Xin Yi sprawled on the ground, her whole body tumbling into a patch of dry grass.
She struggled to maintain that awkward pose for quite a while before she had the strength to climb back up.
Her head still spun, so she could only pat her skull.
Then she surveyed her surroundings. As far as the eye could see, there were only barren mountains blanketed in ice and snow, with no trace of human life.
Xin Yi was dumbfounded: What kind of godforsaken dump was this? No matter how harsh the conditions, they couldn’t be so bad that there wasn’t even a thatched hut in sight, right?
She looked down at the plain clothes she wore—simple in style and worth next to nothing. A terrifying guess instantly bubbled up in her mind.
No way, no way.
Could her character this time be Wang Baochuan, the woman who guarded the cold kiln in hardship?
She could endure heartbreak, but she absolutely could not endure hardship in daily life.
Just as Xin Yi plopped down in the snow, her face a picture of despair like someone who’d lost their parents, the system urged her, “Hurry up, host! This isn’t the time to space out—the villain’s still waiting for you to save him!”
…
Two incense sticks later, guided by the system.
Xin Yi finally found her target this time, the Azure Cloud Sect’s most favored genius sword cultivator—Wei Sheng Lan.
But the young man’s condition was utterly wretched. His pristine white robes were soaked in blood, frost clung to his handsome features, and half his body was buried in the ice and snow.
The other half bore wounds deep enough to expose bone.
Several low-tier rogue cultivators stood before him, spewing venom. “We thought you were hot stuff, but you’re just a pretty boy with no substance. Hand over the spirit treasure you stole if you know what’s good for you, or we’ll flay you alive today!”
With that, one drew a coarse whip from his sleeve and raised it to lash at him. “You deaf or what? Yours truly is talking to you!”
Of course they knew Wei Sheng Lan hadn’t stolen any spirit treasure, but he’d dug up a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ginseng first. Since he was too weak to hold onto it, they didn’t mind fabricating an excuse to rob him.
Rumor had it that a specimen like this could fetch tens of thousands of spirit stones. Today, they had to force him to cough it up no matter what.
Seeing his face remain coldly impassive with no reaction.
The burly leader felt he’d lost face and grew even more vicious. “You reckless fool, acting all high and mighty? Yours truly’s gonna break your spine today and make you kneel to lick my shoes!”
He lashed out with the whip through the air, splitting the young man’s skin and flesh, making his already bloodstained white robes even more horrific.
Yet he clenched his fists tightly in weakness, his dark eyes cold as ice. He didn’t so much as grunt in pain, let alone beg for mercy. The look he shot the man was like staring at some damned idiot.
This only enraged the burly cultivator more—he wanted to tear him apart on the spot!
Another whip followed amid curses, aimed viciously at his face. But this time, it failed; the young man grabbed it with one hand and refused to let go.
Wei Sheng Lan was already at the end of his rope, though.
He’d been gravely injured to begin with and had dragged his battered body out only to dig for spirit herbs out of necessity. He hadn’t expected these opportunistic rogues. Clashing head-on now would only worsen his wounds, so blood soon trickled from the corner of his lips.
Seeing him dare to resist only fueled their rage.
At that moment, a pockmarked man sidled up with an idea, his face full of sleazy malice, his tone dripping with lewdness. “In my humble opinion, we shouldn’t let even him go. This pretty boy’s got great looks—sell him to a brothel in the Immortal Continent, and we’ll make a killing.”
The words hung, and the two exchanged a knowing look.
The pockmarked man even stepped right up to the young man first, sneering with contempt. “Be smart about this, and the bros might spare your dog life. Otherwise…”
Wei Sheng Lan lay pale and feeble, propping himself up on his elbows in the freezing snow.
But as the pockmarked man drew nearer, killing intent solidified in his eyes. Spiritual power gathered in his palm—if the man uttered one more word, he’d crush his skull.
Suddenly, a streak of blue ghostly light flashed, repelling the pockmarked man and sending him rolling on the ground, howling as he clutched his eyes.
At the same time, a crisp girl’s voice rang out from nearby, brimming with fury. “Otherwise what? A dog’s mouth can’t spit ivory—aren’t you afraid your ancestors’ graves will smoke at midnight!”
Wei Sheng Lan looked up. What he saw was a slightly immature face, delicate and unassuming like a village gem.
She wore simple plain clothes, her black hair tied in a bun with a light blue silk ribbon. Her dark eyes sparkled with life, evoking vibrant wildflowers.
Wei Sheng Lan was somewhat stunned. He had no idea who she was or why she’d chosen to step in and help him.
