The words hung in the opulent room, heavier than any physical weight. Dou Qi. Battle Through The Heavens.
For a full ten seconds, the only sound was my own frantic heartbeat, a frantic drum against my ribs. My carefully constructed plans, my versatile build of support, strategy, and sanctity, felt woefully inadequate. This was a world where Dou Saints could shatter space and Dou Emperors could move mountains. My 2.5% synchronization rate felt less like a starting point and more like a rounding error.
"We're so unbelievably screwed," I breathed, sinking onto the edge of the plush bed. The silk sheets felt cold against my skin.
Zhao Ming, however, looked like he'd just won the lottery. He threw his head back and laughed, a loud, joyous sound that was pure, unfiltered Zhao Ming, even if it came from the throat of Gojo Satoru.
"Screwed? Qing, are you kidding me?" He strode over and clapped me on the shoulder, his touch surprisingly gentle. "This is the big leagues! This is the peak! We get to see it all firsthand! The Alchemist Grand Competition! The Three Year Agreement! The Heavenly Flame rankings! We can go find Xiao Yan!"
"Find Xiao Yan?" I stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. "And say what? 'Hi, we're from another dimension, we know your entire life story, and by the way, that ring on your finger has an old man living in it'? They'll lock us up in the nearest asylum, or more likely, kill us for being demons!"
"Details, details," he waved a dismissive hand. "We play it cool. Act mysterious. With my looks," he gestured to his blindfolded face, "and your... well, your looks," he glanced at me, and for a split second, a flicker of something other than cocky amusement crossed his features before being buried again, "we'll have them eating out of our hands. We just need to figure out the most important thing."
I knew exactly what he meant. Our entire strategy, our very survival, hinged on one crucial piece of information. "When are we?"
"Exactly," he said, his Gojo-grin returning full force. "Is Xiao Yan the celebrated genius of the Xiao clan, or is he the useless cripple of Wu Tan City?"
The question sobered both of us. The timeline was everything. If he was still a genius, we had years to prepare. If he was a cripple, then the inciting incident of the entire saga—Nalan Yanran's visit—was imminent.
"Okay," I said, pushing myself to my feet. My new body still felt awkward, a beautiful but ill-fitting suit. I had to get a grip. Panic was a luxury we couldn't afford. "New plan. Step one: we figure out who we're supposed to be in this house. We woke up in these rooms, in these clothes. Someone put us here. We're not just random vagrants."
"Step two," Zhao Ming chimed in, catching on, "we find out where 'here' is. What city, what region."
"And step three," I finished, my gaze firm, "we find out the date and the current status of the Xiao clan. We do not engage with anyone, we do not reveal anything. Right now we are observers. Understood?"
"Crystal," he said with a mock salute. "Operation: Don't Be A Dumbass is a go. You lead the way, Lady Yang. Your passive charm might make people less likely to stab the weirdo in the blindfold."
I shot him a glare, but he had a point. My new face was probably my greatest asset right now. Taking a deep, steadying breath, I walked towards the door, the silk of my nightgown whispering against the floor. Every step was a conscious effort, a reminder of the fundamental wrongness of my situation. I opened the door and stepped out into a hallway.
We were in a large, elegant pavilion. The architecture was classic, with polished dark wood floors, pillars painted with crimson lacquer, and intricate screen doors. The hallway opened into a small, immaculately maintained courtyard with a koi pond and a single, gracefully weeping willow tree. The air was fresh and clean, carrying the scent of damp earth and morning dew. This was no mere inn; this was the residence of a wealthy and powerful family.
As we stood there, taking it all in, a young woman in a simple green servant's dress came hurrying around a corner. She was carrying a basin of water and nearly dropped it when she saw us. Her eyes widened, first at me, then at Zhao Ming, lingering on his white hair and blindfold with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
She quickly regained her composure, bowing low. "Young Miss! You're awake! I was just coming to help you prepare for the day. And... your esteemed guest is also awake. Forgive my tardiness."
Young Miss. The title confirmed my suspicion. In this context, I was the daughter of whoever owned this estate. Zhao Ming was my 'guest'. This was our cover, handed to us on a silver platter.
I decided to test the waters. I offered the girl a small, gentle smile, trying to channel the grace of Yang Guifei rather than the awkwardness of Yang Qing. "It is no trouble at all. We woke early. Could you tell me your name?"
The effect of the smile was immediate and startling. The servant girl blushed, her gaze dropping to the floor as she stammered, "This servant is called Xiao Cui, Young Miss. It is an honor to serve you."
I glanced at my system screen, which I could call up with a thought.
...Innate Charm (Passive, Minor) is subtly influencing the target's disposition...
It was working. A little too well, frankly. It felt manipulative, and I hated it. But it was a tool, and I would use it.
