WHAT! I Have To Kill Heaven's Son To Live!

Hearing the booming announcement from the Grand Platform, the crowd instantly erupted—shock, envy, and disbelief rippling through them like wildfire.

"G-Goddess Yi Ran's… manservant?!"

"D-Doesn't that mean… like a personal butler?!"

"Y-Yeah! T-That means always taking care of her needs and staying by her side all the time?!"

"Damn it… why in the nine heavens is that bastard Xue Taiyang getting that position?!"

"What qualifications does he even have? He knows nothing about etiquette, refinement, or serving a lady of status!"

"Exactly! He's just a fucking commoner!"

"And here we are—trained since childhood to serve a lady from an Elite or Superior-Class family, only to be overlooked!"

"I'm from a First-Class Noble Family, and I've dreamed my entire life of being Goddess Yi Ran's manservant. I trained relentlessly, honing every manner and skill… and he gets it?"

"Ha! I'm from a High-Class Noble Family, and even I would kill for the chance to serve her!"

"Oh, Goddess Yi Ran, please—make me your manservant!"

"N-No… I'd be fine being your dog! Just… accept me!"

"Damn you, Xue Taiyang! If I had the strength… I'd tear you to pieces right here and now!"

Amid the shattered remains of the Grand Platform, Reon stood frozen for a moment, slightly taken aback by what he'd just heard.

'…Manservant?'

He slowly turned, a bewildered look on his face, locking eyes with Yi Ran.

'What in the world is this woman saying?!'

From the cracked crater in the ground, Yi Ran pushed herself upright, her footsteps unsteady but determined.

Her injuries knit themselves back together at a visible pace—thanks to her Ethereal Lotus Saber Physique—but she still moved with a faint limp.

"So… what do you say, Xue Taiyang?" she asked, closing the distance between them. "A good offer, right?"

Reon raised an eyebrow.

"What offer? Becoming your… manservant?"

Yi Ran nodded, looking quite pleased with herself.

"Exactly! You'll get a monthly payment so generous that most people couldn't earn that much in a year doing honest work!"

Her tone brimmed with pride.

"Everyone dreams of holding that position, just to be close to me and my family. Even young masters from high-ranking noble clans have begged for the chance—and they've all been rejected."

She straightened her back and puffed out her chest, one hand resting against it in smug satisfaction.

"But here you are—a commoner—and I'm personally offering it to you! You must be so overwhelmed with joy you're on the verge of tears."

Leaning closer, she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"And one more thing… I still don't have a manservant in the Supreme Dao Sect. You'll be the very first. You should feel very, very grateful."

A vein throbbed on Reon's forehead as his expression darkened with anger.

'Fucking Arrogant Female Lead… So you want to turn me into your plaything just because I'm stronger than you?'

'Since you can't control me with your mind games, allure, or strength, you think you can leash me with your status now?'

Reon let out a slow, sharp exhale and locked eyes with her.

"Yi Ran… stop spewing your arrogant nonsense. I don't want to be your manservant, and I sure as hell won't be some simpering dog like your brainless admirers."

Then he raised his voice, the words cutting like a blade.

"GO. FUCK. YOURSELF!"

Hearing that, the crowd erupted once more—this time with even greater anger and fury than before.

"T-That bastard… how dare he reject Goddess Yi Ran?!"

"He's courting death!"

"That's a once-in-a-lifetime offer—and he throws it away like garbage?!"

"Not only did he beat our Goddess into the ground, but now he's rejecting her generosity?!"

"He's scum! I want to smash his face until it's unrecognizable!"

Yi Ran froze, utterly shocked by Reon's words, her voice trembling slightly.

"W-What?!"

"W-Why?! Do you not wish to… earn a fortune? To personally serve me?!"

"I would even grant you the honor of always being at my side… personally training and cultivating with me!"

Reon's gaze turned slightly cold, tinged with contempt.

'Does she truly not understand? Not everyone dreams of being her servant—earning coin by enslaving themselves… or becoming someone's toy.'

'Her personality really is twisted.'

His voice was calm and polite, yet unwavering.

"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in serving anyone for money at the moment—I'm not exactly short on it."

Yi Ran's tone cracked further.

"W-Why?! Everyone in this world craves more wealth... and connections to the most powerful families!"

"Even if you're just a commoner, my family's connection could… prove invaluable to you in the future."

"So... why reject me?!"

Reon met her eyes again, his words like a blade.

"Why? Because I have no desire to become your plaything in exchange for a bit of wealth—wealth I can just as easily earn by hunting stronger beasts or taking on harder missions."

"B-But... I just wanted to—"

Yi Ran tried to speak, but was quickly cut off.

