Sorry for the mistake, here is 2 in 1 chapter.
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When Yino stepped onto that spotlighted stage, he felt a bit nervous. After all, he had ended both Chen Jianxin and Gu Wanglan's lives, and now here he was, accepting an award. Talk about irony.
But before he left, Yuyan secretly held his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze.
Yino glanced back and saw her nod and smile lightly, as if giving him the courage he needed without even saying a word.
After that, Yino took a deep breath and stepped up to the podium, standing tall next to a middle-aged man with a sharp look and graying hair.
He recognized this old guy, of course.
Mu Daosheng, the leader of the Wuji Sect, the father of Mu Yanran, and Yuyan's master...
His identity was definitely something, but in the original game, he didn't have much screen time. Saying he was in charge was kind of a stretch. They say, "The leaders come and go, but the elders stay forever," and Daosheng was more like a figurehead. He couldn't control those experienced elders beneath him, and above him were the big-shot immortals keeping him in check.
So, in the story, Daosheng's presence was basically limited to showing up at events to represent the Wuji Sect, and that was pretty much it.
But if you ask Yino, there's one thing he admired about Daosheng: the guy somehow managed to stay alive and sane until the late game stages, without losing limbs or going crazy.
That might not sound impressive, but in the context of Fallen Immortals, it's not easy.
In the late stages of the game, characters like Yuyan, Yanran, and Jinyue either died or went crazy. The beautiful sisters that players would fall for at first sight all ended up a bit abstract mentally by the end.
In a way, surviving like Daosheng was a skill in itself.
"Yino."
"This morning, I heard about the investigation into the Mountain Temple and Snow Village."
"You did well. Although Chen Jianxin met an unfortunate end, you not only risked your life to uncover the truth about Gu Wanglan's fall, but you also heroically saved your Senior sister and fought alongside her to defeat Gu Wanglan..."
Daosheng spoke in a deep voice, his eyes briefly scanning the crowd behind to catch a glimpse of the woman in white.
Then, with a satisfied face, he patted Yino's shoulder.
"And, you know…"
"Last night, your Senior sister told me that since you joined the Wuji Sect, you've not only corrected your old bad habits, but you've also excelled at Ranmo Peak, living up to your Senior's expectations..."
"I'm very pleased!"
Daosheng delivered his praise like he was reading from a script.
But when he mentioned Yuyan, his hand on Yino's shoulder suddenly tightened.
"…"
Yino felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, like it was about to break under the old man's grip.
For a moment, Yino thought of Yuyan's secret hand squeeze before he went on stage. Maybe this old guy saw that little gesture and was now giving him a warning!
But isn't Daosheng Yanran's dad? Was he really meddling in other people's private lives?
Yino didn't dare show weakness. He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and stared right back at Daosheng's eyes, unflinching.
After a long silence, Daosheng finally let go, smiling and patting Yino's shoulder again, looking more and more pleased.
"Hehehe..."
"You know, there's no need for formalities. Your great-grandfather and I go way back. Back in the chaotic days, we even shared the same pair of underwear! Hahaha!"
He spoke with a touch of nostalgia, but Yino couldn't help but find it awkward.
This old guy, trying to get close for no reason...
If Yino wasn't a reborn soul, he might have taken Daosheng's words at face value and felt some sort of kinship with this stranger.
But knowing the original game plot, where Chen Jianxin killed him and Daosheng did nothing, even siding with Chen Jianxin, now that Chen Jianxin was dead, he was all buddy-buddy with Yino's family.
"Alright, I know you youngsters don't care about old men's stories."
"Yino, your performance in the sect during this time, I'll make sure to tell your clan every detail. I'm sure your uncles and aunt will be impressed!"
Seeing that Yino wasn't much of a talker, Daosheng didn't waste words, gave him another encouraging shoulder pat, and then turned around.
He pondered for a moment before his gaze landed on a woman in the back of the crowd, wearing the official uniform of the Great Dragon Dynasty, with black hair streaked with gold and gold-rimmed glasses.
"Qiuya, come and present the Immortal Alliance medal."
Daosheng said calmly, giving Yino another approving look before stepping aside.
Yino wasn't surprised. In the game, Daosheng would say a few token words and then step back.
But now, Yino was more interested in this Qiuya from the Immortal Alliance.
The Immortal Alliance was an official organization established by the Great Dragon Dynasty to unite the righteous cultivators.
Compared to the various sects with their own agendas, the Immortal Alliance had a clear unified official stance. Whether it was issuing tasks or rewarding merits, or even the uniforms of the high-ranking officials in each branch, everything screamed the dynasty's control.
In reality, the branches were tools for central oversight over local jurisdictions.
So, almost every sect, every major city had an Immortal Alliance branch to allow the central authority to directly govern and interfere with local matters, diluting the sects' control over their territories.
And now, the head of the branch in the Wuji Sect was this Qiuya that Daosheng just mentioned.
Shangguan Qiuya...
Last time around, I didn't get to see your defeat cutscene. This time, when I outrank you, you'll be in for it!
As the woman in gold-rimmed glasses stepped onto the stage, Yino couldn't help but feel a burning desire for revenge.
He really didn't like Qiuya.
Last Life, No Matter What Path Yino Took, He Got Tortured by Qiuya
Whether he chose the path of righteousness or evil, Yino knew he'd get a beating from this woman named Qiuya by the middle of the game.
If he was the righteous hero, Qiuya would suspect him of being in cahoots with the cult because of Jinyue's interference. She'd lock him up and interrogate him.
