
Su Jing sighed. It had been several hours since she started climbing the mountain again.
The view was clearer now, and the mist had dissipated. Su Jing could see the forest she had passed through earlier with the other mortals. On the other side, a faint blue shade appeared near the horizon, indicating that this mountain was near a sea.
These things couldn't be seen before because of the mist.
But what struck her the most was what she didn't see—no people, no animals. The path was eerily silent, so still, it almost unsettled her. The emptiness made Su Jing wonder if she had been unconscious far longer than she had realised. Or was this because of Feng Zhi Hao's heirloom? She had, after all, purified that inner demon fog!
But the mountain wasn't this clear even in the story! It almost felt like something sucked the life out of this mountain.
No one hurt her since she stood hidden, but she was still a mortal either way. Her stomach hurt, so she swallowed the berries from her pockets. Those did not taste good since they were dry and almost mouldy.
Su Jing could only bite her lip, and she did not have many food options. She would maybe find something in the immortal realm.
Feng Zhi Hao found that entrance, so it was there somewhere for sure! She just needed to hold on and keep going.
Su Jing's self-motivation seemed to not be for nothing as she gradually saw a change in the aspect of the staircase. They grew wider until she arrived at an elegant platform with only a simple paifang gate*.
Its weathered and dusty appearance did not remind Su Jing of the immortal realm, and for a second, she got scared that things weren't as simple as she thought.
Once she arrived at the summit, Feng Zhi Hao encountered an elegant, beautiful array mended with colourful spiritual stones. She stepped on it, and with that, she teleported to the immortal realm.
That was it. So why does Su Jing have a gate? Where is her array?
This sudden problem made her kneel on the ground, tired from her long hours of climbing. As much as she understood the rules of this world, Su Jing's mood still plummeted. Feng Zhi Hao was making the world revolve around her, so it wasn't strange that Su Jing couldn't do it the same way as she did.
The gate looked like it could fall anytime with a touch. The roof was broken, and even the plate's writing was smudged. Su Jing couldn't understand what was written.
Su Jing had no choice but to approach the gate. Although hesitant about touching it, she stepped through it with her palms close, feeling as if water had washed her body.
Su Jing squeezed her eyes shut briefly, overwhelmed by dizziness. Gradually, her perception sharpened, and the strange noise of the surroundings became more distinct.
Only to find the same view when she opened her eyes.
Her heart sank to her stomach.
Su Jing desperately tried repeatedly but remained on the mountain each time. It was as if she had been bounced back just before reaching the other side!
The gate even broke one of its tiles, making it fall on Su Jing's head.
"Ugh, it hurts!"
She gazed towards the gate, wanting to make it fall for real!
Su Jing rose and searched around, but her slight hope of finding another path quickly faded as she realised this was the end of the stairs. It was strange, especially considering that Feng Zhihao described the path differently when she had almost reached the array—the array was supposed to be in an open area near the peak, where one could see the vast sea of clouds.
Instead, jagged rocks surrounded this place. The sea of clouds was nowhere to be seen, and the surrounding peaks towered even higher than the one Su Jing stood on.
Su Jing had expected to follow the same route but ended up somewhere entirely different. Hah, it seemed she had indeed taken another path altogether! For a brief moment, she considered turning back and searching for a side trail, but she knew she couldn't leave just yet.
Back in front of the gate, she sighed.
Maybe she needed to do something. This paifang gate should have a use for being here.
To put spiritual Qi? As much as Su Jing wanted, she had no idea how to cultivate. Of course, she had a basic idea of how Feng Zhi Hao and other characters cultivated, but that took a lot of work to apply in reality! Moreover, she had a weak constitution!
She needed a cultivation book or a master to teach her the correct method.
However, this situation called towards desperate measures. Su Jing couldn't just stay and do nothing.
She put her body down in a lotus position, the classic of cultivation stories, and tried to meditate. Usually, that was the quickest way for characters to become powerful—the mighty and chosen by heaven ones, if she were to add. That's why Su Jing did not feel anything, no matter how much she tried. Her scattered thoughts made it difficult to achieve the clarity needed to perceive Spiritual Qi.
She took deep breaths, regretting she hadn't learned her root results at the disciple selection. The master had said she forced her roots, which meant she had some cultivation inclination that she used already. But what kind? Was she a four-root? A five-root?
Certainly, they weren't impressive enough since the sect rejected her.
The wind grazed her skin, a gentle reminder to concentrate. Su Jing tried once more to steady her thoughts, and gradually, a cold embrace enveloped her body.
