Chapter 3: The Path to Awakening

Chapter 3: The Path to Awakening

Ling Huai sat cross-legged on the cold wooden floor of her dimly lit room. The flickering candle cast long shadows across the walls, mirroring the turbulence within her. The past few days had been a silent battle, strengthening her body in secret, preparing for the day she would take back control.

Her thirteenth birthday was fast approaching—the day her fate would change.

She had spent hours diagnosing her body, running her fingers along her pulse points, analyzing the sluggish flow of energy. The result was exactly as she had suspected. Her meridians were blocked, suffocating her potential, leaving her unable to absorb even the smallest trace of Qi.

A normal person would have accepted it. But she was not normal.

She was Feng Mian, a prodigy in both martial arts and medicine in her past life. And she refused to remain weak.

Her fingers brushed over the hidden acupuncture needles she had stolen from the estate physician's chamber. Her maids were careless, whispering behind her back, too absorbed in their own gossip to notice her movements.

It didn't matter.

She had no use for their pity.

Just as she was about to begin her treatment, she heard muffled voices outside her door.

"She's really pathetic, isn't she?" The mocking tone belonged to Ming Yue, one of the maids assigned to serve her. "The young miss is already turning thirteen, yet she still can't cultivate. And now, Eldest Miss is coming home. I wonder if she will even dare to show her face."

Another maid giggled. "What's the point? She's just a stain on the Ling family's reputation. The difference between her and Eldest Miss is like heaven and earth. The great Ling Xue, a genius at cultivation, compared to her weak, sickly sister? How laughable."

Ming Yue scoffed. "Even if she trains for a hundred years, she'll never be like Eldest Miss. Ling Xue was already forming her first Qi core at thirteen. Meanwhile, this one—"

Ling Huai tuned out their voices.

Her nails dug into her palm, her face unreadable, but deep within, a storm was brewing.

Ling Xue is returning?

She had heard the name countless times. The family's beloved daughter. A peerless talent. The shining star of the Ling clan.

And her?

A disgrace. A mistake. A burden.

Her lips curled into a cold smile.

Just wait.

By the time Ling Xue returned, she would purge every last impurity from her body.

She would make them all regret underestimating her.

---

The Purging of Impurities

With steady hands, she inserted the first needle near her collarbone, her sharp gaze flickering with focus. A jolt of pain shot through her, but she remained unmoving. One by one, she placed the needles in specific acupoints along her meridians. Sweat dripped from her forehead as her body reacted, every fiber of her being resisting the change.

But she didn't stop.

As she activated the technique, a scorching heat spread through her limbs. It started as a faint warmth, then grew into an unbearable blaze, searing her from the inside.

Then, the pain came.

It was like being torn apart and rebuilt at the same time.

She clenched her teeth, forcing her body to endure it.

A dark, sticky liquid seeped from her pores, coating her skin in a thick, putrid substance. The scent was unbearable—an overwhelming mix of decay and filth. These were the impurities that had clogged her body, the reason she had been weak her entire life.

Her nails dug into her palms as she endured the excruciating sensation of her body purging itself. The air around her vibrated slightly as a faint ripple of energy passed through her meridians.

She had done it.

The first step had been taken.

By the time she removed the last needle, her limbs trembled with exhaustion. She gasped for air, staring down at her hands—coated in black filth. Her entire body was drenched in the sickly residue, sticking to her skin like tar.

Disgusting.

But beneath the filth, she felt something different. Lightness. Strength.

She staggered to her feet, peeling off the damp outer robe and grabbing a fresh cloth. She needed to wash up before anyone saw her like this.

---

The next morning, Ling Huai stepped into the courtyard, her skin now clean, her body feeling lighter than ever. The sky was painted with hues of pink and gold, the dawn of a new day.

Yet, as she inhaled the crisp morning air, an all-too-familiar voice sneered from behind her.

"So the useless young miss finally crawled out of her cave?"

Ling Huai turned, her gaze landing on Ming Yue, the same maid from last night. A woven basket rested on her hip, filled with freshly laundered robes.

Her tone was laced with ridicule, her eyes filled with disdain.

In the past, Ling Huai would have ignored it.

But today, something had changed.

She took a slow step forward, her gaze cold as ice. "Say that again."

Ming Yue scoffed, unaware of the shift in Ling Huai's presence. "What? Did I hit a nerve? You think just because you're turning thirteen soon, you'll suddenly become useful? Dream on."

Ling Huai chuckled, low and dangerous. "You should be careful with your words, Ming Yue. You never know when karma will strike."

The maid faltered for a brief moment but quickly masked it with a glare. "Hah! Stop acting high and mighty. You're still nothing more than a weak, sickly girl."

Ling Huai said nothing, simply tilting her head. Ming Yue felt an odd chill run down her spine, as if an unseen predator was watching her.

Then, without another word, Ling Huai turned on her heel and walked away.

Ming Yue was left standing there, suddenly uneasy.

She had no idea that the girl she had just insulted would one day shake the heavens.

---

A New Beginning

Ling Huai returned to her room, shutting the door behind her.

She had no time for petty arguments.

Sitting on her bed, she pulled out the ancient scroll hidden beneath the floorboards. The delicate ink strokes detailed techniques far beyond what this world had ever seen.

She traced her fingers along the characters, a determined fire burning in her eyes.

Her rebirth was no accident.

She would master this power.

She would ascend the Nine Heavens.

And she would make those who destroyed her past life regret ever crossing her.

---

Word Count: ~1,075.