...
Perhaps because Ye Chuan had reopened his shop, the bustling atmosphere inside never ceased.
"Please, have some tea!"
"Please take a number!"
"Senior... let alone the Dao Comprehension Realm, even if you were in the Mahayana Realm, you'd still have to line up."
Hu Li's petite figure shuttled back and forth between the counter and the forging table. Holding a heavy pile of spirit stones in her arms, her little face was tense with seriousness.
The pile of spirit stones collected grew higher and higher. From low-grade to mid-grade spirit stones, and occasionally even high-grade spirit stones handed over by cultivators, they refracted a gentle spiritual light that made people stare with envy.
At this moment, Ye Chuan leaned against the forging table. Every time he received a magical treasure, he casually tossed it into the furnace behind him.
After a burst of rumbling sounds, whether the enhancement succeeded or failed had little to do with him anymore.
"It succeeded! It actually succeeded! My magical treasure has been enhanced to the third tier!"
"The Master's technique is still as miraculous as ever!"
"Damn it... why? If I had known, I wouldn't have enhanced it!"
"No way, I'm throwing in all the magical treasures on my body. As long as two succeed, it's a win!"
The excited cheers of success and the remorseful wails of failure intertwined, forming a stark contrast. Especially among some rival cultivators, they even started competing over whose magical treasure had a higher enhancement tier.
"Not bad," Ye Chuan revealed a satisfied expression.
It was a literal money-printing machine.
"The City Lord is here!"
Just then, someone shouted. The crowd suddenly parted automatically to form a path, and a figure dressed in a brocade robe walked in.
The newcomer was none other than Zhao Hongyuan, the City Lord of Xuanjing City. His gaze swept across the room and instantly locked onto Ye Chuan, who was leaning against the forging table. A respectful and enthusiastic smile immediately piled onto his face as he quickly stepped forward, cupping his hands in a salute to Ye Chuan:
"Master, it's been a long time!"
Ye Chuan looked up at Zhao Hongyuan and also smiled, "City Lord Zhao, I hope you've been well."
It had indeed been a while since he last saw Zhao Hongyuan.
"Thanks to the Master's blessing, everything is fine!" Zhao Hongyuan quickly replied, his tone full of gratitude. "When Xuanjing City suffered that disaster back then, if it weren't for the Master taking action, I'm afraid even I, as the City Lord, wouldn't have survived."
Of course, the so-called disaster actually had a lot to do with Ye Chuan. After all, the remnant soul of the fiend in the God-Sealing Cauldron was let out by him.
Ye Chuan waved his hand dismissively.
Before leaving back then, he had specifically entrusted the other party to look after the remaining disciples of the Yuxu Sect. From the looks of it now, Zhao Hongyuan had been quite dedicated and responsible.
For the Yuxu Sect to have grown so strong, Zhao Hongyuan must have helped out somewhat.
Zhao Hongyuan didn't stand on ceremony now. He rubbed his hands together, his eyes holding a mix of anticipation and nervousness:
"Master, to tell you the truth, although my Void-Rending Seal has been enhanced to the sixth tier, it still lacks a slight bit of heat. Now that the Master has returned, I would like to ask you to help me enhance it..."
Zhao Hongyuan had saved up some spirit stones just to wait for Ye Chuan's return for an enhancement. He hadn't slacked off on scraping together spirit stones during this period.
Saying that, Zhao Hongyuan was about to take out the Void-Rending Seal from his storage ring, but Ye Chuan raised a hand to stop him. "The Void-Rending Seal is the City Lord's natal magical treasure. Enhancing it isn't hard... but to reach the seventh tier, you still need to be mentally prepared."
After all, Zhao Hongyuan had helped him, and now he was coming for an enhancement. Ye Chuan couldn't help but advise him.
Don't let it get to your head.
"Spirit stones can't be brought into this world at birth, nor taken away at death... If they can be turned into my own strength..."
Zhao Hongyuan said, "I am willing to give it a try!"
"..."
"Besides, didn't you say it yourself, Master? How can a gambling dog lose every day... I still remember those words."
Ye Chuan: "..."
Did he say that?
He thought about it, and it did feel like something he would say.
"Alright then." Ye Chuan signaled him to take out the Void-Rending Seal.
Seeing this, Hu Li immediately and obediently brought a chair for Zhao Hongyuan and handed him a cup of spirit tea. Her little face was full of politeness, making Zhao Hongyuan repeatedly praise her for being sensible.
