A man was transported to Ancient China and eventually became a servant of a declining household without a male heir. He utilized his wits and modern knowledge to help the household and eventually become trapped in the sea of political turmoils of the period.

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Novel Update
691 chapters (Completed)
Translation Status: Dropped/Hiatus
Last Chapter: Chapter 20

This is the story of a man who becomes the devil and falls in love with a woman in the different world. (Temporary Synopsis)

"The devil's finest trick is to persuade you that he does not exist."

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It was just a game without a bet to spice things up. Tang Xiu himself was armed with his own powerful individual strength and an armory full of means to achieve it, while he also had a much stronger spiritual sense compared to Tang An, to begin with. After stuffing all the remains of fierce beasts from Tang An into his interspatial ring, he bolted away to Xuyang Town near Longquan Mountain.
The incident in the Longquan Mountain range required him to discuss it with Duanmu Lin, particularly regarding the ownership of such a pocket world. Tang Xiu had secretly made up his mind that he must own it no matter how much it costed him. This pocket world was literally a blessed land. It would be a wast if it was claimed by China or the Special Abilities Bureau. Just like one used the finest steel to make a sharp blade, that world would serve him best since he could fully use it.
Xuyang Town was a small town with only tens of thousands of inhabitants with six other small towns around it, while the nearest city was about 200-plus kilometers away.
At Wenxin Hotel.
The hotel was located in a block downtown. Except for a small square around it, the block only had some street vendors, whereas the other four extended streets were composed of two-story shops. The place may look dirty and messy, but nobody here disliked it.
In front of the hotel, Zhu Long was squatting while frowning and smoking. One of his arms was bandaged and he used his left hand to fiddle with his cell phone while observing the pedestrians in the surroundings. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he threw the cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it. Afterward, he got up and strode forward.
"Tang Xiu!" Zhu Long's furrowed brows finally stretched and he called out with a mile.
Tang Xiu nodded to him in response. Glancing at his bandaged right arm, he smilingly asked, "You got some souvenirs? Is it serious?"
"Nah." Zhu Long shook his head and smilingly replied, "Just need to get it fixed for a while, at least 2 days, before I can remove the plaster and bandages. I'll be fully fine in 3 or 4 days at most and get into action again."
Tang Xiu lightly smiled in response and asked, "What about Senior Duanmu?"
"I'll take you up to see him," Zhu Long said.
In the quiet room on the second floor, Duanmu was asleep after receiving very serious injuries after the battle. But he was finally able to slay the fierce beasts that surrounded him at the moment of crisis. The knock on the door woke him up from his sleep and opened his hazy eyes. He didn't get up when Zhu Long came in, but after he saw Tang Xiu following behind him, he used his hands to prop himself up with difficulty. A smile then appeared on his aged face as he said, "You finally appeared, Boy! I thought you already got eaten by those ferocious beasts."
"It was a close call, indeed." Tang Xiu bitterly smiled.
Duanmu Lin was stunned and hurriedly asked, "What exactly happened? Did you encounter a powerful beast?"
"Yeah, it was powerful. Very." Tang Xiu nodded and said, "If it wasn't for Yan'er coming to rescue me, that ferocious beast would have eaten me alive. Alas, this incident was caused by my Tang Sect. I've made you rush here and you even got injured now. I'm really sorry."
"What do you mean?" Duanmu Lin was puzzled and asked, "You mean, this ferocious beast outbreak is caused by your sect?"
"That's right," Tang Xiu said. "Tang Sect has been rearing fierce beasts in this Longquan Mountain. It's just that I didn't expect that the array would be destroyed, allowing the fierce beasts to escape the corral. Thankfully, we've set up some precautionary measures in advance, so these beasts are afraid of leaving the Longquan Mountain range. Thus, no harm was done to the civilians in the vicinity."
Duanmu Lin looked a bit vexed and angry as he replied, "You're really ridiculous! This place may be deep in the mountain and sparsely populated, but how could you rear such ferocious beasts here? We have been able to deal with it in time, else huge trouble would have broken out."
Tang Xiu intentionally forced a wry smile and said, "I admit that it's my sect's fault for not taking more precaution measures. But I give you my word that such problems will never occur again."
Duanmu Lin ponder for a moment and then asked, "How many places does Tang Sect have in entire China for rearing these ferocious beasts?"
"Aside from this one, there are only two others on two islands in the South China Sea," Tang Xiu answered. "You should've long learned about those two islands leased to me, Senior Duanmu."
"I do know about them, but I have no idea what plans you have in mind in this regard." Duanmu Lin nodded and said, "Tang Xiu, rearing fierce beasts is not a minor issue. I wish you can kill or move all these beasts away—at least away from China's territory."
"Moving these beasts from this place will be very difficult, Senior Duanmu." Tang Xiu forced a smile. "But I promise that I'll have a lot more experts from Tang Sect to be stationed here while I'll also arrange some more powerful arrays to make sure similar problems never occur again in the future."
Duanmu Lin was silent for a long while and then bitterly smiled. "Forget it, then. I won't force you to move these beasts since you resolved it timely. But I'm very curious about one thing—how many fierce beasts are you breeding here? And why wasn't anything exposed prior to this?"
"The number is quite a lot, but my men have been carrying out in full secrecy, so it's naturally impossible for anyone else outside to notice anything," Tang Xiu replied with a smile.
Duanmu Lin shook his head. Then, he suddenly asked, "What about the tremors that can be felt across the country? Everyone is currently talking about it."
"It's because something happened in the in the small world where we're rearing these beasts," Tang Xiu explained. "One of the ferocious beasts mutated, causing its strength to explode hundreds of times and cause a destructive force when it transformed. But the crisis has been lifted since we've slain it. Besides, my disciple—Gu Yan'er, the one Senior Duanmu met at sea, is now holding the fort here. She'll be staying here from now on."
Duanmu Lin's eyes stared wide and he incredulously asked, "Are you kidding me? The mutation of one fierce beast has caused so much disturbance? You know the tremors can be felt all over China, don't you?"
"Senior Duanmu, what's the most powerful beast you've ever encountered?" asked Tang Xiu calmly.
Duanmu Lin pondered for a moment and then answered, "The demonic beasts in the Himalayas we fought back then. They were so strong that I felt hopeless and desperate. There is that Fire Qilin as well. It's very powerful and I don't think the entire people from my Special Abilities Bureau are enough to kill it."
Tang Xiu nodded and asked, "What if I told you that the strength of this mutated fierce beast is at least 100 times that of the Fire Qilin? Do you believe it?"
"This…"
Had Duanmu Lin not experienced the horrifying assaults of demonic beasts in the Himalayas, he wouldn't have believed it even until he died. But now, he noticed Tang Xiu's solemn expression, so he nodded silently. Then, he forced a smile and said, "That sounds horrifyingly powerful! Else, I can expect that only death awaited us if such a crisis did occur."
Tang Xiu could only force a smile for the lie he fabricated. Yet, it was the most direct way to prevent the intervention from the country. Otherwise, if Duanmu Lin knew that he had found such a pocket world there, given his character, he would definitely demand a slice of it on behalf of the state. It wouldn't change even though this man would likely become his underling several years later.
It wasn't because he had selfish motives. The state machines were not under control of one person and there would be too many people flocking in along with a lot more troubles to deal with. All in all, a large number of resources would be wasted and he didn't want it to happen.
Duanmu Lin's tilted up. He looked at Tang Xiu and asked, "Can I have a look at the place you rear these ferocious beasts?"
"Well…" Tang Xiu reluctantly said, "It's not like I don't want you to visit the place, Senior Duanmu. We may have killed that mutant beast, but all the remaining fierce beasts are kind of frenzied because of it. Many experts from my sect are now dealing with this problem. It would be hard to get rid of the crisis in a short time. It would take at least a few months. If you were to enter the place with your current strength, you'll easily run into problems. It's even likely that I must assign someone to protect you instead.
Hearing this was quite a hit to Duanmu Lin's face, and his old face almost went green. He just… got refused...?
However, he could only look at Tang Xiu with a helpless expression. He was at a loss of what kind of expression he could come up facing Tang Xiu except for crying or laughing at this time. Who would dare to flatly reject and shut him out aside from Tang Xiu in the whole of China?
After a long while, Duanmu Lin weakly raised his hand and said, "Just forget it, then. I won't bother you since it's not convenient. But remember to ensure an incident like this never happens again, Tang Xiu. And you'd better set up another array around Longquan Mountain range that won't affect civilians as a double precaution."
Tang Xiu's eyes lit up. He was quite ecstatic inwardly. The suggestion from Duanmu Lin to set up a large array around the Longquan Mountain range meant that this place had been assigned to his Tang Sect!
Afterward, Tang Xiu gave 10 Holy Healing pills to Duanmu Lin and hurriedly left. In less than a minute after he left, all ability users of the Special Abilities Bureau received an order from Duanmu Lin to retreat.
In the next half month, Tang Xiu, Tang An, Jin Shi, and the remaining others combed the entire Longquan Mountain range and finally killed all the escaped beasts.
After Tang Xiu entered the pocket world again, Gu Yan'er told him that she had gathered all the precious treasures in this place. She only left some of these precious objects behind since there was no urgent need for them for the time being.
"These are what we have now, Master." Gu Yan'er took out an interspatial ring and gave it to Tang Xiu.
Using his spiritual sense to check the ring, Tang Xiu was secretly shocked after he saw everything inside. Even when he was a Supreme in the Immortal World, he never had so many resources and wealth like this. It must be noted that then was the Immortal, while this place was just a pocket world attached to Earth.
"I get it now." Tang Xiu sighed with a forced smile after receiving the ring.
"Eh?" Gu Yan'er was bewildered and asked, "What did you just understand, Master?"
"Only now do I understand why many experts in the Immortal World went all out to open up new territories. It turns out that their goal was not to obtain more domains but to gather resources. It was because they can obtain enormous benefits once they found some treasure-trove-like places with many resources."


