ã€ŠHarvesting Skills and Cultivating - [a LitRPG Cultivation Story]ã€‹


 Chapter 1: A New World and a System

    Chapter 1:

    Everything changed in a single moment. One second I was heading home after hanging out with my high school friends one last time before heading off to college. The next the ground seemed to open up into complete darkness. I dropped my phone in a panic and then fell through.

    Then I was in a void but at the same time¡­ not. It was more than that. Something all-encompassing. Something beyond everything. Something never-ending.

    I fell¡ªflew?¡ªthrough this darkness for what felt like just a moment but also an eternity. Then a small orb of light appeared in the distance. I turned¡ªbut didn¡¯t turn¡ªto look at it and suddenly it was on me. It encompassed me, pushed away the eternity around me.

    Words filled my mind.

    New user found. Inbetween deterioration reaching critical limits. Emergency emergence initiated.

    Preliminary reality danger rating: Severe

    Then, just like that, the darkness disappeared entirely and reality came back. I landed on my feet, almost falling over. My shoes squished in mud. And around me was¡­ a forest?

    I spun frantically, taking in my new surroundings. I was in a small clearing encircled by trees. A pungent aroma of wet soil and foliage assaulted my nose. But above it was sunny, without a cloud in the sky.

    Beyond the trees, I could see that I was pretty deep in whatever forest this was. Things just got darker the farther I looked, and there was lots of underbrush. A creeping feeling started to build in my chest and¡ªWait, was that a trail?

    Maybe. It looked like a cleared off trail ran through this clearing. So was I along a hiking trail?

    I let out a breath at that, my shoulder slumping just a bit. That was good. That meant this place couldn¡¯t be too dangerous, right? People passed by this place to keep it clear at the very least. I should be able to get home.

    But then why did those words say it was dangerous¡­

    Then again, why the hell did words appear in my mind earlier anyway? How did I even go from the suburbs to this forest? Did that darkness part even happen or was I just knocked out? If so, then how did I wake up on my feet?

    Just what the fuck was happening?

    I ran my hands through my hair as all these thoughts swirled in my head and my panic returned. I tried to not let it overcome me. I took some deep breaths trying to calm down. The damp earthy scent from the forest around me filled my nose. Yet my worry wouldn¡¯t leave me.

    I started looking around for signs of anything I might have missed. Of danger. Because I couldn¡¯t just ignore those last words I¡¯d heard¡ªfelt?¡ªin the darkness. They felt important. But just why was it dangerous? And just how did I get here?

    Anxiety continued to build in my chest despite my attempts at controlled breathing and¡ª

    Something moved in the corner of my eye. I froze. Then I slowly looked over and¡­ Fuck. Yep, those were eyes. Yellow eyes staring at me from one of the large bushes. Given how high off the ground they were it was probably dog-sized. Maybe a bit smaller?

    For a second I imagined it was just someone''s pet. That some jogger or something would pop up, say high, grab their dog, and help me figure out where I was.

    I was not that lucky.

    Slowly but steadily the owner of the eyes moved towards me. It was a big cat of some kind. Mountain lion? Leopard? I might have known the difference at one point but I couldn¡¯t help but focus on the sharp claws and fangs. And the fact that it was heading towards me.

    I took a step back before I realized it. Was that bad? Fuck I couldn¡¯t remember. Should I try to scare it off? Or was that what you did for bears? What did you do for big cats then?

    The cat continued to approach, its mouth opening to let out a growl and show off its fangs.

    I grimaced, then bared my teeth and started shouting. I threw my arms up as well, trying to look big. ¡°Argh! Fuck off you bitch! You¡¯re fucking small so piss off! Don¡¯t make me kick your¡ªfuck!¡±

    The damned thing leapt at me like a spring and I reacted before I could think. My knuckles somehow smashed into its mouth. Pain flared as it nicked the skin there, but I sent cat stumbling to the side.

    ¡°Yeah, fuck off!¡± I shouted, my heart thudding in my ears as I ignored the pain in my hand. I moved towards it to pretend to kick at it. Maybe it would get that it should find some easier prey. ¡°Get loss you fucking little shit. Fuck off and¡ªGah!¡±

    The cat snarled and leaped for me again. It caught me by my extended leg and I felt its claws dig through my jeans.

    I cursed again and just started beating the thing on the head, hoping to stop it from biting into me. I slammed my fist again and again into its skull while trying to shake the damn cat off.

    When it finally leapt away I regretted it immediately. Searing pain came from my shin as its claws tore free.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it!¡± I shouted, blinking away tears. Then I just yelled as I charged the stupid fucking cat that was already ready to pounce at me again. This time I didn¡¯t pretend to kick it. I fucking punted that stupid thing with everything I had.

    I felt the claws dig into my leg again for just a second. Then I sent it flying back and into a tree. It slammed into it and fell to the ground. I watched it for a long second. I was panting hard but I ignored that and focused on the cat.

    Come on, you little bastard. Just back off already. I¡¯m like four times your size!

    After another moment the cat stirred. It shook its head quickly and turned to snarl at me. I shouted back, hoping to finally scared it off.

    But of course, it still didn¡¯t run. Instead, it charged at me. Really damn fast.

    Shit!

    It leapt at me again and this time my reflexive punch missed. Thankfully, I still managed to get an arm between me and it. Its claws dug into the sleeves of my hoodie and snapped at my face. I lost my balance and slipped in the mud.

    My back slammed into the muddy ground below. I jolted as the cold mud immediately seemed to sink through my hoodie. Some of it splashed up and landed on my face. All the while I felt its claws ripping and tearing at my hoodie as it tried to bite at my face again. It felt stupidly strong for its size.

    But I wasn¡¯t about to let this overgrown house cat kill me.

    ¡°Get off!¡± I shouted and used my free hand to grab at the thing''s face. I shoved my thumb into one of its eyes, causing it to yowl furiously and pull back. Then with all the strength I could muster, I shoved the stupid cat off of me. I heard something tear, but hoped that it was just my hoodie as the beast went flying.

    I scrambled to my feet, kicking up mud as I did, as the thing landed on its side. It snarled in rage as it got back up, its head twitching furiously and its eyes blinking. It must have been hurting a lot. Good. And I wasn¡¯t done with it yet. Not after it clearly didn¡¯t know when to stop.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    I rushed the thing before it could recover and claw me again. Then I punted it again against another tree. As it went soaring through the air, I didn¡¯t let up this time. Instead, I charged right after it and kicked it. Then I stomped down on its head.

    Then I fucking did it again. And again. And again.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I shouted with everything I had as I felt bone crush underneath my shoe. A disgusting squelching sound followed, making me want to puke.

    The cat''s body flailed for another moment before it went slack. Bile rose in my throat but I swallowed it down as I just tried to breathe.

    I stayed like that for what felt like a long moment. My foot in cat brain, my clothes covered in mud, and my chest heaving as I tried to calm down. Eventually, my breathing started to slow and the fucking claw wounds around my leg started to burn.

    Still, I didn¡¯t do anything else until what sounded like a digital beep rang in my ears. A blue screen followed it, appearing in front of me. I jolted back in surprise.

    Quick World Analysis Complete.

    Location Type: Immortal Cultivation Realm.

    Danger level: Severe (Extreme caution is recommended)

    Skill Generation System Adapted.

    Multiversal Translator Activated.

    Status Page Unlocked.

    To protect yourself in a Severe danger level world, it is recommended that you begin to collect Skills from defeated foes as soon as possible.

    Compatible sources of Skills will be marked by your System UI.

    I stared at the screen uncomprehendingly. Like, I understood the words. I even somehow knew these were from the same source as the words I heard in my head when I¡¯d been in the darkness. And I got the gist of what was written. At least I thought I did, since the concepts involved seemed eerily similar to the random stories and novels I¡¯ve read online.

    But still, it just didn¡¯t make sense at all. Because those were stories. And this was real life. Stuff like this didn¡¯t happen in real life. At the very least, they weren¡¯t supposed to.

    Was I dreaming then? Was all this a hallucination?

    As if to answered me, a throb of pain came from my shin making me groan. Dreams weren¡¯t supposed to hurt. Right?

    Freakin cat.

    I gritted my teeth and waved away the message. Then I looked down at my injured leg. I couldn¡¯t really tell how bad it was past my ripped jeans, but blood had started to soak through the denim. I probably needed to do something about that.

    But despite that need, I found my attention drawn to something else. The cat that I¡­ that I killed. A blue aura surrounded it, the same color as the screen I¡¯d dismissed.

    I frowned down at it. Did that mean what I thought it did? And if it did, just how did I make use of it?

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Loot?¡± I said, staring at the blue glowing caress.

    To my surprise that seemed to work as another digital-looking blue box appeared. Was it the command or was just focusing on it enough? I¡¯d have to test on the next one.

    Defeated Enemy: Cloud-Spotted Leopard

    Available Skills to Harvest:

    Cat-like Reflexes (Passive) (Rank E): Dexterity is increased by 50%.

    Feral Vitality (Passive) (Rank E): Increase your Vitality by 50%

    Ambush Predator (Passive) (Rank E): Decrease your presence by 50% when trying to remain hidden.

    Again, I felt dumbfounded. Not because I didn¡¯t understand any of it, but because it was just too familiar and alien at the same time. It was getting harder and harder to ignore the fact that I was very likely transported to another world and now given a video game-like power.

    Or a System as those stories like to call it. One revolving around harvesting rpg-like Skills.

    I didn¡¯t know whether I wanted to laugh or cry. Probably both.

    I¡¯d dreamed of stuff like this happening before. But now that it had¡­ Fuck¡­ What will my parents think when I don¡¯t come back home? What will Lizzy think? We were supposed to have a going away party.

    Fuck!

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± I groaned, rubbing at my eyes for a long moment. I just dwelled in my misery and my loss. Then I spun around in fright as I realized what I was doing.

    I fully expected another leopard to appear in my moment of complete inattention and weakness. But there was nothing, even as my heart beat hard in my chest and my leg continued to burn. Fuck, right, need to take care of that.

    Because despite how insane all this was, this was likely real. And that meant if I was careless, and didn¡¯t try my best, I could end up dead.

    I turned my attention back to the screen with that thought in mind. This was probably my best bet to protect myself. I just had to make a choice.

    Cat-like reflexes would help me avoid getting as badly hurt in the future and end a fight sooner. Ambush Predator would let me avoid fights altogether. But, I felt Primal Vitality was probably what I needed the most right now. Even if it would have been a lot better if I had higher stats instead of what I had now.

    The reason for my choice was mainly because I had no idea where I was, and how far away I was from help. And Primal Vitality seemed like the only Skill that might help with my injury. I was really hoping it would prevent infection, or at least make the blood loss manageable.

    Which¡­ I should probably actually try and do something about, right? Maybe rip up my T-shirt and use it as a bandage?

    Shit, I should have done that first, shouldn''t I? Damn it. Okay, right after this.

    I made my selection and tapped on Primal Vitality. The screen disappeared and the body of the leopard glowed for a moment it faded away into motes of blue light.

    Then I felt¡­ a rush of warmth through me. I shivered a bit at the weird sensation but it was gone almost as soon as it arrived. I looked down at my hands but I didn¡¯t notice anything different at all. My leg still throbbed with pain as well.

    I grimaced. I¡¯d hope for something more. But maybe it would be more apparent later. At the very least, I wanted to believe that it had given me more time.

    I tried to keep that positive in mind as I knelt to take care of my leg. Though not before giving my surroundings one more look just in case.

    Sometime later, I was down a T-shirt, my hands were all bloody, and I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d done any good. But it was the best I could do, as I had literally zero first-aid training.

    I sighed as I got back up, and gave my surroundings another long look. I noticed a couple of birds in the trees but that was it. Still safe. But it might not stay that way forever.

    I should probably get moving soon. Staying here was not a good idea and I needed to find some help. But I had one more thing I needed to do before that. So, despite feeling a bit silly, I said out loud, ¡°Status.¡±

    Another blue screen appeared in my vision, both unfamiliar and familiar.

    Status page:

    Name: Michael Lin

    Cultivation: None

    Stats:

    Strength: 6

    Vitality: 5 (+2.5) = 7.5

    Dexterity: 5

    Mind: 6

    Skills (1/20 slots):

    Feral Vitality (Rank E: 0%): Increase your vitality by 50%

    Skill Consolidation. (0 Options available.)

    I quickly took it all in, again feeling surreal as fiction became reality for me. Still, I tried to not let it get to me and focus on what was important.

    The stats were interesting but not something to bother with now. Especially since given what they were, I¡¯d assume 5 was average for a person. At least for a human back on Earth.

    But this wasn¡¯t Earth if the System messages I got were to be believed.

    Not only that, but the System had labeled it as an Immortal Cultivation Realm. And my status had a place for my cultivation. If that meant this place was anything like the worlds I read in Xianxia stories, then I had no idea just what the real average for humans around here was like.

    So I moved on to the Skills.

    An important thing to note there was that I only had 20 slots. I might have to be careful about what I take in the future in case I don¡¯t unlock more. Next was the percentage next to the ranking. That likely meant I could rank up Skills. Make them stronger. But given my Skill was just a passive Vitality buff, I was either already working on that, or it wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d want to do while alone and without resources.

    Then finally there was the last thing. Skill Consolidation. That sounded like a way to combine Skills. Maybe as a way to try and make more room for Skills since there were only twenty slots. Another thing to look into later, but there really wasn¡¯t anything I could do about it right now¡­

    Well, maybe there was.

    Curiously, I reached out and tapped the words to see if it did anything.

    To my surprise it did and a new window popped up.

    Skill consolidation:

    The process of combining two more Skills to create a single more versatile and possibly more powerful Skill.

    Skills must be compatible to consolidate

    Warning: Consolidated Skills may become harder to wield or lose some features

    Huh, that was¡­ well it was informative and probably important for later. It was also nice that the System seemed to come with some helpful instructions. But once again it wasn¡¯t anything that could help me right now.

    And I should probably stop stalling and figure out what I was going to do next. Mainly where I should go.

    I could make out the sun through the canopy above but it hadn''t been long enough for me to see which way it was going. I also had no idea where I was. And if my fictional knowledge could be trusted¡ªwhich I should probably be cautious of trusting too much¡ªthen that cat that attacked me was probably one of the least dangerous things out here.

    There might be spirit beasts or something, which were essentially magical monsters¡­

    Fuck, okay, really thinking about it now, I was starting to regret not taking Ambush Predator. I mean, I might end up bleeding out or getting sick sooner without Feral Vitality, or not have the endurance to get out of here, but damn it. I would have liked to be able to hide better if there were really monsters in this forest with me.

    It was just too bad that there wasn¡¯t ano¡ª

    Yeah, no I wasn¡¯t even going to think about it. Still, I wouldn¡¯t mind some more Skills. If only there was another easier source of that¡­

    My thoughts trailed off as my gaze wandered up to the trees. There, a couple of birds were still chirping. Innocently. I looked at them, then looked at the ground. It only took me a few moments to find some very throwable-looking stones¡­

    I probably shouldn¡¯t. It would be animal cruelty. And there was no guarantee that I could get anything out of some small birds, right? But what if they counted as compatible sources of Skills?

    Shit.

 Chapter 2: Meeting the Locals

    Chapter 2:

    I stared at the dead bird at my feet for a good long while. With wet mud still clinging onto my pants and hoodie, I stood there feeling miserable. Both because of the cold damp feeling from the mud, as well as because I felt like a jackass. There was no blue halo around the dead bird. Nothing to be gained from it. No Skills.

    Fuck.

    Did the system have a size limit or something? Or was the leopard I fought magical or spiritual in some way? Was there a danger requirement? I had no way to know, but I really didn¡¯t feel like trying to figure it out right now. Not when it would involve either fighting another dangerous animal or killing a bunch of innocent creatures.

    I glanced down at the poor bloody bird again and sighed. I wasn¡¯t a vegetarian or anything. And if things had worked out I might not have felt so bad¡­ But¡­ Damn... Yet there was no point in crying over spilled milk. I had to move on.

    I had to get over it cause I couldn¡¯t stay here forever. More leopards might show up. Or the wounds on my leg might end up killing me if left untreated by someone who actually knew what they are doing. So I tore my gaze from the bird and tried to figure out if I needed anything from this clearing.

    For a second I considered taking the bird with me in case I needed something to eat. But it was gross and I had no idea how long it could last uncooked in this weather. So I left it alone.

    Instead, I ended up taking the biggest stick I could find to use as a walking stick. Partially to put some weight on it, but mainly in case I needed to leave the path and had to poke the underbrush for dangers. Then I started walking along one of the possible dirt footpaths that led out of the clearing. My leg continued to throb with pain, but it seemed to not be as bad as before. Duller.

    Hopefully, that was a good sign. Or maybe my new Vitality was kicking in? Either would be good.

    I walked for quite a while, quickly losing track of time. With my phone gone, and the lack of a watch, the best I could do was try to gauge things with what I could see of the sun through the canopy. And I wasn¡¯t good at that at all. I could have walked for half an hour or several hours. I didn¡¯t feel inclined to count it out in my head.

    Along the way, I saw some more animals, but thankfully nothing large or predatory. It let me slowly relax just a bit and think more about my situation. Not enough that I lowered my guard for any real dangers. But enough that I didn¡¯t feel like I was going to jump out of my skin.

    At first, I was focused on thinking about just how this was all possible. Quickly I realized I had to stop that train of thought, however. I was just going around in circles in my head. This could all be a random cosmic accident, the machinations of a powerful multiversal being, or maybe the System itself. Yet I had no way of knowing the truth.

    Not when the System didn¡¯t respond to anything but the Status command. It would just have to remain a mystery for the moment.

    So instead I focused on what I could do now. Mainly because it was my most pressing concern, but also because I needed to distract myself. If I didn¡¯t, then I would end up focusing on the fact that I was trapped in another world away from my friends and family. And the fact that I had no idea if there was a way for me to get back.

    And if I did that I might break down. Sure, I¡¯d been preparing to leave home for some time now. I had to since I was planning to go to college on the other side of the country. But that was one thing. This was another. I could at least still keep in touch on the internet on the other side of the country.

    In another world that wasn¡¯t an option.

    So yeah, I needed a distraction from those thoughts. Which meant trying to plan out what I should be doing. Even if it wasn¡¯t all that easy given how little information I had about where I was.

    Without exploring more, all I knew was that I was in an immortal cultivation world and I was in a forest. My main plan for dealing with the forest part of that was just traveling along the trail and hoping that I found a way out. I also kept note of any place that looked like they might make for good temporary shelter, as well as any source of food and water, in case plan A failed. But all I knew about survival was from online videos so I wasn¡¯t sure how much good that would do me.

    As for the immortal cultivation world part, I tried to think of how to deal with it, but there were so many unknowns. My only idea of what that meant came from fictional stories online. But since that was my only source of possible intel, I decided to assume for now that this world was like those stories.

    For now. Until I learned more.

    Which meant that the wilderness could be filled with magical monsters. That there were people who could become immortals, and had the power to wipe away mountains¡ªor even more¡ªwith just a wave of their hands. That there might be demonic cults out there that worked with actual demons¡ªor were just called that cause they did blood magic and human sacrifices. That all arrogant assholes had a stronger family member just waiting to cause trouble if you actually fought back and won.

    In conclusion, I was in a death world. One where the strong ruled and the weak were trampled upon.

    So what could I possibly do to prepare for all that?

    Well, the obvious answer was that I needed to use the System. It was my only leg up and my only way to get strong enough to deal with all that. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t an instant win ability and I wasn¡¯t in much of a position to use it at the moment.

    Since animals that I could readily kill seemed to give me nothing, I would have to figure out what were actually compatible targets first. And that was too dangerous to do when I was injured and lost.

    So really all I came up with after thinking about it was that I had to keep walking and hope I get out of this forest alive.

    That was a frustrating realization. Especially since I was still worried about getting attacked by another leopard or something worse. Thankfully, though, in the end, despite my growing worries and frustrations, the worst didn¡¯t come to pass.

    Instead, eventually, the dirt path ended up leading me to a much larger dirt road in a cleared-out section of the forest.

    Even better, looking down one direction I could see a lot more daylight. A way out of the forest. It seems despite my terrible luck so far getting caught up in all this, the universe wasn¡¯t completely out to get me. I had a way out.

    I sighed in relief and started making my way towards the sunlight. My leg continued to throb, and I was limping worse and relying on my walking stick more. I was also still cold and muddy. But my eagerness to get away from the danger of the forest pushed me to keep going.

    When I finally got out into the sunlight and saw the grassy hills beyond, I took a moment to take it all in. I leaned heavily on my walking stick and let the heat of the noon sun warm my skin¡ªand hopefully finally dry out the mud on me. Deep breaths let me untense my shoulders as I finally left the dangers of the forest behind.

    Sure, it probably wasn¡¯t completely safe out here. Even if there weren¡¯t animals or spirit beasts or whatever beyond the forest, there were still people out here. Potentially dangerous people who might be able to blast around fireballs and cut boulders with swords.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    But, for just a moment, I let myself ignore all that and feel safe.

    That moment didn¡¯t last too long. I was far too paranoid and far too close to the forest for that. And the elation and adrenaline that pushed away the pain of my leg began running out and it started to feel worse again. I needed to keep going and hopefully find some help before it got worse.

    Thankfully, it seemed that taking Primal Vitality had been the right call. Despite the leg pain and my trek through the forest, I felt like I could still keep going. Something I was pretty sure was because of the Skill because I wasn¡¯t super fit normally. I honestly thought I would have to rest a lot more than I did so far, and the fact that I felt like I could keep going was a good sign.

    So taking one more fortifying breath, I pushed myself to stand properly and continued on, following the road that led out of the forest.

    I walked for quite sometime after that. I had to go up and down several hills, which didn¡¯t do my leg any favor. There wasn¡¯t much to see either, as there were only grassy hills for what seemed like miles, and the only sign of civilization was the road I was on. There were also few clouds in the sky, letting the sun''s rays hit me with impunity.

    I was fine with it before, after being stuck in a dangerous dark forest. It helped dry the mud that caked my clothes. But I had no sunblock and my hoodie was starting to get a bit too warm. If my t-shirt wasn¡¯t being used as a makeshift bandage, I would have taken off my hoodie to cool down.

    But since it was, all I could do was bear with the heat. All the while cursing my past self for not bringing my backpack with me. I always had a water bottle in there and I certainly could have used it now.

    I was starting to wonder if this road actually led anywhere when I finally saw something new. It was to my right. Dark dots in the distance that seemed to be moving perpendicular to me. For a moment I worried it was a group of animals or monsters that were going to incept my path. But as I continued to walk I realized that I was approaching a crossroad. And that what I was seeing in the distance was some kind of caravan.

    I could just barely make out what looked like horse-drawn wagons and mounted riders.

    Both excitement and trepidation filled me at the sight. On one hand, my leg was getting really tired and was hurting a lot. So if these people could give me a ride or help me treat it better then that would be amazing. On the other hand¡­ even if this place wasn¡¯t like the ones in the stories I¡¯ve read, it still looked to be a bit on the primitive side. No cars, just horses and carriages. What if they¡¯re suspicious of me? Or were some rich nobles who won¡¯t bother with a peasant? Or heck, what if they hate foreigners and think I am one?

    Just cause this was called a cultivation world doesn¡¯t mean these people had to look even remotely asian after all.

    Then there was the worry about language. I think those System messages said something about a multiversal translator. But did that mean languages? Or something else?

    Well, I was about to find out.

    I ended up reaching the crossroad before the caravan, though it was a close thing. They were faster than me but had been further away. So I waited at the intersection, not actually on the road, and hoped for the best.

    Before the main body of the caravan reached me, a rider and a couple of other men moved to intercept me.

    The first thing I noticed as they came over was how fast the men on the ground were. The rider wasn¡¯t going that fast, but the men on the ground easily kept pace at speeds that would have been a run for me. Once they got closer, I noticed that they were all armed. The man on the horse had a sword on his hip, and three other guys were armed with a spear, an axe, and another sword. Thankfully, only the spearman actually had their weapon out since there wasn¡¯t really a way to store something like that.

    I raised a hand as they approached and tried to give them my best friendly smile. ¡°Hello.¡±

    At the same time, I noted their clothing and overall appearance. It seemed looks-wise this world¡ªat least this part of it¡ªmatched with what I was expecting when thinking about immortal cultivators. They looked vaguely Asian, and their hairstyles reminded me of the type of things I saw in the C-dramas¡ªChinese dramas¡ªmy parents liked to watch. That meant having long hair tied up into buns or tied up with a hairpiece. Their clothes were the same as well, reminding me of ancient Chinese clothing.

    The men on the ground had rough spun clothes that consisted of tunics and baggy pants. The pants were tied down near the ankles and they all had cloth sashes around their waists. They also had what looked like leather armor on top of that.

    The man on the horse resembled the ancient Chinese look a lot more, though. He had what I would think of as cultivator robes, which somehow remained rather pristine looking despite the more road worn look of his companons. He sat on his horse with a straight back and an impassive face. He didn¡¯t look either friendly or angry. Just very neutral as he slowed his horse and looked down on me.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The man on the horse asked.

    I tried not to react too much to what he said. It¡­ wasn¡¯t in English. Or Chinese or anything. But I understood him. So it seemed Multiversal Translator was for languages. That was good.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m in a bit of a bad state,¡± I said, hoping my words were translated too. I tried to keep the friendly smile on my face as I gestured down to my bloody and muddy jeans. ¡°Had a run-in with a cat in the forest back that way. I¡¯m kinda lost too and I saw your group. I was hoping I might be able to find some help.¡±

    The possible cultivator looked me up and down for a moment with a slight frown on his face. ¡°And just how do you expect to pay for such aid?¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°Well, admittedly, I don¡¯t have much to offer¡­ I was hoping that someone would help out of the kindness of their hearts. If not that then at least I hope you could point me in the direction of a town or city where I could find someone willing to help.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the man said impassively. He had a really good poker face as I had no idea what was on his mind.

    I fidgeted as I waited to see if he would say anything else.

    ¡°Come on, Captain,¡± one of the other men spoke up eventually, surprising me. He was actually quite young, maybe my own age, maybe even younger or a little older. He was the one with a sword and looked a bit exasperated. ¡°It¡¯s just some lost kid. Let''s take him back to the caravan, look over his wounds, and see if we can help. It''s not like it costs us anything.¡±

    A small part of me felt annoyed at being called a kid, especially by someone who looked around my age. I was seventeen, after all, soon to be eighteen. I was hardly a kid. Still, I did my best to act unphased by that. Cause maybe if they thought of me as a kid they¡¯d be more likely to help.

    The other two men on their feet said nothing, keeping impassive looks on their faces. Though the man with the spear might have given the swordsmen an annoyed side eye for a moment. But it had been quick so I wasn¡¯t sure.

    The captain sighed but didn¡¯t take his eyes off me. ¡°I know you are new to this, and a bit of a bleeding heart Shui Jianfeng, but have some respect for the chain of command. And given your background, you¡¯d think you¡¯d be more wary of people showing weakness to lure you in. Not to mention the possibility of spirit beasts that can mimic the human form.¡±

    I frowned at that but kept from speaking out. The man was being cautious but hadn¡¯t drawn a weapon yet. So hopefully he was still going to give me a chance.

    I also filed away that thing about spirit beasts for later. That¡­ wasn¡¯t great. Shapeshifting monsters was the last thing I wanted to deal with. Though was that what he meant, or was he referring to the thing where monsters can get a human form once they were strong enough?

    The now-named Shui Jianfeng¡ªthough was Shui his first or last name?¡ªscoffed at that. ¡°Sure, pretending to be younger or in pain to try and pickpocket someone might be a thing. Even to rob them. But to rob a heavily armed caravan and someone like you captain? Only the dumbest person around would try something like that. Either they had the strength to do it and wouldn¡¯t need to. Or they''d be kicking a steel wall. And aren¡¯t spirit beasts only able to transform like that at Rank 3?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the confidence,¡± the captain said with a quirk of his lips. ¡°But I¡¯m hardly infallible or all-powerful. There are plenty of people out there stronger than me, and many might favor less direct methods. And I could still lose my life to someone weaker than me if I wasn¡¯t cautious enough. As for spirit beasts, many can have rather exceptional abilities even in the lower Ranks.¡±

    ¡°So then what do we do?¡± Shui Jianfeng said, looking at me with a tilted head and narrowed eyes. It was a bit exaggerated and he didn¡¯t seem to be taking the concern seriously. ¡°We aren¡¯t just gonna leave him here with directions or something while we go on by, are we? Kinda cold-hearted.¡±

    The captain continued to stare at me for another long moment. This time it felt like he was looking right through me, seeing all my secrets¡­ Which thinking about it might be possible. Cultivators had spirit senses, right? A way to perceive the world with spirit energy or whatever. And given his state of dress he was likely one.

    If that was true, he could be using it right now and I would have no idea.

    Hopefully, whatever he saw showed him I was no threat.

 Chapter 3: Treatment and Safety?

    Chapter 3:

    ¡°Hu Ru, Feng Li,¡± the captain finally said, making me tense up a bit. Not that it would really do any good, given my state and their likely experience and power. ¡°Go and check for any signs of ambushes. Stay together and stay alert. Shui Jianfeng, since you are so concerned for his welfare, you take him back to the caravan to be treated. We¡¯ll take him back to the city. Until then do not let him out of your sight and keep him away from the clients. Understood? If we are attacked make sure to watch him then too.¡±

    I sagged in relief at those words and leaned more heavily on my walking stick.

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± the three men said. Then the two other men went off at a run in the direction I¡¯d come from. They moved much faster than I expected, sending up a small cloud of dust. Yeah, they were definitely not normal people.

    The captain stayed where he was on top of his horse, but his eyes finally left me. Instead, he scanned our surroundings carefully.

    That left the youngest of the group to come over to me with a friendly smile. He cupped his fist in his other open hand and gave me a shallow bow. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Shui Jianfeng. What''s your name?¡±

    I clumsily moved to mimic the fist and palm salute. ¡°Um, I¡¯m Michael Li. Or Li Michael. Do you guys go with your surname first or last?¡±

    ¡°Mai Ke Er Li?¡± He asked with a small frown and I winced.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if that was the auto-translate butchering my name, or that was the best he could do at pronouncing it. Either way, it sounded odd, like my English name when phonetically translated to Chinese but worse. It would probably be better to just use my Chinese name instead since it probably was easier to say for others. Should have thought of that earlier.

    It wasn¡¯t a big deal but it made me stand out. And that was the last thing I wanted to do while I was still learning about this world. However, it was probably too late with Jianfeng given my question about name order.

    ¡°Um, you can call me Lan Li or Li Lan instead,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Um, Michael is the name I use in my homeland. They speak a different language there.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± he said, nodding though looking confused. Did that mean they mostly spoke the same language in this world? Or was this guy just not worldly and hadn¡¯t met anyone who spoke another language before? ¡°You must be from quite far away then. And we use our family names first here.¡±

    I¡¯d assume that was the case but it was good to have it confirmed. ¡°Okay, then call me Li Lan. And yeah, I think I¡¯m pretty far from home.¡±

    ¡°It is good to meet you then Li Lan,¡° Jianfeng said and then gestured towards the still stopped caravan with a hand. ¡°Now let''s go get your leg looked at.¡°

    I nodded gratefully at that and started to head towards the caravan. Jianfeng walked unhurriedly beside me.

    ¡°So, how did you end up so far from home?¡± He asked.

    I hesitated for a moment, thinking of how to respond. In the end, though, I decided to go with the truth. Mainly because I wasn¡¯t a great liar. But I decided to go with as little details as possible. No need to tell someone I just met everything after all. Not when I didn¡¯t know how people would react to the idea that I came from another world.

    It could be a completely believable normal thing here. Or it could make me sound crazy. The worst possibility would be if it was taboo or something. Probably not, but why take the chance?

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not a hundred percent sure¡­¡± I said, trying to figure out how to word things. ¡°I was walking home and then suddenly I found myself in that forest.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Jianfeng asked, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

    I grimaced and shrugged. ¡°I know that sounds odd but it''s much worse for me. Imagine having something so absurd happen to you. Then imagine having to explain to other people this, knowing just how absurd it sounds. If I was going to lie about something like this, I¡¯d rather go for something more convincing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I get that,¡± Jianfeng said, nodding though I wasn¡¯t sure how much he believed me. It seemed random teleportation accidents weren''t normal in this world either.

    We soon reached the front of the caravan where another man on a horse moved to meet us. He was middle-aged, with a thick beard and mustache. He nodded to Jianfeng and then gestured to me. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Just someone in need of help, Shi Dai,¡± Jianfeng said. ¡°Captain said to take him to the back and treat him. But keep him from the clients just in case.¡±

    I noticed that he seemed to call everyone by their full names, and the captain had done that too. I should probably do that as well to fit in.

    Shi Dai rubbed his bushy beard and nodded at that. ¡°Alright, get to it then. We¡¯ll start moving when the captain gives the signal.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng nodded at that and he continued to lead me past the rest of the caravan. We walked on the grass, keeping a distance from everyone else. And despite his friendly attitude, he kept himself between me and the wagons and people.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if that was just a coincidence, or Shui Jianfeng being more cautious than his attitude would suggest. It didn¡¯t matter too much to me though so I didn¡¯t comment. Instead, I just took a moment to check the caravan out as we walked.

    There were several large wagons each being pulled by horses, and each with a rider and a passenger. Most of the wagons looked simple and made of wood, all filled with crates. One of them, though, was much more ornate. More of a carriage than a wagon. Probably where the leader of the caravan was.

    I didn¡¯t see who that might be though, as the carriage had its windows shuddered and the one holding the reins of the horses didn¡¯t look fancy enough to be the owner. However, I could be wrong.

    The rest of the caravan¡ªthose not tending to the wagons¡ªconsisted of a couple of other mounted riders, along with more than two dozen armed men on foot. Only one of the riders wore the same type of robes as the captain, while the rest were dressed more like Shui Jianfeng in simpler clothes.

    However, I noted that pretty much all the armed men¡ªexcept for a couple of the wagon drivers¡ªhad some kind of sash tied to one of their arms. These were all red and¡ªlooking at Shui Jianfeng¡¯s¡ªI noticed that there was the image of a stomping bull on it. They probably meant they were all part of the same group.

    Maybe hired guards or something.

    Eventually, we reached the back of the caravan, something I was grateful for. The throbbing of my leg was starting to get worse again. It was as if it could tell it would be treated soon and wanted to make me regret getting clawed up by that cat while it had the chance.

    Our destination was a smaller wagon right behind everything else. There were a couple of crates, but also what looked like camping supplies and maybe some spare weapons. I could at least make out what looked like spears and a barrel of arrows.

    We were met by three other men on foot. Two carried axes and looked older. The last was around my age and stood out a lot more.

    He had the type of pretty-boy good looks that some¡ªmore immature and totally not me¡ªguys might be jealous of. Like all the men here, he had long hair that was tied up in a topknot, though his hair seemed extra shiny and well cared for. Overall, he seemed rather effeminate.

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    Which made his weapon stand out all the more, contrasting heavily with his appearance.

    It looked like some kind of thick metal pole. Except one end was thicker than the other and had metal studs that looked like it would hurt a lot to get hit by it. Like the polearm version of a studded metal baseball bat. The brutal and heavy looking weapon seemed really out of place on his back.

    Jianfeng greeted the three men quickly and explained the situation again. He also introduced me to them. The two men were Mo Da and Mo Tu. Apparently, they were brothers. They just nodded indifferently and got back to work. One of them scanned the surroundings while the other got back in the driver''s seat of the wagon.

    The effiminte guy¡ªMing Lin¡ªgreeted me stiffly and looked at me with suspicion.

    He followed us over to the back of the wagon, where Jianfeng helped me get up and finally sit down. Despite the less than friendly guy eyeing me up, I let out a sigh of relief as I was finally off my feet.

    Shui Jianfeng then climbed up after me and rummaged around through the supplies. When he sat down next to me at the back of the wagon, he had a small flat clay jar in his hands. Instead of handing it to me though, he tossed it to Ming Lin.

    The responding glare he gave to his friend, then me, told me all I needed to know about what he thought about treating me. But apparently, Ming Lin was raised by some kind of doctor or something, and was a lot better at these things. According to Shui Jianfeng anyway.

    So, after some cajoling, Ming Lin reluctantly agreed to help treat my wounds. I tried to offer to do it myself with his instructions, hoping to not piss off the already annoyed guy any further. But he just looked even more annoyed at that and insisted.

    Which was how I found myself gritting my teeth as he roughly pulled up the muddied, bloodied, and ripped leg of my jeans. Then he tossed away my makeshift bandage, cleaned the wound, applied the cream, and used strips of clean cloth to tie it all up again.

    He did all this while looking disgusted, cringing when he had to touch the blood or dirt on me or my clothes. Given the slightly floral scent I could smell from him as the wind picked up, I assumed he was very much unused to dirtiness. Or at least disliked it immensely.

    Still, despite how awkward and a bit painful it was, in the end, I was still grateful. The wound was already not hurting anymore¡ªeven if it was itching a bit¡ªand I felt a lot better having someone who knew what they were doing look at my leg.

    I tried to thank Ming Lin, but he just ignored me. Instead, he moved off to the side to clean his hands with a gourd of water Shui Jianfeng tossed to him.

    I sighed at that and leaned back against one of the crates in the wagon. Since Ming Lin was gonna be that way, I might as well thank the other person who helped me.

    ¡°Thanks for speaking up for me before,¡± I said, looking over to Shui Jianfeng who¡¯d watched the whole thing amused. ¡°And for getting your friend to treat my wound.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, shaking his head. ¡°It didn¡¯t take much effort from me.¡± He grinned and looked over at Ming Lin who was walking back. Ming Lin was still rubbing their hands, despite them already looking clean and grimacing. ¡°Besides, Lin has been living the good life for too long recently. Baths every day back in the city and everything. It''s good to not get too used to that stuff. He used to be able to handle a lot more than some blood and mud.¡±

    Ming Lin glared at Shui Jianfeng for a moment, then directed another one to me as well. I winced and tried to apologize and thank them again, but they just scoffed and turned to look away.

    Shui Jianfeng just laughed and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯ll get over it.¡±

    I winced since I wasn¡¯t so sure about that. But there wasn¡¯t much more I could do about it, so I nodded at that and we fell into a silence.

    This lasted a couple of minutes before it started to bother me. It felt awkward just sitting here with strangers, especially when one of them kept sending me unfriendly looks. So I decided I might as well start to try and learn more about this world.

    ¡°So,¡± I said, getting Shui Jianfeng¡¯s attention. ¡°Do you mind if I ask you some questions about this place? Since I¡¯m from so far away?¡±

    ¡°So far away?¡± Ming Lin asked, much to my surprise. However, the suspicious look he gave me was not surprising at all.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not from around here,¡± I said. Then I went on to give the same explanation as I gave Shui Jianfeng. The truth, but very much incomplete.

    I got the reaction I expected once I explained. Mainly disbelief and suspicion. Much more than Shui Jianfeng, though maybe he was just worse at hiding his reaction. Still, after Shui Jianfeng reminded Ming Lin that the captain said they would take me to the city, he let the subject drop.

    I sighed in relief at that and was about to try asking Shui Jianfeng things again when I was interrupted. A call rang out from the front of the caravan. It was repeated a couple of times before I could hear it clearly. It seemed that things were all clear and we could finally start moving.

    After another moment the wagons started to move. Shui Jianfeng hopped off and walked behind it alongside Ming Lin¡ªwho still occasionally gave me suspicious looks when not scanning his surroundings.

    I did my best to ignore him and instead made myself more comfortable in the back of the wagon. And despite the glare directed towards me from time to time, I let myself finally fully relax. I might not actually be safe yet, but I was as close as I could be for now.

    After a couple of moments of this, I decided to try and ask questions again and learn more about this world.

    ¡°Hey, Shui Jianfeng?¡± I asked. ¡°Can I ask you those questions now? Unless it will distract you from your duties?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I need to stay alert for dangers but talking is okay. Ask away.¡±

    ¡°Alright, thanks,¡± I said, as I considered what I should ask first. Just what did I want to know about this world? What was the most pressing? ¡°I have so many questions it''s hard to know where to start. But I guess¡­ Can you tell me about where I am right now? And anything pressing I should know? Like the dangers around here and in the city were going to? Also what kind of jobs can someone get in the city? Oh, also what¡¯s the etiquette here with names? I notice sometimes you refer to people by their full names and sometimes just their given ones.¡±

    ¡°Sure I can do that¡­ to an extent.  I¡¯m not very well traveled or¡­ well educated, but I can tell you the basics of what I know and more about the city itself,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, nodding as he scanned the grassy hill around us. ¡°I guess it must be pretty confusing if you¡¯ve traveled so far in a moment and don¡¯t even know where you are.¡±

    Ming Lin scoffed at that, which both Shui Jianfeng and I ignored.

    Instead, Jianfeng started by explaining the name thing. And it was like I thought. Full names for respect or just for strangers. First name for those close to you like friends or family.

    After that, he started explaining as much as he could about where we were and what he thought I should know about the place. I listened intently as we traveled, taking it all in.

    I learned that we were in a massive empire that ruled a large portion of the continent. It was so big that it would take decades for a normal person to travel from one end to the other. We were in only a small part of the Empire, in a place called the Southern Sky Province. And to be more precise we were just to the east of Everlake City, a frontier City.

    I learned that Shui Jianfeng and everyone else wearing the red armbands were part of a mercenary group called the Stomping Bulls. They were hired to guard this caravan. Usually, they just had to deal with spirit beasts. But recently bandit activity had been getting a lot worse. Great¡­

    I also learned that the forest I had been in was the Amberwood Expanse and that I was apparently really lucky that I hadn¡¯t been too deep in there. Spirit beasts were in fact a thing in this world and forests and other wild untamed places were where they dwelled. They could also range from just normal animal strength to being so strong they could rend apart mountains.

    Though thankfully spirit beasts that strong were apparently non-existent or at least super rare in the Amberwood. The bad news though was there was another forest to the south that Everlake City was close to. It was where most cultivators went to try and acquire great wealth. It was called The Great Southern Forest, which apparently was known to have really powerful spirit beasts in its vast unexplored depths.

    Goodie.

    I made a note of never going anywhere near there. At least not until I¡¯d gotten a lot stronger.

    After that delightful note, I tried to ask more about the terms he used to describe the strength of the spirit beasts. Apparently, they were ranked from 1 to maybe 4. I wanted to clear that up and learn more about human cultivation and power levels too. Before I could though, something happened.

    One of the other guards cursed and shouted something. It made Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin straighten up into alertness and grip their weapons. They scanned the surroundings, though Ming Lin kept looking back at me as if expecting me to attack them from behind.

    After another moment, they both cursed as well and I turned to follow their gazes. In the distance, I could see dark figures approaching us. As I continued to watch I realized they were moving fast. Like really fast. Like they would be here in a minute and¡ª

    A loud explosion came from the front of the caravan. I flinched at the sound and covered my ears and closed my eyes. The wagon came to an abrupt halt and the shouts grew even louder. I toppled over and almost hit my head. Thankfully I managed to catch myself on time and only took a bump to my shoulder.

    I pulled myself up just in time to watch the sudden battle begin.

 Chapter 4: Attack!

    Chapter 4:

    ¡°Stay on the wagon!¡± Shui Jianfeng shouted as he parried a masked man¡¯s sword with his own. The man was dressed mostly in black and had a cloth covering the bottom half of his face. ¡°Hide behind the crates and stay there!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I yelped and quickly rushed to do as he said. As I did, I couldn¡¯t help but notice Ming Lin swinging his metal staff-club thing. He swung it way faster than I thought he could and shattered his opponent''s axe as they tried to parry it. Then Ming Lin moved closer and attacked again. The club struck the other man in the side and he practically exploded into blood, flesh, and broken bones as his body was sent flying.

    I stilled for a moment, almost tripping, horrified at the sight. Ming Lin turned to glance at me again. This time his glare affected me a lot more. I felt like I might pee myself.

    But then he snorted and moved to help the rest of his allies.

    I shuttered, then realized I was still standing up and rushed to throw myself behind some crates. My heart beat hard in my chest and I idly noticed that my leg didn¡¯t seem to hurt despite the quick movements. But I was more focused on what I just saw. I thought I had understood that the people here were strong. But to see just how powerful they were in action and in such a gruesome display was something else.

    Damn, this world was scary. I needed to get stronger.

    The sounds of battle continued to ring out from all around. Several particularly loud sounds drew my attention behind me to the rest of the caravan.

    We were at a bend in the road around a hill and pretty much all the guards were engaged in battle. The dark-masked attackers had used the hill as cover to launch their attack. The Mo who had been driving our wagon already leapt off to join the fight.  Some of the other wagon drivers did the same but only some of them. Most of them were like me, as I saw a couple leaping into the back of their wagons to hide.

    For the moment the numbers were even. but more masked men were descending the hill and others coming around it. The thing that had caught my attention before though, seemed to be coming from the front of the caravan. It had been like the explosion before but not as loud. Instead, it kept repeating, but not in any recognizable pattern.

    It took me another moment to pinpoint the source. Two black blurs I could barely keep track of. They kept slamming into each other at speed and sent out shockwaves each time. Shit was that the captain?

    Holy shit, and I thought Ming Lin had been strong. This was on a whole other level. And the most disturbing part of it was one of the attackers¡ªthe bandits¡ªseemed to be able to keep up with him. It was horrifying. And the only reason I could stop myself from panicking was that they seemed to be moving away from us.

    Still, I was far from being calm. Because even as that battle moved away, the rest of the fights continued on. And the rest of the attackers had reached us. Nearby I saw one of the guards gut one of the bandits, cut the hand off another, then the head off the third. But then he lost his own arm after that as a fourth appeared and he was forced to retreat.

    Similar things continued to happen. Overall the guards seemed stronger and more skilled for the most part. But there were more bandits.

    The sound of loud clashing steel from behind me forced me to spin around and peak over the crates.

    There were eight bandits now fighting Shui Jianfeng and the others. And the loud sound had come from Ming Lin. I turned just in time to see a repeat of what caused the noise. Ming Lin swung their club, but it was intercepted by a big man with a solid metal glaive. He had metal plate armor over his clothes as well, and his glaive seemed to shine with a silver glow.

    When Ming Lin¡¯s weapon slammed into the glaive, it was redirected to the side with another loud screech of clashing steel. Then the armored bandit retaliated just as fast. Ming Lin just had enough time to bring his weapon around to block. But even then the glaive bit into the pole-club, cutting a deep chunk and forcing him to retreat even more.

    But the armored man wasn¡¯t going to let him escape. He rushed after Ming Lin, parried away his warding swing, then lashed out with a punch. Ming Lin managed to block it with a free hand, but it still sent him flying through the air.

    The armored man ran off after him.

    I watched all this, hiding behind the crate and grimacing. Ming Lin wasn¡¯t my favorite person, but I had really been hoping he would win that. Yet, despite how strong he had seemed earlier, some of the bandits were even stronger. Fuck.

    ¡°Lin!¡± Shui Jianfeng shouted in fury. Then light appeared at his feet for a second before he blurred forward. He stabbed out and the tip of his sword drove into the neck of one of his opponents. It happened in a split second, but then he was forced to retreat using the same technique, as one of the bandits screamed and tried to cleave his head in half with an axe.

    Then the rest of the fight by the wagon devolved into a violent 3 versus 6 melee. Steel flashed and blood gushed. The fighters moved at furious speeds and swung their weapons even faster. Sometimes their bodies glowed, sometimes their swords, and in those moments things became even more chaotic. People moved like blurs, weapons cut through metal, and one guy even seemed to bounce off the air and lunge from above.

    It was all super hard to keep track of. Partially because of the speeds, but also just because there was so much happening. It was like something out of a fantasy movie. Except the danger was all too real.

    At the same time, Ming Lin fought for his life in the distance. He seemed to constantly be on the retreat.

    And during all this, all I could do was watch and hide and hope our side won. Because if they didn¡¯t then I was a fucking dead man. There was no way I could do anything to these bandits. Heck, I didn¡¯t even have a weapon!

    Wait a minute¡­

    I ducked behind the crate again and looked around the wagon. Hadn¡¯t I seen¡­ Yes! Right there were spare weapons here. Some spears and I think an unstrung bow. I was such an idiot for not at least arming myself. It probably wouldn¡¯t help that much but¡­ better than nothing, right?

    I reached for one of the spears, ignoring the bow. I would have preferred to use a range weapon, but I had no idea how to string it. So that left me with the simplest weapon to learn to use. Just stick ''em with the pointy end. Easier said than done when your opponents could move at superhuman speeds. But at least it was something.

    A furious shout made me grip my new spear and turn my attention back to the fight around the wagon. I peaked back up and¡­ fuck!

    There was the terrible sound of steel cutting flesh. One of the axemen guards fell back with a spear in his chest. The spear-wielding bandit wasn¡¯t doing much better though, as a dimming axe was buried right between his neck and shoulder. They both dropped at nearly the same time.

    Now it was 2 against 5. And Ming Lin was still off barely surviving the armored guy, his pole club having gotten cut in two.

    I gripped the haft of the spear tighter, wishing I could do something. Anything, really. But there was nothing I could do. So I stayed crouched and watched.

    Jianfeng blurred again and got another one of the bandits in the throat, bringing it down to a 2 against 4. Then the bandits redoubled their efforts, shouting and pushing Shui Jianfeng and the last axe-wielding guard to retreat until they fought back to back.

    The two fought off the other four furiously. As things continued I realized that Jianfeng was the best fighter in this group. He wasn¡¯t like Ming Lin who had overwhelming strength. But he seemed just a bit faster and just a bit more skilled. He only had some tears on his clothes, while the bandits and even his fellow guard sported bloody gashes.

    If he hadn¡¯t been outnumbered, or if his current partner had been stronger, this fight would have been already over. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case so it was still a desperate battle. One that could turn at any moment. Either because of something happening in the fight, or Ming Lin or the armored guy finishing their fight. Then there was the rest of the battle to worry about.

    At that thought, I took a second to glance back at the rest of the caravan just in case. I was hoping maybe help would start to come. But the captain''s fight was even further away now, just quieter booms in the distance. The rest of the guards were still locked in their own fights.

    Things weren¡¯t looking too great. There were a lot of dead bandits now but there were still more of them than guards. And now there were at least 5 dead men with the red armbands and it seemed all the wagon drivers who tried to fight were dead as well. Not great.

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    A cry of anger forced me to turn back to the fight behind me. I spun in time to see the other axe guard bury his weapon into the neck of a sword-wielding bandit. The bandit who had shouted out in rage tried to get revenge for his friend by slashing with his saber. But then Shui Jianfeng kicked the guy closest to him away and blurred again. He gutted the saber guy and ripped his sword out in a quick smooth motion.

    And just like that It was down to 2 versus 2! We might actually win this! At least that¡¯s what I thought until I looked over at Ming Lin.

    He was sent flying again and barely scrambled to his feet in time to dodge the glaive aimed at his head. Then he had to use the half-pole club he had left to just deflect another two strikes. Shit, Shui Jianfeng and the other guard needed to win fast. Or that was going to be a big problem.

    The other two bandits recovered and re-engaged with shouts of rage. One had a sword and the other two axes. They crashed into Shui Jianfeng and the axe using guard.

    The dual-wielding bandit screamed as he swung his axes at Shui Jianfeng. His face seemed to be turning red with all his screaming and I thought he might knock himself out with it. But he just kept screaming and the redness seemed to spread from his face to the rest of his body.

    Just what the heck was happening? The screaming man seemed to get faster and faster. He was swinging in a way that seemed haphazard, but his speed just kept increasing to make up for it. He was like a storm of axe blades and Shui Jianfeng was slowly being forced back.

    And despite Shui Jianfeng landing several slashes across the screaming bandit''s body, the bandit seemed undeterred.

    I cursed at the sight. There was no way he could keep that up right? If it was some kind of crazy martial technique surely it would run out eventually?

    Or maybe the other guard would finish off his¡ªfuck!

    The final other guard screamed as his axe hand was cut off. Then that was silence soon after the sword bandit sliced his head right off.

    I watched in horror as the man¡¯s head sailed through the air before thumping into the ground.

    The swordsman bandit let out a snort and flicked the blood off his sword. Then he started walking towards Shui Jianfeng and the screaming dual wielder. The only good thing was the man looked injured. He walked with a limp, and he held one hand to his side where blood was leaking as well.

    But this still was fucking terrible... If he attacked Shui Jianfeng while he was fending off that guy then he¡¯d be screwed. And then any chance Ming Lin had was over. And of course after that I was fucked. Who knew if these guys would even bother taking prisoners?

    I gripped the spear in my hand tighter as I thought furiously about what I should do. And the answer was obvious. Given all the killing, I was likely to die either way. So wasn¡¯t it better to die doing something instead of dying cowering? It made sense in my mind, but I had a hard time actually getting my body to respond. Was I shaking?

    Fucking hell, move!

    I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on the spear. Fuck it. Then I moved towards the back of the wagon and leaped off before I could think anymore about it. It was only when I landed in a crouch did I realize that could have fucked up my leg. But thankfully it hadn¡¯t. Guess that cream really was that good.

    I rushed over to the front of the wagon, so the two remaining bandits here wouldn¡¯t notice me. At the same time, I could see that the fighting was still going strong around the rest of the caravan. It was still inconclusive and no bandit or guards were headed this way.

    Fucking great. Guess I was really doing this.

    Carefully, I stepped around the wagon, doing my best to be both silent and quick. All the while holding onto the spear that felt more unwieldy in my clumsy hands then I hoped.

    Fucking hell this was a bad idea.

    The swordsmen stopped a couple of feet away from where Shui Jianfeng and the dual-wielding berserker were fighting. He tried to get behind Shui Jianfeng as I approached, forcing me to follow him, but Shui Jianfeng had enough awareness to pivot away.

    Thankfully he must have noticed me too as he spun so that the berserker wouldn¡¯t be looking in my direction either. Good. And it looked like Ming Lin was keeping the armored guy busy still. Maybe I could do this.

    The sword bandit snorted as I got closer but didn¡¯t rush in to help his teammate. Must have been wary given his own injuries. And with the way the other bandit was still screaming and recklessly swinging away¡ªdespite all the blood dripping from his wounds¡ªthe sword bandit probably didn¡¯t want to get caught up in that either.

    Now was probably my best chance.

    I gulped and continued to approach, moving slower and more quietly since I had the time. Once I was in range, I took a quiet breath and dashed forward. No more thinking. I refused to think about it too much. I just aimed at his back and hoped for the best.

    The man spun at the last second. His swords slashed at my spear and sent it off course. But it still dug into his shoulder. His left shoulder though. The one he wasn¡¯t using for his sword.

    ¡°Gah!¡± I shouted in fear, rage, and adrenaline and tightened my grip on the spear. Then I tried to drive it in harder.

    ¡°Enough of this!¡± The man shouted, gripping onto the spear despite it being lodged in his shoulder. He slashed with his sword and cut off the tip of my weapon.

    I stared wide eyed and quickly tried to backpedal.

    ¡°Where do you think you''re going!¡± The man shouted before he lunged at me.

    I gasped then I stumbled and fell backwards. That somehow managed to save my life as cold steel flashed over my head.

    I cursed and started to back up.

    The man sneered down at me before pausing as if he realized something. Then he smirked. ¡°You''re not part of the Stomping Bulls. Just a random mortal.¡± He let out a low cruel chuckle. ¡°Then I guess I can fucking take my time making you regret picking that spear up.¡±

    I gritted my teeth and glared back at the man from the ground. I gripped what was left of my spear tightly and my eyes darted around frantically for something¡ªanything!¡ªthat could help. But Ming Lin was fighting for his life.

