Chapter 10: Sacrifice or Plunder
Even the most foolish person could read the situation. Shang Shang knew she was trapped and dejectedly followed the ice-blue figure, muttering, “You can’t watch me forever. If I get the chance, I’ll run away, and you won’t find me even if you search to the ends of the earth…”
The Small Mountain Hall, the Sect Leader’s residence, was built on the highest peak of the Tianyu Mountain range. It was visible from anywhere in the sect, a blue beacon reaching the sky, so they wouldn’t get lost. After descending the mountain, they headed straight for it.
Recalling the stares from the crowd, which made her uncomfortable, and the endless greetings, which were annoying, Mu Qiandan deliberately avoided the crowds, taking the forest path.
Their pace wasn’t fast, more like a leisurely stroll than a journey. On the one hand, there was no rush. On the other hand, this frail half-demon body was weak, despite its long legs. She felt tired after just a few steps and wondered how the original master had managed to reach her current position.
Seeing her slow pace, Shang Shang clicked her tongue, following at a distance. After walking quietly for a while in the silent forest, her restless nature took over, and she began swinging from trees, splashing in rivers, and generally causing mayhem.
Just moments ago, she had been unhappy, and now she was playing. Those who didn’t know her would call her heartless, but this was her nature. The more unhappy she felt, the more she needed to have fun.
The wind whistled as she grabbed a vine, leaping to another tree, shouting, “Whee!”
“…”
Strange noises came from behind. Mu Qiandan rolled her eyes, tuning them out.
One walking slowly, one flying wildly, they crossed two small hills. Suddenly, the view opened up, the sunlight, filtered through the trees, so bright it made her squint, her eyes stinging slightly.
Mu Qiandan stopped on the hilltop, waiting for her eyes to adjust, then gazed at the distant scenery.
Mojing Peak, the highest peak of Tianyu Gate, stood majestically amidst a sea of clouds, its exposed black rocks contrasting with the surrounding green vegetation, its summit capped with white snow. Flocks of immortal birds flew past, their calls echoing in the distance. A white hall, almost blending with the snow, clung to the mountainside, reflecting the sunlight, dazzlingly bright.
Thin clouds dispersed in the wind, the air filled with moisture. The distant scene made Mu Qiandan instinctively hold her breath, her clothes and hair swaying in the breeze.
For the first time since transmigrating, she felt a sense of peace.
Li Biyuan suddenly sighed, ‘So beautiful. There are so many genres of novels, but my favorites are always xianxia and western fantasy. They both have an indescribable beauty.’
Mu Qiandan said, ‘They’re both primitive, both about survival of the fittest.’
Li Biyuan: ‘Well… that’s one way to put it…’
Mu Qiandan paused, then chuckled, ‘No, I’m wrong, the real world is the same.’
Even more so, in fact.
Suddenly, her eyebrows rose, her eyes narrowing. The scenes from before the Assembly Hall flashed through her mind, the idea that had been forming while she restrained the protagonist on the Narrow Sea now becoming clear.
The footsteps behind her had stopped. Shang Shang, having just caught a fat carp from the river, twitched her ears and looked ahead.
That wicked woman had stopped!
She tilted her head, thought for a moment, then jumped out of the river, her dripping wet clothes and straw sandals slapping against the ground as she hurried forward, “We haven’t even walked that far, and you’re already tired! Truly…”
Opportunity seldom knocked twice. She had wanted to mock the woman and annoy her, but when she saw the snow-capped hall amidst the sea of clouds, she also stopped in her tracks.
Mu Qiandan, snapping out of her thoughts, glanced at her, “Uncultured.”
Then, she continued walking, her footsteps light.
Shang Shang, the mocked country bumpkin, snorted and quickly caught up, retorting, “You’re so rude! It’s not that I’m uncultured. It’s because we grew up in different places, so we’ve seen different things. I’ve also seen things you haven’t, would I ever say that to you?”
