In reality, Yun Zhonghe did many preposterous things in the past, but when it came to women, he truly had no experience at all. The widespread rumors about him forcibly taking married women were pure fabrication. He didn't even know what a brothel looked like; he was still a virgin to this day.
But precisely because of this kind of Restriction, coupled with Tao Jiu'er, such a beautiful maid, constantly around him, Yun Zhonghe's inner desires expanded infinitely, which is why he was exceptionally covetous of the female protagonist beside Huang Aotian.
Well, but that was all in the past. Now, he has decided to turn over a new leaf and be a good person.
"Jiu, Jiu'er Jie, morning. Aren't I planning to work hard? I feel like I was too much of a bastard before, truly not a good person, so I want to mend my ways and plan to start by studying properly."
Yun Zhonghe said seriously, but Tao Jiu'er looked at Yun Zhonghe with an incredible, strange look as if the sun had risen from the west.
Tao Jiu'er said cautiously, "You're not trying to pull another trick, are you?"
Unexpectedly, his determination to become a new person was questioned, and Yun Zhonghe couldn't help but feel bitter. His credibility wasn't that low, was it?
At least he called her 'Jie'... Alright, on second thought, he really didn't act like a human in the past, so being questioned is only natural.
It seems he needs to slowly change the impression people around him have of him, especially Huang Aotian. His reputation is so bad that if he approaches her rashly, the other party will likely become wary.
Tao Jiu'er's reaction served as a reminder to Yun Zhonghe. Given his current situation, it's probably impossible for Huang Aotian to be willing to be good brothers with him.
Chapter 7: You Love Her, I Love Her, Aren't We On The Same Side?
After all, she is Huang Aotian, the future Empress. She won't just agree to be good brothers with Yun Zhonghe, this profligate, just because he wants to.
Only when a certain level of favorability is reached will Huang Aotian accept Yun Zhonghe's invitation to team up.
"Young Master? Young Master!"
"Huh? Ah, sorry, I was just thinking about something."
Tao Jiu'er stood with her hands on her hips, her willow-like brows slightly furrowed, looking unhappy. She had been calling Yun Zhonghe, but he hadn't paid any attention to her at all.
Is Young Master really planning to turn over a new leaf? Most likely, it's just another temporary whim.
At this moment, Yun Zhonghe noticed that Tao Jiu'er was carrying an exquisite wooden box in her hand. The carvings on the box were extraordinary, and one could tell at a glance that it was the work of a master.
Yun Zhonghe: "Jiu'er Jie, what is that in your hand..."
Tao Jiu'er pouted, "Madam gave this to me. She ordered Young Master to personally go to the Immortal League Branch and deliver this gift to Helm Master Li."
Yun Zhonghe suddenly understood.
This cultivation world is not a situation where major Immortal Sects each rule a territory independently, but rather there is a unified official force that governs the entire cultivation world, like the Heavenly Court in myths, called the Immortal Alliance.
The Immortal Alliance has branches in various parts of the continent to maintain order. Because of the Immortal Alliance's existence, cases of cultivation families oppressing Mortals have significantly decreased. Even rogue Cultivators without Sects or influence must be registered one by one by the Immortal Alliance and brought under supervision to prevent various malicious incidents.
And Helm Master Li is the head of the Immortal League Branch in Cangzhou City. This is a powerful person with an official position, of prominent status, and also a close friend of Yun Zhonghe's Mother.
Yun Zhonghe remembered that in the game, it was through Helm Master Li's connections that Yun Zhonghe got the opportunity to enter Xuantian Sect, one of the top ten Immortal Sects.
To put it bluntly, it was through the back door. After all, Xuantian Sect is a super Sect. Only geniuses like Huang Aotian and Lin Zhongyu, who awakened the Golden Emperor Sacred Eyes, were qualified to become Sect Disciples. For someone with mediocre Aptitude like Yun Zhonghe, it would have been very difficult to enter without this connection.
According to the game plot, if Yun Zhonghe hadn't been killed in Cangzhou City, he would have naturally entered Xuantian Sect, then continued to revolve around Huang Aotian, trying to NTR, and continued to court death madly.
At this moment, Yun Zhonghe's Mother asking Yun Zhonghe to personally deliver the gift to Helm Master Li was to pave the way for Yun Zhonghe to enter Xuantian Sect later.
Originally, Yun Zhonghe had planned to run away and not go to Xuantian Sect. However, after obtaining the Book of Prophecy, Yun Zhonghe understood that hiding from Huang Aotian was useless. Entering Xuantian Sect would instead give him more opportunities to interact with the protagonist group, so he could increase his favorability.
So Yun Zhonghe immediately went to wash up: "Wait for me a moment. Since I'm going to see Helm Master Li, I can't go like this, looking so sloppy."
Tao Jiu'er was stunned for a moment when she heard this. She didn't expect Yun Zhonghe to reply so readily. She had already prepared herself to "drag Young Master over no matter how much he resists."
Could it be that her Young Master has really changed?