The lead rogue eyed the beautiful, youthful girl and instinctively harbored filthy thoughts.
But recalling what had just happened, he couldn’t gauge her background or strength, so he observed warily for now. “This is business between us brothers—no need for outsiders to meddle. I advise you, miss, not to stick your nose in.”
Xin Yi sneered, summoning a spirit sword into her hand. Vast blue sword intent instantly swirled around it, as if the next second she’d take his head.
Yet her tone remained even, laced with confidence. “I’m sticking my nose in, and that’s final. Since your brotherhood runs so deep, why not all head to the Western Paradise together right here?”
After a tense standoff, the rogues seemed to sense she was no pushover. They shot furious glares at her and the young man.
But in the end, they chose to cut their losses and leave.
Xin Yi had poured everything into putting on that show of strength. Now she finally exhaled in relief—thank goodness the original host had some real skill.
She might not win a straight fight, but for bluffing, it was more than enough.
She stored her spirit sword and turned to Wei Sheng Lan.
One look, and her nose stung with emotion. She rushed forward and hugged the young man tightly, tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in rain. “Mu Lan, I finally found you!”
The young man was already on the verge of collapse, barely holding on without passing out.
Now with her crying and hugging him like this, he fainted in her arms before he could react.
Xin Yi: “…”
Damn it, did she hug him that hard?
She carried Wei Sheng Lan on her back to a thatched hut at the base of the mountain—likely a rest stop for hunters or farmers.
It looked very rudimentary, with only a grass mat, table, and stools, nothing more.
Fortunately, this was a cultivation world. The original host had once reached the golden core stage, so a simple spell could solve many problems.
Even carrying the young man all the way here had been effortless, thanks to the support of immortal arts and spiritual power.
Once she’d settled Wei Sheng Lan on the bed.
Xin Yi finally sat down and listened as the system transmitted and sorted out the plotline of this world for her.
Evidently, this was a cultivation world.
The Azure Cloud Sect was the most powerful sect in the Immortal Continent—other sects were small fry by comparison.
The original host of this body was also named Xin Yi, a junior sister of the Azure Cloud Sect. She’d grown up as childhood sweethearts with her senior brother Qing Heng.
She’d always secretly liked him but never dared confess. Until Qing Heng succeeded the previous sect master as the new leader and, after getting drunk one time, took the initiative to kiss her. That was when they finally pierced that layer of window paper.
But good times didn’t last. Qing Heng unexpectedly met the Demon Race seductress Qiong Yan and gradually fell for her uniqueness, realizing what true affection and attraction felt like.
It turned out that liking someone meant jealousy, possessiveness—not the calm indifference he felt toward his junior sister.
After repeated indulgence, he recognized his feelings and wanted a chance to come clean with her.
Unfortunately, before he could, an unforeseen disaster struck.
Sects of the Immortal Continent had always been at odds with the Demon Race.
To punish Qiong Yan, make her see the divide between immortals and demons, and give Qing Heng a warning, the Demon Lord ordered his generals to capture Qing Heng’s junior sister and brutally carve out half her immortal bone.
This scattered centuries of her cultivation in one night, leaving her spiritual power so feeble it was almost mortal.
To make amends for her suffering, Qing Heng chose to form a dao companion bond with her and cut ties with the seductress.
But Qing Heng didn’t love his junior sister—he’d only done it out of guilt.
So when Qiong Yan reappeared, he couldn’t resist her allure once more.
Thus, during a clash between immortals and demons over a treasure, at the most perilous moment, Qing Heng protected Qiong Yan and left his gravely wounded junior sister to face the beast tide alone. In the end, she was knocked into the Demon Grotto by a demon beast, her soul scattering.
By rights, the story should have ended there.
But the original host didn’t die after falling into the grotto. By a stroke of fate, she obtained an opportunity, consumed a near-extinct spirit herb, and barely mended her lost half immortal bone.
Resurrected, her first thought wasn’t to rekindle things with Qing Heng but revenge.
She set her sights on Qing Heng’s most prized disciple—and Qiong Yan’s other secret admirer—Wei Sheng Lan.
One had to admit, even the heavens helped her this time.
Wei Sheng Lan had been gravely wounded and lost his memories while suppressing an ancient demon beast. And the one who found him was none other than the original host.
To rapidly grow stronger, she pretended to be his wife, used spells to alter her appearance, tried to trick him into dual cultivation, and even schemed for his origin dan in the end.
But Wei Sheng Lan gradually recovered his memories.
Fearing exposure, the original host staged a fake death to escape.
