Su Jing sighed as she gazed at the sea of clouds.
It had been several hours since she started climbing the mountain again, and she couldn't see anything in sight. Even the usually crazed people weren't around, making Su Jing confused about whether she had been unconscious far longer than she thought.
No one hurt her since she was hidden, but either way, she was still a mortal. Her stomach hurt so she had been swallowing the berries from her pockets. Those did not even taste that good since they were dry and almost mouldy.
Su Jing could only bite her lip, not having many food options. She would maybe find something in the immortal realm.
Feng Zhi Hao found that entrance, so it was there somewhere for sure! She just needed to hold on and keep going.
Su Jing's self-motivation seemed to not be for nothing as she gradually saw a change in the aspect of the staircase. They grew wider, till she arrived at an elegant platform, having only a simple paifang gate*.
Its weathered and dusty appearance did not remind Su Jing of the immortal realm, and for a second, she got scared that things weren't as simple as she thought.
Feng Zhi Hao, once arrived at the summit, encountered an elegant and beautiful array, mended with colourful spiritual stones. She stepped on it, and with that, she teleported to the immortal realm.
That was it. So why does Su Jing have a gate? Where is her array?
This sudden problem made her kneel on the ground, tired from her long hours of climbing. As much as she understood the rules of this world, Su Jing's mood still plummeted. Feng Zhi Hao was making the world revolve around her, so it wasn't strange that Su Jing couldn't do it the same way as she did.
Was this eclipsing the potential of their self?
It looked like with a touch it could fall anytime. The roof was broken, and even the plate had its writing smudged. Su Jing couldn't understand what was written.
Summoning her courage, Su Jing did not have any other choice but to go towards the gate. She was hesitant about touching it, so with her palms close to her body, she stepped through it, feeling as if her body was washed away by water.
Su Jing squeezed her eyes shut briefly, overwhelmed by dizziness and the sensation of her skin being wrapped around. Gradually, her perception sharpened, and the strange noise of the surroundings became more distinct.
Only to find the same view when she opened her eyes.
Her heart sank to her stomach.
Desperately, Su Jing tried again and again, but she remained on the mountain each time. It was as if she was bounced back right before reaching the other side!
The gate even broke one of its tiles, making it fall on Su Jing's head.
”Ugh, it hurts!”
What the heck is with this gate! It was as if it did not want to let her in!
She gazed towards the gate, now wanting to make it fall for real!
Su Jing rose and searched around, however, her slight hope of finding another path was dismissed as she saw this was truly the end of the stairs. Back in front of the gate, she sighed.
Maybe she needed to do something.
To put spiritual Qi? As much as Su Jing wanted, she had no idea how to cultivate. Of course, she had a basic idea of how Feng Zhi Hao and other characters cultivated, but that was hard to apply in reality! Moreover, she had a weak constitution!
She needed a cultivation book or a master to teach her the correct method.
However, this situation called towards desperate measures. Su Jing couldn't just stay and do nothing.
She put her body down in a lotus position, the classic of cultivation stories, and tried to meditate. Usually, that was the quickest way for characters to get powerful.
The mighty and chosen by heaven ones, if she were to add. That's why Su Jing, no matter how much she tried, did not really feel anything. Her scattered thoughts made it difficult to achieve the clarity needed to perceive Spiritual Qi.
She took deep breaths, regretting she hadn’t learned her root results at the disciple selection. The master had said she forced her roots, which meant she had some kind of cultivation inclination that she used already. But what kind? Was she a four-root? A five-root?
Certainly, they weren’t impressive enough since she was rejected.
The wind grazed her skin, a gentle reminder to concentrate. Su Jing tried once more to steady her thoughts, and gradually, a cold embrace enveloped her body.
She attempted to focus on the gate, but the sensation pulled her away from the world, making her oblivious even to the wind. Strangely, it felt comforting.
Did she succeed in meditating? Su Jing's face hardened as a sense of heaviness settled over her limbs, dragging her deeper into the trance. Because of that, her eyelashes trembled, and as a sliver of light crept in, Su Jing's heart pounded wildly.