She attempted to focus on the gate, but the sensation pulled her away from the world, making her oblivious even to the wind. Strangely, it felt comforting.
Did she succeed in meditating? Su Jing's face hardened as a sense of heaviness settled over her limbs, dragging her deeper into the trance. Because of that, her eyelashes trembled, and as a sliver of light crept in, Su Jing's heart pounded wildly.
Out of nowhere, a shadow thrust a hand directly into her face. Fear surged through her as she bent backwards, desperately raising her arms to shield herself. She tried to assess the situation, but she couldn't see anyone!
Suddenly, the illusion solidified, and Su Jing felt a real hand wrap around her neck. Gasping for air, she fought against the suffocating pressure, her struggles growing weaker by the second. A strange darkness overtook the corner of her eyes.
With her last ounce of strength, Su Jing raised her bloody hand and swung it wildly in the air. With that, Su Jing felt her fingers brush against something like another human body, but it disappeared as fast as she thought it. She gazed and was surprised to see - that damn black fog!
Why was this thing still here? Didn't Feng Zhihao destroy it?
Once she saw it, the grip around her neck loosened, allowing her to break free. However, the sudden release sent her tumbling backwards, crashing through the falling gate. Tiles rained down around her, and the pillars swayed dangerously, threatening to crumble at any moment.
She coughed in pain, touching with her hand the painful area around her neck. Ever since entering the mountain, she found the fog weird but never considered it more than a trail of powerful Qi Energy. It disappeared after Feng Zhi Hao left, as her cheat heirloom destroyed it. So what was she seeing now? It was too real to be a mere memory left by the original body!
Su Jing wanted to cry! Her death now seemed to be threatened by a random evil entity!
The fog rumbled and condensed, signalling to Su Jing that it wanted to attack her again. With adrenaline driving her forward, she slipped, trying to rise to her feet and escape through the gate. It was the only way for her to escape alive from this monster!
As the roof showed signs of collapse, Su Jing made a desperate leap with her body, refusing to let this fog trap her in this realm. She felt the familiar sensation of the energy swirling around her, and simultaneously, her calves and hands became entangled with the black fog as if it were trying to anchor her in place.
Closing her eyes tightly, Su Jing summoned every ounce of strength and determination she had left. With a final, desperate push, she forced her body through the barrier. The gate crashed down behind her as the light slowly faded from her eyes.
.
When Su Jing regained consciousness, she first noticed the dirt spreading across her face. Lying on her stomach, she felt painful and uncomfortable, and the dirt grazed her skin.
Her nostrils were filled with warm, rich air, a change from the harsh, cold air she had become used to on the mountain. Su Jing felt so good taking in this air that she opened her mouth and took deep breaths, feeling it somehow calm her painfully beating heart.
She passed through the gate.
This realisation hit her mind, and excitedly, she opened her eyes to look around, even though the sky's light felt too harsh for her eyeballs. Slowly putting her hand over her face, the landscape got a frame, and Su Jing gasped when she saw the immortal realm she desperately tried to get into so much.
Sparkly colours, flying people, and gorgeous birds filled up the painting before her with sparkly colours, flying people, and gorgeous birds, totally different from the dull mortal realm. The female cultivators' pretty flowing dresses made them resemble fairies, and the men's proud demeanours made them stand out in the crowd.
Su Jing got so overwhelmed she did not know where to look first. Still kneeling, her awareness slowly awakened as curious stares started to be directed towards her. Some people laughed as they pointed towards her, and Su Jing's fantasy slowly ripped as she realised her face was still dirt-filled.
Embarrassed, she wiped herself with her sleeves, leaving messy spots imprinted on the fabric. Once she had arranged herself, Su Jing got up.
Behind her was the view of a bustling street, the same thing as in front. No wonder people gave her weird looks - she was lying in the street! Anxious, she glanced around, not knowing in which direction to go.
This was different from the place described by Feng Zhi Hao once reaching the immortal realm. She teleported into a forest - not even close to a crowded city of people!
Feng Zhi Hao had to protect herself by fighting demon beasts, and many events were happening, making her evolve in power. She also searched for medicinal plants, using her knowledge to mend and cleanse her blocked meridians—doing that in the most dangerous of places.
Su Jing walked down the street through the people, not recognising which place was this. After all, Su Jing had used a different array, so it was no surprise it sent her elsewhere. It was better since, like this, Su Jing had escaped the worry of fighting her way through the forest. Still, this place was unknown to her, which was a problem.
