“You’re asking for Senior Brother He?”

The young girl in a white dress with a bun in her hair put down the long sword in her hand and glanced at Ning Ning. She looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, but she had a serious and mature demeanor that didn’t match her age.

He Zhizhou was a disciple of Li Wangsheng, a visiting master from the Skybound Sect., and he lived on Danyun Peak along with several other direct disciples.

The girl standing in front of Ning Ning was named Qin Shu. She not only broke through to the Golden Core stage at a young age but was also known for spending most of her time in diligent cultivation. She was considered one of the most outstanding among the younger generation.

“He’s competing in poetry with someone.” The girl’s voice was warm and gentle, but she recited it in a somewhat dry manner, as if it were routine. She added a touch of awkwardness: “I can take you to him if you want.”

Ning Ning nodded with a smile. “Thank you!”

Danyun Peak in the summer was filled with ancient cypress trees and bamboo groves, creating a lush forest that obscured the sky.

After passing through the courtyards where the direct disciples lived, they arrived at an ancient tree. The branches and leaves of the tree were lush and shaded the area from the sun. Under the tall tree trunk, there were young men sitting in groups of two or three, all dressed in white, with a faint aura of swords surrounding them. They were engaged in lively discussions. Ning Ning didn’t want to disturb them, so she waited with Qin Shu a short distance away.

One of them burst into laughter, saying, “My poem is not bad, right? If no one dares to challenge me, then I’ll consider myself the winner today.”

After he spoke, the area was filled with whispers and discussions. Someone raised their voice and said, “What’s the rush? Zhizhou hasn’t even answered yet.”

Zhizhou.

Ning Ning’s attention was instantly drawn to those two words, and her heart skipped a beat. She followed his gaze, trying to see what he was looking at.

At the far end of her line of sight, there was a handsome young man leaning lazily against the tree trunk. His peach blossom eyes were half-closed in contentment, framed by the lush greenery, resembling a bud about to bloom.

He had a relaxed demeanor, a natural smile on his lips, and his mouth had a slightly upturned curve, making him seem carefree and leisurely.

Judging from the reactions of the others, this He Zhizhou seemed to be quite skilled in poetry.

“Since today’s poetry topic is Danyun Peak, I’ll humbly offer a poem.”

His starry eyes shone as he straightened up slightly, exuding an elegant and upright aura, much like verdant bamboo.

Ning Ning had been in the Sword Sect for a while, learning various sword techniques, but this was her first encounter with discussions of poetry and literature. She found herself intrigued and patiently waited for him to continue.

He Zhizhou gazed into the distance and began, “Countless birds soar high—”

Hmm?

Ning Ning was momentarily stunned.

The poem sounded very familiar; it was the first line of Li Bai’s “Sitting Alone by Jingting Mountain.”

The cultivation world was completely separate from the world she had come from, so there should be no connection between them. Even if He Zhizhou was talented, his thought process shouldn’t be identical to Li Bai’s.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence that the first line was the same?

Ning Ning furrowed her brows slightly, suppressing the confusion in her heart, and listened as he continued, “—The solitary cloud drifts leisurely. We admire each other endlessly, here on Danyun Mountain.”

Alright, it’s no coincidence; it’s a confirmed match. They simply replaced “Jingting” with “Danyun,” with a level of imitation akin to “adidas” and “adadas.”

But how could He Zhizhou know this poem? Could it be…

Was he also transmigrating here?

“Admire each other endlessly, here on Danyun Mountain. What a great poem! What a great poem!”

The unknowing onlookers applauded enthusiastically, looking like devoted fans. “This poem seems simple and tranquil at first glance, but it actually juxtaposes motion and stillness, blending emotions with scenery. In just a few words, it paints an exquisite picture of solitude and desolation, surpassing many of those poems that only describe scenery.”

Someone even praised, “Truly…Senior Brother He, you are remarkable!”

