The Azure Dragon Sect's grand hall shimmered with spiritual energy as the newly promoted silver-ranked disciples prepared to depart for their celebration. The air hummed with the resonance of countless cultivation talismans embedded in the walls, their golden characters glowing softly in the afternoon light. Outside, the mountains stood like ancient guardians, their peaks piercing through the clouds as if reaching for the heavens themselves.
Lin Feng watched his companions with the sharp eyes of a seasoned strategist. Long Tian stood tall and confident, his golden aura of heavenly luck shimmering around him like a protective mantle visible only to Lin Feng's awakened senses. Su Wan'er and Bai Luoyan flanked him, their beauty rivaling that of celestial maidens descended from the highest heavens. And Xia Qingyue—once the brightest star among them—now stood apart, her cyan hair slightly disheveled and her eyes shadowed with unshed tears.
The protagonist's halo shines brighter than the sun, Lin Feng mused inwardly. He attracts loyalty and beauty like a celestial magnet. But I have already begun to weaken his fortune. Xia Qingyue's downfall has created the first crack in his perfect facade.
As they walked toward the Celestial Pavilion—a magnificent structure that seemed to float above the city on clouds of spiritual energy—Lin Feng noticed the subtle changes in his companions. Su Wan'er straightened her cultivation robes and ran a hand through her brown hair, ensuring every strand was in place. Bai Luoyan adjusted the small white shield on her back, polishing its surface until it gleamed like polished pearl. Even Xia Qingyue, despite her tear-streaked face, made an effort to compose herself.
They're preparing for their encounter with Hua Lingwei, Lin Feng realized. This celebration is more than mere revelry—it's a strategic alliance waiting to be forged.
The Celestial Pavilion lived up to its name. Its towers reached toward the heavens, their tips disappearing into misty clouds that glowed with spiritual light. Spirit flowers bloomed along its walls, their petals shimmering with elemental energy. The very air hummed with power, making Lin Feng's meridians tingle with anticipation.
Long Tian secured the Moonlight Room—a private chamber reserved for noble guests—with ease, his natural charisma winning over the attendants despite his young age. As they waited for Hua Lingwei's arrival, he gathered his companions.
"This celebration marks our first true success as a cultivation team," he declared, his voice resonating with the confidence of a future sect leader. "From today forward, we will rise through the ranks together. Our names will echo through the realms as we achieve immortality and defy the heavens themselves."
Xia Qingyue flinched at his words, her hands twisting in the fabric of her robes. She had tried to speak earlier about the spider mission, about the inexplicable failure that had nearly cost them their lives, but Long Tian had silenced her with a look.
The protagonist's hero personality is firmly in control, Lin Feng observed. He forgives easily but remembers everything. Xia Qingyue's position in his heart continues to weaken with each passing moment.
As if summoned by their thoughts, Hua Lingwei arrived. Her entrance was like a gentle breeze carrying the scent of plum blossoms—subtle yet impossible to ignore. Her jet-black hair flowed like a midnight river down to the floor, her face round as the moon, and her skin white as the purest jade. She moved with a grace that defied cultivation realms, each step causing spiritual energy to swirl around her like jealous lovers.
Lin Feng felt his breath catch. Another disaster-level beauty. The Heavenly Dao itself seems to favor Long Tian, placing exquisite maidens in his path wherever he goes.
The other girls immediately sensed the threat. Su Wan'er's lips thinned into a line, Bai Luoyan's hand tightened on her shield, and even Xia Qingyue straightened from her dejected posture, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. Their alliance, fragile though it was, tightened reflexively.
Long Tian, seemingly oblivious to the tension, approached Hua Lingwei with confidence. "It's our honor, Lady Hua Lingwei. Your presence graces our humble celebration."
Hua Lingwei smiled warmly. "The honor is mine, Young Master Long. I've heard much about your team's bravery. Defeating a spider queen's nest as newly graduated disciples speaks of exceptional talent."
