Gu Chengyin often felt that he stood out because he was simply too normal.
This wasn’t modesty, nor was it self-deprecation. It was an objective fact proven time and time again.
Whether it was Luo Zhao, Lin Qingyan, or Shangguan Yunying, all of them could be said to be close to divinity, yet far removed from humanity.
Their ways of thinking, their patterns of behavior, and the way they expressed their emotions were all different from those of normal people.
So this was what the world of cultivation was like?
Gu Chengyin had thought he could accept every absurdity and every ridiculous thing in existence.
But now he realized he had still been far too naive.
The facts had proven that absurdity had no upper limit, and ridiculousness had no boundaries.
He would never know what astonishing things these women would say next.
Nor would he ever know how many unbelievable ideas were packed inside their heads.
Gu Chengyin even felt that he needed to reassess the negative effects brought about by cultivation.
He and these women were simply operating on entirely different wavelengths. He was a flower raised in the spring breeze, while they—
Especially when it came to matters of the heart, each of them was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, galloping recklessly across the wilderness. No one could pull them back. No one could make them stop.
Take Luo Zhao, for example. Even now, whenever Gu Chengyin thought back on it, he felt a dull ache in his temples.
That request— even the most perverted person in the world would have found it perverse.
And when Luo Zhao had said it, her expression had been completely serious.
She truly wanted to be devoured by him in that situation, in that manner.
This was no longer mere possessiveness.
It was a declaration.
Gu Chengyin could understand the impulse, but for the moment, he couldn’t accept it.
Because it was wrong.
The place was wrong. The timing was wrong. The method was wrong. Nothing about it was right.
If they really did that, the whole thing would become a game for three.
Luo Zhao would become a substitute for Lin Qingyan, or Lin Qingyan would become Luo Zhao’s adornment.
That was wrong.
It shouldn’t be like this.
So he had to do something, even if all he could accomplish was making Luo Zhao a little more normal.
Gu Chengyin first glanced toward the bed.
After confirming that Lin Qingyan and Shangguan Yunying hadn’t heard Luo Zhao’s words and were still resting, he rose to his feet.
Under Luo Zhao’s watchful gaze, Gu Chengyin began putting his clothes back on.
Luo Zhao watched in silence, unable to understand what he was doing.
Her mind was still turning over the thought she’d just had.
She had thought Gu Chengyin would agree. She had thought that sort of thing would happen next.
But Gu Chengyin had stood up and started getting dressed.
This was not how Luo Zhao had imagined things unfolding.
Once he was fully dressed, Gu Chengyin took Luo Zhao’s hand.
Luo Zhao didn’t understand, but she didn’t ask where they were going, either.
Instead, she obediently let Gu Chengyin lead her up the stairs.
The staircase grew narrower and steeper with every step, while the temperature in the air continued to fall.
Luo Zhao could feel the night wind slipping in from somewhere unknown, brushing against her face with a chilly touch.
Before long, the two of them arrived at the top floor of the Heart-Calming Pagoda.
The top floor was empty save for a single small door.
Gu Chengyin reached out and gently pushed it open.
The door swung wide.
A vast night sky appeared before Luo Zhao’s eyes.
She couldn’t help holding her breath.
What a night sky it was.
The heavens were as though someone had spilled an entire bucket of ink across them—pure black, absolute black, without a trace of impurity.
Yet scattered across that darkness were countless stars, densely packed together, like a handful of crushed diamonds sprinkled over black velvet.
Every one of them shone. Every one of them glittered.
Some large, some small; some bright, some dim; some distant, some near. There were too many to count and too much to see.
The moon hung on the horizon, spilling its silver-white light across the entire world.
It bathed the roof of the Heart-Calming Pagoda, the upturned eaves of the Celestial Master’s Residence, and the countless streets and alleys of the Divine Capital.
Holding Luo Zhao’s hand, Gu Chengyin stepped through the small door and out onto the roof.
The roof tiles gleamed blue-gray beneath the moonlight, covered in a thin layer of frost. They were slightly slippery underfoot.
Gu Chengyin sat down first, then pulled Luo Zhao into his arms and settled her on his lap.
His arms encircled her waist, holding her securely against him, while his chin rested lightly on the crown of her head.
Luo Zhao sat quietly in Gu Chengyin’s embrace without moving.
She hadn’t said a word throughout the entire journey. Her gaze remained fixed ahead.
From this height, they could overlook the entire Celestial Master’s Residence.
The halls and pavilions stood in orderly disarray beneath the moonlight, their upturned eaves resembling birds spreading their wings as they rested silently in the night.
In the distant training grounds, quite a few cultivators were still practicing diligently.
They swung their swords, and as the blades flashed, it looked as though someone were drawing silver arcs across the night sky.
Farther still lay the Divine Capital, its countless streets and alleys ablaze with lights.
From a distance, it looked like a brilliant sea of stars that had fallen to earth.
It echoed the galaxy overhead, making it impossible to tell which was brighter or more beautiful.
The night wind blew in from afar, carrying a chill and a trace of plum blossom fragrance.
The scent was faint—so faint it was like a wisp of smoke, lingering at the tip of the nose for an instant before vanishing.
Yet its aftertaste remained, pure and distant. It made one instinctively draw a deeper breath, as though trying to seize that fleeting moment of beauty.
For some reason, Luo Zhao’s heart suddenly grew calm.
Everything that had happened on the third floor moments ago was cast aside.
It was as though someone had erased it with a giant eraser, leaving not even a trace behind.
All that remained was the starry sky before her, the nightscape, and Gu Chengyin’s warm body.
Only this moment of perfect, untainted tranquility.
Luo Zhao’s body slowly relaxed. She was no longer tense, no longer on guard against anything.
She simply leaned limply against Gu Chengyin’s chest, like an exhausted kitten that had found the warmest nest in the world and wanted nothing more than to close its eyes and sleep.
At this moment, her world became very small.
So small that it contained only the top of this pagoda, this expanse of stars, and the person holding her.
“Your Highness, do you know…”
“No matter how much happens, no matter what you think I am…”
“I still hope that you will become a wise and capable ruler.”
Luo Zhao’s entire body trembled.
She had never imagined it.
She had thought that Gu Chengyin had brought her to the pagoda’s roof, beneath this expanse of stars, so that he could take her in a more romantic, more unforgettable place.
Luo Zhao had even prepared herself for it in her heart.
But Gu Chengyin hadn’t.
He had brought her here not to devour her, but to tell her his true purpose and his real thoughts.
Luo Zhao could hear the sincerity in his voice.
Gu Chengyin truly meant it.
There was no concealment and no concern for personal gain. It came from the depths of his heart.
He hoped she would be well. He hoped she would become a good emperor. He hoped that, once seated in the highest position of power, she would do what was right by herself, by the people, and by those who had placed their hopes in her.
Luo Zhao burrowed deeper into Gu Chengyin’s embrace, curling herself into a small ball like a snail hiding inside its shell.
She buried her face against his chest, refusing to let him see her expression.
“Only if I become a wise and capable ruler can you maximize your influence, right?”
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
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.
