After The Death Escape and Ascension, The Male Protagonist of Long Aotian Went Crazy - Chapter 5

The plot cannot be artificially interfered with.

No matter how it is rewritten, it will always lead to the inevitable ending.

Shi Hua didn’t believe in fate.

Agreeing to follow the plot was one thing; giving guidance was another.

Caught between the system and Chi Qingxuan, Shi Hua had no choice but to agree to give some pointers.

Heh, falling into her hands, don’t expect her to be gentle.

Shi Hua walked out of the inner hall expressionless.

Her divine sense detected someone spying.

A surge of powerful spiritual pressure burst forth.

Wei Shizhou didn’t have time to think—he bolted on instinct.

Shi Hua, cold-faced, stepped onto her sword, shot forward in a flash, grabbed someone by the collar with one hand, and dragged him down toward the foot of the mountain.

Chi Qingxuan, who rushed out behind her, hadn’t seen anything clearly before she was already a distant black dot on the horizon.

It seemed… she was carrying someone?

Chi Qingxuan thought nothing of it.

In a quiet bamboo grove, flocks of birds scattered in fright, some still perched in pairs on the treetops.

Sunlight filtered down in dappled patches.

Such a tranquil scene was suddenly shattered by a streak of sword energy, scattering a rain of bamboo leaves.

“Ahh—!”

A dark figure tumbled and rolled, landing flat on the ground in the classic dog-eating-dirt posture.

Wei Shizhou lay sprawled, bamboo leaves stuck all over his head.

Buzz!

Another cold streak of sword energy slashed down.

Wei Shizhou scrambled up on hands and feet, abandoning all dignity.

A chill grazed his scalp.

Looking up, he saw a strand of hair float down.

So close!

“Shibo!”

Wei Shizhou craned his neck at the descending woman.

Her face was veiled, her expression unreadable.

“Shizhi’s mortal body cannot withstand such a sword strike from you!”

Shi Hua’s patience was thin: “What were you eavesdropping on outside the hall?”

Wei Shizhou countered: “How could I, Shibo? I haven’t begun cultivation—how could I possibly hear anything?”

“Is that so.”

Swish!

A sword was suddenly at his throat.

Wei Shizhou froze in disbelief. This vicious woman wanted to kill him?

But the plot hadn’t reached that point yet!

Shi Hua only looked at him with cold hostility—nothing like the gentleness she showed Xie An.

“If you knew you couldn’t hear, why were you hiding there?”

“I…”

Wei Shizhou was speechless.

How could he say he just wanted to know what this villainess was going to do, so he could prepare?

His Heavenly-grade immortal bone was already exposed. According to the plot, Shi Hua would grow jealous of him for it, and as his cultivation sped up, that jealousy would turn into murderous intent.

He wanted to test if there was still room to change that fate.

“Shibo…”

The sword at his throat suddenly vanished.

Wei Shizhou blinked. Before he could react, Shi Hua had already stepped forward, as if anticipating his resistance, and bound him with a hand seal.

Damn, careless!

Cool fingertips pressed lightly to his wrist.

A faint chill spread upward through his arm.

There was no killing intent, only calm.

Wei Shizhou couldn’t place what he was feeling.

If she wasn’t trying to kill him, then what—?

“With your talent, how could you not have a shred of cultivation?”

A Heavenly-grade immortal bone should absorb spiritual energy on its own.

His body shouldn’t be devoid of it.

Wei Shizhou snapped back, smiling stiffly: “I don’t know… perhaps my heart is not set on cultivation?”

Nonsense!

Ever since he got that strange storybook, he had racked his brain for countermeasures. Making sure his bone didn’t absorb spiritual energy was easy enough.

The jade pendant at his waist was precisely what blocked the absorption.

For the first time, Shi Hua’s calm eyes showed a ripple.

Did he think she couldn’t see through that petty trick?

He must have known about his gift all along, deliberately finding such a trinket to suppress his bone. What others would kill to possess, he treated like a curse.

Yes—she was certain of it.

This male lead was not as the system had described.

Where the flaw lay, she would probe further.

Shi Hua’s lips curved faintly, an odd interest glinting in her eyes.

“Your junior brother has told me everything. He begged me to guide you. From tomorrow onward, you will cultivate together with Xie An.”

“How much you comprehend depends on your own perception.”

Shi Hua stepped back, thought for a moment: “No need to come too early. Come in the afternoon.”

Wait, what?!

Wei Shizhou was stunned. Why had the plot circled back here again?

He had clearly avoided becoming her disciple—why was Shi Hua still insisting on teaching him?

No, no, no!

For the sake of his life, Wei Shizhou decided to provoke.

“Shibo, I offended you publicly before. Why would you still be willing to guide me?”

Shouldn’t you be furious, refusing to help me at all?!

You’re supposed to be the vicious female supporting role—how can you agree to guide the thorn in your side?!

This was what the plot should have been!

Wei Shizhou was nearly spitting bl00d.

“I am not such a petty person,” Shi Hua replied leisurely.

Ah, so that’s it.

He saw through her.

This guy really didn’t want to cultivate—refusing to take a master had been part of the plan.

“System,” Shi Hua mused, “your chosen male lead doesn’t seem too eager to cooperate.”

The system was silent. It wanted to cry.

It would go complain to Heaven right now!

“Besides…” Shi Hua tilted her head, gaze sharp, voice laced with amusement. “So selfless, willing to sacrifice yourself for others—how could that not move me?”

