After transmigrating into the body of the protagonist's childhood friend, he was targeted by a

Several junior brothers were still angrily criticizing Luo Yiyan, which annoyed Sun Sheng. He took out two healing pills from his pocket and threw them into the hand of the injured junior brother.

"Alright, shut up, both of you. Of course I won't let this go unpunished, but now's not the time."

"The one surnamed Luo is the only direct disciple of Immortal Venerable Wucang. Openly attacking him will only cause trouble for yourself."

His eyes were gloomy. "Wait until this storm passes. There will be plenty of opportunities later. Take these two pills and hurry back to heal your injuries. If you hold me back again, don't follow me."

The tall, thin man took the pill, exchanged a glance with his companion, and dared not say anything more. He then covered his wound and limped away.

Sun Sheng returned to the disciples' quarters, seething with anger.

Seeing his gloomy expression, his fellow students from the same academy tactfully made way for him.

He went straight back to his room, pushed open the door, but his feet suddenly froze on the spot.

A man in a black robe sat at the table, his hood covering most of his face, revealing only a pale chin. He was slowly holding a teacup, as if he had been waiting for him for a long time.

Sun Sheng placed his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist and said coldly, "Who are you! How did you get in?"

The man in black robes put down his teacup and said slowly, "Keep your voice down, I'm here to help you."

This person even altered their voice, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female.

"Help me?" Sun Sheng sneered, his gaze sweeping over the other man's face, which was completely covered. "Hiding your head and tail, not even daring to show your face, you don't seem like a good person. Get out of here, or I'll call for help."

The man in black robes wasn't annoyed. Instead, he chuckled lightly, with a hint of something ambiguous in his voice: "Don't you want to take revenge on Luo Yiyan?"

Sun Sheng's eyes flickered, but his tone remained defiant: "What revenge? I don't know what you're talking about."

"You really don't know?" The man in black robes stood up, adjusted his sleeves, and spoke with a hint of regret.

"I do have a way that can not only help you vent your anger, but also perhaps allow you to gain face and make a contribution in front of the elders."

"But judging from your appearance, you probably don't have the guts. Fine, just pretend I was never here." He made a move to walk out.

Sun Sheng stared at the black-robed man's back, his expression shifting several times.

The other party's words about being able to "show off and make contributions in front of the elders" hooked him precisely like a hook.

He had spent decades at Qingyun Peak, but his cultivation was stuck at the Foundation Establishment stage and he couldn't break through.

With inner disciples above him and this bunch of troublesome junior brothers below, his chances of getting ahead seem endless.

If there really is a chance to gain the elders' favor...

The man in black robes had already placed his hand on the door latch.

"Wait a minute." Sun Sheng gritted his teeth. "What method are you talking about?"

The man in the black robe stopped in his tracks, and a very low chuckle could be faintly heard from under his hood, as if he had expected the man to call out to him.

He turned around and sat down at the table again, dipped his fingertip in tea, and slowly drew a circle on the surface.

"Next month, the sect will open the trial realm. Luo Yiyan will definitely participate. The realm is fraught with danger and unpredictability, so it's perfectly normal for fellow disciples to have some friction over competing for opportunities."

"But if someone secretly sabotages him in the secret realm, leading him into a desperate situation where he's completely helpless, and then you step in to save him, do you think the Immortal Venerable Wucang will remember your kindness?"

Sun Sheng frowned: "What kind of method is this? Why should I save him? What if he doesn't encounter any danger?"

The man in black robes, Lin Zhixu, closed his eyes in disdain: "If you can't find danger, then create it for him. Whether or not you save him is secondary."

"The important thing is that no one can predict what might happen in the secret realm. Even if something does happen to him, as long as he handles it cleanly, it will only be attributed to the danger of the secret realm itself."

"Isn't it normal for a few people to die in the trial? Besides, it's not like you're going to kill anyone yourself; it's just acting out a scene."

Sun Sheng's eyes lit up, but he quickly fell silent again.

He stared at the man in black robes for a long while before finally speaking, "Who exactly are you? Why are you helping me?"

"Who I am is unimportant. I just..." The man in black paused, a hint of coldness in his voice, "...can't stand seeing him in the limelight."

……

After finally managing to fool Sun Sheng, Lin Zhixu left Qingyun Peak, took several secluded paths, and only after confirming that no one was following him did he slip back to Qiyue Peak.

He closed the door, pulled off his hood, and let out a long breath.

[System, is this okay?]

The system's voice sounded quite satisfied: "[That's good. The plot integration is 78%, almost double what it was last time. From now on, this side quest is no longer your concern; just wait for the story to unfold on its own.]"

Lin Zhixu remained silent for a while.

Those people's methods might cause Luo Yiyan some trouble at most, but they wouldn't actually do anything to him.

In the original story, Luo Yiyan managed to escape unscathed without anyone's help and even got a chance, so he'll definitely be fine this time too.

I've never done anything bad in my life, so I suddenly feel a little out of sorts.

The system comforted him: "It's alright, host. Practice makes perfect. You'll get used to it. Besides, you're not doing anything wrong; you're acting in accordance with the will of Heaven. This is the inevitable cause and effect."

System: [Even without you, there will be other troubles. Think about freedom, and you won't feel so bad.]

After hearing the system's words of comfort, Lin Zhixu did feel much better.

This is just a setup now; there will be times when he takes matters into his own hands later.

It seems he needs to adapt quickly, otherwise he won't be able to bring himself to do it later.

……

The day for the opening of the secret realm arrived quickly.

The huge square was packed with people.

Lin Zhixu stood in the queue, but his gaze was fixed on the direction of Qiyue Peak in the distance.

Yu Linzhou promised to emerge from seclusion before the secret realm opened, but we haven't seen him yet.

"Senior Brother Lin?" Zhou Tong called to him softly from the side, "The elder is about to speak."

Lin Zhixu withdrew his gaze, nodded, and his face returned to its usual indifference.

On the high platform, the Grand Elder's majestic voice drowned out the noise of the square: "The secret realm is fraught with danger, where opportunities and risks coexist. Some people can soar to great heights in the secret realm, while others lose their lives there."

"If any disciple wishes to withdraw now, it is still not too late to leave."

There was a brief commotion in the square, and after a while, people gradually left the queue.

But the vast majority of disciples stood firmly in place, their eyes burning with fervor.

The path of cultivating immortality is inherently defying the heavens; wealth and honor are sought amidst danger. If you don't even have this much courage, what kind of immortality are you trying to cultivate?

The Grand Elder nodded slightly and gestured to the disciple beside him.

Dozens of disciples filed out, distributing jade tokens to each person.

The jade pendant feels warm and smooth to the touch, with a faint golden glow.

"Keep this jade pendant close to your body. If you encounter mortal danger, smash it immediately; it will instantly teleport you out of the secret realm."

"The secret realm will last for three days. After three days, you will all be automatically teleported out of your current location. Remember! The opportunity is great, but you must be alive to seize it. Do not be greedy!"