Just as the girl in red was making a secret decision in her heart, a familiar voice echoed from the dark mountain path ahead:
"Old Shi, who do you think I should choose as my mentor tomorrow?"
A handsome young man in black attire was talking, seemingly to the ring on his hand.
It's Ye Chen! Based on the description in the script, it must be him!
Guo Yourong clenched her teeth, a cold light seeping from her beautiful eyes, like a relentless blade thirsty for blood!
Die!
Guo Yourong summoned her True Yuan, ready to call up her Lifebound Sword and strike—
Just then, she sensed something!
In the bushes less than ten zhang away from her, another woman was hiding! At that exact moment, the other woman noticed her too!
As it turned out, both had been suppressing their auras and hadn't noticed each other until now! Only at this moment, as both channeled their True Power and prepared to move, did they reveal their positions!
In an instant, they locked eyes from afar, creating an awkward standoff!
"Second Junior Sister?"
"Third Junior Sister?"
Upon recognizing each other, astonishment spread across the faces of these two sister disciples from Divine Phoenix Peak of the Qinglan Sect.
"Who's there!?" Ye Chen, having sensed something, called out into the surrounding darkness.
No good! Guo Yourong thought. Although I'm not sure why Third Junior Sister would be here, according to the script, she's so enamored with Ye Chen that fate might have led her here to rescue him! Well, it seems Ye Chen will be spared tonight! Once he joins the sect, there will be plenty of opportunities to kill him!
After weighing her options, Guo Yourong chose to conceal her presence again and retreated for the time being.
On the other side, Chu Youwei, carrying her Thousand Feathered Zither, had similar intentions.
So Second Senior Sister is here at this time... The script really is accurate... She truly is Ye Chen's guardian angel... Never mind, I'll let it slide for tonight! Dear Senior Sister, if there is a next time, don't blame my harsh zither notes. After all, this is all... all for Eldest Senior Brother.
Chu Youwei's angelic face took on a cold aura, making her look particularly eerie under the moonlight, like an Asura demoness!
After Ye Chen left, the two of them, without acknowledging each other, each deployed their unique movement techniques and melted into the night.
Qinglan Sect, Divine Phoenix Peak.
Advanced disciple dormitories.
Lin Xiao lay in bed, unable to sleep.
It's all messed up! The established character settings have totally collapsed! According to the original plot, Third Junior Sister was just wary of me, her Eldest Senior Brother, but she never truly loathed me. I could still somewhat understand her attitude changing towards me! But what is going on with Fourth Junior Sister Lu Yingying? She's the first female lead Ye Chen meets in the Qinglan Sect arc!
Recalling their hug from earlier, Lin Xiao felt a chill run down his spine.
Could it be because... the original author hired a ghostwriter for the later parts, and they just wrote a bunch of nonsense, causing the characterizations of Ye Chen and the Junior Sisters to collapse? No, that's not right! Even if that were the case, at least in the early and middle parts of the story, my plotline was normal!
The more Lin Xiao thought about it, the more confused he became.
What a vexing situation! Alright, let's just continue following the plot. Because I saw my beloved Third Junior Sister with Ye Chen, I'm now filled with jealousy. Next, I'm supposed to go to the Pill Workshop and "coincidentally" steal a poisonous Seven Absolute Pill. Then, my Second Junior Sister, Guo Yourong, is supposed to catch me in the act, setting the stage for her to expose my plot at the disciple acceptance ceremony, leading to my first public humiliation! Junior Sister Yurong, as things stand, Third Junior Sister and Fourth Junior Sister are unreliable. Tomorrow, you'd better be ready to slap my face harshly!
Lin Xiao silently prayed in his heart.
He was about to leave for the Pill Workshop when the voice of his Junior Brother Huaizhen came from outside, "Eldest Senior Brother, Master has come out of seclusion. She asked you to meet her at Fairy Cliff!"
What the hell? According to the plot, isn't our beautiful Master supposed to come out of seclusion tomorrow? Why has she emerged earlier? And... what could she possibly want with me in the middle of the night at Fairy Cliff? Could it be that... she found out about my plan to steal the socks beforehand? But if that's the case, how is Ye Chen supposed to expose my plot tomorrow, leading to a double humiliation?
At this moment, Lin Xiao was utterly flabbergasted.
This damned plot is becoming increasingly absurd!
After weighing his options, Lin Xiao decided that before meeting his beautiful Master, he would first go to the Pill Workshop and steal the Seven Absolute Pill!
Yes! Who knows what intentions the number one fairy of the Cultivation World has, summoning me in the middle of the night? This isn't in the script! The character settings for a few of my Junior Sisters are already off. He neither wanted nor would allow anything else to go wrong with tomorrow's crucial plot points!
