chapter 2

(part one)

The sun peeked over the horizon, casting a golden hue over the building, Li Meirong rested in.

A second less Li Meirong jolted up from bed. I overslept. How could this be I set five alarms, leaving her bed she looked around and remembered

Yes, that is right. I am no longer in my old world but here.

Out of the bed, she opened the door and went outside.

The wind blew, and her hair caught itself in the wind.

Blue she said a little shocked she hadn't paid attention to her appearance.

Her hair was a light blue with nine strands of purple.

It was unusual yet pretty.

Hello, My lady, my name is Tan AI. I am here to help you get ready.

Tan AI said pulling her back into her bedroom.

My lady, please take a seat the maids should be here soon. She said with displeasure.

Could you please bring me a mirror?

You can talk. Tan Ai said whiles aranging the pillows on the bed.

Yes.

Thanks to the heavens the master's worries have cleared.

What worries?

With all due respect, you have been asleep for fourteen years, but the world outside doesn't know that.

Li Meirong looked up at her with curiosity.

It is hard to explain, but soon you will understand the awe they have for you.

So please, act along you are an arrogant, powerful young lady.

Your reputation is at stake and I will help you achieve that.

She said leaving.

It seems there are a few complications to this life. Irritating all I want is to rest, and sleep all day in a garden full of poisonous plants and Bonsais. An image of a ginseng plant came to mind. Wang CAI, my little one, my moneymaker and luck bringer.

She daydreamed and fell asleep once more. When she woke up she seemed to be underwater and on the sea bed.

Underwater she quickly tried to move her body, yet something from her chest started to suck the water dry. The underwater scenery was now a desert.

Did I transmigrate again?

Li Meirong looked across the barren desert and felt the heat seep into her feet. An eerie calm enveloped the sandy terrain. It was too calm for her liking. As she expected the sky turned a menacing shade of grey as the winds began to howl and whip across the landscape.

In the distance, she could see a hurricane.

My instincts are telling me to dig a hole and hide or run for my life.

With every second the hurricane was drawing near.

One option run. Li Meirong run as fast as she could, yet the hurricane caught up and passed right through her.

A sweet melody was heard, and her surroundings changed the barren desert was now a room with many weapons lying on the floor.

On the wall was a large banner which said Pick the three most powerful artefacts in the room you have 20 minutes your time starts now. On a table in the left corner was an hourglass which suddenly turned.

20 minutes she looked through the piles of artefacts. How do they expect me to find this?

She got up and made her way to another pile when she tripped on a flute and fell flat ´from this angle she saw a purple gem covered in dust.

She got up and freed the gem to find out it was a cauldron.

Time is up a voice said.

Put your guesses on the table.

Li Meirong had no clue which one it was she picked up the heavy cauldron and placed it on the table. The flute she had tripped on and two double-edged swords.

You have passed this trial you freed yourself from mortal greed and noticed that everything is rubbish and what you have on the table are illusions.

The artefacts on the floor vanished and the table drew to the middle of the room.

Li Meirong went to the middle of the room and saw a piece of paper and a pen when she looked t it. She noticed it was a maths exam to be precise geometries.

Face your greatest fear. The voice said.

Li Meirong you got this she cheered herself up.

She sat down and began answering the questions in less than an hour she had answered all the questions.

Checking results the voice said.

Red marks magically appeared on the exam and on the top a letter was it was a

C-. Li Meirong who had closed her eyes throughout the process to find.

The progress she smiled.

After this, she was tossed onto the bed. I am back. She smiled but seconds later it turned into a frown.

I still don't have a cheat.

Tan AI opened the door to find her sitting on the bed frowning the maids behind her suddenly kneeled.

My lady, please forgive our tardiness.

Get up.

Thank you for your mercy.

The rumbling of a tummy was heard it belonged to Li Meirong.

The lady has been starving. Quickly get her dressed for breakfast.

The maids lifted Li Meirong from her bed and got her dressed for breakfast.

Li Meirong looked at herself in the bronze mirror she looked like a young missy from a Chinese drama. In her opinion, the clothes were too long, and she could barely walk because of the jewellery adorned on her head.

But somehow she managed and followed Tan AI to the hall where she had dinner last night.

She could take a closer look at the garden and noticed many plants she had never seen. She stopped to touch them and smell them.

My lady we are running late please follow me. Tan Ai said pulling her away.

In the hall was an old lady accompanying grandpa.

Yuer he called out and stood up to give her a hug, but before he knew it the old lady used her elbow to push him and hugged her first.

Grandma has been quilting a new cloth for you.

This warmed my heart they were a bit overdramatic, but they were kind.

Cultivation? LI Meirong asked. She had read of this concept of a world ruled by ranks.Let us hope, it is a peaceful world.

But it is kind of true while you were asleep your body had been regulating and sucking the qi in the room. Master Feng said not only that but also about spiritual essence.

Li Meirong was confused.

Here are five books about the world and cultivation.

Thank you. She said.

Yuer sit down and let us have breakfast.

She sat down.

Tan AI why are you standing there? Her grandfather said.

Thank you she sat down and joined them.

