Lin Chen, having transmigrated once again, had a promising start. His parents were both High-Level and Guardian mages—figures of great importance in a backward city like Bo City.
Unfortunately, good fortune didn't last. A year ago, his parents left on a distant mission, and eventually, the Guardians brought back news of their death.
Fortunately, Lin Chen was already fifteen and didn't need anyone to care for him. With the inheritance left behind, and the orphan subsidy provided by the Guardians, he didn't have to worry about food, clothing, or the early expenses of a mage.
He stood up and slowly walked toward the bathroom.
"Whirr…"
In the heat of summer, cold water poured over his body, gradually cooling the fire within. In this dangerous world, Lin Chen lacked a sense of security. His Martial Soul had vanished, his portable world was gone, and even Ilex was unreachable.
In a world where strength was everything, Lin Chen understood its importance well. The only thing that could help him now was the Yin-Yang Art.
Profound and mysterious, the Yin-Yang Art required a partner to cultivate properly. Without one, his body had fallen into a state of extreme Yang, generating restless fire energy.
If not for his three past lives and unwavering will, he might have already succumbed to irrational impulses.
Even so, cultivation had greatly enhanced his physique. At sixteen, he stood 1.87 meters tall. Though lean, his muscles were firm and defined, with a sculpted abdomen. His eight extraordinary meridians had been opened—wide and resilient. His internal organs had been nourished, and celestial vitality flowed through his body in major and minor cycles, granting him endless life.
After half an hour in the shower, the heat had finally dissipated. Lin Chen turned off the water, wrapped himself in a white towel, and stepped out of the bathroom.
"This world doesn't have the original bottlenecks," he murmured, "but the minor success of the Yin-Yang Art is the limit I can reach for now. After all… I'm still too young."
To continue cultivating toward mastery, he needed a vast amount of Yin energy. As the saying goes: "Isolated Yin does not produce, solitary Yang does not grow. All things carry Yin and embrace Yang, using Qi to achieve harmony."
Lin Chen wasn't a casual person. Though he could be ruthless when necessary, he had his own standards for choosing a partner. That's why his excessive Yang energy was rarely relieved.
"Knock, knock, knock…"
The sound at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He walked slowly and opened it.
Before him stood a dazzling figure.
The young woman was breathtakingly beautiful, with a graceful and curvaceous figure, surrounded by a cold aura. Her silver hair cascaded like a celestial waterfall. She was like a fairy—meant to be admired from afar, not touched.
Lin Chen smiled gently.
"You're back."
"Help me," she said, her eyes filled with longing.
Without another word, Lin Chen gently picked her up in a princess carry. His left foot stepped back, and with a soft bang, the door closed.
Feeling her quickened heartbeat, he walked slowly toward the bed.
After a moment, he laid her down gently on the sheets. A blush bloomed on her snow-white face.
"Xue'er, your husband is here," Lin Chen whispered.
She let out a soft hum, as if returning to the warmth of a mother's embrace.
Suddenly, a surge of scorching energy burst from Lin Chen's body. Mu Ningxue's icy Yin energy rushed toward him, soothing his inner fire. She clung tightly to his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her slender waist.
As her Yin energy continued to flow into him, the restless fire within Lin Chen gradually calmed.
At that moment, two lights—one red, one blue—appeared around them, slowly merging into a rotating Tai Chi diagram.
The minor success of the Yin-Yang Art required extreme Yin energy from a woman. Without Mu Ningxue's cold Yin energy, Lin Chen's cultivation would have remained at the entry level.
...
Two hours later, Mu Ningxue exhaled softly. Her beautiful eyes opened slowly, gazing lovingly at Lin Chen's handsome face.
He was not only her childhood sweetheart, but also her irreplaceable savior.
At fourteen, she had awakened her magic early, along with the coveted Ice Crystal Bow and Innate Spiritual Seed. With such talent, she should have been happy.
But no one knew that these gifts brought her endless cold and pain, making her wish for death.
Only Lin Chen could ease the torment of her body and soul.
Sensing her gaze, Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes.
Seeing the affection in her starry eyes, he stopped circulating the Yin-Yang Art.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked gently.
It was already evening. The room was dim, the lights still off, and the atmosphere had grown intimate.
Mu Ningxue clung to Lin Chen like a sloth, sitting in his lap, her chest pressed tightly against his.
A shy blush colored her stunning face.
"Mm," she whispered, leaning her lips toward his.
Her eyes sparkled with emotion as she teased softly:
"I missed you… did you miss me?"
Lin Chen smiled and replied with a question:
"What do you think?"
She pouted.
"I want you to say it. Say it. Say it!"
Mu Ningxue kept insisting, playfully swaying her body. As she moved, her white arms wrapped around his neck, gently shaking him.
Lin Chen laughed, held her shoulders, and said as if coaxing a child:
"Alright, alright. I missed you too. Stop shaking me!"
"Hmph! That's more like it!" Mu Ningxue said with a pout.
Mu Ningxue's eyes flickered, as if a thought had just crossed her mind.
With a smack, she planted a soft kiss on Lin Chen's lips, then gently released his neck and rose from his lap.
"I'm going to take a shower first. You wait here obediently!" she giggled, swaying toward the bathroom.
