"What is the Ancestor thinking? Why would he arrange for Fengyao to marry this Chen Chang'an?"
"Who exactly is this Chen Chang'an? Why does the Ancestor favor him so much?"
"No way. Fengyao is the rising star of our Gu Family’s younger generation. We can’t just let her be betrothed to some unknown outsider without a proper explanation."
"Exactly. Even if Fengyao really has to marry him, we should test this guy first and see if he’s even worthy of her."
Gu Fengyao was the beloved jewel of the Gu Family, and not just because she was the most talented of the younger generation.
The most important reason was that, despite the Gu Family’s flourishing lineage, Fengyao was the only girl in her generation.
With over a hundred doting older brothers, she was practically cradled in their palms.
Now that they’d learned Gu Fengyao was engaged to some unknown man, how could they possibly accept it so easily?
A hundred of them marched in a grand procession to the courtyard where Chen Chang'an resided, their imposing presence demanding that he be taught a lesson.
These past few days, Chen Chang'an had been living quite leisurely—lounging on a rocking chair, idling about, with Gu Xian'er attending to his every need.
When he wasn’t bantering with Da Huang, he was simply enjoying his comfortable little life.
As for Gu Fengyao, before returning to the Gu Family, she had clung to Chen Chang'an and Gu Xian'er every day. But now, she was hiding away, too embarrassed to show her face.
"Chen Chang'an, what do you think you're doing?"
The moment the Gu Family’s younger generation arrived at the courtyard, they saw Gu Xian'er feeding Chen Chang'an a grape.
The sight struck a nerve.
How dare he, already engaged to their sister, openly carry on with another woman right under the Gu Family’s roof?
Did he have no respect for the Gu Family at all?
Chen Chang'an had sensed their arrival, but their attitude displeased him.
"Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m eating? Why ask such a stupid question?" Chen Chang'an replied without even lifting his head.
Then, he opened his mouth again, letting Gu Xian'er feed him another grape.
"You—you’ve got some nerve!"
"Do you even know what position you’re in right now?"
"We advise you to behave yourself, or we won’t let you off easy."
"That’s right! You’re Fengyao’s fiancé—you should keep your distance from other women. Do you think the Gu Family is some pushover?"
"With behavior like this, how could you ever be worthy of our Gu Family’s young mistress?"
Chen Chang'an remained unfazed by their accusations, replying indifferently, "This engagement was arranged by your Ancestor. If you have a problem with it, go talk to him."
"If you can get it annulled, I’d thank you for it."
"Well? What are you waiting for?"
His words left them momentarily speechless.
Go to the Ancestor? What a joke! Even if the Ancestor were in a good mood—which he hadn’t been these past few days—they wouldn’t dare.
Forget about whether they could even find him—their elders would thrash them black and blue for disturbing the Ancestor.
Did they have a death wish?
"You—don’t think just because the Ancestor arranged this, you can rest easy and do whatever you want!"
"Exactly! If the Ancestor knew what kind of man you are, he’d never allow it!"
"Chen Chang'an, if you want to marry Fengyao, you’ll have to get through us first!"
Get through you?
Who the hell are you?
"Are you Gu Fengyao’s father?"
"You—nonsense! We’re her brothers!"
"All of you?"
"Her father must’ve been quite the stud."
"You—you’re utterly shameless!"
"We’re not her blood brothers, but we’re of the same generation. I’m her cousin, so what?"
"We’re her cousins, so what?"
"Don’t we have the right to discipline you?"
"Chen Chang'an, enough talk. Face us in a fight. Let’s see what the Ancestor even saw in you."
"You’re just at the first level of the Divine Transformation Realm, yet you dare act so high and mighty in our Gu Family?"
Acting high and mighty?
Chen Chang'an smirked at them.
You fools, I am high and mighty. Even your Ancestor has to call me "Senior."
"Xian'er, go play with them. It’s been a while since you’ve had a proper fight."
"You could use the exercise."
"Just don’t go too hard on them."
"After all, we’re in the Gu Family. Killing them would be awkward."
"Hmm… as long as they don’t die, it’s fine."
Hearing Chen Chang'an’s words, Gu Xian'er nodded, then stood up and walked toward the Gu Family’s younger generation.
"Chen Chang'an, what’s the meaning of this? You won’t fight yourself, so you send a woman?"
"Chen Chang'an, are you looking down on us?"
