Chương 3: Did the Lightning Completely Mess With His Head?

The original Xiao Xuan was an orphan living in the Xianghai district, the Eastern Continent's trade hub. He possessed a set of meridians so pathetic that he couldn't cultivate a single drop of Qi. To make matters worse, he wasn't particularly bright and had dropped out of the local school early, quietly accepting his miserable fate while working odd jobs just to survive. He did, however, possess one undeniable gift: he was handsome.

But in a realm where martial might dictated the law, a pretty face on a weak man was about as useful as an umbrella in a hurricane. Whenever the original host tried to woo local girls, and they realized he had zero Qi, they either ran away in disgust or beat him up. Until a few weeks ago, when the heavens played a massive prank on the entire district. The Su Clan, one of the three pillars of Xianghai, announced that their Clan Leader's daughter, Su Luoyang, was choosing a husband.

Su Luoyang was a skilled warrior, and a genius who managed her clan's brutal business operations. She was destined for the path of immortality. Yet, ignoring all the mighty princes, wealthy merchants, and arrogant young masters from across the continent, the brilliant young lady of the Su Clan had pointed her finger at the tragic mortal. The entire district erupted. Many assumed she had lost her mind. Others cursed the heavens, convinced they were a billion times better suited for her.

A few arrogant young masters had even tried to cause a ruckus at the clan gates, only to be subdued and tossed into the mud by the Su guards. Then came the wedding day. Right as Xiao Xuan and Su Luoyang finished performing their marriage rites in the grand courtyard, the bright blue sky was suddenly conquered by churning black clouds.

"The heavens have cursed the Su Clan for this foolishness!" A guest had shouted right before a majestic bolt of purple lightning descended from the vortex, striking Xiao Xuan. Su Luoyang had instinctively tried to pull him out of the way, but a divergent ray of lightning blasted her back. When the blinding flash disappeared, the original Xiao Xuan was nothing but a smoking carcass. That was, until the soul of a 21st-century web novel translator slammed into the burnt body, forcefully restarting its heart.

What did I get myself into? Xiao Xuan sighed and glanced back up at the woman standing in front of him. At least I have a pretty wife. I'll let it slide this time.

"I just wanted to lighten the mood and show you that I am okay, Su Luoyang," he said. Then, he quickly scanned her form with worried eyes.

"You got hurt while trying to protect me, right? Thank you. But… Are you okay?" Again, the icy woman's expression shifted from annoyance to surprise, then to a flicker of uncertainty before finally settling into a fleeting softness.

"… I am okay. My injuries have healed," Su Luoyang replied, her voice losing a fraction of its icy armor.

"Are you really asking if she is okay?!" a high-pitched voice suddenly shrieked, shattering the fragile moment.

"Xiao Xuan, you should be ashamed that your wife had to risk her life just to save your useless hide!" A petite figure jumped out from behind Su Luoyang, glaring at him.

"Lady Luoyang burned her hands in the blast! Why did you not just die from the strike—""Xinyue!" Su Luoyang cut her off instantly, shooting her a stern look that immediately froze the girl's tongue. Xiao Xuan blinked, identifying the tiny terror from his new memories. This was Xinyue, Su Luoyang's personal maid. She was a rather pretty girl, but her personality was a disaster. She had spent every waking moment scolding the original host, glaring at him as if he had personally set her ancestral home on fire.

Xiao Xuan felt a prickle of irritation at her harsh accusation. But he was more worried about Su Luoyang. Ignoring the pain, he threw his legs over the edge of the mattress and stood up. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. His balance wobbled, and he had to limp forward, dragging his body toward her.

"She's right," Xiao Xuan said, stopping a couple of feet away and looking straight into Su Luoyang's eyes.

"I am so sorry it happened this way, Su Luoyang. But I promise you, from this day forward, I will grow stronger and take better care of myself. You won't ever have to risk your life to protect me again." Su Luoyang didn't marry him out of love; her hands had been tied by some hidden crisis, and she had chosen a harmless puppet to protect her family's interests. Yet, unlike the rest of this world, she didn't insult him.

Perhaps she was a naturally decent person, or because she felt a lingering sense of guilt, he was not sure. And his new in-laws hated his existence, and the maid publicly shamed him, and the extended Su family insulted him at every turn. The clan servants didn't give a damn about him, and the clueless outsiders envied him. But he was not the fragile, cowardly boy they all knew. The cheap insults these primitive people threw at him wouldn't affect him in the slightest.

