3. A Familiar Reflection

Watching the healer work, Mo Yichen let out a deep sigh of relief. His shoulders finally relaxed, knowing the old woman would be saved.

But no sooner had his body relaxed than his stomach made its displeasure known—growling so loudly it could've woken the neighbors.

He winced, clutching his stomach. "Alright, I'll be right back," he mumbled, waving his hand dismissively as he backed out of the room.

Stepping outside, the cold night air hit him like a slap, making him shiver. He glanced up at the dark sky, the twinkling stars faint but comforting.

For a moment he paused..

It had been so long since he'd had the chance to simply look up and appreciate the world around him. Back in his old life, he was always busy researching or saving lives, rarely stopping to admire something as simple as the sky.

"It's been so long…" he muttered, his voice wistful as he strode leisurely down the damp street.

His aimless wandering soon brought him to a massive, ancient building with guards stationed stoically at the front gate. 

After a moment of deliberation, he retreated, doubling back until he found a quiet street that led behind the grand structure. The corners of his mouth twitched upward. "Now this is more like it," he murmured, satisfied.

With the precision of a cat, Mo Yichen leaped onto the roof.

His footwork has been always impeccable and this body of his was lean and light. Just perfect.

Each step was light and deliberate, making no more noise than a falling leaf. He crouched low, body perfectly balanced as he moved across the tiles and found a half-open window. Peering inside, he grinned satisfied.

Sliding through the window with all the finesse of a seasoned thief, he landed soundlessly in the room. The moment he turned around, his eyes widened at the sheer grandeur surrounding him.

The room was like a treasure trove: gold-embroidered drapes, intricately carved furniture, and a rug so plush it looked like you could sink knee-deep into it.

He whistled softly under his breath. "Damn, this is what I was talking about"

But before he could take it all in, a sound broke the silence.

"Snrrkkk… ssnnkk… pffffttt…"

Mo Yichen turned toward the noise, his eyes narrowing as he spotted a familiar figure sprawled out on the luxurious bed.

It was none other than Zhao Guang, his mouth wide open, drooling like a waterfall as he snored loud enough to wake the dead.

Mo Yichen crouched down, observing the sight with pure disbelief.

"...No wonder he's so cranky all the time—he probably wakes up choking on his own spit."

Zhao Guang shifted slightly, scratching his belly through his silk robe, his snores growing even louder. Mo Yichen slapped a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter, "pfft," watching as Guang muttered something unintelligible in his sleep before flipping over, almost falling off the bed.

Taking one last amused glance at the human tornado, Mo Yichen shook his head.

"Rich and useless. Figures."

With that, he began rummaging silently through the room, his eyes gleaming as he searched for something valuable—at least valuable enough to trade for food. Well, let's add decent clothes too.

Mo Yichen's eyes gleamed mischievously as he strode toward a polished mahogany box, his movements light as a feather. With his slender, pale fingers, he flipped it open—only to choke on his own breath.

Gold taels. Stacks of them. 

He stared, then turned to the snoring Zhao Guang, his jaw dropping.

"This fatty sure is something…" he muttered, eyes flicking between the treasure and the unconscious lump on the bed.

Then, a sly grin spread across his face. 

"Well… after all that bullying, consider this compensation."

With zero hesitation, he tipped the entire box into a nearby silk pouch, his fingers moving fast and practiced. Once full, he playfully tossed the pouch into the air, catching it with a satisfied smirk. 

Stuffing it inside his robes, he clicked his tongue. "Thanks, my dear cousin. Sleep tight." 

Then, in the same way, he vanished into thin air.

.....

Mo Yichen grinned, his cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk as he gobbled down the last of the lotus buns. "These are good…" he mumbled, licking the crumbs off his fingers.

Leaning back against the rough bark of an ancient peach tree, he let out a satisfied sigh.

After sneaking back into the pharmacy—because obviously, he couldn't just walk in midnight—he found this old tree in the back courtyard. It was quiet, sturdy, and the perfect spot to laze around. The cool night breeze rustled the leaves above, a dim lantern swaying gently with the wind, its tiny bells chiming in a soft, rhythmic melody.

