Unseen Limits

UGH

IT HURTS, IT HURTS!

I writhed on the cold ground, overwhelmed by searing pain, my body burning from the inside out. Then, like a torrent, a flood of unfamiliar memories poured into my mind, threatening to consume me entirely. The onslaught was overwhelming, but somehow, I managed to cling to my sense of self. As the memories subsided, I understood what had happened—I had transmigrated into the body of a newly joined disciple of a sect.

I took a moment to process the influx of foreign memories. The previous owner's life flickered in fragmented flashes, but slowly, I began to make sense of it. I was in a small courtyard designated for new disciples. The world around me felt strange, unfamiliar, and dangerous.

I looked down at myself and grimaced. My body was a mess. It would need a bath before I could even begin to think clearly.

CREAK

I opened the door to my modest dwelling and found it empty, save for a simple bed and a few chairs. The emptiness of the house echoed in my chest.

SIGH

It didn't matter, though. I stepped inside, walked straight to the bathroom, and washed away the grime of the day. After a quick but much-needed bath, I sat down on the bed, gathering my thoughts.

The memories I had inherited made it clear: this world was far more dangerous than I could have imagined. To survive, I would need to grow stronger, much stronger.

Despite the system's abilities—creation points and passive skills—I knew that they wouldn't be enough on their own. Time, effort, and cultivation were the true keys to my survival.

I made a decision: Tomorrow, I would visit the sect library, study some cultivation arts, and begin familiarizing myself with the full extent of the system's powers.

"System," I murmured.

[HOST: YI LIAN]

[CULTIVATION: NULL]

[PASSIVE ABILITIES: APPRAISAL, MENTAL LOCK]

DESCRIPTION:

APPRAISAL: CAN BE USED TO GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT ANY OBJECT OR PERSON, BUT IF THE HOST IS TOO WEAK, THEY WILL BE DISCOVERED.

MENTAL LOCK: SEALS YOUR MEMORIES, MAKING THEM INACCESSIBLE TO OTHERS.

CREATION POINTS: NULL

DESCRIPTION: OBTAINED FOR CREATING OBJECTS. THE POINTS VARY BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE CREATION AND CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE THE CULTIVATION REALM OR UPGRADE THE SYSTEM.

I studied the system's description, but my heart sank. My cultivation was at zero, and there was nothing I could use to advance immediately. I would need time.

With a resigned sigh, I decided to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would be the beginning of my true journey in this unfamiliar world.

Unbeknownst to me, however, someone was already watching from the shadows.

A figure, ethereal and graceful, stood in the courtyard. Her robes were made of soft jade greens, whites, and pale blues, flowing like water with every breeze. The delicate lotus and celestial patterns embroidered on her attire shimmered in the moonlight, hinting at her extraordinary cultivation. Minimalistic jade jewelry adorned her, and ethereal pins in her hair gave her an almost divine appearance.

Her gaze swept over the courtyard, calm yet curious, as if she were observing a scene that had already played out in her mind. A flick of her wrist conjured a chair and a table, and she sat with her eyes closed, waiting for me to wake.

.....

CHIRP CHIRP

YAWN

I awoke, stretching and dressing quickly before heading out into the courtyard.

CREAK

As I opened the door, I was struck by the sight of the beautiful woman sitting on a chair. Her flowing robes gleamed under the moonlight, and her serene yet intense gaze was fixed directly on me. For a moment, I froze in place, not knowing who she was or how she had entered.

But then, something told me that if she had ill intentions, I would already be dead. Slowly, I composed myself, trying to maintain control of the situation.

"May I ask what brings you here, Senior?" I asked, trying to mask the uncertainty in my voice.

"May I ask you something first?" she replied, her voice calm but carrying an unmistakable authority.

I nodded, my curiosity growing. "Yes, Senior."

She fixed her piercing gaze on me, as though she could see through me, stripping away all my secrets.

"Who are you, and why are you here?"

The question was simple, yet it made me feel as though she were peering directly into my soul. There was something unnerving about her presence, something that made me feel exposed.

Suddenly, I had an idea. With a quick flicker of thought, I decided to use Appraisal on her, hoping to uncover more information.

[ERROR] [ERROR] [HOST IS TOO WEAK TO USE APPRAISAL ON HER]

[HOST IS DISCOVERED]

I froze, my heart sinking as I saw the error message flash before my eyes. I had been detected. My worst fears had come true—I was far too weak to hide my actions from someone like her.

She smiled, but it wasn't a kind smile. It was cold and calculating, like a predator sizing up its prey.

A chill ran down my spine, and I braced myself for what was coming next.

"I saw everything, Yi Lian," she said, her voice as calm as ever. "I know this is not your body."

My blood went cold. How could she know? How had she seen through the transmigration?

"I know how you, an ordinary soul, seized control of this body. Now, your soul fits perfectly within it. If I hadn't witnessed the process myself, I wouldn't have believed it."

Her gaze hardened as she seemed to evaluate me, weighing my worth.

"But because of your unique abilities, I've decided to take you in as my disciple."

Her words struck me like lightning. I was elated, but there was also a deep sense of dread pooling in my stomach. This was an opportunity I couldn't afford to miss. With a powerful backer in the sect, I would gain access to resources and protection far beyond that of an ordinary disciple.

But what if accepting this offer would lead me down a path more dangerous than I could ever imagine?

"Disciple greets the master," I blurted out, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

She nodded, acknowledging my acceptance, before taking me to my personal abode. The place was luxurious, far beyond what I had expected. Though I couldn't sense spiritual energy, my body felt at ease just by breathing the air.

Before she left, she handed me a personal disciple badge—an item that would grant me access to areas restricted to regular disciples.

"Meet me at my cave abode tomorrow," she instructed, her voice firm. "We will decide your future then."

I nodded, my mind racing with questions. There was something about her words that unsettled me. What future awaited me in this sect? Was this truly an opportunity, or had I just struck a dangerous deal with someone I couldn't fully understand?

As she vanished from my sight, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had just begun—and tomorrow would change everything.