The body Lyra . An woke up in belonged to a woman with the exact same name.
Same face.Same features.Same everything.It was unsettling—like meeting a version of herself who had taken a completely different path.
Compared to Lyra's previous life—school, exams, work, collapse—
this woman's life had been far more dramatic.She was born exceptional.
At fifteen, she entered the Tianji Pavilion.
The Tianji Pavilion was not an ordinary sect.
Across the entire cultivation world, it stood at the very top.It was the kind of place where talent was discovered early, resources were abundant, and failure was rarely forgiven. Entry alone was enough to change a cultivator's fate.
Most sects fought over scraps.
Tianji Pavilion decided who was allowed to touch opportunity in the first place.
At twenty-five, she became its top disciple.And then she reached the peak.
After that, everything went downhill.
She was framed.
Poisoned.
Betrayed.
Again and again.
She died badly. Painfully. Thoroughly.
After sorting through the memories, Lyra came to a single conclusion:"…Honestly, I should've just died earlier."
The system panicked immediately:"You can't say that! If you die now, you'll never go back!"
Lyra didn't even blink.
"Go back to what?" she asked."Work?"
The system went quiet.
"There's something I don't understand," Lyra said after a moment:"Why didn't the poison kill me?"
Not only was she alive—her lower abdomen felt oddly warm, almost comfortable.
The system ran a scan.
"Congratulations! The three venoms neutralized each other perfectly. Your cultivation has improved!"
Lyra stared:"…You're kidding."
"Yes," the system admitted quickly:"You had three minutes of invincibility after transfer. Emergency protection. Standard procedure."
Lyra let out a short, humorless laugh.Still, she hated pain.
Since she had already forced herself to eat three venomous creatures and survived, she decided she might as well stay alive—for now.
The reason for the three venomous creatures soon became clear.
They were brought by a disciple of a rival master.
That disciple had been entangled with a man named Lucien.Li —a man the original Lyra . An had once cared deeply about.
Lyra . An confronted them.
A fight broke out.
She won.
The rival master, known as Lady Snake, arrived soon after—bringing three venomous familiars to humiliate her and make an example out of her.
What happened next was already common knowledge.
Lyra . An ate all three.
Lady Snake retreated in disgrace.
Lyra . An had planned to return to her residence and lie down.She barely took a few steps before being summoned.
Her master was named Elias . Mu.
Despite the name, he looked young—almost deceptively so.
He was handsome, always smiling, and famously indulgent toward his disciples.
But everyone in the Tianji Pavilion knew the truth--Elias . Mu was fiercely protective.And his temper was terrible.
He sat calmly, drinking tea, when Lyra entered.
She bowed.He gestured for her to sit.
"You ate all three venomous creatures?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Anything you'd like to say?"
"The spider had more liquid," Lyra replied:"It went down easier."
The corner of his eye twitched:"…That's not what I meant."
He put down his cup:"You were bullied at your own doorstep. Why didn't you send someone to tell me?"
"My mouth was faster than my brain," Lyra said:"Didn't have time."
Elias . Mu's expression shifted—red, then pale, then dangerously calm.
"Hand," he said.
Lyra immediately became alert:"I can't eat anymore."
He nearly choked.
"I'm checking your pulse," he snapped:"To see if you're dying."
"Oh."She obediently extended her hand.
Elias . Mu examined her carefully.His frown deepened with every breath.
Lyra smiled faintly.
She recognized that expression well.It was the same look doctors wore before delivering bad news.
"…Strange,"Elias . Mu muttered:"There's no trace of poison at all."
The smile vanished from Lyra 's face.
"You're unhappy?" he noticed:"And here I thought you cared about that man."
She didn't respond.
She was busy trying to remember what Lucien.Li even looked like.
Elias . Mu sighed.
"Our sect isn't that rigid," he said.
"If you truly insist, even becoming a concubine isn't—"
Lyra pointed at herself.
"Me? A concubine?"
He smacked her on the head:"If you ever try that, I'll expel you from the sect immediately."
Then he paused, smoothed his robes, and smiled again.
"Obviously, I meant letting him be the concubine."
Lyra gave him a sincere thumbs-up.
Unfortunately, she had no interest in men anymore.When someone had been stretched too thin for too long, desire faded first.
Who had the energy for romance after working past midnight every day?
At the moment, the only adult male she felt curious about was the King of the Underworld.
"In a few days, an ancient realm will open,"Elias . Mu said.
"I'll have your senior brother take you along. Get some fresh air."
He studied her expression carefully.
"Don't tie yourself to a single tree."
Lyra nodded without enthusiasm.
All she wanted was a few quiet days—no work, no voices, no one reading English textbooks beside her hospital bed.
But Elias . Mu was the kind of master who appeared gentle while being completely inflexible.Once he decided something, resistance was pointless.
She agreed.
"Your talent is exceptional," he said gently.
"Other than being overly devoted, you have no real flaws."
Lyra wondered how thick his filter had to be to say that with a straight face.
According to the memories she inherited,this body's previous owner wasn't "overly devoted."She was terminally so.
The air was cold as Lyra . An left.
She tucked her hands into her sleeves and made her way back slowly.She never liked flying—it always made her feel slightly off-balance.
Halfway there, someone blocked her path.
"Senior Sister!"
A young woman rushed over, lively and pretty, grabbing Lyra sleeve.
"I was calling you just now."
Lyra replied flatly:"Didn't bring my ears today."
The girl stiffened.It was Lucien's cousin-Daisy.Li.
Just as unpleasant as him.
"I heard you ate three venomous creatures," Daisy said awkwardly:"Are you… alright?"
Lyra bared her teeth in a wide smile.White. Sharp. Unfriendly.
"Why?" she asked:"Feeling hungry too?"
Daisy forced a laugh:"I was worried about you."
"I'm leaving."
"Wait," Daisy said quickly:"Your master summoned you earlier—was it about something important?"
So eager. So obvious.
Lyra answered casually:"Yes."
Daisy hesitated:"…What was it about?"
Lyra smiled again:"He wants us to become family."
Daisy froze:"R-Really?"
Her first thought was marriage.
Lyra continued calmly:"He said I'm twenty-five now. Old enough to take a concubine."
Daisy's face drained of color.
"But don't worry," Lyra added kindly:"I refused. I'm very loyal."
Daisy finally relaxed.
Then Lyra finished the sentence.
"Besides, Lucien doesn't care for formalities. No need for a title."
"He can just serve in my quarters."
Daisy stared at her in horror.Lyra patted her shoulder.
"Happy news," she said warmly:"Go tell him. Let him pick an auspicious date."
She turned and left.It was cold outside.She had worn too little.Better to get back quickly.