I’m the Protagonist of This Story

Yue Mu Gang stared at the pair of Master and disciple that were kissing right in front of the window as if there was nothing strange about it. Seeing them like that, he couldn't help but tense. Just what were they thinking?! This was the Jin He City! It was located right at the foot of the Jin Shan Sect! If anyone from the sect saw them …

In front of the inn, Nie Chang himself also tensed but after a moment, he relaxed again. Never mind. Su Yan's story had been planned like this anyway and the system had given him those dimensional tickets so he could go and explore his world a bit more before continuing his story. There shouldn't be anything wrong with continuing on the path Su Yan had set for his characters. Whatever happened on the way this story would have a happy end. There was no doubt about that.

And even if that wasn't the case, they were only visitors in this world. As soon as they had enough experience points, they could return to their own world and wouldn't have to come back here ever again. So whatever they did, it was just an experience they shared. Nothing more, nothing less.

With that thought in mind, he hugged Su Yan's waist and kissed him back.

Inside, Xue Chang Fu rubbed Yue Mu Gang's arm. "Heh! What's with you? Why are you staring off into space like this?"

The Elder turned to look at him, examining the face he had secretly glanced at so many times in the centuries he had spent in the Jin Shan Sect. "Do you think … I can be considered a righteous path cultivator by now?"

Xue Chang Fu raised his brows. "What?"

The Elder turned away again. "Never mind." It wasn't like he could trust Xue Chang Fu's opinion on this matter anyway. He had never bothered with his backstory. As soon as he fell in love, he had given him all of his heart, not caring about anything. Even when he found out that he wasn't of the righteous path he had only been confused for a short while before he wanted to continue with what was between them.

Yue Mu Gang picked up the teacup and lowered his gaze. Ah, back then he had been able to leave the demonic path for him and follow him back to the Jin Shan Sect but he hadn't dared to continue what had been between them. All these years he had held back because he had been afraid.

In the end, what had he been afraid of?

He glanced at the window where the couple he hadn't known about finally separated. Dou Fang Hai smiled brightly and Grandmaster Ziju's gaze was gentler than he could have ever imagined.

Yue Mu Gang smiled bitterly. He couldn't deny his envy. He wanted to be like them: Daring enough to follow his heart, regardless of what others might say, regardless of what the consequences could be. He just wanted to wrap the person he loved in his arms, pull him up against his chest and kiss him like that. Without regret, without doubt, without fear.

Xue Chang Fu sat next to him and watched his expression in a daze. Just what was going on? Why was Yue Mu Gang so different from usual? Don't tell him he was really angry because of what he had heard about the drug?

He carefully tugged at his sleeve. "Ah Gang, you wouldn't be angry, would you? Don't care about what Xiao Hai said before. I certainly wouldn't drug you."

Yue Mu Gang turned around. "You wouldn't?"

Xue Chang Fu straightened up. "Of course not! How could I do something like that? I'm not such a person!"

Yue Mu Gang looked away. "What a pity."

"Mn? What did you say?" Xue Chang Fu leaned closer but the person next to him pretended to be deaf. He could only purse his lips and pretend he hadn't asked anything in the first place.

Meanwhile, Nie Chang pulled Su Yan down the road, looking around the Jin He City. "So? What do you think? Did the system do a good job with your city?"

Su Yan looked around. The ground below their feet was paved with stone slabs, the houses around them were only one story high with lacquered wooden doors and plaques above or next to the entrance that told them something about the family living there. This was probably the standard city in a xianxia setting.

Su Yan nodded. "I think it's alright. I didn't spend too much time on the Jin Shan City, after all." In fact, he hadn't spent any time on the city at all. He had only mentioned a square where the Jin Shan Sect would hold the sect admission test and then skipped to where Ziju An met Dou Fang Hai's father. With only that bit to go with, the system couldn't have made anything better even if it wanted.

Speaking of which … Su Yan raised his arm and pursed his lips. "Do you think we made progress already?"

"Certainly." Nie Chang leaned over and also looked at the bracelet. Unfortunately, it wasn't as well-suited to displaying the system as the mirror and somehow, the system didn't seem like it wanted to make things easier for them. At the very least, it didn't open on its own. "Maybe we should find a spot where we can sit down without being bothered first. It wouldn't be good if somebody else sees it."

Su Yan snorted. "What do you think could happen? This is a cultivation world. People wouldn't know about systems."

Nie Chang chuckled in response. "Well, maybe there are other transmigrators around. If one of them sees it, he might want to take it for himself."

"Tch. As if they could! Even if there was another transmigrator, I'm obviously the protagonist of this story! Nobody can seize anything from me!"