What if he said he had never thought about the future?
What if he said, all of this was just...
A transaction?
Lin Qingyan bit her lower lip.
She suddenly realized that Gu Chengyin had never truly taken the initiative.
The deal at the Meditation Pagoda was proposed by her.
The first kiss was initiated by her Inner Demon.
The body inspection was her doing.
When they were alone, she was the one who clung to him.
Even the few times it happened, he had been forced by her.
Gu Chengyin had never actively desired her.
Lin Qingyan's heart sank a little deeper.
She recalled the words Gu Chengyin had said.
"I believe you."
"I miss you."
"As long as it's Lin Qingyan, I like her."
...
Every sentence sounded so sweet, every word made her heart flutter.
But there was no future in those words.
No hereafter.
No forever.
Now, Lin Qingyan was finally certain of one fact.
Gu Chengyin's affection was real.
But his affection stopped there.
His heart might be moved, but he would never truly fall in love.
No matter how beautiful she was, how aloof, how alluring, or how seductive.
Whether it was the aloof Lin Qingyan or the Inner Demon Lin Qingyan.
No matter how hard she tried.
Gu Chengyin would not take another step forward.
After confirming this, Lin Qingyan slowly opened her eyes.
The slight sadness from moments ago had completely vanished.
Who was she?
She was Lin Qingyan.
She was Jingzhe of the Celestial Master Mansion.
She was the invincible Golden Core cultivator who would get whatever she wanted.
Therefore, what she needed to do was to use absolute power to fiercely possess him!
In a blind spot Gu Chengyin couldn't see, a faint light surged from Lin Qingyan's hand, manifesting into an exquisite lotus flower.
The lotus was condensed from pure lightning, its petals layered upon each other.
Golden arcs of electricity flowed across every petal, breathtakingly beautiful.
Palm Lightning Lotus.
With a gentle backhanded pat, Lin Qingyan sent the lightning lotus sinking into Gu Chengyin's body.
Caught entirely off guard, Gu Chengyin's vision went black.
He lost control of his body and slumped softly against the carriage wall.
The moment the lightning lotus entered him, Lin Qingyan had already stood up.
She steadily caught Gu Chengyin's collapsing body, letting his head rest upon her shoulder.
His eyes were tightly shut and his breathing was steady; although he had lost consciousness, he was unharmed.
She was highly skilled at this now—it would only render a person unconscious without causing the slightest injury.
Lin Qingyan looked down at the unconscious Gu Chengyin.
The cold aloofness surrounding her completely faded in that instant.
The mask she had worn for years, the distance that kept people thousands of miles away, and the indifference that deterred countless suitors.
All of it vanished.
Replaced by a somewhat sickly, twisted obsession.
Lin Qingyan stared at Gu Chengyin in a daze, her eyes filled entirely with him.
Her gaze traced from his brow bone down to the bridge of his nose, and from his nose to his lips, inch by inch, meticulously mapping his features.
Finally, her eyes landed on those slightly pursed lips.
Lin Qingyan's breath hitched slightly.
Without a shred of hesitation, she lowered her head and kissed him.
Gu Chengyin was unconscious; he didn't know.
Thus, Lin Qingyan had absolutely no reservations.
She could brazenly do whatever she wanted to do.
It was unknown how long the kiss lasted—perhaps just a fleeting moment, perhaps a very, very long time.
After feeling thoroughly satisfied, Lin Qingyan reluctantly pulled away.
She opened her eyes and looked at Gu Chengyin, who was mere inches away.
The morbid obsession in her eyes deepened a few degrees.
"Chengcheng... I like you so much..."
Gu Chengyin gave no response.
He remained unconscious, completely oblivious to Lin Qingyan's murmurs.
Lin Qingyan looked at him, the corners of her mouth curling into a slight smile.
That smile contained satiety, obsession, and an inevitable determination to have him.
Suddenly, Lin Qingyan pulled out a length of rope from nowhere. The rope was entirely silvery-white.
It gleamed with a faint metallic luster, clearly not an ordinary item at first glance.
Holding the rope, she swiftly and expertly hog-tied Gu Chengyin.
Her technique was highly professional, wrapping from his wrists to his arms, and from his chest down to his waist.
Every knot was tied firmly, yet not so tight as to injure Gu Chengyin.
Finally, Lin Qingyan tossed the other end of the rope over a crossbeam on the ceiling of the carriage.
Then, she hoisted Gu Chengyin entirely into the air.
Lin Qingyan clapped her hands and took two steps back, admiring her masterpiece.
Her gaze swept over Gu Chengyin's securely bound body, landing on his still-unconscious face.
As Lin Qingyan watched, she suddenly let out a soft laugh, carrying an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
It was as if she were envisioning a certain moment in the future, inside some dark little room, where the scene would be exactly like this.
The sick obsession in Lin Qingyan's eyes began to gradually recede.
It was replaced by her familiar, cold aloofness.
Like a mask, it was once again placed over her face.
As if that yandere fairy, whose eyes had been brimming with obsession just moments ago, had never existed.
Lin Qingyan waited for a few breaths. Since Gu Chengyin still showed no signs of waking up, she furrowed her brows slightly.
Flicking her finger lightly, a golden arc of lightning shot from her fingertip and precisely entered Gu Chengyin's body.
The electrical arc was as thin as a hair, but it carried a slight stimulating shock.
The moment it entered him, Gu Chengyin's eyelashes fluttered lightly.
Then he slowly opened his eyes.
The very first second Gu Chengyin opened his eyes, he realized something was wrong.
His field of vision was upside down—no, not upside down, but... suspended in mid-air?
Gu Chengyin looked down, only to find that his entire body was suspended in the air.
Ropes wrapped from his wrists to his chest, and from his chest to his waist, every loop tied firmly, rendering him completely immobile.
Gu Chengyin was stunned.
He blinked, confirming that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.
Then he raised his head and looked at the person in front of him.
Lin Qingyan stood right before him, her expression cold and indifferent, as if all of this were perfectly normal.
Gu Chengyin's mouth twitched, and he said in shock:
"Auntie, what are you..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Lin Qingyan raised her hand and gently hooked his chin.
Her fingertips were slightly cool, resting against the skin of his jaw with a faint sensation of electricity.
Gu Chengyin was forced to lift his head and meet Lin Qingyan's gaze.
Those eyes were cold, distant, and indifferent.
Just like looking at an ant.
"Gu Chengyin."
Lin Qingyan spoke, her voice faint and haunting, as if coming from very far away.
"Don't think I don't know about those little schemes of yours."
Gu Chengyin's pupils shrank slightly.
"Let me tell you."
"In this life."
"In the next life."
"And the life after that."
"You are mine."
Gu Chengyin was dumbfounded. What was this?
Tying him up like a spoil of war.
And then declaring ownership over him?
Watching Gu Chengyin's bewildered expression, the coldness in Lin Qingyan's eyes deepened.
"So, I will give you one last chance."
As Lin Qingyan spoke, she suddenly leaned in close.
Her lips brushed against Gu Chengyin's ear.
Her breath was fragrant like orchids.
"Will you be securely bound like this, escorted back by me like a prisoner?"
Gu Chengyin's breath hitched slightly.
Lin Qingyan's lips drew even closer, practically pressing against the shell of his ear:
"Or should I let the Inner Demon out, and have her personally tell you."
"Who the master of Lin Qingyan is."
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
