She played with the system over and over again. After all, she had nothing better to do. She could only pretend to be a child, which was no fun. On the other hand, finding strange new techniques or skills became a sort of her new hobby.

  Her favorite special skill she found was the “ bootcurse” it was a A-grade skill that caused a curse to fall on a selected person, by which he or she could not wear shoes for a whole month. Even though this curse cost more than a hundred million mu, she still believed it was worth it.

  More months passed. Before she knew it, six years had passed since her arrival in this world. The older she got the more interesting it became.

  Of course, it is impossible to summarize the entire seven years in a nutshell. Quite a lot happened, and the person now known as May Shang experienced and learned many things about the world in which she ended up.

  If one were to describe these years in a nutshell, one could say that she became quite well-known among her immediate family and neighbors as a rather bright and intelligent child. Only beauty wasn't quite on her side... It was fair to say that she wasn't a very pretty child. However, she made up for it with her astonishing wisdom for her age.

  After just around seven months, she began to speak. After a year, she already began to speak simple sentences. During the same period, she simultaneously began to walk. It was a rather surprisingly fast pace, which gave her family hope that she had a talent for cultivation. (It is commonly believed that growing up fast is indicative of talent).

  After about three years, she could already speak quite eloquently.

  After four years, she began to help her parents with simple things.

  However, it was now after six years that the culmination arrived.

  It was at this age that children began to learn the basics of cultivation. This was also considered a key time.

  If cultivation had started earlier it could have hurt the still-growing body (of course it was still growing up, but it was no longer that harmful). Indeed, the later a person started cultivating the more difficult it is for them later on.

  This is due to the unique energy that only people under the age of 20 possess. As a person ages, this energy begins to fade. This is called growth energy. When it is cultivated early enough it helps in later stages of cultivation. Therefore, if one starts cultivating too late, the chance to reach the next stages is obstructed.

  "Today we start the first lesson. If you're ready, meet me in five minutes at the meadow in the forest." Said her father with a serious face. “I know you're excited, but take it seriously.”

  “Yes.” She had been waiting for this moment since the moment she was born. Quite literally.

  Her father had already left. She began to get ready, dressed in specially prepared clothes for training. They were made of leather and exceptionally heavy.

  She didn't know how to become a cultivator. She had already tried to “detect” energy in her surroundings, but without success. Well, it couldn't be that simple. It was considered a secret on how to start the adventure of cultivation. Others were also reluctant to tell her anything, as she was a child and it would be dangerous.

  She also asked her system, but when Minnie demanded a fee for the information she gave up the idea.

  “You finally made it,” said Minnie.

  “Yes... I thought this moment would never come.”

  “I have a little gift for you on this occasion.”

  An annoying advertisement appeared before her eyes. Are you familiar with all those mobile shit gacha type games with annoying pop-ups? That's how her daily life was with wife/girlfriend/bitch of Mikki Mouse.

  “Fuck off.” She said out loud. No one was around so she could finally vent off her emotions.

  For the past seven years, that damn thing has not given me a break. Every day those damn ads. Every time I do something - ad! During these years by some miracle I managed to somehow collect around 102 mu. There I got some coin from my grandmother for a candy, and here I got some pocket money from my uncle for my birthday. It was quite a large amount of money and I am supposed to spend it on some junk right away?

  "There's no need to be so mean. I want the best for you." She said in her annoying voice. She tried to pretend to be sweet and it was quite... embarrassing.

  She sighed and started to get dressed. She felt a slight uneasiness. However, after a while she calmed down. What if she has no talent? What if her progress is slow? It doesn't matter! As long as she has a system, she will stand at the top.

  With confidence, she went to her father. He was standing in the middle of a meadow among the trees of the forest. No one was around. They lived in isolation from the rest of town.

  Her dad was a cultivator at the 9th stage of Qi Refinement. It was the first phase of cultivation. However, being at stage 9 was something incredible for the Outer Court. Of course, he didn't qualify to be a member of the Inner Sect, as he failed to get into the Foundation Establishment before the age of thirty, which indicated that he didn't have the right talent.

  Nevertheless, he was at the very top of the hierarchy of the East Outer Court of Island Mountain Sect.

  Island Mountain Sect was a fairly strong sect in the Yellow Mountain Region.

  It got its name from the fact that the mountain peaks resemble lonely islands.

  Especially when the lower part of the region is covered by clouds it's look like White Sea with big mountain peak that resemble islands.

