[biu~ System Notification: The host has unlocked a progress achievement. Choose one reward.]
[① Martial Body Art: Lingbo Micro Step]
[② Skyward Body Art: Ladder Cloud Ascension]
[③ Skill: Three Love Ballads]
Snuggled comfortably in Gu Yuena's arms, Su Bei nearly purred. It was heaven. That faint fragrance clinging to her body wasn't anything like his cheating ex from Earth—this was intoxicating, pure, divine.
The system's voice rang cheerfully in his mind, listing his options. Su Bei's eyes narrowed.
The first two clearly boosted survival. The third… was about seduction.
Hah. Songs? Sure, if I belt out love ballads with this face, wouldn't every woman faint on sight? His heart tingled with pride. Still, reason won out.
Lingbo Micro Step.
Jin Yong's top-tier escapist art. Ethereal footwork traced from the Book of Changes' divination lines, allowing one to dodge and evade fate itself. This wasn't just a technique—it was style.
The Ladder Cloud Body Method was nice, sure—it could let him fly upward step by step like walking a ladder into the sky. But compared to Lingbo's elegance, its rank felt plain.
"I'm a man with a peerless face," Su Bei muttered seriously. "Naturally, I need a body technique that is equally peerless in flair."
[Congratulations. Host has obtained the A-rated Body Technique – Lingbo Micro Step.]
His body instantly felt light, unburdened. Like fine lines of hexagrams etched themselves under his feet, his instincts whispered the perfect escape routes. No matter the attack direction, he could predict the safest step.
"Comfortable." Su Bei flexed his toes, ready to dart.
Gu Yuena descended with him in her arms, landing lightly on a massive stone by the ice spring. Pinching his cheek, she allowed a rare smile upon her frosty face.
"Little Su Bei, very soon, you will become my well-known… adoptive child husband!"
Her starry eyes glittered with satisfaction.
Su Bei twitched, regaining his composure. His neck straightened, voice serious: "Don't forget—you're forcing a marriage. Do you understand?"
Gu Yuena blinked at him, her beautiful purple eyes wide. "Don't you like me?"
She gazed at him like a dragon ready to strike with its claws if he dared say no.
Su Bei bit back a sigh, deciding to gamble. "I like you. But… a proper man, reserved and conservative, feels things shouldn't be rushed. Forced marriage feels… impolite. However…" He licked his lips mischievously. "…if you kissed me—better yet, with tongue—I might change my mind."
His childish face held utterly serious conviction, making the words even more outrageous.
Gu Yuena's porcelain cheeks flushed scarlet. Her breath hitched. Kiss… w-with… tongue?! Was that something a six-year-old could even say?!
She flicked his nose, embarrassed. "That's forbidden until you grow up!"
Vaguely, Su Bei heard Brigitte's voice in his head, nagging him through Gu Yuena: Don't get too intimate with children!
Great, Su Bei grumbled inwardly. Even my cheat romance system has roadblocks. Brigitte, this wingman of yours is a stumbling block in my goddess strategy!
A day later.
The icy lake rippled beneath Su Bei's feet. Like a phantom, his steps barely left ripples as he trained Lingbo Micro Step again and again. His figure flickered unpredictably, silver strands of movement spiraling around him.
His laugh echoed proudly. "Hahaha, truly a system skill! It's basically plug-and-play. Finally—I've got a card up my sleeve."
Two years in isolated meditation, a full-mastery Lingbo, Gu Yuena at his side… he could practically see it. He'd rise like a star, explode in style, and one day crown himself Invincible Supreme Dragon God!
Yet, his chest ache throbbed. "…But the damn tongue-kiss task still isn't cleared."
Su Bei scratched at his silky hair. "Am I not handsome enough to subvert heaven itself?"
Yes, he was peerless. Yes, he turned dragons into fangirls. But ultimate invincible handsome? The kind that shattered the cosmos the moment he transmigrated? Evidently not.
He sighed dramatically. "At this point I'm no longer Douluo's most handsome… second place, at best."
The interior of the Ice Lake was Gu Yuena's private sanctum, her boudoir. Even the seven ferocious beasts dared not intrude here. The crystalline bed of black ice was where she often slumbered in dragon form, her massive body polished in snow and claw-marks.
Su Bei wondered if he should risk stepping beyond this world-within-a-world to glimpse the human empire.
But before he could act, a silver silhouette drifted down from the sky.
Gu Yuena.
And behind her—a middle-aged man, robed in brocade clothing, crowned with a silver luan. Polite. Refined. Terrifying.
Su Bei's flawless little face immediately darkened with gloom.
…Nana… already bringing another man back? His chest squeezed. What next? Kick me out? Eat me whole? Ahhhhh! Love at first sight is always a trap!
His aura visibly dimmed.
Gu Yuena immediately noticed. Concern laced her tone as she leaned close. "What's wrong, Su Bei?"
No pet names. No flirty tilt. A soft, even tone.
His stomach flipped. Even the voice changed… she doesn't love me anymore, does she?
Forcing a smile, he croaked, "N-no, I'm fine."
Gu Yuena gave him a reassuring smile. "It's alright. Come here. It's time to measure your size."
"Eh?" Su Bei stiffened instantly, face pale. "M-measure… what size?! Compare me to him?!"
God, she's cruel!
Blushing crimson, he cursed the universe. You can't—! I'm six! You can't ask for THAT size comparison!
His pride howled. If this is fate, heavens, just send me back to Earth! I'd rather endure my green hat than this humiliation!
Then, Gu Yuena rubbed his hair and explained gently, "Of course—for the wedding dress."
"…Wedding dress?"
"Yes. You are mine. We may only be swearing ownership, but marriage demands ceremony." Her eyes glistened with conviction. "We searched both empires' storerooms. None had garments worthy of you. So naturally—" She gestured at the man with her. "I had them capture the royal tailor from the Heaven Dou Empire. He will measure you personally and make a bespoke set."
Su Bei blinked blankly. "…Oh."
So that was it?! He nearly coughed blood. For a goddess this pure, his dirty thoughts were trash. A simple wedding dress. A dragon's logic.
He still felt crushed. Love twisted your thinking until you became the fool.
Meanwhile, the poor tailor stood trembling, pale as parchment.
One moment he had been sipping tea at the Heaven Dou royal textile yard. The next, a black whirlwind had swept him into the Star Dou Forest. He had nearly died on sight of colossal beasts looming around him, only to be informed—they needed help crafting wedding clothes!
Wedding clothes. For whom? For a child? Taken hostage by soul beasts? The man was unraveling.
His hands trembling, he nonetheless kneeled by Su Bei, muttering as he took measurements, "…A beautiful boy. Such features wasted…"
Su Bei gave a crooked smile. Beautiful, sure. Wasted—never!
For in that moment he pieced together something critical.
Heaven Dou Empire still existed. Meaning, this was still Douluo I timeline. Before the empire split in later generations.
A delicious glint sparked in Su Bei's eyes.
"Douluo I… Early stage!"
Countless goddess names flickered through his mind in succession—Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, Hu Liena, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Huo Wu, Ye Lingling, Shui Binger, Dugu Yan, Tang Yuehua, even the icy goddess Bo Saixi—
Not lust. Just… strategy.
"I'm not greedy for the sea," Su Bei whispered slyly, clutching at fate's strings. "I only wish to spread a little love… and reap invincible rewards in return."