1-5
Chapter 1
When Song Wei Zhi woke up, she realized she was in an ancient world. She calmly listened to the people around her for a while before confirming that she had transmigrated into the cultivation novel she had been reading before bed, "Cultivation Chronicles: The Tale of the Demoness' Ascension."
She couldn't be sure of her current identity, so she silently observed the others around her.
There was a tall, slender man in his forties speaking across from her. From the discussions among the disciples behind him, she learned that the man was Qin Xian, the head of the Qin family. At the moment, he was accompanied by more than ten Qin family disciples, as well as a thin, incongruous girl. Despite her simple attire, her exquisite appearance could not be concealed. Her delicate face was adorned with a pair of sparkling peach blossom eyes, a straight and high nose, and a pair of lovely lips. Even without makeup, her radiant face was undeniable.
The next moment, she heard Qin Xian speak, "Leader Song, when I passed by the Song family village a few days ago, I noticed this child and found her to be related to you. I immediately brought her here to you upon discovering she shares your blood. This is certainly a cause for celebration, but there's something I'm unsure whether to mention."
Upon hearing this, the onlookers erupted into a cacophony of discussions.
"I can't believe the leader has a daughter? Could she be his illegitimate child?"
"No wonder she's the leader's daughter. She looks quite attractive, but I still think our senior sister is the most beautiful."
"Well, what's the use of being beautiful? Our senior sister will always be the most talented cultivator in Lín Hǎi City."
"That's right, our senior sister is so formidable."
Upon hearing Qin Xian's words, Song Ru Hai's face turned pale. He gritted his teeth and said, "Thank you, Brother Qin, for finding my daughter who has been missing for years. If there's nothing else, Brother Qin, you may take your leave. My daughter and I have just been reunited, and I have many arrangements to make. We shall express our gratitude in a few days."
"Let's not be hasty with gratitude. I still have something to say. The girl's birth date and time match those of Song Wei Zhi, your daughter, exactly. I fear that if she isn't verified, there might be unpleasant rumors in Lín Hǎi City." Qin Xian pretended to be considerate of Song Ru Hai, making Song Ru Hai wish he could strangle him then and there.
"So, what does Brother Qin have in mind?" Song Ru Hai forced out these words through gritted teeth.
"Of course, I need to ascertain whether this girl is indeed Song Wei Zhi. Our prestigious sects uphold fairness and righteousness. Song Wei Zhi is a prodigious cultivator in Lín Hǎi City. If she cannot prove herself, it's likely that there will be much gossip in the future." Qin Xian gazed at Song Ru Hai with a smile.
Song Ru Hai's blood was boiling, and Song Wei Zhi could feel it next to him.
From the recent conversation and Qin Xian's occasional glances her way, Song Wei Zhi was now certain she had transmigrated as the cannon fodder supporting character with the same name as her in that book - Song Wei Zhi. After a glance at the girl beside Qin Xian, she should be the female lead who will eventually make a mess of her original body.
Suddenly, Song Wei Zhi felt a headache. How come everyone else gets to be the formidable main character, and she ends up as the despised and venomous supporting character?
Just when Song Wei Zhi's mind was in chaos, she heard a mechanical voice in her mind, and it made her almost lose her footing.
"Hello, host. This is the Ask Heaven system, System ID 100, dedicated to serving you. You passed away in the real world due to staying up late and were selected by the system to transmigrate into the fictional world. If you complete the system's designated tasks, you will have a chance to live in the fictional world. If not, you will be eradicated from that world. Now, please choose whether to bind to this system. If you choose 'yes,' the task will commence. If you choose 'no,' you will die immediately." The system's mechanical voice resonated in Song Wei Zhi's mind.
Of course, she didn't hesitate to choose 'yes.' After all, just getting by one day at a time would do. Fortunately, Song Wei Zhi had read numerous novels and wasn't too flustered. She selected "yes" in her mind.
"Congratulations, host, you have successfully bound with the Ask Heaven system. Now, the first task is to voluntarily get your bloodline tested with the affinity stone, help the female lead return to the Song family, and earn 10 points upon completion."
Recalling that the original Song Wei Zhi was coerced into getting her bloodline tested, the system now wanted her to take the initiative to do so. Nevertheless, it was perhaps for the best. Maybe the female lead will be a bit less averse to her this way?
"I will. Just as Leader Qin said, one must have a clear conscience. Whether I am or not will be revealed by the test." Song Wei Zhi walked forward nonchalantly.
"I knew it! Wei Zhi truly is the hope of our Lín Hǎi City. Such dignity is beyond ordinary." Qin Xian's words immediately shut down Song Ru Hai's attempt to stop Song Wei Zhi from being tested.
"Well, Wei Zhi, please proceed as I present the affinity stone, Uncle Qin. You just need to stand still." Qin Xian said as he retrieved a palm-sized red stone from a storage pouch. Qin Xian activated his techniques, causing the affinity stone to levitate in the air. It suddenly expanded tenfold, emitting a red light, and the details of Song Wei Zhi's birth parents immediately appeared on the affinity stone.
Song Ru Hai's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "You, Qin Xian, are indeed trying to sabotage me."
"Leader Song, you're mistaken. I brought your blood-related daughter to you. Now that everything is crystal clear, it seems two children were mixed up. This girl beside me, Song Zhi Xia, is your true daughter, isn't she?" Qin Xian laughed heartily.
"I don't need Qin Xian to meddle in my family matters. Since the purpose of your visit has been achieved, please leave." Saying this, he had a few disciples escort Qin Xian out.
"Ah, Leader Song must have a lot to discuss upon finding his biological daughter. I won't disturb you further. Enjoy your family reunion." Qin Xian left with a smile, accompanied by his disciples.
Discussions filled the square:
"I can't believe it. Senior sister isn't the leader's biological daughter."
"Unbelievable. That girl is the true heiress of the Song family."
