Yes—he kissed her. Right on the forehead.
It was a simple gesture, gentle and warm, but for someone like Yuuki—someone who had lived his entire previous life on the battlefield—it meant far more.
In his old world, he had always been strict with himself. Always guarded. Girls had admired him, some even openly pursued him, but the wall around his heart and the trauma he carried made it impossible for him to let anyone close. He was charming, yes—but he kept a respectful distance from everyone. Even Athena had to practically beat it into him before he finally realized her feelings.
Maybe… just maybe… in this world, he could loosen up a bit. Let people in. Allow bonds to form naturally. That didn't mean he would cross boundaries or behave inappropriately—the System itself would probably smack him into a wall if he tried. But affection? Comfort? Relationships built on trust instead of blood and war?
That much he could allow.
And besides…
Athena was here somewhere.
The System had told him it could take years—even decades—before he'd find her again. She was in this realm, but their reincarnation points were far apart. That thought alone brought a bittersweet tug to his chest.
He exhaled gently.
"Sorry, Athena…" he murmured inwardly. "I might take a few wives before we meet again."
Across from him… Xiao Lingxi froze.
Her eyes widened, her lips parted... but no words came out. The Yun Che she knew used to latch onto her constantly. The old Yun Che would take advantage of any moment to steal a kiss—on her cheeks, her lips, her forehead… anywhere he could reach.
But this time… he didn't take advantage.
He gave her a kiss that was gentle, respectful, and strangely… sincere.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Yun Che beat her to it.
"I know what you're about to say," he said calmly, his voice carrying a maturity that made her chest tighten. "You're thinking, 'You kissed me… so now you must marry me,' right?"
The way he said it—calm, teasing, completely in control—shocked her. No goofy grin. No flustered expression. Just a subtle curve of confidence on his lips.
Her heart thumped. Hard.
Yun Che continued with a smirk that was both playful and grounding. "Some other time then… but I won't deny your advances. Or your feelings."
Xiao Lingxi's breath caught in her throat.
How did he know?
Why did he sound so mature?
And… since when did he tease her?
Her cheeks flared red as she stared at him, completely caught off guard by this new Yun Che—one who was calm, composed, mysterious… and yet warmer than ever.
And the truth slipped into Xiao Lingxi's heart with terrifying ease… but she didn't dare to confirm it. Something about her Little Che felt different—too different—but her heart refused to accept or reject it.
"Little Che… you meanie… baddie… pervert… rapist—"
"That last one is unnecessary!" Yun Che sweatdropped, staring at her flatly. "Do I look like a rapist to you?"
Xiao Lingxi covered her mouth, breaking into giggles. The familiar teasing made her chest loosen just a bit. Even if he felt different… this part of him was still the same.
"Young Master, let's go," Xiao Hong called from outside the room again.
Yun Che exhaled slowly.
Alright then. Time to give this city a show they'll never forget.
A smirk curled on his lips. Plans—beautiful, face-slapping plans—were already forming in his head.
Before leaving, he glanced at his Little Aunt, who was still pouting, her cheeks red from the forehead kiss. He remembered the promise he made to her—the one tucked away in her heart.
So he leaned close and whispered something only she could hear.
Her eyes widened before a shy, glowing smile spread across her face.
With that resolved, Yun Che strode out of the room and headed toward the main hall. Every step was steady, deliberate, carrying the confidence of someone who had survived war, death, and reincarnation.
But the moment he entered the hall—
His gaze sharpened. His killing intent surged.
Standing there were Xiao Yulong and Xiao Yang—the very bastards who murdered the original Yun Che.
Xiao Yulong stepped forward with a practiced smile. "Xiao Che… I heard you woke up. It seems you've recovered nicely."
Xiao Yang added mockingly, "Since you're soon to be married, it's not nice to keep the bride waiting."
Yun Che walked right past them.
No bowing. No fear. No weakness.
Just a cold, passing remark:
"I guess your little plan didn't work, huh?"
Both men froze.
To them, Yun Che should have been grateful—oblivious—still clueless about their attempt on his life. The original boy admired Xiao Yulong despite being betrayed by him.
But this Yun Che?
His voice carried truth.
His stance radiated danger.
And his eyes said he knew everything.
Xiao Yulong's smile twitched. "Xiao Che, what… are you saying?"
"Nothing," Yun Che replied casually. "Just that the room was a bit… sour earlier. With cultivation levels this low, someone could've died from the stench."
Xiao Yulong's face darkened abruptly.
Yun Che smiled and poured gasoline on the fire.
