Chu Xingchen glanced sideways at Qinghe, who had transformed back into a dragon and was charging toward Cangzhou.
This time, he hadn’t stayed behind out of arrogance, thinking his Karma Nascent Soul and peak Great Perfection Nascent Soul realm could handle an unknown Divine Transformation cultivator.
Though Qinghe had reached the Nascent Soul stage, his perception was clearly lacking.
This Divine Transformation cultivator was definitely not the real deal.
Back in the Central Continent, when Chu Xingchen had stood up for his disciple, he had encountered a genuine Divine Transformation expert.
Even though that old-timer was practically one foot in the grave, he still carried the unique aura of a true Divine Transformation cultivator—one that made Chu Xingchen slightly wary. Even with his Karma Nascent Soul fully unleashed, he had to tread carefully.
Thanks to that experience, and the fact that this thing had rushed over recklessly with its aura and spiritual power fully exposed, Chu Xingchen could immediately tell—it lacked that distinctive Divine Transformation essence.
As long as it wasn’t a true Divine Transformation cultivator, Chu Xingchen wasn’t afraid.
He concealed his aura and moved to ambush the source of that presence.
At any rate, he could use his system to probe the details later and adapt accordingly.
If things really went south, he’d just give Qinghe a heads-up.
Cangzhou wasn’t too far, and Qinghe had protective treasures on him anyway.
Chu Xingchen calmed his mind and waited.
Soon, he saw the source of the aura—a massive turtle, its form wreathed in a faintly crimson demonic energy.
[Target: Xu Yuan]
[Cultivation: Incomplete Divine Transformation (Early Stage)]
[Purple Trait: Exceptional Talent]
[Purple Trait: Longevity]
[Blue Trait: Thick-Skinned]
[Blue Trait: Loyalty]
[Blue Trait: Focused]
[Black Trait: Stubbornness]
[Black Trait: Damaged Foundation]
[Black Trait: Impulsiveness]
[Does not meet disciple recruitment conditions]
BOOM!
Qinghe only sensed a violent surge of spiritual energy erupt behind him.
A deafening explosion followed, shaking the wilderness.
Not daring to look back, Qinghe extended his divine sense instead.
Within his perception, a familiar Karma Nascent Soul avatar stood tall, wielding a flowing water spirit sword. The avatar swung the blade down fiercely at the giant turtle.
Two immense forces of spiritual energy clashed, their shockwaves flattening the surrounding wilderness and forests, while the epicenter of the battle became a massive crater.
Just from the residual energy, Qinghe could tell how intense the fight was.
And another thing—that Karma Nascent Soul confirmed it!
So it really was that scheming brat who’d ambushed him that day!
Strangely, Qinghe wasn’t even that angry anymore. If the kid had actually admitted it, that would’ve been more suspicious.
Besides, the brat had probably felt a little guilty—he’d occasionally bought Qinghe treats and even stepped in when Xie Lingyu got angry and wanted to beat him up.
Call it even.
What really annoyed Qinghe was Li Xingtian.
They’d spent days together, done plenty of things side by side.
Qinghe had even tried subtly probing him for answers, but Li Xingtian had kept a straight face and brushed off every question with ease.
Who would’ve thought that kid, with his honest-looking face, was actually a seasoned actor?
Then again, maybe it was his master’s fault! That scheming brat must’ve corrupted the once-honest Li Xingtian!
Li Xingtian had probably been a naive youngster before.
Back in his divine sense, the scheming brat wasn’t losing ground.
Though Qinghe hated to admit it, he knew Chu Xingchen was one of the craftiest humans around.
As a dragon, he couldn’t outthink him.
Right now, following his lead was the safest bet.
Qinghe withdrew his divine sense and continued racing toward Cangzhou.
Meanwhile, Xie Lingyu and Li Xingtian stood atop the great river of Cangzhou.
Their gazes were fixed on the majestic, lifelike Xuanwu colossus as it strode step by step into the river.
Chaos had erupted in Cangzhou.
Not only were there troublemakers and rogue cultivators causing havoc in the city, but many aquatic demon soldiers had also begun making their move.
When Xie Lingyu wanted to stabilize the city first, Li Xingtian stopped him—the situation inside was too tangled. Aside from the Demon Suppression Bureau, it was impossible to tell who was causing trouble and who was helping.
But the river demons were undeniably hostile.
Li Xingtian suggested they focus on stopping the demon soldiers from advancing, easing the pressure on the Demon Suppression Bureau.
Moreover, the sudden chaos in Cangzhou likely meant the moment his master had warned about had arrived.
This was the perfect chance to fight their way to the river and assess the situation.
Convinced by Li Xingtian’s reasoning, Xie Lingyu agreed.
Just as they reached the riverbank, they sensed the Xuanwu colossus, formed from primordial yellow energy.
Despite its size, the colossus moved swiftly.
In moments, it crossed the sky and stepped into the river.
Li Xingtian’s eyes narrowed.
"This Xuanwu isn’t complete. This must be the ritual. It came from the north—Chizhou’s direction. Master would’ve known, but the thief hasn’t arrived here yet. He must’ve run into Master."
He pulled out two compasses from his spatial ring and handed one to Xie Lingyu.
"This controls the array nodes. Master simplified it—just channel your divine sense into it. There aren’t many nodes here, but hopefully, it’ll buy him some time."
Xie Lingyu took the compass.
The Xuanwu stepped into the river, raised a foot, and stomped down with a roar!
BOOM!
The river split under the force, its waters flooding the banks as thick primordial yellow energy surged into the water veins.
Moments later, the Xuanwu seemed to find something and shifted position.
Its tail rose and slammed into the water.
This time, the river didn’t split—instead, the tail plunged deep, stirring violently as if searching.
Xie Lingyu’s eyes flashed. "It’s looking for the Tengshe. It’s trying to become a true Xuanwu…"
Just as Li Xingtian was about to nod in agreement—
The Xuanwu’s tail suddenly lifted, pulling up a wisp of pale golden fortune.
But the moment it emerged, chains of primordial yellow energy lashed out, trying to restrain it.
The Xuanwu Kingdom’s national fortune was already weak—the chains couldn’t hold.
With a furious roar, the Xuanwu wrenched the golden fortune free.
Yet, contrary to Xie Lingyu and Li Xingtian’s expectations, it didn’t transform into a Tengshe.
Instead…
It became a pale golden stele, devoid of inscriptions, which the Xuanwu promptly hoisted onto its back.
Li Xingtian’s pupils shrank.
This wasn’t a Xuanwu at all—it was Baxia!
The sixth son of the True Dragon!
The Xuanwu Kingdom… what lay hidden here wasn’t a Xuanwu.
It was Baxia!
Li Xingtian now deeply suspected that Emperor Taizu of Zhao had named the kingdom "Xuanwu" to mislead everyone.
Damn those unofficial histories—always spreading lies!
No sooner had Baxia shouldered the golden fortune than—
On the horizon, Qinghe finally arrived, its figure charging straight toward Baxia.
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
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!
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!"
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