"But I still think senior sister is better. She's at the Golden Core stage. She's the pride of our Song family."
"That's right. Look at that girl with her rustic appearance. Her clothes are even patched with coarse fabric. So shabby."
"It's a disgrace to the Song family. I wonder if senior sister will be unhappy knowing her true origin."
"Yeah, I'm worried about senior sister."
Song Ru Hai walked up to Song Wei Zhi and said through gritted teeth, "Wei Zhi, are you alright? Even if we aren't father and daughter, you will always be my daughter." Song Ru Hai was afraid that Song Wei Zhi would think too much and leave the Song family to find her biological parents. With Song Wei Zhi around, no one would dare to challenge the Song family in Lín Hǎi City for decades.
"Master, I'm grateful for nurturing me, but things are as they are. You are not my father, but you will always be my master." Song Wei Zhi spoke calmly. She had read the original work and knew that Song Ru Hai was not a good person. He always prioritized his own interests and the reputation of the Song family. What was most detestable was that when he and his wife, He Qing Mei, passed through the Song family village, He Qing Mei stayed with a family and gave birth to a daughter on the same day that they swapped their own biological daughter for the original character, Song Wei Zhi.
In short, Song Ru Hai and his wife were nothing but beasts who abandoned their own flesh and blood. However, Song Wei Zhi had just transmigrated and was not yet familiar with the world, so she couldn't confront them directly.
Hearing Song Wei Zhi's words, Song Ru Hai's expression was grim. Unfortunately, there were no loopholes in what she said, leaving him with no way to refute her.
Song Ru Hai could only grit his teeth and say, "In any case, you will always be our Song family's top disciple, and that will never change."
"Thank you for your kindness, Master. How do you plan to arrange your daughter?" Song Wei Zhi asked.
Only then did Song Ru Hai look at his own biological daughter for a moment before quickly diverting his gaze. She was fairly well-formed, but it was a pity she was a waste. "Tian Ming, take her to the outer gate and teach her the rules of our Song family." After speaking, he left without turning back.
Song Zhi Xia remained standing where she was. She clenched her clothes tightly. This was not what she had anticipated. She had thought that her biological parents were eager to see her. Now it seemed that she was deluding herself. Well, staying here was still better than being married off by her adoptive parents to a widower in the village to help her brother save money for his marriage. This was the only way Song Zhi Xia could console herself. She raised her head, glanced at the girl who had been with her biological father, then Tian Ming came over.
Tian Ming was Song Ru Hai's confidant, understanding his thoughts the best. Song Ru Hai wanted him to take Song Zhi Xia to the outer gate. In other words, in Song Ru Hai's eyes, she was nonexistent, and Tian Ming did not have to be in good terms with her.
"Let's go. Hurry up and take you to the outer gate. Don't make trouble when you get there. It will be a nuisance dragging your feet." Tian Ming led the way, grumbling non-stop.
Chapter 2
Author's Note:
Let me explain the setting of the world: Qi training, Foundation Building, Enlightenment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divine Soul, Unity, Great Vehicle, Tribulation Crossing, Ascension. Each major stage is further divided into three minor stages: initial entry, comprehension, and great perfection.
Thank you, my lovelies, for your comments and collections!
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"Tian Ming led Song Zhi Xia into a room and said casually, "You'll stay here." The room was extremely simple, with only a table and a few chairs. The bed was a large communal bunk where three people were already living. With Song Zhi Xia, there were now four people in the room.
"Heavenly Brother Tian Ming, rest assured, we will take good care of the junior sister." Xin Yun smiled and said. She was the oldest in the room, and the other two always deferred to her.
Tian Ming nodded noncommittally and left.
"Oh, isn't this the sect leader's daughter? How come she's hanging out with us outer sect disciples? Could it be that the sect leader doesn't even want to acknowledge you?" Han Bing sneered at Song Zhi Xia. Whether it's good or bad, news had already spread far and wide.
Song Zhi Xia just glanced at Han Bing and didn't say anything.
"Haha, tough talk. Let's see if you'll still be tough later. Go fetch water for the courtyard, fill all the water jars, and if they're not full, you won't have dinner tonight, little miss." Han Bing said sarcastically.
Song Zhi Xia walked out of the room and saw at least twenty water jars in the outer courtyard, lifting a shoulder pole nearby and headed towards the river.
Meanwhile, Song Wei Zhi returned to her room and the mechanical voice of the system immediately sounded in her mind: "Congratulations, host, on gaining 10 points. Current points: 10. You can now open a blind box once."
"A blind box? Could I get a genius spiritual treasure like in the Dragon Proud Sky novel series?" Song Wei Zhi immediately voiced her question.
"Yes, host, points can be used to redeem a blind box or items in the system mall." As the system voice rang out, rows of system items immediately appeared in Song Wei Zhi's mind, including elixirs, martial arts techniques, talismans, and even subordinates to command, as well as modern mortals. In short, anything you could think of was included in the mall.
Song Wei Zhi carefully looked at them. Those genius treasures were exorbitantly priced, but the blind box was relatively cheaper. However, based on Song Wei Zhi's experience as a non-whale, she still resisted the urge to open it.
"So, with these ten points, do you have any recommendations for what I should purchase?" As a newcomer, Song Wei Zhi asked for the system's opinion.
"I recommend the Comprehension Pill, which can help the host immediately comprehend the original owner's martial arts." The system's mechanical voice introduced.
Song Wei Zhi thought this was indeed useful. In the world of cultivating immortals, strength is everything, and the first priority was indeed to master the techniques of the original body. So she clicked to redeem it.
"Congratulations, the redemption is successful. The current number of points for the host is 0. Please continue to work hard."
"By the way, what tasks do I need to complete in this book to genuinely have a chance at survival?" Song Wei Zhi, who had been in a state of chaos, hurriedly inquired, wanting to clarify the situation.