That fog or that monster also sent tremors down Su Jing's spine when she recalled her escape. Her neck still ached, and she had a slight difficulty moving her head. She was bound to die there if she hadn't had the chance to teleport.
Feng Zhi Hao fled because, yes, she plotted armour with her magical heirloom, but Su Jing did not seem so lucky since she had to get head-on with the part that remained unpurified.
Either way, she escaped it and shouldn't have to encounter it anymore. She will never go towards that mortal realm again - since she already left it with difficulty.
Su Jing's initial problem of not being accepted by the sect resurfaced. She looked left and right for classic opportunities, like other sects putting stands for leftover rejected disciples. But Su Jing didn't see any of that.
She needed to find another way to live in the next few days.
Her lack of funds complicated matters, and sleeping on the streets was not an option, as she knew the dangers lurking beneath this realm's beauty.
The only option was for her to follow a sect—whichever was closest and most accessible. Although this might not be the best option, it would provide her with at least some protection and shelter.
The Heavenly Clouds Sect, which she encountered in the mortal realm at the root testing, was renowned as one of the most prestigious sects. However, considering her rejection, Su Jing doubted they would reconsider accepting her even as a low outer disciple.
Moreover, the sect's future wouldn't be so stable, especially with the involvement of the female lead.
The female lead transformed as she cultivated, adopting a new image, name, and nickname: "Miracle Doctor." No one knew her as Young Miss Feng from the mortal realm anymore; she was Zhi Hao, a simple cultivator and secretly a miracle doctor.
After fateful encounters, Feng Zhi Hao took refuge in the Medical Sun Sect, an old medical sect that had waned in influence over the years. The sect welcomed disciples without strict requirements, seeking individuals wanting to learn.
The sect's warm reception and the genuine personalities of its members endeared the female lead to their cause. She made it her mission to protect them and help the sect thrive - while secretly preparing herself for the ultimate confrontation with her enemies.
So, what had Heavenly Clouds Sect done to earn her ire?
Heavenly Clouds Sect was where her main enemies—her older sister and former fiancé —who had betrayed her resided. By the end of their story arc, Feng Zhi Hao had made sure they would be uprooted along with the entire sect to bring closure to her past life.
She was the female lead, after all! What can't she do?
For Su Jing, the logical and obvious choice was to head to the Medical Sun Sect. She wasn't naive. Aligning herself with this sect without interacting with Feng Zhi Hao would ensure her well-being and keep her isolated from the power struggles among cultivators.
Unfortunately, Medical Sun Sect was too far away for Su Jing to reach in just a few hours or days. It was located in a distant southern region with a warmer and humid climate, somewhat isolated on the map. She wasn't exactly familiar with the route either, and given her limited resources and unknown location, it was simply out of reach.
Su Jing sighed, her head hurting. She would have wanted to drink a bit of Bai Xiu Ying's healing elixir but was scared of carelessly showing it around. She was weak, and anybody could easily take it away if she weren't careful. She also knew how precious the medicine from the Moon Medical Sect was.
As she ventured further down the street, lightly clothed cultivators strolled by, their movements graceful and fluid. She looked at them closely, amazed by their otherworldly weapons. Some of these cultivators even effortlessly soared through the skies on their blades, defying gravity itself.
Redirecting her gaze towards the bustling marketplace, she bit her lip, acknowledging the inevitable. With no other options, she knew she had to secure a job to afford food and a place to sleep. Moreover, she needed to gather information about her current location and locate potential small sects that might offer her refuge.
Su Jing felt anxious about talking to the vendors, knowing she looked homeless with dirty clothes. As she approached some cultivators, they threateningly looked towards her, far from the kind regard Bai Xiu Ying gave her.
Su Jing could only keep trying.
"My apologies, dear client, but our restaurant does not need workers. The only thing I can do for you is serve you food or accompany you out of this place if you aren't thinking of buying anything."
Su Jing put her palm on the back of her neck, feeling embarrassed. She tried asking for workers in a busy restaurant, but the waiter looked down on her the whole time.
"But couldn't there be even a small place for me? I can do anything. I only wish for a place to sleep this night."
The man still shook his head, not giving in.
"We don't take mortals."
His way of phrasing made Su Jing not know what to say, and he felt like he was unjustly rejecting her.
"Dear client, please understand that cultivation is a must to live in this realm. Keeping you here would only slow down our business since all our things work only activated by energy Qi."
