I stared at the glowing blue screen floating in front of me as I walked down the dusty road.
[Gacha System Initializing...]
[Scanning Host Potential...]
[Current Luck Stat: E-Rank]
[First Pull Available: Tutorial Draw]
[Would you like to pull now?]
The temptation was strong, but I was standing in the middle of a public road in broad daylight. Any sudden light or qi fluctuation would draw unwanted attention. I pushed the screen to the edge of my vision and kept walking.
Twenty minutes later, I reached the Lian family estate. Lian Mei had just stepped down from a simple carriage as I arrived at the gate.
I activated Heavenly Appraisal.
Lian Mei
Age: 16
Health (HP): 2,450 / 2,450
Cultivation: Qi Refinement Stage 7
Root: Jade Root (Grade 7)
Strength: 14
Agility: 16
Stamina: 13
Technique: Basic Water Palm (Human Grade - Basic)
Body Constitution: Luminous Jade Body
Current State: [Mood: Neutral]
Combat Power (CP): 301
The two guards at the gate looked at me with open scorn and contempt, but they kept quiet and restrained themselves when Lian Mei turned toward them. They simply stared coldly.
Lian Mei noticed me and glanced at the guards before looking back. "Shen Que. Why are you here?"
"I came to see the family head about the marriage contract," I said calmly.
She studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Follow me."
The guards stepped aside. Lian Mei led the way inside. I walked beside her in silence. When we reached the inner courtyard, I took out the jade-stamped scroll and handed it to her.
"Here is the contract," I said evenly. "I want to cancel the engagement."
Lian Mei took the scroll. Her expression remained neutral. She looked at it briefly, then at me.
"I'll take you to my father."
In the main reception hall, Lian Wei sat on a raised seat in fine robes, his face stern. Lian Mei stood quietly to the side as I explained my purpose directly and handed over the contract. I kept my words simple and respectful, saying I no longer wished to burden the Lian family with an engagement that made no sense given my situation.
Lian Wei listened without interrupting. When I finished, he asked only a few short questions to confirm I was serious and that there would be no future trouble. There was no shouting, no demands, and no dramatic declarations. He simply looked relieved. The entire matter was settled in less than twenty minutes. The engagement was officially canceled.
Lian Mei walked me back to the gate without another word.
When I returned to the Shen clan compound, I went straight to my small room, closed the door, and locked it.
Only then did I address the system.
"Pull."
[Processing Tutorial Draw...]
[Guaranteed 5-Star Item]
[Rolling...]
A glowing golden orb appeared and cracked open. A small jade bottle formed in my hand, warm with a faint herbal scent.
Heavenly Appraisal activated.
Item: Restoration Pill (Tier 9)
Rarity: Legendary
Effect: Repairs shattered or damaged meridians. Restores spiritual root to original grade.
Note: One-time use. Side effects may include temporary qi overload.
I slipped the jade bottle into my robes without swallowing it. Using it here would be too risky. Even as an outsider, the clan might still be watching. A sudden change in my aura right after canceling the engagement could raise questions.
I spent the next few hours in the outer hall library, carefully reading every basic book and record available to outer disciples. I searched for any mention of my mother's background, but there was nothing. My father had been missing for eight years with no news. The Shen clan had only tolerated me because of the old connection with the Lian family. With the engagement canceled, that last tie was gone.
There was nothing left for me here.
I packed a spare set of robes, some dried provisions, a copied map of the surrounding region, and a small pouch of spirit coins. The jade bottle stayed safely hidden.
I went to the side hall one last time.
"Elder He," I said respectfully. "The engagement with the Lian family has been canceled. It went smoothly."
The Elder's mood tag shifted from Bored to Satisfied.
"Good," he muttered.
I bowed slightly. "Elder, I have realized I am only a mortal with no talent. There is nothing left for me in the Shen clan. My father is missing, my mother's background isn't unknown, and I don't wish to remain a burden. With your permission, I would like to leave the clan quietly."
Elder He stared at me for a long moment, then nodded.
"Very well. Since you handled everything cleanly, the clan won't stop you. The Grand Elder will send two men to escort you safely out of our territory."
I bowed and left.
I picked up my small bundle and walked out through the southern gate. Two outer elders followed at a distance to ensure I left the clan's territory without incident.
It took nearly two hours to reach the border. Only when the escorts turned back and disappeared did I relax.
I left the main road and moved into the forested hills until I found a secluded spot behind thick trees and large boulders. No one could see or hear me here.
I sat down against a rock, took out the jade bottle, and swallowed the pill.
The pain hit hard and deep. I clenched my teeth and endured it in silence as my meridians were forcefully repaired.
[Restoration in progress...]
[Meridian repair: 10%... 25%... 50%... 75%... 90%... 100%]
[Restoration complete.]
[Spiritual Root restored: Silver Root (Grade 5)]
[Dormant qi detected. Integrating...]
[Cultivation base established: Qi Refinement Stage 3]
My HP bar filled completely. I waited until the qi stabilized with no strange phenomena appearing.
I checked my status.
Shen Que
Age: 15
Health (HP): 1,800 / 1,800
Cultivation: Qi Refinement Stage 3
Root: Silver Root (Grade 5)
Strength: 8
Agility: 9
Stamina: 8
Technique: None
Current State: [Mood: Calm] | [Body: Qi Saturation]
Combat Power (CP): 48
It was still weak, but it was a start. Lian Mei's 301 CP was far ahead, yet I finally had a real foundation.
I stood up, looked at the map, and started walking deeper into the hills as the sun began to set.
The forest got darker. I kept my pace steady and stayed alert. My body still felt strange after the pill. The new qi moved slowly through my meridians.
After some time I found a quiet spot beside a small stream. After using heavenly appraisal to check if it was safe,I drank some water and washed my face. Then I tried asking the system.
"How do I get more pulls?"
The system answered immediately.
[More pulls require Merit Points.
Merit Points are earned by completing missions, hunting spirit beasts, gathering herbs, or achieving personal milestones.
Each pull costs 100 Merit Points.
Current Merit Points: 0
Would you like to view available beginner missions?]
"Yes."
[Beginner Mission 1: Hunt 5 low level spirit beasts in the outer forest.
Reward: 30 Merit Points]
[Beginner Mission 2: Gather 10 stalks of common spirit herbs.
Reward: 20 Merit Points]
I decided to start with the herb gathering mission. Heavenly Appraisal would make it easy to find the right plants.
I moved slowly through the undergrowth and activated Heavenly Appraisal on every plant I saw. It only took a few minutes to spot the first one. A common spirit herb called Moon leaf. I picked it and kept going. The appraisal helped me avoid the weeds and find the right ones quickly.
By the time the sky was fully dark I had gathered twelve stalks of common spirit herbs.
I went back to my camp beside the stream and checked the system.
[Mission 2 complete.]
[20 Merit Points granted]
Current Merit Points: 20
It was a start, but I still needed 80 more for a single pull. My E Rank luck meant even when I reached 100 points the pull would probably give me something low grade.
I skinned one of the rabbits I had seen earlier and roasted it over a small fire. The meat was tender and with the herbs i got earlier they paired well as spices.
I put out the fire and lay down on the ground. My body was tired but i had No clan pressure and No engagement hanging over me. Just me and the night.
Tomorrow I would continue toward Green River Town. Along the way I could hunt some beasts or gather more herbs to earn the remaining points.
I closed my eyes and listened to the quiet sounds of the forest. I checked earlier luckily there are were no monsters in the outer forest at least.