Xia Qing ran out, pulling out the system hiding behind the red pillar, and got straight to the point: “Now I want to hear the ending of Lou Guan Xue! Quickly, explain it to me clearly right now!”
The system instantly brightened up, excitedly asking, “Have you changed your mind, host?”
“No,” Xia Qing said with a grim expression. “I just want to know what kind of mess this idiot has become.”
The system fell silent.
They both sat down on the ground.
The system’s azure flames flickered in the night breeze as it pondered seriously before saying, “Host, do you know why we chose someone to replace Lou Guan Xue?”
Without much thought, Xia Qing replied, “Afraid he’d kill off your protagonist?”
The system stuttered nervously, “He’s, he’s not that scary.”
Continuing, the system explained, “In the later stages, Lou Guan Xue must fall in love with the protagonist and die trying to save him. But his character’s nature is too unpredictable, so we thought of pulling in a soul to replace him and follow the plot.”
The “soul that was pulled over,” Xia Qing remarked coldly, “Oh, fortunately I didn’t agree to that.”
The system, even more apprehensive, added, “Actually, the later plot is quite easy to handle. Oh, and I didn’t fully explain Wen Jiao’s identity. Besides being the little prince, he’s also a pure merman.”
Xia Qing paused, “A pure merman?”
The system nodded, “Yes. In this world, pure mermen are invaluable treasures. They are beautiful but frail, and their tears turn into pearls. The nobility take pride in keeping pure mermen as pets. Wen Jiao’s mother was the exquisite mermaid the King of Liang exchanged ten cities for. However, offspring between mermaids and humans usually have mixed blood, mostly human, so nobody knows about Wen Jiao’s pure merman identity.”
“He’s sixteen now, and he’s about to grow a tail soon. In the original book, pure mermen also have a trait of emitting a unique fragrance and their gaze can arouse the most primal desires in people. Wen Jiao’s first transformation happened on Lou Guan Xue’s bed. With this setup alone, you can imagine how melodramatic it gets later on.”
Xia Qing: “…”
The system continued, “Lou Guan Xue found it amusing and imprisoned Wen Jiao, subjecting him to all sorts of abuse. Then one day, the High Priest happened to see Wen Jiao, who was hidden away in a secret chamber, and fell in love with him at first sight. He started planning to smuggle Wen Jiao out of the palace. Of course, Lou Guan Xue wasn’t just going to sit back and watch. He obstructed in every way possible. Eventually, Wen Jiao, in a panic, fell off a cliff and was rescued by a disciple from a prestigious family in the capital. Wen Jiao was mistaken for his mother due to his resemblance to her in appearance, and he was subsequently used as a pawn.”
Xia Qing: “…Enough.”
The system sighed, “Melodrama is the main theme. So, in the later stages, Lou Guan Xue’s role is mainly about jealousy, manipulation, imprisonment, and tormenting Wen Jiao, both physically and emotionally. It’s quite straightforward. Aren’t you tempted to have another chance at resurrection?”
Leaning against a grand palace pillar, Xia Qing was truly feeling exhausted. With his eyes closed, much of his sharpness had faded away, and he replied dryly, “Not tempted at all.”
The system’s hopeful flames dimmed instantly, sounding dejected, “Okay.”
The flames on it visibly weakened.
“Well then, host, take care of yourself for now. I’ll go back to the main god space to rest and recharge.”
Xia Qing, utterly exhausted, murmured, “Go ahead.”
Surprisingly, there isn’t even a single expression of reluctance!
The system looked pitiful, “Oh.”
The wind swept up, making the copper bells on the eaves jingle.
The moonlight was like gauze, cool as water. The azure flames slowly dispersed, as if dissipating from a futile dream.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Wlj Hlcu, j ibcfis rbei, yfujc j mbtjylajalbc klat Obe Xejc Wef, ktfgf atfs vlvc’a vlraegy fjmt batfg.
Ktlr qjijmf kjr mjiifv atf “Itjl Wlcu Kbkfg,” cjwfv joafg atf qtgjrf “Vajgr jgf klatlc gfjmt bo bcf’r tjcv.” Pa kjr j tecvgfv offa ajii, bnfgibbxlcu atf fcalgf lwqfglji mlas. Pa kjr fjgis Zjgmt cbk, jcv ja atlr alwf fnfgs sfjg, Obe Xejc Wef tjv ab rajs bc atf abq oibbg bo atf Itjl Wlcu Kbkfg obg tjio j wbcat, cba jiibkfv ab rafq bearlvf.
The Queen Mother worried about his loneliness and often sent people over.
