Inside a mountain cave, aside from the sound of dripping water, it was incredibly quiet.
Until a voice broke this tranquility.
"Stinky monkey, come out and face your death!"
The monkey, who had been resting with its eyes closed on a stone platform, slowly opened its golden pupils. It sat up just in time to see a dog rush in, barking and demanding a fight.
Sun Wukong could not even be bothered to pay it any mind. He did not know who this Xiaotian Hound had been learning from in recent years, but its mouth was as foul as could be. He heard that it had previously spewed some nonsense at Nezha and was almost roasted alive for it. It seemed it still had not learned its lesson.
He looked at the Three-Eyed Divine General who walked in behind the Xiaotian Hound.
"Oh, if it isn't the boss of Guanjiang Estuary? How do you have the time to visit my humble abode today?"
Yang Jian rolled all three of his eyes at him simultaneously, then raised the wine jug in his hand. "I, Yang Jian, have never owed anyone. Here is the jug of wine I lost to you."
Sun Wukong paused for a moment, his bored expression gradually replaced by excitement.
"You met him too?"
Yang Jian shrugged. "A full thousand years in the mortal realm. My avatars searched for several lifetimes, and I finally saw that guy you were talking about."
"Come, come, tell me about it." Sun Wukong crossed his legs and waved his hand. A stone table floated over. Yang Jian casually placed the wine jug on it and took out two cups.
Although the Xiaotian Hound loved to bark, it did not interrupt when its master spoke. It merely sat to the side, listening to this monkey converse with its master.
It really did not understand what was so interesting about that mortal, making two great immortals so delighted.
"He actually dared to borrow nine of your heavenly lightning strikes to escape? This person is truly fascinating."
"So I took his money. I suppose that makes it fair."
"Sigh, a thousand years..." Sun Wukong lamented with melancholy. "Ever since that turmoil, immortals have not been allowed to descend to the mortal realm without permission. The number of mortals who believe in immortals has also gradually dwindled. I wonder what the mortal realm has turned into now."
Yang Jian took a sip of wine and shook his head. "Not good. Mortals are constantly fighting each other, plunging the people into misery and suffering." He paused. "However, do you think he can change his fate this time? I made a special trip down below."
Yang Jian pointed downward, and Sun Wukong instantly understood.
"This is his tribulation, and also the tribulation of that entire town. Even if he intends to guide a demon into the immortal path, I am afraid it will be too late..."
"I am so sick of their hypocrisy! On one hand, they forbid us from interfering, and on the other, they keep blabbering about tribulations. Bah!" Sun Wukong grew visibly agitated. "Do not think that just because Old Sun is wearing these clothes now, I would not dare to strip them off and attack the Heavenly Court all the same!"
Yang Jian let out a helpless laugh. "Look at your temper. That is why you have it easy now, with no duties whatsoever."
Both of them fell silent. Yang Jian knew that Sun Wukong was just talking big. After all, during the last turmoil, his master had appeared. If he caused trouble again now, the Jade Emperor would likely go to his master for an explanation. Given Sun Wukong's personality, he absolutely would not want to cause trouble for his master.
Just then, the Xiaotian Hound, which had already lain down, suddenly sat up and glared fiercely outside the cave.
Sun Wukong's hand, holding the wine cup, froze in mid-air.
"You monkey! Come out and face your death!"
The Xiaotian Hound nodded repeatedly. That was the right attitude!
"Yang Jian, how about we make another bet?" Sun Wukong's expression turned somewhat sly.
Jiang Town, the He Residence.
"Yuling, I still feel this is inappropriate," He Chusheng said, watching He Yuling as she measured her wedding dress.
"Hmm? Chusheng, are you regretting this?" He Yuling paused her movements and stared straight at He Chusheng.
"No, no, no, being with you forever is my greatest wish." He Chusheng slowly embraced He Yuling, a flash of disgust passing through his eyes. "It is just that, after we marry, your father will find out sooner or later, and when that happens..."
"What is there to fear? What can he do even if he knows?" Now that He Yuling was back here, her unruly nature flared up. "I am his daughter, and you are his adopted son. What are you afraid of?"
He Chusheng took a deep breath. "I was thinking, maybe, maybe..."
"Chusheng, do you not want to marry me?" He Yuling asked again.
He Chusheng almost wanted to nod, but for the sake of money, he could only endure it. Unexpectedly, He Yuling gritted her teeth and said, "If he refuses to acknowledge me, and refuses to acknowledge you, then I will poison him! I will poison him to death! This He family will be mine, and yours too!"
He Chusheng instantly broke out in goosebumps. He looked down at the woman nestled in his arms, his shock quickly replaced by revulsion.
"I just think we should consider the long term."
"Such as?"
"Let us gather some money and go to the provincial capital to build a life."
"Are you still unable to forget that vixen?" He Yuling suddenly jumped up.
"No, absolutely not!" He Chusheng hurriedly swore oaths, only managing to soothe He Yuling with great difficulty.
"Think about it. Once we go to the provincial capital, we can do business. You have seen how prosperous the provincial capital is. When we make money and have a big, chubby boy, we can come back, and your father will not be angry anymore."
Seeing him speak with such sincerity, a glimmer of anticipation appeared in He Yuling's eyes.
A moment later, she nodded heavily. "Alright!"
Because Old Master He had left in a hurry, the property deeds were still hidden in a secret compartment in his bedroom. Aside from him, only He Yuling knew of this place.
The wealthy families of Jiang Town scored a bargain. He Yuling set out to sell all the shops at a significantly reduced price, which thrilled them to no end. It was not that no one thought of informing Old Master He, but with such an advantage to be taken, no one wanted to meddle. Anyone who had such intentions was quickly suppressed by the others.
After getting the money, He Yuling hummed a little tune she had learned from the theater while packing her things. She fantasized about her wonderful life with He Chusheng in the provincial capital. She was going to be the mistress of her own household and viciously slap the face of that little tramp surnamed Qiu!
However, that very night, He Chusheng attempted to abscond with the funds. Little did he expect that He Yuling had also kept her guard up. Just as he stole the money, He Yuling grabbed his clothes.
"Where... where are you going?" He Yuling's eyes were filled with sorrow and resentment.
Seeing this, He Chusheng no longer bothered to pretend. "None of your business where I go! We have nothing to do with each other! Let go!"
"You really are still thinking of going to find that tramp!" He Yuling went mad, but a moment later, she pleaded, "Chusheng, do not go. If you go, take me with you. Let me go to the provincial capital with you to build a life, okay? We are going to have a child together." Speaking of a child, she touched her belly, a strange glow on her face.
"There is some news I originally wanted to tell you after we got married, but I will tell you today."
"I am pregnant."
He Chusheng's struggles paused for a few seconds. He looked at He Yuling in disbelief.
"Chusheng, I can forgive you, as long as you stay with me."
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
] [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!"
