Xu Wanci opened her eyes from the long darkness and found herself in a completely unfamiliar world.
She had long anticipated her own fate, so when this day arrived, she accepted it calmly.
As unfamiliar memories flooded her mind, she instinctively furrowed her brows:
This was the world from the novel Fate Defying Immortal Path, except—she had traveled back a hundred years.
To a time before the male lead, Chu Qingchuan, was even born.
The original owner of this body had been ostracized by outer sect disciples and overseers, powerless to resist, and could only accept the mission to gather Dew of the Falling Lotus from Luoyu Peak.
Luoyu Peak was the spiritual mountain of Immortal Venerable Qingyan. Merely setting foot near it would subject one to immense pressure, let alone attempting to enter.
Even the most formidable cultivators in the immortal realm dared not linger in such a place.
To complete the mission, the original owner had already prepared herself for severe injury—or even death.
At this thought, Xu Wanci exhaled slowly.
She accepted the fact of her transmigration into the novel with surprising ease. Compared to the certain death she had faced before, her current situation was infinitely better.
As long as she was alive, that was enough.
She would strive to survive in this new world.
As for the mission…
No one actually expected the original owner to succeed. It was merely a means to torment her.
If she dared touch the barrier of Luoyu Peak, she would undoubtedly end up gravely wounded.
So she decided to simply linger at the base of the peak, absorb a trace of its spiritual aura, and then feign severe injury from the oppressive spiritual pressure—enough to report back.
After all, acting had long become second nature to her.
Just as she arrived at the foot of Luoyu Peak, intending to leave after gathering a faint trace of its aura, the legendary impenetrable barrier—one that had forced even Tribulation Transcension experts to retreat—
Parted.
Xu Wanci’s heart sank.
Even in a new world, her luck remained as terrible as ever.
Her current cultivation was only at the Qi Refining stage. She dared not entertain any curiosity about the sights within Luoyu Peak. Instead, she lowered her head without hesitation and silently retreated.
She wanted to leave before anyone noticed.
But before she could even lift her right foot to step back, an overwhelming, soul-shaking pressure descended upon her.
Her hair stood on end, and she froze in place.
A faint, snow-like aura drifted soundlessly through the air, carrying an oppressive force that made her tremble.
Almost instantly, she recognized the identity of the person before her.
The only Void Shattering Supreme in the immortal realm—Immortal Venerable Qingyan.
Xiao Yuyan, the man who, in the original novel, sacrificed himself to the heavens in exchange for centuries of peace in the cultivation world.
Xu Wanci held her breath, suppressing all thoughts in her mind, and kept her head bowed respectfully.
Her twenty-plus years of survival instincts told her that in such a situation, silence was the only response.
The cultivation world revered strength above all else, and Immortal Venerable Qingyan was the strongest existence in this realm.
Even if the novel had only briefly mentioned him, it was enough for her to understand his terrifying power.
Xiao Yuyan stood beneath a cedar tree, his gaze indifferent as he observed the figure before him—the only soul in this world that could make him pause.
This felt too much like a trap.
A trap set by the heavens to ensure his eventual sacrifice.
Yet he remained unmoved.
Life and death held no difference to him.
Snowflakes drifted endlessly, blanketing Luoyu Peak and settling upon Xu Wanci’s shoulders.
Watching her bowed head and motionless posture, the coldness in his expression seemed to soften slightly beneath the falling snow:
"Why have you come here?"
Xu Wanci sensed the spiritual pressure around her ease ever so slightly, but she remained vigilant.
Suppressing the instinctive fear that came with facing such a supreme expert, she replied respectfully,
"This disciple accepted a sect mission to gather Dew of the Falling Lotus at the foot of Luoyu Peak."
Silence.
Were it not for the lingering snow-like aura, she might have thought he had already left.
Just as she tensely awaited his judgment, the swirling snow before her parted, revealing a clear path.
At its end lay the Falling Lotus.
Despite her caution, Xu Wanci couldn’t help but glance up at the figure before her.
Radiant as moonlight, pure as snow.
A single glimpse of him eclipsed the beauty of a thousand moons.
Her breath hitched imperceptibly.