Out of nowhere, a hand was thrust directly into her face. Fear surged through her as she bent backwards, desperately raising her arms to shield herself. She tried to assess the situation, but she couldn't see anyone!
Suddenly, the illusion solidified, and Su Jing felt a real hand wrap around her neck. Gasping for air, she fought against the suffocating pressure, her struggles growing weaker by the second. The corner of her eyes seemed to be overwhelmed by a strange darkness.
With her last ounce of strength, Su Jing raised her bloody hand and swung it wildly in the air. With that, Su Jing felt her fingers brush against something that felt like another human body, but it disappeared as fast as she felt it. She gazed and was surprised to see - that damn black fog!
Why was this thing stil here? Wasnt it destroyed by Feng Zhihao?
The grip around her neck loosened once she saw it, allowing her to break free, but the sudden release sent her tumbling backwards, crashing through the falling gate. Tiles rained down around her, and the pillars swayed dangerously, threatening to crumble at any moment.
She coughed in pain, touching with her hand the painful area around her neck. She found the fog weird ever since she entered the mountain, but never thought of it to be more than a trail of powerful Qi Energy. Even after Feng Zhi Hao left, it disappeared, as it was destroyed by her cheat heirloom.
That's why Su Jing had no problems continuing her path. But it seemed that it got back with a wish to take revenge on Su Jing!
Su Jing wanted to cry! Her death now seemed to be threatened by a random evil entity!
The fog rumbled and condensed, and this signed Su Jing that it wanted to attack her again. With adrenaline driving her forward, she slipped, trying to rise to her feet and escape through the gate. It was the only way for her to escape alive from this monster!
As the roof showed signs of collapse, Su Jing made a desperate leap with her body, refusing to risk being trapped in a realm that rejected her presence. She felt the familiar sensation of the energy swirling around her and simultaneously, her calves and hands became entangled with the black fog as if it was trying to anchor her in place.
Closing her eyes tightly, Su Jing summoned every ounce of strength and determination she had left. With a final, desperate push, she forced her body through the barrier, the gate crashing down behind her as the light slowly faded from her eyes.
.
The first thing that Su Jing noticed when she regained conscience, was the feeling of dirt being spread across her face. Lying on her stomach, it felt painful and uncomfortable, grazing her skin.
Her nostrils were filled up with warm and rich air, switching the harsh and cold air she got used to on the mountain. Su Jing felt so good taking in such air that she opened her mouth and took deep breaths, feeling it to somehow calm her painfully beating heart.
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She passed through the gate.
This realisation hit her mind, and excitedly she opened her eyes to look around, even though the sky's light felt too harsh for her eyeballs. Putting her hand over her face, slowly the landscape got a frame, and Su Jing gasped when she saw the immortal realm she desperately tried to get into so much.
Sparkly colours, flying people and gorgeous birds painted the painting in front of her, looking totally different from the dull mortal realm. The female cultivators had pretty flowing dresses that made them resemble fairies and the men's proud demeanours made them stand out in the crowd.
Su Jing got so overwhelmed she did not know where to look first. Still kneeling, her awareness slowly awakened as curious stares started to be directed towards her. Some people laughed as they pointed towards her, and Su Jing's fantasy slowly ripped as she realised her face was still full of dirt.
Embarrassed, she wiped herself with her sleeves, messy spots remaining imprinted on the fabric. Once she arranged herself, Su Jing got up.
Behind her was the view of a bustling street, the same thing as in front. No wonder people were giving her weird looks - she was lying in the middle of a street! Anxious, she glanced around, not knowing in which direction to go.
This wasn't the place described by Feng Zhi Hao once reaching the immortal realm. She teleported into a forest - not even close to a crowded city of people!
Feng Zhi Hao had to protect herself by fighting demon beasts and had a lot of events happening, making her evolve in power. She also searched for medicinal plants, putting her knowledge to use so she could mend and cleanse her blocked meridians - doing that in the most dangerous of places.
Su Jing walked down the street through the people, not recognising which place was this. Had the array malfunctioned and sent her elsewhere? Remembering how the gate broke down before she teleported, it was highly probable.
