After Wang Yuyao left, Wang Jianqiang took a deep breath and focused his consciousness inward.
A month ago, optimizing and upgrading pill formulas and blueprints had cost him 150 cultivation points.
Over the past month, through diligent alchemy, he had replenished all the spent points.
Now, his cultivation points had reached 580.
With a thought,
a shimmering screen appeared, displaying the "Techniques and Spells" page.
Under the "Cultivation Techniques" section, only two entries remained:
"Spirit Refining Art: (Mastered—reached peak level. 500 cultivation points required to optimize and upgrade this technique.)"
"Blazing Sun Lock Essence Scripture: (Transcendent Perfection)"
Upgrading the Spirit Refining Art would cost 500 points.
If he wished, he could obtain a higher-tier technique at any time.
However, improving cultivation techniques affected long-term growth rather than immediate combat prowess.
For now, boosting his battle strength was the priority.
His gaze shifted downward.
Below the techniques section, the previously empty "Spells" column now displayed a new line:
"Minor Five Elements Sword Array: (Uninitiated)"
Wang Jianqiang focused his attention on the Minor Five Elements Sword Array. "Advance the Minor Five Elements Sword Array to its highest level."
"Ding. The Minor Five Elements Sword Array has been upgraded."
As the system's feedback echoed in his mind, a surge of cultivation knowledge materialized, seamlessly merging into his memories.
When he looked back at the screen, the spell's description had changed:
"Minor Five Elements Sword Array: (Mastered)"
"Mastering a spell in an instant—this is the bliss of being a cheater," Wang Jianqiang mused with satisfaction.
But when his eyes flicked to his remaining cultivation points, he froze.
"80."
His heart clenched.
Damn it!
What kind of ridiculous spell was this?
Reaching mastery had cost him a staggering 500 cultivation points!
Did this mean that, without the system, his mediocre talent would require 500 years of nonstop seclusion to achieve the same result?
Then again,
the harder something was to master, the more formidable its power.
With that thought, his frustration eased.
An urge to test the spell's might surged within him, but the sect was crowded and prying eyes were everywhere.
Acting recklessly would draw unwanted attention.
Unless one possessed concealment artifacts, only cultivators a full major realm higher could discern another's true cultivation level.
Though Wang Jianqiang had long reached the 10th layer of Qi Refining, unless he deliberately revealed his aura, only Foundation Establishment experts could see through him.
To the outer sect disciples, he remained a "good-for-nothing."
Even if rumors of his alchemy talent had spread, this world revered strength above all. It wouldn’t stop others from treating him like a minor nuisance.
With the Frost Abyss Secret Realm opening soon,
laying low and playing the fool was the wisest move.
The more others underestimated him, the easier it would be to fish in troubled waters—or at least stay safer.
With that in mind, Wang Jianqiang suppressed the urge to test the sword array.
Opportunities to try it out would come later.
There was no need to expose himself prematurely.
Three days later,
at dawn,
as the morning sun crested the horizon,
Wang Jianqiang and Wang Yuyao arrived at the gathering point, where dozens of figures had already assembled.
Scanning the crowd, Wang Jianqiang paused.
Niu Shouren and Chen Jiaojiao?
Why were these two here? How had they secured slots for the secret realm?
"Ha! A top-ten ranking earned solely by relying on magical artifacts, paired with a trash cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining—are you two sure you’re not going into the secret realm to commit suicide?"
A mocking voice rang out abruptly, loud and unrestrained, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Countless gazes instantly turned toward Wang Jianqiang and Wang Yuyao.
Peals of laughter soon followed.
"Truly the King of Trash! Wang Yuyao actually gave her attendant slot to him!"
"That waste is only at the third level of Qi Refining. What’s he doing entering the secret realm? Trying to die faster?"
"Ha! Doesn’t he have Wang Yuyao to protect him? Maybe she’s got daddy issues—dragging this old man along gives her a sense of security."
...
As the jeers echoed around them, Wang Yuyao’s face flushed with alternating shades of green and white.
Wang Jianqiang ignored the crowd, his gaze cutting through the throng to lock onto a single figure.
Ye Lingyun!
The first taunt had come from him.
Now, Ye Lingyun stood with his arms crossed, a sneer on his face as he watched the spectacle unfold.
"However I made it into the top ten, it’s still better than being eliminated outright."
Lately, Ye Lingyun had been stewing over his defeat in the outer sect competition. Wang Jianqiang’s words struck a nerve.
His smirk vanished, replaced by a dark scowl.
"Keep talking, old man. Just pray you don’t run into me inside the secret realm."
"Otherwise..."
A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Wang Jianqiang scoffed, brushing off the threat with a dismissive glance before letting his gaze linger briefly on Su Yutong, who stood beside Ye Lingyun.
Noticing his stare, Su Yutong snorted and shot a venomous look at Wang Yuyao.
"Senior Brother, they..." Wang Yuyao frowned.
"Don’t mind them."
Wang Jianqiang shook his head, and the two retreated to a quiet corner.
Not long after, two figures streaked through the sky from the depths of the Joy Union Sect.
The expedition to the Cold Spring Secret Realm was no trivial matter for the sect. To ensure nothing went wrong, the sect had dispatched two inner sect elders—one male, one female—to lead the group.
The man had graying hair and the appearance of an elderly scholar.
The woman wore a crimson dress with a red veil covering her face. Though her features were obscured, her slender, flawless figure and porcelain-like skin left no doubt that she was a peerless beauty.
When Wang Jianqiang got a clear look at the two elders, his expression stiffened.
Both were familiar faces!
The man was none other than Yun Zhongque, who had presided over the outer sect competition.
As for the veiled woman, though her face was hidden, her unmistakable poise and aura instantly confirmed her identity to Wang Jianqiang.
Yan Qingxuan!
"Why them? My luck is just terrible..."
Wang Jianqiang inwardly groaned.
Truly, as the old saying went: enemies and lovers are destined to meet.
He wouldn’t call them enemies, but it wasn’t far off.
Yun Zhongque was manageable—just some bad impressions, nothing too serious.
But Yan Qingxuan? That was another story.
He had offended her deeply once.
Though she had been reasonable at the time, if she saw him now and remembered the past, a moment of impulsiveness...
The consequences didn’t bear thinking about.
With that in mind, Wang Jianqiang quickly lowered his head and shuffled deeper into the crowd.
But fate loved to mock him.
No matter how hard he tried to hide, it was useless.
The moment Yan Qingxuan arrived at the plaza, her gaze locked onto her target with unerring precision.
Her gaze swept past the crowd and landed squarely on Wang Jianqiang.
Noticing her stare, Wang Jianqiang stiffened.
Fortunately, Yan Qingxuan didn’t seem intent on dredging up the past—her eyes lingered on him only briefly before shifting away.
Wang Jianqiang exhaled in quiet relief.
"Senior Brother, why are you sweating so much?"
Just then, Wang Yuyao, standing beside him, noticed the beads of sweat covering his face and frowned in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Ah—it’s just really hot today."
Wang Jianqiang’s expression turned awkward as he hastily wiped his brow, feigning discomfort from the heat.
Wang Yuyao blinked, her puzzlement undiminished.
Hot?
Wasn’t it winter?
Even in summer, shouldn’t a cultivator be unaffected by mere temperature?
She opened her mouth to press further, but Yun Zhongque’s voice cut in, saving Wang Jianqiang from further scrutiny.
"Everyone’s here. Prepare to depart!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
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!"
