Chapter 2, the young girl from Xiaojiacun

She rummaged through her memories for those low-level fire attribute herbs that mortal bodies could endure

Uncertain whether it was due to extreme hunger or the effect of the cool water she had drunk, Xiao Lian'er could not fall asleep. With her eyes wide open, memories of the past surged forth in her mind. She tightly embraced her frail arms, repeatedly whispering to herself: "Han Xiuwen, you must not die young."

Do not say that she currently lacks the ability to seek. Even if she were to find it now, this body is merely that of a mortal and cannot withstand the impact of two extreme temperatures of medicinal properties

For small families engaged in mundane cultivation, spiritual stones are exceedingly precious. Xiao Mingyi, lacking sufficient spiritual energy and elixirs for her practice at home, had no choice but to cultivate a plot of medicinal herbs in the yard, growing the spiritual grasses necessary for her cultivation. She planted the Fierce Sun Flower, intending to harvest it for vase arrangements

Xiao Lian'er thought calmly

Her vision went dark, and for a long time, her face felt as if it had lost all sensation.

Xiao Lian'er covered her face with one hand and touched her ear with the other, feeling dazed for quite a while before finally seeing the brown hem of Aunt Geng's skirt floating in front of her. It was only then that she realized she had been slapped down to the ground.

The medicinal crystal of the Cold Crystal Orchid emitted a faint chill, gradually dissolving the fire elements into nothingness. When the last trace of fire element disappeared, Xiao Lian'er discovered that the layer of medicinal crystal sealing her dantian had melted away to a shallow extent. In the smooth crystalline layer, there were depressions the size of walnuts. This indicated that as long as she consumed enough herbs containing fire elements, the medicinal crystal blocking her meridians and sealing her dantian would gradually dissolve.

Without power, one can only be bullied by others

Eight years ago, her soul drifted to the foot of Qingmu Mountain at Xiaojiazhuang.

The kitchen's water tanks, three in a row, were even taller than Xiao Lian'er. It was not until the moon reached its zenith that she filled all the water tanks to the brim.

Just when Xiao Lian and Tu Shuer were almost in despair, luck finally waved its hand at her

Madam Geng's face loomed large before Xiao Lian'er. Her lips, painted with bright red rouge, opened and closed, revealing a set of well-aligned teeth. Like a saber-toothed tiger, fierce and strong: "Even if it is discarded by the young lady, you, a lowly servant, are not worthy to take it!"

Two years ago, she was too young, and the master and his wife could not allow her to serve by Xiao Mingyi's side. By winter, she would be eight years old. It was time to find a way.

A cold crystal orchid took her thirty years to cultivate. At that time, she was already a perfected practitioner of the Golden Elixir.

If she could be reincarnated, she would lose all her current memories. In that case, it might not be a form of liberation after all

Xiao Family Village is a small family of cultivators in the secular world. Due to its affiliation with the Yuan Dao Sect for survival, any member of the family with the aptitude for cultivation is generously accepted into the sect.

She stumbled into the kitchen, unable to suppress a bitter smile. By this time, the stove had long been extinguished and the door locked. The servants had all gone to bed, and there was no one left to wait for her to finish drawing water before serving the meal

There are many types of low-grade herbs with fire properties, such as the blazing sun flower. A piece of low-grade spirit stone can be exchanged for a sack.

Xiao Lian'er cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage in her previous life. The majority of her time was spent on external training, searching for rare treasures that could enhance Han Xiuwen's cultivation. Due to her treasure-seeking endeavors, she became well-versed in the medicinal properties of various spiritual herbs.

Xiao Lian'er began working as a kitchen helper at the age of six, with all meals and accommodation provided, earning thirty wen a month. After two years, the money she saved was strung together, yet it was not even enough to exchange for a single tael of silver.

Having been drained of her cultivation and subjected to the impact of her primordial spirit's self-detonation, her soul was exceedingly weak. By the time she floated to Xiao Family Village, her soul was on the verge of dissipating.

