That night, beneath the celestial canopy, the world underwent a cataclysmic transformation.
The long-standing barrier between the ancient martial world and the secular world shattered, blurring the boundaries between the two realms as if an invisible wall had crumbled. The flow of energy between heaven and earth grew unusually active, unleashing powers once restrained.
The world's cultivation limits were elevated, making previously unattainable heights and strength now within reach. Countless martial artists felt their power surge, their realms climbing rapidly in a short span, as if they had breached an insurmountable chasm.
Martial artists were ecstatic, while ordinary people in the secular world sensed an inexplicable shift, as though the entire world had changed overnight.
Celestial phenomena followed.
In the sky, rolling clouds of seven-colored radiance unfurled like a magnificent painting. Stars shimmered, their dazzling light seemingly within grasp, while the moon shone brighter than ever, illuminating every corner of the earth. The ground trembled, mountains and rivers resonating as if welcoming the arrival of something monumental.
Amid these phenomena, faint echoes of distant bell tolls could be heard, as if transmitted from an ancient era, stirring the soul. Many martial artists sat cross-legged, absorbing the boundless energy of the world, their minds serene, as if merging with heaven and earth in that moment.
---
Secular World.
Inside the training chamber of the Sword Holding Department.
Hum!
A spatial ripple appeared, and Xiao Leng stepped out.
Expressionless, she walked toward the exit.
Hum!
With each step, another spiritual blade materialized behind her.
Hum! Hum! Hum!
By the time she exited the chamber, a total of 26 spiritual blades hovered behind her.
It was as if she had suppressed her cultivation for too long, and now, at last, it erupted. Her strength had skyrocketed.
Beyond the Grandmaster realm lay five more tiers: Post-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, Immortal-grade, and Divine-grade.
By these standards, she had already broken through to Post-grade First Tier!
Moreover... as a spiritualist, she was invincible within her own realm!
If Xiao Leng took over as the dominant personality, she could also wield the Power of Night.
Combined, these two forces meant even an Earth-grade expert would stand no chance against her.
Of course...
The world had only just raised its upper limits. She was likely the only Post-grade expert in existence.
But it wasn’t enough. The hidden enemies stood above the Divine-grade.
A mere Post-grade cultivation was insufficient.
Xiao Leng sighed softly. "Other me... the spiritualist’s power was awakened by you. Only you can master it more proficiently."
"You must... work harder."
"Otherwise, in the end, the outcome will still be..."
Her thoughts trailed off as she closed her eyes, diving into the depths of her consciousness.
---
...
...
Within a warm, flower-filled sea of consciousness.
Leng Qingqiu sat on a swing chair, a book in one hand and sweets beside her. She nibbled on treats while happily reading.
Upon closer inspection, her eyes here were perfectly intact, and her appearance matched that of five years ago.
Then—
Whoosh!
As if an intruder had arrived, the flowers around her began to wither.
Leng Qingqiu blinked in surprise and looked up.
Standing beside her was a person who looked exactly like her.
"Xiao Leng?"
"Why are you here?"
She was puzzled. It wasn’t daytime yet—why had Xiao Leng appeared so soon?
Xiao Leng glanced at the food and book Leng Qingqiu had manifested through spiritual energy.
With heightened perception and strengthened spirituality, the two could now meet in this shared mental space.
Without preamble, Xiao Leng said flatly, "From now on, I won’t emerge unless absolutely necessary."
"The world’s cultivation limits have been raised. Beyond Grandmaster lies Post-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, Immortal-grade, and Divine-grade."
"You’re currently equivalent to Post-grade First Tier—invincible within your realm."
"But it’s not enough. Other me, you must cultivate and reach beyond the Divine-grade."
"Otherwise, you won’t survive the calamity ahead."
Leng Qingqiu stared blankly. "Wait—"
Before she could finish—
Flash!
A light flickered across the sea of consciousness.
Moments later, Leng Qingqiu opened her eyes in confusion as control of her body returned to her.
"?"
A question mark slowly formed in her mind.
What just happened? What did Xiao Leng mean? Calamity?
What calamity?
Suddenly, a strange sensation surged through her.
She raised her hand slightly.
Instantly, countless spiritual needles materialized, blanketing all of Jianghai City—each one precisely locked onto every citizen.
With a single thought, those needles could pierce through every brain in the city.
Post-grade cultivation had completely transcended the limits of martial power.
"?!?"
Horrified, Leng Qingqiu checked her own condition and realized...
She had already condensed 26 spiritual blades. Her power had exploded.
"What in the...?"
She froze. Was this what Xiao Leng meant by the raised cultivation limits?
Beyond Grandmaster: Post-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, Immortal-grade, and Divine-grade.
New realms... How did the world change like this?
Leng Qingqiu felt like she had just finished a 12-hour shift and switched bodies, only to find the world turned upside down.
Could someone please explain?!
Yet, for some reason...
Her thoughts inexplicably drifted to Gu Yan.
