A young man with handsome features sat cross-legged beneath the shade of several tall trees, his eyes closed.
Above his head, tiny green particles, resembling miniature leaves, fell continuously, flowing toward a spot two inches below his abdomen, where they were absorbed into his dantian.
This went on until the young man suddenly opened his eyes, forcibly interrupting his cultivation.
Pof! Pof!
Spitting out a mouthful of crimson blood from internal injury, Yun Hao gritted his teeth in fury.
"Who the hell was that bastard talking inside my head?"
He began searching with bloodshot eyes but saw nothing, even after scanning in every direction. The gleam in his gaze sharpened, turning him even more ferocious.
"Damn it!"
Yun Hao cursed aloud.
Being interrupted during meditation was serious.
At best, it resulted in mild internal bleeding from a burst of energy inside the body. At worst, a deviation of Qi could cause mental collapse, driving the cultivator down the demonic path.
For these reasons, Yun Hao was furious.
Too bad he couldn't find the culprit.
Resuming the lotus position, he began to heal his internal wounds, but before he could continue, the voice returned.
It was grating, like thousands of ghosts blended into one bizarre sound, crafted purely to mock.
And what it said made no sense to Yun Hao.
[The script of the Little Eunuch Villain has begun. In half an hour, he will intimidate the Daughter of Destiny because he finds her beautiful. But little does he know, she's hiding her true strength. She'll slap his face and cripple his "little brother" with a kick between the legs.]
The veins on Yun Hao's forehead bulged as the last words sank in.
"What the hell is a 'Little Eunuch Villain'?!"
He shouted, voice blazing with anger, startling the birds above. Realizing his outburst, he quickly covered his mouth.
'Let's hope no one heard that embarrassing line.'
His cheeks flushed red but soon returned to normal.
Now wasn't the time to drown in shame.
A much bigger problem occupied his mind.
'That wasn't a person...'
Yun Hao thought, his nerves tense and heart pounding.
Fear gripped him.
If it were a person, he could just beat them up, but something from the underworld?
What could he do?
He didn't know, and that only made him more nervous.
'Yun Hao, you're a cultivator, the most talented disciple of the Outer Court of the Celestial Phoenix Holy Land! How can you be afraid of a ghost?'
A shout burst from deep within his mind, his inner voice scolding him harshly.
"Yes!"
Regaining clarity, Yun Hao clenched his fists, his eyes taking on a beastlike gleam. Channeling all his pent-up frustration, he threw a powerful punch forward toward an unlucky tree.
Thud!
A heavy sound echoed through the green clearing, followed by a strong gust of wind. His blow tore into the trunk as if it were paper, scattering fragments into the air.
Yun Hao's fist pierced straight through the tree, leaving a gaping hole at its center.
But the tree still stood.
He wasn't strong enough to obliterate it entirely, only to damage part of it. Even so, that level of power put him among the best.
"Damn ghost! If you want to scare someone, pick another target! Daughter of Destiny? Screw her! This young master fears nothing!"
That was a lie. The thought of being crippled was far from pleasant, but he had to stand tall for the sake of his dignity.
'That's it for cultivation today. My will to train has evaporated.'
Shaking his head in disgust, Yun Hao decided to head to the river to wash off the red stains that marked his thighs.
Under the scorching sun that bathed the forest in golden light, he walked slowly between the trees, taking in the endless greenery and the harmless little beasts roaming about.
There were no monsters in the Outer Court, just a wide plain with some exotic animals, scattered houses, and a river flowing through the region, dividing it in two.
The place Yun Hao was heading to lay in the south, a quiet area. Beyond it stretched a forbidden zone protected by a formation, making it isolated, perfect for someone who preferred solitude.
As he neared the river, the sound of flowing water reached his ears, and the humid air felt like a gentle rain, soothing his restless thoughts and calming his heart.
"Haaa…"
Letting out a pleasant sigh, he continued onward. His view of tree trunks was soon replaced by the blue shimmer of the river reflecting the sunlight, steam rising into the sky.
'This water's boiling…'
For cultivators, that didn't matter.
But it wasn't exactly pleasant either.
'It's like drinking freshly boiled tea. If you're not careful, it burns your tongue and leaves it numb.'
With that thought, he sighed again and walked toward the river. Passing the last tree, the burning sunlight washed over him, searing his skin and making him sweat profusely.
Wiping his forehead, he took off his clothes and began washing them in the river. But when a sound came from behind, his senses sharpened instantly, and he turned toward the noise.
Only to see a beautiful young woman emerging from the greenery. She had long black hair, ocean-blue eyes, and skin as white as snow, making her look delicate, though she clearly wasn't. She carried a heavy bucket in each hand, each weighing two hundred kilos.
'Holy crap... the Daughter of Destiny? The woman who's gonna cripple me?'
Yun Hao swallowed hard.
He'd doubted the voice, thinking it was just something meant to spook him.
But now it seemed things weren't that simple.
He didn't know the timing, but it was too much of a coincidence to meet a beautiful woman right after hearing that.
'Did I really intimidate her? Why would I? It's not like I think with what's below. Strength is all that matters. Physical pleasure is temporary. Did that damn script lower my intelligence?'
"Yes, that must be it! Damn destiny making me act like a beast just so the Daughter of Destiny can use me as a stepping stone!"
Everything clicked in Yun Hao's head.
Since he was among the best, the perfect way for her to rise would be to defeat him, and her fame would spread across the Holy Land.
'How dare you use me, you cursed destiny!'
Yun Hao's face twisted in anger. He wanted to fight her, but he knew he'd lose in every possible way.
"I got here first. Do your chores once I'm done. If you stay here, I might punish you for indecency, something unthinkable for us cultivators of the Dao. Only a pure heart can go far on the Martial Path."
He said to the young woman, keeping his face indifferent and hiding the fact that he knew her strength. He wanted to show he wasn't a pervert deserving of castration while still displaying his status. She was just a servant disciple, far below him in rank. Showing arrogance was natural; it would be strange to flatter her for no reason.
"Forgive me, senior brother. I didn't expect anyone to be here."
The young woman waved her hands apologetically and left as if nothing had happened.
'She's so sensible.'
Yun Hao was surprised. He'd thought things would turn out worse.
'After this, I probably won't see her again, right?'
He hoped so, but had a nagging feeling that it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of this ill-starred heroine.
[What a twist. The Little Eunuch Villain somehow went off-script and turned into a shameless senior brother who polluted the poor heroine who'd never seen a naked man before.]