The sun is at the top, around this time the road of heshan village will be rather empty.

Few shops were still open including a fruit and vegetables shop and the meat shop.

In heshan village the herb market starts at early morning and closes around 8:00 AM, to maintain herb's quality.

Chen Long returned to the village from a different route rather than the main route and went straight towards his house, which is at the corner of the village.

It was more of a shack than a house with many holes on ceiling. Chen Long stood infront of the Shack and contemplate, what people can do just to survive.

"Mom! I am home" Chen Long exclaimed.

Inside the shack someone opened the door. She has a rather small body with pale complexion, her eyes and hair colour similar to Chen Long. Her long hair resting on her shoulder.

"Brother! You have returned. How was your day today? Mom isn't home right now. Come inside and take some rest. I will serve the food"

'So this is Chen Long's younger sister, Chen Mei. She looks too much naive. I can't tell her anything'

"Today's harvest was great I found three grade-2 herbs. After selling them tomorrow at market I will buy rice and meat for us to eat" Chen Long said with a happy face.

"There's no need to waste money for meat, use that money to buy medicine for mother and save the remaining so that you can enter the iron sword sect you always wanted to enter"

Chen Long sat down on the old, wooden stool, his legs sore from the long journey. As Chen Mei placed a bowl in front of him, the aroma of steamed wild herbs and a small portion of rice filled the air. The meal was simple—just boiled greens with a dash of salt and some leftover broth from the last meal. Despite its simplicity, it was clear that Chen Mei had done her best to make it feel like a proper meal, though it barely held any nutrition.

Hearing this Chen Long chuckled and patted on Chen Mei's head and said.

Hearing his sister's words, Chen Long chuckled, patting her on the head. "Don't worry about those things. You just live your life the way you want and let me handle the rest."

As he ate, he couldn't help but reflect. 'In my previous life, I was an orphan, raised in an orphanage, and at a very young age, I joined the army. I gave my whole life to the service, and I never enjoyed it—not even for a moment. I thought having a family would be a burden, but now... now I see how wrong I was. Having a family isn't all that bad. Maybe this second life isn't just about power...'

"Don’t say such dramatic things," Chen Mei teased him lightly.

Suddenly, the door to the shack creaked open. Standing in the doorway was a middle-aged woman with sunken cheeks and tired eyes. Her face was pale, with signs of exhaustion etched into every line. Despite her frail appearance, there was a certain warmth in her expression. Her hair, once blue like Chen Long's, was streaked with silver, tied back in a simple bun. Her figure was thin, almost fragile, wrapped in worn-out clothes that had been patched many times over.

"Mother!" Chen Mei exclaimed, rushing over to help her inside.

Chen Long stood up immediately, concern flickering in his eyes. "Mother, you should rest. Why did you go out?"

She waved a hand dismissively, her voice soft yet steady. "I went to see Old Liu to work at his herb garden. You know I don’t like sitting around doing nothing."

Chen Long's mother, Xia Yun, was a woman of unwavering morals. After her husband passed away, the loss nearly broke her, but even in the face of such devastation, she continued to toil in the fields and herb gardens. She did whatever it took to make ends meet for her children.

But years of relentless hard work had taken their toll. Her once-strong body had grown frail, her health steadily declining, though she never complained.

Chen Long glanced at his mother, a weight settling in his chest.

'Even though I’m not a doctor, it’s obvious she doesn’t have much time left. I need to buy medicine for her... But if I could just figure out exactly what's wrong... wait. I have this ability too, don’t I? Let’s see if it can help. But how do I activate it? Is it like the Demonic Eye?’

Chen Long narrowed his focus on Xia Yun, but this time, he didn't concentrate solely on her. He let his awareness spread, reaching out to the world around them, as if searching for something more.

Suddenly, a translucent system window appeared before his eyes:

[System Notification: The host has successfully activated the Karmaic Eye. With this, the host can observe the Karmaic strings bound to every person. However, due to the host’s limited power, only a person’s talent and condition can currently be seen.

The Karmaic string for talent is divided into eight colors: white, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, indigo, and violet—from lowest to highest talent.

The condition of a person is indicated by the density of their Karmaic string. The fainter the string, the worse their condition.]

