Addara Azalea, a nineteen-year-old village girl of remarkable beauty, was affectionately known as Dara by the residents of Village S.

Dara's formal education had concluded with high school. Not because of poor grades or a lack of desire to pursue higher education.

Her decision was solely due to financial limitations and the condition of her family, which made attending university an impractical dream.

She had been offered a scholarship by a prestigious university in the city, having scored exceptionally high on the national exam. However, she declined it.

She shared her home with her younger brother, Adimas Erlangga, called Dimas, a 9th-grade student.

Dimas was the only family Dara had left. She couldn't possibly leave him alone to continue her education in the city.

Dara's mother, Nayla Adi Raharjo, had passed away two years prior due to a long-complicated illness. It happened when Dara was still in her sophomore year of high school.

As for her father, Agung Sasmito, he was still alive. Agung was the person Dara most despised.

A father who should have been her first love instead inflicted deep, lasting wounds on the very depths of her heart.

But Dara knew that the one who suffered the most had been her mother.

Dimas, however, knew nothing of paternal affection. He believed his father was deceased, just as Nayla had explained when Dimas inquired about his whereabouts.

Dara vividly remembered their previous life in the capital city, where her father was a successful merchant.

Nayla was a devoted wife and a loving mother. She had supported Agung through thick and thin, helping to build their business from scratch.

Even when Agung's business plummeted into debt, Nayla stood by him until they recovered, expanded, and opened new branches in other cities.

However, following such moments of joy, a bitter memory haunted them—one that Dara, and surely Nayla, could not forget.

It was 14 years ago when Dara was five, and Dimas was just a year old.

Agung returned from his business ventures, casually announcing his marriage to a widow with a child.

He callously evicted Nayla, Dara, and Dimas from their home of nearly seven years.

Flashback 14 years ago

"You betrayed me, Agung! How could you divorce me for another woman! Have you lost your mind? What about the pain our children will feel when they find out?" Nayla confronted him with seething anger.

SLAP!

Agung struck Nayla so hard that her head turned and his handprint marked her cheek.

"Silence! How dare you insult and accuse me! Clearly, I chose her because she's vastly different from you. She's beautiful, elegant, from a wealthy and respected family, unlike you, who has nothing. Now get out of my house with those cursed children! I don't want to deal with any of you anymore!" Agung's harsh words cut Nayla deeply.

"God, you scoundrel, Agung! You may cast me aside, but how could you be so cruel to your own children, preferring to care for another's child?" Naila rebutted, her voice rising in rage.

"Like I care! Do you have proof I used your money? Remember, the house and business are in my name. They're mine! Now leave, and don't take anything of value with you!" Agung yelled.

Dara witnessed it all, understanding the gravity of her parents' argument caused by an affair that led to their divorce and eviction.

Though she was young, her intelligence made the event crystal clear in her mind, and though her father's face faded from memory, the incident did not.

Afterward, Nayla, holding Dimas and with Dara in tow, left their home with just enough change for bus fare to a remote village at the foot of a mountain in Town Y.

They arrived at a small cottage on the mountain foothills, isolated with no other homes within 100 meters.

To reach it, they had traveled an hour on foot from the main road, navigable only by bicycle or motorcycle due to the narrow path.

In the cottage lived an elderly woman Nayla addressed as Auntie.

Her name was Auntie Wastini, but Dara called her Grandma Tini. However, Grandma Tini didn't stay with them long, passing away two years later.

Despite financial hardship and the long walk to school, Nayla ensured Dara continued her education, growing vegetables and raising chickens for food.

They caught fish from a nearby river and traded vegetables for rice.

Both Dara and Dimas, gifted intellectually, earned school scholarships.

Living in a predominantly poor village shielded them from bullying, though some wealthier children would sometimes arrogantly tease them.

Before Nayla passed, she gave Dara a photo of a young Nayla with a young man and an older couple.

"Please, forgive me for them. I regret so much, and it's too late for apologies..." Nayla's last words cut off as life left her.

