I Rely On My Archenemy To Defy Fate - Chapter 1

The mountains were lush and green, wrapped in swirling clouds and mist.

Shang Que sat on a tree branch, her figure hidden behind layer upon layer of leaves.

Dappled light filtered through the leaves and fell across her body. Her long lashes lowered slightly, and the emotions in those deep-blue eyes of hers were difficult to name.

It was not because she was resonating with the comic’s protagonist.

She was simply sighing with emotion.

The plot of this world had finally begun.

To say something utterly absurd, the world Shang Que lived in was a comic world.

This was the truth Shang Que had only discovered more than two hundred years after transmigrating into the cultivation world from birth. As for how she discovered it… it was because her happy, complete family had been slaughtered to the last person because of the comic’s setting, and only she had been lucky enough to escape.

Back then, she had drifted like a ghost through the ruined, collapsed remains of her home, staring at the four soul lamps covered in dust, extinguished forever. Stubbornly, she had believed this was an illusion her sister had woven for her, a joke that was not funny at all.

She dug three feet into the ground, searching for proof that this was an illusion. By chance, she bound herself to a useless artifact from her clan, and that was how she came to have this comic system.

Of course, “comic system” was a name Shang Que had given it herself, because it was nothing like a normal system at all.

It could not speak.

After Shang Que bound herself to it, all she could see was a crude, deep-blue panel. The column on the left side only had two buttons.

One button was labeled Main Quest. The other button said: Comic Currently in Preparation.

When she clicked into the preparation button, the system’s main page turned into someone’s notebook.

That person recorded some comic inspirations in a witty tone, and Shang Que found the “inspiration” that corresponded to her.

【I really want to draw a beautiful, powerful, tragic character too. The kind of dark, twisted person carrying a blood feud for her entire family, a paranoid freak who keeps collecting the bones of her clan members. But that kind of character can easily become a dark, obsessive villain. Hmm… let me refine this a little more.】

【For now, I’ll name this beautiful, powerful, tragic character Shang Que. But if a beautiful, powerful, tragic character doesn’t join the protagonist squad, it’s practically a crime against heaven. Still, with that personality, wouldn’t she affect the main plot if she joined the protagonist squad?

Aaaaaah, but if she doesn’t join, it really is a crime against heaven!!!】

【But I don’t think I have a main plot anyway, hehe.】

Shang Que’s gaze swept over each piece of inspiration. Over so many years, she had watched the comic author’s inspirations gradually change.

She slowly discovered that the world beneath the comic artist’s brush grew closer and closer to this world, while her status in the comic changed again and again.

Among those changes, she had been pulled into the protagonist squad eight times and kicked out of the protagonist squad nine times.

Shang Que defined herself as a cannon fodder character with the nature of a tool, mainly serving the function of delivering opportunities.

Shang Que did not want that.

She did not want such an absurd life.

How much plot could a tool-like character who only appeared for a few short chapters have? How many spotlight moments could she possibly get? At most, how much popularity value could she gain?

After confirming that the author’s brush recorded more than it controlled, Shang Que formed a bold plan in her heart.

And after plotting for many years, she finally waited until the comic updated.

The comic’s protagonist, born in a small mountain village in the mortal realm, stepped into the cultivation world because of an accident.

In today’s comic update, the protagonist, Su Tanghua, finally chose a sect, passed the sect’s entrance test, walked across the thousand-step Heart-Inquiry Stairs, and successfully became one of Jiuxiao Sect’s outer disciples.

As for her, Shang Que, currently a wandering cultivator, had finally had enough of roaming the world alone and decided to find a sect to serve as her backing.

The Heart-Inquiry Formation up there could not knock on Shang Que’s heart’s door at all.

But it could knock on the heart’s door of Jiuxiao Sect’s gatekeeper. No, of Jiuxiao Sect’s gatekeeping disciple.

When Shang Que had only walked halfway, her path was blocked by an outer disciple of Jiuxiao Sect wearing a purple outer robe.

“Fellow Daoist, why have you come?”

“Do you have an invitation?”

Shang Que shook her head and stated her purpose. “I am Shang Que, a wandering cultivator from the foot of the mountain. I wish to enter Jiuxiao Sect.”

The gatekeeping disciple frowned and looked her up and down.

First, she was stunned by Shang Que’s overly outstanding appearance. Her blue hair flowed as smoothly as running water, her skin was snowy, and her lips were red. Her eyes curved slightly, her smile carrying a hint of frivolous ease, yet her pupils were deep blue, like a cold pool, forcibly pressing a few degrees of steadiness into her.

