Selene Virelyn frowned on instinct.
Just from the name alone, it sounded like something a demonic sect would brew up.
Riven Ashvale smiled calmly, as if he hadn't just said something terrifying.
"Miss Virelyn, you mustn't judge by appearances. My Ten-Day Death Pill is actually a family heirloom. A miracle pill!"
"Oh?" Selene raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "What's so miraculous about it?"
Riven cleared his throat, speaking with mock solemnity.
"It gathers the essence of heaven and earth. After taking it, it clears out your meridians, preserves your beauty, boosts cultivation, prolongs life—basically, it does everything but help you ascend to heaven."
Selene's expression didn't ease one bit.
Instead, she became even warier.
Seeing her reaction, Riven sighed dramatically.
"To be honest, Miss Virelyn," he said, "the reason I was attacked earlier was because of this pill."
Selene Virelyn's eyes widened in surprise.
That serious?
But then, she asked suspiciously, "Then why is it called the Ten-Day Death Pill?"
Riven leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if revealing a dreadful secret.
"Because this pill contains a tiny bit of poison," he explained lightly. "Ten days after taking it, if you don't consume a special antidote, the poison activates. After ten days, you have to take the antidote for a couple of months. Or else...
Your inner strength goes crazy, your meridians shatter, you bleed from all seven orifices... and then you die."
"..."
Selene Virelyn shivered, leaning back half a pace.
"What kind of cursed pill is that?!" she cried.
Riven shrugged.
"Every medicine carries three parts poison," he said innocently. "If used right, poison becomes an antidote."
He smiled slyly.
"As long as Miss Virelyn takes this pill, and takes care of me for a couple of months, I'll personally hand over the antidote. Plus, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What do you say?"
Selene's heart skipped.
Months??? A couple of months?!
Not that she cared about opportunities or cultivation.
No, right now she just wanted to escape from this awkward, suffocating situation.
Riven's breath warmed her ears. His arms were still loosely wrapped around her waist. Their faces were too close.
Her mind buzzed, cheeks burning.
Suppressing the strange feelings rising inside, Selene gritted her teeth and said cautiously, "How do I know you're not lying?"
Riven smiled, all teeth and mischief.
"If you really are Miss Virelyn of the Virelyn Clan," he said, "you could always check the family genealogy... Who knows? Maybe we're even closer than we think."
"Pfft! Bad man!" Selene's face flushed even redder.
"Who wants to be closer to you?! Not me!"
Riven laughed, low and teasing.
"Besides," he added casually, "if you die because of this pill, your mother—who likes turning people into flower fertilizer—will chop me into pieces to keep you company underground."
Selene huffed indignantly.
"You shameless villain!" she snapped. "You're just sweet-talking me after taking advantage of me!"
Riven placed a hand over his heart, sighing dramatically.
"A graceful lady is but a gentleman's greatest weakness. Miss Virelyn, your beauty could topple kingdoms and ruin cities... naturally, even this poor scholar can't resist."
Selene Virelyn had never heard such shameless, direct praise before.
She was utterly flustered—half furious, half secretly pleased.
"You—you—you, stop talking!" she stammered, covering her face with her hands.
Riven chuckled lightly.
"So then, Miss Virelyn... are you willing to take the pill?"
Selene's heart pounded wildly.
No girl disliked being admired.
Deep down, a part of her didn't hate it.
After a moment of fidgeting, she nodded reluctantly.
"You better keep your word!" she said fiercely.
"Of course!" Riven grinned.
"We can even pinky swear if you want!"
Selene blinked, caught off guard.
Pinky swear?
This scoundrel could be childish too?
Somehow... it made her relax a little.
"Alright. Pinky swear!" she said seriously.
Riven released one of her hands, hooking his little finger around hers with exaggerated care.
"Hooked, sealed," he said solemnly, "a promise that won't break for a hundred years."
"We still need to stamp it!" Selene added quickly.
"Haha, alright!"
Riven pressed his thumb lightly against hers, sealing the oath.
Only then did he finally reach into his robe and pull out a small pill, wrapped in edible wax.
He placed it carefully into Selene's open palm.
She held it curiously, feeling the faint, strange energy swirling from it.
It was about the size of a lychee fruit, coated and glossy.
Just looking at it, she could tell it was no ordinary item.
At that moment, a mechanical prompt sounded quietly in Riven's mind.
[Ding! You have gifted Selene Virelyn a Primordial Pill!]
[Ding! You triggered a tenfold critical hit return!]
[Ding! You received Primordial Pills x10!]
