“System, System.” Su Qingyi sported a straight face on the outside while contacting the System with dismay, “What should I do? Am I allowed to tell him that I am waiting for him here?”

“It is forbidden to disclose the existence of the system. “System’s voice was cold. Su Qingyi blew up, “I won’t say a word about you!”

System, “Oh.”

Oh? What was ‘Oh’? Yes? No? Make it clear, please!

Su Qingyi was in plight. After a while, she thought, whatever, just face it head-on.

She faced death unflinchingly and lifted her head to look at Qin Zichen, “Actually…”

“Dididi! The Female Lead appears! The Female Lead appears!”

The System blared an alarm in her mind. Su Qingyi’s mind was numbed. She moved her feet fast, accompanied by the System’s scream, “Stop her! Stop her! Don’t let her meet our task target!”

“I know, I know!” Su Qingyi clutched her aching head and ran in the direction indicated by the system. She snarled, “If you don’t stop giving me a headache, I can’t stop her!”

The System quietened down. Su Qingyi trotted to the entrance of the cliff. There, she saw a woman in tsingyi[1] bending over, scourging for herbs.

The woman in tsingyi had a veiled hat[2] and held a bamboo stick in her hand. She was elegant and cold, with an inexplicable delicateness that presented people with a tender and obedient surface. 

She gave a different ambiance from Su Qinglian’s pure delicateness. It’s hard for people to disdain her. Su Qingyi halted on the side of the road and sized up the woman. For a moment, she was struck dumb. She remained on spot and could only watch her. 

This woman was the Meimei[3] that she grew up with. She was always kind and gentle since she was young, giving her smile to everyone. No one didn’t like her. Su Qingyi was no exception.

She could recall as clear as day that when Ran Shu was young, she was afraid of the dark. Ran Shu often sneaked to her bed at night and Su Qingyi frightened her by telling her ghost stories to the point where Ran Shu was driven to tears by her. In the morning, she woke up late and was punished by her Shifu. Ran Shu accepted the punishment without any words.

She deemed that she was an easy target for bullying in Xing Yun Sect and If it weren’t for her disposition and hard fist, she believed Ran Shu would always be picked on. Who would guess that Ran Shu would collude with Xie Hantan to kill her?

Su Qingyi stood on the roadside and stared at Ran Shu quietly. When Ran Shu picked up the herbs and got to her feet, she was surprised to meet Su Qingyi’s gaze. “Guniang, is something wrong?”

“No.” Su Qingyi returned to her senses. She curled up her lips and greeted her inquiring gaze from under the veil. She fished out a carrot from her pocket and bit it, “Xianshi[4] wants to enter here?”

Hearing the “Xianshi” from her mouth, Ran Shu’s face eased and she smiled, “I want to pick up some herbs, so I specifically came to the mountain of Xuan Tian Sect. I hope it won’t be a bother for Guniang,”

Ran Shu probably perceived her as a disciple of the Xuan Tian Sect. 

That’s fine.

Su Qingyi mulled over it, “Xianshi, I am sorry, but if it’s not dire, outsiders can’t enter here, it’s because recently there are some complications in Xuan Tian Sect. May Xianshi forgive me and pick some herbs somewhere else.”

Ran Shu didn’t reply to her. She measured Su Qingyi with a smile, “Some complications in Xuan Tian Sect… The Sect Leader is the one that invited me to come here and I didn’t hear anything regarding it. Guniang might as well tell me, what’s the complications?”

Shit.

Su Qingyi realized she had fallen into a trap. In an instant, Ran Shu whipped the Golden Whip in her hand! 

Su Qingyi rolled on the ground and set her hand on a piece of cloth. She instantly aborted her movements.

Ran Shu was familiar with her. Each Fu Xiu had their own characteristics when drawing runes, just like writing. Everyone’s writing was distinct. What’s more, she had invented many spells and talismans. Throwing her talisman out was the same as giving out her identity to Ran Shu. That would be a recipe for disaster.

She and Xie Hantan colluded to kill her. If Ran Shu realized she was still alive, wouldn’t that mean she had to die for the second time?

Thunder struck for each strike of Ran Shu’s Golden Whip. Su Qingyi dodged left and right, and Ran Shu’s face turned colder with each dodge. She trailed behind Su Qingyi and chased her. 

