Chapter 2

Li Yunxian had a lively day at school before she finally struggled back to her spacious flat. No one was home, yet steaming hot dishes were already laid out on the dining table. They were prepared by the housekeeper.

After her parents divorced, neither remained in Jin City. They hadn’t showered her with much affection, but they had certainly provided her with plenty of money. When she had just turned eighteen, Li Yunxian had felt a pang of melancholy over the thinness of her blood ties. But now, she found comfort in being alone at home.

After dinner, Li Yunxian organized the medicinal herbs she currently possessed. To sit for the cultivator entrance exam, one must first absorb qi into the body and enter the Qi Refinement stage. After all, this was a school for cultivators.

Her body’s meridians were blocked everywhere, so much so that she couldn’t sense her spiritual root. Had she not crossed into the cultivation world, she surely would have remained an ordinary person. But now…

In the cultivation realm, her condition was merely a minor issue. A simple medicinal bath could easily resolve it.

Li Yunxian had already purchased quite a few herbs but lacked the core spiritual herb—Blood Bone. Theoretically, since there were cultivators in this world, basic spiritual herbs must exist. Yet, Li Yunxian couldn’t find any channel to buy them.

No matter. She still had the game.

Li Yunxian logged into the game directly.

“Welcome to ‘All Things’,” the greeting flashed by as her consciousness settled into a small town—the very spot where she had last logged off.

Since acquiring this game system, Li Yunxian had studied the game’s mechanics extensively. For example, individual stats were fully linked to reality, meaning that before starting cultivation, the in-game Li Yunxian was just an ordinary person.

The core of ‘All Things’ was monster hunting.

Kill an alien beast, and you randomly receive gold and materials.

Of course, materials dropped in-game could only be used within the game. To exchange them for real-world materials required a separate fee—2,000 game coins.

Not expensive.

After all, these were just very basic materials; compared to the items priced in the millions or billions in the in-game shop, this was dirt cheap.

Li Yunxian had been diligently slaying low-level monsters recently, but…

She stared silently at the 213 coins displayed on her character panel. This was the total she had earned in just over half a month since crossing over.

The gold drop rate from low-level monsters was truly dismal.

There was no way to earn 2,000 coins purely by monster hunting before the exam.

If not from monsters, then from other players.

From her current observations, this wasn’t too difficult.

After all, the players in ‘All Things’ could be summarized simply in cultivation terms as—

All sword cultivators!!

Li Yunxian thought, what a coincidence, she was one too.

Being a sword cultivator really saved spiritual stones for her. After crossing into this alien world and desperately struggling to pass as a minor sect member, this was the best choice.

However, once she reached the Transformation stage and became an honored patriarch in the cultivation world, Li Yunxian also practiced the four arts of cultivation: alchemy, forging, talisman crafting, and formation arrays.

Forging was very alluring for cultivators who specialized in combat, but after some observation, she decisively abandoned it.

Players in the game seemed to have taken forging to its extreme.

Not wanting to show off before masters, Li Yunxian planned to earn game coins through alchemy.

She discovered that the game surprisingly had no red or blue potions!

What a business opportunity!

Previously, as a sword cultivator with little money, she had scrimped on auxiliaries like these. But the people in this game were not poor!

Li Yunxian prepared to brew Essence Spirit Water and Revival Water.

Yes, brew.

Even mortals in the cultivation realm possessed their own wisdom—both of these potions were within the reach of ordinary people.

The former restored a small amount of spiritual power for cultivators and could dispel evil for mortals.

The latter directly promoted healing of external injuries; its effect was average, but as long as death was not instantaneous, it could at least keep a mortal clinging to life.

Compared to the myriad alchemical potions in cultivation, these were quite ordinary. But they were cheap, made from easily acquired materials.

Therefore, not only mortals but also cultivators in the second or third layer of Qi Refinement carried a few bottles.

Having gathered plenty of materials from her diligent monster hunts, and with other ingredients purchased the day before arriving, Li Yunxian quickly set to work.

After calculating the value of cultivation currency and game coins, she priced each bottle at 5 game coins.

She brewed 200 bottles of each potion—if sold all, that would be 2,000 game coins in one go!

Li Yunxian’s plan was sound. With high spirits, she transported the potions to the town’s trading market.

The market was fairly busy.

However, since all players were sword cultivators in this game world, all traded items were various weapons and equipment.

Curious, many gathered around as Li Yunxian brought over two large crates.

They all assumed these were new-style weapons and eagerly watched as she opened the lids.

Instead, they saw a pile of bottles and jars. Everyone was speechless.

They looked at Li Yunxian’s youthful face, finding it both cute and amusing, and said helplessly, “Little girl, nobody in ‘All Things’ needs to drink nutrient liquids anymore.”

After all, ‘All Things’ was about training and learning to fight aliens, increasing combat experience. Naturally, there was no hunger system.

“This isn’t nutrient liquid,” Li Yunxian explained the potions’ effects. “Essence Spirit Water replenishes a small amount of spiritual energy; Revival Water promotes healing of external wounds. They’re mainly useful for cultivators below the third layer of Qi Refinement.”

