I'm a major player in a parallel universe

"Is this your way of taking advantage of me when I'm powerless?" Yang Haoxuan's tendency to crack jokes during moments of difficulty or tension was well-known. It was his way of hiding his wounds, distracting himself from the discomfort.

"Are you alright?" Suddenly, the person spoke, and Yang Haoxuan found the voice surprisingly familiar, as though it was someone who had just crossed over into this world with him.

"Yang Ruolan?" Yang Haoxuan asked cautiously, his voice weak.

Yang Ruolan didn't respond at first. Instead, she took a few steps forward. He could immediately see the delicate white embroidered shoes and slender ankles. Then, he felt his arm being lifted, and before he knew it, he was flipped onto his back and propped up to sit on the ground.

And there she was—Yang Ruolan's beautiful face, glowing like a piece of jade, appeared before him. Yang Haoxuan was puzzled as to why she was helping him, but as he looked closer, he realized she too seemed confused about why she was saving him.

"So, what's going on? Aren't you worried your little pretty boy will get jealous?" Yang Haoxuan asked, his tone teasing as he noticed her flustered behavior.

Yang Ruolan froze. Her thoughts flashed to Yang Peng, recalling how his face had twisted with greed when he heard the words "Qi Gathering Pill," and how he eagerly followed others after hearing that.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Yang Ruolan snapped, still angry at Yang Haoxuan for accusing her, despite her disgust for Yang Peng's behavior. "Just stay here if you want to keep talking like that!"

"Alright, alright," Yang Haoxuan said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "So, what do you want in exchange for helping me? Don't tell me it's my charm that's got you interested!"

Yang Ruolan didn't respond with her usual irritation. Instead, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she coldly stated, "I hope this will settle the debt of me leaving you to die back then. You must never threaten me or Yang Peng again."

"You think I have the time to threaten you two right now?" Yang Haoxuan's expression turned serious, his mind still raging from the earlier encounter with Yang Jian. "I'm not interested in that."

Yang Ruolan could see the anger in his eyes and, although she didn't want to get involved, something made her hold back her usual coldness. She sighed, trying to get him to see reason. "Don't be a fool! Yang Jian's already a Martial Master..."

"Enough! Help me back to my room," Yang Haoxuan waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to hear more.

However, just as the words left his mouth, he saw Yang Ruolan's face flush, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing as she glared at him. It became apparent that his words had been far too ambiguous.

"What? You think lying here overnight will make you feel better?" Yang Haoxuan, oblivious to the tension, asked curiously, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor.

Her expression, a mix of surprise and frustration, made Yang Ruolan hesitate before she suddenly helped him up. Without saying a word, she pretended to keep a neutral expression as she guided him toward his room. The faint fragrance of her presence filled the air, but Yang Haoxuan didn't think much of it, though it certainly made him feel a little better.

But just as they neared a fork in the path, someone suddenly leapt out from the shadows. Before Yang Haoxuan could make out who it was, the excited voice called out, "Ruolan! It's true! Yang Jian really gave every disciple a Qi Gathering Pill! You should go too…!"

It was Yang Peng, who had rushed back in excitement after receiving his own Qi Gathering Pill. However, as he approached, he saw Yang Haoxuan and instantly became enraged at the sight of him with his arm draped around Yang Ruolan's shoulder.

His fury erupted, as if struck by lightning. He lost all rationality and shouted, "Yang Ruolan! I can't believe it! You're this kind of woman! Is it because he now has a high-grade cultivation method and is showing off that you couldn't resist him?"

At these words, Yang Ruolan's heart sank. She had helped Yang Haoxuan out of guilt for abandoning him back then, as well as to resolve some issues between her and Yang Peng. But to have her intentions so misinterpreted, to hear it laid out so crudely—it hurt. She was wounded, though she kept silent.

Seeing that Yang Ruolan didn't deny it, Yang Peng's anger grew even more uncontrollable. He shot a venomous look at Yang Haoxuan, but the latter, with a strange smile, simply turned and walked away, leaving Yang Peng behind in a fit of rage.

"Cough, cough! I think he misunderstood the nature of our pure relationship!" Yang Haoxuan said, trying to lighten the mood.

Slap!

It wasn't a slap to his face. Instead, Yang Ruolan suddenly shoved Yang Haoxuan away, sending him crashing to the ground before running after Yang Peng.

"Wait, what?!" Yang Haoxuan looked down at the darkened path, feeling wronged as he mumbled, "I would rather be back on the sparring platform!"

...

In his room, Little Qing struggled to help Yang Haoxuan back to bed. After carefully placing him on the mattress, she sighed, relieved, "Young Master, I'm so glad I went out to find you when you didn't return. Otherwise, I would've been worried!"

Yang Haoxuan, now lying comfortably on the bed, smiled and said, "Hehe! That's why Little Qing is the best!"

"Best my foot!" Little Qing huffed and turned to leave.

As soon as Little Qing walked out, Yang Haoxuan's expression darkened. In the past, he had been quiet and introverted, shouldering all his pain alone. He didn't like showing his sadness or anger to others, believing that expressing them only brought pity, and maybe even mockery, from others.

