Though cultivators possessed immense strength, they were expected to never stir unnecessary discord or violence against one another. Straying from this path was not only frowned upon but could have severe consequences, both in reputation and karma.

This unspoken agreement kept the balance of the immortal realm intact, ensuring that even in competition or conflict, outright murder was rarely an option.

The only exception to this rule was when it was decided that the best punishment for a sinner was death. Such a decision was not made lightly; it required a formal gathering known as the Immortal Convention, where the severity of the offender's actions would be debated and weighed.

It was a stern reminder that even the most powerful cultivators were not above the laws of their realm.

That except Feng Zhihao. As much as she was a heroine, she was also a murderer. She was smart enough to cover her tracks and escape accusations by either using her enemies or using the facade of a good-natured doctor.

Of course, all her victims weren't randoms but persons she had a personal feud with, like what happened at the Mount Shu staircase to the immortal realm. So, in a way, her murder was excused as a "good thing," abiding by the realm rules. She punished evildoers.

So what happened with Chunwan?

This small story arc marked how Feng Zhihao started being on the other side, the one who investigated murder cases with the help of her medical knowledge. Doing autopsies and helping the high judges in the Immortal Convention find the criminal, she was able to make herself shine easily.

This particular case wasn't that complicated. After Feng Zhihao left the Grey Skies forest, she reached Twelve Roads City, where she encountered a mess since a cultivator died for unknown reasons. No blood, wounds, or signs of poisons were seen, and this made everybody, even the highest local cultivators, decide the cultivator's death was because of natural causes since he was also quite ill before.

However, it just happened that before arriving in the city, Feng Zhihao had met this man in the forest, along with some other cultivators who were his companions. Of course, being the main character, she was accused of murder, since in the forest, Feng Zhihao helped them kill a monster by using poisonous needles.

And that very accusatory was no one else but the jealous and mean Chunwan.

Su Jing couldn't help but side glance at Yawen, especially at his cane and feeble body. Reminiscing how Lord Qingwu invited him to the marketplace and how he also planned to go to the forest to hunt beasts, Su Jing, as much as she felt bad for Yawen, was very certain her worries were right.

Yawen was the one meant to die soon.

Su Jing's fingers tightened around the cup of tea as her mind raced.

A strange pressure seemed to wash over her mind and body, but still, things were confusing, especially since these events were supposed to happen one month after Feng Zhi Hao entered the immortal realm. Su Jing was certain of this because Feng Zhihao had an almost obsessive habit of tracking time between the real realm and her farming space.

So, if things went really correctly like in the story, then that meant Su Jing had stayed on Mount Shu more than she anticipated. It was either when she lost consciousness after Feng Zhihao's inner demon or when she broke the teleportation array.

Arrays weren't only about space, but also about time so she could glitch and stay stuck for some period, the same how she seemed to have used her inner Qi to jinx Feng Zhihao levelling up, and that maybe made her asleep to recuperate.

However, that was improbable since she was a mortal and needed food and water to keep living for so long. So, was she stuck in the gate array?

Su Jing only had this theory as the most believable.

Either way, that sent her directly to the next course of Feng Zhihao's action. And right before the main trigger factor, which was Yawen.

The reason for his meeting with Lord Qingwu and the Chunwan and Mingmei wasn't really explained since from Feng Zhihao's perspective they looked like close companions. They were attacked by some monsters, and while Yawen had an episode of fainting which made him unable to defend himself, Lord Qingwu and the other two girls didn't have enough time to reach him since they were too far away.

Feng Zhihao saved Yawen, helping him with some other meds that stabilised his condition.

Of course, Chunwan and Mengmei played their usual roles as mean villainesses, dissing Feng Zhihao and calling her a ruffian. It was predictable—characters like them were always there to highlight Feng Zhihao’s superiority.

Meanwhile, Lord Qinqwu, the main love interest, was clearly taken with her. He couldn't hide his admiration for Feng Zhihao’s medical skills, especially after she swiftly diagnosed Yawen's condition. Even Yawen, frail and weakened as he was, couldn't help but feel grateful and impressed by her abilities.

