The sound of presumptuous laughter, the crisp clinking of jade ornaments, and the chaotic, unbridled footsteps clashed sharply with the solemn and majestic atmosphere of the drill ground at this moment.
Gu Chengyin frowned slightly and turned to look.
He saw a group of about twenty people swaggering in through the side door of the drill ground.
The leader was a young master in brocade clothes, wearing a moon-white brocade robe embroidered with golden cloud patterns, a piece of mutton-fat white jade hanging from his waist, and deerskin boots with cloud patterns on his feet. He was also playing with an ivory folding fan in his hand, looking like a typical playboy from an aristocratic family.
With a cynical smile on his lips, he lazily scanned the entire place, as if he were strolling through his own backyard.
Seeing this, Cui Gong's face turned pale. He trotted behind Gu Chengyin and said anxiously, "My Lord! Those are people from the aristocratic families! The leader is the eldest legitimate son of the Cui family, Cui Zilong!"
Cui Zilong?
Gu Chengyin raised his eyebrows, unable to help but think of Cui Zilu, who had gone home to study.
So this Cui Zilong must be Cui Zilu's eldest brother.
Fine.
For Zilu's sake, he would spare this Cui Zilong's life.
As soon as Cui Zilong stepped into the drill ground, he let out a feigned sound of surprise, dragging his voice out long:
"So many people? Quite lively!"
His gaze swept around the field, finally landing on Gu Chengyin, and the corners of his mouth curled into a mocking arc:
"Isn't this Chief Steward Gu! I heard that only eunuchs can be the Chief Steward of the Internal Affairs Department!"
Cui Zilong deliberately raised his voice so that everyone could hear:
"So it should be fine to call you Eunuch Gu, right?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the group of aristocratic scions, guards, and attendants behind him burst into uproarious laughter.
The laughter was presumptuous and harsh, full of undisguised provocation and humiliation.
However, on Gu Chengyin's side, whether it was the Golden Feather Guards, the officials of the Internal Affairs Department, the military officers of the Ministry of War, or the civil officials of the Censorate, no one laughed.
Everyone had a solemn expression and cold eyes, quietly watching Cui Zilong and the others, as if they were looking at a group of reckless clowns.
Hearing these words, Gu Chengyin couldn't help but shake his head.
It was rare to see such a standard, unoriginal villain who would be considered cliché even in a play.
He didn't even have the desire to get angry; he just felt a bit bored.
Gu Chengyin patted Cui Gong on the shoulder and instructed:
"Go, register them."
Cui Gong nodded and hurriedly hugged the register, trotting towards Cui Zilong's group.
Gu Chengyin couldn't be bothered to deal with this farce anymore and turned around, preparing to continue receiving the other representatives.
But the next second.
Cui Zilong's arrogant scolding came from the side:
"What the hell are you? You think you're worthy of registering this young master?!"
Gu Chengyin paused and slowly turned around.
He saw Cui Gong kicked to the ground by Cui Zilong, the register in his hands scattered aside.
Cui Gong covered his head with his hands, letting a few lackeys and thugs punch and kick him, not daring to resist at all.
Those thugs hit quite heavily, their punches and kicks making thumping sounds, clearly all trained martial artists.
The drill ground was dead silent.
Everyone watched this scene with varying expressions.
Gu Chengyin sighed softly.
He gave Chen Busha a look.
Chen Busha immediately understood and waved his hand.
Several Golden Feather Guards rushed out like cheetahs, moving as fast as lightning, and instantly arrived beside Cui Gong.
They didn't entangle at all, directly kicking the thugs in the back of the knees, waist, and other vital spots, one kick for each person.
"Crack!"
"Ah!"
The sound of bones breaking and screams rang out simultaneously.
The previously arrogant thugs were now rolling on the ground like gourds, clutching their injuries and wailing incessantly.
The Golden Feather Guards took the opportunity to help Cui Gong up and shielded him behind them.
The whole process was clean and neat, taking no more than three breaths.
Only then did Gu Chengyin slowly walk towards Cui Zilong.
Stopping about five steps away from Cui Zilong, Gu Chengyin looked at the group behind him and spoke calmly:
"Which of you are here to participate in the sect inspection?"
Cui Zilong originally thought Gu Chengyin was going to cause trouble for him and was just about to strike a pose to respond, but he found that Gu Chengyin's gaze didn't land on him at all, but rather on the group behind him.
This feeling of being completely ignored was more embarrassing than being directly insulted.
Cui Zilong's face instantly turned red, and he flew into a rage, immediately turning around and shouting sternly:
"Without my orders, who dares to go over?!"
Gu Chengyin then slowly shifted his gaze to Cui Zilong.
He looked Cui Zilong up and down and asked doubtfully:
"You are?"
Cui Zilong was stunned.
He didn't expect Gu Chengyin not to recognize him.
In the circle of aristocratic families in the Divine Capital, who didn't know Cui Zilong?