That fog too, or that monster, sent tremors down Su Jing's spine when she recalled her escape. Her neck still ached and she had a slight difficulty moving her head. She was bound to die there if she hadn't had the chance to teleport.
Making others fight, trapping them in illusions - whoever that evil soul was, it certainly belonged to an entity bitter enough to want to kill humans. Feng Zhi Hao fled because, yes, plot armour with her magical heirloom, but Su Jing seemed not so lucky since she had to get head-on with it.
Either way, she escaped it and shouldn't have to encounter it anymore. She will not go towards that mortal realm ever again - since she already left it with difficulty.
Su Jing's initial problem of not being accepted by the sect resurfaced. She looked left and right to find some classic opportunities, like maybe other sects putting stands for leftover rejected disciples. But Su Jing didn't see any of that.
She needed to find another way to live in the next few days.
Her lack of funds complicated matters, and sleeping on the streets was not an option either, as she was well aware of the potential dangers that lurked beneath the beauty of this realm.
It was obvious the only way was for her to follow a sect—whichever was closest and most accessible. It might not be the best option out there, but it would provide her, at least, some protection and shelter.
Tian Hui Sect, the one she encountered in the mortal realm at the root testing, was renowned as one of the most prestigious sects. However, considering her rejection, Su Jing doubted they would reconsider accepting her even as a low outer disciple.
Moreover, the sect's future, especially with the female lead's involvement, wasn't going to be so stable.
The female lead transformed as she cultivated, adopting a new image, name, and the nickname "Miracle Doctor". No one knew her as Young Miss Feng from the mortal realm anymore; she was Zhi Hao, a simple cultivator and secretly a miracle doctor.
After fateful encounters, Feng Zhi Hao decided to take refuge in the Mingshen Sect—an old medical sect that had waned in influence over the years. They welcomed disciples without strict requirements, merely seeking individuals wanting to learn.
The sect's warm reception and the genuine personalities of its members endeared the female lead to their cause. She made it her mission to protect them and help the sect thrive - while secretly preparing herself for the ultimate confrontation with her enemies.
So, what had Tian Hui Sect done to earn her ire?
Tian Hui Sect was where her main enemies resided—her older sister and former fiancé - who had betrayed her. By the end of their story arc, to bring closure to her past life, Feng Zhi Hao had made certain to uproot them along with the entire sect.
She was the female lead, after all! What can't she do?
For Su Jing, the logical and obvious choice was to head to the Mingshen Sect. She wasn't naive. Simply aligning herself with this sect, without having to interact with Feng Zhi Hao, would ensure her well-being and keep her isolated from the power struggles among cultivators.
Unfortunately, Mingshen Sect was too far away for Su Jing to reach in just a few hours or days. It was located in a distant southern region, with a warmer and more humid climate, somewhat isolated on the map. She wasn't exactly familiar with the route either, and given her limited resources and unknown location, it was simply out of reach.
Su Jing sighed, her head hurting. She would have wanted to drink a bit of Bai Xiu Ying's healing elixir but was scared of carelessly showing it around. She was weak and anybody could easily take it away if she wasn't careful.
As she ventured further in the street, lightly clothed cultivators strolled by, their movements graceful and fluid. She looked at them closely, amazed by their otherworldly weapons. Some of these cultivators were even effortlessly soaring through the skies on their blades, defying gravity itself.
Redirecting her gaze towards the bustling marketplace, she bit her lip, acknowledging the inevitable. With no other options, she knew she had to secure a job to afford food and a place to sleep. Moreover, she needed to gather information about her current location and locate potential small sects that might offer her refuge.
Su Jing felt anxious to talk to the vendors, knowing she looked homeless with her dirty clothes. As she approached some cultivators, they threateningly looked towards her, far from the kind regard Bai Xiu Ying gave her.
Su Jing could only keep trying.
"My apologies, dear client, but our restaurant does not need workers. The only thing I can do for you is serve you food or accompany you out of this place if you aren't thinking of buying anything."
Su Jing put her palm on the back of her neck, feeling embarrassed. She tried asking for workers in a busy restaurant, but during the whole time, the waiter seemed to look down on her.