Feng Zhihao did not stay too long since she wasn't really welcomed by the party, but still, Lord Qingwu thanked her by gifting her some spiritual crystals. After that, using his talismans, he and the others hurried off to the nearest city to ensure Yawen could receive proper treatment.

Feng Zhihao, ever the lone traveller, continued on foot. By the time she reached Twelve Roads City, however, the news awaiting her was grim: Yawen was dead.

It was an unexpected turn. Feng Zhihao’s medical knowledge had stabilized him, and yet, somehow, things had taken a fatal turn after they separated.

After this came a whole mess with her being accused by Chunwan as the culprit since Feng Zhihao gave Yawen's meds last time. Chunwan was extremely jealous of the attention Feng Zhihao received from Lord Qingwu, so she was extreme in wanting her gone.

Though she had nearly been imprisoned, Feng Zhihao managed to persuade the higher cultivators to grant her access to Yawen's body. Chunwan opposed this vehemently, insisting that Feng was merely trying to cover her tracks. However, Lord Qingwu intervened, vouching for her, as he was seen as a close friend of Yawen.

But was he really? Su Jing sensed that Yawen viewed Lord Qingwu more as a nuisance than a friend.

Regardless, Feng Zhihao seized the opportunity to demonstrate her medical expertise. Upon examining Yawen’s lifeless form, she quickly deduced that he had been poisoned with a highly potent toxin, one that was entirely separate from the illness he had been suffering. His previous condition could not account for his sudden death; this was a deliberate act of murder.

And that poison, after she said its name, the cultivators were in shock since it was an art of a fallen poison clan — the very one which was at fault for murdering the previous Black Tortoise Master.

The poison was insidious, revealing itself only when exposed to Green Fire Qi. Utilizing her own Qi, Feng Zhihao examined everybody and soon uncovered traces of the toxin on Chunwan’s body, hidden within a small and ugly family heirloom.

This revelation led to a shocking discovery: Chunwan was not just any ordinary cultivator; she was the vengeful miss of the fallen poison clan.

Everyone was appalled by it, and Chunwan had no way to counter it since she also had a masking artefact hiding her appearance, which was burnt by Feng Zhihao. Everyone recognised her, and Lord Qingwu was especially hurt by how his close sect sister was, in fact, one of the members of the clan who murdered his clan uncle. It wasn't a far stretch that she may have wanted to hurt him too or someone else from his family.

She even wanted to throw water on someone else to escape the accusations.

And not only that but after that came another man, who was an elder from another clan, the Yi Clan, which was of the same calibre as the Black Tortoise Clan. They revealed how Yawen was, in fact, a hidden young master from this clan and accused Chunwan of wanting to attack their clan in revenge. That was because the Yi Clan were the ones who exterminated the Poison Clan after the Immortal Convention decided they and their arts to be wiped out.

Chunwan, even if she was innocent, as the kin of the Poison Clan, had to be killed.

So, not having a way out, she recognised her crimes, and as a final wish, she sought Lord Qingwu's forgiveness. However, he ignored her, breaking her heart, and like that, in an act of fury, she went and attacked Feng Zhihao. Feng Zhihao didn't have time to defend herself as Lord Qingwu killed Chunwan himself, with Mingmei's sword.

Stolen story; please report.

He then took Chunwan's small family heirloom, gifting it to Feng Zhihao instead. The others were at first against it, but since she revealed good skills in medicine, they agreed for this to be her reward - after all, it was only a small piece which could hold herbs and poisons. Feng Zhihao herself had made an oath to not harm anyone with it.

This artefact will later help her find that bigger poison heirloom Su Jing said previously.

It was a happy end for Feng Zhihao since she got richer. Su Jing doesn't remember, but Yawen's body was kept for a while at the Black Tortoise Clan until the Yi Clan came personally and took it to proceed with the funeral.

And that was it.

Su Jing brushed her finger against the tip of the cup, wondering what to do.

Should she be heartless and use Yawen to leave this place knowing his fate was already sealed? She wasn't that close to him, but surely she wasn't meant to be present in this setting either.

