Today, the Tianyan Sect was exceptionally bustling.
First, the Dao Bell of Tianyan Peak rang loudly, prompting all the high-level cultivators of the entire Tianyan Sect to rush straight to Tianyan Peak.
Then, inexplicably, the sect leader announced that it was merely an emergency drill and nothing had happened.
Such an explanation could only be taken as just that—an explanation.
The Dao Bell of the Tianyan Sect had not rung for hundreds of years, and there were usually no emergency drills. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance that this was nothing but an excuse.
As for the real reason, it remained somewhat unknown, but the returning elders all had different expressions on their faces.
Some smiled, while others shook their heads in helplessness.
It was as if the Tianyan Sect was about to add another mysterious, unpredictable, and bizarre incident to its history.
Perhaps the truth would only come to light when a certain elder could no longer keep the secret.
However... whether the truth at that time would be seen as just another excuse to cover up the real truth remained to be seen.
After all, at this very moment, even Lv Xuan, who knew the truth, was quite shocked.
Inside the main hall of Tianyan Peak.
Xu Jin, who still had some marks on his body, lowered his head and stood silently below.
Chu Xingchen and Daoist Yuyang stood to one side, their expressions portraying doubt and confusion, as if they also had no idea what had happened.
Yan Yun sat on one side, the smile on her face also full of helplessness.
They were clearly all geniuses of their respective factions, with top-notch abilities and cultivation. Separately, anyone would hold them in high regard. But how did they end up acting like common mortals when they got together?
After a moment of silence, Lv Xuan chuckled softly and spoke:
"Truth be told, you should call me Martial Uncle. If you wanted wine to drink, would your Martial Uncle really deny you?"
Xu Jin cupped his hands in a salute first, but did not speak. Instead, he cast a calm yet somewhat resentful glance at Chu Xingchen and Yuyang standing to the side.
Looking at Xu Jin's expression, Chu Xingchen seemed to immediately understand. He stepped forward and spoke out righteously:
"Sect Leader Lv, I think Xu Jin probably took the wrong path and was too proud to ask for directions. He is a proud son of heaven, how could he lack a cup of wine?"
Daoist Yuyang also stepped forward and nodded repeatedly, saying:
"That's right. I have known Xu Jin for a long time, and I understand him. He is definitely not that kind of person."
Lv Xuan looked at the two of them, who were lying through their teeth, selling out their teammate with extreme speed, and yet pretending to speak out of loyalty at this moment. He gave a light laugh and said:
"So to speak, the two of you know absolutely nothing about this, and it's entirely Martial Nephew Xu's doing?"
Chu Xingchen naturally heard the provocative intent in Lv Xuan's words. He immediately took a few steps forward, arriving in front of Xu Jin:
"Of course not! Brother Xu's business is my business. Naturally, I also bear responsibility for this matter."
"The word 'brother' is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold!"
Yuyang also stepped forward quickly:
"The same goes for me. The word 'brother'! Our loyalty is higher than the sky!"
What a righteous and stern speech; they truly took smooth-talking to the absolute limit.
Lv Xuan remained silent, merely turning his gaze toward Xu Jin, as if waiting for Xu Jin to speak up and completely expose the true faces of these two shameless individuals.
However, he noticed that Xu Jin's previously somewhat resentful expression had suddenly softened a little.
A bad thought arose in Lv Xuan's mind—could this child have actually been moved by the words of these two?
"It is my fault!" Xu Jin's tone was still somewhat gritted. "I hope Sect Leader Lv can be magnanimous and forgive me."
Lv Xuan was silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. Looking at Xu Jin with a rather pitiful gaze, he said:
"Since Martial Nephew has put it this way, as your Martial Uncle, I can naturally understand."
"Yan Yun, have someone send over some Spring Warmth wine later."
Yan Yun tried to keep a straight face, but seeing Xu Jin's aggrieved appearance, she felt a bit of empathy, and the corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously. However, her voice remained extremely calm as she replied:
"Yes, Master."
Lv Xuan waved his hand helplessly and said:
"I suppose I am getting old. I can't understand what kind of games you young people are playing. I won't keep you any longer; go back and play. Just don't drag this miserable old man into it next time."
One was willing to hit, and the other was willing to endure. It could only be said that Chu Xingchen was indeed a very accurate judge of character.
