Chapter 26: The Awakened Protagonist: Ye Xiaozi’s Transformation

Upon Luo Bingli’s true departure, Wang Qiu’er immediately launched an investigation.

Her scrutiny began with Ye Xiaozi’s daily life. Where did she go in the mornings? When and with whom did she eat? When did she work, when did she return to rest, and when did she sleep? Wang Qiu’er even probed whether Ye Xiaozi had engaged in any recreational activities with others on her way back.

After a full day of investigation, as the evening sun cast its golden rays, Wang Qiu’er had gathered most of the information she sought. It was then that she spotted Ye Xiaozi returning to her dwelling.

Wang Qiu’er’s eyes widened in disbelief. ‘Could this… could this truly be Ye Xiaozi?’ she wondered, marveling at how noticeably her appearance had transformed in just a single day.

Compared to the previous day, Ye Xiaozi’s entire aura—her spirit, energy, and vitality—was completely different. Even her aesthetic appeal had begun to shift.

This was not the most astonishing part. Crucially, the aura of fortune enveloping Ye Xiaozi was terrifyingly immense, almost rivaling that of their esteemed Saintess. This was a privilege typically reserved only for the protagonists of the world.

Observing her, Wang Qiu’er deduced that Ye Xiaozi must have awakened some special bloodline. Could her bloodline possess a unique significance? Even the world itself seemed to bestow boundless fortune upon its awakening.

Typically, such an occurrence meant that someone in the individual’s family history had, at some point, saved the world, thus earning such extraordinary treatment.

Hiss, wait.

In that moment, Wang Qiu’er suddenly grasped her Saintess’s true intentions. If Ye Xiaozi had remained unremarkable, the Saintess, given her discerning taste, would naturally not have paid her any mind.

However, the current Ye Xiaozi was compelling enough to spark the Saintess’s interest. After all, Ye Xiaozi was already transforming into a stunning beauty right after her awakening.

If she were to fully awaken, she would likely become another peerless talent on the list of unparalleled beauties. Wang Qiu’er’s role would simply be to act as a stooge, suppressing her.

Then, when the time was right, the Saintess would appear by Ye Xiaozi’s side like a celestial maiden, saving both her body and soul. Would the girl not then offer herself in gratitude?

As this thought blossomed, Wang Qiu’er’s inspiration flowed like an unending river. ‘I’ve got it, I’ve got it, the inspiration has come!’ she thought. ‘But I need to distance myself from this. I need to find a scapegoat.’

Thus, Wang Qiu’er indulged in her own fantasies.

****

Ye Xiaozi’s transformation had begun the previous night.

After the awakening of her bloodline, Ye Xiaozi had felt dizzy and disoriented throughout the entire night. Even her return to her dwelling had been subconscious.

It wasn’t until the voice of her roommate, Wang Xiaomei, rang out, that she was truly roused. –Xiaomei, I feel like you’ve changed, haven’t you?–

Hearing Wang Xiaomei’s concerned tone, Ye Xiaozi finally snapped back to reality. She realized she had returned to her dormitory and that Wang Xiaomei, her roommate, was looking at her with worry.

She instinctively scratched her head. –When did I get back?–

–Uh… never mind when you got back for now. Just tell me, how do you feel right now?–

What Ye Xiaozi failed to notice was the faint trace of excitement beneath Wang Xiaomei’s concern. Ye Xiaozi merely pondered for a moment, then focused inward, before clasping her hands together.

–I feel it. My current state is excellent,– she declared.

–What do you mean?–

–It means that things I didn’t understand before, I now grasp with a single glance. The spiritual energy that used to circulate sluggishly now flows freely the moment I activate it. Just now, for instance, I broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, a realm I hadn’t managed to reach in a month.–

From Ye Xiaozi’s words, it was evident that her natural talent wasn’t particularly outstanding. She had been at the third layer of Qi Condensation three months after entering the sect. Of course, ‘not outstanding’ was only relative.

Many individuals still lingered at the first or second layers of Qi Condensation after three months. There were even a few ‘heaven-blessed prodigies’ who, after three months, were still merely sensing the flow of spiritual energy.

Naturally, for every person of ordinary talent, there were those of exceptional genius, such as Luo Bingli or Bai Ruxue. They could sense spiritual energy in less than ten minutes, reach the first layer of Qi Condensation in under an hour, and achieve the third layer in less than a day.

As for three months, they had already reached the late stage of Qi Condensation. Now, with Ye Xiaozi’s awakening, her talent had significantly improved.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaomei’s eyes lit up. She excitedly grasped Ye Xiaozi’s hand. –Xiaomei, I knew it! My guess was right! You are one of the protagonists of this world! Your mysterious bloodline has awakened, and you will gradually grow stronger, shed your mediocrity, and become one of the few powerhouses of the Hundred Flowers Palace. In the future…–

However, before Wang Xiaomei could continue, Ye Xiaozi suddenly became agitated. –I know about the protagonists you’re talking about! There’s a storyteller’s stall not far from my home. The protagonists in those tales either end up with many wives and concubines or become the strongest! Does this mean I, too, could become the most powerful person in the entire world?–

–Uh… well… it’s certainly possible, but…–

–That’s wonderful! If I work hard, I’ll eventually reach the heights that Senior Sister Bai and the Saintess have achieved. Then, I’ll be able to help both the Saintess and Senior Sister Bai. From today onwards, I will cultivate diligently every day, striving to reach Foundation Establishment and form my Core as soon as possible!–

With that declaration, Ye Xiaozi, fueled with newfound determination, immediately sat cross-legged on her bed and began absorbing spiritual energy.

Ye Xiaozi’s reaction was understandable; she had been heavily influenced by numerous storybooks, naturally casting herself as the protagonist.

In fact, at this moment, Ye Xiaozi harbored a bold idea: to take both the Saintess and Senior Sister Bai as her own.

Beside her, Wang Xiaomei couldn’t help but scratch her head, staring blankly at her roommate, who had suddenly transformed into a ‘study maniac’. This… she felt something was off. However, since Ye Xiaozi had already begun cultivating, Wang Xiaomei decided not to disturb her.

‘Forget it,’ she thought. ‘There are many oddities in this world. No matter how strange, they can’t possibly compare to the Peak Master of that Lily Peak.’

Indeed, by the next day, Ye Xiaozi’s personality had undergone a drastic change. Not only did she wake up early to absorb a wisp of purple qi from the rising sun outdoors, but she also started working.

This dramatic shift in character naturally left Ye Xiaozi’s acquaintances in awe. However, apart from Wang Xiaomei, others weren’t very familiar with Ye Xiaozi, so they simply assumed she was no longer hiding her true abilities and was finally unleashing her power.

Especially when everyone learned that Ye Xiaozi had broken through to the fourth layer of Qi Condensation in just three short months, they exclaimed that Ye Xiaozi was one of the prodigies to emerge in this region.

After all, while it was common to reach the third layer of Qi Condensation in three months, reaching the fourth layer in the same timeframe was exceedingly rare, as entering the fourth layer signified entering the middle stage of Qi Condensation.