Suddenly, it was even harder to look towards Yawen's face.

"Cultivator Wen doesn't have to worry. I can clearly see the young girl's affection for her sect brother. It would be strange for me to step in between them."

It was true she did not have a clear feud with Chunwan yet, but still...

"Swordmasters are quick to use their swords, but sometimes they can be slow when it comes to understanding one another. I have a sister too similar to young lady Chunwan, and she can be a bit hard to get through if you aren't patient."

That young lady was the very one who wanted to murder him in revenge, Su Jing was sure she wasn't slow at all.

If anything, Lord Qiuwu was the one slow since he let someone so dangerous around him.

"I will remember Cultivator's Wen words, then."

Yawen nodded, "Our meal was sadly interrupted, but I hope it helped you get your energies back together. Wherever you decide to go, the spiritual food should have been a bit of help."

Su Jing surely was indebted to Yawen for all that good food.

"That, I do not wish to pry, but did Cultivator Wen wish to go to the mortal realm?"

If he was indeed from the Yi Clan, then why would a young master like him possibly search in such a faraway land? Su Jing at first thought that he maybe was searching for cultivation chances, but he did not look really well to go on his own.

Yawen let out a quiet sigh, his gaze dropping to the cup of tea in his hands. "Yes, I did. But as you've heard, the main array is broken, leaving me a few options." His voice was tinged with frustration. "I had hoped to reason with the Immortal Guild, even to ask them to send me the array coordinates in the mortal realm. But the repairs will take much longer than I can afford to wait. I even attempted to create my own teleportation talismans... but it was all in vain. I suppose all that remains is to return to my sect."

Teleportation talismans? Su Jing's eyes widened slightly. Talismans capable of transporting someone to the mortal realm? That was no small feat. Such talismans already required an immense amount of Qi for travel within the immortal realm, let alone across realms.

But then something clicked in her mind—she remembered how she had first found Yawen in Yang City: weak, feverish, and on the brink of collapse.

Suddenly, it made sense.

He must've tried forcing himself to create the talisman to the mortal realm. It explained why he had been so ill. But such a talisman... one could only do that if they had already been to the destination before and left some sort of marker or core to channel the energy.

Su Jing hesitated before speaking again. "Is... is it possible that Cultivator Wen originally came from the mortal realm?"

Yawen nodded, not hiding it from her, "Yes," he admitted, "I spent my childhood there, in Qin Country. It was once my home. That's why I was happy to see someone else from the mortal realm like you."

Su Jing blinked, taken aback by his answer. So he wasn't just trying to visit—he was trying to return home.

But then again, he was the young master of the Yi Clan. How could he have been born in the mortal realm? He said his parents and sister were cultivators, so maybe they moved there for a while?

Su Jing did not know. The Yi Clan issues were anyway quite messy, too.

"Cultivator Wen surely doesn't look like a normal mortal."

Although he was frail, he still had another rich vibe around him, in the energetic way of saying, being obvious, he was quite good in cultivation. Yawen nodded, not dismissing her words.

"Being in a sect for years can change a person in ways they might not even notice. You may not realize it now, but you from a few years in the future might be unrecognizable compared to who you are today."

Su Jing had not thought that far yet, but Yawen's words weren't wrong since life was usually full of surprises. Who knows, maybe she'll get to be a rogue in cultivation, feared by many?

That if she doesn't die first.

"That reminds me, have you decided whether to come to Heavenly Clouds Sect? My talismans might not be enough to pass the realms, but they are surely good to reach us back to the sect."

She nodded, wanting from before to agree to his proposal, "Cultivator Wen had done a great favour to me."

Yawen chuckled faintly, "Then it's settled. We can leave tomorrow as soon as you're ready. I have been staying in this city for too long anyway."

Yawen stood up and finished the last of his tea in a single gulp. Su Jing found the remaining liquid too cold for her taste, so she left it on the table as they stepped out of the room together.

