Lu Caiwei appeared alongside the Old Island Master, drawing puzzled glances from the assembled crowd in the grand hall.
A flicker of subtle expressions passed through the room as everyone rose to their feet, masking their surprise and skepticism with respectful bows to welcome the Old Island Master’s arrival.
Only when the Old Island Master took his seat on the black throne, surveying the gathering with a smile, did the tension ease slightly.
"Long time no see, everyone."
"Rise. No need for formalities!"
His booming voice echoed through the hall, and only then did the gathered powerhouses and the three Holy Maidens rise respectfully.
The Old Island Master appeared weathered yet sharp-eyed, his kindly smile belying the authority that commanded the room as he idly rolled two black-and-white jade orbs in his palm.
At the sight of the most formidable ruler of the East Sea, the dozens of influential figures present stiffened, their heads bowing in deference.
Gradually, their gazes shifted toward Lu Caiwei, who stood silently in the center of the hall.
The Old Island Master’s eyes swept the room as he chuckled.
"It seems I need not explain much. Many of you already know Lu Caiwei. From today onward, she shall be the fourth Holy Maiden of the East Sea."
Whoosh—
His declaration sent a ripple of shock through the hall.
Many of the powerhouses exchanged hushed, incredulous whispers.
"The East Sea has never allowed a righteous sect disciple to hold such a high position."
"She’s just a young upstart. What merits qualify her as a Holy Maiden?"
"Tch. Wasn’t she once a righteous sect’s so-called genius? By joining us, wouldn’t her former peers call this a fall from grace?"
"How amusing—a self-righteous prodigy actually crawling to the East Sea. What a rare sight."
"A stray dog like her isn’t fit to be a Holy Maiden!"
As murmurs spread, the three Holy Maidens’ eyes darted subtly around the room.
Within moments, several imposing figures stepped forward, fists clasped in false courtesy as they voiced their dissent.
"Island Master, she’s just a righteous sect’s castoff. She has no right to be our Holy Maiden!"
"Exactly! The East Sea has no precedent for this!"
"Island Master, this Lu Caiwei is nothing but a stray dog. She’ll never command respect!"
"Though she once held the title of the ‘Three Peerless Talents of Nanli,’ she’s been defeated repeatedly by the other two. The whole world knows she’s a failure. How can trash like her be worthy?"
The challengers’ voices grew louder, their auras oppressive.
Soon, others joined in, their superficial respect melting into open defiance—veiled challenges disguised as polite objections.
A tense, sinister atmosphere thickened in the hall.
In any orthodox sect, such insolence would be treason. But this was the Black Island’s gathering, where the most ruthless tyrants of the East Sea convened.
For several breaths, the powerhouses prowled like wolves, their words laced with thinly veiled rebellion as their eyes darted warily toward the black throne.
Yet, strangely—
Neither the unmoving Old Island Master nor Lu Caiwei showed the slightest anger.
They allowed the uproar to continue.
The Old Island Master leisurely toyed with his jade orbs before casting a glance at Lu Caiwei.
"It seems many here hold prejudices. But on Black Island, strength speaks louder than words. Whether you can silence them… depends on your own ability."
With that quiet remark, he closed his eyes.
The crowd froze, parsing his meaning.
The Island Master…
Seemed to have absolute confidence in Lu Caiwei?
Before they could ponder further, Lu Caiwei bowed respectfully.
"As you command."
When she straightened, her demeanor had transformed entirely.
Gone was the calm composure—replaced by an icy, murderous aura. Neither her bearing nor her expression bore any trace of her former righteous sect identity.
The sudden shift stunned the assembly.
Lu Caiwei’s gaze locked onto the first dissenter.
"Just now… did you call me a ‘stray dog’?"
Her frigid tone dripped with killing intent.
The burly, bald powerhouse stiffened under her stare but quickly sneered, looking down at her as if she were a child.
"Hmph! So what if I—"
Before he could finish, a streak of black lightning flashed!
Snap!
A crisp sound—followed by a chilling numbness in his left arm.
Then, agony seared through his nerves as blood gushed like a fountain.
Whipping his head around, he saw—
His severed arm lay on the ground.
Eyes bulging in horror, the bald man clenched his teeth, cold sweat drenching him.
"You—you’re at the fourth tier of the Heaven Rank!?"
His shocked cry echoed in the deathly silent hall.
Every powerhouse stood dumbfounded.
Even the three Holy Maidens trembled faintly.
Lu Caiwei’s strength far exceeded expectations. Her ruthless strike and domineering presence bore no resemblance to the righteous sect’s fallen genius. Even the hardened veterans of the East Sea felt an instinctive dread.
How was this possible?
Was this the same Lu Caiwei who had suffered repeated defeats?
How had her cultivation soared so drastically?
Questions swirled, but no one dared voice them.
The woman before them was unrecognizable—so far removed from the rumors that if her face were hidden, none would doubt she was a hidden demoness lurking in the East Sea.
With one move, she had cowed the entire hall.
Amid the suffocating silence, the black soft sword wreathed in killing intent held countless gazes captive. Wherever Lu Caiwei’s cold, arrogant eyes swept, fear followed.
For the first time in so long, she relished the thrill of dominance.
The Old Island Master finally reopened his eyes and spoke indifferently.
"Any more objections?"
This time, no one dared oppose.
The three Holy Maidens led the assembly in a synchronized bow, their voices ringing in unison.
"We heed the Island Master’s decree!"
The aged ruler chuckled, clearly pleased.
"Hahaha…"
With major East Sea affairs settled, the banquet reached its peak. Wine flowed, laughter resounded, and an illusion of harmony veiled the gathering—as if the golden age had returned.
Only when the festivities ended did Lu Caiwei stand alone before the grand window of her opulent chamber, her cold eyes sweeping over the treasures within.
At last, her red lips curled.
"This feeling… is intoxicating."
"Only now do I understand what true power is. The empty prestige of a righteous sect’s so-called genius was nothing but the delusion of a frog in a well."
As greed flickered in her eyes, a sinister voice echoed in her mind.
"Kekeke…"
"This is only the beginning. Once the plan succeeds, you will stand at the pinnacle of Lanxing!"
e school belle recognized by the whole school, a genius girl from the kendo club. She also has a hidden identity, the youngest legendary demon hunter. Chen Shuo just transmigrated and found himself turned into a weak, helpless little vampire. He was caught by Su Xiyen and taken home at the very beginning. Since then, Chen Shuo's life creed only had two items. "First, classmate Su Xiyen is always right." "Second, if classmate Su Xiyen is wrong, please refer back to item one." Many years later, Chen Shuo, who had turned back into a human, led a pair of twins to appear in front of all the vampires to share the secret of how he turned back into a human. "It's simple, I tricked a female demon hunter into becoming my wife!"
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
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.