But apart from the first dancer, Xia Qing hadn’t seen Lou Guan Xue kill anyone else since.
He gradually noticed that Lou Guan Xue didn’t have a craving for killing, and he even had a cleanliness obsession, extremely repulsed by blood.
The nights in the Zhai Xing Tower were always lively, with young beauties and enchanting music and dance.
While the young new emperor on the high couch looked on with indifference, never showing joy or sorrow.
Xia Qing, on the other hand, was perched on a beam, watching with great interest. He cracked melon seeds, applauding at exciting moments.
Every time this happened, Lou Guan Xue would give him a cold glance.
Of course, Xia Qing would just ignore it.
Apart from occasionally going crazy during the Queen Mother’s routine “care”, Lou Guan Xue was quiet the rest of the time.
Quietly reading, quietly painting, quietly standing on the top of the Zhai Xing Tower, motionless, gazing at the pagoda opposite.
The pagoda.
Beyond the vast Xiao Xiang bamboo forest, directly opposite stood a pagoda, nine stories high, emanating purple aura, its roof adorned with glazed tiles, exuding an air of mystery and solemnity.
One day, Lou Guan Xue suddenly said, “Guess what that tower is used for?”
Xia Qing looked around, confirming that there was no one else in the hall, then hesitantly replied, “Are you asking me? I can’t figure it out.”
Lou Guan Xue smiled, “You, who can foresee destiny, don’t know this?”
Xia Qing: “…Are you ill or something?”
Lou Guan Xue’s slender fingers pointed at the railing, the mole on his eyelid exuding a gentle charm, “Indeed, I am gravely ill. You managed to figure that out.”
After becoming a ghost, Xia Qing felt detached from worldly matters, maintaining an air of superiority, ignoring his taunts, “You should have fewer outbursts and kill fewer people; perhaps there’s hope for your illness.”
Lou Guan Xue ignored his remark, raised his chin, and said to the pagoda, “Inside, there’s a great demon sealed.”
Xia Qing was taken aback, “Really?”
Lou Guan Xue replied, “Why would I lie to you?”
Xia Qing thought to himself, “Our relationship isn’t that close, is it?” But he couldn’t resist his curiosity and asked, “What kind of monster is it?”
A smirk played on Lou Guan Xue’s lips, “A monster that brings calamity upon the nation, causing chaos throughout the world.”
“So terrifying?” Xia Qing muttered, “It must be suppressed.”
Lou Guan Xue suddenly asked in a very casual tone, “What’s your name?”
As they were chatting peacefully, Xia Qing instinctively replied, “Xia Qing.” After saying this, he hesitated, then turned his head and glared fiercely, “Are you tricking me?”
Lou Guan Xue lowered his eyes and said softly, “Reciprocity. Shouldn’t I also tell you my name?”
Xia Qing said disdainfully, “I already knew.”
Lou Guan Xue smiled lightly at his words and asked, “Where’s the fire beside you?”
Xia Qing, with the utmost malice, replied, “Revealing secrets, wiped out by the heavenly dao.”
Lou Guan Xue responded, “Oh.”
Xia Qing was slightly puzzled, “Why are you so easy to talk to today?”
The first night, Lou Guan Xue almost choked him to death.
Lou Guan Xue, with a face as beautiful as jade, shed the sinister and lazy aura, clean and transparent like a piece of glass. He smiled and said, “Feeling too lonely, huh.”
“What?” Xia Qing retorted, “Are you lonely with people coming and going every day?”
Lou Guan Xue said, “For me, humans are more dangerous than ghosts.”
Xia Qing hesitated for a moment.
Lou Guan Xue’s complexion was pale, and there was an indescribable fragility at the corner of his lips. With thin lips, he said, “That woman wants to kill me.”
Xia Qing cautiously asked, “…The Queen Mother?”
Lou Guan Xue nodded, “Yes. I am not her biological son. With the imperial line scarce and the struggle for power among the princes, in the end, only I remained, so I ascended the throne naturally. However, due to my poor health, the Queen Mother’s brother acted as regent.”
Xia Qing looked at him with confusion.
Lou Guan Xue’s gaze fell upon a point in the distance, a deep weariness in his eyes. Then, a smile tugged at his lips, “Now, her elder brother’s children, the regent’s prince, has grown up, and she intends to get rid of me.”
Xia Qing discreetly observed Lou Guan Xue, admitting that Lou Guan Xue’s current fragile appearance… was quite convincing.
“Why are you suddenly telling me all this?” Xia Qing asked.
