They could never have imagined how quickly they would be proven wrong.
Just moments ago, they had been boasting about how formidable the formation here was, claiming that Yi Feng would never be able to enter. Yet in the very next second, Yi Feng simply pushed the door open and walked in.
This blatant disregard for the formation left them questioning whether the defenses here were merely for show.
But the fluctuations of energy radiating from the treasure tower constantly reminded them that the formation was still very much active.
It just couldn't stop Yi Feng.
......
Inside the treasure tower.
The grand hall displayed numerous weapons, all of them heavenly-grade divine artifacts, their faint glows shimmering in the air. Had there been any onlookers, they would have been awestruck, marveling at the profound heritage of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
There was a time.
When Lu Shuyao had also yearned for this treasure tower, taking pride in the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion's legacy.
Never did she imagine.
That when she finally had the chance to sit here alone, all that remained was loneliness and despair...
In just a few short days.
This once-proud young mistress of the Lu family had first lost her chance to compete for the position of Pavilion Master, watched her former status and glory vanish without a trace, and now found herself reduced to a "Celestial Maiden," destined to become a servant to the Heavenly Dragon Merman Clan.
The contrast between her past and present circumstances was like falling from the clouds into the mud.
No greater upheaval could befall a person's life.
All her former pride was gone, leaving only bitterness and resentment burning in Lu Shuyao's eyes as she sat alone in this treasure-filled hall.
She was the young mistress of the Lu family, once a goddess admired by thousands!
And now? She had reached a point where neither heaven nor earth would answer her cries.
A wave of desolation rose in her heart, tears glistening in Lu Shuyao's eyes.
In the silent isolation of the treasure tower, cut off from the world, she could only wait for fate to arrive, with nothing but endless loneliness and despair spreading through her, slowly devouring the last remnants of her defiance...
From the anguish of first entering the tower to this moment of hopeless desolation.
No one knew of Lu Shuyao's suffering and humiliation.
Even if this was her destined fate, she refused to submit!
The mere thought of those repulsive merman features looming over her, of being humiliated by those who would lord over her, made the so-called "fate" utterly unacceptable.
All her past glory and radiance had vanished like fleeting smoke.
Only this endless solitude remained.
Half a day had passed, yet it felt like ten thousand years.
A clear tear traced down her delicate cheek.
The stubborn Lu Shuyao had completely given up. A shimmer of light flashed in her hand as an exquisitely crafted dagger materialized.
Gazing at the cold gleam of the blade, she forced out a bitter smile.
"Who would have thought... in the end, only this faint light could bring me comfort. The admiration and reverence of others was just an illusion. All the so-called talented elites of the island are nothing but slaves to the Heavenly Dragon Merman Clan."
"Heh... hahaha..."
Lu Shuyao laughed until tears streamed down her face, her eyes finally seeing the truth of everything.
Even if she had achieved what she once desired—becoming the master of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, even attaining unimaginable power—she would still have been unable to escape the dominion of the Heavenly Dragon Merman Clan, living without a shred of dignity!
All her naive fantasies of freedom had now shattered completely.
Such was life.
Only by personally experiencing the despair of darkness could one understand how illusory the light of hope truly was. The might of the Heavenly Dragon Merman Clan was something no one dared challenge.
This darkness that had shrouded the East Sea for millennia would continue endlessly.
"There is no dawn... only a fleeting dream..."
As her laughter faded.
Lu Shuyao gripped the dagger with both hands, raising it slowly into the air as she closed her eyes in serene acceptance, the blade poised above her heart.
Just as she was about to plunge it down, ending this life she no longer cared for—
Suddenly!
At the very moment the dagger descended, the tightly sealed doors burst open with a thunderous crash.
There, standing in the doorway, was a figure bathed in a radiance like the morning sun. His tall, jade-like silhouette seemed almost unreal, yet against the sunlight streaming behind him, he appeared magnificently imposing.
Lu Shuyao nearly dropped the dagger in shock, her head snapping up.
To her utter astonishment, the person who had arrived was none other than Yi Feng!
Her face paled with disbelief.
This terrifying gentleman who had once aided Lu Xinlan—why would he come here?
What was his purpose?
Could it be that he didn't know about the rules established by that so-called Third Prince?
Her mind reeled in confusion.
Never in her wildest dreams had she expected Yi Feng to appear before her like this.
Yet, as she struggled to comprehend the situation, Yi Feng stepped forward with steady determination.
In one swift motion, he grasped her delicate hand.
"Come with me."
Three simple words, yet they struck like a resounding bell!
Lu Shuyao's heart trembled violently. Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared, her delicate body shaking, at the white-robed young man before her.
The ashes of her despair suddenly ignited with light, her gaze locking onto Yi Feng with desperate intensity.
This gentleman...
Had he truly come to save her?
This was more unbelievable than any dream!
Why would he do this?
Didn't he understand the consequences?
But as she met Yi Feng's clear, unwavering gaze, tears immediately spilled from her eyes.
He really seemed to be here for her!
Though she didn't know the reason, Yi Feng's appearance was like the first light of dawn breaking through endless night.
Even if it was just a sliver of hope, she couldn't let it slip away.
Clenching her teeth, she rose to her feet and tightly clasped Yi Feng's hand in return.
She could distinctly feel it—his palm was so warm and strong, filling her with a sense of security and strength she had never known before.
Like a drifting weed suddenly pulled from the current, she had been rescued.
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!"
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."
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?!
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