A supreme expert in the Immortal World had died, and a strand of his soul returned to its original body on Earth. Tang Xiu discovered with amazement that ten thousand years passed in the Immortal World, yet only a single year passed on Earth.



A few days after Su Yu had left, a beautiful nun—as lovely as a fox deity—silenty cleaned the fallen leaves from a yard at a nunnery in Qingshan Town, the birthplace of Su Yu and Jiang Xueqing.

As she looked up to the familiar plains, Jiang Xueqing was at peace. She had a smile on her face, "Brother Su Yu, bon voyage."

She continued to attentively clean the nunnery.

A few days passed uneventfully until one day several women entered the nunnery. Unbeknownst to all, they are all experts sent by the Third Prince to protect Jiang Xueqing, and to ward off those who coveted her beauty.

At times, beauty was a curse—even in the nunnery.

At the palace in the capital, the Third Prince was taking care of political affairs from atop his throne. His face was full of relief and he let out a long sigh; "Su Yu, the luckiest thing that has happened in my life was meeting you. You gave me this empire!

"Bon voyage, my only friend." The Third Prince laughed. He had the empire in his hands, but he was still indescribably lonely.

Far away in the Fenglin empire, three figures descended from the sky.

Whoosh——

Qiu Changjiang pointed in the air and a ripple appeared in the obviously desolate space before them. A black portal appeared from thin air and materialized into the shape of a door.

"Come in." Qiu Changjian entered.

Su Yu and Xia Jingyu walked through the door, their eyes shining.

They were struck by the scent of flowers and the songs of birds around them.

The passers-by were passionate and familiar as they walked between their farms. They were all farmers in their youth.

But each of their cultivation levels was at least at Level Six of the Martial Paths!

This kind of power in the mortal world would definitely be considered demon level.

But here, they were merely farmers!

On the far horizon stood a magnificent island suspended in the air, inspiring awe.

A massive series of steps descended from the island to facilitate transport.

The floating island itself exuded radiance and was surrounded by fog, it looked like a celestial scene compared to the mortal realm.

Without question, that was the Heavenly Sanctuary, and where they currently stood must have been the Mortal Sanctuary.

Heavenly and Mortal, the difference between the two was like heaven and earth.

"Oh, Junior Qiu brought back two Holy Disciples? Not bad, hurry back to the Hall of the Holy Disciples to rendezvous with the other Holy Disciples."

Whoosh——

Their appearance had alerted a black figure who stood at guard nearby.

This figure's ability level was terrifying, he was definitely not weaker than Holy Disciple Qiu.

Another Level Nine of the Martial Path? Su Yu's pupils contracted. The Sanctuary lives up to its reputation!

Level Nine in the mortal realm was considered invincable—but in the Sanctuary, they were only hidden guards!

"Heh, so it's your turn to be on guard today, Senior Zhang," Qiu Changjian was on good terms with Senior Zhang. He gave a warm laugh before he put on a stern expression, "Senior Zhang, please escort them to the Hall of the Holy Disciples. I have to report to teacher, for the situation is urgent."

Senior Zhang gravely nodded his head and did not ask further questions. He called for another person to take over his duty and personally brought Su Yu and Xia Jingyu to the Heavenly Sanctuary.

"Senior Zhang, is it not Senior Qiu's main duty to bring people into the Sanctuary?" Su Yu did not understand; it looked like Qiu Changjian had a mission to accomplish and was anxious to report back to his teacher.

Senior Zhang had an easygoing personality, obvious from the way he smiled. "Yes. He was on a mission in the capital. Bringing you back along the way was convenient for him."

Along the way? Su Yu and Xia Jingyu locked eyes. Without Qiu Changjian's sudden presence in the capital, Su Yu would have had been in grave danger.

Qiu Changjian's expression had been grave, forced, and anxious. Su Yu could not imagine how urgent the situation was to be able to make a Level Nine this anxious—but he did not dare ask.  

In a matter of time, they had arrived at the Hall of the Holy Disciples.

There were three other youths in the empty hall.

Xia Jingyu froze for a moment, "Senior Zhang, are these people like us, new additions to the Holy Disciples? Why didn't I see them at the Holy Meet?"

Senior Zhang blinked, "Didn't Junior Qiu tell you? There are Holy Meets in every empire of the Alliance of the Nine Empires."

Alliance of the Nine Empires? Both Su Yu and Xia Jingyu were dazed. They faintly remembered hearing that the Fenglin empire was in an alliance with the surrounding eight other empires.

Xia Jingyu knew more about this whereas Su Yu, being an imposter citizen in the Shenyue Continent, was clueless. He only understood after he received a detailed explanation from Xia Jingyu.

The Alliance of the Nine Empires was to combat the Fenghuang empire. In terms of their influence, the Fenghuang empire had even more land than the Alliance of the Nine Empires had in total!

Thus the Alliance of the Nine Empires was formed to combat the huge Fenghuang Empire.

Su Yu's heart trembled as he imagined the world with ten empires.

The Fenglin empire's land was equivalent to historical China. Wouldn't nine united empires equal in size to the Fenglin Empire be about as big as China once was?

And then, add in a Fenghuang empire, which was bigger than those nine combined…

Just how large was the Shenyue continent?

Su Yu's heart dropped.

The Duke of Xianyu had once said that the Fenghuang empire was controlled by Fenghuang Valley and that Fenghuang Valley's existence was taboo—he had also said their influence was massive. 

To see Xianer again would be even harder than Su Yu had previously imagined!

After a moment of shock, Su Yu regained his composure and listened to the explanation given by Senior Zhang.

The Sanctuary conducted a Holy Meet in each of the empires in the Alliance of the Nine Empires annually.

The Nine Great Ministers of the Sanctuary each were in charge of one empire. For example, the Fiery Minister was responsible for the Holy Meet in the Fenglin empire.

The Sanctuary protects the Alliance of the Nine Empires against outside attacks in exchange for the talents of the Alliance of the Nine Empires—who are recruited by the Sanctuary as students.

Thus, in the Hall of the Holy Disciples, there were talents from other empires who also had the right to enter the Holy Sanctuary.

Beyond the Holy Talents, there was another group who could earn entry.

Those who were first recruited into the Mortal Sanctuary then gained insight into the Holy Decree could also enter the Heavenly Sanctuary, though they were rare.

The appearance of Su Yu and Xia Jingyu had caught the attention of many.

More accurately, the beauty of Xia Jingyu had caught the attention of many.

Among martial artists, females were a minority—beautiful females were even rarer. Xia Jingyu was like a red lily among millions of green leaves, her beauty made it hard for her to blend in.

Of the three people in the hall, one was cold and the other was slow; neither stepped forward.

