Lu Mengran looked at Chen Chang'an with a complicated expression.
Deep down, he was troubled—should someone like this really become an honorary elder of the Qingyun Sect?
Though he had the authority, if the other elders found out, it would be hard to justify.
Yet, for a prodigious talent like Ye Zhiqiu, Lu Mengran felt it might be worth taking the risk.
"You are Ye Zhiqiu's master?" Lu Mengran asked.
"Indeed," Chen Chang'an replied calmly, nodding.
His composed demeanor made many curious—what was he trying to pull?
It was your disciple who was impressive, not you. Why put on such airs?
Even if you didn’t want to appear overly excited, the Qingyun Sect’s Sect Master was speaking to you. Couldn’t you at least show a little more reaction?
"You must have heard everything just now," Lu Mengran continued.
"So, what is your decision?"
To his surprise, Lu Mengran realized that aside from anticipation, he also felt a hint of unease. He was actually afraid of being rejected.
The thought amused him. Ye Zhiqiu had refused because he had a master, but what about this guy? What reason could he possibly have to decline?
"An honorary elder?" Chen Chang'an mused.
"I truly have no interest. Besides..."
He left the rest unsaid, but the implication was clear—the Qingyun Sect wasn’t even worthy.
Chen Chang'an’s half-spoken words and faint smile only fueled irritation.
Just spit it out already! Besides what?
This was infuriatingly vague!
And most importantly—he refused too?
Ye Zhiqiu had the skills to back up his refusal, but who the hell are you? Without Ye Zhiqiu, who would care whether you joined or not?
"You… do you not know the strength of our Qingyun Sect?" Lu Mengran pressed.
"Or are you unaware of our standing?"
"Have you never heard of the Qingyun Sect before?"
Confusion and disbelief filled Lu Mengran’s mind. He refused to believe there was anything lacking about the Qingyun Sect. Instead, he wondered if Ye Zhiqiu’s master was simply ignorant.
Hearing this, Chen Chang'an couldn’t help but laugh. Did he really look that foolish? Or did Lu Mengran genuinely think the Qingyun Sect was some kind of prize?
The laughter made Lu Mengran feel awkward, as if he’d said something incredibly stupid.
"Brat, are you looking down on the Qingyun Sect?"
The Peak Master of Qinggang Peak had a notoriously short temper. Chen Chang'an’s attitude infuriated him. If not for his position, he might have already taken action.
"I have no intention of looking down on anyone," Chen Chang'an replied.
"Neither I nor my disciple, Ye Zhiqiu, will join your Qingyun Sect."
"As for the reason, you’ll soon find out."
"But right now, I do have another matter to discuss with your sect."
"Last night, someone infiltrated Xiaoyun Peak and attempted to assassinate my disciple, Ye Zhiqiu."
"The Qingyun Sect owes us an explanation for this."
The moment these words were spoken, Lu Mengran and the others were stunned.
An assassination attempt on Ye Zhiqiu?
Impossible!
They would never do such a thing.
"Wait, did I hear that right? Someone tried to kill Ye Zhiqiu last night?"
"Could there be someone in the Qingyun Sect who wants him dead?"
"Looking at Sect Master Lu’s expression, even he seems shocked. Maybe it was a disciple acting out of resentment?"
"No, wait—have you forgotten Ye Zhiqiu’s other identity?"
"Other identity? Oh, right, he’s…"
At this, everyone’s gaze shifted toward Lu Yun—including that of his father, Lu Mengran.
Seeing the suspicion in their eyes, Lu Yun’s expression darkened. What was this? Did they really think so little of his character?
"Father, it wasn’t me," Lu Yun said firmly.
"I know my own son. Of course it wasn’t you."
"Where is Cao Jinxiu? Where is she now?" Lu Mengran demanded coldly.
If anyone in the Qingyun Sect had motive to kill Ye Zhiqiu, Cao Jinxiu was the prime suspect.
Lu Yun was also a likely candidate, but Lu Mengran knew his son well. Even if he had the thought, he likely lacked the nerve to act on it.
"Jinxiu? Father, you can’t possibly suspect her! She would never—"
"I asked where she is."
"She… she was here earlier, but she wasn’t feeling well and went back to rest."
Lu Yun felt a pang of unease. Part of him refused to believe Cao Jinxiu could do such a thing, but another part feared the worst.
"Not feeling well? A cultivator at the Divine Ability Realm, suddenly unwell today?"
"Go. Bring her here," Lu Mengran ordered coldly.
"Wait—"
"No need," Chen Chang'an interjected.
"She’s already here."
Lu Mengran and the others were taken aback. Already here?
Before they could react, Gu Xian'er stepped onto the stage, dragging an unconscious Uncle Tu in one hand and a struggling Cao Jinxiu in the other.
Thud! Thud!
She unceremoniously tossed them onto the platform, gave Ye Zhiqiu a nod, then vanished in a flash, reappearing beside Chen Chang'an.
"Such speed! Who is that woman?"
"She looks young, yet she’s already at the Divine Transformation Realm?"
"How is it that Chen Chang'an is surrounded by prodigies, while he himself remains utterly ordinary?"
"Another monstrous talent?"
Gu Xian'er had been standing quietly by Chen Chang'an’s side, unnoticed until now.
Lu Mengran and the others could tell she was young, yet her cultivation had reached the first level of Divine Transformation.
Such talent couldn’t belong to an unknown. Was she on the Human Ranking?
There weren’t many women on the Human Ranking. Could she be Gu Fengyao? No, Gu Fengyao should be older.
Then who was she?
While the others speculated about Gu Xian'er’s identity, Lu Yun’s attention was fixed on Cao Jinxiu.
"Lu Yun, save me!"
Earlier, Cao Jinxiu had been weighing her options, ultimately deciding to flee.
She no longer cared about the consequences for the Cao family—she just wanted to escape before it was too late.
She was afraid. Afraid that even Lu Yun wouldn’t be able to protect her.
But just as she was about to run, a stranger appeared, dragging an unconscious Uncle Tu.
Cao Jinxiu knew the woman was after her, but the gap in their strength was too vast. Now, she had been hauled onto the stage.
At this moment, Lu Yun was her only lifeline.
"Jinxiu? Uncle Tu?"
Lu Yun frowned. What exactly was going on?
Meanwhile, Lu Mengran observed his son closely, gauging whether he could remain composed under pressure.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Yun steadied himself and looked at Cao Jinxiu.
"Don’t be afraid. This is the Qingyun Sect. If you’re innocent, no one can harm you here."
Lu Yun's restraint in acting impulsively left Lu Mengran thoroughly pleased. But for Cao Jinxiu, his words plunged her heart into despair.
It's over!
Lu Yun truly couldn’t defy all reason for her sake. If that was the case, did she even have a chance to escape now?
At that moment, Chen Chang'an flashed onto the arena with a flicker of movement. With a light tap of his finger, the unconscious Uncle Tu slowly stirred awake.
The moment his eyes opened, Uncle Tu’s expression twisted in alarm, his instincts screaming at him to flee.
But when he took in his surroundings, his heart sank into hopelessness.
It's over!
How had he ended up at Qingyun Peak?
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."
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
] 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.
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
