NSCHAN

Lee Wooyun had always been a fan of romance fantasy books and films, especially those set in historical times with kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, and the like.

His friends were well aware of his obsession and recommended a book that had recently been making waves on social media. The book was titled My Charming Demon Lord.

At first, Lee Wooyun was hesitant. Unlike the fantasies he usually read, which were often set in Western historical settings, this one was different. However, his friends assured him he would enjoy it.

Not wanting to reject their gift, he decided to give it a try. That night, he found himself unable to put the book down, reading almost the entire thing in one sitting.

"Those guys were right! It’s amazing! A Cinderella-like fairytale set in a murim/cultivation world? It’s too good!"

He couldn't help but imagine how incredible it would be to take the female lead Han Seo-yoon’s place—starting from such a miserable beginning only to end up in the arms of the surprisingly sweet and gentle demon lord. I wish I could take her place.

That night, as he drifted off to sleep, the book he had left open on his desk began to emit a golden glow. The pages flipped backward, returning to the very first chapter, and its contents began to change as well. 

The title My Charming Demon Lord pulsed with a piercing red light, and before Lee Wooyun could even react, his surroundings shifted.

The next morning, instead of waking up wrapped in his expensive velvet duvet—the one he had spent hundreds of dollars on—he found himself in a dimly lit room, lying on a pile of hay and straw.

His back ached horribly, like he had actually slept on a pile of hay and straw.

"What in the world…?"  he muttered, rubbing his sore muscles. "Where in the hell am I? And why does it smell like cow dung in here?!”

***

This is the story of how a fantasy-genre enthusiast ended up inside one of the books he had wished for—without realizing just how dangerous that wish would be.

"I guess it’s true what they say: Be careful what you wish for."

A Cinderella Story in A Cultivation World

He turned the vial slowly in his hand. "This symbol… it's not demonic."

Min-joon blinked. "If it's not demonic, then what is it?"

Lin-hae looked at Min-joon as if he were daft. "You really need to study more."

Eun-woo didn't answer right away. Instead, his gaze drifted deeper into the trees, where the mist thickened and shadows loomed tall. The presence he felt here didn't scream with chaos like a demonic field would. It was much more hidden and extremely calculated. Very unlike the rash and almost explosive demonic energy he was used to.

"This was the work of someone from a neutral sect or faction."

"A neutral sect?!" They both exclaimed.

Part sixty-nine - You’re like a sack of rice flour, too soft to stand, too heavy to drag, and God forbid someone pokes a hole in you.