“Yuan Ji! You can’t do this!”
A-Tong frantically lunged forward to stop Yuan Ji’s hand, pleading desperately:
“Without the Child of Destiny, this world will collapse! Everything we’ve done will be for nothing! You can’t just throw him into the river!”
If other systems found out its host had killed the protagonist at first sight, it would never live it down.
Being a system is too hard.
Yuan Ji paused, glancing at the barely conscious Xuan Changsheng beside her. She raised a brow. “But your ‘Child of Destiny’ looks like he’s about to die.”
A-Tong stiffened, looking down—and immediately gasped.
“Hiss… Yuan Ji, is he… losing too much blood?”
Xuan Changsheng was a pitiful sight. His gray cotton robes were torn in multiple places by thorns, blood seeping through the fabric. His face was deathly pale, a trail of blood slowly trickling down his cheek.
“Senior… be careful.” Wincing as his head wound throbbed, he gritted his teeth and struggled to stand. “They’re coming… We need to go.”
Yuan Ji felt a flicker of guilt. That head injury? Probably from the trash she’d thrown earlier.
Clearing her throat, she waved a hand, releasing wisps of divine light that settled over Xuan Changsheng like gentle feathers. Instantly, his pain faded. He pressed a trembling finger to his forehead—only to find the wound completely healed.
His breath hitched. His heart raced.
This senior… is terrifyingly strong.
Behind the trees, Eleven nudged Song Qingyang. “Mute, could your pills do that?”
Song Qingyang’s eyes darkened. After a long pause, he shook his head.
Not just him—no one in their entire Danxin Sect could achieve such a feat.
“Hiss.” Eleven clicked his tongue. “Just a wave of her hand, and a half-dead man’s back on his feet. If I had that power, I’d walk sideways through life.”
Then his eyes lit up. “Wait—if we take her back, Little Junior Sister could be saved!”
“Instead of chasing some mythical ‘Wuchang Dark Orchid,’ why not bring her instead?”
Song Qingyang gave him a long, silent look.
Are you serious?
Eleven glanced at Yuan Ji’s imposing figure and immediately deflated.
…Okay, maybe not.
Song Qingyang sighed, pulling him deeper into hiding. “Someone’s coming.”
…..
Dozens of figures emerged from the mist. Leading them was an elderly man in moon-white robes, his hair and brows snow-white, exuding an air of immortal grace.
Lin Heqing’s sharp eyes swept over Yuan Ji and Xuan Changsheng, suspicion flickering.
Why are there only two people here? Did my men fail?
Xuan Changsheng was a known weakling. As for the girl beside him—she seemed utterly devoid of cultivation. Was there someone else protecting them?
After a moment, he stroked his beard, feigning sorrow.
“Young Xuan, to think you’d consort with evil cultivators. If your father knew, he’d die all over again from shame.”
“You—liar!” Recognizing him, Xuan Changsheng’s eyes burned with hatred. Staggering to his feet, he shielded Yuan Ji, his voice trembling with fury. “You just want my family’s secret treasure! Stop pretending!”
“Stubborn fool.” Lin Heqing sighed theatrically. “Out of respect for our families’ ties, I’ll clean up your father’s mess today.”
His gaze turned venomous as it landed on Yuan Ji. “As for this demon—she deserves death.”
“Perish!”
With a flick of his sleeve, he tossed a jade-boned umbrella into the air. Behind him, his followers drew their weapons and charged.
“No!” Xuan Changsheng paled, stumbling back. “Senior, don’t let that umbrella touch you! Once it sucks you in, you’ll never escape!”
His heart ached. This man had watched him grow up—yet for the sake of a treasure, he’d resort to this?
A-Tong hurriedly pulled up the umbrella’s data.
“Yuan Ji, be careful! That thing can grow huge and suck people in, draining their power until only bones remain!”
Yuan Ji frowned. That sounded… familiar.
Crossing her arms, she studied the attackers before smirking. “Ah, I remember now.”
“A-Tong, what happened to the last person who tried to drain my power?”
Lin Heqing’s smile froze as the umbrella halted midair. A chill crawled down his spine.
Yuan Ji snapped her fingers.
“I think he… exploded.”
Crack!
The umbrella shattered, jade shards raining down like brittle ice.
“Pfft—!” Lin Heqing vomited blood, collapsing as his lifebound artifact was destroyed. “Impossible! Impossible!”
That umbrella was a top-ten divine weapon! How could it fail in one strike?
Gasping through the metallic taste in his mouth, he stared up in dazed horror.
“Who… are you?”
Behind them, the river’s surface churned. Dozens of water arrows shot from the mist, solidifying into deadly ice.
Yuan Ji’s gaze flicked to Xuan Changsheng, then back.
“The River God.”
“The River God?!” Eleven’s grip tightened on Song Qingyang’s sleeve. “That’s the legendary River God?! Then we can ask her to save Little Junior Sister!”
Song Qingyang said nothing, but hope glimmered in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Lin Heqing’s face turned ashen as his men fell one by one.
The River God…
Rumors spoke of a cultivator near the River of Forgetfulness who called herself the River God—a being so powerful even Han Shi of the Heavenly Extremity Palace had fled after sacrificing his head disciple and countless spirit stones.
Of all the luck…
Forcing a smile, he scrambled up. “A misunderstanding, River God! If Young Xuan is under your protection, this humble one can rest easy!”
“Today’s offense was inexcusable. Allow me to return with gifts to atone!”
Xuan Changsheng’s fists clenched. After a tense silence, he forced a smile.
“Senior, perhaps we should… give Elder Lin a chance?”
Meeting Lin Heqing’s stunned gaze, he added innocently, “I’m sure Elder Lin will prepare generous gifts to show his sincerity.”
Lin Heqing seized the lifeline. “Yes! Absolutely!”
Yuan Ji studied them both, then waved dismissively.
“Fine. Get lost.”
Lin Heqing bolted like a kicked dog.
…..
A-Tong scratched its head, watching Xuan Changsheng’s “grateful” smile fade into something darker.
“Yuan Ji… something feels off.”
“You noticed?”
“I can’t pinpoint it, but…” It flipped through the original plot. The protagonist was supposed to be righteous and decisive—never sparing enemies.
Yet this Xuan Changsheng had just saved the man who wanted him dead?
“Yuan Ji, did I get a virus?!”
Yuan Ji massaged her temples. “No. He’s just too clever.”
“Huh?”
“You really think that oaf ‘accidentally’ knocked my trash back into the river through thick fog?”
A-Tong’s eyes widened. “He did it on purpose?! To get your attention?!”
What a schemer!
“Mhm.” Yuan Ji’s voice dropped. “More importantly… there’s a seal in his soul. The energy matches his own.”
Her gaze sharpened.
Did he seal his own memories to hide something?
A-Tong’s circuits fried. “Then what does he want?!”
A horrifying thought struck—but it shook its head violently. No way.
Yuan Ji shrugged. “No idea.”
“We’ll let him tell us.”
Turning to Xuan Changsheng, she tilted her head.
“Want to come to the River God Temple?”
