"Eyes as bright as stars, a nose as gallant as a hanging gallbladder, facial features as if carved by a celestial, impeccable..."
"You're a villain, bro! Is it necessary to be this handsome?"
At the edge of a clear, flowing stream, a tall, handsome youth clad in snow-white clothes was muttering to himself, looking at his reflection in the water.
The young man's name was Lin Xiao.
Fifteen years had passed.
Now, Lin Xiao had gradually come to terms with the persona set for him in this life!
Yes, he had transmigrated!
But what was outrageous was that he had transmigrated into the body of a scumbag villain, who shared his name, in a harem novel he had read in his previous life!
As the eldest disciple of the Divine Phoenix Peak of the Qinglan Immortal Sect, one of the eight major cultivation traditions in the Eastern Region of the Central State...
His cultivation level was mediocre, he was lazy and morally corrupt; even dogs would shake their heads upon seeing him!
His daily routine involved idling and bullying others. Today, he would tease a junior brother; tomorrow, he would take liberties with a few beautiful junior sisters, showing not a shred of the Righteous Path befitting an Immortal Sect!
It could be said that the only thing commendable about him was this demonically handsome, heaven-defying face!
But to Lin Xiao, the reason the damn author made this villain character so handsome was solely to provide more dramatic conflict when the protagonist came to deliver a face-slapping!
After all, a sanctimonious beast in human clothing deserves to be condemned by all!
However, although he knew his fate was to have his true colors repeatedly exposed by the protagonist, to be beaten into disability by his beautiful Master and several junior sisters, and eventually to die in utter despair by severing his own heart meridians... Lin Xiao eagerly anticipated that day's arrival!
Yes, like all transmigrators, Lin Xiao also possessed a system—the Idle Antagonist System!
This lousy system informed him that as long as he followed the original plot and flawlessly enacted his villainous script, he could transcend this world, ascend as an immortal, and roam freely across myriad realms!
Speaking of which, the most appealing part of this reward to Lin Xiao wasn't the distant and ethereal prospect of becoming an immortal or an emperor, but—
Transcending this world and freely traveling across countless realms!
Yes, once he obtained this ability, it meant he could finally return to Earth and reunite with his family!
In his previous life, his family wasn't wealthy, but he had loving parents and an adorable, sensible younger sister!
Having transmigrated for over a decade, Lin Xiao constantly yearned to return to his family!
Whether he returned as an immortal or a mortal...
That wasn't important!
"System! I can't take it anymore! Hurry up and tell me, when will the protagonist, Ye Chen, finally come to join the sect!"
"The disgusting things this villain does every day are making me sick to my stomach!" Lin Xiao said, utterly exasperated.
DING!
"This system has already endowed the Host with perfect memory. Please recall the plot yourself!"
A cold, electronic voice echoed in his mind.
Lin Xiao was even more speechless.
This damn system; I'd be better off without it!
Having said that, Lin Xiao had indeed unfortunately read this old-school Long Aotian power-fantasy novel titled "Emperor" during his naive younger days.
At the time, he'd been so engrossed he couldn't sleep at night; the early scenes of showing off and face-slapping were incredibly satisfying.
But by the middle of the novel, the protagonist, Ye Chen, had a harem full of stunning beauties yet only flirted without consummating any relationships, like a eunuch. This utterly disgusted Lin Xiao!
By the later stages, the power system and character designs had completely collapsed. Lin Xiao even heard that the damn author had hired a ghostwriter, so he stopped following it.
"Although my knowledge of the plot only covers the first eight volumes, about 2,000,000 words..."
"However, my part of the story concludes within the first 1,000,000 words, so the ultimate ending doesn't really concern me."
Lin Xiao felt a slight sense of relief.
Then, he sat cross-legged, focusing his mind to recall the earlier parts of the plot...
"In the year 851 of the Haotu Calendar, at the Beginning of Winter, Empress Wuyue of the Great Zhou Dynasty began to move against Prince Beichuan, Ye Qingtian, whose power had grown to rival the throne."
"She first issued an imperial edict, citing treason, to execute all eighty-one members of the Ye family residing in the imperial capital. Only Ye Qingtian's legitimate son, Ye Chen, the Princely Heir of Beichuan, managed to escape the borders of the Great Zhou with the help of a mysterious old man's remnant soul residing in a ring."
