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["There's a difference between arrogance and confidence"]

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Zhi Ruo's POV

I don't need to do any of that work, I can just do things my way, my style. But this body can't handle that right now, even by just going inside the lotus dimensions I can already feel my Qi almost empty. My body is doing well though, this was due of my will of course. If I was any other person, I would have already succumbed and faint. 

I can only get some low grade water stones I have at hand. They require almost no Qi to activate and one of those pebble like Stone can fill up the tub that I'm gonna be using. I gather up of what's remaining of my Qi and pulled two brightly blue rocks, stones if I rephrase.

I can feel my vision starting to blur just by pulling out two low grade rocks. I leaned beside the tub and held myself. I took a deep breath and tossed the stone inside the tub, upon contact water gushed out from the stone, the bright blue stone lost its color and became a clear crystal.

I grabbed the clear crystal and along with the other blue stone I put it in my bed. Or at least what I think is my bed. It looks more of a rag than a bed to me. I would need these crystals later on. 

I walked back to the tub outside and stripped my clothes layer by layer. The black sticky substance released a very disgusting sound. The clothes that I have been wearing are now completely ruined, it was not much in the first place though.

I looked at the flower patters on the dress that was already fading due to it being always used and washed. I grabbed them and threw them into a pile beside the tub. I don't even have undergarment fit for me. 

I stepped in to the tub and let the warm water soak up all the black stuff away. I dipped my head and washed my hair. The water was warm, so I closed my eyes and cultivated. Beside the water having a bit of Qi and the isolated area that I am in, is the perfect time to cultivate.

I led the Qi that was rushing towards my body like a dam being let loose to my dantian, the ever flowing energy that somehow makes me euphoric was led by me to cover up my foundation. I made the energy as dense as it could be and wrapped it around, I did it over and over again that somehow my intake of Qi was getting slower.

So I opened my eyes, and stopped cultivating. It was not the same as before back on Earth. I sighed and gathered my newly acquired Qi to get some plain white clothes and some soap and shampoo.

And as expected my energy depleted, though noticably it was a lot slower. And my body noticeably got lighter, and more refreshed. 

I stood up and let the water dry, my long strings for hair was a bit damped so I let it be. I grabbed those plain white clothes that I got from my Lotus dimensions and put it on. It was only three layers. The undergarment, a layer and an outer coat.

After I look to see the dark colored water on the tub and decided that I don't need it. I tipped the tub over and let the water flow out into the soil of my supposed to be backyard. I left the area and headed back inside. 

The floor boards creaked when I stepped on them. Honestly it makes me think that this is a haunted house and I'm the guǐ living in this house.

[Ghost (鬼 guǐ) - spirits of the deceased. ]

I went straight to my drawer that looks more like a box, and took out a wooden comb. This comb was made by me back when this body was exploring during her free time. It was something that Zhi Ruo did to pass the time. 

I combed through the unmaintained hair, my hair was rough to touch and was was fragile, just a few brush and already plenty of hair was falling. This would be easy to fix if only I can open my Lotus mark with enough time for me to search the dimensions and get the cream that I would be needing.

But in order to do that I need to enter the ranks of cultivation. I may have opened my meridians but I still haven't gathered enough energy to pass into the ranks of the cultivators. I can only pull out some useless objects with this pitiful Qi I have. 

I sighed and put the comb so that it would hold up my hair. Normally I would not do this afraid that I would be noticed, but what is there to notice about? And besides I already am the new Zhi Ruo. Who would dare stop me?

I went up to the front porch, where the entrance of the house was an open area for the shoes to be put and the waiting place for the visitors. 

By now the sun was slowly descending to the ground, and was slowly replaced by the moon. I sat down in an lotus position and decided to cultivate. This time the Qi was not as strong as before, it was now like a steady stream of water flowing. The occasional ripples of the Qi made me focus more.

Like last time I hardened the Qi and wrapped them around my Dantian waiting for it to absorbed it. Slowly but surely I was filling up my foundation. 

[ Progress to entering the Cultivators rank : 20%... ]

An fimiliar robotic voice rang through my head, almost making me lose my concentration. But luckily I caught myself, I sighed inside my heart. That was honestly surprising, but I appreciate this ability. To know how much progress you have made is comforting in it's own right.

I continued, it was a slow process but it was worth it. The pain and the relief sigh that came from my body, was well worth. I gathered Qi frantically, and in doing so I had to expand my senses. In order to locate all the Qi that is floating around like water. 