Ning Ning: …

Li Bai, in the ninth underworld, laughed loudly. He laughed really loud.

“After Senior Brother He went down the mountain for experience, he has become much more mature.”

Another young man beside him looked curious. “Senior Brother, I heard that the mortal world of Jianghu is unrestrained and free-spirited. What do you think?”

(T/N: Jianghu is the community of martial artists in Wuxia stories and, more recently, outlaw societies like the Triads. Jianghu are also means rivers and lakes)

“Jianghu?”

He Zhizhou chuckled and shook his head. “Wherever there are people, there are grudges, and where there are grudges, there are rivers and lakes. People are the rivers and lakes, and so are we in the Xuanxu Sword Sect.”

So profound! So insightful! He truly deserved to be Senior brother He!

As his words fell, he gained a group of starry-eyed fans.

Ning Ning: …

Believe it or not, Ren Woxing and Linghu Chong jumped out of the coffin and kicked you in the face?

(T/N: Ren Woxing and Linghu Chong, both characters from the Wuxia novel’The Smiling Proud Wanderers.’)

She understood now.

No wonder He Zhizhou stood out so much; it was probably because he was also a transmigrator. He not only embraced the modern concept of “poor enough to eat dirt” to the extreme but also gathered countless fans with a collection of poems from another world.

“Senior Brother He’s poetry has always been excellent,” Qin Shu remarked, noticing that Ning Ning seemed somewhat off, thinking that she was surprised by He Zhizhou’s literary talent. So, without further inquiry, she crisply called out, “Senior Brother He, someone is looking for you.”

He Zhizhou turned his head and met Ning Ning’s complicated gaze.

The unfamiliar young girl standing not far away was absolutely beautiful, with almond-shaped eyes, rosy lips, and silky black hair tied up neatly. Her face, shrouded in the shade of the trees, was as fair as porcelain, and a sliver of dappled sunlight accentuated her pure yet alluring curves at the corner of her eyes.

A pale purple long dress outlined a charming figure, and just standing there without moving was enough to capture the attention of the majority.

He Zhizhou quickly recollected and realized that he had indeed never seen this face before.

He was known for his playful antics in the Sword Sect, and although he did attract some attention from time to time, people as beautiful as her were a rare sight, especially someone who came looking for him.

For a brief moment of hesitation, he descended from the tree trunk and approached Ning Ning, saying, “Miss, are you here to find me?”

If she was here to collect a debt, he would run without a second thought.

Finally encountering another socialist successor, Ning Ning tried to keep her tone even and not appear too excited: “I’ve heard that Senior Brother He is knowledgeable and talented in poetry. How about I provide the first line, and you try to come up with a matching second line?”

As soon as she said this, He Zhizhou nearly walked away directly.

My goodness, although he had fooled many people with classical poetry and literature, those were common knowledge in modern society and had nothing to do with true talent.

As a product of modern education, memorizing a few lines from “Sitting Alone by Jingting Mountain” and “Quiet Night Thoughts” was his last resort.

He had initially planned to use the excuse of feeling unwell to escape quickly, but he didn’t expect the girl in front of him to be so quick-witted and not leave him any room to evade. She continued speaking, “My first line is—”

He Zhizhou heard her say, “Odd changes remain odd, while even changes stay even.”

Odd changes remain odd, while even changes stay even.

He stood frozen in place, almost unable to grasp the meaning of these five words.

After a long while, he finally widened his eyes into perfect circles, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

—It’s “Odd changes remain odd, while even changes stay even”!!!

When a fellow villager meets a fellow villager, tears well up in his eyes!

In that brief moment, Ning Ning witnessed a miraculous change in human history.

He Zhizhou’s expression went through a kaleidoscope of emotions, from bewilderment to shock, confusion, and embarrassment, finally settling on an indescribable excitement.

