CH 3

While Jian Xingzhi was experiencing rolling down the mountain, Qin Wanwan was in dreamland.

In her dream, there stood a sparkling golden gate. It was high in the clouds. It was linked from the sky to the ground by steps.

Qin Wanwan heard the splashing of water, wave after wave, as if there were waves coming from a distance.

Standing in front of the gate, she raised her head and caught sight of three big words written above – Deng Xian Gate[1].

Deng Xian Gate?

Qin Wanwan tilted her head in confusion. 

The rumors she heard about Deng Xian Gate was that the Deng Xian Gate in the Immortal Realm was actually the Dragon Gate in the so-called “Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate[2]” in the Mortal Realm. It was a special passage opened by the Immortal Realm for the Dragon Clan. Those who have Dragon’s blood running on their veins could cross over the Deng Xian Gate and directly ascend. 

So… why was she here?

Before she had the time to think about it, she heard a dragon chant. The roar of the surrounding waves waned away and the sound of the System blared, “Host? Are you still alive, Host?”

Qin Wanwan’s eyes rolled. She first smelled the aroma of medicine. She barely opened her eyes and could already see the hanging herbal bags on top of her bed.

“Host, you are awake.”

38’s voice was emotional, “You scared me to death! I thought you were going to die!”

Qin Wanwan didn’t pay any attention to it. She gathered her mind on the bed and circled her stomach. She heard Shen Zhiming’s voice calmly coming from her side when she touched her stomach. “I have lifted the curse on your body. and your Bai-shishu has treated your wounds. You will be fine after some rest.”

She subconsciously twisted over to Shen Zhiming’s direction when she heard his voice. She noticed Shen Zhiming sitting at the table. Song Xiniang stood behind him and looked over at Qin Wanwan with deep concern.

Qin Wanwan paused. The pain in her stomach was an instant reminder of what had occurred before she was unconscious. She dared not move and pushed down her nervousness. Her mind geared fast to think of how to deal with these great figures.

Shen Zhiming and Song Xinian spared her life, they even saved her the moment they saw her on the verge of dying. In accordance with the original plot, these two people could be regarded as the people who raised the original owner themselves. It’s impossible for them not to have the slightest affection for her. It’s just, under the impetus of the plot, their bits of intelligence and care for the original owner was reduced so as to let them fall in love with the Female Lead.

She could take advantage of their excessive care for Su Yueli. 

If she wished to go down the mountain, there were three most important things she must do. Heal her wounds, clear the false accusation and her grievances, and send away Shen Zhiming. 

Shen Zhiming’s cultivation was too high. She could hardly do anything under his watchful eyes. Only if Shen Zhiming left could she do more by using her shihai.

Qin Wanwan’s mind rotated fast.

Shen Zhiming eyed her quietness. He stood up and walked up to her. 

Qin Wawnan fidgeted from dread the moment he moved. Shen Zhiming lowered his head to look at her, there was some compassion for her in his eyes.

He understood this disciple of his. She may be proud and capricious, and she was also overbearing. But, she would never show her weakness for others to see. Cultivation was everything to her.

And now, she had become like this…

She would rather die than plead guilty……

“Shifu will ask you for the last time…” Shen Zhiming gazed at her, “About Yueli, are you really not the one who hurt her?”

“Ignore him.”

“It’s really not me!”

The System and Qin Wanwan uttered at the same time. As soon as she shouted, Qin Wanwan sensed an electric current rushing through her body. The pain made her shudder and she subconsciously clutched Shen Zhiming’s pants.

Shen Zhiming froze and Qin Wanwan was in too much pain to figure out the situation. She squeezed out tears because of the pain. She looked at Shen Zhiming with tearful eyes, “Shifu, it’s really not me.”

“You release me first.”

Shen Zhiming pretended to be calm while holding onto his waistband. Qin Wanwan wasn’t aware of what she was pulling at all. She only felt the electric current rushing through her body and a yell in her ear, “Host, you are the great Female Lead, you shouldn’t explain it so easily! You have to act cold, be relentless, and don’t talk!”