  Maya occasionally climbed a nearby mountain, and looking from the very top of the mountain, indeed the whole region resembled the sea with lonely islands (mountain peaks) on it. Even the Himalayas were nothing special compared to this.

  Ironically, the region in which she lived was not known for its strong cultivators or wealth, but... tourism. It was, after all, one of the most beautiful regions on the continent. It was a bit ironic that they were only known for their nice views and tourism industry.

  Many strong cultivators spent their free time here to relax. The Island Mountain Sect itself was not very strong, but it was strong enough to be able to protect itself.

  Island Mountain Sect had its “heart” that is, the highest peak - Junlin Mountain in the center, where the inner court was located.

  The Outer Court, meanwhile, was divided in terms of its location relative to Junlin Mountain. Into a northern, eastern, western and southern Outer Court.

  May Shang lived in the Eastern Outer Court.

  The most talented young Outer Court residents were able to get into the Cloud Academy in the heart of Junlin Mountain and have a chance to become members of the Inner Court. However, this was a rare thing. Only three, maybe four people from the Outer Court each year became Inner Court members.

  However, it was a dream for any person, as the number of resources there was far greater. May knew she had to succeed in getting there.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “You've finally arrived.” Said her father with disapproval in his voice. "You were in no hurry. First lesson, and you're already late. You won't accomplish much with this attitude." He sighed, it was clear that he himself was stressed about the lesson. May was aware that he had, high expectations for her. After all, she was already quite smart from a young age. If it turned out she had talent for cultivation it would be good for her parents as well.

  Many people in the Outer Court who lacked talent for cultivation raised their children rigorously with the hope that they would reach the Inner Court and help their parents acquire valuable resources that could help them cultivate. This was not something uncommon.

  However, this was not the case for their parents. Her father had long since given up hope of progress... Meanwhile, her mother couldn't even cultivate if she wanted to, because she was a Mage. She was born on another continent and used a completely different system that was incompatible with the cultivation system.

  There were many like her mother. That explained why there were people in the city who looked Asian and some who looked European. And also explained why there were different architectural styles in town.

  Some, such as her mother, fled the continent known as Kurita after the “Silent Destruction” caused by the Witch from the Stars. Kurita continent was completly destroyed.

  “Can you stop being distracted?”

  "Oh yes. Sorry. It took me a while to get dressed in these clothes." She replied. They were quite heavy and uncomfortable to wear.

  "You'll get used to it. Let's get started. This training is for you alone. Do not share it with anyone else. And especially with people outside the Outer Court. Teaching people outside the sect is considered taboo. You could even be accused of treason and killed. I hope you understand." He said with seriousness. He certainly wanted to make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

  " I understand. I won't do something so moronic." She knew a few people outside the sect, but she had no intention of sharing anything. It was too risky, and even if she taught them, without the sect's resources they wouldn't be able to do anything anyway. In a nutshell: a risk without any benefit.

  "Basically, there are several ways in which one can break through to the first stage of Qi Refinement. We will choose a reasonably safe, but rather challenging way."

  He handed her a green and yellow potion in a glass vial. It was the size of an ordinary can of Coke. It didn't look very appealing, especially since there was some weird stuff floating in it, sediment. Something ala aloe vera juice.

  "It's a special herb that increases sensitivity to Qi energy in the environment. It is quite expensive, so drink it in its entirety. It only works on ordinary people, so it is extremely useful in sensing energy and entering the first stage of Qi Refinement. It is usually unavailable to ordinary mortals and you need permission from the East Outer Sect Leader."

  This is quite valuable... It must have been quite expensive. I will put it to good use!

  She drank the entire potion in one go.

  She felt an unusually strong energy. It felt like energy was building up inside. A tremendous sensation. She experienced a stinging pain that caused her to lose her breath. This sensation persisted for some time. It was even, perhaps, too intense.

  "Listen to me carefully. You feel a flow of energy inside you don't you? If you want to officially become a cultivator, you must harness it. Start running around the meadow. Until your muscles start screaming and your heart feels like exploding. Don't waste this mixture," he said quickly. "What are you waiting for? Run! With all your strength!" He shouted, and she jumped off at his words.

  This is what she didn't expect. Running. It sounded simple, but it looked like she had to do it until she felt like dying....

  She could sense the power in herself. She ran and ran. However, she was only a child; just how much stamina could she have? After just a few minutes of running, she began to feel tired. However, she did not give up and continued to do her best. After another few minutes, she got noticeably slower. She looked at her father after making another loop in the meadow. He didn't seem to mind.

