Su Muwan clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms.
Just as she had suspected.
Only one creature from her past life could drive the tide of abominations into such frenzy, could make the Ruleborn Abominations swarm forth in full force—
The phantom of the Skeletal Shepherd bared its bleached teeth in a bone-chilling grin, its laughter shaking the heavens: "How amusing! To think a mere insect could touch the realm of Heavenly Dao!"
"Pity..."
Its voice turned glacial in an instant: "Before welcoming our King's return, I'll have you die first!!!"
King...
Su Muwan's heart lurched violently.
From the abominations' behavior, she had long deduced the identity of the "King" the Skeletal Shepherd spoke of—
Qin Luo!
The one revered by abominations as their supreme sovereign, the person she had fought tooth and nail to protect!
"Qin Luo... is mine!"
Su Muwan's eyes sharpened like blades as an explosion of glacial blue light erupted around her.
Twelve Extremities·World Subjugation!
Huum—!
Twelve duplicates materialized instantly, their frigid power coalescing into towering pillars of ice that smashed into the earth!
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The moment the pillars struck, countless crystalline chains burst forth like colossal serpents, flash-freezing every abomination within a hundred-mile radius!
"Hold the line!"
With that icy command, Su Muwan vanished in a blur, shooting straight into the stratosphere!
First second.
Boom!
She shattered the sound barrier, shockwaves ripping through the atmosphere as she breached the exosphere!
Second second.
Boom!!
The vacuum of space tore open under her glacial might, revealing a rift through which Su Muwan stepped—
The Heavenly Dao Realm.
Here, concepts of direction held no meaning. Time and space blurred into nonexistence, leaving only endless chaos adrift with fragments of cosmic rules.
At the realm's heart sat a skeletal colossus the size of a star, enthroned upon a bronze dais.
Its body—a grotesque mosaic of bones, each etched with eldritch sigils.
A pitch-black collar encircled its neck, its chain vanishing into the void's depths as though restraining something unfathomable.
The Skeletal Shepherd's true form.
"Oh? To breach this place directly..."
The titan slowly raised its skull, its voice tinged with surprise: "Your stolen Heavenly Dao power must be extraordinary."
Su Muwan hovered midair, glaring coldly: "Why do you reek of Heavenly Dao?"
The question triggered peals of mad laughter, shaking the very fabric of reality: "This is no delusion!!"
"I AM Heavenly Dao now!"
With a metallic screech of chains, it rose from its throne: "In my past life, I couldn't fathom why Heavenly Dao sought to bargain with me!"
"But I guessed—it too wished to prevent our King from drowning in the Styx."
"So I agreed."
"My price was singular—"
Bone fingers clenched with a sound like cracking glaciers: "To reclaim my King!!!"
"Your King?"
Su Muwan's voice dropped to absolute zero: "That's my Qin Luo."
The laughter died instantly.
"?!"
"You DARE!!!"
The enraged titan's palm descended with the weight of a collapsing world!
Boom—!
Though the movement seemed sluggish, the surrounding space began crumbling even before the strike landed!
Glacial Eternity·Finality!
Instead of retreating, Su Muwan lunged forward, an ice spear crystallizing in her grip—
Clang—!!!
The collision sent shockwaves ripping through the Heavenly Dao Realm!
Crack!
Her spear webbed with fractures instantly, her palms splitting open—blood freezing before it could spill.
"Pathetic!"
The Skeletal Shepherd sneered, its fist clenching—
Bang!
The spear exploded. Su Muwan went flying like a comet, smashing through floating rule fragments for miles before impacting one brutally.
"Cough..."
Blood trickled from her lips.
The gap was insurmountable.
An amalgamation of malice that had merged with Heavenly Dao itself, the Skeletal Shepherd's power eclipsed even celestial beings.
"Such weakness, yet you invade my domain?"
Resuming its throne, every word fractured the void further: "Did you think... stolen shreds of Heavenly Dao could challenge me?"
Su Muwan wiped her bloodied mouth: "Stolen? That power was always mine!"
"Yours?"
The titan scoffed: "A maggot who gorged on others' essence dares claim Heavenly Dao?"
"No matter. Since you misunderstand your place..."
"Let me demonstrate."
"What TRUE Heavenly Dao means!"
Its skeletal hand grasped empty air—
[Heavenly Dao·Annulment]
Instantly—
Su Muwan felt something vital evaporate within.
Her expression froze. She stared at her trembling palms.
"My power... gone?"
Every ability except her glacial core had been sealed.
The Skeletal Shepherd's grin widened: "Fear takes you now?"
"In this realm, Heavenly Dao reigns supreme!"
"All your strength exists by its grace!"
"Chosen Ones? Still just Heavenly Dao's playthings!"