"The host must complete two mainline tasks: 1. Help the female lead, Song Zhi Xia, find the other eight pieces of her fragmented spiritual soul; 2. The host and the female lead must reach the stage of becoming immortals." The mechanical voice of the system sounded.
Song Wei Zhi remembered that the female lead in the original book was indeed lacking in spiritual soul fragments. However, after gathering them, she went on to triumph over everything, including eliminating the original owner, the cannon fodder. However, thinking of this, Song Wei Zhi involuntarily shuddered. She didn't want to be made into minced meat to feed the female lead's divine beast!
Song Wei Zhi swallowed the pill and slightly sensed her body. She found that the unfamiliar techniques she had never heard of before were now easily manipulated.
At that moment, the system's mechanical voice sounded again: "Host, the female lead is currently being bullied by fellow disciples in the same room, and has fainted near the river. Please go and rescue her. Reward: 10 points."
Song Wei Zhi commanded her storage ring, and the spirit sword "Li Shuo" immediately appeared in her hand. Li Shuo was a yellow-grade spiritual sword. In this world, spiritual treasures were classified as high-grade, mid-grade, and low-grade, and within high-grade spiritual treasures, there were four levels of ranking. Although a yellow-grade treasure was the lowest of the high-grade spiritual treasures, it was still quite rare. In the entire Linhai City, there were probably no more than ten people who possessed a yellow-grade spiritual treasure.
Silently chanting a spell in her heart, Li Shuo floated in the air and its blade expanded several times. Song Wei Zhi leaped onto the sword, and with her thought, Li Shuo soared towards the river.
The feeling of flying a sword in the clear sky was indeed wonderful. However, Song Wei Zhi didn't have time to enjoy it. From a distance, she saw the female lead, Song Zhi Xia, lying unconscious by the river, her clothes drenched from the bucket of water.
Thinking of the minced meat, Song Wei Zhi immediately jumped off Li Shuo and strode to Song Zhi Xia, holding her in her arms. She then used her spiritual qi to dry Song Zhi Xia's clothes and checked her right shoulder, where there were slight bloodstains seeping through the fabric.
After examining Song Zhi Xia, Song Wei Zhi hesitated for a moment before pulling down the girl's clothes, revealing some injuries on her fair right shoulder due to prolonged pressure from heavy objects. She was about to take out the medicine from her storage ring when Song Zhi Xia, who had just woken up, stared at her with wide eyes.
Song Zhi Xia was still somewhat weak, with cold sweat drenching her forehead. Seeing her disheveled clothes, she said with a hint of redness in her eyes, "You're taking advantage of me!"
Song Wei Zhi immediately shook her head to deny it. She didn't dare take advantage of the female lead— a warning against becoming minced meat!
"I didn't, I just saw you faint and injured. If your shoulder injury isn't treated, I'm afraid it will scar. Let me apply the medicine for you." Song Wei Zhi gently explained, holding Song Zhi Xia's hand without letting go, aware that in her current state, Song Zhi Xia might collapse if she did.
Song Zhi Xia felt weak, knowing the intentions of the senior sisters in the room and how they wanted to bully her. But she didn't want to return to the Song family village to marry the elderly widower. At the age of eighteen, she wanted to explore this colorful world rather than marry a man more than thirty years older than her, and bear children in the village. She had seen that her birth father didn't want to acknowledge her as his daughter, fearing that she might be driven out of the Song family if she didn't fulfill her duties. In the world of cultivating immortals, the lives of ordinary people were worth little. She didn't want to give up. She wanted to live well.
Seeing Song Zhi Xia's lack of retort, Song Wei Zhi took out a healing ointment from her spatial ring. Holding Song Zhi Xia, she used her spiritual energy to spread the ointment evenly on Song Zhi Xia's shoulder. After a while, the injury on Song Zhi Xia's shoulder showed signs of healing. This spiritual medicine was very effective; with daily application using spiritual energy, Song Zhi Xia's injury would heal completely in two days.
Song Wei Zhi helped Song Zhi Xia put on her clothes and passed a surge of true qi into her body. Song Zhi Xia felt a warm and gentle sensation and her discomfort eased.
Slowly getting up and supporting herself, Song Zhi Xia murmured softly, "Thank you. I... I can't repay you."
Song Wei Zhi thought to herself, "As long as you don't turn me into minced meat, I'll be content." Outwardly, she said, "Don't talk about repaying. It was because of me that you were there. I still need to apologize to you."
Although the original owner switching bodies with the female lead was not the original owner's fault, ultimately, the reason the original owner was able to reach the stage of comprehending the Golden Core Formation had much to do with the various genius treasures invested in her. The original owner did indeed owe a lot to the female lead. It was a pity that the original Song Wei Zhi in the book didn't have this realization and instead felt that everything was rightfully hers, despite the fact that Song Zhi Xia's presence disrupted everything.
"You don't need to apologize. I should have thought about it earlier. The Song family of Linhai City is such a big sect; if the sect leader truly wanted to find his lost child, he would have found me a long time ago. There's no need for other sects. It's just that my birth parents didn't want me." Song Zhi Xia said calmly. But underneath, she couldn't help but feel despondent. Perhaps no one in this world would genuinely want her.
The next moment, Song Zhi Xia heard the person beside her say, "It's their loss. You are such a good person, they just don't know how to treasure you."
Looking at Song Wei Zhi opposite her, her gaze was clear and the words she spoke came from her heart. Song Zhi Xia thought that she shouldn't be a bad person. However, her rumbling stomach startled her. She surreptitiously raised her eyes to look at Song Wei Zhi, only to see the other person smiling and staring at her. Song Zhi Xia felt herself blushing.
Worried that Song Zhi Xia might feel embarrassed, Song Wei Zhi immediately took out several plates of pastries and a bottle of elixir from her spatial ring and placed them in front of Song Zhi Xia.
"Have some food, don't be polite with me." Song Wei Zhi smiled and said.
