Zhang Yue awoke from a profound and mysterious state of enlightenment, unsure of how much time had passed. She looked up at the sky, now shrouded in night, and realized she had no idea how many days had gone by. She rose slowly, her feet igniting with cold flames, while traces of fire flickered in her eyes.
These were the two insights she had gained.
Ice and fire.
Zhang Yue turned her gaze, searching for the figure of Elder Chen, but she couldn’t find him. A sense of confusion washed over her. The horned dragon perched on her shoulder emerged, whispering in a low voice,
“That person has disappeared. He’s always been mysterious, and he was dug out from an ancient battlefield thirty thousand years ago. Don’t get too entangled with him. The karma of these ancient beings is never something good to meddle with!”
“Hmm,” Zhang Yue nodded softly, her heart agreeing with the dragon’s words. Elder Chen had grown increasingly enigmatic and profound in her eyes, especially with his ability to grant her enlightenment with a mere flick of his fingers. Such divine power was something she had never witnessed, even from those in the Sea Inversing Realm.
“What realm do you think Elder Chen is in?” Zhang Yue asked the horned dragon through a spiritual message.
The horned dragon, a well-traveled species of dragon that had lived for tens of thousands of years, was old but not particularly powerful. This was why it had ended up staying with Zhang Yue, a young girl from the Zhang Family. They had hoped to help each other grow, but after years of stagnation, they had resorted to digging up ancient battlefields for treasures.
“With that kind of power, he might have touched the realm of a Saint, perhaps even a Quasi-Saint,” the horned dragon speculated weakly, its voice trembling at the mention of the word “Saint.”
Zhang Yue was equally astonished, but before she could say more, there was a sound at the door. Chen Xia walked in leisurely, his green robe swaying slightly. He glanced at Zhang Yue and asked calmly,
“Have you finished your enlightenment?”
“Y-yes,” Zhang Yue stammered nervously.
“Good,” Chen Xia nodded and then returned to his quiet seat inside the house without another word.
Zhang Yue left soon after.
The room fell into silence, broken only by the moonlight streaming into the courtyard, casting a melancholic glow over everything.
Chen Xia rested his head on his hand, staring blankly ahead. He had traveled through the river of time and witnessed many things, including the fall of the Blue Sky Sword Sea.
No cultivators had attacked it. The Blue Sky Sword Sea had simply grown too vast, and its original leaders had passed away one by one. The remaining Emperors fought bitterly for the position of Sect Master, but none could prevail. In the end, they all went their separate ways, establishing their own sects, leaving only a few elders who couldn’t bear to abandon the Blue Sky Sword Sea.
As five hundred thousand years passed, even those elders eventually left, and the once-great sect became a desolate land.
Perhaps this was the price of reaching the pinnacle.
Outside, the moonlight gradually faded, and darkness enveloped everything.
Chen Xia closed his eyes.
Zhang Yue’s performance in the sect competition was outstanding.
She dominated her peers and emerged as the top contender, shocking the entire Zhang Family.
Some said she had encountered a rare opportunity, while others believed she had inherited a powerful legacy. The rumors swirled endlessly.
Zhang Yue was overjoyed, feeling that she had finally made a name for herself. She couldn’t help but think of Elder Chen and wanted to thank him once more.
She hurried to Chen Xia’s small cottage and knocked on the door, but there was no response. After waiting for a long time, she cautiously pushed the door open, only to find the room empty and silent.
“Elder Chen?”
She called out softly, but there was no reply. She stepped inside and saw a message left on the table. As she approached, the words shimmered, forming layers of profound truths that surrounded her.
“This is your final opportunity. Farewell,” Chen Xia’s voice echoed faintly before fading away.
The room was now silent, leaving Zhang Yue alone to ponder the message.
Above, a waning moon cast a lonely light over the ruins below, illuminating the lifeless expanse of the Blue Sky Sword Sea.
This was the Blue Sky Sword Sea, though it had been shattered for far too long. The sea of swords below lay motionless, while the sky above had long since perished.
Legend had it that the giant sword at the center of the Blue Sky Sword Sea was an Immortal Sword, but no cultivator had ever claimed it, nor had its authenticity been verified. Without any treasures to offer, the place had gradually been abandoned.
It wasn’t entirely devoid of life, though. Occasionally, cultivators would come, either fleeing from enemies or simply to admire the ruins of this once-dominant sect from five hundred thousand years ago.
Tap.
