But it just so happened to be exactly the same as Lin Shuyi’s physical condition before transmigrating into the book.
It was precisely because he had been confined to a sickbed for most of his life that Lin Shuyi developed a habit of reading various novels, as if through the words in these stories, he could travel the vast world.
The vast and wondrous cultivation world introduced at the beginning of “The Vast Immortal Path” had captivated Lin Shuyi, making him feel as if he had truly entered a xianxia world where one could soar on swords and get revenge on their enemies.
He had never expected the entire book to spiral into a dark and disastrous ending!]]
When “The Vast Immortal Path” reached this part of its serialization, it was accompanied by a light-colored ink painting of Lin Shuyi.
In the painting, a handsome white-robed cultivator draped in a fur-lined cloak held a brush, hurriedly writing something on paper. His features were as delicate as snow, yet there was a faint trace of illness lingering in his expression.
[? Ah, this… You call this a sickly person?]
And so, interstellar readers stared back and forth between the text and the illustration for a long time, experiencing an indescribable sense of wonder for the first time.
“Delicate sickly beauties are the treasures of the novel world.”
As the author, Yu Mian revealed a satisfied smile.
That’s right. Whether inside the book or out, the new protagonist Lin Shuyi was a delicate sickly beauty.
For the interstellar readers who were encountering this type of protagonist for the first time, they suddenly felt a certain kind of ‘XP’ subtly stirring within them, but they didn’t quite know how to describe it.
But no matter what, Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ new protagonist design was truly refreshing!
Just looking at this ink-style illustration made people want to buy a plush fur cloak identical to Shuyi’s, what’s going on?
Though when many readers later bought the same outfit and posted their pictures, everyone quickly realized that if worn incorrectly, the coat easily turned into a bulky fur ball, completely losing any resemblance to a delicate beauty.
[And why does it feel like this setup has an eerily high level of interaction with Qi Hanzhou, the other demon lord main character who later blackens?]
[So when are these two going to meet? I can’t wait any longer! This time, Shuyi will surely do something to change his fate, right?!]
Interstellar readers had indeed picked up on the intriguing dynamic.
In the later stages of the couple’s storyline, as soon as the main character blackens, our Shuyi starts coughing blood. Wasn’t that the classic trope of “wife coughing blood” as warning?
And naturally, the book’s plot developments did not disappoint them.
[[Because when Lin Shuyi looked at the original novel’s content, which he had painstakingly recalled and transcribed as completely as possible, his gaze fell on the date: “April 1st.”
He turned to ask the maid outside the room:
“What day is it today?”
“Replying to the young sect master, it is April 1st.”
‘April 1st?’
Lin Shuyi immediately realized that this was the very day the elders would select new disciples, and the future demon lord Qi Hanzhou would soon cross paths with that villainous elder.
This was the moment that would set all future disasters into motion.
He had transmigrated at an incredibly pivotal time.
“I must go find Father.”
The maid was startled to see the young sect master, who usually had a strained relationship with the sect leader, voluntarily seeking him out for the first time.
In fact, Sect Master Lin Qingshan deeply cherished his only son, but due to Lin Shuyi’s rebellious nature and the early passing of his mother, their father-son relationship had grown awkward over time.
Meanwhile, within Shanyu Hall, a group of aloof and proud-looking men and women stepped inside:
“I really don’t understand what the elder is thinking. Do any of these orphans even have spiritual roots?”
The ordinary mortals from the secular world paid no mind to the immortals’ open discussions. In fact, they didn’t even dare to lift their heads to meet their eyes.
The divide between immortals and mortals was an almost insurmountable boundary. If even one child from this group was chosen, Shanyu Hall would immediately rise to prominence.
Most of the children in Shanyu Hall bore the surname ‘En,’ with names assigned numerically by the host, such as En Da or En Er.
Only Qi Hanzhou had an actual name, written on a slip of paper tucked into his swaddling clothes. This, to some extent, was also one of the reasons he faced exclusion and bullying.
Why did that guy get such a nice name?
In an orphanage where morality blurred, even the smallest reason could be grounds for violence.
“Qi Hanzhou? Why isn’t this child here?”
As expected, Senior Sister Mu Ling’er noticed the unusual name on the roster and felt a slight sense of interest.
“This orphan has a strange personality, and his background is unclear…”
The fat steward quickly interjected, dispelling Mu Ling’er’s curiosity as she shifted her focus back to the other children undergoing spiritual root testing.
Meanwhile, in the back courtyard, Qi Hanzhou was meticulously sweeping up fallen leaves with a broom.
A gust of wind blew, sending a fresh shower of leaves drifting down from the trees. Given the steward’s order to have the courtyard completely cleared by nightfall, this task was impossible to complete.
It seemed he wouldn’t be having dinner tonight either.
As for participating in the spiritual root selection, Qi Hanzhou had known from the start that he wouldn’t be allowed to join.
Because he hadn’t bribed the steward with his meager savings, and the host turned a blind eye to the entire matter.
But in the next moment, the boy’s gaze subtly sharpened as he noticed a jade pendant at his feet.
At the same time, a haggard looking elder hurriedly stepped into the courtyard with an anxious expression.]]
[Oh no, this is bad! Why hasn’t our Shuyi appeared yet? If that old man discovers something unusual about Hanzhou, we’re doomed! [Frantically clutching head]]
Countless readers felt their hearts skip a beat as they reached this point.
They hadn’t expected the story to still be unfolding according to the original plot.
[And is no one realizing how truly pitiful Hanzhou is? The prequel glossed over details, but now that the main text is fleshing everything out, I suddenly feel so heartbroken. It’s like when a kindergarten class goes on a field trip, and one child is deliberately left behind…this is just too cruel!]