He was so excited that his back trembled uncontrollably, and he reached out with trembling hands to shake Ning Ning’s hand, saying with immense sincerity, “Odd changes remain odd, while even changes stay even; symbols represent quadrants.”

This handshake, like Mars hitting the earth, like the successful docking of Shenzhou 8 and Tiangong 1, was undoubtedly worthy of being recorded in He Zhizhou’s personal history, an unforgettable moment.

(T/N: Shenzhou 8 is a China spacecraft that successfully landed on a prototype space lab module called Tiangong 1 in 2011).

With teary eyes, He Zhizhou’s voice contained a touch of sobbing: “A specter is haunting Europe—the specter of communism.”

Ning Ning blinked her eyes and answered resolutely, “Prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony. Freedom, equality, justice, and the rule of law. Patriotism, dedication, integrity, and friendliness”

What a melodious recitation of the twenty-four mantras! What beautiful words!

He Zhizhou’s eyes welled up with tears, like a party member in a spy drama reuniting with the organization, so excited that he was on the verge of crying, “Comrade! I’ve been waiting for you until the flowers withered.”

Ning Ning nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll pour you a cup of cappuccino, and we’ll fight until dawn.”

=====

“So,” Ning Ning said, taking a sip of water, “you were also brought here by a system?”

“Yes, yes, yes! But my situation is different from yours.”

After listening to her explanation, He Zhizhou looked understanding. “So you said you read a novel and directly became the supporting character from that book, and you have to constantly cause mischief according to the plot. But I never knew about the existence of that novel.”

Seeing Ning Ning’s confusion, he explained in a hushed voice, “I was brought to this timeline directly by fate. From the moment I was born, there was a voice in my head that kept telling me it’s called the ‘Whetstone System.’ To make the destined child of this world undergo trials and tribulations, I must follow its instructions to continuously do bad things, acting as a whetstone.”

(T/N: Whetston is a fine-grained stone used for sharpening cutting tools. So the zhizhou in this novel functions as a ‘whetstone’ that will make the destined child strong through ‘grinding’ his character.

It was quite similar to her situation.

He Zhizhou spoke with apparent interest: “If the novel you read can truly predict the entire story, then what’s my ending? Have I become extremely domineering, cool, and chic, waking up every day on a 5,000-square-meter bed?”

“You hardly appeared in the novel.”

Ning Ning paused, pondering, “You are an uncertain factor accidentally brought into this world by the system. So, in the original story, your role was naturally limited—you wouldn’t have deliberately provoked the main characters, and your chances of appearing in the narrative were naturally limited.”

He Zhizhou’s eyes widened, resembling a retarded AI, completely devoid of the composure he had during their poetry competition.

After a while, he suddenly seemed to realize something and exclaimed, “So you’re the one who hired someone to go after Pei Ji this time!”

As soon as these words came out, both of them looked filled with the vicissitudes of life and had tears in their eyes..

The malicious supporting character, Ning Ning, had a vacant expression: “Do you still have money to pay for medical expenses?”

The male antagonist, He Zhizhou, covered his heart. “I used up the last spirit stone I had when I was working as a courtesan. I really don’t understand why, even though we were supposed to harm Pei Ji, in the end, we’re the ones getting hurt. Are we like the Big Bad Wolf and the Big Bad Wolf’s wife, or the Team Rockets? It’s so typical to be this miserable.”

(T/N: Team Rocket: Jessie and James are the unlucky antagonists in the Pokemon series.)

Oh, right.

The two heinous villains looked at each other, their pale and feeble smiles showing their achievements as round as duck eggs.

“But my next mission is exceptionally strong, and I’m a hundred percent certain it will succeed.”

He Zhizhou sighed and clenched his fist solemnly. “The system doesn’t allow me to reveal information, but after tonight, I’ll tell you everything. Everything is so well prepared; Pei Ji won’t stand a chance this time. If this mission fails again, I’ll eat this glass right away!”

Ning Ning nodded. “You’re really serious about being the antagonist. Do you have any winning techniques?”

