The male supporting character was actually myself.

Realizing she was daydreaming again, her face flushed slightly as she leaned close to Liu Jiangchen's ear and whispered, "The laws of Heaven bind me to be an iceberg-like saintess. This is fate, not something the sect forces me to do."

The gentle scent, carrying the faint fragrance of a young girl, falls on your ears and cheeks, like a spring breeze rippling across a pond.

Jiang Chen couldn't help but laugh, "We're cultivators, we can easily use telepathy, there's no need to be so nervous, right?"

“As the saying goes, true hermits live in the city.” Leng Ruoyan shook her head, her face regaining its usual coldness, and said in a very low voice, “It is easy for the two of us to hide our whispers among the hustle and bustle of the world. If we were to transmit our voices in secret, it would be much easier to be discovered.”

"Who discovered it?" He raised an eyebrow and looked up at the sky. "You mean—the laws of Heaven?"

"Shh!" Leng Ruoyan was startled, a hint of fear appearing on her icy face. "Keep your voice down, don't let it hear! Otherwise... we'll all be in trouble!"

"Why do you say that, young lady? You've probably been deceived. The laws of Heaven don't concern themselves with such nonsense. If they were truly so effective, they would have already opened their eyes and annihilated those scourges. If Heaven tolerates evildoers committing murder and arson but doesn't allow good people to speak out, then it's time to change the way Heaven operates!"

Jiang Chen pointed to the sky with a slight smile on his face, demonstrating for her, "Look, I'll scold it for being blind and protecting evil spirits. If it has the guts, it can send down a lightning tribulation to strike me dead."

Leng Ruoyan was completely stunned.

After a while, she looked up and saw that everything was calm as usual before she realized what had happened. She grabbed Liu Jiangchen and covered his mouth with her hand, saying nervously, "You can't say anything! I... I can feel it! Luckily, we're not being watched, or we would really be dead!"

"Who's watching you?"

“Of course…” She pointed upwards discreetly, lowering her voice to almost whispering in Jiang Chen’s ear, “Ever since I completed the blessing ceremony for the first time, I’ve felt like I sensed something. It’s hard to describe, it’s like… everyone is being controlled by an unseen hand, wanting us to become what He wants us to be. If anyone tries to break free from this control, there’s only one outcome—being disposed of!”

Jiang Chen: ? ? ?

As expected of a cultivation world setting, they all seem to be able to understand something.

In the virtual mission world, the laws of nature are naturally the main system. In reality, Leng Ruoyan's perception was correct. The scriptwriting team and related departments recreated this world, and aren't all the characters just puppets serving the protagonist?

Did she awaken unintentionally?

Awakening to their own personality, they no longer want to be puppets created according to a persona.

He was a little confused for a moment.

Based on my experience of constantly rewriting scripts and tricking the protagonist, the so-called mechanism shouldn't have that much free time to keep an eye on the mission world, otherwise it would have been discovered and dealt with long ago.

But how can I convince Leng Ruoyan?

If she doesn't awaken an independent personality and retains her original persona, Jiang Chen will naturally consider how to prevent her from being harmed by Lin Xucheng; the rest will be left to fate.

But now she has a completely new core outside of her established persona, and it's really pitiful that she's still trapped like this and can't be herself. We need to find a way to let her completely unleash her true nature!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

At midnight, fireworks began to be set off in Fengyang City.

Large, brilliant fireworks burst in the night sky. The two looked up at the same time, and the fireworks illuminated the whole world. The crowd around them exclaimed and cheered.

"How wonderful it is to be surrounded by the warmth and life of everyday people," Leng Ruoyan said softly. "I really envy Senior Brother Liu for being able to travel around so freely."

Jiang Chen blurted out, "I can take you with me! Next, I'm going south to visit a few sects and then go to the Shattered Star Sea to see the exotic customs. By the way, I'll be hosting a grand event in about three and a half months. With all the major sects gathered, it'll definitely be more lively than any celebration in the mortal world."

As Leng Ruoyan listened, the rabbit in her heart jumped even more wildly.

