Zhao Yu woke up with a start. Her head throbbed as she rubbed her eyes, letting out a long yawn.
Something felt wrong.
She froze. The clothes on her body were unfamiliar —light, flowing fabric instead of her usual office wear. Her heart skipped as she looked around. The room was quiet, elegant, and completely unknown.
She stumbled toward a bronze mirror and stared.
The face reflected back at her was youthful and delicate, nothing like the tired woman she remembered.
"Is this… heaven or hell?" Zhao Yu whispered. "Did I die?"
Zhao Yu was twenty-five years old. Her mother had died giving birth to her, and her father raised her alone until cancer took him when she was twenty. With no one left to rely on, she had no choice but to work.
She never liked working. But bills had to be paid. Her colleagues nagged her, looked down on her, and treated her like she didn't belong. Over time, she grew used to being an outcast.
She had no grand dreams. All she wanted was enough money to survive, to sleep when she wanted, eat when she wanted, and live quietly.
That day, exhausted after work, she had gotten into a car, her eyes fixed on her phone. She never saw the impact coming.
Cold seeped into her body as she lay on the ground, blood spreading beneath her. Fragments of her life flashed before her eyes endless work, silent meals, days that blurred together.
"So this is it…" she thought bitterly. "I worked my whole life without ever resting. I just wanted to save enough money to quit… to go on a vacation."
Tears slid down her face.
"Did I really live my life without ever being happy?"
A dim light suddenly enveloped her vision.
When Zhao Yu opened her eyes again, she was here.
She looked down at her strange robes once more, her heart pounding.
"I died… didn't I?" she murmured.
Then she clenched her fists, disbelief and fear mixing in her chest.
"No! I'm alive."
Alive, but in an unbelievable way!"
Outside stood a man who appeared to be in his twenties, dressed in a grayish-green Daoist robe, looking refined and otherworldly. He smiled at her and said, "Junior Sister Er, Master has summoned you to the Moonveil Bamboo Valley."
Zhao Yu: "Junior Sister Er? Master? Moonveil Bamboo Valley?" Why did they sound familiar? She recalled a memory of her favorite book and remembered she had read them in a book. Have I transmigrated into a book ? Never mind asking questions would just make things worse.I'd better play along for now .
"Um… Senior Brother?" Zhao Yu asked tentatively.
The senior brother was very amiable and said, "Junior Sister, don't worry. You just joined us. It was just a mistake that you trespassed into the Verdant Silence Mountain. Don't worry, Master wouldn't blame you. Master just wants to give you a few instructions. Go quickly."
After speaking, he made a gesture to lead her. Zhao Yu followed behind him, feeling a mix of curiosity and unease as she followed, wondering what "instructions" awaited her. The serene surroundings of Verdant Silence Mountain seemed surreal, almost like a scene from her book. She resolved to stay cautious, observing her surroundings and avoiding any missteps that might reveal her confusion.
Along the way, they encountered some disciples also dressed in green robes, who would often smile and nod when they saw them. Occasionally, some would greet them, calling them Junior Sister Er and Senior Brother Lu. There were also smaller youths, dressed in even simpler robes, who called her Senior Sister Er.
As Zhao Yu walked along, observing the unfamiliar people and the various flowers and plants around her, she quickly grasped several key concepts soul transmigration, immortal cultivation, and major sects.
Oooh,so I've been transmigrated into a book? Is this the legendary cultivation world?But I was In a car accident ... did i die, or am i still alive? this has got to be a joke... hahaha!
Before she could think too much, Senior Brother Lu brought her to the edge of a bamboo forest.
"Master, I have brought Sister Er."
He indicated that she should enter alone, then gracefully departed with a swish of his robes.
She hesitated outside the entrance for a moment, and from inside, someone said, "Disciple Ling'er, why don't you come in?"
Oh, so this was the place. And now she could draw a conclusion: the body she was in had the surname Ling and the given name Er.
Zhao Yu walked in and saw a young man in his twenties turn around to look at her with a kind, loving expression.
Zhao Yu: "…Master."
Was he really this young? Was this real?
The young man's expression turned serious.
As spiritual qi within his dantian surged, it flowed toward Ling'er.