"I've already troubled you a lot, there's no need to spend more," Song Zhi Xia hastily refused. Song Wei Zhi had no obligation to help her, and she couldn't just allow Song Wei Zhi to make sacrifices for her.
"Do you think you can get away without eating? You have no strength if there's nothing in your belly. Or do you want me to carry you back later?" Song Wei Zhi raised an eyebrow, looking at Song Zhi Xia.
"No, that's not what I meant," Song Zhi Xia explained, feeling flustered.
"I understand. Now, be a good girl and eat something," Song Wei Zhi spoke with gentleness. After all, the female lead was a pretty young lady. Who wouldn't love that sweet demeanor?
Song Zhi Xia felt her face warming up. No one had ever called her "a good girl" before. Coming from Song Wei Zhi, who she wasn't close with, the words felt strange to Song Zhi Xia. She hesitantly nodded and took a small bite of the pastry in front of her.
Song Wei Zhi unscrewed the cap of the elixir bottle. True to its name, the elixir was made from the water of a spiritual spring and had the greatest benefits for people. She handed it to Song Zhi Xia, "Have some of this water."
"Thank you." Song Zhi Xia took the bottle and drank a few sips. The water felt completely different from what she usually drank, with a pleasant sweetness that made her feel more invigorated after a few sips.
Chapter 3
Song Zhi Xia ate some pastries, thanked Song Wei Zhi, and went to fetch a bucket of water. However, Song Wei Zhi stopped her and said, "You're still injured on your shoulders, who allowed you to do so much work alone?" Song Wei Zhi remembered how the original book's female lead was often bullied in the outer gate and how the original body frequently caused trouble for the female lead.
"No one, thank you for today, you can leave," sighed Song Zhi Xia. She felt grateful that Song Wei Zhi had helped her, but she didn't want to rely on others for everything.
"Where are you going? With your injured shoulder, do you still want to keep it? Don't be picky, I'll go with you to the outer gate," said Song Wei Zhi as she conjured her sword and held it high in front of Song Zhi Xia. She then held Song Zhi Xia's hand, and in an instant, they stood one behind the other on the sword.
Song Wei Zhi put Song Zhi Xia's hands around her waist and said, "Hold on tight, falling is no joke."
Song Zhi Xia hesitated. Her hands were dirty from carrying water all afternoon. She felt reluctant to hold onto Song Wei Zhi's pristine clothes. She was unsure whether to let go or not.
"What's wrong?" Song Wei Zhi asked with a puzzled frown. She had just placed Song Zhi Xia's hands around her waist, and now they were gone.
"My hands are dirty," Song Zhi Xia said nervously while rubbing her hands.
"It's okay. Safety is most important. Hold onto me," said Song Wei Zhi as she placed Song Zhi Xia's hands back onto her waist. She then continued, "Be careful. We need to leave."
"Okay," Song Zhi Xia's heart felt warm, as if it had been a long time since anyone had cared about her.
After receiving Song Zhi Xia's reply, Song Wei Zhi activated her sword with spiritual power and took them back to the room where Song Zhi Xia lived in no time.
At that moment, Song Wei Zhi received a prompt from the system in her mind: "Congratulations host, previous task completed, reward 10 points. Current points 10, please continue with the next task, preventing Song Zhi Xia from being bullied by her dormitory mates. Completing the task rewards 10 points."
Xin Yun was watering the flowers in front of the door and met Song Wei Zhi's cold eyes.
She quickly stood up, nodded, and said with a low voice, "Senior sister? What brings you to such a place? There isn't anywhere suitable for you to sit."
"No need to sit. Who let Song Zhi Xia carry so much water from the river?" Song Wei Zhi's stern appearance was intimidating as she furrowed her brows while speaking.
"We, we are doing it for Song Junior Sister's own good. Everyone has come here for the same reason," Xin Yun's voice became increasingly lower.
"Is that so?" Song Wei Zhi said with a smile rather than anger.
She enveloped Song Zhi Xia in her protective shield formed by spiritual power and exerted her cultivation pressure. She had already reached the Golden Dan Insight phase, and most outer gate disciples couldn't even achieve that much. She immediately made everyone, especially Xin Yun, break into a cold sweat. Xin Yun was pressured to her knees, her body soaked in cold sweat.
"Song Zhi Xia is the young lady of the Song family, that's a fact. Even if she is training in the outer gate now, that is not an excuse for you to bully her. If there's a next time, don't blame me for being merciless. This warning is not only for you but for all of you," Song Wei Zhi's tone was calm, but her Golden Dan cultivation pressure overwhelmed everyone in the vicinity.
"Senior sister, spare us. We won't dare again. We'll take good care of Junior Sister, please spare us," Xin Yun had softened and was already on the ground, feeling like she might lose her life in the next moment due to Song Wei Zhi's pressure.
Seeing that they had all learned their lesson, Song Wei Zhi dissipated her pressure. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Song Zhi Xia is injured. Don't assign her any work for the next few days," Song Wei Zhi told Xin Yun and the others. She then quietly told Song Zhi Xia, "I'll come back tomorrow to help you with the medication. Rest for today."
"It's not necessary. I'm already feeling much better," Song Zhi Xia didn't want to trouble Song Wei Zhi any further. She had heard that cultivating immortality was demanding. She didn't want Song Wei Zhi to exert herself more for her sake.
"No need to insist. Tomorrow, I will come to see you," Song Wei Zhi smiled at Song Zhi Xia and left on her sword.
After Song Wei Zhi had left, the outer gate disciples finally relaxed. In this world, the weak were prey to the strong. Strength was their best shield.
Han Bing and Liu Duo Er helped Xin Yun up. Han Bing coldly said, "The young lady has learned to tattle. We can't afford to offend her. Do as you please, young lady."