“I studied acting in my previous life; I can get into character quickly.”

He Zhizhou chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head. “There aren’t really any techniques, but I can say that this mission is quite simple. It would be difficult to fail, I think.”

Oh.

After thinking for a moment, Ning Ning asked, “Do you have any ways to make money?”

He Zhizhou’s eyes suddenly lit up. “If you’re talking about that, then I’m not tired at all! I heard from the girl in the kitchen that, besides me, there was another girl who came to beg for food. Is that you?”

Ning Ning: “Yes, yes, yes! It’s me!”

So the two biggest villains in the early and middle stages of the whole story got together and discussed for a long time how they should pay off their debts and live a normal life in the human world..

From spirit stones to bitcoins, from frugality to Engel’s coefficient, they ended up shaking hands with teary eyes, just a step away from filming “Chasing Dreams in the World of the Rich.”

What does harming the male lead mean? Isn’t a bulging money pouch fragrant enough?

=====

Evening, in front of Pei Ji’s residence.

He Zhizhou tightly gripped an object in his hand, and before long, he saw Pei Ji returning home.

Although he was bound by the system after transmigrating, he had never even glimpsed Pei Ji’s shadow for all those years. He had only recently started doing missions.

Ning Ning said he was the male lead of a fantasy action story, which left He Zhizhou thoroughly perplexed.

In his experience of reading literature, male protagonists in male-oriented novels were usually handsome and had stable personalities. Pei Ji, on the other hand, exuded an aura of danger from head to toe and was so stunning that he bordered on the otherworldly.

Forget about being the male lead; people might even believe him if he claimed to be the ultimate boss.

But! No matter how formidable Pei Ji was, as the successor of socialism, he would not easily back down! The light of righteousness always shines upon the earth!

“Pei Ji junior brother,” He Zhizhou did some ideological preparation in his mind, utilizing his professional acting skills to create an image of a cunning and unscrupulous villain: “My name is He Zhizhou, and I’ve come to see you today… to show you something. Don’t move around; it could be dangerous.”

Well done! Keep up this act, He Zhizhou, and you’ll be the Oscar winner of the cultivation world!

Pei Ji cast a faint glance at him without much attention, then walked straight towards the courtyard gate.

Of course, He Zhizhou wouldn’t let him go that easily. He grabbed Pei Ji’s sleeve and said, “I was born into a family of demon hunters and have a natural ability to sense the presence of demons. Recently, as I was passing by this place, I detected a very strong demonic aura. I wonder if Pei Ji junior brother can explain it?”

After saying that, he couldn’t help but think that this demeanor was really pure 24K pure sword cultivator style, and he couldn’t help but want to give himself a punch, not to mention Pei Ji.

The black-clad young man who had stepped into the door heard his voice and turned around. His dark pupils were full of gloom, like a deep pond, ready to devour him at any moment.

He Zhizhou hesitated for a moment, then pretended to be calm, tilting his head back and taking out a small black-handled knife from his pocket. He forced a stiff smile and said, “This is the heirloom of my He family, known as the Demon-Slaying Knife. If it comes into contact with demon blood, it will emit a clear humming sound.”

He glanced at the lines provided by the system and said, “I’ve been watching you for a long time. I even dream about the demonic aura around you, Pei junior brother. Would you like to know what it’s like when it enters your body and tastes your blood… What a wonderful sight it would be!”

After saying that, he suddenly drew his knife and stabbed Pei Ji’s fair wrist.

This was He Zhizhou’s mission.

As a member of the demon-hunting family, he had to detect the demonic aura and stab Pei Ji with the Demon-Slaying Knife. According to the plot given by the system, at this moment, the demonic aura was hidden within Pei Ji’s body and couldn’t be detected at all. Therefore, he had to reluctantly admit his mistake and leave.

Simple and straightforward, all in one go—

Okay, He Zhizhou retracted those last few words.