Qinglan Sect, Divine Phoenix Peak, Elixir Refinery.
As Lin Xiao flew on his sword towards the Alchemy Tower, a few inner sect disciples guarding the furnace respectfully approached and saluted him.
"Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother!"
"We pay our respects to Eldest Senior Brother!"
"We await Eldest Senior Brother's teachings!"
"Stay sharp, all of you!" Lin Xiao stood with his hands behind his back, nose pointing to the sky, fully embodying his villainous persona. "The sea of learning is boundless, and the Dao of Alchemy is infinite. We must diligently seek to understand its profound mysteries, understand?"
"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother!" the disciples all nodded.
DING!
"You have successfully maintained your character setting! Random critical reward triggered: Alchemy +99! [Your alchemy skill level has been upgraded to: Fifth Grade!]"
The moment he stepped onto the first floor of the Alchemy Tower, the system's notification sounded in his mind.
Damn, that works too? Lin Xiao's eye twitched. If it had been those aptitude and comprehension rewards triggered before, I would have barely batted an eyelid. But this reward is mind-blowingly good! What level is a Fifth-Grade Alchemist? According to the original story's setting, the Qinglan Sect, while the premier Daoist sect in the Eastern Region of the Divine Continent, was primarily renowned for its Sword Dao. Its alchemy skills were considered merely average in the Cultivation World. Within the entire sect, alchemists of Sixth Grade or higher could be counted on one hand! It's precisely because of this setting that the protagonist, Ye Chen, under the guidance of the mysterious old alchemist in his ring, could make swift progress in the Dao of Alchemy, continuously shocking the entire sect. Even his beautiful and aloof Master began to see him differently! But even so, Ye Chen, that cheat character, only reached Fifth-Grade in alchemy after completing the entire Qinglan Sect major story arc! And now, just by playing my part, I've jumped straight from a novice to a Fifth-Grade Alchemist! Please, no more rewards! If this continues, I, this crappy villain, could overthrow Ye Chen and become the main character myself! Huh? That doesn't sound so bad, actually?
An almost insane idea flashed across Lin Xiao's mind.
PAH! Damn it, I just want to complete the plot, ascend, and return to the real world to reunite with my family!
Lin Xiao quickly interrupted his wild thoughts and walked into the Alchemy Tower.
At this time, the sole Alchemy Elder of Divine Phoenix Peak had gone to the Lingzhi Garden halfway up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs. According to the original plot, Lin Xiao, as the Eldest Senior Brother, only needed to openly enter the second floor of the Alchemy Tower to obtain the Seven Absolute Pill used to poison Ye Chen.
But before that... One step. Two steps. Three steps... Ten steps!
Lin Xiao walked ten steps into the tower, as described in the original plot, and stood still at a corner on the first floor of the Alchemy Tower.
Yes, he was waiting for *that* woman to appear... His Second Junior Sister, who would help Ye Chen expose his poisoning plot tomorrow! She's the only eyewitness!
"Eldest Senior Brother~~" a gentle voice sounded from behind.
She's here! She's here!
Lin Xiao turned around excitedly. As expected, he saw a tall, impressively-figured woman in a red skirt, radiating a mature, older-sisterly aura. It was his Second Junior Sister, Guo Yourong!
But... this seems a bit different from the original plot? Why is the look she's giving me a bit... warm? Shouldn't she be wary, afraid I might steal some aphrodisiac to use on our younger junior sisters?
Lin Xiao's eyelid twitched again.
However, adhering to the villain's code of conduct!
He still managed to force a lewd smile, eyeing his Second Junior Sister's figure up and down. "Little Yurong, do you know? Every time I see you, I can't help but think of a proverb."
"Oh? What's that?" Guo Yourong strutted towards him on her long legs.
Lin Xiao could only recite his original lines: "The sea accepts all rivers; greatness lies in tolerance."
"Ah..." Guo Yourong seemed taken aback at first, then, as if recalling something, her cheeks flushed red. "Eldest Senior Brother... do you really think so? Then how does little Rong compare to the other two Junior Sisters?" After a long silence, she murmured these words shyly.
No! Her reaction... something's off! Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and a shiver went down his spine. In the original story, Lin Xiao saying that line would have infuriated his Second Junior Sister, making her despise him even more. This also set the stage for her to expose him the next day! Not at all like the tender and gentle demeanor she's showing now.
"Senior Brother, is this question difficult to answer?" Guo Yourong asked. "Or perhaps the image captured by the Photo Stone you secretly installed wasn't clear enough?"
Guo Yourong lowered her head even further. Her usually cold-as-snow demeanor was replaced with a flushed, shy expression, her red lips pouting slightly, full of a maiden's coyness.
Damn! It's game over now, a total wipeout! Lin Xiao despairingly gritted his teeth in his heart.