The sun beat down mercilessly, causing sweat to pour down my face and drenching my clothes. The thick and humid air made it even more uncomfortable as I worked in the garden, wielding a large hoe to harvest the remaining vegetables.

Despite my fatigue and the relentless heat, I pushed on, my legs growing tired with each step.

It had been twenty days since the vampires appeared with their promises of a way to awaken my spiritual root, but all they had asked of me was to wait and abstain from food and drink, except for boiled water.

Their conditions made me feel weak and useless, and it fueled my anger. To make matters worse, they added another requirement - no masturbation. It was absurd, but they claimed it was necessary for me to have a pure body with a strong spirit.

If I didn't comply, they threatened to withhold their help, and I couldn't afford to lose that chance.

The anger churned in my chest like a pounding sledgehammer.

Desperate to cope, I begrudgingly followed their instructions to sit in silence, meditate, and fast. I closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing thoughts and detach from the discomfort.

The silence was overwhelming, and my mind continued to race, but I persevered. Gradually, I found a sense of stillness within me as I focused on my breathing.

At first, I became aware of a subtle energy coursing through my body, and a newfound clarity and purpose washed over me like a wave, something I had never experienced before,

but later I found it was just my imagination in action.

But it was not all wasted through this process of meditation, fasting, and not speaking, I did awaken new senses and new understanding.

I realized that the vampires' promise was not what I needed, but rather a deeper connection with myself and the world around me.

It was a painful and difficult journey, but one that ultimately led me to a place of peace and enlightenment.

That Shit only lasted six days before the hunger pangs came in and drilled into me, shattering my so-called inner peace, along with a sudden bout of insanity as the thirst overtook my sanity.

I destroyed my little hut and rebuilt it Eighteen times motherfucking eighteen times.

All that time, the pain never went away but instead intensified exponentially.

I would often wake up screaming, the constant throbbing pain tearing me apart and leaving me unable to move and breathe, but eventually, the pain would subside into nothingness and I would go back to sleep.

The cravings for food consumed me even in my dreams, taking on a surreal and heavenly quality. I would dream of feasts and banquets, of savory meats and decadent desserts, and the aroma of food would waft into my senses with an intensity that left me longing and desperate.

But not all my dreams were pleasant. Nightmares plagued my restless sleep, vivid and disturbing. I would find myself drowning in a pool of sauce and bread, a sword made of food piercing my abdomen, or monstrous creatures made of food devouring me. These visions were fleeting, but the pain and horror they brought were enough to make a sane person question their sanity.

As if the nights weren't tormenting enough, the hallucinations followed me into the daytime. I would see things that weren't there, such as conversing with my deceased parents from my previous life about my mother's cooking. The sounds that accompanied these visions were indescribable as if every fiber of my being was screaming in agony. The wind itself sounded haunting, making me want to cry out in despair.

Even when I opened my eyes, the comfort of darkness was replaced by blinding whiteness. The light seemed to be everywhere, blinding and painful, causing me to squint and shield my eyes whenever I ventured outside. The harshness of the light only added to my torment, as if the world was taunting me with its brightness.

"Brother Lin, Brother Lin, Brother Lin" someone began yelling in my ear, shaking me awake,

causing me to groan as I slowly sit up to see a short lanky boy who was squatting down next to me, Shaking me violently.

"Aiyah..stop that," I said rubbing my eyes as I stare blearily at him.

"What..is wrong?" I ask, staring at him bewilderedly, trying to rub the sleepiness from my eyes, meanwhile also trying to jog my memory for a name for this dude

"The Sun is about to set, I'm going to head back now, You should do the same brother Lin" he says while standing up from his crouched position and stretching

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"Ahhh..you're right, thank you for waking me up," I reply, getting up to my feet as well, looking around at the surroundings, that right time was up I needed to go to the kitchen to submit all my bounty to receive my rewards,

"You Should deposit that soon, otherwise Elder Huang will get upset" the boy reminded me kindly

"Thank you" I simply bowed my head still not knowing the dude's name,

After a while, I got up and began stumbling forward in a sleepy haze, while holding the basket I had filled earlier.

The sun had already begun its descent and dusk was starting to come.

I quickly increased my pace, stumbling towards the back of the designated mess hall building. Finally reaching the corner, I pushed aside the branches of the bushes that grew around it. There, sitting against the wall, was Elder Huang, a middle-aged behemoth of a man dressed in dark robes and a simple headdress of the outer court Elders. He seemed engrossed in a book and didn't notice my presence until I cleared my throat and waved at him.

I watched as he looked up, his pale gray eyes focusing on mine, and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Elder," I greeted him cordially, holding up the basket filled with my harvest.

"Put it over there. How are you, Little Yun? Still not eating?" the man said, getting up and rising to his full staggering height of eight feet.

"Yes," I answered truthfully, dumping the basket on the ground.

