Hongde Year Three, Autumn, Ghost Shadow Mountains
At the waist of the mountain, in front of the moonlit platform of a dilapidated temple, a blood-soaked youth gazed at the crimson moon in the sky, his heart pounding uncontrollably.
The temple building before him was less than two zhang tall.
Its eaves were steep, and the dust-covered plaque bore only the faintly discernible characters “Heart Temple.”
Ji Yanqing cautiously pushed the temple door, relieved to find it unbolted.
But the moment the door creaked open, an eerie whisper brushed past his ear, chilling him to the bone, as if it were the final darkness descending upon the mortal realm.
[The area ahead—come back to explore it later!]
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Ji Yanqing immediately broke into a violent coughing fit, inwardly cursing, “If you’ve got nothing better to do, go chew on a lighter, you trash narrator!”
Since his transmigration into the world of Canglan Goddess Saga, that obnoxiously flamboyant voice had been popping into his mind from time to time.
At first, he thought it was a golden cheat that came with being a transmigrator, but he quickly dismissed the idea.
After all, who would call a narrator that constantly urged him to frequent brothels, harass innocent women in broad daylight, or visit young, beautiful widows at night with “gifts” (whips and candles), all while offering nothing but crude remarks and no real help, a golden cheat?
Utterly speechless, folks. I’ve got a trashy narrator harassing me all day.
Canglan Goddess Saga was a visually stunning, risqué ancient-style romance game, but it had been steeped in controversy since its release. Its story couldn’t exactly be called a pure love tale—at the very least, it was a masterpiece of cuckoldry.
The game boasted over thirty worldlines and dozens of different endings, but no matter the worldline, the pitiful protagonist was always cuckolded to death by the yellow-haired villain.
The beautiful heroines all fell victim to his schemes—some merely defiled, others suffering far worse…
Even if the yellow-haired villain was eventually defeated, the shattered bond between the protagonist and heroine could never be restored.
The story’s “green” undertones led players to wonder if the writer had endured some severe psychological trauma…
Stumbling into the temple and closing the door tightly, Ji Yanqing leaned weakly against a peeling, vermilion-lacquered wooden pillar, collapsing in near exhaustion.
Inside, the temple’s deity statue was destroyed, the bronze incense burner toppled, and cobwebs draped everywhere. A three-headed, six-armed Buddha statue loomed grotesquely, adding to the eerie atmosphere.
His body, gripped by sharp pain, trembled uncontrollably. Crimson blood continued to seep from his wounds, and his limbs were gradually losing sensation.
He was only half a day’s journey from Ye City—damn it!
No doubt about it… he was dying.
In the moments before death, one’s thoughts tend to wander. Scenes from his life in this world flashed through his mind like a slideshow.
After transmigrating, Ji Yanqing’s identity wasn’t that of the protagonist but the villain who shared his name—the eldest son of Duke Wei, Ji Yang, a founding hero of the Yanxia Dynasty.
He was also the designated yellow-haired villain who defiled the heroines in every worldline.
In the original story, his character couldn’t be called virtuous—at the very least, he was a debauched, bullying scoundrel.
For the ducal heir, debauchery and oppression were routine, and every misdeed was so brazen it was as if he shook eggs until they turned to scrambled yolk.
Perhaps it was divine retribution, or perhaps a game bug.
On his way back from breaking off his engagement with the second daughter of Duke Yan, his convoy was ambushed by a band of horse bandits.
Their moves were precise, ruthless, and perfectly coordinated—clearly a professional team.
Fortunately, the Duke’s personal guards fought to the death, allowing him to escape into the Ghost Shadow Mountains, clinging to a sliver of hope.
Boom…
A flash of lightning illuminated the night sky.
Outside, a torrential downpour fell, and the bone-chilling cold, coupled with the dizziness from blood loss, was overwhelming.
Ji Yanqing’s mind grew hazy, as if he might lose consciousness at any moment.
[At the brink of death, you lament not heeding the great, divine narrator’s advice. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be leaving this world with the regret of never having “played one dragon with five phoenixes.”]
“Trash narrator, I’m not dead yet…” he groaned weakly, struggling to stay conscious.
[Trash narrator? You quickly dismiss this foolish thought, as you notice something happening outside the door.]
The narrator might be trashy and unserious, but it was usually reliable.
Ji Yanqing turned toward the door. The rain fell like a curtain of pearls, with no sign of anything unusual—unless it was a female ghost…
Creak—
The slightly ajar door was suddenly pushed open. A veiled young woman stepped inside, her figure slender and graceful, dressed in a fitted crimson outfit.
Her budding curves were already taking shape, and a sword hung at her waist. Her black horsehair skirt was untouched by the rain.
Her veil couldn’t conceal her aura—a blend of the refined elegance of a noble lady and the lively spirit of a martial artist.
[Rumor has it that female ghosts feast on male vitality. Before you die, you might get a free “special service.” Since you can’t resist, why not indulge in one last pleasure?]
But the woman in red wasn’t a ghost.
Red dress, veil, the famous sword Chengying… the familiar items allowed Ji Yanqing to instantly identify her.
[Blood Shadow Butterfly] Ji Qingyan, a true disciple of the Rakshasa Ancient Sect and one of the game’s romanceable heroines.
Realizing who she was, Ji Yanqing’s tension spiked. His body stiffened, his skin sticking uncomfortably to his blood-soaked clothes.
