With these achievements, Bai Shuran rose swiftly through the ranks after the establishment of the Relevant Department, eventually becoming its minister.
Every time Gu Ruoli thought about this, she couldn't help but feel a pang of imbalance:
'Damn, how does this guy feel more like the world's chosen one than me? How is he so ridiculously overpowered?'
And these accomplishments were just those of the original Bai Shuran from the story. Now, after Gu Ruoli introduced him to the cultivation systems of the myriad realms, Bai Shuran's already absurd talent became even more outrageous.
Whether it was the Primordial Qi system from Outcast, the Dou Qi system from Battle Through the Heavens, or the national martial arts system—Bai Shuran mastered them all as effortlessly as picking something out of a bag.
Later, he even integrated these new systems into his own martial arts framework, deriving an even more powerful martial path.
Preach to the World, Spread Martial Arts Across Yanhuang.
In the end, he became the modern-day Living Martial Ancestor.
And that wasn't all. Not long ago, he also began cultivating the limitless potential of the Divine Ring Master system.
The combination of these two power systems made Bai Shuran's current strength utterly unfathomable. Even if Gu Ruoli went all out, she couldn't be certain of victory.
After all, as a Path Creator, he had a deeper understanding of the essence of his cultivation "path" than she, a Truth-Seeker, could ever achieve.
Wasn't Zhang Sanfeng from the wuxia world a perfect example?
He comprehended the Dao of Yin and Yang Taiji on his own, then embarked on an invincible path.
While others practiced martial arts, he cultivated immortality, sweeping away demons and reigning supreme for sixty years.
This peerless strength, even capable of surpassing tiers in battle, was the unique advantage of every Path Creator.
However, despite Bai Shuran's overwhelming power, he wasn't without flaws.
As the saying goes, to gain something, one must inevitably lose something else.
Even Bai Shuran—Destiny's Chosen, the world's protagonist, the Child of Fortune—was no exception.
Gu Ruoli clearly remembered a passage from the original story:
"In the tales spread by outsiders, Minister Bai Shuran is an impeccable paragon in personality, strength, appearance, and even social graces.
But this is just what others believe. The truth is, while the real Minister Bai is still great, at his core, he's a chuunibyou obsessed with novels.
You have no idea—there was this one time when Minister Bai…"
That's right. While Bai Shuran appeared as a super-genius to outsiders, to those who knew him well, he was a certified goofball.
This was evident just from his Spirit Skill, [Tyrant Song's Gaze].
Though its power was undeniable, the skill was downright absurd and nonsensical.
Gaining unparalleled talent at the cost of becoming a chuunibyou—perhaps this was the price Bai Shuran had to pay.
...
As Gu Ruoli's mind raced through Bai Shuran's profile, her gaze grew even more solemn as she watched the lazy figure across from her.
Bai Shuran, noticing her stare, sighed inwardly. Why is she looking at me like that? I've been following her instructions to the letter!
I haven't caused any trouble!
…Wait, does she actually want to fight me?
Hold on—fight?
Suddenly, Bai Shuran recalled Gu Ruoli's attitude toward him when he first arrived in this world yesterday—and the "grudges" he'd jotted down in his little notebook.
His eyes gleamed mischievously as an idea struck him.
A nobleman avenges wrongs after ten years; a petty man avenges them from morning till night.
I may not be petty, but given the chance, who would say no to a little payback?
Hehe… Looks like this is the perfect opportunity to teach this little girl a lesson.
Hmph, just watch how this minister punishes your disrespect!
His eyes curved into crescents, a playful glint flashing within them.
As the two faced off, the tension in the air thickened to its limit, like a gas canister waiting for a single spark to ignite.
Then, at the critical moment—
A lively cheer erupted from the spectator stands:
"Whoo! Go, Group Leader! Group Leader is invincible!
Group Leader is the strongest!
…"
Zhang—Chu—lan?!
That voice—familiar yet dripping with mischief—was unmistakable even if Gu Ruoli thought with her butt.
She'd only just arrived in this world. How many people did she know here?
Aside from her squad members, the only ones familiar enough to joke around with her were the chat group members.
And her squad was full of stern, no-nonsense soldiers.
So if it wasn't them, it had to be someone from the group.
And who in the group—aside from that shameless Zhang Chulan—would dare challenge the dignity of their Group Leader?
Gu Ruoli was seething inside. She didn't need anyone cheering for her!
And even if she did, couldn't they come up with something less embarrassing? This was downright cringe-worthy!
Worse, she could swear she detected a tone of schadenfreude in Zhang Chulan's voice.
She was certain this was his petty revenge for all the times she'd muted him in the group chat.
Oh, so that's how you want to play?
Just you wait, you little—
A murderous red light flickered in Gu Ruoli's eyes.
Though her anger was boiling over, her expression remained calm. She silently vowed to teach Zhang Chulan a lesson he'd never forget after this match.
"Hey, shouldn't we start fighting already? People are starting to complain. We can't just keep waiting like this, right?"
Extra A—a seemingly honest and earnest young man—spoke up, glancing uneasily at the murmuring crowd in the stands. Despite the long wait, he showed no impatience, only a polite urge to begin.
Beside him, another Extra A—a gloomy guy—remained silent but radiated irritation, clearly tired of the delay.
Notably, the gloomy guy wielded two long blades, their edges glinting with a chilling light that hinted at their extraordinary nature.
Hearing Extra A's words, Bai Shuran's eyes lit up.
"You're right," he said cheerfully. "Let's get started!"
(End of Chapter)