Jiang Che chose to upgrade directly.
[Beep! Points have been cleared. The system is now merging. Farewell, host. Thank you for your patronage.]
After the system's voice rang out, there was no further sound—it fell into complete silence.
"Well, this looks a lot like telecom fraud," Jiang Che muttered. The system had simply taken the money and run, absconding with a hundred trillion points?
But Jiang Che understood perfectly well: the system had merely vanished. It was the final cornerstone to help him break through to transcendence.
His power might disappear, but his status would not!
Once the system vanished, his status as a transcendent was fully repaired.
What was status?
If Jiang Che died right now, because of his status, only this current version of him would perish. The real Jiang Che had never died. Even if the world crumbled, even if he became an ordinary person, no one could kill him.
If faced with a true emergency, Jiang Che could even activate his supreme authority to halt the system upgrade and reclaim his power. In short... Jiang Che's authority was supreme—the final say on the system belonged to him.
But suddenly, a faint, icy voice echoed in Jiang Che's ear.
"Master... what are you thinking about?"
Ji Qingyi's voice reached Jiang Che, sending a chill down his spine.
Damn it, he'd almost forgotten this rebellious little disciple was still here. Jiang Che felt a cold shiver run through him. If this traitorous apprentice found out he had lost all his power and become immortal, he dared not imagine what outrageous things she might do to him!
And yet... he felt an odd sense of anticipation. Bah, forget it—he, Young Master Jiang, was not a masochist!
"Nothing. Your master is going into seclusion for ten thousand years. I'm handing over all matters of the demon realm to you," Jiang Che said.
His words caused Ji Qingyi's gaze to flicker. Seclusion... did a transcendent even need to go into seclusion?
"Yes!" Ji Qingyi nodded slightly, then withdrew.
But the moment she turned around, her expression shifted from calm to twisted.
Was she mistaken? She sensed that her master now seemed more like an ordinary person than before?
Previously, although her master's aura was also that of a mortal, the unfathomable depth of a transcendent and that lofty, overwhelming presence had made it hard for her to even conceive of rebellion. But just now, she felt that terrifying, natural pressure had vanished.
If her master had truly become an ordinary person... a thin smile crept across Ji Qingyi's lips, her beautiful face taking on an extreme, morbid expression.
...
"Cough, cough. This damn stupid system."
Jiang Che returned to the demon palace, his mind in utter turmoil.
"Forget it. I won't bother cursing myself out."
He lay down on the soft couch.
If he thought about it a little, he'd realize that his status had reached its peak. The system was merely a chain binding him—and only he could place chains on a superman like himself.
Jiang Che understood that whether it was the system's previous hundred-trillion-point missions or this current task of returning to an ordinary life for ten thousand years, even if he complained out loud, deep down he didn't truly mind. In fact, now that he was mortal again, he even found himself slightly tempted by the idea of being imprisoned by his yandere disciple?
Bah. That thought was far too dangerous.
After all, Jiang Che had already tasted countless beauties—every stunning woman in his harem—and there was no wild game he hadn't played.
But being trapped in captivity by his gorgeous disciple? That was a game he had never tried. No matter how tough he acted, Jiang Che had to admit—it gave him a little thrill. And he was giving Ji Qingyi room to act on her own.
...
News of the Demon Lord's seclusion soon spread throughout the demon palace.
Most demon cultivators paid it no mind. Which cultivator hadn't gone into seclusion?
For beings like them at the immortal level, ten thousand years was nothing. For the Demon Lord, an existence at the supreme realm, secluding himself for ten thousand years was perfectly normal.
Besides, the current landscape of the Three Realms was firmly set. The demon realm was overwhelmingly powerful!
Swallowing Heaven Demon Emperor—who had merged with the Devouring Dao!
Annihilation Demon Emperor—who had merged with the Dao of Destruction!
And then there was Evil Emperor Ji Qingyi, whose methods were terrifyingly formidable. Though no one knew the current cultivation of the Demon Lord's other disciple, Mo Shangxie, he was certainly no slouch—at least at the demon lord level.
Even if the Demon Lord went into seclusion for a hundred thousand years, the demon realm would still prosper!
When Yao Yue learned of Jiang Che's plan to go into seclusion, she came to him on her own.
"Husband... you're going into seclusion? Yue'er will go with you."
Yao Yue took Jiang Che's sleeve and pulled him into her arms, enveloping him completely.
The sense of suffocation was real.
But seeing her, Jiang Che let out a helpless sigh.
"Yao Yue, you shouldn't stay in the demon palace anymore."
At his words, Yao Yue's body trembled slightly. "De... Demon Lord, are you trying to cast Yue'er out?"
Jiang Che shook his head. "Your husband has lost all his cultivation. I'm nothing more than an ordinary person now."
"What?!" Yao Yue's pupils dilated in disbelief.
"I need to maintain this state for ten thousand years, so I chose seclusion..."
"If Yiyi finds out..." Yao Yue covered her mouth. Of course, she knew exactly what kind of girl Ji Qingyi was. If Ji Qingyi ever discovered that Jiang Che had become an ordinary person, the consequences would be unimaginable!
"Husband... are you serious?"
"Yes." Jiang Che gently stroked Yao Yue's cheek, his expression calm.
He had never misjudged anyone. Yao Yue's affection for him was 100, and her loyalty was also 100.
Not like Ji Qingyi. Ji Qingyi's affection had reached 120—and her loyalty was negative infinity. A hundred was already the max! Yet she hit 120, with loyalty plummeting into oblivion. She might as well have stamped "yandere" on her forehead.
"Husband, let me take you away from the demon palace! Until the ten thousand years are up..." Yao Yue panicked. Evil Emperor Ji Qingyi was a ticking bomb. If her husband stayed here, she'd blow him to pieces.
"Don't worry. You've become a Demon Emperor yourself," Jiang Che said softly. He had equipped Yao Yue with a new Dao source, but she was still no match for Ji Qingyi.
"Take this token and find my eldest disciple, Mo Shangxie. She will protect you. As for my safety... don't concern yourself."
Jiang Che had already arranged everything. In all Three Realms, his only weak spot was one: Yao Yue.
With Ji Qingyi's petty nature, once she discovered he had become an ordinary man, she would absolutely go after Yao Yue first!
Though Jiang Che was now a mortal, he could reclaim his power whenever he wanted—it would just mean aborting the system mission.
Sending Yao Yue away and facing a blackened Ji Qingyi alone was the best choice.
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
