Reborn to Cultivate Immortality with a System

"Your sole mission at present is to engage in farming."

Ye Xiruo subconsciously stuck her finger into her ear and gave it a gentle wiggle. Had her ears deceived her? Farming? It sounded so straightforward. But could there be some hidden trap lurking beneath this seemingly simple task?

"You heard me correctly. As long as you successfully fulfill my tasks, you will, without a doubt, obtain extraordinary benefits."

"Do I even have the option to turn this down?"

"No," came the frigid response from the system, causing Ye Xiruo's eyes to well up with tears, her heart filled with a sense of helplessness.

"What am I supposed to do now?" This enigmatic system surely wouldn't want her to meet an untimely end. After all, only the living could cling to hope. At this thought, Ye Xiruo felt as if her heart was weeping, tears streaming down her face like thick strands of noodles.

"Calm your mind, focus your attention, and if you feel intently, you will surely make a discovery."

After what felt like an eternity but was, in fact, ten minutes, Ye Xiruo finally sensed it. There, right in the center of her golden sea of consciousness, floated a dazzling miniature gourd, glimmering with a golden light. It was accompanied by two delicate leaves that resembled the finest jade. All of a sudden, Ye Xiruo felt a powerful suction force tugging at her, and in the blink of an eye, she blacked out.

When she regained consciousness and opened her eyes once more, a vivid blue sky greeted her. Oddly enough, there was no sun visible, yet a gentle warmth enveloped her. Beneath her feet lay a vast expanse of black soil, and in the distance, several dilapidated thatched cottages stood in a rather forlorn state.

Clutching her aching head, Ye Xiruo managed to sit up. Could this be the place where she was destined to toil in the future? It looked so desolate and shabby! As she got to her feet, she caught sight of a spring not too far away. Well, it made sense. Without water, how on earth could one even think about farming?

The spring water was a mesmerizing blend of seven colors, crystal clear and arranged in a mysterious, almost otherworldly pattern. Wisps of faint mist hovered above it, seemingly defying gravity as they condensed but refused to disperse, instead converging towards the very heart of the spring.

Ye Xiruo craned her neck as far as it would go, her eyes straining to make out the mysterious object hidden in the middle. There were tantalizing glimmers of light, and her curiosity was piqued to the extreme. But, remembering the precariousness of her situation, she decided it was best to rein in her inquisitiveness for now.

With a resigned sigh, Ye Xiruo turned on her heel and made her way towards the thatched cottages. "Is anyone there?" she called out, her voice echoing slightly in the still air.

Not one to give up easily, she tried again, louder this time. "Is anyone there?" When silence was the only reply, she muttered to herself, "Well, I guess I'm going in."

Inside, she found a solitary wooden bed, its surface bare. Next to it stood a rickety table with one leg missing, accompanied by four mismatched chairs. On the table, a set of white porcelain tea sets caught her eye. They looked so exquisite that she couldn't help but think they must be valuable antiques. If she ever managed to find her way back, she made a mental note to take them with her and present them to her grandfather.

Venturing further in, she entered what appeared to be a simple study. The bookshelf was sparsely populated with a few old, worn-out books. Glancing over them casually, she was taken aback to realize they seemed to be cultivation manuals.

There were titles like "Qingyang Art," "Luoshui Changtian Sword Art," "Zhenshui Art," "Zilei Staff Art," and so on. Altogether, there were about twenty or thirty of them. Ye Xiruo picked one up and flipped through it absentmindedly before placing it back on the shelf. As a mere mortal, she had absolutely no inkling of the true value of these manuals. Little did she know that any single one of them could set off a maelstrom of chaos and conflict in the outside world.

"System, system, where are you? Come out," she called out, a tinge of annoyance in her voice. Weren't they supposed to be farming? So far, she hadn't even laid eyes on a single seed.

"Our contract has already been sealed. From this moment on, you merely need to do as I instruct."

"What contract?" Ye Xiruo's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. When had she unwittingly bound herself to this? It was as if she had sold her soul without even realizing it.

"When you entered this space," the system replied matter-of-factly.

Ye Xiruo was so incensed that she felt as if she could cough up blood. This was beyond infuriating. They had entered into a contract while she was unconscious. She shuddered to think that it might be a master - servant contract. If that were the case, she'd rather take her chances and die again, hoping for another shot at transmigration.