“The Great Female Lead is not pathetic! Hold back your words, won’t you?!”

Qin Wanwan clasped Shen Zhiming’s pants and was hard-headed to defy the System to the very end. She witnessed what happened to ‘Jian Zhiyan’! She didn’t want to be hurled onto the soil and rolled down the mountain!

She used the pants as her decompression device and tugged them hard to vent her pain. She woefully clarified, “We were all seriously injured that day. A… A nine-grade porcupine sprang out from behind Shimei. I hastily pushed her down the cliff to avoid her being injured by this porcupine! The Tracking Pearl must have recorded it! I really didn’t intend to harm her!”

Qin Wanwan spouted her thoughts. Since Shen Zhiming cared about Su Yueli, let him focus on how to wake Su Yueli up so she could send him out from Wen Xin Sect.

“I’m at a loss as to why she is unconscious. There must be another reason! Shifu, hurry up and save Shimei, don’t waste time on me!”

“You let go.”

But, at this moment, Shen Zhiming could care less about Su Yueli’s life and death. He only cared about his pants right now. He gritted his teeth and repeated while clutching his waistband. Qin Wanwan shook her head vehemently, “Shifu, I won’t let it go, if you don’t believe me, I won’t let it go! ”

“Let go!”

“No!”

“Qin Wan!”

“Wuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuwuuwuwu[3] Shifuuuuuuuu! Hurry and help me save Shimei! Or it will be too late!”

It’s so painful. The electric current hit her and she was about to break down. She wailed and shed bitter tears because of the pain. She could hardly hold on. If Shen Zhiming didn’t promise her this time……

Shen Zhiming closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He resisted the idea of slapping this rebellious disciple to death with his palm. He curbed himself from executing the idea and declared, “Shifu believes in you for the time being. Now, take your hands away.”

Qin Wanwan ultimately relaxed her grasp on his pants. She fanned her eyes at Shen Zhiming, “Really, Shifu?”

“Shifu will personally check the secret realm,” Shen Zhiming breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her let go of her grasp on his pants, “You take care of your injuries first. If you didn’t hurt her, Shifu will give you justice. If you really hurt her,” Shen Zhinming stared down coldly, “Don’t blame Shifu for disposing you from this Sect.”

“Shifu, don’t worry,” Qin Wanwan straightened up. She lifted her hand and vowed with a candid expression, “With Qin Wan’s life, I swear to Shifu that I have no intention of harming Shimei.”

Anyway, it’s Qin Wan’s life and Qin Wan was no more.

In Shen Zhiming’s belief, cultivator vows were bound by Heaven. Upon seeing this, Shen Zhiming pondered. He acknowledged her plea and chose to believe Qin Wanwan.

Hearing her vow, 38 in her shihai sighed with emotion, “You really have no sense of shame……”

Qin Wanwan completely disregarded the System’s ridicule and presented her docile look to Shen Zhiming. 

“You have a rest first,” Shen Zhiming quietly stepped back, a little farther away from Qin Wanwan. He then glanced at Song Xinian, ”I am going out for a while, take care of your Shimei these days.”

“I understand.”

Song Xinian bowed. Qin Wanwan saw Song Zhiming was leaving and quickly opened her mouth, “Shifu, one more thing.”

Shen Zhiming heard this and tilted his head to her. Qin Wanwan’s voice shrank, “I think, Jun-shaozhu is plotting something against me.”

Shen Zhiming and Song Xinian glanced at each other. They obviously were not convinced.

Qin Wanwan’s eyes glazed by her tears, she voiced aggrievedly, “Just now, on the Judgment Stage, I felt that he seemed to have done something to me, and then I lost my Golden Core cultivation in an instant! Shifu, I’m a useless person now. If you’re not here, one can imagine what will Jun-shaozhu do to me…”

Shen Zhiming didn’t react to her words while Song Xinian furrowed his brow.