After Nayla's passing, Dara assumed familial responsibilities, vowing to remain strong for Dimas despite her own fragility.

Looking at the weathered photo, she speculated it was of her mother's family, puzzled why Nayla had never mentioned them.

Flashback Off

Early in the morning, even as the roosters crowed incessantly, the sun had yet to rise from its bed. Dara had already woken Dimas, preparing him for school.

Due to the long journey and the absence of a motorcycle or bicycle, they had to rise earlier than most.

"Eat your breakfast, little brother," Dara said.

"Okay, big sis," Dimas replied.

Both ate boiled sweet potatoes for breakfast. Afterward, Dara handed Dimas a five-thousand rupiah bill for his school allowance.

"Thanks, sis, I'm heading out," said Dimas, paying his respects to his sister.

"Take care, and make sure to study hard, okay?" Dara replied, to which her only brother responded with a thumbs-up.

Dara tidied up the eating utensils; there were leftover sweet potatoes, which she stored in the kitchen for their lunch later.

She looked at the money she had left, only ten thousand rupiah remained. Dara sighed, knowing the family's finances showed no improvement, becoming even more challenging as vegetable sales at the market were not always successful.

Noticing only two pieces of firewood left, Dara quickly headed to the forest to collect more as usual.

After changing into long clothes, she walked into the woods, now illuminated by the risen sun and daylight.

"Why are there no branches at all? There are usually plenty here. Do I need to go deeper?" she pondered to herself.

Dara couldn't see any tree branches along the way. Unwilling to return empty-handed, she decided to venture deeper into the forest.

She marked the paths she had passed to avoid getting lost, then proceeded further into the woods.

Sure enough, there were more scattered dried tree branches. Dara's smile broadened as she gathered them.

Suddenly, a sound made her hairs stand on end.

*Grrrrr*.... Aauuuuuuu.....

Dara glanced over her shoulder, although she was too frightened to look directly, knowing behind her was a predator ready to pounce—a wolf from the forest.

The wolf called its pack, and with urgency, Dara ran to escape. She dashed aimlessly, occasionally looking back. Unaware, she passed a small gateway that emitted light as she crossed it, causing the pursuing pack to cease their chase and turn back.

"Am I safe now?" Dara gasped breathlessly, seeing no sign of the wolves when she turned around.

"Where am I?" she exclaimed upon realizing the unfamiliarity of her surroundings.

"Damn, I must have gotten lost," she said to herself.

Dara walked in search of an exit, but after some time, she frustratingly found herself back where she started.

Sitting on the grass, she inadvertently brushed against something. Startled, she found a sword almost entirely buried in the ground.

"Wow... its hilt is stunning, like an ancient sword, but why isn't the blade rusted?" exclaimed Dara.

Touching the sword's blade, her finger got cut, and the blood dripped onto it.

"Ouch, damn, I cut my hand," she muttered.

"It seems like an antique sword, but so unblemished. Why shouldn't I take it? It might still be worth something and—alone in the forest—surely, it has no owner," Dara reasoned with herself.

Without further hesitation, she pulled the sword out effortlessly, admiring its majestic and beautiful form.

However, she jumped when the sword vibrated in her grasp. Frightened, she threw it, and instead of falling, it hovered in the air, making Dara shiver.

Slowly, the sword dissolved into a green light and swiftly entered Dara's head.

"Arrrgghhhh!!!!!!" Dara screamed in agony.

Unable to bear the intense pain in her head, she fell unconscious.

...

"Your Highness... wake up, Your Highness..." a voice reached Dara's ears.

Gradually, Dara opened her eyes, realizing she had fainted for an extended period because the day seemed to be turning to evening.

"Ughh..." Dara clutched her slightly dizzy head.

She closed her eyes again to alleviate the dizziness. Feeling somewhat better, she reopened her eyes to see a massive white tiger before her.

"Xiao Bao..." Dara called the tiger without fear.

