Black Vein - Chapter 16: Stones That Remember

99 is one, and nine refinements are returned to Xian.

A young town boy, stepping on Xiuxian Road, is not a family, no gold fingers, with his own determination and wisdom, the nine major cultivation system, the nine realms step by step to the peak, and finally ninety-nine one, the achievement of true immortal.

- Description from Uukanshu translation

Plot Summary: This novel combines the popular “villainess” genre with the contemporary concept of VTubing, where the protagonist, a typical villainess character, becomes a VTuber—an online persona using a digital avatar. As she navigates her dual life, her influence extends beyond the virtual world, leading to increasingly violent and chaotic consequences in reality. The story delves into the psychological impact of living a double life and explores themes of power, manipulation, and the dark side of internet fame.Why Read It: The novel offers a fresh and thrilling take on the villainess trope by incorporating modern digital culture elements. It’s particularly appealing to readers who enjoy stories that explore the darker aspects of fame and influence, with a unique blend of fantasy and real-world issues. The narrative's intense and sometimes graphic nature sets it apart from more conventional stories in the genre, making it a compelling read for those looking for something different.

The end of all worlds approaches.

The Demon King Order harvests lives from all manners of living beings.

Within this darkness full of despair,
A single person escaped from space-time, returned to before the world collapsed, determined to change the fate of the past.

But as time pass, he gradually finds out that the Apocalypse isn’t quite as simple as he thinks…

Where does the game end? Where does reality start?

When one very anticipated VRMMORPG was about to be launched, and Jake was one of the first players to have a chance to access it, he had a weird dream of himself fighting massive beasts and then seeing a world being destroyed.

Without knowing any better, Jake assumes that it was just a weird dream, but then he begins to have those weird dreams again and again until they become even more vivid, and much to his surprise, whenever the dream changes, he obtains a new power inside the game.

It doesn't take long for Jake to realize that he isn't the only one who has those dreams, and soon enough, Jake realizes that the game and reality are a lot more connected than he thought.