Chapter 135: The Bootlicking Immortal Lord Who Wants to Live Off a Woman

Inside a vast and silent great hall atop Lingyun Peak.

A tall, commanding man slowly opened his eyes, his presence exuding the quiet authority of someone born to lead.

His features were so striking they could stop people in their tracks—one glance from a passerby would be enough to fall under his spell.

A man like this, out in the world, would be fought over by countless admirers.

But the moment he opened his eyes, the atmosphere around him shifted. His gaze was deep and unfathomable, like a bottomless pool—just one glance felt like it could pierce through your soul.

Combined with his ethereal looks, he radiated an aura of mystery and danger that sent a chill down the spine.

This was not someone to be trifled with.

And yes, this dangerously unapproachable man was none other than Shen Xiuyan.

At the moment, though, he was completely spaced out.

The suffocating sensation of just having transmigrated left him momentarily stunned.

By the time he fully came to, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations, Host. You’ve successfully completed the previous worlds with perfect scores. Your accumulated mission points now total 5,320. For a better tomorrow, please continue to work hard.]

Shen Xiuyan dazedly thought: System, do you think I’ll be able to meet Mingyue in every world?

Sniffling, Shen Xiuyan lamented—parting is just too painful.

Of course, if he could meet his wife again in the next world, then parting wouldn’t be so bad.

System: [That’s hard to say.]

Shen Xiuyan: You’re a whole system. Don’t you have any tricks up your sleeve?

[…]

Maybe even the system was speechless at his love-struck brain. After all, it had guided so many hosts over the years—all of them diligently grinding for points, just to retire in peace one day.

But Shen Xiuyan? He was different. Always marching to the beat of his own drum.

After a pause, the system finally replied.

[Then keep working on collecting points. Once you reach 10,000, the system shop will unlock. There, you’ll find all kinds of items—you might just find a way.]

That was as good as a hint. Shen Xiuyan instantly perked up.

Just as he was about to say something more, the system clearly had no intention of letting him ramble. It quickly cut in with a mission prompt.

[Plot information has been sent. Host, please check your inbox.]

[Mission for this world: Alter the original host’s tragic fate of dying together with Ruan Xier. Do NOT become her pathetic simp…]

Shen Xiuyan: “…”

“My dear system, don’t think I didn’t catch that pause! Let me say it again—I am not a simp. If I’m gonna simp, it’s only for my wife.”

The system responded mercilessly: [Tsk tsk tsk, and that’s still simping…]

Shen Xiuyan: “…”

After its snide remark, the system went through the usual motions: [Does Host wish to stay?]

Shen Xiuyan replied with a blank expression, “Stay.”

[Ooh~ Then best of luck to you.]

The system withdrew, deeply worried. It wasn’t human—emotions were beyond its grasp. In its eyes, Shen Xiuyan was just a simp, and that was that.

This mission was undoubtedly a tough one. The system had little hope; it figured the Host was probably going to fail this time.

Shen Xiuyan was left speechless by the system’s antics. Did he look like someone who acted on a whim?

Well… if it involved Mingyue, then yeah, all bets were off.

Grumbling to himself, he pulled up the storyline in his mind.

This was the world of a novel, and the original host was merely a devoted, tragic second male lead.

A tool character, there only to make the main couple’s love shine brighter.

This was a world where cultivation was real. Society was split in two: the Lower Realm, home to ordinary people who toiled from dawn to dusk, living humble, hardworking lives.

Above them was the Cultivation World, dotted with hundreds of sects, each more dazzling than the last, each with their own unique skills and secrets.

The body he now inhabited was still named Shen Xiuyan. His sect was located on Green Peak, south of Lingfeng.

And it just so happened to be the number one sect in the Cultivation World—Wunian Sect.

He was also the last remaining Grandmaster of Wunian Sect, the most powerful cultivator the world had seen in a thousand years.

An unsurpassed existence.

An idol and the ultimate goal for all who cultivated.