Shifting around for the best position, Mo Yichen finally settled in and pulled out a slightly crumpled piece of paper from his inner robe. On it, he had hastily sketched a fruit before leaving the Zhao mansion—not before stealing a few extra lotus buns from the kitchen, of course.

His brows furrowed as he studied the rough drawing.

The fruit, a round, peach-like orb with golden-red skin, had an ethereal glow in the depiction.

"Sigh… how the hell am I supposed to find such a vague fruit…" he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the sketch.

Before the system shut down, it had provided him with information about this particular fruit—his first mission was to acquire it.

[Heavenly Nectar Peach—a legendary spiritual fruit that only bloomed once every hundred years. Consuming it could cleanse one's meridians, replenish spiritual energy, and even increase one's cultivation by leaps and bounds.]

For ordinary cultivators, it was the difference between a bottleneck and a breakthrough. For someone like Mo Yichen, whose spiritual core was currently as useful as a rock, it was the only way to strengthen his useless core.

The problem?

It was insanely rare.

Not only did it grow in extremely specific conditions, but it was also heavily guarded by spirit beasts, sects, and probably a few crazy old hermits.

Mo Yichen groaned, rubbing his temples. "Ughh! At this rate, I'd have better luck robbing a royal treasury!"

Still, does he have any choice?

The answer is simple.

No.

If he wanted his system back, he needed that fruit. With another sigh, he folded the paper and tucked it away, staring up at the shimmering stars above.

"Guess I better figure out something.."

....

"Look! I found another spiritual root!"

A shrill, excited voice rang through the forest, accompanied by the sight of a young boy waving enthusiastically. It was the same kid, Jing Yu, who had opened the pharmacy door last night—barely fourteen, with bright eyes full of curiosity.

Mo Yichen, standing by the side of a crystal-clear stream, merely lifted a hand in reply before crouching down. His fingers brushed the cold water's surface as he scooped a handful and splashed it onto his face.

Once. Twice. Three times.

The refreshing coolness jolted him awake, washing away the fatigue clinging to his body. Finally, he stilled, his gaze dropping to the water's surface.

A pale, soft face stared back at him.

Mo Yichen's breath hitched.

"This..." He blinked, leaning in closer, his wide eyes filled with disbelief.

The reflection in the water mirrored his movements—the delicate yet sharp features, the slightly parted pink lips, the soft strands of raven-black hair sticking slightly to his forehead. His gaze trailed down to his fingers, long and slender, before shifting to the exposed calves under his folded pants, the cold water lapping gently around his ankles.

Mo Yichen staggered back, his heart pounding. "No way…" His voice barely came out as a whisper. His brows knitted together in utter confusion.

It was the first time he had actually looked at himself after transmigrating. Until now, he had been too occupied with staying alive, finding food, and avoiding trouble to care about his appearance.

But now that he was seeing his reflection properly—

"How the hell is this possible?" he muttered, his fingers curling unconsciously.

His mind raced, trying to process what he had just seen.

His original body—Li Wei—and this new body, Mo Yichen, bore a striking resemblance.

Too similar.

Almost like they were… the same person.

Mo Yichen ran a hand through his damp hair, his lips pressing into a thin line. He had come across countless transmigration stories of his seniors, but never once had he heard of someone transmigrating into a body that looked exactly like their original one.

He frowned deeply. "..Is this a coincidence?"

"Brother Mo Yichen! What are you mumbling about?" The young boy's voice snapped him out of his daze. He was still standing nearby, holding up a small glowing root, his face filled with curiosity.

Mo Yichen exhaled sharply, forcing himself to calm down as he laughed "Nothing, kiddo. Just talking to the water ghosts"

The boy jolted, his eyes widening, "Huh!?"

Mo Yichen, "hahahaha do you want to talk to them too?"

"Wh..who ar..are you trying to..to scare? Th..there is no wa..water ghost here!" 

