Diligently cultivating for two hundred years, Xie Jiuniang finally succeeded in her Core Formation but didn't get the chance to spread the news. That very night, she tragically fell victim to her Dao companion, Lin Wangchen's poisonous hand.

In the moments before Xie Jiuniang's death, Lin Wangchen even employed some kind of forbidden technique to plunder all of her cultivation base and life force.

Lin Wangchen announced to the outside world that she died due to a failure in her breakthrough, killed by her inner demons. He then pretended to be overly grief-stricken, using it as an excuse to turn away visitors and enter closed-door cultivation.

Lin Wangchen's reputation had always been good, with many admirers, yet he was faithful and dedicated to his Dao companion. No one thought to investigate the true cause of Xie Jiuniang's death, including her own family, the Xie Family.

However, Xie Jiuniang was reborn!

When she woke up again, her vestment robe was torn, and she lay alone in a small cave.

Her half-open eyes were very calm, without the towering hatred for being betrayed by a loved one. Instead, there was a kind of expected relief.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world, nor are there unmerited fortunes.

Lin Wangchen saved her life again and again, and throughout the century, he continually provided her with vast resources for cultivation. In the past, she occasionally found this puzzling, but now she finally understood the truth.

In plain terms, she was like a pig raised by Lin Wangchen, fattened up for slaughter.

After all, isn't that the fate of a domestic pig?

Yes, she shouldn't hate...

Xie Jiuniang moved her fingers, slowly sat up, took a water bag out of her storage bag, and took a big gulp of spiritual spring water. The dryness in her throat finally eased.

She looked around the cave; it was barren.

Nearly two hundred years had passed, and she vaguely remembered what happened today.

It was when she was eleven years old that she first entered Yunmu Mountain and found a nearly extinct Cleansing Spiritual Grass—a grass that, once refined into an elixir, could remove a Spirit Root.

Spirit Roots are the foundation of cultivation for the human race. There are eight common types: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, ice, and thunder.

The fewer the Spirit Roots, the better the aptitude.

More than four Spirit Roots signifies lower aptitude; three is considered average; two is above average, and a single Spirit Root is optimal.

A Single Spirit Root, also known as the Heavenly Spiritual Root, is a top talent frequently scouted and cultivated by the Great Sects.

Xie Jiuniang had three Spirit Roots—fire, wood, and metal—giving her average aptitude. Without a great opportunity, Foundation Establishment would be her limit.

But, with the Cleansing Spiritual Grass!

If she could become Dual Spiritual Roots, then her future in the Sect would be bright.

What she never expected was that the opportunity she desperately acquired ultimately benefited her cousin, Xie Ying.

Because of it, Xie Ying became a Fire Elemental Heavenly Spiritual Root, her fame skyrocketed, she was taken in by a powerful figure ahead of time, and she became unrivaled in the limelight. With her rise, the Xie Family soared to the heavens.

The only one who resented this was her, the person whose opportunity had been stolen, weak, pitiable, and helpless.

"Young friend, do you feel better?"

Someone approached from outside the cave, donned in a Crane Cloud Robe designated for Direct Disciples of the Sect, making the person's profile even more upright. His handsome features, warm and gentle demeanor, along with a faint smile, was like a refreshing spring breeze.

Lin Wangchen?!

Oh, it is his younger self...

Seeing the dazed look on the young girl's face, Lin Wangchen thought she was scared and comforted her, "Young friend, do not fear; the lion and tiger are dead. Where does your family live? Let me take you home first."

Xie Jiuniang lowered her eyelids and remained silent.

What was the current situation...?

She had found the Cleansing Spiritual Grass when she was chased by a lion-tiger beast. Lin Wangchen, who just happened to be passing by, had saved her for the first time and settled her in the cave while she was unconscious...

Today was also the first time she had met him.

Xie Jiuniang shook her head, refusing his offer to escort her, and stood up to leave the cave.

Lin Wangchen watched the young girl's receding back thoughtfully.