After breakfast, he sat down to explain a few things.

Foremost you might wonder who Tan Ai is well she is your older sister.

Li Meirong looked at tan Ai and noticed her blue eyes that is when the three began to laugh.

Well, I had a little sister who had blue hair, but she died in the war. I was three years old and didn't quite understand what death was. One day I sneaked into your room because of the smell of warm biscuits. On the bed, I

saw you and thought you were my little sister. So l leapt onto your warm bed and planned to take you away with me after the winter and the war ended. To start a new life in the sect.

The next morning the master found me, and you fought a lot until he gave up. That is how was employed as your older sister in the mansion. Tan ai said.

She was quite stubborn. The master said.

Another thing is we would have to make a trip to the healing springs to nurture your body back to health. This trip will place tomorrow morning after tonight's auction.

Aren't you forgetting something? The grandmother said.

There are many who knew of your existence and wondered where you were even the emperor asked of this. That is when I told a white lie that you are in closed-door cultivation.

Then we will take our leave. Tan AI said.

In the afternoon we will learn basic etiquette.

Etiquette my head hurts at the mention of it.

They returned to her room where Li Meirong sat on the bed and began reading a book.

Tan AI tapped on the table twice catching LI Meirong's attention. Then she pointed to the sealing.

Tan Ai mimed to LI Meirong. It seemed to be assassins on the roof.

Arrows were shot into the room. Tan Ai protected LI Meirong and herself with a barrier.

Cool, there is magic. Li Meirong grinned.

Tan Ai guided Li Meirong under the bed there was a trap door which took them underground.

Once they were under the barrier vanished and the arrows on it fell to the floor.

This way my lady Tan AI showed her the way through the dark passages.

This is a maze with many exits. It would be safe to assume if they found the trapdoor they would get lost.

Do you know who sent the assassins?

I have two guesses the LI family or the city.

What an intelligent lady too bad! A voice arose from behind them.

They had caught up. What should we do?

She looked at tan Ai. Her eyes sparkled.

Let us trust Tan Ai.

Do you know who she is?

She said to the assassins.

Of course, she is The third daughter of the city-state GUI.

My lady, you must use the technique poisoned butterfly to teach criminals a lesson they will never forget.

Tan Ai who stood beside her touched LI Meirongs head and whispered you are a powerful lady. Before she looked around and noticed these assassins were practically geniuses.

A smile appeared which grew until shivers crawled to the assassins. A glint of light flashed through her eyes.

Even though I was a quiet kid whenever my feet touched the stage I would claim it. I often got praise for being overdramatic by nature which was good for the industry but when I left the stage. I wanted to crawl into the hole my anxieties would wiggle their way up.

Cultivating for years has bored me. Would mind a game?

She pulled out the butterfly hairpin from her head. Her hair dropped onto her shoulders.

She drew with the hairpin something in the air.

Men enough to kill her. One of them said.

Oh, you haven't figured that it is an illusion one formed by your deepest butterflies.

You're there, you do not want to kill, yet you have no choice.

The assassin nodded with his head staring at the ground.

It was when Tan Ai pressed a button on the wall. The floor opened like a humongous trapdoor and all fell into the water. The trapdoor closed. Tan Ai had formed water bubbles that surrounded the two of them, and they floated in the air.

The bubbles carried them out until they reached the end of the passage and now took a left turn.

This passage leads into guizhou mountain range.

Oh, interesting do herbs grow on the mountain?

Yes, many.

Do poisonous herbs grow there?

Many

Man-eating plants, do they grow on the mountains?

Yes, but miss what do you need this for?

No reply came. My dreams will come true.

while you were sleeping what did you see were you dreaming or ... ? Tan ai asked.

On a crystal bed upon the water where one could hear the ripples of the still waters as we moved and one would breathe in the fresh air. She said out loud.

Now I see why we didn't want to wake up it was blissful sleep.

Would you mind explaining how cultivation works and how important it is? she asks Tan Ai.

Li Meirong had once read a novel about cultivation but it was a long time ago she preferred to read novels where the main character has a farm or a garden.

Cultivation is challenging, dangerous, and expensive. People practice cultivation for various reasons; for longer lives, a more profound understanding of the world, and to protect themselves and their loved ones. It can bring you overnight riches. fame can be sought

Cultivation is divided into Realms, each having 9 Ranks. Cultivators generally begin in the lowest realm and progress linearly through the ranks of each realm. After the 9th Rank of a Realm, they progress to the 1st Rank of the next Realm.

The realm that a person can reach in their life depends on many different things. His bloodline, physique, family, cultivation techniques, talent, family status, perception, and luck.

A cultivator's "cultivation" is consistently stored in a 'Dantian,' and said cultivation could be lost if the Dantian is damaged.

Where is that? Li meirong asked.

Form a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs now keep this shape and place it below the centre of your chest.

A single tuft of Spirit Grass costs at the lowest grade and price 100 taels of silver, a large sum of money that could allow a commoner and their family to live comfortably for several years. On the other hand, a Spiritual bead costs one spirit stone and would allow a household to live comfortably for their whole lives.

Tan Ai opened the trapdoor that led into the upper world.