Lou Guan Xue tilted his head and smiled, “Because I can only tell you.”
Xia Qing thought to himself:
Lying to a ghost, huh?
Well, isn’t he a ghost?
Although he didn’t understand Lou Guan Xue’s intentions,
Xia Qing was a ghost, a carefree ghost with no attachments to the mortal world, so he wasn’t particularly afraid of him.
After this exchange, the tense relationship between them had somewhat eased.
Sometimes, when Lou Guan Xue was reading alone, he would occasionally chat with Xia Qing.
When Xia Qing saw the term “merfolk,” he thought of the system’s words before it disappeared and couldn’t help but ask a couple of questions: “Are merfolk really good at enchanting people?”
Lou Guan Xue pondered for a moment, then chuckled softly, his tone light, “Perhaps.”
Xia Qing flipped through a book called ‘Dongzhou Miscellany’, which recorded the history of merfolk from the time they arrived in the mortal realm to their capture.
Merfolk were once a mythical race, living for generations at the end of the vast and distant Sea of Heaven, devoted to serving the “True Dragon.”
The ancestors of the Chu Kingdom coveted dragon meat in their quest for immortality, gathering mortal Taoists and setting out on distant expeditions, intruding into the merfolk’s habitat.
The details of the process were unclear, but the outcome was evident.
The ancestors did not attain immortality; instead, they perished violently upon their return.
The high priest of the Chu Kingdom believed that this was all due to the merfolk’s actions; the clan of supernatural beings had too much malevolent energy. Therefore, they issued an edict, placing the merfolk under “servitude,” becoming the lowest existence.
From then on, men became slaves, and women became prostitutes, treated like livestock for generations.
To prevent the merfolk from escaping and returning home, they even erected a “wall” on the Sea of Heaven’s Path.
The wall stood for hundreds of years.
Over the centuries, the world underwent tremendous changes, and pure-blooded merfolk became increasingly rare, while mixed-blooded merfolk became more and more common. The merfolk’s “purity” was determined by their awakened bloodline, which occurred after birth. Awakening was a gift from the “True Dragon” and had nothing to do with biological parents. However, due to the impurity of human blood, very few of the offspring produced by human-merfolk unions awaken to “purity.”
Xia Qing thought to himself, “The Chu Kingdom is truly a nation of bandits.”
Lou Guan Xue asked, “What are you looking at?”
Xia Qing shook his head, casually replying, “Nothing.” But the background of this world was like that, with humans humiliating and trampling on the merfolk, showing no mercy even to their own kind. It was common for entire nations to be destroyed and cities massacred, with blood flowing at the emperor’s anger.
Lou Guan Xue wasn’t accustomed to being brushed off by him. He extended his slender fingers and snatched “Dongzhou Miscellany” from him.
Xia Qing was startled by his action and flipped through it hastily, only to end up in an inappropriate section.
Dongzhou was the closest place to the Sea of Heaven. “Dongzhou Miscellany” not only documented the history of the merfolk but also wrote various sensual legends about them. This page talked about the famous merfolk courtesans from various parts of Dongzhou, using very vulgar language, such as “vermilion lips and jade pillows“ and “exquisitely crafted heavenly devices”.
Lou Guan Xue glanced at it, chuckled lightly, and said casually, “They’re not wrong about it.”
Xia Qing was speechless.
Well, it made sense. Lou Guan Xue, as the emperor of the Chu Kingdom, had seen and experienced everything.
But their relationship wasn’t good enough to discuss such taboo topics. Xia Qing chose to remain silent and picked up another book.
However, Lou Guan Xue didn’t let him off, “Are you interested in these things?”
Xia Qing subconsciously retorted, “How is that possible?” This was true; he had been indifferent to relationships since he was young, living like an old monk in meditation. He had been celibate, even in college, where his roommates rushed to help him make appointments with urologists, fearing he might be impotent.
Lou Guan Xue glanced at him with a gleam in his eyes. “I can tell.”
Xia Qing was incredulous again. “What exactly are you so sure you’ve figured out?”
Lou Guan Xue smirked. “I can tell you’re still a virgin.”
Thank you for the update 😊
Hitting him where it hurts 😭😭
Thanks for the chapter!
Thank you for the chapter 😍 ❤️ ❤️
Luo GuanXue: “Smells like virgin”
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
“I can tell you’re still a v!rgin” says the man smugly as he’s on his way to take away the pure ghosts v!rginity. (well if my intuition says correctly during this timeline it feels like he’s still a v!rgin too 🤷)
For all we know they’re both still virgins lolol. And hopefully that will be the case here 😳