Sunfre Empire, Greenwood City.

  A torrential downpour shed the city, lightning fshed, and thunder roared as the rain poured down is.

  Gu Heng stood at the entrance of his Medie Hall, listening to the crisp sound of raindrops the size of beans hitting the eaves. A trace of restlessness surfaced in his heart.

  Such weather was not ducive to people ing for sultations. But this thuorm was beyond the trol of even cultivators, let alone an ordinary transmigrator like him.

  He had transmigrated to this so-called "Mysterious Heaven Realm" twenty years ago.

  This was a world where strength was revered.

  Initially, Gu Heng also wao bee a cultivator, but he couldn't cultivate. His body couldn't absorb any spiritual energy, so in this world where being a cultivator was a badge of honor, he didn't even have the qualifications to stand at the starting line.

  Just a plete waste.

  He did have a system, but it didn't help him cultivate. Instead, it helped him develop some rather niche hobbies. Painting and medie were on enough, but he also dabbled in more obscure skills like "f," "health maintenance," and "fortuelling."

  With no patients visiting, Gu Heng yawned out of boredom and opened his "system" panel.

  "Host: Gu Heng."

  "Cultivation Level: Not Started."

  Gu Heng pursed his lips, not g much about this anymore, and swiped it away.

  As he scrolled down the panel, he could see the proficy of his skills that were of no help in cultivation.

  Painting, calligraphy, medie, f, fortuelling, and "body refining"—the tter was essentially some health teiques given by the system for him to practice casually. After much practice, his body became sturdier, but that was about it.

  All skills were maxed out at "Mastery."

  Gu Hehe system was deceiving him.

  Because the prerequisite for "Mastery" was having cultivation.

  For example, painting—those cultivators who ehe Dah painting could casually create ndscapes imbued with Daoist i. Calligraphy masters could form true meaning with each stroke. Those who could see through the mysteries of heaven could predict past and future, uand the mysteries of life ah. Medical experts could coct elixirs that could bring the dead back to life.

  These were too distant for mortals.

  Only cultivators could achieve them, and he couldn't.

  Qi Refining, Foundatioablishment, Core Formation, Elemental Infant, Out-of-Body, Divided Spirit, Body Fusion, Tribution Crossing, Great Assion, Supreme Saint.

  The ten stages of cultivation, with Supreme Saint being the stro and Qi Refining the weakest.

  Since awakening the system, he had initially wao cultivate, but after a long time, he didn't even reach the first stage of Qi Refiniually, he became disheartened and resigned, maxing out all other skills.

  These skills were useless because even the most ordinary Foundatioablishment cultivator could do what mortals could do a million times better.

  So, among these "Mastery" skills, Gu Heng edie to make a living.

  Mortals also needed medical treatment, and Gu Heng earned money from them. It wasn't much, but it was enough. After all, Gu Heng had e to terms with the fact that he might never be able to cultivate, so he had to make do.

  However... even on a rainy day, the festive atmosphere in Greenwood City was unmistakable.

  Gu Heng looked outside, where spiritual lights floated in the sky, and nterns and decorations were everywhere, creating a grand wedding se.

  "Heh, getting married on a rainy day, aren't they afraid of bad luck?"

  Gu Heng sneered.

  "Du, did you also receive the Marriage Proposal Scroll?"

  The speaker was a vendor from the grocery store o Gu Heng's Medie Hall.

  "Yes, I received it."

  Gu Heng pulled out a blue and red invitation from his robe.

  The groom was from the Mo Family, the most promi family in Greenwood City. The Mo Family wielded immense power iy, and the wedding of their eldest young master was naturally a grand affair. The "Marriage Proposal Scroll" was an invitation for some mortals to join the feast.

  The bride's family, the Bai Family, was several times rger than the Mo Family.

  Gu Heng found it quite strange because this marriage was not a match of equals. It was more like selling off their daughter cheaply.

  "Tonight is the Mo Family's grand wedding. If you have time, Du, why don't we go together food meal?"

  The vendor waved his Marriage Proposal Scroll.

  "Fet it. It's a cultivator's wedding. What business do we mortals have there? You go ahead."

  Gu Heng wasn't ied in such matters.

  "...Hmm?"

  Gu Heng prided himself on his sharp eyesight.

  Amidst the torrential rain that seemed to drown the earth, there was a solitary, desote figure, like a walking corpse.

  Upon closer iion, it was a woman with delicate features and a cold demeanor.

  ***

  The woman walked alone on the rain-drereets, her expression dazed, unsure of where to go.

  She was Bai Fei'er, ohe Bai Family's most proud genius girl, a on-a-millennium cultivatiy, deeply loved by her . tless young talents bowed to her, and many admired or envied her...

  But now, she had been sold off to Greenwood City, betrothed to the Mo Family's eldest young master.

  Bai Fei'er hung her head low, lettiears mix with the rain as they fell.

  It all began three months ago when she oisoned by an evil cultivator while expl the empire's great secret realm.

  After being poisoned, although her family sought many renowned doctors and she ed numerous spiritual elixirs, the "Dev True Demon Gu" was removed, but her Dao root was pletely destroyed, and the remaining toxins tio erode her cultivation.