Riven's grin widened slightly.
Although ten... Not a bad trade at all.
"If I gave these ten Primordial Pills to Selene Virelyn again," Riven Ashvale mused lazily, "would I trigger another critical hit return?"
He squinted thoughtfully.
Can I exploit this loophole? Stack crits endlessly?
Before he could dream too far—
[Ding! System reminder: Items obtained through critical hit returns cannot trigger returns again!]
Riven's face immediately collapsed.
"Goddammit," he muttered. "No loophole abuse, huh?"
Still unwilling to give up, he grumbled again, "Aren't the Primordial Pills and the 'Evil-Repelling Sword Manual' system items too?"
[Ding! Primordial Pills and Evil-Repelling Sword Manual belong to the new player gift pack. Not critical hit return items.]
Riven let out a long sigh.
"Ah, right... makes sense."
'Eh? The system can answer questions??' When he thought of this, he quickly asked a couple of questions in his head, but received no response.
Realising the answers were basic guidance on the system, he gave up.
He turned his gaze back toward Selene Virelyn.
The little girl was sneakily trying to stuff the pill somewhere behind her back, obviously planning to fake eating it.
Cute, but naive.
Riven suppressed a chuckle and put on a mock stern face.
"Miss Virelyn," he said seriously, "are you someone who breaks promises?"
Selene stiffened instantly, her guilty expression frozen on her face.
"...Fine, fine!" she muttered grumpily. "I'll eat it!"
With a reluctant pout, she popped the pill into her mouth and cracked the edible wax seal with her teeth.
A rich fragrance instantly bloomed, startling her.
Wait... it actually smells kind of good?
But just as she was starting to doubt her suspicions, a searing heat exploded in her stomach, spreading rapidly through every vein in her body.
"Ughhh!!..." Selene groaned, clutching her belly.
It IS a poison pill after all! This bastard!
Watching her struggle, Riven finally let go of her arm and let her slump onto the bed.
Calmly, he asked, "Miss Virelyn, have you ever practiced internal martial arts before?"
Grinding her teeth, Selene squeezed out, "I've... memorized all the manuals in the Jade-Library Cave! Word for word! But... but I never actually practiced!"
Riven nodded thoughtfully.
"Then," he said, "try circulating your energy. Channel the medicinal power. It'll help with the burning."
Selene glared at him suspiciously.
But after a second of consideration—mainly because she felt like she might explode if she didn't—she clenched her fists, closed her eyes, and began breathing according to the 'Minor Phaseless Skill' her mother once taught her.
Selene Virelyn had always been quick.
Not just memorizing martial arts like a parrot, but actually understanding the theories behind them.
Her ability to comprehend was a hundred times sharper than any ordinary martial student.
As soon as she began channeling her energy, the chaotic power from the Primordial Pill seemed to tame itself, like a herd of wild sheep suddenly following an invisible shepherd.
The rampant heat flowed along her meridians. The energy repeatedly met with some sort of resistance, yet the resistance quickly faltered and let it run smoothly all throughout her body.
The energy passed through the blood veins, muscles, bones, tendons, marrow, and organs before finally passing through the nervous system, almost electrocuting her.
The energy then softened to an unimaginable degree and entered her brain, leaving through the spinal code all the way to her tailbone, and entered the lower abdominal area.
Her heart then swelled with energy, and she felt like she had shed a layer of 'skin'.
The burning pain finally eased.
In its place, a warm, almost intoxicating comfort spread through her body.
It felt like soaking in a hot spring during the dead of winter—so cozy she almost moaned aloud from the relief.
While Selene was lost in her cultivation, Riven Ashvale casually walked out of the room.
Only then did he realize they were inside some kind of underground stone cave.
Rows upon rows of bookshelves lined the walls.
Taking a candle from the side, Riven wandered among the shelves, reading the neat labels.
Kunlun Sect, Shaolin Sect, Azure Ridge Sect, Immortal Isle Sect...
All the sects have eastern-sounding names, but the countries sound like something out of a European fairytale—I was born in a weird world.
He shook his head and continued browsing.
In the center of the library, Riven spotted a long table cluttered with scrolls, papers, and a thick book lying open.
He moved closer and glanced at the title.
"Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases."
Medical texts?
Scanning a few lines, realization dawned on him.
So the little girl actually crammed medicine manuals just to save me.
Riven chuckled softly to himself. Heart swelled with affection. It was kinda adorable, really.
He couldn't help but picture her flipping pages frantically, biting her lip in concentration, trying to find a way to help him.
Step, step.