Wei Shizhou was struck like by lightning.

What did she mean by that?

In a flash, he remembered what happened at the initiation.

So he hadn’t been mistaken—someone really had manipulated things from behind the scenes!

And it was this vicious woman!

He could still feel the dull ache in his chest from the Sky-Devouring Python’s tail!

Despicable! Treacherous!

How could he alter the plot like this? He couldn’t!

Wei Shizhou’s face twisted in turmoil.

No matter what he thought, Shi Hua wouldn’t give him the chance.

Her task was to see the plot through. And this male lead who tried to derail it—she would crush him without mercy.

“Remember this.” Shi Hua stepped onto her sword, voice cold as she looked down on him. “Tomorrow afternoon, I expect to see you.”

Wei Shizhou hadn’t even replied before a cloud of dust hit his face.

Damn it!

He had fought so hard to change the plot, only to be forced right back onto its rails.

Then what was the point of everything he’d done?

Wei Shizhou ground his teeth in fury.

No!

He, Wei Shizhou, would never resign himself!

Just wait—he and Shi Hua would never coexist in peace!!!

Shi Hua’s immortal abode was so deserted it didn’t look inhabited at all.

For such a lofty peak, there wasn’t a single person around.

Wei Shizhou stood at the base of the mountain, dumbfounded.

He hadn’t planned on coming so early.

But Chi Qingxuan had dragged him out of bed, claiming it would leave a good impression on the Jade-Pure Immortal Lord. Then he nagged endlessly, warning Wei not to be reckless again, saying that refusing the master earlier had already angered her. Now that she’d been merciful, he had to behave properly.

Wei Shizhou wanted to ask: did he really not know what kind of person Shi Hua was?

That day, she had put a sword to his neck without even giving him a chance to explain—what kind of person did that?

And he was her nephew-disciple, no less!

Wei Shizhou complained bitterly in his heart.

This vicious woman—how could she possibly be serious about teaching him?

In the storybook, after he became her disciple, she constantly tormented him—giving him half-finished cultivation techniques, nearly driving him to qi deviation.

Even with the plot disrupted this time, she clearly still held a grudge.

Forgiving past offenses? Not a chance!

Now, staring up at the towering immortal abode, Wei Shizhou felt his brain short-circuit.

Why wasn’t there even a teleportation array?!

He flung down his sword in frustration and sat on the ground.

Didn’t she know he hadn’t even begun cultivating? He couldn’t even ride a sword yet!

She had done this on purpose—absolutely on purpose!

Wei Shizhou ground his teeth, glaring at the cloud-wreathed peak, rage burning in his chest.

Not a soul in sight, not even beasts or birds.

Because of the dense spiritual energy, the vegetation grew especially lush, layer upon layer of greenery rising from the foot of the mountain to the summit like waves of cloud.

The noonday sun shone bright and warm.

Wei Shizhou grew drowsy in the heat.

Too early a start left him fatigued.

He closed his eyes for a nap.

Before long, a gust of sword wind brushed his cheek.

A surprised voice followed.

“Wei Shizhou, why are you sitting here?”

He opened his eyes—it was Xie An.

Before taking Shi Hua as master, Xie An had already entered the Qi Refining stage. In just days under her tutelage, he’d already built his Foundation. Clearly, their master was pleased with him.

But what did that matter to Wei Shizhou?

Expressionless, he got up, brushed the grass from his robes, glanced at his discarded sword, and quietly picked it back up.

“You’ve… been here long?”

Xie An hesitated. But hadn’t their master said to begin training in the afternoon? She had specifically told him to fetch Wei later.

“No.”

Wei Shizhou would never admit he’d sat there all morning.

“Come, let’s not keep Shibo waiting.”

“Ahem, no rush…”

From his face, Wei Shizhou detected a lack of confidence.

His eyes narrowed.

A bad feeling rose.

“You… can’t carry me, can you?”

Xie An gave a tiny nod, his confidence sagging: “I only learned sword-riding a few days ago. I’ve never carried anyone before…”

He had bragged to Shi Hua that he’d fetch Wei personally.

For pride’s sake, he had to deliver.

Wei Shizhou was silent for a long time, then turned his head away, desperately seeking another option.

He wasn’t ready to die.

“Shibo doesn’t have a teleportation array up there?”

Xie An flushed with embarrassment.

That had been the first thing he asked when he entered apprenticeship.

Shi Hua had answered: “Few ever step foot on this mountain. I’ve never taken disciples before. Carving an array takes days. Better you learn sword flight—it’s more practical.”

Wei Shizhou fell silent again.

Indeed—few ever came here.

The weeds were waist-high.

Xie An assured him: “Don’t worry. I’ll go slowly, as steady as possible.”

Steady…

Wei Shizhou didn’t believe a word.

The mountain was as sheer as a cliff. Flying up smoothly was impossible.

But he couldn’t be bothered to expose Xie An’s desire to show off in front of Shi Hua.

“Xie An, I did help you once. You won’t risk my life, right?”

Such a heartfelt plea.

Xie An thumped his chest: “Of course not! I’ll never forget your kindness. You’re my brother now! How could I gamble with my brother’s life?”

His sword-riding might be rough, but getting them there alive was no problem!

Wei Shizhou, half-convinced, stepped onto the sword.

Just as he was about to say something—WHAM.

The wind shrieked like tearing paper.

Xie An’s voice broke apart in the gale.

Wei Shizhou: He never should have trusted him!