But precisely because of this exalted status, he’d long since seen through the ways of the mortal world. He had grown cold and detached, with no love left for anything under the heavens.

Unless something truly significant occurred, he would often retreat into seclusion for decades at a time.

During his most recent emergence, the Sect Leader, as was customary, brought along a few young attendants to serve him. Though Shen Xiuyan had no need for them, the gesture was a sign of respect—one the Sect Leader never failed to show.

Among those attendants was the original host’s simp target—Ruan Xier.

Now, let’s talk about Ruan Xier. As expected of the novel’s female lead, she was practically born under a lucky star.

She was born into a royal household, doted on by her parents, and spoiled from a young age. Whatever she wanted, she got. Naturally, this bred a habit of constant comparison and one-upmanship.

If she had stayed in the Lower Realm, this personality wouldn’t have been much of an issue.

After all, there weren’t many who could outshine her there. But the Cultivation World above? That was a different story.

She refused to accept that she was any lesser than the immortals. She believed that if someone were willing to take her in, she could achieve greatness too.

But belief alone wasn’t enough. Crossing realms wasn’t something that happened just because she wished it.

Yet somehow, luck was on her side. When she turned eighteen, it just so happened to be the centennial recruitment period—when the upper realm sects came down to the Lower Realm to scout new talent.

She was incredibly lucky to be chosen—chosen by none other than the number one sect in the Cultivation World, the Wu Nian Sect.

Overwhelmed with joy, she packed her things and followed the Immortal Elders into the Wu Nian Sect.

But life wasn’t as rosy as she’d imagined. Back in the Lower Realm, she came from a prestigious family and was admired for her beauty. Everyone fawned over her, pampered her.

But in the Immortal Realm, none of that mattered.

Family background? She had none worth mentioning—her mortal status meant nothing here.

Strength? She had even less. As a newly inducted Outer Sect Disciple, what real skills could she possibly learn?

To make matters worse, there was someone else—her “comparison group”—who made her feel both envious and resentful.

She envied that person’s life and hated herself for not being as lucky.

Driven by jealousy, she kept a close eye on this rival. She eventually noticed that the girl was close to the sect’s Second Senior Brother. Assuming the girl had a crush on him, she devised a plan. Through a carefully staged “coincidence,” she ended up saving the most promising disciple in the sect—Second Senior Brother.

It was said that Second Senior Brother had inherited the true teachings of the Second Elder, and even the Sect Leader had high hopes for him.

Barring any surprises, he was the most likely candidate to become the next Sect Leader.

Perhaps it was a case of the “wounded bird syndrome,” but Second Senior Brother actually fell for her at first sight.

From then on, everything went smoothly. With Chu Suxing’s support, Ruan Xi’er was accepted as a disciple of the Second Elder and became his Little Junior Sister, officially entering the Inner Sect.

Life got much better after that, and she no longer felt as jealous of her rival. After all, she had snagged such an outstanding man.

Compared to that, what did her rival even amount to? Once Chu Suxing became Sect Leader, she could crush that girl however she pleased.

With her new identity as the Second Elder’s disciple, Ruan Xi’er’s life changed dramatically.

She continued to rely on her beauty and the sweet tongue she’d honed during her years in the royal palace. Thanks to that, she quickly rose through the ranks in the sect. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been chosen to serve as Shen Xiuyan’s attendant.

Under Ruan Xi’er’s carefully crafted persona, her relationship with Chu Suxing deepened, and they seemed well on their way to becoming Dao Companions.

But the problem started when she became an attendant—and came face to face with Shen Xiuyan’s unmatched status.

So even the Immortal Elders had someone they feared. That kind of presence was utterly intoxicating.

She began to fantasize—dreaming of wielding such power and influence herself.

And so began her next conquest. With her honeyed words and flattering ways, she seemed to actually melt the heart of the cold, aloof Shen Xiuyan, who hadn’t shown emotion in a thousand years.

Ruan Xi’er received countless rare treasures from him—items so precious that any one of them could serve as a sect’s Sect-Guarding Treasure.

Her fame in the Cultivation World soared.

