"Huh? Where's my ginger?"
Li the Chef had just finished plating the vinegar-glazed potato shreds and was about to start cooking ginger-spiced snake when he realized all the ginger was gone.
Ying Bing snapped out of her daze, her gaze lingering on the young man's now-matured face, then pointed at the plate of potato shreds after a long silence.
"It's right there."
"....."
Li Mo thought to himself, no wonder these two potatoes had yielded such a massive portion.
Turns out it was potato shreds stir-fried with ginger shreds.
The Ice Block's culinary prowess just kept rising.
Half an incense stick later, Li Mo carried a tray and walked into the main hall with the Ice Block, just in time to meet Xie Xuan's gaze.
"Brother Li, about yesterday at the Moonlit Pavilion... thank you."
Xie Xuan forced a smile uglier than a grimace—clearly, he'd moved on, but the aftermath still stung.
"Fellow swordsmen help each other—it's the joy of life. No need for formalities."
Li Mo set down the tray and subtly took the Ice Block's delicate hand in his.
"?"
Xue Xuan felt something off about that statement.
But he couldn't quite pinpoint what.
Seeing Li Mo's bright, carefree smile, he decided not to dwell on trivialities.
"You bounced back so quickly—Brother Xie truly has a free spirit."
Bai Jinghong nodded approvingly. He'd always believed swordsmen ought to be unrestrained.
"I'm not sad at all."
Xie Xuan avoided looking at the couple across from him, downed two gulps of wine, and exhaled deeply with closed eyes.
But the lingering ache still made his nose tingle.
He could only distract himself by grabbing a bite of the vinegar-glazed potato shreds.
"Brother Xie, why are you crying?"
"These potato shreds... are so damn good."
"Huh?"
Princess Little Jiang curiously reached her chopsticks over, wondering just how delicious something had to be to move someone to tears—only to recoil when the ginger shreds' vinegar-spiked heat made her stick out her pink tongue.
Li Mo took a bite too.
How to put it...
Well, this wasn't just a dish—it was a work of art. One could taste sourness, bitterness, and spice, but not a hint of sweetness. It was practically like life itself...
Ying Bing blinked and extended her chopsticks.
"Ice Block, eat this instead."
Li Mo swiftly intervened, feeding her a piece of stir-fried snake meat to prevent her from attempting the dangerous experiment.
"I want to try some of that." Ying Bing's cheeks moved slightly as she chewed.
She wanted to know what their first collaborative dish tasted like.
At the very least, it looked decent...
"Let me describe it for you."
Li Mo said gravely, "This dish's appearance resembles me, but the taste..."
His gaze drifted meaningfully toward Xie Xuan.
Ying Bing glanced at Xie Xuan too, then nodded and abandoned her plan to try the potato-ginger shreds.
"????"
Suddenly, Xie Xuan didn't feel so heartbroken anymore.
Because compared to romantic rejection, the Hammer Tyrant and Frost Fairy's gazes packed a far more devastating punch.
“Truth be told, I came to say goodbye today. After the Arms Forging Assembly, I'll enter seclusion for intensive training. I won't emerge until I've mastered the Pure Jun Sword Intent.”
"Next time we meet might be at the Hidden Dragon Tournament... or perhaps much later."
By the sound of it, he didn't even plan to attend the Hidden Dragon Tournament unless he achieved a breakthrough in swordsmanship.
With that, he stood, took a swig of wine, bid farewell, and turned to leave.
"Brother Xie!" Li Mo called out.
"Don't try to stop me—my mind's made up! No need to see me off!"
Xie Xuan struck a dashing pose.
"I wasn't seeing you off. I'm coming with you."
"?"
"I'm a participant in the Arms Forging Assembly too."
"????"
Watching Li Mo pull out a black iron token from his robes, Xie Xuan froze.
He wanted to flee.
But it seemed... escape was impossible.
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Mountain Sword Manor.
The Heavenly Mountains of the imperial capital stood perpetually snow-capped, untouched by seasons, locked in eternal winter.
The sword forge was the only warm place.
On this day, the renowned forge was in its rest period—fires banked, hammers silent—as preparations for the Arms Forging Assembly in three days demanded all activity cease.
The apprentices here each had at least seven to eight years of weaponsmithing experience.
As they tidied up, they chatted in hushed tones.
"That young man earlier seemed unusual. What's his background?"
"That's Zhong Zhenyu, only son of the Southern Suppressing King, ranked thirty-ninth on the Hidden Dragon list. He's usually stationed at the southern borders—no surprise you haven't seen him."
"He brought lavish gifts. Which master smith is he trying to commission?"
"Probably Grandmaster Huo Bingzi? Many top-performing weapons from past Hidden Dragon Tournaments came from his hands."
"Even among famed weapons, there are hierarchies."
"True. Some famed blades rival mystic-grade arms, even surpass them—lacking only sentience."
"Ah, but those require at least a grandmaster, if not a divine smith."
"Not to mention the materials alone could forge a treasure-grade weapon."
Above common weapons were famed arms, then mystic-grade, treasure-grade, and finally divine weapons.
Using treasure-grade materials to forge a famed weapon was outright sacrilege—possible only with immense wealth and connections.
Thus, from the starting line, prodigies from humble origins already lagged behind their imperial capital counterparts in weaponry.
As the apprentices arranged the assembly grounds while lamenting this reality, sudden commotion erupted at the entrance.
"All hail the Crown Prince!"
Someone announced.
Every passerby promptly lowered their heads.
Jiang Yu entered, flanked by Qingniao and a noblewoman in resplendent crimson robes.
Tall and poised, her hair tips burned like flickering flames against her fair, pampered skin.
The apprentices gulped at the sight.
Princess Yuyang—the Great Yu's youngest princess, beloved by the emperor, and a talent eclipsed only by the elder princess among the imperial siblings.
"Big Brother, you promised me a fine sword for my birthday."
Princess Yuyang cooed.
"Divine Smith Du hasn't lit his forge in years. His return won't disappoint you."
Jiang Yu displayed uncharacteristic indulgence for his status.
Du Wufeng—one of only four remaining divine smiths at the sword forge, specializing in blades.
His masterpiece? The very divine sword now enshrined at Celestial City's zenith.
Overhearing snippets, the blacksmith apprentices and visiting artisans couldn't help but twitch.
Clearly, Jiang Yu and Princess Yuyang sought weapons for the Hidden Dragon Tournament.
Commissioning a divine smith to forge a mere famed weapon?
Under heaven, perhaps only the Great Yu's crown prince could command such influence.
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."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