"Your Highness, you're finally awake," Xiao Bao spoke.

While unconscious, Dara struggled with another being for possession of her body and received memories of someone who looked identical to her. Thus, she was not shocked to see the tiger called Xiao Bao, the pet of the woman she resembled.

Liu Annchi, a princess and a respected female general in the Star Empire, had fallen victim to betrayal by her dear friend Fang Yue, the prime minister's daughter, who paralyzed Annchi with a bone-numbing poison.

Afterward, Fang Yue pierced Annchi's heart with her own beloved sword and disposed of her lifeless body by hurling it off a cliff into the abyss.

Dara sighed, unable to believe such an illogical event could transpire. Initially feeling it was a dream, it felt too real. She realized, however, that Liu Annchi's memories were now nested in her mind, Annchi's soul having merged with hers after, somehow, Dara had conquered the soul that sought dominance.

"I never imagined you would survive thousands of years, Bao. You must have made great sacrifices," Dara said, stroking Xiao Bao's head.

"Not great, Your Highness, for I also do not understand. I was sucked into the whirl of the abyss trying to rescue you when you fell. By accident, I entered your sword and was trapped within," Xiao Bao explained.

"What are your plans now? You are free; you can go wherever you wish," Dara noted.

"I still wish to follow you, Your Highness," Xiao Bao maintained.

"But I'm merely a common person now, and Liu Annchi no longer exists in this world. I am Dara, an ordinary person who happens to carry the memories of Liu Annchi's life, though her soul has fused with mine. Still, I am not your master, Liu Annchi," Dara revealed the truth.

Whether Annchi's soul and memories resided within her, it was clear Dara was the dominant one, in control of her own body.

"I'm aware you are not my Lord, but my Lord chose you to inherit her memories. Thus, I have decided to follow you," Xiao Bao remained resolute.

"But I cannot take you with me. The entire village would be in an uproar if I brought a large tiger home. And my brother would be frightened of you," Dara reasoned.

"Your Highness can put me in your dimensional space," Xiao Bao suggested.

"Dimensional space? That's only possessed by special individuals like Liu Annchi. I, however, do not have one; this is the modern era, such things don't exist," Dara was skeptical that Annchi's abilities could have transferred into her body.

"You may not possess one as an ordinary person, Your Highness, but now you hold the soul, memories, and all experiences of the former Your Highness within you. It's possible that Annchi's special abilities have also entered your body," Xiao Bao conjectured.

"Could Annchi's special qualities have passed to my body?" Dara pondered.

"I am merely guessing. But it wouldn't hurt for you to look within yourself," Xiao Bao suggested.

Dara nodded, willing to follow Xiao Bao's advice. Dara would know how since Annchi's memories were now part of her consciousness.

Dara followed the method she remembered from Liu Annchi's memories to access the dimensional space within her body. She was astonished to find that she could enter Liu Annchi's own bodily dimensional space.

Bodily dimensional spaces were rare in the Star Empire, and could be as vast as a small city.

In Annchi's era, not many were aware of bodily dimensional space. People typically stored their belongings in storage pouches or space rings crafted by skilled forgers.

Only three people knew of Liu Annchi's special ability to possess a bodily dimensional space: Annchi herself, the emperor's father, and Xiao Bao.

The Star Empire was the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful empire on the Blue Continent at that time. This was largely due to the outstanding leadership of the emperor's father, Liu Chang, who was incredibly brilliant, wise, and fair. Additionally, the young female general, none other than his own daughter, led hundreds of thousands of troops.

There were three great talents on the Blue Continent's plains: Cultivators, Alchemists, and Forgers. Each of these talents had levels, and the higher the level, the more advanced their knowledge.

Annchi was a rare talent, born with all three abilities, and further possessed a bodily dimensional space that was only discovered when she was seven years old.

"Amazing, Xiao Bao! I can access the dimensional space. Wow...!!! I can become incredibly wealthy. I see so much gold and gems inside," Dara exclaimed with joy.