Autumn has already arrived, and the nights are chilly. If the door is not bolted, it will be blown open by the wind. The three girls living in the same room all complain about being chilled by the wind, and they always make sure to bolt the door tightly before she returns. It is only after she has been outside pleading for a long time that they will reluctantly get out of bed, grumbling, to open the door. Who wants to be woken up from a warm bed to open the door? They harbor resentment and will always reach out to pinch her a few times before feeling satisfied

As she pushed the door, it did not open. Clearly, it was bolted from the inside. This was not the first time she had returned late at night to find the door closed after finishing her work. She opened her mouth but ultimately did not call out.

"Let me see you steal the young lady's flowers and plants again, and I will definitely chop off your fingers!" Aunt Geng kicked her and scolded fiercely.

Before her words could finish, her hair was suddenly yanked, and she was lifted up. She was forced to tilt her head back, the words she had yet to say caught in her throat

She finally saw hope

Ouch! Xiao Lian'er winced in pain, her face scrunching up, as she instinctively reached to swat away Aunt Geng, who was twisting her ear. In response, she received a sharp slap.

Xiao Lian'er had no doubt that if she did not beg for mercy and soften her stance, Aunt Geng's hand would come down and directly twist her slender neck.

By chance, Xiao Mingyi discovered with great delight that there were wilted sunflowers among the trash thrown out in the yard. Seizing the opportunity while no one was paying attention, Xiao Lian'er quietly picked them up.

Eight years have passed in the blink of an eye. For the cultivators of the Canglan Continent, it was merely a brief retreat. In Xiao Lian'er’s eyes, each day was a torment in hell

She was very tired, with one side of her face swollen, feeling numb to the touch. The area where she was kicked by Aunt Geng was certainly bruised. She did not want to call out for the door again, nor did she want to be pinched a few more times. Xiao Lian'er turned around once more, went to the water tank outside the kitchen to scoop up a ladle of cold water and drank until she was somewhat satisfied, then headed to the woodshed

To seek rebirth in the next life and in books? To become a person without memories? If one can still cultivate, perhaps one day by chance, one might enter the Yuan Dao Sect to become a disciple. Like all the other disciples, one would worship and admire the highly accomplished Master Daojun Han Xiuwen.

In the snowy winter, someone abandoned a baby girl by the river. She froze to death in less than an hour.

At dawn, a cook from Xiaojiazhuang found her. Pitying her for being abandoned, she named her Lian'er

After consuming the Five Blazing Sun Flowers, a warm mass of fire elements formed within her body. Xiao Lian'er guided this mass of fire elements with her spiritual consciousness, allowing it to roam above her dantian.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably

Xiao Family Village is located outside Qingyang City. Tens of thousands of outer disciples from the Yuandao Sect love to come to Qingyang City for trade and barter. The city is lined with various shops dealing in herbs, elixirs, celestial artifacts, talismans, and spirit beasts. Over time, Qingyang City has become exceptionally prosperous. On the fifteenth of each month, a large trading auction is held in Qingyang City. The scale of the trading auction in the city ranks among the top ten in the Canglan Continent.

Before she could even open her mouth to plead for mercy, the shadow of Aunt Geng's green shoes flickered before her eyes, and her backside was kicked hard once again. She did not know which hand to use to cover the painful spot.

No matter how arduous or difficult it may be, she must survive, dissolving the medicinal effects within her body and cultivating anew

Items imbued with spiritual energy must be purchased with spirit stones or exchanged for other goods. In the eyes of cultivators, a thousand taels of silver is worth less than a low-grade spirit stone

The blazing sun flower is pouch-shaped, about the size of a baby's fist, and displays a very bright red color. It blooms year-round, requiring only sunlight. The flowers of the blazing sun flower contain a very weak fire element. Threads soaked in the flower paste made from the blazing sun flower, used to sew low-level robes, can enhance the warmth retention effect of the robes