As they settled into the Moonlight Room, Lin Feng observed the dynamics between his companions. Long Tian took the seat of honor, Hua Lingwei by his side. Su Wan'er and Bai Luoyan flanked them, their positions carefully chosen to maintain proximity to Long Tian. Xia Qingyue sat furthest away, near the door, as if her place among them had already been diminished.
Servants brought forth delicacies infused with spiritual energy—moon petal wine that shimmered like liquid starlight, spirit peach pastries that glowed with inner fire, and golden rice that had been cultivated in the purest spirit springs. Each bite carried cultivation benefits, strengthening meridians and purifying Qi.
Long Tian raised his cup. "To our future! May we climb the cultivation path together and reach the pinnacle of power!"
The others echoed his toast, their voices filled with excitement and ambition. Only Xia Qingyue remained silent, staring into her cup as if seeking answers in the swirling liquid.
She's retreating further within herself, Lin Feng noted. The poison of doubt I planted has taken root, and with each passing moment, her connection to Long Tian weakens.
As the evening progressed, Long Tian recounted their battle against the spider queen, embellishing their victory while carefully omitting Xia Qingyue's failure. Su Wan'er and Bai Luoyan added their own accounts, their words painting a picture of teamwork and loyalty. Xia Qingyue sat quietly, her face pale, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to maintain her composure.
Hua Lingwei listened with rapt attention, her eyes occasionally lingering on Long Tian with an expression Lin Feng recognized all too well. She's already captivated by his protagonist aura. Another piece falls into place.
"I've never met cultivators so young who could accomplish such feats," Hua Lingwei said, her voice smooth as honey. "The Mission Hall could use talented individuals like yourselves. Perhaps we could discuss opportunities for advancement?"
Long Tian's eyes gleamed with ambition. "We would be honored to serve the Mission Hall in any capacity, Lady Hua Lingwei."
Lin Feng watched the exchange with interest. The protagonist's luck continues to favor him. Powerful allies are drawn to him like moths to a flame. But I have already begun to sever his connections.
As the moon rose high in the sky, casting silver light through the paper windows, Lin Feng made his excuse. "I regret that I must depart early. The spider queen's venom contained a rare poison that has settled in my meridians. I must seek an antidote before it causes permanent damage."
Long Tian frowned with concern. "Is it serious? Perhaps I should accompany you."
Lin Feng waved off the suggestion. "No need to trouble yourself. This is a minor setback, and I have connections among the alchemists who can help. Besides," he added with a meaningful glance at Hua Lingwei, "your presence is more important here. Lady Hua Lingwei won't wait for one junior cultivator's health concerns."
After some discussion, the group reluctantly agreed to Lin Feng's request. As they prepared to return to their residence, he slipped away quietly, his heart pounding with anticipation.
By tomorrow morning, I will have claimed the Void Emperor's inheritance. Long Tian's first major opportunity will become my stepping stone to power.
The Alchemist's Quarter was a labyrinth of narrow streets filled with the mingled scents of rare herbs, spiritual catalysts, and experimental concoctions. Shops with signs bearing alchemical symbols lined both sides of the road, their doors often hidden behind curtains of spiritual mist that prevented outsiders from seeing within.
Lin Feng navigated these streets with the confidence of someone who had studied their layout in advance. He had spent his first days in this new world carefully mapping resources and connections, knowing that information was power in the cultivation world.
He entered a modest shop with a sign reading "Old Man Li's Panacea Hall." The interior was cluttered with shelves holding countless jars and bottles, their contents glowing with various colors. Behind the counter stood an elderly man with a long white beard, his eyes sharp despite his advanced age.
"Ah, young Lin Feng," the old man greeted without looking up from his current task—a delicate process of grinding moonpetal stamens into a fine powder. "I sensed your approach through the shop's protective formation. What brings you here today?"
Lin Feng bowed respectfully. "Master Li, I seek materials for a journey into the Verdant Forest. I've heard rumors of a hidden cave containing ancient cultivation resources."
The old man's hands stilled. He slowly looked up, his eyes narrowing with sudden intensity. "The Verdant Forest is no place for a young cultivator who has just reached the third level of Qi Condensation. Many experts in Foundation Establishment have entered those woods and never returned."