There were already plenty of beauties in the cultivation world, but her beauty still stood out from the crowd. Even dressed in a cheap, rough robe, she could make people mistakenly think it was some expensive magical artifact.

It took the gatekeeping disciple three whole seconds before she managed to move her eyes away. She looked a little embarrassed, the roots of her ears faintly red.

She quickly finished assessing Shang Que’s other equipment. For example, that utterly ordinary longsword, which looked as if it had been bought at the foot of the mountain for three low-grade spirit stones, or that simple storage pouch that had probably followed her for who knew how many years and looked somewhat tattered.

In the end, she confirmed that this was a wandering cultivator with decent looks but not a single coin to her name.

She probably did not have any channels for information either, and did not even know that Jiuxiao Sect’s disciple recruitment ceremony had already passed.

But news had never circulated well in the cultivation world, and the gatekeeping disciple had seen plenty of wandering cultivators who missed the entry period.

So she replied according to custom, “Jiuxiao Sect’s disciple recruitment ceremony has already passed. If a wandering cultivator wants to enter the sect, they can only pass Jiuxiao Sect’s assessment sword formation.”

As she said this, a trace of pity unconsciously appeared in her eyes. “To be honest, it is very difficult. Fellow Daoist, you might be better off waiting another three years for the next recruitment ceremony.”

Shang Que gave a laugh. Her palm had already landed on the hilt of her sword. “Why wait another three years? Please allow me to try.”

And so, under the gatekeeping disciple’s gaze that looked as if she were watching a warrior march to her death, Shang Que entered Jiuxiao Sect’s entrance sword formation.

The gatekeeping disciple’s reminder still rang in her ears. “Fellow Daoist, there is no need to force yourself. This sword formation is difficult to pass to begin with. Although its level is only at the great perfection of Qi Refining, many inner disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage are still unable to pass it. I see that you have already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining at such a young age. If you wait another three years, entering the sect will be practically guaranteed.”

Shang Que only smiled. “I will naturally do my best.”

Shang Que stepped into the sword formation.

She did not wait for sword energy to attack from all directions. Instead, through the thin forest mist, she gradually saw a slender figure standing as straight as a pine or cypress.

That person wore white robes. Fine gauze layered over itself like moonlight. One did not need to look closely to know how extraordinary the fabric was, let alone the delicate embroidery that swayed along with it, setting off and outlining her beautiful figure.

Her black hair fell behind her waist like a waterfall. Her hair ornaments were not complicated. Aside from two hairpins securing her hair, there was also a buyao hair ornament that swayed gracefully when it moved.

This person’s outfit did not look like something a swordswoman would wear. She looked more like the refined young lady of a great household who had strayed into this place by mistake. Just from the sight of her back, one could feel an elegant, immortal air.

But the instant Shang Que saw her clearly, every hair on her body stood on end. Her ominous premonition reached its peak, and she even subconsciously took a step back.

Her heavy footstep snapped a branch underfoot. Hearing the sound, that person turned back, like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan, revealing her elegant, cool brows and eyes.

Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes like sunken stars. She was clearly exceedingly beautiful, yet because of her snow-like expression, her features carried a cool detachment as if she had no interest in worldly affairs.

And those pitch-black eyes were focused on Shang Que at this moment, as though a hunter had locked onto its prey. The main body of the sword formation had immediately found this round’s challenger.

It really was her!

Shang Que’s sense of crisis reached its peak.

She knew this person.

She knew her name, knew her reputation, understood her strength even more clearly, and had even… even formed quite a serious grudge with her. The other party truly wanted to drag out her real identity, then kill her and be done with it.

After so many life-and-death duels, there was no one in the world who understood her abilities better than Shang Que.

Wen Qingyin.

She was Wen Qingyin.

The current number one sword cultivator, born with natural sword bones, Wen Qingyin, whose single sword could cast fourteen provinces into frosty cold!!

For one measly entrance assessment, why had they sealed a Wen Qingyin inside the sword formation?!

Only now did Shang Que understand why the gatekeeping disciple had looked at her with such pity.

For a wandering cultivator’s entrance assessment, was there any need to bring out this killing god?

Your Jiuxiao Sect simply does not want to recruit wandering cultivators at all, does it?!

Shang Que anxiously tapped the hilt of her sword. For one instant, the thought of retreating rose in her heart.

