‘Pain! Pain! Pain!’
Suddenly, she felt pain all over her body, as if her bones were cracking.
Jian Qing thought she had come down with a sudden illness and was jolted awake from her sleep in fright. But when she opened her eyes, she froze in shock.
There, at the bottom of her field of vision, a row of game skill bars was actually displayed.
On the left were combat skills: Healing, Sealing, Dispel, Divine Wood Protection.
On the right were life skills: Illusion, Appraisal, Treasure Hunting (Luck Value: 0).
In the middle was the initial talent: Immunity (immune to all negative status effects).
The UI style looked familiar, and the skills looked familiar too—these were clearly the skills of the character from the game she had been playing.
They were exactly the same.
In that game, each character could only take up one life profession, and she had taken up the Explorer profession, which was why she had learned Illusion, Treasure Hunting, and Appraisal skills.
Had she transmigrated into the game world? The fact that she could feel pain surely meant this wasn’t a dream.
But looking at her surroundings, it didn’t seem like it was, either?
At this moment, she was clearly in a quiet secluded chamber, furnished with a stone bed, stone table, stone stools, and a meditation cushion, with all four walls being bluish-glowing stone.
She looked down and saw that she was wearing a long, wide-sleeved robe with silver patterns on a black base, and on the index finger of her right hand was a gold-patterned white jade ring.
It was indeed ancient-style attire, but this was not her game protagonist’s outfit.
‘Damn it, this hurts like hell! Forget it—let’s deal with the injuries first.’
Jian Qing shifted her gaze back to the game skill bar. Swiping the skill bar with her hand was clearly not the correct casting posture, so it should be…
She tried focusing her mind. With just a single thought, her hands began casting automatically, executing a series of rhythmic, graceful movements.
Jian Qing was stunned.
She was just an ordinary Earthling who barely did any physical labor, yet she never expected she would one day cast spells with such elegance and composure—how magical.
She watched as a cyan spiritual light appeared between her fingers.
When the casting ended, the cyan light flew to the top of her head and burst open like heavenly maidens scattering flowers. The specks of light fell upon her, turning into warm currents that surged through her body, healing her internal injuries.
Jian Qing was so captivated by the beauty of this scene that she couldn’t help but hold her breath.
After a moment, she snapped back to her senses, thought for a bit, and used the Appraisal skill on herself.
This time, she didn’t need to perform any casting gestures—a translucent panel appeared directly before her eyes.
Name: Jian Qing
Profession: Sect Master of Guiyuan Sect
Talent: Mid-Upper Grade
Age: 323 (Life Countdown: 65 days remaining)
Cultivation: None (Originally at Perfect Golden Core)
Status: Due to failed breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, suffered qi deviation and soul dispersal, cultivation completely lost, lifespan nearly depleted
Jian Qing: “!!!”
What the actual f*ck—never mind why the original owner’s name is exactly the same as hers, and never mind how an ordinary mortal body managed to cast spells successfully, but give her back her twenty-five-year-old youthful and beautiful body!
Let her go back to Earth right now!
It must be that she woke up the wrong way—if she just closed her eyes…
But at that very moment, a series of crisp bell chimes suddenly rang out in the chamber, and then she felt a violent tremor all around her, as if an earthquake had struck.
Jian Qing had no choice but to open her eyes again.
F*ck! Could it be that even the way she opened her eyes was wrong?!
The stone wall had been smashed open into a large hole, and a green-skinned giant monster crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
The green-skinned giant monster had skin like withered tree bark, covered in hideous wrinkles, with a grotesque face and thick, sturdy limbs. It stood over two meters tall.
The green-skinned monster glanced around, instantly locking its gaze onto Jian Qing. It scrambled up from the ground and charged fiercely toward her.
At the same time, a pleasant male voice came from outside the wall: “Sect Master, be careful!” Immediately after, a young man in green robes flew in through the hole.
