The capital of the Xuanwu Kingdom.
Zhao Xuan's gaze swept over the battle report detailing the great victory in Bingzhou.
From the moment Yu Zhu played the card of deploying demonic forces, it was clear that he no longer posed any threat to the Xuanwu Kingdom.
This was closely tied to the composition of the Yuzhu Army.
Most of its soldiers were refugees who had fled to Bingzhou during the chaos of the demonic uprising.
They had joined the Yuzhu Army out of desperation, simply to secure a meal.
Once the demonic soldiers entered the fray, the morale of the Yuzhu Army swiftly collapsed.
After the cultivators of the Xuanwu Kingdom stepped in to suppress the demonic forces, the soldiers of the Yuzhu Army began defecting to the Xuanwu side.
At the same time, the reputation of the Yuzhu Army completely crumbled, turning them into outcasts.
After all, being a bad person might earn you scorn for lacking morals.
But becoming a traitor to humanity? That would strip you of your very identity as a human.
And Yu Zhu had now been stripped of that identity.
With the dust settling in Bingzhou, the Xuanwu Kingdom could finally breathe a sigh of relief—for the moment.
As for Chizhou, as long as disaster relief efforts were properly managed, it wouldn’t stir up much more trouble.
Though the situation had stabilized, Zhao Xuan felt no excitement or sense of relief.
Instead, an indescribable sorrow weighed heavily on his heart.
No matter how glorious the battle report might read, the dead were still his people.
And the destruction had ravaged his land.
News had also arrived from Cangzhou—after all, the cataclysmic battle that had taken place there could not be concealed.
The Karmic Nascent Soul’s Dharma Idol, the terrifying demonic entity capable of clashing with it, the phantom of Xuanwu…
As Zhao Xuan read, cold sweat trickled down his back.
How could his small Xuanwu Kingdom possibly attract such deadly forces?
He couldn’t help but think that his ancestors must have accumulated immense virtue—in every sense of the word.
Leaving behind such things for their descendants to deal with…
"Well, if it isn’t Little Xuan! How have you been lately?"
A familiar teasing voice rang out. Zhao Xuan quickly looked up to see Chu Xingchen, accompanied not by the mischievous young woman from before, but by a more aloof and elegant lady.
She was beautiful, but Zhao Xuan dared not stare.
He hurriedly rose to greet them, forcing a bitter smile. "For an emperor, the real challenges are only just beginning."
Chu Xingchen nodded in agreement. "I’m glad you see it that way. Now is the time to rebuild."
Gratitude flashed across Zhao Xuan’s face as he clasped his hands in respect. "And we owe much to you, Senior, for your valiant efforts in Cangzhou. Had that demon succeeded… another million refugees might have been added to the toll."
"I merely did what little I could," Chu Xingchen said, helping Zhao Xuan up before shifting the topic.
"Though it was far from easy. A dear comrade of mine suffered grave injuries in that battle…"
Xie Lingyu glanced at Chu Xingchen, observing his sorrowful expression.
After not seeing him for some time… not only had his cultivation advanced significantly, but his acting skills hadn’t slipped either.
Alarmed, Zhao Xuan pressed, "How are they now? Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Though severely wounded, they’ll recover."
"Truly, we owe you our deepest gratitude. I recall the treasury still has—"
Chu Xingchen waved him off, his expression turning solemn. "There’s no need for that. I didn’t come here seeking rewards."
Zhao Xuan studied Chu Xingchen’s serious demeanor, his unease growing.
Having spent some time with him, Zhao Xuan had a rough understanding of the man.
When Chu Xingchen refused an offer, it usually meant: This isn’t enough—try something better.
Zhao Xuan hesitated, unsure how to proceed.
Chu Xingchen, deciding the groundwork had been laid, finally revealed his purpose.
"Today, I came to return something I borrowed from you."
Realization dawned on Zhao Xuan, his face paling. "The imperial jade seal… is lost?!"
"Of course not. I always return what I borrow. Why would I come here if it were lost?"
"Then… it’s broken?!"
Zhao Xuan’s vision darkened. A broken seal was worse than a lost one. His mind conjured an image:
After his passing, his heir ascending the throne, eager to behold the imperial jade seal—only for a eunuch to present a tray draped in yellow silk.