From childhood, given her aloof and icy persona, her only opportunity to leave the mountain gate was to participate in a blessing ceremony in Fengyang City. After dismissing her attendants, she would squeeze out a short while to find a secluded spot to hurriedly steal a bite of food, using the warmth of human life as cover to find a moment of freedom.

After that, she had to continue playing the role of an ice queen, as required by the laws of nature, hiding her true self inside the puppet.

If only I could be as free as Liu Jiangchen...

Her eyes brightened for a moment, then dimmed again. "I...I can't. Even if the Holy Maiden of the Hidden Sect isn't an ice queen, she's never been one to run around and play freely, besides..."

Leng Ruoyan sighed and said softly, "Life is ever-changing, but fate is unchanging. I am destined to obey the will of Heaven and cannot escape the circle I have drawn. From now on, this is probably all I can do. I will accept whatever fate has in store for me. I do not aspire to ascend to immortality, nor do I wish to be destroyed by Heaven in an inexplicable way. I will just accept whatever comes my way."

Is this a case of choosing to join forces when you can't win, and completely giving up?

Jiang Chen suddenly understood why, in the story, after the sect leader, whose intelligence had been reduced, gave her a favor, she didn't have much of a role. It turned out she was just a tool to be used and then left to fester.

"Don't be so discouraged. Who says the way of heaven can't be defied? If you're dissatisfied with the status quo, try to change it. Fate and destiny are never predetermined, and don't be so disheartened by the idea of ​​things remaining unchanged. Since being the Holy Maiden of the Hidden Gods Sect is meaningless, then quit!"

"Senior Brother Liu..." Leng Ruoyan blinked her big eyes and explained softly, "Being a Holy Maiden isn't something you can just do or not do as you please. It's a duty!"

She turned around and pointed to the Heavenly God Tower, "The annual blessing ceremony can only be conducted by the Holy Maiden using her cultivation techniques to distribute elixirs and divine liquids to the people. Before the next Holy Maiden is found, the previous one cannot simply abandon her duties."

A street stall selling freshly cooked, steaming hot wontons filled the air with their enticing aroma. Leng Ruoyan took a deep breath and felt quite satisfied.

Looking down, Liu Jiangchen suddenly had a few skewers of grilled meat in her hand. "Here, they're delicious, want to try some?"

Her face flushed slightly, and after taking it, she explained softly, "I... I'm not greedy for this food, it's just... where did you buy these kebabs? They smell so good!"

With plenty of time before dawn after midnight, the two of them simply found a lively stage and flew to the rooftop of the building opposite. They set out some hot and fragrant food, and sat facing each other, slowly sipping and drinking a pot of fruit wine.

"I have an idea, but I wonder if Miss Leng would be willing to cooperate?" After a few drinks, Jiang Chen looked at the blush rising on her face and said with a teasing smile, "The alchemist of the Free and Unfettered Sect has come to propose marriage in person. Is the Sect Master of the Hidden Divine Sect willing to let the Holy Maiden marry him?"

Leng Ruoyan: (?_?)ヾ

Proposing marriage?!

The rabbit jumped even more fiercely, as if its heart was about to leap out of its throat.

I've never considered forming a Daoist partnership before, but... if it were Liu Jiangchen... it doesn't seem so bad...

Originally intending to go with the flow and let fate decide, Leng Ruoyan vaguely sensed that she might be embarking on a different path in life that was not under her control.

Will the sect leader arrange her stepping down from the position of Holy Maiden, or will she negotiate it herself?

Her breathing quickened and even the tips of her ears turned red. She nodded shyly, almost without showing it. "I... I can try. I'm not sure if it will work. But we can't get married too early. I... I'm really only in my early twenties. It's too young for a cultivator."

The fluffy little dumpling had sneaked over at some point and happened to overhear her words. She let out a burp and teased, "Hey~ The protagonist doesn't mind that you're too young. If you don't submit to my host, you can just wait to be sent away as a favor by your sect leader and become a fish to be slaughtered by that bastard!"

