In the true Dark Realm.
The Dark Emperor and the others were intently watching the massive bronze mirror, which displayed Gu Qingfeng's actions within the second layer of the Eternal Dream.
The Eternal Dream consisted of two layers.
The first layer primarily served to lull people into lowering their guard, while the second layer was the true test.
A true demonic infiltrator would have prepared themselves mentally for such trials. The first layer of the Eternal Dream might be bypassed by those with strong wills and thorough preparations.
This was why the second layer existed—as a failsafe.
Imagine this: you are an infiltrator attempting to blend into an organization. You’ve prepared extensively to face the test, and once you pass it, your tense nerves relax, and your guard drops. You believe the trial is over, unaware that the real challenge has only just begun.
This is the moment when one is most vulnerable to exposing flaws. Moreover, the second layer of the dream was designed to perfectly replicate the Dark Realm, with every detail and person copied from reality.
It was a flawless reconstruction.
The only difference was that the events unfolding were not real.
The more realistic the dream, the harder it became to distinguish illusion from reality.
Only by passing the second layer could one truly be considered to have overcome the trial.
The Dark Emperor and the others were deeply concerned about the safety of the Dark Realm, as it represented humanity’s last hope. Not a single traitor could be allowed within—one slip-up, and the Dark Realm’s location might be exposed, leading to utter ruin.
At this moment, the bronze mirror showed Gu Qingfeng picking up the divine sword. The Dark Emperor and the others watched closely, awaiting his choice.
Would he side with humanity or the demons?
Truthfully, the Dark Emperor and the others didn’t believe Gu Qingfeng was a spy. In the dream, they had deliberately fed him false information about the demon-slaying weapon and their strategic plans as a test.
An infiltrator who obtained critical intelligence would surely try to relay it.
Thus, the dream had deliberately left Gu Qingfeng alone in a secluded cave.
If he were a spy, he would have seized this perfect opportunity—yet he did nothing but sleep.
This greatly reduced the likelihood of him being a traitor.
Therefore, the most probable outcome was that Gu Qingfeng would take up the sword and fight for humanity.
"Shut the hell up, all of you!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the bronze mirror.
The Dark Emperor and the others froze. What was happening? What was this newcomer doing?
Their eyes remained fixed on the mirror as Gu Qingfeng pointed his sword at the crowd and began hurling insults.
The Dark Emperor and the others were utterly baffled.
"Why is this newcomer cursing at us too?" one divine realm expert muttered in confusion.
The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
"I’ve lived for centuries, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone so bizarre. In this situation, there are only two choices—help humanity or the demons. But this guy? He curses both sides! Tell me, does this count as passing the trial?"
"Keep watching," the Dark Emperor interjected, silencing the discussion.
"Hey, lady! Take your people and get the hell out of the Dark Realm. Stop getting in my way."
The Dark Emperor: "???"
Everyone turned to look at the Dark Emperor with strange expressions.
Unfortunately, her face was hidden behind a mask, making her emotions unreadable. However, the faint trembling of her fair, delicate hands betrayed her inner turmoil.
After watching a while longer, someone suddenly exclaimed, "I get it! This kid is trying to save all of us! He’s driving us out of the Dark Realm so he can face the demons alone!"
"Fellow Daoist Jue Mingzi, it seems you’ve found an extraordinary newcomer. Though his words are crude, his heart is pure, and his actions are truly admirable."
Then, the Dark Emperor’s cool, composed voice emerged from behind the mask: "While his intentions may be noble, his approach is flawed. The correct course would be to unite everyone to slay the demons.
With his strength, a single strike from the divine sword could kill the Azure Demon Emperor, but many lesser demons would remain. Once his power is exhausted, how will he fight them? Instead of ensuring survival for all, he chooses to play the lone hero—this will only lead to tragedy."
The others exchanged glances. Though they agreed with her logic and her tone remained steady, they couldn’t shake the feeling that her criticism stemmed from being called "lady" earlier.
Truly, even the most composed women harbored a hint of pettiness.
"Fellow Daoist Jue Mingzi, let’s extract Gu Qingfeng from the dream. His actions prove he’s no spy—there’s no need to watch further," someone suggested.
Jue Mingzi nodded, about to comply—when suddenly, another person gasped.
"Look! What is he doing now?!"
Everyone turned back to the mirror—and froze in stunned silence.
"He... he actually gave the divine sword to the Azure Demon Emperor?!"
"Traitor! A traitor to humanity!" someone roared in fury.
Others were puzzled. "But if he truly wanted to betray us, why did he send the others away?"
"What’s there to question? Maybe he got cold feet and switched sides at the last moment!"
"Dark Emperor, his behavior suggests he isn’t a spy, but his cowardly betrayal means he must never be allowed into the Dark Realm. We implore you to—"
"Wait." The Dark Emperor raised a hand, cutting them off. Her brow furrowed as she stared at the mirror, captivated by Gu Qingfeng’s next move.
The others followed her gaze—and were dumbfounded again.
Wait, wasn’t he surrendering? Why is he charging at the demons now?!
"What—what is he doing?! Why is he fighting them again?!"
"Just like in the first layer, where he single-handedly surrounded a horde of demons! Now he’s doing it again in the second layer?!"
"How does this newcomer’s mind work? Why isn’t he afraid of those powerful demons? Does he have some deep-seated vendetta?"
"I don’t care if he’s afraid or not—what I don’t understand is, if he hates demons so much, why didn’t he just use the divine sword? Why throw it away and fight bare-handed?!"
Countless questions swirled in the minds of the divine realm experts. Gu Qingfeng’s baffling actions left them utterly perplexed, and silence fell over the group.
After a long pause, someone finally spoke up.
"So... does this mean he passed?"
"He didn’t side with the demons, he helped humanity escape, and then he single-handedly fought tens of thousands of demons. Based on those three points alone, he not only passed—he excelled. By all accounts, he’s a hero of humanity."
But setting aside these three points, his behavior was so bizarre it hardly seemed human.
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
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]
u serious?" Chen Feng watched helplessly as his painstakingly trained disciple, fresh off a championship victory, publicly abandoned him. "You had your chance, but you didn’t appreciate it. Now, face the consequences of your choice!" Chen Feng possessed the "Master System," a treasure trove of supreme martial arts techniques, capable of molding ordinary individuals into peerless prodigies. "Legs like yours? A shame not to train in the Crippling Kick." "Ever heard of a palm strike that descends from the heavens?" "Auntie! I see extraordinary bone structure in you—a martial arts prodigy, one in ten thousand." The once-defiant senior disciple, now watching her juniors rise to fame one after another, dominating the internet, was consumed by endless regret.
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?
