Chapter 4

As Scarlet laid in her bed in the Rest Hall, she began to think about how she got to the point where she is actually stranded in the middle of a forest. It all started after this System appeared...

****

7 days ago

Early in the morning Scar checked out of the inn, bought provisions for her journey and went to rent some transportation in group, since it was cheaper, that were on the way to both Mimbria Kingdom and Wingtar region. It was like a caravan of wagons, in this case there were six wagons with eight people each. She planned to reach Wingtar through Mimbria's border, after she completed the first part of the quest she would go back to Mimbria like she originally intended before the System appeared. She would do it just so that the System won't disconnect itself from her, even if it seems to be quite useless. After all, the second part of the quest has no time limit, hence there is no need to go further inside the Wingtar region before she knows a way ou of there safely and what the System wants to do there. She would do the first part of the quest appeasing the System, receive the reward and leave. That System probably hadn't considered this loophole.

It was all going according to the plan until a group of five men dressed as guards with a crest on their chest that I recognized intercepted the wagons. They were working for the family of the original owner of this body. Two of them were Qi Binding early realm cultivators and the other three were Chi Foundation peak cultivators. I guess it was something to be thankful for, it was probably second sister that sent them because of the poison, so the strongest she could send after someone who can't cultivate and that father doesn't care about was a Qi Binding cultivator.

"We are guards from Fallmoon's Minister of War residence, we are only here for this girl, so if you want to continue with your travel without any complication just let us take the girl, and you all can continue your way." said one of the guards that seemed to be the leader while showing a poster with Veronica's face.

Whilst those guards were talking, Scarlet who was in the second last wagon was talking with the System in her head.

"Can you do something to help me get out of this situation?" Scar asked.

[Get to Wingtar region.]

"...I had already guessed, but it doesn't hurt to ask. That means I need to convice someone to help me then." said Scar.

After Scarlet left the inn she has been able to see the cultivation stage of everyone, one of the few perks of the System she thought. And in the same wagon as her there was a Qi Condensation middle realm cultivator and he already seemed to be impatient, that was why she was thaknful that her scumbag of a family didn't send someone stronger.

"Sir. Your cultivation is much stronger than those idiots that are blocking our way, where in the cultivation world have you heard of weaker martial artists disrespecting stronger ones and daring to command them. Does being affiliated to a minister gives you the right to oppose sects and cultivators, especially strong ones?" said Scar trying to find something that will provoke this middle aged man into helping her.

"You are hoping to use me?" questioned the cultivator.

"Yes sir, but everything that I said is technically true, and I didn't do anything so I can't let them capture me." argued Scarlet

"Why do they want to take you?" he asked.

"Because they are scumbags, you would never believe me, but I am actually that minister's daughter, though it would be a hundred times better to be an orphan, hell anything would be better. After all, what kind of parent lets it's spouses and other children torture one of his kids..." before she could continue the cultivator got up and left the wagon in the direction of the guards.

"Wait, is he going to help me? That was to easy, was he a Wandering Xia? They are said to be vagrant martial artists who protect the innocent and use their strength to correct injustices by following the Code of Xia." Scar questioned the happenings in her head.

Anyway, before Scarlet could think anymore she got out of the wagon and ran, following the route that the System provided for her. At least the System served for something, however I doubt that it was a coincidence that the path it designed for me to follow made it so that I got further and further away from the Mimbria Kingdom.

****

Back to the present

Still on the bed Scarlet thought about a problem with the way the Systems rules were set.

"System, if I have to wait for people to show up here for me to get points how am I going to eat?" she asked.

[Considering the Host's circumstances the System has deemed it alright for the Host to pay at a later date. But this will no longer be possible after your first customer appears.]

"You mean more debt. You seem to want my debt to only grow larger, you won't start resembling a loan shark, right?" Scar questioned slightly apprehensive.

[....]

"Fine! Just ignore me." she said angrily.

Scarlet got out of bed and went to take all the books that she had free acess to about medicine/ herbs, magical beasts, cultivation and cooking from the Knowledge Hall to read.

