Next door, in another room, Little Li (Male) was staring blankly at the ceiling.
Good news: his childhood friend had the potential of an emperor.
Bad news: their relationship wasn’t exactly the hottest in town, and he spent his days prancing around like a clown in front of her.
Once he joined the Qingyuan Sect, she would surely shine bright like a diamond.
Li Mo’s mind couldn’t help but conjure up memories of the classic scene where the test for talent went kaboom! as the mystical stone exploded, sending the little bullies who’d once made fun of the testing shaking in their boots, lining up to get slapped in the face.
Just then—
【Investing in the “Skill of Greatness,” Investment: One bowl of old mountain ginseng chicken soup.】
【Reward calculating…】
【Congratulations, Host! Reward: One Heavenly Spirit Nourishing Pill!】
【Heavenly Spirit Nourishing Pill】: “A six-patterned pill, a top-notch item that can replenish innate deficiencies.”
An opened jade box suddenly appeared on the table.
Inside lay a dazzling pill, swirling with purple aura and glowing with mysterious light — it looked more magical than a unicorn wearing a party hat.
Li Mo’s mouth gaped open, his expression froze, and he almost forgot to breathe for a few seconds.
He had heard of this thing before.
He was a premature baby. Due to his mother getting scared during pregnancy, he popped out early, which made him sickly and weak. He walked later than all the other kids and got bashed around by both the folks at Li Mansion and the neighboring street families, who all said the Li Family was like a tiger with a lapdog.
His dad didn’t say much, but he was clearly anxious and tried every trick in the book to help him.
This included searching for the so-called Innate Nourishing Pill.
Unfortunately, this thing had a market value that could give a prince a run for his money.
Spending half of the Li Family’s fortune might only get him a two-patterned one, and even that was a gamble.
Many powerful clans were itching to get their hands on this pill, willing to pay extra just to nurture their juniors because, come on, who wouldn’t want a little bit of extra innate talent before they start practicing martial arts?
So, Li Mo was left wanting.
Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d get it this way.
And it was a six-patterned one!
Even Li Mo, dim as a light bulb, knew how incredibly precious this was.
Each extra pattern on a pill could skyrocket its value, increasing geometrically, making it exponentially rarer.
For six patterns, he had only heard of their notorious rarity!
“Ah woo~”
“Doesn’t seem to have much taste.”
Li Mo smacked his lips.
No matter how precious, it only belonged to him once it went down the hatch.
The pill melted instantly in his mouth, slipping down his throat like a sneaky ninja heading for the stomach.
The next moment…
He felt a warm, flowing energy filling his arms and legs, swimming through his bones and meridians, frolicking in his organs like it was on vacation in a tropical paradise.
It was like the drought was finally over and dead trees were flowering anew.
“Whew.”
Li Mo exhaled deeply, opening his eyes again, now glowing brighter than a lightbulb on full power.
His body felt like it had dropped a thousand-pound weight, and the world felt unveiled, blossoming with a new fragrance like sprinkles of joy in the air. He felt an endless surge of energy thrumming inside him.
If one had to use a metaphor, Li Mo likened himself to an elderly man who just had ten decades drop off his age in an instant.
If he were to practice martial arts again, even if he wasn’t a jade among stones, he’d at least be a stone with zero cracks!
“Six-patterned pill, can’t argue with that.”
“And all for a bowl of chicken soup, mind you!”
Li Mo shook his head in disbelief.
This investment return was too insane to handle.
Of course, the biggest reason he got so lucky? None other than Ying Bing (Female).
In his mind, she embodied her namesake perfectly.
Her personality could be summed up with the phrase “Ice Chunk.”
Mending their relationship would be a long trek, but rewards were always worth pursuing.
Red destiny? You know what they say, “first come, first served!”
“Housekeeper Xu!”
“Yes, Young Master, do you need something?”
The housekeeper rushed in.
Li Mo lowered his voice and asked, “Does Ying Bing have any favorite foods?”
The housekeeper paused, thinking hard. “I don’t think so. Miss Bing isn’t really into food.”
“Anything else she likes?”
“Uhh… we don’t really know…”
The housekeeper looked troubled, wondering what kind of mischief the young master was cooking up this time.
In the past, he would instruct the servants to make things hard for Miss Bing, so why the sudden care?
“Never mind, I appreciate your help.”
Li Mo recalled and felt a bit embarrassed.
Just as the housekeeper turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something:
“Right, Young Master! The Master ordered once we reach the city below the Qingyuan Sect, we must take Miss Bing for a checkup.”
“He even allocated two taels of silver for consultation. What do you think…”
“Sure, if that’s not enough, just take from my personal stash!”
Li Mo waved his hand with flair.
If spending money could really net rewards, he’d put down his entire fortune, no questions asked.
“Let’s hurry up and get some rest. We’ve got a long journey tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, indeed…”
The housekeeper scratched his head, nodding along.
What’s up with the young master lately? He seemed to have had a change of heart, not only being nicer to him but also transforming his attitude toward Miss Bing to sunny skies.
Perhaps it’s because he left the house, saw the world, and grown up a bit?
…
The next day.
