shall settle our accounts with Fuyao Immortal Sect!"
This news spread like wildfire, stirring up excitement across several states.
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
+【Epic Battles!】 "Your Highness, they say Linxi Temple is miraculous. Won’t you make a wish?" "A wish? It should be making wishes to me." "That may be so, but since you’re already here..." "..." "Fine. Then grant this princess a consort to play with." "He must be obedient, devoted, and utterly infatuated with my body—so much so that he’d kneel and kiss my feet." "Your Highness, that’s not a consort. That’s a dog." "Then add clever, witty, heroic, ambitious yet pragmatic..." "Hmm, that’s enough for now. I’ll add more later." After tossing out these words half in jest, Princess Anle departed the temple—only to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Bodhisattva statue smiling at her. Meanwhile, Yang An, fresh out of university, was having a very bad day. Good news: He’d transmigrated into another world with a cheat granting tenfold combat power. Bad news: He’d immediately fallen into the clutches of a certain villainess. Good news: Said villainess possessed peerless beauty and royal status. Bad news: She was absolutely monstrous!!! In the frozen wilderness, Yang An knelt beneath Qin Guo’er’s feet, drenched in sweat despite the cold. Desperately clutching her porcelain-perfect foot—the very one poised to crush his throat—he could only think: How do I survive this?! Need answers NOW!
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
