Chu Xun had no idea what they were thinking.
After that palm strike landed, he felt quite satisfied with its power. Without lingering, he withdrew and left.
In a flash, he returned to the Sutra Pavilion, perfectly missing everyone who rushed over afterward.
What those people thought had nothing to do with him.
Even if they figured it out—
He was too lazy to explain.
It was merely a palm technique he had learned.
Nothing worth talking about.
He picked up a scripture and continued reading.
Days passed leisurely.
Without realizing it—
More than a month had gone by.
That day.
A small, nervous head cautiously peeked out from the eighth floor of the Sutra Pavilion, startling Chu Xun, who was immersed in study.
The eighth floor stored the secret manuals of the Human Emperor Realm. Ordinary disciples could never enter. Even powerful figures within the sect required approval and a token to step inside.
So how did this little girl get here?
"Are you… Elder Chu?"
She poked her head out slightly, looking at him with bright, curious black eyes.
"Hm?"
Just as Chu Xun was about to speak, his eyes slowly opened, accompanied by a sense of clarity.
[Name: Li Yaochi]
[Age: 4]
[Cultivation: Body Refining Realm]
[Luck: Purple-Black (Villain)]
[Life Review:]
In the future, she would marry her childhood sweetheart—the Protagonist of Destiny—after beginning her cultivation, becoming a legendary tale within the cultivation world. Unfortunately, due to her special constitution, on their wedding night the Protagonist of Destiny attempted to seize her soul. Unexpectedly, he failed and was instead devoured in a counterattack. Thus was born a generation-defining female emperor—the Empress of Yaochi.
[However, the Protagonist of Destiny did not die. He was reborn through mysterious means. Hundreds of years later, he rose again from a remote corner of the world, growing step by step, and eventually defeated the Empress of Yaochi, reclaiming his former fortune. Life evaluation: tragic.]
Tsk.
A strange look flashed through Chu Xun's eyes.
This life evaluation—
It felt far too familiar.
A classic plot from his previous life, endlessly recycled by web novel authors. He never expected to encounter the "original version" in reality.
"What brings you here?" Chu Xun asked.
Li Yaochi nervously pinched the corner of her clothes. "Can I… read a scripture here?"
Chu Xun pondered briefly. The scriptures on the eighth floor were far from simple, but according to the rules, anyone who reached this floor was qualified to read them.
He nodded lightly, granting his consent.
"Hoo—"
Li Yaochi let out a long breath of relief. She carefully moved to a corner of the pavilion, picked up a scripture, and pretended to read.
Chu Xun found the sight somewhat amusing. Even Venerables needed careful contemplation to understand Human Emperor scriptures—how could a little girl possibly grasp them?
He shook his head and paid her no further attention.
"No—"
"No—!"
"Don't catch me!"
A frightened voice suddenly sounded from the corner.
Chu Xun frowned, set down the scroll in his hand, and walked over. The little girl had fallen asleep against the wall, her lips moving as she murmured in her dreams.
"Hmm?"
Chu Xun was slightly surprised.
If she could enter the eighth floor, she was clearly no ordinary child. How could she still be plagued by nightmares? Her face was pale, sweat beading on her forehead, as if she were reliving painful memories.
"System," he said silently.
"Can I check her life evaluation in more detail?"
"Yes."
[Host: Li Yaochi]
[Life Record:]
Born into an ancient lineage. Separated from her parents due to internal strife and raised by old servants. A few months ago, hostile forces discovered her whereabouts. Blood flooded the courtyard as they stormed in, beheading Uncle Fu before her very eyes. She was imprisoned, only to be rescued at the critical moment by her father—though the trauma left a lasting knot in her heart.
[After returning to the Daoist lineage, the child lived unhappily. Her father immersed himself in cultivation day and night. The sect's rules were strict, and aside from giving cultivation instructions, he was cold and severe, offering no warmth.]
No wonder.
Chu Xun's gaze softened slightly.
He hadn't expected the future Empress of Yaochi to have endured such a miserable childhood. Thinking further about her later fate—meeting the Protagonist of Destiny, only to face an attempt to have her soul stolen—he couldn't help but feel that her eventual counterattack and transformation into a destiny villain was only natural.
He even felt a trace of sympathy.
"In the Sutra Pavilion!"
"Someone just saw her!"
Two gray-robed servants hurried upstairs from below. Anxiety filled their faces—not concern for Li Yaochi's safety, but fear of punishment for failing to watch her properly.
Evil servants?
Not really.
Just selfish.
Human nature.
"No one's here. You two can go back down."
As they approached the eighth floor, a calm voice reached their ears. The two servants froze, looked up at the blurry figure before them, hesitated, then retreated from the pavilion.
At the same time—
Two hours later.
Accompanied by soft murmurs, Li Yaochi suddenly opened her eyes. She glanced around, then noticed the old man sitting cross-legged nearby.
She froze instinctively and whispered, "No one… disturbed me?"
She remembered that after Uncle Fu's death, she had been taken into a Daoist sect by a stranger. Cultivation filled every day. Having lived outside for years, she had missed the sect's early enlightenment rituals, causing her cultivation to lag behind her peers.
Since then, endless urging followed.
Children her age should have been carefree—but she faced death, loss, and relentless cultivation. Servants often woke her from sleep to force her to practice, never allowing her a moment of rest.
She was truly, truly tired.
This time, when she came to Donglin Sect with her mother, she deliberately slipped away from the servants in search of quiet.
Unexpectedly, no one found her—
And she slept peacefully.
Her little cheeks were filled with satisfaction.
Seeing Chu Xun still reading, she carefully tiptoed downstairs, afraid of disturbing him. Just before leaving the eighth floor, she whispered softly:
"Thank you…"
…
…
Chu Xun watched the innocent yet cautious little girl leave and sighed quietly.
Who would have thought that the future empress who would one day rule the world was, at this moment, happiest simply because she had enjoyed an uninterrupted nap—even one filled with nightmares.
Emotion stirred.
He sighed again.
In his eyes, Li Yaochi was the perfect target for investing in destiny. Unfortunately, the opportunity wasn't right. The original body was too poor—sixty years bound to the Sutra Pavilion, with nothing to his name.
He had only recently obtained the Tai Xuan Sword. He didn't use it, but giving such a thing to a little girl felt inappropriate.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
As a so-called destiny-investing villain—
Forget it.
There were no opportunities right now.
And he had nothing to offer anyway.