Transmigrated Into A Book And Became A Heartthrob Male Protagonist - Chapter 8

Once everything was finished and the System failed to trigger any punishment, Lin Qing’s tense nerves finally relaxed.

It seemed his plan was a success. His analysis had been correct. The System primarily determined mission progress by collecting Passion Points from the male supporting characters and monitoring the trajectory of the main storyline. Currently, those three key characters were enjoying themselves with a version of Lin Qing, and their Passion Points were skyrocketing. Since the plot deviation remained within an acceptable range, there would be no issues.

However, because he still needed to collect the Passion Points required by the System, Lin Qing could not wander too far. He had to stay nearby, watching and listening, to ensure the System detected the presence of the protagonist so his progress bar would continue to rise.

[Ding! Detected: Demon Lord Mo Changfeng’s Passion Points increased by 200.]

[Ding! Detected: Demon King Ji Canghai’s Passion Points increased by 200.]

[Ding! Detected: Yun Fan’s Passion Points increased by 200.]

[Notice: Congratulations, Host. The main mission is complete. Reward: 20 Little Yellow Flowers.]

After enduring over an hour of auditory torture, the System’s voice finally brought an end to the ordeal. Lin Qing gave a bitter mental laugh. Even if he managed to return home one day, he would never dare to watch such soul-corrupting films again.

The System was quite dissatisfied with Lin Qing’s opportunistic methods. Despite collecting so many Passion Points, it had once again failed to extract any energy. It still believed this was because the Host had not personally participated. However, because Lin Qing had exploited a loophole in the rules and completed the main storyline, he had not technically violated any regulations. The System could not initiate punishment mode.

Still, this part of the main plot was merely an appetizer. For the upcoming tasks, the Host might escape for a moment, but he could not avoid them forever.

Back at the sect, Lin Qing collapsed onto his bed. His head felt heavy, his vision blurred, and his eyelids eventually closed.

In an endless void of nothingness, Lin Qing walked across the air as if it were solid ground. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Hey! Is anyone there?”

“Are you looking for me?”

A strange male voice suddenly rang out behind him. The voice was magnetic and playful, carrying a sense of arrogance that suggested nothing in the world was worth his concern. Startled, Lin Qing spun around. His vision was blocked by a cloud of purple mist. He jumped back in shock and cried, “What is this thing?”

The purple mist seemed offended by his description. The cloud-like vapor twisted in the air, gradually shifting into a humanoid shadow. It looked like a three-dimensional silhouette without facial features. The shadow stood before Lin Qing and said, “Were you not the one searching for this seat? Now that you have found me, why do you have that expression?”

Lin Qing stared at the strange, bodiless entity. After a moment of thought, he asked suspiciously, “Are you that Great Demon?”

A low, mocking chuckle echoed from the mist. “A great demon? Hah.”

Lin Qing immediately slapped his own mouth. “A slip of the tongue! I meant Lord Demon King.” Since this being could pull him into this strange space without the System noticing, provoking him would be a death wish. Lin Qing tucked his hands into his sleeves and bowed respectfully. “Junior Lin Qing greets the Demon King.”

The purple shadow drifted around him, seemingly enjoying his proximity. The voice spoke again, “Do not be nervous. This seat bears no ill will. On the contrary, I am here to help you. If I had not acted today, you would have fallen into the hands of that demon and that devil long ago.”

Lin Qing recalled his sudden surge of strength when he defeated the Demon King and Demon Lord. He immediately looked grateful. “Thank you, Senior Demon King, for saving my life.”

So the fellow had been by his side even then. How long had he been following? How much did he know? This Demon King had been killed by the Demon Slaying Array, yet he remained in this state. Perhaps, like Lin Qing’s former self, he had a lingering obsession and refused to truly die.

Lin Qing said sincerely, “I shall repay your life-saving grace. If you have any unfulfilled wishes, I will do my best to help you achieve them.”

“Heh! This seat has no wishes,” the Demon King chuckled enigmatically. “On the contrary, what do you want? I was resting peacefully in that mountain cave when you woke me. Why were you seeking me out?”

Lin Qing thought to himself that he was naturally plotting to take the inheritance. Of course, he only dared to think it. The Demon King was a mere shadow, making it impossible to read his emotions. This was the great villain who had once fought the entire cultivation world; he was definitely not easy to deal with.

Lin Qing lowered his gaze and offered a nervous compliment. “I simply admired your divine might and wished to behold your majestic presence.”

The Demon King suddenly moved close to his face, almost touching his cheek. “I think you believed I had been dead for many years and came to find the secret treasures I hid before my death.”

Lin Qing looked up in shock but stopped halfway when he realized how dangerously close they were. This demon actually had a brain and was quite clever.

The Demon King continued, “It seems I guessed correctly. You intended to be a thief.”

Lin Qing frantically reached for the sword at his waist, but grasped nothing. He became even more tense. “Lord Demon King, listen to my explanation. I mean, my defense.”

The Demon King changed the subject. “It is not impossible for you to have my secret treasures. However, my treasures are not passed to outsiders.”

Lin Qing warily covered his chest. “Do not even think about it! I sell my skills, not my body!”

The Demon King scoffed. “What are you thinking? I see that you have good talent and are a fine candidate for demonic cultivation. Are you willing to give up the path of immortality, switch to the demonic path, and acknowledge me as your Master?”

Lin Qing’s face turned bright red. He had misunderstood. But since he had not met a single normal person since arriving in this world, he had become overly defensive. Besides, in a world like this, being either a disciple or a master was a high-risk occupation.

“I will consider”

The Demon King’s tone turned cold. “If you are not a disciple, then you are a thief who stole my treasures.”

Lin Qing immediately dropped to his knees and kowtowed. “Master! Please accept your disciple’s bow!”

The Demon King reached out with both hands to lift him up, looking satisfied. He handed over an unremarkable jade pendant. “Good disciple. Once we form this Master-Disciple seal, you and I shall share both glory and ruin.”

In the world of cultivation, such contracts required proof. Lin Qing carefully observed the hand signs used for the seal. Once he confirmed it was the standard Master-Disciple mark used in the cultivation world, he felt relieved. He accepted the jade and pricked his finger to drop blood onto it.

With the contract established, the Demon King placed a hand on his shoulder. “Very well. From now on, you are my primary disciple. Starting today, you bear the burden of helping me reshape my physical body.”

Lin Qing looked incredulous. He thought to himself that the Demon King had just said he had no wishes. The demon was far too cunning, waiting until after the ceremony to drop that bombshell. Still, it was not all bad. A bond based on mutual interest was less likely to be betrayed. If the Demon King had helped him without asking for anything, Lin Qing would have been even more worried.

Lin Qing immediately stood at attention to show his loyalty. “Master, I will certainly help you reshape your body and return to your peak. Tell me, what do you need me to do?”

The Demon King waved a hand. “There is no need for you to do anything specific. The energy your System collects will help me recover just fine. Continue completing the missions for that System.”

Lin Qing gasped. “You know about the System?”

The Demon King drifted beside him and said, “I not only know about the System, but I also know that the original Green Lotus Sword Venerable is long gone. You are an outsider who took over his identity.”

Hearing the Demon King reveal his secrets so easily, Lin Qing felt immensely lucky. Fortunately, his attitude had been good and he had been sensible enough to become a disciple. Otherwise, he would have no idea how he might have died.