Reborn As A Villainous Cannon Fodder

Yino recalled the doubts from last night regarding Changli’s words when Yuyan mentioned the conversation with her.

For example…

If Yino remembered correctly, the Divine Gate truly dominated everything in the late stages of the original story.

It was almost the ultimate destination for the orthodox Immortal Sects. No matter which Immortal Sect the player chose for their starting protagonist, the main storyline inevitably led to joining the Divine Gate due to various Opportunities.

Chen Jianxin was like this. Xumo was like this. Even Lin Che, the servant from the outer sect of the Jianlan Sect, was like this.

Yino did not think there was a problem in his past life. After all, the Divine Gate was a hidden sect that recruited geniuses of the Immortal Dao from all over the world.

However…

Yino could not help but harbor many suspicions about the Divine Gate after experiencing so much since his rebirth.

First. What was the relationship between the Divine Gate and the Heaven-Defying Pavilion?

Yuebai and Jinyue both claimed they were imprisoned by the Celestial Master of the Heaven-Defying Pavilion.

Yet now the legendary Celestial Master Iris had appeared personally. The force she represented was not the Heaven-Defying Pavilion but the Divine Gate.

Yino could draw a simple conclusion by combining this with the intelligence exchanged with Changli and Chaerin.

Namely that the Heaven-Defying Pavilion was a more neutral organization. High-level members of major Immortal Sects and even the demon race or evil cults could hold a place there.

The Divine Gate, on the other hand, stood purely on the side of the human Immortal Sects.

This explained why Iris was so angry after Yino killed Xumo and Chen Jianxin. She even lowered her status as an Immortal to descend to the mortal world to kill Yino.

So…

The reason the protagonists all had Innate Holy Bodies and various Opportunities was due to the Divine Gate manipulating things in the dark. Their goal was naturally to recruit these chosen ones into the Divine Gate for their own use once they matured.

Yino’s thoughts became much clearer as he realized this.

He looked up at Yuyan leaning on his shoulder. He was stunned for a moment. He recalled certain stomach-turning plotlines from his past life and felt his heart tighten.

The Divine Gate was behind Yuyan blackening into the evil version in the original work!

It was not just Yuyan. The fall of the other villainess from Jianlan Sect and even the tragedy of Chaerin in the later stages all had the shadow of the Divine Gate behind them. Of course. The Divine Gate often played the role of the orthodox path in the story.

That was from the perspective of the main character in the past.

Yino was no longer the orthodox protagonist. He was a mixed-blood of the Phoenix Clan regarded as an evil anomaly by the Immortal Sects. Re-examining everything from this rebel perspective gave Yino different conspiracy theories about the original plot.

“Is something wrong with the Divine Gate?”

On the bed. Yuyan felt Yino’s muscles suddenly tighten. She lifted her beautiful face with concern. The lingering blush from their intimacy remained on her.

She sat up and opened her arms, hugged the startled man more tightly and comforted him with the soft fragrance of her chest.

“No. Nothing…”

Yino went soft in her soft embrace. He adjusted his breathing and buried his face in Yuyan’s chest with a sigh.

“I just thought about how happy I am with Senior right now… But the Immortal path is destined to be long. How should I respond if Senior encounters some misfortune in the future?”

“I will not let you face it alone… I will be with you.”

Yuyan smiled gently. She did not know what Yino knew. Yet her charming eyes were full of doting love for the boy.

Yino looked at her. He thought again of the spirit speech Changli had placed on him.

She mentioned that Yino must never compromise with the Divine Gate. Whether they used beauty to recruit him or threatened him with the lives of those he cherished. Changli absolutely forbade Yino from bowing his head to the Divine Gate.

This sounded fine at first glance. But it came from Changli who could foresee the future. Yino had to suspect that Changli had already foreseen a turning point in his fate with Yuyan.

“Senior…”

“If. I mean if. If someone captured me and threatened you to submit to them. What would you do?”

Yino already had his own answer after thinking it over. Yet he still wanted to try throwing this question from Changli to Yuyan with the roles reversed.

Hearing this. A shadow fell over the black-haired woman’s beautiful face.

She bit her red lip gently, showing hesitation and sorrow. Silence stretched for a long time. Yuyan tried to open her mouth but it seemed an invisible hand choked her throat. She stopped several times.

Yuyan lowered her eyes. A few seconds felt like hours of mental exhaustion. She finally curled her lips in a bitter smile.

“What you think I would choose?”

“I don’t know…”

Yino swallowed. He did not want to answer.

Yuyan looked at him before shifting her gaze out the window. She spoke faintly.

“It depends on the extent to which they want me to submit.”

“It would be fine if it was just killing people or doing unrighteous acts for them. My Sword has been covered in dust and stained with evil and hatred ever since my clan died in the heavenly fire years ago… What does it matter if I kill a thousand or ten thousand people as long as it ensures your safety?”

Yuyan turned her face away with feigned disdain as she said this.

Yino did not ask anymore.

But Yuyan continued to look into the distance and speak on her own.

“However. If the enemy wants to take away my last shred of dignity…”

“Senior. Stop.”