Precisely because she understood Wen Qingyin, she knew how terrifying this person’s strength was. If Shang Que could defeat Wen Qingyin at the great perfection of Qi Refining while only being at the fifth level of Qi Refining, then forget entering Jiuxiao Sect right now. Every sword sect under heaven would rush to take her as a disciple.

And then, under their scrutiny as if they were examining a national treasure, the truth that she had disguised her cultivation would be thoroughly exposed.

Jiuxiao Sect…

Did you really have to go this far?!

Was this the comic author’s method of kicking her out of the protagonist squad?!

Shang Que lowered her eyes and anxiously stroked the hilt of her sword.

But in the earliest stage of the comic, this was the only chance to come into reasonable contact with the female lead and reasonably become part of the protagonist squad.

Was she truly willing to give it up?

Her popularity value.

She needed popularity value to do certain things.

Shang Que tightened her grip around the hilt.

As expected, she still could not give up…

It was only Wen Qingyin at the great perfection of Qi Refining.

She was far from as strong as she would be later.

Shang Que walked into Wen Qingyin’s line of sight.

Wen Qingyin’s gaze locked onto her again, yet her expression remained cold and clear as snow. Her hand was already gripping her sword hilt. The moment Shang Que drew her sword, Wen Qingyin’s sword light had already struck.

She looked ethereal, like clouds, like mist, like that handful of cold snow at the peak of a snowy mountain. But her sword was never vague or drifting. Her clothing was complicated, her buyao ornament cumbersome, yet her sword had no redundant movements at all.

That sword shadow was clean, precise, without a single unnecessary motion. She was clearly only at the great perfection of Qi Refining, yet there was no trace of rigid sword forms in her sword. Everything moved according to her will. Thrust, chop, upward slash…

They were clearly all basic sword moves, yet she could evolve them into thousands upon thousands of variations.

She was not like other cultivators at the same level, stiffly imitating sword forms by rote. Her sword had already developed its own style.

If not for the fact that this style still carried a touch of immaturity, Shang Que really would have thought Wen Qingyin had come in person and merely suppressed her cultivation to the great perfection of Qi Refining.

But had Wen Qingyin already been this strong at the great perfection of Qi Refining?

If not for Shang Que’s special constitution, she would almost have been sent flying by Wen Qingyin’s slash. The sword she had casually bought at the foot of the mountain did not have such luck.

With just one strike, it was cut cleanly in half at the waist. The broken blade flew straight backward, slicing off a lock of hair by her temple before decisively stabbing into the ground, about a finger deep. It trembled with a fluttering shudder, like a fish that had flopped onto shore.

How was she supposed to fight this!!

How was she supposed to fight this?!

Who could possibly surpass Wen Qingyin in swordsmanship?

This was too much… Was this not just bullying?!

And so Shang Que began fleeing all over the place. The clothes she was wearing were not some magical artifact. They could not withstand more than a few strikes from Wen Qingyin.

Thankfully, she was not a pure sword cultivator. When Jiuxiao Sect recruited wandering cultivators, surely they had to recruit cultivators other than sword cultivators too, right?

So there had to be another way to break through.

While throwing out all kinds of talismans, she stuck escape talismans onto herself, slippery as a loach. Wen Qingyin simply could not catch her.

Wen Qingyin stopped in her tracks. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, as though she were thinking of a solution.

Seeing her like this, how could Shang Que, who had fought her so many times, not know what solution Wen Qingyin would come up with?

Wen Qingyin poured spiritual energy into her sword. The sword gave an excited hum. With just one strike, bright-white sword light arced like a crescent moon. The piercing sword force stirred up the wind in the forest. Leaves billowed and rustled.

The sword light arrived in an instant, sharp enough to cut a person in half at the waist. Shang Que hurriedly bent backward to dodge, only to see Wen Qingyin swing out a second strike.

This time, it was a vertical chop.

Shang Que lifted her eyes to look at her, the corner of her lips curving slightly.

She slapped another escape talisman onto herself and fled to a spot barely a dozen centimeters away from the sword light.

She watched with her own eyes as Wen Qingyin’s sword light pierced through the ground beneath where she had just been standing, leaving behind a thin pit one chi deep.

Seeing that she had escaped, Wen Qingyin was just about to keep swinging her sword.

But then she saw Shang Que smile as she used her broken sword to flourish a sword flower. With a crisp swish, she sheathed it in a graceful motion. Her deep-blue hair drifted in the air as she waved at Wen Qingyin, whose colors were gradually fading.

“See you.”