EX-Rank Villain: Rise Beyond Fate - Chapter 18 – The Vanishing Mountains

Some exist with pride, others struggle with pride, some compete with pride, and there are those who fail with pride, but very few can walk away with pride.Congratulations, for as you read these lines, you have witnessed the whole lives of many great basketball players.This pronunciation was embodied when Stephen Curry, after facing defeat in 2021, claimed that no one would want to face them the following season; When Tim Duncan was convinced before the start of the 2014 Finals that they would not mess up; When Kobe Bryant promised at Old Buss's memorial to take the Lakers to the playoffs; When Nowitzki, shedding his label as a soft player, retreated to the locker room in tears at night; When Kevin Garnett let out a skyward howl after holding the championship trophy; When the 2004 Detroit Pistons won and the F4 Lakers lost…Our story begins in an era when pride still mattered.

Transmigrating into a world of cultivation, you find yourself at the lowest rung of the sect's hierarchy. Everyone wants to bully you to gain some benefits. Fortunately, there are always a few junior brothers and sisters who are 'generous and understanding', allowing you to improve peacefully and secretly grow stronger. Years later, unbeknownst to anyone, you successfully become a deity within the sect. This day, your master visits you at the sect's request.'The upper echelons of the sect believe you have been diligent and loyal over the years, and though your strength is mediocre, you are an honest person, so they've found a marriage alliance for you.''An alliance marriage?''Not exactly. The other family has a rule: marrying into their family means taking their surname.'Is this... becoming a son-in-law who marries into the wife's family?

Esther, a guardian of the Earth, awakens after centuries of slumber to a world transformed. The energy of the planet, once in sync, feels fractured and wrong, making him to embark on a journey to uncover the source of this imbalance.Lazy but impossibly sharp, handsome, and undeniably powerful, Esther is an immortal being who has always existed beyond the concerns of mortal life.On his journey, he meets Hina, an ambitious and fiery woman determined to become the next queen of her country, a goal that intrigues Esther and pulls him into the complexities of human ambition, politics, and relationships.Along the way, Esther will meet multiple characters who will teach him lessons about life, love, and the human spirit—things he had long ignored in his centuries of existence.A story of self-discovery, growth, and breathtaking action, *The Descendant of Sloth* is a fantastical tale that explores what it means to truly live.

In the mystical land of Teyvat, where elemental forces collide and secrets of ancient gods remain buried, an ordinary traveler awakens to an extraordinary destiny. Armed with unparalleled ambition and a mysterious system, they embark on a quest to become the Supreme Arbiter—the ultimate authority over all creation.The world of Teyvat is no stranger to conflict, but its hidden truths are more treacherous than any battle. Beneath the veneer of harmony lies a struggle for dominance among divine beings, and the enigmatic Heavenly Principles rule from the shadows. Yet, this traveler defies fate itself, determined to shatter the chains of divine control and reshape the world.Guided by a unique power to harness and manipulate the essence of Teyvat’s elements, the protagonist builds alliances with heroes from every nation—Mondstadt’s free-spirited knights, Liyue’s calculative sages, and Inazuma’s thunderous warriors. However, their journey is far from peaceful. Ancient enemies, forbidden truths, and the ever-present gaze of Celestia test their resolve at every turn.As they ascend in power, unraveling secrets that defy the understanding of gods and mortals alike, one question looms: What does it mean to be the ultimate authority?Will they bring salvation to Teyvat, or become its greatest threat? The skies tremble, the earth stirs, and destiny itself bows before the rise of the Supreme Arbiter.