Su Jing sighed as she gazed at the sea of clouds, lamenting her unfortunate circumstances. 

She had battled illusions within a sea of knowledge and ended up stranded at the foothill, while the real deal of stairs was just in a straight line towards the peak. As simple as that. 

This almost made her want to vomit blood. Her days of suffering could have been just a casual hike up the mountain. 

However, even though she was such a victim, the fault was still hers for forcibly entering the ghost sea of knowledge!

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

She now knew why the ghost was so baffled by her sudden appearance - after all, she now knew the cultivation basics.

A sea of knowledge is one of the most delicate places a cultivator has, being extremely sensitive to external harm. Su Jing, intentionally or not, could have terribly harmed him. That was why he kept hovering around her - numbering and everything. Practically she was in his mind!

Now that Su Jing thinks about it, it's surprising how he even left her to leave alive. Cultivators usually instantly killed the threats that touched their sea of knowledge.

But the ghost, contrary to that, even saved her when entering his memory, being passive and finding the mood to joke with her. 

Probably, as a ghost, he didn't feel challenged by her? Su Jing couldn't understand how things worked for him. Or maybe, since he was a cultivator trapped for so long between the realms, he didn't feel the need to fight anymore.

In the end, he still "died", trapped in the bead. His sea of knowledge was destroyed, meaning that his mind was also unstable.

The fan and the dagger from him were the only things that remained, but Su Jing couldn't say for sure till she didn't see him wake up again.

Dead or not, he looked like he had immense luck when it came to finding ways to shoot himself in the head. Was this his prédisposition as the cannon fodder?

Now that she sees the reality of being forced by the story plot to follow a pattern, she is thankful that she doesn't have any important role. 

She would have died in the first few minutes. Cool counterattack villainesses or a second female lead who steals the attention of the female lead? Now that she is for real in the position of a transmigrate, she feels things to be thousands of times harder.

She needs to survive first.

Biting her nails in contemplation, Su Jing pressed on, ascending the massive stairs.

Upon reaching the summit, she was greeted by a simple paifang gate, its appearance weathered and rusty. 

Since no one was in the surrounding area, Su Jing thought that maybe a teleportation formation or something similar was present.

So to ensure her safety, she picked up a rock from the ground and hurled it towards the gate, anxiously awaiting the outcome.

The stone vanished in the blink of an eye.

That made her a bit apprehensive. However, what was she expecting? It teleported!

Summoning her courage, Su Jing stepped through the gate.

Su Jing squeezed her eyes shut briefly, overwhelmed by a sudden dizziness. Gradually, her perception sharpened, and the noise of the surroundings became more distinct.

Till the one and only immortal realm showed up before her.

Even the air had a different allure from the one in the mortal realm, making Su Jing's body feel refreshed.

Curiosity piqued, she ventured further and found herself amid a bustling marketplace. Lightly clothed cultivators strolled by, their movements graceful and fluid. 

As she approached the crowd of people, she looked at them closely, amazed by their intricate swords, bows or any other type of otherworldly weapon. 

Some of these cultivators were even effortlessly soaring through the skies on their swords, defying gravity itself.

She also saw cute or intimidating beasts accompanying a few of them, having the full package of a fantasy world. 

Although Su Jing was not in the best situation, she couldn't help but feel a tint of excitement towards this new magical realm.

As she walked further among the different stalls and vendors, she noticed that no one appeared surprised by her sudden arrival. It was a daily matter for cultivators to go and come from the mortal world.

"Where can I go..."

Su Jing's initial problem of not being accepted by the sect resurfaced. She looked left and right to find some classic opportunities, like maybe other sects putting stands for leftover rejected disciples. But Su Jing didn't see any of that, making her slightly disoriented.

She thought again about her only cheat - the story. 

Feng Zhihao didn't remain in this marketplace for long. She went on a dangerous way through a forest - to train herself by fighting demon beasts and to ensure she was not followed by her sister's assassins.

She also searched for medicinal plants, putting her knowledge to use so she could mend and cleanse her blocked meridians - doing that in the most dangerous of places.

Su Jing couldn't go after her since the first beast she would encounter would also be the one that gets to eat her. Feng Zhihao possessed formidable fighting abilities. Su Jing couldn't recklessly follow in her footsteps, understanding they were fundamentally different.

She needed to find another way to live in the next few days. 

"Of course, I don't get that kind of luck!"

Her lack of funds complicated matters, and finding a place to stay became a pressing concern. Sleeping on the streets was not an option either, as she was well aware of the potential dangers that lurked beneath the beauty of this realm.

The issue of accommodations had been on her mind as she climbed the stairs, and she had decided to follow a sect—whichever was closest and most accessible. It might not be the best option out there, but it would provide her, at least, some protection and shelter.

Tianhui Sect, the one she encountered, was renowned as the most prestigious sect in the realm. However, considering her rejection, Su Jing doubted they would reconsider accepting her. 