Lin Feng smiled enigmatically. "I have received a map to a specific location—one that promises rewards worthy of the risk."
Master Li studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly. "I see. Fate has woven an interesting thread for you, young man. Many have sought the Void Emperor's resting place, but none have succeeded. Perhaps the Heavenly Dao has chosen you for this task."
Lin Feng's eyes widened in surprise. "You know of this place?"
The old man chuckled. "I have lived in this city for three hundred years, young cultivator. There are few secrets that escape my notice. The Void Emperor was a supreme expert who mastered all elements—fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, and even the rare space and time attributes. His inheritance is said to contain a divine treasure that can absorb the luck of others and convert it into cultivation resources."
He turned to a hidden cabinet behind the counter, retrieving several items. "Take these. The spirit-storing pouch will hold your supplies. The talismans of protection will shield you from low-level spirit beasts. And this—" he placed a small jade vial on the counter—"contains purified dew from the Celestial Lotus Pond. Drink it when you enter the cave; it will cleanse your meridians and prepare your body to accept the inheritance."
"How much do I owe you, Master Li?" Lin Feng asked.
The old man shook his head. "Consider it an investment in your future. If you succeed where others have failed, remember Old Man Li when you stand at the pinnacle of cultivation."
Lin Feng bowed deeply, accepting the items. "Your kindness will not be forgotten."
As he left the shop, the old man's voice followed him. "Beware the blue-haired girl, young Lin Feng. Her heart is divided, and her fate is tangled with yours in ways you cannot yet see."
Lin Feng paused at the doorway, considering the warning. Xia Qingyue? What could she possibly do to threaten my plans?
Shaking off the thought, he continued on his way, gathering the remaining supplies he would need for his journey. By nightfall, his backpack was filled with rations, medicine, and essential cultivation tools. He had also purchased a set of recording orbs—magical artifacts that could capture scenes and sounds when activated with spiritual energy.
These will be useful, he thought with a smile. When I claim the Void Emperor's inheritance, I'll have proof of my achievements. And if Xia Qingyue continues to be a problem...well, these orbs can record other things as well.
The moon hung high in the sky as Lin Feng left the city gates, using his wind attribute cultivation to mask his footsteps. He moved swiftly but carefully, avoiding the patrol routes of the city guards. The Verdant Forest lay two days' journey to the east, but with his increased cultivation base and stamina, he could cover the distance in half that time.
As he walked, he reflected on the events that had brought him to this point. The chaotic transmigration from his Earthly life as a successful businessman to this cultivation world had been both terrifying and exhilarating. He had expected a system or divine guide to assist him, but finding himself truly on his own had strengthened his resolve.
I have no cheat abilities, no divine blessings, he thought. Only my thirty years of strategic thinking and the advantage of knowing what a true protagonist looks like. Long Tian's golden aura of luck is visible to my awakened senses—a tangible manifestation of the Heavenly Dao's favor.
He recalled the scene at the Mission Hall, where Long Tian had effortlessly attracted the attention of not one but two disaster-level beauties. Hua Xiran and Hua Lingwei—daughters of the Mission Hall master—had both shown interest in him, despite already knowing about his three companions.
The protagonist's halo is too powerful, Lin Feng mused. He attracts beauty and opportunity like a magnet. But I have already begun to weaken his luck. Xia Qingyue's downfall during the spider mission has created the first crack in his perfect facade.
As he entered the forest's edge, the spiritual energy grew denser, flowing through the ancient trees like invisible rivers. The moonlight filtered through the canopy in silver shafts, illuminating spirit herbs that glowed faintly in the darkness. This was no ordinary woodland but a cultivation ground where the boundaries between the mortal and immortal realms grew thin.
Lin Feng activated one of his recording orbs, capturing the mystical atmosphere. This will serve as proof of my journey. When I return with the Void Emperor's inheritance, no one will doubt my accomplishments.