Xin Yun tugged at Han Bing's clothes and forced a smile, "That, Song Junior Sister, before, we were wrong. Let's not be strangers. Don't take it to heart. Please rest. The bed by the window is yours."
Song Zhi Xia nodded and entered the room.
"Don't be so arrogant. An unwanted lady dares to confront us? It's ridiculous. Xin Junior Sister, why are you speaking so low with her?" Han Bing's chest heaved, betraying her agitation.
"Stay calm. There are many ways to deal with her. You should think more. What I did just now was just to buy time. Watch tomorrow," Xin Yun smiled cunningly.
"Well, it's clear that Xin Junior Sister has a way. Han Bing, we can't go wrong following Xin Junior Sister," Liu Duo Er immediately flattered Xin Yun.
"Of course, after all, Sister has been here for several years. She has just been here for one day and dares to go against Sister. It's a joke," retorted Han Bing, unwilling to appear weak.
Meanwhile, after a day of running around, Song Zhi Xia was indeed tired. However, she had nothing, so she quickly washed her face and lay down on the broad bed by the window. She tossed and turned but could not fall asleep. She remembered how Song Wei Zhi had helped her apply medicine earlier in the day and how she had just reprimanded Xin Yun for her sake. Despite having no cultivation proficiency, she didn't feel uncomfortable. In contrast, others were in pain. It seemed that Song Wei Zhi was protecting her. Song Zhi Xia didn't dare to think too much about it. She just considered it as Song Wei Zhi pitying her.
On the other hand, Song Wei Zhi returned to her residence, where she heard the system's prompt: "Congratulations, host, task completed, reward 10 points. Current host points 20. Would you like to redeem items?"
Song Wei Zhi thought for a moment and decided to save her points for later use. Who knows, they might come in handy in the future? She understood that in this world, strength was crucial. To execute her tasks, she had to protect the female lead while ensuring her own cultivation was not neglected. Only when she became formidable could she avoid attention from others.
With these thoughts, Song Wei Zhi began meditating and integrating all her cultivation techniques.
After a while, she once again checked her body. She remembered reading in the original book that a person's primordial spirit could be used as a divine beast, specifically when reaching the Great Nascent Soul stage. Their primordial spirit could become a corporealized divine beast at any time, aiding them significantly in combat. If they encountered a battle, the individual themselves could fight while their primordial spirit also battled, playing an immense role.
Song Wei Zhi then summoned her primordial spirit, a towering ice-winged tiger comparable in size to an adult elephant. It emitted a soothing blue light, and its enormous wings gave it an adorable appearance. Song Wei Zhi couldn't help but stroke the tiger's face. Even though it was as towering as a tiger, it fundamentally remained a big cat. However, this tiger was formidable. Song Wei Zhi was renowned as a cultivating genius in Linhai City not only for her Golden Dan cultivation but also for her primordial spirit, the ice-winged tiger, which was a celestial-ranked divine beast.
In this world, divine beasts were categorized into high, medium, and low ranks, and high-ranked divine beasts were further classified into the four levels of heavenly, earthly, mystic, and yellow. Heavenly-ranked divine beasts were the highest, and possessing a divine beast of this caliber meant limitless prospects. In all of Linhai City, there were no more than three people who possessed a heavenly-ranked divine beast as their primordial spirit. If one included the female lead's incomplete primordial spirit, there would barely be four persons.
Hence, Song Wei Zhi spent the entire night studying the world's settings, cultivation techniques, the world of primordial spirits, and the system's marketplace.
It was already late, and Song Wei Zhi was about to check on Song Zhi Xia's medication when she received another prompt from the system: "Please visit the female lead's residence to clear her name, task reward 10 points."
Song Wei Zhi couldn't help but think, "Do these disciples ever need to cultivate? Why are they always engaging in intrigue?" Despite finding the tasks somewhat bothersome, she wasn't annoyed. She was all too familiar with the vicious antagonists in the book, especially these outer gate disciples, who tormented the female lead, left alone on the outer gates in the original story.
Deciding to take on the task, she summoned the Devil-Suppressing Sword and arrived at the room where Song Zhi Xia resided, only to hear a commotion inside.
"I clearly placed my twenty low-grade spirit stones by my bed yesterday. Now they're gone. What do I do? I bought them for my sword cultivation. Can't you come up with a solution?" Xin Yun's voice sounded anxious.
"Yeah, yesterday I saw them by your bed. At that time, the three of us were here, but later, we were all outside chatting, and it seemed like only Song Junior Sister was left in the room," Han Bing said, implying something to Song Zhi Xia.
"I haven't seen them, nor have I taken your things," Song Zhi Xia said as she turned to leave. She didn't want to witness any more of their antics.
"Stop right there. You steal and then want to leave? Didn't your parents teach you anything? Oh, sorry, Song Junior Sister, I forgot that the sect leader doesn't seem to want to acknowledge you," Liu Duo Er said, laughing.
Chapter 4
"That's right, if Song Shi Mei took it and brings it out herself, it's fine. If it's found by us, then she'll have to go to the Hall of Law Enforcement," Xin Yun said with a pained expression.
The Hall of Law Enforcement, as the name suggests, is the place in charge of disciplining disciples. When disciples make mistakes, they are usually punished by the Hall of Law Enforcement. The punishments vary from copying the sect rules to physical punishments, and in severe cases, they would be expelled from the sect. Xin Yun and the others did not want Song Zhi Xia to stay in the Song Clan.
"Since Song Shi Mei is being stubborn, then don't blame us for taking matters into our own hands," Xin Yun said, signaling to the two people beside her, Han Bing and Liu Duo Er. They immediately understood and went to the side where Song Zhi Xia was sleeping. In no time, they found a small cloth bag containing twenty pieces of low-grade spirit stones. Items like storage bags are quite expensive, and outer sect disciples usually cannot afford them.
"Song Shi Mei, why don't you just confess and go to the Hall of Law Enforcement," Han Bing grinned.
