The rock flew at a great speed as it pierced one of the bat’s heads, its body then falling helplessly to the ground. The Hellscreamer bats heard of their companion’s death and screamed even louder, but Riyue didn’t care as he kept sniping at them with his rocks.


    Riyue’s body reformation had not only given him a great constitution capable of absorbing Qi far more efficiently but also improved his movements as well. It felt like he now had a natural talent for throwing.


    In less than a few minutes, he had already sniped around five bats while the others stopped screaming and ran away. In satisfaction, Riyue finally went to the grass patch and took out as much Ice Spirit Grass as he could. After filling two pouches with the Ice Spirit Grass, Riyue smiled in satisfaction.


    ''One pouch is for my elixir, and the other is to help me not get a heatstroke in the mountains. If I still have some leftover, I can just put it in my bundle and sell it for quite a high price.'' He could take more, but considering the law that limits the amount of certain ingredients a person can take per month, Riyue refrained from doing so, since he was also going to get the Golden Lotus.


    This law exists so that there will be no lack of resources for everyone, and even the major sects have to follow it if they intend on taking the natural resources of the country.


    ‘Though the majority is probably because the Imperial Family wanted more of the ingredients they could get… Can’t say I blame them, though. After all, they are the ones managing this country.’


    As Riyue was about to get up, he suddenly sensed a severe amount of chill inside his body, and he began trembling. Both due to the ever-increasing chill and the immense pressure that suddenly came from within the cave.


    Without hesitation, Riyue immediately ran forward, converging both his Sun and Moon Qi on his legs to run as fast as possible. There was no need to look back. Bits of frost started covering Riyue’s body, making it a bit sluggish. However, Riyue managed to reach the stairs, and he kept running. Soon enough, he reached the first floor, and the frost, the chill, immediately disappeared as Riyue collapsed to the ground.


    ‘Fuck! That was scary as hell!’


    Riyue looked at his clothes and skin, which had bits of frost on them. He could sense that the Blizzard Wraith was still far away, yet it was already able to affect his body.


    ‘The might of a Stage 5 equivalent is not to be underestimated. It is said that it is the stage where one will have a big increase in strength and is the path right below Stage 6, where one will reach the first step of transcendence.’


    Riyue then shook his head to stop thinking about that damned wraith and decided to be happy for just leaving with his life intact and the Ice Spirit Grass. He walked out of the cave, avoiding the monsters of the first floor or relying on the Qilin’s horn.


    As soon as he got out, he immediately threw his layers of cloth back into the bundle, and he started sweating at the extremely hot temperature. However, now he had the Ice Spirit Grass to help. With that said, due to limited resources, he only intended on using it if he was on the verge of fainting due to heatstroke.


    He then sat and rested to recover his Qi, and after it was full, he began to hike the Qian Yang Mountain Range. Unlike the Yong Bing Cave, which was filled with many dangerous monsters even on its earliest floors, the Qian Yang Mountain Range varies in terms of monsters. There are a lot of weak ones and a lot of strong ones.


    But there were especially a lot more weak ones, such as the ones in front of him.


    ‘Wondering when they are going to show up… They are, after all, one of the most common monsters in fantasy.’ Riyue smiled.


    A small humanoid body with red skin, a slightly hunched back, an extremely ugly face with a deformed nose, a ragged cloth wrapping its privates, and rusted weapons in their hands. It was a goblin.


    ‘Seeing the color of their skin, must be demonic ones.’Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Goblins in this world are not to be underestimated. They are more than capable of taking down a farmer or two if the latter lets their guard down, and they are cunning, able to learn, and smart. However, that was it. There was also no need to overestimate them, as though they are smart and cunning, they are still goblins after all.


    Like this situation, there were ten of them in Riyue’s sight. Perhaps they thought they could win against him if they ganged up.


    ‘Using the horn will have them scattering back to their forests but… Why should I do that?’


    The reason why Riyue rushed to get the pills to reach Stage 2 instead of waiting until he was strong enough right before the academy starts was because he needed a bunch of battle experience. Being a Stage 2 is no use if one is inexperienced.


    ‘The Original Riyue had a few fights in his life, but only against the elders and trainers. He was, after all, a precious young master. As for me, I haven’t even gotten into a fight except for a few scuffles for bread back when I was a child.’


