Dongcheng Street, the busiest street in Cangzhou City, was crowded with people.
This place wasn’t just home to a branch of the Immortal Alliance—it also had many shops tailored to cultivators: weapon stores, taverns, auction houses, and more.
Yun Zhonghe’s carriage couldn’t go past the street entrance due to the congestion, so he had to walk in.
When he arrived at the Immortal Alliance’s branch, he saw the area was already surrounded by a large crowd.
Most were curious onlookers.
After all, someone daring to pick a fight with members of the Immortal Alliance was a rare sight.
People loved drama, and they came to see the excitement.
Yun Zhonghe couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—no matter what world you’re in, humans love a spectacle.
“But this plotline never happened in the game. Could it be that I altered the storyline, so something entirely new is unfolding?”
He tried recalling his experiences from his previous life in the game, but couldn’t remember any route where this scenario played out.
“Excuse me! Please let me through!”
Just as Yun Zhonghe was observing the crowd, a cute and urgent voice called out behind him.
The voice was beautiful—especially to Yun Zhonghe’s ears.
It reminded him of his favorite voice actress from his past life, Yui Ogura.
Even without seeing the speaker, he was sure it had to be a very adorable loli.
Perfect.
Sure enough, when he turned toward the voice, a striking snow-white figure caught his attention.
It was the game’s protagonist: Feng Ao tian Mu Jixue!
She was adorable—so delicately pretty she looked like a doll.
She was even more beautiful than her in-game CG image.
With her in motion, she seemed more alive, more vibrant.
No wonder, in the game, wherever Feng Ao tian went, countless beautiful girls followed—at her level of cuteness, it was impossible not to fall for her.
Mu Jixue was very petite, not even 150 cm tall—more like 140-something.
Her build sat between that of a young girl and a loli.
But her body proportions were perfect.
What stood out most were her legs, wrapped in white stockings.
They looked like milky popsicles—surely sweet and creamy.
It made Yun Zhonghe involuntarily recall the meme, “I could play with this for a year.”
“Seriously, why are there white thigh-highs in a fantasy world… Whatever, it’s hot, that’s enough.”
This was Yun Zhonghe’s first time seeing Feng Ao tian.
It was the fated meeting of the blond villain and the protagonist, but she was too focused on pushing through the crowd to notice him at all.
Her violet eyes were locked onto the center of the commotion.
There, in the middle of the encircled crowd, two girls were facing off—tension thick in the air.
One of them, the black-haired girl with twin tails, was Lin Zhongyu.
“…”
Mu Jixue stared at Lin Zhongyu’s back, murmuring in worry.
She had just found out Lin Zhongyu had gotten into a conflict and had rushed over, stopping her own cultivation immediately.
But she had still arrived too late.
A duel with someone from the Immortal Alliance—this was clearly unwise.
Everyone knew Immortal Alliance members were all elites.
Even in a small, remote city like Cangzhou, anyone wearing their uniform would at least be at the Foundation Establishment stage.
But Lin Zhongyu was only at the fifth level of Qi Refinement.
There was no way she could be a match.
There had to be some reason.
Based on what Mu Jixue knew of her, Lin Zhongyu wouldn’t agree to a duel like this lightly.
Mu Jixue clenched her small fists in tension.
She wanted to rush in and stop it, but the duel contract had already been signed.
Now, no one could interfere.
The Immortal Alliance had laws to maintain order—duels were allowed as a formal channel to resolve disputes, but private fights were strictly prohibited.
After all, in the cultivation world, not everything could be solved with reason.
Power spoke louder than words.
“Young Master, this Lin girl is really foolish. Accepting this duel—no matter if she wins or loses—it’ll end badly. Offending the Immortal Alliance never leads to good things,”
said Tao Jiu’er, who was standing beside Yun Zhonghe, shaking her head in disapproval at Lin Zhongyu’s decision.
Yun Zhonghe nodded.
From the fragments of info he’d picked up from the crowd, it seemed the Immortal Alliance officer had deliberately made things difficult for Lin Zhongyu.
She was angered, and that’s why she accepted the challenge.
Even though Yun Zhonghe had background, this wasn’t the right moment to step in rashly.
“This scene never happened in the game, but if I follow game logic, Lin Zhongyu will likely get defeated, and then Feng Ao tian will show up at the last moment to act cool and humiliate the enemy,”
Yun Zhonghe mentally calculated, trying to predict the plot.
But unfortunately for the script, today it would be his time to shine.
This was a golden chance to win favor with the protagonist’s party.
Besides, he should protect his bro’s woman!
In the middle of the crowd: “Heh, worthless girl. You can still back out. If you kneel and apologize, I might let this go like nothing happened,”
The Immortal Alliance officer lifted her chin arrogantly, eyes fixed on Lin Zhongyu with a mocking gaze.
She didn’t take this seriously—it was just a joke when she challenged Lin Zhongyu.
Who knew the so-called weakling would actually accept?
Looked like she had really pushed this little loser too far.
But she, too, was arrogant.
As an official member of the Immortal Alliance, she carried herself with pride, convinced of her superiority.
She looked down on these backwater cultivators—especially this trash.
Trash is trash.
What’s the harm in humiliating her a little?
Yet Lin Zhongyu didn’t waver.
Her eyes met the officer’s without flinching.
She bit her lip and stood firm.
Today she had come to the Immortal Alliance to claim her monthly supplement of cultivation pills, only to be blocked and mocked by this very woman.
Those pills were a benefit provided to all certified Foundation Establishment cultivators by the Immortal Alliance.
Having just regained her talent—and even awakened the Golden Emperor Sacred Eye—Lin Zhongyu was eager to make up for years of lost progress.
That’s why she came for the supplements.
But the officer denied her, saying she no longer qualified because she had lost her Foundation Establishment cultivation level.
The Immortal Alliance had no rule stating that cultivators who had once reached the Foundation Establishment stage but later lost their cultivation due to accidents were ineligible for aid.
But this was still someone else’s turf, so Lin Zhongyu initially decided to endure it, thinking it best not to stir up trouble.
However, the woman pushed her luck even further.
She demanded that Lin Zhongyu return all the supplements she had received in the past.
If she couldn’t, then she would have to forfeit Mu Jixue’s share as compensation.
After all, weren’t they both from the Lin family?
If one owed a debt, it was up to family to pay it.
That was the last straw—Lin Zhongyu’s anger erupted.
She could accept being humiliated herself.
She’d long grown used to enduring it.
A little more pain, a little more patience—she could take it.
But dragging Mu Jixue into this?
That was unforgivable.
Clearly, this female officer had grown arrogant from long-term impunity.
When Lin Zhongyu questioned her, she only laughed mockingly and tossed out a duel contract:
“Unless you can prove you still have Foundation Establishment strength, you’re not getting any pills. So—do you dare sign this?”
This was the true cause of the conflict.
Lin Zhongyu didn’t want to drag Mu Jixue into her mess, didn’t want to be a burden.
And now, seeing Mu Jixue’s worried face in the crowd, her resolve hardened.
Her golden eyes burned as she stared down the officer and said:
“I’d also like to see just how powerful a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you really is.”
The moment those words left her mouth, the officer’s expression turned cold.
The atmosphere immediately grew tense.
Furious, the officer raised her hand quickly.
A snake of flame burst into existence, striking straight toward Lin Zhongyu!
“Courting death!”