Hearing the sound of the ice block changing clothes, an image involuntarily surfaced in Li Mo's mind.
Separated by just a door, she had shed her plain garments and donned crimson robes, blossoming in the sunlight with a captivating, fiery red splendor...
He wanted even more to go in and see.
But it was hopeless. Security Comrade Old Li was guarding her like an immovable fortress, as stubborn and unyielding as a future father-in-law, not giving him the slightest opportunity.
"Good things come to those who wait, understand? It's not supposed to be this easy for you to see."
"Dad, I was joking earlier when I said I might have been switched at birth, but now I'm starting to have my doubts."
Li Mo sighed, gazing longingly at the ice.
Li Dalong waved him off. "Go on, get out of here. You'll see her tomorrow, won't you? Can't you wait one more day?"
Only after shooing Li Mo away did Li Dalong snort to himself, chuckling and muttering that he hadn't gotten to see back in his day either.
...
A refreshing autumn breeze carried the festivities as the engagement banquet officially began.
For this particular feast, even the vast Qingyuan Sect seemed a bit cramped. The guests who had come for the Promotion Ceremony hadn't yet left, while those arriving for the wedding celebration were already pouring in. In the end, they had no choice but to set up an open-air, flowing banquet, with tables stretching all the way from the main hall down to the mountain gate.
Li Mo rode out through the mountain gate on horseback.
One had to admit, the outfit Old Li had worn to fetch his own bride years ago suited him perfectly. Paired with the bearing of the top-ranked talent on the Hidden Dragon List, he truly cut the figure of a dashing young man, his heart soaring with pride and his horse's hooves flying.
"Today, Qingyuan Sect feels even livelier than during the Promotion Ceremony,"
Elder Xu remarked with some emotion.
"Of course. The Prince of Zhennan has come in person, and he even brought gifts from His Majesty."
Qian Bufan was sitting at the entrance collecting gifts and now stretched out his hand towards him.
"Isn't this an engagement? Do we give gifts for engagements too?"
The elder from the Sword Manor was taken aback but still reached into his pocket for a red envelope.
"I heard it's actually a wedding. I even heard that Fairy Han has already started calling Young Master Li's mother 'mother'."
"This setup really doesn't look like an engagement."
"Right? When I passed by, I saw the bridal chamber was already prepared. Since when do engagements require a bridal chamber??"
All along the way, martial artists gossiped amongst themselves, some saying it was an engagement, others insisting it was a wedding.
In the crowd, Shang Qinqing's mouth twitched, as if she desperately wanted to burst into uproarious laughter.
But a glance from the corner of her eye at a newly arrived group of people and horses at the mountain gate made her hold back.
"So, a bridal chamber is only needed for a wedding, not an engagement?"
A voice suddenly asked from among the newly arrived guests.
The person being questioned looked over with an expression reserved for fools, only to realize it was the renowned Lingxi Sect Master, Mo Chaozong. He then awkwardly nodded.
"That's correct. For an engagement, a bridal chamber is not required."
"Then today must definitely be a wedding."
The disguised members of the Demon Sect hidden within the Lingxi Sect contingent nodded inwardly, relieved.
Scared us to death. For a moment there, we thought our plan had a flaw.
"Sect Master Mo, your Lingxi Sect is at the peak of its power. Surely you haven't come empty-handed..."
Qian Bufan extended his hand again, rubbing his short, thick fingers together.
"......"
Mo Chaozong fell silent for a moment. He was here to cause trouble; it had never crossed his mind he'd have to pay to get in.
So, he perfunctorily pulled out a silver ingot and handed it over.
"Lingxi Sect gift: eight taels of silver! Seating outside the mountain gate!" Elder Qian's voice boomed.
"Only eight taels? Could Sect Master Mo be here to make trouble?"
"After all, the Lingxi Sect was previously the most likely candidate to become the Provincial Sect. Could they be holding a grudge for not being chosen?"
"Or perhaps, is it simply because the Lingxi Sect is poor, hence the stinginess?"
Hearing this, Mo Chaozong clenched his fist. As a dignified sect master, when had he ever been subjected to such talk?
"Patience is key to great plans. Do not ruin this," Situ Ding's voice transmission came from behind him.
Sitting outside the mountain gate would make it inconvenient to act later.
"Hmph."
Mo Chaozong snorted coldly and pulled out two stacks of silver notes. "Will this suffice now?"
He paid the money and walked in, only to turn and find the people he brought hadn't followed.
They were stopped by Qian Bufan again.
"Didn't the Sect Master already pay the gift money just now?"
The disguised Situ Ding asked in a low voice.
"He only paid for himself."
"You little...."
"Hmm?"
"...cutie."
And so, the Demon Sect members lined up to pay, their already strained wallets suffering further.
Of course, it wasn't a complete loss. At least they received a return gift—a pair of Young Master Li and Fairy Han couple dolls.
Young Li Mo, riding on his horse, remained completely unaware of Elder Qian's feat of shearing even the Demon Sect's wool.
Li Mo rode his horse into Ziyang Prefecture City. The people looking at him held reverence and admiration in their eyes, unaware that the 'Little Overlord of Wife-Prospering' had basically lost all capacity for rational thought.
The journey felt interminably long, yet also fleeting.
His body felt heavy, yet also as if he were treading on clouds.
...
Meanwhile.
The bride-to-be sat before the dressing table, letting Gu Xueqin arrange her hair. She stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror, her gaze rippling with faint waves.
She had never imagined the scenes from her dreams would one day appear so vividly in reality.
She remembered how it all began: the Li family had shown her kindness, so she entered the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths intending to look after that immature kid.
After all, she was originally the older sister, and had lived two lifetimes.
But as she looked after him, this 'older sister' found herself owing more and more.
It seemed, perhaps, probably...
The only thing left to give him was herself.
At that moment.
"This red envelope seems to be filled with silver notes..."
Lan Tian came in holding a red envelope.
"Hmm? Is that kid handing out red envelopes?"
Shang Wu had come with Lan Tian to be a bridesmaid. Initially, Li Mo had refused.
As everyone knows, before taking the bride away, the groom must pass tests to enter the room, with the bridesmaids 'making things difficult' in between.
Having Shang Wu act as a roadblock would be disastrous.
But the ice block didn't have many friends. Besides Lan Tian, the only one left in Ziyang Prefecture was the Qingyuan Sect's 'Fighting Queen'.
"Mhm, do you give red envelopes for engagements too?" Lan Tian nodded.
"Probably... you should."
Shang Wu crossed her arms. Surprisingly, she didn't rush out to fleece her precious disciple, instead squinting her eyes with an uncharacteristically steady demeanor.
"......"
Ying Bing pressed her lips together, thinking to herself that red envelopes were only for weddings.
But since she'd already been tricked by that immature kid so many times, one more wouldn't make a difference. She'd just pretend not to know.
"Sister Bing is so beautiful."
Lan Tian also forgot about the red envelope, staring at Ying Bing with her hair pinned up and wearing phoenix-patterned red robes, unable to help but wipe a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth.
Gu Xueqin initially wanted to offer praise, but when she looked up at the reflection in the mirror, she felt any words would be superfluous.
She opened her mouth, the words in her heart choking her up and making her eyes rim red.
After all, she had raised this girl from childhood; she was no different from her own daughter.
"That brat is getting her far too cheaply."
"Mother, what time is it?"
"Don't rush. We can't let him take you away so easily."
Madam Gu, Young Li's birth mother, spoke with the tone of someone protecting their own prized cabbage, walking over to the chamber door.
She searched for a while before finally finding the door bolt.
Strange, doesn't Little Bing'er usually lock her door?
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