  “As long as you give it your all, the pace doesn't matter; just run as if your life depended on it.” He said as she passed him.

  Oh, so yes... It's not the speed itself that counts, but the endurance.

  She ran and ran. She wondered when it would finally end. However, time passed, and her father didn't say anything about stopping running.

  Finally, nearly an hour passed. She continued to run. Or rather, she “ran.” It was hard to call it running. However, she still gave it her all.

  More and more time passed. She couldn't tell how much, but certainly at least a couple of hours.

  She couldn't feel her legs. Once again, she dragged herself around.

  She looked at her father. Was he concerned or disappointed? In any case, it was nothing good.

  I wasted a valuable potion.... Surely it had to be expensive and yet I failed to get through to the first stage of Qi Refinement....

  "If that's the case, it's the perfect opportunity to spend some money.... You saved quite a nice amount." She said. As always, she was greedy for money. She was, after all, the avatar of the pay-to-win system.

  Hah! As if I could afford it. I already asked you about this years ago, and I remember specifically that you said that the cost of getting through to the first stage of qi refinement costs five hundred. She thought while communicating to her.

  "That's how it was. But now you are in an ideal condition, your senses are sharpened, and your body has absorbed a good amount of Qi, if you resign now you will lose about 90% of the energy you have now accumulated. It doesn't take a genius to know that this offer is cheaper now that the conditions are better. The cost is only 50 [mu]." She uttered a long monologue.

  She began to wonder. 50 was not a large amount of money, but for a child like her it was still quite an expenditure. When will she be able to get such money back? After a while, she looked at her father.

  Fuck it. It's either now or never. Give it up for fifty!

  "Yes, finally! Getting there!"

  She fell to the ground. She felt energy gathering inside her. It was different from the energy from the mixture, this energy was much stronger, she was feeling it all over her body, on every single muscle, she felt her senses sharpen, like an alcoholic who suddenly regains sobriety for a split second.

  She began to tremble, and after a while her father ran up to her and grabbed her.

  " Well done. Deep breath in" If she had been more conscious she would have heard a strong worry in his voice and a tremor in his tone of voice. However, she was in too much shock.

  After a few minutes, she calmed down. However, she was unable to move even a finger. This run had exhausted her, and breaking through to the next stage didn't help.

  Silently in her mind she thought "System. Profile." She wanted to see it with her own eyes.

  She really made it. She didn't waste the potion. How embarrassing that would have been.

  However, despite this... Does this mean that I have no talent? If it wasn't for the system I would have almost given up. I was already at my limit.

  The system does not display my “talent” because it's at too low a level. Upgrading the system from level 0 to 1 costs a thousand mu.

  "Congratulations, you really are amazing and you should be proud of yourself. I didn't expect you to succeed, I was already about to stop you since you would have nearly harmed yourself.... You really don't know when to give up." Said her father with a slight smile, which hid, however, some strange melancholy feeling. Sadness? Surprise? Confusion? She was unable to say.

  “It's all thanks to this potion you bought thank you.” She tried to get up, but fell down.

  "Don't get up! Just have a rest today." He said and took her on his shoulder. She screeched in surprise. However, after a moment she smiled. It was good to have a loving family once again.

  He carried her straight to bed. She immediately fell asleep. She didn't even have the strength to be thrilled.

  Meanwhile, at the living room...

  “And how did it go?” The woman asked. Clearly slightly worried.

  “She succeeded.”

  "Well, one should have expected- Wait a minute what?

  It was a terrible misunderstanding. May interpreted her father's gaze as one of disappointment, but in reality he was worried about her hurting herself. The truth was also that the potion was not even as valuable as she thought. In a word, by coincidence, she became a rare genius.

  In fact, it took up to a month to break through to the first stage of Qi Refinement. Her sister needed three weeks and more than five similar mixtures.

  Doing it not just in one day, but in just a few hours was... Abnormal?!

  To be honest, her father wasn't even sure because he had never seen... Not even heard of anything like it.

  "It doesn't even make sense. Even all that genius.... What's his name? Ning Yun needed about a week to break through to the first stage of Qi Refinement. However, his physical condition was far and away better! He had countless pills, herbs to use, and his father is the leader of the sect! And I'm just a runaway from the Red Continent and an inferior herbalist mage, and you're the leader of the East Outer Court guards! If this is true then she must have an extremely rare talent!"

  "Stop panicking. This is just the first stage. Nothing is determined... But you're right, if it's true we have to keep it a secret at least for now... We still don't know if it's really talent or just a coincidence."