He consulted the map from the intercepted message, adjusting his course deeper into the forest. The path grew increasingly difficult, with steep ravines and treacherous terrain that would have slowed an ordinary traveler. But Lin Feng's cultivation base allowed him to leap across gaps and scale cliffs with ease.
As dawn approached on the second day, he reached a clearing marked by three ancient stone pillars arranged in a triangular formation. According to the map, the cave entrance lay hidden beneath these pillars, protected by a spatial formation that made it invisible to ordinary eyes.
Lin Feng sat down to rest, drinking from his water skin and eating some spirit-infused rations. He could feel the ambient spiritual energy here was far denser than in the city—a sign that powerful formations still maintained their integrity after countless years.
This is no ordinary hidden cave, he realized. The Void Emperor invested significant resources in protecting his final resting place. Only someone with the proper guidance could find it.
He activated the Celestial Lotus Pond dew, drinking the luminous liquid in one gulp. A cool energy spread through his meridians, cleansing impurities and heightening his spiritual senses. The world around him seemed to sharpen, colors becoming more vibrant, sounds more distinct.
With his enhanced perception, he could now see the subtle fluctuations in space around the stone pillars—a complex formation that bent light and concealed the cave entrance. Following the instructions from the map, he moved in a specific pattern around the pillars, chanting the activation phrase under his breath.
The air shimmered like a heat haze, and suddenly a cave mouth materialized before him, its entrance framed by carved stone dragons whose eyes glowed with protective energy.
Lin Feng took a deep breath. Here begins my true journey on the path of cultivation. No more relying on the protagonist's luck. From this moment forward, I forge my own destiny.
He stepped into the cave, the recording orb in his hand capturing every moment. The darkness swallowed him whole, but his heart burned with anticipation. Whatever treasures or dangers lay within, he would claim them for himself.
The path to becoming the strongest cultivator under the heavens had truly begun.
The cave interior was unlike anything Lin Feng had ever seen. The walls glowed with a soft, ethereal light, revealing intricate carvings that depicted the Void Emperor's life—from his humble beginnings as a rootless orphan to his ascension as a supreme expert who mastered all elements of the universe.
The air hummed with spiritual energy so dense it was almost tangible. Every breath Lin Feng took filled his lungs with power, causing his meridians to expand and his cultivation base to stabilize. He could feel the ambient Qi responding to his presence, swirling around him like curious spirits.
This place has been untouched for centuries, Lin Feng realized. The formations are still intact, the spiritual energy undisturbed. The Void Emperor truly was a supreme expert to create such a sanctuary.
Following the map's directions, Lin Feng navigated through a series of chambers, each more magnificent than the last. He passed through halls filled with spirit herbs that had grown to enormous sizes in the concentrated energy, their leaves shimmering with elemental power. He crossed bridges that spanned bottomless chasms, their surfaces inscribed with protective talismans that glowed when he stepped upon them.
In one chamber, he encountered a guardian formation—a complex array of spiritual energy that tested his comprehension of the Dao. The formation shifted and changed, presenting riddles that required deep understanding of cultivation principles to solve. Lin Feng spent hours meditating before the formation, drawing upon his knowledge from his previous life and the memories of his new body to unravel its mysteries.
The Void Emperor was testing his successors, Lin Feng realized. Only those with true understanding of the Dao could pass this trial.
When the formation finally dissolved, revealing the path forward, Lin Feng felt a profound sense of accomplishment. He had proven himself worthy, not through brute strength but through wisdom and comprehension.
At the heart of the cave, in a chamber that seemed to exist outside of normal space and time, Lin Feng found the Void Emperor's final resting place. A simple stone platform stood in the center of the room, upon which rested three items that glowed with inner light.
The first was a ring—not an ordinary piece of jewelry but a storage ring of incredible capacity. Unlike the common storage rings used by cultivators, this one pulsed with spiritual energy, its surface inscribed with ancient runes that spoke of space manipulation and soul cultivation.
The second item was a lotus flower, its petals shimmering with all the colors of the spectrum. Each petal represented a different element—fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, space, time, life, and death. The lotus floated a few inches above the platform, rotating slowly as if alive.
