C13 You must be from Earth!

In just one morning, Xiao Yan's portrayal of the descendant had taken Wutan City by storm.

Nearby cities, captivated by Xiao Yan's charm, announced their plans to visit Wutan City to witness Moonbound Chang'e that evening.

Even the major sects from the Rosefinch Kingdom had received invitations to the play. It was clear that the Xiao family and Xiao Yan's status would be formidable after today.

Truth be told, even if Moonbound Chang'e were a masterpiece, it wouldn't normally have such an overwhelming impact or such a fearsome reach.

The underlying reason was the City Lord of Wutan City's covert efforts! Now a partner of the Xiao family, his fortunes were tied to their ascent.

"Ah, I never expected this young man to have a shot at redemption. I truly misjudged him," mused Ge Ye, a Golden Core Stage elder from the Cloud Misty Sect.

They had not left Wutan City immediately because Nalan Yanran wished to explore a bit more before returning. Ge Ye had consented to her request.

What they did not anticipate was witnessing the rise of a young man, the very one they had just spurned...

Nalan Yanran's emotions were mixed, as Xiao Yan's haughty words lingered in her mind, leaving her unsettled.

"Elder Ge! I'd like to go see the Xiao family's play tonight..." Nalan Yanran resolved to see Xiao Yan once more, fearing that if she didn't, it might haunt her future cultivation with a shadow in her heart.

Ge Ye nodded in agreement, curious himself to see how Xiao Yan had managed to earn such acclaim from the city in just three days.

...

Meanwhile, Xiao Yan and Xiao Xuner were in the pavilion, observing Chiang Xie's peculiar demeanor with concern. "What's the matter, Mr. Chiang?" they asked.

"Xiao Yan, Xiao Xuner, don't you find it odd how wildly popular our play has become?" inquired Chiang Xie, glancing at them.

"What's odd about it?" Xiao Yan responded, puzzled.

"What's so strange about that? The scene from 'Moonbound Chang'e' hasn't featured Xiao Xuner yet, so it's natural that it hasn't caught fire," someone remarked.

"But you're on fire right now, and yet, as the director, I'm not getting any buzz. When I announced the play, I made it clear that Chiang Xie was directing! Do these people only care about the actors?"

He had poured his heart and soul into this production, losing countless brain cells in the process. Now that Xiao Yan was in the spotlight, it was only fair that he basked in some of that warmth, right? But it seemed as though everyone had conveniently forgotten about him as the director.

The system offered some insight, explaining that since he wasn't the protagonist, even if he did something sensational, the Heavenly Dao would diminish his impact.

And if the host wasn't powerful enough to instill fear in the heavens themselves, the villain's destiny was to perish at the hands of other main characters. That was the principle of evil never triumphing over good.

Chiang Xie, however, dismissed such notions with contempt. What did it mean for evil never to triumph over good? Was evil inherently bad? Was good inherently virtuous? Could evil never overcome good?

In Chiang Xie's mind, whether one was labeled as evil or good was merely a role assigned by the heavens. Who could claim that there were no kind-hearted individuals on the path of evil? Or assert that the so-called path of righteousness was devoid of scoundrels?

Yet, it was often the benevolent souls from the path of evil who met their end at the hands of malicious individuals from the path of good. Was that justice?

Chiang Xie couldn't stand such inflexible unfairness. That's why he was determined to show the heavens that their definitions of good and evil were utterly nonsensical!

Though he understood the reasons, Chiang Xie wasn't truly angry, but he couldn't help voicing his dissatisfaction.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Xuner could only offer wry smiles in response. In the end, they placated Chiang Xie as if he were a child, which finally appeased him.

Just then, Xiao Zhan, having wrapped up his business dealings with the City Lord, approached Chiang Xie. Without a word, he presented a substantial sum of spirit stones he had earned that morning.

"Chiang, I, Xiao Zhan, will forever be grateful for your kindness to my son and the Xiao family! Please accept these spirit stones I earned today. Should you ever face any hardship, my family will spare no effort to assist you," Xiao Zhan declared with heartfelt sincerity, expressing his deep gratitude to the young man who had made such a difference in his son's life and the fortunes of his family. Yet, he felt words were not enough to convey his indebtedness, so he offered what support he could.

Xiao Zhan expressed his sincere gratitude to the young man who had changed both his son and their family's fortunes. He was immensely thankful but unsure how to repay him, so he simply offered his thanks.

Chiang Xie graciously accepted the spirit stones with a smile, saying, "I'll take all the earnings from this play as my compensation. So, Uncle, you needn't worry about it."

Privately, Chiang Xie mused, "If you knew just how much more impressive your son could be without me, I wonder if you'd still be thankful..."

Xiao Zhan, of course, agreed without hesitation and inquired whether such plays would continue in the future.

Chiang Xie nodded and handed over a thick book filled with various scripts—mythological, comedic, romantic, and more. He had prepared these well in advance, knowing he couldn't stay with the Xiao family forever. By leaving these scripts, Xiao Yan would be able to direct and perform even in his absence.

Both Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan understood Chiang Xie's intentions, feeling a warmth in their hearts. They saw Chiang Xie's daily leisure, but also the bright lights at night, realizing he must have been working on these scripts.

As evening arrived, the Xiao family's estate was swarming with people, far more than the morning's audience. Among them were powerful individuals from various factions, all eager to see if the play lived up to its reputation. With few entertainment options besides their solitary cultivation, these cultivators were naturally intrigued by the prospect of something new and exciting.

Furthermore, the City Lord of Wutan City had assured them the play was not to be missed, prompting them to travel from afar.

Those who had attended the morning show, including the City Lord, now felt a strong urge to give Chiang Xie a piece of their mind!

At the entrance to the Xiao family's residence, a large sign forbade bringing in outside food. This left the clever audience members who had brought their own snacks baffled. It seemed they would have to purchase the overpriced concessions after all.

They all wanted to say just one thing, "Chiang Xie, you bastard!"

...

Before the play began, everyone noticed that Nalan Yanran from the Cloud Misty Sect had also arrived, prompting some peculiar looks. Wasn't she Xiao Yan's former fiancée, with their engagement already broken off? What was she doing here?

At that moment, Chiang Xie and Huang Yueer were nestled in a corner, each with a stash of snacks, eagerly awaiting the start of the play while indulging in some gossip.

"Do you think Nalan Yanran might regret calling off the engagement after seeing how impressive Xiao Yan is?" Chiang Xie asked nonchalantly, popping a potato chip into his mouth.

"What? Xiao Yan had a fiancée? And she broke off the engagement? That's unbelievable," Huang Yueer exclaimed in disbelief.

"Haven't you watched Battle Through the Heavens... Oh, aren't you from Wutan City? Otherwise, how could you not know such juicy gossip?"

"Well, I'm not from around here. But, you know, if it's true, I think Xiao Yan is quite unfortunate. He's such a great actor, and yet he had a fiancée like that."

Chiang Xie's mouth twitched. Talking to this girl felt like chatting with someone from Earth; her style was so different from the women of the fantasy world. Damn! Could she be a transmigrator too?

He quickly dismissed the thought. Transmigrators weren't that common, were they?

After a brief pause, he turned to Huang Yueer and said, "Actually, his ex-fiancée isn't really materialistic; she just lacks a bit in emotional intelligence."

"Hey, Chiang Xie, could you do me a favor later on?"

"What is it? Spit it out."

"After the play ends, could you get me Xiao Yan's autograph? The kind he writes himself."

Chiang Xie was taken aback. Get Xiao Yan's autograph? That's like asking for his signature. She must be from Earth, right?