The Failed Female Supporting Character [Transmigration] - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Demon Realm

An imposing and magnificent palace occupied one-third of the Demon Realm’s territory. Its golden and resplendent architecture did not appear luxurious under the dim, gloomy sky; instead, it added a touch of eeriness and desolation.

Feng Qi sat on the golden throne of the main hall, staring blankly at the crowd of beauties below. Beside her, a scantily clad, handsome man provocatively tried to feed her a grape. She silently turned her head to avoid him. Even though she had been in this world for some time, she still wasn’t accustomed to such scenes.

The people of the Demon Realm were steeped in carnal desires and extravagant pleasures; the concept of “integrity” had absolutely nothing to do with them. However, as a modern person, Feng Qi worked hard to maintain her own moral principles.

She had simply taken a nap, only to wake up and find she had transmigrated into a romantic xianxia (cultivation) novel she had written. To make matters worse, she wasn’t the female lead or even an important supporting character. She was a minor “cannon fodder” antagonist from the early stages of the story—a girl who tried to steal the male lead’s heart with cruel and vicious methods, only to be destroyed in the end, serving as the fuse that ignited the war between the Orthodox and Demon factions.

As for why such a minor character could trigger a world war? It was because she held the prestigious title of Saintess of the Demon Race.

Born at the Great Altar, the Saintess had followed a whim to hide her identity and go undercover in the “Misty Valley,” where the female lead resided. Before meeting the male lead, she pretended to be simple and obedient. After meeting him, she transformed into a scorpion-hearted, venomous woman. After framing the female lead several times, her identity was exposed, and she died at the hands of the male lead, sparking the Demon Realm’s fury and starting the war.

In the early plot, her only purpose was to harm both herself and others.

Feng Qi silently shifted her posture on the golden throne. If she had known she’d transmigrate, she would have written a “everyone is happy” world instead of this one, where almost no one was truly “good” outside of the Demon Realm.

The Human Realm and the Immortal Realm had been disconnected for thousands of years. It had been a long time since any cultivator successfully ascended. The spiritual energy (Qi) in the Human Realm was so depleted that the number of cultivators had plummeted. In this world, a single small spirit stone could trigger a bloody battle. It was truly a world of the “survival of the fittest.”

“So, have you decided when to go?”

On a soft couch to the right of the throne lay a seductive beauty. Unlike Feng Qi’s discomfort, she thoroughly enjoyed the service of her male attendants. Her pitch-black hair and thin red gauze could not hide her exquisite, curvaceous figure.

Feng Qi looked at the speaker and hesitated. This was the Right Protector of the Demon Realm, Ji Manqiu. She had a much better lot than Feng Qi—she was a supporting character who survived until the final chapter. She was currently asking about Feng Qi’s mission to Misty Valley.

When Feng Qi transmigrated, this body had already been born from the altar for a while, and the “whim” to go undercover had already happened.

If she went to Misty Valley, she would surely die once her identity was exposed. But if she didn’t go… Feng Qi secretly weighed her chances of survival.

Ji Manqiu didn’t know what Feng Qi was thinking. She covered her mouth and yawned, saying lazily, “The Lord is about to come out of seclusion. Why not wait for him to emerge before you leave?”

That one sentence killed any thought of staying. Feng Qi sighed and stood up from the throne, resigned to her fate. “…I’ll go now.”

Staying in the Demon Realm was worse than seeking a path to survival in Misty Valley. The Demon Lord was this body’s long-term “bed partner.” Frankly, she wasn’t ready to lose her “integrity” yet.

Furthermore, as long as she didn’t court death like the original character, the chances of exposure were slim. After all, as the Demon Saintess, Feng Qi had originally written several “cheats” for her character.

In the original book, the world was divided into three realms: the Human Realm, the Cultivation Realm, and the Demon Realm. The Human and Cultivation realms were connected, while the Demon Realm was independent. The Demon Realm consisted of two types of people: “Demon Cultivators” (humans who fell into obsession) and “True Demons” (those born in the Demon Realm, like Ji Manqiu).

