2: Chapter 2 is surprisingly handsome

Ye Xiaoyao stood on the stage, feeling the gazes coming from all directions. His heart remained untroubled, and he even felt a slight urge to laugh.

He was originally a positive and upright young man from Blue Star, but unfortunately, heaven was jealous of heroic geniuses.

During a business negotiation involving a few "small goals," because the female client was too enthusiastic, he became overly excited and unfortunately died suddenly in a hotel bed at the moment of climax.

Then, he gloriously transmigrated.

His Soul drifted, and when he opened his eyes again, he had become the son of the Third Elder of the Seven Profound Sect, a Mortal Martial Forest School in the Qiongming Realm.

Relying on his adult mindset from his previous life and a bit of luck, he practiced Mortal martial arts to the Great Grandmaster Realm. He could kill a bull with a single punch and was considered a prominent figure locally.

Unfortunately, this was the world of immortal cultivation.

No matter how high one's martial arts, they still feared kitchen knives...

Ah, no, they feared Magic Treasures.

When he was fifteen, the Yin Yang Sect opened its doors to recruit Disciples. With the heroic sentiment of "my fate is determined by me, not by heaven," he went to test his Spiritual Roots.

The result? A triple-attribute Spiritual Root of Wood, Fire, and Earth.

Neither good nor bad, a mediocre Aptitude.

He barely managed to scramble into the position of an Outer Sect Disciple.

He thought he could awaken a super System and start a Long Aotian script, but reality was skeletal.

Coming from a Mortal Family, no matter how high his old man's martial arts were, he couldn't conjure up a single Low-Grade Spirit Stone.

The meager resources provided by the Sect were like trying to put out a burning cart of wood with a cup of water for someone with triple Spiritual Roots like him.

After three years of hard cultivation, his cultivation base remained stuck at the Qi Refining Third Layer, unable to cross the threshold into the Middle Stage.

He became famous among the Outer Sect Disciples as the "visual center with the bottom-tier cultivation."

At this moment, he stood in stark contrast to the two heavyweight contestants beside him.

Zhang Jiba was like a prehistoric Vicious Beast ready to tear down the arena at any moment. His muscles were bulging, and even his breathing carried the sound of an "I'm not to be messed with" airflow.

Lu Guan, on the other hand, was like a meticulously groomed male peacock in courtship. He fanned his folding fan lightly, his eyes constantly glancing toward Cao Sini, trying to dazzle her with his deep background and unique charm.

The middle-aged Presiding Elder's voice fell: "Cao Sini, now choose one of these three to be your dual cultivation dao companion!"

Cao Sini gave a graceful bow and said in a crisp voice, "Yes, Elder."

She raised her autumn-water-like eyes, scanning the three men opposite her. The corners of her lips curled slightly, carrying the natural sense of superiority and scrutiny that came from being born into a Mid-tier cultivation family.

After all, in every Mid-tier cultivation family, there was more than one Core Formation Stage Cultivator.

"I'm sure you all know who I am, so I won't introduce myself. Each of you, tell me your strengths and advantages in turn, and let this Fairy listen carefully."

The burly man Zhang Jiba took a step forward, and the ground seemed to vibrate slightly.

He slapped his chest with a hand as large as a cattail leaf fan, his voice booming like a bell: "Fairy Cao, hello! My name is Zhang Jiba, and I live up to my name! My strength is my name! I'm not only extra long, but also domineering!"

"If you become my dual cultivation dao companion, I guarantee no one will dare to bully you! I will treat you well and ensure your life is moist... um, very moist!"

He tried hard to squeeze out a kind smile, but unfortunately, his facial features combined to look more like a threat.

Many Disciples below the stage shrunk their necks, as if they could already foresee Fairy Cao's future being clearly arranged by his domineering strength and moist life.

The smile on Cao Sini's face remained unchanged, but a hard-to-detect trace of speechlessness flickered in the depths of her eyes.

She nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Next one."

Finally, it was his turn. Lu Guan snapped his folding fan shut with a "shua," took a step forward in what he considered a suave manner, cleared his throat to aim for a magnetic voice, and smiled slightly. "Fairy Cao, I have long admired your beauty. I am Lu Guan. We met once outside the Scripture Pavilion before; I wonder if the Fairy still remembers?"

He tried to evoke some beautiful shared memories.

Er—

In truth, it was just his one-sided belief.

Cao Sini's dark eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly as she said in a flat tone, "Don't talk about useless things. Tell me something practical."

Having his warm face met with a cold butt, a flash of embarrassment crossed Lu Guan's face, but it was quickly replaced by even stronger confidence.