She warned, “Vile spawn! Stop right there! What is your intention hiding in the Xuan Tian Sect!”

Su Qingyi, of course, didn’t answer. She attempted to lead Ran Shu outside the cliff, but Ran Shu was at the entrance. The only road in the cliff was narrow and long. So, instead of leading her out, she was giving herself openly to her whip’s mercy.

Noticing that they were getting nearer to Qin Zichen’s location, Su Qingyi yelled out to the System, “System! What to do! What to dooo!!!”

System faked offline while Su Qingyi evaded Ran Shu’s whip for several rounds. Ran Shu scowled, “You refused to submit yourself peacefully. In that case, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Ran Shu flung out ten talismans from her hand. Su Qingyi quickly retreated, but the talismans kept chasing her. She rushed to a wall and squatted down when the talismans were a step away from her.

The talismans plastered on the wall and a loud booming sounded from the cliff.

Ran Shu’s Golden Whip followed closely and bashed Su Qingyi. Su Qingyi knocked straight into the sharp pointy ice wall!

Was she going to die again? 

She would die just like this?!

Su Qingyi’s body was paralyzed by the thunder from the Golden Whip. She couldn’t take any action at all. She flew towards the spiked wall and the System panicked in her mind! Die, die, die, die, die. They are going to die!

In the nick of time, a hand circled her waist and tugged her away softly. She was entrapped in someone’s arms and fled from her impending death as the surrounding walls began to collapse. 

The man looked down at the dazed Su Qingyi. “Hold tight.”

He pointed his toe and flew up the cliff. Behind him, Ran Shu shouted, “Don’t go, you Demon!”

She chased after them.

Qin Zichen glanced back. He formed a sword from his empty hand. With a stroke in the air, a white jade sword painted with gorgeous peach blossoms that had not yet bloomed appeared out of thin air. The jade sword was magnified several times and fell at Qin Zichen’s feet. 

Qin Zichen supported Su Qingyi by her waist and speeded up.  Ran Shu waved her hand, and a huge lotus appeared at her feet, catching up.

The System prompted with a “ding”. It said with some regret, “The task failed. The Female Lead successfully meets with the task target. However, because the Favorability Value has not increased, it is regarded as half-complete. No points will be deducted; No rewards will be rewarded. Please make persistent efforts to tear down their feelings.”

“Remedial task: Become Jing Yan’s disciple, do you accept the task?”

“Accept.” Su Qingyi nodded in a beat. She then frowned, “Hold on. Why do I suddenly feel that I just signed up to be a Xiao San[5]?”

System, “In a sense, you are.”

Su Qingyi, “……”

The System quickly remedied, “No, you are not! The Supporting Male is not with anyone! You just prevented him from going the wrong way and smoothed the road of Ran Shu and Xie Hantan’s love.”

Hearing these two names, Su Qingyi’s heart sting. She roared, “Shut up!”

The system automatically banned its speech function.

Ran Shu chased Qin Zichen with persistence. Qin Zichen was injured, and couldn’t last long. His brows furrowed, “Is she your enemy?” ”

“Um… Not really.” Su Qingyi pondered. She didn’t reveal her real identity. In a way, they weren’t enemies, right?

Upon hearing this, Qin Zichen stopped. He didn’t run anymore. He coldly glanced at Ran Shu from the corner of his eyes, “Why are you chasing me?”

“Pfft…” Su Qingyi stifled her laugh and Ran Shu was startled. 

She scrutinized Qin Zichen and noticed that although he was covered with blood, he had a noble temperament, a clear expression, and a righteous aura. He was certainly not a Demonic Cultivator. Reluctantly, she put away her whip. She softened her voice, “The Guniang in Fellow Daoist’s arms is not from Xuan Tian Sect, but she feigned to be one and prevented me from entering. She was suspicious, therefore, I chased after her. The Guniang resisted vehemently and acted just like a spy. Thus, I misunderstand. I hope Fellow Daoist will forgive me in this matter.”

“She is merely taking care of me for fear that you are my enemy.” Qin Zichen clarified, “If there is no more misunderstanding, we will leave.”

“Wait!” Ran Shu showed some prudence in her eyes and arched her hand, “May I ask this Fellow Daoist name?”

“Tian Jian Sect, Jing Yan.”