She still held the fat carp, its tail thrashing wildly, spraying water everywhere. Mu Qiandan frowned slightly, her expression disapproving, and quickened her pace, putting some distance between them.
Seeing her silence, Shang Shang assumed she had won the argument and said smugly, “Besides, what makes you so superior? We both have two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, we both eat, drink, and… ow!”
A surge of spiritual energy struck her, causing the fish in her hand to go berserk, its tail almost breaking as it leaped up, its head hitting her mouth, the fishy smell overwhelming.
Even someone who ate everything had standards. The strong stench almost made Shang Shang gag. She spat out the fish, grabbed it again, and chased after Mu Qiandan, “Resorting to violence when you can’t win an argument, how unladylike!”
Mu Qiandan said, “Did I?”
Shang Shang ran ahead of the woman, walking backwards, and challenged, “Can you look me in the eye and say you didn’t?!”
Mu Qiandan’s gaze was steady, “I can’t see you, shorty.”
Shang Shang, feeling insulted, jumped up, “See! See!”
The woman’s face remained cold and indifferent, her gaze not focusing on her.
Shang Shang raised the fish angrily, “I’m still young, you’re using your height advantage, that’s not fair! Let’s compete in something else.”
Mu Qiandan said, “Shorty.”
Shang Shang gritted her teeth, rolling up her sleeves to show off her shapely arms, her skin fair and smooth, radiating youthful vitality. “How do I look like a winter melon?”
Mu Qiandan stopped, too lazy to lower her head, only shifting her gaze downwards. Then, she extended her index finger, poking the girl’s forehead, repeating,
“Short. Winter. Melon.”
Each word was like a blow to the girl’s head, stunning her.
While she was frozen, Mu Qiandan walked around her and continued forward. By the time she heard the girl’s curses from behind, the gate of the Small Mountain Hall was already in sight.
A young immortal child, dressed in crane-patterned robes with a red dot on their forehead, approached. Without asking, as if knowing her purpose, they bowed and led the way.
Without turning back, she knew from the hurried footsteps that the idiot dragon had followed. Mu Qiandan entered the hall.
Shang Shang, still fuming, reached the gate and realized she had forgotten to release the fish. It was too late to go back, so she followed, relieved that the immortal children, despite probably never having seen a beggar offering a live fish to the Sect Leader, remained unfazed.
The immortal child led them to a quiet, elegant courtyard. Unlike the grand buildings in the distance, this place resembled a simple farmhouse, with a tree, a water jar, and a table in the courtyard, and inside, an incense burner, a screen, and a hanging scroll, nothing else.
The room was empty; the Sect Leader hadn’t returned yet.
She had thought that by walking slowly, she wouldn’t have to wait. But the meeting was still ongoing, it seemed the black dragon matter was truly troubling the immortal world.
A straw cushion sat in the center of the floor, the only place to sit and rest. Mu Qiandan glanced around, then naturally sat on the cushion, smoothing her skirt.
Shang Shang wandered around the room, then suddenly turned, “Where do I sit?”
Mu Qiandan didn’t look up, “Wherever you like.”
“Hmph.” Shang Shang went out to the courtyard and tossed the almost-suffocated fish into the water jar. Seeing its swollen belly, the jar seemed a bit small, but at least it was alive again. She returned to the room and sat on the floor. “You just like bullying me.”
Mu Qiandan said, “If you’re not convinced, we can fight.”
“That’s not fair, you have magic, I don’t.” Shang Shang’s gaze lingered on the woman’s slender wrists. “If you don’t use your immortal arts, just hand-to-hand combat, it’s not certain who would win.”
Mu Qiandan agreed. This body was too thin, likely due to childhood malnutrition, skinny and tall, looking frail and unhealthy. She definitely wouldn’t win a physical fight.
But why would she resort to hand-to-hand combat?
