As evening fell, the red light of the setting sun came through the thick, coloured tiles of the palace, leaving only a soft glow that spread slowly to the woodshed in the corner.
This was Xiao Wuchen's refuge, and also proof of where he came from. He was just a nameless, faceless servant, his name even forgotten in the palace records, spending his days carrying heavy firewood and breathing in soot. His world was smaller and darker than this shed.
"Cough, cough... Pffft..."
Xiao Wuchen crouched in the corner, piling the wood on top of each other. He was coughing really badly and his blood was spitting out of his mouth. His face was very pale, and his body felt like it had been crushed. Every bone seemed to be hurting.
This broken body was not from being tired, but from practising cultivation.
He secretly developed a new way of cultivating energy that involved a method called "Purple Qi Comes from the East." The name of this method was grand and majestic, but its practice was extremely dangerous. Every day, people can make the most of the energy from the sun by welcoming it as it rises in the morning. This helps to cleanse the meridians within the body. But how could a servant in the woodshed show any unusual behaviour in public? He could only secretly use his true energy at night, when everything was quiet.
"How dare you! A lowly wretch like you dares to secretly practice cultivation techniques!"
The cold, sharp words hit the peace of the woodshed like a steel knife.
Today, he was unlucky. He had just finished one cycle of internal energy reversal when he was caught by the eunuch in charge, Eunuch Li.
Eunuch Li was fat, his face painted red, and looked very angry. He looked down at Xiao Wuchen as if he were a very small insect.
"What good will it do you, even if you master this cultivation method that goes against the norm?
You'll just add another cripple to the servants' quarters! It's a real bummer for the whole place!" Eunuch Li flicked his toe, kicking a thick piece of firewood into Xiao Wuchen's face. The man groaned, more blood coming from the corner of his mouth.
Eunuch Li was followed by a handsome but thin young man named Xiao Guizi. He was new, and seeing this bloody scene, he was very scared, but a quick look from Eunuch Li made him stop moving.
"Men! Hit him hard! "Keep hitting him until he's totally forgotten that cultivation method!"
Eunuch Li ordered several strong eunuchs to mercilessly punch and kick him, targeting his old wounds and most sensitive areas. They were very careful, not killing him immediately, but making him suffer more than death.
"Bang!"
The final kick landed heavily on Xiao Wuchen's chest. He felt as if his chest was about to explode, his consciousness fading like a candle flame.
"You'd better not steal again or I'll destroy your dantian and you won't be able to move!"
Eunuch Li spat in disgust, then led his men away, leaving Xiao Guizi far behind. Xiao Guizi looked like he was feeling scared and sorry, but then he quickly looked away and ran after them.
[System Activation]
The woodshed went dark and quiet.
Xiao Wuchen's mind started to fade, and all he could hear was his own breathing, which sounded laboured. So this is what death feels like?
Just as he was about to give up and die, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
[The host's vital signs are showing that they are about to collapse, and the system is loading...]
[Host: Xiao Wuchen]
[Job title: Palace Attendant]
[Talent Rating: [Very bad (birth defects, can't handle high levels of internal energy)]
[Initial Merit Points: [100 points are gained automatically when the system assesses the host's current character and potential]
Xiao Wuchen was very surprised. He could feel that his consciousness was no longer like a flickering candlelight, but had been stabilised by a strange force.
[Meridian Guidance Function Activated]
[Automatic Scan of Host's Cultivation Technique: [Part of the poem 'Purple Qi Comes from the East'].
[There is a big problem between the way the plant is being grown and the way the host is naturally weak; many meridians are damaged. Repairs and optimisation are in progress.
A soft but strong flow of energy went through his body's energy pathways. Wherever it touched them, the pain quickly got better, and the bruises and internal injuries caused by the eunuchs healed quickly.
This power seemed to know his body intimately. It followed the opposite direction to his Purple Qi Comes from the East cultivation meridians, gently guiding and correcting them in a new and gentler way.
[Repair Complete. The Purple Qi cultivation technique has been optimised based on the host's meridian characteristics.
[Optimization Direction: This can change the way energy flows inside the body, avoiding the faulty meridians, which makes the flow of true qi smoother and more peaceful, and reduces the risk of qi deviation.
Xiao Wuchen tried to spread the cultivation technique. This time, he felt no pain. The true energy, which used to be violent and wild, now flowed gently through his body like a calm stream.
He got up slowly, as most of the pain had gone. He knew this wasn't a dream.
In his most desperate moment, this amazing "system" had saved his life and given him hope to change his fate. The small wooden shed was about to be used again.