Taoxi felt a twinge of disappointment.
So, it turns out that her original identity was that of the Holy Maiden of the Sound Clan in the novel.
Why was this Saint of the Sound Clan considered cannon fodder? Because she didn't even have a real name in the story.
The only title that appeared was "Saint." She didn't even deserve a name—just cannon fodder, plain and simple.
In the original novel, the Saint fell in love with the male protagonist, Qi Yi. Since time immemorial, male leads in novels always carried an air of dominance. Perhaps the Saint was drawn to that aura.
In short, after realizing that Qi Yi treated an unknown woman named Mao Song differently, the Saint became enraged. Out of jealousy, she schemed against the female lead, trying to destroy their relationship.
But the protagonist is always the protagonist. A mere cannon fodder's tricks were nothing in comparison. Qi Yi saw through her schemes and, in the end, abandoned her in the Forest of Beasts.
Without the male lead's protection, she had no chance of survival in that perilous place. Ultimately, her body was devoured by wild beasts.
So why was Qiang Yu surprised?
The former Saint of the Sound Clan had disappeared without a trace—her body was never found. How did she end up in his Lanyu Lin in this life?
Speaking of which, Qiang Yu was actually Zhi Yu. Most likely, the reason the Saint vanished so completely was because she had provoked Qi Yi.
Everyone knew that the previous Saint of the Sound Clan had loved Qi Yi—even Qiang Yu had heard of it.
For reasons unknown, the Saint had fallen for Bo Qi at first sight. From then on, she had stayed by his side.
At the time, Qi Yi was still in the early stages of his rise and needed support from other factions. The leader of the Sound Clan doted on the Saint and granted her every request.
Thus, Qi Yi allowed her to stay by his side.
Later, he took advantage of her love and tricked her into handing over the Sound Clan's most treasured cultivation technique—the Luo Yin Jue.
Then, he discarded her in the Forest of Beasts.
Back to the present.
Qiang Yu thought, If this were my past self, knowing that such a young girl had suffered due to a cruel fate, I would have helped her...
But in this life, he no longer had such kindness. This was her own destiny—what did it have to do with him?
At this moment, Taoxi was unaware that Qiang Yu had already decided to send her back to the Sound Clan, watching as she repeated her past mistakes.
Now that she understood her identity, Taoxi began making plans.
Her original body may have been cannon fodder, but she was not. She knew the fate of every character in the novel.
Her next step was figuring out how to naturally attach herself to the male supporting role.
Before Taoxi could finish her thoughts, Qiang Yu spoke.
"I never expected the Saint of the Sound Clan to visit my Yao Clan.
Although it was unclear why you lost your memory before, at least now everything is clear.
Next, I will personally escort the Saint back to the Echo Clan."
There was nothing wrong with Qiang Yu's words.
Staying here without reason wasn't a good idea.
Taoxi recalled that, in the original story, both the Medicine Clan and the Sound Clan were large, hidden clans with a good relationship. She would have plenty of opportunities to return later.
For now, going back to the Sound Clan to assess the situation seemed like the best option.
As the Saint of the Sound Clan, her presence carried great significance.
After making up her mind, Taoxi nodded.
"Then I'll trouble you, Master Qiang."
The Sound Clan wielded musical instruments as weapons.
The higher one's cultivation level, the more powerful their instrument became when played.
The current leader of the Sound Clan was Taoxi's nominal mother in this life.
In the original book, Taoxi hadn't paid attention to the relationship between the Holy Maiden and the Sound Clan leader. She had only focused on the male supporting roles.
Because of this, when she returned to the Sound Clan and was met with the anxious, distressed gaze of the clan leader, she felt at a loss.
She had never experienced parental love before, so this overwhelming concern left her flustered.
The leader of the Sound Clan, Qian Zi, appeared no older than thirty.
She wore an elegant silver robe adorned with gold embroidery. A golden hair crown, shaped like heavy musical notes, rested atop her head—an emblem of her status and identity.
"Xixi, where have you been these past few days?" Qian Zi asked, a mix of anger and fear in her voice.
"You said you'd only be out for a week of training, but you were gone for a whole month!"
Fortunately, nothing had happened to Xixi. Qian Zi cherished her deeply—Xixi was her last hope.
Hearing herself addressed as "Xixi," Taoxi was momentarily stunned.
But she quickly regained her composure and replied, "For some reason, I seem to have lost some of my memories.
When I woke up, I found myself in the territory of the Medicine Clan, where I met Young Master Qiang.
It's thanks to his clan's identity-verifying stone that I was able to return to the Sound Clan.
I'm sorry for worrying you during this time."
Wait… Was the original owner of this body also named Taoxi?
Taoxi felt a little confused.
Only now did Qian Zi notice the young man standing behind her daughter.
She had been too anxious, her heart and eyes focused solely on Taoxi, and hadn't even registered Qiang Yu's presence.
Upon closer inspection, she realized he was the designated heir of the Medicine Clan.
She had heard of him before. The Sound Clan and the Medicine Clan had a close relationship, after all.
According to rumors, the current chief of the Medicine Clan saw Qiang Yu as the perfect heir—a model of discipline and obedience.
"Thank you so much, Young Master Qiang, for looking after my Xixi during this time.
You are a guest, and you have shown kindness to my daughter.
It just so happens that the Wanlai Festival of the Sound Clan is approaching. Why don't you stay as our guest for a few days?"
As the name suggests, the Wanlai Festival was a grand event where all sounds converged.
It was held once every three years and was open to participants outside the Sound Clan, provided they were under 25 and strong enough.
However, only 300 people could compete.
The rewards were generous, consisting of magical tools that greatly benefited cultivators.
The first-place winner would receive a defensive robe capable of withstanding a full-force attack from a purple-level cultivator.
This was the goal of all contestants.
The second and third-place prizes were also valuable—a breakthrough pill and a spiritual flute.
Qiang Yu had come to visit Taoxi precisely for this reason.
Although the rules stated that anyone meeting the qualifications could participate, the reality was different.
With limited spots and immense rewards, competition was fierce.
In the end, 60% of the contestants came from major hidden clans, 30% from the royal family, and only 10% were independent powerhouses.
This was the harsh reality.
Outwardly, Qiang Yu was the heir to the Medicine Clan, but in truth, he was nothing more than a puppet in their eyes.
Had he truly been valued, he wouldn't have been abandoned the moment he lost the pharmacopoeia.
Qian Zi's offer was clear—her way of repaying him was granting him a place in the competition.
It seemed the hidden clans knew quite a bit about each other's internal struggles.
Qiang Yu set aside his self-mockery and replied, "Then I'll respectfully accept your generosity."
Taoxi still remembered the Wanlai Festival from the novel.
It was during this event that the original body fell deeply in love with Qi Yi—and from there, embarked on the path to her demise.
Now, she needed to think about how to strengthen her bond with her male supporting role before she inevitably encountered the main leads.
Little did she know, fate had already set its course.