Beside them was a handsome youth, sixteen years of age. He stepped forward with a smile on his face and cupped his hands as he faced Su Yu and Xia Jingyu, "I am Feng Hao, from the Luori empire. Might I ask where you guys are from? We will be together in the future, I hope that we can help each other."

While he did say 'we,' his gaze was locked on the beautiful face of Xia Jingyu.

Xia Jingyu did not say a word. Instead, she took half a step back and looked at Su Yu.

"Fenglin empire, Su Yu. She is my friend, Xia Jingyu. Let's look out for each other in the future." Su Yu calmly replied.

Feng Hao creased his brow slightly. The lady seemed to appreciate Su Yu's presence… Could they be a couple?

Such a beauty would be wasted when paired with Su Yu. Feng Hao felt a little disgust toward Su Yu.

Feng Hao was Level Six Peak of the Martial Paths, while Su Yu was only Level Five Peak. Anybody could see that Feng Hao had more potential in the Martial Paths.

But there was no use being impatient. Feng Hao was patient and as time passed, Xia Jingyu would definitely see the differences between him and Su Yu.

"If everybody is here, follow me. We will assign you to your housing." A middle-aged man in black robes stepped forward. His expression was cold and was extremely stern. He was even stronger than Qiu Changjian and Senior Zhang.

Senior Zhang had a respectful expression. "Junior Su, Junior Xia, you must obey the orders of Senior Zhao. The rules in the Heavenly Sanctuary are strict and cannot be broken. He is the First Disciple of the Holy King and is in charge of miscellaneous stuff in the Heavenly Sanctuary. You must remember to not rebut him." He softly reminded them.

Su Yu and Xia Jingyu were filled with respect. The First Disciple of the Holy King! The exact limits of his abilities were hard to deduce.

Everyone followed Senior Zhao out of the Hall of the Holy Disciples, into the entry of their living quarters. There was four room in total, with their own yard. In the yard, there were many exotic plants, thick with spiritual energy. Cultivation of their techniques would be most effective here.

"This is the living quarters for the five of you. There are only four rooms, but we have an extra person. Two of you shall share a room, decide amongst yourselves who."

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh——

Su Yu, Feng Hao, and the other guys were fast and had each claimed a room.

Xia Jingyu was shy and did not dare throw herself into the race. Thus, she fell behind.

Feng Hao had a glint in his eyes. He smiled, "Miss Xia, if you do not mind, we can share the yard. There are two sections in the room, enough for the both of us."

Xia Jingyu arched her eyebrows, her heart filled with disgust. How could she share a house with a male stranger?

"Jingyu, do you want the left side or the right side?" Su Yu had inspected his chosen room. He stood at the door, asking for her opinion.

Xia Jingyu let out a smile and lifted the hem of her dress as she entered the room, she floated a fluttering butterfly. She smiled, "I want the right side."

She had no hesitation in living in the same room as Su Yu, as Su Yu had always given her a feeling of peace. She was not concerned about Su Yu having any poor intentions.

The colors of Feng Hao's face changed.

Xia Jingyu had been disgusted by his proposal but had readily accepted Su Yu.

Her ready acceptance of Su Yu infuriated Feng Hao. What made Su Yu better than him? Did she not understand that, in the Martial Paths, the stronger take priority? Even though she had met Su Yu before him, she should not have rejected Feng Hao like that.

"Great. Now we will go collect your food and water. There are set times for collection and latecomers will not be served," Senior Zhao advanced coldly.

In a matter of time, they had arrived at a wide hall. The dishes inside the hall were fragrant, just a sniff seemingly boosted their cultivation level.

"Every dish in the Heavenly Sanctuary is made from treasures of heaven and earth, and are beneficial for cultivation—if you would treasure the opportunity." Senior Zhao stated. He then turned to leave, leaving behind the five people.

Treasure the opportunity? What opportunity would there be while they ate?

As soon as he got his food, Su Yu was shocked.

What he got was a pickled carrot. Xia Jingyu got a dry bun, and Feng Hao only received leftovers.

This food was even worse than what a normal, mortal family would eat. This food was a beggar's meal.

Even more unbelievable was the dog which sat by the door; in its plate was a delicacy made from the finest ingredients.

Their own meals would be acceptable if the Heavenly Sanctuary had a shortage of food. But, to give a dog the finest delicacies instead of them, this…

Feng Hao was livid, "This is too much! We are newly inducted disciples, but our meals are worse than the dog's!"

"Why are you shouting? If you want better food, go get it!" A senior disciple walked by as they munched on a snack, as if this upset was normal in the Heavenly Sanctuary.

The delicacies made from the finest treasures found in heaven and earth were limited to eleven servings a day.

Ten of the servings were given to the top ten strongest prospective Holy Disciples, and one was reserved for the dog.

The meaning was clear; if you want good food, make it into the top ten. Otherwise, you would eat worse than the dog. 

As humiliating as it was, it was very useful for motivating people.

How could they, an undefeated champion with their empire and now disciple within the Heavenly Sanctuary, admit to eating meals worse than the dog's meal?

In the Heavenly Sanctuary, killing or injuring another person was forbidden; but the rules did not apply to creatures that were not human.

It was obvious that, if you wanted to eat better than a dog, there was only one way—using your fists!

The top ten prospective Holy Disciples had mostly left the hall, leaving two of the prospective Holy Disciples to collect the last two servings of delicacies. Of those, the delicacies collected by the person ranked ninth out of the ten were more exquisite and harbored more energy than the food collected by the person ranked tenth.

Su Yu estimated that eating the delicacies ten times in a row would allow him to break through to Level Six of the Martial Paths!

This was unimaginable in the empire; to be able to achieve a breakthrough just by eating… Only the Sanctuary could come up with such a thing.

Feng Hao had a glimmer in his eyes. Taking a big step forward, he smiled, "Junior Xia, wait for a moment. Let your senior get a serving of those delicacies for you!"

Xia Jingyu creased her brow. She did not get the chance to reject him before Feng Hao stepped forward.

The lowest ranked Holy Disciple of the top ten was a young girl, her attitude peaceful. Her abilities were at Level Six Upper Tier, similar to Feng Hao.

She had just returned home and had to be on night watch for two days, followed by being on standby after the new year.


A decision can destroy the sun, moon and stars. A finger can kill the Heavenly Overlord. While chatting, the Heaven and ten worlds can be annihilated.
A poor little kid walks out from a remote mountain area while holding the Nine Dragons and the Incredible Cauldron. With a control over the time and space eternally, he embarks on the Path to God where he defies the odds of the boundless universe gaudily by fighting against royalty and clashing with the legendary generation.

The middle aged man wasn't allowed to go into the Monarch's Hall, thus he could only wait outside anxiously. The middle aged man was worried, as the Monarch was titled 'savage monarch'. He was afraid that Liang Heyun wasn't the person the Monarch was looking for and died...

The kid was young! The middle aged man didn't want to ruin such a young soul's future! Although a young soul would not necessarily be young in terms of soul age but...

The kid's reaction was just like a young boy ah!

On the other hand, Liang Heyun walked forward, and saw a beautiful woman sitting on the Monarch's throne. When he was about to bow, however, the woman stopped him.

"No need, I am not the Monarch," the woman said.

The woman had no resemblance with Liang Heyun, and Liang Heyun was so sure that he would be jailed for deceiving the monarch but...why did the woman say that she wasn't the Monarch? She clearly sat on the Monarch's seat! 

"Follow me, the Monarch is this way," the woman stood up and walked towards a side door. The door looked rather plain, but Liang Heyun just shrugged and followed the woman.

Behind the plain door were beautiful flowers of all kinds. They were all...not blue. The woman's blue figure immediately gained colour the moment she stepped in. When Liang Heyun looked down, he was shocked to find out that his clothes became white and black, not the light blue and dark blue from before. What was this sorcery.

"Yu Ji, you have done well," a woman wearing a black veil sat on a chair, drinking tea. The teacup was made with the finest china, and the tea was fragrant as well. Liang Heyun had never smelt such a freagrant tea. If only the tea could be brought to the apparent realm...

Wait...what was he thinking?

"Heyun...it's he."

Huh? 

Liang Heyun's face had confused written all over. The Monarch chuckled and Yu Ji just put on her stoic face. After that, Yu Ji bowed and took her leave.

"Heyun, my name is Liang Yan. In the future, just call me ancestor Liang," the Monarch said. Other than her bony fingers, Liang Heyun couldn't see anything else. Even when the veil was slightly lifted, he could see nothing. Not another patch of exposed skin.