The books about magical beasts and cultivation were mostly basics, though the locked books had detailed information about each magical beast, cultivation stage adn cultivation method that existed in the 7 worlds. Some of the things written in the free books were:

....Some Magical Beasts are innately magical and simply grow stronger over time, while others must actively practice a cultivation method. They tend to be much more intelligent than mundane animals, and are capable of speaking in human languages and even able to take on a human form. These Beasts often possess a Core within their bodies which contains their essence. The Cores are generally either consumed by cultivators (to grow stronger) or used in the production of magical items.... Dantian refers to the region in the body where a person's Qi is concentrated (located three finger widths below and two finger widths behind the navel). Meridians is the network of vessels/ channels in the body through which Qi flows. Qi Deviation is a state wherein the cultivation base becomes dangerously unstable, causing internal damage to the body and symptoms of psychosis. People who succumb to their Internal Demons, who practice cultivation/martial arts incorrectly, or who rashly use forbidden arts are all at risk of falling into this state. Spiritual Sense ia an ability possessed by cultivators to scan their surroundings with their spirit. The distance/total area they can scan corresponds to the strength of their spirit. Internal Energy is the cultivated energy within a martial artist's body. Utilizing it, a martial artist can accomplish superhuman feats of speed, strength, endurance... Formations...

As for the books about medicine there were recipes for curing some poisons, problems in cultivation like Qi Deviation and the uses of some herbs and spiritual plants (a magic plant which has absorbed spiritual energy from the natural world, usually either eaten to absorb the spiritual energy it contains or refined into spirit medicines).

Whilst the cooking books had recipes for some simple dishes like dumplings, fried rice, orange chicken, sweet and sour beef... all with magical beast meat.

"The books will have knowledge of all seven worlds, does that mean that it has different medical prescriptions and cooking recipes for the same or similiar thing, and I will have to deem which is better?" Scar asked.

[The books are the compiled information about everything in regard to a certain topic, making it whole and better. It means that the recipes and prescriptions here are better than any out there.]

****

A week later

There still wasn't a human in sight. Though I haven't been just waiting, after all my debt with this insolent System just keeps increasing.

After the System gave the food and I cooked it, I woul take it outside to eat hoping that the aroma would attract some magical beast. It kind of worked since two appeared, a Blue Tiger and a Phantom Cat, however as soon as they showed up they were repelled by the Heaven Courtyard. I can't say I wasn't surprised, since if you think about their point of view, they saw a single human girl that did not an ounce of cultivation so I will take the food from her and maybe even kill her. Scarlet shivered just thinking about what could be considered ill intentions, so that they are warded off. And they won't even talk to me, they probably have a superiority complex.

Just as I was abou to begin eating I saw the Phantom Cat. It showed up again today, the blue tiger gave up 2 days ago.

"Like I said the days before, as long as you hold no malice towards me you can enter and I will give this food to you, in exchange for a medical herb or spiritual plant." Scarlet said to the beast

Right after Scar finished speaking the Phantom Cat entered the perimeter.

"I brought an ilex purpurea." the beast said curtly while giving the herb to Scarlet.

"Wonderful! Here! This is a Braised Beef Fillet with Scallion, I hope you will like it. What is your name?" asked Scar as she passed the food to him.

"Ifer." he responded.

"You can come eat here everyday and you don't need to bring herbs all the time." Scarlet said

I can gain points from planting herbs in the terrain inside the Medicine Hall and I will try to ask Ifer after we grow closer to take me around the innermost area close to here, since until now I have only stayed around this building. His cultivation is already in the early stage of the Core Body, so he can protect me a little.

Ding!

[Points gained: 10 points (simple dish with low grade ingredients)]

[Points deducted because of Host's debt: 10 points.]

[Remaining debt: 90 points]

[Since Host has acquired a first customer it will no longer be able to activate debt function.]

"....Ifer, why don't you bring the food tomorrow, you can choose what type of meat it will be, and you won't need to bring a herb." Scarlet said.

"It is easier to find a herb and bring it, but since you asked I will se what I can do." Ifer said dismissively.

"I didn't ask, I just made a suggestion! But I can't say that because I still want to eat." Scar said in her head peeved.