"Junior Brother Changge..."
Xuanyangzi's voice choked with emotion as he bowed deeply to Gu Changge.
"The sect's achievements today are entirely due to your efforts! As your senior brother... on behalf of the entire sect, I thank you!"
Seeing this, the newly advanced Saints immediately restrained their excitement. With solemn expressions, they respectfully bowed to Gu Changge in unison, "Thank you, Junior Brother Gu, for your help in this!"
They knew very well that without Gu Changge, it would have been absolutely impossible for them to break through so smoothly, or perhaps even have any hope of stepping into this realm at all.
Gu Changge turned slightly sideways, not accepting their full bow, and said calmly, "It is entirely due to the profound accumulation of you senior brothers that success came naturally. A prosperous and powerful sect is our shared desire."
His gaze swept over the soaring Saint Realm auras before him. Feeling the explosive surge in the overall destiny of the Azure Profound Sect, he gave a slight nod.
Then, he raised his right hand lightly, and an ancient, simple tea set materialized out of thin air.
He took out a few Enlightenment Tea leaves, which were shaped like dragon scales and gleamed with a metallic luster, and dropped them into the purple clay teapot.
As spiritual spring water was poured in, the fragrance of tea overflowed, and Daoist rhythms swirled. Six white jade teacups automatically floated in the air. The tea liquid, resembling amber, gave off an aura that brought profound tranquility to the mind.
"You have just attained the Saint Realm; it is the perfect time to calm your minds and comprehend the Dao."
Gu Changge flicked his sleeve, and the six teacups turned into streaks of light, flying precisely in front of Shi Wanshan and the other five newly advanced Saints.
"Drinking this tea will help you senior brothers consolidate your realms."
Seeing this tea, the eyes of Shi Wanshan and the others immediately lit up.
They were too familiar with this aura; this was precisely Junior Brother Gu's unique Enlightenment Tea!
"Hahaha, thank you, Junior Brother!"
Shi Wanshan was the first to take it. Without standing on ceremony, he downed it in one gulp, smacked his lips, and said, "Still the same taste! Every time I drink it, I feel my comprehension of the Great Dao becomes exceptionally clear!"
The other Peak Masters also wore expressions of deep enjoyment. One after another, they sat cross-legged. Saintly radiance swirled around them, and their auras became deep and heavy at a visible rate.
At this point, the top-tier combat power of the Azure Profound Sect had undergone a qualitative leap.
Thirteen Saints. This force was enough to possess true authority and the power of self-preservation in this era of great conflict.
Xuanyangzi looked at the scene before him, his heart overflowing with even greater pride and gratitude.
He secretly glanced at Gu Changge, and the thought of proposing marriage surfaced again: From now on, when proposing to the Holy Lands, our confidence will be even stronger, hehe!
Deep within the secret realm, the five Patriarchs who had been watching this place could finally no longer hold back.
The first to speak was the Third Patriarch, his voice carrying uncontrollable ecstasy and boldness.
"Good! Excellent! Six little brats becoming Saints at the same time! Heaven blesses our Azure Profound Sect! Hahaha! At this rate, dominating the Eastern Region is just around the corner!"
Following that, the First Patriarch's aged yet deeply gratified voice slowly rang out, carrying a trace of imperceptible sentiment.
"The younger generation is formidable, truly formidable... For the sect to prosper to such an extent, this old man's heart is greatly comforted."
However, after the gratification, his tone carried a faint sense of urgency, one that even he felt slightly embarrassed about.
"However... these little brats are all Saints now. If we old fellows remain stuck at the late stages of the Saint Realm...
Ahem, although we still have the status of Patriarchs, in terms of strength, we really must... ahem... raise it a bit more to look the part. Otherwise, won't we be outshined by the juniors when we go out?"
The Fourth Patriarch's voice rang out with a laugh: "Big Brother, are you feeling provoked? But then again, the pressure is indeed quite high.
In the past, we thought becoming a Saint was the peak, and we could finally relax. Now, looking at it, there is still a path above the Saint Realm. We old bones can't be too comfortable either."
The Fifth Patriarch, who was the most straightforward, sighed and said: "Alas, isn't that the truth! We used to be the ones protecting them, but now they are about to surpass us. This old face... is starting to feel a bit ashamed!"
Hearing the distant murmurs of the Patriarchs, Gu Changge chuckled lightly. He turned to Xuanyangzi beside him and said calmly, "Senior Brother, now that matters here are settled, let's go see the Patriarchs."
Xuanyangzi quickly nodded: "We absolutely should!"