Liang Heyun thought that Liang Yan would converse with him. To his surprise, Liang Yan said nothing. The two of them sat there in silence until Liang Heyun's stomach growled. (Soul Hunger : when a soul lost more than 30% of spiritual energy. The soul have to eat or drink.)

Liang Yan chuckled. Her voice was that of a mature woman. Liang Heyun's eyes twinkled at the thought of Liang Yan being his mother. Would all mothers...be like Liang Yan? Though he couldn't say anything as his stomach grumbled again.

So embarassing~

"Drink a cup," Liang Yan poured some tea onto a china cup. The cup, like Liang Yan's, was jade green. Liang Heyun looked as if he remembered something, before drinking the tea.

What was it that he remembered? The china cup...was a bit familiar after all.

Liang Heyun didn't know much regarding porcelain and the likes, however, seeing the china cup, he remembered that he had once treasured a similar cup. It wasn't exactly similar, but still somewhat the same. Though, Liang Heyun couldn't remember where he got it from or when that happened. 

Liang Yan narrowed her eyes. She could feel Liang Heyun's confusion. In an instant, she clapped her hands, waking Liang Heyun up. 

Liang Heyun, who didn't notice that he was in a daze due to confusion, immediately sobered up. He sat straight and saw the cup of tea in front of him. After a moment, he realized his situation and carefully picked up the china cup. It wasn't heavy at all.

"Drifting Porcelain, reduces weight by 40%," Liang Yan immediately said.

Liang Heyun examined the china cup with twinkling eyes. It was wonderful! Mysterious! This place had things like this?

"Drink the tea, replenish your spiritual energy, " Liang Yan said as she poured another cup for herself, "you can drink as much as you want."

Liang Heyun muttered a soft "Thank you" before drinking the tea.

It was neither sweet or bitter, but it was slightly cold as it flowed down his throat.

"That is called Spirit Yin Tea, best for nourishing souls," Liang Yan immediately explained, "only the lady with the black veil can make it."

"And who is she?" Liang Heyun asked. 

Liang Yan just smiled at the boy's innocence.

"She's right before you."

Liang Heyun started to have weird dreams ever since she was 6. She could see the deaths of others! However, when she turned 13, she realized that she was a Supernatural! 
Her Soul was a boy???
QAQ!
Join her as she ventured the Soul Realm with her attached spirit (and protagonist halo!).

https://www.patreon.com/revechia = Patreon Link

50 Patrons for 1 Bonus Chapter

Filming Set 1.

Lin Yue the Heroine was the work of the top tier director. Hence, the scene on the set was way bigger and flashier than the previous studio.

Chen Xiaobei was bedazzled by the various props and décor. Everything was made down to the finest details. However, even after hanging around for so long, he had not seen the face of the main female character.

"Go and get your costume ready. Be sure to listen and obey the scene's director. I'll be taking my leave now." Assistant Huang dropped Chen Xiaobei off, leaving him alone.

Chen Xiaobei shrugged and went towards the costume trailer to change. After some makeup and costume change, Chen Xiaobei became a black masked assassin from an ancient era. He felt heroic and cool at the same time. However, when he exited the trailer, he saw that there were more than ten actors wearing the same outfit. All of them looked the same. With the mask on, there was no telling who was who.

"F*ck me. With so many people looking exactly like me, how can the audience appreciate my good looks?!" Chen Xiaobei felt a little cheated and cursed Assistant Huang in his heart. Truth be told, what was the use of him being there? There was no chance for him to reveal his face to the world!

"Alright. Assassins! Listen up! Get down to the floor and lay there! In this scene, you guys are corpses!" One of the crew members shouted followed by several of the assassins lying on the ground motionless.

"Act? Corpse? F*ck it all! Is he trying to make a fool me?" Chen Xiaobei felt betrayed while cursing with all his might.

What was the meaning of having to act with Tang Mengwan? Was all that just a scam?

F*ck it all!

"Hey, you! Whoever you are! Why are you still standing? Get down! Tang will descend down from that spot! Listen up!" The same crew member screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Yes… sir…" Chen Xiaobei replied despondently. He was already annoyed at the fact that he was tricked into playing a side character. However, he had already gone through all the trouble to change into the assassin outfit. Might as well just lie down and rest.

"Director Feng on deck!"

A few minutes of silence, Chen Xiaobei could hear someone announcing the arrival of Director Feng. The entire studio got rowdy all of a sudden. Chen Xiaobei was lazy to get up. He turned his head sideways and saw the director. The man had the walking pace of an army general. Upon his arrival, everyone was nervous and excited. However, with just a raise of his hands in the air, the studio was silenced. His name was Feng Yaolun. The man had a medium-sized body and a face that could freeze the air around him.

It seems like the director was some big shot figure; he was only invited to the set when everything was ready to roll.

"Everyone ready!"

Feng glanced at all the props and actors before jotting down important aspects in detail that needed to be changed or adjusted. After a few minor adjustments were made, the man picked up the clapperboard and screamed.

"Action!"

*Whoosh…*

All of a sudden, a cool breeze blew across the set. Sakura petals fell from the ceiling of the set and drifted around the set like snow. It was made to look like the real scene. If he could, Chen Xiaobei would have clapped at the well-made scene.

Amidst the flower petals, a beautiful woman dressed in an ancient Chinese gown descended from the upper deck of the set. Her dress fluttered in the air, portraying the illusion of her being a goddess.

Needless to say, she was extremely beautiful. From where he was laying down, it was the perfect angle to witness the entrance of a beautiful actress. She was China's entertainment best actress! Tang Mengwan.

Hidden beneath the almost transparent silk hem, the outline of her face and body was made visible to the world. The green dress was completely plastered to her skin as she glided downward. However, her beautiful was merely the beginning. What truly brought her to fame was her ability to portray elegance and nobility. Men would want to have her dominated; both heart and body.

At the moment, for a split second, Chen Xiaobei could not help but think of another girl. That one maiden that he had slept with and turned her into a fine woman. She was just like the goddess that was gliding through the air. A heavenly beauty. The kind of which that had never been contaminated by the ugliness of the society. She was, either better, or almost the same as Tang Mengwan.

At that moment, Chen Xiaobei gazed at the ceiling.

"Ah… My goddess… You're the first woman to share a bed with me… Do I ever have the chance to see you again?" Chen Xiaobei muttered to himself. At that moment, Tang Mengwan was right above Chen Xiaobei. For a split second, the two of them made eye contact with each other. Both of them were stunned.

"F*CK! CRAP! Tang! She…!"

Chen Xiaobei could not stop staring above him. Before he realized it, he was already salivating like a horny dog!

Tang slowly descended down, not knowing what had happened. Her long dress was blown slightly too high above her pelvis. Be it luck or reason, Chen Xiaobei was enjoying the magnificent view under her skirt!

The superstar of China, Tang Mengwan had just exposed herself!

Her smooth fair thighs were like that of a Roman sculpture! Best of all, in between the gaps of her thighs, Chen Xiaobei could see the slightly transparent undergarment. That hidden yet slightly exposed scenery was truly blissful to Chen Xiaobei.

"This must be a blessing from above! My god! I'd been complaining for the whole day but only now I realized, assuming the role of a corpse is the best!" Chen Xiaobei almost gave up up the role after feeling cheated. However, at that instance, he felt extremely thankful to the assistant that had dragged him there. Who in the entire of China could enjoy the luxury of seeing all of Tang Mengwan? From that angle as well! Chen Xiaobei was the only one! How could he not feel happy!

*Caclop… caclop…*

Not a few seconds later, a white horse came trotting by. Sitting on top was a handsome man dressed completely whit. Although Chen Xiaobei did not want to admit it, the man was exceptionally manly. That was the main character, Zhuang Bufan.

The scene that they were filming then was the first encounter of the female and male main character after Tang Mengwan had killed all the assassins. Such a scene was intended to be a transition from brutal to romantic. A poem-like dream.

Yet, somehow, Chen Xiaobei was not convinced. Sensing something amiss, he frowned.

The horse started off with light trotting yet the male character had started to whip the reins of the horse, forcing the beast to charge towards all the "dead". Was he planning to trample them? Was he out of his mind?