He straightened his back and raised his voice, carrying a sense of solemnity as if announcing major news.

"Fairy Cao, I know you are of noble birth, a favored daughter of a cultivation Family, and I, Lu Guan, am definitely worthy of you! Because—"

"I have a relative who is an Elder of this Sect's Inner Sect!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably, and he tilted his head slightly. That arrogant posture of a second-generation immortal made it seem as if he had already won the competition.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, a glint of interest flashed in Cao Sini's beautiful eyes. She smiled sweetly, like a spring flower blooming, and asked, "Oh? I wonder what exactly is your relationship with that Elder you mentioned, Senior Brother Lu? Is it convenient to disclose?"

Her suddenly enthusiastic manner made Lu Guan's heart blossom with joy.

It's in the bag!!!

Winning over Fairy Cao is a sure thing!

Lu Guan was ecstatic, as if he could already see Cao Sini reaching out her delicate hand to him.

He took a deep breath, used all the power in his Dantian, and spoke in a loud, clear voice, ensuring every corner of the square could hear clearly.

"That Elder is my cousin's brother-in-law's nephew's male cousin's grandfather!"

"How about it, Fairy Cao? This connection of mine is solid enough, right?"

He had a smug look of "hurry up and worship me" on his face, waiting for the expected gasps of amazement and Fairy Cao's favor.

However...

"Pfft—"

First came an undisguised snicker from Cao Sini.

Immediately after, there was a moment of dead silence below the stage, followed by an eruption of mountain-shaking laughter!

"Hahahaha! Cousin's brother-in-law's nephew's male cousin's grandfather? What kind of relative is that?"

"Going in such a huge circle, I thought it was his biological father!"

"This is killing me! This connection is about as solid as a spider's silk; it'll break with one puff of wind!"

The short, wretched-looking male Cultivator who had been tapped by Lu Guan's fan earlier was now jumping up and down in mockery: "Exactly! To think we were so respectful to him before! We thought he was some incredible second-generation immortal, but it turns out he's just someone pulling a tiger's skin to use as a banner!"

On the stage, the smugness on Lu Guan's face instantly froze, turning into the color of a pig's liver. He roared angrily at the crowd below, "What are you laughing at! Do any of you have a relative who is an Elder? Do you?!"

"Answer me!"

"Silence!"

The Presiding Elder gave a low shout imbued with pressure, interrupting the farce.

"Cease your bickering! Ye Xiaoyao, it's your turn to introduce yourself."

Ye Xiaoyao stood to the side, his shoulders shaking slightly.

He had almost suffered internal injuries from holding back his laughter.

The way Lu Guan spun that web of relations was more ridiculous than the melodramatic Family dramas he had watched in his previous life.

If the occasion hadn't been so inappropriate, he would have definitely been rolling on the floor laughing, letting out a standard "ga-ga-ga" goose-like cackle.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his laughter, and stepped forward.

In an instant, everyone's gaze, including that of Cao Sini, who had just experienced a relationship network scam, focused on him.

Unlike Zhang Jiba's domineering physique and Lu Guan's background halo, the feeling Ye Xiaoyao gave off standing there was very clean.

The feeling Ye Xiaoyao gave off standing there was very clean.

Very... good-looking.

Meeting Cao Sini's scrutinizing and slightly curious gaze, he spoke frankly, his voice clear and calm:

"My name is Ye Xiaoyao. My Spiritual Root Aptitude is mediocre, my cultivation is at the Qi Refining Third Layer, and I have no background whatsoever. I am just an ordinary Outer Sect Disciple."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the faces below—some disdainful, some sympathetic, some simply watching the show—before returning to Cao Sini's face. A slightly self-deprecating yet incredibly honest curve tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"If I absolutely had to name my only strength or advantage..."

He raised his hand, his fingertip lightly tapping his cheek. The movement was natural, without the slightest hint of bashfulness.

"It would be this face of mine."

Indeed, Ye Xiaoyao's looks could truly be compared to Pan An. He had sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, a high bridge to his nose, and beautifully shaped lips.

Combined, they formed a handsome face capable of making female Cultivators' hearts skip a beat and male Cultivators secretly grit their teeth.

One word.

Stunningly handsome!

That kind of refreshing and clean handsomeness, without a hint of effeminacy, was like a breath of fresh air in this world of cultivation.

The small group of appearance-obsessed female Cultivators below the stage finally couldn't help but let out suppressed, low gasps of surprise.

And on the stage, Cao Sini looked at the handsome youth before her, who was so honest he was almost nonchalant.

Within those beautiful eyes of hers, the light of interest seemed to grow even stronger.