The young emperor, bewildered, would lift the cloth to find nothing but shattered fragments.
And the eunuch, with utmost solemnity, would declare—This pile is the Xuanwu Kingdom’s most sacred treasure, the imperial jade seal.
Zhao Xuan couldn’t guess how his son would react, but if he had inherited such a thing from his father… he’d have cursed up a storm.
A thought crossed his mind—perhaps he could pin the blame on his late father.
The dead couldn’t argue, after all.
And sometimes, unofficial histories could pass as official ones…
Noticing Zhao Xuan’s shattered expression, Chu Xingchen figured his expectations had been sufficiently lowered.
He retrieved the jade seal from his spatial ring—now cracked and lacking its former luster—and handed it to Zhao Xuan.
Relieved to see it still intact, Zhao Xuan hastily accepted it.
He tenderly traced the cracks, then inspected the eight-character inscription.
Finding no further damage, he sighed in relief—until his fingers brushed over the deepest fissure.
His gaze turned helplessly toward Chu Xingchen.
Before Zhao Xuan could speak, Chu Xingchen quipped,
"That seal of yours is something else. Or rather, your ancestor Emperor Zhao was quite the bold one—daring to seal that inside."
Zhao Xuan quickly schooled his expression and offered another slight bow.
---
The capital, Vermilion Bird Street.
After returning the seal, Chu Xingchen left the palace. Zhao Xuan, seemingly having grasped the situation, asked no further questions.
Xie Lingyu walked beside Chu Xingchen, her eyes taking in the bustling streets.
The chaos of Cangzhou, Chizhou, and Bingzhou seemed worlds away from this vibrant capital.
Carriages and pedestrians flowed endlessly, the city alive as ever.
She stole a glance at Chu Xingchen. When they first met, she had assumed his rapid ascent from Golden Core to Nascent Soul was due to some fortuitous encounter.
But to her astonishment, he had condensed a Karmic Nascent Soul—the highest tier possible.
Nor had she expected him to be a mere novice in the Nascent Soul stage.
If not for his unchanged demeanor, Xie Lingyu might have suspected an imposter wearing his face.
His cultivation advanced faster than even demonic practitioners.
As Chu Xingchen himself would say—It’s downright unnatural.
And it was unnatural. The same young man who once pestered her for help with minor cultivation puzzles, flaunting poetry in exchange for favors…
Now, after what felt like no time at all, she found herself looking up at him.
Noticing her gaze, Chu Xingchen turned to her and asked,
"What are you thinking about? Why do you keep staring at me?"
Xie Lingyu pondered for a moment, then uttered a remark in Chu Xingchen's style:
"That's a bit shady, Chu Xingchen."
"Huh?! You’ve definitely been corrupted by my first disciple!"
Xie Lingyu turned her head away without responding.
"Huh?! Could it be the second disciple?!"
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?
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
+【Epic Battles!】 "Your Highness, they say Linxi Temple is miraculous. Won’t you make a wish?" "A wish? It should be making wishes to me." "That may be so, but since you’re already here..." "..." "Fine. Then grant this princess a consort to play with." "He must be obedient, devoted, and utterly infatuated with my body—so much so that he’d kneel and kiss my feet." "Your Highness, that’s not a consort. That’s a dog." "Then add clever, witty, heroic, ambitious yet pragmatic..." "Hmm, that’s enough for now. I’ll add more later." After tossing out these words half in jest, Princess Anle departed the temple—only to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Bodhisattva statue smiling at her. Meanwhile, Yang An, fresh out of university, was having a very bad day. Good news: He’d transmigrated into another world with a cheat granting tenfold combat power. Bad news: He’d immediately fallen into the clutches of a certain villainess. Good news: Said villainess possessed peerless beauty and royal status. Bad news: She was absolutely monstrous!!! In the frozen wilderness, Yang An knelt beneath Qin Guo’er’s feet, drenched in sweat despite the cold. Desperately clutching her porcelain-perfect foot—the very one poised to crush his throat—he could only think: How do I survive this?! Need answers NOW!
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
