3. Fragrant Sachet

"Xuanxuan, wake up. Put on a jacket; Mom opened the window, and it might be a bit cold. Don't catch a chill." Rong Xianxian felt a lump in her throat as she looked at her daughter, who had just woken up and was rubbing her eyes with a look of naive confusion.

"Okay, Mom. The air smells so refreshing today," Xuanxuan said, sniffing deeply.

"Does it? Xuanxuan, why don't you sit here like Mommy, take a slow, deep breath, and then exhale fully? This is called meditation, and it's very good for your body. Shall we try it together?" Rong Xianxian was slightly surprised. Is the child's perception truly this sensitive?

"Okay, Mom!" Xuanxuan happily agreed.

In her past life, Rong Xianxian had relied on false comforts and, unaware of the severity of the situation, had always kept her children tightly sheltered beneath her. It wasn't until she later saw a young boy about Xuanxuan’s age in a caravan running swiftly and even helping adults keep watch that she realized it was her own fear that had stifled her children's development.

This time, she would use this period of stability to properly cultivate Xuanxuan’s strength. This strength would not just be physical, but also mental—a sense of caution and vigilance. A child's emotions are easily influenced by adults. During their flight in her past life, Rong Xianxian’s anxiety and fear had been transmitted to her children, causing them to become silent, timid, and terrified day by day.

During this meditation, Rong Xianxian was pleasantly surprised to discover that her body was absorbing spiritual energy faster than it had after two months of practice in her past life. Although she could not yet perform internal observation, the width and resilience of her meridians clearly surpassed her previous peak. This was likely related to the mental attack she had endured earlier.

Rong Xianxian had stumbled upon the truth. Because her soul had just returned to her body, her mental power was already much stronger than that of an average person. Had she passed through the initial adjustment period, this "pseudo-strong" state caused by her soul's abnormality would have gradually returned to normal levels as her memories fused. However, the initial, powerful mental state of a newly returned soul is unstable. Overcoming the Cangli beast was a narrow victory; it was only because the technique she learned in her past life was a top-tier foundational method that she was able to withstand the beast's initial mental assault.

The mental attack was the Cangli's innate skill, directly linked to its life essence—a secret survival mechanism for its kind. Since the creature was restricted from moving upon its initial arrival, and its physical defense was exceptionally fragile, it had been forced to use its innate skill. By resisting that attack, Rong Xianxian had absorbed the mental energy generated by the creature's life essence.

This unstable, "pseudo-strong" mental state had now stabilized and even reached a higher level. In this regard, even without obtaining the sachet, Rong Xianxian had gained a massive advantage. The Cangli had died unfairly; had it poured more intensity into its first attack, or had it followed up with a second strike twice as strong after the first failed, Rong Xianxian would have been reduced to an imbecile.

But there is no medicine for regret in this world. The creature's mental energy had become her gain. Sharpened senses, widened meridians, accelerated cultivation, and an easier time entering deep meditation—these were all the benefits of her significantly increased mental power.

As the sky began to brighten, Rong Xianxian slowly exhaled and looked at Xuanxuan. The girl was breathing steadily, having fallen into a peculiar state. Realizing that Xuanxuan hadn't yet learned the acupuncture points, Rong Xianxian hadn't taught her formal cultivation; it appeared the child had entered a state of meditation. Having practiced yoga in the past, Rong Xianxian knew that children, with their simple minds, could empty their hearts more easily. While meditation might not absorb spiritual energy as efficiently, it could help the energy cleanse the body of impurities and strengthen it.

Choosing not to disturb her, Rong Xianxian took out the sachet she had obtained earlier. It looked much like the ones hung in homes to ward off insects and evil spirits, only more exquisite. Since it was said that the first wave of monsters to arrive dropped top-tier foundational techniques and rare items, this could not be a simple sachet. Yet, she checked it thoroughly inside and out; there was nothing unusual—it was just an empty bag.

Sachets are meant to hold things. Could it be a storage space? At this thought, Rong Xianxian grew excited. If she had a storage space, that would be wonderful. She tried to stuff a box of chocolates inside. It didn't fit; the sachet was too small. Did it require mental power? She stared at the chocolates and whispered, "Enter." The chocolates didn't budge. She held them with one hand and thought, "Enter," but still, nothing happened.

Rong Xianxian slumped onto the sofa in frustration, her right hand accidentally hitting the wooden armrest. "Hiss!" The scrape where she had held the knife too tightly earlier stung sharply. A sudden thought flashed in her mind: did it need to be bound? She fetched her first-aid kit, took out a lancet, pricked her fingertip, and let a few drops of blood fall onto the sachet. The blood slowly seeped in. A faint halo of light flickered over the sachet and vanished. This time, when she picked up the box of chocolates, she placed it inside with ease. From the outside, it looked the same, but inside, it had become a pocket of unknown depth.

Rong Xianxian was truly overjoyed. It was like providing charcoal in the snow, or a pillow when one was sleepy—everything she wished for was coming true. After experimenting, she found it was exactly what was described in cultivation novels: a storage bag. It was about the size of a small room, around ten square meters. To store items, she had to touch them, and they seemed to shrink automatically upon entry. To retrieve them, she had to lock onto the items with her mental power, and they would return to their original size. It could only store inanimate objects; when she tried to put in a small fish, the sachet seemed to reject it.

Although it couldn't hold living things, for someone like Rong Xianxian, who had to care for two children and survive by foraging in her past life, this sachet was a godsend for improving their quality of life.

"Mom!" Xuanxuan ran over, face beaming. "I feel so light today! I want to run a lap in the courtyard. School is closed today, can I go find Jingyi to play?"

"No, Xuanxuan. A lot of monsters have appeared outside, so children cannot go out alone. Mom will cook for you first. Eat well and exercise, and later, Mom will take you to fight monsters. Now, go wake up your brother."

When Xuanxuan used to watch her play survival games, she would always ask to fight the monsters herself. Her father had forbidden it, thinking the games were too violent and bloody, so Rong Xianxian had to let her play in secret. Children were innocent and simple-minded; let her believe this was just a game. Fear and pressure had no place in a child's life. In her past life, while fleeing with the children, her own tension and anxiety had sometimes led to breakdowns. She could only imagine the terror her children must have felt seeing their mother collapse.

Reflecting on the mistakes of her past life, Rong Xianxian silently vowed to take them as a warning. She hung the sachet around her neck and tucked it inside her clothes. It was safe to hide at home for now, so she didn't intend to pack just yet. She prepared breakfast for the three of them, and just as she was about to call the children to eat, a sharp, piercing bird cry rang out. A large bird with a long, colorful tail flapped its powerful wings and flew straight toward the window.

Rong Xianxian realized her mistake—she had forgotten to close the window, too focused on the spiritual energy entering the room and forgetting about the monster arrival. Seeing that the sky was fully bright, she realized the various monsters must have broken free from their restraints and left their initial zones.

How careless she had been!