The kitchen worker, like a well-oiled machine, swiftly moved to empty my basket within seconds. Meanwhile, I slumped to the ground, exhausted but feeling comfortable enough with Elder Huang, who didn't seem to mind my unsightly behavior.

He sighed before saying, "Why did you leave so early this morning? Didn't you hear that I ordered you to stay at home today? I'll make sure you eat something after I finish speaking with you." I shook my head without moving.

"No, Elder, I..." Before I could explain my situation, he cut me off by moving in front of me and glaring at me. The man was a true giant, standing perhaps three meters tall, with a massive body and an intimidating aura. I found it impossible to look him straight in the eyes, especially as he kept glaring at me with a piercing gaze.

It was uncommon for outer Elders to notice outer disciples, let alone scold those they deemed unfit. However, Elder Huang seemed to have taken a liking to me despite my situation. Everyone knew that I had not awakened any spiritual root at the age of fifteen in the last age cycle, and I was bound to be kicked out in five months. But that didn't stop Elder Huang from lecturing me, unlike the others who had left me to live a miserable and boring life.

Elder Huang had taken a keen interest in me, teaching me various mortal crafts such as defense through martial arts, archery, cooking, gardening, and more. He also taught me how to handle knives, daggers, and swords, how to clean and repair weapons, as well as skills in medicine, healing, and herbs. Despite starting late, my memory had grown supernaturally sharp from days of not eating, allowing me to recall every single detail of the past, which was a new ability for me that had in turn allowed me to quickly learn new things.

Elder Huang had gone into lecture mode, making my ears ring and my head began to wander off, but I decided not to interrupt and instead focus on the man in front of me while trying to understand his teachings. He told me how to take care of my health, emphasizing the importance of not starving my body, drinking enough water, and eating properly every day. He had even given me some medicinal herbs from his personal stash, although I had yet to consume any of them.

Just as I was starting to lose patience, someone from the kitchen workers finally called Elder Huang away, cutting his lengthy speech short. Before leaving, he turned to me and gave a small nod.

"Not bad, not bad at all," he said. "You have been doing well lately, little Yun. Your hard work is appreciated."

I felt a sense of pride and relief wash over me. Despite the challenges I had faced, I had managed to thrive in this community of cultivators and had even earned the respect of some of the elders.

I felt a surge of gratitude as Elder Huang commended my efforts. It was no small feat to earn recognition from someone as esteemed as him in this community of cultivators. I bowed respectfully, acknowledging his words.

"Thank you, Elder Huang," I said sincerely. "It is truly an honor to be of service to you."

In response, he nodded and handed me a small pouch containing two rocks that were supposed to be spirit stones, known for their potent spiritual energy.

"Here is your reward," he said, his voice carrying a sense of importance. "Use it wisely."

I took the pouch reverently, knowing that spirit stones were valuable resources that could aid me in my cultivation journey. It was a generous gift from Elder Huang, and I was determined to make the most of it. I thanked him once again, and he gave me a rare smile, a glimmer of warmth in his otherwise stoic demeanor.

"Keep up the good work, little Yun," he said, his tone softer now. "I see potential in you."

With renewed motivation, I nodded earnestly, clutching the pouch of spirit stones tightly. Elder Huang's mentorship had been invaluable to me, and I was determined to continue working hard and proving myself worthy of his guidance. As he turned to leave, I watched him with deep gratitude.

As I walked away, I felt a mix of relief and paranoia.

Even though Elder Huang had praised me, it made me feel uneasy, like I had failed some sort of test.

If only I knew what the test was...Only when I finally reached my hut did I let out a groan, I was too tired and too worried, it was far too late to start meditating. Instead, I flopped onto my sleeping mat with a groan, pulling the rough blankets over my shoulders as I drifted off to sleep.

For the first time in days, I slept a dreamless peaceful night.

Another day, another mission. Another fight to face.

As the days went by, Elder Huang promoted me from casual labor to a full-time coolie. Every morning, I joined the other coolies as we trudged down the mountain, knowing that the day ahead would be filled with backbreaking work and an empty stomach. We returned in the evening, our bodies aching and our minds numb from hunger. It was a grueling routine, and I found myself losing track of time, unable to keep count of how many bags I had carried. My hunger grew insatiable, my body was weak from exhaustion.

This was not a metaphorical hunger, but a stark reality. It was bone-chilling, gnawing hunger that left me unable to function, unable to think, and unable to survive without help. I realized with despair that starvation was not a distant concept, but a terrifying fate that was becoming all too real for me.

On the eighth day, my body finally succumbed to the relentless hunger and exhaustion. I collapsed, unable to move from my bed. The hunger had become a constant, agonizing companion, gnawing away at me every moment of the day.

That evening, my prayers were answered when the vampire lady with green eyes and raven hair entered my hut.