Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Yan Yu was a man of principle.

Externally, he insisted on "winning people over with virtue." What virtue? Martial virtue.

Everyone who had sparred with him had to admit that his martial virtue was exceptionally abundant.

Internally, he valued "treating people with sincerity." What sincerity? Genuine sincerity.

Telling the truth and using sincere intentions, that was his unchanging principle for uniting the team.

After dealing with Lin Ning and Su Yunjin, Yan Yu did not become complacent. He continued making calls to Chen Lingyun and Zhao Yuanzhen, simply glanced at their messages, and then one by one privately chatted to comfort them.

[Chen Lingyun]: It seems Yan Zhanlong is still riding his dragon high in the sky. No wonder his phone is always on flight mode.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: My mount was lured down by a tang of sourness, flew to Jianghai Prefecture, and discovered that someone in the Governor's household was steeping in jealousy. That scent was almost wafting to Jinling Prefecture. Got any clue what it's about?

[Madam Zhao]: Geez, I'm really done for, help. If you're not dead, respond dammit! Did both your hands become disabled so you can't press your phone, huh?

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Just spoke with Mei Yingxue. She wants you to clean your neck well; her sword prefers cleanliness.

Very good, that took care of the whole team.

Looking at Anna, her original nickname seemed to have been [Anna], but now it had been changed to [Анна], and her avatar had changed from Harley Quinn of Marvel to a selfie of herself—two words to describe her: blonde and blue-eyed, with an intense aura.

[Анна]: Yan Zhanlong's got some nerve now, huh? Sending you a hundred messages and you don't reply to a single one.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Busy.

[Анна]: Give me a break!

[Анна]: Heard you had a fight with Miti?

[Yi De Fu Ren]: In the South Sea. How did you know?

[Анна]: You think we're not connected to the internet over here?

[Анна]: If you're short on manpower, just say the word. I'll come back and lend a fist.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: So you've become more powerful since you switched jobs to become a witch?

[Анна]: Absolutely, I'm really strong now. Killing is as easy as eating and drinking.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Looks like it. You've changed a lot. Just that your speech still reeks of crudeness.

[Анна]: Can't help it, hanging around a bunch of Rakshasa grandmas all day, I'm almost losing my Lu Country tongue.

[Анна]: You're the only friend I have left back home, so I can only practice my mother tongue with you. You don't mind, right?

[Yi De Fu Ren]: So now I'm your Lu Country language teacher, is that it?

[Анна]: Just be happy about it. Others would kill to teach me!

[Анна]: Anyway, if there's ever trouble in Lu Country, you can always come take refuge with me. I've got you covered.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: So I'll become the pretty boy kept by a rich lady?

[Анна]: Wrong, you'll be the pretty boy taken care of by a witch sister. /Laughter

[Анна]: Gotta go, about to fight some werewolves. I'll contact you after I've finished them off.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Stay safe.

[Анна]: Not to worry, I'm quite the fighter. /Flex

It seemed that Anna's career was finally on the right track, which was good.

Looking at his now cleared message list, Yan Yu could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Being this popular was a bit troublesome; stepping out for a task meant coming back to a myriad of messages and well-wishes, alas.

Just as Yan Yu was about to take a proper rest, a new message notification popped up.

[Magical Girl Xixi]: Cultivator big bro, is this you? /Share video

Yan Yu: ?

This username should be Xie Ruoxi, the avatar her previous cosplay of the pink-haired guitarist named Aine... Yan Yu didn't quite understand the anime world, perhaps he could ask his sister about it.

She had sent him a video from some site, titled "Still Relying on Yan Zhanlong," with a cover image photoshopping Yan Yu's face onto Zhuge Liang's head.

Yan Yu knew just from the cover image that it was a parody video, with no desire to click into it whatsoever.

Checking the comment section below, it had indeed been stormed by all sorts of unidentified troops.

There were mindless fans, mindless haters, fans pretending to be dumb, haters pretending to be fans, those who kept repeating phrases like "Still need to prepare?" "You think you're worthy?" Those who wrote short essays and quatrains to showcase their talents, and those who took that photo of him sitting on the dragon's head and photoshopped it into abstract art.