They couldn’t figure out Jun Shu’s plan to Qin Wanwan, but the Spiritual Power of Qin Wanwan indeed disappeared too fast. And at that time, Jun Shu was closest to her. Only the two of them knew what transpired.

Shen Zhiming mulled it over. He raised his hand and pointed it to the center of Qin Wanwan’s eyebrows. Qin Wanwan noticed two Spiritual Powers rushed into her body.

“One is Shifu‘s sword spell and the other is a tracker. You can call your Shixiong to help you if you have something to do. At a critical moment, if someone is against you, Shifu‘s sword spell can keep you safe. These days, you should stay soundly in the Wen Xin Sect until Shifu comes back. If you try to flee…”

“I won’t flee!”

Qin Wanwan quickly shook her head, “I am waiting for Shifu to come back and wash away my grievances.”

“Mn.”

Shen Zhiming didn’t say much. Seeing Qin Wanwan’s obedience, he nodded and turned to leave.

Qin Wanwan finally could rest her heart at ease when she saw Shen Zhiming leave. She was clear of Shen Zhiming’s suspicion and got a bonus sword spell from him. She was away from Jun Shu and could heal her injuries with peace of mind. Now, to plot for the next step……

Song Xinian stood by Qin Wanwan’s side after Shen Zhiming’s departure. He saw Qin Wanwan touching her forehead, like a child. 

Song Xinian studied her for a while and chuckled, “Shimei hasn’t been this close to Shifu and me for years.”

Qin Wanwan paused her movement. She acted to wrung out a bitter smile, “Isn’t it because both of you are partial to Su-shimei since she arrived in Wen Xin Sect,” Qin Wanwan exhibited a bit of sadness on her face, “You ignored me since then. Shixiong may not know this, but, at that time I fought with the porcupine for nine days and nine nights in the secret realm, I was waiting for Shixiong and Shifu to save me. But both of you…”

Song Xiniang became awkward from her words. He froze in place, “Shimei has always been strong. We all thought…”

“Though that I wouldn’t die?” Qin Wanwan angled her head. She bleakly stared at Song Xinian, “Then, Shixiong, now I am a waste, can you be nicer to me?”

“Shimei doesn’t have to be disheartened,” Song Xinian became serious as soon as he heard that, “With Shimei‘s innate talent, it’s not difficult to rebuild the Golden Core.”

“It’s not difficult to rebuild the Golden Core,” Qin Wanwan sighed, she invested more in her play. “But people’s hearts are like water. Once spilled. you can never retrieve it.”

“Shimei…” Song Xinian guiltily lowered his head, “I…”

“Shixiong doesn’t have to be sad, though,” Perhaps she was in line with the setting of the Female Lead, but eventually, the electric current on her body subsided. Qin Wanwan tilted her head and gave a sage-like smile, “I chanced upon a walk on the Life and Death’s path, I now understand that I’ve been too imposing in the past. Yesterday’s events are yesterday’s death. From today onwards, we must properly cherish the time we spend together.”

“What Shimei said is correct,” Song Xinian was glad, “Shimei, if you want anything, just tell Shixiong.”

“Shixiong,” Qin Wanwan looked into the distance, with a profound understanding of life and death, “In the past, I have always restrained my desires and abstained from the excitement in the mortal world. I have never enjoyed the bustling presence of this world. Now I want to have a try.”

“What does Shimei want?”

“Braised pork,” She glimpsed back at Song Xiniang and asked meekly, “Can Wen Xin Sect’s chef make it?”

Song Xinian was taken aback but was fast to react. “I can go down the mountain and buy it for you.”

“That would be great,” Qin Wanwan beamed. “Since you will go down the mountain, you might as well buy some more.”

“What else does Shimei want?”

Examining Qin Wanwan’s pale face and recalling the past where his Shimei was alone, only accompanied with her sword and her Golden Core, Song Xinian felt a little heartbroken. 