A faint footstep echoed through the ruins, instantly drawing the attention of the cultivators hiding within the Blue Sky Sword Sea. They peered cautiously toward the source of the sound.
A man in a green robe walked calmly across the ruins, his footsteps steady and unhurried. He made his way toward the shattered main hall, stepping over the debris as if it were nothing.
He ignored the hidden observers and entered the main hall, stopping before the broken Sect Master’s throne. He stood there quietly, gazing at it for a long time.
A rustling sound broke the silence.
A cultivator in a crimson robe stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting and asking with a smile,
“May I ask what brings you here, fellow Daoist?”
Chen Xia didn’t respond. Instead, he picked up a piece of rubble and examined it quietly.
“Fellow Daoist, this place is our sanctuary for cultivation and refuge. Your sudden arrival seems rather inappropriate, don’t you think?”
Chen Xia gently placed the rubble down and turned to face the crimson-robed cultivator, speaking softly,
“This is my home. I’ve come back to see it.”
The cultivator was taken aback, then chuckled, unable to hold back his amusement.
“This is your home? Haha, I’ve only heard that this place was called the Blue Sky Sword Sea hundreds of thousands of years ago. Are you saying you’re a cultivator from that era? If you want to enter this sanctuary, we won’t stop you, but please don’t use such a flimsy excuse.”
Chen Xia didn’t answer. He took a step forward and slowly sat down on the broken Sect Master’s throne. As he looked around the hall, a faint smile appeared on his lips, as if he had momentarily returned to the past.
“You refuse to listen to reason?” The crimson-robed cultivator frowned, signaling to the others around him.
Several cultivators emerged, their cultivation levels all around the Saint Realm. They stared at Chen Xia and spoke sternly,
“We can’t sense your cultivation level, but it must be formidable. Let’s sit down and talk. This is your last chance.”
Chen Xia exhaled softly, leaning back on the broken throne. He tilted his head, not bothering to look at them, and uttered a single word.
“Leave.”
Boom!
The cultivators’ minds were instantly overwhelmed, their heads throbbing as if they were about to explode. Their spiritual senses were muddled, and they couldn’t think or remember anything. When they regained their senses, they found themselves drenched in blood, their spiritual seas dried up, and their Dao foundations shattered.
Terrified and shaken, they were also grateful to be alive. They realized that if the mysterious man had wanted to, he could have killed them all. Their severe injuries were a mercy.
What kind of terrifying existence was he?!
They didn’t dare to dwell on it, only feeling a profound sense of relief at having survived.
After they left, the long-shattered Blue Sky Sword Sea suddenly began to rise. The sea of swords surged with sword energy, the sky above glowed brightly, and the giant sword radiated a brilliant light. It was as if the sect had returned to its most glorious era.
Other Emperors naturally sensed this and came to investigate, but after their inquiries, they all left quietly, not daring to speak a word.
The Blue Sky Sword Sea had returned, though it had no elders or disciples. Yet, it was at its peak once more.
Time seemed to stretch on, thousands or even tens of thousands of years passing.
The man sitting quietly in the Blue Sky Sword Sea slowly rose to his feet. He wanted to see more of the world.
In the current world, there was a family known as the Zhang Family. Today, they were holding a clan competition, and many cultivators had come to watch.
The match was between Zhang Xuan, the prodigy of the Zhang Family, and Zhang Yue, the dark horse who had risen from a remote branch of the family to become a top-tier cultivator.
The winner would claim the position of Sect Master.
The Zhang Family had been promoting this event for a long time, building up the anticipation.
“Who do you think will win? I’m betting on Zhang Xuan. He’s been hyped up as the family’s genius for so long. He can’t lose, right?”
“Not so sure. Zhang Yue has a chance too. Her insights are terrifying. Rumor has it she’s already touched the realm of a Zhun Di.”
“…”
The discussions continued endlessly.
The figure in the green robe stood calmly amidst the crowd, his gaze fixed ahead. There stood a weathered statue, its features long eroded, perhaps never clear to begin with, so no one paid it much attention.
Chen Xia simply stared, scenes from the Boundary Realm flashing through his mind. He recalled the short old man and couldn’t help but smile faintly.
Perhaps it’s the past that’s most worth cherishing.
The grand competition soon began.
The battle between Zhang Xuan and Zhang Yue unfolded. Both unleashed their divine abilities, their combat prowess nearly equal. They fought for days on the arena, shaking the earth and unleashing awe-inspiring power, standing out as formidable figures among their peers.