The third item was a small jade vial containing a liquid that glowed with a deep, crimson light. The vial itself was carved from dragon bone, its surface decorated with scenes of ancient dragons soaring through the heavens.
Lin Feng approached the platform reverently. He understood that these were not mere treasures but tools that could elevate a cultivator to unprecedented heights. The Void Emperor had left his inheritance to a worthy successor, and Lin Feng intended to prove himself that successor.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Feng extended his hand toward the storage ring. As his fingers touched its surface, the ring glowed brightly before shrinking to normal size and slipping onto his right index finger. A surge of spiritual energy flowed through him, connecting his consciousness to the ring's interior space.
This is extraordinary, Lin Feng marveled. The storage capacity is beyond anything I've ever heard of. And it nourishes the soul of its owner...this is a treasure worthy of emperors.
Next, Lin Feng focused on the lotus flower. As he reached for it, the petals glowed brighter, each color intensifying until the entire chamber was bathed in multicolored light. The lotus floated toward him, its rotation speeding up until it became a blur of color.
Without hesitation, Lin Feng allowed the lotus to enter his body. It passed through his physical form and settled in the center of his consciousness, where it began to rotate slowly. He felt a strange sensation as if his very being was being remade, his meridians expanding and his comprehension of the elements deepening.
The Luck-Devouring Divine Lotus, Lin Feng realized as knowledge flooded his mind. This is the ultimate cultivation treasure. It can absorb the luck of others and convert it into cultivation resources. With this, I can surpass even the heavens themselves.
The final item—the jade vial containing dragon blood essence—was the most potent of all. The Void Emperor's letter had explained its purpose: to strengthen the bloodline, increase lifespan, and enhance physical capabilities. But it also served another purpose—to strengthen the connection between the cultivator and his companions, sharing the benefits of the strengthened bloodline with those he deemed worthy.
Lin Feng drank the essence in one gulp. The liquid burned through his body like molten metal, searing his meridians and purifying his blood. He felt his muscles strengthening, his bones hardening, his senses sharpening. His vision changed, allowing him to see the luck that surrounded living beings like colorful auras.
With this dragon bloodline, I will live for thousands of years, Lin Feng thought as the transformation completed. I will gather beautiful companions, strong allies, and powerful treasures. And I will use the Luck-Devouring Divine Lotus to steal the destinies of those like Long Tian, converting their heavenly fortune into my own strength.
As the transformation finished, Lin Feng felt a profound change within himself. He was no longer the rootless orphan who had graduated from the Azure Dragon Sect. He was Lin Feng, cultivator of the Void Emperor's inheritance, master of all elements, and thief of destinies.
His cultivation base had already broken through to the fourth level of Qi Condensation, and he could feel the potential for further advancement. The Luck-Devouring Divine Lotus rotated steadily in his consciousness, ready to absorb the luck of others and convert it into pure cultivation energy.
Lin Feng knew what he must do next. He would return to the city, rejoin his companions, and continue his plan to steal Long Tian's harem and destroy his protagonist aura. With the Void Emperor's inheritance, he was no longer dependent on the protagonist's luck for survival. He could forge his own path to power.
But first, he needed to test the full extent of his new abilities. The Verdant Forest was filled with spirit beasts of various levels, perfect for testing his combat skills and elemental comprehension.
Lin Feng left the cave, the entrance sealing behind him as the spatial formation reactivated. The recording orb in his hand captured his triumphant expression as he stepped back into the sunlight.
The path to becoming the strongest cultivator under the heavens has truly begun, Lin Feng thought as he began his journey back to the city. And I will walk this path with my own two feet, without relying on any system or divine blessing.
His eyes gleamed with determination, already calculating his next move against Long Tian and his harem of beauties. The first strike had been landed—Xia Qingyue's downfall during the spider mission had weakened the protagonist's luck. Now, with the Void Emperor's inheritance, Lin Feng was ready to deliver the next blow.
Long Tian, you have no idea what awaits you, Lin Feng thought with a smile that would have chilled the bones of any who saw it. Your heavenly fortune will soon become my stepping stone to immortality. And your beautiful companions...they will call me master before this is over.
