The Crab Emperor inwardly assessed that his performance had been flawless, leaving no room for error. Shi Tianchuan had been subdued without a hitch—as expected.
Yet Master Yi's reaction was entirely beyond his anticipation!
No matter who it was.
Being sincerely praised by someone upon first meeting should never evoke such indifference!
His tone was far too detached, devoid of any warmth, even carrying a hint of dismissiveness—clearly perfunctory.
As a being who had lived for a hundred thousand years, such subtle nuances could never escape the Crab Emperor's notice!
This was all too strange!
Could it be that Master Yi still harbored suspicions about him?
Or perhaps…
Had his true identity been seen through by the master?
To pass as human, he hadn’t dared to leak even a trace of his sea clan aura!
If that were truly the case, it would be terrifying!
Just what level of cultivation and insight did Master Yi possess?!
Hiss…
The Crab Emperor’s heart pounded with unease, growing increasingly awed by Master Yi’s unfathomable depth!
The twelvefold vigilance he had mustered earlier now surged beyond twentyfold. He tread as if on thin ice, never before having faced such an oppressive presence!
The other two were even more alarmed, their hearts in their throats!
The Crab Elder’s performance had been nothing short of perfection, even reaching a level of brilliance they could never hope to match.
And yet, even that failed to earn Master Yi’s trust!
This man was truly fearsome!
No wonder he was the master of Lord Skeleton!
In truth…
Yi Feng hadn’t detected anything amiss. He was simply exasperated.
Three enthusiastic old men had suddenly appeared, radiating an aura of overwhelming power—clearly capable fighters. This was obviously trouble!
He might not even stand a chance against the Heavenly Dragon Mermen now!
What was the point of even trying?!
What made it worse was that these men had come to help, and he couldn’t find a single fault with their intentions. Truly, he was like a mute forced to swallow bitter herbs—unable to voice his suffering.
Under such circumstances, how could Yi Feng possibly muster any enthusiasm?
Maybe he should find an opportunity to spar with these three old men?
As he pondered silently…
Shi Tianchuan, completely unaware of the underlying tensions between the two parties, respectfully gestured for them to take their seats.
When the three elders settled in the front row, the surrounding crowd immediately bowed in reverence. The air in the grand hall brimmed with confidence, the joy of impending victory growing palpable.
Watching the crowd’s exhilaration, Yi Feng felt a headache coming on.
What kind of world was this?
Even rushing to one’s death in battle had people fighting for the chance!
He sighed inwardly at the absurdity.
Beside him, another sigh echoed.
"Ah…"
Turning, he saw Shi Tianchuan wearing a grave expression, seemingly burdened with deep worries.
Recalling their earlier exchange…
This island lord had spoken cryptically, as if there was more to the situation than met the eye.
Yi Feng grew increasingly curious and couldn’t help but speak up.
"Island Lord."
"With these three elders aiding us, why do you still look so troubled?"
The moment Yi Feng spoke, the entire hall fell silent, all eyes turning toward him.
Whispers and questioning glances filled the room.
Shi Tianchuan hesitated for several breaths before solemnly clasping his fists.
"Master, you are unaware of the truth."
"Logically speaking, with your assistance and the arrival of these three venerable seniors, our chances against the Heavenly Dragon Mermen should have greatly improved. I should be brimming with confidence."
"But the Heavenly Dragon Mermen are far more terrifying than they appear on the surface!"
With that, Shi Tianchuan gritted his teeth and stood.
"Esteemed guests, I do not mean to bolster the enemy’s morale while dampening our own, but the previous envoys from the Heavenly Dragon Mermen were merely average in strength. Their true power far exceeds what you know!"
As soon as he finished, murmurs of disbelief spread through the hall.
"The Heavenly Dragon Mermen are that formidable?"
"Come now, with Master Yi and these three reclusive seniors, Black Island is no longer what it once was. Why should we fear them?"
"Island Lord, aren’t you exaggerating?"
"Island Lord, have you been frightened out of your wits by those fishmen?!"
A few of the younger members voiced their skepticism, stirring Shi Tianchuan’s temper.
Since these fools refused to grasp the severity of the situation, he might as well lay bare the truth.
Better to scare them into caution than let blind arrogance lead to ruin!
Resolved, Shi Tianchuan swept a cold gaze across the hall.
"You are wrong!"
