A Departure from the Original Plot

Just as Su Ying was sighing up at the heavens, a mechanical voice sounded: [Host, what are you doing?]

"Oh, finally awake?" she asked. "Come on, tell me what happened this time. Why were you still crashed when I woke up? Did you faint along with me?"

[No,] the system answered mechanically. [Well, the reason is a little hard to explain.]

"Talk." Su Ying's tone darkened. "Let me hear what was wrong with you. Going on strike at a critical moment-do you know how helpless I felt?"

The system gave a sheepish chuckle. Its mechanical laughter was painfully unpleasant.

[Host, you can't laugh at me if I tell you.]

Su Ying said nothing, waiting for it to explain.

[The Demon Venerable scared me into fainting,] the system confessed.

"Say that again?" Su Ying's voice held indescribable astonishment.

[After the Demon Venerable's guardian knocked you unconscious and put you on the flying sword, I was terrified. I thought the Demon Venerable would drop you from high up and smash you into minced meat. Just imagining that scene felt so bloody and horrifying that I crashed on my own,] the system explained.

Su Ying: "..."

Was this really a system?

Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a wisp of a ghost living inside her body.

It was clearly a system without any emotions, yet it was actually afraid of this?

"Why didn't I see you getting scared when the Clear Wind Sword pierced my heart?" Su Ying asked.

The system explained with perfect confidence: [That only made a hole. It's different from being smashed into a meat pancake. The latter is more disgusting.]

Su Ying thought that made sense. "Fine. Just don't tell anyone you're my system. You're embarrassing."

[Host, boohoo, don't reject me. I'm still a little system,] the system wailed pitifully. [I met you as soon as I was created. You've attempted the same mission five times. I haven't had any chance to grow.]

Su Ying said, "So it's my fault, then?"

The system agreed: [Host, if you completed your mission faster, I could upgrade faster too. But you really haven't lived up to expectations.]

"Shut up!" Su Ying yawned. "Your missions are twisted. That has nothing to do with me. I'm going to sleep, so shut up."

She closed the window and lay down on the bed.

The system kept chattering: [Host, what's the situation now?]

Su Ying told it about Feng Moyuan's plan to go to Flame Mountain to clear out the Spirit Beasts.

The system exclaimed in surprise: [That plotline wasn't in the original novel. The Demon Venerable wasn't supposed to go to Flame Mountain either.]

"Right? I thought it was strange too. And from what I heard them say about that Spirit Beast, it sounds a bit like the Zhitu in the Classic of Mountains and Seas."

The system quickly pulled up an encyclopedia: [The Zhitu? The Zhitu that can control fire?]

"The description sounds like it. But I remember that even by the end of this novel, no birdlike Spirit Beast ever appeared. Even the Spirit Beast sealed beneath Sit-and-Forget Mountain looked like a bear." Su Ying found it strange too.

Why had a plotline outside the novel appeared?

She felt that this mission had veered away from the original plot right from the beginning.

And no matter how she tried to make up for it, she seemed unable to steer things back to the original plot.

[Yes, let me check,] the system said, still puzzled.

Su Ying yawned. Ever since the system had woken up, sleepiness had washed over her. "Take your time checking. I need to rest. Don't disturb me."

[All right, Host.]

Su Ying closed her eyes, but Chu Yu's pitiful face appeared before her again. She opened her eyes, irritation stirring in her heart. "By the way, do you have any way to find out how Chu Yu is doing now?"

[Host, I'm a system, not the god who rules this world,] the system said, indicating that it could do nothing.

"What good are you if you're a system that can't even do something like that?" Su Ying expressed her disdain.

On the other side of the room, Feng Moyuan listened to the conversation between the woman and the system with great interest.

Only when he heard Su Ying's sleeping breaths did he close his eyes and continue cultivating.

For some reason, ever since his advancement, he had felt his cultivation increasing day by day. He even had a premonition that he would break through again soon.

This seemed to have started only after Su Ying came to his side.

A thought suddenly occurred to Feng Moyuan. Could Su Ying really be helping his cultivation?

Daylight shone bright.

Su Ying was awakened by knocking at the door.

"Miss Su, are you awake? We need to set off."

Su Ying stretched and glanced out the window, only then realizing that she had overslept.

It was all the system's fault for keeping her talking for more than half the night.

"All right, give me a moment." She quickly got out of bed, tidied herself up, opened the door, and went downstairs.

At the sight of her, Black Shadow gave another cold snort. "Making the Demon Venerable wait for you-you've got some nerve!"

Su Ying instinctively shrank back, then looked at Feng Moyuan.

He showed no reaction.

So Su Ying plucked up her courage and said, "His Lordship the Demon Venerable hasn't said a word, yet you're speaking up. You've got some nerve. Are you planning a rebellion?"

"Demon Venerable, your subordinate would never!" Frightened by her words, Black Shadow immediately declared his loyalty to Feng Moyuan.

Feng Moyuan had changed into a dark purple robe that day, which complemented his violet eyes.

He ignored Black Shadow and simply waved his hand. The door opened instantly.

Feng Moyuan drew the Dragon Roar Sword.

"Go."

With a dragon's roar, the Dragon Roar Sword flew straight out.

The barrier shattered.

Su Ying's eyes widened. Breaking through a barrier was that brutally simple?

Damn, that was so easy. If I'd known, I would have tried breaking through it last night. I thought this barrier was as strong as the one in the Demon Palace.

[Host, you're oversimplifying things,] the system reminded her. [That's the Demon Venerable. Of course it's easy for him to break his own barrier. But if it were you, failing to break through could cost you your life. So think twice.]

Su Ying said nothing.

Feng Moyuan walked out of the inn.

Su Ying could only follow.

As soon as she stepped outside, a wave of heat struck her in the face.

Su Ying frowned.

Both the Cultivation Sect and the Demon Palace were protected by powerful barriers, keeping the temperature inside comfortable throughout all four seasons.

There was nothing like this heat rushing into her face.

It's so hot! I miss modern fans and air conditioners so much, Su Ying cried inwardly.

[Host, I looked up some information yesterday and gained a general understanding of this area. Flame Mountain was formed by three volcanic craters merging together. Thick lava erupts from the craters every day, so the temperature is much higher than elsewhere,] the system explained.

Su Ying rolled her eyes. If only I had an air con... no, even a fan would do.

Seeing her like this, the system fell silent.

Meanwhile, Feng Moyuan was pondering. Air conditioners? Fans? What were those things?

The four continued on foot until they saw a volcanic crater. Bai Mang stopped and pointed. "Demon Venerable, that is Flame Mountain. They say the Spirit Beasts are frequently active around the second crater. There are some at the other craters too, but these Spirit Beasts prefer living in groups, so they aren't often seen there."