Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

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Although recently there have been many slanderous rumors circulating about Yan Zhanlong, Yan Yu, the man in question, held an indifferent attitude, which undoubtedly let people close to him, like Li Weiguo and others, secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Wait a second, is Yan Yu the only one involved?

Let's not even mention Xie Ruoxi for now, her treasured mobile game account that Yan Yu had cherished for many years was now firmly in his grasp. She had turned into an obedient fish, now doing whatever she was asked without having the will to entertain any other thoughts due to the rumors.

However, as members of the "Demonic Sect Team," Lin Ning and Su Yunjin weren't so composed.

Upon learning of the rumors online, their anxious parents promptly called their precious only daughters to inquire whether the Zhenhai Team was really some kind of den of vice.

"No, no, it's not like that," Su Yunjin explained hastily on the phone to her parents, "You mustn't jump to conclusions, one moment you say it's not safe to stay in the team, the next you talk about unspoken rules... It's all nonsense spread by outsiders."

"No need to come here! Really, there's no need, I'm fine... Yes, yes, okay, okay, that's it, hanging up now."

She hung up the phone exhausted and saw Lin Ning across on the sofa, speaking in a coded dialect to smooth things over with her family.

"Explained everything?" Yan Yu casually asked as he passed by with a cup of water.

Seeing Yan Yu's carefree demeanor, Su Yunjin felt a sudden irritation. As the words reached her lips, a thought struck her, and she asked,

"Didn't your family ask you about it, captain?"

"Nope," Yan Yu replied, "My sister handled the explanations on my parents' side, no big deal."

"I wish I had a sister," Su Yunjin sighed, "There's no one at home to reassure my parents."

"Tell your parents to have another one," Yan Yu suggested.

"That's impossible now, they are almost in their fifties," Su Yunjin said with a tender smile, "Or maybe Jingjing can be my sister, haha."

Yan Yu immediately became vigilant; what was this roundabout way of saying "I want to be your family"?

But Su Yunjin had already gotten up and went to fill her cup at the water purifier.

"Gosh!" Lin Ning abruptly hung up the phone, displaying an "I can't even deal with this" expression.

"Did your family grill you too?" Yan Yu asked cheerfully.

"It's none of your business!" Lin Ning snapped back.

Yan Yu: ?

Right, your family bothering you has nothing to do with me, so why are you taking it out on me?

Lin Ning got up and scurried upstairs with quick steps. Yan Yu stood there for a moment in confusion, then shook his head with a chuckle.

This girl must be having her time of the month; I won't hold it against her.

He sat down on the sofa with his cup, swiped open the chat group on his phone, and sure enough, the cultivators were all discussing the "Demonic Sect Team" matter, given that the gossip had now gone viral.

[Chu Kou Cheng Zhang]: Actually, based on their past performance on the battlefield, there's no doubt that the entire Zhenhai Team possesses first-rate skills. The "Demonic Sect Team" label comes from laymen who don't understand the professional intricacies; they only focus on gender.

[Zhu Jun]: Makes sense. But it's strange that the rumor has blown up this big, has the Zhendong Army been involved?

[26]: Suggest to execute them all by firing squad.

[26]: Punching.jpg

[Yuegua Donghu]: Hope this doesn't affect the preparations of the Zhenhai Team members.

[Yuegua Donghu]: But Yan, the captain, doesn't seem like someone who would be swayed by such trivial public opinion.

[Fei Long Zai Tian]: Does it really matter if it affects them or not? A man slowed down by too many women can never be a good Sword Immortal.

Yan Yu took a closer look, and indeed, the person's profile picture was a selfie of Cai Qianlong, wearing sunglasses and looking very smug.

[Miao Jiang maiden Tang Lingling]: Sweating soybean.jpg

[Yun Juan Yun Shu]: Sweating soybean.jpg

[Ri Zhao Zhu Jiang]: Sweating soybean.jpg

[Liu Shao]: Sweating soybean.jpg

[Ri Zhao Zhu Jiang]: Come on, let's hear from our Capital's Liu Shao about how to be a good Sword Immortal.

[Liu Shao]: I've got nothing to say, just tag old Yan @Yi De Fu Ren.

Yan Yu typed leisurely.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: @Fei Long Zai Tian. Cai Qianlong, right? Remember to prepare well for the upcoming nationwide broadcast.

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[Flying Dragon in the Sky]: Indeed. I've heard that, win or lose, you have to attend the post-match press conference. Seems like I need to start thinking about my victory speech in advance.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: You could prepare drafts for both victory and defeat.

[Flying Dragon in the Sky]: Hm, what do you mean? Isn't this where you're supposed to say something like, "Someone like you should just focus on explaining your defeat"?

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Haha, it's fine, you can prepare for both outcomes, and I'll just help you with the victory speech when the time comes /Smile.jpg.

[Liu Shao]: Sweating soybeans.jpg

[Clouds Gathering and Scattering]: Sweating soybeans.jpg

[Sunlight on the Pearl River]: Let's not talk about the contest for now. I declare Yan Yu the winner of this show-off preliminaries.

