Transmigrated Into A Book And Became A Heartthrob Male Protagonist - Chapter 13

[Warning! Warning! Important supporting character is in critical condition. Detected that the Protagonist’s unauthorized change of plot is the cause. Punishment mode initiating. Duration: Two hours.]

[Warning! Warning! Supporting character’s health is plummeting. Please rescue the supporting character immediately or the punishment duration will be extended indefinitely.]

“Holy crap!”

Lin Qing, who had been dozing off on his immortal sword, immediately flipped over and dove toward the dense forest. He wondered how the man could be dying out of nowhere.

The System replied, [Dear User, he does not have the Protagonist’s halo, nor does he possess the body that would cause a Vine Spirit to feel spiritual affection. These Vine Spirits are carnivores by nature. Once they are done playing, they naturally eat their food.]

Lin Qing swung his sword at the cocoon-like humanoid shape below, severing several tentacles with a single strike. Yun Fan, wrapped tightly in vines, was no longer recognizable as human. He was covered in blood, and the scent of iron masked everything else.

The emerald vine tentacles lashed out wildly at Lin Qing, but he cut them down one by one. One vine coiled around Lin Qing’s ankle while another wrapped around his wrist, attempting to snatch the sword from his hand. Lin Qing leaped into the air, dodging the vine aimed at his wrist while simultaneously severing the branch at his ankle.

Finally, after losing countless tentacles, the vine seemed to realize it was no match for this cultivator and reluctantly released its meal. Lin Qing seized the opportunity, grabbed Yun Fan’s tattered clothing, and fled.

The blood remaining on the ground was greedily absorbed by the vines. The severed pieces transformed into nutrients and were reabsorbed. As the wild vines clustered together, a faint human face began to emerge. The vine was a spirit creature, and having tasted the flesh and blood of a cultivator, it was about to take human form prematurely.

Lin Qing was unaware of what was happening below. He returned to the palace and fed Yun Fan a sacred healing pill. Once he was sure the man would not die, he tossed him into the backyard. He then hurried to his bedroom, locked the door, and set up a seal to prevent any interruptions.

[Ding! Host punishment has begun. Duration: Two hours.]

Lin Qing’s legs went weak, and he collapsed by the bed. He adjusted his position to lie on the outer edge of the mattress and buried his head in his arms. His dark hair slid over his shoulders, covering his flushed ears and ensuring not a patch of skin was exposed.

However, a wisp of purple mist drifted through his hair and into the crook of his arm. The Demon King stared at Lin Qing’s abnormally flushed face and asked, “Good disciple, what is wrong with you?”

“Master, this is the System’s punishment. Do not worry about me. It will pass soon.”

The Demon King glanced down. “Since you are in such distress, why not resolve it yourself?”

Lin Qing groaned a refusal. He might have considered it before, but the thought of the System recording the scene made him refuse. He would rather suffer in silence than face such social death.

“Is it because you do not know how? Should your Master help you?”

Every word the Demon King spoke brought a chill to Lin Qing’s ear, and that low, magnetic voice lingered nearby. This made the torture even more unbearable for the already struggling Lin Qing. He snapped irritably at his Master. It was meant to be a sharp rebuke, but in his current state, the breathy voice sounded like an invitation.

The Demon King went silent for a moment before asking, “Has anyone else seen you like this?”

Lin Qing replied without thinking that no one else had.

“Good,” the Demon King said. “If someone else saw you, you would not be lying here unharmed. Keep yourself hidden in the future and do not let outsiders see you this way.”

Lin Qing truly had no energy left to deal with him. To distract himself, he began reciting multiplication tables in his head.

“Disciple, how long will this state last?”

“Master, please just ignore me, alright?”

The Demon King looked at his hazy eyes and said in a doting tone that he would ignore him.

Lin Qing finished the multiplication tables and moved on to the Three Character Classic. After that, he thought of the manual the Demon King had given him and began to read it in his mind. As he focused all his attention on the cultivation techniques, he realized his physical discomfort seemed to lessen. He immediately began to practice, and by the time the two hours had passed, he had drifted into a deep state of cultivation.

Even the Demon King was surprised by his willpower. He truly was a natural talent for the demonic path. However, Lin Qing’s cultivation was soon interrupted again. Yun Fan’s injuries were mostly superficial, and his near-death state had been caused by blood loss. After taking the high-grade healing medicine, he woke up quickly.

“Master! Master! Master, I feel so strange, so painful. Master, please help me!”

“Stop shouting!” Lin Qing pushed open the door but immediately looked away when he saw Yun Fan in the courtyard. The man was actually crawling on the ground without any clothes on.

The pill from the System was addictive, triggering an episode every hour with no known antidote. After the heavy blows of recent events, Yun Fan had completely given up on his dignity. He felt he could not live without his Master. As long as his Master did not kill him, he would stay by his side. Even if he could not have him, he would linger nearby just to catch a scent of him, perhaps even sneaking a touch when his Master was not looking. At that thought, Yun Fan became incredibly excited.

[Ding! Detected: Yun Fan’s Passion Level increased by 20.]

Lin Qing used the Little Yellow Flower he just earned to exchange for a small toy in the System Mall and threw it at Yun Fan. “Resolve it yourself. Do not bother me.”

Yun Fan picked up the small object and pressed it against his cheek. The cold temperature only made his face feel hotter. “Master, since you gave this to me, I will make good use of it.”

He believed it had his Master’s scent on it and loved it. Since it was a gift from his Master, he considered it a sign of affection.

[Ding! Detected: Yun Fan’s Passion Level increased by 50.]

Lin Qing slammed the door shut.

“Master, I knew it! You still care about me, Master!”

[Ding! Detected: Yun Fan’s Passion Level increased by 100.]

Over the next few days, thanks to Yun Fan acting as a tool, the Passion Point requirements were met with very little effort. This gave Lin Qing more time to focus on his cultivation. Demonic techniques are divided into nine levels. Beyond the ninth level, one is called a Demon Lord or a Demon King. Above that is the legendary Demon God realm.

The reason there are no gods on the cultivation continent is that they have all ascended to higher planes. While Demon Lords and Demon Kings are technically in the same class, the hierarchy is complex. A Demon King who has held the title for a thousand years can easily kill one who has only held it for five hundred.

For example, Lin Qing’s Master had once been at the same level as the great orthodox experts, yet he had the power to destroy the world alone. In just a few days of practice, Lin Qing felt he had already broken through to the first level of demonic cultivation. The Demon King was quite proud of his extraordinary talent.

Just as Lin Qing was about to push for the second level, a jade tablet in his storage ring vibrated. This tablet was linked to the barriers of Green Lotus Peak. The vibration meant someone was visiting. Only a few people had the authority to visit the peak, and in the original plot, every single one of them coveted the original owner. Lin Qing had no choice but to hide his demonic aura and go to the hall to welcome the uninvited guest.