Sitting on the high platform, watching the countdown on the screen—3, 2, 1—Long Aotian let out a sharp whistle!
As the whistle echoed, the competing students by the pool dove into the water one after another. The event was divided into male and female groups.
After finishing his duties, Long Aotian returned backstage to shower and change.
Before long, Huang Fei and the other two arrived as well.
After a full day of activities, even Long Aotian was exhausted, let alone the three who had participated in the swimming competition till the end.
Dragging their feet, they walked like defeated soldiers, their heads hanging low.
"You lucky bastard, just sitting up there whistling!"
"Ugh, my legs are jelly after today."
"Old Ao, come help me up—I think I threw out my back!"
Seeing their sorry state, Long Aotian couldn’t help but mock them.
Before the sports meet, they’d all boasted about being indestructible, acting like unbeatable titans.
Too bad no one had recorded their bravado back then—he’d love to replay it for them now.
The school would evaluate the students based on their performance.
For sports students like them, these scores mattered a lot, which was why they’d pushed themselves so hard.
But right now, they weren’t waiting around for the results—they could check them on their phones tomorrow.
All they wanted was to go out, feast, and have some fun to unwind.
The relentless training lately had practically killed them!
"Let’s go, let’s go! Call Shen Mengjie—meet at the usual spot," Li Longlong said, pulling out his phone to contact his senior.
At first, the senior had been hesitant, but after Li Longlong’s persistent persuasion, she’d finally agreed.
This was the first time she’d properly meet his friends, and Li Longlong was buzzing with excitement.
"What’s there to be excited about? You got any energy left for tonight?" Xu Shuai smacked Li Longlong’s forehead in annoyance.
"Damn it! One ‘White Crane Spreads Its Wings,’ and I’ll break your legs—believe it or not!"
......
The usual hotpot spot—they’d been here many times, but today’s atmosphere was special.
By the window, snowflakes drifted outside while meat sizzled in the pot inside.
"The KTV’s right next door. After this, we’re heading there for round two!" Huang Fei raised his glass.
"Cheers!"
"Wait, wait, wait..." Li Longlong gestured to the girl beside him. "Before we drink, let me introduce my senior, Su Ting."
Xu Shuai, Huang Fei, and Long Aotian exchanged glances.
Then, clearing his throat, Long Aotian stood up. "Nice to meet you, Senior. I’m Li Longlong’s roommate, Long Aotian. He talks about you all the time. Since it’s our first meeting, let me toast to you."
"Thank you." It was Su Ting’s first time hanging out with the juniors, and the lively vibe made her feel at ease. Without hesitation, she downed her drink.
Long Aotian rubbed his nose and sat back down.
Taking the cue, Huang Fei stood next. "Senior, I’m Huang Fei, another one of Li Longlong’s roommates. First time meeting you—let me toast too."
Realizing what was happening, Li Longlong jumped up to intervene for his senior.
"No need, no need! It’s my first time with everyone, so let’s just enjoy ourselves," Su Ting said with a laugh.
Huang Fei coughed awkwardly and sat down.
When Xu Shuai got up next, Wang Lijuan yanked him back by the ear. "Senior, just ignore these guys."
The scene drew laughter from the group.
Despite being new to their gatherings, Su Ting quickly blended into the cheerful atmosphere.
......
"Laugh all you want. You won’t be laughing soon." Outside the private room, Ye Liangchen smirked confidently.
Just then, Gao Quan arrived, dressed as a waiter. "Brother Chen, sh-should we deliver it now?"
"Not yet." He’d overheard their plans to go to KTV afterward—that would be the perfect place to strike.
Peeking into the room again, his eyes narrowed. "Look at that disgusting grin. Soon, you’ll learn what true cruelty feels like."
"Hope you won’t cry in pain—because I won’t hold back."
His gaze then shifted to Shen Mengjie. "You betrayed me, and now you’re laughing it off? Hah, I’m laughing too—laughing at how naive you are..."
Ye Liangchen had already imagined how he’d punish the disloyal Shen Mengjie.
Sure, he was kind-hearted—but that didn’t mean anyone could betray him!
"Tonight is the night of Ye Liangchen’s revenge. Hahaha—"
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Xu Shuai stuck his head out. "Hey, waiter? We’re having a gathering here. Can you go laugh somewhere else?"
The abrupt interruption startled Ye Liangchen. But realizing it wasn’t Long Aotian, he relaxed slightly.
Yet his brows furrowed. This guy had just called him a waiter? Told him to leave?
Hah. Now he was really laughing.
With his dashing, noble demeanor, how dare this fool mistake him for a waiter? If those eyes were useless, they might as well be thrown away!
Gao Quan tugged at his sleeve. "Brother Chen, stop laughing—we’ll get caught!"
Taking a deep breath, Ye Liangchen let himself be dragged away.
"Weirdo." Xu Shuai muttered before returning to the room.
"What was that about?" Huang Fei asked.
The party had been lively, with Su Ting warming up to everyone—until that eerie burst of laughter outside killed the mood.
"Some waiter, cracking up over something. Looked pretty funny, honestly." Xu Shuai chuckled. "Sorry, just remembering his pose—it was hilarious."
Curious, Li Longlong asked, "What pose?"
"Like this—watch." Xu Shuai flipped his hair, then struck a pose—hands in pockets, head tilted at a 45-degree angle.
Silence fell over the room for a second.
Then everyone burst out laughing.
Only Long Aotian frowned. For some reason, that pose felt familiar—like he’d seen it before, but he couldn’t place it.
Another person who didn’t laugh was Shen Mengjie.
From Xu Shuai’s description, she already knew who’d been outside.
So he’s still fixated, huh?
Her eyes flicked to Long Aotian. Should she tell him outright? Or play the heroine saving the fool?
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
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."
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