    And Shui Jianfeng was getting cuts in but the other guy just wouldn¡¯t go down.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll even keep you alive,¡± The man said, taking a threatening step forward. He chuckled when I flinched back. ¡°See how long a fucking city kid like you last in the mines.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you, asshole!¡± I said, not willing to let this fucker scare me. Even if there wasn¡¯t anything I could do. Even as I frantically scooted backward away from him. Damn it! I should have just stayed in the forest and tried to fight something else strong enough to get me Skills.

    ¡°You¡¯re not my type you little shit,¡± The man said before rushing me. I tried to fend him off with what was left of my spear but he ripped it from my grip and brought his sword to my neck. ¡°But I know some guys who are into that kind of thing. How about I give you to one of them? See how you like getting things shoved into you¡ªgah!¡±

    Something metal tore out of the man''s throat, silencing him and spurting some blood towards me.

    I backed away quickly, then rushed to get to my feet as he fell. Shui Jianfeng stood behind him, flicking the blood off his sword. He had a cut on his shoulder and above his eyebrow but that was it. Behind him, the dual-wielding berserker was dead. His head several feet from his body.

    I must have missed all the screaming stopping.

    ¡°Thanks for the help,¡± Shui Jianfeng shouted, then rushed over to Ming Lin¡¯s fight.

    Ming Lin was still managing to hold on despite only having half a weapon, with a bunch of chunks taken out of it. Then the tides turned when Jianfeng reached them. He blurred again and closed the last dozen feet in an instant.

    The armored man expected it and spun to parry Shui Jianfeng¡¯s stab. What he didn¡¯t expect though, was for an aura of energy to explode out of Ming Lin. It lasted only a second but in that second Ming Lin blurred and appeared next to the man. Then he swung what was left of his weapon right at the other man''s head.

    Despite the man¡¯s helmet, his head turned into a red mist. And just like that it was over.

    Well, this part of the battle anyway. There was still a lot of fighting going around the rest of the caravan.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked when the two of them rushed back over. Then he rushed past me and jumped onto the wagon.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, still rubbing where the bandit had touched my neck with his sword. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Shui Jianfeng said as he searched around for a moment before he found the jar of healing ointment. He grunted as he covered the wound above his eye with ointment, then put more on his shoulder. ¡°Then pick up one of the other weapons, and get back in the wagon. We have to go help but I can¡¯t do that and protect you at the same time. Sorry.¡±

    Once he was done, he tossed the ointment to Ming Lin. The other man caught it and started to apply it to all his wounds. At least now he wasn¡¯t glaring at me.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, taking another moment to just catch my breath and look around. After that, I bent down to pick up the sword that had been at my throat. I hefted it for a moment, then looked around at all the bodies and weapons that littered the ground. I felt bile rise up in my throat as I took it all in and smelt the blood and shit in the air. And the blood probably on me as well. All the while the sounds of battle could still be heard from the rest of the caravan. ¡°Good luck. Both of you¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, putting away the ointment Ming Lin tossed back to him before hopping off the wagon.

    Ming Lin didn¡¯t say anything but did give me a nod. And didn¡¯t even glare at me this time. Progress.

    Then just like that the two of them rushed off.

    Leaving me alone.

    I looked around nervously and then back down at the sword in my hand. While swords were cool, maybe I should grab another spear instead? That was a better weapon for a complete newbie right?

    With that in mind, I started walking towards one of the down spearmen. But then I saw something move in the corner of my eye. I yelped and lept back while putting the sword between me and whatever it was. I even closed my eyes like an idiot.

    The sound of flesh being torn and a gurgle filled my ears and I felt something pull at my sword. I flinched and looked down. Then I stared in shock. It was one of the bandits. He had a knife and had tried to lunge for me. And now the sword I¡¯d been holding was lodged between his neck and collarbone.

    His eyes met mine, anger, shock, and fear all present. Then he gurgled one last time before his body went limp. The sword fell from my hands along with his body.

    I continued to stare.

    Then a familiar blue halo of light appeared around his corpse.

 Chapter 5: End of Battle

    Chapter 5:

    I stared at the corpse at my feet for a long moment. The one I¡¯d finished off. The one that now glowed with a blue halo. Which meant I could get a Skill from it. Probably a good one at that given that he was some kind of cultivator.

    I should have felt good that I could get something to help me survive all this. But even though the guy was now face down in the dirt, I could still see those angry and fearful eyes in my mind.

    Fuck.

    But no, I couldn¡¯t break down over this now. The fighting was still going on. I should hide again. And¡­ Damn it, I needed to take a Skill, didn¡¯t I?

    Fuck! I wanted to go home.

    I focused on the body again and the blue halo of light. I tried to make myself say the words but they caught in my throat. Still, a screen popped up. Guess the command wasn¡¯t necessary.

    Defeated Enemy: Human Early Qi-Gatherer Tang Yin

    Available Skills to Harvest:

    <ul>

    <li>Basic Swordsmanship (Passive) (D Rank): Gain the knowledge and skill of a basic swordsman</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Minor Cultivation Talent (Passive) (D Rank): Gain the cultivation talent necessary to cultivate.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Opportunistic Strike (Active) (D Rank): Strike at a weakness in your opponent''s defense and deal an additional 50% damage.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    I quickly read through the options available to me and made my selection. Maybe it would have been better to think about it more. But I didn¡¯t have it in me. And I wanted to go back to hiding in the crates with an illusion of safety. So I took basic swordsmanship as I felt like it would help me the most right now. Even if it didn¡¯t sound as impressive as I hoped.

    The body at my feet glowed blue for a moment before it disappeared into motes of light. I idly noted the sword in its throat and its clothes remained, but my focus was elsewhere. A rush of information seemed to fill me for a second. Then just like that it was gone. I couldn¡¯t quite recall all of it consciously but¡­

    I looked down at the dead man¡¯s sword. Not the one I¡¯d¡ªnot the one I¡¯d killed him with but his own. I reached down and grabbed it. Then I gave it a few practice swings. Like I knew what I was doing. Which I kinda did now. I wouldn¡¯t be able to teach someone else, but I could fight with it. I felt it in my gut. It was pretty weird.

    The sword was alright from what I could tell. Nicely balanced, and surprisingly well taken care of. It would do a decent job in a fight.

    A feeling of confidence filled me. And for a brief second, I considered if I could join in the fighting and help turn the tide. But I quickly forced such delusional thoughts out of my head. I knew how to fight with a sword now. The Skill was honestly a lot better than I feared, as every swing of the sword felt natural to me. Like I¡¯d been trained for it.

    Guess what the System considered basic and what I did was very different. Maybe it was because it was a D-Rank Skill.

    But despite that, I had no experience fighting and killing people. I was also still much weaker and slower than everyone else. If I joined in on the fighting now, I would just die.

    So with a grimace I left the body behind and rushed back to the wagon. I pulled myself up and moved to hide behind the crates again. Because that was all I could do here. Hide and stay out of the way. And hope for the best.

    Damn, I hated this world. Or at least I hated being weak here.

    Though I could at least watch some of the fighting. Just to get a better idea if I was going to get screwed or not. So I snuck closer to the front of the wagon and peeked over a crate to see the battle going on.

    Things were still a mess. Apparently, everyone left now was the best of the bunch and had no intention of losing here. Because neither side had diminished all that much since I last checked. Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin I could see brief glimpses of, but things were too chaotic for me to keep track of them.

    People fought, one of the wagons was toppled over, and occasionally someone did something to further remind me I was in a fantasy world. Like slashing out a beam of fire. Or launching a large slab of rock out of the ground and punching it into a shotgun blast of rocks. Or slashing apart one of the wagons with a single swing of their sword while trying to kill someone else.

    Yeah, I really was out of my fucking depth here. And this world was unfortunately everything I was worried about when I first heard Immortal Cultivation Realm. Especially since these guys were probably not even that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Not when compared to what the upper levels were like. The kind of people these the ones fighting here might aspired to be but probably would never become. Immortals.

    That was a very sobering thought.

    I continued to watch, gripping my sword tightly and hoping for the best. Cheering internally when a bandit fell, but cursing when one of the guards did.

    Then something happened near the front of the caravan. People started shouting. It started further away but eventually, as the shouts spread, I could hear what was being said.

    ¡°Victory is ours!¡±

    ¡°Kill them!¡±

    ¡°Boss is the strongest!¡±

    ¡°The Black Hammer strikes again!

    ¡°The captain is dead!¡±

    ¡°Gather together!¡±

    ¡°Everyman for themselves!¡±

    ¡°Run!¡±

    I stared dumbfounded as the tide of battle turned completely. One moment it was a slow grinding stalemate. The next the guards fell into chaos and the bandits surged. Some of the guards ran off without a second thought. Others tried to rally together but were cut down as others lost their nerve and ran as well.

    And then things got worse.

    I could barely make out what happened because it was so fast. A blur rushed through the battlefield. People were sent flying like rag dolls. It took me a second to realize they were all guards, getting tossed around like they were nothing. The bandits¡¯ cheering grew and all the guards who hadn¡¯t run before did so.

    But none were fast enough. A blur caught up to them and slammed them into the ground or sent them flying with broken limbs.

    I winced at the screams of pain and the sickening crunches of bone.

    Then I caught sight of Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin again. They were running away too. Fleeing away from the caravan towards the grassy hills. And for a second I locked eyes with them.

    Ming Lin turned his gaze away. I wanted to say he looked ashamed but probably not. He had no obligation to try and help me. Shui Jianfeng, though, seemed to grit his teeth and then started rushing over. Ming Lin saw this, cursed something I couldn¡¯t hear, and moved to follow.

    I stared for a split second before I realized I should move too. Flee with them and¡ª

    The blur appeared behind Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin just as I leaped off the wagon. It caught Shui Jianfeng by the back of the head and slammed him down into the ground with a sickening crunch. Then he was kicked in the side and sent into one of the wagons which exploded in a shower of wood.

    Ming Lin reacted with fury and the light aura from before exploded out. He lashed out with a fist and tried to bury it in the big man¡¯s side. The man blurred, caught the arm, and broke it in a split second. Then before Ming Lin could scream in pain he was smashed into the ground head first.

    It was all over by the time I landed on my feet, only a couple of yards away from all this.

    The big man turned to face me and I got a better look at him. He was tall and broad with a bushy mustache and a big nose. He had a warhammer strapped to his back but he didn¡¯t need it to completely demolish Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    My legs started to tremble as he met my eyes. The man gave me a cruel smirk and walked towards me. My legs trembled more and I gripped my sword tightly.

    The man looked down at my sword, then leaned down closer to me. He must have been almost seven feet tall as he towered over me even when doing this. Part of me screamed to try and jam my sword into his throat. Even though I knew he was too fast for that.

    But before I could he spoke.

    ¡°Boo!¡±

    I jumped back and landed on my back, my sword dropping out of my hand. It took me a second to realize what happened. And when it did, shame and frustration filled me. I looked up to glare at the now-laughing man.

    But then the bottom of a boot appeared in my vision. Then I knew no more.

    ¡ªline break¡ª

    ¡°Alright, get up you pieces of shit!¡±

    I woke to a shout and something hitting me in the stomach. I gagged and gasped. What the hell was that? Did someone just kick me? What th¡ªOh shit.

    Memories of what had happened before rushed into my mind as I took in my surroundings. I had been lying on the cold stone floor in what looked like a big tent. Well, a massive tent. It was large enough for several dozen chained people to lie down.

    Some of them looked worse than others. They were a lot more dirty than the rest of us and they looked both exhausted and a bit malnourished. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I realized what this might be.

    We were captives now. Or more likely, slaves. Fuck.

    Several people dressed just like the bandits that had attacked us were walking around. They shouted to wake everyone up and kicked and beat those who were too slow. Unlike during the attack, their masks were tied around their necks.

    ¡°I said get up!¡± A big thuggish-looking guy with a large bulbous nose shouted nearby. He was probably the asshole who¡¯d kicked me. And he reminded me of someone¡­

    I shuddered. Right. He kinda looked like the hammer guy but smaller and younger.

    The guy at his feet was still groggy and confused. He didn¡¯t look like a fighter like Shui Jianfeng and the other guards. Instead, he was kinda reedy and weak. Worse than me before I started working out in my senior year.

    And he looked much worse when the guy kicked him in the stomach again. The scrawny guy gasped then threw up near the man¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Gah, fucking disgusting!¡± The big nose man shouted and stepped back. Then he raised his foot like he wanted to stomp the man¡¯s head in.

    ¡°Hey! Stop!¡± Someone shouted and the big-nosed man stopped.

    Then the man turned around and looked right at me. Oh fuck, I was the one who said that wasn¡¯t I. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

    The big-nosed man sneered and stomped over to me. ¡°You got something to say, you little shit?¡±

    ¡°No¡ª¡±

    My world exploded into pain and my head snapped back. Did another one of these big-nose fuckers just kick me in the head again? I saw stars. Then my stomach exploded in pain and I was sent flying. I slammed into the ground on my side and almost blacked out from the pain.

    ¡°Yan Song!¡± I heard someone shout through the pain and my spinning head. ¡°Stop fucking playing with the slaves. Do you want to do the mining instead of these weaklings?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever man,¡± I heard a voice say from above me. Then I felt something press on my head. ¡°I¡¯m just teaching the new trash their place. Little shits are lazy and mouthy. Gotta keep them in line in case they get any ideas.¡±

    ¡°If they get any ideas then you can beat them,¡± the other voice said. ¡°Now come on, gather them up, get them fed and water, then put them to work. I want to eat already.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± The voice said, and the pressure on my skull started to build. Shit, was this asshole gonna fucking kill me? I reached up weakly to try and get him off but it was like trying to move a car with my bare hands.

    ¡°Still got some fight in you?¡± The voice asked. Cruel. Mocking. I wanted to tear his fucking throat out, the fucking piece of shit. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not allowed to kill or cripple your pathetic self. And that you''re so weak that any more than this and you¡¯d be worthless. But remember this the next time you want to open your shithole mouth. Do you understand?¡±

    The pressure increased again and it felt like he was grinding my head into the stone below.

    ¡°I said, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± I gritted out, ¡°Gah!¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± the man said with a laugh and the pressure finally stopped. Then he stomped his boot down right by my head cracking stone. ¡°Don¡¯t forget this. Or next time I¡¯ll pop your head like a melon. Now get the fuck up!¡±

    I clutched at my head but forced myself to stand. The man was still beside me but I didn¡¯t dare look at him. Both because I was scared of what he¡¯d do if he thought I was still defiant. And because I didn¡¯t think I would be able to look at his big fat stupid nose and not glare. And probably end up dead.

    God, fucking damn it, I hated this world. And I hated being weak.

    ¡°Move,¡± the man said, then shoved me away.

    I almost fell off my feet but managed to just right myself. Then I followed the rest of the chained-up people out of the tent, leaving the rough canvas that had kept us from the rest of the world. I stumbled a few times as the world was still spinning a bit for me and because of the shackles around my ankles. There was enough slack to move but not comfortably or quickly.

    My head was also still hurting like hell from where he¡¯d kicked me. But I bore with it as there was nothing I could do about it.

    Outside of the tent, I saw that we were in some kind of large primitive-looking camp. There was only a single building made out of wood at the center. The rest of the structures were just a couple more large tents like ours, then a bunch of smaller ones and some lean-tos as well. All of this was surrounded by tall wooden walls.

    Our group of slaves¡ªI fucking hated this world¡ªwere herded to a large open area. We were forced to move into a line and then given a wooden bowl. We were allowed one bowl of water and then we had to use the same bowl for some rather runny-looking rice porridge.

    The bowls didn¡¯t look all that clean, nor did the barrel of water we drank from. And normally I¡¯d be green at the thought of just touching the stuff. But I forced myself to ignore all that, as I had a feeling I¡¯d need all the energy I could get.

    So despite the grossness and my lack of appetite from the pain, I ate as much as I was allowed. All the while I cursed this shitty world and my own weakness. Damn it, I might have been better off trying to hunt more leopards in that forest.

    After that, we were led along like cattle to the base of the massive cliff face that the camp was built next to. There was a massive cave entrance there. It was a mine, I realized grimly. Probably the one that one bandit had threatened me with.

    We were herded into a massive chamber that had more than a dozen tunnels leading deeper into the mines. There were wooden supports everywhere to keep a cave-in from happening, though they looked old and worn down. Lighting the whole place looked to be dozens and dozens of torches. But they were strange. The light from them was blue and they didn¡¯t seem to produce smoke.

    One of those tunnels was also a lot bigger than the others. And at the end of that tunnel, I could see a lot more slaves toiling away with pickaxes, while occasionally the watching bandits would whip them.

    Have I mentioned that I hated this world?

    There were other groups of slaves as well being led around the main chamber. Some were being led out, looking tired, haggard, and even injured. Others were being escorted into the other tunnel entrances.

    We were led to one of the tunnels on the right of the chamber. A smaller group of slaves was brought over to us, looking a lot worse than most of the slaves here. They were all bandaged up and some of them had their arms in slings. Would they even be able to work like that?

    After that, each of us was tossed a pick axe, and our shackles were removed. Some of us were given our own strange blue torches and were told it would last twelve hours. Apparently, when it started to dim, that would be our signal we had to come back up. Then the big-nosed bastard that had been leading us around held up something in his hand.

    It was about the size of my index finger but a bit wider. It looked a bit like a semi-transparent blue gem but glowed with an inner light.

    He said it was a spirit stone and we had to bring back one the size he was holding or enough smaller ones to equal a big one. Apparently, small patches of them could be found in these smaller tunnels if we were lucky and if the spirit beasts that lurked in the tunnels didn¡¯t get them first.

    A worried muttering came from the slaves at the mention of spirit beasts. It was quickly silenced by the big-nose man telling everyone to shut up. After that, he explained that they were just Rank 0s down there, as long as we didn¡¯t go deep enough to see some blue glowing moss.

    However, he did gleefully explain that the moss layer is where there were more spirit stones. And that if we didn¡¯t want to work the central mine or get whipped, then we might have to brave the real spirit beasts down there. Clearly, the idea of us getting killed down there was amusing to him.

    The bastard.

    Despite that, relief still seemed to run through everyone that the upper levels wouldn¡¯t have any powerful spirit beasts. I, on the other hand, was more than relieved. If Rank 0 spirit beasts were weak and could be dealt with, maybe I could get more Skills from them. Depending on what I could get, maybe I wasn¡¯t so screwed after all. Or at least I now had a chance.

    Hell, maybe I could get some crazy Skill, or combinations of Skills, that would let me come back up here and make the bandits pay.

    I clung onto that hope like a drowning man onto a liferaft.

    After that, Big-nose gleefully explained that if we failed to meet our quotas then we¡¯d be whipped. If we failed three days in a row then we were apparently too unlucky to get to explore the abandoned tunnels and were forced to work in the central mine. Which was apparently a much worse fate, given the extra cruel grin the big-nose asshole gave.

    Though after giving it more thought, I could see why. At least in the tunnels, we were free from the constant watch of the bandits. And apparently, Rank 0 spirit beasts weren¡¯t all that dangerous. Just nuisances, though they might end up as resources for me. Still, even ignoring my possible advantage, spelunking for glowing stones sounded a lot better than back-breaking labor under the cruel gazes of these damned bandits.

    Once that was explained, we were all herded into the tunnel together. I moved along with the group, staying in the middle so I didn¡¯t get harassed by the bandits for being too slow.

    As I did, both anticipation and worry turned in my gut. If the Rank 0 spirit beasts could give me Skills then I had a chance. If not¡­ Then I was screwed.

 Chapter 6: New Reality and Hope

    Chapter 6:

    Our group of several dozen slaves traveled down the sloped tunnel for a couple of minutes before we hit the first fork in the tunnel. There were more old wooden supports focused around the intersection and what might have been a wooden sign at some point. But it was far too old and cracked for me to make out what it said.

    Without even a discussion, our group split in half. Around one-half went right while the rest went left.

    I held back and tried to watch and see if those who looked like they¡¯d been here longer favored either side more. But it didn¡¯t look like it so I just went right.

    Then someone put a hand on my shoulder and I almost jumped out of my skin.

    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± a familiar voice asked.

    I spun and saw one of the bandage guys. He had bandages wrapped around part of his head. And from what I could see, he had bandages peeking out from under his torn and dirty tunic. Behind him was another man with bandages, with his face covered partially as well and his arm in a rough-looking cloth sling. He held his pick in a single hand.

    I let out a breath of relief when I recognized them. It was Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin. Ming Lin was the one with the broken arm.

    I hadn¡¯t expected to see them down here. Even when the group of injured arrived, I hadn¡¯t bothered to look for them. Given what I saw happened to them¡­ I honestly assumed they were left for dead and hadn¡¯t wanted to think about that.

    It seemed either they were tougher than I thought or the bandits valued slaves enough to bother healing them up. Or special healing techniques and medicine were more common than I thought here.

    ¡°Are you okay,¡± Shui Jianfeng asked again, waving a hand in front of my face.

    I realized I¡¯d zoned out and shook my head to clear my mind. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. And I think I should be asking you that. You both look¡­ ugh. Not great.¡±

    Ming Lin scoffed at that and started towards the right tunnel. Shui Jianfeng and I followed to avoid being left behind by either him or the rest of the group that had already gone ahead. They¡¯d gone far enough that we could only make out the light of their torches. But Shui Jianfeng had one of the torches as well, so we still had a closer light source.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a weak smile. ¡°But I''ve been through worse too. And so has Lin. That bruise on your head looks pretty bad, though. And something tells me you aren¡¯t used to this kind of thing.¡±

    I reached up to touch my forehead, wincing at the pain and the bump I felt there. Hadn¡¯t even realized that had happened. Damn that big nose bastard. ¡°I¡¯ll live. I hope anyway. So did they heal you guys up, or are you tougher than I thought? I¡¯m¡­ Not super familiar with cultivators, so I¡¯m not really sure what¡¯s normal.

    ¡°They gave us some healing ointment, and set our broken bones,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a shrug. Or at least he tried to. Halfway through he winced in pain.

    Ming Lin scoffed from up ahead, though I thought I heard him mutter something about garbage-quality ointment.

    ¡°And Lin and I are pretty tough,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, ignoring the muttering from ahead. ¡°We¡¯re Early Stage Qi-Gatherers. And while we might not be body cultivators, we¡¯re still a lot tougher than non-cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Any chance you''re strong enough to get us out of here?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. Now that I thought about it, I wasn¡¯t much of a threat with my shackles off, but couldn¡¯t the two of them do something in this scenario?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, shaking his head sadly. The he tilted his head to show me his neck. There was a thick metal collar there and he tapped on it. I¡¯d missed it since I didn¡¯t have one. ¡°Not with this in place. It disrupts any attempts to use our Qi. Our bodies are still healthier and stronger but not by that much. Not enough to break this or fight the unsuppressed guards.¡±

    I sighed at that and nodded as we continued to move deeper into the mines. Seemed I couldn¡¯t rely on them to save me. So I would just have to do that myself. Unless¡­

    ¡°So what are our chances of getting rescued from here?¡± I asked him quietly as we caught up with Ming Lin who caught up with the rest of the group. Sound traveled far down here, but apparently, deeper in the mines people got more chatty. Some groups ahead of us were having low muttered conversations, keeping my words unheard despite the echoing.

    ¡°I have some friends who will probably come looking after a while¡­¡± Shui Jianfeng said, equally as quietly. Our group split up roughly in half again and we continued down the tunnels. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll be able to track us down. And even if they did¡­ beating these guys would be tough.¡°

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I recognize these bandits,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, his face twisting into a scowl. ¡°The damned Black Hammer is a notorious outlaw with a big bounty on his head. He¡¯s one of three lieutenants of the Black Wind Marauders. But the Black Wind himself is even worse and far stronger than any of his underlings and has a reputation for being ruthless. My friends are strong and have connections, but even they can¡¯t handle someone like this easily.¡±

    ¡°And what about the authorities?¡± I asked with a grimace. Great, so apparently we were captured by some big-deal bandits. ¡°Like you mentioned patrols from an imperial army when talking about the land around Everlake City. Will they do anything? Can they deal with this guy?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ They haven¡¯t done much from what I¡¯ve heard about the increase in bandit activity. Apparently, they¡¯ve been focused on sending patrols into the Great Southern Forest to cull the spirit beasts that have been causing trouble over the last half a year. It¡¯s probably why the Marauders and other bandits have been so bold as of late. But if they did manage to find us, they should be able to defeat the bandits as long as one of their captains was with them. I just don¡¯t expect that to happen any time soon.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ we¡¯re on our own then?¡± I asked with a sigh.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Pretty much.¡±

    Great¡­ Would have loved to just be able to wait this out. But it seemed I would still have to try and save myself. Or save the three of us. Both to repay them for helping me before, but also because I doubted I could really do this alone. Even if I managed to escape these mines, I¡¯d just be back at square one. Lost and alone in the wilderness.

    So yeah, I would try to save the three of us. Which meant that I wouldn¡¯t be able to hide the System from them. It was too flashy to hide if they were with me. But at least I felt I could trust them not to tell the bandits about it. Something I wasn¡¯t sure about the rest of the slaves, who might sell us out to try and save themselves.

    As for whether or not telling them will be an issue once we¡¯ve escaped¡­ Only time would tell. I would like to think not, at least not with Shui Jianfeng since he seemed like a good person. But it was hard to tell with things like this. Mainly because I¡¯m not sure how valuable what I could do might be to others.

    It might be a curiosity. Or it might make a powerful cultivator want to take me apart and figure out how it worked.

    Troubling but not something I could worry about now. I would have to escape first for it to matter.

    With that in mind, I resolved to reveal what I had to for us to work together. But before I could actually mention any of this, I had to wait until we were alone.

    So instead I decided to ask a bit more about cultivation as our group continued to shrink. I was curious if I could learn to do it down here since I didn¡¯t have a collar on. But Shui Jianfeng had rejected the idea. Apparently, people like the hammer guy¡ªpeople at the Peak of Qi-Gathering¡ªhad spirit senses. It was also possible for weaker cultivators to have that or something similar as well. So they would likely notice me trying to cultivate long before I got any meaningful amount of power.

    Not unless I was a genius.

    So that plan was a bust. Which made sense, otherwise the bandits would collar even the non-cultivators.

    Soon after that unfortunate revelation, our group was reduced to just six people including me. I started feeling antsy, waiting for the next fork in the road so I could bring up what I could do. Hopefully, they¡¯d be on board with helping me with it. Though we might need to keep going deeper to make any use of it, as I hadn¡¯t seen any signs of spirit beasts just yet.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    But before we reached the next fork something happened.

    ¡°Hey, I see something ahead,¡± One of the other three guys in front of us said. Then the three were already rushing off.

    I was about to follow but Shui Jianfeng put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. Ming Lin also stopped and just glared at me when I gave him a questioning look. The jerk.

    The three men stopped about a dozen yards ahead and there was a brief sound of excitement.

    It was only then did Shui Jianfeng let go and we moved forward a bit to take a look. But the three of us stayed well out of arm¡¯s reach as we approached. And then the three men turned to face us with cold to indifferent gazes.

    I couldn¡¯t see what they were surrounding but it was pretty obvious what it was given the excitement. And I guess Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin didn¡¯t want them thinking they¡¯d have to fight to keep the stones, so we kept our distance.

    Given how injured they still looked, and my own lack of combat ability without a sword, it was probably for the best.

    ¡°How many are there?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked. I then noticed that both he and Ming Lin had straightened up. As if to act like they weren¡¯t injured despite the obvious bandages.

    The three men stared at us in silence for a long moment before one of them spoke. He was a gaunt man with a scar across one glassy eye. ¡°It''s a small cluster. Probably enough to get three people out of here.¡±

    And that fact that it would be them leaving here left unsaid.

    Shui Jianfeng shrugged and didn¡¯t seem worried. ¡°A shame. But I guess me and my friends will keep on looking. Got any advice for us?¡±

    The three men shared a look again before they moved to the side. Protecting the spirit stones but also making a way for us. The man with a glassy eye gestured down the tunnel with his head. ¡°You should get going then. And¡­ watch out for the moles. You should start seeing them soon. They eat the stones and when they do¡­ They can get more difficult to deal with. Nothing like a Rank 1 spirit beast, but given your injuries¡­¡±

    ¡°Good to know, thank you,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, giving them an easy smile. Not at all phased by the reminder that he was in bad shape as he started ahead.

    I followed, feeling tense as all three men watched us while Ming Lin brought up the rear. Which I was grateful for since I didn¡¯t have to worry about them attacking me from behind.

    When we finally made it past the men, I almost let out a sigh of relief. But held myself back from the obvious sign of weakness. Instead, I just kept my eyes forward, trusting that Ming Lin would be the one to notice first if the other guys tried anything.

    After a bit more walking, we reached another fork in the tunnel. I finally snuck a quick glance back and saw no sign that we¡¯d been followed. Only then did I let out a breath of relief.

    ¡°That was a lot more tense than I expected,¡± I said, wanting to break the silence.

    ¡°It''s to be expected,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a shrug as we stopped walking single file and walked side to side. ¡°The spirit stones are our chance to avoid a lot more misery. It¡¯s little wonder people would guard them jealously.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, makes sense,¡± I said before looking back again. There was still no sign of the men. The sound of pickaxes on stone had also disappeared into the distance as well. We were finally truly alone.

    Which meant I could finally bring up my plan. If it could be called that.

    ¡°So¡­¡± I said as we continued to walk, still finding nothing though I thought I could hear a light scratching sound. Was that an animal? A spirit beast? If it was, it was good timing. ¡°I might have a way to get us out of here. Maybe¡­¡±

    Shui Jianfeng turned to me in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±

    Ming Lin just scoffed at that. ¡°You expect us to believe that?¡±

    I could still remember how Ming Lin had pulped several people with raw physical strength. But with his Qi suppressed and how injured he looked, I didn¡¯t feel nearly as threatened as I did before. So I openly rolled my eyes at him and said, ¡°Look, I get it. You don¡¯t trust me. But just what do you think I can gain from lying about this?¡±

    Ming Lin thankfully just scoffed and shook his head, looking away in a huff. I¡¯m sure he would have crossed his arms if one wasn¡¯t broken and the other occupied.

    ¡°So what¡¯s your way out?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked, ignoring his friend''s antics.

    ¡°Well, it''s a bit complicated,¡± I said, wondering how I should explain it. In the end, I went for the most simplistic explanation. No need to bring up System stuff they wouldn¡¯t understand. ¡°To put it simply, I think I can get abilities from spirit beasts I kill. I¡¯m not completely sure how it works, but if we run across one of those moles that guy talked about, could you let me kill it? I think as long as I get the killing blow it would work.¡±

    The main reason I thought that was because of the guy from before¡­ The one I killed. He¡¯d been half-dead but because I finished him off I could harvest him. Meanwhile, all the other bodies lying around had not been available.

    ¡°That sounds impressive,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, nodding slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out then.¡±

    Ming Lin, on the other hand, didn¡¯t say anything and just continued on. Either he really didn¡¯t believe me or just wanted to be difficult. Which was fine. He¡¯d see the truth soon. Hopefully.

    We continued on for another little while in silence before they both suddenly stopped. I did so too, but I couldn¡¯t see or hear whatever they must have. Then both of them started forward again at a brisk pace.

    I rushed to follow and soon saw what they must have. It was a soft glow of blue light from up ahead. Also as we got closer I heard¡­ crunching? Wait, did that mean it was a mole? And it was eating the stones?

    Shit.

    When I was close enough to see the actual source of the light¡ªa small patch of blue crystals sticking out of the ground with a cat-size dark shape next to it¡ªShui Jianfeng turned and tossed me his torch. I caught it clumsily while he rushed off. He wasn¡¯t nearly as fast as he was before but he was still very quick despite his injuries.

    But he wasn¡¯t fast enough. By the time he reached the creature, there was one more crunch and the light was gone. Then a split second later he swung his pick like a club.

    I had gotten close enough with the torch that I saw it as the pick connected with the mole. It let out a squeak of fury that was interrupted as it slammed into the wall. But despite my expectations, the thing didn¡¯t just go splat. Instead, it bounced off the wall and flipped before landing on its feet.

    Then it squeaked again and started to glow blue.

    ¡°Get ready,¡± Shui Jianfeng said. ¡°I¡¯m gonna hold it in place and you come and finish it off.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, fumbling with the torch for a second as I wondered if I could just leave it on the ground. Then Ming Lin snatched it out of my hand with a scoff, having dropped their own pick.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered before I rushed over to Shui Jianfeng, pick in both hands.

    The mole squeaked again, the light coming from it intensifying before it leaped at Shui Jianfeng. He was ready for it though, and smacked it aside again against the wall. This time it fell on its side and he stabbed at it with the top of his pick. The flat part pinned the thing down against the floor as it continued to squeak and try to scrabble away.

    ¡°Now! Before it burrows away!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± I said and reached him and brought my pick up to strike.

    To my surprise, however, Shui Jianfeng grunted and winced as it squirmed despite the massive size difference. Then the thing started to literally dig through the rock. Shit.

    As quickly as I could, I brought the sharp end of my pick down right on what part of its body was still exposed. I winced as I scrapped Shui Jianfeng¡¯s pick a bit too. But I still managed to bury the tip into the mole''s body.

    It let out a horrid squeal of pain and thrashed around for a bit, sending out bits of stone as its surprisingly powerful claws ripped things up. But quickly its movements became sluggish and both our picks kept it pinned.

    After another moment it went still.

    I watched it with bated breath then sighed in relief when I saw the familiar blue halo from the System. Despite not being too big, these things could be harvested. Maybe only spirit beasts and cultivators could be harvested then. Did that mean that leopard in the forest had been a Rank 0 as well?

    Something to explore more later.

    ¡°Do you see that?¡± I asked, curiously. I was pretty sure he couldn¡¯t see it, but might as well confirm now.

    ¡°See what?¡± Shui Jianfeng said, looking down at the mole in confusion. ¡°All I see is a dead rodent.¡±

    ¡°No glow?¡± I asked to be clear.

    Shui Jianfeng looked at me confused. ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    ¡°Should we be seeing something,¡± Ming Lin said skeptically as he came over. He had his pick tucked under his good arm and the torch in his hand.

    ¡°No, just wanted to be sure,¡± I said, ignoring him and focusing on the blue aura like before. Once again no command was needed and a screen appeared.

    Neither of them reacted to that either so I started to read.

    Defeated Enemy: Rank 0 Spirit Beast Rockclaw Mole

    Available Skills to Harvest:

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Sense(passive) (Rank E): Gain a sixth sense that allows you to detect vibrations and Qi through any earth. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 1 yard.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Rock Claws (active) (Rank E): Creates claw constructs out of any earth. Claw constructs can easily part and dig through stone. Required accessible earth to activate. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per minute</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Spirit Stone Devouring(passive) (E Rank): Gain the ability to eat low grade spirit stones and hold onto that power for a short period of time, bolstering your dexterity, strength, vitality, Qi reserves, and Qi regeneration by 2.5x. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Duration: 5 Minute</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Warning: Repeated continuous use will put your body under great stress.</li>

    </ul>

    Once I was done I couldn¡¯t help but grin. Yes, with Skills like this, then I might really be able to get us all out of here.

 Chapter 7: Mining and Hunting

    Chapter 7:

    I had a hard time deciding on what to pick. All the options seemed really good. Pretty much exactly the kinds of Skills I needed. In the end, though, I chose Earth Sense. Because I was hopeful it would let us find spirit stones that the other slaves would have never found. And maybe help route out more of these moles as well, letting me get the other Skills sooner.

    ¡°So¡­ Do you need more time?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

    ¡°Or were you lying about what you can do?¡± Ming Lin said, as annoying as ever.

    ¡°I was thinking things through,¡± I said, with a roll of my eyes. ¡°I can get more than a single ability. And I was thinking which one would be best right now. I¡¯ve decided though, so stand back and see what I can do.¡±

    With that said, I tapped my choice. Then the body glowed and disappeared into motes of light.

    ¡°What the?¡± Shui Jianfeng exclaimed, looking down at where the mole had been in confusion. Ming Lin just let out a surprised sound and stepped back.

    But I barely noticed that as I felt it. It was muffled through my shoes, but I could feel something. Another sense telling me what was around me. Kinda. I could tell what direction the two of them were, even if I closed my eyes, by the way their slight movements caused vibrations through the ground beneath us.

    I could also feel something else. But it was hard to tell because of how muted the sense felt.

    I crouched to the ground and put my bare hand against it. Suddenly that sense bloomed as there was nothing between me and the earth anymore. Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin¡¯s exact location felt a lot more clear. And yes I could feel something. Something like heat. Or energy. Pulsing and flowing in small amounts. All through the rock and earth. And also concentrating just a bit in some places. Qi.

    ¡°Nice,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°It works even better than I thought. Watch this.¡±

    I moved to the wall where I felt a concentration of Qi, pickaxe in hand. I raised it up and started to dig. Or at least¡­ I tried. Despite my expectations, I only chipped away a bit of stone. I tsked at that but did it again and again. Still, I wasn¡¯t making that much progress.

    ¡°Wow, so amazing,¡± Ming Lin said deadpan as he watched me work from the side.

    ¡°Want help?¡± Shui Jianfeng, not being a jerk, asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, a little embarrassed. ¡°Dig where I¡¯m hitting. There should be a cluster of spirit stones if we get deep enough.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Shui Jianfeng said. Though I couldn¡¯t help but notice he sounded skeptical. Well, he¡¯d see soon enough, so I didn¡¯t comment.

    He hefted his pickaxe and brought it down. There was a much sharper crack of stone and a larger chunk was ripped out in that single blow. All while he was still injured and having his cultivation suppressed¡­

    Another reminder of how weak I was. Annoying but hopefully something the System would help me change.

    After he struck out again and proved the first swing wasn¡¯t a fluke, I took a step back to not get in the way. Then a dozen swings later a small speck of blue light was revealed. He sped up after that and soon he¡¯d unearth a cluster of spirit stones. Unlike the example stone Big-nose showed us, it didn¡¯t look like a perfectly long-cut gem. Instead, it looked like what I¡¯d expect of a naturally growing crystal. Jagged and clumped up. But it was still a spirit stone and a decent-sized one at that.

    Enough for a single person. Not amazing by itself, but just by touching the wall I could feel traces of more. One more cluster was in my range but I could actually feel the trails of Qi through the earth around us and would be able to find even more.

    Perfect.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Jianfeng said, looking at me. Then he looked back to where we¡¯d killed the mole. ¡°So you gained the ability to sense spirit stones from that thing?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± I said. ¡°I gained a second sense that is able to detect things through the earth. Mainly vibrations, but also Qi.¡±

    ¡°Impressive.¡±

    ¡°And incredibly useful,¡± I said with a grin, before turning to Ming Lin with a smug look.

    He frowned at me then grudgingly nodded. But of course, he still had to complain about something.. ¡°It¡¯s definitely useful, but it''s not gonna get us out of here.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°But at least now we don¡¯t have to worry about working the central mine. And that was just from one mole. I know that if we got more of them, I could get an ability to recreate their claws. And that way I can dig through solid rock like them. It might take a while but that could be our way out. And that¡¯s assuming there aren¡¯t more creatures down here with even better abilities for living and moving around down in these tunnels and the earth.¡±

    Begrudgingly, Ming Lin nodded at that and I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    That seemed to annoy the other man as he huffed and looked away. I grinned even more but didn¡¯t push it. Didn¡¯t want him taking out his annoyance on me later when he was better.

    ¡°So, now that I¡¯ve proven myself,¡± I said, reaching for the spirit stone and plucking it from the hole it was in. ¡°How about we dig two more of these up, then go hunting for those moles?¡±

    ¡°Works for me,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, a big grin on his face. It was quite different than how he¡¯d been recently and more like how he¡¯d been before the attack. Hopefully, that meant that he felt we had a good chance of getting out of here.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Ming Lin said before hefting his own pick in one hand. ¡°Where should we dig?

    I grinned and quickly moved around the tunnel with my hand on the wall. It didn¡¯t take too long for me to find more spirit stones. Despite all the different flows of Qi I felt, they weren¡¯t super numerous. At least not those within the 1 yard I could actually sense. However, it was more than enough for our needs.

    So before long we each had our daily quotas filled. I also got a few more smaller spirit stones as well. I would likely need them very soon after all.

    Once that was done, we started to head down deeper into the tunnels again.

    As we walked, I made sure to keep a hand on the wall. In case any moles or other things decided to get closer. I could have probably taken off my shoes for the same effect, without taking up an arm. But the ground was far too hard and sometimes sharp for me to do that. So it was walking with a hand to the wall for me.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The first time I actually sensed a mole within my range, I had us stop and try to get to it. Just to see how the thing would react. Unfortunately, the moles weren¡¯t idiots and they fled after Shui Jianfeng started to dig. Must have sensed the vibrations from the digging.

    So we continued on, hoping to find something in the tunnel and not in the walls while going right for any tunnel branches we encountered. We also mostly kept silent, as sound traveled far in the tunnels, and we didn¡¯t want to scare any spirit beasts away. Along the way, I felt the spirit stone density slowly increase, as well as the signs of more creatures moving through the earth.

    Eventually, we finally came across another spirit beast in the tunnel. Unfortunately, things weren¡¯t as simple this time around.

    ¡°Um¡­ is that still a Rank 0?¡± I asked hesitantly as the three of us peered around a bend in a tunnel where another mole was crunching on some spirit stones. After having dug through the walls like they were barely there with their long sharp claws. All the while being as large big as a dog.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Shui Jianfeng said in a whisper. ¡°But I think it''s close. The feeling I get isn¡¯t quite at the level of an actual Rank 1 though. It''s still forming its core. Still, that means this thing will probably be pretty strong. Especially since it''s eating spirit stones.¡±

    ¡°Then should we just leave?¡± I asked, more than eager to get away from the thing. It was larger than that stupid cat that I fought, and that thing hadn¡¯t had any abilities. ¡°We could go back to the last branch and take the other tunnel.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng hesitated for a moment and Ming Lin spoke up instead.

    ¡°It should be fine,¡± He said. ¡°Even without our Qi, there¡¯s still two of us. The only question is if what little danger this thing presents is worth any possible reward. Does it make a difference if you take from this thing or just those lesser moles?¡±

    I frowned as I thought about it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ This power is still new to me. But my instincts say I¡¯d probably get more from something stronger. But I still have to be the one to kill it. Can you guys handle it enough to let me safely dispatch it? If not we can always double back to another tunnel and take the safe route. And you are both still pretty injured.¡±

    I didn¡¯t mention that my instincts were just me guessing based on what a game would be like. Because in a game, most of the time risk came with reward. Hopefully, I was right about that. Though Ming Lin did seem confident.

    Shui Jianfeng, though, not as much.

    He was looking at his friend worriedly. More precisely his friend¡¯s arm.

    Ming Lin noticed and snorted. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Even with one arm and no Qi, I bet I¡¯m still stronger than you. So as long as those love taps you got aren¡¯t too much for you to bear, Jianfeng, we can take that thing?¡±

    ¡°My injuries are fine,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a roll of his eyes and a shrug. Yet he didn¡¯t dispute the claim that Ming Lin was stronger.

    I found that rather odd as Ming Lin was a lot more on the slender side while Shui Jianfeng was more muscled. Did they mean in terms of skill then? Since Shui Jianfeng said neither were body cultivators. Or maybe it was just a quirk of their cultivation. There was still just so little I knew about that stuff. I¡¯d have to ask later.

    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s do it,¡± Shui Jianfeng said as he handed the torch back to me again. Then he cracked his knuckles before hefting his pick. A determined look crossed his face as he straightened his posture as if he was uninjured. ¡°It will be interesting fighting something challenging without a cultivator''s strength again. And if you can get more from strong things, then maybe doing this will let us get out of here sooner. Then we can bring help and get our revenge on these Black Wind Bastards.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Ming Lin said, grinning for the first time that I could recall. ¡°Let''s do this.¡± He then turned to me with a scowl. ¡°Stay close but out of the battle. Then attack when we tell you.¡±

    I nodded at that and then the two of them were off. I followed right behind them, torch in one hand and pick in the other.

    The dog-sized mole, which had been happily munching away at the spirit stones, reacted moments after we came around the bend. It spun to face us with a strange squealing squeak.

    Unlike with the small mole, I could make out a lot more details about this thing. Like most moles I¡¯d seen¡ªwhich was only on the internet and one time at the zoo¡ªit looked kinda like a fluffy rat with a creepy nose. But this one was larger than any mole on Earth, and its big paws used for digging were especially menacing. Both because they were larger than my own hands, and because they were covered in rock that sharpened to deadly-looking tips.

    The mole let out a louder squeaking squeal that kinda reminded me of a pig. Then its body lit up with the same light of the spirit stones. It seemed to bulk up and the claws grew extra bright. Rock from the ground flowed around its claws, making them even larger.

    I hesitated for a moment at the sight but Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng didn¡¯t.

    Instead, they both rushed forward. Neither was as fast as I¡¯d seen them before but they were still fast. And despite the ferocity of how the mole lashed out with its claws, cleaving up chunks of earth like it was nothing, neither was phased.

    They juked in baiting the mole to attack. Then when it was busy with one of them the other would strike. The first two times the mole reacted fast enough to prevent damage. Their picks just knick chunks off the creature''s claws but that was it. But as the two got used to using their picks as weapons, and despite Ming Lin¡¯s single-arm, they started to do better. They took off large chunks of its claws and started pushing it back.

    Then came the first decisive blow.

    The mole squealed in fury and tried to overwhelm Ming Lin. Maybe it understood that he was the most injured. Either way, he only took a couple of steps back and parried the mole''s strikes away from its own body.

    Then Shui Jianfeng struck hard. As the mole over-extended, he buried his pick right into the center of one of its claws. Right where its actual hand must be. It pierced right through rock and into the soft flesh below, then into the rock below that.

    I quickly put my torch down as I saw it and got ready to act.

    The mole squealed and lashed out frantically and tried to pull away. But then it only squealed louder in pain as it was unable to move its pinned limb. At that moment, Ming Lin struck just like his friend. He stabbed his pick right into the center of its other clawing, leaving both paws pinned.

    The mole squealed in pain again. It was both loud and pitiful and started to make me feel bad.

    But then Ming Lin called out for me to attack and I forced myself to ignore it.

    So I rushed forward and buried my pick right in the center of the mole¡¯s head. My pick tore through flesh then bone and probably brain. It squealed one last time, shaking and thrashing before it finally went limp.

    My breathing was heavy despite having practically done nothing. And I looked down at the thing with my pick buried in its head. I felt a little sick again. And then I remembered the look on that bandit''s face.

    The shock, fear, anger.

    I tasted bile again but forced myself to swallow and breathe.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked from beside me.

    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± I said, shaking my head. I pushed the memories and my own horror aside and focused on the dead mole. This was sad but we needed this. To save ourselves and all the slaves above us. And to get revenge on those bandit bastards.

    So I would just have to deal with it. I could get emotional about it when we were free and safe. If that ever happened.

    I forced that thought away too and focused on the blue aura around the mole.

    Defeated Enemy: Rank 0 Spirit Beast Rockclaw Mole

    Available Skills to Harvest:

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Sense Upgrade(Rank E): Increase progress to rank up Earth Sense by 25%</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Rock Claws (Active) (Rank D): Creates claw constructs out of any earth. Claw constructs can easily part and dig through stone. Required accessible earth to activate. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per 5 minutes</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>D-Rank Feature: Minor Shaping: Expend additional Qi to shape or change the size of the claws.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Spirit Beast Cultivation (Passive) (Rank E): Gain the ability to cultivate like a spirit beast. Devour spiritually potent flesh, spirit beast cores, or vegetation to improve your body and create your own spirit beast core. Speed of cultivation depends on the quality of what is devoured and the rank of this skill.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Compatibility: Early Rank 1 Materials and Below

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cooldown: 6 hours </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

 Chapter 8: Gathering Skills and Trouble

    Chapter 8:

    I quickly read through the harvest options available to me. The first option I dismissed almost immediately. It was nice to know that I could rank up my Skills by harvesting the same type of creature again and again. Especially since ranking up seemed to expand upon Skills and add more options from what I could see from the D-Rank Rock Claws.

    But 25% towards D-Rank wasn¡¯t worth as much as a whole new Skill. Especially not when one of those Skills was already D-Rank.

    That left me with the choice between the other two Skills. And also made me wonder just how the System decided what Skills I could get. Because the mole could clearly eat spirit stones, but Spirit Stone Devouring wasn¡¯t an option for some reason. Why was that? Was it random or did it give me the best Skills the mole had?

    I¡¯d have to test that at some point in the future.

    For now, I had a choice to make.

    I would have loved to pick the Spirit Beast cultivation Skill. To finally start cultivating and getting stronger. But I hadn¡¯t forgotten Shui Jianfeng¡¯s warning about the stronger bandits being able to sense something like that. And the upgraded claws were definitely what we needed to actually get out of here. With how little Qi I had, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to actually leave any time soon, but more Skills from the moles could hopefully fix that.

    So in the end I went with the claws.

    Besides, as much as I hated being weak and wanted to be strong, at least I wasn¡¯t relying just on my own strength right now. I had two people to fight for me. I didn¡¯t like it but for now, I could bear with it. And it wasn¡¯t like I wouldn¡¯t get the option again in the future, anyway.

    The large mole glowed blue again before exploding into motes of light. Then the knowledge of how to activate the Skill entered my mind.

    ¡°So what did you get?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked.

    ¡°Let me show you,¡± I said, putting both my hands on a nearby wall. Then following the instructions in my head, I activated the Skill with a mental trigger. I felt something being pulled from me to my hand. It entered the wall, and then the rock started to move.

    It became a bit like liquid, but not quite, and covered both my hands. Then it doubled my hand size and formed claws before becoming solid. There was also earth connecting my fingers, turning my hands into the shovel-like claws the moles had. Despite their material and size though, they didn¡¯t really feel all that heavy. They did restrict the movement of my fingers though.

    I tried to flex my fingers to no avail as I stared down at my hand. It was a strange sight. Like I¡¯d put on some kind of odd glove for a costume. A really super realistic costume. But the looks of this weren¡¯t what mattered. It was what they could do.

    So I reached out to the wall and gave it a test.

    There was the sound of rock scraping against rock. And my new claws dug into the walls of the tunnel far easier than my pick had. It was like pushing my hand through only slightly densely packed dirt, despite being made out of pure rock. The scoop shape also allowed me to easily pull out chunks of rock from the wall.

    I grinned at the sight and did it again but with both claws. After only a couple of moments, I had a person-sized hole about an arm''s length dug into the wall.

    I turned back to my companions with a grin. ¡°Pretty awesome right? And that¡¯s not even the best part. The bigger mole actually made it so that using more Qi I can¡­¡±

    A wave of exhaustion hit me suddenly and I stumbled. The rock covering my hands lost its structure and slipped off my hands.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± I said, catching myself on the wall as I felt weak.

    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked.

    ¡°Yeah, just really tired for some reason,¡± I said, shaking my head and trying to get the feeling to go away.

    Ming Lin snorted, making me look up and glare at him.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, not caring about just how much stronger he was than me.

    Ming Lin rolled his eyes. ¡°You aren¡¯t a cultivator. I don¡¯t even understand how you could use such an advanced-looking technique, but clearly, you can¡¯t maintain it. So you drained yourself dry and that¡¯s why you''re like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, feeling dumb. Like really dumb. I had a status that told me how much Qi I had. And the Skill told me how much Qi it would use and what the upkeep was. It must have passed the five-minute mark just now and I guess it over-taxed me before failing.

    Dumb. But at least it happened in a non-combat situation. I¡¯d just have to be more careful in the future. And keep better track. Also hopefully the next Skill I get would help increase my Qi pool. Maybe the spirit stone devouring one since getting spirit stones just got even easier.

    ¡°So much for getting us out of here,¡± Ming Lin said with a sigh.

    Now it was my turn to scoff. ¡°Hardly. I messed up and don¡¯t have that much Qi. But if we find more moles I can eat spirit stones to fix that issue. Then we can really start working to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to eat spirit stones?¡± Ming Lin asked, looking at me incredulously.

    ¡°Yep,¡± I said, grinning before pushing off the wall. Thankfully the dizzy spell didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Now let''s keep going. The sooner I get all the Skills I need, the sooner we can start making a way out of this place. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    I emphasized that last part by making my way over to the torch on the ground and picking it up. It hadn¡¯t started to dim yet, but when it did we would have to start heading up.

    After that, we continued our hunt.

    Or at least we tried. Unfortunately, we had to stop soon after as we started to see blue glowing moss. Not a lot. Just a little on the walls and ceiling. But as eager as I was to get more Skills, we weren''t going to ignore the bandits¡¯ warnings. Even Ming Lin didn¡¯t want to tangle with any actual Rank 1 spirit beasts at the moment.

    So we backtracked until we reached a previous branch in the tunnels and took the other route. We still kept up the silent routine, though it was starting to grate on me just a little. It was a bit odd not speaking for so long while traveling with others, and there was still so much more I wanted to ask about this world.

    But getting the Skills I needed to get us out of here was more important so I refrained. Though I made a mental list of everything I would ask eventually.

    Not soon after we started down the other path we encountered something else. Oddly enough it wasn¡¯t a mole and I somehow completely missed it. Not even my Earth Sense really noticed it despite it being covered stone.

    But Shui Jianfeng noticed it. It was a slightly odd rock formation that protruded on a higher portion of the tunnel wall. He pointed it out and we decided to test and see what it was. So he approached it slowly, and when it didn¡¯t react, he attacked with a mighty swing of his pick. He avoided center mass so as to not kill the thing, and only injure it.

    Which was exactly what happened.

    After that, the thing let out what sounded like a hiss and tried to flee. It looked a bit like a hermit crab with a rock shell but it moved surprisingly fast.

    Thankfully it was small and we managed to catch up with it and I ended things with my pick. I got another three Skills to choose from and I went with one called Earthen Camouflage.

    Earthen Camouflage (Rank E) (Active): Incase your body in a thin layer of earth or rock to disguise yourself. Decrease the chances of being detected by 50%.

    <ul>

    <li>You are able to breathe while in this state but cannot move. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per 10 minute </li>

    </ul>

    Not a super powerful ability, especially once we were out of these tunnels. It also wouldn¡¯t really help with escaping the mines either. But I ended up using one of my 20 slots for it for two reasons. One was I was hoping I could consolidate it with something else when I didn¡¯t need it in the future. The other was that well¡­ If things went to hell it would be nice to have a way of hiding from something we couldn¡¯t deal with.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    And trying to save my slots for the future, while making myself more vulnerable right now, wasn¡¯t something I wanted to do.

    Still, after taking it I found myself opening my Status for the second time since coming into this world. I didn¡¯t need to consolidate anything right now, as I had many slots left. But I wanted to be sure it would be possible and to see just what it was like.

    To my relief, there were already consolidation options. Also, I noticed that I¡¯d made some progress towards ranking up my Earth Sense and Primal Vitality. Not by a lot, only by a couple of percents, but it seemed that harvesting wasn¡¯t the only way for me to Rank up my Skills.

    Skill Consolidation (3 options available):

    Earthen Claws(Active) (Rank D)+ Earthen Camouflage(Active) (Rank E):

    <ul>

    <li>Earthen Constructs: Create constructs out of Earth in any shape you can hold the image of in your mind(D Rank)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 2 Qi per 5 Minutes</li>

    </ul>

    Earthen Claws(Active) (Rank D) + Earth Sense(Passive) (Rank E) :

    <ul>

    <li>Earthen Claws of Sensing (D Rank): Create claw constructs out of earth that can detect vibrations and Qi through any earth it touches. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 2 Qi per 5 Minutes.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 5 Yards</li>

    </ul>

    Earthen Camouflage(Active) (Rank E) + Earth Sense(Passive) (Rank E):

    <ul>

    <li>Incase yourself in a thin layer of earth or rock to disguise yourself. Decrease the chances of being detected by 50%. While in this state you can detect vibrations and Qi through any earth touching the camouflage.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>You are able to breathe while in this state but cannot move. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per 10 minute </li>

    </ul>

    Since we didn¡¯t talk while we traveled, I took the time to read everything while we continued to look for new targets. After that, I decided to avoid any consolidations at the moment. They weren¡¯t bad or anything. But most of them seemed a bit like a downgrade from what I already had. It would be worth it to free up the slots, but that wasn¡¯t an issue right now.

