Inside Jiang Lin’s room, Jiang Liu had already prepared wine and dishes.
“Come, you’ve had a long day too. Eat something to replenish your strength!”
Shangguan Yaoyao trembled as she got out of bed, walked to the table, and sat beside Jiang Lin.
“You’ve destroyed my Pure Yang Sacred Body and ruined my cultivation path. But since you’ve chosen to be mine and are willing to provide both the method and materials to form the Ancient Nine Nether Python Poison Nascent Soul, we’ll call it even. From now on, you’d better behave—I can’t stand even a grain of sand in my eye.”
With a faint smile, Jiang Lin lifted his wine cup and lightly tapped it against the teacup in front of her.
“I understand. I’m yours, and I’ll obey you completely!”
Her eyes reddened as she picked up the teacup and drained it in one go.
[Ding! Favorability +2!]
Even now, she couldn’t figure it out—how could Jiang Lin still be a Pure Yang Body? Why? The Shangguan family’s intelligence network had records of him sneaking into brothels at the age of ten. Over the years, his bullying of men and women was countless. How could he possibly still be pure?
And he wasn’t as foolish as the reports claimed. In fact, his mind was extremely shrewd. He had left no sign for rescue, yet he had completely fooled her.
And then there was that evaluation test where she got all three answers wrong…
This man was a complete mystery. I lost fair and square. I was arrogant!
On the other side, Jiang Lin, seeing her so compliant, thought no more of it. Ever since obtaining the “Instant Comprehension” talent, he had completely mastered the Ancient Poison Scripture, raising his poison mastery to the level of a supreme grandmaster. Few in the world could unravel his poisons. And Shangguan Yaoyao, having been afflicted with his natal poison, was already a piece on his chessboard.
This time, there would be no softheartedness. At the critical moment, he would send this peerless beauty to her death without hesitation.
After three rounds of wine, Jiang Liu knocked and entered. “Young Master, Concubine Zhiyi sent word for you to go to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to discuss your ascension to Dao heir in a few days.”
…
In the Xiao family’s back mountain, a golden radiance shot into the sky.
Xiao Dong had broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm!
Auspicious clouds gathered for hundreds of li, and heavenly omens appeared.
“It’s Xiao Dong breaking through—knowing shame and then courage. As expected of the Xiao family’s young master!”
“He even stirred the heavens to manifest signs. Truly a monstrous talent!”
“Look! That nascent soul shadow—it’s a Pure Yang Nascent Soul!”
“Amazing… I wonder what grade it will be when perfected?”
“With Xiao Dong’s talent, at least…”
Xiao Dong retracted his aura and opened his eyes sharply.
“Good lad, you’ve already grasped the essence of the Nascent Soul and condensed its phantom so quickly!”
“It seems the annulment didn’t affect you at all!” Duan Tianya’s voice echoed in his soul with genuine praise.
But Xiao Dong felt a trace of unease. This breakthrough had come too suddenly. He hadn’t been cultivating, yet heaven and man had merged as if enlightenment had struck, forcing him to advance.
Indeed—it was the Heavenly Dao’s compensation for Jiang Lin sleeping with Shangguan Yaoyao.
After repeatedly inspecting himself, he found his true qi rich and flawless. Only then did he breathe easier.
“As expected of the greater world—its abundant spiritual energy can even help one break bottlenecks on its own…”
Just then, the transmission talisman in his sleeve lit up.
“Master Yue, everything’s ready. You can come to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion now to refine the Hundred Fragrance Pill. And don’t forget—you promised to teach me true alchemy after!”
It was Long Xiyue’s voice.
He had approached her to gain entry to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and acquire the heaven-grade cultivation method within. Finally, his chance had come.
Disguising himself, he set out.
…
The Hundred Flowers Pavilion.
In Jiang Lin’s private courtyard, he slapped his forehead—he had almost forgotten this plot point.
Right now, he was a core disciple of the Dao Heaven Sect. With his cultivation at the Nascent Soul Realm, he was among the best of his generation. The family was already pushing him toward the position of Dao heir.
The Dao Heaven Sect was the foremost sect of the Grand Xia Empire—rich in resources, unmatched in prestige.
Frankly, there was little to stop him from becoming Dao heir. With his Emperor-grade Bloodline, the Jiang family’s backing, and his master being the sect’s Third Supreme Elder, Elder Hun Mang, who would dare object?
But in the original plot, Jiang Lin, in an attempt to forcibly take Zhang Wanmeng after using a Life-Extension Pill, was exposed by Xiao Dong. Xiao Dong then triggered the Defiled Blood Gu in him, leaving him badly injured and causing his bloodline to degenerate.
At that time, he should have been bedridden, delaying his ascension to Dao heir. During his recovery, Xiao Dong conveniently appeared again.
When the Dao Heaven Sect opened its doors to new disciples, Xiao Dong climbed directly to the top of Asking-Heart Peak in the final test. By ancestral law, this meant he could be appointed Dao heir immediately—thus effortlessly stealing the position from Jiang Lin.
In the novel, Jiang Lin, unwilling to accept this, tried repeatedly to trouble Xiao Dong—only to deliver experience to him every time. In the end, even Jiang Lin’s master Hun Mang fell victim when Xiao Dong tampered with the breakthrough pill he gave him, causing his advancement to fail and leaving him crippled and stripped of power.
