Villain System: Stealing the Protagonist's Harem and Luck

Chapter 149: Feeling Like He Suddenly Gained Insight; Loving So Deeply

Yue Mingkong sat silently within the white jade carriage, her hair coiled in an elegant bun. Her immortal face, breathtakingly beautiful, was a masterpiece of grace, and her phoenix eyes held a calm, sapphire-like depth. Yet, at this moment, a soft blush crept across her cheeks.

Her expression was a fragile mixture of joy and stunned disbelief. It had to be said—Gu Changge’s words had utterly disrupted her composure. It was one thing for the world to flatter her, but for such words to come directly from his mouth carried a weight that was entirely different.

She wondered if he had finally “gained insight.” Did he actually realize she was beautiful?

Mingkong had always been confident in her own charm—few women in existence could stand as her peer—but Gu Changge had always been the sole anomaly, remaining stubbornly unmoved by her presence. Whether in her past life or this one, his coldness had always been her greatest source of frustration.

“Long Teng entertained thoughts he had no right to have. Letting him die like that was a mercy he didn’t deserve,” Gu Changge said casually, a faint smile on his lips. He acted as though he were oblivious to the storm he had stirred in Mingkong’s heart.

After all, pretty words cost nothing. Besides, he wasn’t lying.

Mingkong stared at him through the gauzy curtains, trying to peer through his mask. “Long Teng courted death. He has no one to blame but himself,” she said, reclaiming her regal poise. Though her heart was singing, she kept her face a mask of cool indifference.

Gu Changge caught the slight change in her tone and chuckled. “Indeed. Though even if I hadn’t struck, I suspect you were already planning to move against him, weren’t you, Mingkong?”

Since there were no outsiders nearby, he decided to drop the act. As a reincarnator, she knew exactly what kind of beast Long Teng was, yet she had purposefully redirected the dragon’s aggression toward him. It proved she loathed the man and wanted him removed from the board by the most efficient hand available.

Changge had always been indulgent with her, so he was happy to overlook her little scheme.

“What do you mean?” Mingkong asked, playing the part of the innocent bystander.

Gu Changge didn’t press her. Instead, he laughed. “I have Long Teng’s corpse. Tell your husband what exactly you were plotting against him. If your explanation satisfies me, perhaps I’ll give the body to you.”

“You…” Mingkong stiffened.

He had hit the mark precisely. She had been coveting the dragon’s remains for some time—specifically, the drop of Five-Colored True Dragon Blood. It was a legendary essence Long Teng had stumbled upon in an ancient ruin. If she refined it, her strength would skyrocket, granting her the terrifying physical talents and vitality of the Primordial Dragon lineage.

She was annoyed. Why was she always the one on the defensive when facing him?

“If I tell you, will you truly give it to me?” she asked, forcing herself to stay calm.

“Why do you still lack so much trust in your husband?” Changge asked with a sigh of mock regret. His expression was a riddle she could never solve.

Mingkong remained silent for a moment before finally admitting, “I heard Long Teng carried a drop of True Dragon Blood. It is… very useful to me.”

She hesitated. If she told him the truth, would he go back on his word? He practiced the Immortal Devouring Demonic Art; his hunger for powerful bloodlines and physiques was insatiable. Long Teng’s blood came from the mysterious Primordial Dragon of legend. By all rights, a man as selfish as Gu Changge should never let it go.

Even if she hadn’t said a word, he likely would have found it himself during refinement.

“True Dragon Blood?”

Changge paused. He remembered the drop he had already fused—the reward from the Heavenly Dao Treasure Chest. Since that was a system-generated drop, it meant Long Teng’s actual body likely still contained a second, natural drop of the essence.

His first instinct was to rescind the offer. A resource that granted peak defense and recovery was too valuable to toss away; in his world, more was always better. But then he sensed the faint, lingering resentment radiating from the carriage. Though she looked calm, he knew her well enough to feel her silent pouting.

He let out a laugh. “First you scheme for Ye Ling’s inheritance, now you’re plotting for Long Teng’s blood. Mingkong, what do you think about all day? Your head is truly full of bad ideas. You’ve calculated every move perfectly.”

