At this moment, Yin Ming really looked like that wronged child.

Can't the male protagonist see the barrier surrounding them? Is he genuinely naive or simply unwilling to accept his kindness?

Yin Ming had very mixed feelings; it was really hard to win over the protagonist, haha.

Oh well, he knew it wouldn't go so smoothly anyway, he'll just keep trying.

“Well, you won’t need to do these things anymore.” Yin Ming carefully chose his words, trying to speak to his future boss in a friendly and gentle tone.

Lingyao, with her head down, didn't see Yin Ming's kind expression at all, and only said in a low voice, "Is that so? Then I understand."

No, what do you know?

Seeing the male lead lower his head pitifully, his aura resembling that of an abandoned puppy, Yin Ming was filled with questions.

"Don't overthink it..." Yin Ming felt that he could still salvage the situation. After all, his intentions in saying these words were good, and there was no reason for him to make people feel even more upset.

"Should I go?" Lingyao asked instead.

Yin Ming's eyes widened in shock. "I didn't say anything like that, did I?! What are you making up?"

“You used to ask me to tidy up your resting place, to keep watch for you at night, and to fetch water for you to wash up…”

When monsters attack, you'll let me go up and train first, and only help me when I'm no match for them.

Although I may get hurt, the practical experience I gain is more valuable, and even if you sometimes get angry with me, I am still very grateful.

I may be weak, but at least I can do something for you so I don't feel like a useless piece of trash.

“But these past few days, it seems you don’t need me anymore.” Lingyao bit her thin lips, as if she had made a great decision before expressing her true feelings.

This was the most he had ever spoken to Yin Ming since he transmigrated into the book, yet every word he uttered was a complaint about the grievances he had suffered at Yin Ming's hands.

So, the reason he kept glancing at Yin Ming yesterday was because Yin Ming hadn't asked him to help tidy up his sleeping area? And what about keeping watch, fetching water for washing, and fighting monsters? Is that how he understood it?

Yin Ming began to doubt his life. He was the one who should feel wronged. If he hadn't read the original work, he would have almost been brainwashed by Ling Yao's words.

Well, I kept thinking that I might be making things difficult for them, but it turns out they're actually enjoying it.

This misunderstanding is too big! Young man, you've imagined the villain from the original work to be far too perfect!

He's really treating you like a slave! He genuinely wants to abuse you and hurt you! You...you don't actually have masochistic tendencies, do you?

So the original story was about a sadist meeting a masochist? One was willing to hit and the other was willing to be hit?

"That's not it, I'm just afraid... Okay, from now on you can do whatever you like, follow your own ideas, okay?" Yin Ming originally wanted to explain something, but then thought, forget it, he's the boss, let him be.

Hearing that Yin Ming had compromised, Ling Yao's expression softened slightly: "Okay, then you can wash up."

Yin Ming was speechless. Did this future big shot really like to serve people so much?

"However, Yin Ming recently has given me a very different feeling, reminding me of when we first met."

Lingyao looked up at Yinming seriously, and the latter nodded repeatedly after hearing this.

Yes, yes, yes, whether you were stunning or gentle at first sight, just keep that impression on me!

Yin Ming finally understood. Given the male lead's current "pure and innocent" nature, he now sees everyone as a good person.

He only ever looks for the cause within himself when he encounters problems, never thinking it's someone else's fault. Therefore, he takes all the things the villains in the original work did to him as well-intentioned.

So, what Yin Ming needs to do now is to make Ling Yao feel that he is truly doing this for Ling Yao's own good and that his feelings have never changed. If that's the case, then everything will be fine.

So, Yin Ming shamelessly spoke up—

"Yes, everything I do is for your own good."

I felt incredibly embarrassed after saying it.

Yin Ming silently rubbed his forehead. The road ahead was long. He didn't ask to be the big boss's confidant, best friend, or confidante; he only hoped that the boss wouldn't kill him someday.

Yin Ming and Ling Yao packed up and continued their journey. After walking a little further, several roars of beasts suddenly came from the forest behind them. Sensing the happy emotions in the roars, Yin Ming couldn't help but chuckle.

Lingyao also heard those beast roars, and after laying everything out, he seemed to become more talkative: "Why didn't Yin Ming kill that demonic beast this time?"

Yin Ming paused, somewhat bewildered: "It didn't do anything, why should I kill it?"

"But it attacked us first. Aren't we afraid it will come back to retaliate if we just let it go?"

Seeing Ling Yao's handsome brows furrowed in confusion, Yin Ming suddenly realized that the villain had done the same thing before, and now that he had let the monster go, the male lead would inevitably find it strange.

“Things are different now, Yao. You have to remember this: I won’t offend others unless they offend me. That monster only came to drive us away; it didn’t intend to kill anyone. It did nothing wrong. If we really have to nitpick, the fault actually lies with us.”

Seeing Lingyao's increasingly furrowed brows, Yin Ming patiently explained, "Monsters have a sense of territory. We invaded its territory without its permission, so it will naturally be angry."

Although its method of driving people away was a bit brutal, it didn't warrant death, and there was no need to resort to violence at the drop of a hat.

It's just a silly, free-spirited magical beast living in its own territory; wanting ownership of the territory isn't unreasonable.

Seeing Ling Yao nod as if he understood, Yin Ming felt a sense of relief, like a loving father.

It seems this child hasn't been completely corrupted by the villains in the original story. As long as he can still listen to advice, there's still hope.

***

Yin Ming was assigned to Ling Yao's side. Whether he taught him cultivation or treated him well, it was all to help him accumulate resentment.

How do you accumulate resentment? Of course, by wandering around aimlessly and getting into trouble.

This was tough on Yin Ming. In the real world, people have transportation, but now he had to travel all over the world on foot. Wasn't that making things difficult for a homebody?

What? In the world of cultivation, who walks anymore? Everyone flies! Only cultivators at the eighth realm can unlock flight. You try flying at the seventh realm, let me see.

Yin Ming felt that he was now exactly like Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures.

In Journey to the West, even the White Dragon Horse, who served as a mount, was promoted to one of the Eight Heavenly Dragons, while he endured countless hardships and ended up with nothing, and might even die.

Is this how a human being does things?

Although cultivators are generally in good physical condition, Yin Ming, who hadn't had such a high level of physical activity in a long time, really couldn't keep traveling all day.

I don't understand how the villain in the original work got through each day. Is it just because he can torment the male lead that he has a constant source of motivation?

Lingyao didn't complain at all, and it's unclear whether he's truly able to handle it or just putting on a brave face.