Gilded Ashes: When Shadows Reign - Chapter 84: Stone Guillotine

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.

Lu Yu of the mechanical department didn’t want to be a factory boy, so he decided to become a UP in the manual area.

So he left a question on the website: If Bi She builds a space jumping machine, will it affect me from becoming a big anchor?

Under the question and answer, many netizens ridiculed.

“It will affect, and the impact will be great. I am afraid that you will disappear for decades, who will help you update?”

“As long as there are a few more peanuts, I won’t be so drunk!”

In the face of many doubts, Lu Yu just asked netizens to look forward to his live demonstration of the ‘finished product’.

In fact, he just wants to give his debut a boost. Black and red are also red, so let’s talk about it first when it gets traffic.

So Lu Yu brazenly activated the space jumping machine he built during the live broadcast, who knew that he jumped directly from the blue star space to Mars in an instant……

- Description from novelbuddy

[You have been slain by an Evil God. Time Reversal initiated.][Save file loaded successfully. Beginning Fifth Playthrough.]In 2030, a game burst onto the scene.And you had already been reborn for the fifth time.Only you knew that in three years, the game would merge with reality.Humans and races from other worldlines would invade Earth through the game.And not long after that, even more unknown horrors would descend upon every timeline![Ding! Congratulations, player registration successful. Please draw your Talent.][Ding! Detected that the player has used a redemption code.][Ding! Redemption code successfully applied. Congratulations! You have obtained the unique Talent: Millionfold Boost!][Talent Description: Millionfold Boost — When selling an item, you may choose to receive a millionfold boost in either quantity or quality!]As expected, the redemption code you had painstakingly gathered during your first four playthroughs was worth it![Detected: Player has sold a Common-grade Bow. Player has chosen Quality Boost.][Ding! Millionfold Boost activated. Congratulations! You have obtained the Legendary-grade equipment: Moon Reaper!][Detected: Player has sold a D-rank Skill Book: Blink. Player has chosen Quality Boost.][Ding! Millionfold Boost activated. Congratulations! You have obtained the SSS-rank Skill Book: God Speed!][Detected: Player has sold a God-grade Pet: Ancient Dragon Egg. Player has chosen Quantity Boost.][Ding! Millionfold Boost activated. Congratulations! You have obtained 1,000,000 God-grade Ancient Dragon Eggs!]Beautiful!You bastards, get ready to face the strongest ancient dragon legion in history!

In a world where everyone awakens a Trait to start their cultivation, Rhys's was considered a joke: he would never age.In a world that worships raw combat power, a Trait granting eternal youth was worthless. To his powerful family, Rhys was a talentless failure, a stain on their name. With disgust, they cast him out onto the streets, leaving him with nothing.Alone and powerless, Rhys's life was shattered when he was caught in the crossfire of a terrifying battle between two god-like cultivators.Mortally wounded and left to bleed out in an alley, he faced a lonely, pathetic end.But as Rhys's vision faded and his last breath drew near, a new power roared to life within him.[Lifespan Burning System Activated]Suddenly, his useless Trait became Rhys's greatest weapon. His infinite lifespan was now the ultimate fuel source.A divine martial art that takes a genius a hundred years to master?[Consume 100 years of lifespan. Skill comprehended to Maximum Level.]A fatal wound that no healer can mend?[Consume 10 years of lifespan. Body restored to peak condition.]An ancient, unreadable text holding the world's greatest secrets?[Consume 500 years of lifespan. All knowledge unlocked and understood.]From the brink of death, Rhys rises with a burning purpose.The world saw him as trash, but now he will trade his endless years for the strength to stand above all.(Posting this on RR under pen name Unnikuttan)