"Of course we won't rush into marriage, Miss Leng, please rest assured." Jiang Chen then took out a few more dishes to supplement the meal, patiently explaining, "Firstly, this is an opportunity to take you to the Shattered Star Sea for sightseeing; secondly, it's a chance to get to know each other better over time. As for whether we will become Daoist partners in the future, that depends on whether our temperaments are compatible."

Hearing him say that, Leng Ruoyan, who was tense, breathed a slight sigh of relief.

The thought of going with Liu Jiangchen to see the vast world filled her with endless daydreams.

"As for the duties of the Holy Maiden, you will take on them until the next Holy Maiden is trained. If you are outside, it is no problem. It is just a matter of using a teleportation talisman. You can just come back and complete the blessing ceremony. There is no need to be bound to the sect and never leave the house."

He seemed even more tempted as he spoke. Leng Ruoyan pursed her lips, savoring the lingering aroma of meat, and nodded shyly, saying, "I am willing to go to the Shattered Star Sea with Senior Brother Liu. At that time... I can also contribute to resisting the strange forces!"

"You?" The little white cat peeked out and waved its paws. "You'd better think about how to do something for my great host. When it comes to eliminating monsters, you have to leave it to me, the Assassin Cat!"

After the two reached an agreement, Jiang Chen immediately sent an urgent message back to the Xiaoyao Sect.

Upon receiving the message that he had taken a liking to the Holy Maiden of the Hidden Gods Sect and wanted to propose marriage, Sect Master Yanxuzi, showing great respect, arrived in time in an even larger and more ostentatious immortal ship, taking the lead as an elder.

The Hermit Sect naturally did not object to this, since the Holy Maiden's position was not for life and could not prevent people from forming Daoist couples.

Moreover, the other party was the most promising alchemist; the Xiaoyao Sect also attached great importance to it, giving them both face and substance.

However, with an impending invasion and numerous dangers looming, the engagement ceremony was not held in a grand manner.

Aside from the elders and important figures from both sects, the other guests were all regular cultivators. Surprisingly, Leng Moran, the former leader of the demons, also came. After learning that the Holy Maiden also shared the surname Leng, he gave her an extra gift and, taking the opportunity, declared himself a member of her family, insisting that Liu Jiangchen offer him several more cups of wine.

After a few days of excitement, by the time Jiang Chen's immortal ship set sail, he had already openly abducted the icy beauty and saintess of the Hidden God Sect.

"Hehehe, the script team is going to start scratching their heads again!" The fluffy ball jumped up and down happily, chasing its big, fluffy tail as it asked, "Host, I've heard that the Shattered Star Sea is also known as the Endless Sea, and it's so big it's boundless! How do we know where Lin Xucheng will come from, meow?"

He shoved the updated script into his spatial storage, tossed the cat a bag of dried fish, and chuckled, "Have you forgotten the last mission? We've got several thousand pills here to help the protagonist win people over. If he wants those pills, he'll naturally expose his whereabouts."

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Hurry up and start your performance!

Fluffy dumpling: ヽ(=^?ω?^=)

understood!

"Meow~ Got it! The mission is our coordinates; the pills are the bait. We'll trap him like a turtle in a jar!"

Jiang Chen patted its fluffy round head and laughed, "How can you call it scheming? That's called 'chance encounter' with a wanted criminal. At that time, the main force of the Three Realms Guard will be stationed at the location of the strange attack and will be under unified command. We will lead people to arrest the wanted criminal who betrayed his master and ancestors. It is clearly a win-win situation of both external and internal strife."

"Hehehe~" The little white cat chuckled mischievously, licking its paws. "My host is truly the best!"

Unaware that he had been meticulously planned and executed, the wanted criminal Lin Xucheng was secretly pleased with himself.

Despite the hardships he had faced, he persevered with an indomitable spirit, calmed his mind, and diligently cultivated using the abundant spiritual energy here. Now, his injuries have been completely healed, and although he has not yet condensed his golden core, he has once again reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

"Hoo!" He exhaled a breath of stale air and opened his eyes to look around at the already depleted spiritual energy.

