Seven days had passed in the blink of an eye.
Deep within the endless desert, there was nothing but boundless yellow sand, not a trace of green in sight. From time to time, gusts of wind would sweep across, exposing half-buried bones that reeked of decay.
A sprawling sand dune stretched for thousands of miles, looming like a curtain that blocked out everything.
At the foot of the mountain, a group of people toiled with tools, mining ore. Some pushed heavy carts, while others swung long shovels. These were once-renowned supreme cultivators from various realms, now reduced to dust-covered laborers, their cultivation sealed away, forced to work like ordinary mortals.
Even the enforcement captain, shackled at the ankles, pushed a cart toward the mountain’s base.
Looking at Lin Ruowei—her face drained of color, her lips cracked from dryness—the captain couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity. Just seven days of hard labor with sealed cultivation had already stripped this peerless beauty of her former radiance.
Unable to bear it any longer, he whispered to her in a low voice.
"Miss Lin."
"There are no sentries around right now. You should rest for a while."
Lin Ruowei lifted her gaze at his words, a flicker of gratitude flashing in her eyes before vanishing.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Cheng."
"But those sentries possess extraordinary cultivation. Even if they aren’t nearby, they might still detect us. If I rest alone and cause everyone to be punished, how could I bear that?"
"Given our circumstances, we must endure together and persevere…"
Hearing this, her maidservant gritted her teeth and continued hauling ore.
Though her mistress’s voice was soft, it carried an extraordinary sense of resolve and foresight. The servant’s loyalty ran deep—this master-servant pair was truly remarkable.
Captain Cheng Yuxun nodded in admiration, sighing inwardly.
For such a prodigy to fall to such a state—what a cruel twist of fate.
Who could have imagined that the legendary Land of Fallen Gods would be so dark, so hellish?
As he loaded ore onto the cart, a sudden commotion erupted nearby.
A once-dashing young hero suddenly burst into hysterical laughter and tears!
"Damn it! Hahaha…!"
"The Land of Fallen Gods!"
"What a load of crap about the pinnacle of the Great Dao! I’ve been utterly fooled!!!"
Before long, the nearby sentries were alerted, dragging the man away into the void.
Watching this scene from afar, many couldn’t help but sigh.
They were no different—filled with bitterness and helplessness, feeling deceived by the world’s rumors, now trapped in this wretched fate!
If they’d known the truth, even a fool wouldn’t have come!
"Tch…!"
"Damn it…"
Amid the sighs and curses, the sounds of labor resumed.
As the man was dragged off and the sentries vanished again, most people’s attention was drawn away. Yet Lin Ruowei never looked up, her composure eerily unshaken.
Even among women, she was the one who could be relied upon.
Noticing her extraordinary demeanor, Captain Cheng’s eyes flickered with realization.
Seizing the chance while moving ore, he sidled closer and whispered again.
"Miss Lin…"
"To be honest, though I’ve never been to the Land of Fallen Gods before, one of my ancestors once lived here. So I know a little—the truth is nothing like the absurd ‘opportunity’ we were promised."
At this, Lin Ruowei’s delicate frame stiffened slightly.
Then she replied softly,
"I know."
"One of my ancestors also lived here for a long time."
The moment these words fell, Cheng Yuxun froze in place. Though he held a heavy chunk of ore, it suddenly felt weightless.
An indescribable shock spread through his heart.
No wonder.
No wonder this young lady had remained so composed, her demeanor surpassing her years—she had her own backing, already privy to some of the truth!
Cheng Yuxun’s spirits soared. Finding a kindred spirit in this dire situation was more reassuring than anything. Hope surged within him.
Lifting the ore, he suddenly felt lighter.
Leaning in, he whispered with renewed vigor,
"Since you know the truth, that’s excellent!"
"Being trapped here isn’t hopeless, nor is it our fate! If we can send word to our ancestors and explain everything, we’ll surely escape!"
"After that, reaching the pinnacle of the Great Dao won’t just be empty talk!"
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, as if strength had returned to his body.
Yet Lin Ruowei remained silent, focusing only on moving the ore.
By the time the cart was half-full, he couldn’t hold back any longer.
"Miss Lin, say something!"
In such dire straits, maintaining hope was already a feat. The captain, after all, was only human—his patience wore thin, his usual authority and calm long gone.
But Lin Ruowei only grew calmer.
As she placed another piece of ore, she glanced up discreetly.
"Fellow Daoist Cheng, what you say makes sense. But have you considered—how do we send word out?"
The question struck Cheng Yuxun like a thunderbolt!
With their cultivation sealed, they were no different from mortals. Sending messages or escaping was pure fantasy.
Sentries lurked everywhere—not even a bird could slip past. Straying beyond the permitted range meant certain death or mutilation.
How the hell were they supposed to send anything?!
Damn it…
There really was no way out!
Just as Cheng Yuxun stood there, dumbstruck, a distant figure seemed to glide across the horizon.
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
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'!"
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.”
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…
