Everyone was halted, their eyes filled with shock and doubt as they looked ahead.
The glacial hills were blindingly bright under the radiant sunlight, making it almost impossible to keep one's eyes open. Yet, the blood-soaked ground littered with severed limbs and broken bodies remained a horrifying sight.
A decapitated head as tall as a man.
Fingers as thick as tree trunks.
Grotesque, rotting tree-like remains!
...
The scattered remnants instantly seized everyone's attention, and Zhong Limeng's clear eyes trembled.
"This...!"
Exchanging hushed glances, even Uncle Song's expression darkened with caution.
The group fell into an uneasy silence, their faces heavy with tension.
As they cautiously stepped forward to inspect the scene, gasps of disbelief rose among them.
"These remains still carry a terrifying aura of slaughter—this must be the work of a high-ranking demon!"
"Worse than that. Look at this skull. Even devoid of life, it exudes an oppressive pressure. This demon was no ordinary foe in life!"
"Hiss... Who could have slaughtered so many demons?"
"Only a true Heaven-tier expert could accomplish such a feat. And the one who left behind nothing but useless carcasses after killing so many demons... It’s most likely Fu Haotian and his group!"
"Damn it! That spoiled heir beat us to it!"
"What do we do now? They have an elite team backing them and have already taken the lead. Even if we press forward, we’ll likely find nothing worthwhile!"
"This..."
The disciples exchanged anxious glances, their voices thick with frustration.
Fu Haotian had the support of a powerful entourage, far beyond what their group could match.
Even with ten of them—including Yi Feng, a Saint-ranked expert—they stood no chance against Fu Haotian’s forces. They had already been left far behind.
At best, they could only scavenge scraps.
The outcome of this disciple hunting competition was all but decided.
When they returned to the Cangtian Heavenly Palace, Fu Haotian would undoubtedly claim victory with overwhelming dominance. Not only would they lose, but they would lose humiliatingly.
It was almost certain—a crushing defeat awaited them.
"What a ruthless move—killing the competition and breaking their spirits! That shameless bastard is truly merciless!"
Even Uncle Song, a seasoned elder, couldn’t suppress his fury.
The younger disciples clenched their fists in bitter resentment.
They weren’t afraid of losing—but losing to a despicable schemer, watching such a man become the next Palace Master, filled them with seething hatred!
Amid the despair, Zhong Limeng’s delicate brows furrowed.
Her clear eyes reflected the pressure as she stared at the mutilated corpses.
The gruesome battlefield resembled a massacre. Witnessing it firsthand, she realized the vast gap in strength between their groups, and a sense of hopelessness crept into her heart.
Yet, the thought of defeat stoked her unwillingness.
Looking ahead, the blood-stained hills stretched endlessly—there was no chance left on this path. Pressing forward would be futile.
Unless... they abandoned this conservative route!
At this thought, Zhong Limeng tightened her jade-like fingers hidden in her sleeves.
"Uncle Song, everyone."
"There’s one last option—we abandon this path and split up to search for other opportunities!"
Her resolute voice cut through the gloom like a ray of dawn, startling the group.
But as her words sank in, hesitation flickered across their faces.
Splitting up was a desperate gamble—expanding their search range could increase their chances of success, however slim.
To remain so composed in such dire straits was extraordinary. That she could propose such a strategy outshone countless men in the world.
But splitting up also meant facing unknown dangers alone.
On the demon-infested Shui Hanxing...
This was an incredibly reckless move—akin to courting death!
On one side, their honor and future hung in the balance. On the other, a deadly gamble.
The internal struggle was fierce, and even the male cultivators wore expressions of shame and indecision.
The atmosphere grew suffocatingly tense.
Except for Yi Feng.
After seeing the demon corpses and hearing the proposal, he was practically brimming with excitement, barely stopping himself from clapping in approval.
Splitting up? Absolutely!
Otherwise, others would take all the kills!
This woman was decisive—she had spoken straight to his heart.
Truly, great minds think alike!
The silence stretched for several breaths, so heavy that even the sound of breathing was audible.
Uncle Song was the first to speak, his voice filled with aged wisdom.
"Good! It’s rare to see such resolve, niece. This old man will stake everything to support you. Even if I meet your father in the afterlife, I can embrace him with pride!"
"I’d rather die than let that shameless brat Fu Haotian succeed!"
The elder’s fighting spirit flared like a youth’s, his white beard and robes billowing.
His fervor ignited the disciples’ blood.
Gritting their teeth, they solemnly pledged their commitment one after another.
Zhong Limeng’s eyes shimmered with emotion as she bowed deeply to Uncle Song, thanking her sworn brothers and sisters before giving urgent final instructions. Soon, the group scattered in all directions.
Before parting, Yi Feng eagerly turned to Zhong Limeng.
"Miss Zhong, everyone has their own path. Which direction should I take?"
Zhong Limeng blinked in surprise.
Only then did she realize she hadn’t factored Yi Feng into her plans.
But seeing the righteous young man’s earnest request, she couldn’t bring herself to dismiss him.
They were merely passing acquaintances, with no deep ties. Yet Yi Feng had volunteered to aid their demon-slaying mission and support her in the disciple competition.
For both public duty and personal gratitude, such a noble-hearted young man couldn’t be abandoned in danger.
Remembering Yi Feng’s unusual mount—perhaps capable of swift escape—she refrained from outright rejecting him to spare his pride.
Forcing a gentle smile, she softly advised,
"Yi Feng, just search nearby as before, guarding our rear. Do not advance recklessly."
"If you encounter any danger, send a distress signal immediately!"
Her tactful words carried warmth and concern, lifting his spirits.
Yi Feng nodded obediently.
"Understood."
After their agreement, Zhong Limeng bid him a solemn farewell before darting cautiously eastward, her graceful figure soon disappearing into the distance.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...
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."