By the time Wei Sheng Lan returned to the sect, she’d become his nominal Shiniang—the junior sister of that Qing Heng who’d nearly died in the grotto.
The sickly “Shiniang” was scheming and vicious. Several times, he’d caught her plotting against Qiong Yan and stopped her.
He feared his master was blinded by guilt and poor judgment.
He even sought out his master to explain, tactfully reminding him that his Shiniang might no longer be the same person.
After a series of entanglements, the original host’s end was a thorough slap in the face—her revenge failed, and she died miserably.
This time, she earned no sympathy. Her name stank in the cultivation world; she was just that vicious little junior sister who got what she deserved.
Even Qing Heng’s lingering guilt vanished, and he lived happily ever after with the seductress, shamelessly blissful.
Wei Sheng Lan, too devoted to Qiong Yan, chose to silently bless and fulfill her, watching her happiness as a bystander.
Xin Yi had no expression left after hearing the full plot.
She just thought the original host’s life was more tragic than a weed’s. What kind of dogshit senior brother—what a fool! Better to like a dumb roadside dog!
“Ding dong~ Plotline loading complete. Please confirm the mainline and branchline tasks for this small world, host.”
“Mainline Task: Target the Azure Cloud Sect disciple Wei Sheng Lan—max out his favorability.”
“Branchline Task: Engage in a saga of tortured romance with Master Qing Heng, ultimately helping him achieve his ‘chasing-wife-crematorium’ ending.”
Xin Yi accepted this readily.
In the original plot, the junior sister had been bullied and tormented like that—no wonder she’d turned vengeful. In a way, Xin Yi understood her choices.
The original host’s deception of the amnesiac Wei Sheng Lan wasn’t just to dual cultivate for cultivation gains—there was a bigger reason.
He was Qing Heng’s most valued disciple, the Azure Cloud Sect’s most dazzling young sword cultivator.
She wanted to shatter his dao heart, toy with him in her palm.
And to watch her senior brother become a laughingstock in the cultivation world, turning against his own disciple.
Sadly, she failed. She’d overestimated her place in Wei Sheng Lan’s heart—especially since their “marriage” was pure exploitation and deceit.
Not only did Wei Sheng Lan never truly fall for her, he never turned against his master for her sake. In the end, disgusted by her repeated schemes against Qiong Yan, he personally crushed her soul.
Typical obsessed villain behavior.
Except the one Wei Sheng Lan obsessively protected was never the original host.
At this thought, Xin Yi’s brows furrowed slightly.
Wei Sheng Lan seemed hard to fool, especially convincing him during his amnesia that they were dao companions.
Which meant she had to fool herself first to fool him.
So Xin Yi resolved, before her fake death escape, to give Wei Sheng Lan her all, play the villainous wife role to the hilt with genuine care.
The system piped up in its sleazy, cutesy tone, reassuring her. “No need to stress too much, host. In the original plot, the original host never succeeded in seducing Wei Sheng Lan into dual cultivation anyway, so there are no hard requirements like that for you.”
“Just focus on the strategy—earn his favorability every day, and don’t screw it up!!”
Xin Yi: “Even though you usually don’t give a damn about anyone, you actually felt sorry for me once at the critical moment.”
The Melodramatic Transmigration System: “…”
Because the inside of the thatched hut was truly too simple, aside from knowing that the original host had already swallowed the disguise pill and altered her appearance, she had no idea what she looked like now.
Thus, she conjured a water mirror with her fingertip and leaned in close to inspect it. Surprisingly, it was a delicate beauty of modest stock.
Compared to the original host’s true appearance, it differed greatly.
But it was not bad at all. She appeared to have a very pure and likable face, especially that pair of curved brows and eyes, which were exceptionally bright.
She was silently appreciating the figure in the mirror when suddenly, a faint rustling sound came from the grass mat behind her.
Xin Yi turned her head to look. Sure enough, Wei Sheng Lan had woken up.
She hurried over and carefully helped him sit up from the couch. Then her eyes immediately reddened again.
She hugged him and repeated the words the youth had said before passing out. “Mu Lan, I finally found you!!”
But Wei Sheng Lan stiffened for a moment before slowly pushing her away. His face remained pale.
Not only did he furrow his brows, but even the depths of his eyes were filled with calm, indifferent scrutiny. “Who are you?”
Xin Yi froze abruptly, her mouth falling slightly open.
Then she revealed an incredulous expression. Her reddened eyes still brimmed with pitiful remnant tears. “You… you really don’t remember? I’m your wife.”