"Xiao Cui," I said, my voice soft. "My... friend and I were just admiring the morning. I feel a little disoriented today. Could you remind me, what is the date?" I feigned a slight dizziness, pressing my fingers to my temple.
"Young Miss, are you alright?" Xiao Cui asked, full of concern. "Of course! It is the seventh day of the fourth month. The air is getting warmer."
Zhao Ming, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his voice smooth and casual. "And the city is as lively as ever, I presume? Any interesting news or rumors making the rounds? We've been secluded for a few days."
Xiao Cui glanced at him nervously, intimidated by his strange appearance and height, but my presence seemed to reassure her. "The city is always lively, Esteemed Guest. As for rumors... well, the biggest news is always about the three great clans. The Mitel Auction House, run by the Primer clan, received a new shipment of rare medicinal ingredients. The Galeo clan's young master got into another fight at the marketplace..." She paused, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And everyone is still talking about the Xiao clan."
My heart skipped a beat. This was it.
"Oh?" I prompted gently. "What about the Xiao clan?"
"Their 'genius'," she said, making air quotes with her fingers, "Xiao Yan. It has been two years now since his cultivation fell. He's still stuck at the 3rd Duan of Dou Zhi Qi. They say his father, the clan leader, has spent a fortune on tonics and pills, but nothing works. What a fall from grace. To think he was a Dou Zhe at eleven..."
Two years.
He was already a cripple.
Nalan Yanran could arrive any day, any week. We were on the precipice of the story's beginning.
Zhao Ming and I exchanged a look. His grin was gone, replaced by an intense, focused look. The game was on.
"Thank you, Xiao Cui. That is all for now," I said, dismissing her with another smile. "We will get ready on our own."
She bowed again, still flustered, and scurried away, leaving us alone in the hallway.
"Wu Tan City. Xiao Yan is a cripple. We're right on time," Zhao Ming murmured, his voice low. "This is perfect. And dangerous."
"First, we need to test what our pathetic sync rates actually allow us to do," I said, my mind already working on the next step. "We need a secluded place. This courtyard?"
"Too open," he countered, his blindfolded gaze sweeping the area. Even with the blindfold, I had the unnerving feeling he could see better than I could. "The Six Eyes are picking up traces of Dou Qi from at least five other people in this main building. Probably servants or guards. We need somewhere more private."
"Our host... my 'father'... must have a training ground," I mused. "But we can't just waltze in there. How about the woods behind the estate?"
"Better," he agreed.
After a comically difficult twenty minutes of me trying to navigate the complex layers of an ancient-style dress and Zhao Ming complaining that his simple tunic didn't look 'epic' enough, we managed to look presentable. We slipped out the back of the pavilion, following a stone path that led away from the main estate and towards a dense bamboo forest.
The forest was quiet, the only sounds being the rustling of leaves and the chirping of unseen insects. Once we were deep enough in that we could no longer see the estate, we stopped.
"Alright," Zhao Ming said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see what the Honored One can do at 3%."
He turned to a thick stalk of bamboo about five feet away. "The system says I have access to the basics of the Limitless and the Six Eyes. The Six Eyes lets me see the flow of Dou Qi on a microscopic level. It's like the whole world is a blueprint of energy. The Limitless... it brings the concept of infinity into reality."
He held his hand out, palm facing the bamboo. "The neutral Infinity is supposed to be an invisible barrier that stops anything from reaching me by infinitely dividing the space between us. So, if I try to push something..."
He took a step forward, pushing his hand towards the bamboo. About an inch from the stalk, his hand just... stopped. It was as if he'd hit a solid, invisible wall. There was no sound, no shimmer in the air, but his hand could not move any further forward.
"Whoa," he breathed. He pushed harder, his muscles tensing. "It's holding. The amount of Dou Qi this takes is minuscule. The Six Eyes automatically optimizes it. I'm not strong, but I think... I'm untouchable. At least by physical attacks."
He then picked up a small rock and tossed it at his outstretched palm. The rock flew through the air and then, just before it would have hit his skin, it slowed down dramatically and stopped dead, suspended in mid-air an inch from his palm before dropping to the ground.
"Okay," I said, genuinely impressed. "That's a ridiculously broken defensive ability, even at this level."
"Now you," he said, turning to me. "Let's see that 'Fire Affinity'."
I felt a pang of anxiety. His ability was subtle, conceptual, and incredibly effective. Mine just felt... basic. I focused, calling up the system interface in my mind.
...Template: Yang Guifei (2.5%). Ability: Fire Affinity (Latent)...
...Note: Dou Qi can be utilized as a catalyst to manifest Template abilities...