"Then, guided by this mysterious old man, Ye Chen evaded the Empress's pursuit and headed straight to the Qinglan Immortal Sect, an Immortal Sect in the Eastern Region, to seek apprenticeship..."
"Year 851, the Beginning of Winter..."
"Doesn't that mean it's tomorrow?!"
"Ye Chen, oh Ye Chen, I've finally waited for you! You better not disappoint me!"
After waiting for more than a decade, Lin Xiao was overjoyed at this moment, the worry on his face vanishing instantly!
He leisurely brewed himself a pot of Immortal Tea, sipping it slowly while recalling the forthcoming plot:
"According to the book's opening plot, tonight, Ye Chen should have already checked into the Yunlai Inn in Taoyuan Village, located at the foot of the Qinglan Sect's mountain."
"Around Chou hour (1-3 AM), the Spiritual Beast raised by Fourth Junior Sister Lu Yingying will be startled by a thunderclap during its breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage and will flee down the mountain."
"Just as Fourth Junior Sister is desperately searching for her beloved pet, Ye Chen—the protagonist who is an all-rounder skilled in Refining Elixirs, weapon forging, and Beast Control—will successfully subdue the Spiritual Beast and return it unharmed to Fourth Junior Sister."
"The young man and woman, upon their first meeting, develop a mutual fondness..."
"No, to be precise, Fourth Junior Sister develops a fondness for Ye Chen. As for Ye Chen, that guy, being the protagonist of an old-school stallion novel, would have lewd thoughts even at the sight of a moderately attractive Fox Demon! He's worse than a beast!"
"In any case, after they discuss their insights on Beast Control, they hit it off immediately, feeling like they should have met sooner."
"Upon learning Ye Chen's purpose for the trip, Fourth Junior Sister gets even more excited and personally offers to guide him up the mountain."
"This scene of them walking together happens to be witnessed by me, the villainous Eldest Senior Brother!"
"And so, overcome with jealousy, I prepare to secretly poison him!"
"However, I am then coincidentally caught red-handed by the sharp-eyed Second Junior Sister Guo Yourong and exposed on the spot!"
"Afterward, I spout a torrent of nonsense, angrily denouncing Ye Chen as trash. Ye Chen then proposes a duel. Thanks to the help from the old man in his ring, he, a mere Qi Cultivation cultivator, completely crushes me, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. From that point on, Ye Chen becomes famous throughout the sect, while I, Lin Xiao, suffer a humiliating public defeat!"
"Tsk, tsk, this trope is even more potent than aged pickled vegetables. It truly is a classic, old-school Long Aotian power-fantasy novel."
"However..."
"Is there a segment of the plot missing here?"
Lin Xiao frowned, deep in thought.
Just as he was lost in thought, the voice transmission of his Junior Brother Huaizhen sounded from halfway down the mountain:
"Eldest Senior Brother, are you up there?"
"Today it's your turn to serve Master!"
Hearing this, a realization struck Lin Xiao, and his brow instantly smoothed!
"That's it!"
"Before Ye Chen joins the sect, there's another small episode!"
"Tonight, I go to my beautiful Master's room to clean. Overcome by lust, I can't resist stealing Master's white ice silk socks and hiding them in my pocket. The next day, during the fight with Ye Chen, they are snatched out by his Spirit Pet, Little Mink!"
"The entire crowd is in an uproar, and my reputation is utterly ruined!"
"But..."
"Stealing my own Master's personal garments... Isn't that just too despicable?!"
Lin Xiao gritted his teeth, torn by hesitation.
"Forget it! It's just a fictional novel world, anyway!"
"To maintain this villainous persona, I've already done so many things against my conscience for years..."
"It's just stealing a pair of socks! Screw it, I'll do it!"
In an instant, Lin Xiao's handsome eyes turned sharp, and his body radiated an earth-shattering, destructive aura!
Just like a major villain from the novel!
...
...
Qinglan Immortal Sect was situated on Qinglan Mountain, in the Eastern Region of the Divine Continent.
The Qinglan Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles, its peaks undulating. At a glance, one could see five main peaks that seemed to float in the sky, wreathed in auspicious clouds. Strange rock formations, cascading waterfalls, and the cries of auspicious beasts completed the scene, exuding an air of celestial grandeur.
The five main peaks were named Fengming, Divine Phoenix, Red Cloud, Tiandang, and Dragon Head, respectively.
Each main peak had a Chairman presiding over it, responsible for imparting teachings.
