NOVEL NEXT Chapter 43:
Chapter 43: Let the Drama Begin:
Thunder Mountain was located on the third layer of the Ancient Battlefield of Prodigies.
This treacherous mountain often saw lightning striking its peaks, creating a deep abyss in its center. The mountain, rich with metal and stone, was frequently bathed in lightning, its surface glowing with golden light, earning it the title “Golden Mountain Cleansed by Thunder.”
As Yue Hongling made her way to Thunder Mountain, memories of her past life resurfaced.
In her previous life, Feng Wuxie had been hunted by the demon race, who sought his phoenix blood to refine the Myriad Spirit Blood for the Myriad Spirit Demon Emperor. Feng Wuxie had asked Yue Hongling for help, calling her to Silent Forest.
She had been ready to rush to his aid immediately, but her senior brother had stopped her, warning her it was a trap, a ploy to capture her and lure Lu Ye into a deadly ambush.
Unwilling to believe him, Yue Hongling had stubbornly insisted on going.
She even resorted to injuring herself to sway her senior brother, accusing him of jealousy or wanting Feng Wuxie dead.
But no matter what she did, Lu Ye remained unmoved, his heart like iron. He even knocked her unconscious and imprisoned her.
What happened after that, she never knew. When she woke up, she was weak, poisoned, and unable to move.
No one came to her aid.
At that moment, Yue Hongling was consumed by despair and hatred—for Lu Ye.
Then the door opened.
Lu Ye stood against the light, his face obscured. He tossed a blood-stained conch treasure to her and coldly declared, “Feng Wuxie is dead. No remains were left.”
At that moment, Yue Hongling was nearly driven mad. But the sedative rendered her unable to act out her grief; all she could do was shed silent tears.
Lu Ye had stood there as if he wanted to say something. But when he saw her vacant, tear-streaked face, his words reduced to just three.
“I’m sorry.”
With that, he turned and left.
Those three words—were they an apology for imprisoning her?
The memories surged in her mind, leaving Yue Hongling feeling a deep sense of loss. Now, she could have Feng Wuxie, but she had lost her senior brother.
Why was there no way to have both?
Her senior brother could have eight women—couldn’t she have two…
Cough!
Yue Hongling snapped back to reality, shaking off her ridiculous thoughts. She knew her senior brother’s personality too well. The moment she confirmed any relationship with Feng Wuxie, even if it was just holding hands, he wouldn’t spare her a glance anymore.
Best not to dwell on it.
…
[Ding ding ding…]
In Lu Ye’s mind, the system’s clanging was like the sound of drums and gongs.
Lu Ye opened his eyes helplessly.
“What now?”
Ding! It’s time to watch some drama!’
“I’m not interested.”
[Ding! You’re only at the Nascent Soul Realm. You’ve got hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of years to cultivate. This kind of drama doesn’t come around often—watch it!”
The system, having been part of the Heavenly Dao for so long, had grown weary of its stoic, desireless role. Now, it eagerly sought entertainment.]
“If you want to watch, do it yourself. I need to train.”
[Ding! That’s not how it works. Do you watch sports alone at home?]
“Yes.”
[Ding! Well, too bad. Watch with me!]
Annoyed, Lu Ye gave in. “This darn system—someday, I’ll turn you back into the Heavenly Dao.”
A screen of light slowly unfurled before him.
[Ding! They’re not together yet, so I’ll split it into two frames.]
Lu Ye chuckled in exasperation. The system even knew how to split screens?
The light screen split into two sections. One showed Yue Hongling heading toward Thunder Mountain, while the other displayed demons and other creatures busily setting up formations there.
Lu Ye watched without any emotional response. If anything, he found it amusing.
Why?
Because the whole situation resembled a dark comedy.
She thought she was rushing toward love, not realizing she was running toward death.
Love = Death?
“The formations have changed,” Lu Ye mused. “Originally, it was the Eight Desolations Lockdown Formation and the Blood Demon Refining Heaven Array. Now it’s the Divine Firmament Lightning Array and the Eight Desolations Lockdown Formation. Makes sense—Silent Forest didn’t have Thunder Mountain’s natural conditions.”
“And they’ve added the Heavenly Demon Illusion Array…”
Lu Ye understood.
In her previous life, Yue Hongling’s strength was weaker, so they didn’t need such elaborate formations to capture her.
Once Yue Hongling was caught, Lu Ye would storm in to save her, no matter the danger.
Their ultimate target had been Lu Ye.
But in this life, with no Lu Ye to protect her, Yue Hongling had risen to become the top prodigy of the human race. Her immense strength meant they needed to hide the formations carefully. If Feng Wuxie wasn’t as valuable as expected, all their efforts would go to waste.
The Heavenly Demon Illusion Array was the perfect disguise.
Lu Ye smiled.
He was a jack-of-all-trades—alchemy, forging, talisman crafting, and formations. He could do it all.
But Yue Hongling? She was purely a combat genius.
How would she escape if she got trapped in those formations?
Yue Hongling’s flying speed was slow. Her expression suggested she was lost in thought.
Bored, Lu Ye stretched his limbs, practicing a set of Heavenly Sovereign Fist techniques with impressive vigor.
Of course, it was all form without substance.
True Heavenly Sovereign Fist techniques were so powerful that using even a fraction of their strength could cause unimaginable destruction.
[Ding ding ding, it’s almost time! Host, look!]
Lu Ye returned to the screen.
Yue Hongling had reached Thunder Mountain. Mist shrouded the area, dark clouds loomed, and a light drizzle fell.
Why had Feng Wuxie come to such a place?
Rain increased the likelihood of golden lightning washing over Thunder Mountain.
Considering the demons’ dislike for heavenly lightning, Feng Wuxie hiding here made sense.
Where was he?
Yue Hongling scanned the surroundings but didn’t see Feng Wuxie.
She pulled out her conch treasure to contact him while climbing Thunder Mountain.
This place was a treasure trove. One of her fearlessness imprints, the Thunder Seal, was derived from heavenly lightning. Only those who could face such lightning without fear could become the strongest.
As Yue Hongling climbed higher, she suddenly stopped.
A faint sense of danger crept into her heart. Her expression changed, and she instinctively stepped back.
“Get in there!”
A thunderous roar echoed.
A giant figure blurred into view below her, wielding a massive purple-gold pillar larger than Yue Hongling herself. With terrifying force, the giant swung the pillar at her.
Blood erupted from the giant’s body as he unleashed his most devastating power.
Yue Hongling’s expression turned grim.