This absurd change—she couldn’t shake the feeling that bastard was behind it!
Damn you, Gu Yan, what are you scheming now?
Just as she was about to curse him—
Shangguan Miaoyin approached and whispered, "Milady, headquarters has called an emergency meeting."
"Understood."
Leng Qingqiu swiftly composed herself.
---
...
...
Ancient Martial World.
Atop a high cliff, Gu Yan stood with a gaze so profound and tranquil that the upheavals of heaven and earth seemed but trivial ripples in his eyes.
The old boundaries and restraints no longer existed. The world was evolving toward a new horizon.
Whoosh!
A chilling aura emerged as Leng Bingning appeared beside him.
She studied him, inwardly astonished.
Despite her own breakthrough to late-stage Grandmaster thanks to the celestial phenomena, she still couldn’t discern Gu Yan’s cultivation level.
Just how strong is this guy?
After a pause, she spoke. "The Feather Emperor of the Phoenix Feather Dynasty has begun cultivating the Abyssal Extinction Art. Before the celestial phenomena, he had already disseminated the technique to everyone in the dynasty."
"Now, the dynasty’s Phoenix Feather Art has been sealed away. The entire nation has switched to the Abyssal Extinction Art."
In response, Gu Yan opened his palm.
Dense black light drifted across the entire world as he said calmly, "I’ve refined the Abyssal Annihilation Technique. By incorporating the Power of Night and the properties of the Claw Cells, it can now enhance the practitioner’s physique and accelerate cultivation speed."
"And it can be disguised as a new cultivation method for others to learn."
"Of course, I’ve kept the feature of devouring living beings to boost one’s cultivation."
"Whether to use it or not is entirely up to the individual."
Leng Bingning nodded, though she looked puzzled as she watched Gu Yan dispersing those black orbs. She asked, "What are you doing?"
Hearing this, Gu Yan explained, "Have you heard of... the Chosen Ones?"
"Chosen Ones?"
"Exactly." A peculiar glint flickered in Gu Yan’s eyes.
"Every Chosen One is destined to encounter their own fortuitous opportunities. What I’m doing is artificially creating those opportunities for them."
"A ring housing the soul of a powerful expert."
"An ancient artifact capable of speech."
"A cauldron that can refine and strengthen anything in this world."
"A suddenly awakened unique constitution."
"Memories of a past life as a supreme expert, abruptly restored."
"Or even a... system that grants rewards for completing tasks."
"In this world, there will always be those who believe themselves extraordinary. My role is to bestow upon them... the kind of destiny reserved only for protagonists."
"And when the time is ripe... it will be my turn to reap the fruits."
+【Epic Battles!】 "Your Highness, they say Linxi Temple is miraculous. Won’t you make a wish?" "A wish? It should be making wishes to me." "That may be so, but since you’re already here..." "..." "Fine. Then grant this princess a consort to play with." "He must be obedient, devoted, and utterly infatuated with my body—so much so that he’d kneel and kiss my feet." "Your Highness, that’s not a consort. That’s a dog." "Then add clever, witty, heroic, ambitious yet pragmatic..." "Hmm, that’s enough for now. I’ll add more later." After tossing out these words half in jest, Princess Anle departed the temple—only to catch a fleeting glimpse of the Bodhisattva statue smiling at her. Meanwhile, Yang An, fresh out of university, was having a very bad day. Good news: He’d transmigrated into another world with a cheat granting tenfold combat power. Bad news: He’d immediately fallen into the clutches of a certain villainess. Good news: Said villainess possessed peerless beauty and royal status. Bad news: She was absolutely monstrous!!! In the frozen wilderness, Yang An knelt beneath Qin Guo’er’s feet, drenched in sweat despite the cold. Desperately clutching her porcelain-perfect foot—the very one poised to crush his throat—he could only think: How do I survive this?! Need answers NOW!
d intelligence to keep the plot moving, and sometimes even the protagonists are forced into absurdly dumb decisions. Why does the A-list celebrity heroine in urban romance novels ditch the top-tier movie star and become a lovestruck fool for a pockmarked male lead? Why do the leads in historical tragedy novels keep dancing between love and death, only for the blind healer to end up suffering the most? And Gu Wei never expected that after finally landing a villain role to stir up trouble, she’d pick the wrong gender! No choice now—she’ll just have to crush the protagonists as a girl!
u serious?" Chen Feng watched helplessly as his painstakingly trained disciple, fresh off a championship victory, publicly abandoned him. "You had your chance, but you didn’t appreciate it. Now, face the consequences of your choice!" Chen Feng possessed the "Master System," a treasure trove of supreme martial arts techniques, capable of molding ordinary individuals into peerless prodigies. "Legs like yours? A shame not to train in the Crippling Kick." "Ever heard of a palm strike that descends from the heavens?" "Auntie! I see extraordinary bone structure in you—a martial arts prodigy, one in ten thousand." The once-defiant senior disciple, now watching her juniors rise to fame one after another, dominating the internet, was consumed by endless regret.
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
