Chapter 1 - Girls in a Matriarchal World Are Just Too Scary

Su Yan lay sprawled on the table, a look of utter despair on his face, staring vacantly at his reflection in the bronze mirror. With features reminiscent of an exiled celestial being, possessing an elegance that transcends the mundane, how did he end up like this? "It's all because of my predecessor's dumb decisions!" He sighed, unconsciously brushing his hair away. That's right, he was not truly himself. In the quiet of the night, he lay curled up in bed, engrossed in a web novel, laughing heartily at climactic moments. However, what he never anticipated was... Which deity he might have offended, he did not know. Nevertheless, he found himself transported into the very book. As the protagonist, Su Yan from "The Tale of the Green Tea Cultivator," hailed from humble beginnings, merely a child of ordinary mortals. In an average narrative, the male lead's journey would be one of rising from mundane origins to victorious grandeur, amassing a vast harem and eventually ascending to the immortal realm. Contrary to expectation, the author chose an unconventional path, crafting a world where gender roles were inverted. Men were inherently weaker than women and thus, had little potential for success in cultivation. Lacking extraordinary talent, Su Yan had no choice but to lead the typical life of an ordinary man: staying home, assisting his wife, and raising children. Yet, being the protagonist, his destiny was hardly meant to be ordinary. To stir things up, the author bestowed Su Yan with a significant cheat. Could a man be so stunningly beautiful? With exceptional looks and an enchanting aura, he was the ultimate heartthrob. So alluring, in fact, that the author used an entire chapter to describe this breathtaking beauty—a testament to the writer’s relentless obsession. Gifted with such a face yet of common birth, the path before him was predictable. "My little beauty, you can scream all you like, but no one will come to save you!" On an errand one day, Su Yan found himself cornered in an alley by a woman with an hourglass figure, and an unspeakable act seemed imminent. But, as the male lead, he was not about to lose his first experience to an unnamed character. “Stop!” An elegant and captivating lady appeared, rescuing Su Yan. “I am Bai Shuixin, head of the Tianshui Peak of the Yi Xian Sect. Do you wish to become my disciple and learn the art of longevity?” Presented with such a heavenly chance, Su Yan immediately agreed, on one condition: why had she chosen him? Bai Shuixin spoke truthfully, unveiling the reason. "You have been born extraordinary, possessing a rare sacred body, an invaluable furnace physique." The notion of a furnace body sent chills down his spine. Despite his human status, tales of the Sec of Harmonious Delight reached even the most remote areas. Su Yan was well aware that this sect was famous for dual cultivation, infamous for capturing innocent men as living furnaces. Not only did women extract spiritual energy for growth, but draining men allowed them to reach new spiritual grounds. The Sect of Harmonious Delight remained undefeated due to its knack for training diverse furnaces, offering such men to dark cultivators. In this society, women compared power, wealth, and men; thus, the sect held an esteemed position within demonic paths due to their endless stream of men. Skilled in refinement, these men became champions in pleasing women, making for excellent showpieces to boost standing in the cultivation world. If aligned with the Sect of Harmonious Delight, one is seen to be a potential ally of theirs. For someone like Su Yan, possessing a sacred body, equated to a highly valuable asset, comparable in modern terms to a multi-million-dollar supercar, specially crafted VIP limited edition. Despite his yearning to cultivate, Su Yan was unwilling to become merely an object of pleasure for others. Noticing Su Yan's distressed look, Bai Shuixin assured him, “Don’t worry, our Yi Xian Sect is not evil. We won’t misuse you in any way. I just hope that when you choose a wife, you consider my disciples first.” Given men's poor aptitude, Bai Shuixin hardly anticipated Su Yan achieving much. Her motivation for taking him as a disciple was merely to benefit her students. Relieved, Su Yan’s countenance improved at her words. In a world where men were little more than leisurely decorations, being regarded as a charming ornament isn’t so bad. Accepting the terms, Su Yan joined the Yi Xian Sect, becoming the junior brother of the Tianshui Peak. With unrivaled beauty accompanied by a gentle, fragile aura, the senior sisters fell for him instantaneously, treating him like a precious treasure. Knowing the sacred body’s extraordinary aspect, any interaction with him would dramatically enhance a woman’s cultivation. His attractiveness was not just aesthetic but practical, making the senior