In a dilapidated room, where the bed was worn from years of neglect, a girl suddenly stirred. She sat up abruptly, clutching her head as a sharp headache pulsed through her skull. Slowly, she rubbed her forehead, trying to banish the menacing ache that had jolted her awake.
Moments later, Zhuang-Ming Yue finally absorbed the flood of strange memories flooding her mind. Taking a deep breath, she pinched her arm, wincing at the dull pain beneath her fingertips. The reality sank in — she was alive, yet in a body not her own, that of a frail, loveless child.
This girl was born into the harem of a heartless, aging emperor of the Zhuang dynasty — a minor concubine's daughter among thousands of women. The emperor cared for little beyond his desires, leaving this child abandoned and forgotten.
Ming Yue sighed softly, whispering, "This world is so different from my own."
Martial artists and Qi — the life energy that could extend one's lifespan — ruled this land. But the techniques to cultivate Qi were fiercely guarded by kingdoms and sects alike. Those with talent flocked to learn, while others, like the original owner of this body, suffered in obscurity.
Born with the lowest martial potential — marked by a red glow from the potential stone — the girl was doomed from the start. Unable to even pass the first stage of cultivation, she and her mother were cast aside, left to perish in neglect. Her mother's love was her only shield until death finally claimed her.
Ming Yue buried her face in her knees, murmuring, "I… I died choking. How humiliating. Even I, the mercenary known as Bright Moon, met such a ridiculous end." But here she was: reborn in a world where no one knew her shame.
After wallowing briefly in regret, she steadied herself. "No time for self-pity. I need a plan."
The only visitors to this forsaken place were the cruel servants from the imperial kitchen, who dropped expired food like scraps to a dog. Ming Yue knew she couldn't remain here — the next delivery was due soon.
She glanced at her emaciated arm, bones visible beneath the skin, and wondered how the original girl had survived so long.
Closing her eyes, she whispered, "What do I want now? I want what I lacked before — a peaceful, lazy life. No more battles, no more pain."
But to live quietly here, she'd need strength. Power, even. So, she resolved to use her mercenary skills to steal a martial art technique from the heavily guarded treasury. First, though, she had to find better food to regain her strength — without energy, her plans would fail.
This was her new beginning.