Su Cheng stared blankly for two seconds, instantly turning into a broken record: "Murong Yue? My fiancé? Nanhe Academy?"
Perhaps the author's brain cells had all been spent writing smut, leaving them with no desire to craft a serious story, so the original plotline was just a patchwork of various cliché tropes.
First, there was the soul of an old grandpa residing in a divine artifact, and then there was the genius fiancée who looked down on the trash protagonist.
These were all common elements in fantasy novels.
On the second day after Lin Yun transmigrated, the fiancée he had been betrothed to since birth made a special trip from the empire's capital to cancel the engagement.
The fiancée and her relatives all thought the male lead was a good-for-nothing. Little did they expect that upon arriving at the Lin family, they would find the former trash was already able to condense battle aura and pass the Battle Attendant rank assessment.
However, even so, the fiancée didn't change her mind.
In the end, the situation became very tense. Lin Yun felt he had lost too much face, so he talked tough and challenged his fiancée to a duel in a year's time.
...With so many identical elements, it couldn't just be a simple coincidence of names, right?
Su Cheng turned her head to look at the full-length mirror in the bedroom.
The mirror reflected a young girl with thick, dark, curly hair cascading over her shoulders and fair, translucent skin.
Her features were bright and beautiful, with a high-bridged nose. Her large, round amber eyes resembled sparkling autumn waters, the outer corners tilting up slightly, exuding youthful vigor and spirit.
Her face hadn't changed.
She looked exactly like the cannon fodder Su Cheng.
Or rather, she looked more or less like herself before transmigrating, just with better skin, a healthier complexion, and thicker hair.
It was a state of beauty unattainable for a college drone who pulled all-nighters every day.
"Yeah," the youths looked at her with strange expressions. "You haven't gone mad from anger, have you, Su Cheng?"
Su Cheng: "..."
Great.
Her name hadn't changed either.
Su Cheng took a deep breath and began to fish for information from them. These two kids were only fourteen or fifteen and lacked any guile; they quickly blurted out everything she wanted to know.
Now, she was no longer an in-law of the Lin family head, but his niece. Her parents had died when she was young, so she lived with her uncle.
Because she couldn't cultivate battle aura, she was still a famous piece of trash for miles around, mocked all day long by her Lin family cousins.
Moreover, the current Lin family head didn't have a female in-law relative surnamed Su, which meant the original existence of the "cannon fodder Su Cheng" had been erased.
Su Cheng sat on the edge of the bed, listening in bewilderment. The two mocked her for a bit, but seeing her spaced-out demeanor, they lost interest, curled their lips, and left.
A few seconds later, she abruptly stood up and looked around the tidy bedroom.
There was a massive row of wardrobes against the wall, a simple dressing table with a full-length mirror, and a four-poster bed covered with down bedding.
She walked next door to find an even larger study. The wooden cabinets were stacked with various books, all looking brand new.
On a long table lay a thick, heavy book titled "Why You Can't Condense Battle Aura: The Shocking Secret of Attribute Compatibility".
Su Cheng: "..."
Su Cheng raised her hand, and the airflow slowly gathered around it, condensing into a cyan wind blade.
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the wind blade out the window.
Snap!
A bamboo branch in the small garden was sliced off, falling onto a low artificial hill next to the pond. It rolled down the jagged rocks and dropped into the water with a splash.
She breathed a sigh of relief but couldn't help frowning again.
Didn't she still have magic? How did she become a piece of trash?
Su Cheng finally understood. Her current background was exactly the same as Lin Yun's, except her gender and name had changed.
Of course, Lin Yun originally had no talent for magic at all. After transmigrating, he only gradually learned magic because someone else gave him a cheat.
What on earth was going on?
Su Cheng's memory stopped at the scene of her killing Lin Yun and watching Lin Zhen smash the bracelet.
Although that thing might not necessarily be destroyed by a Rank Five warrior, at least her goal had been achieved.
And then what?
It seemed like someone was talking to her?
What did they say?