In the end, however, amid a burst of wailing, Zhao Hongyuan walked out of the forging shop hugging his now fourth-tier magical treasure, having lost ten million low-grade spirit stones in the process.
"If only I had known... I would have... sigh..."
...
Unknowingly, the sun began to set in the west. The cultivators in the shop gradually decreased. Most had already obtained their enhanced magical treasures and left satisfied, leaving only a few people still in line.
Behind the counter, Hu Li was carefully sorting and storing the spirit stones, her face full of a sense of accomplishment.
"Boss! I've packed up all these spirit stones!"
"Mm, good..." Ye Chuan took the spirit stones and weighed them in his hands. He had raked in tens of millions.
Not bad at all.
Just then, a clear and gentle voice came from the shop's entrance, carrying a faint hint of a smile:
"How very lively."
Everyone turned their heads at the sound and saw a figure standing at the door. Her dark hair was tied high, and a jade crown accentuated her handsome features. A faint aura of pressure lingered around her, giving off an air of noble aloofness.
The queuing cultivators instantly fell silent, their eyes filled with awe as they stepped aside to make way. Everyone recognized her—this was the Holy Son of the Taichu Holy Land, Ji Lingxuan!
Hu Li also stopped what she was doing and looked up at the door. Not daring to speak, she quietly walked over to Ye Chuan and tugged at his sleeve.
Ye Chuan raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Ji Lingxuan. There was not a hint of surprise in his eyes; instead, a knowing smile slowly formed on his lips.
"The Holy Son arrived quite quickly. I thought you would be a bit later."
Ji Lingxuan slowly walked into the shop. Her gaze swept over the counter and finally landed on Ye Chuan. Within her flowing gaze hid a hint of inquiry:
"With the Master's return, Xuanjing City is so lively. If I came late, wouldn't I have missed such a grand spectacle?"
She walked up to Ye Chuan, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over the furnace behind him, but she didn't ask much. She just curled her lips slightly, her tone carrying a bit of probing:
"I imagine the Master's return this time isn't just to reopen the forging shop, is it?"
"Or perhaps... there's another matter?"
Ye Chuan looked up to meet her eyes, a profound look flashing in his own as he spoke calmly:
"Since the Holy Son is here, why not sit down and talk? I do indeed have a matter to ask you regarding news of the Beihua Divine Continent."
"Why don't we find a quiet place?"
"Acceptable."
Ye Chuan then had Hu Li see the guests out. Seeing the Holy Son, those cultivators didn't dare to offend her, so they cupped their fists and took their leave.
"Mm..."
The smile in Ji Lingxuan's eyes deepened. She took a seat and accepted the spirit tea handed over by Hu Li, saying:
"If the Master has questions, please feel free to ask. As long as I know the answer, I will tell you everything without reservation."
"But I wonder... could the Master also answer the questions I wish to know?"
"..." Ye Chuan remained silent for a few seconds. In truth, he knew very well that the person in front of him was highly interested in his origins.
"Does the Holy Son know about the difficulties the Yuxu Sect has encountered recently?" Ye Chuan finally spoke.
"I have been in seclusion at the Holy Land for some time, so I am not aware."
Ye Chuan then recounted the course of events.
"Oh? The Holy Land of the Beihua Divine Continent... are they interested in the Yuxu Sect's things?"
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
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."
villain is the number one simp for the book's leading female protagonist, Shen Wan'er. As expected, he later becomes a tool for the main character to show off and slap faces, ultimately meeting a tragic end with his family ruined and his life in shambles. Fortunately, he awakens the [Universal Pure Love System], which allows him to earn points by performing acts of pure love. To change his fate, Gu Yan makes a decisive choice to seek warmth and companionship with the book's biggest villain—Cold Qingqiu. ........... My name is Leng Qingqiu. To find the murderer who killed my parents years ago, I deliberately blinded myself so that everyone would lower their guard around me. Just as I was secretly accumulating power and capital according to my initial plan, a man walked into my world. "Lengleng, Qingqing, Qiuqiu, which nickname do you prefer?" I don't like any of them. You'd better leave quickly! "Why aren't you saying anything? How about I call you my baby wife?" Leng Qingqiu thinks to herself, this man is truly annoying! (Stubborn pure love warrior + single female lead + true pure love + 1v1)