"Wow... I didn’t expect Karmaic strings could reveal so much," Chen Long muttered, eyes widening in surprise. "The other abilities are sealed for now, but still... this could be more useful than I thought. Let’s check Mom’s condition."

He focused on Xia Yun. In an instant, a delicate string appeared, attached to her back and extending upward toward the sky. Its color was a pale yellow, but the most alarming detail was its density—or lack thereof. The string was nearly invisible, barely there at all, like a fragile thread on the verge of snapping.

Chen Long’s heart clenched. 'Her condition isn’t just bad... it’s critical. She needs medicine right away.'

But before he rushed off to buy medicine, he shifted his gaze to his sister. A thick, vibrant green string connected to Chen Mei’s back, its density as solid as a finger.

'She has talent for martial arts... quite a lot of it, too.'

Chen Mei, feeling her brother’s intense gaze, blinked in confusion. But then her eyes widened, and she gasped.

"B-brother! Your eyes… they changed!"

Startled, Chen Long lost focus, and the system window vanished. He blinked, looking at her with curiosity. "What? What do you mean my eyes changed?"

"They... they turned silver just now!" Chen Mei said, her voice a mixture of awe and confusion. She looked at him as if she wasn’t sure what she had seen.

"Really?" Chen Long raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Look again. Tell me what they look like now."

With that, Chen Long activated his Karmaic Eye once more. His irises shifted, turning to a silvery hue.

"It’s true! Your eyes... they’ve turned silver again!" she exclaimed, still marveling at the transformation.

"Interesting," Chen Long muttered under his breath. "Alright, what about this?"

He focused again, this time summoning the power of the Demonic Eye. A moment later, his eyes darkened, shifting to a deep, menacing red.

"N-now they’re red!" Chen Mei stepped back, visibly unsettled. "Dark red. It looks... scary. Like a demon’s eyes."

Chen Long chuckled, deactivating the Demonic Eye as his irises reverted to their usual black. 'So, my eyes change color depending on which power I use. I’ll need to be more careful in the future.'

He knelt beside Chen Mei and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice soft but firm. "Sister, don’t tell anyone about this, okay?"

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Chen Mei nodded furiously, eyes wide.

Just then, Xia Yun’s weary voice broke through the moment. "Hey, what are you two whispering about?"

"Nothing, Mother," Chen Long quickly replied, glancing at Chen Mei before standing up. "I’m going to buy some medicine for you, Mom. Rest for now."

Xia Yun, clearly suspicious, narrowed her eyes. "You know I don’t like wasting money on unnecessary things, Long’er. Don’t trouble yourself."

Chen Long forced a smile. "It’s not unnecessary if it’s for you, Mom. Just rest. I’ll be back soon."

He turned to Chen Mei, his voice low. "Take care of Mother while I’m gone. And don’t mention anything about this, alright? You know how stubborn she can be."

Chen Mei nodded, her expression serious. "Don’t worry, Brother. I’ll take care of her."

With that, Chen Long grabbed his bag and left the shack, his thoughts racing. He needed to act quickly. Time was running out for his mother, and he couldn’t afford to waste a single second.

"I can’t go back to the mountain now, and the market won’t open until tomorrow," Chen Long muttered under his breath as he walked through the village. "I don’t have enough time to wait. My only option is to trade my herbs at the Celestial Pill Pavilion to buy medicine."

According to the memories of his predecessor, the Celestial Pill Pavilion had been established in Heshan Village a few decades ago. It was merely a branch of the main pavilion located in Luguang City of Luguang Prefecture. Though this branch was only bronze grade, it was still the most powerful faction in Heshan Village, as the other three factions—the Iron Sword Sect, Zhao Family, and the Black Fang Gang—were all iron grade.

The Celestial Pill Pavilion maintained its neutrality, refraining from participating in the power struggles within the village. None of the other factions dared to provoke it, as its backing in Luguang City was a gold grade powerhouse.

Chen Long soon arrived at the Celestial Pill Pavilion.

The pavilion was a towering pagoda, its grand doors emblazoned with the words 'Celestial Pill Pavilion' in bold, golden letters. Two guards, dressed in uniform robes, stood at the entrance, their stances firm. Both were at the Martial Arts Apprentice stage, not particularly strong, but enough to deter troublemakers.

