Chapter 6: Killing Her

Su Xi arrived at Lingxiao Peak's Xian Dao Tang once again; she was no longer standing in the outer arena, but sitting together with Hua Qing, observing the selection.

When Zhong Yi saw Su Xi, he was very surprised, especially by her white, gold-patterned Dao Robe with the three-clear collar, which only inner sect disciples were permitted to wear.

Zhong Yi asked, "Are you a pre-selected disciple from the Yun Du Xue Family?"

Su Xi nodded and replied, "Yes, I came together with Xue Fuyi and Xue Mengying."

"So you all know each other." Hua Qing chuckled and said, "Fifth Elder, let me introduce you. This is Su Xi, the personal disciple the Sect Master just took in."

"The Sect Master's personal disciple?!" Zhong Yi was shocked and subconsciously glanced toward the outer arena.

"Her Dao name is Huayuan," Hua Qing said happily.

At the mention of this Dao name, Su Xi was speechless. "Senior Brother, you know I don't go around begging for alms, so why did Master give me such a Dao name?"

"The 'Hua' generation?" Zhong Yi was momentarily stunned.

In the current South Dao Sect, apart from those old fogies in the back mountains, the highest ranking was the Sect Master's 'Yuan' generation, followed by the 'Hua' generation. He himself was of the 'Xi' generation, and there was still a 'Sheng' generation between him and the 'Hua' generation.

In other words, he had to call Su Xi—Little Martial Aunt-Grandmaster!

He couldn't help but break into a cold sweat; this seniority was as high as it could get.

"Mm-hmm." Su Xi nodded, then took a Low-grade Spirit Stone from her Storage Bag and handed it to Zhong Yi. "I've only just entered the sect; the gift is small but the sentiment is heavy~"

It had been many years since Zhong Yi had seen a Low-grade Spirit Stone. Seeing this gray, faintly spiritual-energy-emitting stone, he almost dropped it.

"Tha—" He stiffened his neck, unable to get the word out.

Hua Qing reminded him, "Just call her Little Martial Aunt-Grandmaster."

"……Yes, Elder." Zhong Yi bowed to Su Xi with cupped hands, steadying his Dao heart: "Thank you, Little Martial Aunt-Grandmaster."

"You're welcome, you're welcome." Su Xi replied, feeling a bit shy.

There was no helping it; her Master's seniority was too high, so she rose in status along with him.

Giving a greeting gift from a higher generation to a lower one was a customary Daoist etiquette. Thus, Hua Qing had helped her prepare these Low-grade Spirit Stones just to go through the motions. Who could possibly hold a grudge against a little girl of such high seniority?

Hua Qing smiled at Zhong Yi: "Although the Little Junior Sister is young, she is the Sect Master's personal disciple and your superior in seniority; you must not be negligent."

Zhong Yi caught the hint, took a Storage Bag from his sleeve, and offered it to Su Xi with both hands: "This is a small token of this junior's sincerity; I hope Little Martial Aunt-Grandmaster will kindly accept it."

Su Xi was suddenly at a loss and looked at Hua Qing.

Hua Qing nodded: "Little Junior Sister, just accept it; it is the juniors' sincerity."

"Ah? Then... this is so embarrassing." Despite saying it was embarrassing, Su Xi didn't hesitate at all and immediately snatched it up. "Fifth Elder, you've gone to such expense."

Once Zhong Yi made this move, it triggered everyone around them to start showing their own sincerity.

For a time, Su Xi was grinning from ear to ear, having filled her pockets to the brim.

After everyone had finished expressing their gestures, Hua Qing stroked his own white beard, which radiated a noble, immortal air: "Alright, let the selection assessment begin. Let the pre-selected disciples enter and test their spiritual roots as per tradition."

"Yes," the elders and deacons replied.

