Chapter 1: Transmigration — The “Forced Love” Script Failed
Clang—
A sharp dagger grazed past his neck and embedded itself deeply into the hard wall made of mystic wood. A sudden sting radiated from his neck; Su Huan reached up to touch it, his fingertips coming away with blood.
A drop of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
Under the broad daylight, with the scorching sun high in the sky roasting the ground until it smoked, Su Huan felt cold all over, a chill seeping into the bottom of his heart.
He struggled to pull the corners of his mouth into a forced smile. “Junior Brother, listen to my explanation…”
Clang— Another sword strike came.
Su Huan scrambled to dodge, wishing he could curse the version of himself that stayed up late last night reading novels to death.
It was 4 AM and he hadn’t slept; if he didn’t die of sudden cardiac arrest, who would!
Even more unfortunate was that he had transmigrated into the book he was reading. He had become the cannon fodder villain who appeared gentle and kind on the surface but was actually jealous and greedy.
In the novel, this villain had taken on the task of recruiting disciples for the sect. Along the way, he discovered that the protagonist possessed the rare Heavenly Spirit Root. Consumed by jealousy, he chose to hide this from the sect, forcing the protagonist to become a lowly servant disciple. On the surface, he acted like a gentle Senior Brother who took great care of the protagonist, but behind the scenes, his envy drove him to sabotage the protagonist repeatedly.
After accidentally obtaining a manual for a demonic technique, the original host hatched a crooked plan. He tricked the protagonist into going to an abandoned wooden hut in the back mountains, drugged him, and planned to perform a secret art to swap their Spirit Roots.
However, the protagonist, who appeared introverted and pure on the outside, was actually a “Black Lotus” with a dirty heart. After realizing the villain’s sinister intentions, he turned the tables and went in for the kill. This scene was witnessed by the Eldest Senior Brother, who happened to be passing by the back mountains. Being a true gentleman of high moral standing, the Eldest Senior Brother immediately reported the matter to the sect after learning the truth.
The protagonist’s outstanding talent was then discovered by the Sect Master, and he went on to become the personal disciple of the world’s number one Sword Venerable. Meanwhile, the original host became the first stepping stone on the protagonist’s long road to godhood.
The unlucky Su Huan, now inside the book, felt a deep, heartbreaking regret.
Transmigrating was fine; he could use his knowledge of the plot to hug the protagonist’s thigh. Becoming a villain wasn’t a big deal either; worst case, he could find a way to redeem himself, avoid the tragic death ending, and step onto the path of immortality to become a winner in life.
But why did he have to transmigrate right into the moment the protagonist was counter-attacking, facing a direct threat of death?! Ahhhh!
Inside the small wooden hut, the already dilapidated tables and chairs had been smashed into further ruin by the fight. Dust swirled in the air. The Black Lotus protagonist’s cold sword sliced through the floating dust motes as he looked at Su Huan with sharp eyes, his voice icy: “Save your breath. Give me your life!”
Thinking of the original text’s description of the villain—having his Spirit Root destroyed by the protagonist’s sword and being thrown off a cliff to shatter into pieces—Su Huan couldn’t help but shudder.
Quickly dodging another strike, Su Huan wanted to cry but had no tears. A phrase untimely popped into his head: He flees, he pursues; even with wings, he can hardly escape.
“Shidi, I really didn’t want to kill you!” Su Huan shouted in despair.
However, the Black Lotus protagonist, Xiao Jianming, didn’t believe his explanation at all. He sneered and swung his sword to stab at him. “If I hadn’t been prepared, I would probably be lying in a pool of blood by now.”
After missing several consecutive strikes, Xiao Jianming gradually lost his patience. His sword moves became increasingly sharp and swift, each one fatal.
It’s over, it’s over, he’s finished!
Su Huan forced himself to calm down. He urgently and rapidly frantically searched the original host’s memories for spells, while constantly pulling talismans and magical tools from his storage bag and throwing them all at Xiao Jianming.
