Tome of Troubled Times - Chapter 186: Taiyi Sect

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.

Mo Tianliao was a master weaponsmith and a demonic cultivator. When news spread that he was about to complete a divine weapon, cultivators from both the demonic and orthodox sides chased him down and killed him. In a stroke of luck, he managed to possess a new body and was reborn.

So what was the first thing on his mind after his rebirth? Avenging his death? Taking over the world?

Mo Tianliao: I have to find my cat!

—
Mo Tianliao: Why won’t you let me hug you? You used to be my cat!

Master: (unsheathes claws)

Mo Tianliao: Ahaha, this disciple has too much respect for Master, this disciple can’t bear to let Master walk on the ground!

Master: (lifts paw, sends disciple flying)

- Description from Novelupdates

In a world without gods, where the laws of magic are written by the mages themselves, balance is fragile, and darkness reigns. Multiple dimensions surround it, watched by beings with dark and greedy intentions. This is a magical universe, unstable, marked by constant changes, betrayals, and bloodshed. At the center of it all, an ordinary man emerges, carrying a biochip capable of deep analysis and data recording. With it, he embarks on a relentless journey of genetic enhancement, seeking to ascend beyond the limits of existence. Without divine protection, without charms to shield him or overwhelming powers, he must survive in a world where threats are ever-present, and the fight for survival is relentless. Here, the only rule is to conquer or be consumed. A dark fantasy filled with dangers, evolution, and the relentless pursuit of supremacy.

There is only one Magi Craft Meister in the world. After the death of the last Meister over one thousand years ago, Jin Nidou was transported to another world in order to succeed her will.