    Still, it was good to confirm that a lot of things seem compatible for consolidation. It meant that I wasn¡¯t potentially handicapping myself in the future like I thought by focusing on survival now.

    One of the options was tempting though. The Earthen Construct one would be pretty cool. But the loss of digging power and hiding power wasn¡¯t great. Especially not now. But that one was the one I was most likely to take in the future.

    Eventually, after I finished going over things, we encountered something else. It was another mole. Just a small one, so it took us barely any effort to take it out for me to harvest. But after that, I finally got the Spirit Stone Devouring Skill.

    Spirit Stone Devouring(passive) (E Rank): Gain the ability to eat low-grade spirit stones and hold onto that power for a short period of time, bolstering your dexterity, strength, vitality, Qi reserves, and Qi regeneration by 2.5x.

    <ul>

    <li>Duration: 5 Minutes</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Warning: Repeated continuous use will put the body under great stress.</li>

    </ul>

    I eagerly took that as I saw it as my main way to get over my lack of Qi issue.

    Once the little mole had disappeared into motes of light, I eagerly took out one of the smaller spirit stones I¡¯d brought with me from earlier. It was about the size of my thumbnail. Instinctively, I knew I could eat and chew it despite it being hard as stone, but I hesitated for a moment.

    ¡°Are you sure you can do this?¡± Ming Lin asked¡ªwhat almost sounded like worry in his voice¡ªas he looked at the stone in my hand with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Pretty sure,¡± I said, trying not to sound nervous. ¡°And this might be our best bet to get over my Qi issue without attracting attention and getting collared like you guys. So it''s not like I have much of a choice.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng frowned at that but I ignored it. Instead, I braced myself and then popped the spirit stone in my mouth like candy. I bit down and there was a loud crunch. Despite a terrified part of me worried that the sound was actually my teeth breaking, there was no pain at all. And as I kept chewing the spirit stone seemed to dissolve and flow down my throat.

    It was honestly like eating rock candy, to my immense relief.

    Then I felt it.

    That warm feeling that went down my throat and into my stomach exploded out and rushed through my body. My muscles swelled a bit and a feeling of power ran through me. I also felt very alert and energized, in a way that I¡¯d never felt before.

    So this was what it felt like to be 2.5 times better in most of my stats, huh? I could get used to this.

    ¡°You really can just obtain powers like that,¡± Ming Lin said, an odd note in his voice.

    I turned to look at him, idly noting that my skin was also faintly glowing with a blue light. At the same time, I couldn''t help but feel just a bit annoyed. Had he seriously still been doubting me? ¡°Yeah. I told you that¡¯s what I could do. Did you really still think I was lying?¡±

    Ming Lin gave me a look I couldn¡¯t quite decipher and shook their head. ¡°More like exaggerating. But I guess you weren¡¯t¡­¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Why do you make it sound like a bad thing?¡±

    Ming Lin frowned and looked away. I looked to Shui Jianfeng for answers but he just looked at his friend in concern.

    ¡°It can be a bad thing,¡± Ming Lin said after a moment. He turned to stare at me with a piercing gaze. ¡°To stand out as unique. In ways that might tempt the greedy and cruel to try and make use of you¡­ You should avoid displaying this ability of yours to others. In fact, you shouldn¡¯t even have shown it to us. We¡¯ve only just met. That was foolish.¡±

    I frowned at that. He had a point in a way. But at the same time, he was being kind of a dick about it¡­ Also, why did he say that like he was speaking from experience?

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like I had much of a choice,¡± I said annoyed. ¡°What was I gonna do? Try and go off on my own in these mines, when I barely understand this place and hope for the best? And are you saying you''re gonna tell others about me? Even if I get us all out of here? Or that you''re gonna try and force me to use my power for you?¡±

    Ming Lin scowled at that. ¡°No, we wouldn¡¯t. But you only have our word for that. We could be liars biding our time. That¡¯s why you should avoid speaking of this and using it in front of people in the future. Let them think you just know a variety of techniques instead of what you¡¯re able to do.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at that. ¡°Well, thanks for that advice. It''s not like I already knew that, but took the risk because I didn¡¯t have a better option.¡±

    Ming Ling scowled at that and started walking down the tunnel again.

    I scowled at his back but followed.

    Shui Jianfeng walked beside me for a moment before he said, ¡°I know he can be abrasive. But in his mind, he¡¯s helping and doing you a favor by explaining that.¡±

    Ming Lin was way too close for him not to hear that. And his steps picked up after, making us have to speed up to not get left behind. It was easy for a moment until that feeling of power that had been coursing through me disappeared.

    Then it took more work to keep up after the effects of my Skill ended. I sighed as we moved at almost jogging speed. ¡°Whatever, it''s fine. Let''s just get back to work and try and hunt some of these moles. The Skill is a good start but it doesn¡¯t last too long. If we get a few more of the moles, I could improve the ability and maybe then I can start digging our way out of here.¡°

    ¡°Really?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked, turning to me with wide eyes. Then he frowned. ¡°Lin is right¡­ You really shouldn¡¯t tell anyone else about this ability unless you trust them a lot. Learning new techniques so easily is already impressive. But to be able to improve on them by just hunting spirit beasts¡­ That''s even more so. At the very least some unscrupulous people might want to take you out before you get too powerful unless you joined a powerful faction.¡±

    I grimaced at that and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    He nodded and we continued on in silence.

    We ended up hunting down several more moles. They seemed to be the most abundant spirit beast down here¡ªat least in this part of the cavern. Though I wasn¡¯t gonna complain because they had a lot of great Skills, and I was eager to try and upgrade what I already got from them.

    It did take more dead moles to do that than I thought, however. Unlike the larger mole, which could add 25% to my rank-up progress for a Skill, the smaller moles only offered 5% per harvest. Still, that just meant that it took 20 moles for a single rank-up. Which we¡¯d almost managed before our torch started to dim.

    That was unfortunate as I wanted to rank up Spirit Stone Devouring and see what would happen. But it was probably for the best. I¡¯d only had one meal today and hadn¡¯t eaten or drank anything since. It was something I was very not used to. The last time I dealt with something similar back home, I¡¯d felt utterly terrible near the end of the day.

    I still didn¡¯t feel great now, despite not having done that much fighting. But I was still better than back then. Either I¡¯d gotten a lot tougher since last year, or it was possible it was Primal Vitality that was helping.

    So I didn¡¯t complain too much as we started to head back up, even if it was a bit frustrating. I soothed my annoyance with the knowledge that we¡¯d already made a lot of progress today. The quotas were now a joke for us and there was a very clear way for us to start making a way out. All I really needed now was a way to maintain my Qi while I dug, and maybe something to reinforce a tunnel I made to prevent cave-ins.

    Hopefully, there would be another burrowing spirit beast down here I could get something like that from.

    But overall, things were looking up.

    At least, that¡¯s what I thought until we entered the main chamber of the mine again. But after we gave over our spirit stones to meet the quota, we were roughly re-chained, our torches and pickles taken away, and then we were shoved out of the cave to gather up with all the rest of the slaves.

    A bad feeling started to build in my gut as even the guys who looked like they¡¯d been here a while appeared nervous and confused.

    That tripled when the bandit with the big nose and hammer¡ªthe Black Hammer apparently¡ªappeared in a blur in front of the gathering of slaves. And at his feet were a group of three very terrified-looking men. They were chained and one of them was even collared. Slaves. Just like the rest of us.

    That couldn¡¯t be good.

 Chapter 9: Examples and Resolve

    Chapter 9:

    ¡°It seems that some of you have chosen to spit upon our generosity.¡± The Black Hammer said as he loomed over the three men at his feet. When one of them tried to get up he put a booted foot on their back and slammed them into the ground. He did it as if he didn¡¯t notice, but the ground beneath the man cratered and the slave let out a scream of pain. ¡°After all, we spared your pathetic lives and gave you a chance to live another day!¡±

    I gritted my teeth as I watched this. My fists were clenched at my side. But there was nothing I could do about this even if my legs weren¡¯t chained. The guy moved like a blur and his attacks were apparently so powerful they sounded like explosions. I was just too weak to do anything.

    I really hated being weak here.

    ¡°And not only did these fools spit on our generosity. They did it in such a stupid way?¡± The Black Hammer continued, ignoring the desperate scrabbling of the man he was crushing underneath his foot. Instead, he laughed and shook his head. ¡°These idiots thought they could dig their way out of the mines! Can you believe that? Idiots, right!¡±

    The bearded big-nosed man laughed again and so did most of the other Marauders.

    ¡°Or maybe they think we''re idiots,¡± the Black Hammer said, his expression going cold. He reached down and picked up one of the other men by the neck. The one with the collar. They struggled uselessly against the arm holding them up. The bandit was already a big guy with bulging muscles. But the slave was also in a rough state so he looked like a twig in comparison. He had no chance to escape. ¡°Well, is that what you thought? Is that why you were dumb enough to think we wouldn''t find your little escape tunnel?¡±

    I fought down any reactions to those words. But my heart still thumped loudly in my chest. So they checked the mines for extra tunnels? Shit. Should have thought about that.

    The man being held up tried to speak and continued to struggle. But the hand around his neck kept any words from forming and each second his movements were weakening.

    I felt pain in my hands, and it took me a second to realize I was clenching my fist so tightly that I was almost breaking skin. I forced myself to relax my hands. Yet that didn¡¯t stop the fear and anger growing in my stomach.

    ¡°Idiots,¡± the Black Hammer finally said before dropping the man like a sack of potatoes.

    The man gasped desperately for air while clutching his throat. But the bandit ignored that and turned his gaze to the rest of us. He scanned through the crowd and I could see the cold menacing indifference in them even from the crowds.

    ¡°Though I suppose I shouldn¡¯t expect weak trash like all of you to be any better,¡± the bandit said as if he was disappointed in himself. It made my blood boil. ¡°I suppose if you are all that stupid, I need to be clearer. So none of you get any more foolish ideas that try to waste our time. Or possibly cause a collapse in the mines from trying to dig your own tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Men!¡± he called out, a cruel-looking grin on his face. ¡°Who wants to help me make an example out of these morons? So the rest of the trash know their place. And that there is no escape. Not until we''re done here.¡±

    The bandits surrounding us cheered and many of them volunteered. The most eager of them all though, was a familiar younger big-nosed man.

    ¡°Sir! Let me handle it,¡± the man¡ªYan something, and possibly related to the Black Hammer¡ªsaid, a manic grin on his face. ¡°I know just the fucking thing to send a message through their thick skulls.¡±

    ¡°And just what would that be, Yan Song?¡± the Black Hammer asked, a grin on his face as he focused on the younger man.

    ¡°Well for those two,¡± Yan Song said, pointing to the man buried in the ground now and the one who¡¯d been spared so far. ¡°Something entertaining each. So maybe some rat torture and a good old-fashioned quartering.¡±

    The bandit leader''s grin faded a bit and he sighed. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, sir,¡± Yan Song said with a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s just the beginning. Vicious enough to send a message. But for the last one.¡° Yan Song pointed at the man who¡¯d been choked. ¡°He will be the best message. I remember the bastard. Killed a couple of our men before you showed him his place. But one of the women we captured I think is his. Or was.¡± He let out a disgusting vile laugh at that and my stomach twisted.

    Right¡­ I hadn¡¯t even really noticed it but all the slaves were men. But it seemed they¡¯d taken women hostages too and¡­ Well, they did what fucking scumbags like this did to women under their control. As if I couldn¡¯t hate these fuckers enough already.

    ¡°How about we give her to the men to get a taste of the Rite of Devouring Essence,¡± Yan Song continued. ¡°Then fucking tie a rope around his neck and make him watch. See how long it takes before he kills himself trying to save her as she withers away.¡±

    The Black Hammer burst out into laughter at that. Meanwhile, the man who had been choked looked up and glared pure hate at Yan Song.

    I just gritted my teeth and did my best not to make a scene. I had to fight to not clench my fist or anything more noticeable. I had no idea what the rite was, but given the implications and what I knew about the more messed up side of cultivation in stories, I just knew it would be horrible.

    ¡°Now, that is a suggestion,¡± the Black Hammer said. ¡°Give the men a taste of what they can get if they work hard. And a good lesson for what trying to escape will do. That¡¯s more like what I was expecting. I¡¯ll let you do the quartering, then you can take another one of the women and use the rite as well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Yan Song said, ecstatic. It made me want to punch his big stupid nose even more than when he beat and stomped me.

    ¡°Now come on,¡± the Black Hammer said. ¡°Get to it. Let''s see if these trash will learn anything from this. Oh, and one more thing.¡± He turned his gaze to us again. ¡°This time. Only the ones causing problems are being punished. But the Black Wind isn¡¯t any happier than I am about this. If this happens again, then he will take a hand in this personally.¡±

    He paused for a second and no one spoke. Tension seemed to fall over everyone at that declaration. It left me kinda confused and I looked around as discreetly as I could. But all I saw around me were terrified faces. Even Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin looked pale. Shui Jianfeng had said he had a ruthless reputation but was it really that bad?

    Apparently, given the expression everyone had.

    ¡°So if you don¡¯t want that happening I suggest you all keep an eye out. Because the Black Wind won¡¯t nearly be as kind as me. He might just punish you all. At the very least, since we know how many of the whores used to belong to some of you, we might just put the brunt of the punishment on them. So¡­ If you don¡¯t want to join these fools, you¡¯ll report anyone doing something unwise.¡±

    I did my best not to grimace at that. Fuck¡­ So another thing we had to worry about. Not just the bandits but the other slaves finding any tunnel we dug. How were we going to deal with that?

    The Black Hammer gave us one last glare before he grinned and waved his bandits forward. After that, we were forced to watch with everyone else some of the most horrifying things I¡¯d ever seen. The death and the screams would haunt me until¡­ Probably the day I died.

    I vomited at some point, along with dozens of other slaves being forced to watch. And when it was finally over, I felt exhausted and ill as we were forced to line up for our evening meal and water. I had a really hard time keeping any of it down. Then we were marched back to our tents to rest for tomorrow.

    ¡ªLine break¡ª

    It took me a long time to fall asleep that night. The screaming, begging, blood, and the woman¡¯s desiccated corpse haunted me constantly. Yet, the more my mind turned over the event, the less fearful and sick I became.

    Instead, I got mad. Mad that the bandits were such sick twisted monsters. Mad that I was even in this crazy sick world. And in that anger, I found determination.

    Fuck the bastards and their attempt to deter and intimidate us. I was still going to escape. They might be ready for normal people trying to tunnel out using picks and only above-average strength. But I would bet they weren¡¯t ready for me. And once I was free, I would work to make them pay.

    It was only after I came to that resolution was I finally able to sleep. But even then I didn¡¯t sleep well.

    The next morning I felt dead on my feet and just went through the motions as we were woken up. Yang Song was there again and part of me wanted to jump him. Bash his head into the ground and end the monster. Drive my Rock Claws into his eyes and tear his skull off.

    But I kept my head down, even when he decided to shove me to the ground and harass the rest of us.

    I ate and drank in silence, mechanically meeting my needs. Then we were ushered back down into the mines.

    Once again we were herded towards the same starting tunnel as the day before. For some reason, Shui Jianfeng was looking toward the other groups of slaves. It took my still drowsy mind to realize he was probably looking for the other members of the Stomping Bulls. Though I couldn¡¯t tell if he recognized anyone from his expression.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Ming Lin, on the other hand, kept his head down. Seemed that he was just as badly affected by what we saw last night. He didn¡¯t look up even once as we were unchained, given tools again, and sent down into the tunnels.

    I stayed close to the two of them as we moved. Yet none of us spoke. There was a lot to discuss, but not when there were other slaves nearby. I could already see everyone eyeing each other suspiciously. There was no need to say something that would tip one of them off and have them report us.

    ¡°We should speed up our plans,¡± Shui Jianfeng said a while after we managed to split enough to be just the three of us. We were stopped at another branching path in the extensive tunnel network. Even then, he spoke quietly in case we were followed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stand being here and letting those monsters get away with all this any longer than necessary.¡±

    Ming Lin finally looked up at Shui Jianfeng¡¯s words, though his expression wasn¡¯t what I thought it would be. I thought he¡¯d look sick or tired. Instead, he looked up with a cold intensity.

    ¡°We leave as soon as we can,¡± Ming Lin agreed with a sharp nod. ¡°Then we make those sick bastards pay. If we tell Miss Sun Xia about what we saw, then she can gather forces to destroy them. That rite was a demonic technique.¡±

    I frowned. While that sounded good, we still had to actually get out of here first. ¡°I¡¯d like to get out of here faster, too. But¡­ given what happened, and the fact that they must check the caves when we aren¡¯t down here¡ªor maybe even do surprise visits or something¡ªdon¡¯t we need to be even more careful? Even if they don¡¯t find us, the others down here might see something and give us up instead of risking¡­ What happened last night happening to them.¡±

    ¡°I will not be cowed by those bastards,¡± Ming Lin said through gritted teeth and turned his cold gaze to me. I flinched at the pure hatred in his eyes and stepped back. Thankfully, Shui Jianfeng stepped between us.

    ¡°I have a plan to deal with the risks,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, holding his hands up placatingly. ¡°I spent this morning asking questions and doing my best to listen in on the slaves that have been here longer. Everyone¡¯s wary about what happened, but they don¡¯t mind talking about unrelated things. Like the kinds of spirit beasts that roam down here. Even in the mossy layers. Many slaves have gone down there when they are really desperate. And from the sounds of it, you should be able to get something from there that could help hide any of our attempts. Like the ability to shape earth and stone. As long as you can get the right tools, we shouldn¡¯t have anything to fear.¡±

    My frown deepened at that, and I looked the two of them over. They both still had their bandages on, and Ming Lin¡¯s left arm was still in a sling. Sure, they had fought okay yesterday. But from what I understood, the dangers of the lower levels were much worse.

    ¡°So you want us to risk going deep enough that we reach the mossy levels and go faster?¡± I asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t Rank 1 spirit beasts a lot stronger than Rank 0s? Isn¡¯t this too big of a risk?¡±

    ¡°Not as big as you fear,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a shake of his head. ¡°Because I also learned of a spirit beast down here that should make things a lot easier for us if you can get its ability. It¡¯s called a Spirit Leech. It mainly lives on spirit stone clusters and drains the Qi out of them slowly to feed itself. More importantly, if you get one on you and don¡¯t notice, it can drain you dry and leave you for dead. Which means it can forcefully drain Qi. I think if we get you that, you might be able to help with these.¡° He tapped at the collar on his neck.

    ¡°Normally, they¡¯d be too dangerous to handle,¡± he continued. ¡°But if you can obtain that ability, then that won¡¯t be an issue. And once the collar is disrupted, even if only for a couple of moments¡­¡± He turned to Ming Lin with a smirk. ¡°Then Ming Lin should be able to use enough strength to rip them off.¡±

    Ming Lin¡¯s eyes widened before nodding firmly at that. Then he turned to look at me expectantly. Demandingly really. Shui Jianfeng did the same, though with just a confident smirk.

    I was a bit taken aback by all this. I¡¯d resolve that we¡¯d get revenge on the bandits, but I¡¯d thought that it would be a slow thing. Carefully getting stronger and stronger. But now was it really possible for us to actually end this nightmare faster?

    Was Ming Lin really that strong with his Qi? I eyed the collars around their neck again. They were pure metal and there were no latches. They also looked incredibly thick, at least two finger widths. Yet if they thought we could do it¡­

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said after a moment of consideration. ¡°I can see how that could work. But, I¡¯m assuming you won¡¯t be able to put the collars back on once you take them off? So we won¡¯t be able to go back up. And they could still come down and catch you two without collars? Also what about food?¡±

    Shui Jianfeng shook his head at that. ¡°Food won¡¯t be a problem. And the issue with the collars is why we need to work fast and go to the lower levels. I¡¯m fairly certain the escape tunnel those men dug was in the upper levels. Without your ability, they would¡¯ve had no hope of escaping by tunneling from as deep as we are now.

    ¡°And given how many branches the tunnels break up into, and how few of the bandits there are compared to the slaves, it¡¯s unlikely that we will run into any of them down in the depths any time soon. Especially when most of the bandits are mediocre fighters at best. I doubt many of them dare go too deep, too afraid of the spirit beasts down here. And that will only be a risk until you get a power that can seal up the tunnels behind us.¡°

    ¡°Alright,¡± I finally said, nodding slowly and processing all that.

    If Shui Jianfeng was right, then maybe this could really work. We were making some assumptions, and there were still a lot of risks. But¡­ if it meant escaping faster and stopping those bastard bandits, then maybe it was worth the risk. And if we weren¡¯t going back up, then maybe I could finally start cultivating and actually start getting stronger.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m convinced,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°So we just have to keep searching for spirit stones until we find one of those leeches? Then we head down to the lower levels?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Shui Jianfeng said while rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Not exactly¡­¡±

    ¡ªLinebreak¡ª

    ¡°Are you sure about this,¡± I said for what felt like the tenth time as I followed closely behind Shui Jianfeng. Ming Lin brought up the rear so that the squishiest and weakest person¡ªme¡ªwas protected on both sides.

    But despite the protection, I still felt extremely nervous. I¡¯d been hoping that we would be coming down here after we got rid of their collars.

    Not before.

    I held my pick in one hand in a death grip, while my other held a spirit stone. At the first sign of trouble, I would shove it in my mouth and¡­ Hopefully not die. I regretted not pushing to find another mole now to upgrade the Skill. But there hadn¡¯t been any along the way and I had been eager to get a Skill from the leeches. There were moles down here, but killing one would make way too much noise. And it wasn¡¯t like it would help that much anyway. If a Rank 1 appeared we¡¯d be screwed.

    Shui Jianfeng had our torch tied up in his waist sash so no one had to waste an extra hand. Though the torch itself wasn¡¯t even that necessary down here. Not with all the glowing blue moss lighting up our surroundings.

    The same moss that meant that we were deep enough to encounter Rank 1 spirit beasts.

    ¡°80%,¡± Shui Jianfeng said in a low voice as he approached another spirit stone cluster growing out of the walls. He tsked when he didn¡¯t find what he was looking for. ¡°I overheard some of the guys talking last night after¡­ That. And I talked to those three guys from yesterday again¡ªthe ones that gave us the advice about the moles. The moss layer of the mine is dangerous, but people do come down here from time to time. Sometimes when they are desperate for stones, or sometimes when they are desperate for food and water. Apparently, the moss is a decent source of both.¡±

    I grimaced at the thought as I looked at the wet-looking moss around us. That sounded disgusting. Though I guess if I was desperate¡­

    ¡°Usually it''s the latter since mining is loud and will attract attention,¡± Shui Jianfeng said. ¡°But people have managed to grab some stones and get out of here alive in the past. As long as we don¡¯t go too deep, and don¡¯t mine here, we should be fine. And that¡¯s perfect for us since we only need to find some leeches.¡°

    ¡°Alright, but the moment I kill one, we start heading back up,¡± I said, warily looking at my surroundings.

    The tunnels were larger here. Before the tunnels were cramped enough that I could almost touch the ceiling by raising my hand, and five people shoulder to shoulder might get stuck. Here though, just a few dozen yards after passing the first patch of moss, it was like the size of a subway tunnel.

    It gave us more room to fight and breathe but also gave more room for things to hide. There were stalagmites and other kinds of rock formations. Even puddles of water that were deeper than they looked. There were no wooden mining supports, but the rock here seemed denser to my Earth Sense. Tremors and vibrations traveled just a bit differently here.

    All of it made me nervous. Especially since there were other creatures here as well. Nothing strong thankfully. Just more of the moles of course, and those stone hermit crab things. There were also smaller bug things that seemed to feed on the moss and scattered if we got close.

    Thankfully, they seemed content to leave us alone as long as we did the same. But the occasional noise they made was rather nerve-racking. Along with a low rumbling that seemed to echo through the tunnel. Part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the sound was actually coming from the tunnel walls themselves. But my Earth Sense was far too limited to detect if there was anything burrowing around so I could only hope not.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here any more than you do,¡± Shui Jianfeng said before he started heading deeper down the tunnel again. Then he stopped at the next cluster of spirit stones to inspect it. ¡°This is our best chance though. So don¡¯t panic and just be careful and keep an eye out¡ªhey, I found one.¡±

    He froze and started to back off.

    I moved forward to get a better look with Ming Lin right behind me. It took me a second to see it as it was the same color as the spirit stones. It glowed softly. But after staring at it a bit, I could see a strange blob resting on the stone. The spirit stone under it was actually dimmer, I thought, but its own glow covered it up.

    ¡°Take your time and try not to make too much noise,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, glancing around. ¡°They should be harmless as long as they don¡¯t touch your skin. Their main thing is going unnoticed.¡±

    Trusting the two with me to watch my back, I put away the spirit stone in my hand and readied my pick. I slowly approached, waiting for any reaction from the thing.

    When nothing happened, I closed in more and slowly brought up my pick. Not too high as the thing seemed rather weak. A good solid stab should be all that was needed.

    Which was exactly what I gave it. The tip of my pick dug into the creature, pinning it to the stone it was leeching from. The thing twisted and writhed in pain but thankfully made no noise. Then after a long moment, its movements died off.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered once I saw a familiar blue halo of light. It somehow still stood out despite all the blue light down here. I quickly focused on it and soon found the Skill we were hoping for.

    Skill: Qi Leech (E Rank). Forcefully drain Qi from a target you are touching at a rate of 0.5 Qi per second. Excess Qi will be expelled from your body and the drain rate will be reduced by half.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 1 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    I turned to Shui Jianfeng with a grin. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done. Let''s leave and test it out first befo¡ª¡±

    I was cut off by a rumble. It sounded like the rumbling I¡¯d been hearing since coming down here but louder. And closer. Like it was coming from the wall opposite of us.

    ¡°Shit¡ª¡± was all I had time to say.

    Then the rock of the wall crumbled as something burrowed out.

 Chapter 10: Serpent Attack

    Chapter 10:

    Someone tackled me hard to the ground as something long and serpentine rushed over our heads. My pick went flying from my hand. I grunted and then yelped when I was pulled to my feet.

    I had a second to see it was Shui Jianfeng that saved me. Then he shoved me towards Ming Lin. ¡°Get his collar off! I¡¯ll distract it.¡°

    After that, he rushed off toward the snake beast, yelling and brandishing his pickaxe. I had a second to see that the snake was big enough to eat a person without unhinging its jaws. Then Ming Ling grabbed me by the arm and rushed us in the opposite direction. I nearly tripped, but his strong grip stopped me from falling.

    ¡°Did you get the ability?¡± Ming Lin asked urgently.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, doing my best to keep up. ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Then use it!¡±

    ¡°Alright, give me a second!¡± I snapped back as I tried to focus. The knowledge of how to use the Skill was in my head. All I needed to do was touch what I wanted to drain and use the mental trigger. ¡°Slow down and let me touch your collar.¡±

    Ming Lin scowled and looked behind us before slowing down. We didn¡¯t stop though, continuing to put distance between us and the fight.

    Behind us, I could still hear Shui Jianfeng¡¯s yelling and the sound of rocks crushing and crumbling. I ignored it and instead focused on not tripping while doing the only thing I could really do to help.

    I reached out with my free hand to Ming Lin¡¯s neck and grabbed the collar. Then I activated Qi Leech. Immediately, I felt something flow into me. But a second later, my skin started to glow and the rate of flow halved. Fuck, I was full. And the Skill had said it would reduce the leaching rate when that happened.

    What should I do? Eat a spirit stone? No, that was dumb. That would just make me have a larger but full capacity. I needed to use up my Qi.

    ¡°Can you do it or not?¡± Ming Lin asked angrily. ¡°I thought I felt something but then you just stopped.¡±

    ¡°We need to stop,¡± I said, slowing down as I realized what I had to do. ¡°I need to use up my Qi so I can absorb more.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, fine,¡± Ming Lin said after looking back behind us. He stopped and let go of my arm.

    ¡°I need to touch the ground,¡± I said, moving to crouch.

    When Ming Lin gagged a bit and cursed me out, I realized I kinda dragged him by the neck. I quickly apologized but didn¡¯t let go. Instead, I focused on activating Rock Claws without dropping Qi Leech. Thankfully, there was no issue with using just one hand for Rock Claws, and neither Skill required too much focus to maintain.

    But there was another problem. The Skill didn¡¯t use enough Qi. For about ten seconds after activation, my Skin stopped glowing and the flow from Qi Leech increased again. Then I was full again just like that. Damn, my tiny reserves.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Ming Lin said impatiently from beside me. ¡°I can feel you doing something. Just drain more from it already. Or maintain it longer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I snapped before I tried out the additional ability that came with D-Rank Rock Claws. Using more Qi to grow and alter the shape of my claws. It was harder to do while maintaining Qi Leech but I managed. And soon the ground beneath my Rock Claws started to flow over them.

    The liquid-like rock covered my claws and added to their mass. Once again, I had enough room in my reserves for Qi Leech to go full force. Though it took me another long couple of moments to regulate the speed at which I grew my Rock Claws so that I didn¡¯t empty myself, but also so I wasn¡¯t constantly full and slowing down Qi leech.

    ¡°Is that enough?¡± I asked once I got the balance right.

    ¡°Damn it, no!¡± Ming Lin shouted as he tugged on the collar around his neck. I could feel it start to bend and give. But not enough. ¡°You need to drain the collar more. I can feel the collar try to feed off me to maintain its disruption. You need to drain more at once to stop it all together.¡±

    ¡°I think this is my limit,¡± I said, panicked.

    ¡°Well, try harder¡ª¡± Ming Lin started to say.

    Then, suddenly, he was tackling me to the floor. My concentration of the Skills broke and my growing Rock claws slipped away from my hand. At the same time, a serpentine form rushed over our heads and dread filled me. Did Shui Jianfeng just¡ªNo. I could still hear him shouting and fighting. So that meant there was another one.

    Shit!

    ¡°Come on,¡± Ming Lin shouted as he dragged me to my feet and we started running again. ¡°We can¡¯t stay still.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t¡ª¡± I started to say when Ming Lin pulled me roughly to the side as the snake rushed by us again. This one was just as big as the other one. God damn it, why were they so big?

    ¡°Try!¡± Ming Lin shouted as he dragged me along. ¡°Otherwise, we¡¯re dead. Just focus on draining the collar. I¡¯ll keep us alive. In fact, get ready, I¡¯ll carry you.¡±

    ¡°Carry me?¡± I asked incredulously before Ming Lin moved.

    He grunted in pain as he pulled his left arm from his sling and then pulled me toward him. Before I knew it, I was in a princess carry and he began to sprint.

    For a second, I wanted to complain that he didn¡¯t fireman carry me or something. But I realized that it would have been a lot harder for me to reach his collar like that. And really, looking stupid in a princess carry was better than dying.

    So I forced that idiotic thought aside and tried to focus. I needed a solution. I needed to try even if it seemed impossible. Because if I didn¡¯t, then we were dead.

    So I reached out and grabbed his collar again, trying to think of a solution. Just how could I increase the flow of Qi Leech? None of my other Skills could affect things like that. If only I could just force it¡­

    Wait¡­ Could the answer really be that simple?

    Ming Lin juked us to the side again, and I felt the rush of air as the large serpentine form passed us again. Yeah, there was no time to think of anything else. It would have to be that simple.

    So I activated Qi Leech again. Within moments I was glowing once more and the drain decreased. But I ignored it and instead focused on how the Skill actually worked. I¡¯ve always been able to feel them, but I hadn¡¯t really paid attention to any of my Skills before. They were just automatic. But maybe if I could grasp just what was happening, I could control it more.

    I closed my eyes to focus better. After another long moment, and a jerk of movement from Ming Lin as he dodged again, I felt it. Something was flowing from me, latching onto something in the collar, and pulling a lot more of it back towards me. It was my Qi obviously, moving like it had a mind of its own. But it was my Qi, right?

    So shouldn¡¯t it listen to me?

    I focused on that idea. I focused on pushing more of my Qi into the collar and dragging back more. Something in me seemed to strain at that, but I kept pushing anyway. Then my hand started to feel warm as it began to work. I was pulling more Qi to me.

    ¡°Is that enough?¡± I asked with gritted teeth.

    Ming Lin gasped and suddenly it felt like we moved much faster. I felt one of his arms curl around my legs to reach for his collar. Metal creaked again. But there was no satisfying sound of breaking metal. Not yet.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Can you do any more?¡± Ming Lin asked as it felt like he leaped to the side again.

    I didn¡¯t reply and instead gritted my teeth. I forced more of my Qi into the collar to pull out even more of the Qi there. And I forced it all to move faster. And faster.

    My hand started to burn, but I clenched it to fight off the pain.

    ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± Ming Lin shouted. Then I felt a sharp pull against the collar I was holding and there was the sound of metal tearing in a squeal.

    I grinned in triumph. It worked! Now all we¡ªshit!

    In my distraction, my Qi slipped from my grasp. It entered the only other source of Qi it could and went into Ming Lin. I swore loudly and pulled my hand away, but I still felt Qi flood me and burn my hand even more for a second. I also could have sworn I felt something snap.

    ¡°Fuck, you idiot!¡± Ming Lin suddenly snarled, though his voice cracked halfway through. He stumbled and almost dropped me.

    I snapped my eyes open in panic. Shit, did I injure him? Did I really fuck it up at the last¡ªWhat the hell?

    My train of thought broke as I looked into a furious set of eyes glaring at me. It was Ming Lin of course, but there was something different about them now.

    They had looked a bit feminine before, in an arrogant pretty-boy sort of way. But now their features had softened¡ªthough not their expression¡ªand now looked just like a pretty girl. In fact¡­ I couldn¡¯t help but move my gaze down as I realized I felt something soft press up against my arms.

    Yep¡­ Those didn¡¯t belong on a guy. So was Ming Lin actually a girl?

    I opened my mouth to say something, but I was suddenly shoved away hard. I flew through the air and slammed into a nearby wall.

    ¡°You idiot!¡± Ming Ling shouted before spinning to turn and face the serpent that caught up with us.

    I stared in shock and horror as it slammed into her and continued forward. Dust and rubble were sent everywhere, obscuring my view. Then, suddenly, what I could see of the snake skidded to a halt.

    ¡°When I¡¯m done with this thing, you¡¯re going to pay for that, idiot!¡± An only vaguely familiar voice shouted out.

    I let out a sigh of relief at that, even as the dust started to settle and I could make out what happened.

    The snake tried to thrash around, but it was locked in place with its mouth open for a bite. Ming Lin was in the path of its maw, but she had the top and bottom of its mouth firmly held, and her feet had dug trenches in the ground.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Ming Lin grunted. She gritted her teeth and tried to force the snake away but she couldn¡¯t manage it. Despite her monstrous strength returning, she could only match the Rank 1 spirit beast. Not beat it.

    I watched worriedly as the rock-covered serpent started to coil its lower body towards her. It took me a second, but I realized it was going to try and constrict her.

    Damn it, I needed to do something. But what?

    I looked at the rocky-like skin of the snake¡¯s scales, and then couldn¡¯t help but think about how my Rock Claws tore through stone and dirt. That could work. It would mean having to get close to the thing¡­

    But yeah, I would have to take the risk. Cause if she died, then we were all fucked anyway.

    So I quickly reached into my pocket and took out a small spirit stone. Then I threw it in my mouth and ate it.

    Power surged through me, boosting my body and Qi reserves. Pain lanced out from my right hand, causing me to wince, but I bore with it. Hopefully, that was only temporary. Still, I reached down with both hands and used Rock Claws.

    Again, there was more pain in my right hand, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through. I shaped the claws to be sharper and more blade-like before getting up. Then I rushed the serpent as it coiled around Ming Lin.

    She was still holding its mouth back but unable to stop herself from getting constricted.

    I reached her in moments, my enhanced body making it easy. Then I shoved my sharp claws into the side of the snake, not daring to get close to the head that Ming Lin was starting to have trouble holding onto. They didn¡¯t cut through the rock-like scales as easily as they did actual rock. But they still let me rip through and gouge out scales with enough effort.

    The snake let out a furious hiss and coiled itself tighter. Ming Lin grunted in pain as it began to constrict her properly.

    I gritted my teeth and lashed out like an animal. I had to stop this thing before it killed her. So I just ripped and tore at anything I could. Once past the scales, it got a lot easier as I tried to dig through all the meat and bone to reach the spine in the center.

    The snake continued to writhe and coil, but it couldn¡¯t get away while coiled around Ming Lin and with its mouth in her grasp. And with the spirit stone boosting my strength and speed, I reached my goal quickly. My stone blade claws tore into the tough bones of its spine and into the sensitive nerves inside.

    The serpent let out something more akin to a roar than a hiss. Then half its body seemed to go limp and the rest of it twitched violently.

    Ming Lin, taking the opportunity, let out a shout of effort and tightened her grip on the upper and lower jaws of the snake. With one more furious shout, she twisted and tore. There was a loud crunch of bone, then the rest of the snake went limp.

    But she wasn¡¯t done. With one last scream of rage, she pulled and twisted and tore the whole head off of the snake.

    Gore and viscera exploded out.

    I watched in awe and relief as we managed to kill it. Right up until she turned her blood-soaked gaze over to me. Something told me she still wasn¡¯t quite over whatever I¡¯d done. Messed up her disguise? How did that even work? Cause she definitely had looked like a guy before.

    ¡°Hey! Are you guys done yet!¡± Another voice shouted out in the cave.

    Ming Lin turned her gaze towards it. I let out a sigh, only to hold my breath again when she turned back to glare at me. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t do anything else before rushing off to help Shui Jianfeng.

    I slumped in relief and then turned off my Rock Claws Skill. The rock flowed off my hands, and the burning pain in my right hand disappeared. I really hope that wasn¡¯t an issue. Then I let out a sigh and almost moved to sit down for a moment. But I noticed something odd before I could. The body of the snake. There was a blue halo around it.

    I gaped for a second before focusing on it. And then a new window popped up. It seemed that the System didn¡¯t just let me harvest things I gave the killing blow to. Enough damage must have counted too.

    Defeated Enemy: Rank 1 Rock Tunneling Serpent.

    Available Skills to Harvest:

    <ul>

    <li>Burrowing (Active) (Rank D): Move through the earth by quickly digging a passage just large enough for your body.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Range: Up to 5 yards</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>D-Rank Feature:</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Increase range by expending more Qi</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Rock Scales (Active) (Rank D): Create scales of rock over your body to protect yourself from damage.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 5 Qi per Minute</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>D-Rank Feature: Increase the defense power of the scales by increasing the upkeep.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Burrow Reinforcement(active) (Rank D): Convert and fuse all earth in a sphere around you to solid and sturdy stone. Ideal for an underground burrow.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cost 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Range 5-yard Radius</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    I quickly narrowed in on the final Skill. One thing I¡¯d been worried about our plan¡ªamong many other things¡ªwas the fear of cave-ins. But this Skill seemed just the thing we needed to prevent that. Also, depending on how it worked¡­ it might solve another problem for us.

    I chose it. Sure, the other Skills could be useful, especially the first one. But that one seemed to only be good for me. And I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen if I reached my maximum range while still in the dirt. I¡¯d probably get stuck until I had the Qi to use it again, and that wasn¡¯t something I really wanted to experience. So Burrow Reinforcement it was.

    The massive snake glowed, then broke up into a large number of motes of blue light.

    ¡°So, what did you g¡ª¡± A voice started to ask before it was cut off by a violent cough fit.

    I spun around at the abrupt noise. Then I winced. Shui Jianfeng was not in good shape. What I could see of his bandages under his tunic had turned red. Ming Lin supported his right side to hold him up, and he kept most of his weight off of that leg as well. And, of course, there was the coughing.

    It was violent and harsh.

    The only good thing was that his collar was off now as well.

    ¡°Are you okay,¡± I asked, feeling dumb for doing so. But I was hoping that with access to his Qi, maybe this wasn¡¯t as bad as it seemed.

    ¡°Yeah, I just need some rest,¡± Shui Jianfeng said once he stopped coughing. He tried to grin in reassurance but it looked weak. ¡°I got tossed against this strange fungus thing and breathed in something from it. But I should be able to deal with it now that I can use my Qi.¡±

    Ming Lin looked at him with a tight lip frown, which did little to reassure me that was actually the case. I couldn¡¯t even be happy that her anger towards me for whatever I did seemed to have disappeared for now.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, doing my best not to let the doubt on my face show. ¡°Then let¡¯s get out of here for now and go rest. Also, the new Skill I got is actually really useful and it might be just what we need.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s goo¡ª¡± Shui Jianfeng started to say only to start coughing again.

    I grimaced at that, but we all started walking back towards the mining tunnels, away from the mossy caverns. Hopefully, Shui Jianfeng was right and this wouldn¡¯t become a problem.

 Chapter 11: Choices and Cultivation

    Chapter 11:

    We stopped to rest only a bit past where the moss ended. It was close enough that the moss¡¯s light reached us but far enough away that we¡¯d see any other light sources coming from the other end of the tunnel. Something we now had to worry about since my companions had their collars removed.

    The other slaves might not notice, but it was better to be safe than sorry. And of course, there was always the danger of the bandits coming down. That was even more unlikely, but still a possibility we had to consider. For now, anyway.

    Shui Jianfeng sighed in relief once we stopped and leaned against the bare stone tunnel wall. He slid down to the ground with a grunt and just lay there for a moment. Then he coughed again. It was still violent and sounded phlegm-filled. But, thankfully, it was only once.

    I eyed him worriedly anyway. Especially since I saw some red on the hand he coughed into. ¡°Are you really going to be okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a weak grin. ¡°I breathed in some poisonous dust from a big mushroom. But I should be able to get it out of my system with some cultivating.¡±

    I looked to Ming Lin for confirmation, then winced at the cold look I got before looking away from the young woman. Right¡­ Guess she hadn¡¯t forgotten what I¡¯d done when I¡­ destroyed her disguise?

    ¡°Alright, if you''re sure,¡± I said quickly before deciding it was time to test out my new Skill. I¡¯d just have to trust Shui Jianfeng knew what he was doing. And if I had to move a bit further away from Ming Lin to do it safely then¡­ well that was just a benefit. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna move a bit away to test out my new Skill. I think it might be able to do more than just ensure we don¡¯t suffer a cave-in.¡±

    ¡°Why do you need to move away?¡± Ming Lin asked, making me almost jump in surprise. I didn¡¯t expect her to talk to me.

    I turned to face her, but she still had that cold look on her face. ¡°Well, it¡¯s an ability that affects an area around me. It should only affect the earth of the tunnel, but I wanted to test it away just in case.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Ming Lin said after a moment. ¡°But stay within sight. And come back here if you see any torches or people.¡±

    ¡°Okay, will do,¡± I said, nodding before quickly walking away. Thankfully, it seemed she was content with glaring at me from time to time and not doing anything else in revenge. Though perhaps she would hold back only until I got us out of here¡­

    I tried not to overthink that too much as I reached what I thought might be 5 yards away. It was probably more, which was fine by me. Better to leave a margin of error.

    I crouched down and placed both hands on the ground to activate Earth Claws. It was only after a searing pain came from my right hand did I remember why that was a bad idea. I cursed slightly as the Skill failed and clutched my right hand with my left.

    Shit, that hurt. Maybe even more than before.

    ¡°What happened?¡± a voice asked, and I flinched.

    I looked up to see Ming Lin looking down at me. I hadn¡¯t noticed her move. Her face was still far from friendly, but her focus was on my hand.

    ¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said sheepishly after a second. ¡°When I was using my Skill¡ªthe one to leech Qi¡ªI had to force it to work harder to disrupt the collar. I guess it stressed something in my hand. Now, when I use Qi with my right hand, it hurts. I kinda forgot about it for a second.¡±

    ¡°Let me see,¡± Ming Lin said, crouching next to me and holding out a hand.

    At her expectant gaze, I did as told and held out my right hand. She took it in her hands, which were surprisingly soft. I would have thought, given her weapon of choice and her profession, that they¡¯d be calloused. Maybe it was a cultivator thing.

    A soft light glowed from her hands, and I winced a bit as I felt¡­ something. It was a bit odd and hard to describe. Not bad but¡­ very odd.

    ¡°You¡¯ve strained the meridians in your hand,¡± she said after just a moment, and the light faded. She looked up from my hand to stare at me with her strikingly green eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad, but you will need to stop channeling Qi in your right hand for at least a day. Otherwise, you could start to cripple yourself. So don¡¯t forget again unless you you wish to lose this hand.¡±

    I gulped a bit at that and nodded. ¡°Okay. Thank you for checking.¡±

    Ming Lin just nodded at that expressionlessly before getting up. Then she walked away.

    I held back a sigh of relief and then got to work on my test. One hand would be enough, so I reached down with my left hand and used Rock Claws again. Then I moved to the walls and carved out several small chunks of stone. I stacked them together against the wall and then deactivated my Skill.

    After that, I took out one of my last two small spirit stones¡ªI¡¯d have to spend a little time getting more soon. But then I hesitated. Originally, I was gonna eat it so I had enough Qi for my new Skill, which needed double my current capacity. But would the boost I get cause Qi to flow through my right hand? It seemed to affect my whole body so¡­

    I hesitated for another moment before I came up with better idea. One I wasn''t sure would work, but would be better than having to wait a whole day to test this. I put the stone in my left hand, then activated Qi Leech.

    In moments, I was full and starting to glow again. So I tried to activate my new Skill, Burrow Reinforcement. I could feel all my Qi concentrate in my chest and weakness washed over me. But a second later, the flow from the spirit stone I was leeching from increased once more, pushing away the fatigue. Then, after another moment of the Skill feeling like it wanted to collapse, it stabilized and a wave of Qi exploded out of me.

    Tiredness hit me again right after and again was wiped away after another moment as Qi flooded my system. It seemed that this was another way for me to get over Qi cost requirements. But it was slow and potentially dangerous. Not something to use, unless for limited circumstances like my meridians being messed up.

    I let out a sigh of relief and then looked down at my pile of rocks. Then grinned at what it had become. A perfectly smooth and single solid lump fused to the wall. Like it had always been that way. Perfect.

    I pushed myself off my feet and made my way back over to the others. Shui Jianfeng was sitting cross-legged now and had his eyes closed. Probably cultivating. So, I quickly explained what I¡¯d discovered and my plan to Ming Lin.

    Ming Lin was quick to agree to my plan. Or more like she ordered me to help her do it. Not that I was gonna complain as it would have been a lot harder for me to fill the tunnel with chunks of stone by myself.

    With her help, though, we finished very quickly. And after another slight wave of tiredness and another activation of Burrow Reinforcement, we were done.

    ¡°Well, at least that¡¯s one problem solved,¡± I said, admiring the smooth wall that now blocked the way back up.

    It cut off any path of retreat upwards but ensured that we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anyone noticing us now. And hopefully wouldn¡¯t cause any suspicions. Since there was no way any of the other slaves could do this. And I doubted every one of the mining tunnels led to the mossy caverns. Some of them had to be dead ends, and as far as anyone else would know this would be one of them.

    However, one thing did make us pause as we were building the wall. That was the possibility of us cutting off our source of fresh air. In the end, though, we figured that it likely wasn¡¯t an issue. Just the parts of the mossy caverns we¡¯ve been to have already been large. And given how far we could see they extended, it seemed unlikely for that to really be an issue.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ming Lin said as she stared at the wall. ¡°Now we just have one more problem to deal with.¡±

    I frowned at that and couldn¡¯t help but look back at Shui Jianfeng. He¡¯d stopped coughing and looked to be doing better. Yet, Ming Lin seemed to have some kind of medical or healing training, and likely knew better. Was it worse than I thought?

    ¡°What problem?¡± I asked softly, hoping she was referring to something else. I also moved to sit down as I was tired. The fight, carving chunks of stone with just one hand, and using my Skills had drained me quite a bit.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Your weakness,¡± She said bluntly, making me frown up at her. ¡°You¡¯re tired, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°After the serpents, and then digging out all the chunks of rock, is it surprising that I¡¯m tired?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. But it is a problem. Just how deep do you think we are right now? Do you think, even with two hands, that you can dig us out of here as you are now? Even with how easily you can dig through stone? Do you think you could do it fast enough if we had an emergency?¡±

    I winced at that. She was right. Going straight down the tunnels, it must have taken us hours to get this deep. Even as fast and easily as I can dig with Rock Claws, and even with the boosts I got from eating spirit stones, I would be lucky to be half as fast digging up as we were walking down.

    Then there were all the stops I would need to take to reinforce things and the cooldown for eating spirit stones.

    It would already be slow if all we cared about was getting out quickly to save the slaves. But if we had to rush because we needed to get someone to a doctor¡­ Then the consequences would be even worse.

    Which meant I needed to improve. Either get stronger to dig faster or get better Skills. Or at least somehow deal with all the cooldowns and lack of Qi. Qi leech would probably help with this, but not completely.

    So, I would need to do more hunting and fighting. I wouldn¡¯t be doing most of it, but I would have to be close enough to get the last hit. Not terrible if it was just the moles and small things like that we had to deal with. But I doubted what I could get from those would be enough. And even then, the mossy caverns made hunting those more dangerous, even if it made finding them easier.

    Just great¡­

    I looked back at Jianfeng, then looked at Ming Lin. She was still staring at the wall.

    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± I asked in a whisper.

    Ming Lin sighed and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never seen the kind of mushroom that poisoned him. He might be able to deal with it. He might not.¡°

    ¡°Then what should we do?¡±

    Ming Lin looked back down at me. There was no glare this time, she was just looking me over. ¡°We wait for now to see if Jianfeng can deal with it himself. I would go hunting and bring crippled beasts back for you to take from, but I think it''s better if I stay for now in case anything happens. And you need the rest anyway. But¡­ there is one thing you can do while resting to improve our chances.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, not sure how to feel about what she said about hunting alone. I hadn¡¯t considered that. And it would be much safer for me. But¡­ at the same time, it didn¡¯t feel right to let her do that alone, even if it probably made the most sense.

    Thankfully, that could be dealt with later.

    ¡°Cultivate, of course,¡± Ming Lin said simply. ¡°You wanted to do it before. Now that we don¡¯t need to go back up to camp, what¡¯s stopping you from doing that?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, perking up. ¡°Right. So, can you teach me?¡±

    ¡°The basics,¡± Ming Lin said, nodding slowly. ¡°Though how much it helps will depend on your talent. If you are extremely talented, you could reach Early Qi-Gathering in hours. If only talented, than a day or more. If you are neither of those¡­ Well, it would be worth the attempt anyway, since even if you can¡¯t reach Qi-Gathering, you could still improve your strength by cultivating Qi.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, nodding at that before sitting up straight. ¡°So what do I do?¡±

    ¡°Well, first off, do you have any more spirit stones?¡± Ming Lin asked. When I took out my last one to show to her, she nodded and began explaining things.

    It¡­ was both difficult and simple. It was simple because I already had an idea of how cultivation worked. Using some kind of technique¡ªusually breathing¡ªyou drew in Qi into your body. Then you tried to move it through your meridians¡ªspiritual pathways in your body¡ªand I guess hope that it sticks and stays inside if you do it enough. And from what Ming Lin described, that was how it seemed to work in this world too.

    The problems arose with the details. The breathing pattern was kinda difficult, but I managed it after a bit of practice. It was really just breathing in at certain intervals, breathing out, and occasionally holding my breath occasionally.

    The real problem was actually getting the technique¡ªthe Imperial Truth, a very compatible cultivation technique spread by the empire¡ªto actually do anything. I sat in silence, breathing in a particular pattern, while reciting a mantra in my mind that was supposed to get me into the right mindset.

    Yet nothing happened. I knew that it would take time. I¡¯d never meditated before after all, nor did I think I was all that talented. But the immediate results the System normally gave me made me extra impatient. And I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if I was just untalented or doing it wrong as I felt nothing.

    Even with the spirit stone in my hand, even having felt my own Qi before, and even having pulled in Qi from other sources before, I felt nothing at all.

    It was super frustrating. And after another long moment of trying to clear my mind while reciting the mantra mentally, I decided I wanted to try something else. So I opened my eyes and let out a sigh.

    I was met by a pair of unimpressed striking green eyes. At least they weren¡¯t as cold as before. Just disapproving.

    ¡°You were at that for less than half an hour,¡± she said with her arms crossed. She was now leaning against the wall we¡¯d made, watching both me and her friend. Unwilling to sit down. Probably so she could react faster in case of something sneaking up on us.

    ¡°Guess I¡¯m just not talented,¡± I said with a sigh.

    ¡°Or not trying hard enough,¡± Ming Lin countered, making me wince.

    ¡°Yeah, maybe,¡± I said, fighting off another sigh. ¡°But I also have an idea of how to do this faster. Maybe. At the very least, I think I should try to play to my strengths.¡±

    Ming Lin sighed but nodded. ¡°Very well, what¡¯s your idea?¡±

    ¡°I could try and use my ability to absorb Qi I got from the leech and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ming Lin said as she firmly cut me off.

    I frowned at that. ¡°What? Why?¡±

    Ming Lin shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how your ability works. But what I do know is that deviating from cultivation techniques made by masters, even if you were already an experienced cultivator, is dangerous. For a complete novice like yourself, it would be like trying to juggle swords without having even tried with rocks.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the worst thing that could happen?¡± I asked, wondering what the risks were. If they weren¡¯t too bad then¡ª

    ¡°You could explode your dantian or meridians,¡± Ming Lin said, cutting off my thoughts. ¡°The best case scenario there would be it leaves you a cripple for the rest of your life. Never able to cultivate again. The worst case is that the damage isn¡¯t isolated, and you bleed out and die.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, feeling stunned. I hadn¡¯t realized that cultivation could be so dangerous. Or I suppose experimenting with cultivation was dangerous. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like it was a bit pointless for me to try and cultivate like this now. I clearly didn¡¯t have some kind of amazing talent, and I had other paths open to me.

    One wasn¡¯t available now as¡­ Well, there weren¡¯t any acceptable targets down here. Like evil cultivators I could harvest¡ªgod my life is so twisted now. But there were plenty of spirit beasts. Beasts that cultivated in their own way.

    ¡°Okay, so no experimenting like that then,¡± I said with a nod. ¡°I still think it might be a waste of time for me to cultivate like this. And¡­ I might have another way to go about things. Not experimenting or anything. Just¡­ What if I cultivated like a spirit beast?¡±

    ¡°Cultivate like a spirit beast?¡± Ming Lin asked with an incredulous look on her face.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°I can take that ability too. It should just involve eating cores or spirit beast meat or something and eventually developing a core. Though admittedly, I don¡¯t know how fast that would be. But given what I¡¯ve managed to do with my abilities so far, it should be faster than me trying to learn to cultivate from scratch.¡±

    Ming Lin¡¯s confused expression morphed into a deep frown. ¡°That¡­ Well, it''s your ability so I can only trust your word that you can do that. But do you understand the potential consequences?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ Well, maybe?¡± I hedged. I had no idea what it might do to my body, but I had a feeling that wasn¡¯t what she was referring to. ¡°If¡­ If other cultivators notice I have a core like a spirit beast, would that be bad?¡±

    Ming Lin considered that for a long moment before she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know to be honest. But it''s definitely possible. Cultivators with a spirit sense would be able to tell from what I understand. Not immediately and not at a glance unless they are very powerful. But unless you get the ability to hide it, it''s likely eventually others would notice. And if that happened¡­ I¡¯m uncertain.¡±

    She sighed for a moment and then started to pace slowly back and forth.