Footsteps echoed.
Riven turned his head toward the entrance, where a maid in a simple green dress stood frozen, staring at him in shock.
"Who are you?!" she cried out.
"Shhh!" Riven hissed, placing his index finger against his lips. "Quiet!"
He recognized her voice—she was the maid who had been speaking with Selene earlier.
In a low voice, he said, "It's me."
The maid blinked rapidly.
Looking around and not seeing Selene anywhere, she frowned. "Where's my young mistress?"
"Practicing inside," Riven said casually. "Keep your voice down. If she gets distracted and suffers a qi deviation... guess who's gonna be blamed?"
The maid paled immediately and covered her mouth.
Still skeptical, she darted past him into the inner chamber.
Riven simply leaned against a bookshelf, waiting.
After a few minutes, the maid came running back out, her face full of shock.
She looked at Riven with a completely different gaze now.
Like a peasant suddenly realizing they'd been cussing out a hidden emperor.
Inside, Selene Virelyn sat cross-legged in deep meditation, her body wrapped in a faint mist of white qi.
A faint purple glow flickered around her skin with every breath she took.
Each completed cycle of her internal force exhaled more mist, more light.
It was unmistakable.
The maid, with her basic martial arts knowledge, could recognize the signs:
Acquired Fetal Breathing Stage.
Selene, who a few hours ago couldn't even break a stick, had somehow skipped half a lifetime of struggle.
Crossing Skin Tempering, Muscle Strengthening, Tendon Refining, Bone Hardening, Marrow Cleansing, Organ Conditioning, Nerve Awakening... all the way to Fetal Breathing.
In one shot.
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
The maid had stood there, mouth agape, unable to process it.
Miss must've encountered a legendary miracle! Like those stories where a poor beggar finds an ancient treasure!
Even the diligent practice of that arrogant Young Master Murong Fu of Swallow Nest for many, many years only brought him to this stage, right?
Madame Virelyn was still at the fifth level - Marrow Cleansing stage!
Her gaze shifted nervously back to Riven Ashvale.
Is he... an immortal in disguise?!
The maid quickly bowed, her tone much more respectful.
"Master... Youcao has been disrespectful earlier. Please forgive me."
Riven only gave a lazy smile.
"No harm done, little one. Just remember—keep the entrance clear. No one disturbs her practice."
"Yes, Master!"
She nodded eagerly.
"And remember," Riven added lazily, flipping through a random scroll, "My presence here shouldn't be revealed. If anyone asks, just say your young mistress ordered it."
"Understood!"
Youcao didn't find this strange.
A mysterious expert naturally wouldn't want to reveal himself easily—how else could he maintain his mystery?
"Ehum… also bring me something to eat. Indulging in mortal delicacies is something of a hobby for me".
He said without turning around, still looking through the books on the desk.
"Yes, master".
With that, Youcao scampered off, her mind full of awe and fear.
Left alone again, Riven leaned casually against the bookshelf, flipping through the manuals.
He hadn't missed what happened earlier.
The Primordial Pill's energy was too powerful. Without a suitable internal technique to guide it, it would've burst her from the inside out.
He wasn't planning to practice the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual either.
That martial art was way too shady.
Even if the notes said "no castration required until Great Mastery" deep down Riven didn't trust it.
Better safe than sorry. I like my current Johnson just fine and long and big, thank you.
His eyes skimmed through the titles on the shelves.
"Great Pure Fiendish Qi?"
"Heavenly Dragon Five Techniques?"
"Primordial One Qi Skill?"
"Crane Cry Nine Heavens Divine Skill?"
"...Bruh," he muttered. "These names sound way too serious."
Then, something caught his eye.
A small section labeled "Military Martial Arts."
On the middle shelf sat a plain booklet, its title faded but still readable.
"Grand Ancestor Fist Canon."
Riven's brows rose.
The Grand Ancestor Fist Canon.
Created by Emperor Asheville himself—the founding emperor of the Great Ashenvale Dynasty.
With fists and a wooden staff, he had crushed enemies and established a vast empire.
Later, his martial art became as famous as Wudang's Tai Chi Fist.
Practiced by soldiers, commoners, and officials alike.
Riven had casually learned a few basic forms during his schooling days—simple stuff like stretches and strengthening moves.
But now, flipping through the booklet—
He realized there was a secret inner chapter.
An internal cultivation method.
"Hah..." Riven chuckled softly, a glint flashing through his eyes.
"So all this time, I've been practicing the rough, hollow shell of the Ancestor's art... without even knowing it."