"As its embodiment, sealing your borrowed power is child's play!"
"But killing you now would be too merciful..."
"Let's see how long you last!"
"Kekekeke!!!!"
Time became meaningless.
In the Heavenly Dao Realm, Su Muwan knelt on one knee, blood streaking her chin.
Her twelve glacial duplicates in the mortal world had long been pulverized, their remnants scattering like diamond dust.
The abomination tide was overrunning human defenses.
Before her, the Skeletal Shepherd loomed like a mountain upon its bronze throne, its hollow gaze boring into her.
"How tenacious..."
Its voice grated with mockery.
"To endure this long without Heavenly Dao."
Bone fingers pressed downward—
Crash!!!
Invisible force rammed Su Muwan into the ground, her spine bending unnaturally, knees embedding in the crumbling surface.
Even her glacial core flickered weakly now.
"Let me guess..."
The titan's whisper slithered like a venomous serpent: "What delusion sustains you?"
"Could it be..."
Its tone twisted into manic glee: "You're waiting for someone? For... our King to save you?"
Su Muwan's pupils contracted, fingers clawing at nothing.
—Bullseye.
She was waiting for Qin Luo.
For six years, she'd trained relentlessly, fought every battle to the brink—all so she could proudly say "I didn't disgrace you" when he returned.
Now, stripped of power, she couldn't even stand.
"Tch..."
The Skeletal Shepherd's laughter scraped like nails on slate: "How pitiful."
"Know this—our King has regained his memories."
"He is the Abomination Sovereign, our glorious leader!"
"Even if he came, he'd scorn your wretched form!"
He was expecting Su Muwan to break down, to see the despair in her expression.
However—
Su Muwan slowly raised her head, her gaze firm and bright: "Qin Luo will come."
"And..."
The corners of her lips curled slightly, revealing a determined smile: "He will come for me."
The Bone Shepherd froze.
The next second, it let out an ear-splitting shriek: "How dare you blaspheme the King like this?! You’re courting death!!!"
With that,
Its skeletal palm descended like a towering pillar, carrying the force to annihilate everything!
Su Muwan, however, stared unflinchingly at the falling palm, desperately trying to summon the last remnants of her strength to resist.
Qin Luo... if I die...
Remember... to avenge me...
Yet,
The anticipated agony never came.
Instead, there was a crisp sound—
Slap—!!
"Ugh—!"
The Bone Shepherd’s movement abruptly halted, its massive body swaying slightly backward as if struck by an invisible force.
Then, a gentle voice rang out:
"Apologies, my lady."
"I’m late."
That familiar voice struck Su Muwan’s ears like thunder.
Her heart clenched violently, her blood seeming to freeze in that instant.
—This voice...
—The voice that had echoed in her dreams countless times...
Su Muwan trembled, mechanically turning around.
Her fingers shook uncontrollably, her breath shallow, as if afraid this was just another painfully vivid dream.
And then, she saw him.
Qin Luo stood there, clad in his familiar black robes, the corners of his lips curved in that tender smile she had longed for.
His eyes held only her reflection.
"Qin... Luo..."
Her voice trembled beyond recognition, her throat tight as if choked, barely managing to utter those two words.
Six years of waiting, countless nights of yearning, all condensed into scalding tears welling in her eyes.
The strong, unyielding facade she showed to the world shattered in an instant.
Qin Luo reached out, gently ruffling her hair, his touch impossibly tender: "You’ve worked hard, my lady."
!!
Those simple words shattered the dam holding back her tears.
She bit her lower lip hard, refusing to let out a sob, but the tears fell regardless.
—This bastard!
—He promised he’d come for her, yet made her wait six whole years!
—He swore he’d stay by her side, yet vanished when she needed him most!
She should be furious. She should punch him hard.
But now, all her grievances, anger, and longing erupted into unstoppable tears.
"Not... hard..."
She shook her head, her voice barely audible through the sobs.
How could it not be hard?
For six years, she’d fought nightmares in her sleep.
Waking up in the dead of night, reaching out instinctively, only to grasp cold, empty sheets.
That hollowness hurt more than any wound.
Loneliness.
Yes, loneliness.
Even surrounded by thousands, she felt maddeningly alone.
The command room held only her decisions; victory celebrations had only her solitary glass.
Everyone saw her as the untouchable "Director Su," but none knew she just wanted the one she loved beside her.
Once so proud, now she clung to Qin Luo’s sleeve like a wronged child, terrified he’d disappear again.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Because he was here. Truly here.
Qin Luo’s fingers brushed the blood at the corner of her lips, whispering, "I’m sorry, my lady... for leaving you alone all these years."
His touch was warm, comforting.
Su Muwan instinctively nuzzled his hand, like a lost kitten finally finding home.