"CUT! CUT! Zhuang Bufan! Slow down! What are you doing?! You're supposed to follow the script! Ride in slowly!" Director Feng immediately got up from his director's seat and screamed towards the set.

However, despite having the clapperboard snapped a few times, Zhuang refused to listen. Instead, he turned his head back and said, "Director. I understand the script and the scene. At this point, I'm supposed to rush over. Only that would I be able to portray the male character's mightiness. I'm improvising!"

"Bullshit! There are so many actors lying there! You must stop now!" Feng roared.

Still, Zhuang Bufan refused to listen. "Those actors are expendable. I'll pay for whatever damages inflicted on them! Just shoot the scene properly!"

"Crap! He's not stopping! Run guys!"

When the "dead" assassins heard Zhuang Bufan's declaration, all of them got up from their positions and ran away. If that horse were to trample them, they would not be playing dead anymore! They would actually be dead!

"Stupid fools! Who said you can move!" Zhuang Bufan bellowed.

With everyone running away frantically and Zhuang's raging roar, the white horse that he was riding grew anxious and started to galloped with speed.

"ARGH!"

At that moment, Tang shrieked. "Stop! Please stop! The line! The steel line is stuck!"

"Whoa…" Zhuang Bufan panicked. Everyone else on the set was expendable, but not her! Unfortunately, no matter how hard Zhuang tried to stop the horse, it would not stop running.

"This is bad…" Tang Mengwan started to fear for her life. Her tiny fragile body would not hold well against the impact of a rampaging horse.

"Fear not, for I am here."

At that critical moment, a playful voice was heard coming from beneath Tang Mengwan's foot. She looked down and saw Chen Xiaobei, who gave her a perverted wink.

If

The message from Lord Geoffrey came to Aria the next afternoon while we were in the sitting room, me doing my hardest to read a children's book about the history of the Acaedien Kingdom with Brenna's help.
Once Aria terminated the call, she turned to me and said, "Lord Geoffrey has invited us to come for dinner tonight."
I raised my head and asked, "I beg your pardon?"
Brenna, who looked excited, clasped her hands together and said to me, "Isn't that great, Alfie?"
I raised my brows. "Me, too?"
Aria nodded. "Yes."
So I was to be presented at dinner, eh?
I asked, "What do I wear? I mean, do I have to wear something fancy?"
Brenna said, "Of course. It's a Saturday dinner with the seven lords, Alfie. You have to wear the proper outfit."
I see. Was this something akin to dining with the queen of England or something? Then again, it was hard to imagine doing something that formal, especially with the seven lords. Of course, they were the rulers of Acaedien, but the fact remained that having a formal dinner with them would feel kind of strange, considering that two of the lords had wildly and passionately kissed me like some starved beasts. Meanwhile, another had told me he liked to bully me yet at the same time pamper me, like someone he cared about. Lastly, there was another who decided that I was his best buddy and treated me as such.
I said, "But I don't have anything fancy to wear."
Aria waved my concern aside. "There's no need to worry about that, Alfie. Lord Geoffrey told us to visit the palace's tailoring department this afternoon." She came over to me, grabbed my hands, and pulled me up from my seat. "Come on now. We don't have a lot of time. I'll be accompanying you to make sure you pick something suitable to wear for tonight."
I sighed, feeling rather reluctant. "I suppose."
Brenna said, "While you two go shopping for Alfie's clothes, I'll get myself ready, then."
Aria said, "Can you please contact Leona and tell her she needs to be present as well?"
Brenna, already halfway out the door, said, "Okay."
Some twenty minutes later, Aria and I found ourselves in the tailoring department in the south wing of the palace. Obviously, it was not busy today, since it was a Saturday, and there were very few staff around.
Aria and I, along with an elf sales assistant, were in the main display hall, inspecting the male garments, searching for something suitable for me to wear. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to offer me, since I was comparatively small in terms of size where most of the male clothes here were concerned. In the end, the elf assistant found a few pants and blouses, which he insisted I try on.
When I came out wearing the new garments, Aria clasped her hands, a bright grin on her face. She looked pleased, I thought.
Standing in front of the mirror, I inspected myself and thought that I didn't look too bad.
Nodding my head, I said, "This will do."
"Yes." Aria agreed.
After the bill was put under Lord Geoffrey's name and with the garments neatly folded and placed inside a fancy shopping bag—with its own brand and logo called Acaedien's Finest Tailor—Aria and I headed back toward our quarters.
An hour later, I was in the bathing chamber, enjoying my time in the hot spring pool. I had to be clean—spic and span—before presenting myself to the important lords of the kingdom, after all.
Subconsciously, I played with the ruby rose necklace dangling about my neck. My fingers caressed the gem as I, once again, marveled at the exquisitely cut jewelry.
Again, I wondered who it could have belonged to, because it simply looked too antique and fine for my parents to own something this magnificent. It must be an heirloom for sure, especially with the way it was so intricately designed.
Gently letting the pendant rest between my plump bosoms, I then spread my arms out and let myself float about in the water as I stared up at the ceiling, my mind on Lord Geoffrey and the Wulin Kingdom.
From Lord Geoffrey's explanation yesterday afternoon, the country, which resided in the east of the Aurora Realm, sounded like it had a culture that was similar to the Chinese in our world. Then I wondered if they, too, had a great wall like the Great Wall of China? Or if they'd dress like those people in ancient China? With long, flowing robes. Or better yet, did they do kung fu?
I started giggling excitedly at the prospect and couldn't wait for the time of visitation to arrive.
I didn't know how long I stayed there, just taking my time, when I heard a few knocks come at the door.
"Alfie? Are you done?" Aria said from the other side.
I opened my eyes and swore under my breath. "Shoot!" I rushed out of the pool and said, "I'm nearly done. Give me five minutes."
"Okay," Aria replied. "But there's no need to rush."
Regardless, I hurriedly dried my body and long hair with a fluffy white towel. Then I got dressed, pulling on the trousers and then binding my breasts tightly. Afterward, I put on the fancy blouse and then blazer. Once I was done with that, I quickly blow-dried my hair with the hair-dryer, which used a magic crystal filled with qi to operate.
Once my hair was done and resting long, straight, and silky down my back, I quickly formed it into a loose knot at the back of my head. After that, I placed my new military officer hat on top, thus hiding my bun.
Done, I cleaned up after myself and then gathered my pile of mess and headed out the door.
It was half an hour later when the girls themselves were ready, and boy, did they look simply stunning.
Aria—elegant and refined as always—was wearing a flowing blue gown, her long blond hair coiffured into an intricate bun atop her head, adorned with hairpins of roses the same color as her dress. Behind Aria was Brenna, who looked pretty in pink, her pastel gown fitting her body perfectly and showing off her curves, her lush brown hair beautifully styled with curls and adorned with butterfly hairpins.
Leona came down the stairs last, and she looked super hot in red. Her gown, a deep burgundy color, fit her body snugly, showing off her slender, toned figure, while her dark-red hair was formed into a loose bun atop her head with a red hairpin of intricate design. Once she was on the ground floor, she chuckled in amusement
"What's wrong, little one? Never seen cat women this dressed up before?"
I smiled as I shook my head. "No. This is the first time. You all look simply stunning."
Brenna grabbed hold of my hand and looked me up and down. "We're not the only ones who are stunning. You are, too, Alfie. What a nice outfit, all very military like."
I chuckled, blushing hot about the cheeks. It couldn't be helped. These were the only garments that fit me out of all the other formalwear they had at the tailor's. Of course, when I had inspected myself in the mirror back in the bathing chamber, I had thought that I looked like a very young military officer, what with the dark trousers, white blouse, and officer-style jacket. Not to mention the military officer hat. I must admit that I looked rather fetching.
Aria said, "Shall we get going?"
Both Leona and Brenna nodded their heads in agreement, and we left our quarters in high spirits, ready for an entertaining and delicious meal. Obviously, I couldn't wait to feast because I had heard there'd be lots of different foods available, some of the best in Acaedien.

One girl. Transported to a realm full of magic and paranormal creatures. A rare pure power. Seven hunky men. A fairy tale with a twist.

My name is Alfie. A university student. I’m nothing special. Just your average nineteen-year-old girl doing her best at life. Then that happens.

The unexpected. The impossible. The magic.

When I first set foot on St. James Manor, a charming old house my parents bought and turned into a retreat for writers, I feel a sense of connection with the magical place. One night, I’m inadvertently transported to another realm.