Chen Long approached the gate, but before he could enter, one of the guards raised a hand to stop him.

"State your business."

"I want to trade my herbs for medicine," Chen Long replied.

The guards exchanged glances before one of them nodded and gestured for him to follow. "Come with me."

Chen Long followed the guard through the pavilion. The scent of various medicinal herbs and pills filled the air, strong and sharp, almost overwhelming to the senses. They stopped before a counter in the medicine area where a young woman was organizing some herbs.

"Greetings, Alchemist Qian," the guard said respectfully. "I’ve brought someone who wishes to trade herbs for medicine."

The woman, dressed in the robes of the Celestial Pill Pavilion, turned to face them. She was young, her eyes sharp and assessing. Her gaze fell on Chen Long, and then on the bag of herbs he carried.

"Alright, I’ll take it from here," she said, dismissing the guard.

The guard bowed slightly before leaving, and Chen Long stood in front of the alchemist, clutching his bag.

"So, what kind of medicine are you looking for, child?" she asked, her tone neutral but not unkind. "Is it for yourself?"

"No, miss," Chen Long replied, his voice steady. "It’s for my mother. Her condition is critical... she could die at any moment. I need something that can improve her situation."

The woman raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Are you a doctor? Or did one examine your mother and say she’s in such critical condition? How do you know?"

Chen Long hesitated, his mind racing for an explanation.

"No, miss, I’m not a doctor," he said after a pause. "Nor has one seen my mother. But I have some knowledge of herbs and the human body, so I’m certain of her condition."

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into her gaze. "Oh? You know herbs, do you?" she said, crossing her arms. "In that case, let’s put your knowledge to the test. If you pass, I’ll give you the medicine for free. Are you willing?"

Chen Long’s heart skipped a beat, but he swallowed his nervousness and nodded. "Yes, I’m ready."

"Good." The woman placed three herbs on the counter. "Tell me the names and grades of these three herbs."

Chen Long glanced at the herbs on the table. Without hesitation, he activated his Demonic Eye, and the familiar information window appeared in front of him.

[Moonshade Fern

Grade: 1

Quality: Mid]

[Crimson Vein Root

Grade: 2

Quality: Mid]

[Thunderleaf

Grade: 2

Quality: High]

Chen Long recited the names and grades aloud, his voice calm. "Moonshade Fern, Grade 1, mid-quality. Crimson Vein Root, Grade 2, mid-quality. Thunderleaf, Grade 2, high-quality."

The alchemist's eyes widened in surprise. 'I expected him to maybe guess one or two correctly, but he identified all three… and even their qualities!'

She composed herself quickly, though her curiosity about this "child" had clearly been piqued.

"Well," she said after a brief pause, "you’ve passed. Here." She handed him a small jade bottle. "This is a Grade 1 Blood Purification Pill. It should help stabilize your mother’s condition and give her enough time to see a doctor. Take it, and be sure to use it soon."

Chen Long accepted the pill with both hands, his expression full of gratitude. He bowed deeply. "Thank you, miss."

The woman watched as Chen Long hurried off, a faint smile playing on her lips. She glanced down at the bag of herbs he had left behind, shaking her head in mild amusement.

"Haha, I lost and won at the same time today," she muttered to herself. "This bag… that child really does have some morals."

Chen Long sprinted toward his home, his heart racing not just from the exertion, but from the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. He had carefully stashed the medicine in his inventory, thankful for the time it had bought him to save his mother.

Meanwhile, at the gate of the Celestial Pill Pavilion...

"We greet Alchemist Qian," the two guards said in unison, bowing low as the young alchemist approached.

"You, the one who brought the child," she said, her voice calm yet commanding. She tossed a pouch of silver taels toward the guard, who caught it midair. "Take these thirty silver taels and bring me everything you know about that boy."

The guard straightened up. "As you order, Alchemist Qian."

With a nod, Zhao Qian turned and disappeared back into the depths of the pavilion.

As soon as she was out of earshot, the other guard elbowed his companion with a smirk. "Brother, looks like you got lucky today. You owe me a feast tonight."

The guard chuckled, shaking the pouch of silver. "Seems like it."