"You've already planned this, haven't you? I have no grudge against you. Why are you doing this to me?" Song Zhi Xia couldn't understand. She just wanted to live peacefully, why was it so difficult?
"No grudge? Your calling for help yesterday caused us a lot of trouble. We purposely want to teach you a lesson. Let's see who can come to your rescue today," since the situation had escalated, Xin Yun dropped the act and revealed her true intentions.
"Let's go, Song Shi Mei. Going to the Hall of Law Enforcement will clarify who is right and wrong," Han Bing sneered.
Seeing that Song Zhi Xia didn't move, Xin Yun used force to push her out of the room. At the door, Song Wei Zhi happened to catch her.
"Are you alright?" a gentle voice sounded in Song Zhi Xia's ear—it was Song Wei Zhi! For some reason, hearing Song Wei Zhi's voice made Song Zhi Xia inexplicably happy, but she quickly remembered her current situation, and her joy vanished.
After helping Song Zhi Xia steady herself, Song Wei Zhi quickly retracted his previous kind expression. "Some people never learn. What I said yesterday is already forgotten today," he said coldly.
"It's not that we forgot, it's just that Song Shi Mei stole my twenty pieces of spirit stones," Xin Yun immediately put on a pitiful act.
"It wasn't me," Song Zhi Xia slightly grasped Song Wei Zhi's robe, for some reason, she didn't want Song Wei Zhi to misunderstand her.
Song Wei Zhi glanced at Song Zhi Xia and said gently, "I know it wasn't you."
Then he glared at Xin Yun and the others, "Unrepentant. Alright, let's let everyone hear it together."
Song Wei Zhi took out a small stone from his hand—a voice transmission stone. He activated his spirit energy, amplifying the conversation that had just taken place in the room, causing Xin Yun and the others to pale.
"Senior sister, we were just joking. It really wasn't our intention to harm Song Shi Mei," Xin Yun hurried to explain.
"Yes, yes, we were only teasing Song Shi Mei. Senior sister, you're overreacting," Han Bing quickly added.
Liu Duo Er, on the other hand, didn't dare to say anything.
"Joking? I've never heard of a joke that would lead to the Hall of Law Enforcement. I think you don't need to go there anymore. I'll call them over," Song Wei Zhi said as he activated the voice transmission stone. Before long, several disciples from the Hall of Law Enforcement arrived, flying over on their swords.
Song Wei Zhi explained the situation to them and asked, "How is spreading false accusations among fellow disciples punished?"
"Senior sister, spreading false accusations calls for twenty strikes," a disciple from the Hall of Law Enforcement answered respectfully.
"What are we waiting for then? Carry out the punishment. Let everyone witness, and it will serve as a warning," said Song Wei Zhi, pulling Song Zhi Xia back a few steps to watch the show.
"Senior sister, we won't dare to do it again. Please spare us. Song Shi Mei, please help us," Xin Yun kept pleading. But Song Wei Zhi silenced them with a gesture.
After a few blows from the Hall of Law Enforcement disciples, Xin Yun and the others were left bruised and battered.
"It serves you right," Song Wei Zhi said under his breath.
Then he turned to Song Zhi Xia and said, "Let's go. I'll take you to get some medicine." Saying that, he summoned his Departure Sword, and in an instant, they were both standing on it.
"Do you remember yesterday? Support me like you did yesterday," Song Wei Zhi softly reminded the person behind him.
"Okay," Song Zhi Xia hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Thank you for today, senior sister."
As they arrived at Song Wei Zhi's residence, once they stood firmly, they were back in Song Wei Zhi's storage ring.
With a thought, the ointment from yesterday appeared in Song Wei Zhi's hand, and he awkwardly looked at Song Zhi Xia, "Pull down the clothes on your shoulder a bit."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhi Xia softly replied, "Okay," and adjusted her tattered clothes, revealing her slightly reddened shoulder.
Song Wei Zhi utilized his spirit energy to evenly apply the ointment on Song Zhi Xia's shoulder. After a moment, her slightly reddened shoulder became as smooth as before.
Song Zhi Xia was astonished by what she saw and nodded to thank Song Wei Zhi, "Thank you, senior sister, for your help these past few days."
"It's no trouble. From now on, we have no need to trouble each other," Song Wei Zhi said gently, feeling that her female host was unexpectedly kind. She didn't hold a grudge against him for taking over her body.
"By the way, do you want to take a bath here?" Song Wei Zhi noticed Song Zhi Xia's disheveled appearance and, remembering her hard work the previous day, she thought her clothes were probably soaked with sweat. She had completely forgotten about her shoes while changing her clothes for her.
"No, no need, senior sister. Thank you for applying the ointment. I'll go back now," Song Zhi Xia hastily refused.
"Alright, don't rush to leave. Change into some clean clothes and have a snack before you go. Come, sit down," said Song Wei Zhi as she waved her hand, and Song Zhi Xia found herself in a clean set of clothes. The white outfit made her look more charming.
"These clothes are new, so you can rest assured to wear them," Song Wei Zhi smiled and explained.
Blushing, Song Zhi Xia replied, "It's a pity, I shouldn't wear clothes like this. I should return them to you."
"No need for such worries. Clothes are made to be worn. When you cultivate your qi, you can use your spiritual energy to keep them clean. It's very convenient," Song Wei Zhi reassured her.
"Now that you've changed clothes, why not stay and eat something with me?" Song Wei Zhi's voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, and her eyes were full of sincerity. Song Zhi Xia couldn't refuse any longer. "Thank you for your hospitality, senior sister."
Looking at Song Zhi Xia like a cute little kitten, Song Wei Zhi felt that the female lead was quite lovely. She placed various snacks on the table, such as peach blossom pastry, chestnut cake, and millet cake. She also brought out a bottle of immortal dew and poured it into a cup, pushing it towards Song Zhi Xia.
