The film crew gathered around, surprisingly bursting into applause for Xu Shulou.
Xu Shulou glanced awkwardly at the drunkard she had pinned to the ground. "With the atmosphere like this, should I perform a combo move for everyone?"
The drunkard struggled violently. "I’m calling the police! I’m calling the police!"
Hearing this, Xu Shulou’s hands moved slightly, swiftly popping his dislocated arm back into place. The drunkard, caught off guard, let out another pained howl.
Xu Shulou patted him. "Stop making a fuss. Based on my years of experience, this won’t even qualify as a minor injury."
A crew member raised an eyebrow. "Years of experience?"
"Naturally, as a martial arts choreographer," Xu Shulou replied, her gaze shifting evasively. "What were you thinking?"
"..." Fine, I’ll take your word for it.
After this ordeal, the drunkard sobered up completely. He apologized to the stall owner, compensated for the broken dishes, and slunk away, refusing to meet Xu Shulou’s eyes the entire time—as if adhering to some wilderness survival rule about avoiding eye contact with predators to prevent sudden attacks.
Some time later, The Path to Immortality officially premiered, airing simultaneously on television and streaming platforms.
That night, the entire crew gathered nervously in front of the TV. Xu Shulou sat among them, a bucket of popcorn in one hand and a bowl of ice cream in the other, waiting for the show to start. The director, seated to her left, kept stress-eating her popcorn, stuffing handfuls into his mouth. By the time the opening credits finished, the bucket was empty.
Xu Shulou fell silent. Noticing this, Sheng Wuyou chuckled and handed her a bag of chips. Others followed suit, offering their snacks—chocolates, milk tea, cookies, cream puffs, you name it.
The director shot her a sour look. "Even I, the director, don’t get this kind of treatment."
But his grumbling was drowned out by the crew’s excited shouts: "Here it comes! Xu Shulou’s entrance!"
"..." The director immediately focused on the screen.
The first episode opened with a scene at the Trial of Techniques ceremony, where Xu Shulou descended from a phoenix carriage—her dark hair gleaming, sleeves fluttering in the breeze as she surveyed the crowd. During filming, she had worn an embroidered robe, and the sunlight bathed her in a radiant glow, making her seem almost ethereal, as if she didn’t belong to the mortal world. That single silhouette, that one glance, effortlessly drew viewers into the era.
Bai Roushuang excitedly shook her senior sister’s shoulders, while Xu Shulou, seeing herself on screen for the first time, narcissistically cupped her face in admiration.
"Director Lü really outdid himself," someone praised, giving him a thumbs-up. "Just look at this cinematography, this beauty."
"Of course," the director boasted. "I used to shoot music videos in my youth."
On screen, Xu Shulou clasped her hands in greeting. "Xu Shulou of Dustless Island, at your service."
The crowd exchanged pleasantries with her, and Xu Shulou’s gaze met Bai Roushuang’s across the sea of people. The latter offered a shy, demure smile, while Xu Shulou responded with one as warm as spring melting winter’s frost.
This was the first meeting of the two sisters in cultivation.
Next came the subtle implication in the plot that Bai Roushuang was worried Xu Shulou might disapprove of her closeness to Lu Beichen.
Bai Roushuang had once felt deeply ashamed of this, but now she only chuckled softly. "Ah, those days."
Xu Shulou smiled too. "Yes, those days."
Their cryptic exchange left the others baffled, though they found the plot intriguing. They knew about the script changes, but since scenes weren’t shot in order, they hadn’t grasped the full narrative. Now, watching it unfold, some couldn’t help but ask, "Won’t we get backlash for portraying Bai Roushuang like this?"
Seeing their unease, the director remained calm. "Relax, I know what I’m doing."
Reassured, the crew returned their attention to the show.
The first episode’s climax arrived—the duel between Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang. Amidst blooming peach blossoms, their swordplay sent petals cascading onto their robes and hair. None of the crew were martial arts experts, but the fluttering sleeves and dazzling movements left them spellbound by the stunning visuals.