Xiao Yuyan noted every minute movement—the wariness and liveliness in her eyes—yet his heartbeat remained steady.
Only the snowfall around them thickened slightly.
This was a soul both identical and different from the one a hundred years later.
Still, no ripple of emotion stirred within him.
With indifference, he turned and vanished.
A long while later, Xu Wanci finally dared to lift her head.
Before her stood only a snow-laden cedar tree.
The path to the Falling Lotus remained open.
Gathering her wits, she carefully followed the path.
Contrary to the legends that struck fear into the hearts of cultivators, Luoyu Peak was eerily tranquil in her presence.
She collected the dew without difficulty and left the peak.
Neither entry nor exit was hindered in the slightest.
Once beyond the barrier, Xu Wanci turned back to look at the mist-shrouded mountain, her long lashes fluttering faintly.
What had just transpired felt like a fleeting, dreamlike encounter—beautiful yet ephemeral.
Fortunately, she was long past the age of clinging to dreams.
No matter what had happened, it was unimportant.
What mattered was the future.
She needed to adapt quickly to this unfamiliar world and survive.
Xu Wanci told no one about her entry into Luoyu Peak, claiming only that she had failed the sect mission.
As a newcomer to the cultivation world, her priority was to conceal her identity and avoid arousing suspicion.
Interacting with others wasn’t particularly difficult for her.
Having navigated the cutthroat entertainment industry, she was well-versed in handling all kinds of personalities.
Though she didn’t form close bonds, she no longer suffered the same ostracization as the original owner.
Before her dilapidated wooden hut, Xu Wanci carefully channeled spiritual energy into her palm and released it.
Her cultivation was too weak; even her full-force strike left only a faint mark on the stone.
Staring at the nearly unscathed rock, she suppressed the frustration rising within her.
In these past few days, she had witnessed firsthand the ruthlessness of the cultivation world.
To high-level cultivators, Qi Refining practitioners were little more than ants.
So insignificant that killing them incurred negligible karmic consequences.
To take control of her own life and survive, she had to become as strong as possible.
But the original body’s talent was only mediocre at best. Even if she cultivated day and night, her progress remained agonizingly slow.
Xu Wanci exhaled softly.
Now that she had transmigrated into this novel’s world, she had no idea whether she could obtain the Darkfrost Sacred Orchid like the original owner had.
Compared to elusive luck, the only thing she could truly rely on was herself.
If she dedicated the next hundred years to cultivation, even if she only reached the Foundation Establishment stage, she could still use her knowledge of the original plot to secure some spiritual treasures.
As long as she didn’t follow the original storyline and harm the female lead, she should be able to survive.
With this thought, Xu Wanci stood up again and resumed her cultivation, following the basic techniques taught to outer sect disciples.
On Luoyu Peak, frost and snow blanketed the ground.
Xiao Yuyan stood silently, his gaze cold and detached, as if this were just another ordinary day in his endless existence.
Yet this time, for him, time had finally taken on a different meaning.
Before he even realized it, his attention had settled on Xu Wanci.
He watched her cultivate tirelessly, saw her delight in every small breakthrough…
And witnessed the dazzling brilliance of her soul.
He had never known emotion, nor did he understand the strange stirrings in his heart.
But when Xu Wanci pushed herself too hard, risking backlash, his spiritual energy moved before his thoughts could catch up, wrapping gently around her wrist.
Xu Wanci tensed at the sudden restraint, her head snapping up in alarm.
When she saw the distant figure—aloof and pristine as snow—she froze for a moment before forcing herself to suppress the instinct to pull away.
Lowering her head, she spoke with cautious respect:
"Immortal Venerable, is there something this disciple can do for you?"
Xiao Yuyan stepped closer, observing her tightly pressed lips before slowly retracting the spiritual energy around her wrist.
He seemed puzzled as he asked:
"Why do you cultivate day and night?"
Xu Wanci blinked lightly. For some reason, she sensed no malice from him.
It was as if… he didn’t mean her harm.
Keeping her head bowed, she replied respectfully:
"This disciple cultivates to become strong enough to protect herself."
Xiao Yuyan felt an unfamiliar warmth in his chest as he looked down at her.
