Hero of Darkness - Chapter 23: The Confrontation

Xu Youyou rebirthed to when she was 16 years old and chose a path different from her previous life and met Qiao Mu ten years earlier. The youth who had braved the wind and snow protecting her till death — and who had confessed to her.

And she realized, the Qiao Mu ten years earlier and the Qiao Mu she knew were completely different people. He didn’t have his smile that could radiate sunlight, he didn’t have his courage that could penetrate snowstorms, and he certainly didn’t have his perfect eight pack. He was like a short mushroom, quietly growing in the corner’s shadow.

Xu Youyou: If you dare be like this when you confess to me, you are so dead.

Qiao Mu was a teenage Weiqi genius, he loved Weiqi, but because of his shadow of youth was unable to enter the competition arena. And because of the fear, he was unable to become a professional player and could only return to a typical school life.

Until he met Xu Youyou.

A widely known reckless and fearless girl, who was the complete opposite of him. She was good at everything, except things relating to love. Clearly he wasn’t her type, yet she always provoked him. But the biggest joke was himself, he clearly knew everything, yet could not help but fall into the hands of the enemy.

- Description from Novelupdates

Qiao Yue was a premature baby. Her mother died early, while her father’s identity was unknown. Later, she was adopted by a mysterious big shot who created a mysterious multinational group for her with all the finance and material resources he had. The businesses under her name spanned various industries, and her assets were countless. Her subordinates were also famous big shots in their respective industries. As the person who had all of this behind the scenes, Qiao Yue had just turned eighteen and was about to return to her grandfather’s house. In fact, Qiao Yue’s mother was only the old man’s goddaughter, yet he treated her like his real daughter and brought her up as one.

Because her grandfather couldn’t accept her mother’s relationship, she ran away from home with her lover and finally died outside. Before her mother died, she asked Qiao Yue to return to the Qiao family to repay their kindness, which was the reason for Qiao Yue to head back now. However, what awaited her was not a warm welcome ceremony, but four max-level big-shot elder brothers who extremely disliked her. The eldest brother was proficient in medicine. With a scalpel in hand, he could wrestle a person’s life back from death’s doors. The second brother had supernatural powers and was worth hundreds of billions.

He had a creed all his life — there was nothing one couldn’t solve with money. If there was, then it meant you simply didn’t have enough money! The third brother was a celebrity superstar. Any action he made could go viral online. He was an artist whom everyone wanted to work with, and was also beloved by the entire nation! The fourth brother was the god of learning. With a smart brain and charming face, he was acknowledged as Prince Charming of the campus! At first, when the four brothers saw their “younger brother”, they were unhappy. Until… Eldest: “What? It’s a sister, not a brother?!” Second: “What? The world e-sports champion is actually Yueyue?!”Third: “What? Yueyue was the one who started my favorite sports car company?!”Fourth: “What? Yueyue has no blood relation to us?!”When they found out there were people pursuing Qiao Yue, her second brother’s face darkened. “Get lost! Yueyue is mine!” All her other brothers: ???

Existence was divided into three realms. The Heavenly Realm. The Earthen Realm. The Infernal Realm. Below them, countless minor realms of all types existed, none able to match the might of any of the Three Fundamental realms. The Celestials led the Heavenly Realm, The Immortals led the Earthen Realm and Demons led the Infernal Realm while the Rulers controlled all the minor realms. Together, they formed The Myriad Unity and allowed peace to reign supreme. The mortals were allowed to cultivate and reach for the Heavens as a balance was installed between the Heaven and Earth, all according to the Heaven’s Will. And yet, among the billions of trillions of living beings within the Myriad Unity, one seemed unsatisfied. “They are lying to us.” This man went against all known truths and contradicted the very gods. “We are in a false world! Mere pawns used to study an outcome!” And so in search of freedom and truth, this man committed the ultimate taboo. He rebelled.

The world is a sea of bitterness.

The mortal swims in the sea.

The body is the vessel.

The soul is the mortal on the vessel.

The vessel carries the mortal as it sails endlessly towards the other side of the sea.

Does cultivating the body strengthen the vessel enough to reach the other side of this sea of misery?

Or does cultivating the soul give the mortal on the vessel the ability to master swimming?

Cultivating according to the martial path allows one to become an Earthly Immortal.

Cultivating according to the immortal path allows one to become a Divine Immortal.

Which path should be chosen?

- Description from Novelupdates