The Desolate Era (Web Novel) - Book 38, Chapter 42 - Sword-Heart

The Sheng Mei Tribe, known for its beauty, has been warring with the Shen Mu Tribe for three years. The men of the Sheng...

Facing extinction, humanity seeks salvation in the Astral Verge, a dangerous dimension accessed via portals that threatened to wipe out the entire planet.Few years later, aspiring recruit Daniel Vance enters the Verge for his final assessment, hoping to Awaken a Talent and secure his future. While others gain common abilities, Daniel secretly Awakens the mythical SSS-Grade Talent: [Soul Assimilation]. This allows him to absorb essence, enhancing gear, gaining stats and EXP from slain creatures, and crucially, absorbing attributes and skills from fallen Awakened.Witnessing the swift death of the arrogant Jaxon Rex, Daniel makes a grim choice: he assimilates Jaxon, gaining his first skill, [Kinetic Pulse]. This sets his path: scavenging the aftermath of others’ battles. He enhances gear and, after achieving his first kill on an injured beast, waits patiently to assimilate two more fallen recruits, acquiring [Quick Step] and the invaluable passive [Aura Sense].Starting as average, Daniel rapidly gains power in secret, enhanced gear, multiple skills, and boosted stats , far exceeding his peers while remaining outwardly unremarkable. He navigates the lethal Verge alone, using its inherent dangers to fuel his growth, wrestling with the moral cost of his unique, overwhelming power.

Sword Saint Ji Yuan has just breakthrough to the lofty seventh realm saint level after a period of 100 years. When he returns to his celestial clan where he was once the Sword Saint, he has found out that many things have changed.

The worst thing had happened to him; he had lost his beautiful beard and in the Desolate Celestial Fraternity, a beardless cultivator is to be scorned and despised!

This is actually a xianxia romance story about an unromantic cultivator who likes his beard and the romantic leading maidens who all hates his beard.

There are a total of seven celestial levels in order to cultivate as a celestial cultivator; Practitioner, Master Practitioner, Enlighten Celestial, Immortal Celestial, Golden Celestial, Golden Supremacy and Sacred Saint.

This novel is a blend of the anime Oregairu, focusing on Hachiman Hikigaya as our main character, and Classroom of the Elite, intertwined with a sweet romance. Give it a read and decide whether to continue based on your experience!