The System Goes Offline

[Ding-dong-Dear host, System No. 005 has gone offline. System No. 006 is at your service!]

"Phew-"

Su Ruanruan let out a long breath.

That fucking idiot of a system had finally gone offline. Her frantic complaints over the past few months hadn't been for nothing.

Su Ruanruan called silently, 006, send me the updated plot.

The previous idiot of a system had not only come online late, but had also given her a plot that was completely wrong!

Over the past few months, Su Ruanruan had visited several places where the protagonist had obtained fortuitous opportunities in the original story, only to come away empty-handed every time.

In the end, she could only give up on trusting the fucking idiot of a system and diligently hone her alchemy and swordsmanship, while currying favor with the disciples of the two peaks.

[System No. 006 has detected that the current plot has progressed to the Azure Wood Illusory Forest Secret Realm.]

[In the original story, the protagonist Feng Zhuo successfully obtained Spirit-Cleansing Grass in this secret realm, refined a Spirit-Cleansing Pill, and gave it to Xuanfeng, gaining his first loyal underling.]

Su Ruanruan narrowed her eyes. "Go on."

[Main System determination: The protagonist Feng Zhuo's entry into Carefree Peak was a butterfly effect caused by the host. The effect on the subsequent plot is unknown.]

"Unknown?! Then what use are you to me?!"

Su Ruanruan could hardly contain her anger. She had thought the first system was a fucking idiot, but this new system was no better!

As for the White Tiger, it had belonged to Yun Li in the original plot, and the protagonist had indeed become acquainted with Yun Li after that auction.

So Su Ruanruan had not grown suspicious of Feng Zhuo when he had suddenly appeared and spoiled her plans.

[Host, please remain calm. Based on big-data algorithms, the system has formulated reasonable guesses.]

[Possibility one: There is another transmigrator who knows the plot;]

[Possibility two: The Heavenly Dao adjusted the types of fortuitous opportunities because the protagonist switched to cultivating the Sword Dao;]

[And a third possibility: A native cultivator was reborn in the past for an unknown reason.]

Su Ruanruan grew even angrier, and a panic she herself did not notice rose in her heart. "A reborn person?! A transmigrator?!"

"When you brought me to this world, didn't you guarantee that I'd be the only transmigrator?! Why is there someone else who knows the plot?!"

[The host's question has been reported to the Main System.]

[System No. 006 recommends that the host first enter the secret realm to search for Spirit-Cleansing Grass, refine a Spirit-Cleansing Pill, and win Xuanfeng over according to the original plan.]

A Spirit-Cleansing Pill could randomly cleanse away one of a cultivator's Spirit Roots.

In the original plot, the protagonist had used it to recruit Xuanfeng, the youngest junior brother of Taisu Peak.

If the protagonist had truly switched to cultivating the Sword Dao, the Heavenly Dao would not replace it either.

Su Ruanruan fought down the urge to have a few words with the system about its relatives and parents, then turned to Xuanfeng with a sweet smile. "Senior Brother Xuanfeng~"

She tilted her head, showing her playful little canine teeth. "Don't go around looking so gloomy all day. Give us a smile!"

"Maybe there's Spirit-Cleansing Grass in the Green Wood Illusion Forest! Once that tiny Fire Spirit Root is cleansed away, you'll be a genius with a single Water Spirit Root, Senior Brother!"

"Isn't that right, Senior Brother Xuan Mo?"

Though Xuanfeng and Xuan Mo were not blood relatives, they came from the same clan and had both joined the Supreme One Divine Sect, so their bond was closer than that of ordinary personal disciples.

Xuanfeng was a year younger than Xuan Mo and had delicate, handsome features, though a shadow of gloom always hung between his brows.

Now, without much hope, he forced a faint smile. "I hope so."

Because his Water and Fire Spirit Roots conflicted with each other, even though his Fire Spirit Root was almost nonexistent, it still dragged down Xuanfeng's cultivation progress.

Even after he had been fortunate enough to become Dao Lord Taisu's disciple, his fellow disciples still mocked him behind his back as a "bargain-bin genius."

Xuan Mo, standing beside him, had an ordinary face, but his years of body tempering had given his physique a certain aesthetic appeal.