Now that Cui Shifan had climbed to the position of Chief Minister, his status went without saying.
If he hadn't just been released from his grounding and returned to the Divine Capital from his hometown in Qinghe Commandery, Gu Chengyin wouldn't have had the chance to stir up trouble here! And he actually dared to pretend not to recognize him?!
Just as Cui Zilong was burning with anger, a guard from the Cui Residence with a solid aura beside him stepped forward first, pointed at Gu Chengyin, and shouted sternly:
"Are you blind? This is the Eldest Young Master of the Cui Residence, Cui Zilong! Kneel down quickly!"
The guard's voice was loud and full of breath, clearly showing that his cultivation was not weak.
Gu Chengyin glanced at the guard, his tone still calm:
"Are you here to participate in the sect inspection?"
The guard was taken aback by the question and subconsciously replied, "I..."
Cui Zilong had recovered his wits by this time. He looked Gu Chengyin up and down again, his eyes full of disdain:
"I heard that a figure has recently emerged in the Divine Capital, turning things upside down, and even that old fogey Xiao Song fell into your hands... This young master specially came over to take a look."
He sneered, "Looking at you now, you're nothing much!"
Cui Zilong paused, remembering something, and a lewd light flashed in his eyes:
"Oh right, I heard you have a good relationship with Shangguan Yunying? Hehe... I like her too. In a few days, I plan to have my father go and propose marriage..."
Gu Chengyin's eyes turned cold.
But his face remained calm, repeating his previous question:
"I'll say it one more time. Those participating in the inspection, fall in and register immediately."
Seeing Gu Chengyin ignore him again and even interrupt him, Cui Zilong could no longer hold back.
He gave the guard from the Cui Residence a look.
The guard immediately understood, gave a sinister smile, and took a big step forward:
"You dog-like thing! Let me test just how much strength you really have!"
Before he finished speaking, his aura erupted, revealing himself to be a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.
Then, his figure moved like lightning, his five fingers forming claws, pouncing straight for Gu Chengyin's face!
Many people in the field cried out in alarm.
Seeing this, Chen Busha's pupils shrank, and he immediately tried to step forward to stop him.
But just as he took a step, a sudden change occurred.
"Clang!"
"Clang clang clang!"
Several crisp sounds of metal scraping rang out simultaneously.
In the drill ground, the longswords and waist sabers hanging from the waists of the military officers, Golden Feather Guards, and other martial artists unsheathed themselves uncontrollably.
Dozens of cold, gleaming weapons drew strange arcs in the air, all turning their directions together.
The sword tips and saber blades pointed straight at the guard from the Cui Residence who was pouncing on Gu Chengyin!
"Swish!"
The sound of breaking air was sharp and piercing!
Dozens of weapons, as if manipulated by an invisible hand, shot forward at lightning speed, far exceeding the reaction time of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The Cui Manor guard did not even have time to make a defensive gesture; he only saw a flash of cold light before his eyes.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
The muffled sounds of sharp weapons piercing flesh rang out in rapid succession.
Dozens of blades accurately punctured his limbs, chest, and abdomen!
Blood spurted out like a fountain!
The charging figure of the Cui Manor guard abruptly froze. The sinister smile on his face had not even had time to turn into horror before it stiffened.
He looked down at the swords and sabers protruding from his body and opened his mouth as if to say something.
Yet, he only coughed up a few mouthfuls of bloody froth mixed with fragments of internal organs.
"Thud!"
The corpse crashed heavily to the ground.
Blood quickly spread across the cyan brick floor, glaringly red and warm.
However, after piercing through him, those dozens of weapons did not stop.
They traced a graceful arc in the air, changed direction, and flew straight toward Cui Zilong, completely surrounding him.
The tips of the swords and the edges of the sabers hovered less than three inches away from Cui Zilong's throat, glabella, heart, and other vital spots.
Under the reflection of the cold glints, Cui Zilong's originally arrogant face was now as pale as paper.
The entire venue fell dead silent.
Everyone's eyes widened, staring at this scene in absolute disbelief.
Gu Chengyin continued to stand in his original spot with his hands clasped behind his back.
From start to finish, he had not even moved a single step.
Not even the hem of his robes had fluttered in the slightest.
It was as if those dozens of blades flying out of thin air had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Gu Chengyin looked at the bleeding corpse on the ground and spoke softly:
"General Chen."
Chen Busha immediately stepped forward and dropped to one knee beside Gu Chengyin.
The overwhelming might of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator erupted without reservation. Like an unsheathed vicious blade, it struck fear into the hearts of all the martial artists and cultivators present.
He cupped his fists, his voice resonant and forceful:
"Your subordinate is here!"
Gu Chengyin slowly raised his eyes, looked at Cui Zilong, and said calmly:
"Issue him a death-in-action pension."
"You write the report."
"I will approve it."
] [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!"
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
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!