Mu Qiandan turned her head, a glint of cold light in her eyes, “Whether it’s honorable or not, if I can win with my height, I will. Whether it’s fair or not, if I can win with magic, I will. You shouldn’t condemn your enemy for using underhanded tactics, but hate your own weakness, and bide your time, waiting for the right moment to strike.”
Her voice was cold as ice, as if emitting a chill that even slowed the burning of the incense.
She continued, unhurried, “As long as you win, the methods don’t matter. The outcome is what matters most, understand?”
Although rarely sincere, these words were genuinely meant, reflecting her true thoughts.
She had come to this world because the protagonist had deviated from the original story, which meant the plot could be changed.
If that was the case, being eaten wasn’t her inevitable fate.
Li Biyuan considered the black dragon’s destruction a catastrophic prophecy, but for Mu Qiandan, the true catastrophic prophecy was the original story. If she didn’t want to suffer that fate, she had to plan and strive for change, perhaps altering the course of events.
Even with the black hand monitoring her heart, if she got the chance, she would try to seize the protagonist’s destiny.
Standing on the mountaintop earlier had made her realize something.
The real world represented reality, and reality was cruel. What was the point of completing this so-called mission and returning to that dark, oppressive world?
Morality was scarce, and vile people thrived. Even if she escaped her miserable life, she would still be just an ordinary person, with no guarantees, unsure when she might lose everything again.
Only in this cultivation world, where strength reigned supreme and laws were weak, could she truly reach the top.
Sacrifice or plunder, the shortest path was right beside her.
Looking away, Mu Qiandan said, “I’m your master, after all. This is the first lesson I’m teaching you. Remember it, shorty.”
Shang Shang retorted, “If I eat more, I’ll definitely grow taller than you!”
Mu Qiandan: “…”
So, she hadn’t been listening at all.
And wasn’t she eating enough already?
Mu Qiandan didn’t bother responding.
The fragrance of the incense drifted past her nose, a subtle scent of rain-soaked earth and blooming flowers. She looked up, following the scent, and saw the screen. Its white background was elegant, with only the crane totem painted at the center fold.
Cultivation families all had totems, a visual representation of their beliefs. For example, Tianyu Gate valued the crane, symbolizing longevity, virtue, spirituality, and peace.
And the young clan leader, Fu Li, whom she had seen in the hall, her family’s totem was the white snake, symbolizing mystery, seclusion, luck, and nobility, among other things.
Totems were often displayed on disciples’ uniforms, weapons, sect buildings, and were also used as abbreviations, like the Crane Clan and the White Snake Clan.
‘Hmm…’ Li Biyuan said, ‘Seeing this, there’s something I don’t understand. Since Tianyu Gate values the crane so much, even reveres it, why would Yao’e hide her identity? She’s a crane herself.’
Half-demons could choose to completely refine their demon blood and integrate it into their bodies, but Yao’e had chosen the more painful and difficult path of separating her flesh and blood, giving her sister, Bai Tong, a new life, independent of her own.
‘Revere?’ Mu Qiandan scoffed, ‘Using them as mounts, is that reverence? Being kind to a pet doesn’t mean you treat it as a person. If you can stand tall, why would you willingly submit?’
Li Biyuan said, ‘That’s true.’
The conversation reached a dead end. There was still no sign of anyone outside; she didn’t know how much longer the meeting would last.
Thinking of her plan, Mu Qiandan began taking stock of her resources.
The Narrow Sea and Cangqing Hall were merely shelters, inconveniently located. If Yao’e hadn’t stored anything elsewhere, the contents of her storage pouch were all she had.
The various talismans and artifacts inside, their uses unknown, could be ignored for now. She focused on the two weapons she carried on her back. Taking them off, she saw a bow and a sword. Laying them on her lap, she examined them carefully.
According to the book, the bow was Yao’e’s primary weapon. Tracing its slender, ice-like frame, she found two small characters: Gu Hong (Lone Swan).