He threw an arm around his younger clan brother's shoulders and boomed, "Why worry, Brother Feng? Didn't the Dao Lord teach you a cultivation method suited to you? It's only that your progress is a little slower at first. Once you reach Foundation Establishment-"

"Your accumulated strength will burst forth, and you'll amaze everyone with a single feat!"

Su Ruanruan suddenly cut in, her eyes sparkling. "Senior Brother Xuanfeng, I'd wager that this trip to the secret realm will grant your heart's desire!"

He had indeed amazed everyone with a single feat.

In the original story, after Xuanfeng took the Spirit-Cleansing Pill Feng Zhuo gave him, he not only succeeded in cleansing away his Fire Spirit Root, but also used the remaining medicinal power to refine his Water Spirit Root into a Heavenly Water Spirit Root.

Thereafter, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and he eventually surpassed his eldest senior sister, Shui Xinyao, to become the heir to Taisu Peak!

Su Ruanruan needed to seize this opportunity, cut off one of the protagonist's future right-hand men, and bring him into her own fold.

Xuan Mo laughed heartily. "Junior Sister Ruanruan, when did you learn the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's skill of calculating every secret of heaven?"

Su Ruanruan held her index finger to her lips and put on an air of mystery. "Heaven's secrets must not be revealed~"

That display finally brought a smile to Xuanfeng's face, and the gloom between his brows lifted a little.

The personal disciples gathered in groups of two or three, with the seven who had joined the six main peaks drawing the most attention.

Yet every disciple's gaze eventually settled on Feng Zhuo.

The youth stood with his sword in his arms, the unsheathed wooden blade making his knuckles look like cold jade.

His red robe was like flame, rippling gently in the breeze, while the golden patterns on its lapels shimmered so brightly that people could scarcely keep their eyes open.

And his face was so dazzlingly beautiful that it was almost baleful; frost gathered at the tips of his brows, yet a hint of wild abandon burned at the corners of his eyes.

Even as the personal disciples of the six main peaks straightened their robes and wore solemn expressions, he sauntered over to Senior Sister Yushang, the hem of his robe nearly sweeping the teacup off the table before her.

A new face who had not been seen in the disciples' matches had to be a personal disciple.

"Which peak is that senior brother in red from?"

Someone among the watching disciples asked in a low voice.

A disciple who knew some of the personal disciples plucked up the courage to ask their group, and the personal disciples all turned to look at those from the six main peaks.

It was not until Su Ruanruan revealed that he was Feng Zhuo of Carefree Peak that the sword cultivators who had heard some of the rumors immediately grew hostile toward him.

The disciples visiting Heaven-Soaring Peak for the first time, who had yet to hear the rumors, committed Feng Zhuo's name and origin to memory, wondering whether they might have a chance to call on him at Carefree Peak someday.

With Yushang guarding Feng Zhuo without leaving his side, Chu Yunfei could never find a chance to make trouble.

When it was time to depart, Yushang even personally took Feng Zhuo by the arm and led him aboard the flying boat. Chu Yunfei's face turned livid, but he could only set aside his thoughts of picking a fight for the time being.

"Junior brothers and sisters."

Standing on the flying boat's deck, Chu Yunfei forcibly suppressed his anger as he went over the precautions. "Danger lurks on all sides in the Green Wood Illusion Forest, so I hope everyone will..."

Feng Zhuo leaned against the cabin doorway, idly playing with a green Jade Slip.

The flying boat was extremely fast, but the Green Wood Illusion Forest lay in the Heavenly Wood Forest, ten thousand li from the Supreme One Divine Sect and already close to the territory of the Southern Region.

So the flying boat would take no less than four hours to arrive.

Yushang told Feng Zhuo about some of the more dangerous places in the secret realm, then left him in the rest cabin and went out herself.

That could be considered doing all that duty required.

Feng Zhuo nodded his thanks.

He was considering taking out a high-grade Golden Core Formation Pill after they returned and giving it to his senior sister, so that she could pass it on to Yushang.

The door closed, and a voice came from the spirit beast pouch amid crunching and munching.

Yanba's mouth had not stopped since boarding the boat.

"Master! This spirit fruit is so delicious!"

"Wow! This jerky is delicious too!"

"Huh? This bottle of spirit liquid..."

That was fine too, Feng Zhuo thought. This way, he wasn't alone.