[Passerby A], [Minor Character], [Follower], [Immortal Attendant], [Clever].

Several tags floated above the Immortal Attendant’s head.

“Madame Immortal Venerable, what’s wrong?” The Immortal Attendant looked puzzled as they followed Shen Qixi’s gaze upward.

“Can’t you see it?”

The Immortal Attendant was bewildered and felt a chill run down their spine. “See what?”

“Never mind.” Shen Qixi quickly replied to the Immortal Attendant.

[Only the host can see the system panel and related information.]

The Immortal Attendant thought that Madame Immortal Venerable must be terribly frightened right now—it was only natural for her to act a little strange.

“Passerby A, minor character… I want to know, does this mean the people in this world are categorized into hierarchies in your eyes?” Shen Qixi asked the system.

[This world is a scripted world, telling the story of how Immortal Venerable Rong Xueci achieves the Great Dao and saves all living beings.]

Shen Qixi’s heart skipped a beat.

She was a cannon fodder character.

Rong Xueci was the protagonist.

The contrast between them was as vast as the heavens and the earth.

“Is this entire world revolving around Rong Xueci?”

Even the creator of this world loved Rong Xueci.

[Correct. Whether it’s Rong Xueci taking a wife or the death of his wife, it’s all to help him grow.]

The meaning of her existence was to serve as a foil for Rong Xueci.

A sharp pain pierced Shen Qixi’s heart.

[But now you’re bound to this system! This system will do its utmost to help you avoid an early death.]

“Thank you,” Shen Qixi said gently in her heart.

[Hehe, no need to thank me. It’s what this system should do.]

“Madame Immortal Venerable, let’s regroup with the other disciples of Beichen Sect first,” the Immortal Attendant said, surveying their surroundings with urgency.

[Ding. Side quest activated: Successfully locate and rescue the lost disciples of Beichen Sect, earning their recognition. Reward: Level +1.]

Once she reached Level 10, she could break through Qi Refinement and become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Shen Qixi pondered.

But how could she complete this quest without arousing suspicion?

By relying on system tools? The items she currently possessed were limited, and she didn’t know the situation of the Beichen Sect disciples—she’d have to assess things on-site before taking further action.

Use the magical treasures in her storage ring?

However, her cultivation level was too low to wield high-tier treasures.

The power of ordinary treasures likely wouldn’t be of much help.

Shen Qixi found it somewhat amusing. What was the point of Rong Xueci preparing so many treasures for her? Most of them were unusable.

Rong Xueci had never carefully considered the pressure she would face carrying so many top-grade magical artifacts she couldn’t control.

She couldn’t blame Rong Xueci—he had already been very good to her, willing to share all kinds of high-tier resources with her.

It was just that she and Rong Xueci weren’t suited for each other.

After some thought, Shen Qixi decided not to use the treasures in her storage ring.

“Can you guide me to the other Beichen Sect disciples?”

[Of course.]

Finding the Beichen Sect disciples wasn’t the hard part.

The challenge was figuring out how to rescue them.

“I know where the other disciples are,” Shen Qixi said to the anxious Immortal Attendant.

“How would you know?” The Immortal Attendant was surprised.

Without changing her expression, Shen Qixi replied, “I ran into them earlier, but the situation was critical, so I couldn’t regroup with them. I know their general direction, though I’m not sure if they’re still there.”

The Immortal Attendant figured it was worth a shot and followed Shen Qixi’s directions to search.

After a while, they indeed heard the voices of Beichen Sect disciples.

The Immortal Attendant was astonished.

The Fusheng Scroll Secret Realm was in chaos, shrouded in mist everywhere. Even if someone had been to a certain location before, it didn’t mean they could find their way back.

Yet Madame Immortal Venerable had pinpointed the location so accurately and found them.

The Immortal Attendant looked at Shen Qixi and suddenly realized she didn’t seem like a frightened, helpless mortal at all—instead, she appeared remarkably composed.

Madame Immortal Venerable didn’t seem like such a timid person after all.

[Side quest progress: Successfully located the Beichen Sect disciples.]

Next came the rescue.

Shen Qixi looked over and saw the Beichen Sect disciples locked in battle with a three-headed serpent demon.

The uniformed disciples formed a defensive array, cooperating with each other, but they were struggling and had already suffered injuries.

“Oh no, it’s a Mirage Sea Serpent,” the Immortal Attendant said, as if facing a great enemy. “Why is it here?”

[Mirage Sea Serpent, a demonic creature that evolves by feeding on human fear. Each time it evolves, it grows a new head. A three-headed Mirage Sea Serpent is comparable to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.]

“The disciples probably can’t hold on much longer,” the Immortal Attendant summoned their magical artifact. “I can only stall the serpent for a while. Madame Immortal Venerable, you should hide quickly.”