[Flying Dragon in the Sky]: Then please let me have the honor, Senior Yan, to find out whether your Flying Sword is as sharp as your tongue when the time comes.

[Liu Shao]: Damn, when little Cai challenged me, he wasn't nearly this polite.

[26]: What did he say at that time?

[Liu Shao]: "Today, I'll take the title of Dingbei Army's number one cultivator!"

[Sunlight on the Pearl River]: Bust a gut laughing.jpg

[Last Rays Beyond the Pass]: Bust a gut laughing.jpg
Find your next adventure on empire

As Yan Yu looked at the scrolling messages on his phone chat group, suddenly someone tapped on the back of his head from behind.

"Where are we eating tonight?" Zhao Yuanzhen leaned on the sofa from behind (the sofa immediately deformed) and asked, poking her head around to him.

"Where do you want to eat?" Yan Yu asked casually in return, "Don't I still owe you several meals?"

"I don't really feel like going out today, eating rich foods every day gets to be too much." Zhao Yuanzhen played with her phone, "How about buying some ingredients and coming back to have hot pot at home?"

"Then you talk to Lin Ning," said Yan Yu.

"She's not in a good mood," replied Zhao Yuanzhen, shaking her head, "Seems like her family is pressuring her to get married again. I heard her venting to Yun Jin as I passed by the door."

"What's going on with her family, pressuring her to marry right after she starts college?" Yan Yu also found it amusing.

Still, Lin Ning's father's apprehension wasn't unwarranted, considering she remained single well into her thirties in her previous life, having never experienced a first love, let alone a marriage, and staunchly refusing blind dates—any father would be anxious.

"It doesn't have to be this way," Zhao Yuanzhen mused, "Once one embarks on the path of cultivation, one should transcend beyond the three realms and remain untouched by the mundane. How can one still be troubled by worldly matters? Even if you form a Golden Core, your lifespan would at least extend to a thousand years or more, so why the rush to marry and have children?"

"You know nothing!" Yan Yu responded disdainfully, "You can extend your life for a thousand years, but can your dad? He wants to hold his grandson before he dies and see his lineage continue. Is that so hard to understand? Oh, sorry, I forgot you might not have a dad, so never mind."

Angry and trembling, Zhao Yuanzhen silently clenched her teeth:

"The scoundrel insults me for having no parents to raise me, and although it's true, it's unbearable! How can I reach a clear state of mind if I don't avenge this? I'll remember this. One day when I attain the great Dao, I will kidnap this scoundrel's parents and ask them who it is that has no parents!"

With this thought, an image formed in her mind:

Inside her own cave abode, she pictured Yan Yu's captured father making tea for her, his mother cooking meals, and his sister giving her massages. When Yan Yu finally found this place and walked in, he would see his whole family fawning over his dao companion, unable to contain his anger and about to berate them, only to be ordered by his father:

"What are you doing standing at the doorway! Is your leg broken? Hurry up and come serve your wife!"

Hating this, Yan Yu would be helpless, filial piety being paramount. He would swallow his pride, meekly respond with a "Yes, Father," and then come over to flatter and serve her. At that moment, she would kick off her slippers and rest her silk-stockinged feet atop his shoulders, cruelly playing with him in full view of his family...

Hehe~

Immersed in her delightful fantasy, Zhao Yuanzhen's smile grew increasingly silly and cute.

Yan Yu, utterly confused, watched her and thought that the Demonic Sect Enchantress's brain circuits had malfunctioned again. Just as he was about to snap her out of it, his phone on the coffee table rang.

It was from Qi Changping.

Instructor Qi wouldn't call unless it was important, and if he was calling, something big was up. Yan Yu picked up and switched to speakerphone to hear Qi say:

"Yan Yu, the Mysterious Realm contest was initially set for Thursday, but it's been moved to Wednesday. You guys should head to the airport tomorrow at 9 a.m. There will be a pre-contest press interview in Sanjin in the afternoon, not an exclusive one. You can pick someone to represent the team and answer the journalists' questions, but the whole team must attend. Rest well in the evening.

We'll enter the Mysterious Realm at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and the Dingbei Army will pick you up at 9 a.m."

"Mm," Yan Yu pondered for a moment, "As for the pre-contest press interview, nobody will be inconsiderate enough to ask me some embarrassing questions, right?"

"If there are questions you're uncomfortable answering, the Dingbei Army's host will help you skip over them," Qi Changping replied softly, "But just to be safe, you could also prepare some standardized, bureaucratic responses to brush off any issues."

"I understand," Yan Yu said, "Military secrets, no comment... that's the way to go, right?"

"Not exactly, what I meant was..." Qi Changping fell silent for a moment, then continued, "Never mind, it probably won't matter. Just answer in your own style."

Let him show off then! If things come to worst, I'll just have the online reviewers work overtime on the day and compete with the trolls in setting the narrative.