If Qin Wan was wronged, he would have wronged his Shimei greatly and nothing was enough to make it up.

If she wasn’t… Shifu most likely wouldn’t let her off. After all was said and done, this Shimei was raised by his own hands. If she treaded the Evil Path, in the last journey of her road, he still wished to send her off with a good parting. 

Qin Wanwan didn’t notice Song Xinian’s complicated state of mind. She listened to Song Xinian’s offer and opened her mouth right away “I want to eat — thousand-year egg, salted duck, shredded chicken, roast goose, sweet and sour pork tenderloin, meatballs, large meatball, pepper eggplant, osmanthus cake, mung bean cake, taro cake…”

With such a large list, Song Xinian took out a pen from his Qiankun bag[4] and began to write it down.

Qin Wanwan seemed to treat this as her last meal and continued to list, “Fried chestnuts, fried pine nuts, rock sugar gourd, plum candy…”

“Shimei,” In the end, Song Xiniang did not mince his words and took it in his hands to bring a stop to Qin Wanwan, “Stop talking, Shixiong will catch a chef up the mountain for you.”

As if Song Xiniang was afraid Qin Wanwan would ask for more, he disappeared from the room in a flash.

Song Xiniang left. Qin Wanwan finally fell back to the bed with a “bang”. She murmured, “Is this the legendary punishment for being OOC?”

“So you also know you are OOC?” 38 heaved a sigh, “After arduous attempts, you finally succeeded to hide the Longdan. Yet, you deceived Shen Zhiming to go to the secret realm. He will be aware that you killed the Qinglong in that secret realm. You killed Qinglong, which means you swallowed the Longdan. When he returns, he will dig your Longdan right away.”

“Is that so,” Qin Wanwan closed her eyes and enjoyed the pleasure of simply lying in bed. She relaxed completely and voiced carelessly, “Before he returns, I will wash Qin Wanwan’s grievances and go down the mountain.”

“What other grievances?”

“Is there a problem with your calculation these days?” Qin Wanwan was feeble, her breath was present but her vigor was absent. “According to the situation on Judgement Stage, even if I stabbed myself, Shen Zhiming may let me go down the mountain out of justice and moral principle, but will Jun Shu, that dog, let me go? I am seriously injured and ambushed by Jun Shu in secret, what do you think will happen? Haven’t you thought about it?”

“I thought about it,” 38 justified, “We’ve calculated that you should escape first, and then find a place to digest the Longdan. Then, Jun Shu will ambush you and torture you. You will be in a cell, tortured. There, you will experience difficulties and enlightenment, you will advance because of the hopeless situation and become a fugitive! When Su Yueli is awakened, your grievances will be washed away automatically! Then, they will regret it, but your relationship with them has become absolutely irreconcilable! This kind of Female Lead who bathed in blood and advanced through difficulty, isn’t it just awesome!”

Qin Wanwan, “……”

She understood. Simply put, the awesome Female Lead in this System’s mind was someone who would do things before thinking. 

“Why don’t you make the Female Lead,” Qin Wanwan counseled thoughtfully, “use her brain to stabilize the situation first and find out the truth. Later, she will go down the mountain when she is already healthy and can flee easily. Shen Zhiming and Song Xiniang have some affections for Qin Wan. Why can’t you just use their feelings to make things more relaxing? Why must the Female Lead stab herself?”

“You’re right…” 38 murmured, “It makes sense…”

Then 38 reacted, “I thought you are stupid?”

“Da Xiongdi[5],” Qin Wanwan shut her eyes wearily, “Laziness is different from foolishness. Just like cowardice is different from stupidity. Please, respect my IQ.”

“Isn’t that wonderful,” 38 cheered up. Its words were full of yearning. “Let’s don’t waste time, hasten up and go down the mountain. Save Jian Zhiyan and start the main task. Both of you will wander around the world together!”

