Cutting, Must Cut

Su Luo woke up early again today, determined to be disciplined... for five minutes. After a quick stretch, he found a lounge chair, comfortably lay down, and began writing in his diary.

[At the auction, Wang Mo had bad luck, and now it's my turn. Well, Autumn Wind City isn’t too big or too small, so it’s just enough for two villains to take turns.]

[This time, the main event is Li Siyi being kidnapped.]

[The demonic path has started to appear in the plot, though it’s just a minor character named Hong Guang.]

[A Foundation Establishment early-stage minor character is just the right opponent for Lin Xuan, who’s at the Qi Refinement late stage. It’s perfect for experiencing the thrill of defeating a stronger opponent without being too overpowered.]

[If he were too strong and still won, people would call it plot armor, and the power scaling would be ridiculous. Though, even defeating a stronger opponent already feels a bit broken.]

[Hong Guang is on the run from the Seven Stars Sword Sect and happened to see Li Siyi when she was out. He immediately recognized her as a perfect ingredient for a demonic ritual.]

[This "ingredient" refers to a rather sinister method of cultivation in the demonic path, too gruesome to describe in detail.]

[So he took the risk and kidnapped Li Siyi. If the ritual succeeds, not only will his injuries heal, but his cultivation will also advance, potentially allowing him to turn the tables on the Seven Stars Sword Sect.]

[And so, the plot begins.]

[Li Siyi’s disappearance shocks all of Autumn Wind City. The Li family mobilizes everyone to search for her, and as her number one admirer, I naturally use the Su family’s resources.]

[Not only do I send out Su family members, but I also personally join the search, alongside our protagonist, Lin Xuan.]

[Yes, Hong Guang is just a stepping stone for Lin Xuan.]

[The trope of the hero saving the beauty never gets old.]

[But this time, the plot isn’t just about the hero saving the beauty—it’s also about resolving my role.]

[Not by killing me, of course. I’m a villain who survives until the end. Instead, it’s about making Li Siyi completely lose hope in me, turning us into strangers.]

[I’m the first to find Li Siyi, but I can’t defeat Hong Guang and end up captured too. I’ve grown up consuming all sorts of supplements, so I’m just as good an ingredient as Li Siyi.]

[As for why I didn’t have guards, it’s because I sent them all out to search for Li Siyi. Such a sincere heart, but the author decided to confiscate my brain.]

[In a hidden cave, Li Siyi is tied up but unharmed. Hong Guang is a power-focused individual with no interest in women. Since childhood, he’s lived solely to become stronger, even if it meant joining the demonic path.]

[Even after being captured, I continue to fuss over Li Siyi, showing her care and concern. I even dare to curse and threaten Hong Guang.]

[Hong Guang isn’t angered by this. Instead, he smiles, amused by my infatuation with Li Siyi, and decides to play a little game.]

[He says if I stab Li Siyi once, he’ll let both of us go.]

[Like a fool, I believe him. Before stabbing her, I even ask, “Really?” and after getting confirmation, I tearfully stab Li Siyi.]

[Hong Guang immediately goes back on his word, laughing at how stupid I am. Enraged, I charge at him, only to be knocked back and start crying, utterly humiliated.]

[Then Hong Guang says, “Only one of you can live. Whoever dies, the other can leave safely. This time, I promise.”]

[He sounds so convincing that I believe him again, fully displaying my idiocy and naivety in front of Li Siyi.]

[But this time, I hesitate. Even though I’m a simp, I’m also afraid of dying.]

[Hong Guang grows more and more excited as he watches my pained, indecisive expression.]

[After a long, agonizing deliberation, I finally decide to sacrifice myself. But then, like a demon, Hong Guang whispers in my ear.]

[“If you die, she’ll probably move on and live happily in someone else’s arms. She’s so beautiful and talented; she’ll forget you in no time.”]

[Upon hearing this, I freeze, tears streaming down my face, and I scream in anguish.]

[“No! I don’t want that! I want her to think about me for the rest of her life!”]

[Hong Guang laughs maniacally at my breakdown, truly a demonic cultivator with a twisted mind.]

[Under his manipulation, I choose to save myself.]

[Of course, Hong Guang doesn’t actually let me kill Li Siyi—she’s still useful to him. He was just toying with me, but I took it seriously and stabbed her without hesitation.]

[Just as I’m about to strike, Lin Xuan swoops in heroically and saves Li Siyi.]

[What follows is predictable: Lin Xuan and Hong Guang engage in a fierce battle. Despite being severely injured, Lin Xuan manages to defeat Hong Guang in a narrow victory, saving Li Siyi.]

[After this incident, Li Siyi is completely disillusioned with me. The way she looks at me changes from disdain to utter indifference, as if I’m invisible.]

[As for me, this event cements my hatred for Lin Xuan. I single-handedly blame him for taking Li Siyi away from me, setting the stage for my future opposition to him.]

[It’s clear that the author wrote this plot to cut me out of Li Siyi’s world.]

[After all, how can the female lead have a simp hanging around her all the time?]

[From now on, I won’t go out of my way to please Li Siyi. I’ll just say the occasional polite words, focusing instead on opposing Lin Xuan. My mindset becomes: “If I don’t defeat Lin Xuan, I can’t win back Li Siyi.”]

[So, Li Siyi, from now on, you won’t have to deal with my constant attention. Without me, make sure to eat, drink, and have fun on time. Stay up late every night, don’t bother adding layers when it’s cold, and if you feel unwell, force yourself to cultivate. If you make a mistake, never correct it.]

[In short, I hope you thrive.]

[Of course, after this incident, the author buffed me a bit. I’ve grown slightly, learning to be more patient and cunning. I won’t act against the protagonist unless I’m absolutely sure of success.]

[I’ll keep up with the updates, though sometimes I wonder if it would’ve been better to be written off earlier. That way, I wouldn’t have so much screen time and could’ve been done with this story already.]

[Using a villain from start to finish—what was the author thinking?]

Closing the diary, Su Luo watches an ad to claim his rewards, following the familiar routine.

[Diary completed. Rewards: Speed +1, Defense +3, cultivation advanced by one level. Current cultivation: Foundation Establishment mid-stage.]

[Special ability obtained: Radiance of the Setting Sun.]

[After witnessing the sunset, the soul gains a slight enhancement. Note: Must watch the sunset for at least half an hour before and after for the effect to activate.]

Su Luo once again declares the diary to be divine.

Methods to enhance the soul are incredibly rare in the entire cultivation world, and even if a method exists, it might not work for everyone due to differences in constitution.

Now, just by watching the sunset every day, I can enhance my soul, even if it’s just a little. Over time, the cumulative effect will be significant, and Su Luo has plenty of time.

Now that his cultivation has reached the Foundation Establishment mid-stage, surpassing Li Siyi, he reflects on how, at this point in the original plot, he was still at the Qi Refinement late stage—and a very weak one at that.

Not bad, not bad.

If I keep improving like this, my cultivation will soon far surpass Lin Xuan’s. By then, no matter how hard he tries, he might not even be able to break my defense.

After finishing his diary, Su Luo quietly waits for the plot to unfold.

Meanwhile, Li Siyi’s eyes widen in disbelief. This plot must not go this way!

No cutting me out!