The crowd outside remained bustling, even as the sky gradually darkened. The vendors had begun to light their stalls, casting a warm, inviting glow. The lively chatter and laughter of the people filled the air, creating a captivating atmosphere that drew Su Jing’s gaze, momentarily distracting her from the weight of their conversation.

"You sure don't want to visit the stands?"Yawen turned his head towards her as he walked, making his way through the people

Su Jing refused again, being aware of her low founds, "Yeah, it's alright."

Ideally, Su Jing hoped to avoid encounters with both Lord Qingwu and Chunwan. With Yawen expected to return to his sect, his life should be safe from any unforeseen accidents like poisoning. Chunwan had no way to attack or rise up killing intent in the city since it was prohibited, and Lord Qingwu was also around her.

Such a small act from her, yet things should be changing, at least drastically for Yawen. Su Jing had no wish to save a murderer like Chunwan. But in any way or other, if she acts rashly in front of Feng Zhihao, she would probably be caught anyway.

A pang of guilt pocked her for inadvertently causing Feng Zhihao to miss out on Chunwan's family treasure. Still, Su Jing was confident that Feng Zhihao would eventually find it, even without Yawen's direct involvement.

Yet, why does she feel so restless?

Following Yawen, Su Jing soon found herself in front of an inn.

"You probably didn’t get much rest since the disciple selection. This inn might be small, but it should have some reasonably priced rooms available," he said, glancing at her with a hint of concern.

Understanding his intention to help her, she stepped inside. Her body ached from fatigue despite using the talisman earlier, and the thought of sleeping on a proper bed was incredibly appealing.

"Thank you."

She'll soon think of a way to make money.

Once Su Jing and Yawen each got a room, she was weirded out a bit when she saw it was a pocket space type of room. The key token was meant to be put inside a device, and once you entered a bit of your Qi, you were teleported directly inside a private room. To get out, you had to infuse your Qi in the door.

Su Jing felt a wave of anxiety wash over her as she approached the room, as she was worried about getting stuck inside. Her Qi was difficult to get to work.

However, soon Yawen calmed her down by temporarily blocking a bit of Qi into her pinky finger.

It didn't hurt, but surely it felt stiff.

"Try to move your hand. The spell will work even if the pressure disappears."

She nodded to Yawen, exchanging night greetings before finally getting to where she was supposed to sleep.

The room was not big, just enough for a bed, a closet, a table, and a small bathroom to cover the basic necessities of a traveller. There weren't windows, but only an illusion of one along with some quiet bird sounds, to have that natural feeling to it.

Su Jing touched it, and the surface was even, like a photo pasted on the wall.

The room felt so strange, and Su Jing felt that further investigating it would only disturb her sleep. She washed her face and hands quickly, changing into some inner robes before finally getting her body to sleep peacefully.

The next day came rapidly, or at least Su Jing felt she had slept a good amount of time. She couldn't tell what time it was, but since the illusion now changed to a day-like view, it probably meant it was a bit late in the morning.

She got ready, and as soon as she exited, she saw herself once again in the inn's hallways. Her token of entrance disappeared from the device, and as she looked at it, she observed how Yawen's was gone too. He must be somewhere outside.

She didn't have to watch too much as he was at the terrace, seemingly looking over some talismans.

As she approached, Yawen noticed her.

"Cultivator Su!"

But just as she was near the table, she froze when she heard who actually called her.

Lord Qingwu.

"It's nice to see you again." He directed a smile towards her, inviting her to sit down beside him.

Su Jing hesitated, but seeing Yawen nodding at her too clearly feeling sorry, she did as she was told.

"Good morning." Her voice came out slightly husky, prompting her to cough gently to clear her throat.

"I hope you had a good rest. If I knew you two needed a place to sleep, I would have rented some rooms in the Central Inn Square."

Yawen, however, shook his head at Lord Qingwu's words.

"Young Master Wu doesn't need to offer us such favouritism. Cultivator Su is still a newcomer in the immortal realm, so having unwanted attention wouldn't be good."

Su Jing looked at all the papers on the table curiously, with various numbers and symbols being imprinted with either Qi or simple ink. Was Yawen making talismans?