"Oops. My bad. I thought I was dealing with adults." He shrugged. "I should've known children plan better assassinations."
Xiao Yulong outright froze.
Then—rage.
Unrestrained, trembling, murderous rage.
Yun Che didn't even look back. He simply lifted his hand…
And gave him a middle finger.
He walked away like it was nothing.
"See you later."
Xiao Yulong's teeth ground so hard they nearly cracked. "You piece of trash," he hissed. "It's strange that you didn't die… Fine. I'll humiliate you during the wedding. I'll make you wish you did."
He turned immediately and lashed out at Xiao Yang, furious they had failed to kill him. Little did he know… their blundering failure had just created a nightmare far worse than death.
Yun Che rode through the bustling streets of Floating Cloud City with the groom's procession trailing behind him. Red banners swayed overhead, drums beat rhythmically, and yet—everywhere he turned—he could feel it.
The stares. The whispers. The contempt.
His enhanced senses, sharpened by his Shinigami soul, effortlessly picked up the murmurs from every corner of the city.
"Why him?"
"What a waste…"
"The city's number one beauty… marrying that cripple?"
"A rare jewel thrown into mud…"
Yun Che remained calm on the outside, riding upright and composed. But internally, he was anything but serene. He wasn't angry—no, far from it.
He was excited.
A familiar thrill surged through him. The same thrill he felt during the brutal battle inside the cursed tower back in Antarctica. The urge to unleash everything—to go all out on lower-level enemies—burned in his chest.
Soon, he thought. Once I get the Heretic's Inheritance… I can start merging my soul and body.
HoYuu chuckled from within his spiritual sea. The Hollow thrived on chaos, violence, and twisted amusement. Sensing Yuuki's rising anticipation, he sounded positively giddy.
"Hehehe… Yo, King. Feeling that itch? Mind if I take over? I'd love to go Hollow in front of these worms. Betrayal, resentment—mmm, delicious. Let me gut them."
Yuuki mentally flicked him on the forehead.
"Denied. Transforming here will make them think I'm a demon. Not the plan."
HoYuu hissed dramatically. "Tch. Boring."
Yuuki ignored him and kept riding, the corner of his lips curling upward. His Shinigami senses were humming. His Quincy instincts were sharpening. Even his Hollow side was rattling its cage in excitement.
Then a crisp chime echoed in his mind.
===================
[Ding… New mission triggered.]
[Objective: Kill the murderers of the real Yun Che]
[Reward: Hado #90 Kurohitsugi, 10,000 XP, 5,000 SP]
====================
Yun Che smirked darkly.
"Oh, I'll get there."
HoYuu immediately perked up. "Ohooo~! A kill mission? Now that's what I like to hear!"
Yuuki almost laughed.
"Sorry, HoYuu. Those idiots are mine."
"Awh, come on!"
"I wish I had Tsukuyomi, though," Yuuki added thoughtfully. "Torturing them for three days straight would've been fun."
HoYuu cackled. "Now that's the King I like!"
"Don't worry," Yuuki said, eyes glinting as he remembered Xiao Yulong and Xiao Yang's smug faces. "I've got plans."
After arriving at the Xia Clan, Yun Che immediately spotted someone familiar—no, someone important. More like a brother-in-law than a friend.
Xia Yuanba.
The sight of him made Yun Che grin. With his tall frame, youthful face, and that familiar bowl-cut hair… he looked remarkably like a young Trunks Brief.
Trunks, huh? Yun Che thought, amused. If only he had Saiyan powers. But his Tyrannical Emperor's Profound Veins… they're close enough. With some tampering, I might just turn him into my own "Super Saiyan."
His excitement grew at the thought. Yuanba's potential was terrifying—he remembered everything about the man from the System's trivia. This boy would one day shake the entire continent.
"Brother-in-law!!"
A thunderous voice exploded near the main entrance. A thin and muscular figure—practically a charging muscle—ran straight toward him.
Yun Che chuckled. "You've grown, Yuanba. Time really flies."
The System had given him every detail: Yuanba's kindness, his monstrous strength, his future destiny… and his absurd appetite. Truly, a lovable muscular type.
After they exchanged greetings and caught up, Yuanba's expression brightened.
"Brother-in-law, Sister is ready!"
Yun Che's smirk sharpened. Xia Qingyue…
"Ohh~ she'll be ready," he murmured, lips curling into a mischievous grin.
Yuanba blinked nervously. "Is something wrong, Brother-in-law? You look… odd."
He wasn't wrong.