In the rush, Jian Qing’s gaze quickly swept across the skill bar, and with a subconscious thought, she used the “Seal” skill on the monster.
After landing, the green-robed young man bowed solemnly: “Please forgive me, Sect Master—this disciple did not mean to…” Even in haste, his bowing posture was impeccably elegant.
The green-robed young man couldn’t help but feel puzzled. With the Sect Master’s strength, she could easily kill this demonic beast with a flip of her hand—so why was she responding in such an uncharacteristic manner?
What puzzled him even more was that the Sect Master’s aura was currently no different from that of an ordinary mortal. Even while casting spells, she exuded no trace of a cultivator’s presence whatsoever.
A flicker of suspicion passed through the green-robed young man’s eyes, but he respectfully stepped back with his hands at his sides.
In truth, of course Jian Qing also wanted to get up and dodge.
But—but her legs had gone weak!
Besides, even if Jian Qing wanted to flee, this body had already become that of an ordinary mortal and simply couldn’t outrun this monster. Instead, it would only expose her weakness. What else could she do?
Jian Qing could only brace herself and push through, putting up a calm and composed front on the surface, not daring to show any sign of weakness in front of this green-robed young man.
If she were discovered to have lost all her cultivation, if she were found out to be nothing more than a paper tiger now—she didn’t dare imagine what would happen to her.
Fortunately, based on her previous casting time, she should be able to complete the spell in time, right? Stay calm!
The green-skinned giant monster was getting closer and closer. With every step it took, even the ground seemed to tremble.
Jian Qing was extremely nervous.
She was truly sorry—she, an Earthling, had never personally experienced such a scene before.
There was simply no way she couldn’t be nervous.
One step, two steps… The green-skinned giant monster quickly closed in, clenching its fist and swinging it straight at her.
Jian Qing felt the gust of force approaching and her heart grew even more tense.
‘Was the spell done yet? Please, hurry up and finish!’ She screamed frantically in her mind.
As if hearing her plea, right at that moment, a cyan chain suddenly materialized out of thin air, firmly binding the green-skinned giant monster.
The monster’s movements came to an immediate halt, its fist stopping just three inches away from her, unable to move an inch further.
Jian Qing secretly let out a breath of relief.
She glanced at the icon in her skill bar and noticed that the “Seal” skill had changed to a special state. Unless she used the skill again, it would remain in its sealed state.
After checking this, Jian Qing finally had the leisure to pay attention to the green-robed young man.
She saw that he had wide sleeves and long robes, a tall and elegant figure, and handsome, delicate features—so good-looking he seemed like a fake person who had stepped right out of a 2D world, no less stunning than those male celebrities on Earth… in their heavily photoshopped photos.
Jian Qing cast an Appraisal skill his way.
Name: Song Junfeng
Profession: Inner Disciple of Guiyuan Sect
Talent: Upper-Lower Grade
Age: 29
Cultivation: Mid Foundation Establishment
Status: Suffering from internal injuries, unstable qi and blood, obstructed qi flow
Seeing the monster subdued by Jian Qing, Song Junfeng seemed to have expected this all along and showed no sign of surprise.
He stepped forward a few paces, bowed again, and spoke rapidly: “Please forgive me, Sect Master—this disciple did not mean to disturb your secluded cultivation. It is truly that the sect is now at a critical moment of life and death. I had no choice but to take the audacious step of coming to beg for your help.”
Though his movements carried anxiety and urgency, the elegance in the details seemed innate, clearly indicating he came from a good upbringing.
Jian Qing dared not show the slightest hint of weakness and tried her best to appear calm and composed. She thought for a moment, and while casting a Healing skill on Song Junfeng, she asked calmly: “What happened?”
A trace of pain flashed across Song Junfeng’s face: “Reporting to the Sect Master—for some unknown reason, demonic calamities have been striking frequently lately. The Second Elder and Third Elder have unfortunately fallen in battle one after another. Today, the demonic calamity has descended once again…” At this point, he paused slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes.