Upon hearing the name, Ran Shu bowed to show her respect, “So it’s Jing Yan-qianbei[6]. This wanbei[7] is Ran Shu from Xing Yun Sect. Wanbei has offended Qianbei a lot from this misunderstanding. Jing Yan-qianbei is currently injured, Wanbei hoped Qianbei will give Wanbei a chance to redeem herself by escorting Jing Yan-qianbei back to Tian Jian Sect safely.”

Qin Zichen didn’t speak, seeming to contemplate Ran Shu’s proposal. Su Qingyi sensed the situation was detrimental to her. What should she do if feelings appear between them during the journey? She hurriedly rejected, “We won’t bother Xianshi. I myself will escort Qianbei back! Xianshi doesn’t need to trouble herself!”

Ran Shu chuckled as she looked at Su Qingyi, “Rest assured, Guniang, I won’t rob Jing Yan-qianbei from you. It’s merely because Jing Yan-qianbei is an important figure for us in the Righteous Path. There must be no mistakes. Xing Yun Sect and Tian Jian Sect are from the same root. Naturally, it’s not a trouble at all. I am just doing a small favor, I don’t have any ulterior motives.”

Ran Shu justified it with such solemnity that Su Qingyi basically suffocated from the lump of blood in her throat. She began to wonder why her past self was so blind. This was obviously a vixen who had MAXed her eloquence and fighting skill. How on earth did she believe that she was a gentle and lovely Meimei who was easily picked on! In which way would Ran Shu be bullied if she wasn’t there?!

She inhaled a deep breath and wanted to argue, yet Qin Zichen already approved. “Then, so be it.”

With that, he turned to Su Qingyi, “Where did Guniang come from? Does Guniang have a destination in mind?

Su Qingyi couldn’t grasp why Qin Zichen asked her this. She weighed it and asked back, “You said you are from Tian Jian Sect, right?”

“Yes.” Qin Zichen nodded and explained, “My given name is Qin Zichen. This Humble One is from Tian Jian Sect. My Daoist name is Jing Yan.”

“That’s great,” Su Qingyi expressed her joy. She tugged Qin Zichen’s sleeve. “I’m from a place I shouldn’t have come, and I want to go to Tian Jian Sect!”

Qin Zichen’s brows scrunched up. Su Qingyi hurriedly appeased, “I may have five Spiritual Roots, but I am very diligent and hardworking! I have admired Tian Jian Sect since I was a child. I loved it and yearned for it! My dream is to become a disciple of Tian Jian Sect! Everyone’s dream is worthy of respect. Jing Yan-xianshi. You think so too, right?”

“But,” Qin Zichen displayed some hesitance, “You are better suited to be a Fu Xiu.”

“No! Xianshi,” Su Qingyi convinced with eagerness, “People should love the one they love, not the most suitable one. I love Tian Jian Sect. Even if I am suitable for Fu Xiu, Dao, Scholarly Skills, or even Zen, the one that  I love is Jian Xiu! I must be a disciple of Tian Jian Sect. Please, Xianshi, I beg you!”

Qin Zichen was reticent. Ran Shu smiled lighlty under her veil, “Since this Guniang is so sincere, Qianbei might as well give her a chance.”

Qin Zichen nodded at Ran Shu’s words. Su Qingyi puffed up at once. 

You asshole! I saved you and took care of you! Yet my words are not as good as her!

As expected, beauty bewitched people! 

With a task target like this, did she still have a future?

 

Footnotes

青衣 – qīngyī. Lit. Green/Blue/Black clothes.↵

帷帽 – wéimào. A type of wide brimmed hat with a shoulder-long or more veil. Image in Attachment below. ↵

妹妹 – mèimèi.Younger Sister. Little Sister. A way to address someone (F) younger than you. Not restricted by blood. You can address someone in this way as long as they are younger than you. But, in this case, Ran Shu is Su Qingyi’s (Formerly Ran Yan) blood sister.↵

仙师 – xiānshī. Immortal Master. A way to address a cultivator.↵

小三 – xiǎosān. Lit. Little Three. The third person in a relationship. A home-wrecker. A mistress. A junior. ↵

前辈 – qián bèi. Lit. Preceeding Generation. Senior. Elder. A way to address someone a generation older than you or to address oneself to a generation younger than you.↵

晚辈 – wǎn bèi. Lit. Later Generation. Junior. Younger one. A way to address someone a generation younger than you or to address oneself to a generation older than you.↵

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