“My hypothetical enemy is just the Divine Gate. The Divine Gate would at most want to recruit us. I did not assume it would reach the point of trampling on dignity.”

Yino could not bear it this time. He interrupted her.

He only wanted to test Yuyan with Changli’s question. He did not expect her to think so far ahead in one breath.

“Yino. Let me finish.”

Yuyan’s tone had become cold and serious before he realized it.

Her cold eyes were dark and wicked like a ghost from Hell. Even though she was not actually there yet. The chilling coldness around her reminded Yino of the blackened Evil Sword Immortal from the original work.

It was as if this soul-touching question was not raised by Yino today. It was a conclusion Yuyan had decided on long ago. Perhaps six months ago when she opened her heart to accept Yino.

Yuyan was a realistic and cold-blooded woman.

She had seen the cruelty of Heaven long ago. She knew her fate was full of obstacles. She would definitely drag Yino down if she became Dao companions with him.

That was why Yuyan did not dare to officially become Yino’s Dao companion for a long time despite being moved by his persistence. However. It was different now.

She had figured out this question during several sleepless nights before Yino took her innocence.

“If my fate is truly that tragic. Whether enemies capture you to threaten me or capture me to threaten you…”

“I will burn my sword bones and fight them to death.”

Yuyan continued to speak word by word.

“You stopped me just now. Perhaps you thought I would not bear it and would choose to submit to fate…”

“But that is not the case. I have already thought this through.”

“At least in my heart. This is the optimal solution.”

Yuyan recovered from her killing intent. She looked at the boy in her arms and smiled bitterly.

“Because If I fight and win then I can save you. My death would have value.”

“And even if I lose and die burning my bones. I would have no regrets in this life…”

“Dying… Dying is not so bad. My family has been gone since I was nine. Apart from you… I have nothing to cling to in this world.”

“Moreover…”

“If it really comes to that. If I do not die, I will become your Inner Demon. We would drag out an ignoble existence as a burden to each other. Living would be worse than death and our Dao Hearts would never be whole. Why not let me leave a stroke of unbridled joy in this world? Burn to my heart’s content?”

Her voice fell with a smile.

Yino’s heart moved instantly. He got up and lunged at her. He kissed her lips passionately.

“Yuyan.”

He narrowed his cold eyes and cupped her face. He looked into her beautiful moon-like eyes with pure doting.

“I will never let you have the chance to burn your bones as long as I am here.”

“I have gained some clues about the heavenly fire that killed your clan while playing chess with the National Advisor these past few days.”

“I acknowledged Changli as my master yesterday. I will accompany you to ask her for a way to break the situation when we go to the Dragon Palace. We will strive to resolve this old knot in your heart before Senior undergoes Tribulation Transcendence.”

—–

Jianlan Sect.

Taichu Pavilion. Sword Abyss Pool.

A woman undressed in black clothes stood before the pool. Her black dress fell to the ground while her gray-white hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

The woman extended her foot to test the temperature. Then she carefully submerged herself in the deep pool.

She relaxed her brows and looked up at the moon, raised her pale white hand from the water. The Taichu sword crest on her forearm shone in the moonlight.

“Master…”

“After more than a hundred years. It seems Zhihan has found the destined one with the aptitude to inherit your Taichu Sword Art.”

Pei Zhihan spoke faintly. She recalled the outer sect servant boy who was disliked by disciples and always bullied by the Ji Zichen in the Jianlan Sect.

That child’s presence had become increasingly significant in Zhihan’s eyes over these past few months.

Yet the more this happened. The harder it was for her to choose.

“Master…”

“I noticed a servant disciple in the outer sect recently. His name is Lin Che. He seems to have a pure yang constitution. He is young and vigorous. Full of vitality. Extremely suitable for cultivating your Taichu Sword Art…”

“But it is strange. Although Lin Che has a Pure Yang Body, he is clumsy and stupid. He is not good at sword at all. He is better at fists and kicks… I taught him Sword Arts these past few days. He learned in a mess. He has no talent to speak of…”

The hope that had just ignited in the woman became desolate again as she spoke.

She sighed helplessly, buried her face in the pool water and blew bubbles with worry.

“Master… How should I choose…”

“The Elders of the Ji family want to draft an impeachment against me again. Others in the Jianlan Sect have been eyeing us covetously for a long time. They want to seize your Taichu Sacred Land and take away the Divine Sword and Secret Manuals. The Lin family is also pressing hard. They promised me that as long as I marry into the Lin mansion and wed that eldest Young Lord. The Lin mansion can help me guard the Sacred Land and the Patriarch position in the future…”

“I wanted to refuse a few days ago…”

“But Lin Che’s pure yang constitution has shaken my heart recently.”

“If Lin Che is truly the Destined One Master spoke of. If Lin Che can truly inherit your Taichu Sword Art…”

“If Lin Che is truly the hope of the Taichu Sacred Land. For the sake of Taichu’s future and inheritance… What does it matter if I sacrifice my dignity to beg that Young Lord Lin to delay for a year or two for Lin Che’s sake?”