The Yun Che he knew should've been nervous, excited, flustered—anything but this. The calm confidence radiating off Yun Che felt like an entirely different person. A man who knew exactly what he was doing.
"Oh, nothing, Yuanba." Yun Che patted his shoulder. "Just be prepared for the show of a lifetime."
Yuanba assumed he meant the wedding celebration—the parades, the red carpets, the guests.
But Yun Che meant something entirely different.
As he walked toward the central stage, his eyes spotted someone else—someone far more genuine than most people here.
Uncle Xia Hongyi, Qingyue and Yuanba's father. Friendly, respectful, and genuinely worried for Yun Che despite the city's mocking. Unlike others in the Xia Clan, he had never treated Yun Che with disdain.
And because of that?
Yun Che would always remember him favorably.
The truth was simple: Yun Che didn't actually know anyone here.
Ever since Yuuki arrived in this world—thrown straight into another person's life—the System had wiped out the mental overload of Yun Che's memories. What remained was the necessary information, but none of the emotional attachments. He was, in many ways, a blank slate wearing another man's name.
Every face he met was new. Every relationship was unfamiliar. Even the woman he was "marrying"… he wasn't sure how to feel about her at all.
So, before speaking further, Yun Che discreetly opened the system database and reread the information about the man standing before him.
Xia Hongyi.
Father of Xia Qingyue and Xia Yuanba.
Honest. Kind. Compassionate. Someone who had never judged, mocked, or belittled him—not even once.
Even the original Yun Che, a cripple and a burden in the eyes of others, had been treated warmly by this man. Not fake kindness. Not obligation.
Pure sincerity.
And Yuuki understood that type of kindness better than most. In his past life, he had been a weapon—a commander forged in blood and war. People respected him, feared him, followed him into battle… but kindness?
True, gentle, undeserved kindness was rare.
And he never forgot those who showed it.
Xia Hongyi smiled proudly, patting Yun Che's shoulder once more. "Good! I knew Xiao Ying's son would not be an ordinary child. I will wait for the day this dragon surfaces." His voice was filled with confidence—confidence Yun Che had never received from others.
He continued warmly, "Alright now, Qingyue is waiting for you. Go on."
Yun Che nodded deeply.
Not as an act. Not as a role to play.
But with genuine respect.
This man… I'll protect his family. Even this Xia Qingyue. I'll repay this kindness tenfold.
With renewed resolve, he stepped forward—toward the ceremony, toward Xia Qingyue, toward the moment that would reshape the fate of Floating Cloud City.
Xia Qingyue appeared between two bridesmaids, her figure framed like a delicate painting. On her head rested a red phoenix coronet, its jewels glimmering softly under the lantern light. A thin curtain of crystal beads hung from the coronet, hiding her expression completely. Behind the curtain, strands of her soft, silvery-white hair cascaded gracefully down her back. Her scarlet bridal robe, embroidered with the "four happiness" cloud pattern, wrapped snugly around her slender form, the belt accentuating her narrow, refined waist. Jade ornaments and dangling pearls swayed lightly with each step she took, glimmering beautifully against her golden shoes. Every detail—every glint of jade, every sway of silk—made her appearance nothing short of breathtaking.
But when Yun Che approached her and caught a glimpse through the beaded veil, beauty was the last thing he focused on.
Her eyes were cold. Emotionless. Empty.
Eyes he despised the most.
Despite her heavenly appearance, she stared at him as though he were filth. Trash. Something beneath her feet. The database he read about her told him she had her reasons—but that didn't soften the sting. A childish part of him wanted her to one day look at him with affection, with warmth… but for now, a darker desire took precedence.
He stepped closer, and the ceremony began. When he reluctantly reached out to hold her hand, he immediately felt it—sharp, icy cold stabbing into his palm like a needle made of frost. Through a spiritual pulse, she transmitted a message to him.
Do not try anything stupid.
Yun Che murmured under his breath, "Guess someone doesn't like being touched."
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
==================
[Ding… Foreign frost energy detected within the host's body.]
==================
His crippled physical body couldn't resist or counter the cold energy, but his System handled it instantly. The frost was blocked, contained, and expelled before it could harm him. The notification made him feel unexpectedly bitter. He had done nothing to deserve such hostility—not in this life. He was the type who returned kindness with kindness, but if someone mistreated him unfairly?
He always paid it back tenfold.
Another notification followed.
==================
[Countermeasure activated. Returning energy to source.]