Back at Chen Long's house, Xia Yun lay on the bed, her breathing labored, while Chen Mei sat by her side, worry etched across her young face. The room was quiet, the stillness broken only by the sound of the front door creaking open as Chen Long entered.

He rushed to his mother’s side, pulling out the jade bottle and carefully taking out a single pill. Kneeling beside her, he gently urged her to take it.

"Mother, eat this pill. It will help," he said, his voice soft yet insistent.

But instead of complying, Xia Yun narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Where did you get this medicine? Where did you find the money for it?"

Chen Long frowned, his urgency pushing back against the questions. "Mother, this isn’t the time to ask those things. Please, just take the pill, and I’ll explain everything afterward."

Reluctantly, Xia Yun nodded and swallowed the pill. Moments passed, and a faint flush of color returned to her pale cheeks. Her breathing became steadier, and the tiredness in her eyes began to fade. It was a small improvement, but enough to give Chen Long hope.

"Now that I’ve taken it," she said quietly, "tell me how you got the medicine."

Chen Long sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Chen Mei," he called out, turning toward his younger sister, "can you go outside for a moment? I need to speak to mother alone."

Chen Mei bit her lip, clearly worried, but she nodded and quietly stepped out of the room.

Once she was gone, Chen Long sat down beside Xia Yun and began to explain everything—how he had killed Zhang Wei and the Black Fang gang members, and how he had taken their silver taels and belongings. He left out the details of his reincarnation, knowing it was a secret far too complicated to share.

Xia Yun gasped, her eyes wide in shock. "You killed Zhang Wei and members of the Black Fang gang?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Did you learn martial arts somewhere?"

Chen Long hesitated before responding, "Yes, Mother. I found a martial arts technique while searching for herbs and learned it in secret." The truth, however, was that he had fabricated the story to keep his mother from worrying.

Xia Yun remained silent for a moment, processing what she had just heard. "So, what’s your next plan?" she asked, her voice a bit steadier. "You said you found seventy silver taels, but that’s still not enough to enter the Iron Sword Sect."

Chen Long nodded. "I’ve been thinking, mother. I’m planning to join the Celestial Pill Pavilion first. If I can become an alchemist, we can improve our financial situation and gain some backing. After that, I’ll consider joining the Iron Sword Sect."

Xia Yun thought for a while, her hand gently stroking Chen Long’s dark hair. "Do what you believe is best for yourself," she finally said, her voice soft and filled with warmth. "I will always support you."

Chen Long held his mother's thin but smooth hand, a wave of emotion washing over him.

So this is what motherly love feels like? It’s truly beautiful. In this life, I will enjoy it to the fullest. But anyone who stands in my way... they will share the same fate as those before them. I swear, I will protect my family. But to do that, I must become stronger, faster. I need to pick up the pace and make my moves swiftly.

Meanwhile, back inside the Celestial Pill Pavilion, the atmosphere was much more formal. In a secluded chamber, a figure sat before a pill cauldron, the flames beneath it glowing with intensity as they slowly refined the herbs within.

Zhao Qian entered the room quietly and bowed deeply, cupping her hands in greeting. "This disciple greets Master."

The figure in front of the cauldron spoke without turning around, his voice calm but authoritative. "What is it, Zhao Qian? Why have you come?"

"Master, I’ve found a child in the village," Zhao Qian said, her voice respectful. "He could name rare herbs with ease. While that alone may not seem remarkable, for someone in a backwater village like this to have such knowledge of herbs... I believe he has the potential to become a skilled alchemist."

The master turned slightly, his interest piqued. "So, you wish to take him as your disciple?"

"Yes, Master," Zhao Qian said confidently. "I believe he has talent."

The master nodded slowly. "Very well. That is your decision to make. I won’t interfere."

A smile broke across Zhao Qian’s face, and she bowed deeply once more. "Thank you, Master."

She left the room, her mind racing with excitement. I never thought I’d find such potential in this backwater village. I should approach him tomorrow as soon as the guards bring me the details.

That night, two people were lost in thought—Chen Long, wondering how he would make his way into the Celestial Pill Pavilion, and Zhao Qian, eagerly anticipating the moment she could take the talented boy under her wing.

Both were waiting for tomorrow. But what did fate have in store for them?