How could she not? There was a vast amount of gold in various forms like coins and nuggets, along with many jewels scattered about within the dimensional space. This was due to Liu Annchi's power, who at Level 10, could transform anything she desired into gold, gems, or other forms at will.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," Xiao Bai said, sharing the joy.

"Considering my hunch was correct, perhaps my other guesses are too. Would you not try them out too, Your Highness?" asked Xiao Bao.

"Yes, you're right. There's no need to try. I can feel it. I can hone my skills just like Liu Annchi did, even though it's difficult given the thin aura on Earth," Dara said with a smile.

Since Liu Annchi's talents as a cultivator, alchemist, and forger had also transferred to her, Dara resolved to refine them. However, she had to start all over to form them anew.

"Xiao Bao, since in this country your name is quite strange, I will change it to White because of your spotless white fur, or what's called in other regions, bodas maung, like in one of the history stories," Dara said.

"Your servant does not mind, Your Highness. So now my name is White," Xiao Bao, now called White, responded.

"Now take me to the forest edge! I must return because it’s getting dark. Dimas might worry since I haven’t returned yet," said Dara.

"As you wish, Your Highness. Please mount my back," White replied, bowing.

White ran swiftly with Dara riding atop him. No forest creature dared show itself as they passed, cowed by the pressure of White's spiritual aura.

White stopped when they neared the forest’s edge.

"Enter my dimensional space, White. I’ll summon you when I find a suitable place for you or if I need your help someday," Dara instructed, and White nodded.

Dara touched the tip of White’s head, focusing her thoughts. White vanished, now residing within Dara’s dimensional space.

....

"Big sister!" Dimas called out, his face fraught with worry as he hurried toward his sister emerging from the woods.

"I thought you would never return, I was so scared," Dimas said, tears streaming, trembling. Afraid of being left alone, he had no one but his sister.

"Sorry, I got lost looking for firewood. Stop crying now; you're a boy. You shouldn’t be weepy," Dara consoled, embracing her brother.

"Yes, sis, but don't go deep into the forest again. I don’t want anything to happen to you," Dimas pleaded.

"Alright, let's go inside. You must be hungry. I’ll cook with the remaining firewood. Tomorrow, we’ll gather more," Dara replied, met with Dimas's nod.

Dara promptly moved to the small kitchen, igniting the hearth. She prepared a meal for herself and Dimas—rice, stir-fried water spinach, and omelet. Then they both ate heartily.

....

Morning arrived, and Dara sat on the porch of their small hut, the cool air refreshing her face. Dimas had already left for school.

Dara took out a gold coin from the dimensional space. It weighed perhaps 20 grams, the smallest size among those in the dimensional space.

From Liu Annchi's memory, she knew of Liu Annchi's unique hobby of turning things into gold or gems out of boredom and leaving them scattered in the space. In her actual life, Annchi could obtain everything from the empire.

"It's incredible to acquire something so unbelievable. Yet I'm grateful, with your memories, I can likely change my family's fortunes. And thank you for your peculiar hobby that you did out of boredom; it's precious to me now," Dara mused, examining the gold.

"I should start cultivating according to Annchi’s memories. But it may be difficult because my body is an ordinary human body. There seems to be no other way but one—Holy Spirit Pill. It forces my meridians to open, transforming me into a cultivator," Dara pondered further.

"It appears I should train my body before starting. The Holy Spirit Pill should be in the dimensional space, along with many other medications beneficial for my future cultivation, at least until I reach level three and can begin refining pills again," she monologued.

"Now, I need to sell this gold in the city first. At least I'll have money to buy more modern cooking equipment, and save the rest for future needs.

So resolved, Dara returned inside, preparing to travel to the distant city.

City Center Y, about an hour and a half away from Village S. Dara had to walk for an hour just to reach the main road, then it was another 30 to 45 minutes to City Y from the nearest main road.