    ¡°Perhaps there are techniques that emulate spirit beast cultivation and you will just appear to be using a strange and esoteric technique. But if they think you''re some kind of strange low-rank humanoid spirit beast¡­ Well, you know my thoughts on the dangers of being unique, potentially useful, and weak. And it might be even worse in this case. Someone could try to claim you are a spirit beast pretending to be a human and use that as justification to attack or detain you.¡±

    That¡­ sounded rather problematic for the future. Which left the question, did I take the risk? Or should I just hope for other Skills and continue to try and cultivate?

    ¡°So, do you think I should get that ability?¡± I asked after a moment. Unable to stop myself, I glance back at Shui Jianfeng again. He looked mostly unchanged except¡­ Was he sweating?

    When I turned back to Ming Lin, she was frowning. She¡¯d followed my gaze and was looking at her friend.

    ¡°That is something you will have to decide for yourself,¡± She said finally, though I could see her fists were clenched tightly. ¡°You¡¯ll be the one in danger long term if you choose to go that path. You¡¯ll have to decide if you want to take that risk. And you still have time to think it over. He could still deal with this himself, and I¡¯m not desperate enough to leave the two of you here defenseless while I go hunting for you.¡±

    I frowned and looked back at Shui Jianfeng. Then I sighed and sat upright again before closing my eyes. If he couldn¡¯t deal with this himself, then I would have to decide if I was willing to risk myself so much for someone I only met recently. Even if he did save my life before.

    But maybe I could make it not an issue by figuring out how to cultivate.

    I hoped so, anyway.

 Chapter 12: Spirit Beast Cultivation

    Chapter 12:

    Hours passed as I tried to cultivate and got nothing for my efforts. Without my Skills, I couldn¡¯t feel the Qi from the spirit stone in my hands or in the air either. I gained no awareness of my meridians, or any wisps of Qi that may or may not be flowing through them.

    ¡°How long does it normally take to actually start cultivating anyway?¡± I asked with a sigh as I stopped my attempt. I leaned backward and rested my weight on my hands while keeping my eyes closed.

    ¡°Depends on the talent,¡± a male voice said. ¡°Not to brag, but it turned out that I was pretty talented. After my first session of cultivating I could already draw in small amounts of Qi and keep traces within myself.¡±

    My eyes snapped open at his voice, and I turned to face Shui Jianfeng. He wasn¡¯t cultivating anymore, but his skin was red and he was sweating even more. His breathing was also haggard, and he seemed to be in pain.

    Any hope I had that he¡¯d manage to heal himself disappeared. Especially when I saw the concerned frown on Ming Lin¡¯s face.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t deal with the poison?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    Shui Jianfeng grimaced. ¡°No. I think I¡¯ve contained it, so I should be alright for now as long as I don¡¯t move much. But¡­ I don¡¯t know for how long. I would be impressed by just how vicious the poison is if I wasn¡¯t the one who breathed it in.¡±

    I frowned at that and nodded. ¡°Alright, then I guess we¡¯ll just have to speed things up,¡± I said as I stood and looked at Ming Lin. ¡°I still haven¡¯t managed anything with cultivating normally. So, I guess I¡¯ll just have to cultivate like a spirit beast.¡±

    Ming Lin gave a conflicted look at that while Shui Jianfeng looked confused.

    ¡°Cultivate like a spirit beast?¡± he asked with a frown.

    I nodded and explained to him what Skill I could get. His frown deepened at that and he glanced between me and Ming Lin before he sighed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± he said, though it wasn¡¯t particularly convincing. ¡°I might be able to manage to hold on for you to dig without doing something you can¡¯t take back.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve been sick of being so weak, and it will probably be faster this way. And even if we get out of here, who knows how long we have to travel through the wilderness? I don¡¯t want to have to rely on just Ming Lin to keep us both safe. Not when I can change that. Besides, didn¡¯t you say before that spirit beasts are stronger than cultivators in terms of pure power at the equivalent stages? That could make up for any possible dangers.¡±

    I tried to be optimistic as I said that last part. Though I don¡¯t think I did a very good job.

    Shui Jianfeng just gave me a weak smile and said, ¡°Thank you, Lan, for doing this, then. We won¡¯t forget this. When we are all safe, you¡¯ll have a place with us at Everlake City.¡±

    I nodded at that and gave him a tight smile. Then I turned to Ming Lin, who was looking at me with an unreadable expression. ¡°So, how should we do this?¡±

    She looked at me for another long moment before she sighed. ¡°For now, you stay here with Jianfeng. The two of you should be able to deal with any minor dangers that come up from the caverns. I¡¯ll go hunt and cripple as many beasts as I can to bring back for you to take from. After that, well see just how fast you can grow.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you should be going alone?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. It still didn¡¯t feel right leaving her to take all the risk herself.

    Her response was a dull look. ¡°Yes. If you come along, I would have to focus on keeping you safe while hunting. By myself, I can focus solely on fighting. For now, you are just too weak.¡±

    I grimaced at her answer. She was probably right, especially given how the serpents could attack from any angle down here. But that didn¡¯t make it any more frustrating.

    ¡°Alright, then. Good luck.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, try not to get yourself killed,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, though his tone was light. ¡°You know how much you rely on me and my strength.¡±

    Ming Lin actually snorted a small laugh at that. Then she shook her head and walked off.

    I noticed that she didn¡¯t take either of our two remaining Picks. During the mess with the serpents, one of them had been smashed so we were down to just two. I hadn¡¯t even realized it as they¡¯d recovered the two when I¡¯d been harvesting the serpent. I guess she didn¡¯t feel like she needed it.

    I watched her back until she disappeared around the bend of the tunnel. Once she was gone, I was left wondering what I should do in the meantime. Then my stomach answered that question for me with a grumble. It made me realize how much time had passed, as did how parched my throat felt.

    I turned to eye some of the glowing moss with a frown.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to eat eventually,¡± Shui Jianfeng said. I turned to see the amused look in his eyes, despite his sweaty and tired appearance.

    I sighed at him and shook my head. ¡°Yeah, I guess. Should I grab some for you too?¡°

    Shui Jianfeng just chuckled and nodded. ¡°Sure, we can share the misery together.¡±

    I got up after that and went to collect some moss. Then the two of us ate a particular grotesque meal of the stuff. Everything from its taste to its texture was just awful.

    When I was done, I was gagging, though Jianfeng was holding out much better. He just grimaced but managed to get it all down without much of a fuss.

    ¡°I already really wanted to get out of here,¡± I said once I stopped gagging. ¡°But now more than ever.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Jianfeng said with a shake of his head. ¡°Not good by any means, but I¡¯ve had worse.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked him incredulously.

    He gave me a somber smile and nodded. ¡°Ming Lin and I, and the rest of our friends¡­ family really. Most of us grew up on the streets. When things get bad like that, you take what you can get.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, feeling somber. I hadn¡¯t thought that they¡¯d had such tough childhoods. And then I realized something else. Friends that were like family, huh? Shit.

    ¡°Did¡­¡± I started to ask, hesitating for a moment. I barely knew Shui Jianfeng, so I hadn¡¯t known how close he¡¯d been to the Stomping Bulls. ¡°Did you get a chance to see how many of your friends survived, then? I know I saw a few people that I thought were from the Stomping Bulls in the other groups, but I don¡¯t think I saw too many. I¡¯m sorry if you lost anyone close to you. Especially if you considered them family.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng jolted back at that in surprise and confusion. Then a look of realization crossed his face. ¡°I did try and see just how many people I could recognize from the Bulls. Only around a quarter, unfortunately. But¡­ well, Ming Lin and I are the only ones who joined the Stomping Bulls out of our friends. And we only did so recently. I¡¯m sad that my comrades are dead, and I respected the captain greatly. But, thankfully, my family are all back at Everlake City. Or perhaps out looking for us.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, feeling a bit relieved. While it still sucked that so many of the Bulls were dead, it would have been a whole lot worse if they¡¯d been like family to him. Especially the kind of family an orphan on the streets would have. ¡°Well, that''s¡­ not good of course since you still lost comrades. But, at least you¡¯ll get to see your family again once we get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, a small grin appearing on his face. Then it twisted into something more grim. ¡°And after that, we¡¯ll gather the forces needed to make the bandits pay.¡±

    I nodded firmly at that. I hadn¡¯t forgotten all I¡¯d seen from those bastards. I didn¡¯t know how we¡¯d do it, even after I got stronger, but I wanted to see them pay for all they did.

    I opened my mouth to ask more about what we would be doing once we got out, but a sound stopped me. It sounded like scraping, and it was coming from the direction of the mossy caverns. Then there was a hissing.

    I rose to my feet with my last spirit stone in hand. Shui Jianfeng moved to a crouch and grabbed the pick that was at his side.

    It was probably just Ming Lin. But it was better to be safe than sorry, especially with that creepy hissing sound.

    Thankfully, it was just her. However, when I saw what was causing the scraping sound I couldn¡¯t help but gap a little. It was another one of the serpents. At least six person-lengths long and with a mouth big enough to eat one of us whole.

    It would have been intimidating, since it was still alive, if it wasn¡¯t for how most of its body was limp and its jaw broken as well. Still, despite how horrifically injured it was, it hissed and glared as Ming Ling brought it over to us. With just one hand. While her other hand was holding three moles by the nape of their necks, limbs broken but still alive.

    That¡­ was a lot more disturbing to see than I thought it would be. I should have expected it, since how else was she supposed to bring them back here alive and safe for me to handle? Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit squeamish about it all.

    ¡°Take care of the snake first,¡± Ming Lin said as she came to a stop. ¡°It won¡¯t last much longer.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, not wanting to waste her efforts or the suffering these things were going through. So I grabbed the other free pick and walked over to the hissing serpent nervously. Then I raised my pick above my head and brought it down right on its skull.

    And in an incredibly anticlimactic fashion, it was done. A blue halo appeared around the snake a moment later, and Ming Lin let the corpse drop to the ground.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    I focused on the snake and another screen of options popped up. Spirit Beast Cultivation immediately caught my attention as one of the Skills.

    Spirit Beast Cultivation (Passive) (Rank D): Gain the ability to cultivate like a spirit beast. Devour spiritually potent flesh, cores, or vegetation and create a spirit beast core. Speed of cultivation depends on the quality of what is devoured and the rank of this skill.

    <ul>

    <li>Compatibility: Early Rank 2 Materials and below</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cooldown: 3 hours to 2 Weeks </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>D-Rank Feature: Consume more materials to speed up cultivation but increases safety cooldown afterwards.

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Warning: Consuming too much at once can cause extreme stress or damage to the body.</li>

    </ul>

    I eyed the Skill for a long moment before I sighed and selected it. The serpent''s body disappeared into motes of light and another strange feeling washed over me. It seemed to concentrate on my stomach. I also started to smell something strange¡­

    It wasn¡¯t a bad smell. In fact, it was a bit¡­ enticing?

    I sniffed the air and moved towards the source.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ming Lin asked, a frown on her face as she looked at me with narrowed eyes.

    That stopped me cold as I realized what I was doing. I was sniffing the air like a dog and walking towards her. I winced and let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Sorry, I just got the Skill to cultivate like a spirit beast. For some reason, I was smelling something good and¡­¡±

    I trailed off and grimaced as I realized what I might have smelled. People didn¡¯t count as something compatible did they? Spirit beast ranks could be equated to human cultivation levels, but they weren¡¯t the same, right?

    Hesitantly, I moved close to Shui Jianfeng instead and sniffed. But¡­ no, I didn¡¯t smell that same smell.

    ¡°Should we be worried?¡± Shui Jianfeng asked with a raised eyebrow. He¡¯d already sat back down once Ming Lin appeared. ¡°You don¡¯t have a craving for human flesh now, do you?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t think so,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I don¡¯t smell the same thing from you.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s probably this,¡± Ming Lin said, reaching into the pocket of her pants and pulling out something small, round, and a little bloody. ¡°I ran into two serpents, and I was forced to kill one and ended up extracting this.¡±

    The smell was stronger again, and I couldn¡¯t help but walk over and stare at it. My mouth also watered a little at the sight. Which felt very strange to me since I was staring at a slightly bloody, not quite round rock made up of many equal flat sides.

    It seemed Skills could have side effects that the System didn¡¯t mention. Great¡­ Still, at least it made things easier. I hadn¡¯t wanted to think about how I was gonna make myself eat some gross stuff to cultivate¡ªespecially since we couldn¡¯t make a fire down here.

    ¡°Is that a spirit beast core?¡± I asked to confirm, still unable to take my eyes off of it.

    ¡°It is,¡± Ming Lin said, sounding a bit odd. But she handed it to me anyway.

    I took hold of it gently for a moment. Then I popped it into my mouth and swallowed it whole. It went down my throat to my stomach where it sat there heavy. But then a warmth started to spread from it, flowing through the rest of my body in waves.

    It felt almost overwhelming as wave after wave of energy seemed to rush through my system. It felt like every cell in my body was bathed in this heat.

    It was only when my right hand started to itch did I realize that I might have let my new instincts take over too much. The warmth was obviously Qi, and I wasn¡¯t supposed to let any of that run through the injured meridians in my hand. If I hadn¡¯t been so enticed by the core I might have remembered that.

    Damn it. I would have to be more careful about stuff like that in the future.

    ¡°Um, I think I might have made a mistake,¡± I said, holding up my right hand. I couldn¡¯t see any issues, but I couldn¡¯t see any before either.

    Ming Lin¡¯s eyes narrowed as she examined my hand. ¡°Is it hurting?¡± she asked, reaching out with her own hand before stopping and pulling back.

    ¡°No, it just feels tingly,¡± I said, opening and closing my hand to no apparent issues. ¡°Can you check if my cultivating is helping or hurting it?¡±

    Ming Lin shook her head. ¡°No. To check, I would need to push my own Qi into your hand. That could be dangerous right now. But if it isn¡¯t hurting, and you move you hand without issue, then it''s likely a good sign. Perhaps spirit beasts don¡¯t even use or have meridians and are instead more like body cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Okay then,¡± I said, putting my hand down for now hesitantly. Hopefully, she was right.

    ¡°Do you know how long it will take you to cultivate now?¡± Ming Lin asked. ¡°And how many more cores you might need?¡±

    I frowned in thought as I considered it. Then I realized I might have a much easier way to check that and opened up my Status screen instead.

    Status page:

    Name: Michael Lin

    Human Cultivation: None

    Spirit Beast Cultivation: Rank 0 (1% to next stage) (100% in 6 hours)

    Qi: 5/5

    Stats:

    Strength: 6

    Vitality: 5 (+2.5) = 7.5

    Dexterity: 5

    Mind: 6

    Skills (9/20 slots):

    <ul>

    <li>Primal Vitality (Passive) (Rank E: 12%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Basic Swordsmanship (Passive) (D Rank: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Sense(Passive) (E Rank: 10%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Rock Claws (Active) (Rank D: 1%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Earthen Camouflage (Active) (Rank E: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Spirit Stone Devouring(Passive) (E Rank: 95%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Qi Leech (Active) (E Rank: 85%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Burrow Reinforcement(Active) (D Rank: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Spirit Beast Cultivation (Active) (D Rank: 1%)</li>

    </ul>

    Skill Consolidation. (10 Options available.)

    ¡°Oh wow,¡± I said after I found what I needed in my status. A single core was already enough to push me all the way to Rank 1? That seemed¡­ overpowered. Then again, I was starting from nothing. And, if it wasn¡¯t for Ming Lin, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten a core like this so easily. ¡°A single core was actually enough. But¡­ It will take 6 hours for me to finish.¡±

    I frowned as I said that and couldn¡¯t help but eye Shui Jianfeng hesitantly. Normally 6 hours for something like this was probably really fast. But in this situation, it felt far longer. Could 6 hours mean the difference between life and death for him?

    ¡°Six hours should not be a problem,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, though I wasn¡¯t sure how much I believed him. His skin was looking pale now, but he also seemed to be sweating just a bit more. ¡°Advancing in just that amount of time is already incredible. Once you reach that level of strength, digging up from here will be a lot faster.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, but¡­¡± I hesitated for a moment before deciding to mention how I can speed things up. I didn¡¯t want to risk that he was wrong, and my body didn¡¯t feel overly stressed by the Qi running through it anyway. It felt warm and was overwhelming in the beginning, but I could likely handle more. ¡°I think I might be able to speed things up if I had more cores. Also, I don¡¯t really need to stop and meditate to progress. And given how strong a Rank 1 spirit beast is, I think I will soon be able to start digging even before advancing.¡±

    ¡°Then I will go gather more,¡± Ming Lin said firmly before tossing the Rock Claw Moles on the ground. ¡°Make use of those, and I¡¯ll be back soon. I will be quicker if I only have to harvest cores. You can begin to dig, but don¡¯t go deep enough to leave Jianfeng alone. Also, bring him more moss as well for water. He¡¯ll need it and shouldn¡¯t move himself unless absolutely necessary.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng tried to protest that he could look after himself, but Ming Lin ignored him and rushed off. When she was gone, he sighed for a moment before leaning back and closing his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to continue to try and contain the poison better,¡± he said after a moment of silence. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ push yourself too hard, Lan. I may not know how your ability works, but you should not risk your future cultivation just to save me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, eyeing the pitiful moles as I walked over to them with pickaxe in hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that dire. It might hurt a bit and stress my body to try and force things, but I don¡¯t think there is any major risk to my future.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t completely sure of that of course. The Skill description did mention risks. But from how my hand had felt before when I over-stressed myself, I felt like I had an idea of what the warning signs might be. And even with all the Qi I felt infusing into my body, I didn¡¯t feel I was that close to my limits just yet.

    ¡°Very well then¡­ thank you,¡± Shui Jianfeng said.

    ¡°No problem,¡± I said before I hefted my pick and finished off the moles. My stomach twisted a bit as I did it. It was a little harder to stomach killing them, as opposed to the evil vicious-looking snake. Especially with the feeling of power that came from the warmth coursing through me. It felt kinda twisted given how strong I felt and how weak they looked.

    However, what hesitance I had for doing that disappeared when I harvested one of the moles and upgraded Spirit Stone Devouring to D-Rank.

    Spirit Stone Devouring (Passive&Active) (D Rank): Gain the ability to eat low-grade spirit stones. Upon consumption, gain a boost to Dexterity, Strength, Vitality, Qi reserves, and Qi regeneration, increasing up to 3x based on the size and quantity of spirit stones ingested. Higher base stats will require greater spirit stone consumption to reach the maximum increase in abilities.

    <ul>

    <li>Duration: 10 Minutes</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Warning: Repeated continuous use will put your body under great stress.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>D-Rank Feature: </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Qi from consumed spirit stones will now be available for other Skills for up to 1 hour or until used all at once to boost capabilities.</li>

    </ul>

    This upgrade was¡­ honestly a lot better than I thought. The increased duration and boost multiplier were nice. But it was that extra ability that really caught my attention. Maybe not as useful in the long run, once I had a larger Qi pool. But right now¡­ It meant that I could actually start trying to dig even faster than I thought. Which was perfect, since despite what Shui Jianfeng said, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that I needed to hurry.

    I quickly harvested the other two moles after that, increasing my progress for Earth Sense to 30%. Then, after grabbing some more moss and giving it to Shui Jianfeng, I started to feel around to find spirit stones hidden in the walls. I would be needing a lot more of them soon. Both to feed my Skill until my Qi pool caught up, and to make full use of D-Rank Spirit Stone Devouring.

    It would probably take more or larger stones to actually reach the new 3x boost the Skill could give me. Especially since I was finally raising my stats, meaning it would take more Qi for just a 2.5x boost. Not that I was gonna complain too much about that. Since in the end, it was letting me get stronger, and Spirit Stones weren¡¯t hard to come by down here for me.

    Soon, I¡¯d gathered more than a dozen spirit stones. Even with only using one hand for Rock Claws, with my Earth Sense and our depth in the mines, it was almost trivial. Most were on the smaller size, but one was as large as the cut example stone that big-nose bandit showed off yesterday.

    With all the spirit stones within my immediate vicinity taken, I decided to test out my new Skill and see how it worked. I popped one of the smaller stones in my mouth and chewed it. I was getting used to eating them like rock candy.

    Immediately, I felt a rush of energy from the stone. Unlike before, it didn¡¯t expand through my whole body but instead gathered and settled in the center of my chest. Ready for me to use to infuse my body or to power my Skills. Opening up my status screen, I saw that this reserve currently held 20 units of Qi. That made it 4 times my current unaugmented reserve.

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin a bit at seeing that. Yes, I could definitely start digging now. Especially since I was certain I could eat at least one or two more spirit stones of the same size. That would probably put me at 40 or 60 units of Qi. And that limit might continue to grow as my cultivation progressed. Even if it didn¡¯t, it would be trivial for me to maintain Rock Claws and use Burrow Reinforcement as long as I had enough spirit stones. All without having to strain my body with boosts or run Qi-leech at the same time.

    Excellent.

    After that, I messed around with Rock Claws, just to check if I needed to actively manage where my Qi was being drawn from. As it turned out, my Skills would default to that extra reserve of energy. Something I would have to watch out for, in case I needed to use the enhancement feature of the Skill and found myself without energy because my other Skills used it all up.

    Once I was done with my testing, I couldn¡¯t help but notice that the tingling from my right hand had disappeared. I didn¡¯t try to see if it was healed just yet, worried that I might be jumping the gun. But it seemed to be a very good sign about my chances of getting us out of here.

    All that was left was for Ming Lin to return and I could finally start digging.Things were starting to look up.

    At least, that¡¯s what I thought until I heard a loud crash echo in the distance. It was strong enough that the ground seemed to tremble slightly. I tried to remain optimistic and hoped that it didn¡¯t involve Ming Lin.

    Unfortunately, I was proven wrong soon after when she returned.

 Chapter 13: Escape tunnel and Moles

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, taking in Ming Lin¡¯s appearance.

    She was a lot dirtier than before, walking slowly and carefully while holding her left shoulder. There was a large gash on her right arm, but it didn¡¯t seem to be bleeding for some reason.

    ¡°The burrowing serpent corpses attracted more beasts,¡± Ming Lin said gruffly before she tossed something toward me.

    I caught it on reflex and the smell hit me. Another spirit beast core. Just one. The desire to devour it was muted this time, however. Either because of my worry or the fact that I was already processing one. I wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°I think,¡± Ming Lin said, slumping against a wall. She looked far more tired than I¡¯d ever seen her. ¡°This should probably be the last time I go out hunting. There¡¯s even more corpses over there now, and I wasn¡¯t able to get rid of any of them. I only had enough time to harvest one before I was forced to flee. Things will only get worse from here.¡±

    ¡°Do¡­ we need to worry about them coming here?¡± I asked hesitantly. This was not something we needed right now.

    ¡°They might,¡± Ming Lin said, nodding before her expression firmed up. ¡°But don¡¯t worry about that. I can still fight. Just focus on cultivating and digging.¡°

    I nodded slowly at that. All I could do was hope she was right. Otherwise, we were screwed. If the spirit beasts down here were strong enough to cause so much trouble for her, I doubted there was all that much I could do to help. At least, not if they came before I was strong enough. But maybe not even then.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°Well, at least I have some good news about digging. I managed to get the ability to make better use of the Qi from the spirit stones I eat. Also, I¡¯ve made some steady progress with my cultivation.¡±

    I took a second to open up my status screen to make sure that was true. And thankfully it was. She¡¯d been gone for perhaps more than half an hour and I was already seeing growth everywhere. My Qi pool had doubled, bringing me up to 10. My Strength and Dexterity both went up by 2 bringing me up to 8 and 7 respectively. And my Vitality, with the help of Primal Vitality, was now at 11.

    Considering that I was pretty sure human normal was 5, this was pretty impressive for around half an hour of change. Especially since I still had the active part of Spirit Stone Devouring to use. Which, with enough Qi, could increase everything by 3x. I still had no idea how that might compare to other people or spirit beasts, but seeing the numbers made me feel a bit better.

    ¡°I should be able to start digging now,¡± I said, feeling more confident in my words. ¡°And with this core, I will only get stronger faster. So we¡¯re almost done with this place.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Ming Lin said, nodding slowly. She still sounded tired but maybe the frown on her face softened just a little. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep watch and you get us out of this mess.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said before taking a moment to consider where I should start digging.

    After a moment, I decided to dig diagonally into one of the walls, mainly in the opposite direction of where we¡¯d come down from the bandit camp. The hope was for us to not pop out anywhere near the camp itself, nor go back over any tunnels where there might be bandits or slaves.

    With that decided, I took a second to evaluate my body one last time. To get a feel for the heat of the Qi surging through me. It hadn¡¯t abated at all and seemed to be growing, bit by bit. Yet I didn¡¯t feel like I was at my limit, and I still felt an instinctive desire to eat the core.

    There was probably still a minor risk of this going bad. But¡­ I felt the risk would need to be taken. Given the danger of spirit beasts coming to us, getting stronger faster was a must. And then there was the other reason¡­

    I took another look back at Shui Jianfeng. Ming Lin had pushed off the wall and gone to get him more moss for water. Yet he seemed more sluggish now and his sweating was worse. Yeah¡­ Six hours was likely too long for him.

    So, I decided to take what I hoped was a minor risk and popped the spirit beast core into my mouth. I swallowed it whole as well, and it dropped into my stomach next to the other one. Almost immediately, its energy burst forth, joining the other core in bathing my body in Qi. I felt even hotter than before and more energized. Yet there was a pressure now. Like my body was a balloon, and I just added a lot more air.

    For a second, I was afraid I¡¯d fucked up and pushed things too far. But after another moment, and the feeling not getting worse, I let out a breath. This was probably my actual limit.

    I opened up my status window again to check how much time I bought with that. I was relieved to see that the 5 and a half hours was reduced to just over 2 and a half hours. It had doubled the speed. Excellent.

    Part of me couldn¡¯t help but wonder if cultivation would keep being so easy in the future. But something told me that was just wishful thinking, and I decided to get to work and start digging instead of dreaming about the future. It was also time to see if my hand had really healed from my cultivation¡ªmaybe because of my large increase in vitality.

    I pressed both my hands to the tunnel wall and activated Rock Claws. To my relief, I felt no pain and both my hands were soon covered in the tools I¡¯d need to get us out of here. I grinned at that and finally started to dig.

    In barely any time at all, I¡¯d dug out a person-sized hole an arm''s length into the wall. The only issue I¡¯d noticed so far was that I¡¯d need to manage where all the excess stone and earth was going. But thankfully, the areas of the tunnel near the caverns already started to widen up. So, hopefully, there would be enough room to store all the excess here without having to get too close to the mossy caverns and all the dangers there.

    As for actually moving the excess earth I was digging out, I figured out how to deal with that rather easily. With my increased Qi Pool and the extra reserve from Spirit Stone Devouring, I could easily cover the cost of reshaping my Rock Claws. Using that, I could fuse them together, then shape them like a bulldozer blade and push the rocks around with ease.

    Once I figured that out, I got to work for real. I quickly got into a rhythm of tearing the rock apart into chunks of stone as I dug with a slight upward trajectory. When the rubble behind me got too backed up, I reshaped my claws and bulldozed them out back into the main tunnel.

    With all the heat and power coursing through my body, the whole thing was a lot easier than it sounded. And it only got easier as more time went on and the two cores'' amount of energy continued to empower me.

    A couple of things broke up this routine, however. One was that every ten yards or so I would have to use Burrow Reinforcement once all the excess earth was out of the way. I had no idea if I needed to or not, but I wasn¡¯t going to chance a cave-in. The other thing that broke up my routine was when I sensed Spirit Stones close by with my earth sense. I would divert a bit to get those to make sure I had an ample supply to eat, and also eat one or two to top up my reserves if needed.

    But aside from those instances, I just continued to dig and dig for a good long while.

    Then something interrupted all this in a much more obstructive way. It happened around a half hour or so into my digging and it took me by surprise. I could use my Earth Sense through my Rock Claws, so I felt the signs beforehand. But my range wasn¡¯t all that large, only a single yard. So I had just a moment where I felt that there were two big-ish things nearby burrowing around.

    Smaller than the serpents but bigger than the moles.

    Then I felt them rushing towards me.

    I had just enough time to react and backpedal a bit before two glowing forms broke into my small tunnel. Dust was kicked up, but I managed to see that it was actually more Rock Claw Moles. But the large near-rank-1 kind that Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng killed the day before.

    I panicked as the one in front squealed in anger and tried to rake me with its claws. I continued backpedaling away as it kept lashing out before I finally remembered I could empower myself with the Qi pulsing away in my chest.

    But, before I could, the moles stopped their pursuit suddenly. They both rose up on their hind legs and raised their claws threateningly but didn¡¯t come any closer. Occasionally, their claws dug into the earth and flung around small chunks of rock, but that was it.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I took in this sight, confused but ready to empower myself and fight for my life. Yet as the seconds ticked by, and the two continued to posture, I realized what was happening. This was a threat display. They were trying to scare me off.

    They also didn¡¯t seem that strong. The moles were only as big as that one big one that we¡¯d killed yesterday, about the size of a large dog. So it was very likely they weren¡¯t even Rank 1 spirit beasts.

    That left me a bit conflicted as to what to do. Did I just try to go around them? I wasn¡¯t sure if they were just being territorial or if there was something they wanted for themselves. But after another moment''s thought, I realized what I should probably do now that I was getting stronger and stronger.

    It didn¡¯t quite feel right, since I could probably get away from them. But¡­ Well, upgrading Earth Sense would help keep me from getting surprised again. There also might still be more Skills these bigger moles could give me. And, at the end of the day, gaining power from my kills was how the System worked.

    I would have to get used to it. Because clearly being weak in this world was far worse than back home.

    So I resolved myself and then moved to pop another spirit stone into my mouth to sure up my reserves. I wanted to be able to boost to my maximum amount. Unfortunately, I realized that I couldn¡¯t really do that with both my hands covered by Rock Claws.

    I cursed, then decided what I had would have to be enough as the moles were getting agitated by my lack of retreat. So instead, I started to reshape my claws for battle. I changed their shovel-like shape to something more compact and increased the length of the claws. Then, when the moles started tensing up, I activated Spirit Stone Devouring¡¯s boost.

    The power that had been in my chest and used to supplement my Skills exploded out and rushed through my System. I had a second to wonder if that might cause any issues with my Spirit Beast Cultivation still running before I felt all my muscles tense and bulk up. I also glowed blue. The pressure I¡¯d been feeling increased again, but not enough to hurt, though I could tell I was pushing things.

    I made a quick mental note to test something like this in the future outside of combat.

    Then the moles had enough and attacked.

    Thankfully, with how cramped the tunnel was, they couldn''t¡¯ both come at me at once. Instead, the lead mole charged me while its partner stayed close to its rear.

    So, I only really had to deal with one set of rock claws as they tried to rip into me. I backpedal a bit then decided to see how well my claws stood up to theirs. There was the sound of stone scraping on stone as I intercepted its wild swings.

    I grinned when my blade held and the lead mole squealed out in alarm. I was able to stop its advance and swat aside its claws with mine. Our strength was about matched, but I had a greater reach.

    Seeing my chance, I used one hand to keep the thing at bay, swinging wildly. With my other hand, I lashed out with a stab, aiming for its head.

    The other mole behind it reacted a lot faster than I thought it would and leaped upon its companion. It lashed out trying to stop me but I was faster. My stone claws pierced into the head of the bottom mole, and it let out a horrifying squeal of pain.

    I ripped my claws out and backed away as the other mole leaped at me in rage. But I met its outstretched claws with my own, and I slashed and clawed wildly to keep it away. With my newfound strength, I managed to halt its momentum and shove it to the ground. But not before I felt its claws nip and dig into the flesh of my arms.

    It didn¡¯t hurt that much, but I still felt it.

    Before the thing could recover, I stabbed at its head again, all the claws on one hand straightened to pierce. My claws met flesh, then bone, then brain.

    There was one last squeal of pain before things came to an end.

    I stood there over the two corpses for a long moment, my chest heaving as I calmed myself down. In retrospect, the fight hadn¡¯t been that hard. I was able to match the strength of the boosted large moles with my own boosted strength. And I had a reach advantage. It was mainly my adrenaline high leaving me that left me feeling tired, and that was soon washed away by the continual energy running through me.

    Heck, as my breathing slowed, and I took the time to examine my arms, I realized I wasn¡¯t even injured that bad. There were some nicks in my skin, but not what I expected from the claws digging into my flesh. Probably due to my cultivation and Primal Vitality.

    At that realization, I couldn¡¯t help but grin just a bit. I was still pretty weak¡­ But, for that moment, I felt just a bit stronger.

    I didn¡¯t let myself dwell too long on this, as I needed to get Shui Jianfeng help. So after that, I quickly harvested the bodies to dispose of them. It only managed to bring my Earth Sense to 80%, but something else caught my attention from the presented Skills.

    There was another Skill that I could still add progress to besides Earth Sense. It was Primal Vitality, which I found far more interesting than before. A 50% increase was a lot more valuable now that my stats were higher. And if ranking it up increased that even more, then I would be able to shrug off damage even easier and worry less about taking hits.

    At the very least, it would make it a lot more likely I¡¯ll survive any future troubles.

    Which actually made me eager for another chance to run into these moles. Not that I would actively seek them out, but I now knew what I would do, even if I managed to upgrade Earth Sense to the point I could avoid them.

    With that decision made, I turned to start removing the excess rubble that had built up from my digging. Only to come to a halt and nearly jump when I caught sight of Ming Lin. Apparently, she¡¯d come running when she heard the sounds of squeals and fighting echo through the tunnel. But she decided to sit back and watch when it seemed like I had it under control.

    When my heart stopped beating so hard, I thanked her for checking on me despite nearly scaring me to death. After that, we decided that I would call out for help if I ran into anything I couldn¡¯t handle, to keep her from having to rush to me if I just encountered more moles. This wouldn¡¯t work once I got too far away. But the hope was that if I got that far, there wouldn¡¯t be any great dangers for me to run into.

    Once she left, I got back to work and not long after that, I ran into more moles. They weren¡¯t that close to the previous pair, I was just digging a lot faster now with my strength. Having had more time to think about what I could do better, and making sure to keep the Qi in my chest topped off, I had a much easier time with this second pair.

    I shaped my left claw into a shield of sorts to keep the moles¡¯ claws at bay. It was far from perfect and irregularly shaped, but it was enough. As for my right claw, I fused them all together into a single sharp blade. Not a very long one, like a long dagger attached to my hand, as anything else would be too much to maintain. But it was long enough to let me easily pierce the skulls of the moles and take them out.

    Once they were dealt with, I harvested them and got Earth Sense to D-Rank, and added more progress to Primal Vitality.

    Earth Sense(Passive) (Rank D): Gain a sixth sense that allows you to detect vibrations and Qi through any earth.

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 5 yards.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>D-Rank Feature: You are now able to sense Qi more clearly through the earth, and able to detect emissions of Qi that come in contact with it.</li>

    </ul>

    Ranking up Earth Sense was quite the experience, as I felt the increase in range immediately. It was also strong enough now that my shoes didn¡¯t mute it much anymore, leaving me a potent awareness of my surroundings underground. Something I was grateful for, in case I encountered something worse than the moles.

    The extra feature was also nice. After I continued digging and ran into more large moles, I realized that it not only made it easier to notice living things, but it might be able to let me discern something¡¯s cultivation to a degree if they were in my range. I¡¯d have to do more testing to be certain how accurate it was, but it was useful nonetheless.

    Soon after that revelation, and after taking out even more moles, I harvested enough of them to Reach D-Rank in Primal Vitality as well.

    Primal Vitality (Passive) (Rank D): Increase your Vitality by 100%

    Ranking up Primal Vitality wasn¡¯t as exciting as my other Skills. There were no extra features, just a doubling of its effect. But the rush of energy I felt when it ranked up was invigorating. And the knowledge that I should be harder to kill now was comforting as well.

    After that upgrade, though, I no longer got offered anything from the moles I killed. Rather disappointing, as I was getting good at dealing with them. I got stronger and stronger the more time passed, and each battle let me get better and better at leveraging that.

    So much so, that for the first time since coming to this world, I felt at ease to an extent. We weren¡¯t safe yet, and I wanted to get Shui Jianfeng to a doctor as quickly as possible. But at the very least, I finally felt like I could protect myself. Maybe even take on a Rank-1 Spirit Beast once my cultivation finished.

    And in that feeling of confidence, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine going back and making the bandits pay. It was just an idle fantasy of course. I wasn¡¯t that strong yet. But it felt like more of a real possibility now.

    Sometime after I stopped getting Skill rewards, I also stopped running into any more of the moles. It seemed I¡¯d finally reached high enough underground that I left the habitat of the big ones. And the smaller ones fled when I got to close so they weren¡¯t a bother either.

    I was fine with this, as without the ability to harvest them, it became rather annoying to deal with their bodies. I ended up having to dig up holes to bury them in my tunnel before sealing it up with Burrow Reinforcement.

    So I was glad that I didn''t need to do that anymore and instead got to dig uninterrupted. All the while, I kept getting stronger which let me dig faster and faster, even with the longer trips back I had to take to get rid of rubble.

    This continued on until one of the times I bulldozed the rubble back down the incredibly long tunnel. The sound of something echoing in the distance made me pause as I tried to make out what it was. After a moment, I realized I was hearing shouting and maybe¡­ crashing in the distance.

    I cursed at the interruption and leaped onto the large pile of rubble I was pushing. I crawled over it hurriedly before I finally got past it. Then I popped two small spirit stones into my mouth and rushed back down the tunnel as fast as I could, activating my boost as I went. All the while hoping that it wasn¡¯t anything too bad.

 Chapter 14: Battle and Rank 1

    Chapter 14:

    The tunnel I¡¯d dug must have reached at least two or three miles, perhaps longer as I¡¯d been digging for more than two hours¡ªthere were about 15 minutes left until I reached Rank 1. I was about halfway back when I heard the quiet echoes of trouble in the distance. Despite the distance, once I was past the rubble and could run while boosted¡ªif a bit awkwardly¡ªI made it back down in minutes.

    I didn¡¯t have a chance to appreciate my superhuman feat, however, as I was met by chaos.

    Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng were both up and fighting. They were closer to the mossy caverns, probably so they could have more room to fight. From what I could see, there were three¡ªno two, no four spirit beasts?

    It was hard to tell, as one might be dead, and the rest seemed to dip into the earth around us and disappear randomly. From what I could see of them when they fully emerged, they looked like some kind of horned lizard. They were tall enough on all fours to reach my waist.

    One might have been larger than the rest, but I only saw its bigger head poking out of the walls and ground before it would disappear again. Unlike the others, it never fully emerged. That didn¡¯t make it harmless, however. Each time it appeared, it would launch several spears of rock from the ground next to it. The spears were about as long as a human arm and rocketed through the air toward Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng.

    Shui Jianfeng did his best to dodge and deflect these spears, but it was Ming Ling who did most of the work for the two of them. She lashed out with her pick, rapidly swatting away a majority of the attacks. But despite her efforts, it was clearly not enough.

    Not when the other lizards also attacked from all directions. Sometimes, they appeared from under them and tried to take a bite of their legs. Other times, they appeared at odd angles, leaping out of the ground and trying to overwhelm them in a rush.

    And while most of these attempts were fended off, the new wounds on Ming Lin¡¯s arms and legs showed that they were slowly gaining ground.

    I cursed after I took this all in and did the only thing I could do. Reaching out to the walls, I activated Rock Claws. I quickly reshaped them as best as I could to emulate two swords. I¡¯d gotten better at reshaping after fighting so many moles, and I had even more Qi to spare now as well as more room to fight, allowing me to try something new. They were rough and crude, and still attached to my hands a bit awkwardly, but they should be enough to make use of my Swordsmanship skill.

    I would have gone for a sword and shield combo, but insight from my Skill told me that that kind of fighting was not included with my skill. Odd, but not something I was going to question at the moment. So dual-wielding it was. Even if my inability to adjust my grip on the swords further complicated things.

    With my weapons done, I took a deep breath and then charged to join the fight. I aimed for the nearest of the lizards. It seemed to sense me and turn its scaly head towards me for a second, locking onto me with its slitted eyes. Then it sank into the ground like it was a thick liquid, disappearing from sight.

    I tensed and stopped for a moment, wary of where it might strike from. But then I felt it. Once it got within my range, I felt part of the earth shift strangely in a way that didn¡¯t quite make sense. At the same time, I could sense the Qi emanating from it, making it obvious where it was.

    I tensed further as it moved towards me, though I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at its speed. It wasn¡¯t slow, but it certainly wasn¡¯t fast. Not as fast as the lizards when they popped out of the ground and rushed to attack. Which made it really easy for me to be ready for it. When it was near my feat, I stared at the spot I knew it would come from.

    The earth bulged as it appeared and gave way like liquid. Its mouth was wide open, and it snapped out like a cobra. But I was more than ready and met it with my long sword. I stabbed at it with all my strength. Unfortunately, all my strength wasn¡¯t enough. My blade went into its mouth, carving up the soft flesh there. But when it snapped its mouth closed, it tore right through my stone blade, stopping me from doing any real damage.

    Right¡­ These were reshaped digging tools. Not weapons.

    I cursed and lashed out with my other shorter sword, drawing a hiss from the creature as it sunk back into the ground. I glared at it and stabbed again out of reflex, hoping my blade would still reach it before it got away fully.

    With its slowed speed wading through the earth, I just managed to reach it with my short sword that split the earth with ease. I felt the thing recoil in pain, then it rushed out of my range. Still not very fast, but too fast for me to go after it by just digging.

    I grinned a bit at having injured it, even if a bit. Maybe next time if it tried again, I could kill it before it surfaced, if it was dumb enough not to learn from its¡ª

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    I jolted at the sudden shout and turned to the source. Then I realized my mistake as I saw something moving in my peripheral vision. Instinctively, I swung what was left of my right sword to knock it out of the air. I somehow managed to intercept it, but the spear of stone broke into many pieces which peppered me, cutting at my skin. One piece even nearly got me in the eye, instead just cutting into my brow.

    Fuck!

    ¡°Pay attention to your surroundings!¡¯ Ming Lin shouted as she and Shui Jianfeng continued to defend themselves against the three other lizards harassing them. They were boxed in by the constant harassment, and it didn¡¯t help that neither were in any shape to disengage.

    I glared at the sight and kept my gaze focused on the larger lizard that must have sent that spear at me. As if sensing my gaze, it turned to look and then launched another spear in my direction. This time, I was much more prepared and managed to sidestep it. Then, I took a second to touch my broken blade to the ground and reshape it. Instead of just fixing it, I made it longer as an idea came to me.

    I didn¡¯t take my eyes away from the general direction of the big lizard, though, keeping an eye on it whenever it appeared. It was the only way I could anticipate its attacks, and it was a good thing that it couldn¡¯t fire them from underground. Even when I felt the other lizard return, I kept a lookout for the spear launcher.

    When the lizard in the ground moved to just behind me, I quickly lept back over it and stabbed down. Before it could even start to emerge, my longer stone blade was already stabbing into it, without me having to bend over.

    It let out a piercing screech of pain as the liquid earth fell off of it. I¡¯d managed to get my sword buried in one of its eyes, and it flailed around frantically, trying to get away. Something I wasn¡¯t going to let happen.

    I forced my sword down hard, causing another shriek and some more violent twitching. Then I pulled back to avoid another spear of earth sent at me, accompanied by a shrieking roar of anger. The big lizard was not happy about what I just did, it seemed.

    Still, I grinned as I saw the lizard I¡¯d stab stop twitching, and a blue halo appeared around it.

    ¡°One down,¡± I said as I turned my attention back to the big lizard and saw it sink back into the ground. When it didn¡¯t resurface moments later, I tensed, ready for the coming attack.

    At the same time, the other two lizards were still snapping away at both Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng. But, without the constant barrage of rock spears, the two of them were given a much-needed reprieve. Enough so that the next lizard that tried to take a bite out of Ming Lin¡¯s leg was stomped into the ground with her foot. Then it was almost killed as Shui Jianfeng brought his pick down on its head. Unfortunately, it still managed to sink into the earth right before the finishing blow.

    And that was all that I saw before I had to refocus on my own fight. I felt the big lizard get within the range of my Earth Sense. Right off the bat, I could tell it was faster than the last one. It was also larger, and its Qi greater as well. I wasn¡¯t sure if this was a Mid-Stage Rank 1 or just a strong Early Stage, but regardless it was definitely more dangerous than the one I¡¯d killed.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    I only had a moment to consider what to do before it was already under me. It appeared from the ground faster than the other lizard, and its mouth was ready to take a bite out of my leg. I pulled back before it could and stabbed down. Unfortunately, all I managed to do was stab it in the tongue before it bit down and cut my sword in half again.

    I really needed to stop aiming for their mouths. However, that was easier said than done when they always charged at me mouth first.

    I leaped back, then was forced to dodge again as two earth spears shot out of the ground back to back. They moved incredibly fast, and I only managed to avoid the first. The second grazed my shoulder, cutting through cloth and skin. Then the lizard sank into the ground before I could do anything else.

    It repeated this attack pattern a moment later, but this time, I couldn¡¯t even counterattack. It didn¡¯t give me enough time to fix my blade, and my other one was too short to really stab at it before I had to retreat. I was completely on the defensive. Still, I managed to react in time thanks to my constant awareness of its location underground. I avoided both spears, and the lizard sunk away once more.

    It charged me from below again a moment later. I avoided an attempt to bite my leg, then was forced to divert a spear with my good sword while dodging another. This time, the spear barely missed my head, grazing my cheek and forcing me back. I needed to change things up, or I was going to stop getting lucky and get skewered.

    I looked around for a second as it went back into the ground. Then I saw the still glowing corpse of the lizard I¡¯d killed. I was tempted for a second, but I didn¡¯t think trying to beat the lizards at their own game would work. Instead, I had a better idea.

    I put my hands together and started reshaping. I fused the rock in both hands together to form a big, dense mass. Right when I was done, the lizard appeared again and forced me to dodge another bite. Then the spears came again. One I dodge. The other one, I tried to block with my mass of rock, hoping it would be enough.

    My arms jerked hard at taking the spear head-on, and the harder Earth Spear pierced through. Thankfully, it stopped before it actually reached me, but it was a close call. Yet the fact that it was in my shield now was a good thing. Extra mass.

    Reshaping again, I fused the rock spear into my shield and made it bigger and thicker. It was draining my Qi a lot faster to hold so much rock with my Skill, but I shouldn¡¯t need to keep it up for too long, so I ignored it.

    When the lizard attacked again, I was even more ready this time with my thicker shield. I diverted one spear away and caught the other. It pierced through even less this time, and I integrated that mass into my shield.

    Then I reshaped again. This time, though, I aimed to alter the shape, making it a shield with an extended sharp bottom. It took a moment, and the lizard managed to attack again from under me once more before I finished. But because I maintained the shield shape, I just diverted the earth spears sent at me without issue.

    And once I was ready, I steadied myself and waited. A moment later, I felt the lizard come up from the ground. This time, treating the bottom of my shield as a much wider and longer blade, I drove it deep into the earth.

    It easily cut through the stone, and my large makeshift blade sank into the flesh of the lizard. I felt it spasm wildly, and then something weird happened. The earth around it stopped feeling strange to my senses, and then the ground started to tremble as it thrashed within the earth. Rock was sent flying, and I leaped back, pulling my sword-shield out.

    I could see a thick coating of red blood on the bottom of my blade, and I grinned. Excellent. Despite being bigger, this thing was just as vulnerable to the blade made from my Skill. I¡¯d worried that it might be too tough, but thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case.

    However, despite the damage I did, the lizard continued thrashing. A hole opened up in the ground, revealing its whole body and the damage I did. Most of its lower jaw had been torn apart, yet it wasn¡¯t out of it just yet, if how violently it moved around was any indication. It might still recover.

    So I rushed back towards the hole and leaped down, shield-blade first. I drove the big blade at the lizard¡¯s neck with a loud shout. My rock blade-shield, which was a lot sturdier than my swords, cut through scales, flesh, and bone, decapitating the beast.

    The body continued to twitch for another moment before finally falling still.

    I stood over the body for a couple of seconds, breathing heavily. My stomach and chest felt very warm. Then an angry shout reminded me that things weren¡¯t over yet. So I leaped out of the rough hole I was in, ready to help finish off the other two lizards.

    I didn¡¯t get a chance to do that, though, as when I got out, I saw Ming Lin bury her pick in the head of the last lizard. Another lizard¡¯s head was half out of the ground with a similar wound in its head.

    I stared, panting for a second, and then relaxed, letting the stone shield-blade drop from my hands as I ended my Skill.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down!¡± Ming Lin shouted, making me tense up again and look around.

    I didn¡¯t see anything, or feel anything, but I kept my eyes peeled and moved to form another shield blade. Yet, as more time passed and nothing happened, I started to feel confused.

    ¡°What¡¯s left?¡± I asked, looking back and forth.

    ¡°Nothing as far as I know,¡± Ming Lin said, moving to catch Shui Jianfeng who almost stumbled as his pick fell from his hand. He was really pale now and sweating profusely. ¡°But you should never just relax immediately after a fight. That¡¯s how you get killed by the danger you didn¡¯t see coming.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± I said, trying to not be annoyed at that. It was probably good advice since I really did just want to take a moment to breathe¡ªmy chest was starting to feel a bit strange. But with so many ambushing things down here, that was probably a bad idea. ¡°Is he going to be¡­¡±

    I started to ask, but Shui Jianfeng stumbled again and collapsed into Ming Ling¡¯s arms. His eyes were droopy, and his sweat was leaving streaks in the dirt and dust that covered his face from the fighting.

    ¡°How far along is the tunnel?¡± Ming Lin asked grimly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said with a wince, rubbing at my chest absently. ¡°I can only sense 5 yards around me, so I don¡¯t know how much I have left to dig. I¡¯ve been digging as fast as I can.¡±

    Ming Lin sighed and nodded at that. ¡°Well, hopefully, we can leave soon.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, taking a moment to look around at all the corpses. Then I winced when I looked further towards the mossy caverns and saw even more of them. They must have killed several before I got here. ¡°Maybe you two should hide in the tunnel with me. I can dig out a place for you to rest, so you can be closer to the exit when we get out, and not have to deal with so many attacks.¡±

    It would make it more dangerous for me when I pushed out the excess earth I dug up. But if we were lucky, maybe we were close enough to the surface that that wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue.

    Ming Lin thought about it for a moment before she nodded and started dragging Shui Jianfeng over to the escape tunnel. ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best. We can¡¯t hold this spot much longer.¡±

    I moved to follow, but then I remembered the two lizards I¡¯d killed. So, instead, I rushed over to the hole where the big lizard was and focused on the blue halo.

    I sped-read the Skills available, and then I started to rush over to the other one I killed. Just so I knew all my options and what I could take. As I did, the rush of power I had from the boost from Spirit Stone Devouring ran out. The sudden loss of energy made me wobble for a second as the stone shield drained my much smaller reserves. I reshaped them to get rid of the excess mass while I steadied myself.

    But even after that, I still felt off balance, and my chest felt really hot. Almost uncomfortably so, as if all my Qi was gathering there. Was this because I was about to rank up? Hopefully so, but I didn¡¯t have time to think about it too much. I wanted to get away from all these corpses as fast as I could.

    So once I was okay, I moved over to the small lizard and checked what was available there as well. As I read, I dropped the claws off of one hand, so I could pop some more spirit stones in my mouth if I needed to. I held off on actually eating one, as the heat in my chest continued to grow, and I wasn¡¯t sure if the two effects would interact.

    When I went over everything, I made my decisions quickly. I took a Skill called Earth Wader from the smaller lizard and then Earth Spear from the larger one. After that, I started back towards the escape tunnel, but something moved out of the corner of my eye.

    I jumped in fright and slashed at the air with my remaining claw.

    But there was nothing there. Instead, it was one of the lizard corpses. The one that I had thought was already dead when I appeared. It was twitching, barely clinging on to life. I stared at it for a second before I realized what I had to do.

    I ran over to it and quickly brought down my claw onto the beast¡¯s head, killing it. To my relief, another blue halo appeared, and I quickly focused on it. And when I saw what Skill was available, I felt just a little more hope that things might turn out okay.

    I quickly selected the Skill, Burrow Creation, before rushing back over to the tunnel. Ming Lin was already ahead, and I moved to catch up. I wasn¡¯t sure if the Skill would do exactly what I wanted, but I was hopeful.

    ¡°He¡ª¡± I started to say as I got close before I felt something strange happen. All that energy gathering in my chest pulsed, and then the rest of the Qi in my body seemed to rush there. My feet gave out from under me, and I crashed into the ground.

    Then I felt a burning pain in my chest as the wild energy there pulsed again and again. Things only got worse from there, and I started to scream.

 Chapter 15: Rank Up and The Surface

    Chapter 15:

    I felt like I screamed for hours. During that time, every one of my muscles seemed like they were on fire, and the feeling in my chest continued to get worse and worse. It kept pulsing with power, and each time it did, my agony only increased.

    Eventually, though, after I don¡¯t know how much torment, things finally started to settle down. The pulses became fainter. The pain receded. My breathing got easier. Then my muscles relaxed, and it was like all of that had been a bad dream.

    Each second that passed after that felt more and more bearable. And then my weariness seemed to disappear as I felt a pulsing in my chest again. This time, though, there was no pain accompanying it. Instead, there was energy. Qi flowing back to the rest of my body. Far more than before. It made me feel powerful and energized in a way that I¡¯d never felt before.

    I moved to get up, feeling invigorated despite what I¡¯d just been through. Then I froze at what I saw.

    I was still in the escape tunnel where I fell to the ground. Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng were there too. Ming Lin was sitting on the ground, her back to the wall, while Shui Jianfeng¡¯s head was in her lap.

    She looked at me with red eyes.

    I swallowed heavily and looked back towards Shui Jianfeng. He looked¡­ really still and was even paler.

    ¡°Is he¡­¡± I started to ask but couldn¡¯t finish.

    ¡°No,¡± Ming Lin said softly. ¡°But he¡¯s completely focused on suppressing the poison and keeping himself alive now. I will have to carry him.¡±

    I grimaced at that. Fuck. How much time had I lost because of my Rank-up? And damn it, why hadn¡¯t the System given me a warning that ranking up would knock me out? If that had happened just a bit earlier, I could have died during the fighting. And now Shui Jianfeng might end up dead because I¡¯ve been out this whole time.

    Frustrated, I opened up my Status page to see if it could tell me more.

    Status page:

    Name: Michael Lan Li

    Human Cultivation: None

    Spirit Beast Cultivation: Early Stage Rank 1 (0% to next stage)

    Qi: 75/75

    Stats:

    Strength: 35

    Vitality: 40 (+40) = 80

    Dexterity: 25

    Mind: 15

    Skills (12/20 slots):

    <ul>

    <li>Primal Vitality (Passive) (Rank D: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Basic Swordsmanship (Passive) (D Rank: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Sense(Passive) (D Rank: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Rock Claws (Active) (Rank D: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Earthen Camouflage (Active) (Rank E: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Spirit Stone Devouring(Passive) (D Rank: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Qi Leech (Active) (E Rank: 85%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Burrow Reinforcement (Active) (D Rank: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Spirit Beast Cultivation (Active) (D Rank: 1%) </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Wader (Active) (D Rank: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Spear (Active) (D Rank: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Burrow Creation (Active) (D Rank: 0%)</li>

    </ul>

    Skill Consolidation. (13 Options available.)

    For just a split second, I was stunned at what I saw. I¡¯d been too focused on digging to check my stats regularly. So seeing everything increase by so much was startling, to say the least. Especially my Vitality. Not only was it my naturally highest base stat, but with Primal Vitality it was insane now. 16 times normal! No wonder I felt so energized.