The three of them cupped their hands together in salute.
Chu Xingchen went up and threw an arm around Xu Jin's shoulders, patting him vigorously.
Daoist Yuyang followed closely behind, hastily reaching out to brush off some dirt from Xu Jin's body.
Waiting until the three had completely left the main hall, Lv Xuan gently stroked his beard, his expression somewhat hazy as he said:
"I vaguely remember that in the past, Xu Jin was quite a well-behaved and serious child."
"Has Master never heard that he who stays near ink gets stained black?" Yan Yun chimed in.
Lv Xuan nodded gently, looking at Yan Yun with a rather gratified gaze as he said:
"Not bad. You also possess a bit of your master's valiant demeanor as a proud genius."
Hearing this, Yan Yun could only be rendered speechless.
She also had her own thoughts.
Has her master been associating a bit too much with Chu Xingchen lately?
A mutually loving family on one peak.
At the entrance of the peak, one person walked with his chest puffed out, an indignant expression on his face, while two others walked beside him, trying to coax him.
"Brother Xu! What's with that expression? We didn't fail, did we? Didn't you hear Sect Leader Lv say he would have the Spring Warmth sent over later?"
Daoist Yuyang followed closely behind the cold-faced Xu Jin. While forcing a smile, he continued to praise:
"This is all thanks to Brother Xu's performance. Brother Chu and I have completely basked in your light."
Xu Jin's expression shifted, and he retorted, "Ungrateful wretches! You ran the moment things went south. Aren't you two afraid of being laughed at?"
Chu Xingchen, walking on the left, chuckled and said:
"It's my fault. Brother Xu, feel free to laugh at us."
Hearing this, Xu Jin was so angry he laughed on the spot, feeling completely helpless against them.
When Chu Xingchen was being thick-skinned, he truly wasn't afraid of being ridiculed. Furthermore, if this matter were to spread, the one most likely to be laughed at would be Xu Jin himself.
Besides their friendship, this was also a major reason why he hadn't sold the two of them out on the spot.
Xu Jin indignantly accused:
"Are you treating me as a brother? You're treating me like a fool! And to think I actually believed your words."
"That's not right," Chu Xingchen's expression immediately turned serious. "We did this precisely because our relationship is that deep. Do you think Yuyang and I would pull this on someone we aren't close to?"
"It's exactly because we are brothers, and we knew Brother Xu wouldn't truly be angry with us."
Chu Xingchen revealed a somewhat sorrowful expression and said:
"If Brother Xu feels that our relationship hasn't reached this level yet, then it is indeed my fault. I was being presumptuous."
Daoist Yuyang quickly followed up, "The same goes for me. It's my fault."
Looking at Chu Xingchen, who was turning black into white, Xu Jin didn't reply. He merely gave a cold snort and walked inside.
He wasn't a fool. If he really tried to debate right and wrong with Chu Xingchen, who could out-talk that mouth of his?
Chu Xingchen hurriedly caught up with his pace. "Alright, alright, it's my fault. We are brothers, how about I make it up to you with two cups of wine later?"
"Four cups!" Xu Jin replied in a displeased tone.
"Deal. Yuyang and I will each drink four cups."
Chu Xingchen's expression turned into a playful smile.
The three of them returned to the small courtyard.
Xie Lingyu was already waiting there early. She saw the three of them arrive and noticed that Xu Jin had once again been handled by Chu Xingchen to the point of losing his temper.
Upon seeing Xie Lingyu, Xu Jin gently cupped his hands and said, "Long time no see, Junior Sister Lingyu."
"Why are you calling her Junior Sister?" Yuyang raised an eyebrow and said, "Now you have to call her Sister-in-law."
Xie Lingyu did not refute this, but merely cupped her hands in return and said:
"It has been a long time."
After saying that, Xie Lingyu took out a jade token and handed it toward Chu Xingchen with a serious expression:
"This is an urgent jade missive sent by Cui Hao from Beiju Luzhou. It arrived just a short while ago, specifically meant for your eyes."
Upon hearing this, the playful expression on Chu Xingchen's face vanished in an instant. He raised his hand and snatched the jade token into his grasp.
The expressions of the other two also turned grave.
Xu Jin even reached down to touch the emergency token hanging at his waist.
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.
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
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."
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
