This is really not mechanical ascension - Chapter 24 - : Take Action! Guard the Gate?

Xin Yun, a sarcastic young man, traveled to an unknown world by chance, but lost his chance to become the strongest because of his obsession with women... or sex. In a collision of the powers of nine powerful men, an incredible thing happened. Xin Yun was reborn back to the time when he traveled to the Isekai world. A fantasy journey is about to begin... [The comic adapted from this novel is popular all over the world]

A striking man of mysterious origin and peerless talent, he looks back at the world, in all its entirety, with utter disdain. And yet, in the treacherous and unpredictable ultimate formation of the Boundless Secular World, he guards a breathtaking ancient qin with broken strings, waiting silently for the destined one to arrive!

A boy encounters him, and knows for the first time that the world beneath the Heavens is a fickle place. Not even demons, devils, ghosts and monsters can match the frivolity of human nature!

A slender physique, and jade-like beauty, but the sword that strikes between heaven and earth is not unlike a streaming rainbow!

The vastness of the starry sky, the seven emotions and six desires! Greed, anger and ignorance! The teachings of Buddha will grant you boundless strength!

A sea of blood will come, at the cost of all mortal beings full of honest hope!

The ghosts wail as the gods roar, but the sea of blood has no end!

Where, pray tell, is the path I should take?

Since there is no path, no matter how bitter and bloody the sea, even if my boat is made out of bones, I will soar to the heavens above!

- Description from Novelupdates

Traveling through time, he became Zhang Gui, a foreign relative of the Tianqi Dynasty. Because he didn’t want to be tortured to death by Li Zicheng in the future, he had to embark on the road of harming the powerful and bureaucratic officials of the Ming Dynasty.

The Yanguan scolded him for coercing the king and making disorderly manners.

The prince scolded him for being greedy.

The official hates him for being mean and cruel.

But helplessly, most of the Nine Frontiers are his lackeys, and even Jiu Qiansui is his godson, and the emperor can’t do anything about him.

Therefore, the Ming Dynasty was at the mercy of him.

- Description from novelbuddy

Everyone dreams of being summoned to a magical world.Everyone… except me.I’m Alan. Thirty-something, white-collar worker, zero hobbies, one annoying best friend named Bob. Bob’s an anime-obsessed otaku whose life goal is to become the hero of an isekai world. I just wanted to go home, take a shower, and sleep.But then Bob opened a portal to another world in his living room.And guess who got sucked in with him?Now Bob’s the Chosen One, blessed by world and received legendary weapons and magic.Me? I’m the guy carrying his bags, dodging fireballs, and wondering if fantasy world have proper sewage system.This is the story of how my best friend became a hero……and how I accidentally became his sidekick.