Yan Yu closed the webpage expressionlessly and sent a message to Xie Ruoxi.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: ???????????????

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Sorry! I forwarded it to you because I thought it was really fun; I didn't consider your feelings. I'm so sorry!

[Yi De Fu Ren]: There's no need to apologize.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: So you are Yan Yu, right? Yan Zhanlong! That name is so cool!

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Yes, it's me. /Play it cool

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Please keep being awesome! No matter what other people on the internet say, I'll always support you!

[Yi De Fu Ren]: That's not necessary.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Huh?

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Cultivators protect our country as their duty, they don't need the support of fans.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Oh, right, haha.

The other side went silent soon after, seemingly intimidated by Yan Yu's indifferent attitude.

Taking into account that although Xie Ruoxi was a beautiful waste in his past life, she managed to become the number one cultivator in the Annan Army, Yan Yu felt that perhaps he shouldn't be too standoffish, so he continued to message her.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: It's already September, you seem to be of school age, why aren't you in school?

[MagicalGirlXixi]: About that, I graduated from high school, didn't go to university, and came out to work.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Why didn't you go to university?

[MagicalGirlXixi]: No money at home.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: I can lend you money to go to university, would that work?
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[MagicalGirlXixi]: The college entrance exam is over, I can't read now.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Then retake the year.

Once again, there was no response from the other side; obviously, this waste was already becoming unredeemable.

Fortunately, at this point in time, Xie Ruoxi should still be very poor, in the bitter stage of life where she's smacked hard by society and needs to count every penny in her pocket, so she might still have the motivation to make money with her brain.

If things go as they did originally in a few years, once she discovers that dressing up as a leather-clad person can make patrons throw money at her, then Xie Ruoxi would truly be beyond saving, not even the Annan Army could turn her around by then.

As the saying goes, Yan elder always had a kind heart and couldn't stand to see someone belittle themselves.

Rescue! This waste must be saved!

[Yi De Fu Ren]: What now, didn't you say you were my fan and would always support me? Not even listening to your idol's words, you fake fan! Your true colors showed up pretty quickly, didn't they!

[MagicalGirlXixi]: I am really not the studious type.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Then what type do you think you are? What job are you doing now?

[MagicalGirlXixi]: I'm currently doing private photography, making money by taking photos. Occasionally I also make cosplay videos, and some fans donate money to me and stuff.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: How much can you earn a month?

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Two to three thousand, I guess.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: That's assuming you can get the gigs. Without a film company offering you a steady stream of jobs, you're entirely reliant on referrals from people you know in the circle; if you can't get gigs, you can only sit around and starve. There's basically no chance of making it big.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Hahaha, don't kick someone when they're down, okay? /Cry/Cry/Cry

[Yi De Fu Ren]: You'll get nowhere with private photo shoots. Come to Jinling, I'll arrange some work for you.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Uh, actually, I have a boyfriend already...

[Yi De Fu Ren]: A two-dimensional boyfriend, right?

[MagicalGirlXixi]: How did you know?! /Surprised/Surprised/Surprised

[Yi De Fu Ren]: Don't get the wrong idea, you're not even worth being kept by me. My team has been on TV before, you can look up the video. Honestly, your level of attractiveness means nothing in my circle, and having only a high school diploma is a serious negative. Don't overestimate your value.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Then... why would you consider hiring me?

[Yi De Fu Ren]: When you win the lottery, do you ask the lottery station why it was you? After I slayed the dragon, you were the first one to reach out to me; I remember you for that. After learning about your situation, I felt a bit sorry for you, but that's as far as it goes. It's not as if I have no one else to choose from.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Understood.

[Yi De Fu Ren]: In a person's life, there may only be a few opportunities to change one's destiny. Don't force it if it hasn't come, grasp it with all your might if it does, and don't regret it if you miss it. As long as you can do these three things, your life won't be too much of a failure. Think it over and you can contact me anytime.

[MagicalGirlXixi]: Got it, I'll think about it, thank you.

Yan Yu closed the chat window with her, thinking that's all the help he could offer for now.

If she didn't seize the opportunity he gave her, then he would have to let go of his desire to help others, have Chen Lingyun dig up her information, and then teach her how to respect destiny.