The Prodigy of the Hidden Realm

In her previous life, Lily had a red heart-shaped birthmark on her wrist, delicate and beautiful. She hadn't expected that the little girl in this reincarnation would also bear the same mark in the same place.

Thinking back to the golden light that had suddenly appeared on her wrist, Lily began to form a bold theory. Could this birthmark be a seal? And when it was accidentally broken, it triggered the opening of the mysterious space?

As for the sudden healing of her wound, Lily attributed it to the immortal water she had drunk from the spring. Now, she is convinced that the spring had some miraculous properties.

Lily's theory turn out to be accurate. Over the following days, through continuous experimentation, she discovered that simply touching the birthmark and focusing on it would transport her to the space. She could also leave the space the same way.

What was even more surprising was the spring's ability to cleanse the body, purging impurities and strengthening physical health. If consumed regularly, it not only improved one's well-being but also had the potential to extend life.

The most exciting discovery is the land in the space. Anything planted there grow at an accelerated rate—what would take an entire month outside took only a day inside the space.

Lily had made this discovery when she found a young wild apple tree that appeared to be dying from the cold at the foot of a mountain. She carefully transplanted it into her space and watered it with the immortal spring water. To her astonishment, just one day later, the tree had flourished and grown several feet taller.

This was an unexpected blessing. Lily's excitement grew—If I learn about herbs from the books and plant them in the space, I could sell them for a profit! Anyway, since her family now live at the foot of the mountain, it is easy for her to go into the mountains.

Her family had recently moved into a small house at the foot of the mountain, making it easy for her to gather herbs. The past few days had been spent repairing their dilapidated hut. It was barely livable, but at least it was a place to call home.

On sunny days, the hut was livable, but Lily worried that if a heavy rainstorm came, it might collapse. Still, she finds solace in having her own space, no matter how humble it is.

Looking around at the modest house, Lily's father, Thomas Emerson, squeezes her mother's hand, his face filled with guilt.

"I'm sorry for making you and the children suffer," he said softly.

Her mother, Mary, shook her head. "As long as we're together, I believe things will get better."

The old matriarch, Abigail Emerson, was busy giving out instructions. "Everything's packed up. Lily, you'll sleep in the room on the west side, and the east side will be for your brother. I've set aside a room for the other boy, and your younger sister can sleep with you two. I'll cook for now and make do with an outdoor stove."

Her arrangements were surprisingly well-organized, despite the humble surroundings.

"Mom, I'm sorry for making you suffer," Thomas said again, a shadow of pain crossing his face. "But don't worry. I'll take the imperial exams and become a scholar. When I make money, I'll buy you a big house in the town, and you can live in comfort."

Abigail's eyes filled with tears upon hearing her son's words. Lily quickly walked over to her and took her arm affectionately. "Granny, you don't have to wait for Father to become a scholar. I'll get you a big house like the landowners' soon, okay?"

"You silly child, do you know how much those landowners' big houses cost?" Abigail laughed at Lily's innocent remark. Despite favoring her grandson, she couldn't help but feel fond of Lily, who was sweet and lively, unlike her elder brother, who was quiet and reserved.

Lily stuck out her tongue and grinned mischievously. "Just wait and see."

No one took her words seriously, though.

Just then, the village chief's eldest son, Carl, walked up carrying a basket of sweet potatoes.

"Abigail Emerson, Thomas, these are for you. My father asked me to bring them over. He thought you might not have enough food after moving in. They're for the kids to roast and have something sweet tonight," Carl said, smiling as he poured the sweet potatoes into a basket by the door.

Thomas was taken aback, feeling both surprised and touched. "We can't accept this. It's too much."

The village chief waved it off. "It's nothing, just a few sweet potatoes. We're all from the same village. Don't worry about it."

As Carl quickly turned to leave, Abigail sighed. "Your father had a good relationship with the village chief. It was the village chief who supported him and helped him find a school when he was young. And it was the village chief who helped you get into the academy. Don't forget this kindness when you become successful."

Abigail's words carried a bittersweet tone as she reminisced. Her husband had been taught by a village scholar in his youth. In his spare time, he would also teach his sons to read, and it was during those lessons that Thomas had shown an exceptional talent for learning. While his older and younger brothers struggled, Thomas had excelled, memorizing much of the Thousand Character Classic. The village chief had urged Thomas's father to send him to school, hoping that the family would produce a scholar. And Thomas, despite studying in a low-quality school, had passed the preliminary scholar exams, an achievement not many in the village could boast of.

"If you do well in the exams, don't forget to repay the village chief's kindness," Abigail added, her voice a mix of pride and hope.

Thomas nodded solemnly. "I won't forget."

After Carl left, Abigail took out a cloth pouch from her sleeve, opening it to reveal several copper coins. She handed them to Thomas. "Here's fourteen cents. It's not much, but it'll be enough to buy some rice. You can't let my good grandson go hungry."

Thomas's lips moved as if to reject the offer, but in the end, he accepted the coins. "Thank you, Mom. I'll make sure we get through this."

Abigail's gift was small, but it was enough to buy some food. Thomas felt a pang of helplessness. It had been a while since he had done any work to earn money, and his wife's embroidery shop had also shut down. They hadn't made any income in a while, and now, with no choice but to return to the village, they had almost no savings.

Thinking they were going to live in the old house, he had spent seven or eight cents on osmanthus cake for his elder brother's family when he arrived. Now, he had less than thirty cents left. A pound of coarse grain cost five cents, so this would only be enough to buy six pounds of it. Six pounds—if they eat only half full at each meal, how long will it last?

This was also the reason he gave up his studies and brought his family back to the village.

How long will fourteen cents last us? he thought with a heavy heart.

Lily, unaware of the financial struggles her family was facing, could sense the worry on her parents' faces. She guessed that they were close to running out of food.

It seemed that, for the time being, she would have to head up the mountain to gather herbs and sell them for money. She couldn't rely on the apples from her space just yet, though. While the apple tree had grown rapidly, she couldn't guarantee the apples would be good, let alone ripe, and winter wasn't the best season for fruit. Plus, as a six-year-old village girl, how could she explain the sudden appearance of apples in the middle of winter?

She had to be careful, but she wasn't going to give up. Her family needed her.