  As for detoxification... it was impossible.

  Her body had almost merged with the poison, and removing it would be tantamount to taking her life.

  The poison, known as "Dev True Demon Gu," could rapidly drain one's cultivatioroy the foundation of cultivation, and ultimately render one a cripple.

  Yes, this poison didn't kill, but it was far more malicious than murder.

  "Since you've bee a cripple, make some tributions to the family."

  This was the st thing Bai Fei'er heard from her father.

  This marriage was a plete farce... As they say, when a prodigy falls, there are tless who d cheer. Ironically, the Mo Family was worlds apart from the Bai Family in terms of power, yet the Bai Family even had to pay to have the Mo Family accept this "cheaply sold crippled girl" marriage tract.

  Upon reag the Mo Family, the eldest young master, who was merely at the sed stage of Core Formation, such a mediocre pyboy, even looked down on her with utter disdain!

  Truly, times had ged.

  At eighteen, she had reached the fifth stage of Elemental Infant, with only three or four people iire Sunfre Empire who could match her. But now, she had been knocked off her pedestal, her cultivation plummeting to the eighth stage of Qi Refining in just three months, and it tio dee...

  Even being caught in the rain now made her shiver, the weakness growing more severe.

  Three months ago, she could have easily sliced through the rain with a single sword stroke!

  She clutched her soft sword tightly, but she was almost too weak to draw it.

  "Damn heavens, why are you toying with me like this!

  I refuse... I won't accept this!"

  Bai Fei'er looked up at the gray sky, menting, but her voice was quickly drowned out by the rain.

  In her daze, death suddenly seemed less terrifying.

  Perhaps, she should end her life here?

  Rather than being sold off to the Mo Family's pyboy, it would be better...

  She lowered her head, looking at the sword in her hand, her gaze gradually turning cold. Her firembled slightly as she slowly drew the sword.

  However, at that moment, a voice sounded behind her: "Miss, why are you walking alone in the rain?"

  Bai Fei'er turned around abruptly to see a young man standing before her. His eyes were beautiful, dark and clear like a pool of autumn water, warm and pure. He held a paper umbrel, temporarily shielding her from the rain.

  "You..."

  At first, she was startled because no man had ever been this close to her. But thehought, in this heavy rain, someone had appeared out of o hold an umbrel for her. This person... was iing.

  "Sir, thank you."

  Bai Fei'er quietly sheathed the half-drawn sword.

  "It was nothing, o thank me," Gu Heng said. "The rain is heavy. Please e to my Medie Hall to take shelter."

  Bai Fei'er hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

  The two walked side by side into the Medie Hall, which was simply furnished but and tidy.

  While Gu Heng brewed tea, Bai Fei'er observed him. He was just a mortal, without a trace of spiritual energy. In the past, Bai Fei'er wouldn't have spared a g a mortal because they were ants.

  But now, she was almost an ant herself.

  "Here, have some hot tea to warm up."

  Gu Heurned with the brewed tea and pced it in front of Bai Fei'er. He studied her face, which was quite beautiful. Bai Fei'er noticed his gaze a a bit ahinking his eyes were rather bold. But then Gu Heng suddenly asked, "Miss... are you unwell?"

  Hearing his question, Bai Fei'er was taken aback, then showed a bitter smile, "Yes, I have a serious illness."

  Even a mere mortal could see that the poison had peed her bones, and her dition was terminal. She truly was in a pitiful state.

  "Hmm... this dition has persisted for some time, hasn't it?"

  He moved closer to observe, even pg his hand on Bai Fei'er's wrist to check her pulse. This aade her a bit resistant, but she thought of his benevole and e.

  pared to the arrogant eldest young master of the Mo Family, this mortal before her was quite gentlemanly and upright.

  "I have some medie here. If you take it, you'll get better."

  Gu Heng immediately went to the ter, grabbed a few handfuls, and theo the ba to prepare the medie.

  Bai Fei'er found it ughable. How could a mere mortal uand her problem? It was an issue that even the empire's most elite medical experts couldn't cure.

  Although she knew mortal medie was useless, Bai Fei'er thought it wouldn't hurt to accept his goodwill. When the deco was ready and hao her, she picked up the steaming bowl and took a gentle sip.

  Then, her expression turo astonishment.

  Because the seemingly ordinary deco, upoering her mouth, quickly transformed into a pure and powerful medial force, c through her entire body... All the remaining poison within her was instantly eradicated, and her previously weak and powerless body gradually returo normal.

  "Huh..."

  In that moment, Bai Fei'er seemed to see hope, yet she couldn't quite believe it. She stared bnkly at the bowl of browion, murmuring, "Did... did it really work?"

  Then, the cultivation she had lost for so long quickly returned. In the span of a few breaths, she broke through Foundatioablishment, re-entered Core Formation, and reached the seventh stage of Elemental Infant!

  She had broken through!

  All because of a small sip of this deco!

  Bai Fei'er sat dazed in the chair, her eyes misty as she gazed out at the p rain, the sho her eyes indescribable.

  What kind of medie was this?!