After the palace complex was taken down, only a large area of ​​barren land remained.

After losing its spiritual nourishment, the once lush and misty forest has turned yellow and dried up, gradually losing its vitality.

Everywhere one looked was devastated and lifeless. It would probably be long before the space was completely drained and unable to support the independent space it had created, causing it to collapse and create spatial cracks so that one could escape from this place.

Since there was no one else around, Lin Xucheng didn't need to hide anything and directly used his secret technique—the Whale Swallowing Technique. This was a superior spiritual energy absorption technique that he had obtained before ascending to the cultivation world.

It is matched with the Taotie Technique.

The only difference is that the Gluttonous Devouring Technique is used to directly devour cultivators and refine them into one's own cultivation as elixirs, while the Whale Devouring Technique is only for competing for spiritual power.

Lin Xucheng once used it as a final move in a hidden spiritual pool occupied by an ancient sect in the lower realm.

Taking advantage of the others' inattention, he secretly sneaked into the depths of the Spirit Pool and used the Devouring Technique to directly absorb all the spiritual veins in the deepest part of the Spirit Pool, instantly increasing his strength by two minor realms.

The pool water, which was originally milky white due to its abundant spiritual energy, was quickly drained and turned into ordinary, transparent water. It could no longer be the sect's secret treasure. The foolish and self-righteous sect thought it would slowly recover in a few years, as usual.

"Hmph! Without ability, even an easy opportunity will be snatched away. So, as cultivators seeking immortality, we must learn to fight and seize. Otherwise, those born with good resources and spiritual roots will ascend, not someone like me, born lowly and determined to rise up." Lin Xucheng recalled the scene of using the Whale Devouring Technique without any restraint last time, and his lips curled up slightly as he sneered at the sects in the lower realm.

At that time, the other so-called geniuses who also obtained the spot in the Spirit Pool not only did not gain any benefit, but were almost slapped in the face by Lin Xucheng!

He redeemed himself, forcibly taking away the opportunity from those who had spoken sarcastically, which was incredibly exhilarating.

However, after ascending to the cultivation world, there are powerful beings everywhere who are not to be trifled with and can easily kill him with a single move. Using such a self-serving technique will inevitably arouse jealousy and bring disaster.

Therefore, Lin Xucheng kept it hidden, only using it in the secret realm when no one was around, and dared not reveal it at other times.

The spiritual energy here is abundant and there are no other cultivators around, so there's no need to worry too much. Otherwise, if you used common cultivation methods and followed the breathing techniques step by step, it would take forever to absorb all the spiritual energy.

How could he possibly have cultivated back to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm so quickly?

"What a pity, even the richest spiritual energy here has its limits. If only I could successfully transcend the tribulation and advance to the Golden Core Realm..." He sighed as he thought of the silent palace artifact, closed his eyes and continued to circulate the Whale Devouring Technique to refine all the spiritual energy into his own as soon as possible.

Otherwise, it would be incredibly frustrating to have a powerful artifact but be unable to use it!

Time passed day by day.

For a cultivator's long lifespan, a few months pass in the blink of an eye, not even enough for a short period of secluded cultivation.

But for Leng Ruoyan, the time she spent leaving the Hidden God Sect with Liu Jiangchen was more interesting than the past twenty years!

For the first time, she saw the outside world with her own eyes; for the first time, she rode a huge immortal ship and traveled above the clouds; for the first time, she was freed from constraints and laughed and played with Liu Jiangchen by her side. The vague feeling of being controlled in her heart gradually faded, and it seemed that with the change of status after the engagement, even the laws of heaven no longer had much control over her.

Liu Jiangchen went to visit other sects, while she, accompanied by two protectors, strolled around and ate her way through the mortal city at the foot of the mountain.

After arriving at the Shattered Star Sea, he was busy preparing for the auction and the deployment of the Three Realms Guard. Leng Ruoyan occasionally lent a hand and went out from time to time to see the exotic scenery.