"Warning!"
"Host's mental state has plummeted!"
"The mission could fail at any moment!"
"Host, are you sure you want to abandon the villain mission and the reward for Proving the Dao as a Red Dust Immortal?"
A series of prompts in blood-red letters appeared in his mind.
Lin Xiao suddenly regained some clarity.
Having lived two lives, he had forged a steady state of mind. Indeed, he was not like the reckless young man, Ye Chen. Although he would sometimes rage, the rationality in his heart never disappeared.
Mom, Dad, my sister...
If I abandon the system and remain in this illusory world, wouldn't that mean I could never see them again?
More importantly, my innate talents aren't exceptional, and my opportunities so far have been merely average. Even with my Master's care, I'd likely struggle to achieve immortality before the end of my lifespan.
So, perhaps it's better to take things one step at a time? Investigate why my junior sisters and Master have changed, and then make a final decision?
With this thought, Lin Xiao's heart felt unburdened, and his eyes returned to their usual clarity. At this moment, his expression was indifferent, his white clothes fluttered, and his black hair danced in the wind. In the eyes of others, he had once again become the ethereal Eldest Senior Brother of Divine Phoenix Peak.
Guo Yourong and Chu Youwei, who were standing beside him, their faces etched with worry just moments ago, finally relaxed.
「At this point.」
The victor and loser had been decided on the fighting stage.
The entire venue was in an uproar!
Everyone's attention was focused on the handsome, divine, white-clothed young man on the stage who could summon heavenly thunder with a single sword—the Eldest Senior Brother of Divine Phoenix Peak!
Some were shocked, some reverent, some worshipful!
On the high platform, the five Chairmen wore varied expressions.
"Congratulations, Junior Sister Hongling. After Lin Xiao's battle today, the power hierarchy of our Qinglan Sect's younger generation will be completely rewritten!" Sect Leader True Master Ziyun spoke first.
"Tsk tsk, I truly didn't expect our Junior Sister Hongling, who appears indifferent to sect affairs on the surface, to have secretly cultivated a disciple with a Formless Sword Body. Truly impressive," the Chairman of Red Cloud Peak, True Master Chisong, said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. The jealousy in his words was palpable.
According to the so-called heavenly script, Ye Chen was supposed to win this contest. Who would have thought Lin Xiao could rewrite his destiny!
This boy... I must snatch him from my junior sister and bring him under my command!
Su Mei, standing to the side, her lips slightly upturned and her beautiful eyes narrowed, seemed to be scheming something.
"Xiao'er! Your Master wasn't wrong about you!"
"You did what you said you would! Tonight... Master will definitely reward you handsomely!" Xiao Hongling was ecstatic at this moment.
The next moment, she took a step forward, her figure flashing.
She appeared on the fighting stage!
She was just about to walk towards the figure in white when she found...
Two beautiful girls had already rushed over before her!
They were her two proud disciples: the Sword Dao genius Guo Yourong, and Chu Youwei of the Zither Heart and Sword Spirit!
Yurong and Youwei's attitude towards Xiao'er... seems a bit unusual!
No, according to the prophecy in the dream, weren't they supposed to fall in love with this kid named Ye Chen and gradually come to despise Xiao'er?
Does this mean that Xiao'er's destiny has been completely altered from this moment on?
At this thought, Xiao Hongling pursed her crimson lips, a smile gracing her face.
However, in the next moment, watching the white-clothed young man—the center of everyone's attention—being so intimate with the two girls, the smile at the corners of her lips gradually faded. For some reason, her heart felt a little heavy, as if something was missing.
This shouldn't be.
Xiao'er and his two junior sisters are getting along so well. As their elder and Master, I should be happy for them!
Yurong and Youwei... one is coolly beautiful and aloof, the other gentle and graceful, and both so young. They couldn't be more suitable for Xiao'er...
And I, as an enlightened Master, should let my disciples pursue their own lives.
Suddenly, she forcefully cut off her wandering thoughts, steadying her Dao heart.
Ultimately, she chose not to disturb them and departed by flying through the air.
Ah, Master, don't worry. Tonight, I will go to Fairy Cliff to attend to you and, by the way, check your body... no, your mindset, to see where the plot went wrong! Lin Xiao vowed silently in his heart, watching his beautiful Master's receding figure.
First, he walked off the fighting stage and patted his two junior sisters on the back to console them.
Then, he slowly approached the black-clothed young man.
"What... what are you trying to do?! I, the Princely Heir, have already admitted defeat and apologized on my knees, haven't I?!" Seeing the handsome yet demonic figure, like an Evil God, approaching, Ye Chen clenched his jaw, his handsome face turning deathly pale!
Lin Xiao was about to speak, intending to find an excuse to spare this foolish male protagonist's life to conveniently observe the subsequent plot developments, when suddenly, a laugh came from behind:
"HAHAHA! Nephew Lin Xiao! Be merciful when you can! Since Ye Chen has already admitted defeat and fulfilled his promise, how could our Qinglan Sect, a prestigious and orthodox sect renowned in the Eastern Region, pursue him to his death?"
