Chapter 22: Rebirth Pill
Xiang Yu lay sprawled across his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Despite the early hour, he couldn’t muster the motivation to resume his training regimen. The miraculous pill his junior sister had given him had completely healed his physical wounds and replenished his depleted energy, yet his mind remained a battlefield of exhaustion. The weight of the day’s events pressed down on him like an invisible mountain.
In the span of mere hours, his life had transformed into a whirlwind of chaos. What should have been a simple outing had cascaded into a series of life-threatening encounters. The date with Li Yao, the sudden ambush, twice brushing against death’s cold fingers—it was simply too much to process at once. Each memory replayed in vivid detail, his body involuntarily tensing as he relived the moments when steel had nearly claimed his life.
These harrowing experiences only reinforced his fundamental belief: the cultivation world was no place for the weak. Someone like him, devoid of natural talent or spiritual roots, had no business challenging its harsh realities head-on. His strategy remained unchanged—stay inconspicuous, improve gradually, and accumulate strength until he could finally face this brutal world without fear.
"I need to train harder," he thought, the realization settling in his chest with leaden certainty. But first, his mind demanded respite. His eyelids grew heavier with each passing moment, thoughts becoming increasingly disjointed as exhaustion claimed dominion over consciousness. Within minutes, he surrendered to slumber, his features finally relaxing as his body sank deeper into the simple bed.
Meanwhile, in the communal dining area, Elder Guo and Li Yao sat across from each other, an unusual silence hanging between them as they picked at their meals. The elder’s weathered face creased with confusion as he surveyed the empty seat where Xiang Yu should have been sitting.
"Where is your senior brother? It’s not like him to be lazing around," Elder Guo remarked, genuine surprise coloring his tone. He had grown accustomed to Xiang Yu’s relentless dedication to practice, the absence of the boy’s perpetual training noises creating an unsettling void in the pavilion’s atmosphere. Though aware of their trip beyond sect boundaries, he had expected Xiang Yu to return immediately to his regimen—as had become his predictable habit. More pressing, however, was the elder’s desperate desire to avoid whatever culinary abomination this girl had prepared in Xiang Yu’s absence.
Li Yao noted the subtle shift in her master’s perception. Not long ago, her senior brother had been widely regarded as the embodiment of laziness throughout Mountain Heart Pavilion. Yet now, the elder spoke as though diligence was Xiang Yu’s defining characteristic. This transformation in reputation brought her genuine happiness—her senior brother’s tireless efforts were finally earning recognition. Still, she couldn’t help but wish he possessed more courage.
"We were attacked on our way back," she explained casually, as though discussing something as mundane as the weather. "Senior brother must’ve been shocked."
Elder Guo’s eyebrows rose sharply at this revelation, but seeing as both disciples were relatively unharmed, he quickly deduced that the attackers had been thoroughly dealt with. Though curiosity tickled at the corners of his mind regarding the identities of these foolish aggressors, wisdom prevailed. Though he had some guesses, he chose not to ask, some questions were better left unasked, particularly when the answers might create unwelcome complications.
After suffering through several tentative bites of Li Yao’s cooking, the elder reached his limit. The flavors assaulting his palate could generously be described as challenging—if one were being extraordinarily diplomatic. He set down his utensils with finality and rose from his seat.
"I’m going to cultivate," he announced, barely concealing his relief at having found an acceptable excuse. Before departing, he added with genuine concern, "Take care of your senior brother." The instruction carried dual meaning—both genuine concern for Xiang Yu’s well-being and desperate hope that the young man would recover swiftly enough to resume cooking duties.
Li Yao nodded obediently, watching as her master retreated with barely concealed haste. When his presence had completely faded from the pavilion, she directed her gaze upward, addressing the empty air with complete seriousness.
"Do you know of a way for someone without a spiritual root to get one?" she asked, her voice ringing clear in the deserted dining area.
Though seemingly speaking to nothing, a response materialized within her consciousness. [There are some ways, why do you ask?] the empress replied, her mental voice tinged with curiosity.
"Senior brother promised to marry me when he’s the strongest," Li Yao explained, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she recalled his words. "Since he doesn’t have a spiritual root, doesn’t that mean that this will never happen?"
[Oh, I never thought about it that way,] the empress acknowledged, surprise evident in her tone.
"So I want to find a way for him to cultivate," Li Yao continued, her voice gaining strength with each word. "If he can’t become the strongest, I can make him the strongest." The declaration rang with unwavering conviction.
The empress, silent for a moment, seemed taken aback by the young woman’s determination. [Well, there are some means I know, but they all require high-level cultivation which you don’t have at this time,] she finally explained.
Li Yao’s expression visibly fell, disappointment etching itself across her delicate features. Noticing this, the empress quickly added, [But there are still other means, though not as effective.]
The girl’s attention snapped back immediately, her eyes brightening with renewed hope. "What? What? Tell me!" she demanded eagerly.
[You need a Rebirth Pill,] the empress revealed. [It’s a pill mostly used by Soul and Body Integration cultivators who want to break through to the Tribulation Transcendence stage.]
Li Yao listened with rapt attention as the empress continued her explanation.
[The pill’s purpose is nourishing the body and soul and contains a rebirth effect that helps in reconstructing the body to be more in tune with the soul,] she elaborated. [During body reconstruction, there is a small chance of someone without a spiritual root to get one.]
The empress’s tone grew more cautious as she added, [But this is just a theory and has never been tested.]
"But there is still a chance, right?" Li Yao pressed, latching onto the sliver of possibility.
[Yes, but not that high,] the empress admitted.
Undeterred, Li Yao pushed forward. "Where can I get that pill? Do you have the recipe?"
[I do have the recipe, but you wouldn’t be able to make it. You need to at least be in the Tribulation Transcendence stage to make this pill,] the empress cautioned, before adding more optimistically, [But you don’t have to worry, I know of a way for you to get this pill.]
"How?" Li Yao asked, leaning forward eagerly.
[I know of a tomb of a Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivator,] the empress revealed. [But if you want to raid this tomb, you’ll need at least Golden Core stage cultivation.]
Li Yao fell silent, absorbing this information with intense concentration. After a long moment, her hands clenched into determined fists, resolve hardening her expression.
"It’s just the Golden Core stage," she declared with absolute certainty. "I’ll reach it in no time." Without another word, she rose and strode toward her room, purpose evident in every step as she prepared to intensify her cultivation.
Watching through Li Yao’s eyes, the empress couldn’t help but marvel at the transformation. This girl, previously content to coast on her natural talent while indulging in laziness, was now burning with unprecedented determination. Her advancement was accelerating at a pace that defied conventional understanding.
At this rate, the empress realized, her own revival might arrive sooner than anticipated. And when that happened...
...
[Name: Xiang Yu]
[Realm: Body Refining 2nd Layer]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: null]
[Techniques: Basic Knife Technique: Intermediate (70/300)]
[Scriptures: Mountain Heart Scripture: 2nd Layer (3/200)]
[System Function: Double Exp (Cooldown: 24hrs)]
A/N - These are the last details we saw, not the latest. Just in case you forgot
...
[Name: Li Yao]
[Realm: Foundation Establishment Peak]
[Species: Human]
[Spiritual Root: ???]
[Techniques: ???]
[Scriptures: ???]