True Demons possessed extraordinary abilities from birth, and most were not human in their original forms. For example, Ji Manqiu was a Nine-Tailed Fox, and Feng Qi’s original form was… a Black Cat.

“If your identity is exposed, just turn into your original form and run back,” Ji Manqiu said with a smile. “Those stupid cultivators won’t be able to catch you.”

How could they not catch me? I can barely walk in my cat form without tripping, Feng Qi thought. She took a deep breath, leaned over the couch, and looked at Ji Manqiu pitifully. “Give me a life-saving treasure.”

Ji Manqiu laughed. She tapped Feng Qi’s forehead with a slender finger and teased, “Weren’t you acting all high and mighty when you first came off the altar? Scared now?”

The “high and mighty” one wasn’t her. Feng Qi continued to stare at her without shame. After a few more taps, Ji Manqiu finally laughed and pulled something out.

“What is this?” Feng Qi looked curiously at the object pressed into her hand—a palm-sized jade fox, carved so realistically it looked alive.

“A gift for your journey,” Ji Manqiu chuckled. She blew a breath toward the jade fox, and red mist erupted, surrounding Feng Qi. The mist tore through space, whisking her out of the Demon Realm.

…

Thanks to Ji Manqiu’s “kindness,” Feng Qi arrived just in time for the final wave of the Misty Valley’s disciple recruitment trial.

Misty Valley was the sect of the female lead and one of the top sects in the cultivation world. Most of its disciples were women who specialized in swordsmanship. The female lead, Ruan Lan, was the eldest disciple of the Sect Leader. She possessed a rare “Pure Water Spirit Root.” Reaching the Nascent Soul stage in less than a hundred years in this Qi-depleted world was a miracle.

Not only was she talented, but her “Triple Prism Sword Technique” was almost unrivaled in both the Orthodox and Demon worlds.

In short, she was the “Heaven’s Chosen Daughter.” When Feng Qi wrote the book, she piled every good attribute onto the female lead. Aside from a slightly cold personality, Ruan Lan was perfect.

If I had known this would happen, I would have given her a ‘Saint Mother’ (overly merciful) trait, Feng Qi thought.

Wearing a set of coarse cloth clothes the original owner had stashed in a storage stone, Feng Qi followed the commoners trekking from the foot of the mountain to the summit. As a Demon, this height was nothing to her, but to look the part, she forced herself to break a sweat.

To enter the cultivation world, the younger you started, the better. Most people with Feng Qi were seven or eight; the oldest were no more than thirteen. At seventeen, Feng Qi stood out like a sore thumb.

The test involved measuring “Spirit Roots.” Only those with four or fewer roots could cultivate. Usually, the best results were found in children, as spiritual impurities accumulate with age.

Most sects wouldn’t even give a seventeen-year-old a chance, but Misty Valley was different because their greatest pride, Ruan Lan, didn’t start cultivating until she was sixteen.

One by one, the crowd thinned. Those with decent aptitude went to the left; those with too many “cluttered” roots left the mountain in disappointment. Feng Qi walked with the line, looking at her palm.

Strangely, as a Demon, her body could still show Spirit Roots, though she couldn’t actually practice human cultivation techniques. It was a major “bug” in world-building, but since she was the creator, she calmly ignored it.

After half an hour, it was finally her turn. The disciple holding the testing stone was surprised by her age but patiently explained how to use the stone.

The testing stone was the size of a fist. One had to hold it with both hands and concentrate for a minute. The number of colors that appeared represented the number of Spirit Roots.

Feng Qi gripped the stone. When she let go, the pure white stone was mostly stained blue, with a small corner of green.

“…Water and Wood Dual Spirit Roots.” The disciple looked at Feng Qi with surprise and delight. She gestured for Feng Qi to join the group on the left.

Dual Spirit Roots were impressive. Aside from the rare “Single Spirit Roots” of the male and female leads, most great masters had Dual Roots.

Out of the hundreds who tried, only a few dozen remained. Most had three or four roots; only one other person had Dual Roots like Feng Qi.

