Yao Yao's daily life in the Divine Wonderland was painfully simple.
She gazed at the endless stars. She sat, listless, watching as several divine maidens drifted past the immortal realm. Occasionally, a flock of white cranes would circle lazily overhead.
That was all.
Utter monotony.
Boredom to the point of bursting.
Three days ago, at least something had happened. A few goddesses had arrived, picking some celestial fruits and gathering strands of rainbow cloud. They claimed that when brewed together, the drink was delicious.
Among them had been a goddess named Bai Suzhen. She stood out as the strongest, and her very presence drew the power of heaven and earth toward her in waves. Around her flickered a faint aura of devouring force.
She was a serpent spirit.
Bai Suzhen had never hidden this fact. But now she had transformed into something even greater—a Candle Dragon, one of the purest to ever awaken.
That was what made Yao Yao jealous. Not that Bai Suzhen was stronger. No, it was the fact that Yao Yao herself was trapped here, bound inside this immortal realm. She could not leave. Every day she could only watch others come and go freely while she remained imprisoned.
"How long will this last?" she whispered.
Perched atop Yunlu Mountain, the demon maiden's voice carried the weight of her frustration.
When she had first been brought here, she had been hailed as the greatest beauty beneath the stars, her talent unrivaled. She had entered the God Realm with all the fury of a cornered leopardess—snarling, clawing, brimming with defiance.
She had even dared to attack the deity Himself, launching her strongest strike in an attempt to leave her mark upon Him.
And the result?
Now she couldn't even earn a glance.
Alas. The cruelest fate was not defeat—it was being ignored, dismissed as nothing. She had been reduced to a mere pet.
Though this Wonderland was beautiful beyond words, to her it felt desolate.
A crane's cry echoed from the skies. Yao Yao brightened slightly, standing to her feet. She stretched languidly, then smoothed her skirt with a gentle pat, as though to refresh herself. Of course, the white silk was spotless; it was only habit that made her do it.
She looked up—and her face lit.
"Yuzhi! Wanwan! Baguio—you're all here!"
A group of visitors approached, ten in total. Among them were Wanwan and Baguio, her closest companions here, as well as the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock. They carried baskets of delicacies and exotic drinks, clearly prepared for an elegant afternoon tea.
"I haven't seen you for three days," Baguio said with a mischievous smile, hands clasped behind her back. "Did you miss me, Sister Yao Yao?"
Yao Yao sighed softly and gave Baguio's shoulder a gentle pat, her eyes curling with laughter.
"Sisters," she asked at last, unable to hold back, "could you please ask Lord God when He will allow me to leave?"
Wanwan set down her cup, lips curving into a teasing smile. "Why, is my sister lonely?"
"Yes," Yao Yao admitted, "I am lonely. Every day I watch my sisters play freely across the Divine Realm, and I envy you. At the same time, I know this is God's punishment for me."
Imprisoned. Locked away.
It meant, of course, that God was displeased. The Divine Realm might be vast, but it was His world—nothing that occurred within it could escape His sight. He simply chose not to speak, leaving her in confinement. Unless she yielded, she might well remain imprisoned until old age, never stepping beyond this Taoist Wonderland.
Bai Suzhen sighed, her eyes soft with sympathy. "Ah, sister… you should have realized this from the beginning. Even though we are cherished, how could we presume to question God's will? He sees all."
As goddesses, even those favored by Him, they knew well their position. It was a glory beyond words to serve Him, though none could compare to the two who were always by His side.
Bai Suzhen had even learned charm arts of her own, fearful that otherwise she might not please Him when summoned to His bed in the future.
Yao Yao's face darkened. She understood the truth of it: the fault was her own, not anyone else's.
Just then, Shi Qingxuan, dressed in flowing green, spoke gently from where she sat. "Sister Yao Yao, do you truly wish to leave here? Or are you still clinging to the belief that you were right?
"God once said: sincerity is spirit. If you are sincere, leaving will be easy. If not, no one—no matter how we try—can help you."
The words were subtle, but they pierced the hearts of every woman present.
Sincerity is spirit.
It was a phrase Liu Che often spoke.
So long as Yao Yao's heart remained proud, unwilling, resentful—no effort could free her.
The group exchanged glances. At Bai Suzhen's slight nod, they rose and began to depart.
Hancock said coolly, "Her pride surpasses even mine. But what use is pride? Without recognizing her place, she may languish here for thousands of years."
"Sister, don't be so harsh," Song Yuzhi said with a light smile. "In terms of strength, she was once a top master of the underworld, even a princess of her clan."
Wanwan snorted. "So what? This will be the last time I come here. Such stubbornness is not worth our concern. Sisters, remember: God has shown us mercy as daughters of destiny, granting us the supreme grace of sharing His bed. What higher honor could there be?"