[Ahhh, and making such a young child sweep fallen leaves?! That broom is probably as tall as he is! In the interstellar age where kids should still be in school, why is he already doing hard labor? This cultivation world is way too harsh!]
More readers found themselves deeply unsettled by the book’s delicate yet bleak descriptions.
If something like this happened in an interstellar welfare institution, it would definitely make the news and be met with public condemnation.
Just as the readers were overwhelmed with grief and indignation, the plot took another dramatic turn.
[[“The sect master has decreed that this year’s selection process will change. All eligible children, without exception, are to be taken to Yunfeng Mountain, where they will first be tested through the Ascending Cloud Stairway before being assessed based on their aptitude.”
A cold and handsome cultivator arrived on his sword, immediately drawing all eyes toward him.
Especially his spirit sword…it made every orphan’s face light up with excitement and longing.
An immortal! A real immortal!
Cultivators not only had long lifespans, but with each advancement, their bodies expelled impurities, making them more and more good looking. Their most distinct ability was harnessing spiritual power to wield magical artifacts and techniques.
Among these, sword cultivators were the strongest in combat.
But what was the Ascending Cloud Stairway?
Only when the children were led to the foot of the mountain did they realize it was an endless flight of stairs, stretching straight into the clouds.
“Whoever reaches the top, regardless of whether their spiritual roots have awakened, will pass the trial.”
The man’s strict and impartial declaration made the entire crowd fall silent.
With so many steps, even full-grown adults might struggle to climb them, let alone these young children.
Some kids were still determined, but more of them subconsciously shrank back and their reactions were all noted by the evaluator.
[Weak resolve, minus ten points.]
Little did they know, the evaluation had already begun in secret.]]
[Wait, what? The assessment starts now? If it were me, I’d be scared too! Wouldn’t that mean I already lost my chance to cultivate?]
[This seems a bit harsh, but I can’t deny the logic behind it. It tests both strength and mentality. By observing the reactions of all children throughout the process, the most suitable seedlings can definitely be selected.]
As for the stair-climbing trial that was quite common in cultivation novels, the interstellar readers seeing this kind of concept for the first time were undoubtedly very surprised.
At first glance, it seemed bizarre. But thinking about it carefully, it actually made a lot of sense.
So climbing to the top of a mountain was a key part of the selection process for cultivation?
And the evaluation even started in secret? You could already be eliminated without knowing it, how cruel!
[[“While climbing, pay attention to sinking qi into the dantian. The Ascending Cloud Stairway is rich with spiritual energy. The higher you go, the more likely it is that this qi will condense within you. Even if you don’t enter the sect, this experience will still be immensely beneficial for any mortal.”
A woman in white, standing beside the man, added with a gentle smile.
Upon hearing this, not only did the children grow excited, but even the adults accompanying them, such as supervisors and caretakers, showed expressions of envy.
Unfortunately, they had long passed the age for cultivation and would never get another chance.
At the given command, the trial officially began.
Though the excluded Qi Hanzhou was lucky enough to be brought here, he was still deliberately blocked by the bigger, stronger children from the orphanage, forcing him to lag behind and unable to get a head start.
The evaluator naturally took note of this.
But what surprised the evaluator was that this boy remained calm and composed. Instead of scrambling forward like most others, he simply followed the main group at a steady pace toward the cloud-reaching stairs.
As the first batch of children who rushed ahead began to slow down, already exhausted, those who had conserved their strength gradually started overtaking them.
“Idiots. Running at full speed right from the start? They probably don’t even understand what it means to sink qi into their dantian.”
A young man with an obviously good background sneered at the struggling orphans.
His spiritual roots had already manifested. If not for the sudden change in the selection process, how could he have ended up competing alongside these people?
Fortunately, the Ascending Cloud Stairway was indeed filled with spiritual qi. With every breath, he could feel it flowing into him and strengthening his body.
He could hardly imagine the resources and opportunities that awaited him if he entered Miao Xuan Sect.
[Fu Yuan, arrogant temperament, minus one point.]
What Fu Yuan didn’t know was that his condescending remark had already cost him a point.
‘Sink qi into the dantian.’
Meanwhile, Qi Hanzhou frowned as he contemplated the meaning of these words, trying to sense the so-called “qi” around him.]]
At that moment, it wasn’t just Qi Hanzhou in the book pondering this phrase, outside the book, countless interstellar readers were just as bewildered.
What did it really mean to sink qi into the dantian?
[Hold on, so if I focus my breath into my dantian, I can sense the qi around me, and once I sense it, I can control it, and once I control it, I can use spiritual power to soar through the skies and manipulate the universe itself… But seriously, what does “focus breath into the dantian” actually mean?]
[Is it just deep breathing? I already instinctively tightened my abdomen, but why can’t I feel anything? Damn it, do I not have spiritual roots?!]
[This is urgent, really urgent! If I don’t figure this out, I won’t be able to sleep tonight! You have no idea how tempting the idea of using cultivation to stay youthful and have flawless skin is…]
Readers who had the means were already flipping through books and searching for information in a frenzy.
Maybe it was the way the author, Fish Soup Noodles, had described everything in such detail and used so many precise terms that made the entire concept feel oddly… practical.
Do this first, then that, then this and that… and eventually, you’ll become immortal and forever beautiful!
Although if Yu Mian was asked to explain it, he would only nod and say it’s normal for everyone to have such doubts.
When reading wuxia (martial arts) novels on earth, who hadn’t wondered what “sink qi into the dantian” actually meant? Or where exactly the acupoints for the legendary “Sunflower Acupoint Striking Technique” were located?
Yes, the books described it all in vivid detail but the moment you tried it yourself, you were completely lost.
Wait a second… you all aren’t seriously trying to figure it out, are you?