"Strength can earn money anywhere—even for a commoner. But to serve someone with such a twisted heart, just for coin? That is something I'll never do."

Yi Ran's lips quivered.

She looked at him as though on the verge of crying, her composure barely holding beneath the watchful eyes of the crowd.

'Eh?!'

Reon's eyes widened, startled to see tears glistening in Yi Ran's eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

"W-What the—? D-Did I say something wrong?!"

Yi Ran quickly wiped at her eyes, flustered.

"Y-You said... everything wrong! I... I was only asking you... to become my Manservant… out of pure intention."

Reon's brows furrowed in surprise.

'Pure intention? What could she possibly mean by that?'

'I know from the original novel… she has a sadistic streak—enjoying toying with her servants' emotions, sometimes even torturing them, physically and mentally.'

He shook the unsettling thoughts away for now.

"Really? Then tell me—what pure intention makes you want me as your Manservant?"

Yi Ran glanced aside, her cheeks flushed a soft pink, shyness flickering in her eyes.

Reon blinked, puzzled by her unexpected embarrassment.

'Huh? Is she shy to admit it?'

'Is this another mind game—trying to control me through vulnerability?'

'But her favorability toward me has already passed seventy… maybe she doesn't hate me as much as before.'

Yi Ran stammered, voice barely above a whisper, struggling to find the words.

"I… I want… you to… become my…"

Suddenly—

Swooosh!

A sword sliced through the air from behind, aimed straight at Reon's neck, accompanied by a sharp, furious voice:

"You bastard! How dare you bully such a beautiful girl! Must you shame her like this?!"

Clang!

Reon smoothly deflected the attack with his dagger without even turning his head.

He slowly turned... only to find Yang Lie standing behind him, eyes blazing with rage.

"What do you want from me, Yang Lie?" Reon asked coldly, voice steady despite the tension.

Yang Lie's eyes burned with fierce intensity as he fixed Reon with a threatening glare.

His voice was low, sharp—laden with menace.

"How dare you make a girl cry? Do you have no shame as a cultivator? You're as pathetic as when I first met you!"

"Apologize to her right now… or face consequences far worse than you can ever imagine!"

And—

The crowd erupted instantly, their cheers rising like a tide.

"OHH!!! Yang Lie is finally going to get revenge for us against that bastard!"

"Yeah! Crush him, Yang Lie! Show him what happens to those who cross our Goddess!"

"Make him kneel and apologize! That's the only way to restore her honor!"

"I was jealous of you at first, Yang Lie, but now you're a hero in my eyes—saving a helpless girl from being bullied!"

"Yes! Yang Lie is the true champion—the kind of man every woman dreams of!"

Amid the uproar, Reon felt a sharp pang of discomfort, overwhelmed by an intense wave of cringe.

'Is this the classic scene—the protagonist saving the beauty from a villain's bullying to win her favor?'

'Have I become that villain in their eyes now?'

Yang Lie's thoughts ran smugly through his mind.

'I was wondering how to win Yi Ran's favor… but I never expected such a golden opportunity so soon.'

"Hehe… Xue Taiyang, thanks to you, I will get closer to Yi Ran now.'

Reon met Yang Lie's gaze steadily, his voice calm yet laced with cool defiance.

"What business is this to you? This is between Yi Ran and me. Right now, you're nothing but a nuisance."

Swoosh!

But without warning, Yang Lie lunged at him again.

Clang!

Reon smoothly blocked the attack, then swung his dagger, forcing Yang Lie to stagger back.

But Yang Lie was quick to recover, springing back to his feet with fierce determination.

Swoosh!

Swoooosh!

Their blades clashed again in a whirlwind of strikes and parries, the sound of metal ringing sharply through the Grand Platform.

Even the Elders from above exchanged surprised glances, whispering among themselves.

"That's unexpected… completely unexpected!"

"Indeed! Yang Lie, the once-in-ten-thousand-years prodigy, now faces Xue Taiyang, who has just shown he's no weakling!"

"Haha! Watching Yang Lie play the hero for a damsel reminds me of my youth."

"Those were the days… being young is such a blessing!"

"Well, it benefits us now — we get to see their true strength. Yang Lie hasn't revealed his full power yet."

"Agreed. This duel will be telling."

Back on the Grand Platform—

CLANG!

Yang Lie swung a powerful strike toward Reon, but Reon met it with calm precision, blocking effortlessly without even summoning his Sword Qi or Lightning Qi.

With measured force, Reon pushed Yang Lie firmly backward.

Yang Lie was hurled back, but he landed on his feet swiftly, eyes burning with fierce resolve.

"Xue Taiyang," he growled, "prepare to be humiliated again, just like five months ago."