Chapter 5: 3,
"Too bold, truly too bold," she exclaimed, "Can you believe Senior Brother actually had such a dream?"
After fleeing from Xu Yuan's room, Lin Qingque clasped her face, occasionally letting out small, animal-like cries of sorrow, her snow-white skin blushing cherry pink, a mix of bashfulness and joy.
Although deep down, another voice tempted her to simply stay and turn the uncooked rice into a cooked meal, the pretense of modesty in her girlish facade ultimately made her leave that place.
As long as Senior Brother had her in his heart, that was enough. The rest could proceed, step by step, slowly.
Moving too quickly was not a good thing.
Otherwise, it might just make Senior Brother see her as a shameless woman.
Pfft!
Suddenly, a sound of something hitting the ground came from behind her.
"Eh!"
Lin Qingque stopped her steps, turned her head, and looked slightly puzzled towards the origin of the sound—it was a sachet that had fallen from her waist.
It was a sachet embroidered with an ugly emerald Qingque bird, seemingly no different from those a mortal woman might sew for her beloved.
However, in reality, if a cultivator were present, they would instantly see that it was enveloped in a mass of malevolent energy invisible to the naked eye.
The moment it appeared, the already cool rainy night suddenly became even more sinister.
"Isn't this... the Soul Detaining Bag I use to prevent enemies' souls from escaping? How did it end up here? Normally, I would only carry it when I descend the mountain to confront enemies," Lin Qingque thought, frowning slightly.
Usually, to maintain a good image in front of Senior Brother, she had always carefully hidden these items.
How could she have been so careless today?
After pondering deeply for a moment, Lin Qingque still couldn't recall when she had brought it here.
"Oh well, no need to think too much about it. Since Senior Brother didn't notice, it must have been just a careless mistake on my part," she thought.
She gently shook her head, her exquisite face under the night sky revealing a smile so breathtaking yet unseen by anyone.
Thus, no one could see the pathological madness hidden deep within that smile.
"Besides, even if he had discovered it, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Although this item is somewhat dangerous, there's no way I would ever use it on Senior Brother. After all, I truly love him. He is, after all, my beloved Senior Brother," she whispered, picking up the sachet, her tone playful but her face expressionless, only her eyes, filled with endless yearning, quietly gazing at the hanging moon.
The flawless and gentle moonlight mixed with the hazy rain, dreamlike, made her drifting in her plain dress seem even more cool and aloof, just like a celestial being about to ascend the heavens alone.
Amidst the moonlight and the rain, she was the Mortal World's third most stunning vision.
...
...
Rain soaked the mountains; the moon drenched her garments.
Xu Yuan stood by the window, gazing at the rainy night over the mountains, trying hard to calm his emotions.
To be honest, it had been really close.
Due to his "good" habits, there had been a moment when Lin Qingque used her Heart Voice that he almost associated the erotic images coming from her with those of other people.
If that slip had truly happened, the consequences would have been unthinkable!
Lin Qingque might have been instantly triggered, turning yandere and starting to interrogate him aggressively.
Currently, with Lin Qingque not concealing her spiritual power and going all out, he definitely wouldn't be a match for her.
Even if he were lucky enough to have dismissed it casually, Lin Qingque would surely harbor suspicions afterward, which would obstruct his actions in every respect.
Fortunately, he had browsed countless pictures.
In the final moments, he filled his mind with enough erotic images of Lin Qingque and various poses, managing to narrowly escape the dilemma.
This was also why Lin Qingque had fled in panic.
"However, even though I barely got past Lin Qingque's Heart Voice challenge tonight, if I'm not careful later on, I'll still be at risk of exposure, and then, I'll be in danger," he thought.
Feeling the cool rain on his cheeks, Xu Yuan's sense of reality in this world deepened gradually.
Surprisingly, other than the crisis brought about by Lin Qingque just now, which made him somewhat nervous, he felt no other emotions about having been transported to this world.
Instead, he felt somewhat unreal about his previous life, as if the world where he truly belonged was right here.
"Is it because of cultivation level?"
Xu Yuan squinted his eyes, feeling the abundant and surging spiritual power that, though invisible, was tangible within him.
This power involuntarily immersed him in its depths.
"Or is it because I played the younger brother trope too many times before, so the immersion feels complete?"
"Forget it, there'll be time to think about this later. The key point now is to figure out what should be done."
Xu Yuan shook his head, casting aside this trivial matter.
He frowned slightly, wearing a contemplative expression.
"Maybe I could seek cooperation with Tian Liuli or someone else to deal with Lin Qingque first?"
No!
If this were a main storyline that he was familiar with, such an action would be acceptable.
But with this special storyline, unforeseen circumstances might arise.
All these female leads are yanderes.
The kind that might snap at any moment!
If he helped one of them kill the other four, and the remaining one went mad, it would mean that no one could restrain her thereafter.
"It seems."
"There is only one way."
Xu Yuan let out a sigh, his eyes firm, "This is a cultivator's world after all, a place where myriad mighty forces can converge in one. Why should I entrust my hopes in others?"
"As long as my cultivation surpasses theirs, I will be the one calling the shots! I can do whatever I want, even party right in front of them, and they can't do anything to me! Even if I can't change the game's narrative later, I can still ensure my safety."
"However, even if my innate talent is without peer in this era, compared to these game-modifying female leads, I am still far behind. Thus, while I focus on my own cultivation, I'll also need to make them turn against each other, or try to 'CPU' them. By diminishing them as I grow, I might have a chance to surpass them."
As Xu Yuan was organizing his strategy, he recalled certain game elements that could swiftly enhance his cultivation level.
"Also, I mustn't let their relationships lose balance too soon."
"Otherwise, some later plot developments might not occur due to the absence of a certain female character, which could lead to losing control over the overall situation. Thus, unless I'm certain I can eliminate them all simultaneously, it's best not to act rashly or reveal my true intentions."
"And there's also... this system."
Xu Yuan whispered inwardly, calling forth the game panel he had seen countless times before his transmigration again.
"Yang Charm Demon Body..."
His gaze lingered on the description, and after much hesitation, he shook his head inwardly.
"It's best not to use this indiscriminately before I know if this physique would be effective against these cheat-enabled female leads."
"Even if it is effective, I should first test its effects on others."
"Otherwise, it would backfire spectacularly."
After all, the personalities of these female leads are already extreme. If this physique makes them even more extreme, that would be problematic.
However, apart from them, he could act without restraint on others.
Absorb Yin to Supplement Yang, enhancing his strength continually through this method.
And if there were anyone most suitable at present—
Xu Yuan's gaze, through the muslin curtains, settled on the palace atop the mountain.
There lived his Master—the Heavenly Dao Sect Master, Mu Qianyan.
Innate Sound Sword Body, indeed one of the best crucibles.
"In the mid-plot, she will have a period of weakness."
Little did Mu Qianyan know that her disciple had already planned to be the kind who would turn his back on his master.
"And there's also..."
Xu Yuan's gaze fell on the Bond Value that had just been zero and had now risen to two hundred, although the store still showed no signs of opening.
"Did that also count as a deep interaction?"
"So it seems, spiritual communion also counts."