IT GOT WORSE!
I woke up the morning of the sect meeting to discover that some helpful person (I suspected my stepmother) had laid out the most elaborate outfit I'd ever seen.
Layers upon layers of silk in jade green and silver, with embroidered phoenixes and so much jewelry it could double as armor.
"Xiao Mei," I said, staring at the outfit. "If I wear this, I won't be able to move."
"It's traditional for important sect gatherings, Miss. You'll look beautiful."
"I'll look like a chandelier fell on me and we both decided to make it work."
But I had no choice. With Xiao Mei's help (and a lot of struggling), I got dressed. The final result was... actually stunning.
I looked like a proper immortal cultivator. Elegant, powerful and mysterious.
Then I tried to walk and nearly face-planted.
"The robes are a bit heavy," Xiao Mei admitted. "But you'll get used to them."
"The meeting starts in an hour. I need to get used to them in an hour?"
"You can do this, Miss! I believe in you!"
Her faith was touching but misplaced.
I made my way to the training yard where I'd left my sword. The walk took twice as long as normal because I had to basically waddle to avoid tripping on the hem.
Several junior disciples saw me and immediately found other places to be.
"Is my reputation that bad?" I asked Xiao Mei.
"Well, there was the incident with the monkeys last night. And the exploding watermelon. And the time you accidentally froze the koi pond and got stuck to it—"
"That wasn't me! That was original—" I caught myself. "That was before my injury. I'm different now."
"Of course, Miss."
We reached the training yard. My sword was still there, gleaming in the morning sun. It was mocking me.
"Okay," I said, psyching myself up. "I can do this. I've practiced. I know the basics. I just need to channel my qi, stay calm, and not think about the fact that I'm going to be flying in front of hundreds of people."
"Very motivational, Miss."
I picked up the sword. Took a deep breath. Channeled my qi.
The sword lifted smoothly.
"Oh! It's working!" Xiao Mei clapped.
I stepped onto it carefully. It held steady. My qi flow was actually stable for once.
"I'm doing it!" I said. "I'm actually—"
The system popped up.
[WARNING: You're doing it wrong!]
[That's not how you—]
[Oh no, she's going to—]
I made the mistake of reading it while balancing.
My concentration broke.
The sword wobbled.
"No no no no—" I windmilled my arms, trying to stay balanced.
This was a mistake because of all the jewelry.
My sleeve ornaments swung forward, hit me in the face, I jerked backward, over-corrected forward, and—
The sword shot forward like it was late for some appointment.
"MISS!" Xiao Mei screamed.
I was flying.
Well, I was rocketing through the air in a barely controlled disaster, but technically that counted as flying.
"HOW DO I STEER?!" I screamed.
The sword did not answer because swords cannot talk.
I zoomed over the courtyard walls, over the training grounds, heading straight for—
Oh no.
The main sect pavilion.
Where everyone was gathering for the meeting.
Where I was supposed to make a GRACEFUL entrance in about thirty minutes.
Not crash through the roof like a human meteor.
"MOVE!" I screamed at the people below. "COMING THROUGH!"
Disciples scattered like startled birds.
I was heading straight for the open pavilion entrance. If I could just angle myself right, maybe I could—
A gust of wind hit me.
The sword tilted.
I tilted.
My heavy robes shifted my center of balance.
"This is how I die," I said calmly.
Then I crashed through a decorative banner, got tangled in it, spun around like a very ungraceful drill, and slammed directly into—
A person.
We went down in a tangle of limbs, silk, and dignity.
When the banner finally stopped spinning, I found myself lying on top of someone in the most compromising position possible.
I looked down.
Shen Qingyun looked up.
We stared at each other.
"Hi," I said.
His eye twitched. "Get. Off."
"Right. Yes. Sorry."
I tried to get up.
My robes were tangled with his robes.
The banner was tangled with both of us.
My jewelry had somehow hooked onto his belt.
"Stop moving," he hissed. "You're making it worse."
"I'm trying to—ow! That's my hair!"
"That's MY hair, you—"
We struggled. This only made things worse. Now we were essentially wrapped together like the world's most unfortunate burrito.
A crowd had gathered.
I could see junior disciples with their hands over their mouths. Some were definitely laughing.
"Senior Brother Shen!" one called out. "Do you need assistance?"
"No," Shen Qingyun said through gritted teeth. "We're fine. Everything is fine. This is fine."
"This is not fine," I whispered.
"I'm aware."
A shadow fell over us.
I looked up to see Lian Fenghua, my father, staring down with an expression that suggested he was reconsidering all his life choices.
"Yuying," he said calmly. Too calmly. "Would you care to explain why you're tangled up with Shen Qingyun like... this?"
"I was practicing my entrance?" I tried.
"You crashed through a banner."
"A tactical crash. To test the banner's structural integrity."
"It failed," Shen Qingyun added dryly.
Despite our situation, I almost laughed.
Father closed his eyes. "Someone help them up. Now."
It took four disciples and ten minutes to untangle us. By the end, my hair was a disaster, Shen Qingyun's robes were rumpled, and my grand entrance was completely ruined.