Su Cheng tried hard to recall, but her mind was blank. She only remembered that strange sensation of sinking into nothingness.
And that gentle voice whispering in her ear...
"Replace him."
Su Cheng: "!"
It was the one playing tricks!
It had created all of this!
...Why?
If this world had something like the Heavenly Dao that needed to ensure the existence of the protagonist and required someone to follow the plot, wouldn't it be better to just resurrect Lin Yun?
If it could change her identity, saving Lin Yun should have been a piece of cake, right?
Su Cheng picked up the thick book on battle aura from the table and smacked it against her own head.
A dull ache throbbed in her forehead.
Then she despairingly realized that this didn't seem to be a nightmare. She might really have to become this damn protagonist.
As a restricted-level novel heavily focused on smut, "Legend of the Divine Throne" was inherently different from traditional Gary Stu power fantasies centered around leveling up and fighting monsters.
It had a lot of explicit scenes, and with so many of them, readers easily suffered from aesthetic fatigue.
So, various abstract and hardcore elements were introduced.
Reading it virtually for fun was fine, but experiencing it firsthand was another matter entirely.
If she put herself in those shoes, just thinking about some of those scenes made her scalp tingle.
Besides, the original novel wasn't even finished yet. What if the author's envisioned ending involved the protagonist becoming crippled, going mad, going missing, or dying together with the villain?
There were far too many precedents of this in male-oriented novels.
Su Cheng had a mental breakdown for a few minutes before deciding to face the bleak reality.
First, she needed to familiarize herself with this body's abilities as quickly as possible, because there would likely be many times she'd need to use magic coming up.
Elemental mages were all elemental resonators; they could perceive and alter the vibrational frequencies of elemental spirits.
Then, by outputting the magic power within their bodies and making the elemental spirits operate in a specific pattern, a spell was generated.
Most humans lacked this talent and couldn't perceive the existence of elemental spirits; they could only see the spells they produced.
A mage's elemental resonance level was usually divided into four grades: low, medium, high, and special.
Su Cheng was a resonator of three elements: wind, fire, and lightning.
Because her resonance level for the wind element was high, while the other two were low, her predecessor had only learned wind magic and was more sensitive to wind spirits.
Currently, she had mastered a total of four wind spells: the Rank Two spell Wind Blade, and the Rank One spells Summon Wind, Wind Shield, and Wind Step.
Summon Wind could call forth a light breeze, Wind Shield was a protective barrier formed by air currents, and Wind Step created air currents that wrapped around the legs.
These were introductory techniques in wind magic and also the foundation for many mid-to-high-tier spells.
The intensity of a spell's effect would vary depending on the amount of magic power poured into it.
Su Cheng silently chanted the incantation for Wind Step. Her body immediately became light. She added a bit more magic power and hopped around the room a few times, quickly managing to touch the ceiling.
She tried many times, controlling the input of her magic power and carefully feeling the differences in the spell's effects, until she felt a slight headache.
This was a sign of magic power depletion.
So-called magic power was the energy formed when mages, through meditation or various other methods, allowed elemental spirits to enter their bodies and merge with their flesh and blood.
This was also the primary focus of an elemental mage's cultivation.
During the process of trying to cast the spell, she could also sense the presence of the wind spirits.
They were swift, light, and erratic, giving off an elusive, illusory feeling. This was the characteristic of the wind element.
Once you tried to deliberately feel them, they would quickly scatter and completely disappear from one's sensory world.
Su Cheng tried to focus and sense it further, but it was like chasing the wind. She came up empty every time, and her head began to throb with increasing pain, so she didn't dare to push it any further.
She got up to tidy the room, hoping to uncover more clues while organizing her money and belongings. After rummaging around for a while, she suddenly froze.
Something was wrong.
Where was that cheat bracelet?
That item was passed down from the male lead's father's family. It was an important heirloom, so the male lead always wore it.
Since she now shared the exact same background as Lin Yun, logically, she should have the bracelet too. She should either be wearing it or have it stashed somewhere in this room.