Xie Jiuniang didn't care whether Lin Wangchen would be suspicious or not; at this moment, she only wanted to get as far away from him as possible, fearing she might not be able to resist drawing her sword against him.

Lin Wangchen had already reached Foundation Establishment, not someone a mere Qi Cultivation disciple could kill. If she dared show even a hint of killing intent, she would be the next one lying dead.

Lin Wangchen was never a kind-hearted soul.

She had just walked out of the periphery of Yunmu Mountain.

"Little sister Nine!"

"We've found Miss Nine!"

A round-faced girl rushed over anxiously, followed by several Xie Family guards.

The round-faced girl grabbed Xie Ying, checking her injuries left and right, and said with lingering fear, "Little sister Nine, you almost scared me to death, I thought you..."

"It's my fault, I've made fourth sister worry."

Xie Ying had some affection for her fourth sister; they were alike in their poor taste, both having fallen for the same worthless man.

Xie Ying had gone missing on Yunmu Mountain, and her family had immediately arranged for a search. After searching for most of the day with no luck, hope had faded, but Xie Ying emerged on her own.

She was escorted back to the Xie Family home by everyone.

Xie Ying asked her fourth sister to first take her to the family doctor for a check-up. After the check-up showed no serious injuries, she returned to her place.

Xie Fourth Sister silently activated the room's isolation formation, preventing outsiders' Divine Sense from probing, before asking, "Little sister Nine, tell me the truth, why did you go to Yunmu Mountain?"

"I..." Let me think for a moment.

Xie Ying carefully recalled what happened in her past life at this time...

Xie Fourth Sister poked her younger sister's forehead with her forefinger and said, "Trying to play dumb, huh? Don't even think about it, spill it already. It's only been a few days since I started my cultivation retreat, and you almost got yourself into trouble."

"It seems it's because..."

Xie Ying touched her slightly sore forehead, resigned to telling the truth, "The Qi Nourishing Pills were withheld again, so I thought about trying my luck on the outskirts of Yunmu Mountain to see if I could gather some low-tier Spirit Plants to sell."

Xie Fourth Sister frowned and asked, "Why didn't you tell me when they were withheld?"

"You were in a cultivation retreat."

"Right, but how much can low-tier Spirit Plants fetch? You need a thousand Spiritual Pearls to exchange for a single Spirit Stone, and you couldn't gather enough even with a whole basketful."

The more Xie Fourth Sister talked, the more indignant she became, and then said, "The main branch is taking advantage of people who won't fight back. No, I will go with you to confront our uncle and demand an explanation. He's the one distributing the family's rations, if we don't ask him, who else will we ask?"

"Forget it, it's no use."

"Are you really that naive? To suffer losses without saying a word?"

"What can I do? My parents aren't at home, and as a child, I can't win the argument." Xie Ying had fought back before, but nobody took her seriously, "Aunt from the main branch said they were loaning my share to my elder sister; once my elder sister makes a name for herself, she will repay me with a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Xie Fourth Sister was shocked, "You believed her?"

"That's not important." Xie Ying narrowed her eyes.

What had Aunt from the main branch said at the time? In one more year, when the Great Sects recruited new disciples, they would prioritize resources for the eldest sister.

As long as the eldest sister made a name for herself and found a good master, it would be a great boon for the family. By then, not to mention tiny Qi Nourishing Pills, even Foundation Establishment Pills would be within reach for her.

They were just empty promises!

The Aunt from the main branch was still stuck at the Qi Cultivation Peak.

Xie Ying was young but not foolish. Confronting her uncle while the grandfather was absent was fearless, but the uncle was shameless, even telling her not to throw a childish tantrum.

It wasn't about fighting for steamed buns but for some self-respect.

In a moment of heat, she had run off to Yunmu Mountain...

Recalling her youthful pride, Xie Ying felt a mix of emotions.

Naive, impulsive, without guile.

She couldn't outplay her crafty uncle and aunt, nor could she outwit her eldest sister, who had thoroughly learned from her parents.

For the reborn Xie Ying, rounding up, it felt right—the main branch owed her a Foundation Establishment Pill.