Bound by Fate to Seven Powerful Men

[Comments are now open, with no restrictions. Come join the fun! OVO!] Chapter 20: VIP Jiang Xuelin lived to the age of eighteen before remembering that he had died and been transported into this ensemble-cast, male-led cultivation novel about rising through the ranks. The book described him in only a few brief lines. He was the frail, short-lived fiancée of a powerful figure whom the protagonist spent his whole life looking up to. He lived only in other people’s stories from beginning to end. “Short-lived” meant that he died in his hundred-something years, in an era when people lived for a thousand years on average. Jiang Xuelin, who had only lived to twenty in his previous life: “…? You’re calling that short-lived?” More importantly, in the original story, he was supposed to have a fated bond of life and death with only one person: his childhood friend and senior brother, who had grown up alongside him. So why were there now red threads stretching from his hand in seven different directions!? - The instant the red threads connected, the head of the immortal sect abruptly tightened his grip on his chess piece, and the thread trembled with it. The spirit of an ancient divine sword, long dormant, awoke to the scorching heat around its wrist and flew into a rage. A Buddhist disciple reciting sutras lowered his eyes and stared distractedly at the red thread on his hand amid solemn chants. The young lord of the demon realm, the emperor of the mortal world, the youthful Demon Venerable… Several figures destined to shake the world all glimpsed a prophecy about the future at almost the same time: They, who had never been touched by worldly passions, would fall for a sickly young man and make an exception for him, even willingly sacrificing their cultivation. They were pensive or furious, but all wanted to find the person who had bound their fates without their consent. And kill him at once. But their murderous intent did not last long. They soon discovered that they seemed able to sense someone’s circumstances through the thread. A kiss brimming with passion, a rich, sweet fragrance, and honeyed words that seemed dipped in syrup gradually made their expressions grow strange. In the end, they found themselves wanting to take someone else’s place. Why couldn’t I be the one standing before him? - There was only one thing Pei Xingchui regretted in his life. It was seeking out a supposedly life-prolonging magical artifact for his frail junior brother, his Xuelin, his destined wife. And then bringing a pack of wicked spirits after his wife. PS: All the love interests who make it into the running are devoted and have no other partners. They aren’t fragments of one person, and there are multiple endings. Feel free to read or move on, but please don’t invent reasons to issue warnings. The cover is a commissioned illustration of the protagonist Xuelin. You can view the full-size version on Weibo. This is lighthearted harem-rivalry fluff, exactly the kind of story the author likes. orz PPS: Let’s keep the discussion friendly, and please don’t post anything controversial. ww Written 2024.8.6, revised 2025.11.24 Next up: Back to My Husband’s Youth, 1v2 Blurb: Xue Hegui and his cultivation partner had lived in perfect harmony for hundreds of years, an immortal couple admired by everyone in the cultivation world. But during his partner’s tribulation, Xue Hegui was caught in the lightning and, when he opened his eyes, found himself back a thousand years in the past. Spoiled by his partner, Xue Hegui could barely manage even his own daily routine. On instinct, he went looking for the young husband he had yet to meet. He thought he would find his handsome young husband, a jade-like youth who had yet to ascend to immortality. But why? Why did the Demon Venerable seated high above all the demons in his palace look exactly like his refined and dignified Sword Venerable husband? The young Demon Venerable was arrogant and domineering, with wicked energy radiating from him. He was nothing like the gentle immortal lord in Xue Hegui’s memories. And yet he would still hold a brush to do Xue Hegui’s eyebrows, prepare clean, neat clothes for him, and occasionally cook for him. Whenever he brought over a bowl of hot soup, even the violence around him would melt away. Xue Hegui thought, My husband is wonderful in every way. He must have had a good reason for becoming a demon. - Xie Xuechen, the Sword Venerable, had once been a demon who crawled out of the Pit of Ten Thousand Demons. His hands were stained with the blood and tears of countless members of his own kind. He was cruel and emotionally detached. But to win the aloof beauty he fell for at first sight, he pretended to be a gentleman for hundreds of years. After finally winning his beloved, he raised the cold and distant immortal lord into a delicate flower dependent on him. Who could have imagined that an unavoidable heavenly tribulation would leave him unharmed, yet carry the partner he cherished most back a thousand years? A thousand years ago, he was greedy, underhanded, and glib. He had already caught sight of Xue Hegui amid the wind and frost, and fallen head over heels. If the two of them met, Xue Hegui would surely be deceived into entering the demon’s lair, where the Demon Venerable would keep him thoroughly fed and satisfied day after day. His worries were not unfounded. When he traveled to the past, he saw his cool, otherworldly partner sitting beside his younger self, familiar and vulgar marks left on his body. The sight made him sick with jealousy. His younger self wore a defiant smile and silently mouthed down at him: “You old thing, die.” The older man laughed with twisted, cold-blooded amusement. It seemed they had reached the same understanding as their past selves. They absolutely had to make sure the other version of themselves died. 1v2 Cool beauty bottom x passionate, loyal puppy top / older, nurturing top Theme: Give sincerity, and receive sincerity in return.