All the great sects are a bunch of idiots.
Seriously.
That was the very first thought Wang Xiaoxiao had on the day she transmigrated.
She used to be a lowly corporate grunt, an overworked office worker. After staying up all night to finish a design draft, she finally fell asleep—only to wake up in a world of sword and sorcery.
The original owner of this body was also named Wang Xiaoxiao, an orphan picked up out of pity by the sect leader, Liu Feng.
Xuantian Sect—one of the Five Great Sects of the cultivation world.
They specialized in divination, formations, and talismans—in other words, their core disciples were basically all mages.
Liu Feng was known for his kindness. Even though the original Wang Xiaoxiao had poor talent, he still took her in as a disciple.
She was the second disciple, with two senior brothers. While she wasn't doted on, her life was at least manageable—until her master brought a young mortal girl up the mountain.
From then on, everything changed.
Liu Feng, who had always been emotionally distant, began making exceptions for that girl—again and again. In the end, he even planned to take in a disciple with no spiritual roots.
The original Wang Xiaoxiao didn't understand.
But Wang Xiaoxiao, now holding the script, knew exactly what was going on.
Because she was inside a Mary Sue cultivation novel.
The heroine was named Yun Que—a delicate, soft-spoken girl who would tear up at the slightest provocation.
The novel was called "The Big Shots of the Cultivation World Are All Obsessed with Me." Just like the title suggested, every major powerhouse in the cultivation world seemed to fall madly in love with her, fighting each other over her.
And things only got more outrageous from the moment that younger junior sister arrived. The original Wang Xiaoxiao gradually became a background prop. Whenever Little Junior Sister was in trouble, Second Senior Sister had to rush in to save her. When the girl was captured, Second Senior Sister took the hit. When her spiritual roots were damaged, they dug out Second Senior Sister's.
In the end? She was stabbed through the heart by her own master.
Tragic.
Utterly tragic.
There was no doubt: the most pitiful character in the entire novel was this tool-like Second Senior Sister.
And now, she was that very Second Senior Sister.
The scene before her only made Wang Xiaoxiao more certain: this entire sect was full of purebred, 24k idiots.
Wang Xiaoxiao knelt on the cold stone floor inside the hall. The suffocating spiritual pressure from Liu Feng loomed over her, forcing her to bow her head.
She respectfully called out, "Master."
Liu Feng gave a faint reply. "Did you bring back the ephemeral grass?"
Ephemeral grass grew at the bottom of the Abyss of Demons. It could heal damage to the spiritual sea. Everyone in the three realms knew that a powerful demon clan was sealed beneath that place. Entering the abyss was practically suicide—most who did were either devoured or never returned.
Wang Xiaoxiao had been relatively lucky. Aside from her hand being partially corroded by demonic energy, she came back mostly intact.
Now, freshly returned, her palm was bloodied and raw—yet no one asked her how she was.
All they cared about was whether she brought the grass back for Little Junior Sister.
"Senior Sister brought back the ephemeral grass," Junior Brother Shen Hang said with a grin.
"With this, Little Junior Sister will definitely recover," Senior Brother Li Tian also smiled—completely unlike his usual cold demeanor.
That frail girl had been his concern for days. Now that they had something to repair her spiritual sea, she'd be able to get out of bed in no time.
Even their always-stoic master's face softened a little. "Go hand the ephemeral grass to the Medicine Pavilion. Once refined, deliver it to the Hibiscus Courtyard."
A white herb floated out from her storage space. Liu Feng gently lifted it with a flick of his sleeve, and it fell into his palm.
From beginning to end, no one asked Wang Xiaoxiao if she agreed.
In their eyes, her consent wasn't necessary.
She was his disciple—of course she wouldn't refuse.
Wang Xiaoxiao stood at the bottom of the steps, watching the harmonious scene. Then she suddenly spoke up:
"Master, when did I ever say I was giving the ephemeral grass to Junior Sister?"
No one expected her to speak out like this.
Shen Hang froze, lips twitching as he tried to explain, "But… Little Junior Sister needs the herb more than you do…"
Wang Xiaoxiao had average talent. If she wanted to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, the ephemeral grass was crucial.
When Shen Hang heard she was going to retrieve the herb, he couldn't help but think of the weak little girl their master had brought from the mortal world.
Same age—yet one could go to the Abyss of Demons, while the other could barely get out of bed.
He felt pity. So he told their master.
"Ah Que is weak," Liu Feng said, displeased with her attitude but still willing to explain. "You are stronger than her. She should use the grass first."
"When the sect competition opens, I'll have your senior brothers bring you another ephemeral grass from the Ancient Battlefield."
The Ancient Battlefield?
Ephemeral grass was incredibly rare. Even if some grew there, the sect competition only opened once every hundred years—and all the top talents from every sect would be competing for those same resources.
What made Liu Feng think her senior brothers would definitely get it?
Wang Xiaoxiao glanced at the three biased fools in front of her and sneered inwardly.
"So basically… she's weak so she's justified, and I'm strong so I deserve to die. Got it."
Her usually obedient demeanor took a sharp turn.
Liu Feng's expression darkened. "Insolent."