Song Zhi Xia took a few bites of the peach blossom pastry, savoring the delightful aroma. She had never tasted anything like it before. Not to mention, they lived in a remote village and could not afford such delicacies even if they were available. After seeing that Song Wei Zhi wasn't eating, she asked, "Senior sister, why aren't you eating?"
"Alright, I'll eat with you," Song Wei Zhi smiled. It turned out that the female lead was considerate. It was hard to imagine how she became wild after being possessed by a demon.
Afraid that Song Zhi Xia might feel uncomfortable, Song Wei Zhi urged her to have a few more pastries. She also made her drink several cups of spirit spring water before finally letting her off the hook.
Feeling embarrassed, Song Zhi Xia realized that Song Wei Zhi had helped her several times, even though they weren't close. She thanked her once again, "Thank you for your hospitality, senior sister." After bidding farewell to Song Wei Zhi, Song Zhi Xia prepared to leave. Since she had used the senior sister's sword on the way here, she didn't want to impose further and decided to walk back on her own.
However, to her surprise, a sword appeared in front of her. Song Zhi Xia turned her head, puzzled, looking at Song Wei Zhi.
Smiling, Song Wei Zhi walked over and said, "It won't take long to use my sword to fly here. However, if you walk from my place back to the outer gate, it will easily take an hour. I'll escort you back. You mustn't refuse, junior sister," she said before Song Zhi Xia could refuse. Song Wei Zhi glanced at the sorry state of Song Zhi Xia's shoes, which had already been worn off. She had been preoccupied with changing her clothes and completely forgot about the shoes.
"Oh, and here are some shoes," without waiting for Song Zhi Xia's reaction, a new pair of shoes already appeared on her feet. Afraid that Song Zhi Xia would thank her again, Song Wei Zhi immediately said, "No more thanks. Just wear them. You've thanked me enough times in just this short while."
Song Zhi Xia felt a little embarrassed by Song Wei Zhi's words and could only nod in acceptance.
The two then flew back to the living quarters of the outer sect disciples, but Song Wei Zhi didn't take Song Zhi Xia to the room she originally shared with Xin Yun and the others.
Chapter 5
For no other reason, a few unscrupulous disciples were injured. Song Zhi Xia stayed there not only because she couldn't sleep well, but also to avoid being harmed by them. Song Wei Zhi remembered that in the original book, the original body instructed various people around her to design and shatter the heroine's spirit.
"Sister, isn't this the way to my residence?" Song Zhi Xia reminded Song Wei Zhi from behind.
"Of course, I know. However, those outer disciples are not good people. From now on, don't live together with them," she said, leading Song Zhi Xia to a room. When the disciple saw it was Song Wei Zhi, he quickly stood up and greeted respectfully, "Senior Sister, do you need anything?"
The incident where Senior Sister released her pressure was still fresh in Hou Ping's memory. He wouldn't dare to provoke Song Wei Zhi.
"It's nothing major. Zhi Xia is the Sect Master's daughter and shouldn't live with those scum. Prepare a separate room for Zhi Xia," Song Wei Zhi instructed.
Hou Ping immediately responded, "No problem, Senior Sister. I'll arrange it right away."
Shortly after, Hou Ping led Song Wei Zhi and Song Zhi Xia to a room that was significantly better than the one Song Zhi Xia had been staying in.
"Senior Sister, is it suitable for Song Junior Sister to stay here?" Hou Ping asked with a smile.
Song Wei Zhi only gave him a cold glance without a word, sending shivers down Hou Ping's spine. He quickly explained, "Senior Sister, Tian Ming Senior Brother was the one who arranged the room for Song Junior Sister. I truly didn't know about it."
Song Wei Zhi simply looked at Hou Ping coldly without saying a word. Then, she turned to Song Zhi Xia and said, "Go back and rest for a few days. You've just arrived and need to adapt to the environment here."
Hou Ping immediately understood Song Wei Zhi's intention and added, "Yes, Zhi Xia, don't do any work for the next few days. Just take a good rest."
"Then I'll leave. I'll come to see you in a few days," Song Wei Zhi said before reminding Song Zhi Xia a few more times before she left by sword.
Entering this room, Song Zhi Xia felt a little happy. Back when she lived with her foster parents in the village, one room was for her parents, the other for her brother, and she could only rest on a bed in the woodshed. This was the first time she had her own room. Song Zhi Xia lay on the bed, reminiscing about her life during these few days. Even though her biological parents didn't want to acknowledge her, at least her Senior Sister didn't dislike her.
Right after Song Wei Zhi returned to her residence, she heard a prompt from the system: "Congratulations to the host for completing the task. Reward: 10 points. Current points: 30. Do you want to redeem the reward?"
Song Wei Zhi thought for a moment but decided not to redeem the reward. With only 30 points, she was far from being able to purchase those precious items. She decided she should save them and consider it later.
Her current cultivation was at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm. In this world, there were a total of ten major realms, each divided into three stages: initial stage, comprehension stage, and perfection stage. According to the original book's description of the city, there should be people in the city with a higher cultivation level than the Foundation Establishment realm. To ensure her and the protagonist's safety, Song Wei Zhi had to continue to focus on her cultivation. However, she currently didn't feel close to breaking through to the next stage. It seemed she was still far from reaching the perfection stage of the Foundation Establishment realm.
Song Wei Zhi calmed herself, set up a protective barrier in the room, and began to meditate with the Frost Soul Technique. After circulating her spiritual energy through her meridians for a few cycles, she felt more at ease. Just as she was about to begin another round of meditation, the system transmitted a mechanical voice in her mind: "Host, please quickly go to the martial arts arena to help the female protagonist. Otherwise, if the protagonist's spirit is shattered, the main task will become more difficult to complete. The reward for completing the task is 100 points. Host, please take immediate action."
