The Failed Female Supporting Character [Transmigration] - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After wandering for an hour and finding nothing, Feng Qi returned to the Cleansing Pool with regret. She dressed and headed back to her room. Those eligible for the inner sect were assigned to a shared room, though each bed was separated by a screen. Because they were strangers and curious about their new surroundings, there was very little conversation.

Three days is neither long nor short; in a book, it’s usually just a few words, but here, Feng Qi had to live through every second of it.

Text and reality are worlds apart. Even as the creator of this world, Feng Qi felt none of the omnipotence she expected. For instance, she had spent three nights roaming the Main Peak in her cat form trying to find the entrance to a secret realm to grab some treasures, but she couldn’t find a trace of it.

The irony was that she only had herself to blame. To save time while writing, she had simply jotted down: “The entrance to the secret realm is located on the Main Peak of Misty Valley,” skipping the details of how to open it. Now, she was tasting the bitter fruit of her own laziness.

I really can’t be careless, Feng Qi thought, rubbing her forehead while pretending to meditate on her cultivation manual.

Once the three days passed, disciples arrived to lead the recruits to the apprenticeship ceremony. As the spiritual energy in the Human Realm continued to dwindle, many disciples from various sects had begun descending the mountains to find better places to practice. Misty Valley was slightly better off because the Main Peak possessed a relatively well-preserved “Spirit Eye,” which produced just enough Qi to sustain the disciples’ daily cultivation.

As they reached the square, the Qingluan statue was shrouded in a thin white mist. The golden sunlight spilling over its wings made it look alive, its tail feathers shimmering with a faint light. Everyone, including Feng Qi—who had seen it multiple times at night—was struck by its beauty.

“This Qingluan statue was carved by the founding master of Misty Valley for her beloved junior sister,” the guiding disciple explained gently. “It is also the core of our sect’s protective array. Since many of our disciples possess the Water Spirit Root, the Qingluan has become the symbol of Misty Valley.”

Feng Qi listened intently at first, but then a thought struck her. She blinked. Wait, if I remember correctly, I set the founding master to be a woman, right?

What exactly did “beloved junior sister” imply?

The disciples practicing swordplay on the square gradually stopped and lined up on both sides. First and Second-Generation disciples flew in on their swords from their respective peaks and landed before the statue. Feng Qi scanned the group but didn’t see the person who had fed her jerky that night.

“Follow me. There is one final test before the ceremony,” the disciple said, leading them toward the senior members. With a wave of a hand, a half-human-tall testing stone appeared. “This will thoroughly investigate your spirit roots so the senior sisters can select disciples with compatible attributes.”

Feng Qi was at the back of the line. While the others were being tested, she curiously observed the three people standing in the center. The woman in the middle wore white robes as pure as snow; her black hair was loosely tied with a white ribbon, and her hem fluttered in the breeze. Framed by the Qingluan statue, she looked truly ethereal.

Is that Ruan Lan? Feng Qi stared a bit too long. The woman sensed her gaze, turned to look her up and down, and a beautiful curve touched the corners of her mouth.

When it was finally Feng Qi’s turn, she stepped forward and placed her hand on the stone. Like before, she closed her eyes and cleared her mind. When the stone pushed her hand away, she opened her eyes.

The stone was split by a line: more than half was blue, and the rest was a vibrant green. There were no other “cluttered” colors.

“Very pure Dual Spirit Roots,” the disciple by the stone praised. Before one begins cultivating, unless they have a Pure Single Spirit Root, most people show “cluttered” colors—representing impurities—under such a precise test. These are only fully expelled after a successful Foundation Establishment. The fewer the impurities, the faster the progress.

Compared to the other girl with Dual Roots, whose stone was full of cluttered colors, Feng Qi’s potential was far superior.

“She will come with me.” The white-robed woman in the middle pointed her sword hilt at Feng Qi. Her slightly upturned eyes narrowed, her tone somewhat domineering.

The other two disciples exchanged looks and immediately moved on to pick from the remaining recruits.

“What are you standing there for? Quickly, greet Senior Sister Yu Qi!” The disciple by the testing stone froze for a second before nudging Feng Qi’s arm.

Feng Qi took a step forward, stunned. “Who?”

“The one who wants to take you as a disciple is Senior Sister Yu Qi, a First-Generation disciple.”

