Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands in the square, the proud figure of the fairy in red, with her long legs, strode towards the boy in black.
Then...
SMACK!
Guo Yourong used her True Power, delivering a solid smack across his face!
Ye Chen, seeing the beauty approach, had intended to greet her with a smile, completely unprepared!
He took this hit squarely!
BANG!
His entire body lifted off the ground, and he flew backward like a kite with a severed string, spewing blood from his mouth that traced a perfect parabola in the air!
The entire crowd was shocked! The square fell utterly silent!
Even Lin Xiao was stunned.
"Second Junior Sister! What are you doing?!" he couldn't help but cry out.
"I'm sorry, Eldest Senior Brother, I startled you," Guo Yourong said, her tone instantly filled with gentle concern as she came to stand beside Lin Xiao. "This vulgar brute dared to be rude to you. He deserved it! You... are you okay?"
"My god! She addressed him as Eldest Senior Brother!? Could it be that this fiery fairy is also a disciple of Divine Phoenix Peak?"
"It appears that everyone from Divine Phoenix Peak is hot-tempered!"
"I heard that Chief Xiao, known as the most beautiful woman in the Eastern Region, is even more unpredictable!"
"Really? That makes me afraid to even apply!"
The surrounding area erupted into a clamor for a moment, then everyone was struck dumb with shock.
Lin Xiao saw his Second Junior Sister's concerned face but remained motionless, his eyes glazed like a statue.
He still hadn't recovered from the shock! Does this woman even realize what she's doing? You're the female lead! You didn't try to help the male lead out of his predicament, and instead, you attacked him so viciously. And now you're concerned about me, the villainous foil? You... you have no heart!
Lin Xiao once again felt despair, his mind going blank.
He genuinely didn't know how to handle this situation!
Meanwhile, the original story's male lead, Ye Chen, was also stunned by the slap, his handsome eyes gazing blankly into the void.
From the Central State to the Eastern Region, he had crushed all opposition, ruthlessly killing countless pursuers sent by various empresses!
Now, having just entered the Qinglan region, before even formally joining a sect, he had been inexplicably slapped by two beautiful women!
How could he bear this? How could he let this rest!
"Old Shi! Come out! Explain this to me!" Ye Chen roared, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His expression was like that of a wild beast, a far cry from his usual heroic demeanor. "Is this the land of opportunity you told me about!? Are you trying to trap me? Don't think I'm unaware of your true motives! I am not a fool! Our relationship is merely one of mutual exploitation! If you don't clarify this today, old man, I'm taking off this ring!"
In the throes of his raging emotions, he even blurted out his deepest, usually hidden, thoughts.
"My young friend, don't panic! This... this is an accident!" the voice inside the ring explained tremulously. "My Heavenly Chance Chopsticks are the supreme divination treasure of this world, capable of probing heavenly secrets! They have never been so wrong before! For them to be repeatedly mistaken now, the only possibility is..."
"Is what?! Spit it out, damn you!" Ye Chen had completely lost his patience, grinding his teeth in fury.
"Within the Qinglan Sect, there has appeared someone capable of influencing the workings of Heaven's Dao! This person's standing is by no means beneath yours. It could very well be that page boy who snatched your destined opportunity!" the voice in the ring hastily explained.
So that's how it is... This explanation instantly brought Ye Chen to his senses.
"Young friend! How about... while that person hasn't noticed your presence, we retreat for now!" the voice from the ring urged, anxious and humble, as if it wanted to materialize and kneel before the young man. "This Divine Continent is a vast land with boundless territories and countless sects. It's filled with Blessed Abodes and Secret Realms containing hidden treasures! Beauties are everywhere! Opportunities abound! This little Qinglan Sect is merely a minor detour in your legendary life! As they say, 'A wise man adapts to the circumstances!'"
"A wise man adapts to the circumstances,' you say! HAHAHAHA..." A cold sneer spread across Ye Chen's lips, his face contorting as if he were a fallen demon from the depths of hell.
"Listen carefully, Old Shi!" he declared. "If the Heavens do not favor me, then I shall defy the Heavens, conquer the Heavens, and slaughter the Heavens! The word 'retreat' does not exist in Ye Chen's vocabulary! Now, it seems I have one more reason for coming to the Qinglan Sect! Not only will I kill that little thief who stole my opportunity, but I will also conquer every woman on Divine Phoenix Peak! Including that renowned Xiao Hongling!"
With that, he spat out a mouthful of blood, hefted his enormous black sword, and stalked step by step towards Lin Xiao.
"Eldest Senior Brother, step back! This fellow looks like he means you harm!" Guo Yourong quickly moved to stand in front of Lin Xiao.
Thanks to the script-like dream projected in her mind, she was well aware of Ye Chen's capabilities. In that script, Ye Chen, before even joining the sect, completely crushed the... oh, no, not kind, the *amiable* Eldest Senior Brother with his eighth-level Martial Arts cultivation. Then, the latter's demonic pet suddenly appeared, exposing Eldest Senior Brother's secret and leading to his utter ruin and disgrace. I'm not sure if Eldest Senior Brother, as the script depicted, really stole Master's... But! Eldest Senior Brother is such a refined, upright, and noble gentleman. Even if he did something like that, he must have had his reasons!
With this conviction, Guo Yourong no longer hesitated. She rushed forward, positioning herself to shield her Eldest Senior Brother.
However, watching Ye Chen approach menacingly, Lin Xiao was moved almost to tears.
Just moments ago, when he saw Ye Chen muttering to himself, conversing with that mysterious old grandpa in the ring, he had been incredibly anxious! He was terrified that the old man would see through something and persuade Ye Chen to leave the Qinglan Sect! If that happened, this whole Qinglan Sect story arc would be completely erased! Then he would never be able to return to his own world and see his parents and sister again! Good brother! I knew I wasn't wrong about you! Throughout this entire "Emperor" world, when it comes to dedication, it's just you and me!
At this moment, Lin Xiao's heart swelled, and he even felt a sense of camaraderie with a fellow 'professional'.
The voice of the Grand Ceremony Executor echoed from afar once more: "Phoenix Caw Peak, Chief Su Mei has arrived!"
She's here! The biggest backer in Ye Chen's early-stage harem has arrived! Our Divine Phoenix Peak's female lead isn't pulling her weight, so we still need to rely on external support!
Seeing this, Lin Xiao finally relaxed.
He looked up with the crowd. Despite having already witnessed the peerless beauty of several of his junior sisters and his Master, at this moment, seeing that stunning woman—who was, notably, married—descending from the Nine Heavens astride a Seven-colored Fire Phoenix, her golden gauze skirt revealing a pair of snow-white, elegantly coiled bare legs... he was utterly captivated.
"She wore her hair in a dignified chignon, her skin was fair and luminous, her features delicate. A beauty mark graced the outer corner of her eye. She was dressed in a Red Gold Fire Cloud Skirt, its hem daringly short, revealing a pair of full, beautiful legs. This lent her an air of mature allure amidst her gentle grace. Those enchanting, expressive eyes outshone all the world's scenery; no man could resist her Charm..." This damn description from the original novel was spot on! She's exactly my type! Even though she already has a Daoist companion, and even though I, Lin Xiao, was once a staunch advocate for pure love... this time, I really want to become the Minotaur!