    Still, my astonishment didn¡¯t last long as I remembered the current issue. But, not all hope was lost. With this much more strength and with this much more Qi, there was still a chance we could get out of here in time. I just needed to move fast.

    ¡°I¡¯ll start digging right away,¡± I said, moving past the two of them as best as I could in such cramped quarters. ¡°Is¡­ is there anything we can do right after we reach the surface to help him?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Ming Lin said, still weary. ¡°I know some herb lore. I might be able to find something in the forest to help¡­ But¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Alright then,¡± I said, trying to hold onto that hope. ¡°We¡¯ll focus on that once we get up there. Should only be a matter of time now. We just lost a lot of time, but I¡¯m a lot stronger now and I have a lot more Qi. I can do this.¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± Ming Lin said before she reached down and picked Shui Jianfeng up. But despite her words, she didn¡¯t sound hopeful at all. Instead, she looked and sounded defeated.

    I grimaced at the sight but turned to rush up the tunnel. Hopefully, if I got us out of here fast, she¡¯d regain hope.

    I could hear her moving right behind me, not having trouble keeping up despite carrying her friend and her injuries. We only stopped when we reached the rubble I had been pushing down the tunnel before. For a moment, I considered the best way to get past. Then I remembered the Skill I¡¯d gotten just before my Rank Up.

    It could take care of this issue, and it would even speed up my digging!

    Burrow Creation (Active) (D Rank): Mold, shape, and reinforce available earth to create a stone chamber for rest and safety. Strength of chamber walls is determined by the quality and amount of available earth.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 1 Qi per cubic yard </li>

    </ul>

    ¡°Step back for a second,¡± I said, turning to address Ming Lin. It probably wouldn''t affect her, but still better to be safe than sorry. ¡°I have a new Skill that should let me remove all this easily. And it might even make digging even faster.¡±

    I gave her a moment to back up before I activated the new Skill while reaching out to touch the pile of rubble and imagining what I wanted.

    Immediately, I felt the core in my chest pulse, Qi flowing out of it to my hand. Then it entered the rubble and expanded. As it moved to cover more of the rocks, more Qi was used, but I had a lot of it now and could keep up. Once everything was covered, it all seemed to melt and merge into the surrounding stone, changing the color to a darker hue.

    And just like that, our way was clear.

    Perfect. It worked just how I hoped, making it so I wouldn¡¯t have to push any more rubble all the way back anymore, and I could even use it to reinforce the walls. It also worked pretty fast. About as fast as I could dig before, which combined with the lack of excess earth and need for reinforcement, made this method even faster.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡± I asked, turning back to Ming Lin. Her eyes were still red, but she had clearly seen what I had just done. Her eyes looked just a bit less dull. ¡°We can still do this, okay? Just give me a little more time, and then we will find whatever herbs you need for him.¡±

    Ming Lin nodded once slowly at that. Then she did it again more firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll be relying on you,¡± she said, her voice still soft and quiet. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I nodded firmly and grinned, doing my best not to let any of my doubts show. Had to stay positive in situations like this, or we¡¯d both lose hope. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. You¡¯ve both saved me a lot down here and even before all this. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡°

    With that said, we started rushing back up the tunnel even faster than before. Ming Lin was right on my heels until we reached where the tunnel ended. Wanting to do this as fast as possible, I took out the single large spirit stone I had left and ate it whole. The energy pooled in my chest again, though I noticed it seemed to be positioned just below my core. Then I noticed that I wasn¡¯t even close to my limit from that.

    So I took out the rest of the spirit stones I had and ate until I felt that I couldn¡¯t anymore. A quick look at my status showed me that 250 Qi was my new limit. So, I had a total of 325 Qi to work with. It took a lot of spirit stones to get that much¡ªgoing through most of my reserve of stones¡ªbut it would be worth it if I could get us out of here in time.

    So with that done, I began to dig.

    I pressed my hand against the end of the tunnel and activated Burrow Creation. Rock melted away from my touch, and the tunnel began to extend. I moved forward to keep within range as I continued to work the Skill, not wanting to delay for even a second more.

    This went on for some time. Even with my massive new reserves, Burrow Creation eventually ate up all my excess Qi. I had to eat more and more of my dwindling spirit stones to keep at it. At the same time, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the lack of any more spirit stones in the earth around me. A good sign that we were far from the mines. But a possible issue if I ran out of Qi before getting us out of here.

    I tried not to think about that as I continued to dig. Nor think about what would happen if I failed. Instead, I just gritted my teeth and used the Skill again and again. Stone continued to melt away from me and formed a tunnel with as steep of a curve as I could manage without hurting our ability to walk up.

    All the while, my spirit stone supply continued to decrease. When there were only six spirit stones left, my worry returned with a vengeance. But, not soon after that, was when I finally felt it.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what it was at first. The earth at the edge of my range just felt strange. But as I continued to process what I was feeling, I started to understand.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    The rock above wasn¡¯t solid stone anymore. Instead, it was looser. We were getting close to the surface.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± I said, excitedly turning to look at Ming Lin. She¡¯d followed along with me this whole time with Shui Jianfeng on her shoulder.

    Her eyes widen at that. ¡°How far?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I said, grimacing the moment I said it. I rushed to add, ¡°But not much longer. I can feel it. The rock above us is loose now. We have to be nearing the surface.¡±

    ¡°Then dig,¡± Ming Lin said urgently.

    I nodded at that and spun back around before I started using Burrow Creation again with renewed vigor. The rock outside of my ascending tunnel continued to get looser and looser. A couple more uses of the Skill then let me feel what had to have been soil at the edge of my senses.

    Excited, I kept pushing, going as fast as I could until I finally felt it. My Earth Sense felt short of its maximum range. Because there was nothing but air beyond a certain point. We were at the surface.

    Excitement filled me, and I almost shouted for joy. But before I could, I felt something else. Footsteps. And QI. I froze as I felt it and tried to get a better grasp of what I was feeling. Yet the more I did, the less I liked it.

    The Qi I felt emanating felt stronger than the moles but perhaps weaker than the lizards. It reminded me a bit of what I felt from Ming Lin though a bit weaker. Yet there were several of them. And, I realized after a moment, that the footsteps seemed to be in pairs. As if the things above walked on two legs¡­

    Fuck¡­ What were the chances? Then again, I suppose we are luckier than unlucky. We could have exited and then run into them instead of them wandering over us while we were hidden.

    The people above didn¡¯t linger and soon moved out of my range. But I knew what I felt, and I really wanted to curse. But just in case they were still too close, I refrained. Instead, I started to step backward slowly.

    I turned and saw Ming Lin looking at me confused, and I held up a finger to my lips. Her eyes widened at that before they darkened. We started to move back down the tunnel as quickly as we could.

    When we were far enough that I felt safe that our words wouldn¡¯t be overheard, I explained the situation.

    ¡°It has to be a bandit patrol,¡± Ming Lin said, sounding frustrated. ¡°We must be very deep in the Amberwood for them to be able to hide the mine. So there couldn¡¯t be any other people around for what you sense to be anything else.¡±

    I grimaced at that. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯ll use my other Skills to deal with this. I can swim through the earth like the lizards. I¡¯ll scout around, make sure they''re gone, or at least figure out where they are. Then we sneak past them if we have to and begin looking for the plants you need.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ming Lin said, frowning as she scrunched her brows. Then her eyes widened as if she had a realization. ¡°Or maybe¡­ this is our chance to give Jianfeng more time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I follow you,¡± I said.

    ¡°The Amberwood isn¡¯t known for having many venomous spirit beasts,¡± Ming Lin said, speaking faster as her excitement grew. ¡°But there are several kinds out here. One of the Marauders might have a pill to deal with that just in case. And even if they don¡¯t, they should at least have some healing pills. Even a healing ointment could help, as you can eat those if you really had to, and it would bolster his vital energies and give him more time.¡±

    I nodded but couldn¡¯t help but hesitate just a little. I wanted to save Shui Jianfeng. And I was a lot stronger now. But there were still just only two of us, and I was still very new to fighting. And while Ming Lin didn¡¯t move like she was injured, she clearly still was and only had a pick for a weapon.

    Could we really do this?

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this,¡± I said, hesitantly. ¡°I think there were at least five of them. I don¡¯t know if we can manage that many as we are now. And what if other Marauders hear our fight and join them? Are the pills really better than us rushing to the city for help? Or trying to find some plant to help him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Ming Lin nodded firmly. ¡°At best, I might buy Jianfeng a day if I get lucky and find the right plants. A healing pill could give him several or even allow him to save himself. And the bandits might be able to give us directions if we capture one, or they might have a map on them which will help us navigate back to the city faster. As for reinforcements¡­ You will have to scout things out to be sure. But I find it unlikely they have that many patrols out here. The Marauders are nothing but thugs and bandits.¡±

    Ming Lin¡¯s face twisted in disgust and hate.

    ¡°I doubt they would have the discipline to be so thorough with their patrols. And if they are, then we will revise our plan again. You should be able to check that without being seen given your new ability. Though be careful. If their group is as weak as you felt, then they shouldn¡¯t have a spirit sense. But you should still try and be as cautious as possible. As for our chances, they are not as bad as you seem to think. We don¡¯t fight them head-on. With everything you can do, we can set a trap for them. A pitfall would help even the odds quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, nodding as I considered that. Setting a trap¡­ Given everything I could do now, that could very well work¡­ As long as I managed to scout them properly, and either they followed a set path or I got them to chase me. ¡°Yeah, I can see that working. I can see that working really well. I¡¯ll start scouting then.¡±

    ¡°Stay safe,¡± Ming Lin said as she started to set Shui Jianfeng down. ¡°And return soon. We will need to act fast.

    I nodded firmly and turned around to head back up. It was time to scout and to use my new Skill, Earth Wader.

    Earth Wader (Active) (D Rank): Wade through any earth as if it were a liquid. Speed can be increased at a greater expense of Qi.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Base Upkeep: 2.5 Qi per minute.</li>

    </ul>

    When I reached the top of the escape tunnel again, I put my hand against the wall and activated my Skill. My Qi seemed to resonate out of me in a strange way, then the earth turned to viscous liquid at my touch. I stepped forward right into it.

    It was a very strange sensation as the earth gave way and enveloped me in darkness and cold. I couldn¡¯t breathe like this, but I found myself having little issues holding my breath. Probably due to my incredibly high vitality.

    Moving my arms like I was swimming in water, I started pulling myself up.

    I swam as quickly as I could¡ªabout as fast as a quick jog¡ªuntil I reached just below the surface of what I hoped was the forest outside. Then I moved around in a circular search pattern in an attempt to find the Marauders, pushing more Qi into my Skill to increase my speed. The more Qi I used, the less the earth around me seemed to resist my movements.

    Not long after that, I found them, both to my relief and disappointment. They¡¯d stopped for some reason and were all clustered together. I stayed at the farthest reaches of my Earth Sense from them, just in case they had any way to detect my presence. I double-checked that everything I noticed before was still true, both their numbers and the strength of their Qi.

    As far as I could tell, my initial assessment was right, so I moved on to the next step of my scouting. I continued to push my speed above the normal amount, swimming around in another search grid to see if there were any traces of other Marauders.

    I couldn¡¯t spend too much time on it, as we would need to act soon. But from my rushed survey, it seemed that there were not any other groups of people. With that checked, I decided to do one final thing to ensure I knew just what we were getting into. I moved back towards where the Marauders were, stopping just far enough that I should be out of sight.

    Then, finally, I emerged from the ground. I did it slowly and only popped my head out. Unlike in water, I didn¡¯t have to spend any effort keeping afloat as I spun around to take in my surroundings. It felt kinda like I was neck-deep in mud.

    The first thing I noticed was that I was indeed outside. In a forest, to be precise, though the trees here weren¡¯t all that dense. I could see the sky and the sun above and guessed it must have been the late afternoon.

    Once I was done checking that, and didn¡¯t see any immediate dangers around me, I started moving towards my targets again. It was awkward and made me afraid something would appear and take a bite of my head. But I held my nerve and just got ready to sink back down in case something decided to attack me. I kept my head on a swivel for anything in the trees as well.

    Occasionally, I had to sink back down because of plants in the way. But, in just a short amount of time, I got close enough to finally see what I¡¯d sensed before. I was hidden under a bush that I could peer out of.

    The first thing I noticed was that they were indeed the Marauders. They had the same dark clothes and black cloth face masks. They seemed to have stopped for a break, grouped up together as some of them sat and some leaned against trees. They were also eating and drinking.

    All of them were armed, and occasionally they would scan their surroundings, but none seemed to notice me. Probably just worried about spirit beasts. Aside from that, I couldn¡¯t make out much about them. But if we wanted to ambush them here, then I would need to hurry.

    So I dipped back down into the ground and started heading back towards my tunnel. It was a bit disorienting, but I had made sure to constantly remind myself where the tunnel should be. I managed to find it without much issue and dropped out of the earth and into the tunnel.

    After that, I quickly relayed everything I saw to Ming Lin. She¡¯d been planning out our trap while I¡¯d been scouting and quickly began directing me as to what we would do. It wasn¡¯t anything complicated, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel that it would be very effective.

    I ended up excavating a large hole just under the surface of the ground above. Originally, for the sake of speed, it was only supposed to be a couple of yards deep and rely solely on the spikes to do their damage. But once I started digging, I realized something I failed to notice earlier. Burrow Creation worked much faster and less Qi intensively when working with loose soil. This allowed me to make a much deeper pit that was still wide enough to catch as many of the Marauders as possible without spending too much time.

    Capping off this now much larger pit was a hardened layer of rock, preventing the remaining soil above from falling down. It was thin enough that I should be able to make it dissolve pretty much instantly with another application of Burrow Creation.

    After the pit was done, it was time for the spikes. I carved the rocks into spikes with Rock Claws, then I used burrow reinforcement and burrow creation together to make them as hard and solid as possible. Once that was done, I rushed back to where I¡¯d seen the Marauders earlier to make sure they were still there.

    I cursed when I didn¡¯t find them where I thought I would. In a panic, I started rushing around in the earth, hoping they hadn¡¯t gone too far. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t and weren¡¯t moving all that fast either. It seemed they didn¡¯t feel the need to cover too much ground quickly.

    After that, I popped my head back out just to get an idea of where they were on the surface. I then dove back down and rushed back to our tunnel and pitfall. There, I dug another hole down to the tunnel out of sight in some underbrush to let Ming Lin out. I told her the situation since she would be the one luring them over to the trap while I waited below to activate it.

    ¡°Given the speed of your technique, use it right before I step over the pit,¡± Ming Lin said as she left the tunnel. ¡°That should let me jump over it and for them to fall in given the speed they should be moving at.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, feeling incredibly nervous about my first real fight with other people. ¡°Stay safe. Though, are you sure you will be able to get them to chase you?¡±

    Ming Lin frowned before she reached up to her hair and undid it from the tight men¡¯s style topknot it was in, letting her long hair run freely down her back. Despite her dirty and ragged appearance and the men''s clothing she wore, it had already been apparent that she was a woman. But now it became even clearer. ¡°Yes, I can get these men to chase me through the woods. It''s not hard to get scum like them to do something like that.¡±

    I grimaced but nodded. ¡°Then good luck.¡±

    ¡°You as well,¡± Ming Lin said. ¡°Remember, some of them might manage to survive the fall or not fall in at all. The trap is to even the battlefield, but we will likely have to at least finish them off. Be prepared for this to become a battle.¡±

    After I nodded firmly at that, she turned and rushed off.

    When she was out of sight, I hurried back down the tunnel. I took a branching tunnel that led to the pitfall and the small ledge I¡¯d created just under the surface to give me room to stand.

    Then I ate all but one of my last spirit stones. It wasn¡¯t enough for a full boost, but given my new level of strength, I hoped it would be enough. After that, I began to wait for the start of my first true battle with people in this world, hoping that it would turn out well.

 Chapter 16: Ambush

    Chapter 16:

    The wait for Ming Lin to return was agonizing. It took a lot longer than I thought, though whether it was time feeling slow or because the Marauders had gone further away or diverted their course, I didn¡¯t know. All I could do was constantly worry that something might have gone wrong. That she¡¯d end up captured, or worse, killed. But, despite how my mind kept whirling with more and more possible problems, I did my best to stay focused and prepared.

    Because I really didn¡¯t want everything to go right on her end, only for me to fuck it all up at the last moment because I got distracted.

    So, when movement entered the edge of my range, I noticed it immediately. I tensed up, and when I felt the person in the lead about to reach our trap, I activated Burrow Creation. I focused on fusing the thin layer of rock and dirt above me into the edges of the pit trap. The Skill effects were almost immediate, and the pit opened up as the ceiling started to dissolve and flow apart.

    Looking up, I saw through the shifting liquid-like stone Ming Lin¡¯s long flowing hair. She easily leaped over the pitfall to the other side. Right on her heels were the Marauders, who had barely any time to react.

    The first one fell with a yell of shock. I saw his surprised face drop by me, and then he was gone. The next reacted faster. He almost skidded to a stop, but the one behind slammed into him, and the two tumbled down.

    Then one of them finally managed to react in time. He leaped over the hole and managed to land on the other side.

    I glared at the sight and activated Spirit Stone Devouring¡¯s boost. Power exploded through my body, and I glowed blue. Then the last man appeared right at the edge. He had much more time to stop, and his eyes quickly locked onto mine. He glared daggers down at me and started to unsheathe his sword.

    I reacted faster and used Earth Spear three times. Arm-sized spears of rock shot out from the wall behind me towards him. He cursed, deflected one, then was forced to throw himself to the side to dodge the others.

    I used that opportunity to flee back down the tunnel. Ming Lin would take care of the two up top since they would still be at full strength. My job was down below.

    There was one more branch of the escape tunnel leading down to where the bottom of the pit was. I was supposed to make sure that any who fell were truly out of commission. And given the screams and cursing I could hear coming up from the pit, it was clear I still had work to do.

    Once I reached the branching path, I touched the tunnel walls and activated Rock Claws. This time, I shaped them into two short swords attached to my hand as there wasn¡¯t going to be much room to fight in the pit. Then I rushed in.

    It took me only three strides to reach the pit and the men there. I just moved so fast with my new cultivation and boosted abilities. So I barely had time to think before I had to react.

    One of the men was already on his feet, standing up amongst broken spikes. There was one lodged in his shoulder and a big wound on his leg. Despite that, he spun to face me with sword in hand.

    But he was injured, and I had a lot of raw speed and strength. So I thrust out my sword and managed to catch him in the throat before he could even try to retaliate. And just like that, I took another human life. On purpose this time.

    But I didn''t have time to think about that. There was still one more Marauder alive down here. He was worse off with a spike sticking out straight through his thigh and another through his arm. Yet he somehow had ripped himself out of the ground. He was also a big man and looked pissed as all hell.

    I tried to rush him and finish him off. But right after I took one step, he did something. There was no visible light, but I could feel the Qi emanating from him grow with my Earth Sense. Then he moved.

    My instincts screamed at me, and I leaped back, crossing my two swords in front of my chest. Despite all my increased strength and speed, it was only barely enough to save my life. Even then, his saber, now glowing with a silver light, slashed out in a flicker and cut both my blades apart like they weren¡¯t even there.

    In what felt like slow motion, I saw him turn his blade, ready to bring it back up in a reverse slash. My heart beat hard in my chest, and I tried to do anything to stop it. But there was nothing I could do. My swords were broken and far too weak. And despite all his injuries, he was still far stronger and faster than I expected.

    Damn it.

    Another heartbeat passed, and I wondered if this would be it. Then he stumbled, flinching as his injured leg gave way.

    And just like that everything seemed to go back to normal speed.

    That small stumble let me just barely evade the second swing of his saber. I felt a shallow cut on my cheek but that was it. Then I fell on my ass, off balance by my desperate attempt to dodge.

    Shit.

    I backpedaled as the man glared at me hatefully and started limping towards me with his saber at the ready. The metallic silver glow on it returned, and each step sent terror up my spine. He was too fast for me to handle, and my weapons wouldn¡¯t match him. I also couldn¡¯t get away from him in these cramped tunnels underground¡ª

    My thoughts came to a halt as a realization hit me. The terror disappeared, and I leaned back. I activated Earth Wader.

    The ground gave way as my back hit the earth, and it enveloped me as I sank in. I had just a second to hear the man curse and try to rush over to me before I was swallowed by darkness. Submerged, I rushed to delve deeper in case the man tried to break through the ground toward me.

    Then, when I felt safe enough, I took a moment to consider my next move.

    In the heat of combat, I¡¯d forgotten one of my Skills. I didn¡¯t want to do that again, but I also couldn¡¯t waste too much time. The guy was injured and slowed, but he may still get back up the tunnel. And as strong as Ming Lin was, I didn¡¯t want to make things any harder on her by making her deal with another bandit. Especially not with her injuries. They didn¡¯t bleed and didn¡¯t seem to affect her movements anymore, but I doubted she was back to 100%. She was also only armed with a pick.

    Two ideas came to mind right away, both emulating how the lizards had fought.

    I dismissed the first one quickly, however. That idea involved appearing just behind the guy and trying to drag him into the ground with me. It might just work, even if re-emerging from the earth slowed me down a bit, if I was careful enough. That would give me enough time to get a weapon and stab him while he was trapped in the ground. But, with how fast he¡¯d already shown himself to be with his saber, I didn¡¯t want to risk losing a hand making the attempt.

    Thankfully, the second idea didn¡¯t have that issue.

    So I swam back up towards the pit, behind where the marauder was headed. Then I used Earth Spear. From within the ground, I couldn¡¯t fully grasp where his whole body was, just the parts of his body that contacted the earth. But I could guess, and I planned to send enough spears to ensure I got a hit. All from the safety of the ground.

    Or, at least, that had been the plan.

    Unfortunately, instead of a spear forming from the earth and piercing into the man¡¯s back, nothing happened. My Qi tried to reach out to the earth around me but failed to do anything. The Qi couldn¡¯t mold and shape the earth around me for some reason.

    It took me a second to realize why that was the case. It was Earth Wader. The two Skills couldn¡¯t be used in concert for some reason. Which explained why those lizards had fought the way they had instead of doing what I tried to do.

    I would have cursed if I wasn¡¯t still immersed in the earth. Instead, I rushed to emerge from the ground before the man could get away. I didn¡¯t emerge fully, though, just enough to get my upper torso and arms out, leaving me the opportunity to escape faster in case he turned to attack me again.

    Then I tried to use Earth Spear once more. This time my QI reached out beyond the earth closest to me affected by Earth Wader. A spear of rock formed from the ground and shot towards the man¡¯s back. I grinned in triumph and thanked the System for how automatic these Skills were, even as I launched several more spears back to back.

    Yet despite my sneak attack, the man somehow sensed it and spun around. He cursed as he strained his damaged leg, but still managed to cut three of them apart with such force that the halves flew by him and did no damage. But I still had Qi, and his movements were even more fucked than before.

    So I just kept launching them as I drained my reserves. Over and over again, the earth around me rose into condensed arm-length spears of rock. They shot out toward the man rapidly, and then he chopped them away.

    But after the sixth one, the man started to slow down. He chopped one apart, but not as powerfully as before. Its fragments cut into him as they went by. Then it happened again and again, making him bleed over different parts of his body, even as he tried to move forward.

    Yet the few steps he took towards me meant that the spears reached him just a bit faster. And eventually, he failed to stop one of them, and it hit him in the stomach. He shouted in pain, and then another spear sank into his chest. Another sank in right after that before one more went into his throat, and it was finally enough.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Blood gurgled out of the big man¡¯s mouth. His body was tense and hate burned in his eyes. His saber was still held tightly in his hand. But he was done. After another moment, his body started to slacken. The fire in his eyes went out, and he fell to the ground, dead.

    A blue halo appeared around his body.

    I almost relaxed at that. But I remembered Ming Lin¡¯s words and sank back down into the ground. When nothing happened, I had a second to wonder what to do. Before I decided to go help Ming Lin. She should have won her fight, but better to be safe than sorry.

    Though before I rushed up, I reemerged in the pit again for a moment. I grabbed the sword of the first man I killed. Earth Spear was pretty powerful, but was Qi intensive to use a lot. And a real metal sword would be much better than the ones I could make from rock. So better armed, I dove back into the walls and swam up.

    When I reached the surface, I didn¡¯t sense anything in my range. I moved around for a moment and found nothing, causing me to worry even more. So I finally just emerged with my head out of the ground.

    Immediately, I heard the sound of a shout in the distance and then the earth shook. I pulled myself out of the ground quickly and rushed over, leaping over a fallen tree to see what was happening. After pushing past some smashed-apart underbrush, I found myself in a rocky clearing where I found Ming Lin.

    To my relief, she¡¯d won.

    One of the men she¡¯d been fighting was slumped against a cracked boulder, his chest caved in. The other one was at Ming Lin¡¯s feet. She was rising from a crouch, blood dripping from the fist that had smashed the man¡¯s head in. Her hair swayed in the wind, and she looked exhausted. Her eyes were lidded, and her breathing was heavy. She had a new wound on her cheek and another gash on her other arm, but aside from that she seemed to be okay.

    And despite appearances, she didn¡¯t let down her guard at all. When I took another step towards her, her head snapped up, and her gaze locked onto me. But when she saw it was just me, her posture relaxed ever so slightly.

    ¡°Are they all dead?¡± she asked, moving to loot an axe from the man at her feet.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, wincing as I looked back at the two very dead bandits. It hadn¡¯t been my job to try and capture any, given my inexperience. But it seemed these guys had been too tough for her to hold back against. ¡°All dead.¡±

    Ming Lin¡¯s face scrunched at that as her breathing calmed. ¡°Well, so much for interrogating them. Go back and search them for any pills or ointments. I¡¯ll search these ones and return in a moment. Then we moved out just in case.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, nodding quickly at the reminder of why we took this risk in the first place.

    I rushed back towards the pit and the other tunnel entrance. As fast as I could, I made my way back to the three corpses and started to dig through their clothes. At another time, I might have been disgusted. But I didn¡¯t want all of this to be for nothing, so I bore with it and searched.

    The first man, the one with the sword, only had a small pouch with some coins, spirit stones, and a gourd. I cursed and quickly moved on to the next, the man who had actually died in the fall and to the spikes. Again, there were no pills, and I cursed.

    Finally, I searched the big man¡¯s body. I saved him for last because of his size, though I quickly realized that wasn¡¯t as big of an issue as I thought. My newfound strength made it simple to move him around and search him.

    Like the others, the big man had a pouch of coins and food on him. But as I patted him down, I found another pouch. Eagerly, I pulled it from where it was tied to his belt and opened it up. And inside was a jade bottle!

    Gently shaking it and hearing something small rattling around inside confirmed my suspicions, and I shouted in excitement. Then I started rushing back down to where we left Shui Jianfeng. As I ran, I heard Ming Lin coming down behind, me and we both reached the small alcove where he lay together.

    He was still lying on the ground, his skin deathly pale and his chest barely moving. My fist clenched at the sight, and I turned to Ming Lin and held out the bottle.

    ¡°Are these healing pills?¡± I asked hurriedly.

    She quickly grabbed the bottle from my hand, and I noticed she had her own as well. Good. Double our chances. She poured the two bottles into her hand and examined them closely. Then she nodded and rushed to kneel by Shui Jianfeng.

    She lifted his head into her arms and held one of the pills to his lips. She pushed it into his mouth, then massaged his neck to get him to swallow. Once he did, the two of us watched with bated breath.

    Several moments passed like this.

    Then Ming Lin slumped.

    A cold numbness filled me at that. Was it not enough? Could we feed him the other pills? Maybe I could¡ª

    ¡°He¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Ming Lin said, her voice soft and relieved.

    It caused my whirling thoughts to freeze.

    ¡°He is?¡± I asked after a second, staring at Shui Jianfeng and trying to see what she saw. He¡­ still looked about the same. Though maybe his breathing was a little better? Maybe?

    ¡°Yes, his breathing is getting better slowly,¡± she said, just holding onto her friend for a moment. ¡°I can also vaguely sense the poison being expelled little by little from his body. I don¡¯t want to disrupt his efforts by trying to make sure, but he should be okay for now.¡±

    ¡°For now?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. I was really hoping for more.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, moving to stand up, and she laid him back down. ¡°The pill you found was a healing one. Mine were only cultivation pills. It will give him time, but he still needs a healer to make sure he makes it. But we have time to get him to one now. And I have a map.¡±

    She pulled out a folded-up piece of parchment from the sash around her waist and unfolded it. It was a rough-looking thing but had a lot of markings and landmarks on it.

    ¡°We should be here,¡± she said after a moment and pointed to the spot on the map. Then she drew her finger to the southwest. ¡°This is the most direct way to Everlake City. But there are several marks for dangers, I believe. Spirit beast habitats that we will want to avoid. It would take several days for us to get to the city from here. Maybe less if we rushed, but we are in no shape to try that and potentially run head-first into danger.¡°

    That¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure if that was good or bad. Did we have several days now thanks to the pills?

    ¡°Is there nothing closer?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°There might be¡­¡± Ming Lin said slowly, carefully studying the map. Then she pointed at something to the east of us. This is a town, I think. It¡¯s not clearly marked, but I think I¡¯ve been there before. There should be a local doctor there that can help. We should be able to make it there in a day without running head-first into danger.¡°

    ¡°What are our chances of encountering any help before then?¡± I asked, remembering Shui Jianfeng mentioning their friends possibly looking for them. ¡°Shui Jianfeng mentioned that your friends in the city would have been looking for you two. Or at the very least, is there any chance we might run into more friendly people that might have more pills for us to borrow?¡±

    Ming Lin took a moment to consider it. ¡°It''s possible that our friends might be searching for us out here. But there¡¯s no way to know if they¡¯ve tracked us down to this place. As for any other people in the Amberwood¡­ It¡¯s probably best if we stay away from them. Some might be kind. But more likely they will see our state of weakness as an opportunity. In fact¡­¡±

    As she trailed off, Ming Lin moved to put away her map. Then she retrieved one of the non-healing pills she¡¯d recovered from the Marauders. ¡°I¡¯m going to reapply my disguise technique. Just to prevent any unsavory attention if we do run into anyone.¡±

    Right¡­ I suppose two men would be less tempting of a target for potentially unsavory people as opposed to a man and a woman. It was an unpleasant thought but understandable given how this world seemed to be.

    ¡°Alright, you do that then,¡° I said. ¡°I¡¯ll harvest the corpses in the meantime, and then we can leave.¡±

    Ming Lin''s head snapped towards me at that. I looked at her alarmed, then around us for any sign of danger, but there wasn¡¯t anything. What was she¡­

    Oh¡­ I guess I never mentioned I could use my System on people before. Crap.

    ¡°You can use your ability on dead people as well?¡± Ming Lin asked slowly.

    I winced but nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    There was a long silence between us before she sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve saved both me and Jianfeng. So I will take this secret with me to the grave. But please do not reveal this to anyone else, and be cautious of observers in the future if you have to use it on people. Spirit beasts are one thing. But if you can take techniques from the dead, then every major faction in the city will either want you dead or as their slave. They guard their central techniques jealously, as they can make or break a clan or even sect.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± I said slowly, filing away this worry for later. I hadn¡¯t thought of how people might react to me harvesting Skills from humans. At least not in that context. I¡¯d mainly thought people would be disgusted by my desecrating of the dead. But in hindsight, given what I knew about cultivation and the importance of special techniques and stuff, it was obvious there was a much bigger concern. ¡°Thank you then for telling me¡­ I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Ming Lin said before she popped the cultivation pill into her mouth. ¡°I just need a moment to reapply my technique. After that, I will move the two bodies on the surface into the tunnel. After you¡¯ve finished with the bodies¡ªremember to grab any food or water¡ªseal up the pit and the entrance to the tunnels. It won¡¯t perfectly hide what happened here, but it will buy us time.¡±

    I nodded at that and left Ming Lin to reapply her technique. I headed back to the pit, where I wondered for a moment if I should physically loot the bodies first before harvesting them. But then I remembered the man I¡¯d taken the Swordsmanship Skill from. His body had disappeared, but his clothing and the items on him had remained.

    So to make things easier on myself, I decided to harvest them first. Though before I did, I realized something that I hadn¡¯t noticed while I¡¯d been in a rush. All three bodies had blue halos around them. Which meant that even the one that I didn¡¯t directly finish off was available to be harvested. Whether or not that was because the System considered the trap me killing the guy, or because environmental deaths were free harvests for me, I wasn¡¯t sure.

    But that was something I would have to explore later.

    Instead, I focused on each of them and quickly read through all the Skills available to me. Then I made my selections, getting three more new Skills.

    Metallic Razor Slash (D-Rank)

    Minor Cultivation Talent (D-Rank)

    Burst Step (D-Rank)

    Once I made my choices, I needed a moment to deal with the rush of information from the Skills. The worst was the cultivation talent, as while it didn¡¯t give me much information, it made me far more aware of the Qi running through me and the wisps of it in the air when I breathed it in. But this only lasted a moment, and once I was good, I moved to go through the piles of clothing and equipment left behind after my harvesting.

    I gathered food, as well as a sheathe for my sword before I headed back up to the surface. I then sealed the tunnel and the pit as best as possible with Burrow Creation. The tunnel was easy, but the pit took a bit more time, as we had to tear up some bushes to hide it better. It was far from perfect, but it was better than leaving everything as it was.

    After that, Ming Lin¡ªnow back to looking like an effeminate man again¡ªand I began our journey, finally leaving the tunnels and mines behind.

 Chapter 17: Traveling and Skill Consolidations

    Chapter 17:

    We traveled at a slow run. Ming Lin carried Shui Jianfeng, as despite her greater combat ability and her new weapon, she was still injured. Nothing debilitating for her, but they were bad enough that a normal person would have probably bled out. Heck, from a comment she made, other cultivators might have more issues in her shoes as well.

    She was only able to manage despite this because of something she didn¡¯t want to discuss, and I didn¡¯t pry.

    As for me, I¡¯d taken a few nicks during the fight, but they would have been manageable even before. With my new Vitality stat, they¡¯d already healed completely, not even leaving behind a mark. So it only made sense that I would take the lead and leave my hands free to fight.

    Before, I might have been worried about being the one to fight first. And I still wasn¡¯t super confident if it was more bandits or a strong spirit beast. But, with my newfound strength, a proper sword in hand, and a couple more spirit stones, I wasn¡¯t feeling too bad about it either.

    I¡¯d, of course, still prefer for us to not run into any problems. But I¡¯d long since learned that this world did not care one bit about what I¡¯d prefer.

    So I remained ready and vigilant, hand on the sword at my hip, running just ahead of Ming Ling. She stayed close and redirected me whenever she saw any signs of danger. Or we had to detour because of something marked on the map. Since I wasn¡¯t great at navigating normally, let alone in a forest, I was happy to follow her instructions.

    At least for the first half hour or so. After that, our quiet trip¡ªwe kept talking down to a minimum to avoid attracting any unwanted attention from spirit beasts¡ªstarted to wear on me. I could only stay hyper-vigilant for so long before it got boring. I tried to tell myself that this was a good thing since excitement would probably mean danger. But that didn¡¯t make it any easier to deal with.

    Thankfully, I did have some things I could do to keep myself entertained. One of the first things I did was try out one of my new Skills, Burst Step.

    Burst Step (Active) (D Rank): Kick off the ground while unleashing a burst of Qi, launching yourself forward at incredible speeds. Speed can be increased at the cost of additional Qi.

    <ul>

    <li>Base Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    Not a particularly complex Skill, but incredibly useful. It would make attacking and retreating a lot easier. I used it only a couple of times, though. Just enough to get used to it and understand it. I would have liked to test it out more, enjoying the way it launched me around, but stealth and safety were paramount.

    I could justify rushing around for a moment for testing purposes. I couldn¡¯t justify continuing to do that just for fun.

    Which was also why I only tested Metallic Razor Slash once.

    Metallic Razor Slash (Active) (D-Rank): Envelope your weapon in metal Qi, boosting its cutting power and durability up to 3x times depending on Qi spent and execution of Skill.

    <ul>

    <li>Base Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Base Upkeep: 2.5 Qi per minute</li>

    </ul>

    I needed to know if there were any quirks not mentioned in the description. And when I found there was none, I moved on from testing, as I couldn¡¯t cultivate on the move and there was nothing else I needed to try.

    That left me with going through all my new Skill Consolidations to kill time. There were a lot more than before, 18 of them for my 15 Skills. I also couldn¡¯t read very quickly, as I was constantly looking away from the System screen for any signs of danger. Eventually, though, I got through all of them.

    There were a couple that I decided to take pretty much instantly. They were either beneficial, making a good skill even better, or didn¡¯t lose me anything.

    Spirit Stone Devouring(Active&Passive) (Rank D) + Qi Leech(Active) (Rank D):

    <ul>

    <li>Qi Devourer(Active&Passive) (Rank D): Gain the ability to absorb Qi from either eating sources of it or from draining it from touch. Qi is stored for up to 1 hour before it begins to dissipate. Stored Qi can be used to power other Skills or to boost Dexterity, Strength, Vitality, Qi reserves, and Qi regeneration up to 3x based on Qi consumed.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Boost Duration: 10 Minutes</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Warning: Repeated continuous use of the boost will put your body under great stress.</li>

    </ul>

    Earthen Camouflage(Active) (Rank E) + Earth Wader(Active) (Rank D):

    <ul>

    <li> Earth Wader(Active) (Rank D): Wade through any earth as if it were a liquid. Decrease the chances of being detected in the ground by 50%. Speed can be increased at a greater expense of Qi but will reduce stealth capabilities.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Base Upkeep: 2.5 Qi per minute.</li>

    </ul>

    Burrow Creation(Active) (Rank D) + Reinforce Burrow(Active) (Rank D):

    <ul>

    <li>Reinforced Burrow Creation(Active) (Rank D): Mold, shape, and reinforce available earth to create a stone chamber for rest and safety. Strength of chamber walls is determined by the quality and amount of available earth, as well as the amount of Qi expended.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 1 Qi per cubic yard </li>

    </ul>

    Some Skills I was strongly considering, but wasn¡¯t sure about just yet. They seemed to broaden the scope of the Skills considerably, but at the cost of some extra features and possibly ease-of-use. I wasn¡¯t sure about that last part, but I didn¡¯t think now was the time to test it. Not when it might cost me two of my best abilities. I might still be able to recreate the Skills with the new ones, but not well enough to be used in combat.

    Rock Claws(Active) (Rank D) + Rock Spear(Active) (Rank D):

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Constructs(Active) (Rank D): Create constructs out of earth shaped by your will and imagination. Additional Qi can be expended to increase the size or strength of constructs. </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 2 Qi per 5 Minutes</li>

    </ul>

    Earth Wader(Active) (Rank D) + Rock Spear(Active) (Rank D):

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Manipulation(Active) (Rank D): Shape and manipulate any earth, limited only by how much Qi is expended, your will, and your imagination.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 5 yards</li>

    </ul>

    Many more just seemed lackluster or even useless, so I left those alone for the moment. Perhaps, in the future, when I needed to free up some slots I¡¯d go back to those. But I¡¯d ignore them for now.

    One Skill in particular did stand out above all others, though not necessarily in a good way. Despite having great potential, I couldn¡¯t help but find it disappointing.

    Minor Cultivation Talent(Passive) (Rank D) + Spirit Beast Cultivation(Active) (Rank D):

    <ul>

    <li>Hybrid Cultivation Talent (Passive) (Rank D): Gain the ability to cultivate in a hybrid manner, combining the path of Immortals and Spirit Beasts. Immortal cultivation techniques will need to be adapted for this hybrid path. Speed of cultivation is dependent on the Rank of this Skill and the quality of Qi and resources available.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Compatibility: Early Rank 2 Materials and below</li>

    </ul>

    Well, perhaps disappointment was too harsh for Hybrid Cultivation Talent. I could see it possibly being a powerful Skill. Maybe it would make me cultivate much faster than the average spirit beast or cultivator. But there were just two issues I had. One, I had no idea how to get a technique to work with it, rendering it potentially useless for now. The other issue was that it didn¡¯t solve my spirit beast core problem.

    I¡¯d hoped, when first seeing a consolidation involving Spirit Beast Cultivation, that it might be able to preempt any future problems having a core might bring. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t to be. Perhaps another consolidation might fix that in the future, but for now, I¡¯d just have to hope that I didn¡¯t encounter anyone strong enough to notice it.

    After that, I was left without anything else to do, and it was back to being bored and running in silence. Something I found really annoying. Right up until the boredom was broken. Then I began to regret not appreciating the boredom more.

    It started slowly at first. We found signs of spirit beasts a little too close for comfort and had to slow down. We¡¯d gotten far enough away from the bandit camp, and far enough off the bandits¡¯ traveling routes, that spirit beasts were more common. The map was also a lot less detailed about any potential dangers where we were, making it even harder to travel safely.

    And things only got worse as we continued. Eventually, we started almost running right into some beasts. Not wanting to risk Shui Jianfeng, or leave behind signs of battle, we hid from most of these encounters. On one occasion, however, we weren¡¯t given that choice and ran after crippling one of the spirit beast¡¯s legs. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    That had been rather stressful, as the sound of the fighting had attracted even more trouble. Thankfully, the spirit wolves that had appeared thought the crippled spirit boar was a much better meal and went after that instead.

    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t get better after that, though not because of more spirit beasts. Instead, we began finding human tracks out here. Something that worried us both greatly, as it meant that our map of the bandits¡¯ routes was possibly wrong.

    Sure, the tracks might have been unrelated, but neither of us was willing to take the risk of that. And as Ming Lin had brought up before, even if they were unrelated, there was no guarantee that an encounter with strangers would be a good one. So we were forced to be even more cautious, slowing down further to avoid the extra danger.

    It made an already tense situation more nerve-wracking.

    Which was why I found myself very relieved when Ming Lin finally called for us to take a rest in the early evening. The sun couldn¡¯t be seen anymore thanks to the trees, but the sky wasn¡¯t yet dark. There was just a growing orange hue to everything.

    With my Rank 1 cultivation and Primal Vitality, I didn¡¯t feel too tired despite hours of running, hiding, and some fighting. I felt like I could probably last at least a couple of hours more physically. But mentally, I was exhausted, and I was happy to dig us a hideout to rest in. Which was probably why I let down my guard.

    Ming Lin, however, didn¡¯t. One moment, I was just about to dig, with her by my side carrying Shui Jianfeng. The next, she grabbed me and forced all three of us down into the underbrush. She clamped a hand over my mouth, and then we just laid there, waiting.

    After a moment, she removed her hand but held one finger to her lips. I nodded as I tried to figure out what was happening. But then I heard it. It was quiet and distant at first. But I managed to pick up voices. Voices that were coming towards us.

    Eventually, it got clear enough that I could hear what they were saying.

    ¡°Are we truly searching this whole forest?¡± a voice asked. At the same time, I heard the rustling of leaves from the direction of the speaker. ¡°What are we even looking for anyway?¡±

    ¡°Seriously, Shi Xian?¡± another voice asked. ¡°Do you ever pay attention when the Captain speaks? Or does it just go in through one ear and out the other?¡±

    ¡°Oh, piss off, I listen plenty.¡±

    ¡°Really?

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then what are we doing here?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly. If you weren¡¯t the captain''s nephew, you¡¯d never have been allowed to join or would have been kicked out a long time ago. How your mom raised you, I¡¯ll never understand.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you talk bad about my mom!¡±

    ¡°You dumbass! I¡¯m not talking bad about your mother. She¡¯s an amazing lady. I can understand how she¡¯s related to the captain. You, though, the heavens must have been playing a cruel joke when you were born.¡±

    ¡°Oh, piss off.¡±

    ¡°Enough, you two!¡± Another voice interjected. This one was gruff and older. They were really close now. I could feel one of them with my Earth Sense, and they felt really strong. Much stronger than Ming Lin or anyone else I¡¯d encountered with my Earth Sense so far. ¡°Are you trying to lure every spirit beast in range to us?¡±

    ¡°No, sorry, Boss.¡±

    ¡°No, Sir.¡±

    There was an exasperated sigh followed by a moment of silence. But the people had stopped walking for some reason.

    Crap. This wasn¡¯t good. Was this really a coincidence, or were they fucking with us? I turned slowly to Ming Lin to see if she had any ideas of how screwed we were. But she kept looking towards the direction of the voices, her body tensed with one hand on the axe at her waist.

    I grimaced and slowly moved to grab a spirit stone for me to eat, just in case.

    That¡¯s when I felt it. Something else entered my range from behind us. Two things, in fact, moving slowly. I tried to grab Ming Lin¡¯s attention and eat my spirit stone at the same time. But I wasn¡¯t fast enough.

    And before I knew it, the two other people rushed us. They had swords to our throats in a split second.

    ¡°Well, well, well, just who do we have here?¡± One of the guys standing over us asked, a big grin on his face.

    We were quickly disarmed after that, unable to fight them off with literal swords to our throats. Then we were forced to kneel, with our arms tied behind our backs. Shui Jianfeng was dropped beside us, earning an angry hiss of breath from Ming Lin.

    ¡°Just what were you three doing skulking around out here?¡±

    The man who asked the question was the oldest among the five that captured us. He¡¯d been the one with the gruff voice. He was middle-aged-looking with a beard and mustache. A bit on the tall side and very ripped. He wore only a leather vest and pants, with bandages underneath them, and had a big saber on his hip.

    There was nothing to indicate if he was part of the Marauders, though. No mask, and he didn¡¯t wear the dark tunics the bandits did. But there was no guarantee that they all dressed like that. Nor did that mean this guy wasn¡¯t just part of another bandit group.

    But, there were some signs that made me think otherwise as I observed our new captors. Mainly it was the two of the men in the group who were quite young. They¡¯d been the two arguing and were dressed a lot differently from the rest.

    They wore cultivator robes that looked to be a lot better quality than the clothes of the people I¡¯d seen so far. The robes were the same design, blue with white accents in the shape of clouds decorating it all. Not the kind of clothes I¡¯d think bandits would wear. Though I suppose there was nothing stopping successful enough bandits from wearing nice clothes.

    ¡°We¡¯re just out here trying to make a livin,¡± Ming Lin said, annoyance in her voice. ¡°Just hunting for some cores, but one of us got hurt, and now we are trying to get him to town. And we weren¡¯t skulking. We were just hiding from any dangers.¡±

    I did my best not to react to that. Apparently, we were pretending to be hunters. I could do that¡­ Hopefully.

    ¡°Really?¡± the big man asked, sounding amused. He crossed his arms and leaned over us, blocking out the sun that was behind him. ¡°Just the three of you decided to come so deep out here in the Amberwood? I know that people consider this place safer than the South, but it still seems pretty damn foolhardy.¡±

    ¡°We got lost,¡± Ming Lin said, sounding frustrated. ¡°Running from some spirit beast that chased us deeper in. It''s hard to escape when you have to carry your comrades around. We¡¯re just trying to leave now and get some help. Our friend was poisoned by some plant. Now, can you let us go? What right do you have to hold us here?¡±

    I was impressed by Ming Lin¡¯s acting. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would believe she was just a disgruntled hunter and not an escaped slave.

    ¡°What right he asks,¡± the older man said with a laugh. He turned to his fellow. ¡°You hear that, men? He wants to know what right we have. Who wants to explain it to him?¡±

    One of the younger men in robes scoffed and stepped up. It was the one wearing white and blue. His hair was tied up in a topknot, which seemed to be the most common hairstyle for guys from what I¡¯d seen. But he had a decorative-looking hair ornament holding it in place. ¡°I will.¡±

    My heart started thumping hard in my chest when he unsheathed his sword. I considered if any of my Skills would be able to get us out of here. Unfortunately, I didn''t think there was. I might be able to escape, depending on how fast the middle-aged man was, but I would only be able to do it alone.

    ¡°This is our right,¡± the young man said, holding his sword to Ming Lin¡¯s throat. ¡°Now, answer the question honestly. What were you three doing out here? And are you part of the Black Wind Marauders?¡±

    To her credit, Ming Lin didn¡¯t flinch at that at all. She just looked up stoically as if her life wasn¡¯t being threatened.

    I did my best to copy her, but I could practically feel the cold sweat falling down my back. I didn¡¯t like seeing them hold her at sword point. The only reason I didn¡¯t panic more was that question. Clearly, they weren¡¯t part of the Marauders, unless this was just some strange trick. The only question left was why they were looking for them.

    And what would they do with three unaffiliated people out here?

    ¡°We aren¡¯t a part of the Marauders,¡± Ming Lin said calmly. ¡°Can I ask why you would even ask that of us? We¡¯re just trying to hunt out here, not get caught up in whatever problems you people have.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the older man asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Because we tracked a big group of them to these parts. Think their base might be around here somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Well, good for you,¡± Ming Lin said, shrugging despite the sword still at her throat. ¡°But that has nothing to do with us. Now, can we go?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± the middle-aged man said, crouching down slowly to look into Ming Lin¡¯s eyes while the other man still held a sword to her throat. ¡°The Black Wind Marauders have pissed off the wrong people. An up-and-coming member of the Alchemy Association. One with enough pull to get the help of a foundation establishment master who will be here soon. So, if you are part of the Marauders, then you better start spilling your guts. Or I can bring you to our employer, and she can show you just how angry she is.¡±

    ¡°The Alchemy Association?¡± Ming Lin asked, her indifferent visage breaking all of a sudden. She looked at the other man with wide eyes, then she frowned with furrowed brows. ¡°You¡¯re saying Young Miss Sun Xia came here personally?¡±

    Young Miss Sun Xia? Was that the same Young Miss she had mentioned before? If so, did that mean that these guys were actually here to save us?

    ¡°You speak as if you know her,¡± the middle-aged man said with a scoff.

    ¡°I do,¡± Ming Lin said with a serious look on her face as she held her head high. All her pretenses of being a disgruntled hunter disappeared. ¡°And you should take us to her now. We just escaped the Marauders, and she¡¯ll want to speak to me. Especially since she¡¯s here personally.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the older man asked as he straightened up. He eyed us for a long moment as if weighing Ming Lin¡¯s words.

    I felt my heart thumping in my chest as I waited to see how he would respond. Things might be finally going our way. All of it depended on if this man believed us or not.

 Chapter 18: Sun Xia and Complications

    Chapter 18:

    The middle-aged man continued to eye us for a long moment. Then he finally spoke.

    ¡°You expect me to believe that you know the Young Miss? And that you escaped the Marauders?¡± The man shook his head and crossed his arms. Then something strange happened. I felt something pass over me in a way I couldn¡¯t quite describe. ¡°Two Early Qi-Gatherers carrying dead weight? The Marauders might be bandit scum, but I sincerely doubt they are that inept.¡±

    I grimaced at his disbelief. Then I froze as I realized what I¡¯d just felt. Had that been his spirit sense? He felt very strong, so he could have one. Shit, what if¡ª

    No. I stilled myself to stop from reacting anymore. Best to not draw attention to myself. And he said two Early Qi-Gatherers. So even if that was a spirit sense, Ming Lin had been right. A cursory inspection doesn¡¯t reveal my core. I was fine. As long as I didn¡¯t overreact.

    But damn, I¡¯d really been hoping that I could resolve the spirit beast core issue before I encountered anyone that could sense it. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t feel inclined to dig deeper. Maybe if Ming Lin could convince him of the truth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you believe,¡± Ming Lin said, her gaze cold. I tried not to wince at her tone. Hopefully, she knew what she was doing. ¡°But if you think keeping two of her retainers from her¡ªone that¡¯s in dire need of a doctor, while the other has information on her enemies¡ªis a good idea, then what happens in the future will be on your head. You can choose to do that if you think you can bear the weight of the Young Miss¡¯s displeasure.¡±

    ¡°Her retainers?¡± the middle-aged man asked slowly, his eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The two held gazes for a long moment while I glanced back and forth between them, trying to not let my nervousness show. Come on, believe her already.

    Then, finally, the older man snorted. He shook his head but backed off. ¡°Get those two to their feet. And Shi Xian, carry the unconscious one. We¡¯ll take them back to the camp. And if they''re lying then they can explain to the Young Miss just why we had to waste our time bringing them back instead of doing our jobs.¡±

    I almost slumped in relief at that. But before I could, the man¡¯s subordinates moved to follow his orders with cries of, ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    We were both forced up onto our feet by rough hands. The young man in cultivator robes who hadn¡¯t been holding a sword to Ming Lin¡¯s throat¡ªShi Xian¡ªwhined about having to carry Shui Jianfeng. But a glare from the middle-aged man put an end to that and he meekly did as he was told.

    However, he wasn¡¯t very careful about it, tossing Shui Jianfeng over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Both Ming Lin and I glared at him for that, but he just scoffed and ignored us, walking on ahead.

    Asshole.

    After that, the ropes tying our hands were removed, but we weren¡¯t given back our weapons. Instead, we were forced to follow the captain as he moved to leave the clearing, while two of his underlings kept a close eye on us from behind.

    Then, just like that, we began traveling through the forest once more.

    I felt both relieved and nervous as we started at a slow jog. On one hand, at least the spirit beast core thing didn¡¯t end up being an issue. And we were being taken to Ming Lin¡¯s friend¡ªor employer? On the other hand, we were still under suspicion and might end up meeting more people with spirit senses. Not great.

    Ming Lin¡¯s reaction to everything also didn¡¯t make me feel any better. At first, she¡¯d been relieved. But immediately afterward, she¡¯d been concerned about something. She still looked concerned about it now, given the frown and far-off look on her face. Something that I didn¡¯t think was just about the careless way that Shi Xian asshole was carrying her friend.

    So after we settled into a faster pace, and nothing more happened, I decided to ask her about it. ¡°Hey, Ming Lin. Is there something we still need to worry about?¡±

    It took me a couple of tries to get her attention. When my question registered to her, she shook her head and gave me a weak smile. ¡°Not for you. Things will be better now. Once we reach the Young Miss, Jianfeng will be looked after and she will be able to keep us safe out here.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you look happier?¡±

    Her smile fell, and she let out a sigh. ¡°Running into the Young Missus¡¯ men was a stroke of fortune. But for her to be out here personally¡­ She wouldn¡¯t have come just trying to track us down herself. Which means the Marauders have earned her ire beyond just capturing us. I think one of my other friends might be in danger.¡±

    As she said those last words, she gave Shi Xian, who was running with Shui Jianfeng over his shoulder to her right, a pointed look. Obviously, she wanted more information. But the young man just snorted and ignored her as we continued our run through the forest.

    Seemed they weren¡¯t quite buying our story just yet. Still, despite that, I couldn¡¯t help but feel myself relax just a bit. Sure, we were still kinda being held against our will. And another of Ming Lin¡¯s friends being in danger was not great. But, at least now we didn¡¯t have to worry about trying to travel through a spirit beast-filled forest with just the three of us. And Shui Jianfeng would get treated soon. Also, perhaps the map we had and our knowledge about the Marauders could help Ming Lin¡¯s other friend.

    The only thing I personally had to worry about now was my spirit beast core getting discovered. Even then, given the lack of reaction from the middle-aged man, it didn¡¯t seem like too much of a possibility at the moment. And even if it was discovered, at least Ming Lin should be able to convince them I¡¯m not a spirit beast in disguise.

    At least, that''s what I hoped. And since there was nothing more I could do to change things, I decided not to worry about it too much and just hope for the best.

    It didn¡¯t take us too long to reach our destination. We ran at a decent pace, and we weren¡¯t bothered by any spirit beasts. It wasn¡¯t that they didn''t appear. It''s just that anything that was in our way was cut down by our captors swiftly.

    Armed and uninjured, the three younger men not carrying someone were able to take most things out with ease since we mainly encountered Early Rank 1 spirit beasts. The few times we encountered anything stronger, the middle-aged man took care of it himself. Much stronger than the rest, he easily overwhelmed anything the others couldn¡¯t handle with his saber.