So, I had to use this world's energy. I'd never cultivated a day in my life. How was I supposed to do that? I tried to mimic what I'd read in countless novels. I closed my eyes, trying to feel the energy in the air that Zhao Ming could see. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, I felt it. A faint warmth, a tingling sensation in the air around me. It was the Dou Qi.
I tried to draw it into my body. It was like trying to drink from a river with a sealed bottle. Nothing happened.
"Don't pull it," Zhao Ming's voice cut through my concentration. "Just... let it in. Your template gives you an 'affinity'. It's like you're already tuned to its frequency. Just open the door."
I tried again. Instead of actively trying to draw the Dou Qi in, I simply focused on the feeling of it, focusing on the concept of 'fire' and 'warmth' from Yang Guifei's profile. A tiny thread of warmth entered my hand. It was barely a trickle, but it was there. I guided the minuscule wisp of Dou Qi into my palm and focused.
A tiny, flickering flame, no bigger than the tip of my pinky finger, sputtered to life in my hand. It was a pathetic, wavering orange-yellow, and it radiated about as much heat as a lit match. After about five seconds, it winked out of existence, leaving me feeling slightly drained.
I opened my eyes and looked at the pathetic display. "That's it? That's all I can do?"
Zhao Ming walked over and looked at my hand. "Hey, don't knock it. You just used an elemental ability without any training or cultivation method. That's not nothing. That little flame... it felt different from normal Dou Qi. It was more... intense. Volatile. That's the Foreigner power, I bet. It's not just fire, it's her fire."
His encouragement helped, if only a little. We spent another hour experimenting. Zhao Ming confirmed he couldn't use Cursed Technique Reversal: Red or Lapse: Blue yet, let alone Hollow Purple. He was a defensive powerhouse with no real offensive tricks.
I managed to sustain the flame for a few seconds longer and make it slightly bigger, about the size of a candle flame. I also tried to access my other templates. Focusing on Taigong Wang gave me a strange sense of clarity, like I was seeing the forest not as a collection of trees, but as a series of strategic positions, choke points, and escape routes. Focusing on Tang Sanzang gave me a feeling of deep, placid calm, a mental fortress against my own anxiety. They were passive boosts for now, but they were there.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, we decided to head back, our minds buzzing with new information and possibilities. We re-entered the pavilion, and the first thing we saw was Xiao Cui directing two other servants carrying a large lacquered chest.
"Be careful with that!" she instructed. "It's a gift for the Xiao Clan leader's son's upcoming birthday! The Master wants to maintain good relations."
My 'father' was sending a birthday gift to Xiao Yan? This was an opportunity.
"Xiao Cui," I called out, approaching her.
"Young Miss!" she bowed. "Is there anything you need?"
"I was just thinking," I began, choosing my words carefully. "My father is so thoughtful. But I feel I haven't been out in the city for some time. I would love to go pick out a small gift for young master Xiao Yan myself. A personal touch, you know?"
Xiao Cui's eyes lit up. "What a wonderful idea, Young Miss! Your kindness is renowned! The Xiao clan's residence is just in the western district. It is not far at all."
"Perfect," I said with a smile. Zhao Ming, standing behind me, gave a subtle nod. It was time for Operation: Don't Be A Dumbass to move to phase two.
We were going to the Xiao Clan. Not to interfere, not yet. But to see with our own eyes. To confirm the state of the protagonist, and to get the lay of the land.
As we prepared to leave, I excused myself to my room for a moment, ostensibly to grab a purse. I walked over to the vanity and looked at my reflection. Yang Guifei's beautiful face stared back. It was still jarring, still profoundly strange. But for the first time, I didn't just feel panic. I felt a sliver of determination.
This body, this face, it was my mask. It was my tool. And I would use it, along with the scraps of power from a strategist and a saint, to navigate this ridiculously dangerous world.
I looked at my system screen one last time.
Template
1. Yang Guifei Sync Rate 2.53%
2. Taigong Wang Sync Rat 1.01%
3. Tang Sanzang Sync Rate 1.22%
Abilities...
Fire Affinity (Minor Control Unlocked)...
A tiny increase, a reward for our brief training. It was a long, long road ahead.
Zhao Ming was waiting for me in the courtyard, his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking for all the world like an arrogant young master from some far-off, powerful clan.
"Ready to go sight-seeing?" he asked, a playful smirk on his lips.
"Ready as I'll ever be," I replied.
Together, we walked out of the estate and into the bustling streets of Wu Tan City. The sounds, the smells, the sight of people with varying levels of Dou Qi flowing around them—it was overwhelming. But amidst the chaos, our purpose was clear.
We were two foreign souls in a world we thought was only fiction, walking towards the home of the man whose story was about to set the entire continent ablaze. And we were right on time for the fireworks.