Chapter 76: A New Life Completed.

“Hoo.”

Xie Qiyang let out a long breath, the white mist lingering in the cold air like a tiny dragon.

So refreshing!

An indescribable sense of comfort surged through her limbs and bones, as if she were soaking in a warm spring, every cell cheering with joy!

It was like a small sun had ignited inside her, endless streams of heat coursing through, bringing an infinite sense of power!

Instinctively, she swung a fist into the air!

Whoosh!

The punch tore through the air, producing a clear whistling sound.
This strength—pure, solid, and entirely her own.

“Is this… the transformation from the first ‘Awakening’?”
Xie Qiyang looked down at her small, pale fist, brimming with explosive power, a surge of unprecedented achievement swelling within her.

This feeling was completely different from the system’s “ding” and instant upgrades!

Before, relying on the system to rocket to the Innate Realm was fast, but it always felt like walking on cotton—hollow and unsteady.

Now, thinking about it, those novel protagonists who powered up without a care either had a blood feud driving them, focused solely on revenge, or were chosen by fate.

But her?
Her past was a mystery, her goals unclear.

When she first transmigrated, her only thought was to escape that demon king, Li Tianxing.

Get as far away from him as possible, then live as a carefree slacker in this world, wandering aimlessly.

Now, though…
She pursed her lips, the faint unease in her heart fading a bit.

Li Tianxing, that guy… maybe he wasn’t so bad.

At least, being around him didn’t seem that unbearable?

The only thing sparking her interest now was the karma tied to “Jiang Ningshuang’s” identity—the Jiang family.

The grudge of obstructing her path was like a thorn in her heart.
They gave her flawed techniques in her youth, never offered any guidance, and she might even have been a sacrificial pawn pushed out to draw fire for someone unknown.

This debt would have to be settled eventually!

But…

Xie Qiyang calmed herself, her gaze sharpening.

Go back to the Jiang family now? That’d be walking straight into a trap.

A thriving imperial clan could crush her like an ant.
And if her “parents” were still eyeing her Lunar Saint Physique, what if they wanted to drain her blood or transplant her constitution?
Going back would be like handing herself over.
Stay low, she had to stay low.

The medicinal liquid in the tub had turned clear, its essence fully absorbed.

With a splash, she stood up, water cascading down and splattering onto the cold floor.

In the misty haze, the girl’s slender, radiant figure was like a lotus emerging from water, breathtakingly fleeting.

Out of habit, her mind reached for the storage ring on her finger to grab some comfortable clothes.

Her fingertip touched cold metal—the ring’s faint glow had vanished, now dull and lifeless, no different from a cheap iron band from a street stall.

“Tch, failing me at a critical moment!”
She rolled her eyes helplessly, resigning herself to picking up the patched, coarse clothes from the floor.

The rough linen shirt wrapped around her budding, graceful figure, yet it couldn’t hide her natural beauty.

Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, tied loosely with a cloth strip, a few strands playfully clinging to her smooth neck.
She walked to the tub, peering at her blurry reflection in the water.

The silver-haired girl in the water had delicate features, a mix of innocent awakening and newfound sharpness.

She made a silly face at her reflection, and the “her” in the water stuck out her tongue.
She put her hands on her hips, pretending to be mad, and the “her” in the water puffed out her cheeks.

A strange, warm sense of “reality” crept into her heart.

Before, browsing Jiang Ningshuang’s memories felt like watching a dazzling but cold holographic movie—she was just a spectator, an outsider.

Now… the reflection in the water, the power in her body, the sensation of every inch of her skin—all told her: this is you.

A surge of new power coursed through her, as if it would burst if she didn’t release it.
Xie Qiyang’s heart burned with energy, craving an outlet!

“Time to stretch my legs!”
The thought struck, and she pushed open the door, rushing into the snowy courtyard.

The cold wind hit her face, but it felt refreshing, her thin clothes no match for the fiery vitality coursing through her.

Her gaze swept the courtyard, her knees bent slightly, and she leaped—

Whoosh!

Her body soared lightly, her vision clearing the two-meter-high roofline in an instant.

“Wow!”
Landing, Xie Qiyang was stunned herself.
Though her memories of the “Innate Realm” included flying and teleporting, those felt like watching someone else play a VR game.

But this light jump, the weightlessness and explosive power—it was real, under her control.

The grounded sense of this hard-earned strength far surpassed anything the system had given her.

The gains were far greater than she’d imagined.

Her eyes landed on a few snow-covered wooden crates in the corner of the courtyard.
She walked over, grabbed one by the edge, and lifted it casually.

Light, too light.

It felt like lifting an empty cardboard box.

The thick snow on the crate slid off, offering no resistance.

She weighed it in her hand, a smug grin tugging at her lips.
“Looks like this first Awakening worked out pretty well.”

Xie Qiyang was toying with the crate, now weightless to her, tempted to try tossing it with one hand.

Creak!

The courtyard gate was pushed open abruptly.

She turned to see Zhang Ming, a massive bamboo basket on his back, stuffed with dried herbs of all shapes, trudging through the snow.

Clearly, he’d timed his return, guessing her medicinal bath was done, bringing more “supplies.”

But the sight before him was beyond his expectations.

He froze mid-step, eyes wide as bells, staring at the oversized crate Xie Qiyang was casually holding with one hand, then at the scattered snow beneath it.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

He looked like he’d seen a ghost in broad daylight.

The next second, overwhelming joy shattered his shock.

“Ning… Ningshuang?! You… you completed the first Awakening?!”

Zhang Ming’s voice shot up, trembling with disbelief, still standing frozen at the gate with the basket on his back.

Xie Qiyang let go, and the crate landed with a thud back into the snow, kicking up a puff of flakes.
She turned, her earlier detachment and confusion gone.
She remembered his kindness, delivering help in the snow.

With someone supporting her like that, she couldn’t keep giving him a cold shoulder.

She flashed a smile, her cool features melting like snow, glowing with the radiance of her Awakening.
“Yup, Ming-ge, I did it.”

The “Ming-ge” came out naturally, crisp and clear.