Whoosh!
At the critical moment, Lu Shuyao's soul raced back at lightning speed, returning to her physical body in the courtyard just before the dark hand could reach her!
The figure leaning against the carved railing suddenly stood up, her beautiful eyes still flickering with lingering fear.
Yet, to her shock, the dark hand did not stop its pursuit even after her soul had returned to her body. Instead, it locked onto her physical form directly.
It surged forward at a terrifying speed, stretching like endless vines—an abyss of darkness spreading as far as the eye could see!
Malice filled the sky, and black mist billowed!
As the eerie hand drew closer, Lu Shuyao's pupils dilated, her delicate face paling in terror.
Even when she channeled the power of the Great Dao and unleashed several profound immortal techniques, the shadowy figure continued charging from the horizon, its momentum undiminished. Against such might, her cultivation was utterly powerless!
Fear crept into her eyes as Lu Shuyao felt death closing in.
A familiar sense of despair seized her newly revived heart.
Yet, along with it came the warmth and emotion she had once cherished.
In her mind,
the memory of Yi Feng fearlessly leading her out of the pagoda flashed vividly—each moment so precious it ached.
Now,
the scene felt hauntingly similar.
How she wished that gentleman could be here to protect her, to see him just once more.
But as the shadow descended from the sky, she knew this was merely a futile hope. Being saved from peril once in a lifetime was already a rare blessing.
The only thing she could do now was to exhaust her final strength to protect Yi Feng—to repay his kindness, to honor his righteousness in saving the Seventy-Two Islands of the East Sea!
Biting her lip, Lu Shuyao immediately activated the highest realm of the Heavenly Soul Art.
She would relay every secret she had just uncovered to him!
For she did not know whether this formidable demonic being would pose a threat to him.
Even if she knew that forcibly connecting with another’s soul after returning to her body violated the laws of life and would incur heavenly retribution—she would not hesitate!
As her jade-like fingers wove the incantation,
Lu Shuyao’s gaze remained unshaken, staring resolutely at the dark hand blotting out the sky.
……
Deep within the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion,
in an elegant courtyard,
exquisite dishes were neatly arranged, and the rich aroma of immortal wine filled the air.
Lu Xinlan and the others, having just returned from the banquet, hurried to pay their respects to Yi Feng. Delighted to hear he wished to drink, they happily joined him, chatting and laughing in high spirits.
Even after many rounds, Sa Donglai’s enthusiasm remained undimmed.
While respectfully pouring wine for Yi Feng, he skillfully responded to every question.
Though not as formidable in cultivation as the other three, he was no pushover. As one of the earliest to follow Yi Feng, Sa Donglai understood his role perfectly—to serve wholeheartedly. Beyond that, nothing else mattered.
What seemed like mere drinking and conversation was, in truth, an unimaginable blessing.
This was not just sharing wine—it was welcoming destiny itself.
Amid the lively conversation,
Yi Feng’s mood gradually eased.
Though the Dragon Emperor’s apology had foiled his plans again, he had gained new friends and freed the female cultivators of the East Sea from their cursed fate. All in all, it was a worthwhile endeavor.
Moreover, he had met three elderly men of considerable cultivation. They would surely be useful for gathering information—or at the very least, he could spar with them. Not a wasted effort.
All things considered, it was acceptable.
Just as Yi Feng raised his cup once more—
Suddenly!
A woman’s urgent voice echoed in his mind!
"Master Yi, you must leave Black Island at once!"
"The Fourth Holy Maiden, Lu Caiwei, has conspired with demonic forces to destroy your soul and seize your body and cultivation! This is urgent—please, you must believe me!"
Yi Feng froze, stiffening on the stone stool.
The voice had come without warning, yet it felt eerily familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before…
Someone was trying to kill him?!
Alert, he scanned his surroundings but saw no one. The voice seemed to drift from nowhere, ethereal as an illusion.
Noticing his distraction, Sa Donglai and the others clasped their hands in concern.
"Master, is something wrong?"
Yi Feng did not answer immediately, only shaking his head slowly.
He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination.
But…
The urgency in the voice, the specific names mentioned—it didn’t feel like a hallucination. It was as if a familiar female cultivator stood before him, pleading desperately.
After a few breaths of silence,
Yi Feng finally recognized the voice. A terrible premonition surged within him as he abruptly stood and turned to Lu Xinlan.
"Where is Lu Shuyao now?!"
Confused but alarmed by Yi Feng’s grave expression, Lu Xinlan hurriedly rose to answer.
"Reporting to Master,
Lu Shuyao left the banquet some time ago. She should have returned to her residence in the city by now. It’s located at—"
Before she could finish, Yi Feng cut in coldly.
"Take me there. Now!"
The urgency in his voice snapped everyone out of their tipsy haze. With Lu Xinlan leading the way, they escorted Yi Feng as he flew toward the city!
Before long,
Yi Feng landed in a refined courtyard.
Moonlight draped over the surroundings like a veil, casting a silvery glow over the flower beds and carved railings. The serene beauty resembled a painting—but the familiar face lying motionless by the railing shattered the tranquility.
Everyone stood frozen in shock.
They couldn’t believe that the young lady who had shared drinks with them mere moments ago was now gone, her soul departed to the heavens. The cold moonlight etched this tragic scene into their minds forever.
Yi Feng’s face darkened as he approached Lu Shuyao.
When he lifted her still-warm body, memories of their time together flooded his mind—as if she were merely asleep after too much wine.
Once,
this proud young mistress of the Lu family had shone brilliantly, full of confidence. Later, shackled by fate, she had become lost and desolate.
They had shared drinks and laughter, and Yi Feng had even explained the concept of parasites to her.
Every memory now weighed heavier than before.
To think—
someone he knew had died like this, for his sake. In her final moments, she had worried about his safety, using some unknown method to urgently warn him of the danger.
Though they were merely acquaintances, far from close friends, seeing someone die because of him left Yi Feng deeply unsettled.
Even if he could bring her back in the future, he had still arrived too late!
Regret and guilt welled up inside him.
Holding Lu Shuyao’s lifeless body, Yi Feng replayed her dying warning in his mind.
His voice icy, he turned to Lu Xinlan.
"Send word to Island Master Shi Tianchuan. Bring the Fourth Holy Maiden, Lu Caiwei, to me immediately!"
The command sent tremors through the group, but none dared question it. They swiftly relayed the order, jolting the entire Black Island awake!
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.
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
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?!
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."