But if he was an evil character, it was even worse. Once Qiuya caught him, she'd throw him into a torture chamber, and he'd spend the rest of his life in a dungeon.
And the worst part? Even if the righteous hero got stronger later, he couldn't do anything about Qiuya because of her official status. Her casual sorry would brush off the fact that he was falsely accused.
I mean, you're the hero, can you really take revenge on an official?
And if you're the evil hero, the game doesn't even give you a defeat scene for female characters to let out your frustration!
Thinking about it, Yino was seething. Of all the characters, he wanted to get back at Qiuya second only to Jinyue, that despicable foxy girl.
And as Yino stared daggers at her, Qiuya stepped up to the stage, her gold-rimmed glasses framing eyes that studied him with a mix of arrogance and curiosity.
"He Yino."
"You uncovered Gu Wanglan's plot, and here's your medal from the Immortal Alliance."
She said it coldly, pulling out a medal from her pocket. Following the ceremony, she put her left hand over her right chest and bowed.
Then, standing on her toes, she fastened the intricate medal around Yino's neck.
Just as he was about to say something, Qiuya whispered in his ear as she attached the medal:
"Yino, when the ceremony is over, come with me for an investigation."
"Even though the sect leader has closed the case on the Mountain Temple incident, I have doubts. Based on the timeline and testimonies I've gathered, you're still a suspect."
She finished, securing the medal and clapping her hands before standing back in front of Yino, hands behind her back.
Despite her small stature, Qiuya stood tall, her red-tinted eyeshadow and squinting yellow dragon eyes giving off an intimidating aura.
Damn...
She's not letting me go even after I've been reborn?
Yino pretended to be surprised, but inside, he was cursing under his breath. It was like destiny was against him!
Back then, he tried everything to avoid Jinyue, but she still caught him when he dealt with Gu Wanglan and Chen Jianxin.
And now, Qiuya might just be his second fate!
"Miss Qiuya, you think I'm a suspect?"
Yino smiled after a moment of silence.
"Hmph..."
Shangguan Qiuya didn't reply as she was still studying him.
At the same time, she smiled faintly and started clapping.
This was all about appearances, so their exchange was mostly lip-reading, inaudible to the crowd of Wuji Sect disciples below.
As Qiuya raised her hands, the disciples below erupted in applause.
Bathed in the enthusiastic clapping, Yino didn't say more, turned to the audience, and bowed.
"Thank you to all the fellow cultivators who went to Snow Village for the investigation. It was our collective effort there that led us to the clues pointing to the Wuji Sect's back mountain, uncovering Gu Wanglan's conspiracy!"
Yino's short speech was mostly to give credit to the young disciples below.
His words sparked even louder applause, and the looks toward him grew more admiring.
No one expected to come back from Snow Village with a share of the glory.
"Brother Yino is righteous!"
"Brother Yino is righteous!"
"Brother Yino is righteous!"
One disciple started the chant, and others who had been part of the investigation joined in.
The atmosphere was great, and even those who didn't know Yino nodded in approval.
"..."
Amidst the cheers, Qiuya was silent, staring at Yino with an incredulous look.
But just as she was lost in thought, Yino turned and caught her off guard:
"Miss Qiuya, see..."
He gestured to the young disciples cheering for him.
A mischievous smile played at the corner of Yino's lips. "The public's eyes are sharper than someone I guess!"
Qiuya's proud face turned pale.
She bit her lip, looking at Yino with suspicion. Her years of experience investigating cults made her feel an unexpected sense of pressure.
If her suspicions were right, and Yino was indeed involved with the cult, then she had to admit, his smile today was one of the most memorable of any cultist she'd encountered.
"Honestly, you smile like a cultist."
Shangguan Qiuya said coldly, facing Yino's gaze, her left hand adjusting her black leather glove.
She bit her lip, her dragon eyes filled with disdain, pulling the glove up, stretching her fingers before letting go. The rubber made a sharp snapping sound at her wrist.
Without another word, Qiuya stepped down, leaving Yino with a cold judgmental stare.
"Yino, I hope you don't disgrace the Grand Tutor's Mansion."
"Meet me at the back mountain tonight. I'll be waiting at the Mountain Temple."
…
By evening, the Grand Tutor's Mansion was still bustling.
On the side of the hall, a stunning girl with blue hair, dressed in elegant clothes, sat gracefully in the VIP section.
Across from her sat a young girl with simple makeup, her cute face resting on her hands, her golden phoenix eyes almost spelling out her grievances.
"I told you, that marriage was canceled long ago!"
"Your Liu family came running to break it off the moment they heard Yino was a cultivation waste!"
"When we agreed to the annulment, your elders were relieved, thrilled even!"
Xinyao huffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
At the same time, the middle-aged man on stage cleared his throat. "Xinyao, that's enough."
"Uncle, is this old woman telling the truth?"
On the other side of the stage, Liu Ruoning's eyes widened in shock, as if her world was crumbling.
She thought of all the years she'd planned, looked at He Chensheng's silent expression, and her delicate face filled with despair:
"But my parents never told me about this in the past ten years!"
"I guess they assumed you wouldn't want our Yino either... But don't worry, Ruoning, your uncle understands."
He Chensheng sighed, taking a sip of tea.
He thought the drama was over, but then Ruoning's next words made him spit out his tea:
"Anyway, that doesn't mean I wouldn't marry him!"
Chensheng : "?_?"
Xinyao: ???