Chapter 3: The Heiress of the Xu Family

  Light—blinding and boundless.

  Xu Sanbao drifted in a sea of brilliance, her consciousness still disoriented, as if she had yet to fully awaken from the crystal cave’s radiant gre. All around her stretched a vast ocean of light, and she herself was but a lone boat, floating aimlessly, helplessly adrift.

  Suddenly, a sharp rush of sensation flooded her senses, snapping her fully awake.

  Was that… the scent of air?

  It wasn’t the iron tang of the city, nor the lifeless stillness of the Interrealm. It was a living medley: the earthy fragrance of grass and wood, the smoky scent of burning firewood, the musky odor of livestock—and a familiar yet faintly unpleasant smell she couldn’t quite pce.

  She opened her mouth to speak—but what came out was the high-pitched cry of a newborn.

  Warm hands gently lifted her up, cradling her carefully. She heard joyful sobs, followed by a flurry of congratutions.

  “Congratutions, my lord—it’s a girl!”

  “The young dy has such spirit—what strong lungs!”

  “Quick, bring the baby to the madam!”

  She was passed into a warmer, softer embrace, and a comforting scent washed over her.

  It was the scent of a mother.

  Someone kissed her gently on the forehead and whispered, “Sanbao… you are our Xu family’s most precious treasure.”

  *Lady Xu? Sanbao? Heiress of the Xu family?* Her mind reeled.

  She tried to ask, *How do you know my name?*—but all that came out was the babbling of an infant.

  This world’s version of her… was also named Xu Sanbao. But this time, she had become a girl.

  “Xu Sanbao, the eldest daughter…?” Her thoughts scrambled. “Is this some kind of joke fate’s pying on me?”

  She wanted to ugh, but could only wave her tiny arms in frustration.

  Days passed, and gradually, Sanbao grew accustomed to her new identity as the noble heiress of the Xu family.

  Her father was Baron Xu, a minor noble in the Rudy Kingdom. Though their fiefdom was small, it afforded the family a life of dignity. The estate, while not vish, was well-equipped—with guards, servants, private tutors, and even a spacious martial training ground.

  This new world was one where cultivators and worldly nobles coexisted. It was divided into eastern and western continents, and her home, Moling City, y in the south of the eastern continent’s most powerful nation—the Rudy Kingdom.

  From the moment she was born, she was enrolled in an endless schedule of “noble dy training”: court etiquette, painting, music, flower arrangement, embroidery...

  And in all of it, she began to feel the wondrous effects of her skill—**Accelerated Learning**.

  What took others three months to master in dance, she learned in two days. The way noblewomen gracefully lifted their teacups—she could mirror their every motion after watching once. She even snuck into the kitchens and, after only a few tries, made pastries that shocked the senior chefs.

  What fascinated her most, however, were the things she *wasn’t* supposed to learn.

  Like martial arts.

  She would “accidentally” pass by the training ground, hiding in the corner to observe the guards as they trained.

  The rhythm of their steps and punches, the shifting of their weight in stances—at first she watched with curiosity. But soon, she had memorized every movement.

  At night, when the estate was quiet, she would practice in her room—pnting her feet, swinging her tiny limbs in crude imitation. The poses were clumsy, but she could feel herself gradually becoming more coordinated, more in control.

  She also began sneaking into the stables, where she used her **Animal Affinity** to bond with the warhorses. In time, even the most unruly steeds treated her like an old friend.

  The days slipped by.

  Sanbao didn’t yet know what fate had in store for her. But she was determined to keep learning and preparing.

  When the time came, she would step beyond the gates of this estate and carve out her own path in this world of cultivation and powers.