The spiritual energy from the exploding talismans and tools collided with a bang. The small wooden hut, abandoned for years, endured abuse it was never meant to withstand. The roof beams began to sway, shaking loose years of accumulated dust that obscured their vision.
Amidst the flashing lights and shadows, Xiao Jianming had a momentary lapse in attention. He was caught by an Immortal-Binding Rope, binding his hands and feet, and he crashed to the ground.
When Su Huan dazedly saw the scene before him clearly, he let out a huge sigh of relief.
Xiao Jianming was tied up on the ground, his eyes as gloomy and ferocious as a wolf, looking as if he wanted to bite a chunk of meat off Su Huan, yet he couldn’t turn over.
Su Huan tried hard to ignore that fierce gaze, taking a deep breath. His heart beat like a wild drum, loud as thunder in his ears.
The protagonist appeared to be at the Qi Refining stage, but in reality, he was a hidden expert at the Nascent Soul stage. Su Huan, merely a small Golden Core cultivator, had absolutely no power to fight back.
Fortunately, the original host hadn’t said any cliché villain lines yet; he had only tricked the protagonist into coming to this wooden hut and attempted to drug him.
Good, good, he could still be saved.
Su Huan slowly crouched down, his fingertips lightly touching the side of Xiao Jianming’s face. His tone was extremely soft, trying his best to inject a hint of paranoia into his words. “How could I bear to kill you? I clearly like Shidi so much…”
That’s right, he was going to switch to the “Paranoid Yandere Forced Love” script!
This way, the villain’s behavior—appearing gentle and caring on the surface while secretly instigating others to harm the protagonist—could also be whitewashed…
Hearing this, a look of realization appeared on Xiao Jianming’s face. “So Shixiong holds affections for me, which is why you tricked me into coming here, intending to commit improper acts.”
Su Huan nodded with deep affection, nodding furiously in his heart. Yes, brother, this is all because of love!
But then, he saw the spiritual energy inside Xiao Jianming riot violently. The Immortal-Binding Rope on his body suddenly snapped and scattered on the ground.
With a flip, Xiao Jianming regained the upper hand. The tip of his sword pressed against Su Huan’s throat as he gave a wicked smile. “But I don’t believe you.”
Su Huan: “!!!”
No, wait, why didn’t the Immortal-Binding Rope work?! Ahhh!
Su Huan collapsed internally. Controlling his instinct to flee, he subconsciously grabbed the tip of the sword. With his scalp tingling, he forced himself to act like a true extremist in love, letting out a laugh that sounded quite neurotic. “I originally wanted to dig out Shidi’s Spirit Root so that Shidi could only rely on me alone and no longer seek the help of those mediocrities…”
Blood snaked down his pale white arm, staining his sleeve red.
Pain, pain, pain, pain!
Su Huan regretted impulsively grabbing the sword. Luckily, his acting skills were decent; he managed to package his trembling voice—caused by pain—into something that sounded like he was getting a thrill from the blade. His whole body shivered uncontrollably as he let out a breathless tremor. “But thinking about it now, I was wrong. To die by Shidi’s hand… can also be considered… being entangled with Shidi in life and death.”
The trailing note curled into a moan, and his usually hypocritical smiling eyes seemed to gain a certain quality—filled with a blazing, extreme affection that was hard to ignore.
Xiao Jianming watched his performance with interest, but the sword tip inched forward, forcing Su Huan to let go. “Is that so?”
Su Huan’s chin was suddenly clamped. He was forced forward, falling to his knees in the dirt. The tears that had been half-hanging in his eyes suddenly dropped.
Pain. It was too painful.
You dog of a Black Lotus, just talk if you want to talk, don’t hurt my knees, okay?!
Xiao Jianming smiled a smile that wasn’t a smile, pinching Su Huan’s deathly pale cheek. “You, a noble personal disciple, falling in love with a lowly, down-and-out servant disciple? Shixiong, if you’re going to weave a lie, you should come up with a better one.”
He attempted to struggle again. “I swear (say) it’s twe (true)…”
Hearing this, Xiao Jianming revealed a disdainful sneer, his tone mocking. “Even if it is true, so what?”