"Open your eyes and see—our cultivation is at the…"
Chen Chang'an saw it clearly. These people were only a few years older than Gu Fengyao, and their cultivation was all within the Divine Transformation Realm.
In terms of talent, they were only slightly inferior to Gu Fengyao.
In any other place, they’d be considered prodigies.
After all, as members of the Gu Family, how could they be weak?
But Gu Xian'er was no pushover either. Since she was also at the Divine Transformation Realm, she was the perfect match for them.
"If I fought, it’d just be bullying."
"Try beating her first."
Beat her?
Though they were annoyed, they figured defeating this woman shouldn’t be too hard.
"Who’s going first?"
"Don’t say we’re bullying you—I’ll go."
"Fine."
Bam!
"Next!"
"Hmph, my turn!"
Bam!
"Keep going!"
Bam!
"Anyone else left?"
Gu Xian'er’s movements were swift and ruthless.
Out of the hundred-plus young Gu Family members, barely any could last a single move against her.
By the end, over a hundred of them were sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain as they stared at Gu Xian'er with newfound fear.
Who the hell is this woman? She’s terrifying!
At the third level of the Divine Transformation Realm, her combat power was easily at the peak of the ninth level!
Chen Chang'an and Da Huang watched with approval, noting that Gu Xian'er had held back.
"It seems the Seven-Scented Blazing Fruit really was useful."
"Xian'er’s combat power has improved significantly, especially the martial techniques from her cultivation method—they’ve grown much stronger."
Back in the capital of the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty, Chen Chang'an had acquired the Seven-Scented Blazing Fruit at an auction, and Gu Xian'er had consumed it long ago.
At the time, the effects hadn’t seemed obvious, and she hadn’t had a chance to fight since.
But now, it was clear—the fruit had been perfect for her. Her combat power had increased by at least fifty percent.
"Though lately, her cultivation progress has slowed down."
It had been over three months since Gu Xian'er broke through to the third level of the Divine Transformation Realm, yet she hadn’t advanced further. Chen Chang'an found it puzzling.
Logically, the energy from the Immortal Spirit Fruit she’d consumed earlier shouldn’t have been fully absorbed yet—her progress shouldn’t be this sluggish.
Though Chen Chang'an wasn’t sure what Chen Yunxuan was up to these days, given that kid’s relentless drive, his cultivation had to be far beyond the fourth level of the Divine Transformation Realm by now.
"You… just who are you?"
"How can you be this strong?"
The Gu Family’s younger generation couldn’t comprehend it—how was this woman so powerful?
Moreover, such a powerful woman—why would she willingly stay by Chen Chang'an's side? And even appear to serve him like a maid?
This… What virtue or ability does Chen Chang'an possess to deserve this?
"Am I strong?"
"I think it's just that you're too weak," Gu Xian'er said indifferently.
Huh?
How could she say something so insulting? We’re weak? Are you joking? It’s clearly that you’re absurdly overpowered!
"Who would’ve thought that the strength we took such pride in would be so utterly worthless."
"Indeed. This woman looks even younger than us, yet she’s already…"
"Wait, younger than us? And her cultivation is…"
"Gu Xian'er?"
"You’re Gu Xian'er?"
Suddenly, it dawned on them. Someone younger than them would undoubtedly rank on the Human Rankings. A woman, with cultivation at the Divine Transformation Realm’s third level—who else could it be but Gu Xian'er?
Gu Xian'er, at just twenty-one years old?
"That’s right. I am Gu Xian'er."
Gu Xian'er had never bothered to hide her identity; she simply disliked flaunting it.
By Chen Chang'an's side, her role was to remain low-key and avoid overshadowing him.
"You—you’re ranked third on the Human Rankings! Why are you following Chen Chang'an?"
"Because I’m his maid. Is there a problem?"
"His maid? You’re Chen Chang'an’s maid?"
"Have you lost your mind? Someone like you—how could you serve another as a maid?"
"No, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
Birds of a feather flock together—their reactions were identical to Gu Fengyao’s back then.
"Truly cut from the same cloth. All of you are insane."
Gu Xian'er couldn’t be bothered with these defeated opponents and turned to walk back to Chen Chang'an’s side.
The crowd watched as Gu Xian'er stood beside Chen Chang'an, their hearts burning with fury.
How could someone of her stature be reduced to a mere maid?
Chen Chang'an!
You… what a sin you’ve committed!
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
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!