After the episode ended, the director received a message from a fellow director asking for an introduction to The Path to Immortality’s costume designer. Smugly, he replied, "The actors brought their own costumes." Then, straightening up, he began scouring social media for reviews. With a cast of newcomers, the audience turnout was modest, so he eagerly read aloud every positive comment he found—even one that merely said, "Not as bad as I expected."
Before heading to rest, Xu Shulou patted his shoulder with a smile. "It’s late. Save the rest for tomorrow."
The next day, the fight scene indeed gained traction online. A blogger clipped it with the caption, "Haven’t seen such exhilarating fight choreography in ages."
Many expressed interest, vowing to check out the show. Seizing the momentum, the crew released an unedited behind-the-scenes clip of the duel. Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang moved with lightning speed, their fan and sword clashing mid-air before parting. During filming, the crew had held their breaths—despite using plastic props, the actresses’ intensity made them fear real injuries. But their concern proved unnecessary. The moment the director called "Cut," the two relaxed instantly. With a flick of her wrist, Xu Shulou secured the flimsy prop fan at her waist, while Bai Roushuang sheathed her sword with a grin at her sister—effortless control.
As the director predicted, the fight scene and BTS footage sparked waves of amazement online: "They actually went full-out?!" Soon, curiosity drew more viewers to The Path to Immortality’s premiere.
They quickly noticed the plot diverged significantly from the original harem-themed novel. Lu Beichen, the male lead, barely registered in the first episode, leaving audiences both puzzled and engrossed.
Viewers who’d expected a lighthearted romance between Lu Beichen and Bai Roushuang found little of it—yet the story hooked them, making the episode fly by until the credits rolled.
A week later, Episode 2 aired, showcasing Xu Shulou’s solo heroics—battling a flood to save Sweetwater Town’s residents, then hunting down the mastermind behind it and seizing a soul-summoning banner.
The view count for this episode on the streaming platform even surpassed that of the first episode. However, after its release, the production team's official account received numerous private messages from viewers. Some were dissatisfied with the creative liberties taken, but many others insisted that since changes had already been made, they might as well go all the way. If the subsequent plot followed the original novel and ultimately forced Xu Shulou into Lu Beichen's harem, they threatened to send the production team "hate mail."
The crew found themselves both amused and exasperated, but as they watched this drama—starring mostly newcomers—gain unexpected popularity, they were equally shocked and delighted.
They quickly threw themselves back into the intense filming schedule, and episodes three, four, and five were released as planned, with word-of-mouth steadily growing. Bai Roushuang and Xu Shulou, who in the original novel were sworn rivals destined for the same tragic fate, now took drastically different paths in the series.
However, once something gains popularity, dissenting voices are bound to emerge.
One day, Bai Roushuang was scrolling through her phone, chuckling to herself. Xu Shulou leaned over and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Bai Roushuang handed her the phone. Xu Shulou read aloud, "'A New Fan Builds a Thread for Xiao Bai—She’s as Beautiful as a Freshly Bloomed White Flower at Dawn, Yet More Resilient Than One.' What is this?"
"Oh, not that one. Keep scrolling."
"'The Moment Xu Shulou Steps Off the Phoenix Carriage and Gazes Around—Her Eyes Carry the Unbridled Ambition of Youth, Yet Also the Serenity of One Who Has Seen the World. This Contradiction Has Me Enthralled.'" Xu Shulou coughed, embarrassed. "Did you really show me this on purpose?"
"...Not that one either, though I do appreciate the title," Bai Roushuang swiped a few more times. "Look at this."
Xu Shulou focused on the screen: "'Behind the Scenes of Path to Immortality: Leads Bai Roushuang and Xu Shulou Are Actually at Odds—Their Relationship Is Closer to the Original Novel.' What nonsense is this?"
