Chapter 8: Preparing for What Lies Ahead-With a Dimensional Chat Group in Hand, the Doomed Side Character Soars to Immortality(Ephemeral clouds and fleeting winds, like the tinkling of wind chimes in passing moments.)

Every morning, Wei Yunxi attended the family school with the children of the Feng clan, receiving an introduction to cultivation and learning about the world of cultivators. Some of these lessons had been taught to her by Feng Jiayun before, but she had not understood or remembered them clearly at the time. Now, with the soul of Wei Yunxi from another world inhabiting her body, she absorbed the knowledge thoroughly, making her days in the Feng household fulfilling.

The afternoon sessions were the favorite among the young companions. The Feng clan cultivators explained the contents of the "Illustrated Guide to Demonic Beasts" and the "Compendium of Spiritual Plants." As they put it, if you encountered an attack by a demonic beast, you must recognize the species and know its weaknesses; if you discovered a spiritual plant, at least you should understand its value, lest you miss a rare treasure and regret it later.

The Feng clan had built its reputation on the art of alchemy, so recognizing and identifying spiritual herbs and plants was a compulsory course for every Feng disciple, and only those who achieved excellent marks could proceed to the next stage. Thus, Wei Yunxi spent these days flipping through the thick "Compendium of Spiritual Plants," memorizing its contents.

Each evening, upon returning to her quarters, Wei Yunxi would take a Body-Tempering Pill before soaking in the hot springs, allowing the pill's medicinal effects to be fully absorbed.

The first time she took the Body-Tempering Pill, she merely felt a slight tingling throughout her body, without any pain. The Feng clan leader had mentioned that, generally, children her age suffered excruciating pain the first time they took the pill, only gradually adapting as time went on. This suggested that Feng Jiayun must have secretly given her daughter the pill before, without letting her know.

Wei Yunxi sighed inwardly. Feng Jiayun had been a dutiful mother, but she likely hadn't anticipated being suddenly separated from her daughter, forced to entrust her to the hypocrite Wei Lingyue.

During her stay with the Feng clan, Wei Yunxi was not isolated from news. She learned that Du Ruolan had officially become Lady Wei, and Wei Yunqing had been established as the legitimate daughter of the Wei family. Mother and daughter must be quite pleased with themselves now.

Before long, Wei Lingyue sent people to the Feng clan to fetch his youngest daughter. The pretext was that Yunxi was to celebrate her fifth birthday; after the birthday, her spiritual root would be tested, and then her cultivation would begin. The Wei clan had other plans for Yunxi.

This time, the Feng clan leader could not object. He explained the situation to Wei Yunxi and prepared some items suitable for cultivation during the Qi Refining stage, all placed in a beginner's storage pouch for Wei Yunxi to carry.

Wei Yunxi thought for a moment, then handed her personal storage pendant to Feng Jiaqing, saying seriously, "Uncle, please help Yunxi safeguard the items mother left behind for now. When I am able to cultivate, you can return them to me."

The Feng clan leader was surprised. He hadn't expected the little girl to trust him so much—entrusting all her mother's belongings to his care. He smiled and asked, "Yunxi, do you trust uncle so much? Why don't you keep them yourself?"

Wei Yunxi pretended to frown in thought before replying, "Wei Yunqing always likes to steal my things. After the spiritual root test, if her aptitude is better than mine, she will surely use her mother's status as Lady Wei to snatch things from me. I don't want to let her have my treasures."

The Feng clan leader instantly understood. The little girl still resented Wei Yunqing for previously taking her mother's hairpin. He also realized that her decision was wise; though their motives differed, both sought to protect what Feng Jiayun had left behind.

Now, with the Feng clan having concealed Wei Yunxi's spiritual root, it meant that after Wei Lingyue learned his daughter's aptitude was mediocre or worse, he would not invest in her cultivation or allocate resources to her. Or, if he were even more shameless, he might coax Yunxi into transferring all her mother's belongings to his own storage pouch—he had done so before. Thus, the Feng clan leader fully supported Yunxi's decision.

That very day was Wei Yunxi's fifth birthday. The Feng clan leader gifted her a first-grade defensive bracelet, a passive item that would activate automatically in the face of mortal danger, usable even by someone who hadn't cultivated.

Wei Yunxi found it delightful, immediately performed the blood recognition ritual, and slipped it onto her wrist. Content, she brought her four maids and was escorted back to the Wei clan by the Feng clan leader.

Wei Lingyue naturally greeted her in person, exchanged pleasantries with the Feng clan leader, and the two parted with polite words.

Wei Yunxi expected to be moved to a side courtyard, but instead, she returned smoothly to Zhuohua Court—a difference from what had been written in the novel.

Back in Zhuohua Court, Wei Yunxi washed up and changed her clothes before being carried by her maid to greet her father, and to meet the newly appointed Lady Wei.

"Yunxi greets father. May father enjoy peace and health!" Wei Yunxi spoke in a childish voice, ignoring Du Ruolan sitting nearby.

Du Ruolan, however, was unfazed, looking at Wei Yunxi with a loving gaze and smiling, "It seems the Feng clan took great care of Yunxi. That little face has grown rounder."

Wei Yunxi refused to respond. The woman's smile was so insincere—it was the fox wishing the chicken well, nothing good could come of it. So she simply stared at Wei Lingyue with wide, innocent eyes.

Wei Lingyue felt a bit uneasy under his youngest daughter's gaze, coughed lightly, and said, "Yunxi, from now on, Aunt Du is Lady Wei. You must respect her."

Upon hearing her father's words, Wei Yunxi didn't argue. She turned and respectfully greeted Du Ruolan, "Yunxi greets Lady Wei."

Du Ruolan's lips twitched at this, but she nodded slightly and sensibly said, "You father and daughter haven't seen each other for a long time; you must have much to talk about. I won't intrude, I'll go check on Yunqing."

With that, she gracefully left the reception hall.

Once Du Ruolan was gone, Wei Lingyue put on the face of a loving father and asked how Wei Yunxi had fared during her time with the Feng clan—whether she had been bullied, and so forth.

Wei Yunxi was no fool; she only spoke of things that could be shared—how the Feng clan children accompanied her in play, how she ate delicious food, and how the elders gave her plenty of small gifts.

After recounting these, she patted the beginner's storage pouch hanging at her waist and boasted slightly, "Father, this is a gift from uncle. He said the contents can be used once I've tested my spiritual root and begun cultivation."

Wei Lingyue's gaze flickered; he sent a thread of spiritual sense into the pouch and found that its space was only three square meters. Inside were an iron sword, several bottles of first-grade pills, and a defensive hairpin—items suitable for beginners, and nothing else.

Wei Lingyue secretly thought the Feng clan was stingy, then said, "Yunxi, did you thank your uncle?"

"Don't worry, father, Yunxi properly thanked him."

"Good. Go rest early tonight; tomorrow the clan will test the spiritual roots of you and the other children who have turned five."

"Yes."

Wei Yunxi readily agreed, but lingered and did not leave.

Wei Lingyue frowned, "Yunxi, is there something else?"

Wei Yunxi looked at him expectantly, "Father, today is my birthday. What gift did you prepare for me?"