Ashes in the Cold

Synopsis: The world is complicated, and anyone could be the protagonist of a story. From the jianghu to the world of cultivation, and finally to finding a place to settle, the journey may be difficult, but it's also fun. He has close friends who will gladly help him in times of danger, but the final stretch is a road he must walk alone. He thought he had traveled alone the whole way, but only when he looked back did he realize "Little guy," Chu Jinhan said, looking at the handsome young man with his sharp, aloof bearing. "This isn't the kind of place where a lofty, unworldly beauty like you should linger." "...You're here." Notes: 1. The protagonist is the gong in a strong-strong pairing, with Shen Yan as his partner. The shou pursues the gong and indulges him. The protagonist is not universally adored, and the gong only makes the shou swoon. 2. Though this is a cultivation story, the protagonist spends a relatively long time in the secular world, and he is a demonic cultivator. 3. Various people with protagonist-like setups will appear, but they don't all exist to serve the protagonist; they each have their own stories. 4. An upgrade-focused, plot-driven story. The romance comes much later. Volume One: Wandering the Jianghu with Wine, Down on His Luck. Wuxia arc in progress. Volume Two: The Heart's Likes and Dislikes Are Fickle Volume Three: Yet He Points His Cold Blade at the Azure Heavens Volume Four: From Jieshi to Xiaoxiang, the Road Stretches Without End