The Immortal Attendant swiftly joined the battle.

Shen Qixi observed the situation. With the Immortal Attendant’s help, the Beichen Sect disciples caught their breath, relieved, and attempted to retreat. But at that moment, a dark mist erupted from the Mirage Sea Serpent’s body.

“The serpent is about to evolve—run!”

Before encountering the Beichen Sect disciples, the Mirage Sea Serpent had already crossed paths with many cultivators in the secret realm, absorbing enough fear and negative emotions from them.

With a sickening crunch, a fourth head sprouted from the serpent’s body.

The serpent swung its tail, sending the Immortal Attendant and the Beichen Sect disciples crashing to the ground.

“Are we really going to die here?” one of the disciples said fearfully.

Their cultivation levels weren’t particularly high—they were all junior disciples who had come to the secret realm for training. What was supposed to be a safe excursion under the protection of their leader had turned into a nightmare. Their leader, Zhao Zhuorui, had gone missing, separating from them, and now they were facing a demonic beast that even the Immortal Attendant of Elder Kongling couldn’t handle. There was no way they could defeat an evolved Mirage Sea Serpent.

“Is there someone over there?”

Suddenly, one of the disciples spoke up.

“Maybe we can ask for their help!”

The Immortal Attendant sighed helplessly. “That’s Madame Immortal Venerable. Don’t draw the serpent’s attention to her.”

Hearing this, the disciples’ hearts sank.

If even they couldn’t handle this demonic beast, how could Madame Immortal Venerable—a mere mortal—possibly stand a chance?

Fear spread, and what was even more despairing was that the Mirage Sea Serpent grew stronger in such an atmosphere of terror, its body hardening and its attacks becoming more ferocious.

The Immortal Attendant and the disciples struggled to hold their ground, knowing they couldn’t afford to prolong the fight. They tried to retreat, but the serpent was cunning, cutting off their escape routes.

Shen Qixi focused intently on the battlefield. She couldn’t act recklessly.

The best tool she could use now was the [Temporary Power Card].

Her cultivation level could temporarily match the Immortal Attendant’s, but the card had a time limit. Since the Immortal Attendant’s strength wasn’t enough to overpower the serpent, she had to seize the perfect opportunity—otherwise, she’d be killed the moment the card’s effect wore off.

“This has to be a conspiracy! Someone deliberately set up this demonic beast to slaughter cultivators. We have to survive and report what’s happening in this secret realm!” the Immortal Attendant shouted, urging the disciples not to lose heart.

Gritting their teeth, the disciples mustered their last reserves of strength to resist.

But even though the serpent was injured, they couldn’t deliver any more attacks—their spiritual energy and stamina were completely drained.

Another wave of dark mist burst from the serpent’s body.

“How is it evolving this fast?!” the Immortal Attendant exclaimed in horror.

Meanwhile, Shen Qixi took a deep breath.

She had no choice but to gamble. She couldn’t let the serpent evolve again.

“Activate the [Temporary Power Card].”

Just as the Mirage Sea Serpent was reveling in its impending evolution, it suddenly sensed an overwhelming, terrifying pressure.

The next moment, a woman appeared in mid-air right before it.

How had it not sensed her?!

The serpent prepared to attack, but in the blink of an eye—its consciousness vanished.

A single strike. Instant annihilation.

To conceal the system’s involvement, Shen Qixi wielded a sword, planning to later explain it away as a special protective artifact. Her blade traced a graceful arc through the air, its edge gleaming coldly.

A soft blue light—symbolizing her water spiritual root—rippled outward, misty and damp.

Shen Qixi was stunned inwardly.

This was far beyond the Immortal Attendant’s cultivation level.

As the radiance faded, she landed gracefully on the ground.

“What…?” The Beichen Sect disciples stared at the woman who had slain the serpent, completely dumbfounded.

“Madame Immortal Venerable?!” The Immortal Attendant rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

[Side Quest Progress: Successfully rescued the Beichen Sect disciples and earned their recognition.]

[Additional Progress: Earned the recognition of Elder Kongling’s Immortal Attendant.]

[Rewards Distributed: Level +1. Considering additional progress, bonus reward: Universal Breakthrough Pill x1 (Guaranteed breakthrough, regardless of spiritual root or talent.)]

[Golden Temporary Power Card has been consumed. Cultivation temporarily matched: Rong Xueci.]

In the secret realm’s air, a rift suddenly appeared. A pale, ice-cold hand reached out and tore it open.

“Madame.”

Rong Xueci’s brow furrowed as he appeared beside Shen Qixi, gripping her wrist tightly. His fingers trembled slightly, betraying his worry.