But now, as he lay alone, his thoughts turned to Yang Jian. It didn't matter whether Yang Jian was right or wrong; what mattered was that Yang Jian had chosen to stand against him. That person had been nothing but cruel to him, and Yang Haoxuan swore, deep in his heart, that he would get his revenge.

At the same time, Yang Haoxuan wasn't an unreasonable fool. He began to reflect on the reasons for his defeat. It was simple—there had been no real fight. Yang Jian's overwhelming power, combined with the use of that binding talisman, had rendered him powerless to retaliate.

That blow to his pride was far more damaging than anything physical. The confidence he had painstakingly built from his cultivation efforts had shattered. But the more he thought about it, the more determined he became. He would find a way to make Yang Jian pay for this humiliation.

However, the gap in their cultivation levels was immense. Yang Haoxuan had spent half a year reaching the sixth layer of the Martial Artist realm, but he still hadn't crossed the threshold into the seventh. As for the final three layers, they seemed like an insurmountable distance.

And with the adult trial only six months away, it seemed like a long, hopeless road ahead. But as these thoughts filled his mind, he fell into a deep, restless sleep.

The next day, Yang Haoxuan stayed in bed for a long time, his body still weak from the effects of the binding talisman. The frustration was palpable as he lay there, his mind consumed by anger and resentment.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that he had been pushed to his limits.

Just as he was about to give up on thinking, his father, Yang Batian, rushed into the room, looking frantic. After a quick check to make sure his son was okay, he asked with concern, "Haoxuan! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Yang Haoxuan shrugged. But noticing his father's worried expression, he quickly asked, "Father, are you alright?"

Sighing, Yang Batian slumped into a chair, patting his thigh in frustration. "You saw Yang Jian yesterday, didn't you? Right after Elder Bai was expelled, he returned. I don't know what kind of power he holds, but he's handing out pills to all the disciples and even the elders. He's clearly trying to win the hearts of everyone to help his father seize the clan leadership!"

Yang Haoxuan thought back to Yang Jian's behavior the day before. It seemed he did have plans to use his power and influence to help his father gain control of the clan. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Father, don't be misled by him just because he's from the martial world. He's here alone, so there's no need to worry about the so-called Chongxuan Sect. As for the pills… well, I've got you covered."

With that, he walked over to the bed and waved his sleeve. A pile of Qi Gathering Pills fell onto the bed, over a thousand five hundred of them, with a few hundred set aside for himself.

Yang Batian, though already aware of his son's alchemical abilities, was still surprised. But seeing the pills now scattered across the bed, a sense of relief washed over him. With these pills, they at least had the foundation to fight back.

...

Meanwhile, in another courtyard of the Yang family, Yang Haoxuan's fourth uncle, Yang Baxiong, was in deep conversation with Yang Jian.

Yang Jian calmly sipped his tea, while Yang Ying sat beside him, smiling broadly

. Yang Baxiong, however, looked worried. "Yang Jian, are you sure giving out so many Qi Gathering Pills isn't a waste?"

"Sigh, Father! Don't worry. The pills I'm giving out aren't from my own stock, but from the sect. They're for the disciples!" Yang Jian replied, slightly irritated at the suspicion. "Just focus on securing the clan leader position!"

Yang Jian had returned from the martial world feeling proud. He noticed how people treated him with respect and admiration, especially when they learned of his age and strength. The fame had satisfied his vanity, and he had begun to realize the social rules of the mortal world. Now, he was intent on using his newfound power to help his father secure the clan's leadership.

"But it's not working as expected!" Yang Baxiong said, still concerned. "According to the clan rules, Yang Haoxuan already has the strength of a sixth-layer Martial Artist. Yang Batian is already gaining the elders' support! If things go wrong, we might even face charges of treason!"

"That's right!" Yang Ying snarled. "Yang Haoxuan, that arrogant little brat, thinks that just because he has a high-grade cultivation technique, he can flaunt it!"

Before Yang Jian could speak, Yang Ying was already fuming.

"High-grade cultivation technique?" Yang Jian's hand trembled, his tea nearly spilling. "You mean Yang Haoxuan from yesterday?"

"Yes, that's him!" Yang Ying replied, slightly puzzled.

"Ha! You've all been deceived!" Yang Jian laughed loudly, his voice laced with scorn. "High-grade techniques are rare, and they're incredibly difficult to cultivate. More importantly, high-grade techniques don't just work on anyone. If you were paying attention, you'd know that Yang Haoxuan's moves were good, but those couldn't possibly be from a high-grade technique! It's probably just a Mystic-grade technique at best. Even in my Chongxuan Sect, we've never heard of such a technique!"

"Are you saying Yang Haoxuan lied?" Yang Baxiong asked, his voice growing excited, his confidence returning.

"Absolutely!" Yang Jian nodded with certainty. "And after the way I treated him yesterday, that little grudge-bearing brat will definitely come after me for revenge. When he challenges me, I'll make sure to crush him!"

The three of them burst into harsh, mocking laughter.