Su Cheng looked at her empty wrists. She turned the bedroom and study upside down, digging out every single piece of jewelry she owned, but there was still no sign of the bracelet.
She couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
That thing was a huge hassle. Although it brought the protagonist numerous benefits, it also attracted a lot of trouble. It was a double-edged sword.
So, she needed to either start using it as soon as possible or get rid of it at the earliest opportunity.
But right now, she couldn't find it at all!
Unknowingly, night fell outside the window, casting the courtyard into deep darkness. Su Cheng lit a magic crystal wall lamp and began pushing the thoroughly ransacked drawers back into their cabinets one by one.
Suddenly, a scorching, fiery pain spread across her back.
She paused, then her face paled in shock. She hastily stripped off her outer robe and pulled aside her undergarments, exposing her bare, pale back. Holding the lamp up, she twisted around to look in the mirror.
Right in the center of her back was a blood-red heart crest, tightly entangled by dark red thorny vines that coiled and twisted like snakes.
Su Cheng let out a wail. No!
She had even inherited the male lead's curse!
That idiotic curse where, once it flared up, you had to sleep with someone or else you would die!
Su Cheng stared at the mirror in disbelief.
The reason Lin Yun was considered trash was due to his unique physique, which made him unable to cultivate the Lin family's ancestral battle aura manual.
Or rather, he couldn't cultivate most manuals. Even if he went to a shop and bought a random skill book, it wouldn't work.
After the cheat-like old man residing inside the bracelet awakened, he explained the reason and dictated a new cultivation technique to him. That very night, the male lead successfully gathered his battle aura.
Consequently, this activated the curse, and the mark appeared on his back.
The male lead was completely clueless, but the old man recognized it as a vicious curse that drained one's life force. When it acted up, it could only be alleviated by engaging in certain adult activities with another person.
As for who had cast the curse on him and why, those remained unsolved mysteries.
Even after more than a hundred chapters, the novel never mentioned the curse being broken or its origins being discovered.
But...
Lin Yun only activated the curse after he gathered his battle aura.
She was a mage, so why was this happening to her?!
Could it be that the activation condition had nothing to do with battle aura?
Did it just automatically appear when the time came?
The cursed totem on her back grew increasingly bright, every line brimming with a blinding luster.
Su Cheng's face twisted into a mask of pain.
Lin Yun's intended solution had been to go out and visit a brothel, but as luck would have it, a female side character would infiltrate the Lin family mansion tonight, heavily injured.
The two of them rolled in the sheets. Although it temporarily alleviated the curse, it brought about a myriad of troubles later on.
Furthermore, the female side character only appeared because she had sensed a certain dark aura emanating from Lin Yun and tracked it down.
That so-called dark aura was, in fact, the bracelet.
But now that the item was gone, this part of the plot shouldn't happen anymore, right?
...
Su Cheng frowned and looked around.
The room was dimly lit. The magic crystal lamp had gone out at some point, and the wind from outside howled as it rushed in, blowing the hanging sheer curtains high into the air.
You are quite perceptive, mage.
A deep voice suddenly rang out from behind her.
Su Cheng subconsciously threw out a wind blade.
A dark figure flashed before her eyes. A sharp pain shot through her wrist as someone grabbed her arm, twisted it behind her back, and pinned her against the study desk.
The exact same treatment as the male lead.
Su Cheng thought expressionlessly.
In the story, the female side character stated she needed to absorb vital essence to restore her strength. She originally planned to force herself on the male lead, which was why she restrained and pinned him down. However, seeing how beautiful she was, the male lead was more than happy to get intimate with her.
Could you let go of me first?
Su Cheng sighed.
Her face was pressed against the open pages of a book. Her messy hair was scattered across her snow-white back, reflecting the cold moonlight. It looked like water-slicked seaweed, or perhaps a cluster of slithering snakes.
The next second, that eerily beautiful cursed totem suddenly lit up.
The heart, surrounded by thorny vines, was as bright red as blood, burning and glowing on her smooth back.
Hmm? The person seemed somewhat surprised. What is this?
