Wang Jianqiang had just left his residence when he spotted two familiar figures approaching.
Chen Jiaojiao and Niu Shouren?
He raised an eyebrow.
Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Chen Jiaojiao for over two months.
As Wang Jianqiang noticed them, they also caught sight of him.
Chen Jiaojiao’s expression flickered, her gaze evasive.
Beside her, Niu Shouren’s face twisted into a sneer.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Trash King?”
“Shouldn’t a useless waste like you be hiding in your hole instead of embarrassing yourself out here?”
Hearing Niu Shouren’s taunt, Wang Jianqiang arched a brow, a thought forming in his mind.
Chen Jiaojiao hadn’t sought him out for so long—something must have happened.
His eyes lingered on Chen Jiaojiao.
Her information flashed through his mind.
When he saw the mere 10 points of favorability remaining in the status bar, his suspicions grew firmer.
“Ah, Shouren, it’s you.”
Wang Jianqiang acted as if he hadn’t heard the insult, smiling amiably.
“I attended the Outer Sect Tournament a while back and caught your match. Didn’t you get eliminated in the first round? Hope you’re doing alright?”
Niu Shouren’s face twitched.
He had indeed participated—and been knocked out in the first round.
Not just that, he’d been beaten so badly he needed half a month to recover.
For someone as prideful as him, it was a humiliation. Now that Wang Jianqiang had brought it up, his cheeks burned with shame.
“Hmph, I only entered for experience. Results mean nothing.”
“True,” Wang Jianqiang nodded, as if agreeing.
Niu Shouren’s expression relaxed slightly—until Wang Jianqiang continued, “With your skills, you were never going to achieve anything anyway.”
His face stiffened, speechless.
“Enough, Trash King. Cut the nonsense.”
“Jiaojiao and I were just about to look for you. Running into you here saves us the trouble.”
“Oh? Looking for me? What for?”
Wang Jianqiang glanced at Chen Jiaojiao.
She avoided his gaze, staying silent.
Niu Shouren pressed on, “We’re here to sever ties with you, old trash. From today onward, you have no connection to us as a couple.”
“Are you sure? Jiaojiao went to great lengths to mend things between us before.”
Wang Jianqiang’s eyes fixed on Chen Jiaojiao.
Niu Shouren frowned. “What do you mean, ‘mend things’?”
Chen Jiaojiao paled. “Wang Jianqiang, Shouren has made it clear. We’re done.”
“Don’t bother us again.”
With that, she tugged Niu Shouren away, their retreat almost hasty from Wang Jianqiang’s perspective.
“Jiaojiao, what was that about? What ‘mending things’? Did you beg him?”
“It’s your fault for being so stubborn and refusing to interact with him! I had to smooth things over.”
“I see… You’ve suffered, Jiaojiao.”
…
Their conversation drifted back on the breeze.
Wang Jianqiang couldn’t help but chuckle.
Chen Jiaojiao’s betrayal didn’t affect him in the slightest.
He’d never held high hopes for this ungrateful woman to begin with.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept his alchemy skills hidden from her all this time.
Not a single Perfect Cloudmist Pill had he given her—even the Perfect Verdant Spirit Pills, she’d only received four.
Still, one thing puzzled him.
Niu Shouren's cultivation level had previously been on par with Chen Jiaojiao's, both having recently broken through to the seventh layer of Qi Refinement.
So why was Chen Jiaojiao still at the early stage of the seventh layer, while Niu Shouren had already reached the ninth layer?
After pondering for a moment, he shook his head and dismissed these thoughts, heading toward the Outer Affairs Hall.
Half a day later.
Wang Jianqiang returned to his residence.
With a wave of his hand, five jade slips materialized before him.
These five jade slips were his preparations for the upcoming Cold Spring Secret Realm expedition.
Three of them contained pill recipes, while the other two were blueprints for magical artifacts.
The three pill recipes were all for high-grade first-tier pills: the Spirit Restoration Pill, the Earth Yellow Pill, and the Blood Surge Pill.
The Spirit Restoration Pill accelerated the recovery of spiritual energy.
The Earth Yellow Pill was a healing pill.
As for the Blood Surge Pill, consuming it granted a temporary boost in strength, but the side effects were severe—it was a life-risking pill.
The two blueprints were for the Radiant Seal and the Windchaser Boots, both high-grade magical artifacts.
Dong Yue had previously mentioned that outer disciples were not permitted to purchase high-grade blueprints.
Yet, for some reason, upon learning that he was preparing for the Cold Spring Secret Realm, she made an exception and sold him these two.
Naturally, he wouldn’t refuse such an opportunity and bought them on the spot.
With these items at his disposal, his journey into the secret realm would undoubtedly be much safer.
Afterward, he focused his mind and examined each of the five jade slips.
"Ding! Detected inferior pill recipe. Optimization and upgrade require 30 cultivation points. Proceed?"
"Ding! Detected inferior pill recipe. Optimization and upgrade require 30 cultivation points. Proceed?"
"Ding! Detected inferior pill recipe. Optimization and upgrade require 30 cultivation points. Proceed?"
"Ding! Detected inferior blueprint. Optimization and upgrade require 30 cultivation points. Proceed?"
"Ding! Detected inferior blueprint. Optimization and upgrade require 30 cultivation points. Proceed?"
Three consecutive system notifications rang out.
"Yes."
As the thought flashed through Wang Jianqiang’s mind, the system responded again.
"Ding! Spirit Restoration Pill recipe successfully optimized and upgraded to the Perfect Spirit Restoration Pill recipe."
"Ding! Earth Yellow Pill recipe successfully optimized and upgraded to the Perfect Earth Yellow Pill recipe."
"Ding! Blood Surge Pill recipe successfully optimized and upgraded to the Perfect Blood Surge Pill recipe."
"Ding! Radiant Seal blueprint successfully optimized and upgraded to the Perfect Radiant Seal blueprint."
"Ding! Windchaser Boots blueprint successfully optimized and upgraded to the Perfect Windchaser Boots blueprint."
After optimizing and upgrading all the pill recipes and artifact blueprints, Wang Jianqiang took out the materials he had prepared earlier and began crafting.
In the blink of an eye, a month passed.
After a full month of relentless crafting, the results were impressive.
He had accumulated five hundred Perfect Cloudmist Pills.
The more frequently consumed Perfect Spirit Restoration Pills and Perfect Earth Yellow Pills numbered over a thousand each.
Since the Blood Surge Pill would rarely be used, he prepared only twenty.
Additionally, he crafted twenty copies each of the Perfect Radiant Seal, Perfect Windchaser Boots, Perfect Minor Mountain Seal, Perfect Darkwater Ring, Perfect Cloudwater Frostblade, and Perfect Moonwater Robe.
As for the Perfect Amethyst Slippers, they were no longer necessary now that the superior Perfect Windchaser Boots were available as a replacement.
"Senior Brother, the notice has been issued," Wang Yuyao came to inform him one day.
"In three days, we depart for Falling Snow Mountain."
Falling Snow Mountain was where the entrance to the Cold Spring Secret Realm lay.
"So the secret realm is finally opening?"
A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Wang Jianqiang's eyes.
He didn’t let Wang Yuyao leave afterward.
Instead, he led the blushing Wang Yuyao toward the inner room.
Since she was already here, they might as well do something.
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