Lin Chen shook his head with a helpless smile. Thankfully, the inner fire had just been quelled—otherwise, he might have dealt with this little enchantress right then and there.
His presence alone had triggered a butterfly effect.
The extreme Yang energy cultivated through the Yin-Yang Art was irresistibly alluring to women. Having secretly practiced it since the age of three, Lin Chen exuded a charm that made him seem like an incubus—mysteriously magnetic and deeply adored.
Mu Ningxue, once his neighbor, was no exception.
Naturally, the absurd plotline of Mo Fan eloping with Mu Ningxue never happened in this world.
Lin Chen knew he didn't have the protagonist's script. He lived a quiet, low-key life, unlike Mo Fan, who carried the halo of a main character—always surviving disasters and turning peril into triumph.
In the original story, Mo Fan's predecessor eloping with Mu Ningxue had always struck Lin Chen as ridiculous.
A chauffeur's son running off with the heiress of a noble family? It was as implausible as divine intervention.
As a former novel enthusiast, Lin Chen had long noticed the patterns in popular fiction.
Protagonists always did something "epic" in their youth—otherwise, the story wouldn't sell.
Xiao Yan nourished Xiao Xun'er's meridians and spied on Xiao Yu'er bathing.
Tang San slept beside Xiao Wu since childhood, all while preaching "men and women should not touch."
Mo Fan eloped with the Mu family's little princess.
His reckless actions led to his father losing his job and their family being suppressed by the Mu clan.
Even after transmigrating, Mo Fan's behavior baffled Lin Chen.
It reminded him of Yu Xiaogang from Douluo Continent, who was widely despised for eloping with Bibi Dong.
Mo Fan did the same with Mu Ningxue.
Sure, some readers would argue Mo Fan was young and naïve—but weren't the actions nearly identical?
In any society, matching social status helps avoid unnecessary trouble.
Noble families marry for mutual benefit. It may seem cruel, but the advantages are undeniable.
Take Qian Xunji, for example. Spirit Hall raised Bibi Dong with the best resources, only for her to become a bride for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
No sane person would accept that outcome.
Everything has cause and effect. Mo Fan's choices clearly led to his family's downfall.
Yet in his own eyes, he was righteous—oppressed by the powerful, fighting back with a two-year promise.
What a heroic tale…
By then, Mo Fan had already burned bridges with the Mu family.
They saw him as a mere child. Had they known about his dual talents, they might've sent assassins to eliminate him early.
Strength takes time to mature. Until then, even the gifted are vulnerable.
Mo Fan's protagonist halo was simply too strong—otherwise, he'd have died a hundred times over.
What Lin Chen couldn't understand was why, after all that, Mo Fan still groveled before Mu Ningxue.
Wasn't that just slapping himself in the face?
…
Back when Lin Chen's parents were alive, they had close ties with the Mu family.
As advanced mages, his father and mother were well-respected by Mu Zhuoyun, who even joked about marrying into the Lin family.
That changed when Mu Ningxue awakened her magic at fourteen. Though relations remained cordial, Mu Zhuoyun never brought up the marriage idea again.
Mu Ningxue was later recruited by the Imperial Capital Academy—the heart of China's elite. Naturally, her family wanted her to have the best future.
A year ago, after his parents' passing, Lin Chen sold their manor and moved into a modest rental.
When he met Mu Zhuoyun again, the old man was overjoyed, still calling him "good nephew" and offering help without hesitation.
The world isn't just about battles—it's also about relationships.
Lin Chen made it clear he wasn't interested in Mu Ningxue romantically. That alone made Mu Zhuoyun more relaxed.
Of course, Lin Chen still maintained a secret relationship with Mu Ningxue. What was wrong with that? Why make things awkward for everyone?
He knew the plot well. This was the final glory of the Bo City Mu family.
Survive a few more years, and everything would change…
…
Half an hour passed quickly. Mu Ningxue stepped out of the bathroom.
She wore a black silk nightgown, its lace hugging her curves with elegant precision. The hem shimmered with delicate embroidery.
The contrast between the dark fabric and her porcelain skin made her look regal and mysterious.
Her skin—smooth as congealed cream, flawless like white jade, soft enough to break with a breath—was beyond description.
Even her meridians were faintly visible beneath her delicate complexion, untouched by dust, glowing with a subtle pink hue.
"Do I look pretty?" Mu Ningxue asked with a playful smile. Her fair cheeks were tinged with blush, her innocent face laced with a hint of seduction.
Seeing Lin Chen's hungry gaze, her heart fluttered with joy. Her smile grew brighter.
Over time, she had come to understand Lin Chen's maturity, cunning, and desire.
She had even learned to adapt to his tastes—not out of obligation, but because she had grown to love it.
If her admirers saw her now, they'd cry out in disbelief:
"This can't be real!"
The icy goddess they worshipped—how could she become like this?
Lin Chen swallowed hard. He rose and strode toward her.
Embracing, kissing—the room filled with a charged, ambiguous atmosphere.
With soft, trembling breaths, Mu Ningxue whispered:
"Brother Chen… take me tonight…"
Lin Chen's rising impulse halted instantly. He gently caressed her cheek and replied:
"Didn't we agree? Two more years."