Prologue
A small groan could barely be heard within the dark cave. The sound was practically drowned out by the waterfall flowing in the corner. Beside it rested a slim figure, its back to the entrance of the cave, one arm reaching toward the pool of crystalline water. Elegant fingers twitched against the surface, ripples forming instantly beneath them, as the individual placed both hands firmly onto the ground to raise himself up.
Silver eyes were disoriented, glazed in a way that spoke of a heavy slumber. His hair was in disarray on their head, dark strands spilling haphazardly from the low ponytail to frame his pale face. He raised one hand to rub at his right eye, a pained groan falling from his lips as he leaned forward. Only to catch his reflection in the water.
Those same eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the face looking back at him. It was his face but so different. Bai Xian didn't remember his hair being so long or looking so much younger. Years of having to work to make a living had left their mark on his face. Gone were the permanent dark bags under his eyes, the frown lines around his mouth and even the scar on his left cheek. That one in particular was the most shocking. He'd received it when a coworker had opened a cabinet door as he'd been walking into the office. On his first day, no less.
"Wha–?"
He was confused, which only got worse as he looked down. What was he wearing? He looked straight out of a Cdrama! His attire was mostly white with soft hues of red flowers along the hems. They were comfortable, there was no doubt about that, but he had never owned something like this!
While his appearance itself was a curiosity, Bai Xian was sure he had died. He vividly remembered the sharp pain in his abdomen as he was stabbed. A case of wrong place, wrong time had ended his life. So… Where was he?
The area he'd awoken in was unfamiliar to him. It was a fairly large cave with moss growing along the walls where vines creeped toward the ceiling. Besides the sparkling waterfall beside him that spilled into a small pond there wasn't much else. Bai Xian could see out of the entrance but it seemed it only led further into the cave. There was nothing that could help him discern his location.
Frustration began building in his chest the longer he surveyed his surroundings. It was getting ridiculous! Nothing looked familiar and nothing made sense. He had died! But he couldn't mistake the oxygen he breathed or the beating of his heart within his chest. Bai Xian would have assumed he'd somehow gone back in time, but he'd never looked the way he did now. He reached up to place a hand onto his cheek, marveling at the soft texture of it beneath the pads of his fingers. School, work, all that stress had left his skin looking ill. He couldn't recall ever looking as healthy as he looked in his reflection.
"Where the hell am I?" he asked himself, the sound of his voice easing some of the nerves within him.
As if to answer his question – and it probably was – a blue screen appeared in front of him.
[ Welcome to the System. Bound Role: Cang Qiong Mountain Sect's Peak Lord of Shuo Dao Peak, "Bai Qingli." Weapon: the sword An Jing. Starting B-Points 100. ]
Wait… What?!
Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. Of course he recognized the name. It was a very important setting within the novel Proud Immortal Demon Way, the very same novel he'd finished moments before his death. Bai Xian had quite literally finished the last chapter and left a rather scathing – if not resigned – parting comment as he was in line at the convenience store. Unfortunately, he'd wound up being the only witness to a burglary almost immediately after. One of the men had stabbed him while the other had immediately begun threatening the cashier.
"So you're telling me I'm in a novel?" he asked the blue window hovering in front of him, "How did that even happen?"
[ Due to special circumstances, User Bai Xian was transmigrated into the deceased body of Shuo Dao Peak Lord Bai Qingli immediately upon his own death. ]
Bai Qingli. Why did that name sound so familiar? Bai Xian thought for a moment, scouring his mind for the information he knew about the 12 Peak Lords of Cang Qiong Mountain. His eyes were soon brightening in recognition.
"Right! The 10th Peak Lord. He died from a slow acting poison while secluded in Lingxi Caves!"
Bai Qingli had barely been mentioned in the novel. It had been a brief description during Luo Binghe's years in Qing Jing Peak. Shuo Dao Peak had been mourning the first decade of their Peak Lord's passing.