    Which is why he needed as much fighting experience as possible. Riyue took a stance and taunted the goblins by raising his middle finger and then beckoning them to come with it.


    The goblins probably didn’t understand what it meant but knew that they were being taunted. Their already ugly faces twisted as they screamed and lunged at Riyue. However, Riyue’s attention was on the ones that didn’t lunge and instead twisted their bodies as if to throw something.


    ‘Cunning and smart, but still goblins after all.’


    If it were Riyue, he wouldn’t have shown himself in the first place if he wanted to throw stuff.


    Using the Sun and Moon Qi and converging them into his legs, Riyue dashed at the nearest goblin. His hands, like claws, grabbed the goblin’s neck as he lifted its body, gripping it tightly. He then spun his body and threw the goblin in his hands towards the goblins shooting the rocks.


    “Kriek!”


    The goblin let out a small noise before its body exploded after crashing with its brethren. Riyue then punched the nearest goblin who wielded a knife, before using the Tiger Tail Sweep to spin and kick the second-nearest goblin.


    One of his big advantages was his long arms and legs, and if he were to compare them to a goblin, his reach was many times longer than theirs. Riyue then sensed a bit of Qi movement as a goblin lunged toward his back. Though goblins were far from proficient in using Qi, they could use it to a certain extent.


    Riyue then planted his feet to the ground and performed a Tiger’s Paw Strike while converging the Sun and Moon Qi together in his palm. The goblin’s body received the strike, and a gaping hole in its stomach emerged before it fell down lifelessly. Riyue then grinned at the remaining goblins.


    “Not attacking any longer?”


    The goblins, with faces full of fear, staggered back. The quick-witted ones had already started running away; however, Riyue would not allow it.


    Tiger’s Pounce.


    Riyue dashed and jumped toward the running goblins, his fist cocked back before he proceeded to slaughter the remaining goblins. In this process, he didn’t get a single drop of blood on his shirt, though dust and dirt accumulated on it.


    ‘Though I might be a Stage 1, it is quite hard for a normal Stage 1 to slaughter this many goblins with ease. I guess increasing the mastery of martial arts also played a big role. Though the double attribute Qi is the biggest reason.’


    The parts of his body where he used the convergence of Sun and Moon Qi throbbed in pain, but not to the extent of the one in the forest.


    ‘I guess this means that I am progressing steadily. Nice.’


    Riyue’s lips curled up, and he then continued his journey to the peak. Of course, he still avoided as many monsters as possible to preserve his Qi and only fought when he was confident he could win. He also relied a lot on the Qilin’s Horn in this regard, and because of it, his journey went by quite smoothly, except for the occasional heatstroke that made him dizzy and required him to eat an Ice Spirit Grass to cool his body down.


    ‘But the journey is still long.’ Riyue sighed. His head was pounding, and his body was sluggish. It would still be roughly 2-3 days of continuous walking to reach the peak. His body was fatigued, especially after exploring the Yong Bing Cave prior to hiking to the peak.


    ‘It’s still a bit too early, but I should rest.’


    Nothing is more dangerous and reckless than forcing a battered body to fight. Riyue searched for a good place to hide and sleep before he encountered a small cave. Riyue smiled and was about to go in before his body stiffened as he looked on the floor.


    Trails of dried-up blood and footsteps led to the cave.


    Riyue frowned.


    ‘It looks like human footsteps. He or she is probably injured… If so, then it would probably be safe for me to go in. Conversation is always possible, and even if they attack me, I could always run.’


    Riyue then went inside, with his senses sharpened to the limits, not intending on overlooking a surprise attack. He also made his steps loud to warn the other person of his approach and convey that he meant no harm. After a while, Riyue could see a figure sitting on the floor. She had long black hair and purple eyes, clothing resembling an assassin’s, and two daggers by her side. Judging by her closed eyes, she seemed to be unconscious.


    ‘...Wait, isn’t she the assassin that stole from Rong Yu?’


    Though he had only seen half her face, her clothing was very similar, and he couldn’t think of anyone else with black hair and purple eyes.


    ‘...’


    It was an unexpected reunion.