Steel and Mana - Chapter 9 – Midnight Talks

Perhaps the paintings in a museum are subjected to more nonsense than you would hear anywhere else in the world.The language that comes out of an artist’s life is the painting itself. It contains the most ordinary lives that know failure, desire, recoiling in fear, and compromise.Learning is about understanding that language. We miss much of what the paintings speak because there is no way to ask the long-dead painters about the philosophy of their lives.In an alleyway in the residential area of Jongno, there’s a peculiar art gallery. This place enables us to transcend such limitations. By sheer coincidence, I ended up visiting that place and began living an entirely different life.

During her cultivation practice, Nie Yinzhi encountered a mishap and nearly fell into qi deviation. After emerging from seclusion, she discovered she could see floating subtitles above her head.From these danmu (bullet screen comments), she learned that she was merely a substitute supporting character in a novel.Everyone in her sect doted on and loved her only because her eyes resembled those of the beloved senior sister who had perished ten years ago.And in three days, that blind senior sister would return to the sect—Nie Yinzhi would have her core forcibly removed by her master, her eyes gouged out by her senior brother, and ultimately die alone.Armed with spoilers from the danmu, Nie Yinzhi set up a forbidden array, sacrificing her soul to summon the novel’s antagonist – the great Demon Lord.Covered in blood, amid everyone’s terrified gazes, she coldly smiled and said, “If that’s how it is, then none of you shall live!”The Demon Lord appeared slowly in his dark robes, reaching out to wipe blood from the corner of her mouth: “You’re so young, why harbor such deep resentment? If there are any misunderstandings, we can sit down for tea and talk things through. Why resort to violence?”Nie Yinzhi: “???”Is this the ruthless, evil Demon Lord everyone spoke of?![The Demon Lord says no with his mouth but his actions prove otherwise. Don’t worry, it’s not frustrating, feel free to dive in.]Gu Jiang: Today my wife is asking me to kill againNie Yinzhi: Today the Demon Lord is preaching virtue to me againCultivation World: Being persecuted again todayLaid-back retired veteran couch potato Demon Lord male lead VS grudge-holding can’t-take-any-grievance female lead[[Warning: As you can tell from the synopsis, the female lead isn’t designed to be morally good! She has character flaws! She’s not a perfect victim! She won’t wait until they actually remove her golden core and gouge out her eyes before fighting back! Proceed with caution if this bothers you!] ]

The Revered Master, Yu Yan, known as the number one in the cultivation world, waited for sixteen thousand years, and finally took in a disciple. He taught her carefully, and took care of her diligently. He watched her as she slowly grew stronger as she comprehended the laws, and just as she was about to soar into prominence… she died!

After the Calamity War, the final and most devastating conflict to decide who would claim the Divine Throne, Kael Medici stood as the last survivor.He had led armies, fought with unmatched ferocity, and performed legendary feats. Yet in the end, his fate was no different from the rest. He perished like all the others, the final casualty of the Great War, his hand just shy of the throne he so desperately desired.But when he thought it was over… his eyes snapped open.He had returned to his youth, his memories intact.The path to divinity is drenched in blood, and the battle for supremacy is merciless. Yet Kael has already endured this once. This time, failure is not an option.With the memories of his past life, dominating talent and and a mysterious power awakening within him... The preparations to reach the Divine Throne were complete.