Disorientated and afraid of my new, mysterious surroundings, I’m found by two dark warrior lords, who mistake me for a boy. They even suspect that I am a member of a loose, violent bandit that is raiding their kingdom and kidnapping civilians.

Despite having a fun and adventurous soul, I find nothing exciting, as these two gorgeous warriors, tsundere Caleb and gregarious Felix, take me back to their camp and proceed to grill me about my background. When a group of bandits pursues me and I am lost in the wild, dangerous woods, an alluring vision-in-white of a lord appears. His name is Geoffrey, and his enthralling charm fascinates me.

Of course, all that I want is to return home. But little do I know that finding a way home is the least of my worries because there are those with dark power who are hunting me down.

* * *

Seven Devils and a Rose is a reverse harem fantasy romance where the heroine doesn't have to choose, because why would she when she could have all seven hunky heroes as her men?

The heroine starts out weak but grows into an OP as the story progresses.

The realm has both western and eastern cultures, with a mixture of magic and technology.

WARNING: This book contains hunky men vying for the heroine's attention and love, and of course, lots of steamy, sexy time later in the series. It's a reverse harem, after all. You have been warned.

"Come in! Come in! We have new things on sale!"
Mixed cheers of the hawkers plagued the busy street of the market. They came from different cities and villages, hoping to haul a good sale to the people. Young and old came crowding around their stalls while most pass them by. Children in the area ended up running around as they played games, taking up the roles of the current Society of the cultivation world.
It was a bright day with cool wind brushing along, perfect for activities under the sun. Sun Yin was seated on one of the outdoor tables of a restaurant, watching the children. She could barely recognize the names they say as theirs.
"My, my, fifty years is sure a long time even for them…" she whispered as she propped the last meatball into her mouth.
She looked down at the table and searched her hanfu for some loose coins. She found a few, and it seemed that the owner noticed her actions. He went to her and looked down at her as she only smiled at him. She presented two coins in her palm with a grin.
"Miss, you ordered for food worth more than that. Are you telling me you can't pay for it?" His thick brow arched at the miss who was trying to appease him with her cute looks.
"You see, I forgot to bring all my money. Will a kiss make up for the loss?" Sun Yin grinned wider, batting her long lashes at the old man.
To be honest, she was a fine lady. She had long, silky black hair loosely tied and rolled behind her head, and snow skin like the finest jade. Her dark eyes were big and round, while her lips were reddish as her cheeks were rosy. Her golden hanfu was creased, but not in a distracting way. She seemed too neglected for a noble, but the small old crown sat on her head like it was weaved for her. She was like a stray princess with an awful gravitational pull, luring men to her reach. Perhaps she was once a concubine of a now-dead lord, purging her into poverty.
The man blushed faintly, looking inside his store. His wife was stuck in the kitchen, her back turned on them. A small grin drew on his face before turning to the maiden. "Ah, we better hurry—she's gone! Where did she go?!" He only saw two coins left at the table. "That brat!"
Of course, Sun Yin had enough of being toyed by old men. She had walked a long life being used by them. Also, she treaded this path using them as well. Sun Yin cared not of their money; she only wanted their men.
Yes, the men—the soldiers they had under their belts. The more, the better. Sun Yin was a warmonger in disguise of a fairy. She had waged and won countless wars against the First Society of the cultivation world. Not for power or recognition, but for revenge.
The Sun clan was a small clan devoted to appeasing the dead and their resentment towards the living. However, none of them had ever tried controlling the dead to do their bidding. Those notions had come from the highest members of the world, to which her family refused to abide. In consequence, they were all killed. She was thrown into a pit and buried alive with her dead parents. She was six, and she was buried alive.
She was lucky to survive as her ancestors protected her from the earth. Since she was born with a special spiritual root, she was able to use her ancestors' remaining power to break out of the grave. Instead of sobbing or crying for help, she stood tall before their burning clan village. That was the beginning of her story as the most brutal cultivator in history.
However, after her revenge was exacted—along with the fall of the First Society, she put all her creations to rest. She even shattered her golden core and scattered the pieces so she would not be whole again should she be killed while asleep. Sun Yin got her revenge, and so she had no more use of her powers—no matter how strong she was. If she could shed her immortality away, she would as well.
So why was she awake today? Fifty years after the 'Fall of the First Society,' Sun Yin walked the world again.
To be honest, she had no idea as well. She woke up from her slumber all of a sudden, without anything or anyone disturbing her sleep. She did not sustain injury before sleeping so it was impossible for her to regain consciousness because of her own body. For now, Sun Yin only wished to look around the city nearest to her sleeping mountain.
"Whaaa! Look! Aren't they amazing?!" The people around her started shouting.
"They're so cool!"
"Oh, my! The cultivators!"
Sun Yin perked her head up as she saw the group of cultivators passing by. They wore clothing of white with gradients of red to the edges, like the China roses drawn on their chests. She smiled at them as one of them seemed to notice the beauty.
Those were the cultivators based in the city of Huayuan, the Huayuan Lin Sect. They were the best swordsmen in the cultivation world since their techniques and fighting style greatly involved holding their swords and commanding it like a third arm while wielding hidden blades. Sun Yin had seen them in battle once, and she took great joy in fighting against them. Even though they lacked defensive options, they made up to it with their speed and agility. Sun Yin had always seen them like dancing flowers in vast gardens.
"I bet Yuanyan missed cutting off their limbs so much…" She chuckled before proceeding her way.
Seeing the cultivators fly around—even in bunches—was normal. They must be training, she thought. However, she saw more and more of them; most of them did not even thread one path. It was as if they were circling around an enemy.
"A night hunt? Out in the open?" Sun Yin frowned as she followed the cultivators atop their flying swords with her gaze. She saw no peculiar figure poking from the walls up ahead. She was tempted to join their search, but she would just be getting in their way. Well, in the way of their glory.
Knowing that they should be left alone, Sun Yin just shrugged and turned to the direction away from the one the cultivators were taking.
The whispers and chatters of the people piqued the interest of the woman. She turned to the direction the cultivators were going, only to find a pair struggling atop someone's sword. He seemed to be carrying a gravely wounded brother back to their place. However, even he was wounded to the point that he wobbled on his sword. Sun Yin jogged to keep up the pace with the man. Seconds more, he lost hold on his brother, and the wounded man fell from the height.
"Brother Shen!"
He cried as he realized his brother had fallen. However, Sun Yin was able to dash and catch the man from hitting the ground. Even though she was a woman, she was a cultivator like them—stronger than them even. Her physical strength had long exceeded a normal human's. She caught the man and kept balance just with a light horse stance. She brought him down so she did not have to keep the ugly form longer than she wished.
The cultivator descended to the ground to retrieve his brother, but he ended up tripping due to the weakness in his legs. He fell to the ground on his elbows. He rose slowly and walked to them as he breathed loudly.
"T-Thank you, young lady." He eyed at her differently, confused by her capability to catch a man falling twice the height of the walls along the streets.
"Don't thank me yet. He's not in a good condition. The fall might have caused him to feel worse." Sun Yin hummed as she felt the man's chest, gaging his condition from the way he breathed. Also from the feel of the flow of his Qi. She ended up carrying the man like a bride. "We should find a doctor quick!"
"Y-Yes! Follow me!" The man recovered his sword from the ground with a pull, making it fly to his hand. He ran while holding onto his wounded arm against his side, blood soaking through his robes. He was more wounded that Sun Yin thought he was.
The man led the way, but he was too anxious to ignore the fact that a woman was carrying his brother. He kept on glancing at her, freaking out as to how she could keep up with his speed despite carrying another person.
"Big sister, are you a rogue cultivator? I haven't seen you around Huayuan before." He had to confirm she was not an ordinary woman.
"I might be. What happened to him though?" Sun Yin refused to talk about herself.
The man clicked his tongue and spoke through his grit, "The Cinder Army is closing in on the walls of the city. It's been a long time since they attacked, but here they are again."
"C-Cinder Army?" Sun Yin's eyes widened. She would stop if she did not remember the man in her arms needed immediate medication. "That's impossible! They're supposed to be—"
"Whether we like it or not, Big Sister, the Cinder Army is back." He ground his teeth in rage. "The Bride of Corpses is back."
Sun Yin frowned. She WAS the Bride of Corpses! She sure didn't summon her army here.