Su Xi peeked at the Storage Bag in her System Space and whispered to Er Miao: 【Xue Fuyi had it way too good in the past!】

Er Miao was counting the 'sincerity' gifts Su Xi had stored in the System Space and said in a very cheerful tone: 【This is only the beginning; the host will definitely be able to reverse her own destiny.】

【Mm-hmm, wait—what do you mean? Haven't I already reversed it?】

【It's still early; the host is currently still a cannon fodder character.】

Su Xi's heart sank. 【…What if I kill Xue Fuyi? She's tried to kill me before anyway.】

【If you kill Xue Fuyi now, the entire world will collapse.】

【What do you mean? Is the fate of this continent tied to her, Xue Fuyi?】

【It's not just the Yunze Dalu; it's the entire world of "Yuan Jun Zhuan." The Yunze Dalu is only a part of it.】

【So I can seize her destiny until I replace her as the main character of Yuan Jun Zhuan, which would also mean preserving this world.】

【Yes, host.】

Su Xi watched the pre-selected disciples entering the grand hall one after another to test their spiritual roots; Xue Fuyi appeared exceptionally outstanding.

【Host! Her spiritual root has changed!】 Er Miao said to Su Xi with extreme solemnity.

Su Xi was surprised. 【How do you know?】

Er Miao replied: 【The Reversal System's scanning function can scan energy bodies lower than the host's strength. Her current spiritual root is a Heavenly Grade Water Spiritual Root.】

【Could she have seized someone else's spiritual root?】

【It is highly likely.】

【The main character is the main character, that talent and destiny!! Even without me, there are other spiritual roots prepared for her.】

Su Xi felt unwilling, but she felt even more determined; she was set on reversing this cannon fodder destiny!

Seeing Su Xi sitting in the elders' seat, Xue Mengying looked as if she had seen a ghost and blurted out: "Sister, look at that slut, what is going on with her?"

Xue Fuyi had been deep in thought, but upon hearing Xue Mengying's words, she looked up, her pupils suddenly constricting.

After learning she had entered the Ling Shou Yuan, she had assumed she had already been eaten by the fierce birds and beasts inside; she hadn't expected her to still be alive.

And the Dao Robe on her body...

Su Xi raised her hand to wave at her, revealing a plump, vibrant emerald bracelet on her wrist—it wasn't something she had brought from the Xue Family either.

What on earth had happened?

Xue Fuyi's attention was instantly focused entirely on Su Xi.

【Host, Xue Mengying's spiritual root is a Mortal-grade but nearly Earth-grade Wood Spiritual Root.】

【Does the book write about her ending?】 Just as Xue Mengying loathed Su Xi, Su Xi also disliked Xue Mengying.

【The book writes that she fell into the Evil Demon Path, carved out a territory in the Huanghe Demon Domain, and was executed by Xue Fuyi in the name of righteousness to eliminate demons and defend the Dao. Xue Mengying and Xue Fuyi are not sisters by the same mother; she is the illegitimate daughter of the Xue Family head and the Grand Princess.】

Su Xi hadn't expected that she was also a cannon fodder. And this background was exactly the kind of illegitimate child she looked down upon most.

The selection test began.

The first pre-selected disciple—Guan Tieniu, Mortal-grade spiritual root, but physically strong and gifted with Divine Power; he was allowed to enter the next round of the assessment.

Su Xi spoke with Er Miao using her spiritual sense to grasp more of the book's plot, while simultaneously watching these pre-selected disciples test their spirit roots.

Most of the pre-selected disciples had Mortal-grade Spirit Roots, but each possessed other talents: some were naturally sharp of hearing and sight, some were gifted in music, some had great strength, or some were skilled in astrology and divination...

"Senior Brother, what are the requirements for recruiting inner sect disciples?" Su Xi asked Hua Qing in a low voice.

Hua Qing stroked his beard and replied, "The minimum threshold is an Earth-grade Spirit Root."

Su Xi looked at those pre-selected disciples who had already finished testing their spirit roots, "Then these..."

"If they can pass the upcoming assessments, they may enter the outer sect. Inner sect disciples of the South Dao Sect only focus on cultivation and are not disturbed by outside affairs. However, the sect has many subsidiaries, and various complex external matters must be managed by someone, so every time we recruit disciples, the quota for outer sect disciples is far greater than that for inner sect disciples."

"Can outer sect disciples never enter the inner sect again?"

"Of course they can. But for outer sect disciples to transfer into the inner sect, it is mostly because their spirit roots have mutated, breaking through the barriers of the Mortal-grade; these are collectively known as Variant Spirit Roots."

Variant Spirit Roots? Su Xi looked toward Xue Fuyi.