He saw that after the Sect Master finished casting, a ball of cyan spiritual light shot toward him, hovered above his head, and burst into cyan rain that fell upon him.
The injuries he had sustained earlier were healed in an instant.
‘What kind of spell was this?’
Song Junfeng paused in surprise, then bowed respectfully and gave his thanks: “Thank you, Sect Master, for healing this disciple. I am deeply grateful. Also, congratulations on your advancement to the Nascent Soul stage. But at this critical moment, my injuries are of no great concern—you truly need not have delayed your time for my sake.”
Jian Qing was taken aback. Why did he think she had advanced to the Nascent Soul stage? Could it be that her performance had given him that misconception?
She glanced at her skill bar and suddenly noticed that the Luck Value had changed from 0 to 1.
Was this a natural increase, or was it because she had healed Song Junfeng?
Treasure Hunting: Your Luck Value can be accumulated indefinitely. When using the Treasure Hunting skill, the more Luck Value you consume, the richer the rewards you will obtain.
In the original game, you could gain Luck Value from time to time by engaging in various activities. But this wasn’t a game world—surely the situation would be different here?
Though confused internally, Jian Qing remained calm and composed on the surface: “Tell me about the current situation.”
Song Junfeng said with utmost respect: “Yes. Today, the demonic calamity descended once again. The Grand Elder, seeing the dire situation, took it upon himself to loot the sect’s treasury and fled, abandoning the disciples. While fleeing, I was separated from the others and unknowingly ended up near here. Remembering that you were in secluded cultivation here, Sect Master, I took the audacious step of coming to seek your help. But while dodging, I accidentally let that Giant Strength Demon crash through the stone wall. I beg your forgiveness, Sect Master.”
Just as he finished speaking, a vortex-like ring of light suddenly appeared nearby and sucked the sealed Giant Strength Demon into it.
Song Junfeng visibly relaxed, let out a light sigh, and slowed his speech: “The demonic calamity has finally ended.”
Just like that? She had dodged a bullet—she wouldn’t have to go out and join the battle? Jian Qing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If she really had to go out and fight, wouldn’t she have exposed herself?
Jian Qing nodded, keeping her expression unchanged: “Go and handle the aftermath first. Follow the usual procedures. If there are any with severe injuries that cannot be treated, send them to me for healing.”
“Yes, this disciple accepts the order. However, regarding the Grand Elder’s desertion on the battlefield, we will still need you to personally step in and resolve it. This disciple takes his leave.” Song Junfeng bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
The moment Song Junfeng was gone, Jian Qing nearly collapsed.
Expecting an ordinary mortal like her to be a sect master—wasn’t that asking too much of her? She really wanted to run away.
She wanted to follow that Grand Elder’s example and flee.
But on second thought, this world was so dangerous, and she had no self-defense skills—even if she ran, where could she possibly go?
Besides, she only had two months of life left. First and foremost, she had to restore her cultivation in order to extend her lifespan.
Wait—earlier, Song Junfeng mentioned that demonic calamities had been striking frequently lately. That meant the demonic calamities weren’t just a one-time occurrence.
So when the next demonic calamity came, wouldn’t she still be done for?
She might not even survive the next two months.
‘Save me! Where is my lifesaver? Someone save me!’
She turned her gaze to the skill bar at the bottom of her vision. Right now, the only thing she could rely on was this skill bar, wasn’t it?
She browsed through all her skills and decided to try casting the Treasure Hunt skill first.
Just like Appraisal skill, the Treasure Hunting skill didn’t require any casting gestures at all.
With a mere thought, several golden arrow indicators appeared in front of her, pointing the way.
Jian Qing was secretly delighted. She followed the arrows all the way forward and walked out of the stone chamber, only to find that outside the chamber was a beautiful mountain valley.