"And then?"
Xu Wanci twitched her fingers in surprise.
After a moment of thought, her voice carried a quiet yearning:
"Then I’d like to see the beauty of this world, taste the delicacies in the streets…
And perhaps, when the occasion calls, help those in need."
Such a life was what she had longed for in both her past and present existence.
And strength was the foundation of it all.
Hearing her answer, Xiao Yuyan’s gaze flickered.
His eyes drifted to the withered weeds in the courtyard, and for the first time, he noticed how everything in this world carried its own uniqueness.
Under the night sky, his voice was calm:
"If you wish to grow stronger, mere cultivation isn’t enough."
Xu Wanci lifted her head, curiosity mingling with wariness in her eyes:
"Immortal Venerable means…?"
Before she could react, darkness enveloped her vision. When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a secret realm overflowing with rare spiritual treasures.
Stunned, she turned to the elegant figure beside her, her voice trembling:
"Immortal Venerable, this is…?"
Xiao Yuyan swept a glance across the realm, his expression tinged with faint disapproval.
These treasures were too low-grade to be of any real worth.
But when he saw her wide-eyed wonder, the way she barely contained her excitement as she looked at him with sparkling eyes, his voice softened imperceptibly:
"Your cultivation is still too weak to endure higher-tier resources. These will suffice for now."
"For… me?"
Faced with such overwhelming generosity, Xu Wanci’s first reaction was suspicion.
She jerked her head up—only to meet eyes that were cold yet brimming with indulgence.
For a fleeting moment, she forgot he was the supreme figure of the cultivation world.
Xiao Yuyan watched the faint crease between her brows, his fingers twitching before he forced himself to look away.
In the days that followed, he took her through countless secret realms, refining her talent and tempering her spiritual roots—all to grant her the strength she desired.
Unlike the century-long transformation the Darkfrost Sacred Orchid would have required, under the influence of countless divine treasures, her spiritual roots ascended to the Heavenly rank in mere years.
Later, he led her to the foremost divine sword of the cultivation world—the Tai’a Sword.
For the first time, he felt the passage of time held meaning.
The emptiness in his heart had begun to fill the moment he met her.
He wanted to lay the world’s finest treasures at her feet, yet he still didn’t understand the emotions stirring within him.
Until one day, he heard her say with a smile:
"Immortal Venerable, I’d like to see you smile."
At that moment, the seed in his heart finally sprouted.
He recognized the emotions he had never known—and for the first time, he found a reason to live.
If he willed it, he could use his divine soul to sustain the cultivation world until the next ascension.
But that ascension had to be hers.
Another dusk arrived.
Xiao Yuyan watched as Xu Wanci practiced her sword forms, his fingers flicking slightly as spiritual energy coiled tenderly around her wrist.
Xu Wanci tugged but, finding no escape, resignedly sheathed the Tai’a Sword—its spirit already exhausted.
As the energy tightened around her, the scent of frost and snow enveloped her.
Xiao Yuyan seemed to ponder something before asking again:
"Wanwan, why do you cultivate now?"
She was already strong enough to protect herself.
Strong enough to fulfill all her dreams.
But this time, her answer was different.
She said:
"Only by becoming stronger can I control my own destiny."
Pausing, she gazed at the sunset, her voice firm:
"And protect those I care about."
She knew his fate in the original story.
Only by reaching greater heights could she carve out a sliver of hope for him.
Hearing her words, the spiritual energy around her tightened abruptly.
Xiao Yuyan stood beside her, their shoulders brushing as he spoke:
"We have time."
"There’s no need to rush."
A breeze swept past. When Xu Wanci turned to him, her eyes filled with trust and focus, he took her hand.
Fingers interlaced, he finally understood the emotions that had taken root after glimpsing the future:
"Once, I envied someone deeply."
Xu Wanci tilted her head curiously:
"And now?"
Xiao Yuyan's voice was soft yet resolute:
"Never again."
"Not ever again."
His heart had finally found its home.
Sunlight bathed them both, casting a golden glow over their figures.
The sun set in the west.
Today's sunset heralded tomorrow's dawn.
Their story had only just begun.
