Chapter 160

Chapter 160: Ruan Hong's Sect Crisis Finished

That's ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍right—Jiang Nan had turned around for another sweep.

Hilarious. ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍As if anyone hasn't read a few web novels?

According ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to classic plot conventions, the ruins of a massacred settlement absolutely had to be hiding some survivor who thought they were being terribly clever!

"Oh ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍holy sh*t, your granny—!!!"

Ruan ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Hong screamed a thousand curses in his heart, a stampede of alpacas going absolutely berserk.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he was still clenching his teeth and holding on, frantically hypnotizing himself.

'Relax! Relax! I'm just a rock!'

'Don't panic! He's nothing more than a slightly smarter-than-average villain—my A-Grade disguise is flawless!'

'If he'd actually spotted me, I'd already be inside that lantern!'

And just as he'd reassured himself, Jiang Nan truly hadn't noticed the rock at his feet.

The only reason he was standing at that particular spot was because the terrain was elevated with an open sightline—an ideal position to crouch in the grass and watch for movement.

Then, in the very next moment.

From within the ruins not far away, a pile of thatched grass suddenly shifted.

Immediately after, a young male scholar crawled out from inside, his face twisted with grief and indignation.

He knelt on the ground, beating his chest and wailing in the direction of the Dojo's main gate.

"Master Wang! Daoists! You died so wretchedly!"

"Thirty years on the east bank of the river, thirty years on the west—the tide will turn!"

"I swear, today's humiliation shall be repaid a hundredfold!"

"I will definitely avenge every—"

"Avenge your mother."

BOOM!!!

The scholar's impassioned declaration wasn't even finished before the Sovereign Lantern in Jiang Nan's hand had already transformed into a meteor flail, crossing a hundred meters of distance...

And smashing his head clean into his own ribcage with a single strike!

The chain coiled, and the soul was bundled up and taken away on the spot.

The entire sequence flowed like clouds and water. Jiang Nan flicked the chain, let out a cold snort, and turned away again.

Ruan Hong, who had witnessed the whole thing, swallowed hard—despite having nothing to swallow.

'Holy hell, thank god I didn't make a move earlier!'

'Didn't expect there was actually another idiot hiding here besides me!'

'Lucky this armored guy helped me eliminate a competitor for the opportunity!'

Just as Ruan Hong exhaled in relief again—

That bone-chilling, all-too-familiar oppressive force came back. Again.

'You can't be serious, man! You're BACK?!'

Ruan Hong felt like crying but had no tears left. He was on the verge of collapse.

And then, a second later.

Not far from that thatched grass pile, a hidden cellar hatch was flung open.

A petite female scholar crawled out with tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in the rain.

She stared at the bloodstain by the thatched pile, grief consuming her entirely.

"Brother! And everyone else!"

"Rest easy—I will carry on your will, spread the Righteous Aura throughout the world, and avenge you all!"

"Waaaaah~"

BOOM!!!

The thunderous impact rang out again.

Jiang Nan had not a shred of tender concern for the fairer sex—he brought the Sovereign Lantern down and flattened her along with the cellar in a single strike.

"The most important thing for a family is to be together. Go reunite with your brother inside the lantern."

Jiang Nan retracted the chain and turned to leave for the third time.

'This time... this time he's finally gone, right?'

Ruan Hong had gone completely numb, but the ominous feeling in his chest only kept growing stronger.

Sure enough.

Three minutes later, the armored figure came back. Again.

And over the following 10 full minutes, Ruan Hong felt like he was watching a Calabash Brothers marathon where they just kept walking into the monster's lair one by one!

These scholars were popping up like bamboo shoots after rain—emerging one after another without end!

Some had been hiding inside an abandoned chimney...

Some had been pressed flat against roof tiles...

Some were holding their breath crouched inside an outhouse pit...

Some were lying beneath their companions' corpses playing dead...

The most absurd one of all had dug a hole in the ground and buried himself inside it—with a clump of dirt balanced on top of his head. Was he doing the dig-and-fill shuffle?!