Song Wei Zhi recalled the plot of the original book. At this time, several disciples from the inner sect were probably about to attack the female protagonist. She was startled. If the protagonist's spirit was shattered, how could she complete the main task of collecting the protagonist's other spirits?
Hence, Song Wei Zhi immediately summoned her Fleeting Frost Sword and hurried towards the martial arts arena.
In fact, this meditation had already lasted for three days. During these three days, Song Zhi Xia had been living peacefully without any trouble. However, on the morning of the fourth day, an inner disciple came and informed Song Zhi Xia to go to the martial arts arena to start her cultivation practice. Seeing other outer disciples heading in the same direction, Song Zhi Xia didn't have any suspicions and followed the crowd towards the martial arts arena.
"Hey, have you seen how well-groomed the Sect Master's daughter looks when she puts in a little effort?" A male outer disciple remarked to his companion.
"She's just a country bumpkin. She's a useless person the Sect Master doesn't even want to acknowledge. Cultivation is about strength, not just looks. What's the use of being pretty? A mere ornament?" a female outer disciple said disdainfully.
"Exactly, finding a partner also requires similar strength. She's probably struggling even with qi cultivation since she's just arrived," another outer disciple added.
As the onlookers kept whispering, Song Zhi Xia started to feel uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gazes. She furrowed her brows and continued following the crowd toward the martial arts arena.
Three inner disciples were already standing on the high platform of the arena, responsible for guiding the outer disciples in cultivating their qi, as was usual on such days.
However, the motives of the three of them were not pure, especially Chen Li, the lead figure. In the original book, he was a notorious bootlicker by Song Wei Zhi's side. He resented Song Zhi Xia for occupying the position of the Sect Master's daughter, and with Song Wei Zhi's instigation, he treated Song Zhi Xia as his top enemy. However, the current Song Wei Zhi had never instructed them to do such things, yet the plot had still developed to this stage.
Under the clear blue sky, the Song Clan's martial arts arena appeared particularly solemn. The disciples quickly stood in formation and waited for the inner disciples to begin their guidance. However, Chen Li and the others seemed reluctant to conduct the usual lessons.
"Everyone, quiet down. Before we begin today's lesson on qi cultivation, I'd like to invite the new junior, Song Junior Sister, on stage. When we joined the sect, we all had our spiritual roots and spirit beasts tested. Song Junior Sister was in a hurry when she joined, but she still needs to follow the rules," Chen Li announced, looking at Song Zhi Xia in the crowd.
At this moment, Song Zhi Xia didn't even know what her spiritual roots and spirit beast were. Based on her biological parents' attitude, her spiritual roots likely weren't good. While Song Zhi Xia was contemplating, whispers started to echo from the audience in the martial arts arena.
"Hey, what do you think Song Zhi Xia's cultivation level is? Her elder brother, who is a fellow sibling, has already reached the initial stage of the Foundation Establishment realm. They share the same mother, so Song Zhi Xia must be close to him."
"You don't know anything. I bet she's far from being as strong as her elder siblings. If not, why would the Sect Master leave her in the outer sect?"
"Perhaps the Sect Master wants to temper her?"
"Forget it, she's definitely useless. Just watch."
"Why do I have to go down to invite you up, Song Junior Sister?" Chen Li coldly looked at Song Zhi Xia. As the one who caused Senior Sister's current unstable situation, she was now in a position where anyone could step on her, since the Sect Master had thrown her into the outer sect, it meant anyone could humiliate her.
Observing the male disciple speaking on the high platform, Song Zhi Xia realized she was at a point of no return. Despite the uncomfortable glances from the public, she stepped onto the stage of the martial arts arena.
On the platform, there was a huge black stone block about two meters high.
Chen Li sneered and made a gesture, "Song Junior Sister, please come and try your spiritual roots."
In this world, pure single spiritual roots were the most superior, followed by dual, triple, and quadruple spiritual roots. As the number of spiritual roots increased, the quality became more mixed, and once it reached five or six, they were considered trash spiritual roots, similar to half-spiritual roots. Such spiritual roots were not suitable for cultivation due to inherent deficiencies or mixed attributes. According to the Song Clan's rules, after the quadruple spiritual roots, disciples with more than four spiritual roots wouldn't be accepted as they had no value to cultivate.
Chen Li circulated his spiritual energy, causing the black stone block to emit a radiant glow. He urged Song Zhi Xia, "Please proceed, Junior Sister, and test your spiritual roots."
Song Zhi Xia could only step forward and place her hand on the black stone block, silently hoping for a favorable result.
After a moment, a line of words appeared on the black stone block: "Song Zhi Xia, half-fire element spiritual roots."
As soon as these words appeared, the audience in the martial arts arena erupted into chatter.
"I told you. She's just a waste. No wonder the Sect Master never mentioned acknowledging her."
"Exactly, she's being protected by her Senior Sister, but in the end, she can't even enter the sect. It's disgusting. Where does she get the face to claim she's our Senior Sister's fellow sibling?"
"Luckily, the Sect Master made a mistake in bringing her in, otherwise, this waste wouldn't have the nerve to claim she's our Senior Sister."
The outer disciples below were already in chaos. Pushing down his excitement, Chen Li was ready to thoroughly humiliate Song Zhi Xia. He smiled and said, "Even as a half-spiritual roots cultivator, don't be discouraged, Junior Sister. Perhaps your spirit beast is a high-grade one? You should summon your spirit beast and reveal it."
Continued in the next message.
From the disdainful expressions of the audience below the platform and the contemptuous gazes from the three inner disciples before her, Song Zhi Xia had already sensed the belittlement. Although she didn't understand the significance of these spiritual roots, she could guess that her own spiritual roots were certainly not favorable.
"I think it would be better to postpone the testing of my spirit beast until after the class. It would indeed be a waste of time for the other senior brothers and sisters in this manner," Song Zhi Xia said after going through the spiritual roots test and didn't wish to undergo any examination of her spirit beast at this moment.