MEI LIN POV
I didn't sleep. How could I?
That glowing, smug screen hovered in my vision all night, its words burning into my mind:
[Quest Updated: Begin your journey as the World's First Pornstar Cultivator!]
Even now, as the sun rose over the mountains, I sat at the riverbank staring at the reflection of my own tired face.
Trash girl, expelled from the sect.
Trash girl, mocked by everyone.
Trash girl… with a system that promised power through lust.
I pressed my fingers against my lips. "This has to be a dream."
[Dreams don't reward you, Host.]
I flinched. "Y-you can talk!?"
The glowing text shifted, smug.
[Correction: I don't talk. I communicate. Now open your Beginner Seductress Pack and stop wasting time.]
"Beginner what?"
[Reward unlocked: Beginner Seductress Pack.]
[Contents: ❖ Low-tier Charm Technique: Velvet Gaze. ❖ Outfit: Scarlet Lotus Robe. ❖ Consumable: Perfume of Desire (one-time use).]
I blinked. "You… you gave me clothes?"
[Correction: seductive clothes.]
A pulse of light, and suddenly a folded robe appeared in my lap. I touched it hesitantly — silky, red as wine, embroidered with lotus flowers that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
"…If anyone sees me wearing this, they'll think I've joined a brothel."
[Perfect. The goal is attraction.]
I scowled. "The goal is humiliation, you mean."
[No, Host. The goal is cultivation. Don't you want power? Don't you want revenge against those who spat on you?]
My chest tightened. Of course I did. The faces of my fellow disciples burned in my mind — the sneers, the laughter, the scorn. Elder Jiang's cold voice echoed still: "Dead weight."
I clenched the robe in my hands. Humiliation or not, this was my chance.
Slowly, I slipped into the Scarlet Lotus Robe. The fabric clung to me like water, cool at first then warm against my skin. When I glanced down at my reflection in the river, I froze.
My figure… looked different. Sharper. More alluring. My curves stood out more, my eyes gleamed brighter, my lips fuller.
"Is this… me?" I whispered.
[Correction: Enhanced you. Erotic Aura + Scarlet Lotus Robe = Seduction Value boosted by 50%.]
A thrill raced down my spine. This was ridiculous. This was shameful. And yet—somewhere deep inside—I couldn't help but feel powerful.
"What about that skill?" I asked. "Velvet Gaze?"
[Demonstration advised. Pick a target.]
My stomach dropped. "Target? You mean a… person?"
[Yes, Host. Quest: Seduce your first target. Suggestion: Li Wei, disciple of Heavenly Jade Sect. Estimated difficulty: Low.]
My breath hitched. Li Wei.
Of course it was him. The handsome outer-sect disciple who had mocked me the loudest. The one who once caught me tripping on the training field and laughed, calling me "flat, plain, and talentless."
I hated him. And yet… I couldn't deny the system's choice.
[Quest: Seduce Li Wei.]
[Reward: 50 Charm Points + 1 Cultivation Rank.]
My hands shook. Cultivation rank? That was what I wanted most of all. A chance to stop being trash. A chance to climb.
But to get it…
I stared at my reflection, at the Scarlet Lotus Robe hugging my body, at the faint glow of rutile shards floating in my aura like golden needles.
Could I really do this? Seduce someone?
[Reminder: Failure to complete quests will result in System Punishment.]
"Punishment!?" My voice cracked.
[Yes. Details locked. Complete the quest to avoid discovering them.]
I swallowed hard. So it wasn't just temptation — it was a leash. This system wasn't going to let me back out.
For a long moment, I just sat there, staring at the rippling water. Then, slowly, I stood.
"All right," I whispered, my voice trembling between fear and determination. "If this is my path now… then I'll walk it."
The Heavenly Jade Sect's outer training fields were buzzing with disciples by the time I arrived. I kept to the shadows, heart pounding.
Then I saw him — Li Wei. Tall, smug, handsome, sparring with two others. His sword flashed, his laugh rang out, and my blood boiled.
[Target Acquired: Li Wei.]
[Activating Velvet Gaze.]
I gasped as my eyes burned faintly with pink light. The world sharpened, his figure highlighted. He turned — and his gaze snagged on me instantly.
For a heartbeat, he just stared.
Then his lips curved into a mocking smile. "Well, well. If it isn't the expelled trash. What are you doing here, Mei Lin? Looking for pity?"
The disciples around him chuckled. My cheeks flamed. Shame and rage twisted in my chest.
But then I remembered the robe hugging my curves, the aura shimmering around me. I remembered the system's words: My body is a weapon.
I forced a slow smile, meeting his eyes with Velvet Gaze.
"No," I said softly. "I came to show you what trash can become."
His smirk faltered. Just a flicker, but I saw it. His gaze lingered — lower than my face — before snapping back up.
[Velvet Gaze effective. Target's Desire +10.]
My heart hammered. It worked. It actually worked.
For the first time, Li Wei wasn't laughing. He was staring.
And for the first time, I didn't feel like trash.