Fifty years ago, Sun Yin lived her life for the sake of exacting revenge on the people who had killed her entire sect and everyone in her remote village. Attaining the state of immortality and the title 'Bride of Corpses', she unleashed her rage and wrath and made the cultivation world fall to its knees. After the 'Fall of the First Society', Sun Yin slept along with her creations, hoping to be forgotten by time.

However, she woke up from her supposed eternal slumber and found herself walking the streets of a familiar city fifty years after. There, she met a strange man who had secrets of his own. For the first time, warmth came to her heart upon seeing cultivators that she once despised. Following the curious and enticing path of love, Sun Yin used whatever she had at her disposal to catch Lu Bang's heart.

A plain life was never her safe place so she still felt at home even when one tragedy befell after another. Descendants of her enemies had stolen and claimed her creations as their own. With a drive to collect them all again, Sun Yin set forth in an adventure with her new-found object of affection as they searched for the pieces of her core.

Her tale seemed to rewind as Sun Yin found her new home under the threat of destruction. But this time, she was not powerless. She would conquer even the next greatest villainess of all time just for a shot in a life she had never lived before.

Her first life was for revenge, and the second one would be for love.

A brilliant light was bursting forth from afar.

When it first started, it was nothing more than a simple dot. Slowly, it grew until it became a line. Once the ray of light had begun to fully burst forth, the brilliant light had become so dazzling to behold. It seemed to fill and nourish the entire world, and yet it seemed to destroy the entire world as well.

The universe. Infinite and boundless. 

Behind the light, there would always be darkness.

Staring at that boundless light in his field of vision, he laughed.

“Farewell, Hera.”

An enormous shadow appeared behind him. He gracefully retreated, merging into it.

The shadow flashed, and in an instant, it travelled far away.

……

Skyfire Star. Skyfire City. Skyfire Avenue.

This famous lane didn’t permit any vehicles or any robots to cross it, much less mecha. Even the patrolling police must patrol on foot, the most ancient of methods. That’s because this is a street for pedestrians, a lane for nobles, hidden away within this high technology world.

Fresh yet uniform stones covered this 2048 meter long lane. The buildings on each side of the lane were of completely different types, but every single building had its own unique aspects and history. There was ancient French gothic-style pointed buildings, the sprawling and majestic jade-carved buildings of ancient China, and were even Roman-style buildings.

This street, which seemingly had no high technology present, was set within the most central, most developed area within Skyfire City. Supposedly, here, every single square meter of earth was worth as much as one of the newest, top-tier Michaely [Mai’ke’li] P12-class high atmosphere hovercar.

In the center of Skyfire Avenue, there was a rather unremarkable little store. The reason why it was described as ‘little’ was only because it was little by comparison to the enormous, noble structures surrounding it. The storefront was only seventeen meters wide, and it was designed in accordance with a combination of the luxurious, classical style with the simplistic neo-classical style. The mirror-like deep blue walls, the brilliant display windows, all showed off several dazzling, gleaming jewels. In the middle of the top of the store, four letters, glowing with a sapphire light, formed the name of the store.

Z, E, U, S.

The door was made from some sort of unknown deep blue metal. It didn’t have any decorations, save for an imprint of a jagged lightning bolt.

Zeus, the King of the Gods in ancient Greece, the controller of the power of lightning.

Thus, this store was also named Zeus’ Jewelry Store.

The insides of the store was a world of sapphire blue. Sapphire blue carpets, sapphire blue velvet covering the walls…even the bottoms of the jewelry display cabinets were sapphire.

Behind the front desk of Zeus’ Jewelry Store were two young ladies. They wore identical, low-cut white gowns. They were very beautiful, but in different ways.

One was tall and slender, with eyebrows high like mountains, a face like a rose, her fine black hair trailing over her shoulders. Whether from up close or from afar, she looked like a clear, beautiful painting, and she had a rather classical feel to her.

The other was endearing and lovable, with neat, short, light blue hair. The low-cut dress revealed her spectacular ‘mountain range’, but the look in her deep blue eyes changed constantly. She appeared…a bit weird.

“Boss, I want to eat ice cream.” The short-haired girl called out coquettishly, her voice so sweet that it could kill a man from a sugar overdose.

A lazy voice rang out. “Are you going to eat mine, or am I going to eat yours?”

The voice came from behind the front desk. So there was actually a third person in the shop as well. He looked to be in his twenties, and was seated on a leather swivel chair. His hands clasped behind his head, he leaned there comfortably. He had short black hair, a black shirt, black pants, and a white vest with the diagram of an ancient Greek temple on it.

“Either works.” The short haired girl giggled.

“Ke’er, stop messing around.” The long-haired girl said somewhat resignedly.

The youngster sat up straight, his movements smooth and graceful. Although his hair was a mess and his face had some unshaved stubble on it, he didn’t give the impression of being disheveled at all.

His eyes were very bright, but he had a rather languid cast to his lips. Every single movement he made, however, was very graceful and pleasing to behold. At a glance, one could tell that he was someone who had received the finest lessons in noble etiquette for many years, and thus had gained these habits.

From within his breast pocket, he withdrew a silver pocket watch, which was covered with many small, yet exquisite gemstones which formed a beautiful diagram of a starry sky.

“It’s about time. I’m going to freshen up a bit, then I’ll go out to have a drink. Xiu Xiu, Ke’er, it’s about time for you two to head back as well.”

The long-haired girl, Xiu Xiu, laughed very gently as she looked at him. “Boss, you go do what you need to do. The store has us.”

The youngster smiled warmly. “Xiu Xiu is always so well-behaved.”

The short-haired girl instantly pursed her lips, and the youngster had to add, “Um, Ke’er is very well-behaved as well.”

“Dingdingding.” A sound like silver chimes rang out, and the door to the shop was pushed open. A woman walked in from outside.

Upon seeing this woman, the youngster’s eyes shone even brighter.

This was a very beautiful woman. Her makeup was a bit heavy, and it was hard to tell what her age was. She was 1.7 meters tall, had a slender body, and on her feet she wore a pair of extremely extravagant, custom-made silver and crystal heels from VanCleef & Arpels, which perfectly showed off her slender, straight calves. A white pleated skirt which extended below the knees. A white mini-dress. Long hair coifed on her head. She looked extremely tidy.

The color of her eyes was very special. They were a jade green color, the color of an emerald. If one looked closely, one might find that they could ensnare your very soul.

After walking into the store, her feet paused for a moment as she swept the display cabinets with her gaze.

Xiu Xiu went to welcome her, smiling as she spoke. “Welcome to Zeus. Can I help you with something?”

The woman didn’t look at her, her gaze instead falling on the youngster. “I want to buy a royal blue star sapphire necklace that is at least fifty carats in size or larger. Do you have it?”

The youngster walked over from behind the front desk. Smiling, he said, “Of course. Xiu Xiu, lead this lady to the VIP room.”

Xiu Xiu made a gesture of invitation towards the woman, while on the other side, Ke’er had already opened the door to the VIP room, covered in genuine fur that was deep blue in color.

The VIP room wasn’t large, only ten square meters or so in size. It also had blue carpets and blue walls, while at the same time, it had a row of six blue security cabinets lining against the walls.

Aside from these, the VIP room also had a table and three chairs. One chair was towards the inside, while the other two were outside.

This was the place where the real deals were made. The most top-class jewels would never be put out on display on the cabinets outside.

The youngster invited the woman to sit, and she sat down on one of the two chairs on the outside of the table.

Xiu Xiu poured a cup of warm water and gave it to the youngster, who then placed it directly in front of the woman. For the owner to personally deliver refreshments was naturally more meaningful than an employee. A small detail, but then, it was often the small details that determined success or failure.

Xiu Xiu quietly shut the door to the VIP room, not making a sound. The store had an unspoken rule. So long as the boss was present, he would personally handle all of the guests who were led to the VIP room.

The youngster walked to the woman’s side, delivering the cup of water to her. “Please, have some water.”

The woman accepted the cup of water, but then raised her head and looked at him. “Zeus!”

The youngster’s face still had that graceful, indolent smile on it. “You mistake me for someone else. My name is Lan Jue, not Zeus. Or perhaps, you are calling out the name of my shop?”

The woman didn’t seem to have heard him, as she stared at him with her scorching gaze. “Zeus, I want to ask you to do something for me.”