After all, all their venom was directed at a dead guy. Su Luoyang was his immediate priority. He had genuinely fallen in love with her at first sight, and by some ridiculous twist of luck, he was already married to her. Even though Su Luoyang didn't view him as a real husband, her strict sense of righteousness made her consider him her responsibility. Her willingness to take a lightning bolt for him proved that. Even his father-in-law had stepped in to help.

If his life were in mortal danger, there were people here he could rely on. Still, if he wanted a genuine connection, he first had to win her trust by making her see past his physical weakness and recognize the different soul that is looking back at her. In front of Xiao Xuan's sharp eyes, Su Luoyang stood silently, lost in his confident gaze. This wasn't how Xiao Xuan behaved at all. Before the storm, the boy had always kept his chin glued to his chest, too scared to speak a single syllable on his own.

He would usually cower the second Xinyue raised her voice, forcing Su Luoyang to constantly step in to save his dignity. Now, he held her gaze with an unfamiliar confidence. Did the lightning completely mess with his head? She had only come to ensure that he wasn't dead because he was a necessary piece on the board to protect her clan. If he had really died from the strike, she would have simply gritted her teeth and managed the family crisis on her own as a young widow.

Then why was she feeling this strange, protective worry about his mental stability? Was it possible that, deep down, she actually valued the sacred bond of husband and wife? A light blush rushed through Su Luoyang's cheeks, but her warrior training kept her expression as cold and unreadable as ever.

"Get back, you moron! You stink!" Xinyue marched forward, shoving her small body between them to physically 'shield' her mistress from the foul-smelling youth, ruining the moment. The couple's locked gaze finally withered. Xiao Xuan had to admit that the maid had a point. Between the divine alchemist's swamp mud and the charred residue of his own skin, he smelled like an exploded compost heap. Quietly accepting the defeat, he limped backward and sat back down on the mattress.

Before Xinyue could launch into another round of insults, the heavy wooden doors swung open. A mature couple stepped into the room, their powerful presence instantly causing the atmosphere to freeze. Everyone's attention turned to them. It was Su Luoyang's parents: the towering Clan Leader, Su Zhongtian, and his elegant wife, Liang Shufen. Xinyue's mouth snapped shut, immediately backing off into the shadows.

Su Zhongtian was tall, possessing a muscular build and a stern expression that commanded absolute authority. Next to him, Liang Shufen stood as a beautiful, mature woman, clearly revealing the genetic source of Su Luoyang's ethereal looks. However, her beautiful features were currently warped into a look of severe anger.

"Clan Leader, Madam Shufen," Tan Gengxin greeted them, quickly dropping his smug attitude.

"How is the boy?" Su Zhongtian asked.

"I have succeeded in saving his life," the old doctor explained, puffing his chest out proudly.

"His high-degree burns are already responding to my master-class treatments. He will heal completely within a few days."

"That is acceptable news. It seems the heavens haven't abandoned our house just yet," Su Zhongtian expressed.

"Don't worry at all, Father! I am absolutely fine!" Xiao Xuan chimed in casually from the bed, tossing a bright smile toward the clan leader. Everyone, except for the outside doctor who didn't know the internal dynamics of the household, stared at Xiao Xuan as if he had grown a second head. The old Xiao Xuan would have sooner swallowed his own tongue than dare to interrupt the Clan Leader, let alone call him Father with such shameless enthusiasm.

"Uh… Glad to hear it, Xiao Xuan," Su Zhongtian replied. He instinctively sneaked a confused glance at his daughter, but Su Luoyang's shocked eyes offered him no answers. Turning back to the alchemist, the Clan Leader quickly presented a formal bow.

"Thank you, Divine Alchemist Tan Gengxin. Only a practitioner of your grand caliber could have salvaged this disaster. Please accept this token of our appreciation for your elite services." Su Zhongtian extended his hand, passing a simple, metallic ring over to the doctor. Xiao Xuan's eyes sharpened instantly. A storage ring! Tan Gengxin accepted the ring with a wide, greedy smile, seamlessly channeling a small thread of his internal Qi to inspect its hidden dimensions.

Satisfied, the doctor quickly exited the room. Su Zhongtian turned his stern gaze back to the bed.

"Xiao Xuan, since you claim to be fine, I expect to see you present for breakfast tomorrow morning. Do not be late." Without waiting for a response, the Clan Leader turned around to leave. Liang Shufen shot a final glare at Xiao Xuan, before sweeping out of the room right behind her husband.

"Sure thing, Father!" Xiao Xuan called out cheerily to their retreating backs. Outside the room, Su Zhongtian's footsteps paused for a fraction of a second. His left eyebrow twitched. I am not your damn father! He resumed walking, speeding up his pace.