Fei Qingsu returned to her cave dwelling.
[The female lead is in a town controlled by the Demon Sect.]
Has the plot really progressed to the point where the female lead has defected to the Demon Sect?
Fei Qingsu informed the Sect Leader that she was departing the sect for training, though in reality, she set off toward the small town.
At the center of the town, inside a shop selling Dharma Treasures:
Gu Tiantian was dressed in vibrant, striking clothes, her hair arranged in an exceptionally exquisite bun. Her expression was one of unprecedented pride, like a defeated peacock spreading its feathers once more.
Beside her followed a handsome man in black. A scar rested between his eyebrows, but rather than diminishing his looks, it only added to his wild, untamed air.
Gu Tiantian lowered her head to browse through some protective Dharma Treasures. She picked up a delicate item, turning it over to inspect it.
The man, showing great discernment, spoke up immediately, his voice exceptionally gentle: "Darling, do you fancy this Dharma Treasure? It suits you perfectly."
Gu Tiantian offered a hypocritical, half-hearted refusal, but in the end, the man paid for it.
The two returned to their residence.
The place was grand and refined, featuring a unique architectural style with red walls, green tiles, and sweeping eaves. The layout inside was intricate, with pavilions and towers arranged in a sophisticated manner.
As Gu Tiantian looked around the residence, she felt a swell of immense pride. She recalled the destitute people she had seen along the way—those forced to beg for food because they lived under the Demon Sect’s control. In contrast, her own life remained refined and elegant.
This thought made her ego balloon.
She refused to dwell on the various humiliations she had suffered in the past. Even after leaving the Xuantian Sect, she, Gu Tiantian, could still thrive.
"Brother Yang Jie!" Gu Tiantian ran out of the room, calling out to the man walking toward her.
"Darling, how do you find it here? Is it to your liking?"
"Brother Yang Jie, I am very comfortable here. I am already quite satisfied. It is all thanks to you for saving me; I am truly grateful."After leaving the secret realm, Gu Tiantian found herself in this small town, which was heavily populated by disciples of the Demon Sect.
One of them, seeing that she was beautiful but weak in cultivation, tried to bully her, but Yang Jie happened to pass by and saved Gu Tiantian.
"Come here, darling, let big brother give you a hug." Yang Jie opened his arms wide.
Gu Tiantian buried herself in his embrace, smiling.
The two began a passionate and intimate kiss.
In the past, Gu Tiantian's simps had offered her far more than Yang Jie ever did, yet none of them had ever received a kiss.
A flash of desire crossed Yang Jie's eyes as his gaze swept over Gu Tiantian's plump chest.
"Darling, keep me company for a stroll around the tavern."
Gu Tiantian nodded.
Nighttime.
Yang Jie pulled Gu Tiantian along to drink in the tavern, a dazzling array of fine wines and delicious food spread out on the table before them.
"Darling, open up." Yang Jie thoughtfully fed Gu Tiantian a bite of a gourmet dish.
He picked up his wine cup and filled both of their wine bowls to the brim again.
"Darling, keep drinking."
Yang Jie continuously plied her with wine.Gu Tiantian felt a bit dizzy, and she shook her head instinctively in refusal.
Seeing her shake her head, Yang Jie’s eyes grew fierce. He grabbed Gu Tiantian’s chin with one hand and held it firmly.
"Drink it, baby."
He forced the liquor down her throat.
The burning, pungent alcohol poured into Gu Tiantian’s throat, making her cough uncontrollably, and a searing sensation erupted in her stomach.
"Come on, baby."
Yang Jie continued to force the drink on her.
After only a few rounds, Gu Tiantian was already drunk, her consciousness beginning to blur.
Yang Jie carried Gu Tiantian back to his home and laid her onto the soft bed.
"You little slut, did you think you could take my things and just walk away without paying? Remember, this is the price you’re paying me."
He began to undo Gu Tiantian’s clothes.
As if sensing something, Gu Tiantian twisted her body continuously, trying to block Yang Jie’s hands.
"SLAP!!!"Yang Jie slapped her across the face, his voice low and guttural. "Even if I ransomed the most expensive star from the brothel, it wouldn't cost this much. What do you think I spent all this money on you for? You think I can't see what kind of cheap bitch you are? Trying to play me for a fool, aren't you?"
Little System relayed the scene to Fei Qingsu, who was waiting in another part of the town.
"When a female protagonist halo is exceptionally radiant, even the 'simps' orbiting her are decent men who would never force themselves upon her," Fei Qingsu remarked, lifting his teacup for a delicate sip.
"But when that halo begins to lose its efficacy, her usual tricks no longer guarantee victory. For everything she takes, she must now pay a price. There is no longer a female protagonist halo to cushion her fall."
"She brought this on herself."
Meanwhile, Gu Tiantian felt her clothes being stripped away. There was no hero riding on colorful clouds to save her, as she had always imagined.
She felt as though she had lost something vital. She had always believed that everyone should revolve around her, showering her with affection, yet here she was, reduced to this miserable state.
Gu Tiantian thought back to her time as the most pampered Junior Sister, and now...
Despair washed over her.
Had she done something wrong?
But if she hadn't acted that way, who would have provided her with cultivation resources? Who would have guaranteed her strength?
If Fei Qingsu could hear her thoughts, he would have retorted sharply: Even if you acquired countless cultivation resources through illicit means, did you ever truly use them? You merely hoarded them as tokens to secure your value and status. Your mind was always fixed on clinging to men; even with resources in hand, you never put them to use.
He gazed out the window.
Even until the very last second, no one came to save her.
A wave of immense pain struck.
Gu Tiantian furrowed her brow in agony.
The room was dim, the two shadows swaying rhythmically against the windowpane.
[Plot Deviation Value is at seventy percent.]
[Female protagonist halo effect weakened to ten percent.]
[Hero Aura effect weakened to sixty percent.]
Fei Qingsu heard the System’s voice and waved a hand.
[Little System, stop broadcasting them. It’s an eyesore.]
[Understood.]
Fei Qingsu pondered. He had already effectively dismantled the female protagonist halo, and the plot was in complete ruins. Now, only the hero remained.
[Hero Aura effect weakened to fifty-nine percent.]
[Hero Aura effect weakened to fifty-eight percent.]
[Hero Aura effect weakened to fifty-seven percent.]
Fei Qingsu was puzzled. He had been monitoring the hero, but the man hadn’t encountered any major incidents.
[Little System, why is the Hero Aura weakening?]
[Analysis in progress.]
0.003 seconds later.
[Analysis complete. Since the original story was written from the perspective of the female protagonist, all male characters revolved around her. When the core of the novel—the female protagonist—collapses, the other male characters are inevitably affected.]
Fei Qingsu surmised: [Little System, when the female protagonist halo weakens to ten percent, the Hero Aura will gradually fade as well, correct?]
[The algorithmic analysis confirms this is correct.]
[And what happens when the female protagonist halo disappears entirely?]
[The plot centered around the female protagonist will be completely destroyed. All characters influenced by the plot will regain their sanity, and the world will return to the laws of nature.]
[And the Heavenly Dao?]
[The existence of the Heavenly Dao will vanish.]
On the other side, Gu Tiantian’s body ached profoundly.
She looked at the sleeping Yang Jie, her feelings incredibly complex.
The man had both wealth and power; if she were to truly commit herself to him, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.
She slept until dawn.
Gu Tiantian kept trying to console herself. She climbed out of bed, tidied herself up, and just as she reached to open the door, it was kicked off its hinges with a violent crash.