Yun Zhonghe changed into a brocade robe with a black background and red and white patterns. In the past, he always wore black clothes, which was too much like a villain. To shed the identity of a Huang Mao villain, he first needed to look more righteous in appearance.
His golden hair was neatly styled and shiny, very eye-catching, as if constantly reminding him of his Huang Mao identity.
Yun Zhonghe really wished he could dye this stuff black, but golden hair is the symbol of the Yun Family's top-grade Golden Spirit Root Bloodline inheritance and the glory of the Yun Family. If Yun Zhonghe dyed his hair black, it would be betraying his ancestors, and his father and mother would definitely beat him up.
Oh well, oh well.
After finishing, he looked in the glazed mirror and felt that he looked much more decent than before.
(Character design image)
After tidying up, Yun Zhonghe quickly walked to Tao Jiu'er's side: "Let's go, Jiu'er Jie."
Tao Jiu'er's icy eyes stared closely at Yun Zhonghe, blinking, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated. After a moment of silence, she finally couldn't help but say, "Young Master, although Helm Master Li is young and beautiful, she is still your Mother's close friend, and she already has a daughter around your age."
Yun Zhonghe: ???
What does she think of him? Does she think he has a preference for older women?
Please, I'm a pure big virgin!
...
Yun Zhonghe didn't retort to Tao Jiu'er. After they left the study, they immediately arranged for servants to prepare the carriage, and then drove to the Immortal League Branch.
Although Cangzhou City is remote, the city is not small. There are many prominent families within the city, plus even more ordinary people. Except for the lack of skyscrapers, it's basically no different from a metropolis.
Yun Zhonghe sat in the carriage, looking at the lively scenery on both sides, and sighed inwardly.
Alas, if it weren't for this Huang Mao identity, he could have lived a comfortable, carefree, and happy life. He could have just laid flat.
Now he needs to think about how to increase Huang Aotian's favorability and become her good brother.
How exactly should he do this?
Tao Jiu'er sat across from Yun Zhonghe. She also seemed to sense Yun Zhonghe's troubles: "Young Master, is there something bothering you? If you don't mind, you can tell me."
Yun Zhonghe looked back at Tao Jiu'er. They had grown up together and were used to each other's presence. Although Yun Zhonghe usually found Tao Jiu'er's meddling annoying, if Yun Zhonghe truly encountered trouble, she would definitely step forward without hesitation.
He remembered that in the original plot, there were very few descriptions of Tao Jiu'er's story. After all, Yun Zhonghe's foolish actions were definitely done behind Tao Jiu'er's back. But based on the detailed descriptions, after Yun Zhonghe's NTR failed and he was killed, Tao Jiu'er also quickly died of depression.
Thinking of this, Yun Zhonghe felt that he really wasn't a good person before.
"It's nothing." Yun Zhonghe shook his head. "I'm not a child anymore. I can handle some things myself."
As soon as Yun Zhonghe finished speaking, he noticed a commotion outside.
"Hey, it seems someone is causing trouble at the Immortal Alliance office on East City Street."
"Good heavens, who's so brave?"
"They say it's that useless Miss from the Lin Family. She got into a conflict with the office manager and challenged her to a duel in the street."
"Hmm? Interesting, let's go, let's go, to watch the show!"
Because Yun Zhonghe was forcibly bound by the Book of Prophecy and his cultivation level was tied to Huang Aotian's level, he entered the Foundation Establishment Stage third layer. All his organs were strengthened, and he could even capture faint sounds.
The conversation that just reached his ears caught Yun Zhonghe's attention, especially the phrase "that useless Miss from the Lin Family," which almost explicitly indicated who was being referred to.
Lin Zhongyu? Having a conflict with someone at the Immortal Alliance?
Opportunity... has arrived?
Yun Zhonghe was overjoyed. Although this wasn't Huang Aotian herself, helping her woman would definitely increase his favorability, right?
At worst, he could first establish a good relationship with Lin Zhongyu, and then have Lin Zhongyu say good things about him to Huang Aotian. Maybe that could work too.
You have a good relationship with her, and I also have a good relationship with her. Shouldn't we be friends too?
This logic also makes sense!
So Yun Zhonghe immediately instructed the coachman to hurry to the Immortal League Branch.
Chapter 8: I Will Protect Her Woman
East City Street, the most prosperous street in Cangzhou City, was bustling with people. This was not only where the Immortal League Branch was located, but also where many weapon shops, restaurants, auction houses, etc., specifically for Cultivators, were gathered.
Yun Zhonghe's carriage couldn't go further than the street entrance. After that, he walked into the street. When he arrived at the Immortal League Branch, he saw that the area was surrounded by people.
Many of them were onlookers, as it was quite rare for someone to dare to have a conflict with someone from the Immortal Alliance. They weren't afraid of things escalating and came to watch the excitement.
Yun Zhonghe couldn't help but sigh inwardly, realizing that people in any world are so fond of joining in the fun.
"But this plot didn't happen in the game. Could it be because I changed the plot direction, so a completely different plot occurred?"
Yun Zhonghe recalled his previous life's gaming experience, but he didn't remember any route having related plot points.