The sun was high in the sky as Lin Feng began his journey back to the city, but his mind was already racing ahead to the battles that awaited him there. The cultivation world would soon learn the name of Lin Feng, and it would tremble before his power.
I will become the true protagonist of this story, Lin Feng vowed silently. I will claim these beauties, seize these treasures, and break through the heavens themselves.
The path ahead was long and dangerous, filled with powerful enemies and cunning opponents. But Lin Feng was no longer the same man who had arrived in this world with nothing but his wits and determination. He was now a cultivator with the inheritance of an emperor, the bloodline of a dragon, and the power to steal destinies.
And he would use all of it to reach the pinnacle of power.
As Lin Feng walked through the forest, his heightened senses detected something unusual—a subtle disturbance in the spiritual energy around him. He paused, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at his waist.
Someone is following me, he realized with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. And I know exactly who it is.
Lin Feng continued walking as if unaware, but his spiritual sense extended outward like invisible threads, mapping the terrain and tracking the presence behind him. He could feel the familiar Qi signature—Xia Qingyue's cyan-tinted spiritual energy, filled with emotions of confusion, anger, and...longing?
She's been following me since I left the city, Lin Feng deduced. Poor girl. She has no idea what's coming for her.
Rather than confronting her immediately, Lin Feng decided to lead her deeper into the forest. He needed a secluded location, away from prying eyes and spiritual detection arrays. The perfect place presented itself—a small clearing surrounded by ancient spirit trees, their branches forming a natural canopy that would shield them from view.
Lin Feng set his backpack down and turned to face the direction from which he knew Xia Qingyue was watching. "You can come out now, Lady Xia Qingyue. I know you're there."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, from behind a large spirit tree, Xia Qingyue emerged. Her cyan hair was disheveled from the journey, and her cultivation robes were stained with forest dirt. But it was her eyes that held Lin Feng's attention—they burned with a mixture of determination and desperation.
"You...you stole my fate," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You took everything from me. I can feel it—my connection to Long Tian has weakened. Something changed when we returned from the spider mission."
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "I don't know what you're talking about, Lady Xia Qingyue. I've done nothing to you."
"Don't lie to me!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face. "I've been watching you. I saw how you intercepted the jade slip meant for Long Tian at the Mission Hall. I saw how you manipulated everyone against me. I saw how you smiled at my suffering!"
She drew a small dagger from her sleeve, its blade glinting in the dappled sunlight. "I was going to kill you in the spider queen's lair, but I couldn't do it with everyone watching. I was going to kill you in the village, but I lost my nerve. But now...now there's no one to protect you."
Lin Feng smiled—not his usual charming smile, but a cold, predatory grin that made Xia Qingyue hesitate. "You think I didn't know you were following me? You think I didn't sense your presence shadowing me through the city streets? You think I didn't notice you hiding behind trees as I purchased my supplies?"
Xia Qingyue's eyes widened in shock. "You...you knew?"
"Of course I knew," Lin Feng said calmly. "I let you follow me because I wanted to see how far you would go. I wanted to understand the depth of your obsession with Long Tian...and the depth of your hatred for me."
He took a step closer, his eyes locking with hers. "But let me tell you something, Lady Xia Qingyue. Your feelings for Long Tian are not love—they're obsession. You've placed him on a pedestal and built your entire identity around being close to him. But what happens when that pedestal crumbles? What happens when you realize he doesn't see you the way you see him?"
Xia Qingyue shook her head violently. "You don't understand! We've been together since childhood! He's always protected me, always cared for me—"
"Has he?" Lin Feng interrupted. "When the spider queen attacked, who saved you? When you failed during the battle, who stood by you? When Long Tian struck your face, who offered you comfort?"
Xia Qingyue's hand tightened around the dagger's handle, but her resolve was faltering. "I...I don't know what you want from me."
"I want to help you," Lin Feng said softly, taking another step closer. "I want to show you the truth about Long Tian—about the kind of man he truly is. He sees you as nothing more than a tool to be used, a stepping stone on his path to power. His family arranged your betrothal for political reasons, not because he loves you."