He let go of his hand, tilting his head with a smile that was both innocent and vicious. “Those dirty thoughts of Shixiong’s only make me feel disgusted… so I have no choice but to ask Shixiong to die.”
He had seen plenty of people with such filthy minds, calculating to get something from him.
Xiao Jianming raised the sword in his hand high, aiming at the youth on the ground, the disgust in his eyes almost overflowing.
“Wu…” Su Huan was so scared he couldn’t help but whimper.
Boohoo, Mom, I’ll never stay up late reading novels again…
The spiritual energy in his Dantian drifted out uncontrollably, surging into the air in wisps.
Xiao Jianming paused; the tip of his sword hit nothing but air.
Su Huan’s eyes widened. Rejoicing in his survival, he immediately scrambled backward to flee.
But the sword was pressed against his neck again, accompanied by a threat: “Don’t move.”
Xiao Jianming frowned and grabbed his wrist, feeling strange. Why had the malice in this hypocrite’s spiritual energy suddenly disappeared?
A wisp of spiritual energy emerged from his fingertip and drilled into Su Huan’s body, churning Su Huan’s Dantian until it was restless, causing spiritual energy to leak out chaotically.
Su Huan’s eyes were brimming with tears. Although he didn’t know what the Black Lotus was doing, he could feel the spiritual energy constantly draining from his body.
Su Huan was terrified. His brain uncontrollably thought of a martial art familiar to every Chinese person—the Star Sucking Great Art.
However, no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free from the grip on his wrist. Su Huan gradually lost his strength.
Finally realizing there was absolutely no possibility of escape, and driven by the solitary courage of “since I’m going to die anyway, why be afraid,” Su Huan cried with genuine emotion, cursing loudly as a way to vent. “You’re right! How could I like a cold-blooded ghost like you… Even if—even if the world collapses and you’re the only one left, I wouldn’t fall for someone completely devoid of humanity like…”
The word “monster” had not yet left his mouth when a sudden boom rang out. Dust instantly rose all around—
It turned out the overburdened roof beam had finally fallen, smashing right onto Xiao Jianming. It buried a third of his body into the floor tiles, leaving him on the ground coughing up blood.
Su Huan was stunned. The next second, surprise and excitement filled his heart. He hurriedly took this opportunity to flee the small wooden hut.
Hahaha, Heaven never seals off all exits; it is destined that my life should not end here!
Eldest Senior Brother, come save me!!!
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
Su Huan rushed into the dense forest and suddenly saw a flash of white shadow among the trees ahead. His eyes instantly lit up, and he sprinted over, throwing himself forward. “Dashixiong, save me!”
The passing Eldest Senior Brother looked surprised and instinctively reached out to catch him.
He saw the youth panting unsteadily, his face full of lingering shock and fear. His pitch-black eyes were brimming with tears, the corners of his eyes red from crying. His white robes were stained with dirt, his collar was disheveled revealing snow-white skin, and a purple-red strangle mark on his neck was particularly conspicuous, as if he had been abused. Truly a sight that invoked pity.
Looking up again, he saw the roof of the hut—abandoned by some martial uncle generations ago—had collapsed. A person walked slowly out of the hut, his face covered in blood.
The Senior Brother immediately understood. He raised his hand to shield his Junior Brother behind him, speaking seriously, “Shidi, don’t worry. With me here, he can no longer harm you.”
Hearing this, Su Huan nodded with tears of gratitude, genuinely feeling that the Eldest Senior Brother’s back was warm and reliable.
But who would have expected that in the next second, the Eldest Senior Brother would say something shocking. Looking at Xiao Jianming with disapproval, he accused, “This Junior Brother, how could you coerce Junior Brother Su?”
Xiao Jianming: “…”
For a moment, the forest was somewhat silent.
Su Huan was confused. “Coerce?”
The Eldest Senior Brother patted his shoulder soothingly and comforted him, “You two men alone in this deep forest, and you look… cough, like this. Is it not that he bullied you? Junior Brother Su, don’t be afraid. Speak out, and Eldest Senior Brother will seek justice for you.”
