Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix - Chapter 1542: Talent

Su Jie, capable of traveling between Blue Star and the Cultivation World, discovered that cultivation was just too difficult.Spirit Pills, Magic Artifacts, Pocket Worlds, and inherent comprehension—each was a mountain on the long road to immortality.Not until Su Jie found out that Demon Cultivators refined corpses by killing, extracted souls to cultivate fiends, and used fear as sustenance for their cultivation.Need souls to consecrate a Soul Summoning Banner? Get to know the pig farms that slaughter millions of pigs a year.Need human fear to cultivate fierce ghosts? Stock up on ghost houses, horror films, and horror games…Need fresh blood for Demon Techniques? Across the ocean, America is the world’s largest grey market blood transfusion station………Years later.“You devil, how many people have you killed? And you still have the face to call yourself a good person? Pah, today I shall act on behalf of heaven to mete out justice.”The Tianyuan World’s most beautiful person’s eyebrows were furrowed with rage, as she stared at the terrifying Devil before her, enveloped in wronged souls, with thousands of ghosts parading on his Soul Banner, seated in a palace made of bones, she posed her soulful question.The Devil slowly stood up and pulled out a business card that read “Hua Country’s Philanthropist of the Year / Founder of the World’s Largest Chain of Ghost Houses / Owner of Blue Star’s Largest Livestock Slaughter Business / Emerging Tycoon of the Entertainment Industry.”“You see, I’m really not a devil, okay? Nowadays, who still uses such a lowly method as killing people to cultivate as a devil!”

In her third year living in this steampunk world, Ciel gained the ability to simulate both the past and the future.These simulations turned into a game where she could act without restraint, and after countless trials, real life became a replica she could navigate as though speedrunning it.Churches, potions, mutations, the Old Gods, witches, sealed artifacts… none of these have anything to do with Ciel. She’s just an ordinary girl who wishes for a peaceful life.She just happens to be particularly skilled at snuffing out danger before it even begins.

The world of Anexia is rotting. The Mist has taken hold over entire continents and continues to spread, not content until the entire world is under its control.Raorka, along with his mother Zoe and father Zack, are thrust into this world after an accident. However they wake up at different parts of the world.Raorka wakes up near the Domed Town of Temuril, where inhabitants speak of the cursed dragon in the woods and the exiled witch who teaches magik...for a price.Zack wakes up near the town of Odania where the red cloaked Chianti Hunters battle against the tyrant mayor and the last Great Kingdom.Zoe awakens near the abandoned Church of Laments, where the cries of persecuted nuns echo, praying for the return of their Goddess and her blessings.Now they journey separately, desperate to reunite with each other amidst the chaos of a dying world.

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.