At this moment, the sky was as blue as washed jade, the sunlight brilliant and bright. Flowers, trees, and grass flourished in the valley, with waves of fragrant scents drifting on the breeze—fresh, elegant, and refreshing to the soul.
In the distance, mountain ranges rose and fell, stretching beyond the horizon.
Jian Qing followed the direction of the arrows, pushing through the grass as she walked forward.
After walking only about ten meters, she arrived at the destination indicated by the arrows. She stared at the empty patch of ground the arrows were pointing at, a bit dumbfounded—was she supposed to bring her own tools to dig?
She looked around, picked up a sharp stone, and crouched down to start digging.
But after digging for only a moment, she suddenly realized that the stone wasn’t even as effective as her fingernails!
Jian Qing was momentarily speechless. Who would have thought that the real treasure turned out to be her own body?
She tossed the stone aside and went in barehanded, using all ten fingers. Digging through the soil felt as easy as scooping through sand—how satisfying.
Who knew that digging could be this effortless and enjoyable?
After a short while, she dug up a white stone. At the same time, her Luck Value dropped back to zero.
Jian Qing examined the white stone with delight and surprise. The stone was as smooth and round as a river pebble, emitting a soft white glow—clearly not an ordinary object.
She happily tossed an Appraisal skill at it.
Name: Spirit Stone
Grade: Mid-Grade
Effect: Can provide spiritual energy to a person or object. Current spiritual energy storage: 99 units (1 unit of spiritual energy ≈ the spiritual energy storage of 1 low-grade spirit stone).
Jian Qing instantly wilted like withered grass.
So this wasn’t a treasure—it was just a mid-grade spirit stone. So 1 point of Luck Value could only get her a mid-grade spirit stone.
Jian Qing filled the soil back in, cleaned the dirt off her hands, and looked at the mid-grade spirit stone she had just obtained, deep in thought.
Where should she keep the spirit stone she had dug up?
She suddenly remembered that cultivators in cultivation novels all had storage magic treasures. As a sect master, how could the original owner not have one?
Could it be that gold-patterned white jade ring?
Jian Qing focused her attention and took a closer look, and sure enough, she saw the space inside the gold-patterned white jade ring—but after seeing what was inside, she was quite disappointed.
There were only a dozen or so jade slips, a sword, some cups, bowls, utensils, clothing, and a silver mirror.
‘Pfft, how could a sect master be this poor? So poor that she didn’t even have a single pill or spirit stone?’
She mentally complained while putting the spirit stone inside.
After storing the spirit stone, she thought for a moment, curiously took out the silver mirror from the space, and examined her current appearance.
The moment she looked, she was completely stunned.
The name of this body was also Jian Qing, but her appearance was completely different from her original self?!
Beautiful! Truly breathtakingly beautiful!
Eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waters, complexion like peach and plum blossoms, radiance shining in all directions—these words were profoundly embodied in the beauty reflected in the mirror.
Jian Qing couldn’t help but be captivated by the beauty in the mirror.
Beautiful sights were like beautiful scenery—they made one linger and reluctant to look away.
After looking again and again, she reluctantly put the mirror away and began appraising the items.
The jade slips were mainly various cultivation techniques and miscellaneous notes. But wait—one jade slip was clearly different; it actually had a spirit stone embedded in it?
Jian Qing couldn’t help but use Appraisal on it out of curiosity.
Name: Communication Jade Slip
Grade: None
Effect: Can be used to connect to the Heavenly Network. Requires consumption of spiritual energy when in use. The Heavenly Network was established by the founders of the Immortal Alliance. There are currently three administrators of the Heavenly Network, hailing from three Heavenly-grade sects: Daluo Sect in the Central Province, Five Directions Sword Sect in the Northern Province, and Chengxin Temple in the Southern Province.
Jian Qing: “!!!”
The Heavenly Network? Could it be the kind of thing she was thinking of? A cultivation world actually had a network? Could it be that there had been transmigrators in this world before?