Hearing this, Mingkong felt a surge of genuine fury. She wanted to leap out and strangle him. Bad ideas? Full of bad ideas? How could he say that with a straight face after the things he had done? She felt a sting of betrayal—she had actually felt a moment of joy when he complimented her, only for him to turn around and call her a schemer.

She fell into a sullen silence, deciding she was finished talking to him.

“Look at you,” Changge laughed, entirely without shame. “Anyone would think I was bullying you.”

Whoosh!

Mingkong whipped the curtain aside, her hair flying as she glared at him with icy, murderous intent. Her teeth were clenched, and her eyes looked like frozen blades. “Gu Changge, you are utterly shameless! All you do is torment me! Do you even know how to do anything else?”

She was a hair’s breadth away from attacking him. Just like I’m bullying her? It’s not ‘just like’ it—it’s exactly what’s happening!

Gu Changge saw he’d pushed her far enough and decided to reel her back in. “I can give you the corpse,” he said with a faint smile. “But first, I want to hear you call me ‘Husband’.”

“What?!”

Mingkong froze. Her eyes widened, and she doubted her hearing once again. He was giving it up? He was surrendering a True Dragon’s blood so easily? She wondered if the man standing before her was an impostor.

“Husband,” she said immediately. Her voice was cool and steady, her face not reddening in the slightest.

She had no reason to be shy. In her previous life, they had shared a wedding bed. In this life, they had already shared the reality of marriage. The title was nothing more than a statement of fact.

Gu Changge grinned. “I didn’t expect you to be so obedient.”

Mingkong realized she’d been teased, but before she could snap back, a flash of light erupted from Changge’s spatial ring.

Long Teng’s body materialized in the void, reverting to its gargantuan original form. Though the life was gone, the corpse still radiated a staggering pressure. Its scales looked like they had been forged from black molten iron, shimmering with a cold, indestructible luster.

Mingkong studied the dragon intently. It had only been dead for minutes, and to her shock, Gu Changge hadn’t tampered with it. There were no signs of refinement, no hidden traps.

Her suspicion deepened. “You really aren’t going to devour this for yourself? Why?”

Gu Changge chuckled. “I had every intention of taking his origin. But since you want it, I’m giving it to you. Is there really a need for so many questions?”

In truth, he knew the Black Sky Eagle Clan had far more resources waiting for him. He didn’t need to be greedy over a single lizard. If it bought him a little more of Mingkong’s favor, it was a bargain.

Mingkong was floored. This didn’t fit the Gu Changge she knew—the man who would scour the world for every scrap of power. Long Teng’s origin was a treasure any young supreme would kill for. To give it up without a second thought… it touched a nerve she hadn’t expected. Her anger evaporated, replaced by a blossoming sense of warmth.

“If it’s that important to you, you should keep it,” she said, the words slipping out before she could stop herself.

The second she spoke, she wanted to bite her tongue off. I finally managed to squeeze something out of him and I’m giving it back? I am a total failure!

Gu Changge looked at her, visibly surprised, and then broke into a fit of laughter. “Mingkong, you truly move me. To be so considerate of your husband…”

Mingkong fought to reclaim her dignity. “I only just realized it. Don’t let it go to your head.”

Gu Changge sighed, looking as if he were about to say something important, but then he simply shook his head and fell silent. Internally, he was laughing himself hoarse. She really is a fool. I put the loot right in front of her and she worries about me?

But it confirmed one thing: even if Yue Mingkong eventually became strong enough to kill him, she would never be able to go through with it. At most, she’d stomp her foot like a frustrated bride and throw her sword away. The “Iron Empress” of the future was a sham.

“I’m leaving,” Changge said, dismissing his amusement. He looked toward the horizon, sensing a familiar ripple of energy. Long Teng was dead, but the Dragon Clan would likely be nursing a grudge.

“The Dragon Clan might come looking for that body. I’ll deal with them so they don’t bother you while you’re busy.”

He didn’t wait for a reply. He summoned his followers and transformed into a divine rainbow, vanishing into the sky.