    So not too long after we started, we arrived at a clearing where a makeshift camp was being set up. There was only a single structure, a cloth canopy tent, where I guessed the leaders of this group organized everything. It seemed rather ornate with its red and gold fabric and intricate embroidery I could make out even from afar.

    Around the tent were what looked like a dozen guards. Unlike the men escorting us, though, they all wore cultivator robes that were a mix of red and black. On top of that was a variety of different arms and armor.

    We¡¯d finally made it.

    Though before I could celebrate, I noticed one of the red and black-clad guards walking quickly toward us. Given the angry look on his face, it seemed that our troubles were not quite over just yet.

    ¡°Xiang Dong, what are you doing back so soon?¡± the angry-looking young man asked as he reached us. He was addressing the middle-aged man, and despite the age difference between them, he felt just as powerful to my Earth Sense. ¡°And who are these two? Have you found signs of the Marauders?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, Cao Da,¡± the now-named Xiang Dong said with a snort. ¡°This boy,¡± he gestured to Ming Lin, ¡°claims he¡¯s a retainer of the Young Miss. Not sure I believe that, but I thought I would bring him back just in case.¡±

    ¡°A retainer? This scruffy-looking thing?¡± Cao Da asked with a scoff. He was starting to piss me off with how dismissive he was. Though I resisted glaring at him. Given his level of strength, I didn¡¯t want any trouble from him. ¡°I know mercenaries like yourself aren¡¯t that bright, but do you really think that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey, Miss Sun Xia!¡± Ming Lin called out loudly, interrupting the guard and making sure everyone in the clearing could hear. It made me jump a bit, given how loud she¡¯d been. ¡°It¡¯s Ming Lin! Can you come here and discipline your dog? Jianfeng¡¯s hurt and needs help. We just escaped the Marauders!¡±

    Cao Da''s face twisted in anger at Ming Lin¡¯s shouting. He looked like he was about to reach out and throttle her. But before he could, two people appeared in a blur.

    One was a gorgeous young woman¡ªwho I assumed was Young Miss Sun Xia¡ªprobably around my own age. She had long flowing black hair with complex-looking braids tying up parts of it, but with the rest of it flowing freely down her back. Her eyes were a striking green, her skin looked pristine, and she had ruby-red lipstick. Her robes were similar to the young man¡¯s, but were even more decorated and were red and gold. And despite how armed everyone else was, she had no visible weapon or armor.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The other person was a woman who stood right behind and to the side of Sun Xia. She had flowing black hair as well, but it was put up into a simple ponytail. Though there was a strip of white running through her hair in the front. She wore the same robes as the guards, but her armor on top of it looked a lot higher quality. It seemed to gleam even in the low light of the early evening sky. There was also a sword at her side, and she had a stern look to her as she seemed to size everyone else up.

    The appearance of the two of them caught me off guard in several ways. One was the fact that they were both gorgeous. Like, they could easily be supermodels back on earth, even if the Young Miss kind of overshadowed who I assumed was her bodyguard. But the other thing I couldn''t help but be taken aback by was how they felt to my Earth Sense.

    Despite their obvious power, with how they could move so fast that they were a blur, they didn¡¯t actually feel all that strong. Did that just mean they had really tight control of their Qi? I didn¡¯t know, but considering even the middle-aged man wasn¡¯t like that, I assumed it was a sign of being a very powerful cultivator.

    Just to be safe.

    ¡°Ming Lin,¡± Sun Xia said with a slightly admonishing tone to her voice, like a mother chiding her child. It was then that I remembered the immortal part of immortal cultivators. This young woman might actually be older than she appeared. Or was just really good at chiding people that way. ¡°It''s good to see that you are well. However, please do not antagonize the Alchemist Guards I¡¯ve brought with me. Even if they are being discourteous. It is unbecoming of someone I¡¯m investing in.¡°

    Cao Da stiffened at her words and looked like he had eaten something sour. But he kept his mouth shut and his eyes down. I would have almost felt bad if he hadn¡¯t been so rude just now.

    ¡°My apologies, Young Miss,¡± Ming Lin said, sounding far more formal now as she bowed. ¡°I was in a rush. Jianfeng breathed in some poison during our escape, and I wanted to get him help as soon as possible. I managed to feed him a Lesser Vital Essence Pill, but he still might die if he isn¡¯t treated soon.¡±

    Sun Xia¡¯s expression softened at that before she turned an unimpressed gaze over to Shi Xian. The young man was still holding Shui Jianfeng over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He now looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Even when she turned her gaze away from him, he was still as a statue. Served the bastard right for how carelessly he carried our friend.

    ¡°Xiang Dong, correct?¡± Sun Xia asked, turning her attention to the middle-aged man.

    Xiang Dong nodded at that, a small grimace on his face. ¡°Yes, Young Miss. How might we be of service?¡±

    ¡°It seems your subordinate does not know how to take care of the injured,¡± she said coldly. ¡°But surely someone as experienced as yourself would be better trained than that? So personally escort my retainer over to the tent to be treated.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Young Miss,¡± Xiang Dong said deferentially, bowing low. ¡°I will make sure he is treated with the most care. Forgive me for my failure to train my subordinates correctly. I will make sure to correct such failures for the future.¡±

    Sun Xia just nodded minutely at that before dismissing the man.

    Xiang Dong turned to glare at Shi Xian who winced and slowly gave Shui Jianfeng over to the middle-aged man. With Shui Jianfeng in his arms, held very carefully, he started heading over to the tent in the center of the camp. Following him were the rest of his subordinates, each one looking sheepish or grimacing.

    The two who¡¯d been guarding us from behind also gave us back our weapons, apologizing and bowing as they did before rushing off.

    I resisted the urge to grin at them smugly. Mainly to not look childish in front of two very beautiful¡ªand, more importantly, very influential¡ªwomen. We hadn¡¯t really been introduced yet, and I didn¡¯t want their first impression of me to be soured.

    ¡°Thank you for taking care of that, Young Miss,¡± Ming Lin said as she tied her axe back to the sash at her waist. I did the same with my sword.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me for that,¡± Sun Xia said, a soft smile on her face. ¡°You and Shui Jianfeng are both my people. And you know I look after my own.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ming Lin said, though she still bowed once more. Very formally.

    It started to make me feel a bit nervous. Despite how friendly Sun Xia acted, Ming Lin was still so respectful. And I was still very much new to the culture here. What if I said or did something super disrespectful by accident? Normally, that might just cause embarrassment. But here, in this cultivator world? It could be a much bigger problem.

    ¡°Now, you said that you¡¯d escaped the Marauders? As in the Black Wind Marauders?¡± Sun Xia asked, her tone just a tad more urgent now. ¡°Is that where you and Jianfeng have been until now?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ming Lin said, nodding solemnly. ¡°We only just escaped today. But we managed to get a map off one of them, and have some troubling news about their practices. Given that you are out here now¡­ Have they done something else to draw you out here personally?¡±

    Sun Xia nodded slowly. ¡°Yun¡­ She was¡­ over-eager in her search for you two and decided to act impulsively before I could gather the forces necessary to keep her safe. She joined a convoy that was attacked by the Marauders.¡±

    Ming Lin grimaced and bowed again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Youn¡ª¡±

    Or at least she tried to. Before she could finish her bow, Sun Xia moved closer and grabbed her gently by the shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You are not at fault for my little sister¡¯s impatience.¡±

    ¡°Still, if we hadn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be gained from blaming yourself,¡± Sun Xia interrupted again. ¡°It¡¯s not like you were captured on purpose, and you were not in charge of the Stomping Bulls. Now, show me this map and tell me what you can of the Marauders.¡±

    Ming Lin looked like she wanted to argue some more. She seemed to really want to blame herself for her friend''s trouble. But at Sun Xia¡¯s insistence, she slumped and pulled out the map. Then she explained what we knew about the Marauders and what we¡¯d seen. What we were forced to witness.

    Sun Xia¡¯s beautiful face was soon marred by a deep frown. And then I felt something through my Earth Sense. Power. Well, Qi actually. But powerful Qi. Far stronger than anything I¡¯d felt before. It was only for a split second, but I felt it all the same, and cold sweat started to run down my back.

    Then, as if it had never happened, the feeling went away. But the expression on her face did not.

    ¡°Cao Da,¡± Sun Xia said quietly as she held up the map. ¡°Where were the last traces of the Marauders spotted?¡±

    The previously quiet young man jolted at the question, and he hurried to answer. ¡°About here,¡± he said, pointing at a spot on the map.

    Sun Xia studied the map for another moment before she nodded. ¡°Then let Captain Mo know that he is to recall all the men. We know where the camp is and where they will likely pass to reach there.¡± She pointed to a spot on the map that might have been between two hills. ¡°If we rush over there now, we can set up an ambush here before they arrive. They will be slowed transporting all their captives. We¡¯ll leave a single person at our camp here to redirect everyone who can¡¯t return in time.¡±

    Cao Da¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°But Young Miss, Master Fang Hong has not arrived yet. If the map is to be believed, then we might end up close enough that the Black Wind himself will appear. Especially if the battle drags out, which is quite possible given their reported numbers. If that happens without Master Fang Hong, then our chances of just escaping will be abysmal.¡±

    Sun Xia turned her head slowly to the guard, her gaze cold. ¡°I will not let my sister fall into the hands of these scum. It was bad enough before when they were just bandits. But you heard Ming Lin, they practice demonic arts! And do you have so little faith in your fellow guards that you cannot overcome a simple numbers advantage in an ambush against bandits?¡±

    Cao Da flinched slightly at Sun Xia¡¯s cold words. But to his credit, he did not back down. ¡°I can understand your urgency, Young Miss. But the Black Wind Marauders are no simple bandits. Some of their elite members are likely disgraced descendants of the three great clans. There have also been reports of Eagle-Eyed Jin being part of the group we are hunting. Any attempts using an ambush against him will likely fail.¡±

    Sun Xia scowled at that, and her hands clenched hard at her sides. ¡°So what do you expect me to do, then, Cao Da? Wait for Master Hong while who knows what happens to my sister? Let the Black Wind use her as a hostage? If that happens then our options will be incredibly limited.¡±

    ¡°I do not know, Young Miss,¡± Cao Da said, sounding genuinely regretful. ¡°Perhaps we can ask Captain Mo his opinions on this. But given what we know, all I can do is advise that an ambush would be incredibly risky for us all. If you wish us to proceed, I will do my duty, as will the Captain. But I urge you to consider all the risks.¡±

    Sun Xia was silent for a long moment after that, scowling and looking off to the side. Weighing her options, probably.

    I, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t help wondering one thing. If the problem with an ambush was this eagle-eyed guy, would an ambush from underground work? Given the name, I¡¯m assuming he just had really good eyes.

    I could see it working if my assumptions were correct. The reason they weren¡¯t considering it was probably a time issue. There wasn¡¯t much time to set up an ambush, and they likely couldn¡¯t dig that fast.

    I might be able to depending on how long we had.

    But a couple of things held me back from voicing this and volunteering my services. One was that I was still not all that clear on proper etiquette. Would Sun Xia take offense to a random person speaking up? I wouldn¡¯t care that much back home, but here offending people could be a big problem. Her attitude so far made me think this wasn¡¯t an issue with her, but Ming Lin had still acted super deferentially.

    Then there was the issue of revealing what I could do if I volunteered to help. Though giving it more thought, it probably wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. I was just showing that I had earth techniques. Not that I could harvest them from other things.

    But there was still another issue. And that was spirit sense. Such a trap might not even work if the enemy had that. However, I couldn¡¯t know for sure if it was a problem unless I asked. After all, I had no idea how much people with spirit sense used it or what limitations there might be.

    So really, I should just try and suggest it. At worst, I get shot down and look dumb. Maybe even offended Sun Xia a bit, but she didn¡¯t seem like the kind of person to go overboard when it came to that kind of thing. And if things did work out, I wouldn¡¯t just be helping save some people from a gruesome fate¡ªsomething that I already really wanted to do. But, I would also be finally striking back at those damned Marauders.

    Not directly. But if we saved this girl and denied them the hostage, then we¡¯d be making it easier for Sun Xia and, hopefully, this Master Fang Hong guy to end these bandits for good. Which I really wanted to happen. Those bastards could not be allowed to continue any longer than necessary. And there were all the other slaves back at the mine to think about as well.

    So, with all that in mind, I took a deep breath and broke the silence.

 Chapter 19: Ambush

    Chapter 19:

    ¡°Would ambushing the Marauders from below ground help?¡± I asked, breaking the silence. ¡°Since the problem is this Eagle-eyed guy?

    Sun Xia turned to me with a small frown, making my heart skip just a bit as we met eyes for the first time. However, it was the jerk Cao Da that spoke up first.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to set up something so elaborate,¡± Cao Da said with a dismissive scoff. ¡°We would need to leave no traces on the surface anywhere near the ambush point. Which would mean digging from incredibly far away, and deep enough to not cause the surface to collapse.¡±

    ¡°I might be able to help with that,¡± I offered, ignoring the man¡¯s attitude. ¡°I was the one who dug us out of the Marauder¡¯s mine. I can also harden the earth so that there will be no issue of a collapse happening, even if we are closer to the surface. The only thing I¡¯m not sure about is if we have to worry about an underground ambush point being detected by spirit sense.¡±

    Cao Da opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Sun Xia raising a hand.

    ¡°I can hide us from spirit sense,¡± she said, looking at me intently. ¡°But can you truly create an underground ambush point for us fast enough? We don¡¯t have much time to get ahead of these bandits. They have a head start and know the terrain. Our only advantage is their need to carry their captives and spoils, but that still won¡¯t give us much time.¡±

    I gulped a bit at the intensity of her stare. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps if I demonstrate, you can tell me?¡±

    I gestured at the ground, and Sun Xia nodded.

    Before I could start, though, she turned to Cao Da. ¡°Tell Captain Mo to recall the men. Whether we can ambush them or not, there is no need for any more searching.¡±

    ¡°As you will, Young Miss,¡± he said with a stiff nod before he rushed off in a near blur.

    I watched him go for a second before Sun Xia returned her gaze to me. Then I quickly knelt and got to work. With my hand on the ground, I activated my new consolidated Reinforced Burrow Creation. It worked just like the normal Burrow Creation, though I knew that I could funnel more Qi into it to make the earth around the hole I was digging stronger. I didn¡¯t bother with that and instead focused on speed.

    After just a couple of seconds, I had a person-sized hole dug that was only getting deeper.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Sun Xia said, making me stop my Skill and look up at her. She gave me a small nod. ¡°If you can keep that rate, then we should be able to set up our ambush from underground. Are you willing to come help with that?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said as I stood up. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to help you save your sister and stop these bandits. Though a couple of spirit stones might be needed to keep me topped off depending on how far from the ambush site we need to start digging from.¡±

    ¡°We will of course provide you with anything you need to do this,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°But are you sure about this? Even if you only help us by digging, this will be a dangerous endeavor as we will not be able to get you away before the fighting begins. Our Foundation Establishment master has been delayed, and we are also outnumbered. If things go well, none of that should matter, yet there is no guarantee of that. I will do my best to ensure your safety since you are willing to help and have saved two of my retainers. But it is still possible you might die if you come with us, and unlike everyone else here, you are not bound by contract or obligation.¡±

    The intensity and seriousness of her words caught me off guard. Having the dangers pointed out so bluntly, my previous bravado disappeared, and I took a second to think things through. After finally getting to safety, was I really going to jump back into danger like this? Even if it''s for a good cause and a chance at revenge?

    ¡°How much do you think it will help if I come along,¡± I asked hesitantly, trying to figure out if it would be worth it. ¡°And if I just stay here, how safe would it be anyway? Don¡¯t you need all your people?¡±

    Sun Xia shook her head. ¡°We will leave some people behind to protect the camp. Just a couple of the mercenaries we¡¯ve hired that aren''t strong enough to do much in the coming conflict. But they should be enough to protect the camp from spirit beasts. This won¡¯t be just to protect you, either, as Shui Jianfeng is in no state to join and Ming Lin should stay as well.¡±

    Ming Lin frowned and tried to speak up. But she was stopped by Sun Xia raising a hand.

    ¡°As for how much it would help¡­¡± Sun Xia said, looking down at the hole I¡¯d dug in moments. ¡°Quite a lot, I imagined. If we can strike from ambush from below, I see our chances of defeating them and getting away in time to be much greater. But even so, there will still be a danger to you. They have us outmatched in numbers and matched in terms of elite fighters, and then there is the danger of the Black Wind appearing if we are not fast enough.¡±

    I grimaced at that thought. I hadn¡¯t seen just how strong a Foundation Establishment cultivator was. But if it was anything like the stories I¡¯d read, then they would likely be able to overwhelm all of us at once. Unless Sun Xia and her people had some hidden ace, or their own Foundation Establishment cultivator arrived in time.

    ¡°If the Black Wind appears, what would happen?¡± I asked slowly, trying to figure out just how dangerous that would be. ¡°Would we all just die? Or all be captured again?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Sun Xia said, shaking her head. ¡°The Alchemist Guard are elite soldiers trained by the Alchemy Association with abundant resources. Those with me have been trained in battle formations that could potentially hold off even a Foundation Establishment cultivator. At least one of the Black Wind¡¯s caliber for a while. That could buy us the time needed for Master Fang Hong to arrive. In addition¡­¡±

    Sun Xia frowned and seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then I felt that strange feeling I felt before again. Her spirit sense? It didn¡¯t seem to focus on me, just swept by. After another moment, she leaned forward and spoke again, though quietly. ¡°I have some options of my own to protect myself and others. I also have a way to flee with a select few people should the worse come to worst. You would be among those, should you volunteer.¡±

    Damn, part of me wished she hadn¡¯t told me that. If the Black Wind appearing would have meant instant death or capture, I would have just taken the out she was giving me. But it sounded like even if this guy did appear¡ªsomething that wasn¡¯t guaranteed to happen¡ªthat our chances of survival and escape were still decent. And because of that, I found myself wanting to still go and help.

    For multiple reasons. Some selfish and others less so.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m still willing to help,¡± I said after another moment. I knew there wasn¡¯t long to think about this if we wanted to get set up in time. ¡°I¡¯m new to this place, and I was going to be relying on Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin¡¯s help to get settled in the city. Something tells me that will be a lot more difficult if you end up dead because I didn¡¯t help. And, I¡¯m guessing since you seem really important, I¡¯ll get a really nice reward for helping, won''t I?¡±

    I said the last part a bit jokingly. Not because I didn¡¯t want a reward, but just to not seem too greedy. Even if a possible reward was probably the smartest reason I had to want to take this risk. Sun Xia seemed both wealthy and influential, so whatever she might be able to give me would probably help a lot in settling in this new world.

    Sun Xia laughed a bit at that and smiled. I¡¯ll admit, my heart beat a little faster at the sight. ¡°Well, you¡¯re honest at least. Yes, I will, of course, reward you handsomely for helping in our time of need. I can start by offering you a place to stay once we are back in the city for as long as you desire. After that, we will look into just what else I can reward you with.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± I said, smiling back nervously as I committed myself to this. ¡°Then you can count on me to help. At least now I can justify to myself taking the risk to strike back at the damned Marauders.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided,¡± Sun Xia said, nodding. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With that said, she turned her attention to the armored woman behind her¡ªthe one I assumed was her bodyguard. ¡°Wei, we leave as soon as possible. We¡¯ll go ahead with our fastest first. Let the rest of the alchemist guard know, then come back and take¡­¡±

    She trailed off for a moment as if she realized something. Then she turned to look at me quizzically.

    Realizing what she was asking, I answered her unasked question, ¡°I¡¯m Mi¡ªLi Lan.¡±

    I tried not to wince as I stuttered the introduction. I was gonna have to get used to going by that name. Otherwise, I¡¯m gonna look like a liar. Judging from the raised eyebrow I got in response, it hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed to my chagrin.

    ¡°When you are done, take Li Lan to the site of the ambush so he can begin digging,¡± Sun Xia said, not commenting on my slip-up.

    ¡°Young Miss,¡± Ming Lin said after Wei disappeared in a blur. When Sun Xia didn¡¯t interrupt her, she continued. ¡°Please let me come with you to help as well.¡±

    Sun Xia looked at Ming Lin with a frown. She then very obviously looked her up and down, taking in her dirty and injured appearance. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Ming Lin. You are not to blame for Yun¡¯s capture, and you¡¯ve been through enough already.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Ming Lin frowned and shook her head. ¡°Even so, Sun Yun is in danger because she was trying to save Jianfeng and me. I would not be able to live with myself if I didn¡¯t do everything in my power to help. Besides¡­¡± Ming Lin trailed off for a moment as her gaze swept over to me. ¡°I owe Li Lan for saving the two of us, and he is a novice fighter. At the very least, I can watch his back in case something goes wrong. And if I get a chance to repay some of the bandits for what they¡¯ve done, all the better.¡±

    Sun Xia looked silently at Ming Lin for a moment before she turned her gaze to me. Then she sighed, right as Wei appeared back by Sun Xia¡¯s side.

    ¡°Very well,¡± she said before she tapped a small pouch at her hip. To my surprise, a pill bottle popped out of it before it re-tied itself. Sun Xia caught the bottle delicately and held it out to Ming Lin. ¡°But take this pill first. It should get you back in shape while Wei carries the both of you over to the site.¡±

    Ming Lin straightened at that and held out her hand. ¡°Thank you, Young Miss. You won¡¯t regret this.¡±

    Sun Xia just nodded at that and tipped the bottle, letting a pill drop out. Then she put it back into her pouch. Ming Lin quickly swallowed the pill without any water, while several more Alchemist Guards and a few other men rushed over. One of them was the middle-aged Xiang Dong, though the rest of his men were not with him.

    ¡°If there isn¡¯t anything else, we move ahead first,¡± Sun Xia said, taking a look at her gathered men. ¡°Everyone who can¡¯t keep up will have to meet us there.¡±

    There was a chorus of agreement to that. Then Wei moved over to Ming Lin and grabbed her by the waist. The disguised girl was easily held under just one arm of the armored woman. It looked rather amusing for all of two seconds until the woman turned her gaze to me. Then I found myself lifted off my feet and carried under her other arm like I weighed nothing at all.

    It felt rather embarrassing being carried like that. But I only had a moment to mentally complain about it. Then we were off, and I had to do my best not to scream.

    ¡ªLine Break¡ª

    When we reached our destination, Wei gently set both Ming Lin and I onto our feet. Immediately, I collapsed to the ground, appreciating the sturdy surety of it, compared to the wild ride I¡¯d just gone through. I would have kissed it if it wouldn¡¯t have made me look insane, and if I wasn¡¯t holding back from throwing up.

    Instead, I stayed on all fours for a long moment, trying to get over the incredibly rough ride.

    Eventually, though, I forced myself onto my feet. We were on a time crunch, after all. And it wouldn¡¯t do for that nauseating trip to have been wasted.

    Once I was up, I found out that the ambush site had already been scouted out, and a plan had been decided on. Turns out the spot on the map was quite a bit bigger than indicated. Which would make ensuring that the bandits walk over our trap a lot harder. The solution to that problem was a group of people acting as bait. They would appear to be a small force trying to stop the bandits.

    In their arrogance, the bandits would engage, probably hoping to loot and enslave the group. And that¡¯s when the rest of us would strike from below.

    Well, the rest of the group, not including Ming Lin and I. Our job, after I was done with digging, was to help evacuate any captives brought into our hidey-hole. From there, we would lead them back through the tunnel dug to the ambush point, and wait for the outcome of the battle.

    I learned all of this from Ming Lin as she took me over to where we would need to dig. I found the speed at which all of this was done rather impressive, as barely any time had passed since we left that small campsite behind. The sky was orange now, but the sun hadn¡¯t set yet.

    Before I started digging, we were both given an extra bottle of pills, and I was given more than a dozen full-sized spirit stones. The pills were healing pills, though not as good as the one Ming Lin had taken. Hers had already healed and sealed up all her previous wounds. These ones would take longer but were still good enough to save our lives in case we needed them.

    After thanking Sun Xia for the resources, I finally began to dig using Reinforced Burrow Creation. As I did, I made sure to fuel the Skill with the Qi from my new spirit stones instead of my own reserves. Since there were others around, and not wanting to look strange, I did that by draining the spirit stones instead of eating them.

    Not too long after that, the tunnel and the chamber where we would wait were complete. The tunnel started far off to the side, well away from where the confrontation would take place. I began the tunnel in a little clearing surrounded by underbrush and trees. I¡¯d dug under to a place about a quarter of a mile away, around ten feet under the surface that was apparently much more open.

    Above, the bait team would be waiting to lure the bandits over to them in a confrontation. The hope was that the center of the bandit formation¡ªbut not the cages holding the captives¡ªwould end up right above us. Then¡ªthrough means unexplained¡ªour people below would burst out and attack.

    To coordinate this and ensure the above team knew just where we were, they used a combination of spirit sense and some talismans. The talismans seemed to work a bit like paired walkie-talkies, letting Captain Mo¡ªthe lone Peak Qi-Gatherer in the bait team¡ªspeak with Sun Xia.

    I only encountered one snag during my digging. There was apparently a cave system not too far from the surface around here. It didn¡¯t go high enough to cause too much of a problem, except in one or two spots where it forced me to shift the tunnel to the side a bit. A quick peek into this cave showed that it was massive and went very deep. Thankfully, it seemed mostly empty so I just avoided it by shifting the tunnel to the side a bit.

    That made it so the walls of the tunnel were a bit thin on one side in certain places. But with the reinforced stone that shouldn¡¯t be much of an issue. And, thankfully, shifting the tunnel didn¡¯t delay us much either.

    With the tunnel and the chamber we would be waiting in done, Sun Xia moved to set up some sort of magical¡ªor spiritual¡ªformation. She tossed around several small flags with intricate Chinese-looking characters on them, each one stabbing into the earth around us with ease. Then she chanted a bit and used some hand symbols before something enveloped us and the underground chamber.

    During this time, the slower members of the group Sun Xia had gathered to rescue her sister started to arrive. Most of them went up to the bait team to act as a diversion, while the stronger ones came down with us in the chamber. Unfortunately, Master Fang Hong, our Foundation Establishment cultivator, who would be needed to deal with the Black Wind if he appeared, had not arrived yet.

    Whatever was delaying him was still a problem, and apparently, he was too far away for the sound transmission talismans to reach.

    Not great, but there was nothing we could do about it. So once everything was set up, all we could do was wait.

    It was a bit nerve-wracking once I was done and left with nothing to do. It became even more so when I realized that both Ming Lin and I were incredibly dirty from everything we¡¯d been through. Now, waiting in an underground chamber with very little air circulation, made me very aware of the fact.

    Thankfully, since Sun Xia didn¡¯t complain about it, none of the others with us seemed eager to do it either. So besides some scrunched noses, and a little more room left for the two of us, nothing else happened.

    Eventually, after what felt like an eternity to me, but was probably 10 minutes after everything was done, given how little time we had to set everything up, the signal that the bandits were coming came. It was sent through another one of those sound transmission talismans the moment the bandits could be seen.

    Things became even more tense then, as everyone readied their weapons. I kept my own sword sheathed at my side for now, as the space was a bit cramped. I¡¯d draw it once they broke out of our hole, but I really hoped that I wouldn¡¯t have to use it.

    Then, the final signal came. Unlike before, it didn¡¯t involve any talismans. Instead, it came in the form of the earth above trembling as a fight broke out.

    Zhao Wei, who¡¯d been calmly gazing at the ceiling until now, reacted instantly to that. Like lightning, she lashed out with her right hand and struck the ceiling above us with an open palm. I was barely able to see the move.

    Then everything exploded.

    Or at least, that''s how it felt as I got a front-row seat to the level of destructive power a Peak Qi-gatherer could bring to bear.

    One moment, we were underground. The next, the ceiling was blasted away upwards, revealing the more than a dozen of us hiding. I nearly fell to the ground at the back blast of pressure from her strike, along with the ear-rattling explosion that came with it. A hand held me from falling though, which I realized a moment later had been Ming Lin¡¯s.

    When I finally recovered enough to look around, everyone had already moved out. I unsheathed my sword and tried to regain my bearings.

    As the ringing in my ears disappeared, I could hear the sound of metal clashing on metal as they fought above. It was also accompanied by louder more explosive sounding exchanges, probably between the stronger cultivators.

    At the edges of the crater, I could see the red and black-clad Alchemist Guards fighting the Black Wind Marauders. Wooden cages, with handles on the front and back, were the focus of these fights. And once the Alchemist Guards and the rest of our people cut down the Marauders guarding them, they moved to free the people inside, directing them to descend the sloped walls of the crater. All the while, the Marauders tried their best to kill them all.

    Ming Lin reacted first when the first of the free captives reached us. She quickly started directing them towards the tunnel. She shouted for them to hurry and to wait for us on the other side. Many of the people rushed by us, confused and fearful. Some tried to thank us, but she rushed them along and got them moving.

    I did my best to do the same as over a dozen people rushed by.

    Then Sun Xia reappeared in the crater with us, her expression cold and icy. In her arms was a dirty and barely conscious young woman. Her clothes were cut up in some places, and wounds could be seen underneath. There were cut ropes around her arms and legs, and her face was deeply bruised.

    Sun Xia walked over to Ming Lin and gently placed the other girl into her arms.

    Ming Lin looked down at the beaten and bruised form of her friend in grim silence. She held her protectively and nodded to Sun Xia. ¡°We¡¯ll get her to safe¡ª¡±

    Ming Lin¡¯s words were cut off as something blurred behind Sun Xia. The older woman spun in a blur almost at the same time and blocked the strike aimed at her head with a sword that seemed to come out of nowhere.

    The resulting clashing of blades sent sparks flying and filled the crater with a deafening noise of metal on metal.

    I winced hard at the sound and started to move over to Ming Lin. Before I could, Sun Xia lashed out with her free hand and sent her attacker flying into the wall with a palm. The ground shook, and a boom rang out as they slammed into the earth.

    I nearly tripped from the tremor that ran through the ground, but Sun Xia caught me without even looking and kept me on my feet. Then she shoved me over towards Ming Lin and her sister, her eyes still glued on where she sent her opponent.

    ¡°Go!¡± she shouted, getting into a defensive stance. ¡°And seal the tunnel behind you. There aren¡¯t any more captives.¡±

    Not needing to be told twice, with just how out of my league this battle seemed to be, I began running back to Ming Lin, who was already at the entrance to our tunnel out of here.

    As I caught up and we started to escape, I just hoped that our side would win this conflict, as I couldn¡¯t even begin to think how I would manage to deal with the powerhouses that were fighting here.

 Chapter 20: Foxes and Surprises

    Chapter 20:

    Ming Lin and I rushed through the tunnel as fast as we could, her carrying her barely conscious friend. I tried to do as Sun Xia commanded, reaching out to the walls and using Reinforce Burrow Creation to close up the tunnel behind us. But we were running too fast. The earth I was trying to shape left my range too quickly, only really leaving minor hurdles behind us.

    I tried slowing down a bit to see if I could form a complete wall without stopping. But I only managed to make the hurdles taller and not quite close up the tunnel. They were also too thin to actually stop a cultivator. So I finally stopped in my tracks, despite still feeling way too close to what was causing the earth to tremble in the distance.

    Ming Lin noticed what I¡¯d done immediately, and she came to a stop as well. She spun to face me. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    I waved for her to go on ahead. ¡°Just go, can¡¯t close up the tunnel on the run. But I¡¯ll catch back up in a moment.¡±

    She hesitated for a second before nodding and turning to run. ¡°Hurry, I doubt anything is getting past those two fighting to chase us.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, turning around and putting my hand on the wall and activating my Skill again. I made the walls of the tunnel grow inwards, shrinking the tunnel rapidly. As I did, I also noticed we were in a section of the tunnel very close to the big cave system I found before. Should I open the tunnel up to that after closing it up so anyone following thought we went in there?

    It seemed like a good idea, so I decided to do both at once. I made a hole start to appear in the side of the tunnel on the other side of the wall which was almost done. There probably was no one chasing us, but it seemed like¡ª

    A different set of vibrations reached the range of my Earth Sense. I had just a moment to register it beyond the tremors that were still coming from the fighting. Then what was causing it entered my range. Four footsteps, yet I couldn¡¯t see anything through the ever-shrinking hole of the wall I was creating. But I could feel it. Feel the Qi of the invisible thing rushing me. It was strong too, probably stronger than me.

    I cursed while activating Qi Devourer¡¯s boost and bringing up my sword defensively. All the while, I was hoping the wall would close and hold it off.

    It didn¡¯t.

    A moment later, whatever it was left the ground. Then the hole in the wall I was creating exploded into shrapnel. I tried cutting out the air at whatever this was. But I felt nothing against my blade as time seemed to slow.

    A shimmer seemed to appear in front of me for a moment before something crashed into me. I had just enough time to bring up my other arm to block. Then I felt teeth biting into my arm, making me scream as I fell to the ground.

    Searing pain ripped through my arm as the form above me became visible. It looked like a massive fox, but that was all I could make out before it started shaking its head. I screamed in pain as it seemed to try to rip my arm out of my socket.

    Clenching my fist, I resisted as best as I could, fighting off the powerful beast with my own boosted strength. It bit down harder in response, making me curse it to hell. I wasn¡¯t going to just let this thing savage me, though. I tried to maneuver my sword to stab at it.

    But I was in an awkward position on the floor. My sword scraped the side of the tunnel at my attempt. The fox reacted blindingly quick and bit into my sword arm before I could stab it. I struggled for another moment before trying to punch it with my free hand.

    I hit it several times with all the strength I could muster, which wasn¡¯t a whole lot. On the floor and in such an awkward position, it didn¡¯t seem to do much. Yet I continued to punch it, trying to make it let go.

    That turned out to be a mistake.

    As I reared my free hand back to punch as hard as I could, the fox struck. It let go of my sword arm and lunged for my throat.

    I only barely managed to stop it, catching it by the muzzle with both hands, but dropping my sword in the process. Even then, its teeth snapped dangerously close to my throat. Its paws dug hard into my chest, its claws cutting through fabric and flesh. I struggled to hold off the powerful beast''s strength, which really pissed me off.

    Despite how strong I¡¯d gotten, I still managed to get into a fight with something stronger than me so soon.

    Just great.

    I gritted my teeth and thought furiously about what I could do to stop this thing from killing me. The first thing to come to mind was the Skill that was quickly becoming my go-to when it came to avoiding death.

    Earth Wader.

    So I activated the Skill, and the ground beneath me became liquid. Like a rock, I sank quickly with the damned fox¡¯s weight pushing me down. It continued to try to snap and bite at me, but then part of its muzzle and its paws entered the ground with me.

    For a moment, I thought that I might be able to trap the thing in the ground, even as I lost sight of it as my head sank into the earth. But my awkward hold on its muzzle wasn¡¯t enough for me to drag it down with me. Once it realized what was happening, it pulled back and tore itself from my grip. And despite the rock that had re-hardened around parts of its muzzle and its paws, it was able to rip itself out of the ground with little issue.

    Still, at least I was safe for the mome¡ª

    I felt the ground above me get ripped away through my Earth Sense. Crap, it was digging. And with its size and strength, it was digging fast towards me. I quickly sunk deeper into the earth to avoid it before moving to the side so it wouldn¡¯t ever find me blindly.

    Only then did I relax just a bit as I considered what to do now.

    I couldn¡¯t not deal with this thing. I doubted this was a random spirit beast and was instead a pet or familiar or something. So hoping it would just stay here looking for me and not continue down the tunnel was unlikely.

    The only question was how I would deal with it.

    I came up with two plans quickly. One to kill it and one to get rid of it. I tried the one to kill it first since it was simpler, and I admittedly wanted to harvest this powerful beast.

    So I started swimming back up to the fox, just as I felt it start to slow in its digging. Focusing on my Earth Sense, I figured out where its front and back were, and aimed to move just behind it. Then, channeling more Qi into Earth Wader, I tried rushing up as quickly as I could to grab its hind legs.

    Unfortunately, either I wasn¡¯t fast enough, or the damn thing had anticipated this. As my hands broke out into the surface, the fox jumped and left the ground. I quickly pulled my hands back after I grasped nothing but air. A second later, I felt it land again where my hands had been.

    I winced as I imagined that I¡¯d just dodge its attempt to bite my fingers off. I sank deeper into the ground, and the fox started to dig once more.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Damn, it would have been great if that worked. But since that failed, Plan B it was.

    Swimming quickly, I rushed under the fox as it stopped digging again. I emerged from the ground back on the other side of the destroyed wall I¡¯d been making before. I was just in time to see the thing leave the hole it dug, so I started firing Earth Spears at it to get its attention.

    The fox reacted almost instantly to my attacks. It spun around, dodging two of the spears before rushing me. It snapped another spear out of the air as it ran, crushing it to pieces, and shouldered through another one. Then it leaped over what was left of the wall right at me.

    But that was exactly what I expected and wanted. I side-stepped it and kicked as hard as I could with the bottom of my foot. The fox somehow managed to pull back its head in time for me to miss, but that left it landing in an awkward position where I wanted it. Right in front of the hole I¡¯d been making to the massive cave system below.

    I kicked again before it could react. This time, my foot connected, and I punted it right towards the hole.

    To the fox¡¯s credit, it twisted in the air and almost caught itself before it went all the way through. But its claws failed to find purchase, and it still fell in anyway. Though not before glaring at me with what looked like pure hatred in its eyes. It was almost human-like in its intensity.

    But that only lasted a second before it fell away.

    I grinned at the sight, then quickly rushed to the wall and resealed the hole. Once that was done, I started sealing up the tunnel again, tense and ready for another attack. Thankfully, this time nothing came, and I managed to close off the tunnel.

    So after that, I picked up my sword, then slowly started making my way back up the tunnel, sealing it further as I walked. Only when I felt that the blockage I¡¯d built was too thick for anyone to easily break through, did I finally stop and begin running to leave the tunnel myself.

    I let out a loud sigh of relief when I got out of the tunnel and wasn¡¯t met by any more fighting, spirit beasts, or bandits. Instead, there were just a couple of huddled escapees. They looked rather terrified of their situation and¡­ There were a lot less of them than there should be.

    Did the others run off?

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ming Lin asked, having reacted fastest to my presence. She¡¯d spun from where she was tending to her friend on the ground, her axe at the ready. When she saw it was me, she lowered her weapon and rushed over.

    Her eyes looked up and down at the tears and wounds on my chest and arms.

    I looked down at them, unsure myself. My wounds looked incredibly bloody and had hurt like hell when the fox dealt them to me, but now they didn¡¯t feel so bad. Was that adrenaline? Some kind of paralytic saliva? Or did my absurd Vitality mean these were minor wounds?

    ¡°I think so,¡± I said as I examined my wounds and realized they¡¯d already stopped bleeding. I could also open and close both my hands without problems, so the tendons in my arms were fine as well. ¡°It looks bad but¡­ I think I¡¯m pretty tough now. Do you think I should take the healing pill Sun Xia gave me?¡±

    Ming Lin frowned at that and took hold of one of my arms for a better look. She also pulled me away from the tunnel and over to her friend.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t think so,¡± Ming Lin said after she grabbed my other arm and looked at it as well. ¡°It would probably be best to save that pill for emergencies. Its power is potent, and your wounds are already healing.¡±

    I nodded at that before I couldn¡¯t help but look at her friend. She honestly looked a whole lot better than before. Her incredibly bruised-up face was already mostly healed. There was some bruising on her face, but nothing like before. I¡¯d assume the rest of her was healed as well, but she had her eyes closed and her head leaned back against a tree.

    ¡°Is she okay?¡± I asked Ming Lin in concern. Maybe she needed to meditate or something to help the pill work. Or maybe it was something worse, like having to deal with the memories of what happened to her since her capture.

    ¡°She¡¯s¡ª¡± Ming Lin started to say, only to get cut off.

    ¡°Is fine,¡± Sun Yun said, opening her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m hardly some delicate flower that¡¯s going to cry over getting beaten by thugs who can only bully others with cultivation and numbers. Especially not after taking one of Big Sis¡¯s pills.¡±

    ¡°You should cultivate,¡± Ming Lin said, crouching down next to her friend and putting her hand on her shoulder. ¡°To help speed up your healing. Just focus on that for now.¡±

    Sun Yun just sighed and rolled her eyes. She moved to stand, gently pushing her friend¡¯s hand off her shoulder. ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine. Besides, we might not be safe just yet. More bandits might come, and we¡¯ll need all the fighters we can get. Especially when all those cowards ran off.¡±

    ¡°Now, don¡¯t you know it''s rude to not introduce yourself to a lady?¡± Sun Yun said, glaring at me. I didn¡¯t think she was being serious though, as there was no heat behind it.

    ¡°Um, I¡¯m M¡ªLi Lan,¡± I said, cursing internally for stuttering again. Was I ever going to get used to not using my English name?¡±

    ¡°M-Li Lan?¡± she asked, tilting her head and taking a step towards me. ¡°What a strange name. Are you from a strange and distant land or something, M-Li Lan.¡±

    Each time she said my name, she emphasized my slip-up with a teasing lilt to her voice. It was honestly kinda nice, seeing her be this relaxed after the state she was in before. Hopefully, it wasn¡¯t just a front.

    ¡°Actually, I am,¡± I said, deciding to cut her teasing short. ¡°My actual given name is a bit hard to say for people here I think. So I just go by Li Lan now.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sun Yun asked, looking skeptical. Then she turned to Ming Lin for confirmation.

    Ming Lin just shrugged at that. ¡°That''s what he says¡­ Though I suppose there are enough strange things about him that I believe his story.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sun Yun asked again while tilting her head. ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me about it some tim¡ª¡±

    Her words were cut off by the sound of rushing wind. We all turned toward the source and saw a familiar figure blur towards us. It was Sun Xia.

    Our little resting spot in the trees and underbrush seemed to fall silent at her arrival. She had very little expression on her face as she stared at her sister.

    ¡°Hello, Big Sis¡­¡± Sun Yun said after a moment, sounding a lot more nervous than she was a couple of moments ago. ¡°Thank you for coming to my rescue. I know I¡ª¡±

    Sun Yun was cut off by Sun Xia closing the distance between the two and pulling her younger sister into a hug. She held her like that for a long moment, and I turned away, feeling awkward just watching a family moment like this.

    The moment was broken, though, when Sun Xia spoke again. ¡°You are in so much trouble, Little Yun. So much trouble. You will not be leaving the compound for years to come.¡±

    That earned a squawk of indignation from the younger girl who broke their hug. ¡°What! But I¡ª¡±

    A loud boom echoed in the distance, cutting off whatever Sun Yun was about to say.

    Everyone was startled at that and turned their attention in the direction that the fight had been. I did the same, but then I noticed movement in the corner of my eye. I turned and saw Sun Xia wasn¡¯t looking that way. Instead, she was looking up.

    I looked up to try and see what she was seeing, but there was a thick canopy of leaves in the way. Just what¡ª

    Something happened. Faster than I could blink, the canopy above us seemed to erupt into light. I flinched back and heard a much louder explosion this time, very close to us. I almost fell to the ground, but I just managed to keep myself upright. Still, there was a shrill ringing in my ears as I tried to regain my bearings.

    When I finally saw what had happened, I couldn¡¯t help but gape.

    The area around us had been devastated. As if a bomb had gone off, leaving a crater all around us. The only things that remained intact were what was being protected by a golden dome that had surrounded us. It wasn¡¯t big, just enough to encompass the four of us and the remaining freed captives.

    It left us in a raised section of earth, surrounded by devastation. The trees that had survived inside the dome seemed to have been cut apart right where the dome appeared, leaving them lopsided.

    Looking around more, I saw that the source of the dome had been Sun Xia. Specifically, it seemed to be coming from her chest. Maybe some kind of necklace? Just like before, she was looking up into the Sky, her sister held to her side, but an even more somber look on her face.

    Following her gaze, I looked up at the now visible starry sky and managed to catch sight of a dark figure above. It was difficult to make out details, with the surprisingly bright night sky behind the figure. But it was definitely just a person floating, nothing holding them up.

    A cold feeling welled up in my stomach at the sight.

    That initial attack had already been terrifying, but seeing this made me realize just how bad of a position we were in. In cultivation stories, there was always a massive power difference between people who could fly and those who couldn¡¯t. This must have been a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

    Since they attacked, this meant this was likely the Black Wind. And that Master Fang Hong guy was still not here.

    This was really not good.

 Chapter 21: Foundation Establishment Cultivators

    Chapter 21:

    The dark figure continued to hover in the air for a long moment. Everything seemed to have gone quiet after their attack, leaving only the sound of the wind blowing. Then, the silence was finally broken by a deep male voice.

    It was loud but didn¡¯t sound like shouting. Yet it still seemed to resonate from all around us. Despite that, the voice was almost casual. Perhaps amused, even.

    ¡°An impressive artifact. But I wonder how much more it can withstand when wielded by a mere Qi-Gatherer.¡±

    Something crashed into the golden dome again. The ground shook, and dust was kicked up all around us. But the noise was not as bad this time, and the dome itself remained solid.

    ¡°Perhaps more than I thought,¡± the voice said again, sounding intrigued. At the same time, the figure up in the sky moved. One moment he was flying up there, the next he was streaking down to the ground. Right before he would have crashed, he slowed and landed lightly right in front of the dome.

    The light from Sun Xia¡¯s shield shone upon him, finally revealing his appearance.

    He was an older man with a tight topknot kept up by an ornate black hairpiece. He had a goatee, and both it and his hair had streaks of silver in it. His robes were black and silver, and he stood back straight with his arms held behind his back. He didn¡¯t seem to have any weapons on him, but given his display so far, I doubted he needed any.

    ¡°Such an artifact is wasted on you, girl,¡± the man said, casually walking up to the dome. He reached out with one hand and pressed his palm against the gold light of the shield. ¡°But if you surrender and give it to me, I promise your time in captivity will be¡­ bearable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will have to reject such an offer,¡± Sun Xia said coldly, glaring daggers at the man.

    ¡°Then you only make things harder on yourself,¡± the man¡ªno doubt the Black Wind¡ªsaid. He pressed his hand harder against the dome, and the spot there glowed brighter. While the rest of the dome was semi-transparent, the part he was touching now looked like solid gold light, completely opaque. ¡°Do you really think you can keep me out with this?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps not forever,¡± Sun Xia said, not backing down. ¡°But we don¡¯t need to do that. Just keep you here long enough.¡±

    The Black Wind scoffed at that. Then he lashed out with a palm strike. The ground shook from the blow, and the dome flared for a moment as the wind went wild outside.

    I gulped at the sight, trying to think if there was anything I could do in this situation. And, of course, there really wasn¡¯t. The only thing I could possibly think of doing was running. Maybe if the dome didn¡¯t reach all the way around us, I could swim away. But that was unlikely, or the Black Wind would have probably just blown up the ground already.

    And even then, with the ability to casually destroy the landscape shown so far, I doubted I could move fast enough to get away from the man if he wanted to chase. No, my best bet was to hope this dome would hold and Sun Xia knew what she was doing. And hopefully that Master Fang Hong would finally arrive and deal with this guy.

    If not, then the next best thing would be to stick close to Sun Xia, and hope she hadn¡¯t been lying about having something to help us escape from the Black Wind.

    ¡°And what will you do, little girl?¡± the Black Wind asked as the wind around him seemed to calm again. ¡°If I go back over to where you tried your little ambush and finish off the rest of your men? Will you be content to hide then?¡±

    Sun Xia scoffed at that. ¡°Are you expecting me to sacrifice myself for them? Do you take me for a fool? If you capture us, there¡¯s nothing stopping you from killing them, either. And you might find yourself having a much harder time doing that than you seem to expect. You should not underestimate the power of the Alchemy Association.¡±

    ¡°Foolish,¡± The Black Wind said, emphasizing his words by hitting the dome again. ¡°Do you think that pitiful Battle Formation they used to survive my first strike will be enough to stop me? Perhaps if they were all peak elites, that might pose a problem. But out here, in the frontier, there is no such force I have to worry about. Not commanded by a little girl like you.¡±

    ¡°It might not be enough to defeat you,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°But it would be enough to slow you down. Waste your time until Master Fang Hong arrives.¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to scare me?¡± The Black Wind asked in an angry shout. He hit the dome several more times, shaking the earth again. ¡°Do you think your Master Fang Hong so powerful? He is just a dog of the Alchemy Association! A pet begging for the scraps of his betters. I have built everything I have with my own two hands!¡±

    The Black Wind reared back his hand for another strike. This time, black winds seemed to swirl around his hand, and he had a vicious look on his face.

    Sun Xia reacted to that by throwing out her hands, causing a beam of gold light to blast from her necklace and hit the dome. It reached the dome just as the Black Wind attacked. The dome seemed to go fully opaque at that, cutting off the outside from sight. But we still felt the ground tremble, and the dome itself seemed to rattle.

    After another earth-rattling strike, cracks started to form where the Black Wind must have been attacking. But they sealed back up as quickly as they appeared. Still, I wasn¡¯t sure how long it would last. There was clearly a toll on Sun Xia, judging by her gritted teeth and sweat appearing on her brow.

    Yet, despite all that, the dome held until the strikes stopped. Sun Xia, however, didn¡¯t relax and the beam connecting her to the dome remained.

    ¡°Truly, this artifact is wondrous,¡± the Black WInd said, his voice somehow still making it past the dome. ¡°I will enjoy ripping it from your neck, girl. You cannot maintain this much longer. And there is something you should know. Your precious Master Fang Hong isn¡¯t coming! He is too busy dealing with an ambush himself! Just how do you think he will fare against several Rank 2 Spirit Beasts going for his blood?¡±

    I grimaced at that revelation. I had no idea how strong Master Fang Hong was, but the Black Wind seemed really confident. Had this whole thing actually been a trap for Sun Xia and Master Fang Hong?

    I turned to Sun Xia to gauge her reaction. See if this changed anything. To my surprise, she didn¡¯t seem to look that worried. Instead, she just looked like she¡¯d finally got an answer to a question she¡¯d been wondering.

    ¡°I think you will find Master Fang Hong more than capable of dealing with such an attack,¡± Sun XIa said, her voice sounding confident.

    ¡°Arrogant! Foolish!¡± The Black Wind emphasized each of his shouts with a strike. ¡°That just shows how little you understand the power of true cultivators, little girl! Fang Hong has been stuck at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment for the last twenty years! I am on the cusp of a breakthrough, and even I would have trouble with the forces I sent after him! He will be dead soon, and you will be mine. Each moment you delay the inevitable is just going to make your fate worse.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The Black Wind continued to attack the dome after that, the cracks growing more and more with each blow. Sun Xia¡¯s confident expression was gone again as she gritted her teeth and strained to keep the dome up.

    ¡°Big Sis,¡± Sun Yun said, her voice soft, but I could pick it up despite the noise of the Black Wind¡¯s vicious strikes. ¡°Should we¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sun Xia said, cutting her off. ¡°If all they¡¯ve done to delay Master Fang Hong is ambush him with spirit beasts, then he should be here soon. They will have underestimated that old man. We just have to¡ª¡±

    Her words were cut off by another explosion.

    I winced from how loud the sound was, then cursed when I saw even more cracks across the dome. I fully expected the dome to break, and I readied myself to drop into the ground. However, after another moment, I stopped myself when no finishing blow came. Instead, all we heard was silence.

    ¡°Just wait for that,¡± Sun Xia said, relief tingling her words. Golden light continued to reach out to the dome around us, and the cracks sealed one by one. ¡°It seems Master Fang Hong has finally dealt with the beasts delaying him.¡±

    When the cracks finished sealing, Sun Xia dropped her arms and let out a soft sigh. The opaque golden dome turned transparent, and the sound from outside of the dome became clearer once more.

    What sounded like explosions seemed to echo in the air, drawing my attention upwards. I gaped when I saw the source.

    There was a blazing red flame in the air. A massive one, far brighter than the starry sky, and in the shape of a bird. It soared through the air, chasing what might have been a black dot that I could barely make out¡ªsomething I probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to do before reaching rank 1.

    ¡°How?¡± the Black Wind''s voice echoed from above as the flaming bird crashed into something. Flames burst from the impact and something was sent flying. ¡°You! How could you finally manage a breakthrough after all this time? You miserable old man!¡±

    Another explosion rang out as something struck the ground hard from far away. Probably the Black Wind getting slammed into the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can win just yet!¡± The Black Wind Shouted, and what looked like a tornado started to form in the distance. ¡°You may have broken through, but I am still the stronger fighter. A pathetic lap dog like you can never¡ª¡±

    The Black Wind¡¯s words were cut off as the firebird divebombed the tornado. A massive explosion rang out, and a moment later a massive plume of fire appeared.

    I watched all of this, awed at the sight. So that was the power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. I¡¯d known that they¡¯d be incredible, but to see it, even from a distance, was something else. It was both terrifying and amazing.

    Terrifying because there was nothing I could do to stop people that powerful from doing whatever they wanted. And amazing because that was a level of power I could reach. Maybe. Hopefully¡­

    ¡°You dare!¡±

    A different voice rang out in the night air. Then a streak of burning fire shot straight towards us. I only had a second to gape, and then it was past us. An explosion rang out from behind. I spun just in time to see a grey-haired man appear. His body was coated with flames, and his hand was outstretched.

    It took me a second to understand what I was seeing. Beyond his hand was a blue flame. I¡¯d thought it might have been his for a moment, but then I saw how his own red flames seemed to coil around the blue flame. Constricting and restraining it. It was an attack he was holding back!

    ¡°Blasted fox!¡± the old man¡ªMaster Fang Hong¡ªcursed as he turned his head back to where he¡¯d come. I spun to look but saw nothing but the trail of destruction he¡¯d left to get over here so quickly. Except maybe¡­

    Very far off in the distance, where Master Fang Hong must have just been, I saw what might have been the silhouette of the fox he was talking about. For a second I remembered the fox that had attacked me in the tunnel, but I dismissed the thought. This was clearly another one. Heck, given its size and how it compared to what must have been the Black Wind in its mouth, this one was massive in comparison.

    The silhouette of the fox seemed to stare over at us for a moment¡ªprobably more at Master Fang Hong¡ªbefore it rushed off in a blink of an eye.

    ¡°Damned beast,¡± Master Fang Hong cursed, drawing my attention back to him. The blue fire was now completely contained by his own flame. ¡°Attacking Juniors with Fox Fire Essence¡­¡±

    He looked at the contained blue fire for a long moment before he shook his head. Then he patted a pouch at his waist, and a cauldron appeared. Not like the kind witches use, but the ones from Chinese stories. Far more ornate and with a lid. It shone with a bright bronze luster, and the lid lifted off and hovered on its own. The contained flame flew right into the cauldron before the lid slammed shut.

    The cauldron then hung in the air beside the man as his flame engulfed it.

    ¡°Master Fang Hong,¡± Sun Xia said as the dome around us finally disappeared. A moment of tiredness and relief flashed over her face before it was replaced by a much more neutral expression. ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived.¡±

    Sun Xia¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t cold, but it was far from warm. And despite the massive disparity in power between her and Master Fang Hong, the old man actually winced at her words. He rubbed at the back of his head awkwardly, a strange gesture for someone so old and powerful.

    ¡°My apologies, Disciple,¡± Master Fang Hong said. ¡°I was on the way to meet with you when I saw what I thought was an Immortal Jade Lotus Root. Unfortunately, it was just a convincing fake, and then I had to contend with half a dozen Early Stage Rank 2 spirit beasts.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sun Xia said, still just ever so slightly displeased.

    It made me wonder just what the relationship between the two was. Was Sun Xia more important despite her lower cultivation? Was she from some super-powerful family or something?

