6- Into the Cave

"But System, what's this Snowroot spiritual herb about?" Lianhua asked, her voice low but laced with curiosity. "Can I sell it? I mean, how much are we talking—five copper coins? Ten? A small fortune?"

She winked cheekily as she plucked the glowing herb from the soil.

The Snowroot gave off a faint shimmer as she pulled it up, roots intact. But before she could tuck it into her basket, it vanished into thin air with a zip! sound.

A notification blinked in her vision.

[Quest Complete: Acquire First Seed.][Reward Unlocked: Basic System Seed.][Note: Item stored in System Inventory. Retrieve when ready to plant.]

She blinked. "Seriously? I don't even get to hold it?"

The system remained silent.

She looked around. The area seemed rich, not exactly teeming, but there was life. Herbs were growing sporadically—especially near shaded spots under jagged stones and bushy thickets. Her eyes caught the faint glow of two more Snowroot plants, half-hidden near a tree trunk.

But this time, she paused.

"Wait. System. Before I go yanking things like a greedy squirrel, anything I should know? Like, will it disappear after five hours? Spontaneously combust? Call for its mother?"

[There are no special requirements for harvesting Snowroot.][As long as the herb is intact and harvested carefully, it retains its potency for up to 72 hours. If stored improperly, potency may degrade by 40% daily.]

Lianhua scoffed. "That's not very magical of you. What happened to spiritual sparkles and eternal freshness?"

[Host, you're not in a video game. This is reality—magical or not, mold still exists.]

"Charming," she muttered, and bent down to harvest the two glowing herbs. She placed them gently in her basket, careful not to crush them beneath her remaining radishes and a rock she forgot to take out.

With her prize secured, she looked up toward the deeper part of the forested mountain. Curiosity tugged at her again.

"Maybe there's more," she said to herself, brushing dirt off her hands. "Or something better."

So she ventured farther up the trail. But the more she walked, the more barren it became. The scattered greenery from earlier faded into shriveled bushes and mossy rocks. Trees stood dry and leafless, like they'd given up a century ago.

She scowled.

"Don't tell me someone else beat me to it. Did they sweep this place clean already?"

She walked in circles, checking crevices, lifting stones, even poking at some dried dung that suspiciously resembled bear poop. But there was nothing.

"Ugh, I give up." She flopped onto the grassless ground, hands spread wide. "So much for becoming a legendary herb hunter."

Then the system chimed.

[Alert! Alert! Host, enter the cave immediately.]

[Move, Host! Time-sensitive opportunity detected. Proceed to the cave before it disappears from the scan zone!]

[Move faster, or I swear, I will abandon you and find a new host. I can't keep carrying this dead weight.]

Lianhua didn't even blink. "Oh, shut up. You think I'm like those novel heroines crying 'I wanna go home, boohoo, bring me back to my world'? Hell no. Since I'm here, I'm making money. Generational wealth, baby."

She stood up and dusted her behind.

"Besides, if I could be transmigrated once, maybe I can be transmigrated again. Maybe next time I'll land in a palace with hot servants and a prince who actually bathes—"

[More like you'll wake up as a woman being gang-used by 100 men.][Try aiming for a decent life first before shooting for royalty.]

Lianhua blinked. Then she turned toward the sky.

"FUCK this trash system," she said sweetly. "It's not you who wants to leave me. It's me who wants to leave you. You digital hemorrhoid."

The system went quiet, ignoring her like a passive-aggressive roommate.

She grabbed her basket, took a deep breath, and headed in the direction the system had indicated.

The cave wasn't large or dramatic. It was half-hidden by low-hanging vines and jagged rock. From a distance, it looked like a shadow misplaced by the mountain. Up close, it smelled like moss, wet stone, and something slightly sweet—almost like overripe fruit.

She hesitated at the entrance.

"Alright, spooky hole in the mountain," she muttered. "Please don't have monsters. Or bats. Or perverted bandits. Unless they're hot. Then maybe I'll negotiate."

Inside, the cave was darker than she expected. She tore a strip from her underrobe, lit it with a spark from a flint she'd packed—thank you, basic survival instincts—and held it up.

The walls glowed faintly.

Lines and swirls carved into the stone shimmered with a soft, golden light.

She stepped inside cautiously, her feet echoing softly.

[Host. You have entered a Minor Spiritual Node. This is a naturally occurring location where spiritual energy accumulates. Plants, artifacts, and other phenomena may form here.]

[Chance of discovering rare item: 23.6%]

[Chance of discovering spiritual creature: 3.9%]

"Nice. Wait—spiritual creature?"

A rustling sound echoed ahead.

She froze.

"…System. Please tell me that was just a rat."

[Unknown entity detected ahead. Scanning...]

She raised her makeshift torch.

From the shadows, something glittered—two silver eyes stared back at her.

Lianhua gripped her basket like a weapon.

"…Please don't be a spiritual raccoon. I am not ready to die by wildlife."

"Creature detected," the system droned ominously.

Lianhua froze, mid-step, clutching her basket like a child clinging to a stuffed animal during a horror story. Her makeshift torch flickered, casting long shadows on the cave wall.