With a trembling hand, Ye Xiruo extended her thin finger, her whole body quivering with a mixture of anger and despair. "System, since we've already signed the contract, shouldn't you at least throw me a bone? Give me some benefits."

"Of course there are benefits, but you have to work for them. Your current task is to commit the 'Basic Chapter of the Myriad Medicine Canon' to memory within ten days."

Ye Xiruo looked down at the hefty tome in her hand, which now seemed more like a weapon designed to intimidate her. Her eyes filled with tears, and she pleaded, "System, can we talk about this? Can't you give me a different task?"

But there was only silence in response.

Ten minutes later, the cold, unfeeling voice of the system cut through the quiet once again: "The penalty for failing to complete the task is annihilation."

Ye Xiruo was rooted to the spot, her mind reeling. It was so cruel, so savage. This was an impossible feat.

"Is there a shortcut?" Already in over her head, Ye Xiruo asked, desperation lacing her voice. She wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"Yes. Embark on the path of cultivation, and your survival odds will increase by ten percent."

Oh? There really was a shortcut. But why only ten percent? Ye Xiruo felt a fresh wave of frustration wash over her.

"What's this?" Ye Xiruo's eyes widened in curiosity as she spotted a snow - white, crystal - clear pill floating in front of her. It emitted a tantalizing aroma that seemed to beckon her.

"This is a top - grade marrow - washing pill. I'll lend it to you. Jump into the green spring, swallow it, and your cultivation efforts will be twice as effective with half the effort."

Ye Xiruo's eyes lit up. She snatched the pill and scampered towards the spring. The spring was a vivid green, and when she reached out and touched the water, a pleasant warmth spread through her fingertips. Without a second thought, she shed her outer garment and plunged in.

Once in the water, she found a relatively calm spot and, with a gulp, swallowed the marrow - washing pill. Instantly, it dissolved in her mouth, transforming into a cool, refreshing liquid that coursed through her entire body.

Pain! It was as if every bone and meridian in her body was being mercilessly crushed, then haphazardly reassembled, only to be crushed again. Ye Xiruo gritted her teeth, wishing she could just pass out and escape the agony. But she remembered the system's warning. She couldn't afford to faint before the pill's effects wore off, or all her hard work would be for naught.

For the sake of her life, for the chance to build a better future, what did it matter that she had been reborn? She was determined to make those two scoundrels rue the day they crossed her.

Ye Xiruo didn't notice a brief flash of green light on her forehead. The marrow - washing pill was, indeed, a highly coveted treasure in the cultivation world. This particular pill was an extremely rare, top - quality specimen, which meant its potency was a hundred times that of an ordinary one. And, of course, the pain was also magnified a hundredfold.

Ye Xiruo felt as if she was being torn limb from limb. But through it all, her big, black eyes remained clear and resolute, and a flicker of determination flashed across her small, thin face.

This was just the opening act. If she couldn't endure this, how could she ever hope to cultivate?

Finally, it was over. Ye Xiruo collapsed, her body limp. Miraculously, she didn't sink. Instead, the green spring water swirled around her, gently washing away the black, foul-smelling stains that oozed from her body and steadily improving her physique.

Three days later, Ye Xiruo slowly opened her eyes. Her skin, now as smooth and lustrous as the finest jade, occasionally shimmered with a faint green glow. Her small, palm - sized face had taken on a new radiance, a far cry from the haggard, undernourished look she had sported just a few days ago.

"Ugh..." Ye Xiruo groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. In her groggy state, she lost her balance and "plop" fell back into the pool.

"Cough, cough." She sputtered, water filling her mouth. "Has the pool water developed a mind of its own?" she muttered, half in jest. Once she regained her composure, Ye Xiruo reached out and grabbed the clothes floating nearby and hastily pulled them on. She had no idea what time it was or how long she had been out.

" You have seven days left to complete your task," the system chimed in, as if on cue, delivering the unwelcome news.

"What? Three days have already passed." Ye Xiruo's eyes widened in disbelief. "No, you have to let me out. Aunt Wang will be worried sick if she doesn't see me these two days."

"Three days here equates to one day in the outside world."

"I still want to go out," she insisted. This space was so eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of life. It was making her skin crawl. She'd rather brave the outside world and figure out a way to survive.

"Use your spiritual power and you can exit," the system informed her.