He’d rather face a pretty female ghost.
As a heroine, Ji Qingyan came from a scholarly family. Her father, Ji Wen, was a top imperial scholar and censor-in-chief.
But at six, her father was implicated in a court faction struggle. His reformist faction was utterly defeated by the prime minister’s faction, and he was charged with treason, leading to the massacre of his entire family.
No one wanted to handle such a dirty job.
But a certain vassal duke, who had backed the wrong prince during the previous emperor’s reign, personally slaughtered over thirty members of the Ji family. Only Ji Qingyan survived, later taken in by the Rakshasa Sect’s leader.
That vassal duke was none other than Duke Wei, Ji Yang.
Whether Ji Qingyan was with those bandits or not, if she learned his true identity, he was as good as dead.
In the game’s worldlines, Ji Qingyan was one of the few heroines who successfully killed the yellow-haired villain. Of the thirty-six ways the ducal heir died, nineteen were tied to this swordswoman.
Ji Qingyan, nicknamed the “Ji Yanqing Killing Machine.”
Their fates intertwined, and their gazes met briefly, creating a slight awkwardness.
In a flash, a cold gleam flickered as her chilling sword pressed against his neck.
Thud!
Before he could react, Ji Qingyan pinned him to the ground, his left shoulder bone nearly shattered.
“Ow, ow, ow… it’s breaking, it’s breaking!”
“Who are you? Why are you here?”
In the dead of night, anyone in the Ghost Shadow Mountains was no saint.
The sword’s chill seeped into his body. A slight move forward, and it would end him.
Yet, Ji Yanqing wasn’t as panicked as he appeared. His racing heart finally calmed.
Thankfully, Ji Qingyan hadn’t recognized him.
Per the original story, she had just left her sect and hadn’t gathered intel on the Duke’s household, so she wouldn’t know the ducal heir’s face.
Plus, his current disheveled state hardly screamed “pampered noble from Ye City.”
“I’m… Ji San, a study companion to the Duke’s heir. Our convoy was attacked by bandits, and I accidentally ended up here. Please, great heroine, spare my life!” Ji Yanqing said, trembling, his eyes full of fear.
At the mention of “Duke’s heir,” Ji Qingyan’s expression shifted.
A terrifying pressure radiated from the beautiful woman’s sword.
In his dazed state, he felt as if his head had been severed multiple times. Though it was an illusion, the sensation was all too real.
“Where is Ji Yanqing now? Tell me, and I might spare you,” Ji Qingyan demanded through gritted teeth.
“The young lord didn’t travel with us. Returning from Yan, he spent a fortune on two foreign dancers and, not wanting to be disturbed, took a shortcut to Ye City alone.”
It sounded absurd but perfectly fit the debauched, incompetent persona he’d cultivated over the years.
Hearing this, Ji Qingyan lowered her sword, her eyes scanning him carefully, her expression heavy.
“You’ve lost too much blood. You won’t survive the night. I can save you, but you must agree to one condition.”
“What condition?” Ji Yanqing asked bitterly, knowing he had no choice.
“Get me into the Duke’s household. Kill that dog Ji Yang and his son,” Ji Qingyan said coldly.
“Kill… kill Duke Wei and the young lord?!”
Ji Yanqing shrank back, legs trembling.
“Heroine, I shake just killing a chicken. Even if I ate a bear’s heart or leopard’s gall, I wouldn’t dare kill the Duke!”
“You don’t need to act. Just get me inside,” Ji Qingyan said icily, fearless.
Pretending to be terrified, Ji Yanqing collapsed, his face contorted as if he’d stepped in dog dung.
After a long pause, he stammered hesitantly, “I… I agree.”
A moment later, he added, “May I ask the heroine’s name?”
“Ji Qingyan.”
The moment she revealed her name, a faint blue virtual screen appeared before him.
[Name: Ji Qingyan]
[Beauty: 97.8 (Stunning Swordswoman)]
[On a rainy night, you encounter a breathtaking heroine with a blood feud against the Duke’s household… Current strategy options:]
[Option 1: Loudly declare, “Miss Ji Qingyan, I desperately want to be your dog!” and express your boundless admiration. Reward: Qingyun Sword (Mysterious High-Grade)]
[Option 2: Reveal your true name and lure Ji Qingyan to the Duke’s household. Reward: Free enhancement of innate talent]
[Option 3: Probe Ji Qingyan’s past to uncover her deepest secrets. Reward: Random attribute point +1]
‘Finally, you trash narrator, you’ve done something human for once!’
Though initially surprised, Ji Yanqing quickly calmed down. Having read countless web novels in his past life, he was no stranger to systems.
Of course, the foul-mouthed narrator still gave him a slight, world-shattering shock.
By convention, when faced with such options, the seemingly useless random attribute point was the go-to choice, as it often boosted critical stats, potentially transforming his weak status.
After a moment’s thought, Ji Yanqing made his decision.
“Miss Ji, I’m sorry, but I lied earlier. I’m not Ji San, a study companion to the Duke’s heir. I’m Ji Yanqing, the ducal heir himself…”
He slowly raised his head, looking at the red-clad girl with a serious expression.
Joking aside, in this smutty game, early-game NPC attributes were in the hundreds, while the protagonist’s stats averaged over a million by the endgame.
A mere +1 random attribute point wouldn’t even satisfy a beggar.
Usually Chinese mcs will choose the safest option lmao not the one with the best reward