It was true. Before arriving in the Divine Realm, they had all been ordinary mortal women. God had lifted them up, taught them strength, and remade them. To reject such grace was hopeless.
At that moment, in the Eternal Shrine, Liu Che reclined in his bath, attended by Tsunade and Kaguya.
Tsunade wielded Wood Release magic, her mastery growing day by day. Kaguya, embodiment of light and darkness, was stronger still, yet Tsunade's potential shone brightly, her power rapidly blossoming since her arrival.
Liu Che opened his eyes, voice warm with praise. "Tsunade, your cultivation grows ever sharper. It won't be long before you ascend as the third god."
"Thanks only to Your guidance, my Lord," Tsunade replied humbly.
Divine arts differed from ninjutsu; they required comprehension rather than practice. Even so, Kaguya had grown used to this closeness. Once, in her early days, she might have fainted under a simple gaze.
Nearby, Hinata and Neji knelt respectfully by the pool, towels in hand.
"God," Hinata asked softly, "do you wish for a companion tonight?"
"Hmm…" Liu Che mused. "Let Wang Yuyan attend."
"Yes, my Lord."
Neji took a wooden plaque, inscribed Wang Yuyan's name upon it, and pressed his finger to it. The plaque glowed and vanished into light.
Far away, Wang Yuyan was gathering celestial fruits to refine into pills when a radiant sigil descended before her. She stared, stunned.
Mu Wanqing, at her side, gasped. "Sister Wang! That's… that's the sleeping summons! Fortune smiles upon you!"
To serve God in His chambers, to bathe in His grace—this not only transformed the body, but strengthened the soul. For any goddess, it was supreme honor.
The women nearby looked at Wang Yuyan's glowing plaque with open envy.
The Ten Thousand Realms Chat Group
Ninth Uncle, Demon Slayer: "@Pudu, Brother Bald—are you there???"
Pursuing All Beings (Fahai): "What's the matter!"
Ninth Uncle: "I need some Dharma texts. A group of bald donkeys refuse to listen and call me a fraud! They clutch their little prayer beads all day. Give me something advanced so I can show them what real Buddhism looks like."
Ding! Member Pursuing All Beings uploaded ten Buddhist scriptures.
Fahai: "There! These are the kind that can elevate one straight to immortality. Those idiots aren't even worthy to be called bald!"
Spirit of the Demon Sword: "Hahaha! You're too much. Should we patent your baldness?"
Chu Dashan: "Careful, you're mixing him up with Sister Solanum. This is the strongest bald head!"
Fahai: "Laugh all you like—I'm bald, yes. But what's wrong with that? I'll be the strongest bald man under God!"
Tanjiro: "Brother Fahai, you're incredible! No wonder your power is so great."
Demon Hunter: "Envy.jpg"
Vampire Queen Serena: "You're hilarious. Chatting with you always brightens my day."
Ninja Scientist (Orochimaru): "Brothers, I've caught another group of fools."
For Peace: "???"
Pirate of the Caribbean (Jack Sparrow): "Didn't your ninja world settle down? Who dares defy you now?"
Orochimaru: "Not mortals—idiots from the Ōtsutsuki clan. I traced them… and now I can wage war across the cosmos!"
Chu Dashan: "Congratulations! You're the second in this group to fight on a universal scale."
Blond Boy Sam: "Envy… I might be the third."
The Fox Who Only Loves Money (Tu Shan Yaya): "Does 'universe' mean the stars themselves?"
Orochimaru: "Yes. I'm on the moon right now. I've delegated Earth's governance; the ninja world is fully under my management."
A notification chimed as Orochimaru uploaded an image.
Spirit of the Demon Sword: "Whoa… you actually built a continent on the moon. Impressive."
Chu Dashan: "Every world has its wonders."
Blond Boy Sam: "Damn, that's so cool. Living on the moon… Anyway, gotta go—the aliens are coming soon."
Transformers World
Several blazing fireballs pierced the atmosphere, streaking toward Earth.
At Bumblebee's invitation, Optimus Prime and the Autobots had finally arrived.
Yet no sooner had they landed than they were surrounded.
"Ding… abnormal energy detected. Levels exceeding standard parameters."
"Warning… warning…"
Humans with power levels above Cybertronian standards?
Optimus Prime could not comprehend it. His scans of Earth's history—from slash-and-burn agriculture to modern industry—told him everything about mankind's development. He had thought he understood this species.
But how could humans float in the sky unaided, their bodies radiating power?
"Bumblebee? Bumblebee, where are you?!"
At last Bumblebee emerged from behind a building, his voice tinged with guilt.
"Sorry, boss… we've been captured. These humans… they're even more terrifying than the Decepticons!"