Perhaps noticing her confusion, Lord Qingwu smiled, leaning his chin on his hands. ”If you do not mind me asking, could I ask for Cultivator Su's full name?”

Su Jing hesitated for a second, not expecting him to ask that. ”I am called Su Jing, young master. I do not have a family surname.”

She would have preferred him not to know that, but since he had already seen her two times now, it was already too late.

”Good. I only realised when we left yesterday that we hadn't been polite and exchanged names. This cultivator is called Qingwu, and those two from yesterday are my sect sisters, Chunwan and Gu Mingmei."

Su Jing did not understand why this fickle sub-male lead would make an effort to present her to his sect sisters. Yawen seemed busy with his papers, leaving Su Jing as Qingwu’s sole conversational partner.

"Young Master Wu doesn't need to worry. In the first place, I wasn't meant to be there since you wanted to meet Cultivator Wen."

“Cultivator Su was a pleasant surprise. You shouldn’t dismiss yourself like that. Even though you are a mortal, now that you’re in this realm, you’re meant to surpass that position in due time.”

She smiled slightly at his words, "Thank you, Young Master. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Yawen seemed to not lie in regard that Qingwu didn't give a shit whether you were mortal or immortal.

"My sect made some selection in the mortal realm but unfortunately didn't find that many good swords masters.” he sighed, ”Probably the lack of conflict between the countries has stunted the growth of military power."

Was he lamenting that mortals weren't at war, so they couldn't hone their skills?

"Our mortal realm has thrived, thanks to the Cultivation Academy's agreement among the branches to maintain peace. Even those in the countryside are aware of it, as it was confirmed by our country Emperor himself."

But that very agreement was destined to shatter when Feng Zhihao returned home. Su Jing decided to push that thought aside for now - it was a concern for another day.

"Ah, the cultivation academy?" Qingwu asked as if he heard of it. "I remember there were some of our ex-disciples teaching there. Was it in the Qin Country or Ji? I visited it a few years ago."

The teachers at the academy were often abandoned disciples themselves, individuals who had not been allowed to advance their cultivation. This lack of growth sometimes manifested as jealousy, leading them to trouble the new mortal disciples, who still held the potential for greatness.

So, from an upper perspective, the Academy had long ago lost its power to corruption.

"Did Cultivator Su been to the academy? From the looks of it, you seem to have cultivated until the Second Stage of Qi Energy Refinement."

Su Jing enlarged her eyes, being surprised. Feng Zhihao herself was only at the fourth level after cultivating for years in the farming space, surrounded by spiritual springs and elixirs.

However, this level was meaningless since she did not know how to use her power.

"Unfortunately, I did not have the chance. Getting into the academy is harder than it seems."

It was something only for nobles as you needed to sponsor the materials you used to study.

"Oh, that's unfortunate." Qingwu added, "Maybe with teaching, you would have been able to improve more."

Su Jing could only nod as she did not know how her previous self got to this cultivation level.

"Who knows."

Yawen remained absorbed in his talismans, and Su Jing felt hesitant to interrupt him, especially with Qingwu’s presence looming over her.

“However,” Qingwu continued, his voice brightening, “Have you ever considered the Silver Sword Sect? While it primarily focuses on swordmasters, they do welcome simple cultivators occasionally.”

Su Jing felt she heard something wrong. She looked towards Qingwu, surprised, and since it seemed Yawen had heard his words too, he looked up from his papers.

"Silver Sword Sect?"

Why was he proposing such a thing to her? Had she heard him wrong?

Qingwu nodded, his smile unwavering, eyes twinkling like crescent moons. “It seems unfortunate to risk your life in search of a sect. The requirements aren’t too demanding; you just need to prove yourself in a minor contest.”

But Su Jing felt a chill at the thought. In the original story, the Silver Sword Sect was notorious for its aggressive and competitive disciples, and the two women already seemed displeased with her presence. Joining them would only lead to more trouble.

"I am deeply grateful for the young master's invitation but I already decided to go to Tian Hui Sect with Cultivator Wen."

If Yawen goes with her, then he will escape Chunwan's plot.