In the end, the battle concluded with Zhang Yue’s narrow victory. Exhausted, she sat on the arena, covered in blood, a triumphant smile on her lips. She turned her gaze around the arena, listening to the cheers in her honor.
Suddenly, her expression froze.
For she saw a figure in a green robe—a face not entirely familiar, yet one she could never forget in this lifetime.
But the green-robed figure didn’t look at her. He turned away, leaving only his back, and in an instant, he vanished from the scene.
His casual turn became someone’s eternal, unforgettable dream.
Indescribable, inexplicable.
After this, Chen Xia no longer had any place he wished to go. During this time, he read many books, studied countless techniques, searching for the answers he sought.
As the saying goes,
“As long as your thoughts don’t falter, there are always more solutions than difficulties.”
Chen Xia pondered over solutions. Perhaps he found one. On a clear morning, under pleasant weather, he ventured into the Tree of Time.
He didn’t stay long. With a flick of his finger, he shattered the Heavenly Dao. His false Heavenly Dao became the true one.
As for the Martial Emperor, tens of thousands of years of imprisonment had left him lost in some distant time, perhaps already vanished.
Chen Xia had no intention of killing him. What he sought now was singular.
He uprooted the Tree of Time, damaging his own foundation. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, but his hands didn’t stop. Using his Heavenly Dao power, he controlled time, freezing all realms. A ten-thousand-year-old formation activated, and he sacrificed his system.
He was going to reverse the flow!
His sea of consciousness dried up instantly. Even with his terrifying strength, he couldn’t withstand such immense consumption. Cracks appeared across his body, and his spiritual energy spread throughout the heavens and earth.
Using his system, using his immortality as fuel.
His personal time rapidly reversed, consumed endlessly.
The Tree of Time shrank, withered, until only a tiny sapling remained.
Crack.
The fissures in his body split open. His form shattered like porcelain hitting the ground, then quickly dissipated, merging completely into the world.
The frozen world returned to normal, with no noticeable changes except for the increase in spiritual energy.
It was as if someone had left, or perhaps had never been there at all.
The heavy snowstorm pressed down mercilessly.
The forest bowed under its weight, and the farmers had long retreated to their homes, locking their doors tightly, fearing the bone-chilling wind and snow.
Amidst the snow and drizzle,
a young girl trudged through the snow. Her heavy clothing hindered her progress. With a thud, she fell into the snow. Fortunately, she didn’t hit any rocks and wasn’t injured. She quickly got up and continued her arduous journey, taking three steps forward only to be pushed back one by the relentless wind and snow.
“Need some help?” A voice called out through the storm.
The girl paused, thinking it might be her imagination. She turned and saw a man in thin clothing smiling at her.
“C-can you?” The girl shielded her head with her hands, blocking the snow as she hesitantly asked.
“It’s fine. I’m also from Weixi Town. You’re Xu Zhen, right? I recognize you,” the man said with a light chuckle.
“Oh, okay, thank you,” the girl replied quickly, her face lighting up with relief.
“No problem,” the man smiled, then murmured softly,
“A snowy day is just the right time to head home.”
Xu Zhen didn’t quite catch his words. The snowstorm was too loud. She stumbled again, falling into the snow. As she tilted her head up, about to push herself up, the man’s hand was already extended toward her.
Xu Zhen grasped his hand and asked curiously,
“What’s your name? How should I address you? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
“Well, now you have,” the man replied with a bright smile, warm and out of place in the cold winter. It carried a sense of long-awaited reunion. He tilted his head slightly and said,
“I’m Chen Xia.”
Xu Zhen climbed to her feet, smiling as well, and responded,
“Brother Chen!”
The snowstorm seemed to fade in an instant.
Amidst the fragments of time,
the two walked further away, their path ahead clear and smooth. Weixi Town came into view before Chen Xia’s eyes, appearing the same as when he first arrived, yet profoundly different.
A rebirth bought with immortality must carry the weight of more cherished souls.
The Blue Sky Sword Sea, the Boundary Realm, the Great Death Realm, the Immortal Realm—all of it.
Now he could remember all his old companions.
Chen Xia lowered his head in the snow and rain, chuckling softly with determination.
“This time, I’ll craft the perfect dream with my own hands.”
As these words left his lips, the snowstorm abruptly ceased.
His eyes shimmered with the light of the Great Dao—this was the pinnacle of rebirth.
Ahead, Weixi Town grew clearer. As his feet stepped onto the stone-paved streets, Chen Xia understood.
This was an end, and also a beginning.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
