"Very well, with such a splendid performance before me, this humble girl shall now embarrass herself."
Under the gaze of the crowd, 'Hu Mei' gave a light bow.
Then she stepped forward from the group and walked toward the Sword Scar Monolith.
As she approached the stone, an ethereal harmony of zither and flute seemed to resonate from nowhere, mournful and haunting, carried by the wind like celestial music that tugged at the hearts of all who heard it.
"Where is this music coming from?"
"Naturally, it’s because she’s attuning herself to the monolith."
"Brother, have you heard of the second-ranked expert on the Heaven Ranking a thousand years ago—the Demon of Music? He was a master who wielded sound as his weapon, capable of shattering hearts with a single melody or turning men into soulless husks."
"Ah, so this girl specializes in the path of music."
......
The crowd had just recovered from the shock of Jiang Chulong’s apparent enlightenment of divine techniques when the enchanting melody of flutes and zithers swayed their spirits once more.
"Thanks to Young Hero Li’s foresight."
Elder Zeng nodded slightly.
Ying Bing’s delicate hand silently tightened around the Frostblade.
"It seems she can no longer restrain herself."
Li Mo set aside his half-finished sketch and murmured.
He was about to warn the others when he noticed Huang Donglai frowning and retreating behind the crowd.
Zhong Zhenyue, too, wore a guarded expression—once bitten, twice shy—as he sensed the aura of a dangerous woman.
As for Bai Jinghong and the others, their vigilance went without saying.
Li Mo: "..."
Well, no need for reminders, then.
Suddenly—
The music swelled, and around the waterfall, ghostly figures of celestial maidens appeared, dancing gracefully.
It was as if this were a signal.
BOOM—
From all directions of the Hengyun Sword City, powerful auras surged into the sky, revealing themselves without restraint.
Li Mo narrowed his eyes.
Two figures emerged—a man and a woman.
The man was draped in a straw cloak, holding a fishing rod without a line.
His presence darkened the heavens above the city.
Black clouds gathered, blotting out the sun and stars, as torrential rain poured down, threatening to drown the land.
The downpour blurred all vision in an instant.
With a flick of his rod, the raindrops formed threads, ensnaring most within the storm, turning them into puppets under his control.
The rain expanded relentlessly.
He was not alone.
Two more figures lurked, poised to strike.
A glint flashed in Li Mo’s eyes.
These three were all Heavenly Slayers of the Misty Rain Pavilion—Fifth Realm experts, masters of the Outer Manifestation!
The Straw-Cloaked Stranger, Blood Gourd, and Twin Lotus!
When Outer Manifestation experts struck, it was like a natural disaster. Those below their level were mere ants, helpless before their might.
"Outer Manifestation..."
Li Mo activated his Extreme Weapon Slayer Physique, his left hand silently gripping the Star Pendant within his sleeve. His mind sank inward, ready to draw upon the power of the World Seed and summon the Rampart Calamity Starhammer.
He took a deep breath.
Even with all his techniques, he stood no chance against an Outer Manifestation expert.
The road ahead was long and arduous...
Had Hengyun Sword City been caught unprepared, today would have ended in disaster.
But that was only an "if."
"Finally, you’ve revealed yourselves."
CLANG!
A sword’s cry suddenly split the sky.
The seven elders on the platform had already taken to the air, standing in the void.
A river of sword energy surged forth, sweeping across the land like a celestial river, scattering the dark clouds and freeing all ensnared by the rain.
The battle between Outer Manifestation experts had begun.
Yet, despite their earth-shaking clash, the common folk felt no pressure.
Logically, such a battle should have left the land in ruins, rivers of blood flowing freely.
But something was suppressing the aftermath, preventing even a ripple from escaping.
"Hengyun Sword City has more than just Outer Manifestation experts."
Li Mo exhaled in relief.
His warning had likely averted the theft of the Sword Scar, altering countless fates within the city.
The rewards for this would be immense...
"Demoness, will you still not repent?"
Elder Zeng appeared before Yin Mianmian in an instant, hands clasped behind his back.
"So, the elders knew I was coming all along."
Yin Mianmian seemed surprised, yet her smile remained unchanged.
That confident, alluring smirk made Elder Zeng narrow his eyes.
Just as he was about to act—
"Oh dear."
Yin Mianmian suddenly gasped in mock surprise, her laughter tinkling like silver bells.
"The Sword Scar Monolith seems to have vanished under my touch!"
"Surely an exalted Outer Manifestation elder wouldn’t take his anger out on a mere girl like me?"
She cast a teasing glance at Li Mo, her eyes dancing with mischief.
Hm?
Li Mo froze.
Looking again, he saw that the monolith, which had stood firmly in place moments ago, was now gone—only empty space remained.
Gone?
Yin Mianmian had already stolen it? When?
She had been under everyone’s watch the entire time—how was this possible?
Frowning, Li Mo activated his Heavenly Fate Divine Eye once more.
CRACK—
A dozen Inner Manifestation auras descended, their domains clashing and distorting the void.
Yin Mianmian suddenly tossed out a cloth bundle.
It was caught by... or rather, two people—a pair of conjoined twins, their lower bodies fused, their upper halves separate.
Both were Outer Manifestation experts, their synergy making them far deadlier than ordinary masters.
Twin Lotus.
She—or they—had slipped away from the battlefield unnoticed, arriving at the Sword Tower.
The bundle she caught seemed to contain the Sword Scar Monolith...
Instantly, all of Hengyun Sword City’s experts turned furious, abandoning Yin Mianmian to chase after Twin Lotus.
Even Elder Zeng hesitated, torn between pursuit and duty.
If the Sword Scar was lost under their watch, they would be eternally shamed.
"The Sword Scar!" Bai Jinghong and the others seemed ready to fight to the death.
"Wait!"
A clear, youthful voice cut through the chaos:
"The Sword Scar is still here! Don’t fall for the demoness’s trick!"
Still here?
Impossible—they weren’t blind...
As doubt spread—
"You little thief!"
Yin Mianmian gritted her teeth, her form splitting into a dozen celestial phantoms that lunged toward the empty space.
Then—
The ice queen struck.
A sword light, unlike anything of this world, flashed.
It carried the same domineering force as the Divine Skyheart Sword, but where before it had been cold and merciless, now it was pure and serene.
This sword pierced through illusions, revealing the truth.
Sword Heart Unclouded!
Yin Mianmian’s pupils shrank.
Ying Bing, her robes fluttering, stood as still as the moon reflected on an unrippled lake—untouchable, divine.
A true celestial maiden.
"No need for me to intervene."
Li Mo marveled at the power of Sword Heart Unclouded.
He quietly withdrew the Star Pendant and sighed inwardly.
Look at the ice queen—her strength and beauty were always in perfect harmony, growing more transcendent the stronger she became.
And here he was, stuck with a hammer...
The true celestial maiden’s sword shattered the false enchantress’s illusions, dispersing her phantoms in an instant.
But the strike wasn’t done.
CRACK—
Something else broke.
It was the eerie illusion enveloping the sword-scarred mystical stone.
Indeed.
The sword-scarred stone had never moved from its original spot.
It had merely been temporarily shrouded by the demonic phantasm Yin Mianmian conjured.
Simulating this illusion—even more bizarre than a domain—was likely the reason Yin Mianmian's aura fell short of the Observing Divinity's Eight Apertures.
...
As always, begging for the generous support of our esteemed audience.
As everyone knows, this struggling author thrives on your love—OrZ.
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)
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."
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
