During the reincarnation process, retired underworld officer Shi Changxi ran into a mishap and ended up inside a cultivation novel. He became the male lead's useless, sickly senior brother, who had nothing going for him but his looks. He pined for his cannon-fodder fiancé, did foolish things until he became a laughingstock of the immortal realm, and had no idea he was merely a disposable stand-in. Then, trying to cure his chronic illness, he coveted his junior brother's innate spiritual bones and persecuted the male lead, Xie Mian, in every way, ultimately meeting a gruesome end: his face was flayed from his skull, and he died a terrible death.
Shi Changxi opened his eyes just as he received his fiancé's letter breaking off their engagement: “My cultivation partner can't be a good-for-nothing who can't even break through Qi Refining. The engagement is over.”
Shi Changxi: “Is cultivating not satisfying enough, or is making money not fun? Get married? What's that, can you eat it?”
His former fiancé was shocked to discover that the useless Shi seemed to have become a completely different person overnight. He vanquished evil spirits, subdued vengeful ghosts, and repelled foreign enemies. His astonishing brilliance shone through his frail, broken body, and he was thriving. Along the way, he even picked up a beauty from the demon race. No, not a beauty, his junior brother.
His cannon-fodder ex-fiancé: “For the sake of our childhood friendship, can you give me another chance?”
Xie Mian, whom he picked up from the demon race: “I don't think so.”
Later, people discovered that Shi Changxi really was a good-for-nothing who couldn't even break through Qi Refining, yet this useless man could tear Nascent Soul masters apart with his bare hands and trample Transcendence experts underfoot.
Later still, young Xie Mian asked, puzzled: “Senior Brother, you often say that we shouldn't demand too much from life, that all we need is a couple of simple dishes and a pot of hot wine, and that watching the great figures take turns playing their parts is entertainment enough. So why are you so determined to flaunt your brilliance?”
Shi Changxi: “Junior Brother, do you know what you have to do first if you want to enjoy wine and watch the show in peace?”
Xie Mian: “Warm the wine?”
A long, slender finger gently poked his forehead. The useless man famous throughout the immortal realm smiled. “Of course... first, become the strongest under heaven.”
Cold, restrained, and unhinged seme × sickly beauty uke who sets everyone straight
Theme: Protect the weak and break through prejudice.