With a flicker of their figures, the two appeared before the Enlightenment Terrace at the very core of the secret realm.
Seeing Gu Changge, the five Patriarchs all revealed genuine smiles on their faces.
The First Patriarch was the first to stand up. Stroking his beard, he smiled and said, "Changge, you're here. The idle chatter of us old fellows just now must have made you laugh."
Gu Changge stepped onto the Enlightenment Terrace and gave a slight nod to the five Patriarchs. "You Patriarchs have toiled for the sect your entire lives, always keeping the sect's future in your hearts. I deeply admire that."
His gaze swept over the five Patriarchs, whose auras were profound yet carried a hidden sense of bottleneck, and he continued in a peaceful tone, "The path of cultivation is inherently like sailing against the current.
You Patriarchs have deep foundations. Now that the sect has taken on a new look, with the blessing of destiny, it is the perfect time to take another step forward from the very peak."
He pondered for a moment, then flipped his palm. A radiant light flashed, and six small jade bottles appeared out of thin air. Inside five of the jade bottles, a liquid exuding an indescribably pure Daoist rhythm flowed slowly; it was the Connate Spiritual Marrow.
In the sixth jade bottle, six drops of liquid were suspended. They were as crimson as blood diamonds, containing majestic vitality essence like a sea of stars. In every drop, it seemed as if billions of runes were being born and destroyed, exuding a pressure that would make even Saints palpitate.
This was precisely the Great Emperor's essence blood that he had refined using supreme methods, stripping away all personal marks and traces of the Great Dao, leaving only the purest origin energy.
"This Connate Spiritual Marrow can help the five Patriarchs cleanse your Saint Origins, consolidate your foundations, and yield twice the result with half the effort when comprehending the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth."
"As for these six drops..." He held up the last jade bottle. "They are a few drops of essence blood I obtained by chance. There are no longer any marks of Dao or Law within them, only the purest vitality energy and life origin.
The five Patriarchs and Senior Brother Xuanyangzi can each take one drop and slowly refine it to help you rapidly break through to higher realms."
His gaze swept over the crowd, his tone peaceful yet carrying a hint of solemnity. "However, external power is ultimately just external power.
These resources can only pave the way for you and reduce the time needed for accumulation. But breakthroughs in realms, the comprehension of the Dao, and the tempering of the state of mind still depend on yourselves. How far you can go on your future path will ultimately depend on you Patriarchs."
Looking at the jade bottles suspended in the air, emitting a tempting glow, and feeling the pure energy within them that far exceeded their imaginations, the five Patriarchs and Xuanyangzi were all stunned, their breathing almost coming to a halt.
Especially the flawless blood essence transformed from the six drops of the Great Emperor's essence blood. Just sensing a trace of its aura made their Saint Origins tremble and their vitality boil, as if they had seen a shortcut to a higher level!
The First Patriarch fell silent for a moment, his voice carrying a hint of trembling and incomparable solemnity.
"Changge... such divine items... are too precious!"
Xuanyangzi was also at a loss for what to do. Looking at the drop of flawless blood essence that belonged to him, he felt as if he were dreaming.
Gu Changge smiled faintly. "Resources are meant to be used by people. If you are strong, the sect is strong. Take them, and refine them as soon as possible. Do not waste this opportunity."
"Good! Good!" The First Patriarch's voice was resolute and decisive, filled with unprecedented determination.
"Changge, we shall engrave this kindness in our hearts! We will not disappoint you! Old brothers, what are we waiting for? Enter seclusion! Refine! If we cannot break through this time, what face do we have to call ourselves patriarchs!"
"To seclusion!"
"Let's go all out!"
"If I don't break through this time, I'm never coming out of seclusion!"
Deep within the secret realm, the auras of the five patriarchs instantly surged with unbridled excitement and absolute resolve. The ferocity with which they threw themselves into seclusion put even the fiery blood of youths to shame.
Xuanyangzi also carefully stored away his own drop of Great Emperor essence blood, his face flushed red with sheer excitement.
Gu Changge looked at the patriarchs and the sect master, who were suddenly fired up and motivated like never before, and shook his head with a smile.
It seemed that from top to bottom, the entire Qingxuan Sect was truly about to enter an era of relentless grinding.

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”

rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!

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."

] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"