The Versatile Master Artist - Chapter 23 - 13: Masterly Demeanor

A veteran player of “Starry Abyss” and a Meteor Fall Master known as Ace Bro, Li Zi came to the game world with his system template, arriving at the era of the game's beta version.This was the worst of times.Cosmic forces and financial magnates colluded, causing The Gate to the cosmos to be shut, planets' resources exhausted, even sunlight monopolized.It was also the best of times.All the Extraordinary Systems had just started, and in this era, only he possessed the final version patch as a Meteor Fall Master.While people reveled in the smoke of plasma cannons, Li Zi had already torn apart warships with Gravity.As Special Ability users proudly indulged in their awakened abilities, Moonlight had already become a servant to Li Zi.When the Interstellar Fleet crossed the Galaxy, Li Zi had just ignited the forty-second Stellar, illuminating the entire cosmos.“People have been trapped on the ground for too long and have forgotten that this Starry Sky should belong to us all,” he said gently, holding a black hole in his hand while facing an indescribable native Evil God.

It was understood that this was a capitalist country, where the possession of the greatest amount of capital determined to whom the nation effectively belonged.The smile that had been resting on William Sheffield’s face was abruptly erased as his expression turned cold. In a tone laced with determination, it was demanded by him that the police be contacted immediately so that they could crush those who stood in their way. The reasoning behind his words seemed clear: if such actions had been taken before by someone like Rockefeller, then why should it not also be possible for Sheffield?A sense of irony hung in the air as the sentiment was expressed—this was America, where each day seemed to unfold as though it were part of an ongoing shootout, with battles fought not just with guns but with power, influence, and wealth.

In the world of cultivation, countless tales follow righteous protagonists, fated heroes blessed by destiny, or those chosen by heaven to walk the path of immortality.But what of those who stand in their way?What of the villains? The so-called obstacles to the hero’s journey—do they not bleed, dream, and struggle as well?Xiao Ning was never meant to succeed.From the very beginning, the Grand Dao wove him as a stepping stone—a necessary sacrifice to elevate another. His path, like that of all designated ‘villains,’ was doomed to failure by design.But what happens when that design is defied?After death, Xiao Ning awakens—not in the cycle of reincarnation, but in the cold silence beyond it. There, he is offered the Eternal Paradox Codex—a forbidden artifact containing the hidden truths of the Grand Dao System itself.Rules. Loopholes. Vulnerabilities.Knowledge not meant for those like him.With this power, Xiao Ning is granted a single, impossible choice: accept oblivion, or step outside the Grand Dao entirely—to abandon fate, sever karma, and cultivate a path unbound by heaven or law.It is Xiao Ning’s journey, from ashes to something beyond comprehension.Not to become an Immortal among men.But something even the heavens dare not bind.If fate is a chain…Then let him forge his own path in the void beyond.Welcome to this humble tale.The cultivation world is vast and unkind.Let us begin again—on our terms.

I somehow managed to be reincarnated as a maid who monopolized the Emperor’s affection. In the end, she was killed by the Evil Empress through vicious means.‘Fortunately, I’m only five years old.’‘I still have a long way to go before the original work begins, so shouldn’t I just avoid the Emperor and Empress until then?’I thought so, but…“Lize, what did you say to the Emperor?”“I said that I support you.”The evil Empress who was supposed to kill me in the original story won’t leave me alone.“Truthfully, you like me much more than the Emperor, don’t you? Am I right?”Is the Empress trying to win me over?