This match had drawn the attention of all.
The reason was simple—it marked the first public appearance of that sect master's true disciple.
Ying Bing stood alone with her sword, aloof and detached, like a divine snow lotus from the celestial mountains. She naturally became the focal point of all gazes.
Many in the audience couldn’t tear their eyes away, watching intently.
Opinions varied on just how talented she was, but there was no dispute about one thing—her beauty was beyond compare.
She had even amassed a dedicated following within the sect...
"Go, Ying Bing!"
A disciple’s voice rang out.
One voice led to another, and soon, the cries multiplied like wildfire.
The disciples of the Qingyuan Sect erupted in a deafening roar.
On the high platform.
"Go, Ying Bing!"
Shang Wu waved her fists, standing up without a care for decorum as she cheered loudly.
Elder Han He’s lips twitched. What was this?
As an elder overseeing a peak, she had no sense of dignity at all—how utterly improper!
"Go, Ying Bing!"
Elder Su of Sunset Peak shouted even louder.
Han He: "......"
Ying Bing is fighting your disciple, for heaven’s sake!
The high platform descended into lively chaos.
The other sects, big and small, were no exception. They watched with bated breath—after all, many had come precisely because of the legendary celestial phenomenon.
That divine radiance might very well be tied to Ying Bing.
The scene grew slightly unruly.
Opposite her.
A drop of cold sweat slid down Xie Lan'ai’s forehead—not because the crowd supported Ying Bing, but because of Ying Bing herself.
Gritting her teeth, she spoke up:
"Junior Sister, I’d like to add a wager."
"If I win, I ask you to yield the Frostblade to me."
"If I lose..."
"Agreed."
Before Xie Lan'ai could finish stating her terms, a voice as clear as jade striking jade answered.
Ying Bing hadn’t even waited to hear what Xie Lan'ai would stake in return.
This disregard stoked Xie Lan'ai’s irritation.
"Very well. Junior Sister, make your move."
"You first."
For the first time, Ying Bing lifted her gaze to study her.
Xie Lan'ai understood this wasn’t courtesy.
It meant that if Ying Bing struck first, she wouldn’t get a chance to act at all.
How arrogant.
Li Mo’s scalp tingled as he took a deep breath.
Yes, this was it.
This was exactly the vibe.
"Junior Sister, be careful!"
Xie Lan'ai wasted no more words. She unleashed the Serpent Sword Art at its peak, sending unpredictable, razor-sharp slashes forward, aiming to overwhelm with the sheer force of her Jade Marrow Realm cultivation.
She was angry, but that didn’t mean she underestimated her opponent.
If the Frostblade had acknowledged Ying Bing, her swordsmanship was undoubtedly superior.
But Xie Lan'ai still held advantages—higher cultivation and far more combat experience.
In that instant, she thought of many things.
How to cut off Ying Bing’s retreat if she dodged, how to press her own rhythm if Ying Bing countered.
But in reality... all her thoughts were unnecessary.
The intricate web of sword light closed in, sharp enough to grievously wound even someone of the same realm.
Yet a pale hand passed through the deadly dance as if it were nothing.
Amid the ever-shifting swordplay, it moved as effortlessly as plucking a leaf in one’s own garden.
The Serpent Sword Art halted.
Because the flexible blade was now pinched between two slender, jade-white fingers.
Clang—
A flick of the finger.
The sword recoiled, grazing its owner’s robes.
A fraction closer, and it would have pierced her chest.
Xie Lan'ai stood frozen, pupils contracted, breath suspended.
She instinctively looked at the girl just a sword’s length away, but those mirror-like eyes remained serene and unreadable.
She had held back.
Otherwise, that fraction wouldn’t have existed.
Silence engulfed the arena.
......
The high platform, too, fell into stunned quiet.
They had expected Ying Bing to win.
But not like this—not with such ease.
Against an opponent a full realm above her, she hadn’t even drawn her sword. Just a wisp of internal energy wrapped around her fingertips.
"That sword of hers... it’s called Frostblade, right?"
The white-robed youth from the Blazing Jade Forest had lost all trace of arrogance.