In this world where strength is paramount, she is now even unable to defeat an ordinary cook. Xiao Lian'er dared not think further, fearing that she might go insane

Every day, she quietly sneaks out of the kitchen to collect the blazing sunflowers thrown out by Xiao Mingyi in the courtyard. The crystalline layer of the closed dantian gradually becomes thinner

Perhaps it is true that heaven has shown her mercy. This year, Miss Xiao Mingyi has planted a row of fiery sunflowers in the medicinal herb garden

A few years later, the kind-hearted cook passed away. Xiao Lian'er, a born servant of the Xiao family, became a little maid doing miscellaneous tasks in the kitchen

Xiao Lian'er gazed silently at the dark roof of the woodshed, contemplating that with Aunt Geng watching, relying on foraging for sunflowers was evidently not a viable option. The best course of action was to serve beside Miss Xiao Mingyi. By gaining Xiao Mingyi's trust, she could enter the Yuandao Sect together with her two years later

There was a pile of straw used for kindling in the shed. She burrowed in, layering and covering herself, burying herself in the pile of straw

Yi Qingchen had no other choice; encountering a lifeless infant was already a mercy from the heavens. Without further thought, she expended her last bit of soul power and drifted into the infant's body

Xiao Lian'er stumbled forward a few steps before steadying herself, enduring the pain as she walked to the wall to fetch a water bucket

To dissolve the medicinal properties of the Frost Crystal Orchid, one must use the fiery and intense Flame Serpent Grass

Xiao Lian'er’s meridians resembled frozen crystals. Even her dantian was sealed by a layer of crystalline medicinal power

No, that is not liberation. It is an endless torment through countless lifetimes

After the soul entered the body, the remaining medicinal power of the cold crystal orchid dissolved into the tiny body of the infant. Even if it was merely the residual medicinal power that had not dissipated, it was beyond the endurance of an ordinary mortal.

Xiao Lian'er silently turned around, enduring the pain throughout her body as she walked back to the servant's quarters

She called out quickly to the book: "I was wrong, I will never dare again!"

This time, when she picked up five blazing sunflowers from the trash as if they were treasures, she was caught red-handed by Aunt Geng

There are many low-level herbs in the Qingmu Mountains. She will only turn eight at the end of the year and lacks even the ability to protect herself. I fear that before she can gather any herbs, she will be eaten by a beast.

The deep-seated pride compelled Xiao Lian'er to speak up in her defense: "I didn't steal! It was discarded by the young lady's courtyard. I picked it up because I thought it looked nice..."

The Flame Serpent Grass grows in a marsh that was once inhabited by a celestial being. The spatial rift opens only once every forty years. The dangers within are not to be mentioned.

She cannot afford even the most basic herbs

Carrying water, she made repeated trips between the well and the water tank. Xiao Lian'er inadvertently lifted her head. In the distance, mist swirled around, and a line of green mountains appeared like indigo. Her eyes suddenly became dim.

Miss Xiao Mingyi and Xiao Lian'er were born in the same year. She has a birthday in spring and has just turned eight years old. She has attained the third level of Qi Refinement. The lady is reluctant to let her go and pleads with the lord of the manor to keep Xiao Mingyi until she turns ten

Fortunately, the medicinal power of the Cold Crystal Orchid is nearly depleted. Xiao Lian'er contemplated that if she were to consume low-grade fire attribute spiritual herbs, perhaps over time, she could eliminate the medicinal properties within her body

Seeing the pleading look in her eyes, Aunt Geng released her with satisfaction and glared at the onlooking servants: "All of you, get back to work!" As she spoke, she shoved Xiao Lian'er again, "You are only allowed to eat after you fill the water tank!"

Possessing a powerful spiritual awareness, she can perceive the thin spiritual energy in the air. However, she is unable to draw this energy into her body and cannot cultivate. For a practitioner, this is the most unacceptable fate. Her soul has already fused with this mundane body, making it impossible to leave her physical form. Death would mean the annihilation of her soul.