Moreover, recent events have cast a shadow of uncertainty over the sect's future, especially with the female lead's involvement.

Why is that?

Because they shoot themselves in the foot by angering Feng Zhihao.

This, of course, happened much later in the story, but it was an undeniable fact.

The female lead transformed as she cultivated, adopting a new image, name, and the nickname "Miracle Doctor".

No one knew her as Miss Feng from the mortal realm anymore; she was Zhihao, a simple woman and secretly a miracle doctor. 

After fateful encounters, Feng Zhihao decided to take refuge in the Mingshen Sect—an old medical sect that had waned in influence over the years. They welcomed disciples without strict requirements, merely 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 Tianhui Sect done to earn her ire?

Tianhui was where her main enemies resided—her third older sister and former fiancé - the ones who had betrayed her.

By the end of their story arc, in order to bring closure to her past life, Feng Zhihao had made certain to uproot them along with the entire sect.

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 Mingshen Sect. She wasn't naive. Simply aligning herself with this sect, without having to interact with Feng Zhihao, would ensure her well-being and keep her isolated from the power struggles among cultivators.

Unfortunately, Mingshen 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 more humid climate, somewhat isolated on the map.

She wasn't exactly familiar with the route either, and given her limited resources, it was simply out of reach.

Su Jing thought about her possibilities as she sat on a bench, isolated in the masses of bustling cultivators. 

Redirecting her sight towards the marketplace, she bit her lip, now with no other choice.

She had to find a place to work.

Su Jing felt anxious to talk to the vendors, feeling she would not be enough in their eyes. She looked homeless with her dirty clothes, after all.

Biting her tongue to encourage herself, she went into the masses of people, first directed to the shop of spiritual beasts. The man who supervised them was bulky, making Su Jing scared when he looked towards her.

" What do you want? Scram if you only want to cause trouble!"

Su Jing made a respectful bow, her heart beating powerfully. This uncle was a bit harsh with his words.

"My apologies, uncle, I-"

"Didn't you hear me? Scram away already!"

He didn't look like he had the patience to listen to her.

Su Jing retracted, not having any choice but to move away from him.

Fidgeting her fingers and trying to calm down Su Jing pressed on, not observing how one of the cultivators started to peek curiously after her. 

The next place she went to was a restaurant. 

The ambience was pleasing. All the tables were full, showing Su Jing that this place needed workers. 

As she walked through, she couldn't help but notice how these meals and drinks were a bit strange up close.

A cultivator was eating a seemingly spicy meal, starting to spitfire the next moment Su Jing bypassed him. 

What type of food was this?

Su Jing tried to ignore the other weird reactions of the clients, trying to reach the local boss.

"I'm sorry, dear client, we are full bucket and can't receive you here. If you are interested, we also offer takeaway food, covered in a protective Qi layer which will assure its freshness along your travels."

Su Jing was startled by the sudden waiter coming to her, his smiling business face giving her tremors. 

She made the same respectful bow like last time at the beast shop, making the man in front of her look at her confused.

"Greetings, I came here in the hope of getting the chance to work here. Do you know where your boss is? I would like to discuss this with him."

She looked then at the face of the waiter, awaiting his response.

He instead shook his head, still keeping his professionalism.

"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.

"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 it made Su Jing not know what to say, feeling like he was too unjustly rejecting her.

"But I can -"

He put a finger up in the air, signalling her to shut up.

"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 since her meridians never touched Qi energy. 

The sound of the door opening again made the waiter not have time to stay with her too much, making Su Jing understand that she needed to leave.

"Thank you anyway, senior. "

The waiter only nodded towards her, moving towards the man and woman who just entered. They both had two massive hats on their heads, making it difficult to distinguish their traits.

Su Jing bypassed them, but her legs suddenly tangled in something - making her almost fall. 

She looked in the back and saw the two hidden cultivators, the object on which she tripped over being the cane of one of them.

"I'm sorry, my mistake."

She bowed slightly in front of them, trying to apologise. These two looked way too odd for her to want to make enemies.

The woman seemed to not put her in her eyes, while the man responded to her apologies, being also the one who had the cane.

"Fellow cultivator shouldn't worry. It was also my fault for not keeping it close to me."

Su Jing was taken aback by the man's faint voice. He was surprisingly a young man!

She wondered why someone his age would be using a cane, but she kept her curiosity to herself and saluted him again before heading towards the exit. As she left, she noticed the woman looking at her with a confused expression. 

This made Su Jing feel uneasy, and she quickly ran into the crowd of people, unsure if the woman's strange look was just her imagination.

"I'm seeing things now. Why would they even be interested in me?"

Su Jing went after that to each place she encountered, feeling an urgency. She didn't like to be so open and vulnerable.

However, as if life was putting all odds against her, no one appeared interested in hiring her - bringing the same excuse.