The residence of Lin Xiao's beautiful Master, renowned as the "Number One Female Cultivator of the Eastern Region," was situated on the treacherous, steep summit of Divine Phoenix Peak, at Fairy Cliff.
SWOOSH!
Lin Xiao traveled using Sword Control, crossing three spiritual energy rainbow bridges. After expending most of his True Yuan, he finally arrived at Fairy Cliff.
The cliff was planted full of vibrant and colorful Spirit Grass. Beside it grew a small Purple Bamboo Forest, and a waterfall cascaded down through the middle, creating a scene of poetic and picturesque beauty.
"Usually, when my junior sisters come to Fairy Cliff to attend to Master, it takes them but a moment. Yet it took me half a day of flying, and I'm exhausted. I truly am useless."
"It seems I really need to get through this plot quickly and shed this useless persona!"
Lin Xiao shook his head and walked towards a wooden cabin ahead. It was enveloped in small pink flowers and decorated in a style that would make any young girl's heart flutter.
This was the residence of Master Xiao Hongling.
Xiao Hongling, one of the five Chairmen, had a personality vastly different from the others.
She was free-spirited and loved wine as if it were her life. Despite being hundreds of years old, she occasionally displayed girlishly innocent behavior and was quite narcissistic about her appearance.
Of course, being hailed as the foremost beauty of the Eastern Region, she certainly had the qualifications to be so.
Furthermore, regarding her attitude towards her disciples, Xiao Hongling was rather casual, lacking the stern demeanor expected of a master.
But this didn't mean she didn't care about her disciples!
On the contrary!
This woman was extremely protective of her own!
Lin Xiao remembered clearly.
In the original novel's beginning, after the villainous Eldest Senior Brother Lin Xiao was shamed by the protagonist Ye Chen—who exposed his acts of poisoning and stealing socks—
the entire Qinglan Sect, from top to bottom, was enraged!
The Sect Leader, True Master Ziyun, even personally ordered for Lin Xiao's cultivation level to be crippled and for him to be expelled from the sect!
It was then that Xiao Hongling, who had been in secluded cultivation for years, emerged prematurely. She publicly defied the Sect Leader to protect Lin Xiao, managing to have his punishment reduced to three years of confinement.
However, with the protagonist Ye Chen's arrival, Lin Xiao, as the villain, was repeatedly humiliated and provoked. His heart grew increasingly twisted and frenzied, eventually leading him to commit a series of deranged acts. This thoroughly disappointed Xiao Hongling, compelling her to personally destroy his Spiritual Root, reducing him to a mortal.
But ultimately, she couldn't bring herself to kill him.
Midway through the story, this Eldest Senior Brother, despised by his junior sisters and Master, was overcome by despair and took his own life on Fairy Cliff.
As for the protagonist, Ye Chen, he naturally soared in power and status, winning the hearts of Lin Xiao's three junior sisters. Eventually, not even the beautiful Master Xiao Hongling could resist his charms!
Although, for the sake of raking in cash by keeping readers on tenterhooks and hyping up potential relationships, the original author never allowed the protagonist to have any substantial physical intimacy with these female leads.
But Lin Xiao still felt somewhat indignant!
Why?
Just because that idiot Ye Chen is the protagonist, he gets to have four stunning beauties, each with her own unique charm, fall in love with him simultaneously?
"Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it! This is just a novel world, after all!"
"What I need to do now is follow the villain's script to its conclusion, receive the system's reward, and ascend back to the real world!"
Lin Xiao steadied his Dao Heart.
Then, he tiptoed into the wooden cabin.
A warm, fragrant aroma, so pleasant it seemed to make one's entire body relax, wafted towards him.
It resembled the scent of flowers, yet also carried the subtle fragrance of a woman's perfumed cosmetics.
"According to the original plot, Xiao Hongling should currently be in secluded cultivation within the Lotus Cave Mansion beneath the waterfall."
"And I, Lin Xiao, upon smelling this fragrance, will be overcome by lust and head towards Master's bedroom!"
Lin Xiao, recalling the novel's plot, decisively pushed open the bedroom door!
His eyes scanned the room.
He immediately spotted a pair of snow-white, immaculate ice silk socks placed casually on the edge of the bed.
"There are actually people into this? And it's their own Master's clothing, no less?"
"This Lin Xiao is a real freaking pervert!"
Lin Xiao cursed inwardly and hesitated for another moment before finally stuffing the pair of socks into his pocket.