After the Universally Hated One Kills Their Way to the Dao

Lin Qingwei is delicate and beautiful, and is famous at the Taiyi Sword Sect for being a dependent vine.

He only has an ordinary three-element spiritual root, but because of his beautiful face, he was raised under the care of Venerable Xuanhui from childhood. Venerable Xuanhui personally taught and brought him up, then formally married him as his cultivation partner as soon as he came of age.

Everyone asked why, and whether Venerable Xuanhui had been bewitched by him and fallen for him.

Lin Qingwei wanted to know why, too.

From the moment he was chosen, he was told he would be Xuanhui's one and only cultivation partner. Xuanhui tended to his every need and cherished him like a priceless treasure, never letting him suffer the slightest grievance.

His world contained only Xuanhui, and he loved Xuanhui with all his heart.

But Lin Qingwei knew that although Venerable Xuanhui truly loved him, that favoritism was mixed with calculation.

He was the tribulation of love in Venerable Xuanhui's path of ruthless cultivation, destined to be cut down.

Later, the sword tassel he had woven with his own hands hung from the sword that pierced his heart. The eyes that had once overflowed with love held nothing but coldness.

.

A century later, Venerable Xuanhui had become the foremost figure in the immortal path, while Lin Qingwei was a nameless corpse who had just clawed his way out of a mass grave after coming back to life.

He changed his name and started over, only to discover that without Xuanhui, he knew how to do nothing.

No one had ever taught him how to survive in the perilous world of cultivation, but fortunately, a wandering evil ghost stayed by his side.

The ghost was fierce, yet it respected and protected him, accompanying him as he stumbled forward through the cultivation world, shielding him from wind and rain without asking for anything in return.

Everything about the ghost's actions made it clear that he loved Lin Qingwei. Knowing he had nothing to offer in return, Lin Qingwei asked him, "Would you be willing to become my cultivation partner?"

He thought the ghost would be overjoyed, but instead the other man stared at him with an inscrutable, shadowy expression.

The ghost asked, "Qingwei, if you marry me, will you regret it?"

Lin Qingwei didn't understand, but he didn't regret it either. He married someone else.

It wasn't until Xuanhui absorbed the ghost and merged with him that Lin Qingwei learned there had never been any evil ghost. It had all been Xuanhui, wearing a false face and playing him like a puppet.

That seemingly unconditional love was no more than flowers in a mirror and the moon's reflection in water. He had never escaped Xuanhui's control.

Lin Qingwei turned and left without hesitation.

In this life, he would live only for himself.

.

Later, the sword immortal, once as lofty as a god, descended from his pedestal, nearly drowning in jealousy and regret.

Again and again, he asked Lin Qingwei, "He and I were originally one. Why could he have you, but I couldn't?"

Lin Qingwei simply smiled with relief. "No. You'll never measure up to him."

They may have once been one, but they were still different in the end.

Content warnings! Important!

1. This story is not suitable for readers with strong character preferences.

2. No redemption, no changing the love interest; an unconventional wife-pursuit-and-regret story.

3. No self-insert fantasies, character preference debates, or writing advice.

4. The characters' actions and thoughts do not represent the author's values. Please do not engage in personal attacks.

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Shen Xu was the most famous courtesan in the world-renowned Nanfeng Pavilion. The year he first appeared, at sixteen, the entire capital was thrown into an uproar.

He blossomed into a ravishing beauty, his skin as smooth and flawless as jade. Every frown and smile could steal a person's heart.

Everyone wanted a night with him. Only Shen Xu refused to accept that this was his fate.

He used every trick he knew to make the heir of the Marquis of Jingyang pay a fortune to buy his freedom, only to discover that the heir was no benevolent soul.

Shen Xu was no more than his kept male lover, summoned when wanted and dismissed at will. Worse, he was a pawn pushed forward to curry favor with the powerful and trade for benefits.

He often sang until his voice went hoarse and played the qin until all ten fingers bled.

Everyone treated him like a plaything, denying him every shred of dignity. His life was worse than a dog's.

There was only one exception.

When the heir sent Shen Xu to another man's bed, the Prince of Zhenbei, who had always treated him with cold indifference, suddenly appeared. Without a word, he took Shen Xu away by force and brought him to his estate.

The next day, the heir of the Marquis of Jingyang, his face full of resentment, delivered Shen Xu's contract of servitude to the Prince of Zhenbei.

From then on, he went from being the heir's kept lover to a canary kept in the Prince of Zhenbei's palm.

.

For Shen Xu, changing masters was merely a matter of going from a wolf's den into a tiger's lair.

He lived cautiously at the Prince of Zhenbei's estate, treating Li Shu with gentle deference and doing whatever he asked, trying his best to be the perfect, obedient canary.

The usually cold and taciturn Prince of Zhenbei was a pervert in private, with a possessiveness toward him that bordered on the pathological.

If Shen Xu merely exchanged polite greetings with someone else, or even looked at another person for a moment too long, Li Shu's eyes would redden with jealousy. He would lock him in a specially made golden cage, asking over and over whether Shen Xu was planning to seduce someone else and leave him.

Shen Xu didn't understand. He just thought the Prince of Zhenbei was seriously ill.

He placated Li Shu while quietly saving up a great deal of money, waiting for a chance to escape.

Then an imperial decree ordering Li Shu to lead a military expedition arrived at the prince's estate, and Shen Xu knew his chance had come.

On the day of departure, Shen Xu looked ready to burst into tears, acting utterly reluctant to see him go. He cried as if his heart were breaking.

Perhaps moved by Shen Xu's heartfelt display, Li Shu promised him, "When I return in triumph, I'll ask my imperial brother for permission to marry you."

Shen Xu: "..."

Shen Xu didn't believe a single word, but still acted overwhelmed with joy. The moment Li Shu left, he grabbed his money, stole his contract of servitude, and ran away.

#Whoever wants to serve these powerful lunatics can do it themselves!#

Content warning: The shou is not sexually inexperienced; he has slept with the heir. The gong is sexually inexperienced.

Theme: Break free of constraints and find your true self