Yue Mingkong watched him go, her expression a complex tapestry of confusion and longing. She rubbed her temples, feeling a bone-deep exhaustion.

That sigh he’d given… she had caught a fleeting glimpse of something in his eyes. Something that didn’t look like a mask. It made her wonder if there was a reason for his sudden change in this timeline.

He’s still a demon at his core, she reminded herself. Just because he is kind to me now doesn’t mean it will last. I have to stay strong. I have to ensure the tragedy never repeats.

But the seed of hope had been planted. He had returned her blade, he had saved Xianer, and today he had given her the dragon’s blood.

I love him too deeply for my own good, she thought sadly.

“Set a course for the Baiheng Mountain Range,” she commanded her retinue. In her memories of the past life, that was where the Immortal Spirit would soon make its appearance. She had to be ready.

After leaving, Gu Changge pondered to himself, “Long Teng’s corpse is now in Yue Mingkong’s hands. The Ancient Immortal Clan might try to seize it. To avoid trouble for her, I’ll just handle it for her.”

Moreover, given today’s situation, Gu Changge decided to let Yue Mingkong pursue her own fated chances for a while. He had already done enough. With her intelligence and identity as a reincarnator, she would surely act as he predicted. He wasn’t worried about that at all.

“As for Ye Ling’s matter of the Ancient Heavenly Venerable’s cave, it can wait for now. According to the usual pattern, it’s unlikely he’ll find the mysterious cave easily in a short time, nor will it be that simple. He’ll probably need to break through in cultivation or pick up some divine artifact along the way.”

“The Bridal Veil Immortal Art infiltrating the entire Black Sky Eagle Clan will also take time; there’s no need to rush.”

Gu Changge led his many followers, tracking that aura as he chased after it.

Many cultivators near the mountain peak had already dispersed by now, with only a few remaining, hoping to greet Gu Changge. But obviously, Gu Changge paid them no mind.

…

Watching the direction Gu Changge disappeared, Yue Mingkong’s expression within the white jade carriage was complex.

Then, she rubbed her temples, feeling very tired. Mainly, Gu Changge’s actions today made her even more puzzled. That fleeting emotion Gu Changge had shown earlier clearly indicated he had something to say, which Yue Mingkong had clearly caught.

Because of this, she felt that Gu Changge might have… some reason. Whether in her past life or this one, she had never seen Gu Changge act as he did now. According to his personality from the previous life, this was too strange, almost as if… he had suddenly changed because something happened.

“But no matter what, Gu Changge’s demonic nature is deeply ingrained. Although he has no ill intentions toward me now, there’s no guarantee it will stay that way in the future.”

“To prevent the tragedy from repeating, I must become stronger. Gu Changge’s cultivation is now even more unfathomable. If his current behavior is actually to deceive me, that would be too terrifying…”

Yue Mingkong’s last possibility was just a casual guess. After all, it was unlikely. Why would Gu Changge deceive her? There was no need to think too much about it because it was simply unnecessary.

However, this further solidified her previous plan: after leaving the Ancient Immortal Continent, she needed to thoroughly investigate everything about Gu Changge’s past. Yue Mingkong didn’t want to sit idly by.

Since the last time she saw Gu Changge at the Gu family, she had noticed that compared to before, Gu Changge had changed quite a bit. His attitude toward Gu Xianer was the same.

Then, taking a stab himself and saving Gu Xianer—these seemed to be attempts to make up for the harm he had caused Gu Xianer in the past. And today, he unprecedentedly gave her Long Teng’s True Dragon Blood.

Yue Mingkong had always believed Gu Changge was an absolutely cold, profit-driven person. Falling in love with such a person was her misfortune. Not to mention she loved him so deeply; this was no longer something that could be described as mere misfortune.

But now, on Gu Changge, she saw his transformation. This gave Yue Mingkong a sense of hope.

“Head to the Baiheng Mountain Range to the east,” Yue Mingkong ordered, planning to go there first to make some arrangements. Because according to her memories from her past life, near the Baiheng Mountain Range was precisely where the Immortal Spirit would appear.