chapter 8: a New Bride

At this moment.

A luxurious carriage moved through the capital streets, instantly attracting the attention of passersby.

The carriage curtains fluttered slightly in the wind, revealing a glimpse of a handsome young man deep in thought.

Even with just his profile visible, he sent the hearts of countless noble daughters fluttering.

As the carriage passed by, the murmurs and whispers of young ladies grew louder, their gazes sneaking toward the window.

Their eyes sparkled with hope, longing to catch the young man’s attention.

But, unfortunately for them, their prince charming showed no interest, his head never lifting, completely indifferent to the noisy world outside.

Right now, Su Qing was sorting through his memories.

Bit by bit, fragments of past knowledge resurfaced. He needed to carefully piece together the information he had.

All in all, he had come to two conclusions:

Good news—he was familiar with this world.

Bad news—not familiar enough.

No, he wasn’t experiencing some kind of identity crisis.

Rather… who actually reads the storyline when playing a hentai game?!

If he had really spent time reading the lore, he might as well have watched a drama instead.

Besides, the plot of that game had been a mess—better skipped altogether.

Anyone who fully immersed themselves in the story had to either have a particular kink or just enjoy self-inflicted suffering.

So yes, he remembered things—just the big events, the major turning points.

And, of course, the most important part—his beloved heroines.

Rubbing his temples, Su Qing halted his thoughts.

Honestly? Even with fragmented memories, it was more than enough.

He didn’t need to start from scratch—his current status was already incredibly high.

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Second only to one person, standing above countless others, backed by immense power—he had every advantage.

At least for now, he could enjoy himself without worry.

Take last night, for example—it had been the perfect demonstration of how to flip the script.

According to the original plot, he should have suffered a terrible fate, left in utter humiliation.

Yet, not only had he turned the situation in his favor, but he had also reaped significant rewards.

It was proof that with his knowledge, he could reshape his destiny!

And that thought filled him with confidence and enthusiasm.

After all, last night’s experience had been incredibly enjoyable.

Gaining strength while lying down? Who in the world wouldn’t love that?

Leaning back in his seat, Su Qing squinted as he admired the view of the capital.

For now, the city remained peaceful, undisturbed by major events.

At least, not until that Tang-named protagonist made his assassination attempt—until then, time was on his side.

And within this window, his priority was to grow stronger.

Only with absolute strength could he, as a villain, act without restraint.

After all, no matter how many schemes he crafted or how many powerful allies he clung to, one lucky strike from a protagonist could end it all.

So, how should he continue his path of improvement?

On this matter, Su Qing had a clear and structured plan.

He was well aware of his own limitations—relying solely on personal effort to defy fate wasn’t realistic.

But after last night, a whole new method had revealed itself to him.

The support of the goddesses was essential—wasting their power would be a crime.

Take Ye Xueyi, for instance. Having experienced her firsthand, he would gladly give her a five-star rating.

If he had to nitpick, the only downside was that she hadn’t been all that cooperative.

After a night of, let’s say, ‘heart-to-heart’ discussions, he had come to a realization.

The cold and aloof goddess… wasn’t quite as untouchable as she seemed. There was a surprising amount of softness hidden within her.

Of course, by ‘softness,’ he meant her will.

Her supposedly unshakable icy demeanor had cracks—she was far from the pure and unyielding deity she pretended to be.

She was strong on the outside but weak inside. She had vulnerabilities.

Take last night’s desperate pleas for mercy as an example—those were prime leverage points for future manipulation.

If time hadn’t been an issue, he would have loved to exploit them further.

Goddesses like her were the perfect practice subjects for corruption.

As a newbie villain, Su Qing knew he had a lot to learn.

Especially since the goddesses he would face in the future were all defiant and unruly.

With his current methods, dealing with them would be difficult—he needed more practice.

And so, Ye Xueyi was the perfect candidate for further ‘training.’

After all, they weren’t truly mortal enemies—there was no irreconcilable blood feud between them.

What? You think last night’s events count as an unforgivable grudge?

Come on now, surely the goddess wasn’t that petty.

But most importantly—

She held immense value.

With her Fire Virtue Dao Body, she was a precious asset for cultivation. More than that, she was a crucial figure in the main storyline.

Beyond that, her background within the Heavenly Dao Sect provided immense strategic value.

All in all, she was a treasure trove waiting to be tapped.

From her body to her connections, everything about her was useful—she was a perfect tool for his rise.

Sigh, I’m always too kind. I even chose to spare her instead of eliminating her.

In the future, she better repay this mercy of mine generously.

Meanwhile, back in her room, the goddess in question sneezed several times in a row.

For some reason, an ominous chill ran down her spine.

The carriage moved steadily forward, but soon, the noise of a bustling crowd interrupted Su Qing’s thoughts.

No, it wasn’t someone picking a fight—

Rather, it was an extravagant celebration up ahead, a lively scene of festivity.

Judging by the decorations and the lively cheers, it was clearly another wedding.

Immediately, Su Qing connected the dots and realized where they had arrived.

The Qi Prince’s Residence.

A flash of recollection flickered through his mind.

There was something about this place…

Ah, yes—

An old but vigorous prince taking in a new concubine.

The reason he remembered? Because that concubine was exquisite.

Memories resurfaced, and a new character’s illustration formed in his mind.

Having already seen Ye Xueyi in person, Su Qing knew that reality often outshone the artwork.

Even so, that concubine’s portrait had left a deep impression—not just because of her alluring curves.

Most notably, she exuded a dignified and intellectual aura.

A gentle and elegant lady, radiating an air of maternal warmth.

That nurturing embrace, that soft and tender smile—truly, the ideal wife for any degenerate.

Su Qing’s fingers tapped idly against the carriage’s armrest, a smirk forming on his lips.

As the lively Qi Prince’s Residence faded behind him, he realized one thing:

The next major event—and the second key heroine of the prologue—was about to appear.

He had no particular desire to become a cuckold, but if someone dared scheme against him—

Well, they only had themselves to blame.