Little Li lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Good news—his childhood sweetheart had the bearing of a supreme sovereign.
Bad news—his relationship with her was far from amicable, and he had been constantly provoking her like a clown.
Once they joined the Clear Abyss Sect, she would undoubtedly shine brilliantly.
Li Mo couldn’t help but imagine the classic trope: the protagonist undergoing a talent assessment, only for the testing stone to explode with a resounding boom.
And then, the minor antagonists who had bullied her would tremble in fear, lining up to be humiliated.
[Investment successful. Investment: A bowl of old mountain ginseng chicken soup.]
[Congratulations, Host. Reward: One Heavenly Spirit Restoration Pill.]
[Heavenly Spirit Restoration Pill]: "Forged with six spiritual veins, a pinnacle-grade elixir capable of mending innate deficiencies."
A jade box materialized out of thin air on the table, its lid already open.
Inside lay a crystalline pill, wreathed in purplish mist, its divine glow restrained yet unmistakable.
Li Mo’s jaw dropped. His expression froze, and for several seconds, he even forgot to breathe.
He had heard of this thing before.
He was a premature child.
His mother had suffered a fright during pregnancy, leading to an early birth before the full term.
As a result, he had been frail and sickly since childhood, even learning to walk a year later than other children. The whispers followed him—people called him the "weak cub of the mighty Li family."
His father never voiced it, but the concern was evident. He had scoured all avenues for a solution.
Among them was the search for this very pill—the so-called "Innate Restoration Pill."
Yet, such treasures were priceless.
Even if the Li family spent half their fortune, they might only secure a two-veined pill—if they were lucky.
Many powerful clans coveted these pills, willing to pay exorbitant prices to nurture their descendants. After all, before one could cultivate martial arts, who wouldn’t want a stronger foundation?
Thus, Li Mo had never obtained one.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined receiving it this way.
And a six-veined one at that!
Even with his limited knowledge, Li Mo understood just how precious this was.
Each additional vein multiplied the pill’s value several times over, with higher tiers becoming exponentially rarer.
Six veins? He had never even heard of such a thing. Its worth was beyond estimation.
"Huh, doesn’t really taste like anything."
Li Mo smacked his lips.
No matter how precious something was, it only truly became his once swallowed.
The pill melted the moment it touched his tongue, flowing down his throat and into his stomach.
A warm current surged through his limbs and bones, like schools of fish swimming along his meridians, organs, and marrow.
It was as if parched earth had been drenched in sweet rain, or a withered tree had sprung back to life.
Li Mo exhaled deeply, his eyes snapping open with newfound vitality.
His body felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted. The world before him seemed clearer, as though a thin veil had been removed. Even the air carried a faint sweetness, and an inexhaustible energy coursed through him.
An imperfect analogy—
He felt like an old man on the brink of death, suddenly rejuvenated by decades.
If he were to train in martial arts now, even if he wasn’t a prodigy, he would at least be a solid, unbroken stone.
"A six-veined pill… truly lives up to its reputation."
"And this was just for a bowl of chicken soup?"
Li Mo inwardly marveled.
The return on investment was absurdly high.
Of course, the main reason was likely the recipient of his "investment."
From what he remembered, Ying Bing was as her name suggested—
Mending their relationship would be a long and arduous task, but the rewards were worth chasing.
A red-destiny talent? If he missed this chance, he’d never get another in eight lifetimes.
"Young Master, how may I serve you?"
The steward hurried in.
Li Mo lowered his voice. "Does Ying Bing have any favorite foods?"
The steward blinked, thinking for a moment. "Not particularly. Lady Bing has never shown much interest in delicacies."
"Any other likes, then?"
"Well… I wouldn’t know, Young Master."
The steward grimaced. What mischief is the Young Master plotting now?
In the past, Li Mo had ordered the servants to make life difficult for Ying Bing. Since when did he care about her preferences?
"Never mind. Sorry to trouble you."
Li Mo cringed inwardly at the memories.
As the steward turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something.
"Ah, Young Master, the Master instructed that once we reach the city beneath Clear Abyss Sect, we are to take Lady Bing for a medical examination. He provided two hundred taels for the consultation. What should we…?"
"Go. And if the money isn’t enough, take it from my personal funds."
Li Mo waved dismissively.
If spending money could yield such rewards, it was a bargain he’d take any day.
"We have an early start tomorrow. Get some rest."
The steward scratched his head, nodding.
What’s gotten into the Young Master?
Lately, he had been oddly polite—not just to him but even toward Ying Bing.
Maybe traveling has broadened his horizons? Made him mature?
The first rays of dawn spilled into the room, glinting off the frost clinging to the walls.
