Drawback system

The moon hung low, casting pale light over the outer walls of the Zhen Estate. Tonight, the usual stifling routine of the kitchen slaves changed. Ah Yue wiped his damp brow as he followed the line of servants carrying waste beyond the gates—a rare duty granted only when the estate was busy with celebrations and many hands were needed.

Trash duty was the closest he had come to stepping outside since his arrival.

When the carts stopped at the edge of the dense woods, the other servants collapsed on fallen logs and discarded stones, laughing and chattering quietly. Exhaustion loosened their usual wary expressions, and they stretched out, heads tilted toward the night sky.

Ah Yue's eyes flicked toward the shadowy undergrowth near the trash pile.

Here was his chance.

---

He waited for the servants to settle, their voices softening to whispers. Then, slipping away silently, Ah Yue crouched by the discarded bundles of leaves and rotting food scraps where insects swarmed.

His heart thumped loudly, every rustle in the darkness setting his nerves on edge.

He remembered the manual's warnings—the spider he sought was not a garden pest but a venomous hunter, lurking in the dark crevices, ready to strike with deadly speed.

Carefully, he scanned the brush.

A faint glint caught his eye: a nest woven from thin silk strands hidden beneath a fallen log.

There, the spiders clustered—dark, glossy bodies, long legs tipped with tiny hooks.

Ah Yue's breath caught.

He moved slowly, summoning the Inner Flame to steady his nerves and protect his body. The Drawback System hummed quietly, ready to reverse any harm.

With steady hands, he fashioned a small container from a bamboo tube. He knew the venom extraction would be dangerous. One careless move, and the spiders' bite could mean death.

---

Suddenly, a sharp hiss shattered the silence. A wild dog burst from the underbrush, snarling.

Ah Yue didn't hesitate. His palm flashed with the lingering venom from the centipede poison. He struck the dog's flank with the Five Poison Palm technique, searing pain coursing through its muscles.

The dog howled and retreated, limping into the night.

His own body ached where the dog's teeth grazed him, but the Drawback System instantly began healing, reversing the bite's toxic effects.

---

Returning to the spiders, Ah Yue carefully pricked one leg with a needle, collecting a drop of venom into the bamboo vial. He worked quickly, keeping calm even as the creatures skittered closer.

With the vial secured, he melted back through the trees, heart pounding but victorious.

---

Back at the trash pile, the other servants remained too tired to notice his brief absence.

Ah Yue rejoined them quietly, feeling the weight of possibility settle around him.

---

That night, as he held the spider venom in his palm, the Drawback System buzzed.

> [All Five Poisons Collected]

> Five Poison Palm Foundation Complete — Ready for Next Stage

As Ah Yue absorbed the final trace of spider venom, a strange warmth surged through his meridians. Unlike before, this warmth wasn't volatile—it was steady, invigorating, like sunlight filtering into his bones. The Five Poison Palm had finally reached completion.

He sat cross-legged beside the hidden trash pit, the distant sound of servants laughing in the forest fading into background noise. His body felt different now—balanced, vigorous, and surging with resilient energy.

A crisp chime echoed in his mind.

> Ding!

Drawback Reversal System Update Completed.

In front of him, the familiar translucent panel unfolded. But this time, it was different—updated, more detailed, with layers of information he hadn't seen before.

---

[Drawback Reversal System – Host Interface v1.2]

Name: Ah Yue

Origin: Transmigrated Soul – Blue Planet

Martial Arts Level: Level 1 (Beginner)

Practiced Techniques:

• Five Poison Palm – ✅ Complete

• Sunflower Art – Level 4 (Incomplete)

---

[System Benefits]

Drawback Reversal: Active

Harm-to-Benefit Conversion: Operational

Constitution Enhancement: +15% Poison Resistance

Skin Fortification: +10%

Yang Energy Circulation Boost: Sunflower Art Level 4

Stamina Recovery: +20%

---

> System Notice:

Deep status analysis module unlocked. Scanning host body…

A soft hum sounded in his mind. Ah Yue blinked. A second later, a new section appeared on the screen—one that hadn't existed before.

---

⚠ [Abnormal Condition Detected]

> Condition: Foreign Poison – Gu Parasite Seed

Status: Juvenile Dormant Phase

Origin: Unknown – Estimated Infection Timeline: 4–18 months ago

Integration: ❌ Not Linked to Any Practiced Technique

System Reversal: ❌ Not Applicable

> Notes:

Host body contains a dormant Gu poison.

Likely introduced through contaminated food, wounds, or direct contact.

Currently inactive but may evolve into active phase under unknown triggers.

Reversal System cannot negate effects due to its external origin.

---

Ah Yue's breath caught.

> "Gu poison…?"

His eyes widened as he re-read the lines. Unlike the poisons he had ingested through the Five Poison Palm—which were converted into benefits through the system—this one had been planted in his body from an outside source.

It hadn't triggered any obvious symptoms. No pain. No fever. Nothing until now.

> "Four to eighteen months ago…" he whispered.

So it could've been before he transmigrated into this body.

The idea sent a chill down his spine. Someone had poisoned this body—maybe long ago, maybe just before he woke up here. And the original Ah Yue had never noticed.

No wonder the system hadn't warned him earlier. Until now, it couldn't detect foreign poisons that weren't part of martial techniques.

> "Then why is it still dormant?" he muttered.

No answer. Just a blinking red icon next to the condition: Juvenile Stage.

That meant it could still grow. It hadn't taken full root yet—but it wasn't gone either.

He stared into the dark underbrush, where the others were still chatting. A breeze stirred the leaves.

> "Who would poison a slave?" he whispered.

He had nothing. No enemies. No power. No reason to be targeted.

Unless—

> "It wasn't meant for me."

Perhaps the original Ah Yue had seen something he shouldn't have. Or maybe someone had used him as a disposable vessel.

Either way, the Gu poison was real. And the system wouldn't help this time.

He would have to solve it himself.