    ¡°Well, at least I got here on time,¡± Master Fang Hong said, trying to laugh off the awkward atmosphere. ¡°And I see that you¡¯ve managed to save Little Yun as well. Wonderful. Just wonderful.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°We were fortunate to be able to save my sister from falling into the hands of the Black Wind. Something that would have been far easier with your help.¡±

    Master Fang Hong winced again at that. ¡°Yes, yes, of course, of course. The heavens have shone on us today, it seems, despite everything else. We will just have to be more careful in the future. Now, I should go check on the rest of our men. Here, let me give you some protection in case any more of those cowardly bastards are skulking around.¡±

    As he said that last part, he patted the pouch at his waist, and a bunch of those small flags appeared. He tossed them in a vague circle around us, then a couple more in some sort of pattern. Then, after a couple of hand seals, a silver barrier of light appeared around us.

    ¡°That should hold off anything long enough for me to come back,¡± Master Fang Hong said, still speaking quickly. ¡°I will be back soon after checking on the men and dealing with the remnants of the bandits.¡±

    With that said, the man rushed off. Instead of blurring, he seemed to just disappear from my sight. It would have been impressive if it hadn¡¯t looked like he ran away from Sun Xia¡¯s mild displeasure like a dog with its tail between its legs.

    I turned to look at Ming Lin, to see if I could glean what that was about from her. Sensing my gaze, she met mine and I raised an eyebrow. She just sighed and shook her head.

    Well, I guess I wasn¡¯t going to get any answers there.

    After that, we waited in the clearing for some time as Master Fang Hong dealt with things. In that time, Sun Xia went back to telling Sun Yun just how much shit she was in and how long she would be kept locked up in the city. Sun Yun, of course, tried her best to argue against such a thing.

    Ming Lin, content to let the siblings sort things out themselves, found a nice place on the ground and just sat down to rest. I joined her, and the two of us sat in companionable silence as things were finally over.

    We¡¯d escaped the bandits. Saved Shui Jianfeng. Saved their friend Sun Yun. And now the bandits were going to get to experience what it was like to have a high-level cultivator stomp all over their operations. We¡¯d won.

    For the most part, anyway. That Black Wind guy had escaped his just desserts. But at least, the rest of the bandits would get what was coming to them. And all the slaves were going to be saved.

    Or so I thought.

    About an hour later, after Master Fang Hong had done his thing, we were back at the Black Wind Marauder¡¯s bandit camp.

    And things were not pretty.

 Chapter 22: Pyrrhic Victory and Cloud Ride

    Chapter 22:

    The bandit camp was quite different than I¡¯d last seen it. There was a lot more blood than there was before. Unfortunately, the blood did not solely belong to the bandits. In fact, most of it probably wasn¡¯t theirs, I realized to my chagrin.

    Master Fang Hong fought with fire. The charred corpses would be the bandits then. And so the blood was from everyone that the bandits slaughtered while their leaders and more powerful members ran away.

    My fists clenched tightly at my side at that realization, and the state of the ruined camp became even worse in my eyes. Damn it.

    I tore my gaze away from one of the bloodstains I¡¯d been staring at and made my way through the camp. It was nighttime, but many fires burning kept the place illuminated. Though with my new eyesight that came with reaching Rank 1, the bright starry sky above would have been enough for me to see plenty.

    Most of the flames were just campfires and normal torches that the bandits had left behind. Some of them were the still burning remains of marauders that were slaughtered by Master Fang Hong. I might have felt a little bad for their gruesome deaths if it wasn¡¯t for what they¡¯d been doing right before they¡¯d died.

    ¡°There you are,¡± a voice said from beside me, almost making me jump. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t wander off like that. The Marauders should all be gone, but it¡¯s still better to be cautious.¡±

    It was Ming Lin¡ªstill in her male guise.

    ¡°Sorry, I just needed some space to think,¡± I said, sighing as I looked away from her back to the rest of the camp. At the burnt corpses strewn about, and the far larger pile of normal corpses that the mercenaries that Sun Xia had hired and the Alchemist Guards were gathering.

    I¡¯d been with Sun Xia, her sister, and Ming Lin when Master Fang Hong reported what had happened. And what the camp had been like when he got here.

    Apparently, the strongest members of the Marauders didn¡¯t have much faith in their leader. Either that or they were just really fast at running away. By the time Master Fang Hong arrived, they¡¯d fled, leaving behind their subordinates as distractions. There wasn¡¯t a single marauder at the late-stage of Qi-Gathering that he faced in the camp. The worst part was that the leaders commanded their underlings to slaughter the slaves, forcing him to have to intervene and giving the scum more time to get away.

    The only good news was that the bandits left behind had no idea what was happening. They thought it was some kind of mass sacrifice ritual and a reward. So they took their time about it, keeping the number of dead slaves a lot lower than it could have been. Especially since many of the slaves had still been in the mines, and the bandits were also less interested in killing the women right away.

    The sick bastards.

    It really pissed me off, even if most of the marauders had been killed and a majority of the slaves were saved. It still felt like a pyrrhic victory. The main ring leaders, and worse, the main strength of the bandits still managed to get away. And the most horrible thing of all was the deaths of the slaves that had been so close to getting saved.

    My anger at all that just wouldn¡¯t abate, so I had decided to cool off away from people who could swat me like a fly. A small part of me hoped I¡¯d see a familiar big-nosed bastard''s corpse among the bandits. I hadn¡¯t forgotten how psychotically eager he¡¯d been to suggest the punishments in the Marauder¡¯s gruesome power display. But I knew that was just wishful thinking.

    The corpses were too charred to recognize anyone, and if that guy really had been related to the Black Hammer, it was unlikely he would have been left behind.

    ¡°Brooding like this won¡¯t change anything,¡± Ming Lin said.

    My fist clenched tight at my side, but I resisted the urge to snap at her. ¡°I know. But it isn¡¯t like there¡¯s anything else I can do right now, is there?¡±

    ¡°Not now, no,¡± Ming Lin said, speaking softly. Then her voice grew hard. ¡°But that¡¯s why you need to focus on the future. I hate that any of those bastards got away too. After everything they did? After what they almost did to Sun Yun? I wanted them all to burn. If I was strong enough, I would have done it myself. But I¡¯m not. And neither are you.¡±

    I gritted my teeth and turned to glare at her. ¡°What¡¯s your point, then?¡±

    ¡°That the only thing we can do,¡± she said, matching my glare with an intent stare, ¡°is work to get stronger. So next time we run into something like this, we don¡¯t need to wait for someone like Master Fang Hong to take care of it all. Instead, we take care of it ourselves.¡±

    I held her gaze for a long moment before I sighed and deflated. She wasn¡¯t wrong. But it was hard not to dwell on all this with all the bodies around us.

    ¡°Now, come on,¡± Ming Lin said, putting a hand on my shoulder and guiding me toward the center of the camp. ¡°There¡¯s not much more we can do here, and we¡¯ve both been through a lot. We can leave the investigating to the Alchemist Guards.¡±

    ¡°What about the slaves we managed to save,¡± I asked, stopping for a moment to look over at the west side of the camp where we¡¯d been served food before. There was a large group over there¡ªbut not nearly large enough. I could hear crying, but also some cheers of celebration and the smell of cooking meat.

    ¡°The Marauders that got away didn¡¯t take any of their supplies,¡± Ming Lin said, pushing a little more firmly on my shoulders to get me moving again. ¡°So they¡¯ll be able to eat and rest. The Alchemist Guards and the Azure Tigers will stay with them and escort them out of the forest in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Azure Tigers?¡± I asked, confused.

    ¡°The mercenary company that Sun Xia hired to help.¡± Ming Lin explained. ¡°They''re like the Stomping Bulls.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, turning to give the now-freed slaves one last look. Just how many had made it? And how many had died? ¡°What will happen to them afterward?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, they will return to their lives,¡± Ming Lin said. ¡°Maybe they will have family in the city, or perhaps they might be able to contact whatever town they''re from for help.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but frown at that as we arrived at the center of the camp where Sun Xia, Sun Yun, and Master Fang Hong waited. ¡°So they won¡¯t be getting any help from the government?¡±

    Master Fang Hong let out a light scoff and shook his head. ¡°Ah, to be so young and naive.¡±

    I turned to glare at him for a moment, right before I remembered just who I was glaring at. As if to emphasize the point, I just got close enough that he was within my Earth Sense. Despite probably keeping his Qi contained, I could still feel the weight of his power through my Skill. I winced at my slip up.

    Master Fang Hong caught my expression and smirked in a way that made me want to punch his stupid face. At least, it would have if he wasn¡¯t so powerful that he could probably kill me with a flick of his fingers.

    ¡°It¡¯s hardly naive to expect someone who calls himself a lord to take care of his people,¡± Sun Xia interjected coldly.

    Suddenly, Master Fang Hong''s smirk turned into a grimace. ¡°Of course¡­ Disciple. However, City Lord Lu technically is just the lord of the city. His main responsibilities are to keep that safe and secure.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sun Xia asked, though there was a sarcastic lilt to her voice. ¡°Then someone should tell City Lord Lu that next time he taxes the region and all the towns around here.¡±

    Master Fang Hong winced again but nodded at the point. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sure we are all tired from everything that¡¯s happened. Let us depart, then, shall we? I¡¯m sure you¡¯d rather go and get some rest at your manor instead of staying out here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I suppose we should,¡± Sun Xia said, waiting just long enough to make things awkward for the old man. ¡°We will have to go back to our campsite to pick up one of my retainers first. If you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Master Fang Hong said before he tapped the pouch at his waist. Well, another pouch, I realized. He had two of them. This one was almost pure white. ¡°I am, of course, happy to help my favorite Disciple.¡±

    ¡°Thank you then, Master,¡± Sun Xia said, smiling as she put a strange emphasis on the last word. Not quite sarcastically, but something along those lines.

    Master Fang Hong smiled weakly at that as some sort of white smoke came out of his pouch¡­ Actually, no, it wasn¡¯t smoke. Instead, it kinda looked like a cloud, I realized as the stuff continued to pool on the ground under us.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    A moment later, the cloud-stuff had gotten thick enough that it lifted us all from the ground. Surprisingly, despite how wobbly it looked, it felt quite firm and steady under my feet. Then, without warning, it started to float above the ground.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± I said in shock. Then we shot up into the air, and I yelped and clung onto the nearest thing to me to steady myself.

    After a moment, and when I realized I wasn¡¯t going to be blown off my feet, I realized I¡¯d grabbed onto Ming Lin. She looked at me, with an amused raised eyebrow but didn¡¯t comment. I coughed in embarrassment and let go of her, standing back up straight as I looked around.

    However, before I could appreciate just what was happening, we descended again. I wobbled a bit at the sudden move but endured it better as we arrived back at the camp where we¡¯d been before sunset.

    It only took a brief exchange with one of the Azure Tigers that were on guard for Shui Jianfeng to be alerted to our presence. And to my surprise, he arrived on his own two feet, looking far better than before.

    He was met by an enthusiastic hug from Sun Yun, and a friendly shoulder pat from Ming Lin. I, of course, emulated Ming Lin and patted him on the shoulder as well. It was good to see him up and about again so soon. The medicine in this world was truly amazing. And I needed some unconditional good news.

    Once that was done, we were taken back up into the air. This time, I managed to not flail about despite the slight feeling of acceleration on me, and the much more obvious acceleration I could see with my eyes.

    When we leveled out and started flying in a single direction, I finally got a chance to take in the view from who knows how high up. It wasn¡¯t too amazing or anything, mainly because it was night, and as bright as the starry sky was, it wasn¡¯t enough for me to see many details of the landscape below.

    Mostly, I saw what looked like a big dark blob that was the forest below us, which was occasionally broken up by rivers or other bodies of water that shone with reflected light. Still, it felt pretty incredible, given that I was seeing all this while flying on a freakin cloud of all things.

    The novelty helped push away the memories of the Marauder¡¯s camp for a while. Let me focus on what wonders existed in this world instead of all the horrors.

    Eventually, we got within sight of the city. Ming Lin tapped me on the shoulder and pointed it out, drawing my attention from the open fields I¡¯d been staring at. When I turned to look where she was pointing, I was greeted by a much more impressive sight than I was expecting.

    The first thing I thought when I saw the city was big. The other was bright. Despite likely having no electricity, large swatches of the city were still illuminated brightly by orange light, either fires or maybe magical lights. It was also just way bigger than I thought it would be.

    Maybe it was because I didn¡¯t know how high we were, and wasn¡¯t great with determining the scale of things. But, from just what I could see, the walled port city looked like it was big enough to match a modern city from Earth. Definitely not one of the largest, like New York, or Tokyo, or London. But at least big enough for a million or more people.

    As we started to descend, I could see ant-sized people moving around the street in large numbers, making me think of a modern city even more. It also made me very curious. Just what was it like down there? How did it compare to back home? And just what would I find if I got a chance to explore it?

    Thoughts like that continued to run through my mind as we approached the city. I could make out more details now, and unlike the size of the city, the architecture didn¡¯t surprise me as much. It looked like the ancient Chinese style I¡¯d been expecting ever since I met my first robed cultivator.

    There were a lot of those sloped and curved style tile roofs, and bright colors that I could still make out thanks to all the lights down there. Most of the buildings were short, but there were a couple of large pagoda structures that were at least ten stories tall¡ªsome even greater. And at the center of the city, I could make out what looked like some kind of walled palace. It seemed to be a massive complex at the top of a large hill.

    We didn¡¯t approach that though, and instead moved around the palace. What few other flying travelers in the air above the city seemed to do the same¡ªall of which flew on what looked like clouds as well. I would have gaped at the sight of them if I hadn¡¯t been traveling the same way.

    The place we were headed seemed to be a more affluent part of the city. The buildings were a lot less clustered together. There were also big sections that looked like courtyards or maybe private gardens.

    The further we traveled, the larger these buildings became, and I think they started being broken up into whole compounds instead of individual homes. It was at one of these compounds, not one of the largest but still very nice looking, that we finally descended.

    The cloud landed in what appeared to be the central courtyard of the compound we were stopping at. Once it landed, it started to shrink and flow back towards the pouch at Master Fang Hong¡¯s hip.

    ¡°And here we are,¡± Master Fang Hong said, putting his hands behind his back. ¡°Finally back safe and in the city. If there isn¡¯t anything else you need, Disciple, I should go report back to the Association. The blatant attack on one of our members will require a coordinated response. We will likely set a bounty on the Black Wind¡¯s head and send out some of our own Foundation Establishment Alchemist Guards to hunt him down.¡±

    ¡°That is good,¡± Sun Xia said before she gave Master Fang Hong a small bow. ¡°This disciple thanks Master Fang Hong for his¡­ timely intervention. I hope I can continue to count on you in the future.¡±

    Sun Xia said that without a hint of irony or disapproval in her voice. Yet Master Fang Hong winced all the same.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Master Fang Hong said, his smile incredibly strained. ¡°I am happy to help my favorite disciple. Now I must be off. But feel free to contact me at any time.¡±

    After saying that last part in a rush, he kicked off the ground and flew up into the air, two small blasts of fire shooting out from his feet. Despite that, he left no mark on the ground nor did he disturb the air around him.

    The rest of us watched him until he flew off into the air.

    Then Sun Xia spoke up first as she walked over and placed a single gentle hand on her sister¡¯s shoulder. However, something told me that grip was actually iron-tight as she pulled Sun Yun away from Shui Jianfeng.

    ¡°Now, Little Sister, Shui Jianfeng has been through quite the ordeal,¡± she said, turning a pleasant smile to the now nervous-looking young man. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t keep him from being seen to by Doctor Ming.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng winced a bit at that and rubbed his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be necessary, Young Miss¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Sun XIa said, waving a hand. ¡°Better to be safe than sorry. You shouldn¡¯t just rely on antidote pills when you have access to a doctor. Now, off you go.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng grimaced but nodded. He then turned to give Ming Lin a pleading look but Sun Xia interrupted again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will be just fine by yourself visiting Doctor Ming,¡± she said, an amused note in her voice. Then she tilted her head and looked both Ming Lin and I up and down. ¡°Though¡­ I suppose both of you have been injured as well. Perhaps it would be best if you were all seen to. Just in case.¡±

    Shui Jianfeng perked up at that, looking a bit relieved. Ming Lin, however, shook her head rapidly.

    ¡°We should be fine,¡± she said, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me along. ¡°I can make sure Li Lan is fine once we get him settled. I¡¯ll just take him to the guest quarters.¡±

    Sun Xia let out a small laugh at that. ¡°Very well, if you think that¡¯s best.¡± She then turned her attention to me, meeting my eyes. ¡°We will speak again soon Li Lan. Perhaps tomorrow, or at most the day after tomorrow, to speak of what I can do to repay for your help. Until then, know you are more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you need.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± I said, waving goodbye as Ming Lin dragged me off.

    She only stopped pulling on me and let me just follow behind her normally when we turned a corner around a building and were out of sight.

    ¡°So what was that about?¡± I asked, looking down at my arms. They¡¯d stopped hurting long ago, and a careful look showed the wounds were completely healed, if very dirty with blood and grime. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but worry about infections. ¡°Cause I think I might want to see a doctor. I got bit by this fox spirit beast a lot, and even if my wounds are healed there could still be an infection issue. Maybe, anyway.¡±

    ¡°You should be fine,¡± Ming Lin said, shaking her head as we stopped in front of a building. It was only a single story, with a tile roof and paper windows. Despite the rather archaic look, it seemed really well-maintained and clean on the outside. ¡°We¡¯ll clean the wounds, and I¡¯ll check on them myself just in case. No need to bother Granny Ming.¡±

    ¡°Granny Ming?¡± I asked, following her inside the building.

    Ming Lin stopped for just a moment at the door and pressed her hand against the wall of the room where there was a circular symbol. Then several flame lamps in the room lit up, illuminating what looked like a small anteroom and probably the rest of the building as well.

    ¡°My grandmother,¡± Ming Lin said, leading me into the rest of the building. Though not before leaving our shoes in the anteroom. ¡°She taught me everything I know about the healing arts. She also enjoys using more¡­ traditional medicines. Easier and less costly to make than alchemical pills. But¡­ they are quite rough on the tongue.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle lightly at that. So we were avoiding her grandma because of some gross-tasting medicine. Well, it''s not like I couldn¡¯t relate to that. I¡¯d done the same in the past when avoiding traditional Chinese medicines instead of just taking a pill or some cough syrup.

    Ming Lin gave me a quick tour of my new house. She showed me the equivalents of a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. Then she looked over my wounds after I¡¯d cleaned them up a bit and deemed them not needing any more treatment. After that, she moved to leave and let me rest for the night.

    However, she did do one more thing before she left.

    Stopping at the door, Ming Lin turned to me and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to say it yet¡­ So, thank you, Li Lan. For getting Jianfeng and I out of the mines. And for taking the risk to help save Yun. I will repay you for what you¡¯ve done for us.¡±

    With that said, she turned and left before I could reply. I stared at the door for a moment, a warm feeling in my chest, before I decided to get ready for bed. I¡¯d been through a lot the last couple of days. Getting cleaned up and getting to sleep in a real bed was just what I needed.

    Sure, I was still in another world. And I doubted this would be the last time I ran into trouble or danger. The remnants and leaders of those bandits were still out there as well. But Ming Lin had been right and brooding wouldn¡¯t help anything.

    For the moment, I could take the time to relax and unwind. Needed to really. I was tired in a way sleep probably wouldn¡¯t fix, but would likely help.

    Tomorrow, I would consider what I would do next, now that I was finally free and safe in this new world. And in the future, when I was stronger, then I could focus on what the bandits had done. Because then, I would be able to do something about it.

 Chapter 23: A New Day

    Chapter 23:

    I woke to the feeling of soft sheets and a cool pillow. Yet something felt off. I couldn¡¯t quite place what the problem was, but something nagged at me in the back of my mind. Still, I wasn¡¯t much of a morning person, and for some reason, I felt especially worn out and tired today. My alarm also hadn¡¯t woken me up, so I could probably just figure it out later. After some more sleep.

    I turned in my bed, trying to get more comfortable and ignore the world around me for a bit longer. It was probably the weekend, so I could afford to sleep in¡­

    Except, that nagging feeling wouldn¡¯t go away. I tried to ignore it by burying my face in my pillow, but I realized then that even that felt wrong. My pillow felt too smooth. Not like the soft worn cotton it should have been. Did my mom change my sheets?

    I rubbed my hand against the strange fabric, trying to figure out what was happening. Was I not at home? Did I sleep over at a friend¡¯s house? I didn¡¯t remember planning anything like that. The only thing I could remember planning was that going away party. It was our last big get-together before I would leave for college¡­

    Oh.

    The memories of that party came back to me slowly. Then what happened on my way back home hit me like a truck.

    Arriving in a whole new world. The fight with the cat. The System. Thinking I finally found safety, only to get captured by bandits. The mines and the horrors there. Finally escaping only to volunteer for more danger to save others. Watching a battle between two people so powerful it was still hard to comprehend. The aftermath of that, and learning about the bandits that got away and their attempt at slaughter. Then, finally leaving it all behind on a flying cloud and arriving at the city.

    I sighed as the reality of my situation hit me and turned to lie on my back. Then I opened my eyes. I did not see the familiar popcorn ceiling of my room. Instead, I saw a rich red-brown lacquered wood instead.

    I groaned at the very real evidence that all that hadn''t been a nightmare. I was still in another universe, where people could get strong enough to fly and cause explosions in their battles. And that was just the stuff I¡¯d personally witnessed. The real powerhouses of this world could likely do a lot more, from reshaping the landscape itself to fist-fighting mountain-size monsters.

    ¡°How is this my life?¡± I whispered quietly to the empty room. Then I just lay there, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, not wanting to get up. Trying not to dwell on my memories of what happened yesterday. At what the marauders did and how their leaders got away. Escaping the justice that should have come for them.

    That lasted for only a couple of minutes before I heard a knocking. It was soft and gentle, but still rang out through the guest house I was staying in. I sighed and wondered if I could pretend that I was still asleep. But the knocking came again, and I knew that I was being silly. I couldn¡¯t just hide from my new reality, no matter how much I wanted to.

    And I¡¯d already decided not to dwell on what I couldn¡¯t change yesterday. Later, when I was stronger, I could let those memories fuel my resolve to find justice. For now, though, for the sake of my sanity, I would have to not focus on it.

    So I forced myself out of bed, pausing only briefly as I saw what I was wearing. They were very silky and looked like a mix of some pajamas and robes. I¡¯d found them in the dresser after my bath, and I¡¯d been too tired to really pay attention at the time before going to bed.

    Now, I couldn¡¯t help but feel strange. Like I was wearing someone else¡¯s clothes or something. And it was another reminder that things were so different now.

    But, before I could dwell on that any further, another knock rang out, reminding me I was keeping someone waiting. So after making sure the pajamas weren¡¯t somehow indecent, I made my way through the small house and to the main entrance.

    I opened the door to reveal a girl waiting. She looked a bit younger than me, with big bright eyes and a heart-shaped face. She wore a red and white dress that seemed straight out of a C-drama period peace. Another reminder of just where I was.

    ¡°Good Morning, sir,¡± the girl said, clasping her hands together and giving me a bow. ¡°This one¡¯s name is Xiao Feifei and has been asked by Master Shui Jianfeng and Master Ming Lin to bring you for breakfast.¡±

    I just stared at her in surprise for a long moment, feeling completely off guard. This level of formality and deference made me feel very awkward. Was she actually doing the subservient speaking in third-person thing? And Master Shui Jianfeng and Master Ming Lin? That sounded so strange to my ears.

    ¡°Is something the matter, sir?¡± Xiao Feifei asked as she straightened up. Though I could have sworn I saw an amused look cross her face for just a second. But I wasn¡¯t sure if I imagined it or not. Was she messing with me? Or was I seeing things?

    ¡°Ugh, no,¡± I said awkwardly. ¡°It''s just¡­ You don¡¯t have to call me, sir. You can just call me M¡ªLi Lan.¡± Damn it! I stuttered again. This time, I was gonna blame my morning brain. ¡°I¡¯m not very used to being called sir or stuff like that. Though if you have to call me that for your job, then sir is fine as well.¡±

    ¡°Then this humble one will address you as sir,¡± Xiao Feifei said, bowing again. Though once again I couldn¡¯t help but think she sounded just a tiny bit amused despite how polite she was acting. ¡°Will you require any assistance getting dressed for the day, sir?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine,¡± I said quickly, feeling embarrassed at the idea of letting this girl help me dress like I was some sort of medieval noble or something. Or a child. ¡°I¡¯ll just be out in a second. Do you want to wait inside or¡­¡±

    ¡°This one can wait out here,¡± she said, bowing again. God, did she have to do that every time she talked? It seemed exhausting.

    ¡°Alright, then, see you in a bit,¡± I said before closing the door and going off to get changed. I went back to my wardrobe to see what else I could wear, as my Earth clothes were still dirty and bloody. I¡¯d have to deal with that eventually but not now.

    However, as I looked through what was available in the wardrobe, I realized something I hadn''t considered. The clothing here was a bit more complex than what I was used to. T-shirt and jeans these robes were not.

    I grimaced as I took it all in and wondered if I would actually need to go get Xiao Feifei¡¯s help. But the idea of that was too embarrassing, so I decided I would just wing it. How hard could it be?

    Way more time than I would like to admit later, I finished dressing myself in some white and pale blue robes. As I looked at myself in the mirror¡ªsomething that I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was normal here or a luxury¡ªI thought I was wearing it all correctly, though, admittedly, I wasn¡¯t sure. But I didn''t want to make the servant girl wait any longer, so I decided it was good enough and went to leave the house.

    Judging by the amused look that seemed to flash across the girl''s face when she took sight of me, I fucked something up. But she didn¡¯t comment and instead bowed and started leading me away.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to these kinds of clothes,¡± I said, feeling the need to defend myself. ¡°They''re very different from what people wear where I¡¯m from.¡±

    ¡°Of course, sir,¡± Xiao Feifei said with a smile as we walked. She led me out of the courtyard where my guest house was situated and into a much larger walled garden. Then we started heading along the stone pathways towards one of the bigger buildings that bordered the garden.  ¡°And this one thinks you¡¯ve made a very admirable attempt for your first time. Should you require assistance for next time, however, this one would be happy to help.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    I did my best to not grimace at that. ¡°Ugh, thanks. I appreciate that. And, ugh, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want your help specifically. It¡¯s just having servants help me put on clothes is¡­ odd to me. So, just so you know, it¡¯s not anything against you or anything.¡°

    ¡°This one understands,¡± Xiao Feifei said. ¡°And appreciate sir¡¯s reassurances.¡±

    After that, we continued on in silence, passing a couple of other servants as we went. At least, I assumed they were servants since their clothes were the same red and white as Xiao Feifei. They greeted her, but for some reason, gave the girl odd looks when she responded to them.

    I wasn¡¯t sure why, but that mystery soon left my mind when I caught a whiff of something delicious in the air. I couldn¡¯t quite place the smell, but it reminded me of going to get dim sum as a kid.

    Xiao Feifei led me into a large open building with lots of rooms that were divided by thin screen-type walls. She led me past a larger open area with several tables that looked like some kind of dining hall for the servants, which didn¡¯t have too many people there at the moment. Instead, she took me to a room in the back of the building that seemed like a private dining room in a restaurant.

    There, I found Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin¡ªstill disguised as a male¡ªwaiting. They were both looking much better than I¡¯d last seen them, clean and without any visible injuries. They wore black and red robes that reminded me of the ones worn by the Alchemist Guards.

    Shui Jianfeng greeted me with a big smile and wave, while Ming Lin gave me a more subdued smile and a nod. At least, that''s what happened at first. Then they both looked me up and down and had a rather puzzled look on their faces.

    I sighed at that. ¡°I¡¯m not used to these clothes, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ah, understandable,¡± Shui Jianfeng said, nodding. ¡°I suppose not too long ago I might have done something similar. It¡¯s hard getting used to wealthy people''s clothing. Though not as bad as learning how to speak properly.¡±

    For some reason, both Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin shuddered at that last comment. I wasn¡¯t sure what that was about. Sure, it was probably worse for them going from orphans on the street to all this. But had it really been that bad?

    ¡°This one has brought Li Lan as you¡¯ve commanded Master Shui Jianfeng,¡± Xiao Feifei said solemnly and gave a very exaggerated bow. ¡°Is there anything else you wish of this lowly one?¡±

    Shui Jianfeng stared at Xiao Feifei with wide eyes for a long moment. Then he groaned and looked away. ¡°Feifei, please stop that.¡±

    Xiao Feifei let out a gasp. Then she clasped her hand and bowed. ¡°Has this one done something to displease the great and powerful Master Shui Jianfeng? This one apologizes for whatever offense she might have¡ª¡±

    The rush of what I was pretty sure was an exaggerated apology was cut off by a white bun being tossed at the girl. It bounced off her head, but she quickly reacted and caught it before it could fall to the ground. Then the previously groveling girl directed an annoyed look at the culprit, steam bun in hand.

    ¡°Just cause we don¡¯t go hungry anymore doesn¡¯t mean you should just waste food,¡± Xiao Feifei said, shaking the bun at Ming Lin. ¡°Don¡¯t make me tell Granny.¡±

    Ming Lin just scoffed at that and took another bun from the bamboo baskets that sat in the middle of the round table they were sitting at. ¡°Then don¡¯t act like some kind of sniveling servant. It''s gross.¡±

    ¡°But look at Jianfeng,¡± Xiao Feifei said, pouting and pointing at Shui Jianfeng. ¡°Look how red I made him. How can I not? It''s so cute!¡±

    Shui Jianfeng just groaned at that and rubbed his face. Ming Lin shook her head but did laugh a little.

    I laughed as well and moved to sit at one of the open seats at the table. Xiao Feifei noticed and quickly placed a plate and a bowl in front of me along with some chopsticks. I thanked her for that and expected her to do the same for herself as well. She was clearly not just a servant, after all. Or maybe she was, but was clearly close with Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin.

    However, instead, once she was done, she moved to the door. Though not before sticking out her tongue at Shui Jianfeng. ¡°Now I¡¯ll leave you three to your super secret meeting. It was nice meeting you, Li Lan.¡±

    And with that, she closed the sliding door to the room and left.

    I stared at the door in confusion for a moment before turning back to look at the rest of the room. ¡°Secret meeting?¡±

    ¡°Nothing so dramatic,¡± Shui Jianfeng said with a shake of his head. ¡°It¡¯s just Ming Lin and I thought we should talk to you about something before your meeting with the Young Miss. She should send someone to get you before the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°Talk about what?¡± I asked, confused.

    ¡°About what you can do,¡± Ming Lin said, cutting in. ¡°And how you should not tell anyone else about it. Not even the Young Miss.¡±

    I blinked in surprise at that statement. I hadn¡¯t been planning on telling Sun Xia. Though admittedly, I hadn¡¯t given it much thought either. Hadn¡¯t had a chance to think about it since waking up, and last night I¡¯d just been trying to relax and not think about my problems.

    Still, I was no longer in danger or desperate anymore. And I remembered how Ming Lin had helped contextualize what I could do when it came to harvesting from people. How I could essentially steal techniques for the dead, and how various sects and powers would react to such a thing. So I didn¡¯t have very many reasons to mention what I could do to anyone else.

    Well, except maybe if I wanted to get Sun Xia to help me get a lot of strong Skills quickly. But I wasn¡¯t sure if the risks were worth that. Or if I would even need to reveal everything to get that help, given her desire to reward me.

    But for them to go out of their way to mention it? Was there something I needed to worry about when it came to Sun Xia?

    I posed this question cautiously to the two of them.

    Thankfully, though, it didn¡¯t seem to be anything sinister like that. It was mainly Ming Lin being cautious. Apparently, she was the one who suggested we had this talk. Though for some reason I think Ming Lin might have hit Shui Jianfeng for revealing that. Weird.

    Regardless, they just wanted to remind me that the more people who knew, the more danger I was in. And while the Young Miss was a good person, it was better to not give her the temptation of what I could do. Even the best people can be pushed to do terrible things if they become desperate enough. At least, that was what Ming Lin thought.

    After assuring them that I wouldn¡¯t be revealing what I could do to anyone else anytime soon, we moved on to finally eating breakfast. Something I found incredibly enjoyable. Despite being a world away from home, the food was rather familiar. Most of it was pretty much exactly like Chinese breakfast food¡ªsteamed meat buns, congee meat and egg, fried bread sticks, sweet fried bread sticks. There were some differences, but I wasn¡¯t sure if that was a this-world thing or if the cooks here were just really good compared to any restaurants I¡¯d been to.

    Either way, I enjoyed the meal greatly. Especially since I hadn¡¯t eaten any good food over the last couple of days.

    It was only when I was finally full, did I realized I¡¯d ended up eating a lot more than normal. Which was saying something. I was a growing boy, after all, and could pack away quite a lot of food. Yet I still ate way more than normal, to the point more food was brought to us before I¡¯d been done.

    This worried me for just a moment, making me wonder if it was a consequence of my Spirit Beast cultivation and if it might get worse. But when I brought this up, my worries were quickly assuaged. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for body cultivators to experience something similar, and even other Qi cultivators as well depending on their techniques. There were ways around this, either spiritually potent food or pills.

    Still, despite that not being too much of an issue, it reminded me of an actual problem I still had. That being my spirit beast core and how to hide it. I decided to bring this up to see if either of them had any more ideas about it.

    Unlike before, they both suggested I ask Sun Xia for help with it when I met with her. Unlike my other secret, this one shouldn¡¯t be as big of a deal to her. And she was intending on rewarding me anyway. Which made sense, I suppose, so I decided to put that worry in the back of my mind until I met with Sun Xia.

    Until then, with breakfast done, we decided to kill some time with some sparring. Or, in reality, Ming Lin decided that for the three of us. Apparently, she thought one of the best ways they could repay me for helping them get out of the mines was helping me get stronger. And training and sparring was the best way to do that.

    I didn¡¯t disagree, but soon I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she might still somehow be mad about me breaking her disguise before. Because she was relentless in our spars, showing the massive difference between my artificial strength, and her hard-won training and experience. It was informative, if a bit painful getting my butt whooped like that.

    Still, it was a good reminder that for all my strength and all my Skills, I was a novice fighter. Even when using a sword, my lack of experience showed, and I also wasn¡¯t good at remembering all the tools I had at my disposal at any one time.

    It was something I would have to work on. Something Ming Lin agreed with and was eager to help with. Or eager to kick my butt. The results were the same either way.

    This continued from the morning up to the mid-afternoon until we were finally interrupted.

    Zhao Wei appeared in the training courtyard like she¡¯d always been there, surprising the three of us. Apparently, I was to have lunch with Sun Xia to discuss my reward for what I¡¯d done.

    Not wanting to keep the lady of the house waiting, I quickly followed Zhao Wei and was led to meet with Sun Xia. It was time for some rewards and hopefully a solution to some of my problems.

 Chapter 24: Discussion with Sun Xia

    Chapter 24:

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Sun Xia said as I sat down across from her. Between us was a wooden dining table with only two places set. It wasn¡¯t so large as to make a conversation awkward, but not nearly small enough to be for a more intimate meal. ¡°I hope the guest house has been to your liking. If you require anything, just ask any of the servants around the compound for help.¡±

    We were in some kind of private dining room not unlike the one I¡¯d had breakfast in. But this one was in the largest building I¡¯d seen in the compound, and the walls and ceiling were decorated in Asian-style carvings and murals. The plates and chopsticks in front of us also seemed extra fancy, with a lot of decorative flourishes.

    It all left me feeling quite a bit nervous. My family was strictly middle-class, so I wasn¡¯t used to stuff like this. And I couldn¡¯t help but be very conscious of the fact that the woman in front of me was likely very rich and influential. It did not help that Sun Xia was also gorgeous.

    I knew I had no chance with a girl like her, but I was still very aware of that fact. Which made me glad Shui Jianfeng¡ªOr I suppose just Jianfeng now, as he¡¯d insisted we were on a first-name basis after everything we¡¯d been through¡ªtook the time to help me fix my clothes. It wouldn¡¯t have helped my nerves for Sun Xia to see how awkwardly I¡¯d been dressed before.

    ¡°The house is great,¡± I said, fidgeting with my hands a bit as I tried to calm my nerves. ¡°More than I need to be honest. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± Sun Xia said, shaking her head. ¡°It is the least I can do when you were so instrumental in helping save my little sister as well as two of my retainers.¡±

    I nodded at that, not sure what to say.

    Thankfully, at that moment, Zhao Wei returned to the room. She came in pushing a cart full of food. And despite my initial impressions of her as a bodyguard, no servant came in to help her. Instead, she moved to place the food on the table herself.

    My mouth started salivating just a bit as I got a whiff of all the various dishes. I didn¡¯t recognize all of them, but regardless they smelt delicious. When Zhao Wei finished and left the room again, I was ready to dig in. But, not wanting to look like a pig or ill-mannered, I held myself back, looking at Sun Xia to wait for her to start eating first.

    She caught me looking and smiled. I¡¯d be lying if I said that smile didn¡¯t take my breath away just a bit. ¡°Help yourself. We can talk after we¡¯ve eaten.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you for the meal,¡± I said, doing my best to sound polite. Then I couldn¡¯t help myself anymore, and I dug in.

    Suffice it to say, it was all delicious. Many of the dishes were familiar but were just way better than what I¡¯d eaten before on Earth. Everything seemed perfectly cooked, from roast duck, to braised chicken, to crispy pork, to a bunch of other stuff I wasn¡¯t quite sure what they were. It was even better than the breakfast I¡¯d had earlier in the day, which had already been great.

    I only just managed to keep myself from pigging out, remembering the manners drilled into me by my mom. If only to not look like an idiot in front of such a beautiful woman. Hopefully, the etiquette here wasn¡¯t so different that I was still failing. There were so many similarities to some cultures back on Earth here that it would be rather annoying if that was the case.

    ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t need to ask if you enjoyed the food,¡± Sun Xia said when I was wondering if it would be impolite to ask for a fifth bowl of rice.

    I felt myself flushing a bit at that, but did my best not to let my embarrassment out in my voice. ¡°Um¡­ Yeah. It was very delicious. Thank you. Your chefs are really talented.¡±

    ¡°That they are,¡± Sun Xia said, patting her scarlet lips with a napkin. She¡¯d eaten much less than me, which made me rather self-conscious. Then again, they did serve a lot of food, so wouldn¡¯t it have been a waste not to eat it? ¡°And you have a very healthy appetite, it seems.¡±

    I cringed just a bit at that and rubbed at the back of my head nervously. ¡°Yeah¡­ That¡¯s kind of new, and I¡¯m still getting used to it.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Sun Xia asked, tilting her head slightly.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ A side effect of my cultivation, I guess.¡±

    Sun Xia shook her head as she placed down her napkin. ¡°No need to explain then. Now, shall we speak of the reward I promised you.¡±

    ¡°Um, okay,¡± I said, putting down my empty rice bowl. Then I rubbed my hands nervously. Part of me felt just a bit uncomfortable at asking to be re-paid for doing the right thing. Like asking someone to pay me after finding their lost dog or something.

    But I did my best to fight off my instinctive urge to reject such rewards. Because what I did was hardly so mundane and safe. And in this world, I really could use all the advantages I could get.

    ¡°So, as I said yesterday,¡± Sun Xia began, ¡°for helping save my sister and two of my retainers, you are free to stay at this compound for as long as you need. That should be quite helpful, as I believe you said you come from quite far away. It is expensive to stay in the city, or so I¡¯m told, and you will find the accommodations here much more comfortable than most places in Everlake. However, it costs me little to allow this. So tell me, what else would you wish for as repayment for your help?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I said, trailing off as I thought back over everything I¡¯d considered since the talk with Jianfeng and Lin at breakfast. Just to make sure I had my request straight, and I focused on the important things. ¡°There¡¯s a couple of things I¡¯d like help with. But I¡¯m not sure how difficult they might be so¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Sun Xia said, waving her hand dismissively. ¡°Speak your mind, and I will tell you if it''s possible.¡±

    ¡°Well, I think the thing I might need the most is help with¡­ well, this,¡± I said, pointing at my chest. ¡°Jianfeng and Lin pointed out to me that my cultivation might¡­ Attract unwanted attention given its nature. Um, I kinda cultivate a bit differently from most cultivators around here and have¡­ Well, a core like that of a spirit beast.¡°

    ¡°Truly?¡± Sun Xia asked curiously.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°Can you sense it? You have a spirit sense, right? They thought if people looked closely using a spirit sense they¡¯d notice and might think I¡¯m a spirit beast or something.¡±

    ¡°I could see that happening,¡± Sun Xia said as her lips turned into a small focused frown.

    At the same time, I felt the now familiar sensation of a spirit sense focusing on me. Unlike before, though, it didn¡¯t just pass me by and seemed to be peering into me. It was a bit of an unnerving feeling but not terrible. Also, it was good to know that I should be able to tell if someone is examining me this closely. Though I suppose a sufficiently powerful or skilled cultivator might be able to do it without me noticing.

    ¡°I see,¡± Sun Xia said, nodding. ¡°And to be clear, you are not a spirit beast? It is alright if you are, as despite even what most cultivators believe, there are many instances of spirit beasts and humans working alongside each other. Not just as servants or pets, but actual partnerships. Although most of those are with Rank 3 spirit beast at least, mainly because that is when most spirit beast develop a greater ability to reason.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I just practice an odd cultivation method, I guess.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sun Xia said, nodding. ¡°So you wish for something that can hide this core of yours from detection. A prudent choice, given the attention it could attract. Especially from some of the older Foundation Establishment cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I asked, suddenly feeling a lot more worried. ¡°Why specifically Foundation Establishment cultivators?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°The next stage after Foundation Establishment is Core Formation. From what I understand, the Golden Core is very different from a normal spirit beast core. But there are still those who believe studying spirit beast cores could help them with their own ascension. For such a person, a human with such a core would be even more useful.¡±

    I grimaced at the thought of that. The last thing I needed was attention from cultivators that strong.

    ¡°Have no fear,¡± Sun Xia said, noticing the look on my face. ¡°This is not true of all Foundation Establishment cultivators. Nor would most bother looking so deeply at a random lesser cultivator. I should also be able to procure you something that will make it even harder to notice such a thing. However, to ensure it works even against Foundation Establishment cultivators means it will be quite costly.¡±

    ¡°So I guess that will be my reward then,¡± I said, trying to wince. ¡°Unless it''s too much?¡±

    ¡°It is an adequate reward for what you risked and what you managed to help with,¡± Sun Xia said, nodding. ¡°However, you seem like you had other things you wished to ask of me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I guess that was just me being greedy. Or not understanding what I was asking with help for my core. It''s fine.¡±

    ¡°You can still ask. While I can¡¯t promise you another reward of great monetary value, if it is something simple I can do, I would not mind.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I said, still hesitating. On one hand, it seemed like she was already giving me a lot. On the other, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask, would it? The other things I wanted to ask shouldn¡¯t cost her anything as far as I could tell.

    ¡°There¡¯s just two more things I¡¯d like help with. One has to do with cultivation. Lin mentioned once that he thought my cultivation was perhaps closer to body cultivation than spirit cultivation. Because of that, and some other reasons, I think I might still be able to do normal spirit cultivation alongside what I do now. Would you or someone you trust be able to watch over me when I make my first attempt to cultivate like that and interfere if there is any Qi deviation?¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    This was something I¡¯d brought up with Lin between the sparring. We¡¯d been bouncing around ideas of what I could ask from Sun Xia, and I remembered a comment Lin had made back in the mines. She wasn¡¯t so sure about my assumption. But given my status screen still had a spot for cultivation and spirit beast cultivation, and my Minor Cultivation Talent Skill, I thought it was still possible. Enough to try, anyway, if I could do so safely.

    ¡°I should be able to help with that,¡± Sun Xia said after staring at me for a long moment. I didn¡¯t feel her spirit sense, so I thought she was just giving it some thought. ¡°From what little I¡¯ve gleaned of your cultivation, I¡¯m not sure if your assumption is correct. But I am quite adept at using my spirit sense and controlling Qi. Should something go wrong with your attempt, I am confident I could prevent any disasters. However, this would require setting aside quite a bit of time. You¡¯ll have to wait for me to find an opportunity to help when I do not have other more pressing concerns.¡±

    ¡°I can wait,¡± I said, nodding. Her opinion on my chances made me a little less confident about my assumption, but since she thought she could prevent any issues that might appear, I still thought it was worth the try. The extra boost in strength from two different cultivation paths like this was too potentially powerful to just ignore. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It is no problem. Now, what was the other thing you¡¯d like to ask of me?¡±

    ¡°Would it be possible for you, or perhaps Zhao Wei to help me hunt as strong of a spirit beast as you can?¡± I asked hesitantly. ¡°One where you can safely allow me to make the finishing blow? Or two if that wouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue?¡±

    Sun Xia raised an eyebrow at that, and I winced at how odd that might have sounded. But, when I didn¡¯t expand further, she nodded and didn¡¯t ask. ¡°Once again, not something of great difficulty. Zhao Wei would be better for such a thing. I will speak with her about it, though it might take some time until she has an opportunity to help with this. She does not like leaving my side, so it will have to be when I do not need to leave the compound, and I am at my safest. Was there anything else? ¡°

    ¡°No, that¡¯s it,¡± I said hurriedly. I was more than happy with just the help with my core, especially since high-level cultivators might be interested in it. So everything else was just extra, and I didn¡¯t want to look like I was taking advantage of her kindness. ¡°That¡¯s already more than I could have hoped. Thank you again.¡±

    ¡°You are most welcome,¡± Sun Xia said, smiling softly. ¡°And once again, thank you for your help. Looking back on it now, it''s clear just how close things came, and your help with the ambush was very much required.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome as well,¡± I said, feeling a bit odd at her thanks. Especially since I was getting quite a bit in return. Free housing for the indefinite future, along with what was probably an expensive solution to my problem, and help with two more issues felt like a lot.

    ¡°Now that that¡¯s decided,¡± Sun Xia said, bringing my attention back toward her. ¡°There is one more thing I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh, okay. What is it?¡± I asked, feeling curious. What else would she need to speak to me about?

    ¡°If I remember correctly, you said that you are from a distant land,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°Would you indulge me and tell me the name of your homeland?¡±

    I froze for a second at the question. Then I force myself to relax. There was no need to be too anxious about this. In stories where people get sent to other worlds, there¡¯s always this weird idea that you have to hide it. But honestly, unless there was a taboo about traveling to other worlds, it really shouldn¡¯t matter. The biggest issue would be people thinking I was crazy or a liar.

    Then again¡­ this was a cultivation world. And while world traveling might be more believable here, it could also actually be taboo. So maybe there was a small need to be anxious. At the very least, I should tread lightly unless pressed directly.

    ¡°I could,¡± I said slowly. ¡°But I doubt you would have heard about it. It¡¯s very clear to me that I am very far from home. I also have no idea how I got here, and I¡¯m honestly not even sure just how I might go about getting home.¡°

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how you got here?¡± Sun Xia asked a small look of amusement on her face. Then, for a moment, it looked like she thought of something. It made me a bit nervous. Had she figured it out? And if so, was that a good or bad thing? On one hand, it might mean that someone in this world might be able to take me home. On the other, it could mean that a taboo against such things might actually exist.

    ¡°No,¡± I said, trying to be as honest as I could. And also trying not to think about my time in that place that wasn¡¯t a place. ¡°One moment I was on the way home. The next¡­ something happened. Then I found myself in the Amberwood.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sun Xia said, nodding as she stared at me for a long moment. It made me nervous, but I kept quiet. Eventually, she spoke again. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t pry any further. However, the reason I asked this was because I wanted to know just how long you intended to stay here in the city. And if you planned to leave for your home any time soon.¡±

    I frowned at that. If I thought it was a likely option, I would definitely be trying to head home. But from everything that I knew, I doubted I would be able to make much progress towards that any time soon. Not before I got a whole lot stronger, I suspected. Something that both horrified me and excited me.

    Because as terrible as this place can be at times, I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t like the idea of cultivating and getting stronger. Or even the chance to reach immortality and live forever. I just wished I could at least tell my family and friends I was okay.

    I grimaced at that last thought, doing my best to not think about just what they must have thought happened to me. Was it better if they thought I ran away or that I disappeared? Both sounded horrible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to go home any time soon,¡± I said slowly, trying to push away those depressing thoughts. ¡°Though I don¡¯t have to stay here the whole time I¡¯m in the city if it¡¯s too much of an imposition.¡±

    I added that last part quickly as I realized why she might be asking me this.

    Sun Xia shook her head at that. ¡°Do not misunderstand. I only ask because I want to know if you will be staying around long enough for me to want to invest in.¡±

    ¡°Invest?¡± I asked, taken aback. That wasn¡¯t where I thought this conversation was going at all.

    ¡°Yes, like I¡¯ve done for Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡±Someone in my position is always on the lookout for those with potential that we might bring into our spheres of influence. And I believe you might be such a person.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± I asked. Had I really demonstrated anything worth noticing already? It wasn¡¯t like she knew about the System or anything.

    ¡°Yes. At your age and level of cultivation, there is already potential. But your willingness to help during an incredibly dangerous situation also does you credit.¡±

    ¡°Uh, well¡ª¡± I started to say, not sure what I wanted. But she cut me off by raising a hand.

    ¡°You do not have to decide now,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°Since you are from so far away, I doubt you know much about this land. Let alone the politics and problems of the city. Being a retainer of mine is both beneficial but also dangerous. I have enemies, and should you join me, they would be your enemies as well. This is not a decision to be made lightly.¡±

    I nodded at that, feeling relieved. I wasn¡¯t quite sure what I wanted to do with myself just yet, but also I hadn¡¯t wanted to offend her by rejecting her offer.

    ¡°Just keep this offer in mind over the coming weeks,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°Get yourself settled in. Learn about the city and where you are. The people here. The factions. The politics. And most importantly, think about what goals you might have for the future. Only then can you make an informed decision.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, nodding at her words. Goals for the future, huh? ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to do that. And thank you for the offer. It¡¯s very generous.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome,¡± Sun Xia said before she stood from her seat. ¡°Now, unfortunately, I have other duties that require my attention, so I must be off. We will speak again later after I¡¯ve looked into something to help with your core problem. Until then, you should stay within the compound. While it is unlikely someone will so rudely inspect you with their spirit sense and notice it, it¡¯s better to avoid the possibility altogether.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait then,¡± I said, watching Sun Xia move to the door. ¡°See you later.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye for now,¡± Sun Xia said, smiling and nodding at me before she opened the door. She walked out, and Zhao Wei quickly fell into step behind her, the two of them disappearing down the hall soon after.

    I watched this all absentmindedly as I considered Sun Xia¡¯s offer. I thought on her words about making an informed choice. And about what kind of future goals I might have.

    I¡¯d already ruled out finding a way home until far into the future. And while getting stronger was an obvious goal, it was also a bit vague. Did I have any other more definite and immediate goals I wanted to reach?

    Maybe. Something did come to mind: Finishing off the remnants of the Marauders so they couldn¡¯t hurt any more people. That could be a worthy goal. I wasn¡¯t strong enough for that yet, but given the System, it didn¡¯t feel like an impossibility.

    Joining Sun Xia would probably help towards that goal as well. Resources to help me get stronger. Allies that would be eager for a chance of revenge as well. But, was that enough of a reason to join Sun Xia fully, and have to face off against whatever other enemies she might have?

    As much as I hated the Black Wind Marauders that got away, I couldn¡¯t let the idea of revenge against them take over my life. Especially not when it was possible they might end up meeting their end before I was even ready to do anything.

    Master Fang Hong said that the Alchemy Association would retaliate for the attack made against them. And while they probably didn¡¯t care as much about the other crimes committed by the Marauders, I would be happy as long as the bandits could no longer hurt anyone else.

    Even if part of me really wanted to do it myself. To make the scum pay with my own hands¡­

    I frowned and took a deep breath to push away the unproductive thoughts. Instead, I tried to think about what other goals I might focus on if the Marauders got taken care of by someone else. What else did I want to do in this world beside getting stronger?

    I couldn¡¯t think of much off the top of my head. There were just too many unknowns. And despite my efforts, I couldn¡¯t help but dwell on the Marauders and what they¡¯d done. Even if they were taken care of before I was strong enough, it wasn¡¯t like they were the only horrible people in this world. This world was likely filled with dangers and troubles, bandits and worse doing the same kind of terrible things I¡¯d seen.

    Perhaps working to fix that might be an option for me. It would really depend on just how powerful the System could make me. If I wasn¡¯t strong enough, then the idea of trying to make any amount of impact would be laughable. It¡¯s why I would have never considered the same thing back on Earth. But here¡­ It just might be possible.

    There were other advantages to this path too. Of working towards being some kind of vigilante. Or Hero? Perhaps bounty hunting merc?

    The System could give me a lot from spirit beasts, but I couldn¡¯t help but think that it would be even better against people. And if I chose to take on more bandits and scum like that in the future, then I¡¯d at least not have to worry about finding acceptable human targets.

    I nodded as I considered that and moved to stand and leave. That was certainly an idea I should think about. Something I could see myself doing, even if it was so different from what I¡¯d thought I¡¯d be doing when I was still on Earth. Whether or not this goal meant I should join Sun Xia, however, I still wasn¡¯t sure about. I didn¡¯t know enough about her yet or about her enemies. Nor did I know much about the city and the world beyond.

    But it wasn¡¯t like I had to make the decision now. Sun Xia was kind enough to give me plenty of time to think about it. So I should take advantage of that and think things through fully.

    For now, I would probably go rest and relax. Get settled in and explore the System and all my Skills as much as I could while living here. Probably ask Jianfeng and Lin a boatload of questions about this world and where we are.

    Once I could leave and visit the city, verify everything for myself, and just learn more things firsthand, that¡¯s when I would make my decision.

 Chapter 25: Sparring and the City

    Chapter 25:

    I brought up my sword quickly, parrying a blow aimed at my head. A small opening appeared in my opponent''s guard. I struck for it, aiming for a stab with the full intent to pierce through their head.

    His sword came back up and diverted my stab. Then he flicked his sword and nearly cut my hand. I managed to pull back just in time to avoid that. But it left me a bit off balance and allowed my opponent to continue his attack.

    I fell back on the defensive as a flurry of blows was launched against me. Doing my best, I tried to parry and block it all, not able to even try for a counterattack. Each blow was fast and precise, almost too fast for me.

    Rips started appearing on my training robes for the many blows I couldn¡¯t fully defend against. Below them, shallow wounds were cut into my skin. But they were of little concern to me. I was more used to the pain now, and with my Vitality, they didn¡¯t really affect my fighting.

    Some of our audience cheered while others jeered as I was pushed back. I ignored it as best as I could, trying to keep my focus on the spar.

    Still, I couldn¡¯t help but feel just a bit annoyed. Not at our audience, but at my inability to keep up with the relentless assault against me. If I was fully boosted to 3x like Qi Devourer was able to do at max, then this wouldn¡¯t be such a difficult fight. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t being bolstered anywhere near that much despite using the boost.

    That was something I figured out over the last week of training and sparring in the Sun Compound. My stats were now too high¡ªhave been since I reached Rank 1, likely¡ªand the 250 Qi stored in Qi Devourer¡¯s reserved pool wasn¡¯t enough to get me to 3x anymore. It could only reach around a 1.5x boost.

    Still impressive, but not nearly enough for me to really have a chance when sparring with Jianfeng. With my spirit beast cultivation, I was stronger than him in pure strength when boosted, but he had me beat in speed using a wind movement technique. Not so much to be overwhelming, but when combined with his greater experience and skill, the only reason the spar was still going was he was holding back.

    Over the last week, the only time I¡¯d managed to barely win a spar against him was when I surprised him with my crude workaround to getting enough Qi for a 3x boost.

    Something I couldn¡¯t do now. Both because I wasn¡¯t supposed to be relying on that expensive technique, as well as the fact that it was easily worked around by anyone who knew what I was doing. Thankfully, I still had other options available to me. I hadn¡¯t just been spending the last week practicing my swordsmanship, after all.

