Returning to the main hall at the peak of Mantra Peak, I saw all the disciples gathered in front of the hall. A young woman in bck robes was zily leaning on a chair.

  The legendary female protagonist, Shen Xibai, knelt in the disciple-master ritual, holding a teacup as she offered tea to her master, Xiao Che.

  Xiao Che smiled, took the teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.

  "From now on, you are a disciple of Mantra Peak. Rise quickly."

  She saw Ying Wuyou, who had just arrived at the entrance, and excitedly waved her hand.

  "Wuyou, I've taken in a new junior sister for you. I’m sure you’ll get along well."

  "Master..."

  Ying Wuyou wanted to say, "Like hell I will!" She didn’t want any new junior sister.

  But thinking about the potential tragic route and being criticized by everyone, she quickly reminded herself to be cautious with her words.

  "Your words are absolutely right. I’m very much looking forward to cultivating alongside my junior sister in the future, hahaha..."

  Her smile was uglier than a cry. Damn it, the worldlines had converged again. She couldn’t escape the nightmare of the female protagonist. The following developments were completely expected, and there was no room for luck.

  "From now on, you’ll personally guide Xibai in her cultivation. Teach her more about the ways of our immortal sect, and don’t let anyone bully her. I heard from other disciples that you helped her halfway up the mountain today, which is why I decided to let her follow you."

  "It was just a small effort."

  Though her face still wore a smile, her heart was shrouded in gloom. Her mind was filled with Bu Jingyun’s cssic line:

  —Don’t come any closer!

  (Bu Jingyun character from Chinese fiction)

  Even so, she could only watch helplessly as the female protagonist walked toward her, bringing with her the 114 bad endings reted to the senior sister, Ying Wuyou.

  The die was cast, and no amount of discomfort would change it. She could only face whatever came her way.

  Next, the task of arranging accommodations fell to Ying Wuyou, just like in the original plot. In the game, Ying Wuyou wasn’t so kind-hearted.

  Hearing that her master had taken in a second closed-door disciple, her jealousy exploded, and she deliberately assigned Shen Xibai the most remote and worst-conditioned dormitory.

  It was more of a storage room than a dormitory. Ying Wuyou ordered other junior disciples to clear out the junk inside and brought in a creaky old wooden bed that was originally meant to be firewood. The bedding and furniture were also of the poorest quality.

  Because she resented Shen Xibai for receiving her master’s special attention, she lied to her, saying that this was the standard for disciples with low spiritual roots. If she wasn’t happy, she could go back home and continue being the young dy of the Shen family.

  Thinking about her experiences at home, Shen Xibai chose to stay.

  The development of this worldline couldn’t possibly be the same as the original. Ying Wuyou pnned to be as gentle, generous, and proper as possible toward Shen Xibai without causing conflict, allowing her to live a happy and warm daily life (not).

  "Follow me. There are a few good empty rooms in the dormitory area. Some of my junior brothers and sisters couldn’t endure the hardships of cultivation and left recently. The rooms aren’t dirty, and they’re cleaned every week. If you see anything you like, take it. They didn’t bother to take much with them when they left."

  "Thank you, Senior Sister."

  "You’re welcome."

  Ying Wuyou showed her several rooms, but none seemed satisfactory.

  It wasn’t that Shen Xibai was dissatisfied; the problem y with Ying Wuyou.

  She was worried that broken windows or leaky roofs would leave a psychological scar on her junior sister, who was destined for greatness.

  She didn’t want to read in her autobiography something like, "On the 4th of November, 810 of the Myriad Laws Calendar, I moved into the dormitory arranged by my senior sister. She seemed to have a bias against me, deliberately assigning me a problematic room, which caused many troubles ter."

  She might have been a bit paranoid, but considering the senior sister’s tragic fate in the original story, so tragic that she couldn’t bear to read it a second time, being cautious wasn’t a bad thing.

  Finally, a dormitory previously occupied by a wealthy young dy became the chosen one.

  The room wasn’t remote, being close to the cafeteria and training grounds, just a ten-minute walk away. It was also near a mountain path, making transportation convenient. There was a well right in front of the door for easy water access. It was practically perfect.

  "You’ll stay here. How’s that?"

  "I don’t need such a good room... The previous ones were fine too. What if the other disciples think you’re favoring me?"

  "Let them think that. You’re the master’s closed-door disciple. How can they compare to you? Instead of worrying about what others think, you should start unpacking. Later, come with me to the cafeteria for dinner."

  "Alright, thank you, Senior Sister."

  Shen Xibai still had that meek and submissive look, making people want to bully her. If she had just a bit of rebellious spirit, she wouldn’t have suffered so many setbacks along the way.

  Ying Wuyou grew more frustrated the more she looked at her. She cupped Shen Xibai’s cheeks and lifted her chin.

  "From now on, you need to learn to hold your head up high. Always keeping your head down and hunching your back makes people think you’re easy to bully. The most important thing for a cultivator is their spirit. From now on, hold your head high like I do."

  Such an intimate gesture between two people who had just met might make others think they were a couple.

  The Formless Sect didn’t oppose pure or impure retionships between disciples, and the gender of the partner was entirely free. It was common to see female disciples pairing up and even kissing each other on secluded bamboo paths.

  —If there was a chance to become the senior sister’s partner, it wouldn’t be so bad.

  Shen Xibai had a bold thought.

  She quickly felt ashamed of such an idea. How could someone as popur as the senior sister choose a newly arrived junior sister as a partner? It must be because she had read too many romance novels.

  The area where her cheeks had been touched felt slightly warm, leaving behind an indescribable sense of comfort.

  Ying Wuyou had already moved away, helping her tidy up the clutter on the bed and table. The previous occupant had been a neat person, with books and other items neatly arranged.

  They had only taken some personal belongings, leaving the room fully equipped and ready to move in.

  She used a simple spell to sweep away the dust covering the items and personally checked if there were any issues with the room’s facilities. Finally, she had other junior sisters bring in a brand-new set of bedding.

  After all this, Shen Xibai was overwhelmed with gratitude.

  "Senior Sister... how can I thank you?"

  "No need to thank me. Just focus on your cultivation and don’t disappoint the master’s expectations."

  At this moment, Ying Wuyou had a practical idea. She was well aware of how Shen Xibai would eventually break through her spiritual roots and become a great figure in the future.

  If she could build a good retionship with her during her rise to greatness and cling to her coattails, she wouldn’t have to worry about a bad ending. Wouldn’t that be great?

  Since she couldn’t escape forming a bond with the female protagonist, she might as well make it a bond that worked in her favor.

  Starting now, she would nurture her junior sister.