[ It was a sorrowful affair. Shuo Dao Peak Lord Bai Qingli had been soft spoken and diligent. A prodigy amongst his peers in terms of spiritual power. The youngest of the Peak Lords and yet the first to die. His absence was felt deeply in his Peak, but he had been distant with his martial siblings. He only ever left his Peak for their monthly meetings and didn't see them outside of that. While they felt the lack of his presence they didn't feel the ache of his passing as his disciples did. He had been attentive to their teachings, always present. Nevertheless, mourning 10 years of a Peak Lord's passing was standard for Cang Qiong Mountain Sect. ]
"So, if I've taken over his body after his death… then that means there's still six years before the protagonist even shows up here…" Bai Xian – no, BaiQingli – stated, a small crease appearing between his brows before his eyes widened in horror, "The protagonist! Cang Qiong Mountain Sect is destined to fall at his hands because of Shen Qingqiu! I can't let him join that Peak!"
[ WARNING! Protagonist Luo Binghe must become a disciple of Qing Jing Peak. Interference will result in the loss of B-Points. ]
"And what happens if I lose those?" he asked. Bai Qingli had a vague inclination since the System was threatening him with their loss but confirmation wouldn't hurt.
[ User Bai Xian will be immediately exported back to his own world should B-Points hit 0. ]
"Noted," he deadpanned, glaring at the blue screen in front of him, "Why does he look like me anyway?"
[ Shuo Dao Peak Lord Bai Qingli was a throwaway character who never appeared in the novel. No appearance was ever stated. The System kept User Bai Xian's appearance and the body's spiritual qi rid it of imperfections. This is the result of both intertwining. ]
"Well, that'll save me from having an identity crisis. Won't that seem weird to the other characters?"
[ Bai Qingli's appearance in others' memories was fixed to accommodate your User Bai Xian's current appearance. ]
"Convenient. Is there any way to unlock Bai Qingli's memories? I might have seen too many dramas and read too many novels, but I doubt I could pull off a character that was barely mentioned in a novel," Bai Qingli muttered, blowing a stray strand of hair out of his face.
[ Would User Bai Xian like to unlock Memory Transfer for 50 B-Points? ]
"No! What the hell? I barely have any to spare as it is!" he cried out, the urge to punch the blue screen almost painful. His hands clenched to fists nonetheless.
[ User can regain B-Points by cultivating within Lingxi Caves for 3 months. ]
Right. The original Bai Qingli's corpse wasn't found until 3 months later when he didn't exit the caves upon his stated time. His own Head Disciple had been the one to discover him. A young man who was only 15 at the time. Bai Qingli couldn't help but wince in sympathy. He bet that scarred the poor kid. Fortunately, that wouldn't be happening this time around.
"Fine. Do it. I'll mediate immediately after the transfer," he promised the System.
[ -50 B-Points. 50 B-Points Remaining. Thank you for your purchase! Memory Transfer activating! ]
Before Bai Qingli had a chance to say a word his head began aching. It was as if someone were beating into his skull with a mallet. He winced at the sensation, a sharp cry of pain spilling from his lips. He didn’t know what was worse. The images rushing through his mind at alarming speed, splitting his head open or the phantom pain of the knife digging into his stomach. Bai Qingli didn’t know how long he stayed there. It could have been mere seconds, minutes, hours but he was grateful when the pain began to subside.
Bai Qingli was panting, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He was slumped on the ground, his right hand tangled within his long hair in a painful grip. With a low groan, he released the hold, wincing at the sting in his scalp. He must have done that in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the agony bursting within his skull.
“A warning would have been appreciated,” he bit out irritably. The cheerful ding of the System as it once more appeared within his vision didn’t help his headache.
[ Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Good things must be stated three times! +50 B-Points for merging with the original character Shuo Dao Peak Lord Bai Qingli. ]
“I fucking hate you.”