Holding the bow, it looked light, but its weight was considerable, requiring both hands. Her fingers hooked the snow-white bowstring, her arm trembling with the effort, only managing to pull it back slightly. Using it to kill would be difficult.
Li Biyuan said, ‘Don’t worry, Yao’e knew her physical limitations, so she compensated. Look at your wrist.’
Mu Qiandan lowered her gaze, raising her hand. Her sleeve slid down, revealing a pale arm with clearly visible veins.
Just below her wrist bone was a gold bracelet, like a ring of runes, clinging to her skin, emitting a faint glow, almost invisible.
Li Biyuan said, ‘That’s the Power-Gathering Bracelet. Infusing it with spiritual energy temporarily increases your strength, making it easier to use Gu Hong. But there’s a side effect: weakness. So don’t use it casually, only in combat.’
Before she finished speaking, Mu Qiandan had already infused the bracelet with spiritual energy, its golden light intensifying, a surge of power flowing into her body.
But she didn’t try drawing the bow. Hearing Li Biyuan’s warning, she quickly withdrew the spiritual energy. Perhaps because she acted quickly, she didn’t feel any side effects.
Shang Shang, bored and with nothing to do in the quiet room, watched the woman to pass the time. Seeing her fiddling with the weapons, her slouching posture gradually straightened.
But after sitting for a while, she felt tired again and simply lay down on the floor, sprawling out, and fell asleep.
Securing Gu Hong on her back again, Mu Qiandan picked up the other weapon. This sword seemed unused, its surface covered in rust, its name illegible, its blade so dull that even pressing hard with her finger didn’t break the skin, practically useless.
It wasn’t any lighter than Gu Hong. If it was unusable, why carry it around?
The sound of pages turning came from the other side. Li Biyuan said, ‘I haven’t found any information about the sword, I don’t even know if it’s hers. She’s a ranged mage, and physically weak, so close combat isn’t her forte. Swordsmanship requires more than just arm strength…’
Hearing a few unfamiliar terms, Mu Qiandan said, ‘Hmm?’
Li Biyuan took a sip of water, ‘It’s like… do you play games? In games…’
‘I don’t,’ Mu Qiandan interrupted, ‘No need to explain, tell me something else.’
‘Alright.’ Li Biyuan set down her cup. ‘Besides the Power-Gathering Bracelet, you have other hidden weapons. For example, the crane flower hairpin in your hair is a poisoned dart. And your teeth…’
Before she could finish, Mu Qiandan felt a pang of anxiety, ‘What?’
Li Biyuan’s voice became muffled, probably because she was probing her own teeth, ‘The second to last tooth on the left side of your mouth, there’s a needle hidden inside, sealed with a spell, so it doesn’t affect normal use. But if you’re ever captured, you can pull it out in an emergency.’
She couldn’t help but comment, ‘Armed to the teeth, literally.’
Would she even have the strength to pull out a tooth in such a dire situation? Besides, any tooth-related pain made her scalp crawl. Mu Qiandan closed her eyes, ‘Don’t say anymore.’
Yao’e Immortal, born with a frail half-demon body, had spent all her savings on creating artifacts for self-defense, keeping them close at hand. This was understandable, but the initial question now became even more prominent.
If she was so afraid of death, why didn’t she have any medicine?
How did such a cautious person cultivate to the point of Qi deviation, causing her heart to rupture?
And why carry around a useless, rusty sword?
And why travel so far to the protagonist’s village to exorcise an insignificant ghost?
Mu Qiandan opened her eyes, saying slowly, ‘This master… has many secrets.’
Li Biyuan said, ‘There’s plenty of time. If you’re interested later, you can try to uncover your own fate, as long as it doesn’t affect the mission.’
Mu Qiandan paused, then turned to look at the girl sleeping on the floor, murmuring, ‘This isn’t my fate…’
Before truly becoming the protagonist, this was definitely not her destiny.
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