WHIZZ!
A portly figure materialized out of thin air, blocking Ye Chen!
It was the Chairman of Tiandang Peak, Yuanyi!
Tsk, this old fox has appeared. This fellow really is like a cockroach; he just won't die.
Oh well, if this is fate's will, I'll spare him for now. After I investigate the reasons for all these changes, I'll decide whether to become the king of torture and drain all his fortune! Lin Xiao gritted his teeth inwardly.
"El... Eldest Senior Brother, I'm here to save you!"
At that moment, a familiar young girl's voice reached him, transmitted by a Communication Secret Method.
Lin Xiao's heart jolted.
This voice... It's Fourth Junior Sister Lu Yingying, who hasn't appeared until now!
He quickly turned around.
In the distance, amidst an inconspicuous patch of grass, he saw a delicate and petite girl. Her skin was as white as snow, and she looked like a beautiful maiden straight out of an anime from his previous world. She was drenched in sweat and staring at him, her pair of cat-like eyes wide and filled with concern!
Fourth Junior Sister... why would she appear at this time?
And what does she mean by saving me?
Lin Xiao's handsome eyes narrowed. He suddenly noticed a string of blood-red prayer beads, resembling the teeth of a monster beast, hanging around her snow-white neck!
The Beast Taming Demon Bead?
This girl... she actually brought this thing out at a time like this?
Lin Xiao was shocked, a sense of foreboding unease washing over him!
Originally, in the novel, Lu Yingying was born in the North Territory of the Central State, into the most renowned Beast Taming family of the Great Li Dynasty.
This Beast Taming Demon Bead was her family's heirloom!
When she was six, her family experienced internal strife. Lu Yingying's father, the clan leader, was killed, leaving her as the sole survivor. She escaped through a doghole, carrying the family heirloom.
Fortunately, during her escape, she encountered Master Xiao Hongling, who was searching for fine wine in Great Li. Xiao Hongling brought her back to Qinglan and took her in as a disciple.
In a way, her circumstances were quite similar to Second Junior Sister Guo Yourong's.
But that's not the main point!
The main point is that this Beast Taming Demon Bead was rumored to be an artifact once worn by the ancient god Chi You, possessing heaven-defying power!
According to the novel's setting, this treasure could summon all monster beasts below the Core Formation Stage within a thousand-mile radius to serve its wielder!
Yet, that wasn't even its most terrifying aspect.
After all, in the later parts of the novel, the power scaling went haywire. Nascent Soul experts, once as rare as phoenix feathers, became as common as dirt—so plentiful you could practically scoop them up by the handful.
A beast tide of that magnitude naturally wasn't considered particularly frightening then.
The truly horrifying part was one of the bead's hidden attributes—
It could completely conceal the forms and auras of all monster beasts under its control. Furthermore, the level of monster beasts it could command would increase with the Beastmaster's cultivation level!
That was terrifying!
Lin Xiao clearly recalled a particularly outrageous plot point.
After Ye Chen left the Qinglan Sect, he met up with his long-lost sister—who, in a classic trope, was "conveniently" not blood-related. Together, they attacked Jinling City of the Great Zhou Dynasty. However, they struggled to breach the city and suffered heavy casualties!
In the end, it was Lu Yingying who used the Beast Taming Demon Bead to summon tens of thousands of monster beasts, render them invisible, and then had them descend upon Jinling City from the sky, achieving a decisive victory!
It was no exaggeration to call it a game-breakingly powerful treasure!
Yingying has taken out the Beast Taming Demon Bead. She couldn't possibly be thinking of... Lin Xiao seemed to realize something.
"Fourth Junior Sister?"
"Yingying, where did you go? Why are you only appearing now?"
At the same time, Guo Yourong and Chu Youwei also noticed their little junior sister. Although the two had been at odds over Lin Xiao, they both deeply cared for this youngest sister. With worried expressions, they were about to walk over.
However, Lin Xiao stopped them!
"You two stay here and don't move. I'll go talk to Fourth Junior Sister alone," Lin Xiao said, his expression solemn.
Yes. With his maxed-out Insight Skill, he could sense an overwhelming and terrifying killing intent emanating from Lu Yingying's eyes!
In fact, he had noticed something was amiss long ago! Starting last month, this girl's personality had suddenly turned cold and withdrawn, hostile towards everything! Only when she was with him did she revert to being that adorable, delicate little girl!
In other words, he was the only one who could manage her!
Her character isn't just deviating from the plot anymore.
Those are the eyes of someone who wants to destroy the world!
Lin Xiao took a deep breath and walked over.
「In the grass.」
The devastatingly handsome, tall, and upright Eldest Senior Brother and the small, delicate, beautiful junior sister stood face to face, creating a stark visual contrast.