Refining the Mountains and Rivers - Chapter 70 – Subduing the Ant King

Ace had always harbored feelings for his childhood friend, only to have his heart shattered when he learned she was secretly in love with Duke. The betrayal left him disheartened, but nothing could have prepared him for what came next.That night, instead of waking up to another ordinary day, he opened his eyes in a completely different world—inside another man's body. Worse still, the first thing he heard upon waking was yet another rejection.Thrown into an unfamiliar land with a past he doesn't remember and a future he never planned for, Ace faces a choice: chase after love once more or embrace a new passion—one that comes in the form of an unexpected farming system. As he cultivates spirit crops and reaps rewards beyond imagination, he begins to wonder: perhaps love isn't found in a person, but in the soil, the growth, and the endless possibilities of the land.Will Ace sow the seeds of a new destiny, or will the echoes of rejection root him in the past?

Humanity is caught in a great upheaval after the Intergalactic Union of All Species coincidentally discovers their existence on what they had formerly considered to be the fringe of the universe.Without any say in the matter, they get indicted into the Union as a legal member. Unfortunately, this meant that they were now obligated to partake in the exploration of a new Chaotic Realm parallel to their universe containing rich energies, resources, and essence that the universe itself craved.To that end, the universe has created its own will, which seeks to gather all races and strengthen warriors from them to explore the dangerous but lucrative Chaotic Realm, initiating the Augmented Reality simulation, Essence.In Essence, one can experience a carefully crafted universe similar to an RPG game, either by going in through your soul or going in through VR. The former means that death is true, and the latter is similar to a normal FIVR experience.Those who go in with their souls can freely receive feedback from their 'game characters' to obtain all stats, skills, and items they acquire in Essence, while those who go in with VR do not obtain that benefit.However, those who pay for it in Essence can receive an awakening of genetic talent called abilities. These abilities are graded from F to EX, a total of 10 stages.Not much is expected from the human race when the first 100 participants get chosen at random from the public - a standard protocol - only for each one of them to awaken at least an A-grade ability.Then, there was Damon Arnan, a young Ghanaian politician, who ended up awakening, not one, not two, but three EX-Grade Talents.The human race, which had just entered the galactic playground, was about to experience a storm with Damon smackdab in the middle.

After finishing playing mahjong, Yu Zhou, a recently resigned writer, returned home and found a young lady from ancient times, Xiang Wan, who was a former prime minister’s daughter, sitting on her sofa. After some simple communication, Yu Zhou, with her adolescent mind, accepted this “roommate” who had traveled through time.

On the other hand, Yu Zhou’s novel was adapted into an audio drama, which was unexpectedly performed by the well-known voice actor Su Chang, causing Yu Zhou to be overjoyed yet also in tears, because Su Chang was her ex-girlfriend.

Through their new connections, the girls re-examine their own lives and achieve personal growth. This absurd yet realistic experience may also “pat awake” Yu Zhou’s stagnant love life.

- Description from Novelupdates

While most cultivators were scratching their heads as they pondered how to advance to the next realm, Li Lang was busy systematically studying the mechanics of cultivation.Scientist Langley Seiker has always dreamed about immortality. Reincarnating into a world of cultivation, it is no longer a dream except for the fact that he has no talent. However, through a chance encounter, he gains access to his familiar laboratory that will allow him to study the wonders of cultivation.Not even the heavens will know what fate has in store for Langley as he systematically unravels not only how to cultivate, but also various crafts such as refining pills and inscribing talismans. Preparation is key to surviving in the merciless world of cultivation, especially for those with no talent.Expectations:- Detailed study of each stage of cultivation and crafting- Not technology vs cultivation, scientific method will be used to study cultivation- No harem- Slow burn progression. MC won’t be skipping through cultivation ranks at record speed- Weak to Strong- Sect Building (Much later in the story)