"The Heavenly Dragon Mermen possess the bloodline of true dragons. Their combat prowess multiplies in the sea. Their hierarchy is rigid—beyond the supreme royal lineage, they boast many terrifyingly gifted generals."
"In the past, any one of them could have annihilated our Seventy-Two Islands in the blink of an eye!"
As his grave words reverberated, the hall gradually stilled.
Shi Tianchuan’s voice grew even heavier.
"As for the royal descendants of the Heavenly Dragon Mermen, they are even more monstrous!"
"Take the Third Prince, who rules over our Seventy-Two Islands—his cunning is unparalleled in my lifetime, his cultivation talent demonic. He commands an army of a hundred thousand, with over a hundred generals under him!"
"Among them, Ao Chang is the most fearsome. Despite being a mere collateral descendant, his talent earned him the royal surname. Rumor has it he has already reached the Eighth Grade!"
"And yet, he is merely the cream of the younger generation, still far beneath the true royal bloodline!"
"Even if we somehow prevail against such horrors with Master Yi and the three seniors, the Dragon Emperor Ao Budong behind them is a being we cannot hope to challenge!"
"That Dragon Emperor reached the Ninth Grade ten thousand years ago! We will inevitably face such a terrifying existence. The lives of countless cultivators across the Seventy-Two Islands rest in our hands!"
"Now, do any of you still dare to boast of your pride?!"
His icy words struck like thunder, leaving the hall deathly silent.
The earlier excitement and confidence vanished without a trace, replaced by a shadow of dread. No one dared utter a word.
Only now did many realize the island lord’s burden.
To face such a colossal force alone, never revealing a hint of despair for ten thousand years—the hardship he had endured was unimaginable!
Watching Shi Tianchuan’s solemn expression, the crowd felt a mix of bitterness and awe, the oppressive atmosphere thickening.
Even the three sea clan overlords now regarded Shi Tianchuan with newfound respect.
Given his meager cultivation and status, to uncover these secrets and maintain stability for ten thousand years—he was indeed a rare talent!
Only Yi Feng…
Upon hearing these shocking revelations, felt hope rekindle in his heart.
Damn…
So the fishmen were this strong? No wonder the island lord had endured for so long!
This battle might still have potential!
Noticing Yi Feng’s composed demeanor, one man mustered the courage to rally morale.
"But… but now we have Master Yi and the three seniors. More allies may yet come. This battle isn’t necessarily hopeless!"
"After all these years of endurance, don’t we deserve to finally stand tall…?"
The moment these words left his mouth, the hall stirred once more.
A reckless sense of optimism began to brew again.
Even the North Sea Emperor, an outsider, couldn’t help but frown. He never imagined the island’s cultivators could be so delusional—still hoping for more outside help?
Truly hopeless, always leaning on others!
No wonder, despite having a talent like Shi Tianchuan, the Seventy-Two Islands had failed to produce any rising stars in ten thousand years of struggle.
With such rotten cards, even a god of gambling couldn’t turn the tide.
As he sat in silent resignation…
Shi Tianchuan was already fuming with rage, pointing furiously at the corner as he began to hurl insults.
"Oh, you're the big genius, aren't you?!"
"You think you're the only one who wants to prove yourself?!"
"Let me be blunt—our East Sea is a remote corner, and it's the territory of the sea clans. Those like Master Yi and the three elders who came to our aid are as rare as phoenix feathers! If you’re still dreaming of waiting for more reinforcements, old man, I advise you to drop that nonsense!"
"And here’s something even harsher—the connections of the Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan are terrifying. They could summon powerful allies in the blink of an eye!"
"Let’s not even mention others…"
"Just take the legendary North Sea Emperor—his strength alone surpasses the entire Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan. If they manage to invite him out of seclusion, we might as well prepare to meet our doom together!"
His furious words echoed through the hall.
A deathly silence fell over the crowd. But then, the North Sea Emperor, who had been sitting nearby, suddenly shuddered.
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
end. Thus one must continue to cultivate, and become a saint or great emperor, in order to prolong one's life. Chen Xia, however, completely reversed this. Since his transmigration, he has gained immortality, and also a system that awards him with attribute points for every year he lives. Thus between the myriad worlds, the legend of an unparalleled senior appeared. "A gentleman takes revenge; it is never too late even after ten thousand years." "When you were at your peak I yielded, now in your old age I shall trample on you." - Chen Xia
