The So-Called Invincibility Mode

Over time, the two of them became friends. This continued until she joined a gaming company and was put in charge of the technical aspects of a major online game. He also followed her into the game she was managing. And he was always the first to tell her where the game's bugs were, while she was the one responsible for fixing them. She had always thought he was a master of game design, or perhaps a professional gamer, which was why he was so knowledgeable about the game.

However, they only ever communicated through the website. They had never met in person. Looking back now, she had some doubts. For instance, she had once tried hard to invite him to join her company so they could work together, but he refused, saying he couldn't.

Not that he didn't want to. But that he couldn't.

Not to mention her transmigration. It seemed that the moment after she agreed to help him fix the bugs, she was sent to that small village on the mountain. She couldn't help but suspect: was he some mighty figure of this world? Why else would he drag her to this world to help him fix bugs?

And what was happening to Xiao Yi clearly told her that he was a bug! After thinking for a moment, although that dream was a bit absurd, its contents perfectly matched what was happening to Xiao Yi. If she guessed correctly, his current cultivation base was not that of a newly formed Core. Instead, his true cultivation was at the late Golden Core stage, on the verge of Great Perfection.

She was only at Foundation Establishment; how could she possibly fight him? Zhu Yao felt completely out of sorts. What could be more depressing than finding out she had transmigrated as a villain?

Ah, wait! In her dream, she didn't seem to dream about herself? It was as if she didn't even exist in this world. Even her master and Wang Cizhi weren't there.

But clearly she and everyone else existed, and they had interacted with Xiao Yi. She highly suspected that her appearance was an accident. If she thought about it carefully, if she weren't here, Doctor Wang wouldn't have taken Wang Cizhi to participate in the immortal disciple selection, and naturally, she and Wang Cizhi wouldn't have come to the Qiugu Sect. And since her master wouldn't have recruited a disciple with a Lightning Spiritual Root, he would have chosen to ascend, meaning he wouldn't be in this cultivation world either. Her appearance here had caused these changes.

Thinking of this, she needed to work harder...

How could that guy be so powerful! Xiao Yi had even obtained the "Metal Spirit." Damn it! Zhu Yao felt a headache coming on.

If Xiao Yi was a bug, then what was she? A GM? Oh, please! She was just a game technician. Fixing bugs in a normal game was fine, but fixing a bug in this world was a whole different story! Besides, even if she were a GM, she should at least have some in-game privileges, like an invincibility mode...

Suddenly, she remembered her bizarre resurrection. She didn't even lose her cultivation base after coming back to life. Could her privilege be infinite resurrections??? But what was the use of this privilege? If she couldn't beat him, was she just supposed to die repeatedly in front of him?

Pfft! I don't want this kind of invincibility mode at all! Faint!

——————–

After Zhu Yao learned the truth, she was depressed for three whole days. Knowing she had to fight against the protagonist's halo, she needed to grieve a little. Three days later, when she woke up again, she was once more an optimistic, trusting girl. Even if she had never worked in a field or sung a folk song, as long as she held a hoe, there was nothing she couldn't dig up.

So what if he was the protagonist? She had the GM's invincibility mode anyway (even if she didn't want it).

In short, Xiao Yi had the ultimate Golden Finger. He was after the Five Elements Spirits (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth). If these Five Elements Spirits disappeared, the world would collapse. Currently, Xiao Yi already had the "Metal Spirit," leaving four others. She absolutely could not let him get them.

"Master, is the Shiyunkai Secret Realm going to open in ten years?"

Yu Yan was slightly startled and looked at her.

"The Shiyunkai Secret Realm only opens once every five hundred years. It is indeed almost time for it to open."

His disciple usually didn't care about anything else. How did she know about this?

Of course she knew. Because in this Secret Realm, Xiao Yi would slaughter the "Wood Spirit." She didn't know if it had to do with his spiritual roots, but Xiao Yi always found them first. His two spiritual roots, "Metal Spirit" and "Wood Spirit," were related to those two "Spirits." It was also because of this that he successfully formed his Nascent Soul.

"Master, I want to enter that secret realm too."

Yu Yan frowned. Shiyunkai was a space left behind by an ancient mighty figure. It only opened once every five hundred years. Although it contained countless spirit herbs and all kinds of rare treasures, it was extremely dangerous. Moreover, there were level ten Spirit Beasts inside.

"No! That place is too dangerous. Besides, you haven't formed your Core yet."

This secret realm was only for those at the Golden Core stage and above. Anyone below Golden Core would be automatically repelled even if they stepped into the formation gate.

"I will form my Core within ten years!"

Zhu Yao had absolute confidence in her own comprehension.

Yu Yan's frown deepened.

"Even if you successfully form your Core, your cultivation then will only be at the early Golden Core stage. Although there are many opportunities in Shiyunkai, you must at least have the ability to protect yourself before entering."

He had entered this secret realm before. At that time, he was already at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage. Even with such high cultivation, he had struggled immensely inside. Just the outer perimeter of the secret realm gathered many level six and level seven Spirit Beasts. The deeper one went, the more dangerous it became. No one had ever reached the central area of the secret realm. At the very least, he would wait until she reached the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage before letting her try.

"Wait until the next time the secret realm opens. Your master will not stop you then!"

"Master, I must go."

Next time!! There wouldn't be a next time. Because she knew very well that after Xiao Yi took the "Wood Spirit" out, the entire secret realm collapsed. From then on, there would be no more "Shiyunkai."

"I have my reasons, but I can't tell anyone right now. I hope Master will grant my wish."

Yu Yan fell silent. His foolish disciple rarely begged him so seriously. He remembered the last time she begged him—it was to ask for a defensive magical treasure for that brat from Zi Dan's place. He hadn't given it to her, and as a result, she had never returned. Suddenly, he felt a bit worried. If he didn't agree this time, would she never return again?

Zhu Yao waited quietly. She had made up her mind. Whether he agreed or not, she had to go. At worst, she would just sneak out.

After a long while, she saw Yu Yan stand up. He rummaged through his storage ring as if searching for something. Then, he pulled out a purple object. It was a bolt of purple lightning, crackling with sparks and flickering with light. How did he even capture a bolt of lightning?

Zhu Yao stood waiting in silence. *Master, what are you doing? No matter how angry you are, you shouldn't pull out lightning to strike me, right??*

"Follow me!"

Yu Yan told her. He turned and flew toward the Cold Pond on the mountain peak.

At the edge of the Cold Pond, Yu Yan waved his hand and cast a water-parting spell. She saw the chilly, dark pond suddenly split down the middle as if cut by something. The water parted to both sides, while the bottom of the pond, though dry, remained pitch black. It was clearly extremely deep.

Yu Yan did not stop. He walked down into the newly opened passage.

Only then did Zhu Yao notice there were stone steps along the side of the pond. Her master was stepping down onto those stairs. Without hesitation, Zhu Yao followed him.