Meanwhile, the competition continued, now reaching the finals.
For those who had been closely following the Spirit Combat Tournament, they naturally wanted to see who would emerge victorious.
In a distant corner, Elder Heiya of the Earthly Fiend Sect watched silently.
The person he had secretly aided had successfully made it to the finals—everything had gone smoothly.
He sneered, convinced that victory was already assured.
Earlier, he had been worried about a formidable competitor named Little Luo.
But Little Luo had lost outright, saving him the trouble.
Lin Xuan, in the final match, fulfilled his duties diligently, providing commentary and analysis, even offering advice to participants afterward.
However, during the finals, he noticed something unusual about one contestant.
The more he observed, the more suspicious it seemed.
Yet, without concrete evidence, he could only wait and watch.
As the battle grew fiercer, Lin Xuan finally pinpointed the issue.
What followed unfolded just as the plot dictated.
Lin Xuan exposed the contestant’s cheating, stripping him of his first-place title.
Elder Heiya’s emotions were a rollercoaster—one moment, the joy of success; the next, the bitter frustration of defeat.
He harbored deep resentment toward Lin Xuan. If not for him, his plan would have succeeded.
And in the demonic path, revenge was a well-known principle.
Elder Heiya sought retribution against Lin Xuan. Initially, he considered confronting him directly, testing whether he could kill him.
But the odds of success seemed slim. Still, he was determined to try—even if he couldn’t kill Lin Xuan, injuring him would suffice.
Suddenly, Elder Heiya recalled some peculiar rumors. Lin Xuan had repeatedly deviated from the tournament’s plans, altering the course of the Spirit Combat Tournament.
For instance, in the first round, he introduced an additional "Best Performance Award."
In the third round, he manipulated the demonic shark.
Traces of his interference could also be seen in the fourth and fifth rounds.
These were all rumors Elder Heiya had gathered—unverified, but some signs suggested Lin Xuan had been meddling with the tournament.
This raised an intriguing question: Why would Lin Xuan do this?
Elder Heiya continued his analysis.
Then, he identified a key figure—Su Yu.
It seemed everything was connected to him.
Could this person share a close relationship with Lin Xuan?
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
If so, his plan could take a different turn.
......
With that, the Spirit Combat Tournament came to an end.
"It’s over. I’m really happy," Huang Nuanyan said, thoroughly satisfied.
Making it to the top four and befriending such wonderful people made this trip more than worthwhile.
"Yeah, it was great," Little Yu agreed, though she felt she hadn’t participated enough.
For her, it was still a valuable experience.
"As long as you’re happy," Su Luo added, not wanting to dampen the mood.
"By the way, what are your plans next? I’m thinking of staying a few more days," Huang Nuanyan said. She rarely had the chance to travel and wasn’t ready to return so soon.
"We’re leaving tomorrow," Su Luo replied.
"Ah, so soon?"
"Yeah, we’ve had our fill of fun."
"I’ll miss you guys."
Though they had only spent a few days together, Huang Nuanyan already considered Su Luo and the others close friends.
But she wasn’t one for sadness. With a bright smile, she perked up. "Enough of that! Let’s celebrate again tonight!"
Though they called it a celebration, they had already explored every corner of Water City.
There wasn’t much left to do.
In the end, they decided to stroll by the shore, enjoying the sea breeze and the nighttime ocean view.
By the sea, Huang Nuanyan chatted excitedly about her battles that day—the most glorious and attention-grabbing moments of her life so far.
Su Luo and Little Yu played the role of attentive listeners, occasionally praising her.
Elder Ye listened with a smile, overjoyed at his young mistress’s growth.
But then, Su Luo and Little Yu suddenly stopped walking.
"Did I cause any trouble?" Su Luo asked.
Little Yu shook her head. "Not at all."
"What’s wrong?" Huang Nuanyan asked, confused.
Elder Ye also sensed something amiss, his expression turning grave as he looked in a particular direction.
From the darkness, a figure emerged, approaching slowly—but with unmistakable hostility.
"Greetings, everyone. No need to be nervous. I’m just passing by and have a question," Elder Heiya said, in no rush to act.
If he attacked outright, it might draw the attention of Water City’s forces.
Elder Ye, sensing the overwhelming power of the newcomer, spoke politely. "What would you like to ask?"
Yet, despite his composure, his hands trembled slightly.
This person was at least at the Nascent Soul level!
The more Elder Ye assessed him, the more he realized the gap in their strength.
Elder Heiya ignored Elder Ye and addressed Su Yu directly. "Su Yu, what’s your relationship with Lin Xuan?"
"If I had to say… enemies?"
"Ah!" Huang Nuanyan gasped in shock. She never expected Su Luo to say such a thing.
Why would he be Lin Xuan’s enemy?
No sane person would oppose Lin Xuan—he was a great hero!
Not only was Huang Nuanyan stunned, but Elder Heiya was also taken aback. That was the last answer he anticipated.
An enemy of Lin Xuan? That would make them allies of sorts.
Wait—no.
"You almost fooled me. That was a clever answer," Elder Heiya sneered. "You guessed right—I’m here to trouble Lin Xuan. And coincidentally, you have an unusual connection to him."
Now, Elder Heiya felt smug, convinced he had seen through their deception.
Did they think denying their ties to Lin Xuan would work?
Not a chance.
"What are you talking about?"
Su Luo was baffled. Why was Elder Heiya wasting time here instead of seeking out Lin Xuan to die? And what nonsense was this about him and Lin Xuan being connected?
Had he lost his mind?
"Stop pretending. You and Lin Xuan have your own dirty dealings. I’ve deduced it all—Lin Xuan used underhanded methods to help you win."
As he spoke, Elder Heiya grew angrier.
"And then he has the gall to preach about fairness? He’s the biggest cheater of them all!"
"These so-called righteous cultivators—pah! Hypocrites, the lot of them! Using their status to bend the rules, then acting all high and mighty!"
After ranting for a while, Elder Heiya refocused on Su Luo.
"But you’re smart. You knew when to back off, avoiding the spotlight. A wise move."
Huang Nuanyan listened in stunned silence.
Since when were there so many hidden schemes?
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Su Luo had no idea what Elder Heiya was talking about. What kind of misunderstanding had led to this?
Elder Heiya, now fully confident, declared, "Once I cripple you and drag you before Lin Xuan, you won’t have any excuses left."
He lunged forward, his hand shrouded in demonic energy.
"Young mistress, stay back!" Elder Ye immediately moved to defend.
But fear gripped him—this opponent far surpassed his own cultivation.
"Annoying. Scram."
Elder Heiya swatted Elder Ye aside like an insect.
Yet, his attack was effortlessly blocked by Su Luo.
At the same moment, Little Yu’s sword flashed—and Elder Heiya was split in two.
"No… impossible…" Elder Heiya stared at his severed body in disbelief.
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."
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
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.