Xia Qingyue's eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of confusion rather than anger. "No...you're lying. He promised me—"
"What did he promise you?" Lin Feng pressed. "Did he promise to make you his primary wife? Did he promise to cherish you above all others? Or did he simply tell you that your bond was special while simultaneously flirting with Su Wan'er, Bai Luoyan, and now Hua Lingwei?"
The dagger trembled in Xia Qingyue's hand. "He...he loves me. I know he does."
"Does he?" Lin Feng asked gently. "Then why was he so quick to believe I had poisoned you? Why did he refuse to listen when you tried to explain what happened in the spider queen's lair? Why did he accept the alliance of Su Wan'er and Bai Luoyan against you without question?"
Xia Qingyue's shoulders slumped, and the dagger fell from her hand to the forest floor. "I don't know...I don't know anymore."
Lin Feng moved forward and gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumb. "You deserve better than to be someone's secondary choice, Lady Xia Qingyue. You deserve to be cherished for who you are, not for what you can provide to someone else's ambitions."
Xia Qingyue looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for sincerity. "Why are you telling me this? What do you want from me?"
Lin Feng smiled—this time his genuine, charming smile. "I want to help you see the truth. I want to show you that there's more to life than chasing after someone who doesn't truly value you. And in return...I want your help."
"My help?" Xia Qingyue asked, confused.
"Yes," Lin Feng nodded. "Long Tian has many secrets—secrets that could destroy him if they were revealed. I believe you know some of these secrets. I believe you've seen things others haven't noticed."
Xia Qingyue hesitated, then slowly nodded. "I...I have noticed things. Things about his family, about his cultivation techniques...things that don't make sense."
"Exactly," Lin Feng said. "And that's why I need your help. Together, we can discover the truth about Long Tian—and about the world that created him."
Xia Qingyue took a deep breath, her eyes still filled with uncertainty but also with a spark of something new—curiosity, perhaps, or hope. "What do you propose we do?"
Lin Feng knelt down and retrieved the jade slip he had intercepted from Long Tian. "This message was meant for him. It reveals the location of the Void Emperor's inheritance—a treasure that could elevate a cultivator to unprecedented heights. Long Tian was meant to find this inheritance, to use its power to further his destiny as the chosen one."
He held the jade slip out to her. "But I have taken this opportunity from him. I have claimed the Void Emperor's inheritance for myself. Now, I want to offer you a choice. Will you continue to chase after Long Tian's shadow, or will you walk with me on a new path—one where you can discover your own strength and destiny?"
Xia Qingyue stared at the jade slip, then at Lin Feng's face. The forest was silent around them, as if holding its breath for her decision.
Finally, she reached out and took the jade slip from his hand. "Show me," she whispered. "Show me the truth."
Lin Feng smiled and took her hand in his. "The path to truth is never easy, Lady Xia Qingyue. But I promise you this—when we reach the end of it, you will be stronger than you ever imagined possible."
As they walked back toward the city together, the sun dipping below the mountains, Lin Feng knew he had won his first victory. Xia Qingyue's heart was no longer tied to Long Tian's destiny. Her luck—once part of the protagonist's golden aura—was now flowing toward Lin Feng, feeding the Luck-Devouring Divine Lotus in his consciousness.
The first piece of Long Tian's harem had fallen. The protagonist's luck had been weakened. And Lin Feng had grown stronger without his knowledge.
This is only the beginning, Lin Feng thought as they reached the city gates. The path to becoming the strongest cultivator under heaven starts today. And I will walk this path with my own hands—not relying on any cheat system or divine blessing!
The moon was rising in the sky as they entered the city, but Lin Feng's mind was already racing ahead to the Verdant Forest and the treasures that awaited him there. Xia Qingyue's tear-streaked face beside him was a reminder of his first victory—but it would not be his last.
I will become the true protagonist of this story, Lin Feng vowed silently. I will claim these beauties, seize these treasures, and break through the heavens themselves!