She clicked to read further. It turned out someone had posed as an insider, claiming the two actresses were feuding because Bai Roushuang, as the original novel’s female lead, resented the production team giving Xu Shulou more screen time.
Xu Shulou nodded. "Alright, that is pretty funny."
"About as ridiculous as back in the day when the cultivation world kept saying you were domineering, arrogant, and unrestrained," Bai Roushuang rested her head on Xu Shulou’s shoulder. "When my shijie is clearly so gentle."
"Well..." Xu Shulou hesitated, slightly guilty. "That’s... not quite the same. There was some basis for those rumors. Yours is pure slander."
"..."
Compared to heartwarming stories, some people are naturally more drawn to negative gossip. Soon, the rumor spread like wildfire—until the production team swiftly countered it. Their official account posted a screenshot of the Path to Immortality end credits, where the words "Screenwriter: Bai Roushuang" were clearly displayed.
The loudest critics fell silent. Most viewers never paid attention to the credits, but with Bai Roushuang herself credited as the screenwriter, the idea that she’d resent Xu Shulou for "stealing scenes" became laughably absurd.
Then, the director reposted the screenshot with the caption: "Thanks to Bai Roushuang’s unwavering insistence, we have the script we do today."
The rumor mill ground to a halt. Bai Roushuang clutched her phone, laughing until her sides hurt.
Meanwhile, Sheng Wuyou began her costume and makeup tests. After discussions with the director and Bai Roushuang, it was decided she would play dual roles: the seemingly innocent yet ruthless Divine Maiden Wutong, and Sheng Wuyou, a scholar’s daughter kidnapped by Qi Wutong to serve as her maid.
Neither role had much screen time, so scheduling wasn’t an issue. Bai Roushuang and the makeup artist worked together to recreate the two characters’ distinct looks based on memory. The final result was stunning—paired with Sheng Wuyou’s acting, she truly seemed like two entirely different women.
"Quite the challenge," Xu Shulou remarked. "Much harder than us two just playing ourselves."
Bai Roushuang shrugged. "We can disappear after filming, but Wuyou’s making a career out of this. More opportunities are always good."
"How thoughtful of you."
"Of course!" Bai Roushuang preened under her shijie’s praise. "I have been a sect leader for years, you know!"
Song Ping later thanked his shimei for her help. The next day, just as Xu Shulou was about to give her juniors some reminders, the producer burst in excitedly: "I just got a call—a variety show wants us! It’s local, but the schedule’s tight. We’d need to go tomorrow morning."
Xu Shulou hesitated. "I have something urgent. I already asked Director Lü for time off tomorrow. I might not make it."
"I’ll go talk to the director about the show," the producer said hurriedly. "But think it over. For newcomers, this is a rare opportunity."
He rushed off. Song Ping hesitated before speaking. "I thought..."
"What?"
"I assumed you’d use this chance to reveal cultivators to the world—to let people know about the traces we’ve left throughout history."
Xu Shulou shook her head. "Every era has its inevitabilities. I have no intention of interfering."
Song Ping smiled. "I understand."
Their brief exchange was interrupted as the producer returned from the director’s office and cornered Xu Shulou again. "You’re really not going? This isn’t the time for modesty."
"It’s not modesty. I genuinely have something to do."
"You’ve got momentum now. Appearing on a show would capitalize on that," the producer pressed. "What could be more important than your career and future?"
Xu Shulou took a deep breath. "You might not believe this, but there’s a small chance an asteroid could collide with Earth. The probability’s low, but the divine realm assigned me to handle it. It’s part of my trial."
The producer gaped at Song Ping, expecting him to debunk the absurd excuse—only for the usually unflappable CEO to raise his voice in alarm: "Then why are you still here?! Do you need backup?"
"No need," Xu Shulou waved him off. "I’ll head out now. You all..."
"Eat properly, live virtuously, right?" Song Ping had learned to anticipate her. "Got it."
"..."