The scholarly middle-aged man didn’t answer, merely sighing,
"Every time the Qingyuan Sect seems to decline, heaven sends them a prodigy..."
As for the elders’ reactions, there was no need to elaborate.
Li Mo was providing a live commentary.
"This woman... is terrifying!"
"Tsk..."
"What are you doing?"
Ying Bing frowned at Li Mo, who alternated between dramatic whispers and exaggerated gasps, fully immersed in his role.
Li Mo: "Being a properly shocked bystander."
Ying Bing: "?"
......
After some more tea-drinking, just as Li Mo was about to excuse himself for a bathroom break, Elder Qian Bufan’s voice rang out:
"Next match."
"Lin Jiang of Ruyi Peak versus..."
"Li Mo of Jade Cluster Peak!"
Good news—it was finally his turn.
Bad news—he really needed to go.
Coincidentally, his first match was against an acquaintance.
Sure enough.
The moment Elder Qian announced the names, the crowd’s eyes swiveled toward them, many filled with scrutiny.
Discussions about Li Mo had always been divisive in the sect.
Some praised him as a righteous and warm-hearted gentleman.
Others claimed his strength fell short, unworthy of being called one of the Qingyuan Sect’s twin prodigies alongside Ying Bing.
Haters called him a pretty boy, Shang Wu’s kept man...
Of course, that last one was pure slander. Any senior disciple knew Shang Wu was too broke to afford a pet goldfish, let alone a boytoy.
Regardless, opinions varied.
But one thing was certain—everyone wanted to see what this true disciple was made of.
Under the weight of countless stares, Li Mo couldn’t very well announce he needed a bathroom break.
So he stepped onto the stage and said softly,
"Brother Lin, let’s make this quick."
"Sure thing."
Thus.
Lin Jiang, who had just climbed onto the platform, walked straight to the edge.
The moment Elder Qian shouted "Begin!"—
He jumped off.
"I forfeit."
Lin Jiang declared without hesitation, as if afraid that delaying even a second would give Li Mo a chance to strike.
Disciples: "Huh?"
Elders: "??"
Other Sect Observers: "???"
This had to be rigged!
Both of you are at the Blood Qi Realm, and you didn’t even throw a punch? You think we’re idiots?!
Lin Jiang, how could you betray us like this?
Screw you, refund!
...Wait, we didn’t pay to watch.
Never mind.
But something was definitely fishy here. Big-time fishy.
The rules didn’t forbid forfeiting, and stepping out of bounds did count as a loss. But this was the first time something so bizarre had happened.
With prestigious sects from the Purple Sun Region watching, Elder Qian felt this was downright embarrassing. He hurried back to consult the other elders.
"How do we rule this?"
"Should we make them fight again?"
"Look at Lin Jiang. Is there even a point? It’s meaningless."
The elders couldn’t reach a consensus.
Elder Qian suddenly had a thought and asked suspiciously,
"Niece Shang Wu... you didn’t secretly threaten Lin Jiang into forfeiting, did you?"
The elders all turned to her. This was exactly the kind of thing she’d do.
"Watch your words!"
"Would I bother threatening a mere junior disciple? Too much trouble."
"Wouldn’t it be easier to just pressure Elder Qian into rigging the match?"
Shang Wu was furious.
People could question her morals, but doubting her intelligence was downright infuriating.
The elders: "......"
What exactly are you so righteous about?
And so,
Elder Qian had no choice but to announce reluctantly:
"Li Mo wins!"
"Boo......"
A chorus of jeers rose from the audience.
Li Mo fell silent for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh. "Brother Lin, quick to concede, I see... but was this really necessary?"
"I’m not stupid."
Lin Jiang shook his head like a rattle-drum.
He remembered it clearly—during the sect trials, a single punch from Li Mo had turned Wang Hu, who once suffocated him with sheer pressure, into a cripple.
Even the shell of a Thornback Tortoise had been shattered... The man was practically a walking calamity.
Fighting Li Mo? That was just asking for a beating.
By forfeiting now, he could at least conserve his strength for the next match.
If he didn’t, ranking in the Nine Peaks Tournament would be the least of his worries.
If Li Mo happened to lose control... well, he might as well start planning his own funeral feast.
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?
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