Without exception, the moment any of them dared to show themselves and cry out a line like "I will have my revenge," Jiang Nan brought the Sovereign Lantern down and blew their head clean off!

It was, one might say, eight immortals crossing the sea—each displaying their own divine technique—as they lined up to deliver their own heads!

Ruan Hong watched from the side in stupefied silence, roaring internally.

'Will you people ever STOP?! Can't you just lie low like me and be the last one standing?!'

By this point, having executed more than a dozen return sweeps in succession, even Jiang Nan had completely run out of patience.

‘What the hell—you lot are like cockroaches. Can't seem to wipe you out properly.

Jiang Nan clenched his fist, his eyes dark with irritation.

Despite having spent all this time, he still had not found the person who had taken the invitation!

‘Since you all love playing hide-and-seek so much...’

‘Then I'm done playing. Flipping the table!’

Jiang Nan went berserk!

His left hand swept outward—Tribulation Flame Ashen End came pouring down!

‘Love hiding, do you? Today I'll level this entire Dojo right down to the foundations!’

‘Let's see where you'll hide then!’

Jiang Nan moved like a gleeful arsonist, igniting everything in sight with the Tribulation Flame.

The Tribulation Flame was terrifyingly powerful, but it caused absolutely no damage to ordinary bricks, tiles, stone, or any object without a soul.

It left not even a trace of heat on them.

But for any living being that possessed awareness—even those reduced to nothing but a remnant soul—

It was a lethal poison that killed upon contact!

BOOM!

A sea of fire instantly engulfed the entire Scholar's Dojo!

In an instant, the dozens of hidden scholars who had still been trying to hold on were burned into revealing their true forms!

They screamed as they came tumbling out of every crack and crevice, thrashing in impotent fury amid the inferno.

"Ahhh! You wretched fiend who will come to no good end!"

"You defy the laws of Heaven—you will come to no good end!"

And among the screaming, flaming figures, one voice shrieked the loudest of all!

It was Ruan Hong, caught in the Tribulation Flame's sweep!

The instant it touched him, his proudly-maintained A-Grade disguise was burned away completely!

He reverted from a rock back into that stocky, powerful middle-aged killer, rolling frantically across the ground.

"Ahhhh! It HURTS so much!"

"Some destined Child of Destiny! Some natural fortune in the face of disaster!"

Ruan Hong, now utterly broken, slapped desperately at the black flames consuming him, letting out a final outraged howl before his defenses shattered completely.

"I'm never believing another word written in a novel ever again!"

"It's all lies! Author, go f**k yourse—AHHHHHH!!!"

With his final dying scream, Ruan Hong was incinerated on the spot into a heap of ashes that scattered on the wind.

What he never knew until his death was that those translated Huaxia web novels he'd been reading in Southeast Asia—

Were all dusty, decade-old versions whose plot conventions had long since gone out of date.

Today's villains had gotten smart long ago.

The kind that cut the grass and pull up the roots—the kind that'd slap the dog at the village gate twice just to be thorough.

"Hehehe..."

Jiang Nan walked through the sea of fire like a joyful pyromaniac.

Looking at the remnant souls writhing all around him, he let out a laugh.

‘This is the price you pay for refusing to become outstanding employees at my factory!’

‘All of you—go die in peace!’

Once the flames gradually settled, Jiang Nan moved slowly before each pile of ash.

And began inspecting, one by one, the items that had dropped when they died.

Finally, at the spot where Ruan Hong had been reduced to cinders—

Jiang Nan's eyes lit up. He bent down and plucked a red invitation card printed with a phoenix pattern out of the ashes.

He toyed with the invitation in his hand, a cold smile spreading across his face.

‘Quite the hiding spot.’

‘The Phoenix Sovereign's bridegroom invitation... so this is what that little Sakura soldier died to protect.’

He raised his head, looking out toward the horizon where a deep crimson glow was just beginning to bleed across the sky, and tucked the invitation away.

‘Now...’

‘All I need to do is wait, patiently, for tomorrow to arrive.’

‘But before that—let's see what rewards the Sky Screen has to offer...’

Bunny