"You don't have qi energy."

Su Jing sighed, hugging her knees as she sat beside a willow tree.

Although she had anticipated that her journey in this new realm wouldn't be easy, her lack of cultivation abilities posed an even greater challenge than she had imagined.

Cultivators hated mortals, especially those who came unprepared here in the realm. So they disregarded her since most jobs required a mastery of Qi energy - a skill completely beyond her reach.

Su Jing tried just now to cultivate like how she remembered in the original novel - but even though she knew Feng Zhihao's methods, it wasn't working for her. 

When you're trying to cultivate anyone could attack you - so she gave up on that idea because she didn't want to get hurt.

Su Jing found herself caressing the bead in her pocket as if searching for a sign of support and guidance. The ghost still went unresponsive, but the slight vibration on her skin made her conscious of his presence - in a way or another.

It seems helping him will be a lot harder. She just hoped to not complicate his situation.

Su Jing rose to her feet and went closer to the nearby river, her intention to freshen up. However, she held back from the idea of a full bath, as this area seemed too close to town. She didn't want to draw unnecessary attention.

As she kneeled and approached her hand towards the lake, the first thing Su Jing saw was a pair of grey eyes and the waves of her unruly brown hair that enveloped a messy white face full of wounds.

This was the clearest reflection of herself she had seen since arriving in this world.

While Su Jing might not have considered herself a country's top beauty, she still found comfort in her face and body.

In a realm where power and beauty often went hand in hand, Su Jing knew she could not possess the stunning allure of characters like Feng Zhihao or other female or male leads.

Amidst her complex thoughts, Su Jing washed her hands and face, allowing the cool water to run over her skin. She even ran her fingers through her hair, giving it a light rinse, and then playfully splashed the water, creating tiny ripples.

However, she couldn't help but notice how some ripples were heading towards her, not in the opposite direction. 

Su Jing quickly got to her feet and scanned her surroundings.

"Stop it, Wen'er, before I shove that damn rock of yours down your throat."

Su Jing turned her attention towards the voice and spotted two individuals. A girl stood in the middle of the closest covered bridge, diligently playing a pipa lute.

On the other hand, the man was positioned below the bridge, staying above the water's surface. He seemed to ignore the girl, leaning over and casually throwing stones across the water's surface.

Each stone disappeared into the water, the little waves reaching Su Jing.

Hidden among the leaves, she continued to observe the pair.

The woman, still adjusting the cords of her pipa, let out an exasperated sigh, her beautiful black hair fluttering in the air. She looked annoyed that the man wasn't responding to her.

"Are you a kid? Stop angering me and come here. Yating's performance starts soon, and we'll be late if we stay here too long."

The man, however, lay on his back on the water, arms crossed.

Su Jing listened as the girl's voice grew more insistent. She leaned over the bridge's rail and glared down at him.

"Yawen, stop it before I come down and carry you here myself. I'm not in the mood for your antics today."

The man didn't appear to be swayed by her words, maintaining his frustrated demeanour.

"Come on, senior sister, we have some time before Yating's show starts. You can go alone if you are so anxious..."

Su Jing watched how he threw another rock, getting closer to her position.

The splashes wet her clothes, making her accidentally step on a few branches. Su Jing trembled at the noise she made, fearing she may have been seen. 

So she hid better in the bushes, seeing how the woman descended from the bridge and headed toward Yawen, who was still staying above the water.

"Yawen, for Heaven's sake, stop it. You'll get hurt."

She floated beside him, the two looking like a pair of fairies. She started to pull the man from there, but he didn't look like wanting to move, staying inert there.

"Zhu'er, just listen to me and wait a bit more."

He suddenly stopped, looking confused around his surroundings. 

What happened?

Su Jing got confused by his behaviour, thinking that maybe something or someone else entered the scene.

She looked more attentively trying to see a way out, however, just when she did this, she somehow made visual contact with him.

"..."

Her heart went in her neck from fear.

He saw me!

As Su Jing turned around, she quickly ran through the tall plants. Yawen attempted to get up and chase after her, but this only made her run even faster. 

Su Jing tried to move stealthily like a dwarf desperate to escape. When Yawen attempted to shout after her, she noticed the woman standing in front of him, guarding him like a mother hen protects her chicks.

"Whoever you are, you better go out!"

Su Jing watched as the girl took Yawen's rocks, her slender fingers wrapping around them.

...?

Without warning, she unleashed a powerful throw towards Su Jing, sending the stone hurtling above the river's surface. 

The stone struck the water with such force that it created a thundering splash and multiple ripples, completely shattering the peaceful atmosphere from before.

"Senior sister, wait! Don't!"

Yawen's eyes widened in surprise as he was caught off guard by the unexpected acts of his senior sister. The stone he had been about to toss fell from his hand as he instinctively shielded himself from the water.