Qin Wanwan was quiet.

The two of them wandered the world together? Did the System think she had so many lives to spare?

That dunce, without the strength of Jian Xingzhi, wanted to replicate the force of Jian Xingzhi.  He pretended to be strong and ended up in a fucked-up situation. This kind of character was usually used as cannon fodder whose use was for comedic relief and to cause troubles. She took him with her, how many lives should she store to safely help him solve the problem he caused?

He stabbed her when he got to his feet. The phantom pain still lingered on her stomach even now.

What Soft Rice Man? He was a scum man!

The more Qin Wanwan thought about it, the angrier she was. When she found a way to get down the mountain, she would sell that man to a good family and let him live a peaceful life. In that way, she could be considered to have completed the task.

As for ascending……

Qin Wan’s last wish only said to protect Jian Zhiyan. She did not say she wished for Jian Zhiyan to ascend, did she?

Qin Wanwan planned the future contentedly. She thought of her braised pork and closed her eyes again.

And at this moment, Jian Xingzhi, who was lying at the foot of the mountain, finally opened his eyes.

His vision was filled with the blue sky and white clouds. The leaves drifted down. Jian Xingzhi inhaled a deep breath. A carp jumped over the lake. 

He turned over and sat up. He sat cross-legged and handily drew a restoration formation on the ground. A bunch of complex formations was superimposed on it. He set the back of his hand on his knee.

He started meditating and the formation came to life.

“Da… Da Ye…” System 666 trembled, “You… What are you doing?”

“I’m thinking of a way to kill you,” Jian Xingzhi closed his eyes and pledged in all sincerity and seriousness, “Then, I will kill those people in Wen Xin Sect and have my revenge.”

666, “……”

If you want to kill me, you don’t need to let me know about it. Honest.

The author has something to say,

In the beginning, the two Leads adapted to the System and were obedient. After they adapted to the System, the System could only watch the Long Aotian razed Wen Xin Sect within 10 chapters.

[Mini Theater]

666, “This Host is the most difficult one I’ve ever brought.”

38, “Whose Host is not?”

666: “Why do you never side with me.” 

38, “I am also extremely weighed down by this matter. Also, I am not obliged to always listen to you. ”

666, “I am also with you in this matter, you know.”

38, “Is your Host also not obedient?”

666, “Not only is he disobedient, he also wants to kill me.”

38, “……”

Footnotes

登仙门 – Dēng Xiān Mén. 登仙 means Ascend to Immortality/To become Immortal.↵

鲤鱼跃龙门. To make a significant advance in one’s career/To get one’s big break, In Ancient Legend, a carp jumped over the Dragon Gate (referring to the narrowest Dragon Gate in where the Yellow River roars down, now called Yu Men Gate), and it changed into a dragon..↵

呜呜呜呜呜呜 – wū wū wū wū wū wū. Onomatopeia for crying. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH SHIFUUUUU!↵

乾坤袋 – Qiánkūn Dài; Qiankun Pouch/Bag. A pouch/bag that is able to hold more than it appears able to carry. It is used by cultivators to carry items.↵

大兄弟 – dà xiōngdì. Big fellow comrades. The “大” refers to the great position of 38 rather than the literal “Big”.↵

Lei’s Corner

If you noticed, I have changed the cover to the TLHA Manhua’s Cover. Yes, TLHA’s Manhua will officially air in February! I hope a scanlation will pick it up. I can’t change the cover in NU, though. Such a shame. If someone can, please do help me to change it :>

Actually, Shen Zhiming addressed himself with 为师 – wéi shī. “I, this Teacher,”. But, I just used Shifu because, eh. All are the same.

Also, no. Shen Zhiming and Song Xinian are by no means the Supporting Male. Jian Xingzhi is the Supporting Male一 eh?

At first, I actually rooted for Shen Zhiming. Heh. Foolish me.

Jian Xingzhi is too greedy and snatched both the Supporting Male and Male Lead roles.