Speculation and a script?
Although Lü Yuan had insisted on not lending Lin Qi a single cent-
That didn't mean he had given nothing to maintain their friendship.
If he didn't give her something to look forward to, how could he exploit her more effectively later?
Besides the fourth-grade talisman arts he had won from Wang Yan in a bet, Lü Yuan had also pitched in to help her get an account off the ground.
Of course, since they were relying entirely on Lü Yuan's popularity, they split the proceeds ninety-ten.
That was how Lin Qi was earning Spirit Stone Vouchers now.
And to build up the account and land ads, she had stopped at nothing-
Making videos, hyping their CP, riding on Lü Yuan's popularity, telling stories about their days in kindergarten—if it could boost their popularity, she would do whatever it took.
The account now belonged to both of them, and under this series of maneuvers,
It had gained a million followers on the local Lower City network in the short time since they awakened.
Most of them were people who had yet to awaken.
After all, a top-tier Pseudo Spirit Root like Lü Yuan, the kind that might not appear in any of the Lower Cities for years, was the most popular among people like them.
To put it bluntly, they weren't even qualified to work overtime, and life was already so bitter. Couldn't they at least watch videos and indulge in a little fantasy?
Especially since Lü Yuan and Lin Qi were already eight, the legal age.
When they couldn't work overtime and could only while away the hours scrolling through videos, how pleasant was it to watch an episode of a young genius couple's daily life every day...
As a result, the account's following was still growing rapidly.
And even with their ninety-ten split, Lin Qi had earned quite a lot from it-
But there was something Lü Yuan didn't understand. She couldn't even bear to buy clothes, so where had all her money gone?
Had she bought medicine?
Yet he hadn't seen her break through the Embryonic Breathing First Layer...
Oh, it seems not everyone possesses peerless talent like me.
Alas, with no rival to face, it truly is cold at the top, lonely as snow.
As Lü Yuan cooked, he instinctively indulged in disdain and narcissism.
But when he turned back, he saw Lin Qi, still filming. She noticed him looking at her and smiled at him.
Only then did he realize he shouldn't discriminate against her like that.
Although this hundred-year-old crone is always putting on the airs of a virgin, she's my lackey now, at least-
Besides, after Wang Yan went to the Third Technical Primary School because of his talent, she's the only one left at the same school as me.
Discriminating against her like this won't make it easy for me to exploit and PUA her later.
At that thought, Lü Yuan's gaze softened a little, while a chill ran down Lin Qi's back-
She seemed to have a bad feeling.
And in this day-after-day routine, as bland as water, another day slowly drew to a close.
The day school started was fast approaching.
After watching Lin Qi's retreating figure as she left, Lü Yuan should have been relaxing at dusk and practicing talisman arts as usual.
But a call from Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan made him raise an eyebrow.
Five minutes later, in the consciousness space, Punk Lü Yuan's expression darkened after hearing Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's account.
His jealousy had practically undergone plasmolysis-
"You're saying you followed the Immortal Book's instructions and eventually got a lawful good Golden Core True Lord to show up.
"And not only was he friendly, generous, and uninhibited, he could also be bought off with a few pounds of cheap fake liquor?
"Most importantly, according to him, he's also one of the candidates suspected of being your biological dad.
"And if nothing's wrong, your biological mom is a Golden Core too?
"And right now, your suspected biological dad treats you very well, for reasons entirely unrelated to your being chosen by an immortal-
"He didn't press you about the Immortal Book's existence or what exactly you obtained either, and just mistakenly assumed you'd been enlightened by the foremost immortal of the age?
"You also took the opportunity to learn about the Dao lineage over there, and now all you lack is a general understanding of the cultivation world.
"Is that right?"
After that string of long and short sentences, Punk Lü Yuan nearly spat out a pent-up mouthful of blood.
Worried that he might die of jealousy on the spot, Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan hurriedly patted his back to help him catch his breath.
"You made all those experiences up-" Once Punk Lü Yuan recovered, he declared with certainty, as though he cared only about claiming a psychological victory:
"There's absolutely no way that could happen!"
"There's every possibility it could," Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan said softly to comfort him. Seeing his expression turn even worse, he hurriedly changed the subject.
"None of that really matters. We can set it aside. You should understand that the most important thing now is to determine whether my world really is a xianxia version of the late Warring States period.
"After all, all these names showing up together is definitely no coincidence."
The bigger picture comes first, the bigger picture comes first. I'm not angry. The two of us are one; what's his is mine. What do I have to be angry about?
Kuso, even comforting myself like that, I'm still so jealous.
Punk Lü Yuan was about to grind his teeth to pieces.
He would wager that if Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan had a system, it was definitely one from Feilu's heyday.
Even if he started with a classic drop of Pangu's Essence Blood, Punk Lü Yuan wouldn't be surprised now.
He was the very template of Long Aotian...
And to think he had thought things were already going smoothly enough for him—but forget it, forget it. The faster Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan got started, the more help he could offer him.
With that thought, Punk Lü Yuan finally calmed himself and began seriously considering the situation on Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's side.
But he hardly had to think before reaching a conclusion:
"There's no need to think about it at all. The world you transmigrated to definitely isn't, and couldn't possibly be, a wildly altered xianxia version of history!
"That's right. Liu Bang, Lü Zhi, and King Zheng of Qin, whom you asked about—it couldn't be more of a coincidence. They're almost exactly the same as the figures from the late Warring States period-
"But!"
Punk Lü Yuan met Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan's eyes and shifted course emphatically:
"That only shows that the era you're in is playing out a xianxia version of the late Warring States script. It doesn't mean your world is a wildly altered xianxia version of history."
Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan more or less understood him. "You mean..."
Punk Lü Yuan immediately picked up where he left off. "That's exactly what I mean-
"You've got to be kidding. There are neither legends of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors nor the historical foundations of the Shang, Zhou, and Spring and Autumn periods. You could say that aside from the figures of the late Warring States period, nothing matches the history we know...
"Yet once it gets to the late Warring States period, it copies that stretch of history outright. Just how third-rate would a screenwriter have to be to come up with a script like that?
"Remember the Visionary's advancement ritual?"
Punk Lü Yuan first gave an easy-to-understand example, then said with conviction, "Although the circumstances may be different, the principle is the same.
"This situation definitely came about because someone pushed it along.
"Otherwise, if coincidence can go that far, I'll slit my own throat and meet my maker right now!"
Ancient Cultivator Lü Yuan rested his right hand against the side of his face, looking thoughtful. "So you strongly suspect I might not be the only transmigrator here?
"Someone from our world came here before me, and everything happening now is a script he shaped to achieve his goal?"