Although the summary was correct, Pei Ji was not a lamb to be slaughtered but an extremely fierce lone wolf! System…you’re a bitch! You’re actually setting me up!

Before the Demon-Slaying Knife was even unsheathed, his hand was grabbed by Pei Ji and then violently twisted.

His bones almost dislocated, and He Zhizhou was in pain, gasping for a cold breath. The small knife in his hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

“If you want to make a move on me, you better have the ability.”

The young man in black clothes smiled coldly, his eyes devoid of any humor, as frigid as the winter snow. He spoke mockingly and leisurely, “He senior brother, don’t meddle in other people’s affairs.”

He Zhizhou wanted to cry.

In his previous life, he died in a car accident, and in order to live again, he took on the task of being the Whetstone. At that time, he was still young and thought joyfully, “Isn’t it just honing a poor guy? It’s almost like raising a son.”

However, Pei Ji was far from being his child.

This brat was scarier than the ghosts of his ancestors. Facing him was like facing death itself.

And to make things worse, he had to follow the plot given by the system. He provocatively raised an eyebrow and said in a devilish and arrogant manner, “Is that so? Today, I must make it clear!”

System, did you really have to put extra emphasis on the words “devilish and arrogant” like that? Was it necessary?

=====

Meanwhile, He Zhizhou and Pei Ji were entangled in a battle within the Qingxiao Hall of Taixuan Peak, while the sect leader and several elders had already gathered.

The competition to enter the Xiaochongshan Secret Realm had concluded, and by observing the spiritual power and swordsmanship of the disciples, the Xuanxu Sect needed to select a dozen or so outstanding individuals to represent the sect in the secret realm for training.

Now was the time for selection.

Tian Xianzi was leisurely seated and said, “My disciples have performed well. Take your time choosing; my votes are all for them.”

Shi Jingyi gave him a stern look and said, “Nonsense.”

Li Wangsheng, one of the elders, traveled around the world without seeing anyone. Today, the person who came to vote in his place was his direct disciple, Qin Shu.

Facing many seniors, Qin Shu surprisingly showed no signs of timidity. She calmly said, “Speaking of disciples under Elder Tian Xianzi… it seems that Senior Brother He is currently competing with Pei Ji.”

Tian Xianzi raised an eyebrow. “He Zhizhou? That guy with that character actually took the initiative to challenge someone?”

“I passed by Pei Ji’s courtyard after my sword practice and saw Senior Brother He with him.”

Qin Shu spoke earnestly, “Senior Brother He was holding a long and thick black object, swaying it while muttering to himself. He said that today, he would definitely make Pei Ji submit to him.”

Tian Xianzi nearly sprayed his tea. “What? What kind of thing did you say? A long and thick what?”

“Junior brother, don’t think in the wrong direction.”

Ji Yunkai opened his mouth with a slight frown, trying to remove a certain inappropriate thought from his mind. He spoke calmly and slowly, “Apart from that object, did you see anything else?”

“Senior Brother He blocked Pei Ji at the door.”

Qin Shu tried to recall, “He said, ‘Don’t move, or you’ll get hurt.'”

The faces of the elders turned pale.

“And he mentioned that he had been paying attention to Pei Ji for a long time, even dreaming about him every night. This time, he finally had the chance to bring that thing to him. If it had entered his body and seen blood, he don’t know how wonderful the scene would be—then I left.”

The faces of the elders turned from pale to green.

Qin Shu, full of righteousness, asked openly, “Elders, I’ve never seen that object before. Is it some kind of magical tool? Why did Senior He want to use it to conquer Pei Ji? How would he conquer him? And why would the scene after seeing blood be wonderful?”

The elders…

“Stop, Xiaoshu’er!”

Shi Jingyi couldn’t bear to hear any more and stepped forward to cover Qin Shu’s mouth, hugging her as if protecting a calf. “Forget about those images! You’ve suffered enough!”