Su Jing stood silent as she indeed did not know how to use Qi Energy. The sound of the door opening again prevented the waiter from spending too much time with her, making Su Jing understand that she needed to leave.
"Thank you anyway, senior. "
The waiter only nodded towards her, moving towards the clients who just entered. Su Jing understood he was also commanding her to leave.
If only they would have accepted her pennies for a night's sleep in an inn, but cultivators did not use mortals' currencies.
Su Jing sighed. Although she had anticipated that her journey in this new realm would be challenging, her lack of cultivation abilities posed an even more significant challenge than she had imagined.
Su Jing bypassed the people who wanted to enter the restaurant and went towards the opposite side of the street. However, her stride was interrupted when her legs unexpectedly became entangled in something.
She looked in the back and saw a person sitting on the ground. The object on which she tripped over was the cane they seemed to use. A massive hat was on their head, making it difficult to distinguish their traits.
"My apologies, senior." She bowed slightly in front of them. They were silent and did not say anything, making Su Jing think that she had accidentally offended them.
Feeling awkward, Su Jing glanced around. She bowed again and tried to leave.
But as she turned her body, she was startled by a sudden "thump" nearby. She was surprised to see the person falling from his sitting position to lying down, seemingly unconscious. His cane fell from his hand and got near his body, its end reaching Su Jing's feet.
Her heart quickened as she knelt to retrieve the cane. It was crafted from a lightweight material, its surface smooth to the touch, and adorned with the rich hues of polished wood.
"Are you alright? Can you hear me?" Su Jing approached the person, touching them lightly on their back. They did not respond this time either.
Su Jing's heartbeat suddenly increased as she tried to move their body again.
They weren't responding.
Now Su Jing was panicking for real. She continued calling them and removing the hat veil from their faces to ensure they were alright.
Su Jing was taken aback as the hat lifted to discover a young man beneath it. Despite his handsome features, he appeared alarmingly frail and sickly. His complexion was ashen, and when she tentatively touched his hand, Su Jing recoiled at the heat radiating from his feverish body.
Gah, Su Jing felt she was the wrong person to be here. She wasn't a doctor, nor did she have medicinal knowledge. Feng Zhi Hao would have known what medicine to give him, but she wouldn't have the chance to reach this place.
Su Jing checked his breath with her finger near his nose and got worried as she felt his breath extremely weak.
Was he dying?!
SuJing tried shaking his body, but that was of no use.
"Senior, please wake up!"
She looked around for help, but Su Jing immediately seemed to be hit with people's indifference.
The man's condition seemed to worsen. Not having any other choice, Su Jing took the elixir she had carefully kept out of her pocket for later use, not knowing if this would be enough to help him.
She shook the liquid from the bottle's bottom, conflicted.
Either way, her consciousness would be prickled if she left a person dying!
Su Jing opened his mouth and carefully tried to swallow the medicine, her hand shaking when a few drops splattered.
When he showed no signs of swallowing, Su Jing's desperation drove her to gently massage his neck, angling his head slightly to prevent choking. A moment later, he began to cough, his lips tainted with blood.
Su Jing froze up when she saw that. Did she give him the wrong medicine? Why was he vomiting blood?
The man regained consciousness for a second. He looked towards Su Jing, his eyes not fully open.
"Senior sister?" His voice was faint, raspy.
Su Jing hesitated, unsure how to respond. Was he mistaking her for someone else? Before she could gather her thoughts, his head drooped once more.
"Wait, wait, wait, stay awake. I am not your senior sister."
Su Jing shook his head, but everything was for nothing. He seemed deep asleep.

So, is this like a transmigrator who will slowly remember her past life? Or amnesia??? I'm curious of the Mc.
Something like that. I'll have to re-edit the chapters sometimes to make the idea better understood. (Sorry, this chapter in special is an old version
)
And I'll explain this since it's not that much of a spoiler.
Su Jing doesn't remember her actual life in this realm, so you can count it as amnesia.
She'll eventually get aware of this world being a novel (soon, in the next chapters). However, she'll not remember her past life entirely.
That's because it's going against the world laws to look back into your past life. Su jing gets the idea she's from another world, but doesn't have detailed memories of It. (Just some images, very shallow, if you get what I mean)
The knowledge of the novel becomes her main backbone.
And about Feng Zhihao, well, she's a special case. Anyway, in the later part of this story I'll explain all this transmigration and past life stuffs.
If you have other questions, I am here to respond to them!
@Fuhua well, thank you. I think I shall read the rest without much question, unless there are errors found.
@Mershan27