Looming Dark Clouds

"oh my god!!! Xue what happened to your hand!"

As if to interrupt their conversation, Niu's voice was heard from behind.

Niu quickly rushed over to Xue

"Ah, I burned it in the fireplace." Xue said with a straight face.

"oh my! it's burned so bad!"

Niu then started bandaging Xues burned finger with some cloths and herbs. After that she gave an hour long lecture. After the lecture it was afternoon. Nearly dinner time. There were nearly 15 children in the orphanage. Xue was one of the youngest of them. At the afternoon they started coming back to the orphanage.

Xue also heard a commotion outside.

" Did brother Jiang hunt a big beast again?" Xue pondered.

Jiang was really strong, since he can hunt down giant beasts very easily.

At the dinner when everyone got meat in their food, Xue confirmed that her conclusion was true.

After dinner the they went to sleep. Xue heard that a snow storm was coming. If the snow storm lasts for too long. They might have to starve.

Not like they aren't used to it.

The next day really never came. When they woke up the outside was still dark. There was a raging snow storm going on outside. Jiang told the kids to stay home for the time being and eat from the food they had stack.

Xue on the other hand analysed the manuals she got from the system. She had to do in secret. She normally read them in the memorized them in toilet and analysed them when she was free. It was a little difficult at first, but when she memorized the two manuals it became a little easy to analyse them.

By analysing the manuals she found some interesting things.

First of all this world consist of an energy called QI. Its sparse, but its there. This QI had a particular tendency to merge with living organisms. This in tern made the living organisms evolve. Xue wasn't very sure of what kind of evolution it would cause, but seeing that people in this world is constantly using this energy it shouldn't be bad.

But Xue still decided to build some devices to control this evolution. Just in case.

Secondly, Xue was curious souls. According to the system a person needs a soul to cultivate. soul less beings such as zombies will not be able to cultivate further than golden core. What Xue was curious about was if she had a soul or not. After all she was an artificial being.

But she decided to cross that bridge when the time comes.

Just like that days went by and the snow storm went down. Though it went on for almost six days.

After the snow storm went away it was the day to clean to the thick layer of snow in front of the orphanage. Every one in the orphanage helped. Even Xue helped with the work. Since she did have a quest to fulfil.

"Oh, my! Xue don't have to do that."

"Xue, just play with the other kids."

"No, you don't have to."

Though every one she tried to help denied her help.

"It's probably due to my small stature."

Xue pondered.

Seeing Xue thinking in the snow alone Niu came to her.

"oh, my. Xue, what are you thinking about?" Niu asked while patting her head.

Xue had noticed previously that sister Niu for some reason liked to pat her head. But Xue didn't think much of it. After all girls usually liked small children's.

"I just want to help." Xue replied.

"Oh! Is that so?"

Niu smiled and said," Want to go with me? I have to go to the market to buy some food."

Xue looked at Niu with sparkling eyes.

'Finally some chores.'

She nodded her head.

Sister Niu chuckled when she saw Xue's enthusiasm.

"Okay then come with." Sister Niu said as she extended her hand.

The two then walked towards the market as they held hands.

Outside the town in a shady cave,

"Is it today?" a man clad In black said.

"Yes, today afternoon we will commence with the operation." Another man clad in black said.

"The elders are surely really reluctant since they are rushing the matter much."

"Its not their fault. The snowstorm already delayed the operation by four whole days. We don't have a choice. Let's go and discuss the plan with brother white ghost and grey ghost."

The other man clad in black nodded and they headed towards a certain section of the cave.