Qin Shu:???

“Wait, this can’t be true.”

Tian Xianzi finished his cup of tea. “He Zhizhou and I are kindred spirits. I understand that child’s character, and he would never do such a thing.”

“Whether it is or isn’t, we’ll know with the Heavenly Mirror.”

Shi Jingyi gently stroked Qin Shu’s head. “Xiaoshu has already been traumatized; if Pei Ji…”

The sect leader, Ji Yunkai, fell silent for a while and nodded.

The Heavenly Mirror was one of the magical tools of the Xuanxu Sect and could reveal scenes in every corner of the sect’s territory. Now that the Heavenly Mirror was activated, it was directly pointed at Pei Ji’s room.

Everyone present gasped in unison.

They saw He Zhizhou, disheveled, lying at the door. Beside him, Pei Ji had a cold expression and was about to leave.

The former had clearly been beaten up and was struggling to stand up against the door, but his expression was completely ferocious. “Consider yourself lucky this time… don’t let me catch you again, or you’ll have a taste of your own medicine!”

Shi Jingyi gritted her teeth and covered Qin Shu’s ears.

There’s going to be a next time!

Seeing that Pei Ji ignored him, He Zhizhou yelled in dissatisfaction, “You’re just a bastard from the mountains. Even if I can’t deal with you, remember, the entire He family stands behind me!”

Tian Xianzi clicked his tongue in disapproval.

He needs to use his family’s influence to make his disciple submit? If you dare, I’ll break your legs, young man.

“And what about the He family?”

Pei Ji sneered coldly, a shadow of darkness in his eyes. “Harming the innocent without cause—is this the behavior of noble families and clans?”

Ji Yunkai, who came from a prestigious family, clenched his fists.

Of course not! It’s just that He Zhizhou’s head is messed up!

After being ruthlessly retorted, He Zhizhou blushed. “I’ll make you kneel and beg for mercy under me one day, Pei Ji! Remember that!”

Zhenxiao Sword Master’s ears turned red.

Under me… begging for mercy

Ugh, so unhealthy.

In the Heavenly Mirror, the night was dark. As Pei Ji entered the courtyard, just before closing the door, he turned slightly, and a lazy smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“You should fasten your belt first, Senior He.”

Only then did He Zhizhou realize that his belt had fallen during their earlier scuffle and that his pants were loose and unseemly.

But when did a villain pull up his pants during a standoff? That would be too shameless.

So he snorted, opened his lips that were on the verge of freezing with a smile, and raised his eyebrows with a domineering air. “What’s the matter, Junior Brother Pei? Are you too shy to look?”

What an oily character; he’s quite appetizing.

Inside the Qingxiao Hall, it was silent as a tomb.

Several pairs of eyes were fixed on the mirror, watching He Zhizhou’s face, which seemed infinitely magnified.

His smile was so sinister and wicked, his voice echoing throughout the hall. “You are my prey, and you will never escape. Haha, hahahaha!”

This is too perverted.

The elders remained collectively silent, and no one spoke.

Finally, the sect leader, Ji Yunkai, broke the silence with a hesitant voice. “The child is still young and doesn’t understand… don’t beat him to death directly.”

That night, He Zhizhou, a disciple of Li Wangsheng, was summoned to the Qingxiao Hall.

At the same time, a piece of news spread like wildfire throughout the entire sect:

Shocking! He Zhizhou’s attempt to force Pei Ji ended in ruthless retaliation! Is this a loss of morality or a distortion of human nature? Unbelievable, unbelievable!

—It is said that when discovered by bystanders, He Zhizhou’s red lovebird underpants were even hanging on the head of that madman!

Reading this news on the gossip communication talisman, Ning Ning was stunned for quite a while.

No way.

He Zhizhou, his “impossible to fail mission”…

Is this it?

He is worthy of being a man who once served as courtesan, brother Ye.