***********
He had already completed those hidden tasks.
And through them, he had uncovered pieces of the truth surrounding Shen Haoran—truths that only added to the mystery rather than resolving it.
At the same time, he had successfully taken Zhang Hui Ying as his disciple.
He had saved her…
From the fate that awaited her in the original storyline.
In that original plot, Zhang Hui Ying was the eldest daughter of the Zhang Household—a prestigious military family.
She was also…
The fiancée of the male protagonist, Xiao Zixin.
Her death, as written in the story, was brought about by the heroine—
Daiyu.
A mere palace maid of the Imperial Palace.
Someone Xiao Zixin had encountered upon becoming the Crown Prince's study companion.
When he first read through the plot, he had simply rolled his eyes in response.
He had already anticipated how the events would unfold.
There was no need to dwell on the trivial details.
He skimmed through it, focusing only on the key points…
Only the events that truly mattered.
And as expected—
The system issued another set of tasks shortly after.
*********
< Hidden Main Task #2: Prevent the Crown Prince, Long Mingyu, from becoming the next Emperor of the Northern Xia Empire. >
< Hidden Main Task #3: Reveal the true face of the heroine. >
< Hidden Sub Task #2: Annul the engagement between the female villainess, Zhang Hui Ying, and the male protagonist, Xiao Zixin. >
**********
'Wow… A face-slapping task and an engagement-breaker. Seriously?'
Even now, the memory of his own reaction made him click his tongue in faint annoyance.
Despite his complaints, he had completed those tasks one by one.
The heroine's true nature had been exposed.
The engagement between Zhang Hui Ying and Xiao Zixin had been successfully annulled—largely due to his authority and presence as an Immortal Master. No one had dared question his decision.
And Zhang Hui Ying herself…
Had shown no resistance.
In fact—
She had been delighted.
Freed from the constraints of a forced engagement, she could now devote herself fully to her cultivation and studies under his guidance.
As for the matter of preventing the Crown Prince from ascending the throne—
That had required a different approach.
Shen Haoran had no choice but to make use of Xiao Zixin.
According to the established plot, once Xiao Zixin became the Crown Prince's study companion, he would eventually swear loyalty to Long Mingyu.
All because of something the Crown Prince would reveal to him.
The truth behind Xiao Zixin's birth.
A classic trope.
The so-called protagonist who was never truly what he seemed.
A child of hidden origins.
A destiny far greater than his current station.
If left unchecked, Xiao Zixin would grow into the typical overpowered existence—one who would rise above all others and dominate every realm.
But that was…
Only if the story proceeded as intended.
Unfortunately—
It didn't.
Not anymore.
The moment he entered this worldline, the original structure had begun to fracture.
Bit by bit—
It collapsed.
In the original story, there was no mention of Shen Haoran.
Not even once.
From the perspective of an outsider, someone like him would have been nothing more than a nameless background figure.
And yet—
Here he was.
A variable that shouldn't exist.
Even after completing numerous tasks and uncovering Shen Haoran's connection to the Zhang Household, one crucial thing remained unchanged—
He still had not received the original memories.
Not a single fragment.
It was as if they were being deliberately withheld.
But then—
Something unexpected happened.
The moment he encountered Xiao Zixin…
A surge of fragmented images flooded his mind.
Like a sudden gust of wind sweeping through still waters—
Unstable.
Uncontrolled.
Painful.
The sharp ache that followed made him instinctively tense.
And before he could even stabilize himself—
The system issued an emergency task.
His expression darkened as he read it.
**********
< Hidden Main Task #4: Identify the male protagonist, Xiao Zixin's true identity—whether he is a native of this world or not. >
**********
Now…
He had already uncovered the truth.
Or at least—
Most of it.
And so, he chose to wait.
Patiently.
For the protagonist to approach him on his own.
Because this time—
It had to be just the two of them.
After all…
Shen Haoran had arrived at a conclusion.
A possibility that could no longer be ignored.
Xiao Zixin was not simply a protagonist shaped by the flow of a story.
No—
He was something else.
Something far more familiar.
A Dimensional Traveler.
"Immortal Master Shen, this lowly mortal brings you some fruits and refreshments on behalf of Ying'er. She was unable to visit personally, as she was summoned by the elders after being accepted as your disciple."
Shen Haoran raised an eyebrow slightly at the young man's composed demeanor.
Such boldness…
Yet cloaked beneath politeness.
It was almost amusing.
A quiet scoff echoed within his mind as he observed him.
'So, this is how you choose to approach it…'
There was no need for further probing.
He had already seen through it.
After all,...
This wouldn't be the first time he had encountered another Dimensional Traveler.
But usually—
Their roles never conflicted.
Their paths rarely intertwined in ways that would cause complications.
Yet now—
That balance seemed to have shifted.
'…This could become troublesome.'
In the original storyline, Xiao Zixin had no desire for the engagement.
Zhang Hui Ying herself had shared the same sentiment.
They had been unwilling participants from the very beginning.
And as a result—
Their interactions were filled with hostility.
Constant clashes.
Mutual disdain.
If given the chance, they would oppose each other without hesitation.
But now—
That dynamic no longer held the same meaning.
Something had changed.
And he intended to find out exactly what that was.
According to the character profiles of the main casts, Zhang Hui Ying, having been raised within a household of military generals, possessed a temperament that could only be described as bold, straightforward, and at times, recklessly brash—traits that were far from befitting of what society expected from a noble lady of her status.
She spoke her mind without hesitation.
Acted without carefully weighing consequences.
And carried herself in a manner more suited for the battlefield than the delicate halls of nobility.
********