She reveled in the vanity of it all.

But she was greedy. Over time, she grew dissatisfied.

Shen Xiuyan was cold and reserved, a man of few words. Even if he had some affection for Ruan Xi’er, he would never say it aloud.

So after securing enough treasures and status, Ruan Xi’er began to miss Chu Suxing’s gentleness and attentiveness. After all, he had always treated her with genuine care.

But she couldn’t bear to give up everything she had now, and so she found herself torn between the two.

Well, she was the female lead of the story—her luck was just too damn good.

Just as she began to waver, chaos erupted in the Cultivation World. A demon sealed for over a thousand years broke free, and Shen Xiuyan sacrificed his life to save the world.

Even in death, he didn’t forget her—he left all his secret treasures to her.

Ruan Xi’er couldn’t believe her luck. Wasn’t this the definition of getting everything without lifting a finger?

Ecstatic, she took everything Shen Xiuyan had left behind and became Dao Companions with the man she loved.

Shen Xiuyan, after watching all this unfold, looked like he’d just swallowed a pile of shit.

What kind of messed-up story was this?

You’d need at least ten years of brain damage to write something like this.

If Ruan Xi’er weren’t the female lead, she would’ve already self-destructed. How was she even still alive?

And Chu Suxing—was he really that magnanimous???

He still wanted a woman who flip-flopped like that? Did someone drug his brain?

And Shen Xiuyan… no wonder the system labeled him the ultimate simp. This level of bootlicking was just ridiculous.

Simp, simp—licking boots till there’s nothing left, and in the end, all he got was a bitter sense of “Well, of course it turned out this way…”

Thinking of that, he couldn’t help but cover his face. Forget it, he wouldn’t talk about the others, but as for the original host, he had to at least try to understand him.

After all, this was an old relic who had lived for over a thousand years, famed from youth, rising to the heavens in one leap. Most of the time, he was either in Closed-Door Cultivation or… Closed-Door Cultivation. He probably hadn’t interacted with more than a handful of people in his entire life. Suddenly, a lively, sweet-talking girl appeared—it was only natural his attention would be drawn to her.

But maybe he’d misunderstood his own feelings.

What he felt wasn’t love. It was admiration—she had something he lacked. That was why he couldn’t help but watch her.

And even up to the very end, even in death, he never once admitted it was love…

Shen Xiuyan had at least tried to salvage some dignity for the original host, to preserve a shred of pride for this body.

Outside the main hall, Xia Zhishang took a deep breath as he looked down at the cold jade tiles beneath his feet.

Then he bowed deeply and said with utmost respect, “Eleventh Generation Disciple Xia Zhishang pays respects to the Ancestral Master.”

The two people behind him quickly followed suit after seeing the Sect Leader speak.

“Twelfth Generation Disciple Ruan Xi’er pays respects to the Ancestral Master.”

“Twelfth Generation Disciple Ning Cui pays respects to the Ancestral Master.”

Immediately after, a tremendous Spiritual Pressure swept over them. It was as if their Spiritual Energy was being drained away, and even breathing became difficult.

Kneeling at the front, Xia Zhishang was faring slightly better—he still had a sliver of clarity left. In his heart, he wondered what was going on.

Was the Ancestral Master angry?

There shouldn’t have been any mistakes in today’s ascent to the mountain.

He quickly ran through everything he had done in preparation.

Bath and incense? Done.

Identity token? Brought.

All thirteen thousand steps of the ascent? Climbed them one by one, without using even a trace of magic.

So where had he gone wrong? He couldn’t figure it out.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xia Zhishang glanced at the two disciples behind him. Both were drenched in cold sweat, collapsed face-down on the ground. If he didn’t speak up soon, the two of them might actually die here.

But to beg for mercy in a moment like this—he didn’t dare. He feared it would only bring harsher punishment.

He even had the time to think, in a moment of resignation: Well, the Sect Leader’s life is a life too.

Right now, it’s up to you two to hold on. If something really happens, the sect will remember your sacrifice…