Chapter 5: Gaining the Divine Strength and Beauty Pill

“Gurgle gurgle~”

Just after making a passionate declaration of vengeance—

Lin Xiaodou’s stomach let out a loud growl of hunger.

Her adoptive mother, Wu Guiqin, was a sharp-tongued and mean-spirited woman.

She often scolded the original host, calling her a money-losing burden, worthless and undeserving.

She’d even planned to marry the original host off to a fool in exchange for a hefty bride price.

But the girl ran off on her own and ended up breaking her leg, ruining the wedding arrangements.

And since she was injured and couldn’t go to work, it also cost the family a substantial sum in lost wages.

One misfortune stacked upon another, fueling Wu Guiqin’s growing resentment.

As punishment, she hid all the food in the cupboard, locking it up every night after dinner.

She wouldn’t open it again until she came home from work the next evening, making the girl cook dinner—
Meaning the girl only had one meal a day, and that wasn’t even guaranteed.

Just like tonight.

She made a tiny, insignificant mistake and was immediately banned from eating.

People often say that resting while sick helps one gain some weight.

But the original host had been stuck at home for over ten days now and had lost several pounds from hunger instead.

Whenever the hunger got unbearable, she could only drink water to survive.

Thinking about all this, Lin Xiaodou couldn’t help but complain inwardly—

The original host was just too obedient, completely clueless about fighting back. She really didn’t know what to say.

Her stomach growled again in protest, each cramp sending sharp pangs through her gut.

In a hurry, Lin Xiaodou summoned a bowl of lean pork and mushroom congee from her space and scooped up a spoonful to eat.

Mmm~~

The tender mushrooms and the savory pork blended perfectly together.

A warm bowl of hot congee going down her stomach made her feel much better.

Indeed, as the saying goes—

Only delicious food can heal everything.

Lin Xiaodou’s previously irritated mood vanished completely at that moment.

After finishing her congee, she entered the space.

It was the height of summer, sweltering hot, and the original host was cramped in a small, stuffy storage room, drenched in sticky sweat.

Lin Xiaodou planned to take a bath in the space and rest for a while.

The space was like eternal spring—neither hot nor cold. A perfect place to recuperate.

But the moment she entered, something felt off.

The intricately built wooden house that had always been tightly shut—its doors had opened on their own!

Curious, Lin Xiaodou stepped inside.

The wooden house was modestly decorated—a three-bedroom, one-living-room layout with a touch of ancient charm.

In the middle of the living room was a wooden table, upon which sat two boxes and a letter.

Lin Xiaodou opened the envelope and found that it was a letter written by the previous owner of the space.

It turned out this space had been discovered a thousand years ago by a rogue female cultivator during an expedition into a secret realm.

But she failed her ascension and, in her final moments, all the treasures in the space had faded away—leaving only the last two items.

Before her death, the rogue cultivator wrote this letter explaining the circumstances and left the space to a destined person.

And now, a thousand years later, Lin Xiaodou had become that destined one.

So that’s how it is.

Lin Xiaodou bowed toward the letter reverently and sincerely said:

“Thank you, Senior.”

Then her gaze fell upon the two boxes, where small characters were carved on the lids:

【Divine Strength Pill】 and 【Jade Skin Beauty Pill】

Lin Xiaodou’s eyes lit up instantly.

It was just like someone handing her a pillow when she desperately needed sleep.

These were exactly what she needed most right now!

The original host was only seventeen—supposed to be at the blooming age of youth—yet her health was in terrible shape.

She was 170 cm tall but weighed just over 80 jin (about 40 kg).

All because she’d been abused and forced to work since she was young, which ruined her body.

And now she had fallen from the second floor and nearly broken her leg—her whole body was in utter frailty.

Next, she still had to deal with both her adoptive and biological families—two entire households.
Her body had to recover quickly.

This Divine Strength Pill was exactly the miracle remedy she needed.

As for the Jade Skin Beauty Pill…

Lin Xiaodou couldn’t help but touch her right cheek.

Since waking up in this era, she hadn’t looked into a mirror yet.

She’d been too afraid to face it before, but now she could face it a bit more calmly.

Lin Xiaodou summoned a mirror.

In the mirror, a young face appeared.

The girl had two messy braids and wore a faded navy short-sleeved shirt.

Her complexion was sallow and pale, though her features were rather delicate.

If properly cared for, she might turn out to be a graceful beauty.

What a pity.

A palm-sized scar on her right cheek completely ruined that beauty.

The scar was uneven, reddish-purple in hue, like several centipedes crawling on her skin—grotesque and terrifying.

When the original host was three years old, on the day of the Lunar New Year—

Her adoptive mother, Wu Guiqin, was boiling a large pot of hot water to scald a chicken for cooking.

Busy and unable to leave her task, she told the original host to fetch the hot water.

But the pot was set on the stove, far too high for the little girl to reach.

She fetched a small stool, stood on tiptoe, barely touched the edge of the pot—

And with a sudden pull, the basin tipped by accident.

The scalding water poured down instantly, burning the right side of her face.

The little one screamed and cried in agony, pleading for help.

Wu Guiqin cursed her as a wretched curse-bringer while smearing soy sauce all over her burns.

Maybe the burn was too severe, or maybe the treatment was entirely wrong.

From that day on, the original host carried a terrifying burn scar on her face.

It was her deepest source of shame.

Whenever she went outside—no matter if it was freezing or scorching—she would wrap a scarf tightly around her face, not daring to speak to anyone.

But no matter how much she tried to hide, people would still come up and mock her.

“Ugly freak,” “centipede monster,” “mute,” “worthless girl.”

These cruel, venomous nicknames clung to her like a swarm of ants, gnawing at her spirit.

The more people mocked her, the more self-conscious she became.
Her personality turned darker and darker.

Growing up in such an environment, how could she ever compare to a fake heiress raised in comfort and luxury?

What hurt most was that the biological parents the original host yearned for so desperately—never once understood her.

Even when she died, all they said was, “Good riddance. She deserved it.”

Thinking of this, Lin Xiaodou ground her teeth in fury.

Damn it, what kind of people are these?!

Once she’s better, she must take revenge—otherwise, the frustration might just kill her.

Originally, Lin Xiaodou had been worried about how to fix the scar on her face later.

But now, she wasn’t anxious anymore.

The Jade Skin Beauty Pill was made for cultivators—its effects had to be extraordinary.

Still, now wasn’t the time to take it—doing so might draw suspicion.

Lin Xiaodou opened the other box and took out the Divine Strength Pill.

Without hesitation, she swallowed it in one go.

The cool jade-like pill slid down her throat, and in an instant, a warm current surged through her body like a tempest, violently coursing through every limb.

Lin Xiaodou closed her eyes, quietly embracing the powerful transformation.

Half an hour later—

As the Divine Strength Pill fully fused with her body,

Lin Xiaodou’s eyes snapped open.

Her gaze blazed like stars, lighting up the entire room!

She stood in the center of the wooden house.

Her entire aura had undergone a world-shaking change—

Like an unsheathed sword ready to pierce through heaven and earth!