"The reason I called you here is to check if your soul manor was damaged when you trespassed into Verdant Silence Mountain."
He examined her carefully, sensing for any signs of instability or harm. After a moment, he nodded slightly, reassured that her soul manor had not suffered significant damage. However, he warned her to avoid such reckless actions in the future, in order to preserve her spiritual foundation and cultivation progress.
Zhao Yu: "Soul manor? What is that?"
The young man said, "It is the most important place within a person. It is where the mind, thoughts, and soul reside."
Zhao Yu: What is he talking about? I don't understand anything.
The young man continued, "If your soul manor had been damaged, your mind would be clouded and your speech would sound muddled and crazy just like you are now."
"In case you have forgotten your past, I will tell you this. This is Moonveil Bamboo Valley, a minor branch of Verdant Silence Mountain, under the Cloudmoon Immortal Palace. You have been my disciple here for over two months."
The more the man spoke, the more confused Zhao Yu became. Zhao Yu employed her ultimate technique for dealing with colleagues at work — smiling. As long as it wasn't a question that required an answer, a shy smile would suffice.
"The reason I called you here is mainly because of the selection in three days. You don't need to worry, just let things take their natural course. You joined late, your cultivation level is low, and your seniority is the lowest. This time, all eight major palaces will select outstanding disciples to go, and our Moonveil Bamboo Valley is just making numbers."
Zhao Yu: Seriously...even in the immortal world, people still have to work?
Young man: "Have you forgotten this? In the Cloudmoon Immortal Palace, the highest lord, the God of Red Moon, is about to come out of seclusion. So the sect masters plan to send talented disciples into the mountains to serve the Grandmaster's daily life needs and cultivate under his guidance. You don't need to worry, we're just a minor branch there to make numbers, so you won't get selected."
Zhao Yu: "So I'm just there to fill in? Fine. As long as I stay alive, anything is fine."
When she returned to the room where she had first awakened, following her memory, she finally let out a sigh of relief. She scratched her head in frustration. This was no good the pressure of impersonating someone else was too great. She wanted to die and go back!
Turning her head inadvertently, she spotted a mirror in the corner. Zhao Yu suddenly froze, then jumped up to touch her face.
My goodness, what an otherworldly beauty! Was this body a fairy? What did one need to eat to grow so beautiful? Alright, I'm fine now. I don't want to die anymore. Each extra day alive is a day gained.
Since she didn't know how to go back anyway, she could only continue being Ling'er for now.
Being Ling'er wasn't very difficult, because she soon gathered some basic information from the surrounding disciples and young attendants. For instance, she had been accepted as a disciple by the True Immortal Yu Heng this year. Her cultivation level was low, merely at the Qi Dantian stage, and she was a mediocre talent with three spiritual roots.
She was in the number one orthodox sect in the cultivation world Qingyun Immortal Mansion, under the Cloudmoon Immortal Palace. Qingyun Immortal Mansion was said to be so large that its disciples alone could form a country. Her master's small branch was called Moonveil Bamboo Valley, which was a minor outcast sub-branch in one of the Immortal Caves under one of the elders.
To sum it up, her cultivation level was low, her seniority was low, and she was a tiny shrimp in a massive organization.
On the day of the selection, her master used a fast magical artifact to fly. Zhao Yu was too scared to look down, until her master started talking.
Immortal Yu Heng: "Beneath us lies the Cloudmoon Immortal Palace, stretching for a thousand miles."
Zhao Yu: "Wow… the scenery is beautiful. I have never seen such a beautiful place before."
Immortal Yu Heng continues : "It has been here for thousands of years. From the founding ancestors to the early generations, now the current ruler of Cloudmoon Immortal Palace is none other than the God of Red Moon, who is coming out of seclusion now."
Zhao Yu: "Sounds like this Grandmaster is the one with absolute authority here."
Immortal Yu Heng : "The Grandmaster is indeed the most powerful and respected person here. The Cloudmoon Immortal Palace still exists because of his immense power and abundant spiritual energy."
"As for the rest, the sect masters rule the court. The inner court is divided into five sects, and under them are minor branches like ours."
Zhao Yu: "Master, if the Grandmaster is ending his seclusion, why are people going to serve him instead of him coming out?"