So without me noticing it was already time for dinner

[ Progress to entering the Cultivators rank: 50%.. ]

I sighed again when I heard the voice, I opened my eyes to see the moon already hanging from the sky in an angle that would say that it was time for dinner.

In days as peaceful as this, I would avoid as much interaction as possible. At least that would be the first thing that the past me would do. Recalling from the memories, even if I Zhi Ruo would go to the kitchen I can expect that I would be returned with an empty hand and stomach.

I can get in my dimension but I worry that it will affect the percentage in my cultivation. I can only bring out some useless stuff that I am sure I would be able manage without hindering my cultivation. I already used the Qi that had gone through with my soul on the other world.

So without much of a choice I gathered my Qi and bring forth from the Lotus dimensions. The lotus marking glowed and in no time in my hand was about an hundred small needles. It's silvery color was almost hidden in the night sky. And from the size of the needles it was easy to hide them into clothing.

I quickly hid them into my sleeves, in a way that it will be easily accessible and very well hidden. I stood up and got my run down straw slippers and made my way to the kitchen, the moon will be my witness for what's about to happen next.

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Zhi Ruo's steps echoed when she left the courtyard, in it's wake was an undescribable feeling. The empty path of Zhi Ruo's courtyard was as expected rundown.

As Zhi Ruo made her way to the main Hall where usually all the main membership of the family eat, she can see the people eating Merrily. She can see Liu Wu Yin the head of the family her father hand-picking the dishes and putting them on the plate of the Liu Shu daughters. Concubine Liu Su Yang was laughing tenderly.

Zhi Ruo stayed hidden and made her way to the kitchen. It was not the time to mess with them yet, it was still too soon. 

"Wu'er how long will that disgrace stay in the family? She is just bringing shame in the family." Concubine Liu Su Yang, whined to Liu Wu Yin.

This sentence Made Zhi Ruo stop her steps.

" Yang'ah don't worry, she will die sooner or later. And you won't have to worry about being a niang in this household. " Liu Wu Yin comforted holding Niang Su Yang's hand.

[ 'Er , 'ah - term of endearment ]

[ Niang - concubine ]

" Father, is that true? " Liu Ya Ren asked.

" Why would father ever lie to you?" Liu Wu Yin tenderly said.

On second thought, Zhi Ruo's mind changed. She wouldn't mind messing around. As the people on the table laughed Zhi Ruo hid a sinister smile. She pulled out four needles, and with precise ease that only a master could do. She struck and Meridian on each of their chest, just because she has the best position to struck them.

They might not notice now, but their dantian is being slowly diminishing. The four didn't notice, but only felt a prickled feeling on their chest, they did not mind it and continued to eat happily. 

If they don't cure the poison that was attached to the needle and undo the meridian. Everytime they cultivate, the Qi will be much harder to gather and no matter how hard they try the Qi will never be cultivated, if they do cultivate with an 1000 year old snow ginseng then maybe they would freeze up the poison and let the meridian undo itself .

Zhi Ruo's hand moved in a flick and the silver needles went back to her finger tips. But that is of course if they figured it out that they are being struck, which would take awhile if they are this careless.

Zhi Ruo continued down the path to the kitchen, luckily their wasn't any servants around making the trip much smoother. Her steps led her to the entrance where she peeked inside and saw five servants and one mama leading all of them.

[ Mama usually an old servant, or an servant that has served it's master when long before they are born. They took care of the master and usually was the one breastfeeding them. ]

Zhi Ruo's eyes spotted a well served and healthy dish. Her head ran a mile thinking of an plan on how to get the food without being caught. Finally, she raised her head and positioned herself of an better angle at the door. She brandished six silver needles.

And she threw them, hitting the spot she had intended it to hit. When the needle hit, the substance that was with it entered the blood without much notice. Zhi Ruo's hand flicked again and the needles went back to her hands without delay.

Suddenly each of the servants felt drowsy, they can't pinpoint why they Suddenly felt that way. But they cant seem to focus on what they are doing, and what's happening on their surroundings. 

" Requested by the master, all servants from the kitchen must be at the dining hall at once! " Zhi Ruo's voiced raised from the door, like zombies the servants from the kitchen made their way to the dining hall.

There steps wobbly and their vision unfocused. Mindlessly they followed what the voice had commanded. They bypassed Zhi Ruo who was just watching them walk. Zhi Ruo went in haste, she instantly went in the kitchen.

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Please do forgive me if there is any wrong in the meanings of the words. I just researched them, and took from the other Chinese stories.

-Scarlett