A girl sat curled up on the bed, hugging her knees—a snow spirit in slumber.
Ying Bing was dreaming.
When she first entered Clear Abyss Sect, she had been diagnosed with blocked meridians. Only after a fortuitous encounter half a year later did they unseal.
From then on, her monstrous talent left her peers in the dust.
By eighteen, even the sect master was no match for her.
She ventured beyond the Eastern Wasteland Domain, witnessing a vaster world.
The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were boundless.
Hidden sects, ancient prodigies, imperial dynasties’ chosen, even reincarnated elders—geniuses sprouted like bamboo after rain.
It was a dazzling era.
And yet, she remained the brightest star amidst the storm.
First on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the Human Ranking, the Mystic Ranking, the Earth Ranking, the Heaven Ranking…
In the end, she stood among the Nine Heavens, equal to the Martial Emperor of the Central Yu Dynasty, crowned as the Phoenix Heaven.
The nine supreme beings of the realm.
And yet, above even them, lay a fabled, transcendent state.
Ying Bing’s eyes fluttered open.
Everything confirmed it—she had truly returned to the past.
And encountered something that had never existed in her previous life.
Before her eyes hovered lines of mysterious text.
Invisible to others, as though it would remain until she made a choice.
Neither in her past nor present life had she encountered such a thing.
"The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths are vast. I am far from omniscient."
"Perhaps this is a power beyond even my knowledge."
After a moment of contemplation, she willed her decision.
[Ding. Binding complete.]
[This system is the Peerless Prodigy System, dedicated to guiding the host on the path of invincibility.]
Ying Bing’s expression remained unreadable.
The path of invincibility?
She had already walked it once.
Her rise had been unstoppable, outshining every star in the sky.
In her past life, even the Martial Emperor could only match her through esoteric means.
At her peak, she’d have had to scour history books to find a worthy rival.
This life, she would only grow stronger.
[Clear all milestones, and you shall attain the opportunity to ascend to immortality.]
The system’s next message made her breath hitch.
This was a term that existed only in legends!
It was said that in every era, the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths would give birth to a singular, peerless "Immortal."
Transcending all living beings, a true existence beyond mortality, an eternal being.
Yet ever since the Yu Dynasty unified the land, attaining immortality had faded into myth, as if the path itself had been severed—only adding to its mystique.
This was also the greatest secret sought after by generations of powerhouses across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
With the path to immortality barred, she, brimming with confidence, ultimately chose the most arduous road—one that only a handful had ever succeeded in throughout history.
But in the end, she still fell just one step short...
This so-called "system" actually held the key to immortality?
Ying Bing steadied her emotions and asked:
"What does 'challenge' mean?"
[This system will encompass all talented martial artists of the same generation within a designated region and rank them once every month.]
[After the rankings are announced, rewards will be distributed based on the host’s position.]
[Current ranking scope: Eastern Wasteland Domain.]
In an instant, countless memories flooded Ying Bing’s mind.
Not only the system’s rules but also its many restrictions.
For example, no external interference was permitted in the challenges.
No disclosure of the system’s existence to manipulate opponents into yielding.
Rules like these effectively blocked any shortcuts.
A ranking of prodigies?
In her past life, she had already been the very embodiment of genius and monstrosity across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
And now, armed with the memories of her previous life, retreading the martial path would only make her stronger than before!
If what the system claimed was true, this would drastically shorten the time needed for her to reclaim her peak—perhaps even propel her into that unfathomable realm.
Even if it was an exaggeration, she had nothing to lose.
In both her past and present life, she had never once known the taste of being overshadowed.
The Central Divine Continent was renowned as a land of heroes, but after her arrival, the younger generation fell under her shadow, to the point of trembling at the mere mention of "Bing."
There were even ancient monsters who, to humble her pride, disguised themselves, suppressed their cultivation, and posed as rising talents to challenge her.
Only to be forced to reveal their true forms.
[Prompt: Enable defeat punishment mechanism?]
[Upon activation, rewards will be richer, but the host must carry out the defeat punishment on the top-ranked challenger after rankings are announced.]
"Nothing would please me more."
Ying Bing’s choice was unequivocal.
She would undoubtedly be the top-ranked.
To her, this punishment was effectively nonexistent.
This wasn’t arrogance.
When she had already proven herself capable, why not maximize the rewards?
[Defeat punishment mechanism successfully activated!]
Ying Bing pushed the door open and stepped outside.
Not far away, a young man happened to open his door as well.
Their eyes met, and Li Mo grinned, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.
Compared to yesterday, the gloom on his face had vanished, replaced instead by a radiant handsomeness.
Overnight, he had transformed into a bright, sunny young man.
It was as if he had changed slightly from the distant memory she held of him.