"…What kind of creature?" she whispered, voice dry.

[Scanning...]

The shadows shifted again. A faint slither echoed across the smooth cave stone.

Then she saw them—two gleaming silver eyes. No pupils, no blinking. Just smooth, liquid silver orbs reflecting her firelight.

"Oh, fuck," she muttered, heart racing. "Is that all you're going to show me? Two creepy-ass eyes in the dark? What is this, some ghost story nonsense?"

She took a half-step back. "I refuse to die by silver eyes. I mean, yeah, they're kinda pretty… Hehe…"

[Host. Wipe the drool from your mouth.]

She wiped her lips instinctively—nothing there. Her face twisted.

"YOU DAMN SYSTEM!" she hissed. "Mess with me again and I swear I'll find a way to program you into a chamber pot!"

[That would still be an upgrade from this mess.]

"Ha. Ha."

But she couldn't take her eyes off the silver gaze.

"So you're saying it's not harmful? Just a... big, shiny, oversized reptile?"

[Walk closer. It won't attack unless provoked.]

"Well, that's comforting," she said dryly, and took a cautious step forward. "Just walk toward the death noodle. Great idea."

She made a quick prayer under her breath—something about forgiving all past sins, including that time she stole fried chicken from her roommate's lunchbox.

The cave's interior changed slightly as she moved in deeper. Soft light glowed from patches of blue moss, illuminating the walls. And then she saw it.

Her breath caught.

"Wait… System," she said slowly, "are you sure that's a snake?"

Her hands trembled slightly.

What she saw wasn't just a snake—it was a behemoth. Massive, covered in shimmering iridescent scales that changed colors like a living opal. Its long body coiled lazily around a raised stone altar, yet four legs—yes, legs—were tucked beneath its body. From its back, three wings—not two, but three—were furled like shimmering sails, twitching occasionally.

Its mouth was closed, but its nostrils flared with soft bursts of silver mist.

And those silver eyes…

That was no normal snake.

"That's not a damn snake," she said, pale. "System, don't you have, like… a disappearing function? An invisibility skill? Maybe teleportation? You know, the usual system cheat stuff."

[Why would you need those?]

"Why would—? WHY WOULD I NEED THOSE?!" she snapped. "Because that's not a snake, that's a whole biblical prophecy! I'm not trying to become spiritual creature chow!"

[It's a Shenlong. Specifically, the Yínyǎn Tengshe (银眼腾蛇) — the Silver-Eyed Soaring Serpent. According to Ping Dynasty lore, it was one of the guardian spirits of the Five Valleys. Long believed extinct, it was said to have been hunted for its scales and blood, which could extend life and enhance cultivation.]

[This one appears to be young—likely only 500 years old.]

"Only 500…?" she repeated, stunned. "Only."

She eyed it again.

It shifted slightly, raising its long neck with silent grace. It didn't hiss. It didn't attack. It just stared.

"Is there some 'don't-look-it-in-the-eye' rule?" she asked, frozen in place.

[No. But if it opens its mouth, run.]

"Oh, thanks for the warning, smartass."

[You'll need to reach level 10 to unlock invisibility. If you die before then, I'll just store your remains somewhere nice.]

"…Where exactly?"

[I'm still deciding. Maybe inside a radish barrel. Very poetic.]

Lianhua cursed under her breath and slowly stepped back.

But the Yínyǎn Tengshe didn't move. Its silver eyes narrowed, studying her face. It looked confused.

And strangely… offended?

Unbeknownst to her, the creature was having thoughts of its own.

This woman… is she possessed? She keeps twitching her face. One moment she's pale, the next she's grinning. Is she mocking me? Is this a trap?

It had spent the last ninety days hiding here. Hunted relentlessly by foolish humans who believed superstition and whispers. They feared caves like this, believing them cursed. That was the only reason it had survived this long.

But now, this woman…

Why is she just standing there? Is she lost? Did she forget her purpose? Or is she trying to seduce me with… facial expressions?

The creature raised its head slightly, on alert. Its fourth wing hadn't grown yet. It wasn't at full strength.

Meanwhile, Lianhua was whispering, "System, maybe I can seduce it?"

[...Excuse me?]

"If I can't outrun it, and I can't fight it, then seduction is the only option left. It's practically a fairytale solution."

[Host, it's a flying, four-legged serpent. Not a lonely immortal with attachment issues.]

Just then, both the woman and the serpent snapped to attention.

Footsteps.

Voices.

"Let's check the cave," one voice said. "You know these beasts are clever. They hide where no one expects."

"I heard some are smarter than humans," another added. "Silver-eyed ones especially."

Lianhua lit up. "Oh! Am I about to witness my first kung fu battle?! Like Jackie Chan? Piupiu! Let's go!"

[HOST! Be serious for ONCE!]

"Who said I'm not?"

She crouched instinctively, eyes darting between the serpent and the cave entrance.

The serpent turned its head toward the voices. Lianhua followed its gaze, heart pounding.

"System…" she whispered. "Tell me I'm not about to get caught in the middle of an epic beast battle."

[Correction: You are the middle.]

"Oh, fuck me."