==================
A faint flicker of pain suddenly struck Xia Qingyue's palm, causing her to jerk her hand away immediately. She glanced down discreetly, confused by the unexpected sting. Yun Che, however, simply blinked at her with a clueless expression—as though he had no idea what she was reacting to. He even tilted his head slightly, perfectly playing the part of a harmless cripple.
She stared at him for a moment longer.
How did a cripple—someone who supposedly couldn't cultivate—manage to counter her frost? The question lingered in her mind, but she pushed it aside. This was her wedding. She needed to keep her composure. She refused to make a scene. And more importantly, she was suddenly reluctant to try touching him again; who knew if her tricks might rebound once more?
Yun Che sighed softly.
"If you don't want to hold my hand, then forget it. Let's just stand like this and get it over with."
Xia Qingyue stiffened in confusion. Just days ago, he had been ecstatic about marrying her. He had practically floated with joy. She was used to men who worshipped her beauty and lost themselves at the first glimpse of her veil. Those men disgusted her.
But the man beside her now…
He displayed no excitement. No heat. No desire.
His expression matched hers—a calm, empty acceptance, like someone participating in an obligation rather than a dream. It wasn't the face of a groom marrying the city's most beautiful woman. It was the face of someone being forced into a role he did not want.
She had expected arrogance, drooling admiration, shamelessness…
Not indifference.
The contrast unsettled her more than she expected.
Yun Che kept his gaze forward, refusing to meet her eyes. A faint whisper escaped him, too low for her to hear.
"If Athena were here, she might object… but it's too late now."
He straightened his back and prepared to continue the wedding, determined to let the original story unfold—while adding his own twists along the way.
The ceremony moved forward more quickly than Yun Che expected.
More depressingly, when he looked across the vast Xia manor—a sprawling estate filled with city nobles, merchants, and influential figures—he noticed something painfully obvious.
Almost no one came for him.
This was the grandest wedding Floating Cloud City had seen in years, and yet from the Xiao Clan… only Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi, and a handful of elders bothered to attend. The rest didn't even pretend to care. His "reputation" as a crippled waste made it clear where he stood.
Xiao Lie tried to hide the disappointment in his expression, but Yun Che noticed anyway. The old man felt humiliated. For his grandson, for their family, for how the world saw them.
That only fueled Yun Che's internal fire.
Good. Perfect mood for the show I'm about to put on.
He followed the announcer's instructions, his mind half-present. Bow to the heavens. Bow to the earth. Bow to the elders. Bow to each other.
With those motions, the marriage was officially sealed.
The crowd's laughter soon filled the courtyard, but to Yun Che, it wasn't joy. It wasn't celebration.
It was mockery.
Mocking the cripple. Mocking the Xiao Clan. Mocking the absurdity of a goddess marrying trash.
Then Xia Qingyue lifted her veil.
And the courtyard fell silent.
Even Yun Che paused, eyes widening slightly. Her beauty was breathtaking—unrealistically so. Skin flawless like fresh snow. Eyes like moonlight reflected over a winter lake. Face sculpted with divine precision. There was a cold elegance to her, distant yet mesmerizing.
Unfamiliar… he thought, but undeniably stunning.
But he didn't let admiration linger. He already knew her story by heart from the System's database. He knew why she accepted this marriage. She owed a debt to his adoptive father—Xiao Ying—and this was her way of repaying it. Even as a disciple of Frozen Cloud Asgard, where touching men was forbidden, she insisted on this marriage for the sake of repaying kindness and preserving the Xiao family's reputation.
He respected that. Truly.
A woman who honored her debts, even at the cost of her own prestige… That took courage.
But he also understood something painfully clear.
She didn't view him as a husband. Not even as a man.
He was the last step in fulfilling a promise. A stone on her path to shake off before she returned to cultivation.
If Yun Che didn't possess the Sky Poison Pearl, she would have cast him aside without hesitation. That cold logic—the willingness to discard him calmly—was what made him despise her.
Not for marrying him.
For planning to forget him.
The original Yun Che in the story had chased her heart with an absurdly stubborn will—throwing himself at death again and again until she finally softened.
But Yuuki?
No. His approach was different.
He wouldn't chase her. He wouldn't grovel. He wouldn't beg.
He would make sure she remembered him— Whether she wanted to or not.
Just as his thoughts began drifting in that direction, a loud voice suddenly cut across the courtyard.
"Xiao Che! Congratulations on your wedding!"
The shout echoed across the silence, breaking the fragile tension around them.
And Yun Che slowly turned toward the source—
A sharp glint forming in his eyes.