"But couldn't there be even a small place for me? I can do anything. I only wish for a place to sleep this night."
The man still shook his head, not giving in.
"We don't take mortals."
His way of phrasing it made Su Jing not know what to say, feeling like he was too unjustly rejecting her.
"Dear client, please understand that cultivation is a must to live in this realm. Keeping you here would only slow down our business since all our things work only activated by energy Qi."
Su Jing stood silent since it was true she did not know how to use Qi Energy. The sound of the door opening again made the waiter not have time to stay with her too much, making Su Jing understand that she needed to leave.
"Thank you anyway, senior. "
The waiter only nodded towards her, moving towards the clients who just entered. Su Jing understood he was also commanding her to leave.
If only they would have accepted her pennies for a night's sleep in an inn, but cultivators did not use mortals' currencies.
Su Jing sighed. Although she had anticipated that her journey in this new realm wouldn't be easy, her lack of cultivation abilities posed an even greater challenge than she had imagined.
Su Jing bypassed the people who seemed to want to enter the restaurant, going towards the opposite side of the street. However, her stride was interrupted as her legs unexpectedly entangled in something.
She looked in the back and saw a person sitting on the ground, the object on which she tripped over being the cane they seemed to use. A massive hat was on their head, making it difficult to distinguish their traits.
"My apologies, senior." She bowed slightly in front of them. They were silent and did not say anything, making Su Jing think that she had accidentally offended them.
Feeling awkward Su Jing glanced around. She bowed again and tried to leave.
But as she turned her body, she was startled by a sudden "thump" nearby. Turning around she was surprised to see the person fell from his sitting position to lying down, seemingly unconscious. His cane fell from his hand and got near his body, its end reaching Su Jing's feet.
Her heart quickened as she knelt to retrieve the cane. It was crafted from a lightweight material, its surface smooth to the touch, and adorned with the rich hues of polished wood.
”Are you alright? Can you hear me?” Su Jing approached the person, touching them lightly on their back. They did not respond this time either.
Su Jing's heartbeat suddenly increased as she again tried to move their body.
They weren't responding.
Now Su Jing got panicked for real. She continued calling them and got the hat veil away from their face, wanting to make sure they were alright.
As the hat lifted, Su Jing was taken aback to discover a young man beneath it. Despite his handsome features, he appeared alarmingly frail and sickly. His complexion was ashen, and when she tentatively touched his hand, Su Jing recoiled at the heat radiating from his feverish body.
Or rather than a fever, whatever he had looked to be even more complicated.
Gah, Su Jing really felt she was the wrong person to be here. She wasn't a doctor, nor had medicinal knowledge. Feng Zhi Hao would have known what medicine to give him, but she currently wouldn't have the chance to reach this place.
Su Jing checked his breath, with her finger near his nose, and got worried as she felt his breath extremely weak.
Was he dying?!
SuJing tried shacking his body but that had no use.
”Senior, please wake up!”
She looked around for help, but Su Jing immediately seemed to be hit with people's indifference.
The man's condition seemed to worsen. Not having any other choice, Su Jing got out of her pocket the elixir she carefully kept for her to use later, not knowing if this would be enough to help him.
She shook the liquid from the bottle's bottom, conflicted.
Either way, her consciousness would be prickled if she left a person dying!
Su Jing opened his mouth and carefully tried to slip the medicine into his mouth, her hand shaking when a few drops spilt.
When he showed no signs of swallowing, Su Jing's desperation drove her to gently massage his neck, angling his head slightly to prevent choking. A moment later, he began to cough, his lips tainted with blood.
Su Jing froze up when she saw that. Did she give him the wrong medicine? Why was he vomiting blood?
The man regained consciousness for a second, however. He looked towards Su Jing, his eyes not fully open.
”Senior sister?” His voice was faint, raspy.
Su Jing hesitated, unsure how to respond. Was he mistaking her for someone else? Before she could gather her thoughts, his head drooped once more.
”Wait, wait, wait, stay awake. I am not your senior sister.”
Su Jing shook his head but all was for nought. He seemed deep asleep.