Then, she couldn’t hold back any longer.
Thud thud thud!!
Her small fists pounded Qin Luo’s chest as she wailed.
"Waaahhhhh!!!"
"Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!!"
"Just a Qin Luo! Just a Qin Luo! Just a Qin Luo! Just a Qin Luo!"
"JUST A QIN LUO!!!!!!"
"How dare you make me wait this long, waaahhhhh!!!"
Qin Luo’s heart ached with guilt.
He held her tight, murmuring, "I’m sorry, my lady. I’m sorry."
"This time, I won’t leave you again."
Sniff—
Su Muwan wiped her nose on his clothes, then pointed tearfully at the Bone Shepherd, hiccuping, "That thing bullied me!!"
"I couldn’t beat it!!"
Qin Luo soothed her, "Alright, my lady, I’ll help you teach it a lesson."
Meanwhile,
The Bone Shepherd trembled with frenzied excitement at Qin Luo’s arrival.
"King... You’ve finally returned!"
Its voice dripped with madness and ecstasy: "Quick! Kill this woman! Together, we’ll reshape the cosmos!!"
"Bullshit!"
But Qin Luo merely hugged Su Muwan tighter, shooting the Bone Shepherd a disgusted glare. "What ‘King’? What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Just a monster—can’t you read the mood?"
"Can’t you see I’m comforting the love of my life?!"
Su Muwan sniffled, adding, "Yeah! What’s wrong with you?! Stop eyeing my man!"
"Eh...?"
The Bone Shepherd froze.
King... what did he just say?
The air turned deathly still.
Its skull hung motionless mid-air.
After a long pause...
"You... you’re not the King..."
Its voice twisted into something grotesque.
"You’re not! You’re not! You can’t be!!"
"The King would never say such things... never..."
Dark bone armor pulsed with crimson veins writhing like parasites.
Its body swelled uncontrollably, chains groaning under the strain.
"You dare impersonate the King—!!!"
BOOM!!!
The bronze throne exploded, ancient shackles snapping like twigs!
The fabric of space quaked violently.
Su Muwan’s pupils contracted—it had been holding back its true power all along!
"Qin Luo!"
She instinctively grabbed his sleeve: "Its aura just multiplied tenfold!"
Qin Luo chuckled. "My lady, what do you think I’ve been doing these six years?"
"But before I show you—"
He pressed her hand against his chest: "There’s one thing you must do."
"Pierce my heart."
"Now?!"
Her breath hitched.
She didn’t understand why.
But—
No hesitation. No questions asked.
The power of extreme cold condensed into an icy blade in her palm, and Su Muwan drove it into Qin Luo's chest without hesitation!
Thud—
Blood splattered across her pale face, yet Qin Luo's smile only grew gentler.
The next moment.
A mechanical voice echoed through the space.
[Activation Condition: Automatically triggered when the holder faces a life-or-death crisis]
[Current condition met]
BZZZT!!!
As the mechanical voice faded, a translucent cube emerged from Qin Luo's wound, followed by pixelated data streams bursting forth, flooding the surroundings—even the Bone Shepherd.
[Item Name: Maybe You'd Like to Try This]
[Effect Triggered:]
[Full Party Status Reset!!!]
[Negative Effects Cleared and Immunity Granted!!]
[Allied Stats Buffed!!]
[Enemies Downgraded and Suppressed!]
"This is..."
Su Muwan stared blankly as the wound on Qin Luo's chest gradually healed under the pixelated glow.
She also realized something—her previously suppressed Heavenly Dao power seemed to have returned.
Then.
"Come on out, everyone."
Qin Luo snapped his fingers.
BZZZT!!!
In an instant, countless spatial rifts tore open simultaneously, golden light surging like a tidal wave!
A sea of Chosen Ones stepped through the light, the sound of drawn blades merging into a deafening roar.
Su Muwan's eyes widened in shock.
The entire Heavenly Dao space was now bathed in golden radiance.
Could it be...? Had every single Chosen One across the myriad realms... gathered here?
"Now then..."
That's right.
Qin Luo slowly turned his gaze toward the Bone Shepherd.
This was a special item he had obtained long ago.
(For details, refer to Chapter 510.)
It would only activate in the face of certain death—and if there was anyone who could push him to that brink now, it could only be Su Muwan.
This item was a contingency plan left behind by his past self for his present self.
Its primary effect was...
Above the Bone Shepherd’s head, a crimson health bar materialized—marked with an ominous "X999999"!!!
A faint smirk curled Qin Luo's lips.
"Let the boss battle begin."
Without a health bar, you're the Heavenly Dao.
With a health bar—even if you're the Heavenly Dao, I'll slay you all the same!
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
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.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
