Mistaken for the Protagonist by the Entire Cultivation World

[For readers with OCD: Every chapter is over 3,000 characters. If the word count is off, the chapter is incomplete and will be supplemented and revised later.][If there are any formatting issues, they will be fixed, along with typos and some wording.]

Five years after Miu Qian bound himself to a System, he finally reached an important plot point.

Ever since he transmigrated into a face-slapping side character in an anti-cliché novel, he had rehearsed this moment countless times. To perform the classic scene of "the once-proud genius falling from grace and being publicly dumped by his fiancee" convincingly, he had the System find clips from all kinds of works for him to practice with.

But instead of laughing at him, everyone present treated him with the utmost respect, as if they were looking at some incredible big shot.

How strange. This character really was supposed to leave the story after this face-slapping scene. And the one getting slapped in the face wasn't someone else, but him, the one whose engagement was being broken off.

Only then did the System tell him that this world was already practically full of transmigrators and awakened people, but Miu Qian was the only one who knew the original story from beginning to end.

"So they think I'm the protagonist of one of those 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west' engagement-breaking novels?" Miu Qian hadn't expected that after they transmigrated into an anti-cliché novel, they'd assume the plot was full of cliches.

From then on, everyone seemed to think Miu Qian was the real protagonist of this world: an overpowered hero who pretended to be weak while secretly growing stronger. They even developed an enterprise-grade understanding of his seemingly carefree habit of eating, drinking, and having fun.

What they didn't know was that while they used their limited mind-reading golden fingers to read Miu Qian's thoughts and "spy on the world's essence and what was to come," it was actually their own thoughts that were being laid bare before him.

Although both were mind-reading abilities, there was a world of difference between an ordinary golden finger and one specially provided by the System.

And so Miu Qian and the System watched, amused, as the people around them went off on their own tangents.

The love interest's perspective:

Jie Me Mang had noticed that something was off about the cultivation world lately. How had a young man who couldn't advance past the Qi Refining stage become the object of flattery from so many great sects?

No way. He had to go take a look, or he might end up being outdone.

Jie Me Mang had been a fiercely competitive overachiever since childhood. With the intention of "scouting the competition," he took his original form as a demon beast and approached Miu Qian.

The "overpowered hero" looked at the giant, fluffy long-haired dog and wore a puzzled expression.

And Jie Me Mang learned the secret that could make the entire cultivation world "explode": the System.

However, he had no idea how shocking the System's existence was. He was a native who couldn't keep up with the times: he hadn't awakened, nor had he been transmigrated into this world.

Jie Me Mang, times have changed.

Still, under his threats and inducements, the System set aside its professional ethics and tearfully bound itself to a second Host.

"Overpowered hero," huh? He'd show the whole world that he, Jie Me Mang, would be the first to ascend in this lifetime!

Reader's guide:

1. The universally acknowledged "overpowered hero," Miu Qian, is less childish than his partner.

2. Jie Me Mang isn't the original novel's protagonist, just a powerful antagonist with a small role.

3. The commonly available mind-reading ability can only read the content selected by the System.

4. This is not a marriage-first, love-later story, but they do get engaged before falling in love.

5. More to be added if I think of anything...

Visit the author's page for:

Completed no-romance male-lead novel: "Being a Socially Anxious Shut-In, I Was Happy Even When Sealed Away"

Qian Xiao was the only evil god in all of creation, so being sealed away was nothing unusual for him.

If he was sealed away, he might as well lie flat. He didn't want to see those people outside anyway, and he was perfectly happy lounging around inside the formation.

But his followers' wishes still needed to be taken care of. Before long, he received another extremely devout summons.

Sigh, fine. I'll stay home again after I finish this job!

Completed no-romance male-lead novel: "Being an NPC Is Fine Too"

Ye Xing never expected that someone who barely played games would apply for a job at a game company after graduation. Even more surprising, he ended up becoming a live-action NPC in a game.

His degree had nothing to do with games, and the company provided no training, not even a ready-made script.

With no other choice, Ye Xing had to play multiple roles in the game.

The problem was that his awkward acting was hard to improve.

I found an interesting NPC in a game [Hot post]

What he didn't expect was that his efforts to play each role would make the entire game a hit.

First NPC: An Omega who had their gland removed (a member of an Omega equality group and a receptionist at an unlicensed medical clinic).

Though he was supposed to be a clinic receptionist, he was forced to become a "life mentor" offering emotional counseling to young Omegas. Ye Xing was a fresh graduate, yet he had to counsel a young Omega who had chosen to mutilate their own body by having their gland removed under pressure to get married. It wasn't easy. Since they'd already started calling him "Teacher," he supposed he had no choice but to make a house call.

Second NPC: A priest who adopted a little vampire (he found a badly injured child and raised him, only to discover that the boy had become the head of the vampire clan).

The priest secretly raising a little vampire in the church had a pitiful time of it. The boy was targeted by vampire hunters, wanted by the Order of Holy Knights, and driven out by his own clan over an inheritance dispute. Ye Xing had no choice but to train him to fly. If he couldn't win a fight, he at least needed to know how to escape. Ye Xing never expected the boy to inherit the title and become the head of the vampire clan.

Third NPC: An old-school Chinese doctor researching a cure for zombies (he comes to help after a problem with the lab's medication; there's no time to lose in dealing with the zombie outbreak).

How did a promising young scientific genius end up with an assistant who did nothing but cause trouble? An experiment on a medicine intended to cure people had produced the hardest virus to treat. Ye Xing slung his medicine chest over his back and went from street to street. Even when zombies came, he didn't panic. Treatment came first, and in his eyes, no illness was incurable.

More details to be discovered...

No-romance male-lead isekai business novel: "Before You Enter the Dungeon, Is There Anything Else You'd Like to Bring?"

Every day, adventuring parties head into the dungeon. Some return with a rich haul, while others perish within.

Whatever the outcome, before entering the dungeon, every party packs its supplies with confidence.

The supplies for the journey, the weapons and equipment for fighting monsters, and even the magic they use don't just fall from the sky.

So, before you head into the dungeon, are you sure you don't want to pick up anything else from the little shop at the entrance?

Ah, today's adventure is over. You can also sell the spoils you brought back.

Mm-hmm, all the adventurers have gone home... You ask if the shop is closing?

Of course not. The monsters are just coming up to restock and repair the floor tiles and treasure chests.

Theme: Don't live according to other people's expectations. Find your own path.