It’s not Ruan Lan? Feng Qi lowered her head to hide her changing expression. Yu Qi… of all people. Her heart sank. If she truly had to serve under this person, she might as well go back to the Demon Realm and let fate take its course.

Yu Qi was the youngest of the First-Generation and Ruan Lan’s junior sister. Due to the Sect Leader’s pampering and Ruan Lan’s indulgence, she had become arrogant and willful. But Feng Qi’s resistance wasn’t because of her personality—it was because Yu Qi had a very strange “hobby”…

As Feng Qi moved forward slowly, Yu Qi grew impatient. Just as she lifted her chin to speak, she caught a glimpse of someone appearing behind Feng Qi. Her head immediately dropped back down.

“Master has forbidden you from taking disciples. Have you forgotten?” A familiar voice sounded near Feng Qi’s ear. She turned her head, her eyes widening for a moment before she regained her composure.

It was the person from that night.

Yu Qi bit her lip and said reluctantly, “Senior Sister Ruan.”

Ruan Lan’s gaze swept over the other disciples, her voice cold. “She forgot. Did all of you forget as well?”

The crowd lowered their heads in silence.

Seeing that Ruan Lan was truly angry, Yu Qi didn’t dare be willful. She pointed at Feng Qi and said, “I was helping you pick a disciple, Senior Sister. This person has Water and Wood Dual Roots; she’s very suitable for you.”

Ruan Lan looked at Feng Qi, who had her head bowed, looking at the picture of a well-behaved student.

Because of her own writing habits, Feng Qi had designed the Demons to be strikingly beautiful—the opposite of the “pure” Misty Valley aesthetic. Combined with a hidden setting of the original body, Feng Qi’s looks and abilities were top-tier. Even in simple clothes, her face was stunning. However, unlike the seductive charm of Ji Manqiu, Feng Qi’s features were vibrant and full of spiritual energy.

Ruan Lan pulled a sky-blue ribbon from Yu Qi’s hand. Under Feng Qi’s surprised gaze, she tied it around Feng Qi’s arm. “I accept her,” she said plainly.

In Misty Valley, different colored ribbons designated which master a disciple belonged to. Sky-blue indeed represented Ruan Lan’s lineage. But… shouldn’t she have just handed it to her? Why tie it herself? Feng Qi touched the ribbon but didn’t dare untie it.

Yu Qi was disappointed but didn’t dare complain. As the little tyrant of Misty Valley, Ruan Lan was the only one she feared. “As long as the Senior Sister is satisfied.”

“Go back and cultivate. Do not come out to cause trouble again,” Ruan Lan told Yu Qi. Then she looked at Feng Qi. “Follow me.” She turned and left.

Fiddling with the ribbon on her arm, Feng Qi followed Ruan Lan away from the square under the envious gazes of the others.

The peak where Ruan Lan lived was called Fengxing Peak. She was the sole inhabitant—until now.

“Can you fly on a sword?” Ruan Lan stopped at the edge of a cliff, looking at the distant peaks shimmering in the mist.

Feng Qi shook her head silently. “No.”

Ruan Lan was quiet for a moment. She summoned her sword, grabbed Feng Qi’s arm, and whispered a mantra. They rose into the air and flew toward Fengxing Peak. Having only experienced “teleportation” since transmigrating, this first time soaring through the clouds left Feng Qi’s mind blank for a moment. Ruan Lan seemed to realize it was her first time and kept the speed slow.

Fengxing Peak was smaller than the Main Peak. The summit was filled with blue stones and winding streams. There were no palaces, only a few simple bamboo huts—even humbler than the place Feng Qi had stayed at before.

“You stay in that one,” Ruan Lan said, pointing to the hut on the right. “If you need anything, come find me.” She then walked into the central hut, leaving Feng Qi standing there.

Feng Qi stood alone for a while, sighed, and walked into her new home.

If Ruan Lan weren’t the protagonist she herself had written, Feng Qi might have been offended by the coldness. But she knew Ruan Lan was like this with everyone; it wasn’t personal, just her nature. In fact, Ruan Lan likely valued her new disciple very much, but being a first-time teacher, she had no experience and didn’t know what else to say.

Feng Qi sat cross-legged on the floor and poured a cup of water. As she drank, she wondered if Ruan Lan was reading or going to consult other sisters about teaching. Suddenly, she heard a sound outside and saw Ruan Lan flying away on her sword.

What a good master, Feng Qi thought, putting down her cup and sighing. If only our identities weren’t on opposite sides.