The smile on Lan Jue’s face vanished, and he took the cup of water back from the woman’s hand.

The cup of water lit up, and the clear water within it suddenly transformed into blue, the blue of countless tiny little thunderbolts.

Lan Jue looked calmly at her. The woman’s body shook slightly, as though she had been affected by some sort paralyzing force. She didn’t move at all.

After fully draining the cup of electric water in one gulp, Lan Jue pushed open the door to the VIP room and walked out.

“She isn’t here to buy things. Please escort her out. I’m going to go get a drink.”


Skyfire Avenue is a street that is 2048 meters long. There are 168 stores here, and each of the store owners is an extremely powerful adept. The Avenue does not permit any vehicles or any robots to pass through it, much less mecha. Even the patrolling police must move about on foot. This is because this is a street for pedestrians, a lane for nobles, hidden away within this high technology world. Lan Jue, the greatest of the mercenaries, code-named ‘Zeus’, has secluded himself here in Skyfire Avenue after the death of his wife. The name of his shop is “Zeus’ Jewelry Store”, and here in Skyfire Avenue, he has been given the title, Jewel Master.

"Have you found Himawari-chan?" the middle-aged, yet fine man asked with his authoritative voice. He was talking to his eldest son, Ryūsaka Isasu—entitled as 'second clan master' in their family. The eldest son shook his head in disappointment, worried where his sister went somewhere again. The clan master sighed in disappointment as well, while his wife remained silent, but showed a face of weary. 

"Where did that young lady ran off again?" the Clan master mumbled, looking on other direction while thinking of his daughter. Surely his girl could be quite mischief — no — utterly mischief! No matter how many guards he instructed to guard his daughter's room, once they enter the she would be found missing again. Even the guards on the window didn't notice the girl's outcome. Nor on the rooftop or other possible open doors for his daughter. Whatever would be the mystery of her sudden disappearance will remain mystery. The clan master's precious daughter, Ryūsaka Himawari, was the only female in their clan besides of their mother. She has exceptionally goddess-like visage and pale white complexion. Finest of all the finest as they say. She was even given a title of Finest Flower of the Sun Dragon*. But despite her look, she was full of mischief and pranks. She loves to mess up with anyone even with her brother. Unlike his brother who's polite and gentle, she's complete contrary in character and attitude. 

——————————————————————
(Information: Dragon* coming from the family name 'Ryu' which means dragon. Also, the 'Flower' was from the lady's name, Himawari which mean 'Sun Flower'. The 'Sun' before the dragon perhaps, was also taken from the meaning of her name. 
——————————————————————

The closest family remained problematic. Their father, mad at his daughter, her mother, worried sick about Himawari while the brother does both. Not too long, they heard a servant from the other side of the door spoke. 

"Clan Lady Himawari!" after that, the shōji[1] slide open and there stands a fine lady, bowed down while holding a shakuhachi[2]. She soon rose, only to see her parents standing on their feet with a gloomy expression. As the girl saw this, she forced a smile on her face but silently gulps for she knew they were worried for her missing. She slowly entered the hall, and bowed down in front of her elders before she rose up. She didn't look at her father's eyes but she already knew he's glaring at her. 

——————————————————————
(Information: 1.) Shōji* is wooden door with thin papers that serves as divider, door, or window in the Asian shrines (nowadays); 2.) Shakuhachi* is a Japanese longitudinal, end-blown bamboo-flute. It was originally introduced from China into Japan in the 7th century and underwent a resurgence in the early Edo period. The oldest shakuhachi in Japan is currently stored in Shōsō-in, Nara. .)
——————————————————————

Clan Master, "where have you been?"

Himawari, "I was just on the side of Amako, playing flute."

The clan master narrowed his eyes. "Don't play fool of me. That kind of practices isn't your taste. Tell me where have you been and what were you doing!" his voice may sound deep, but it sounds with authority. Himawari bowed her head with a sad face. She knew she angered her father. She held her shakuhachi tightly, as she finally decided to tell the truth. 

"I was on the mountain forest, wondering around," she said half of the truth. Although it's not a full detail, Isasu already knew what his sister did earlier again. 

'She must've dressed herself into a man and wondered around again,' Isasu thought and shook his head and sighed. His sister really is this mischeif. He didn't even understand why the shogun and the emperor entitled her such graceful name when it did not even suits her character. 

Isasu knew his father would be more than mad whenever he knew Himawari goes outside without his nurse. Not wanting for his sister to be scolded, he opened his mouth to spoke before his father could yelled to his daughter. 

Isasu, "father, let me be the one to scold Himawari-chan. Let's not scold her here in public for there are servants watching." 

The clan master shut his mouth back knowing his eldest son was right. He suppressed himself from yelling and sighed and nodded. Isasu bowed as well as Himawari  and left the hall with leaving the doors open. The servants slid the shōji back to close the divider. 

The siblings went in the garden, walking while silence walled between them. The young lady knew her brother was mad as well for her actions. She kept her mouth shut while averting gaze from her dearest. Not long, Isasu broke the silence by starting a conversation. 

Isasu, "did you went on hunting again?"

Himawari knew her brother knows everything about her actions—her plan, etc. From her head bowed down, she slightly raised her head to look at her brother but averted gaze again when she saw him glaring at her. 

Isasu sighed at her sister'a actions. How can she act like a puppy after being so smug? 

"Alright. If you tell me everything you've done, I'll forgive you. I might even help you cover from father," he said. 

Himawari's eyes sparkled when she heard the 'plan of kindness' from her brother. She turned her head towards Isasu without hesitation, "really?!" she asked. 

Isasu nodded.

The girl started talking about what were her activities earlier while she's gone. Instead of a person telling her faults with guilt, she spoke as if she enjoyed what she did earlier—which she really did.

She dressed herself in a guy's suit differently. She was the lad who chased after a pheasant and being greeted by beautiful ladies. Her elder brother hearing this couldn't help but to sigh. He can't imagine his sister acting so hyper like a loud uneducated male who doesn't know any manners. Isasu attentively listened to her young sister's story, as the girl behaves like a male who shares a story to his amigo. 

Himawari, "and that's what happened. I even brought the bird with me," she ran towards the bushes not far from them and took something behind it. There showed her captured bird. "I was about to lie that I asked someone to capture the bird for me but since you knew, I guess it's fine to tell you," she added. 

Isasu didn't know what to react. Her younger sister hunted when it's not even a season for hunting. Moreover, according to their etiquette for females, Himawari should just stay in her home, studying poets, medicine, and music. But instead, she sneaks outside and do ungirly things; hunting. Even Isasu himself wasn't allowed to hunt unless he's told to—or when it's necessary. With this, the elder son couldn't help but to shook his head once again and sighed. 

Isasu, "after this, will you behave and act a lady?" 

Himawari's smile disappeared when she heard her brother's request. She lowered her captured bird she was holding and cocked her head. 

"Huh? Aren't they all boring?" she asked. "Besides, when I go outside no one knows that I am a girl so it's fine," she added. 

Isasu, "but what if someone finds out?" 

Himawari paused. She didn't think of that. She turn her sight to the sky and started to form some strategies about what she'll be doing when someone founds out she's a female. She snapped her fingers as a broad smile formed her lips and pointed her index finger to the sky. "Only the Shogun-s and the Emperor saw my face," she said. Her brother understand what she's trying to say. 

Isasu couldn't help but to shook his head once more and facepalmed. His gaze turned back to his sister when he heard her called his name—which is impolite. 

Himawari, "come on! Let's roast this pheasant!" she yelled out.

Ryūsaka Himawari was a mysterious lady in their region, but known as the woman of exceptional beauty—said by some few who witnessed. Even the Emperor called her the "Finest Flower of Sun Dragon" of their clan. Yet her face and title is a complete contrary of her character. She used to mess up and come out of their house, disguised as a male. This angered her father until he decided to send her daughter to a Sect. where they study etiquette and ethics. There she met a young man named Monomorie Nobu, a son of  shogun who's supposed to be a daimyo but due to his blindness, they decided to let him study about ethics instead. Himawari find this man easy to tease which lessened her boredom in Iku Recesses. Days later, Himawari felt like she wanted to help Nobu reaching his dreams, which made her discover about this remedy to cure Nobu’s blindness so he could be sent to the Daimyo's sect and learn being a Samurai. Years passed and they met again by chance—you find out what's inside it's hard to think what to put next. Go read it!

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