sisters elevate him to celestial heights. Are you thirsty? Hungry? Tired? Let me rub your shoulders... Overwhelmed by the sisters’ attentiveness, Su Yan, a simple villager, had never experienced such treatment, eventually losing himself to their capture. He abandoned cultivation, indulging instead in romance, choosing the most prominent senior sister to be his primary wife. Had events concluded there, Su Yan would have lived a blissful life. However... There's always a "however!" His self-indulgence led Su Yan astray, evolving into a scorned player of sorts, unfaithful though wed. Shooting flirtatious glances at the second senior sister today, hinting at the third tomorrow; he harassed his junior sisters and even eyed the master. They all fawn over me, so why not you? Just because you're my master? Su Yan became arrogant, assuming women should cater to him, as disregard deemed a grave sin. Bai Shuixin’s patience wore thin; this was her domain, and Su Yan’s antics could not hide from her. She could bear his betrayal with her own students—at least kept within the sect—but his audacity towards her broke limits... "You dared to approach me!?" Bai Shuixin seethed with rage, unable to believe her disciple so shameless. Rallying the students, she revealed his exploits. “I never imagined you were involved with others while maintaining relations with me!” “How could you also engage with the second senior sister?” “Yan, you betrayed me?” His main wife was speechless, her trust shattered as deception involved multiple partners. The second senior sister, heartbroken, found him unable to resist indecency. The third senior sister mirrored contemplation in stunned silence. Frantically, Su Yan pleaded, “Second, third sisters, why so surprised? You knew I was married, yet you accepted it. What’s wrong with adding you two too?” Silenced, they knew they couldn’t claim seduction—actions stemmed from their own desires. Su Yan managed them, but his wife’s icy demeanor left him at a loss for words. “You dared attempt to seduce the master! I severely misjudged you!” Love once abundant, replaced by profound shame upon seeing him now. “I was just careless; it won’t happen again.” You’re asking for another chance? Naively, Su Yan underestimated the gravity of the situation. Just as passionate in love, hatred springs equally intense; such matters rarely gloss over. Expelled from the Yi Xian Sect for moral failings, Su Yan was stripped of ties—his fate no longer concerning them. Disheartened, he planned to settle conveniently with any woman willing, knowing his beauty remained a compelling asset. Yet, devoid of the sect's protection, danger loomed. Coveting his beauty, rivals marred his image, left him dishonored in the wilderness. A passing cultivator discovered him, exploiting his special physique, selling him at a metaphysical marketplace. Once handsome yet now scorned, potential buyers viewed him not, save for an opportunity to be used as a cultivation medium. ... Reeling from the narrative in his mind, Su Yan was taken aback. This was a calamity waiting to happen! Squandering opportunities to become a deliciously scandalous villain? The outcome was inevitable. "Granted, but now I'm the protagonist. What must I do?" Su Yan sighed, pondering his options while nibbling at the snacks before him. Consideration revealed his plight wasn’t dire; original demise stemmed from foolish infidelity. "As long as I maintain distance from the senior sisters..." Mid-thought, he realized such avoidance among Tianshui Peak’s five—a trio of sisters plus a master—would seem overly conspicuous. Furthermore, Bai Shuixin’s reasoning for recruiting him included potential matches for her disciples. Indifference on his part might provoke her ire. "And the downsides linger—without their protection, my safety is questionable." This world: a matriarchal society where men inherently lacked strength to rival women. Without the protection of the senior sisters, and lacking the master's favor, Su Yan could easily find himself dragged into a compromising situation amidst the sect's leafy shadows while merely wandering about. This wasn’t an exaggeration; such incidents had indeed occurred. "No, I must forge strong connections with the senior sisters." Upon careful reflection, Su Yan realized distancing himself was unwise. Instead, he could even select one sister to be closer with. After all, each sister possessed extraordinary beauty. Missing such opportunities would be regrettable, and as long as he remained faithful post-marriage, the disastrous events wouldn't unfold. "But who should I choose?" Su Yan found himself troubled by the decision. The eldest senior sister, the sect leader’s daughter, naturally carried prominence and was his original wife in the novel; yet choosing her meant aligning with the existing storyline. Recollection of the protagonist's dire fate in the book filled him with unease.