"Hahahahaha are you sure about it? Wanna see?" Mo Yichen teased with a hearty laugh as he watched the young boy running towards the entrance of the town. 

Silence, thick and heavy.

The peaceful chirping of birds had ceased, leaving only the rustling of leaves in the cool morning breeze. Mo Yichen stood still, his expression darkening as his thoughts deepened.

"I need to talk to the system first… which means I'll have to get my hands on the Heavenly Nectar Peach."

His gaze flickered towards the half-filled basket beside him, packed with freshly picked herbs. Just as he bent down to pick it up—

A sudden, deafening eruption of caws and flapping wings tore through the forest. The air filled with the frenzied cries of crows, and a large flock of birds shot up from the dense canopy, scattering in all directions.

Mo Yichen's movements halted, his senses sharpening instantly. His eyes darted toward the source of the disturbance—deep within the forest.

Unlike the peaceful spot he was in, the Fusang Forest was divided into two distinct regions.

The side Mo Yichen currently stood in was safe, teeming with rich spiritual energy that nurtured an abundance of herbs and medicinal plants. Many alchemists and healers from nearby villages come here to collect ingredients, though they never went too deep. The air here was clean, fresh, and carried the faint, pleasant fragrance of blooming spirit flowers.

But the other side of the forest, just beyond an invisible ancient barrier, was a completely different world.

That place was known as the Forbidden Fusang Woods. The trees there grew taller, their twisted roots clawing at the earth like grasping hands. The air was thick with an eerie, oppressive aura. It was home to ferocious spirit beasts, their power enough to tear apart even seasoned cultivators. 

And more recently… rumors had begun to spread.

It was said that demonic cultivators—rogue cultivators who abandoned traditional paths to chase dark, forbidden techniques—had started using that place as their secret training grounds.

"Demonic cultivators… in a forest full of powerful spirit beasts?" Mo Yichen's brows furrowed at the thought. 'The rich spiritual energy in the forest can serve as the perfect cultivation ground, but demonic cultivators don't just meditate and refine their cores...'

They hunt.

They slaughter.

They absorb the life force of both humans and beasts to grow stronger.

A chill ran down his spine.

"The old healer did warn me never to step foot there… but—"

His gaze returned to the direction of the sudden disturbance. His instincts screamed at him—something had happened in the Forbidden Woods.

But more importantly…well..

He let out a slow breath. "Forget it, I shouldn't interfere when I don't even have a bit of spiritual power to keep me alive…" Clutching his basket, Mo Yichen took a step back, forcing himself to resist his growing curiosity. He had no intention of dying yet.

'For now, I should leave this place."'

With that thought, he turned away—but not before casting one last wary glance toward the ominous, shadowed trees beyond the barrier.

Whatever had caused that disturbance… was far from normal.

A low, pained grunt reached his ears.

His body stiffened. That wasn't the cry of a spirit beast. It was distinctly human. His brows furrowed as he instinctively turned his head toward the Forbidden Fusang Woods. The sound had come from beyond the barrier—the very place he was warned never to step foot in.

'Someone's in there?'

He hesitated.

Every ounce of reason screamed at him to walk away. 

Taking a deep breath, Mo Yichen silently stepped forward. His movements were light, each footfall perfectly balanced, his breath steady. He moved like a shadow. The dense undergrowth barely rustled as he approached the shimmering, nearly invisible barrier that divided the two regions of the forest.

Standing just before it, he reached out a tentative hand. The air tingled against his skin, thick and buzzing with unseen energy. He had always known the Forbidden Woods held a higher concentration of spiritual energy, but now that he was so close, it was overwhelming.

"No wonder this place is filled with beasts…"

Gritting his teeth, he took a step forward.

The moment he crossed the barrier, his breath hitched.

It was like stepping into an ocean of pure spiritual power. The air pressed down on him, heavier, denser—his very veins thrummed with the sudden influx of energy. His meridians quivered as if trying to absorb it all at once.

It wasn't just rich in pure spiritual power—it was chaotic.

Mo Yichen clenched his fists and steadied his breath. He could already feel a thin layer of sweat forming on his back.