"Excuse me, please make way!"
Just as Yun Zhonghe was observing the crowd, a cute and anxious shout came from behind him.
The voice was very pleasant to listen to, especially hitting Yun Zhonghe's soft spot. It felt very similar to his favorite voice actress from his previous life, Ogura Yui. Even without seeing the owner of the voice, Yun Zhonghe was confident that it must be a very cute loli.
Indeed, when he looked in the direction of the voice, a striking pure white figure attracted his attention.
That was the game's protagonist, Huang Aotian Mu Jixue!
So cute, as delicate as a doll, much more exquisite than the CG in the game, and because she was moving, she felt more lively.
No wonder Huang Aotian could always attract countless beautiful girls wherever she went in the game. With this level of cuteness, it's truly hard not to fall for her.
Mu Jixue was very petite, only about 1.5 meters tall, with a body type between a loli and a young girl, but her body proportions were perfect.
The most eye-catching were the jade-like legs wrapped in white stockings. They felt like milk ice cream, definitely full of milky flavor, making him instinctively think of the classic saying, "I could play with them for a year."
Seriously, why are there white stockings in a fantasy world... Forget it, as long as it looks good.
This was Yun Zhonghe's first time seeing Huang Aotian. The Huang Mao and the cuckold met for the first time, but the latter was eager to squeeze into the crowd and didn't notice Yun Zhonghe's presence at all.
Her purple eyes were fixed on the center of the crowd.
In the center, surrounded by the crowd, two girls were confronting each other, the atmosphere tense.
The black-haired, twin-tailed girl among them was Lin Zhongyu.
"Xiao Yu..."
Mu Jixue looked at Lin Zhongyu's back and couldn't help but murmur worriedly.
She had just heard the news that Lin Zhongyu had gotten into a conflict with someone, and immediately stopped cultivating and rushed over, but she was still a step late.
Dueling with someone from the Immortal Alliance was undoubtedly not a wise move.
You should know that everyone in the Immortal Alliance is a master. Even in a remote small city like Cangzhou City, anyone wearing that Immortal Alliance uniform starts at the Foundation Establishment cultivation level.
And Lin Zhongyu was only at Qi Refining fifth layer. She couldn't possibly be her opponent.
There must be some reason for this. Based on her understanding of Lin Zhongyu, Lin Zhongyu wouldn't accept such a duel.
Mu Jixue's hands were clenched into pink fists with tension. She really wanted to rush in and stop it, but both sides had already signed the duel agreement. At this point, no one could stop the duel.
This was a law enacted by the Immortal Alliance to maintain order, prohibiting Cultivators from fighting privately within the city, while also providing them with a platform to resolve conflicts.
After all, for Cultivators, not everything can be resolved through reasoning. Whoever has the bigger fist gets the final say.
"Young Master, this Miss from the Lin Family is really foolish. To actually accept such a duel, whether she wins or loses, it's not good for her. Offending the Immortal Alliance won't lead to a good outcome."
On the other side, Tao Jiu'er, who was standing beside Yun Zhonghe watching, couldn't help but shake her head, seemingly thinking that Lin Zhongyu was not rational enough.
Yun Zhonghe nodded. Based on the fragmented information he had overheard in the crowd, it seemed that the Immortal Alliance manager had deliberately made things difficult for Lin Zhongyu, and Lin Zhongyu, angered, accepted the other party's challenge.
At this moment, even if Yun Zhonghe had a background, it was not appropriate to intervene rashly.
"Although this plot didn't happen in the game, according to the game's routine, Lin Zhongyu will likely be defeated, and then Huang Aotian will jump out at the critical moment to show off and slap faces," Yun Zhonghe calculated in his mind, predicting the plot's direction in advance.
However, unfortunately, this round of showing off must be done by him, Yun Zhonghe. This is a great opportunity to gain favorability from the protagonist group.
Moreover, he should also protect his good brother's woman!
...
"Heh heh, useless Miss, you still have time to regret now. As long as you kneel down, kowtow, and admit your mistake, I can let bygones be bygones and pretend nothing happened."
In the center of the crowd, the Immortal Alliance manager raised her chin and stared at Lin Zhongyu with a playful look.
She was dismissive. She was just saying it playfully, never expecting Lin Zhongyu to actually accept her challenge.
It seems she really angered this little waste.
However, the Immortal Alliance manager was also very arrogant. As someone with an official position, she had a sense of pride in her bones, feeling superior, and looked down on the Cultivators from this remote area, let alone a piece of trash.
A waste is a waste. So what if she humiliated her?
However, Lin Zhongyu faced the Immortal Alliance manager's gaze without flinching. She bit her lip, her expression resolute.
Today, she came to the Immortal Alliance to receive subsidized elixirs, but was deliberately made difficult by the woman in front of her.
The Immortal Alliance's subsidized elixirs are a welfare distributed to all Cultivators. As long as a Cultivator is in the Foundation Establishment Stage or above and has been registered and certified by the Immortal Alliance, they can receive subsidized elixirs monthly.