Su Huan was shocked. He quickly looked down at his own disheveled appearance and realized the Eldest Senior Brother had misunderstood.
But he couldn’t exactly say he had evil intentions and wanted to kill someone to steal their Spirit Root.
So, he nodded with tears in his eyes, accepting this “fact.”
In the silence, right and wrong were inverted.
Xiao Jianming laughed out of anger.
In the quiet forest, this laugh seemed particularly abrupt.
Su Huan shrank his neck, hiding his entire body behind the Eldest Senior Brother.
Xiao Jianming cast a sidelong glance at him but did not refute. He simply said, “Dashixiong, I didn’t bully him. If you don’t believe me, look.”
A wisp of spiritual energy escaped from his fingertips, drifting leisurely toward Su Huan and gently wrapping around his finger. In less than a moment, it easily drew out the spiritual energy within Su Huan. The two energies merged, intimate as if they were one.
Su Huan was dumbfounded. Although he knew Xiao Jianming was lying, how did he manage to merge with his spiritual energy?!
Did the Black Lotus not want to suck him dry just now, but instead placed a hex on him to turn him into a puppet?
The Eldest Senior Brother, originally on guard, lowered his defenses upon seeing this. “This… So the two of you are actually in love.”
Such a phenomenon would only appear between Dao Companions who had formed a bond, or disciples who had practiced the “Life and Death Dual Cultivation” technique together.
But regardless of which one it was, it signified a close relationship of hearts beating as one and mutual affection—with the latter indicating an even higher level than the former.
Throughout history, any cultivators capable of using the Life and Death technique for dual cultivation invariably became famously loving Dao Companions.
However, seeing that there was no aura of a Heaven and Earth Oath on them, it was likely the latter.
Unaware of the details, Su Huan was greatly shocked. Dashixiong, what are you talking about?!
Xiao Jianming nodded, a look of shyness appearing on his face. The words he spoke seemed tactful but were actually explicit: “Shixiong he… likes the ‘rough’ way. I just accidentally hurt Shixiong earlier and made him angry, which is why he’s giving me the cold shoulder.”
Su Huan listened with eyes wide open. I’m not, I don’t, stop talking nonsense! I don’t have that kind of fetish! Ahhhh!
Just as he was about to open his mouth to refute, he found he couldn’t speak.
He looked at Xiao Jianming in horror. It was him.
The Black Lotus had put a hex on him!
Seeing that Junior Brother Su didn’t speak up to deny it, the Eldest Senior Brother felt a bit awkward. “Ah… so it is like that.”
Su Huan wanted to cry but had no tears.
Fortunately, there was a twist of fate. The Eldest Senior Brother frowned slightly again. “But for you to act like this… cough, it is truly a bit too violent.”
Xiao Jianming lowered his head obediently as if admitting a mistake. “Dashixiong is right. I know I was wrong.”
Su Huan’s eyes revealed his terror.
I’m not, I don’t have that kink! Dashixiong, don’t listen to his nonsense!
Luckily, although the Eldest Senior Brother’s brow smoothed out, he didn’t lower the hand protecting Su Huan. He simply said, “However, I cannot make the decision. It depends on whether Junior Brother Su forgives you.”
After saying that, he turned to look at him.
Su Huan immediately shook his head frantically.
Boohoo, this Black Lotus is so sinister!
Damn it, Dashixiong, just take me away quickly!
Xiao Jianming stepped closer at this moment, smiling affectionately. “Good Shixiong, don’t be angry with me anymore.”
However, seeing him shake his head, the Eldest Senior Brother did not let Xiao Jianming get close. He disapproved, saying, “Junior Brother, Junior Brother Su is currently in a fit of anger and likely won’t forgive you easily. You should come back another day to apologize.”
Su Huan nodded, moved to tears. Wuwuwu, Dashixiong is so clutch right now!
Quietly watching the Eldest Senior Brother take the person away, the smile on Xiao Jianming’s lips gradually vanished.
Tsk.
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