He released his Nascent Soul-level pressure. With a flick of his wide sleeve, a gust of spiritual wind knocked her flying. Wang Xiaoxiao slammed into a white pillar, unable to resist or dodge.
She had braved the Abyss of Demons and emerged unharmed—only to get beaten up by her own master as soon as she got home.
This damn cultivation world.
"Born rebellious. No respect for hierarchy," Liu Feng coldly declared before disappearing in a flurry of robes.
"Get out. Reflect on your actions in your cave-dwelling."
Wang Xiaoxiao wiped the blood from her nose. Then, under everyone's stunned gaze, she slowly raised her hand and gave Liu Feng's departing figure the middle finger.
Her last shred of dignity as a cannon-fodder side character.
"Senior Sister…" Shen Hang approached her, eyes downcast. "I'm sorry."
"I'll repay you for this someday."
He felt guilty. His soft-hearted decision had led to her punishment.
Wang Xiaoxiao wiped her bloodied hand, then stepped back like she was avoiding a snake. "Don't come any closer!"
She didn't want any of the heroine's little fish around her.
Her harsh words stunned him. He never imagined that their usually reserved Second Senior Sister could explode like this.
Li Tian frowned and grabbed her wrist. "Can you stop being so childish?"
"Junior Sister can't even get out of bed. She needs the ephemeral grass more than you."
The pain from his grip made her suck in a breath—she suspected the jerk did it on purpose.
Not in the mood to take it, she raised her other hand and punched at his face.
Li Tian dodged quickly and let go of her wrist.
Wang Xiaoxiao clutched her injured hand and sneered, "So it's okay for you guys to take it from me?"
"So the Xuantian Sect only became one of the Great Sects because of robbery?"
Li Tian was speechless.
"You're being completely unreasonable!"
"Yeah, yeah, totally." Wang Xiaoxiao nodded sarcastically. "I'm heartless, unreasonable, and full of drama."
"Go run back to your precious Little Junior Sister."
She might've had some hopes for the cultivation world before—but now that she knew she was just a cannon-fodder character who'd be stabbed through the heart? All she wanted was to survive.
Screw it.
She was leaving the mountain.
Decision made, Wang Xiaoxiao turned and ran. She didn't even glance at the two morons behind her. She opened her storage pouch and made straight for the Life Registry Hall.
The author had clearly gone overboard with the heroine's "everyone loves her" setup. Every other disciple around Liu Feng was basically just a background plant.
And Wang Xiaoxiao had the worst role of all.
Her only real asset was a cultivation manual she gifted to the sect when she joined.
No spiritual stones.
Among the hundreds of inner disciples in Xuantian Sect, everyone was stronger than her. She was just there to fill the numbers.
And since she wasn't a core disciple, leaving the sect was actually pretty easy.
Return all resources she'd received over the years, notify a Life Registry Hall elder, and get their approval—that was it.
She had barely any belongings. After returning her spiritual weapon and the few spirit stones she had, she was done.
The original Wang Xiaoxiao had been looked down on for her poor aptitude. When the elder at the Life Registry Hall heard she wanted to leave, he almost couldn't hide his joy.
He hadn't expected her to be such an idiot.
She had gotten into the inner sect by sheer dumb luck, and now she wanted out?
"Should I notify the sect leader?" the elder asked, putting on a rare fake smile. "Do you know which sect you'll join next? Need a few spirit stones for a place to stay?"
He didn't expect her to say anything. But Wang Xiaoxiao immediately held out her hand. "Yes."
Without shame, she added, "I didn't expect someone as kind as you to be in Xuantian Sect. You're a good man."
The elder: "…"
He had only been making small talk. Now he had to give her something or look stingy.
His expression twisted for a moment as he stared at this shameless girl.
Had she always been like this?
He didn't think so.
In his memory, Wang Xiaoxiao had always been quiet and reserved.
Wang Xiaoxiao calmly waited for him to hand over the goods. The original had been a loyal sucker for the sect. She wasn't.
No spirit stones meant sleeping on the street after leaving. Since the elder had offered, she'd be a fool not to take it.
With a sigh, he handed her a heavy pouch. "There's 100 mid-grade spirit stones inside."
"Take it and go."
Wang Xiaoxiao beamed. "Thank you, Elder!"
The elder waved her off impatiently.
As she left, she heard someone behind her mutter under their breath, "Trash."
She turned around. "What did you say?"
The male disciple hadn't expected her to hear him. A lot of people in the sect looked down on Wang Xiaoxiao.
Someone with no talent, who'd gotten into one of the Five Great Sects purely by luck?
After Liu Feng punished her, quite a few people had been secretly gleeful.
He was one of them.
Now caught, he stammered and went pale. "I—I…"
"Trash, huh?"
Wang Xiaoxiao repeated his words, watched him turn ghost-white, and then sincerely said, "You're very observant."
"Wanna take my spot in the inner sect?"
The original Wang Xiaoxiao had worked herself to the bone, always the first to jump into danger, only to end up backstabbed.
Why bother?
The male disciple froze.
"You're right. I am trash." Wang Xiaoxiao tossed her sect token into his arms. "This inner sect life is way out of my league. Good luck."
He stared at her in a daze.
He watched as Wang Xiaoxiao, without looking back, descended the mountain and walked away—completely free.