The first ray of morning light spilled into the room, glittering as it hit the frost settled in the corners.
The girl curled up on the bed with her knees hugged tightly, resembling a snow fairy asleep in winter.
Ying Bing was dreaming.
She dreamt of her past life.
Entering Qingyuan Mountain, she was initially discovered to have a severed pulse but later had a miraculous encounter that allowed her to reopen it.
Warm reminder: If you think this book is good, avoid losing track of it next time; please remember to add it to your shelf!
After that, she exhibited demonic talent, leaving her peers in the dust.
By the age of eighteen, even the Sect Master had nothing on her.
She ventured out of the Eastern Wilderness and witnessed a broader world.
Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were vast.
Hidden sects, ancient demons, imperial talents, even ancient monsters reincarnated in new paths, and heroes popping up like mushrooms after a rain.
It was a glittering era.
Yet, within that grand spectacle, she remained the brightest star!
The first on the Qianlong List, first on the Mortal List, first on the Xuan List, first on the Earth List, first on the Heaven List…
In the end, she stood among the nine in the Nine Heavens, on par with the Martial Emperor of the Yu Dynasty, known as Phoenix Sky.
“Nine Heavens.”
It represented the nine mightiest individuals amid the vastness of Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
But there was, supposedly, a legendary supreme realm above the nine.
Ying Bing slowly opened her eyes.
All signs pointed to the fact she had truly returned to her former self.
And encountered things she never did in her past life.
“Is it still here?”
Before her floated a mysterious, shimmering character.
This character was only visible to her, as though it would remain forever unless she made a choice.
A system…
She had never seen such things even in her past life.
“Nine Heavens and Ten Earths are infinitely vast; I am far from omniscient.”
“Perhaps, this is the power I’ve never come into contact with?”
Ying Bing gazed down momentarily, and with a thought…
【Ding! Binding Skill of Greatness.】
【Host: Ying Bing.】
【This system is an unrivaled talent system, dedicated to helping the host walk the path to invincibility.】
Ying Bing’s expression remained calm, not reacting excessively.
Invincible path?
She had walked it once already.
Her rise was already a path to invincibility, shining like a star among heroes, unparalleled by anyone else.
In her previous life, even the Yu Emperor could only rely on tricks to keep up with her.
At her peak, one would likely need to flip through the history books to find an opponent.
In this life, she would only grow stronger!
【Completion rewards will allow her to gain an immortal opportunity.】
Just then, the system displayed another message.
Immortal!
That was a legendary term!
It was said that in every era, a unique “immortal” would appear in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
Transcending the mortal world, it represented true detachment, true immortality.
But since the Yu Dynasty established its kingdom, the immortal paths seemed to have faded into myth, shrouded in mystery.
This was also the greatest secret sought after by the Nine Heavens throughout ages.
The road to immortality was closed to her, and she confidently chose the most arduous path, a rare path walked by very few throughout history.
But in the end, she was still one step short…
Could this system offer her the chance for immortality?
Ying Bing steadied her emotions and said,
“What does ‘challenge’ mean?”
【This system will encompass all talented martial artists among peers within a certain area, and will commence a ranking every month.】
【After the ranking is announced, rewards will be dispensed based on the host’s position.】
【Current ranking range: Eastern Wilderness.】
Suddenly, a multitude of memories flooded Ying Bing’s mind.
Not only were there rules of the system, but also numerous limitations.
For example, no external interventions were allowed during the challenges.
Disclosing the existence of the system to manipulate rankings was strictly forbidden.
Such protocols basically closed off any chance of cheating.
However…
A talent ranking?
In her previous life, she was already synonymous with genius and demon talent across Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
With this system, she retained her past memories, and embarking on the path of martial arts would mean she’d be stronger than ever!
If what the system said was true, then it would undeniably shorten her path back to her peak, even allowing her to step into the unknown realm.
Even if it was a bit exaggerated, she risked nothing by trying.
Loser’s punishment?
In her past life, she had never experienced being suppressed by others.
The Middle King’s realm had always been known for its heroes and earth’s spirits, yet after she left, this younger generation overshadowed by her presence almost dreaded the very color “ice.”
Some old monsters even disguised themselves, suppressing their realms, posing as newcomers to challenge her.
But inevitably, they were forced to show their true colors.
The result? They still lost.
【Prompt: Do you wish to activate the punishment mechanism?】
【Activating it will yield richer rewards, but after the rankings are announced, you must complete the loser’s punishment towards the first place.】
“Seek and you shall find.”
Ying Bing’s choice was unequivocal.
She would undoubtedly be the first!
This punishment was nearly non-existent for her.
It wasn’t arrogance.
For something she had accomplished before, why not reap the maximum reward?
【Loser’s punishment activated!】
Ying Bing pushed the door open.
“Morning.”
Not far away, the young man had just opened the door too.
Their gazes met, and Li Mo grinned, revealing a smile brighter than a sunbeam.
Compared to yesterday, the shadow had vanished from his face, replaced with dashingly handsome vibes.
In a single night, he seemed to have transformed into a sunny boy.
For some reason, he felt a bit more familiar, reminiscent of the ‘him’ she recalled from her distant memories.