"Well," I said, trying to smooth my robes. "At least I'm here. That's what matters, right?"
Father just walked away, muttering something about retirement.
* * *
The sect meeting itself was being held in the Grand Pavilion, an enormous open-air structure with a raised platform for the elders and sect leader. Disciples were arranged by rank and status.
As the Sect Leader's daughter, I should have been seated near the front.
Instead, I found myself awkwardly standing to the side because I'd arrived early via crash landing.
Disciples were still filing in, and every single one of them stared at me.
I heard the whispers:
"Is that Senior Sister Lian?"
"She crashed again?"
"I heard she landed on Senior Brother Shen."
"Lucky."
"You think that was lucky? He looked ready to commit murder."
I tried to look dignified and aloof like original Yuying would have. But it's hard to look dignified when you have banner fabric stuck in your hair.
Shen Qingyun entered, now changed into fresh robes, his hair perfect again. How did he recover so fast?
He saw me, his expression carefully blank, and deliberately chose a seat on the opposite side of the pavilion.
Message received.
Then she entered.
Wei Suyin, the heroine.
Even I had to admit she was lovely. Delicate features, gentle smile, an aura of kindness that made everyone around her soften. She wore simple robes in soft pink, with minimal jewelry. She looked effortlessly graceful.
I looked like I'd been attacked by a very aggressive accessories store.
Wei Suyin's eyes met mine, and she quickly looked away, a hint of fear in her expression.
Right. Because original Yuying had bullied her constantly.
I felt a pang of guilt even though I hadn't done anything. Yet.
The meeting began with my father giving announcements about sect business. I tried to pay attention, but my brain kept wandering.
In the original novel, this meeting was where several key plot points were set up:
The upcoming tournament between sects
The mysterious disappearances in the northern mountains
Wei Suyin volunteering to investigate (where she'd meet a powerful ally)
Original Yuying also volunteering to "supervise" (actually to sabotage)
But did I have to follow the plot? What if I just... didn't volunteer?
"The northern mountains investigation will be dangerous," Father was saying. "I'm looking for volunteers who—"
"I'll go!" Wei Suyin stood up, her voice clear and brave.
Everyone murmured approvingly. Of course the sweet heroine would volunteer.
Original Yuying would stand up now and insist on going too.
I stayed seated.
Father looked surprised. "Yuying? You have nothing to say?"
All eyes turned to me.
"I think Senior Sister Wei is an excellent choice," I said clearly. "She's skilled and capable. I'm sure she'll succeed."
You could hear a pin drop.
Wei Suyin looked shocked.
Shen Qingyun looked suspicious.
Father looked like he was checking me for fever.
"You... don't wish to volunteer?" Father asked carefully.
"I think I've done enough damage for one day," I said honestly. "Someone else should have a chance to shine."
More shocked silence.
Then whispers exploded.
"Did Senior Sister Lian just compliment Senior Sister Wei?"
"Is she sick?"
"Maybe the head injury was worse than we thought."
The system popped up again.
[WARNING: Plot Deviation Detected!]
[Original scene: Lian Yuying volunteers to sabotage Wei Suyin]
[Current scene: Lian Yuying is being... reasonable?]
[This is unprecedented, and might lead to future complications. Are you sure this is your choice?]
"Yes." I replied flatly.
[Survival Rate increased to 3%!] The System chimed.
Only 3%? I was being NICE and it only went up 1%?
"Very well," Father said slowly. "Wei Suyin will lead the investigation. Shen Qingyun, you'll accompany her."
Shen Qingyun bowed. "Yes, Sect Leader."
They'd go on their adventure, probably have some romantic moments, and I'd stay here and practice not crashing into things.
This was fine.
The meeting continued with other announcements. I was starting to relax, thinking I'd dodged a bullet.
Then disaster struck.
A junior disciple rushed in, breathless. "Sect Leader! Emergency! The spirit beasts in the eastern forest are going berserk! They're attacking the outer settlements!"
Everyone jumped up.
"How many?" Father demanded.
"Dozens! And they're getting closer to the sect!"
This... this wasn't in the original novel.
This was new.
"All disciples above Foundation Establishment, prepare to defend!" Father commanded. "We must protect the civilians!"
Everyone started mobilizing.
I stood there, frozen.
Foundation Establishment. That was the original Yuying's cultivation level.
I was expected to fight.
With a sword I couldn't control.
Against spirit beasts I'd never seen.
The system helpfully appeared.
[SURPRISE PLOT EVENT!]
[Cause: Your earlier decision against the plot]
[Effect: Beast tide!]
[Survival Rate: 1%]
[Our condolences to your family! ♡]
"I caused this?" I whispered.
[Technically yes!]
[Good luck! Try not to die! (You'll probably die)]
Xiao Mei appeared at my side, looking terrified. "Miss, what do we do?"
I looked at the chaos around me. Disciples rushing to prepare. Wei Suyin already organizing a defensive formation. Shen Qingyun calmly drawing his sword.
And me, the disaster villainess who couldn't fly straight.
"Xiao Mei," I said, "I think I'm about to make everything much, much worse."
"How, Miss?"
In the distance, I could hear roaring.
"I'm about to find out."