She spoke at length, but no one listened or believed her.

In reality, among so many planets, no one had ever heard of potions with these effects.

Even when she added that the potions only worked below the third layer, it made no difference.

That said, certain real-world medical devices combined with medicines could achieve effects stronger than Revival Water.

And such devices existed in ‘All Things’ as well.

So no one was particularly interested in her potions despite the explanation.

No one wanted to burst this young girl’s bubble, and at 5 coins a bottle, her price wasn’t high. There were always curious people in the world.

“Give me one bottle to try,” a bearded man said. “After all these years in ‘All Things,’ I’ve never had any drink here.”

The crowd laughed, but were drawn in and became interested.

‘All Things’ was just a game—no one truly died. Even if trying the potion caused death, it didn’t matter. So why not try?

“Then give me one too.”

“Me too.”

Li Yunxian sold over a dozen bottles in one go, feeling both amused and helpless.

She wasn’t a beverage vendor!

The bearded man, who received the first bottle, opened the Revival Water.

After a small sip, he looked puzzled. “It doesn’t really taste like anything…”

Before he finished speaking, a wave of heat surged through his limbs.

“Ugh—” he gasped, struggling to describe the sensation. After a few seconds, he said, “This stuff is kind of spicy in a special way.”

Li Yunxian was speechless.

Spicy? It was just that he was perfectly healthy; the Revival Water was running wild through his body trying to find a wound to heal.

The bearded man then took a sip of the Essence Spirit Water. It was tasteless at first, then a refreshing coolness spread through him.

“Mint flavor, very refreshing,” he said cheerfully, handing over 10 game coins. “Boss, this stuff is pretty interesting. Like popping candy. Give me two more bottles to take with me.”

The address had shifted from “little sister” to “boss,” marking his recognition of Li Yunxian’s merchandise.

But…

These potions really weren’t drinks!

Li Yunxian was momentarily speechless but sincerely handed over the potions. Never mind, as long as they sold.

However, the novelty soon wore off. The curious crowd dispersed after a short while, leaving Li Yunxian with many bottles still unsold.

Selling goods was truly a blind spot for Li Yunxian.

Had she possessed this skill earlier, she wouldn’t have had to toil as a poor sword cultivator before reaching the Transformation stage.

Fortunately, her luck was surprisingly good today, perhaps because she had done good deeds in reality.

A well-equipped black-clad girl approached her stall.

“Boss, how many of these potions do you have left? I want them all!” she said generously.

Li Yunxian blinked; that sounded like a returning customer.

Had the people in ‘All Things’ so quickly realized the value of these potions?

Before Li Yunxian could be surprised, the black-clad girl cackled mischievously, “April Fool’s Day is coming. I want to give these to my guildmates to try!”

Li Yunxian was speechless.

She was overthinking.

Once the transaction was done, Li Yunxian carefully explained the effects of the two potions again to the big customer.

Otherwise, she felt a bit guilty accepting the money.

But clearly, the black-clad girl didn’t mind. After storing the potions in her space item, she waved carelessly, “Got it~”

Having fulfilled her duty to inform, Li Yunxian watched the girl leave, then decisively exchanged the coins for Blood Bone.

Logged off!

Opening her eyes in her bedroom, Li Yunxian saw a void appear before her.

A Blood Bone dropped down.

Her eyes brightened.

Exchange successful!

She could cultivate now!

Li Yunxian fondled the palm-sized material before storing it away.

Brewing and selling potions in ‘All Things’—it was already late. Whatever else, it would have to wait until tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in the game, the black-clad girl, Sheng Yu, returned to her guild only to be urgently called out for support.

On the way back to the city, their guild encountered an A-rank beast.

Sheng Yu and her guildmates rushed out to fight. After fierce combat, the A-rank beast collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Yet the guild members also lay scattered on the ground.

“Hold on, just get back to the town and you can be healed,” they said, struggling to place comrades on stretchers. “Don’t die now! Tomorrow is the guild ranking match. If we die, we’re banned from logging in for three days, and our guild will drop out of the top hundred!”

Those lying on the ground coughed blood with bitter smiles, saying, “It’s not something I can decide…”

“How unlucky—getting attacked by an A-rank beast on the way back with injuries.”

“Yeah, how could an A-rank beast be so close to the town?”

“Don’t you know? It must be those from Miao Ying.”

“What’s the use of talking now…”

Sheng Yu tried to bandage and save her comrades, but hearing their words, she knew her efforts were in vain.

She had originally hoped to survive the ranking match tomorrow and celebrate April Fool’s Day with everyone.

But now…

Her hands grew weak as she despaired, when suddenly a clear feminine voice echoed in her mind, recalling the last words after explaining the potions’ effects—

“You’re buying so many, why not keep a few for yourself? Try them when needed.”

Sheng Yu pursed her lips and took a deep breath.

If there was a time to need them, it was now.

Things couldn’t get worse.

She took out all the potions and shouted, “Everyone, come here! Help me force these potions down the throats of those who are near death!”