Immortal Yu Heng: "I'm not sure either. Perhaps the Grandmaster prefers peace and quiet. Perhaps he has grown accustomed to solitude after such a long seclusion, or he wishes to test the loyalty and dedication of his followers. It could also be a tradition, where serving him symbolizes respect and readiness to align with his will."
On getting there, Ling'er truly realized how big Cloudmoon Immortal Palace was.
Ling'er's eyes widened. She hadn't expected anything like this. From where she stood, the open square stretched almost endlessly, dotted with jade pillars on either side. Majestic palaces lined the center like a phoenix spreading its wings. Disciples were already gathering, with more arriving by the minute. The sheer scale of it made her chest tighten so grand, so overwhelming she could hardly believe she was here.
Immortal Yu Heng: "This is Jade Lotus Pavilion, where the five elders meet for meetings and gatherings."
Zhao Yu: "So this is the audition ground."
As other disciples talked, voices rose as their eyes widened with curiosity.
A disciple: "I wonder what kinds of disciples the Grandmasters like?"
Another disciple responded: "Of course it's the ones with beauty and high cultivation."
Ling'er stood in a corner, looking up, and felt as if she had arrived at a beauty pageant. If this were indeed a beauty pageant, there would likely be a fight, because every person was as beautiful as a fairy. Selecting a champion would be quite difficult, and after looking for a while, she even felt a bit of aesthetic fatigue.
After watching for a while, she had to lower her head and do some eye exercises the visual stimulation was too intense. There were at least ten thousand people present. Beautiful women in various colored dresses were chatting in soft voices.
Immortal Yu Heng, like a father, walked her in and told her not to care about winning or losing. She shouldn't make trouble and should mind her own business, as he took off.
Zhao Yu walked inside, looking around at the disciples.
"Excuse me, which branch are you from, Junior Sister?"
Zhao Yu stretched forth her hands: "Hello, I'm Ling'er from Moonveil Bamboo Valley, and I'm a disciple of Immortal Yu Heng."
The beautiful woman who spoke covered her mouth and laughed, revealing a hint of contempt in her eyes. "Oh, so you're from the outcast branch and low in cultivation. By right, you should call me aunt." Then she ignored her, probably looking down on her.
Zhao Yu: "Ooh, greetings, Great Grand-Aunt Master. You look several years older than me, I should have known. I'm sorry to have offended you."
From just a brief listen, Ling'er discovered that these beautiful women around her all had either single spiritual roots, variant single spiritual roots, or top-tier dual spiritual roots exceptional talents. The so-called once-in-a-decade or once-in-a-century geniuses of the cultivation world were all gathered here, clustered like cabbages. Moreover, most of them were of the same generation as True Immortal Yu Heng and held high status, so naturally they looked down on Ling'er, a minor disciple. If not for her remarkably beautiful face that stood out among so many people, they wouldn't have initiated a conversation with her.
Ling'er: Reassured now, it seems true as master said, i'm just here for the show.
"Ding—"
After a deep bell sound, the crowd suddenly fell silent. Then four-colored light streamed in from beyond the sky, landing one by one in front of the great hall on the square, transforming into four people. Being too far away, Liao Ting Yan couldn't see their appearances, but she sensed that each of them possessed a unique aura, with a magnificent presence that made one dare not look directly at them.
These must be the top leaders.
"Four of them came!"
"Yes, a few years ago when the catastrophic demon appeared, only three palace masters showed up, right? How is it that today, just to select a few people, the four palace masters have come? It seems the higher-ups attach great importance to this matter."
Ling'er perked up her ears, listening to the beautiful women beside her gossip in low voices, all sounding surprised and excited.
Atop the high steps, an elderly man began to speak, "Today, we will select one hundred people from among the disciples present to serve the God of red moon, Repository after he emerges from seclusion."
The elderly man said a few more simple words, then asked the people beside him to act together, releasing ten thousand streams of spiritual light. Everyone in the square was enveloped in a layer of spiritual light, including Ling'er of course. After a moment, these lights began to extinguish one by one. Only one hundred people in the square remained illuminated these were the people selected by the palace masters above.
Ling'er, enveloped in light: "…" Wasn't I supposed to just be here for show ? How did I get selected???