…

The disciples led the recruits into Misty Valley. The sect occupied thirteen peaks. Outer disciples 

lived on the outer three, while inner disciples moved to specific peaks based on their masters.

The group was split. Some remained as outer disciples, while five people, including Feng Qi, were brought to the Main Peak to rest and wait for the official apprenticeship ceremony in three days.

“There is a Cleansing Pool behind this house. Once you’ve changed, remember to soak for an hour to clear impurities,” said the disciple in charge. She was gentle and soft-spoken, easing everyone’s nerves. She handed out the uniforms. “I will give you the introductory manual soon. You can try to cultivate it before the ceremony.”

“Those with higher talent have a better chance of being taken in by First-Generation disciples.”

The Sect Leader had been in seclusion and was no longer taking disciples. Her four disciples—including the female lead—were the First-Generation. Their success determined the next Sect Leader.

Getting the right master was a matter of luck. Except for Ruan Lan, all the First-Generation disciples already had one or two pupils. Ruan Lan had missed out because of her own seclusion. This time would be her first time taking a disciple. And that disciple was destined to be Feng Qi.

Feng Qi sighed. In the book, Ruan Lan was a very responsible master, but Feng Qi wished she could avoid her. If her identity were ever exposed, her chances of escaping Ruan Lan were slim.

If she could, she’d stay far away from Misty Valley. But to survive, she had to stay close.

As she was lost in thought, someone tapped her arm. A shy, clean-looking girl smiled at her. “We’re going to the Cleansing Pool together. Are you coming?”

“The Cleansing Pool…” Feng Qi hesitated and shook her head. “I want to look at the manual first.”

The girl was surprised but didn’t push.

As a Demon, Feng Qi figured she’d better stay away from pools designed to “purify” things.

After dinner, as night fell, the girls stayed in their beds studying the manual. Feng Qi waited until it was dark, told her roommate she was going for a walk, and slipped out.

She checked the Cleansing Pool—no one was there. She shifted into her original form. Her clothes fell in a heap as a tiny black cat with emerald eyes crawled out. She was barely the size of a palm, easily hidden by the shadows.

She slinked toward the main square. In the center stood a statue of a Qingluan (a mythical blue bird) in flight. Even at night, it looked majestic and powerful.

Legend says every Pure Single Spirit Root carrier has the blood of a Divine Beast. Water roots correspond to the Qingluan. Feng Qi stared in awe. To her, “Qingluan” had just been a word she typed; seeing it “real” was breathtaking.

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted. Her four paws dangled in the air. She struggled in panic, letting out a weak “Meow.”

“Where did you sneak in from?” A pleasant, cold voice sounded in her ear.

Feng Qi looked up. She saw a pair of clear, icy eyes that seemed to see through everything. She instinctively looked away, then remembered she was a cat and looked back.

The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. It wasn’t the seductive beauty of Ji Manqiu, but something ethereal—like an immortal.

Refreshing, refined, heavenly.

Feng Qi’s heart skipped a beat. Wait… is this my female lead, Ruan Lan? Those were the exact words she had used to describe her.

Ruan Lan saw the “dumb” cat staring at her. She pinched the cat’s tiny paws and squeezed its tail. When the cat didn’t react, Ruan Lan actually let out a rare, slight smile.

“Do you like dried meat?” Ruan Lan pulled a piece of jerky from her storage stone and held it to the cat’s mouth. “Eat this and leave. You shouldn’t disturb the disciples’ cultivation.”

Feng Qi wasn’t hungry, but Ruan Lan kept holding it there. Hesitantly, she took the jerky and started gnawing.

Ruan Lan stroked the cat’s back, watching its ears twitch. Just then, footsteps approached. She placed the cat on the ground. “Go back down the mountain,” she whispered, then turned and left.

Feng Qi stood there, paws treading the ground. She spat out the jerky and watched Ruan Lan’s silhouette disappear.

Since when was my female lead so soft toward animals? Why didn’t I know about this setting?

The kitten shook its head. It seemed too coincidental to meet the female lead right after her seclusion. She pushed the thoughts aside and trotted off in a different direction to continue exploring the Main Peak.