The cold moonlight cast eerie shadows over the Xiao family estate. Inside a dimly lit chamber, Xiao Linji sat cross-legged on a tattered mat, her tiny hands clenched into fists. The lingering warmth of her previous life's memories pulsed in her mind—formulas, arrays, lost techniques—all locked away, waiting to be unraveled.
She exhaled slowly.
The frail body she now possessed felt like a cage. Though she had knowledge beyond this world, her physical strength was pitiful. She couldn't cultivate yet, but that didn't mean she was powerless.
"Pathetic."
A whisper slithered into her thoughts.
Linji's body stiffened.
"Who?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, her crimson eyes scanning the darkness.
Silence.
For a brief moment, she thought it was her own imagination, but then—
"Your soul reeks of death... and power," the voice cooed, almost amused. "You are not truly this child, are you?"
Linji's pupils shrank. This presence… It wasn't human.
"You're interesting," it continued. "You should have died, yet here you are. But this weak body? Tsk, how disappointing. Do you plan to let the world trample on you again?"
A slow smirk spread across Linji's lips.
"Tell me," she murmured, "why do you care?"
A dark chuckle echoed through her mind.
"I don't," it admitted. "But watching you struggle might be entertaining."
Linji's expression darkened. The entity wasn't lying, nor was it trying to help. It was merely an observer, a shadow lingering in her reborn existence.
But that was fine.
She didn't need guidance. She didn't need pity.
She would **devour** every obstacle in her way.
With a deep breath, she rose to her feet, steady despite the burning weakness in her muscles. She had no time to waste.
If her body was too weak to cultivate, she would first refine it into a weapon.
Training began that night. **She did not rest. She did not falter.**
By the time dawn arrived, her fragile fingers were bruised, her breathing was ragged, but her eyes gleamed with something **far more dangerous than mere determination.**
It was hunger.
**A hunger for power.**
---
### **Ending Hook:**
As she wiped the sweat from her forehead, the whisper returned, softer this time.
"Hmm... Maybe you're worth watching after all."
Linji smirked, stepping into the morning light.
**"Then watch closely. Because soon, the world will kneel before me."**