A scorching hot, clawed hand touched her back, brushing aside her tangled black curls to trace the design. The hook-like tips of the claws slowly dragged across her tender skin.
Yes, Su Cheng said speechlessly. It is a curse. Do not ask me how I got it; I do not even know myself.
She thought to herself that this lady's voice seemed a bit low. Perhaps she was deliberately lowering her pitch.
The person behind her paused. You know what this is?
More or less, Su Cheng sighed. We mages read books every day, constantly accumulating all sorts of useless knowledge.
This person had recognized her as a mage at a single glance, clearly possessing a high sensitivity to elemental spirits. Unlike those meathead warriors of the Lin family who genuinely believed she was trash.
Su Cheng coughed lightly. Can you let go of me first? I promise I will not attack you again.
The person behind her tried to speak but suddenly gasped. The grip on her loosened, and with a muffled groan, the person sat down nearby.
Su Cheng turned her head to look and immediately froze.
A patch of desolate moonlight spilled into the room, illuminating the figure leaning against the window.
He was panting heavily, wearing ill-fitting clothes. The collar of his outer robe was thrown wide open, revealing a strong, muscular, and pale chest.
The hair on his forehead was damp, and his face was covered in a thick sheen of sweat. As he tilted his head back slightly, his prominent Adam's apple bobbed up and down.
A deep gash stretched across his abdomen. Blackened blood continuously seeped out, staining the surrounding fabric a dark hue.
A moment later, Su Cheng's gaze finally fell upon his face.
He had dark curly hair and exceptionally handsome features, with a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes. His irises were an icy pale blue, like a frozen abyss on a winter night.
Yet beneath the ice of that abyss, a scorching, dark fire seemed to be surging.
Damn it...
The man took a sharp breath, a look of agony crossing his face, followed by another low groan.
He gritted his teeth tightly and tore at his collar, revealing a section of a chain fastened around his neck. The chain shimmered with a golden light, occasionally manifesting golden runes.
The fine, flowing golden light illuminated the surrounding skin and the bulging, purplish-blue veins, unexpectedly giving off a bizarrely erotic allure.
Su Cheng's gaze paused.
Aside from the difference in gender, every other detail of his setup was exactly the same.
In the original novel, that female side character had worn this exact kind of chain.
You, the man said in a low voice, still panting as he spoke. Your curse needs to be alleviated, or you will not live to see the sunrise.
Su Cheng looked at him, her face full of conflict.
It just so happens...
Every word he spoke seemed to cause him immense agony. Beads of sweat constantly rolled down his face, and his damp eyelashes trembled like two rows of butterfly wings shattered by the rain.
Even so, Su Cheng did not dare to make a rash move.
He had only released her because he believed they could strike a deal. That by no means meant she had an opportunity to escape, or that she could somehow hurt him.
"I..."
The man panted heavily as the back of his clothes began to tear, revealing a pair of curled, folded pitch-black bat wings. From amidst his bangs, black horns with spiraling ridges emerged.
Curling, ink-black markings snaked across his face, intertwining like vines as they traced over his forehead, eyelids, and cheekbones.
A long tail, densely covered in scales, whipped out from the small of his back.
The smooth black scales were tightly packed together. At the tip of the tail, two curved bone blades resembling cold, ruthless scythes met on the left and right, forming the shape of a beautiful heart.
An incubus.
Incubi were a type of high-tier demon. The homeland of these demons lay in the distant West, far away from the human continent.
They were a long-lived species, rumored to be the kin of the God of Darkness. They possessed formidable strength and boundless vitality. Even a juvenile demon boasted extremely high combat prowess.
However, they had a relatively weak resistance to holy light magic.
Of course, it still required at least a mid-to-high-tier cleric to even stand a chance against a high-tier demon.
"I also need... you."
The man drew in another sharp breath, then tore open his belt with one hand.
That agile, supple long tail gave a sudden flick in the air before wrapping tightly around Su Cheng's waist, dragging her forward.
She tumbled straight onto the man's firm, muscular thighs.
"I am tired. Do it yourself, Mage."