In a fit of rage, Hun Mang attacked Xiao Dong, but Xiao Dong’s master Du Guche of the Dao Heaven Sect struck back, killing Hun Mang outright.
That arc was full of twists and turns… and utterly useless.
“The Dao heir’s position only comes with a Dao artifact and constant trouble, not to mention plots from holy lands and demonic sects. With my Survival System and the Jiang family’s support, I have more than enough cultivation resources. If Xiao Dong wants it, he can have it. I won’t fight him for it.
“For now, I won’t clash with this walking cheat head-on. I know he brought a pile of trump cards from the small world and is just waiting for someone to fall into his trap.
“Once I’ve arranged every method to counter him, then we’ll play for real…”
After so many scenarios, Jiang Lin was now a master of survival. He knew exactly what to fight for and what to let go.
Still, Jiang Zhiyi needed to be placated—she was a dangerous woman.
“Miss Shangguan, rest here in this courtyard. I’m going to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. Oh, and I’ve left something on you. Don’t stray too far from me, or… unfortunate things may happen. You’d best let me know where you are—otherwise, I’d be heartbroken.”
His face was all concern, his eyes seemingly full of sincerity.
Shangguan Yaoyao’s skin crawled. This man was a devil. Why did her Heavenly Dao companion have to be him and not Brother Xiao Dong?
Suppressing her disgust, she calmed herself. She couldn’t stay here—at this rate, reaching 1000 favorability would take forever. She had to stay by his side to accumulate it faster… and then kill him.
“Since I’m yours now, I should be by your side, take care of you, and build our relationship.”
Her acting was superb, enough to make Jiang Lin unsure of her true intent. But with his natal poison in her, he had no fear she could escape his control.
“Normally, yes,” he said, “but if Xiao Dong saw us, it could ruin our plan. Better not.”
“No. As you are now, you’d draw too much attention—your beauty could stun even a Transcendent Realm cultivator.”
Shangguan Yaoyao turned, her appearance and aura shifting completely.
“This is my Emperor Fox divine ability, Illusion Heart Change. Not even a Transcendent Realm expert could see through it. Now I’m your maid.”
The pure, sweet girl before him had none of her natural seductiveness.
“Good. Then you’ll be my personal maid—Yao’er.”
He pulled her into his arms without hesitation as they left the bamboo building.
Her body stiffened, but she quickly remembered she had already lost her purity to him. Letting him take small liberties would be fine—arousing his suspicion would only harm her plan.
Jiang Lin, once I restore my purity, I’ll tear you to pieces!
Jiang Lin, feeling the warm, soft body in his arms, was surprised. He’d meant to test her limits, but she was so compliant? Then he wouldn’t have to waste time breaking her in.
[Ding! Favorability +10!]
What a lecher… One day, today’s humiliation will be repaid a hundredfold!
…
Hundred Flowers Pavilion, Haitang Hall.
“Lin’er, you haven’t visited me in so long,” said Jiang Zhiyi.
She was Jiang Lin’s foster sister—Jiang Haoyuan’s adopted daughter, now the Azure Plume Imperial Consort, and once the Azure Plume Pill Fairy, a peerless beauty who had driven the young men of the world mad.
But in the novel, she was merely a supporting villain.
In this world, if there was one person who would die for Jiang Lin without hesitation, it was Jiang Zhiyi—only Jiang Zhiyi.
When Jiang Lin was three, his mother died giving birth to his younger brother Jiang Feng, and Jiang Zhiyi had cared for him ever since. At twenty, she was already a renowned Pill Fairy, her influence eclipsing even that of the Jiang family patriarch at times.
Having never had a complete childhood herself, she gave Jiang Lin the very best of everything. His arrogance and spoiled nature were all her doing.
Later in the plot, she stole the royal family’s Nine-Dragon Primordial Pill to save him. When caught, she took her own life without regret, saying only, “It’s a pity I chose the path of alchemy—otherwise, I would have killed you all for Lin’er!”
A classic case of extreme, self-sacrificing devotion.
And most importantly, she was one of only two peerless beauties in the entire novel who had no romantic entanglement with the male protagonist. The other was Elder Qingxue, secretly loved by Xiao Dong’s master Du Guche—but that was another story.
Leaving Shangguan Yaoyao with Jiang Liu, Jiang Lin entered the inner hall alone.
One look at Jiang Zhiyi, and he was dazed.
Wow…
A perfect, sensual goddess. Her gorgeous brocade gown was like a blazing sunset, setting off skin like snow. Amidst the antique furnishings, her elegance and noble grace exuded an intoxicating charm.
But what drew his eyes most was the glimpse of her flawless, enticing legs through the slit of her skirt.
Those legs… I could play with them for a year—no, three years—no, a lifetime…
While Jiang Lin stared, his Peerless Allure Body quietly reacted. Sensing the intense fluctuations of his thoughts, it generated a system link and sent it toward her.
Jiang Zhiyi was studying him in return, her gaze full of affection.
“You’ve grown taller. And even more handsome—now, the more I look, the more pleasing you are! In just two months, you’ve reached late-stage Nascent Soul. You’ve finally started working hard? As expected of the Lin’er I raised—you make me prouder by the day!”
[Ding! Heavenly Dao Marriage triggered. Marriage partner: Jiang Lin!]