    I parried several more slashes, accepting more painful but superficial cuts on my arms as I stood my ground. Then I activated my newest Skill, one that I¡¯d been working hard to adapt to.

    Earth Constructs(Active) (Rank D): Create constructs out of earth within range shaped by your will and imagination. Additional Qi can be expended to increase the size or strength of constructs.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per 5 Minutes</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 5 Yard Radius</li>

    </ul>

    Spears of hardened rock shot out of the ground from both sides of me. It still wasn¡¯t quite as fast as the Skill Rock Spears¡ªEarth Construct requiring much more focus and willpower to achieve the same results in exchange for its greater versatility¡ªbut it was enough. My training with the Skill was paying off, though not so much that I was going to risk consolidating further to Earth Manipulation.

    Not yet.

    Jianfeng¡¯s eyes widened at my move, and he lurched back while slicing apart the spears aimed at him. That gave me enough time and space to funnel even more Qi into Earth Constructs for the next part of my plan.

    My Qi rushed into the earth and this time a dome of solid rock started to form around me. One large enough for me to maneuver in. Jianfeng rushed to try and disrupt me before I finished it. But I held him back by making more spears of rock grow out of the forming dome. Just long enough for my construct to finish forming, leaving me safe for the moment. I¡¯d channeled a lot of Qi into the dome to make it tough enough to be quite hard to break.

    Grinning at my plan working, I held my sword up at the ready and moved away from the center of my shelter. I kept track of Jianfeng¡¯s attempt to break through my defense with Earth Sense, attacking him with spears of rock to slow him down. At the same time, I activated Metallic Razor Slash as I prepped my attempt at winning this match.

    I didn¡¯t have too much time to prepare this, as the dome took a lot of Qi to make and so did my rock spear attacks. Despite having a lot more Qi than most people at my level, I didn¡¯t have enough that I could keep this up much longer without draining myself dry.

    So once my Skill was prepped, I lined myself up with where Jianfeng was still trying to slash through my deteriorating spiky dome. Then I used Earth Construct once more and opened up that part of the dome by shaping the rock there inward.

    The moment the path was cleared, I activated Burst Step and lunged forward with a metal Qi-enhanced stab. I aimed right for Jianfeng''s throat. A week of an old man berating me for not being vicious enough in the spars¡ªdespite having a late-stage Qi-Gatherer as a referee¡ªkept me from aiming anywhere else.

    For a moment, I thought I was actually going to get my second win against Jianfeng. But despite my surprise, and despite all my speed, he still somehow managed to parry the blow.

    He met my glowing silver blade with his own glowing a duller light. And even though I couldn¡¯t really see it, I knew the wind was guiding and aiding him in his movements. Shifting the line of my attack ever so slightly, he forced me to miss his throat, and then he slashed down with his sword.

    I froze when his sword was just above my head, close enough to tickle a couple of strands of my hair.

    My breathing was heavy from the brief period of extreme speed and adrenaline. Yet Qi still surged through my body because of the boost from Qi Devouring, leaving me feeling oddly energized and wanting to continue our spar.

    But I lost fair and square, so I held back on that urge.

    Instead, I sighed and pulled my sword back as we both straightened from where we¡¯d stopped. I also tried not to feel frustrated at the loss. I¡¯d only been training for a week, after all. I should be proud of how far I¡¯d already come. And it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t have my own advantages. Advantages that I make use of very soon, hopefully.

    ¡°My win again,¡± Jianfeng said, smiling as he sheathed his sword. I moved to do the same.

    Off to the side, sitting on stone benches, our audience cheered. The loudest were the two¡ªnon-disguised¡ªgirls there, Feifei and Sun Yun. They tended to cheer for Jianfeng. Partially because he was the better fighter. However, I suspected it also had something to do with the crush both girls seemed to have on the man.

    ¡°Yeah, kick his butt!¡±

    ¡°That was wonderful, Jianfeng!¡±

    I didn¡¯t take it too personally though, as it wasn¡¯t like there wasn¡¯t anyone cheering for me. Lin did so¡­ Well sometimes. Half-heartedly. But at least Big Chui did so with more vigor. He was another one of Lin and Jianfeng¡¯s friends who were taken in by Sun Xia. Around the same age as the rest of us, but almost a whole head taller and really broad. Hence the nickname. A very nice guy as well, happy to cheer for the underdog in the fight.

    ¡°Good effort.¡±

    ¡°That was a great attack!¡±

    And, of course, then there was Little Tao and Sun Yan.

    Little Tao was much younger than everyone else in the training yard, maybe ten at most. He¡¯d also been with Jianfeng and Lin when they were still on the streets before meeting Sun Xia. And, as expected of his age, he just liked to watch the fighting and cheered everybody loudly as he hopped up and down.

    ¡°Yay! That was so amazing!¡±

    Sun Yan was near the complete opposite. He was the fraternal twin of Sun Yun but seemed to have some health issues. It left him a bit on the thin side, as well as a bit quiet. Still, he clapped politely from the sidelines.

    Of course, not everyone was so positive about all this. One person watched all this with his arms crossed and an unimpressed frown on his face. This was Gou Shi, the trainer hired by Sun Xia to help teach all her retainers. He was a late-stage Qi-Gatherer and a retired Alchemist Guard.

    He was also, as far as I could tell, never happy.

    ¡°Terrible, just terrible,¡± the older man said, shaking his head as he walked over. He turned a very stern glare at me, making my spine stiffen. ¡°You¡¯re doing better at using your techniques while fighting. But only because you were completely inept before. You still need to weave your techniques into your swordsmanship. Don¡¯t just swap between the two!¡±

    ¡°And even if you¡¯ve got a lot of Qi for your cultivation,¡± the old man continued, ¡°that doesn¡¯t mean you should be spending it so freely in a fight! That dome was impressive for your cultivation and gave you space, but it was also incredibly wasteful! Against more than one opponent, even if you manage to defeat an enemy with your move, you would end up draining yourself dry. And don¡¯t you dare think you can just recover with spirit stones! Even if you can do it faster than most, you hardly have the resources to be so wasteful.¡±

    The old man shook his head in disgust and glared at me.

    I winced and rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. He wasn¡¯t wrong about anything he said, and I was still working on following his advice. I also couldn¡¯t blame him for the attitude either. Not after I realized why he was so against the way I used spirit stones before.

    My time in a spirit stone mine had left me with an incorrect idea of their actual value and rarity.

    A single spirit stone could feed a normal family of four for half a year. It could be used to buy several monster cores¡ªdepending on the type¡ªand was a very important cultivation resource. Especially if you didn¡¯t have access to a Qi-rich environment. So my style of just scarfing them down really was absurdly wasteful.

    It was like I was eating tens of thousands of dollars each time I ate a full stone. If I¡¯d seen someone doing that back on Earth, I¡¯d be rather disgusted as well. Which was why I was trying to break that habit by not relying on them so much.

    I¡¯d even managed to figure out how to fill up my Qi Devourer reserve manually with my own Qi instead of using stones. It took some trial and error, but it was something I was very motivated to do once I understood the value of a spirit stone.

    ¡°And you,¡± Gou Shi said, turning his glare onto Jianfeng instead. ¡°What have I told you about the Stormchaser Steps? You should be living and breathing the second form. Not just¡­¡±

    I relaxed as Gou Shi¡¯s ire was turned toward Jianfeng instead. While I appreciated the advice, that didn¡¯t mean I liked having the man¡¯s attention any longer than necessary. He could be quite intense after all.

    As Gou Shi went over everything he felt that Jianfeng did wrong, I took the free moment to clean up the training yard a bit. I used Earth Constructs to deconstruct the dome and filled back in the ground as best as I could. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    I also did the same with all the chopped-up spears of earth. It wasn¡¯t quite perfect, as I didn¡¯t have a good way to completely fuse the stone without making the ground harder to deal with for the servants who would be cleaning up after us. But it was better than just leaving everything to the groundskeepers.

    I could have probably done more with Earth Manipulation if I consolidated my Skills further, combining Earth Constructs with Reinforce Burrow Creation. But I was holding off on that for now. I was still getting used to Earth Constructs. My hope was that getting better at this Skill would make the transition to Earth Manipulation easier. Allow me to keep doing what I could now, instead of having to relearn it all from scratch.

    I wasn¡¯t quite sure if that would work, but if I didn¡¯t test these things then I¡¯d never know. Also, I wasn¡¯t willing to give up Discreet Earth Wader for Earth Manipulation either by combining it with Reinforce Burrow Creation. Recreating that Skill with Earth Manipulation seemed like it would be incredibly hard, and it was just too useful of a Skill to lose for however long it took me to relearn it.

    I couldn''t use it too easily in a direct fight as I was still working on how quickly I could drop into the ground. And someone who knew I could do that would be able to take advantage before I was fully submerged. But despite all that, it was still an incredibly powerful tool for ambushes, scouting, and escaping.

    If I was planning on staying away from fighting for a long period of time, I might not have been so cautious about this. I would have just taken the short-term loss for potentially long-term gain. However, the more I learned about this world, the less willing I was to take the slow and steady approach when it came to getting stronger.

    This world was simply way too dangerous for my liking. And it would continue to be that way for me until I had the strength to truly protect myself. The fastest way I could reach that point would be, ironically, to take on more dangers. To hunt spirit beasts for even more Skills as well as cores.

    And a Skill like Discreet Earth Wader would be far too useful for that to give up on now.

    Of course, I doubted I would actually reach the level of strength needed to be truly safe any time soon. But, it would at least make me feel better if I got all the low-hanging fruit first before I focused on more long-term gains.

    Gou Shi was still not done by the time I cleaned up as best as I could. But, two familiar figures walking into the yard interrupted him, much to Jianfeng''s visible relief and my surprise and excitement.

    Was today the day?

    ¡°And another thi¡ª¡± Gou Shi started to say before he noticed what I had. He straightened up at the sight of Sun Xia and Zhao Wei before turning to face them and bowing. ¡°Young Miss. What can I do for you today?¡±

    ¡°I just need to speak with Li Lan for a moment,¡± Sun Xia said, gesturing toward me with a smile. Having gotten a bit more used to seeing her around the Sun Compound, that didn¡¯t make me feel as nervous as it used to.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gou Shi said respectfully. Then he turned to glare at me. ¡°You heard her, boy. Don¡¯t keep the Young Miss waiting.¡±

    I did my best not to roll my eyes at that. Mainly because the man could likely snap me in half with barely any effort, and I did appreciate his training even though he technically didn¡¯t need to bother with helping me. I wasn¡¯t one of Sun Xia¡¯s retainers after all.

    Instead, I walked over to Sun Xia, a feeling of anticipation in my chest. We¡¯d met and spoken a few times when we ran into each other over the last week. But she hadn¡¯t sought me out like this before. So I could only assume it meant that she was ready to help me with one of the three rewards I¡¯d ask for.

    ¡°Walk with me,¡± Sun Xia said as I neared before she turned to leave the courtyard. Zhao Wei nodded at me before following her mistress.

    I rushed to follow suit.

    ¡°I¡¯ve managed to procure something for your privacy issue,¡± Sun Xia said, stopping in a small empty courtyard away from the training yard. She turned to face me and pulled a wooden box out of her spatial pouch. I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight of the too-big box leaving the little pouch at her hip. It was like a magic trick but better. ¡°So it seems your time locked up in the compound is at an end.¡±

    I grinned at the news and eagerly took the box when she handed it to me. Opening it up, I saw what appeared to be a simple silver necklace with a jade charm. I had something similar when I was a little kid.

    ¡°As long as you have that on,¡± Sun Xia said, gesturing to the box. ¡°You will not have to worry about even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator finding out your secret. Not unless they know exactly what they are looking for and force the issue. But if that ever happens, you will already be in a very dangerous position.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, grinning with anticipation. ¡°I really appreciate this. It¡¯s good to finally not have to worry about that and get a chance to see the city.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome,¡± Sun Xia said, nodding. ¡°Have you thought of where you would like to go first with your newfound freedom?¡±

    I nodded at that as I took the necklace out of the box. Zhao Wei offered to take the box to free up my hands, which I accepted gratefully. Then I finally put on the necklace. A strange feeling seemed to wash over me for a moment before it disappeared.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, just a little distracted as I tried to get a feel for what the necklace was doing. But it was too elusive for me to really feel anything from it anymore. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it a lot with the others. Lin and Jianfeng offered to show me around the city in general, but the one place I know we will go to is the Starguard Hall.¡±

    Sun Xia nodded at that. ¡°Prudent. I was going to suggest the same if you hadn¡¯t brought it up. Even should you choose to become my retainer, they would still be a very valuable source of information and techniques. They might even have something that could help you with your unique cultivation.¡°

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, grinning. The moment I learned about the Starguard Hall, I knew I would be joining it. Very little strings attached, access to a lot of resources, all to do what I was already planning on doing to cultivate and harvest Skills. Not that I would mention that last part to Sun Xia. ¡°That¡¯s the main reason I want to join. But the money I can get wouldn¡¯t hurt either.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I suppose that would be another benefit,¡± Sun Xia said, smiling. ¡±Now, this is one part of my repayment to you done. As for your two other requests, I should have time in five days to oversee your cultivation experiment, but the spirit beast hunting will need to wait until next week. I hope you do not mind.¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± I said, shaking my head. I wasn¡¯t in a rush or anything, and I knew Sun Xia was still quite busy from what I¡¯ve heard. ¡°This necklace is already amazing. I can wait for the other things.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Sun Xia said. ¡°Then I won¡¯t keep you any longer. Enjoy your newfound freedom.¡±

    I grinned at her and nodded. ¡°I will.¡± Then I rushed off to let the others know.

    ¡ªline break¡ª

    Jianfeng, Lin¡ªstill using her male disguise¡ªand I left the Sun Compound at around noon. Though not before saying goodbye and hearing quite a bit of grumbling from the rest of my new friends. Mainly it was Sun Yun who was still not allowed to leave the compound because of her reckless attempt to save Jianfeng and Lin. But there was some grumbling from the rest too. Feifei had duties at the compound she had to attend to. Big Chui had yet to reach Early Qi-Gathering and couldn¡¯t skip his daily cultivation. And Little Tao had daily lessons he wasn¡¯t allowed to skip either.

    So it was just the three of us who left the compound and headed out into the city.

    For the two of them, I imagined it was a rather mundane thing. For me though, it was very much exciting. Not only because it would be my first time leaving the compound after being stuck there for a week. But also because it would be my first time in what was essentially an alien city.

    Sure, it wasn¡¯t completely alien to me. There were a lot of things that seemed familiar, even if I¡¯d only ever seen them in fiction and historical recreations. But even then, those things hardly matched one-to-one with this world and city. And pictures and videos were very much different than seeing things in real life.

    We started off in some kind of rich residential area where more compounds like the Sun Compound resided. It was mainly composed of wide streets bordered by a bunch of walls for the various neighboring residences. There was still greenery mixed into this however, beautifully worked to look natural and perfectly maintained. Not a stray blade of grass or weed in sight. Also not many other people around.

    As we continued moving south, however, the compounds got smaller and smaller until they were replaced by single homes. We saw more people walking around as well, most wearing cultivator robes in a variety of colors. Then after that, we finally reached what Lin told me was known as the Cultivator District.

    The streets widened up even further here, and soon I found it hard not to gawk at everything like a tourist.

    The buildings here were much more eye-catching and vibrant than what I¡¯d seen so far, except for maybe a few of the larger buildings in the Sun Compound. Even then, most of those hadn¡¯t seemed like they were designed to draw attention like the ones I was seeing.

    All the colors here popped more from the painted wood and tiles of the buildings; mainly an assortment of reds, blues, and greens. There were intricate-looking murals on many of the walls depicting landscapes, spirit beasts, and what might have been battles. Alongside those were carvings and decorative flourishes on the rest of the buildings, as well as intricate¡ªalmost life-like¡ªstatues at the entrances of the shops.

    Even the various shop signs looked beautiful. The characters¡ªwhich I could read thanks to subtitles from the System¡ªall looked to be made out of gold, silver, or jade. Jewels or intricately carved wood frame them, along with icons that fit the theme of the various shops.

    Everything was just so different from the utilitarian architecture of modern cities I was used to that I couldn¡¯t help but want to look at every little detail. And that wasn¡¯t taking into account the various things being sold, along with the most stunning thing of all.

    As if all the beautiful¡ªif normal¡ªart wasn¡¯t enough, many of the stores and restaurants had more fantastical decorations. One had a simple cloud of mist that glinted against the noon sun, highlighting a shop called the Heavenly Lotus Blossom. It was dense enough, and the light reflective enough, that I knew it couldn¡¯t be normal.

    Another shop called the Raging Flame Forge¡ªwhich was much further into the district and well away from the Residential District¡ªhad a burning red anvil made out of fire right over their sign.

    And another shop called the Heavenly Water Pavilion had several water fountains in front of the shop. All the water was incredibly pristine and clean looking, but what really caught my eye was the streams of water twisting in the air in impossible patterns, along with bubbles of water that just floated through the air around the building''s sign. Apparently, that was a really well-known and expensive restaurant owned by members of the Shen Clan¡ªthe greatest clan in the city.

    ¡°Is the whole city like this?¡± I asked in awe as my attention was drawn away from the fancy restaurant by a man descending from the sky. The sight in the light of day still took me aback despite having seen Master Fang Hong and the Black Wind. How common were cultivators that could do this, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    Lin scoffed and shook her head. ¡°Not even close. The streets are only so clean in the richer parts of the city. And all those wasteful spirit array decorations you¡¯ll only see in the Cultivator District. The rest of the city is hardly so bright and clean as this place. Don¡¯t let all the pretty sights fool you.¡±

    Jianfeng sighed at his friend but didn¡¯t correct her. Instead, he said, ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong about that. Most places in the city are hardly as nice. And as beautiful as this place seems, you should be careful. Even in the nicest parts of the city, you can run into danger if you get on the wrong side of some people. Especially if you are alone and don¡¯t have the protection of anyone more powerful.

    I sobered a bit at that. Right, this was still a cultivator world. I could run into some arrogant young master and end up with an ever-escalating feud if I wasn¡¯t careful. Thankfully, I wasn¡¯t a confrontational kind of guy, so that shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I said with a sigh. ¡°You couldn¡¯t let me enjoy the moment for a while?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Jianfeng said sheepishly. ¡°Not the most fun topic, but it had to be said.¡±

    ¡°Better no fun than dead,¡± Lin said with a deadpan. Though perhaps she was a bit apologetic as she followed that up by saying, ¡°But at least for today, you don¡¯t have to worry too much about that stuff. Just stay close, and we¡¯ll keep you safe while you gawk.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile a bit at that. ¡°Well, alright then. Thank you.¡±

    We headed west through the district where the governor''s palace loomed overhead on a hill. I continued to look at the various displays outside of shops and what I could make out of the merchandise being sold. There seemed to be a shop for everything, from clothes to weapons, to armor, to foods, to what might have been alchemical ingredients, to other things that I wasn¡¯t really sure about.

    Then, finally, we reached our destination. The Starguard Hall. It was ten stories tall, each level above smaller than the one below, creating a sort of pyramid shape. Each roof of the layers curved up at the ends elegantly. Five stars¡ªseemingly made out of golden light¡ªhovered over the double-wide doors that led into the building. Patterns of the same light, along with silver and bronze lights, decorated the red and white exterior.

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin at the sight. Its appearance was impressive, but I was much more excited about what lay within.

    Over the last week, I learned a lot about this world from talking with Lin, Jianfeng, and my other new friends. And I quickly realized my thoughts on becoming some kind of bandit-hunting merc were very much possible. Both because there were, unfortunately, a lot of acceptable targets in this world, as well as because of the Starguard Hall¡¯s existence.

    They were pretty much the ideal organization to help support me, able to provide all sorts of resources in exchange for doing what I already wanted to do¡ªhunting bandits and other outlaws, as well as hunting spirit beasts.

    Said resources were everything from money, to information about all known spirit beasts, to cultivation techniques that would hopefully make better use of my Cultivation Skill. All of it would be available to earn once I joined, with a lot fewer strings attached than any other organization.

    Of course, joining the Starguards wasn¡¯t as simple as just walking in and asking to become a member. There was a test that needed to be taken. A trial involving all the people that wanted to join in a period of time.

    Today, I would just be signing up for this trial. Not a big deal, but it was a good first step toward truly settling down in this world. Even should I end up not becoming Sun Xia¡¯s retainer, the Starguard would let me support myself if the need arose.

    My grin grew at the thought, and I gave the impressive building one more long look. Then, the three of us made our way inside.

 Chapter 26: Starguard and Icy Fairies

    Chapter 26:

    The main lobby of the Starguard Hall was big. Two stories tall at least and wide enough to house hundreds of people. There were four big pillars equally spaced throughout the room. They were red, decorated with more murals, and covered in gold at the top and bottom. The walls were less decorated, mainly with geometric lines of gold that, on closer inspection, were also carved with art.

    To the right and left were several different reception areas with many booths and attendants. Lines of people waited their turn to be seen, and for some reason, the area to the right seemed to have a lot of people waiting. Many of them wore different kinds of cultivator robes, while others dressed in just rough-looking tunics and trousers. Several also had leather or metal armor, but all of them were armed in some way.

    Directly opposite the entrance was an archway that led further into the back of the building. Guards stood watch there, and everyone who went to pass them had to show them some kind of token. I assumed that area was for actual members of the Starguard and the front was for everyone else. Either people who wanted to test to join or people here to set up jobs and requests.

    What really drew my attention, however, and put a smile on my lips, was the various boards I could make out in the room beyond. There were jade tablets hung on the hooks of the board, and I had a strong idea about just what was stored on those. Requests for the Starguard. Or, as I liked to think of them, Quests.

    Because this place was essentially an Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The perfect kind of place for someone who got stronger from killing things. I would need to hunt a lot of spirit beasts for cores and Skills. So I might as well get paid at the same time by hunting beasts that people want to be rid of. And, in the future, I could also get paid to go after the remnants of the Black Wind Marauders or just other bandits in general.

    ¡°What are you smiling at,¡± Lin asked as we stepped to the side of the entrance to avoid blocking the people coming and going. ¡°You had the same smile when I explained what the Starguards were.¡±

    ¡°Nothing, really,¡± I said, still smiling. ¡°It''s just¡­ A place like this didn¡¯t really exist back home. But the idea of it did. In stories. Usually, they were called adventurer guilds and stuff. I just find the idea of me getting to join something like this kinda funny. Like a dream I had as a kid coming true.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to pass the trial first before you can join,¡± Lin said, shaking her head. ¡°So try not to get too excited before then.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said, giving one last look at the archway leading deeper into the building. Then I turned to the big line of armed people. ¡°Is that where I sign up for the trial? Seems like a lot of people.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Lin said, looking at the long line with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange that there are so many people signing up right now. There usually isn¡¯t this many. It wasn¡¯t like this when Jianfeng and I took the test.¡±

    ¡°They probably want to see the Ice Fairy,¡± Jianfeng said as he rubbed his chin. ¡°That¡¯s the only thing I can think of that would cause this.¡±

    ¡°Ice Fairy?¡± Lin asked, turning to Jianfeng.

    I did the same, wondering just who that could refer to. Usually, in Xianxia stories, women called fairies were super beautiful. Which was really saying something, as for some reason, cultivation usually enhanced people''s looks. Women more than men, usually, though I wasn¡¯t sure if that was the case here as well.

    ¡°Yes, Sun Yun mentioned hearing about it from Qian Chi,¡± Jianfeng said. Then he turned a slight frown towards Lin. ¡°I¡¯m quite certain you were there when she brought it up. It was before our little misadventure.¡±

    ¡°That was more than a week ago,¡± Lin said, deadpan. ¡°Also, you know Sun Yun likes to gossip a lot. Sometimes it¡¯s easier to¡­ just let her go on without really paying attention.¡±

    Jiafeng rolled his eyes at that. ¡°Of course¡­ Well, regardless, the Ice Fairy is supposed to be an incredible beauty visiting from the Soaring Cloud Sect. Not the branch we have in the city, but the main Soaring Cloud Sect. It¡¯s rumored that she will be taking the trial to join the Starguard here.¡±

    Lin just scoffed at that. ¡°Then I¡¯m not sure what all the excitement is about. Sure, being a part of the main Soaring Cloud Sect is impressive. But if she¡¯s coming all the way out here to join the Starguard, then she can¡¯t be all that note-worthy herself. I doubt the competition out here is anywhere near as great as Soaring Cloud City.¡±

    Jianfeng sighed. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll ignore the great beauty part.¡± He shook his head and then turned to me. ¡°But you get it, don¡¯t you, Lan? Why everyone is so excited?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡± I said, feeling a bit nervous when Lin turned to look at me with a raised eyebrow. It felt a bit judging. ¡°Well, kinda. I mean, I''d probably want to see her just to see what all the fuss is about.¡±

    Jianfeng nodded as if I said something profound.

    Lin just rolled her eyes and scoffed. Then she elbowed Jianfeng who was still nodding. ¡°Well, come on, we¡¯re wasting time. Lan and I will go get in line. You go check the Repository for any bestiary we can afford.¡±

    I perked up a bit at the mention of the Repository. The Skyguard Hall wasn¡¯t just a place for its members to find jobs. It also had a library filled with information. There was everything from cultivation techniques¡ªsomething I would definitely be looking into once I was a member¡ªto guides to the local area. To get access, you¡¯d have to spend contribution points, which were a non-transferable currency rewarded only by the Starguard Hall for missions. Each book or scroll you bought or rented also costs points.

    It was the main reason I wanted to join the Starguard, aside from getting paid to hunt monsters or even bandits in the future. Even in a frontier city like Everlake, the Starguard Hall should have things in their repository that would cost a lot more to find anywhere else. The only other way to get access to resources like that would be to join a sect or major clan or the imperial army.  And since unlike those other groups, there were a lot fewer strings attached to joining the Starguard, I of course chose to join them.

    But that was for the future. For now, we just needed more information about local spirit beasts so I could better plan just what kind of Skills I could be aiming for in the future. Jianfeng and Lin would spot me the points for now, though it shouldn¡¯t be too much for such simple information. Still, I would pay them back later, even if they felt like they still owed me for the mine.

    ¡°Ah, so violent,¡± Jianfeng said jokingly while rubbing his stomach. Then he stepped away to dodge another elbow. ¡°But fine. I¡¯ll go see what they have here. You two get to wait in line. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll run into the Ice Fairy and get to see her first. I doubt they¡¯ll keep her out just because she hasn¡¯t gotten her token yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, try not to give her a reason to gut you if you do,¡± Lin said, shaking her head. Then we made our way over to the back of the line while Jianfeng headed for the guarded archway.

    ¡°I hope this won¡¯t take too long,¡± I said, eyeing the very long line in front of us.

    ¡°I¡¯d be more worried about what this means for the trial,¡± Lin said, eyeing the people in front of us thoughtfully. ¡°The larger number of trial takers could make it a lot harder on you.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said before grimacing. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that¡­ Ugh¡­ Out of curiosity, how often do they hold these trials anyway?¡±

    ¡°Once a month,¡± Lin said, giving me a knowing look. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t run away just because it might be a bit challenging. You¡¯ll never be truly strong if you run from every challenge. Especially one without the risk of death. Also, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to get a look at the Ice Fairy? You¡¯ll hardly be able to do that if you run away.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the trial would be hunting spirit beasts,¡± I said warily, ignoring the jab about the Ice Fairy. She¡¯d understand if she was actually a guy. Instead, I eyed all the people in line warily. The floor was wood, so I couldn¡¯t use my Earth Sense, but I doubted the people here were all that weak. ¡°And that fighting between trial takers was allowed?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin said, smirking. ¡°But, killing and maiming are disallowed. Foundation Establishment Starguards will ensure that. So it will probably be one of the safest ways for you to compete with others at our level.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­¡± I said, still feeling a bit unsure. I hadn¡¯t been much of a fighter before coming to this world, so unless I had to, I still found myself shying away from conflict. I¡¯d gotten better in our spars, but something like this would be a lot different even if no one would die. Yet, she wasn¡¯t wrong either. ¡°Might as well give it a shot.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Lin said, patting me on the shoulder firmly. ¡°It would have been a bit disappointing if you chickened out so easily.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at that, but before I could actually respond, a hush washed over the busy hall. Before, there were dozens of conversations echoing around. Now, people were going quiet, with only soft whispers breaking the silence.

    All the whispers said variants of the same thing. ¡°The Ice Fairy.¡±

    It made it so that a pair of footsteps seemed to echo in the large hall. I turned towards the direction of the noise to see two people.

    One was a tall older man with salt and pepper hair. His hair was tied up in a tight topknot, and he had a very pointy-looking goatee. He looked distinguished and wore robes that reminded me of two of the Azure Tigers I¡¯d seen before. Light blue with cloud accents. Unlike those robes, however, the clouds on these robes looked almost lifelike. The blue was also much closer to the blue of a bright summer sky, deeper and more vibrant.

    The person beside him wore similar robes, but hers had gold mixed in with the white of the clouds. She was shorter than the older man, probably only reaching up to my eyeline. Her hair was a shockingly snow-white color and was done in elaborate tied-up braids held in place by ice-like ornaments. The rumored Ice Fairy.

    I¡¯d been curious as to why she was called that, and just how beautiful for her to be for people to make such a fuss. Unfortunately, while I now understood the ice part, I didn¡¯t get to see her face. She was wearing a veil. It was a sheer and delicate thing, but seemed to make it impossible to make out her actual face. I found myself a bit disappointed at not getting to sate my curiosity.

    The old man beside her eyes scanned the room as the two continued to walk in near silence. It was a bit awkward, and I couldn¡¯t help but start to feel bad for the girl. Did this happen everywhere she went? That would be rather¡ª

    My train of thought was broken as something washed over me. Another spirit sense, but this one seemed to push down like a relentless pressure. It restricted and dominated, feeling so powerful that I was certain there was nothing I could do to fight it. The man had to be at least Foundation Establishment or higher.

    My legs started to tremble from the feeling after only a moment. But then, just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. Yet the message that was being sent was very clear. A message that must have gone to everyone in the room, as it was completely silent now. But the blatant staring stopped, and most people averted their gazes.

    I did the same. But that didn¡¯t last long as people went back to peeking over their shoulders a moment later. I couldn¡¯t help but join when no second wave of pressure came. Just to see what would happen next.

    The pair continued to walk as if nothing changed, and the older man kept sweeping his gaze through the hall casually. Then, to my surprise, he seemed to do a small double-take in our direction. He leaned down to the girl beside him and said something.

    The girl turned to look in our direction next. I held my breath, trying to subtly look around at just who the girl might be looking at. There was no way it was us, right? Probably just someone behind us. As I did, I saw that I wasn¡¯t the only one. Everyone around us was wondering just who had caught the attention of the pair.

    After a quick back and forth, the two started heading in our direction. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit of nervous anticipation at this. They clearly weren¡¯t coming to talk to us¡­ Right?

    I turned to Lin to see if she had any clue what was happening. But she looked just as confused as me. So they were probably going to just walk past us and¡ª

    Or they could just walk right up to us. Shit. And bring the entire room''s attention onto us. Sure, people were more discreet about it after the older man¡¯s warning. But I could still see everyone sneaking peeks.

    ¡°Ming Lin, correct?¡± The older man said as the two stopped in front of us. ¡°You serve Alchemist Sun Xia?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Senior,¡± Lin said, performing a low martial bow with an open palm against her fist. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    Awkwardly, I moved to do the same but didn¡¯t speak up. I wasn¡¯t sure if I should¡¯ve or not, but no one eyed me oddly, so I assumed I was doing fine. I also avoided staring at the Ice Fairy. No need to make this any more uncomfortable, and I really didn¡¯t want to annoy the the older cultivator either. Even if I was still curious whether or not her looks were really that big of a deal.

    ¡°I am Elder Shen Di of the Soaring Cloud Branch Sect,¡± Shen Di said, nodding. Then he gestured to the girl beside him. ¡°And this is my esteemed guest, Young Miss Xing Yaling. She is an inner disciple of the Soaring Could Sect. She wishes to arrange a meeting with Alchemist Sun.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will notify the Young Miss as soon as I can,¡± Lin said, bowing low to Xing Yaling as well. ¡°Where should we go to contact you?¡±

    ¡°There are other things I wish to discuss,¡± Xing Yaling said, her voice soft and light. ¡°Do you have the time to speak in a more private setting?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Lin said, bowing again. Then she glanced towards me and mouthed ¡®sorry.¡¯

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Shen Di said, nodding. ¡°Then come. We can use one of the reserved private rooms in the hall.¡±

    With that said, the older man gestured for Xing Yaling to go first. When the young lady walked off, he moved to follow. Lin, however, took a moment to quickly whisper to me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can,¡± She said in a rush. ¡°Just avoid talking to anyone who looks wealthy or strong. And if you can¡¯t do that then do your best to not offend anyone. If you can¡¯t do that either, then don¡¯t fight no matter what. Fighting is strictly forbidden in the Starguard Hall. If someone tries something, they¡¯ll be punished regardless of their standing.¡±

    After saying all that, she moved to quickly follow behind the two Soaring Cloud Sect Cultivators. I watched them go, a nervous feeling in my stomach at her parting words. Was she just being careful, or was she really expecting something bad to happen by leaving me alone?

    I eyed the people around me warily. Then I noticed something strange. People were glaring. A lot of people. Mainly guys, and I followed their gaze back toward Lin. Just what were they¡­

    Oh¡­ Right. They all think Lin is a guy. This Xing Yaling has a reputation for being an incredible beauty. And now Lin is going to speak with her. The fact that they would be chaperoned by Elder Shen Di probably didn¡¯t matter to everyone. They were still jealous.

    It almost made me laugh since their jealousy was unfounded.

    I¡¯d become a lot closer with Lin in the week that I¡¯d stayed in the Sun Compound. There was a lot of sparring, but also just some hanging out. Enough that I felt comfortable indulging my curiosity about her disguise thing. I still didn¡¯t know the full story, but it wasn¡¯t because she wanted to be a guy or anything. I doubted these guys had anything to be jealous of.

    Then again¡­ I suppose that didn¡¯t mean Lin didn¡¯t have an interest in the fairer sex¡­

    I quickly crushed that thought. Yeah, better not to speculate about something like that. Or do anything to bring attention to myself. I wouldn¡¯t put it past some of these people to redirect their ire towards me for Lin¡¯s ¡®good fortune.¡¯

    Thankfully, that didn''t seem to happen. After Lin and the other two moved past the arch into the restricted section of the hall, things seemed to go back to normal.

    I still had a long wait ahead of me, and Lin¡¯s rushed warnings did make me a bit anxious. But, as long as I kept to myself and was polite if I couldn¡¯t manage that, nothing bad should happen. Lin and Jianfeng would be back soon, I would sign up, and then we could leave. Probably get something to eat while we read through the bestiaries and plan out a hunting trip.

    Everything was going to be fine.

 Chapter 27: Pan Song and a Young Master

    Chapter 27:

    Not long after Lin left with Xing Yaling and Shen Di, I found myself bored very quickly. Unlike back on Earth, I had no phone to take out and kill time. Instead, I was alone in the line with no one to talk to.

    Well, technically that wasn¡¯t true. I could have stricken up a conversation with the guy in front of me. But he wore cultivator robes that I thought might be a bit fancier than normal. There were metallic-looking accents woven through it, and he also had a silvery hairpiece. I wasn¡¯t quite sure if that meant rich and influential, but given Lin¡¯s warning, I decided to err on the side of caution and not bother the guy.

    I wasn¡¯t so extroverted to start conversations with random strangers in line anyway.

    That left me with only one thing to do to kill time. People watching. Though I did it carefully, making sure not to blatantly stare and attract unwanted attention. I still hoped that Lin was being overly cautious about her warning. But, even with what little I knew about this world and its people, I couldn¡¯t help but worry that she wasn¡¯t.

    At first, there really wasn¡¯t much to see. Not really. Sure, it was a bit surreal seeing so many people walking around openly with mostly melee weapons. If it wasn¡¯t for all the robes and the Asian-themed room, the place could have passed for an illustration of a fantasy adventure hall I¡¯d seen once. But that didn¡¯t mean that anyone was doing anything all that interesting. Mostly everyone I watched was just talking to others.

    Eventually, though, I found my eyes drawn to one person in particular.

    The young man stood out in a number of ways. For one, he was quite big. About as tall as Big Chui, so more than a whole head taller than me. He wasn¡¯t as muscular as Big Chui though. Not scrawny either but close.

    His clothes, however, were what set him apart from everyone else the most. Just a plain beige tunic and pants combo. They were clean but frayed in a lot of places and looked a lot lower quality than most other people in the room. Even the rougher-looking people in the room''s clothes seemed more affluent despite some being quite dirty.

    And if all that wasn¡¯t enough to make him stand out, he seemed to be moving between the various groups of people in the room. Something few did, sticking to the groups they were already in. Some of the people he spoke to dismissed him right away and wouldn¡¯t talk to him. Others were interested in what he had to say for a moment. But soon after that, they were dismissive again and sent him away. And some were outright hostile and told him off with raised voices.

    I picked out a few words from those exchanges even through the noise of the hall. ¡®Liar¡¯ and ¡®Fraud¡¯ stood out the most to me.

    Despite all that, however, the young man kept trying. He also didn¡¯t seem to let all the dismissals get to him. He frowned at the hostile people but kept a polite smile on his face for everyone else.

    It made me very curious as to what that was all about. Was he some kind of known conman or something? Or was it just the clothes and him probably being far less well-off than most of the people here?

    Before I could wonder any more about that, the young man seemed to finally run out of groups of people to approach. So instead, he turned and started walking towards the line I was in. Trying to play it cool, and also not attract the attention of the guy¡ªI still didn¡¯t know what was up with him¡ªI did my best to pretend like I was looking at something else. Then before he joined me at the back of the line, I turned back to face the person ahead of me like something caught my attention.

    When he didn¡¯t immediately try and talk to me, I thought I managed to avoid having any awkward conversations. Unfortunately, a moment later I heard him mutter something about, ¡®not giving up,¡¯ and ¡®just keep trying.¡¯ Then he spoke up behind me.

    ¡°Um, excuse me?¡±

    I did my best not to sigh at that. Instead, I turned slowly and hoped he was actually talking to someone else. He wasn¡¯t, of course. Great. Well, at least now I get to know what his deal was. Perhaps that would help pass the time.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m Pan Song,¡± the taller man said, giving me a short bow.

    ¡°I¡¯m Li Lan,¡± I replied in kind, bowing as well. I¡¯d finally stopped stuttering out my English name after getting introduced to various people back at the Sun Compound. ¡°Is there something you need?¡±

    ¡°Um, yes¡­ Well no. More like¡­ I would like to make you an offer,¡± Pan Song said a bit awkwardly.

    ¡°An offer?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Pan Song said with a firm nod. Then, he seemed to brace himself for a moment. ¡°You see, I am an Array Master.¡±

    There was a moment''s pause. Pan Song seemed to be expecting something, but I wasn¡¯t sure what it was. So, after what felt like another long moment, I nodded.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°I know that you may not¡ª¡± Pan Song said quickly after my response before he cut himself off. Then he looked at me wide-eyed. ¡°You believe me?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± I said, feeling just even more confused than before. ¡°Should I not?¡±

    ¡°No, you should,¡± Pan Song said quickly. Then he seemed to shake his head and recenter himself. In a firmer voice, he said, ¡°I am an Array Master.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said again, hoping this strange guy would get to the point. At the same time, I noticed the line move a bit so we both stepped forward. ¡°You are an array master. I¡­ Um, well. I have an idea of what that means, but I¡¯m not super familiar with the topic. So what did you want to offer me?¡±

    Pan Song held a firm expression on his face for a moment longer before he smiled. ¡°Alright, if you want I can explain my profession more later. But first, thank you for believing me. I¡¯ve had¡­ issues getting others to believe the same. Perhaps it''s because you don¡¯t know much about Array Masters, but thanks for not dismissing me.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± I said, looking him over again. At his worn clothing that stood out so much. Was that why people were so dismissive of him? Maybe Array Masters were supposed to look a certain way and he didn¡¯t fit the mold. ¡°So what¡¯s your offer?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m looking for people to join me for a small expedition,¡± Pan Song said. ¡°The ancient site I want to visit is well known and documented so you can verify it for yourself. It''s the Serpent''s Nest Ruins. There are only Early Rank 1 beasts around there, and I need to gather enough people to keep the area safe. After that, I will break the restrictions there. My offer is that you and whoever else you or I might be able to recruit can have the treasures hidden within. All I wish is to take the remnants of the formations once I¡¯ve dealt with them.¡°

    Before I could reply, I heard a snort from behind me.

    I turned to see what that was about, only to see the guy in front of me side-eyeing us. When I caught his eye and raised an eyebrow, he just scoffed and turned away. Rude. But I ignored it. No need to pick a fight when I had no idea what his background was. I also couldn¡¯t really use my Earth Sense so I didn¡¯t know his personal strength either besides a vague feeling that he had Qi.

    ¡°Alright, that sounds interesting,¡± I said, pretending like nothing had just happened. ¡°But, like I said, I don¡¯t really know much about Array Masters. I also don¡¯t know much about these ruins you are talking about. I can, however, ask my friends about it and see if they are interested. They¡¯re already part of the Starguard and likely know more.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Pan Song asked, looking far more chipper than I thought he would. It wasn¡¯t like I committed to joining him or anything. ¡°Thank you. That is great news. How many of your friends are there? And do you think they would know anyone else interested? Depending on their level of strength, the three of us could be enough to make the attempt. Though more might make it safer.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s two of them,¡± I said. ¡°But we might be able to gather a couple of more people if we need it. But, like I said, I¡¯ll need to speak with them first since they know more about these things.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Pan Song said, taking a quick breath to center himself. ¡°Sorry for getting worked up. But I really appreciate being given a chance and not being dismissed. If they need proof of my abilities, I would be happy to demonstrate what I can do. I don¡¯t have the resources or the money to waste setting up something powerful, but I can make something complex enough to show off my mastery if given the chance.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, nodding. I felt a bit bad for the guy, given how excited he was for someone not to dismiss him. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve been having a tough time with that kind of thing as of late?¡±

    Pan Song grimaced at that. ¡°Yes.¡± He then looked down at himself. ¡°People see me and immediately think I¡¯m some bumpkin either lying or delusional. No cultivators have given me the chance before you.¡± His shoulders slumped for a moment, but then he clenched a fist and straightened himself. ¡°But I haven¡¯t been letting that get me down. I¡¯ve been selling some minor formations elsewhere in the city. To non-cultivators who gave me the chance, hoping that I can get more people to listen eventually and show off my skills.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°That¡¯s admirable,¡± I said. ¡°To not give up like that. But, ugh, have you considered maybe changing up your wardrobe? Maybe if you looked. Um more like the other cultivators here you¡¯d have an easier time?¡±

    Pan Song sighed and shook his head. ¡°The materials needed for spirit formations are expensive. Very expensive. I have very little funds right now for the kind of clothing that would make me fit the image many would expect from my profession.¡±

    He gestured towards my clothes as he said that, making me look down at my robes curiously. They weren¡¯t¡­ They weren¡¯t that expensive, were they? If they were, maybe I should be more careful with them. I hadn¡¯t actually given it much thought.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t help that I hadn¡¯t realized this would be an issue earlier,¡± Pan Song said, running a hand through his hair. ¡°This is my first time in the city you see, and I didn¡¯t expect people to be so judgemental. Many people have heard about me now. They think I¡¯m a fraud and just changing my clothes won¡¯t change that either. I need to do something to prove them all wrong. It''s one of the reasons I want to do this expedition.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked, seeing the line move again and moving along with it.

    ¡°The Serpent Nest Ruins is just one of many known ancient sites around Everlake,¡± Pan Song explained. ¡°Its location isn¡¯t secret because the restrictive formations protecting it are too powerful, like most ruins. Only a true Array Master can break them without overwhelming strength. And the handful of true Array Masters in the city have no need to bother with such things.

    ¡°Because of how much time it would take to break into these ancient sites, any true Array Master would be better off selling their services instead of hunting these minor sites. Only a major ancient site would be enough to tempt them, and those are not so easily found. Anything else would not be too much effort for not enough rewards.¡±

    ¡°Not that much reward?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow at that.

    ¡°For an established Array Master,¡± Pan Song rushed to assure me. ¡°For most other cultivators, at least those below the peak of Qi-Gathering, the treasures should be more than enough. Especially since you and your friends won¡¯t need to do anything but protect me while I work. As for me, cracking one of the ruins with witnesses and bringing back the treasures from the ruins should finally escape the poor reputation I¡¯ve developed.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I said, nodding. If he wasn¡¯t lying, then that did make sense. I still wasn¡¯t completely convinced, but Jianfeng and Lin should be able to determine if he was lying or not. So I would give him a chance for now. ¡°Then I guess it''s both our lucky break then. I¡¯m new to the city and wouldn¡¯t mind earning some treasures to build up some funds. So long as you can convince my friends, then I¡¯m in.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Pan Song said, beaming. ¡°Then it should be no problem. As long as they give me the chance to prove myself, I should be able to convince them.¡±

    With that agreed on, Pan Song and I continued to chat about things while we waited in line. He was planning on taking the Starguard recruitment exam as well and wasn¡¯t just in line looking for people to help him.

    I ended up asking him more about what being an Array Master entailed. He was eager to talk about the subject, and just from listening to him I could tell it was a subject he was deeply passionate about. And I could understand why as he explained things.

    Array Masters or Formation Masters, were cultivators who specialized in the usage of spirit formations. Spirit formations were essentially ritual magic from what I could understand, matching what I knew of the idea from stories. Using prepared tools¡ªusually flags¡ªinscribed with magical symbols, he could create all sorts of supernatural effects. From creating barriers to illusions to specific restrictions like fire cannot appear here to all sorts of other things.

    It was an incredibly versatile and complex art that few could master, requiring lots of studying and problem-solving. Which kinda explained why few people thought Pan Song was telling the truth. He looked more like a farmer than a scholar.

    Still, the more Pan Song talked about it, the more I believed him about what he said earlier. I also couldn¡¯t help but want to explore learning formations myself. They sounded incredibly useful and versatile, able to do a lot of amazing things. Perhaps if I could get a Skill for it¡­

    As soon as that thought came to mind, I pushed it away. I doubted I would find an evil Array Master that was weak enough for me to defeat any time soon. That was the only way I would ever let myself get such a Skill, so there was no point in thinking about it.

    Besides, just because I had the System didn¡¯t mean I had to solely rely on it. I would use it for all its worth, but perhaps formation could be a supplement to what I could already do.

    With that in mind, I asked Pan Song about how one starts learning about formations as the two of us reached the front of the line. The idea that I wanted to learn seemed to excite the other man even more, and he happily started to go in-depth about just what I would need to learn such an art. Unfortunately, this was cut short by the person ahead of me finishing with the clerk.

    After a promise that we would talk more later, I moved to talk to the pretty woman sitting behind the counter. I told her what I wanted, and she gave me a brief explanation of just what the trial would entail first.

    Essentially, it was one big monster hunt in a prepared area by the Starguard Hall. Lin and Jianfeng had already explained everything to me, so nothing said to me was new. Instead, I just nodded along to the explanation, barely paying attention. The only thing that made me pause was when the young woman emphasized the penalty for trying to kill another trial taker during the exam.

    The penalty was death. Anyone caught breaking the rules and trying to kill someone¡ªor successfully killing someone else¡ªunless it was in self-defense, would die. It didn¡¯t matter who you were or what connections you had.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how much I believed that last part. But I took the warning seriously regardless. Even if I had no plans of trying to kill anyone during the exam. It wasn¡¯t like one of the Black Wind remnants would be there, and there was no one else in the world I had any plans on killing at the moment.

    After that, I paid the fee to sign up. It was just one spirit stone, which I had readily available from the spirit stones Sun Xia gave me when we first met. Thankfully, I¡¯d been told about how much they were worth before I ate them all in training. Still, knowing how valuable these were, I couldn¡¯t help but wince slightly as I handed one over.

    I¡¯d be able to earn more once I joined the Starguard, but it still felt a bit excessive for a fee.

    After that, I was done and given a token to show that I was registered for the coming trial. It would be in a week''s time, and I was to come to the hall to be taken to the test site.

    I thanked the woman before walking off. I waited a bit nearby for Pan Song to finish his registration while I took the time to look around the hall. I was hoping to see Jianfeng or Lin back, but I couldn¡¯t see either of them just yet. It seemed that they were still busy.

    So I just went back to people-watching, hoping to see something that could keep my interest for a bit. Unfortunately, there really wasn¡¯t anything too interesting to see. Everyone here might be a cultivator, but unless they burst out into a fight¡ªwhich was not allowed in here¡ªthey were hardly all that different from normal people.

    The only thing that really caught my eye was a group of young men walking into the hall. They all wore the same white and gold robes, which drew my attention at first. Then I couldn¡¯t help but notice the pure white fox riding on the shoulder of the youngest looking of the group.

    But as unique as that was in the hall, it wasn¡¯t really something that could hold my attention. So I started looking elsewhere for a while until Pan Song finally finished. He took a bit longer than me for some reason.

    ¡°So, how hard do you think the trial will be?¡± I asked when he came over.

    Pan Song frowned as he considered things. ¡°Well¡ª¡± he started to say, only to be interrupted.

    ¡°You! Bumpkin!¡± someone said loudly, making me turn around in surprise. They¡¯d been behind me and quite close.

    It was those guys I noticed before, wearing white and gold robes. All five of them had come over, three of them in front, with the younger-looking one with the fox and the final guy in the back.

    The three in front were openly scowling at Pan Song, I realized. The two in the back seemed a lot less invested in whatever this was, the younger one looking bored while the other man looked neutral. Around us, many people were looking over, probably curious as to what the shouting was about.

    It made me nervous, even if the attention wasn¡¯t really focused on me.

    ¡°My name is Pan Song,¡± Pan Song said, frowning at the attention directed at him. ¡°What business do you have with me?¡±

    ¡°What business?¡± the guy in the middle of the three closest men shook his head. He had a scar right under his left eye and had been the one to shout. ¡°You know exactly what business we have with you! Your constant disrespect of our Qian Clan cannot be ignored.¡±

    ¡°What disrespect could I have possibly given the Qian Clan?¡± Pan Song asked, sounding completely confused. ¡°The only time I¡¯ve met with members of the Qian Clan was to find a sponsor for my work as an Array Master. When I was rejected, I left and didn¡¯t bother your clan any longer. How could I possibly have been disrespectful?¡±

    Scarface scoffed at that and shook his head. ¡°That right there is your disrespect. Peddling lies about being an Array Master. The Young Master already declared you a liar and a fraud when he kicked you out.¡± He gestured behind himself to the young man with the fox. ¡°Now we hear that you have been going around the Starguard Hall, still making such absurd claims. It can only be thought of as a slap to the face of our Young Master and clan.¡±

    ¡°I mean no disrespect to the Young Master,¡± Pan Song said, sounding frustrated. ¡°But I was never given the chance to demonstrate my skills. If you would just give me a chance, then you would be able to see the truth. But if not, I will not simply put aside my status as an Array Master. If others choose to give me a chance, it should have nothing to do with your Qian Clan.¡±

    Pang Song said that last part firmly and with conviction. It would have been admirable if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that it probably wasn¡¯t going to change anything. These people had made up their minds, and they were stronger and more well connected too.

    I¡¯d heard about the Qian Clan over the last week. They were one of the three top clans in the city. Not people to be messed with lightly.

    The only thing stopping this from getting worse was this was the Starguard Hall, and no fighting was allowed in here by anyone. Otherwise, these assholes might have already escalated things given their connections and belligerence.

    ¡°Of course, a bumpkin like you would think like that,¡± Scarface said with a shake of his head. ¡°Perhaps you are too dimwitted to understand that you are calling the Young Master a liar by your absurd claims. But you should know that you won¡¯t find anyone willing to believe your absurd claims here. Because anyone here should understand that calling a Young Master of the Qian Clan a liar is an incredibly foolish thing to do.¡±

    As the man said those last words, he turned his glare from Pan Song over to me. What he meant was obvious, and I grimaced at the attention.

    I hadn¡¯t wanted to get involved in this, even if I was pretty sure Pan Song was telling the truth, and these guys were just assholes. Unfortunately, it seems they weren¡¯t content to leave me out of things.

    Just great.

 Chapter 28: Qian Zhi

    Chapter 28:

    ¡°And you,¡± Scarface said, pointing at me.

    It made me want to look up at the heavens and ask just what I did to deserve getting caught up in this whole situation. Especially since neither Lin nor Jianfeng were here to help me navigate it. This was supposed to be a quick sign-up for the trial and that¡¯s it. Not, whatever this was turning into.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think we haven¡¯t noticed your disrespect either,¡± Scarface said with a glare. ¡°Others in the hall said that you were indulging this bumpkin. Listening to his ridiculous claims. You think you can get away with something like that?¡±

    I held up my hands placatingly. ¡°Hey, I just met this man,¡± I said, taking a small step away from Pan Song. He seemed like a good guy, and I did believe his story. But I didn¡¯t want to make enemies with some young master of one of the three great clans in the city. Even if they were assholes. I would hopefully be able to make it up to the guy discreetly later. ¡°And I didn¡¯t know anything about your Young Master or any claims he made. I was just talking to Pan Song because I was curious about Arrays and don¡¯t know much about them myself.¡±

    ¡°As if your ignorance is an excuse,¡± Scarface said, making a cutting motion with the hand he¡¯d been pointing at me. ¡°You should be made an example of along with the lying bumpkin.¡±

    Was this asshole really threatening me just because I talked to Pan Song? Were the people here really that crazy? Lin and Jianfeng had warned me about not making enemies, but I hadn¡¯t thought it would be this bad. Not with how normal everyone in the Sun Compound seemed.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I asked, unable to keep how incredulous I felt out of my voice. But then I realized I might still have a way to defuse this ridiculous situation. The Young Master behind this guy still looked bored and not all too invested in this. Maybe I could use that. ¡°Like, I just talked to the guy. I¡¯m sure a Young Master of the Qian Clan has much more important matters to deal with than some ignorant guy like me talking to someone he called a liar. Shouldn¡¯t you be ashamed of wasting your Young Master''s time with something like this?¡±

    ¡°As if that is for some nobody like you to decide,¡± Scarface said with a scoff, looking me up and down.

    ¡°Of course not. But is it for you to decide then?¡± I challenged, looking towards the Young Master. ¡°Are you saying that you speak for your Young Master, then? And he cares about something so small and petty?¡±

    Scarface scoffed at that but got a nervous look on his face. Instead of replying, he turned to look at the bored-looking Young Master. The younger man just raised an eyebrow at that, then turned to look at the fox around his shoulder. Which, to my surprise, seemed to be glaring at me.

    What the fuck?

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the Young Master said as if in thought. ¡°This does sound a bit petty. But Little White here is a pretty good judge of character, and his opinion right now seems pretty clear. Perhaps not everyone willing to indulge the bumpkin is disrespecting me. But in this particular case.¡± The Young Master turned to give me an amused and cruel smile. ¡°Perhaps I am being disrespected. What do you think, Yin Tai?¡±

    That last question was directed to the other man standing next to the Young Master. He looked at the fox for a moment and then turned to look at me with a small frown. ¡°If the Young Master thinks that, then it must be so. We should make an example out of both of them then.¡°

    I scowled at that. So much for hoping that it was just this guy''s goons that were the unreasonable ones. And all because of a fox? What the hell? I was starting to think those damned things were bad luck. First I got bit by one. Then another saved the Black Wind. And now a third had ruined my chance of not getting mixed up in this situation.

    ¡°This is going too far,¡± Pan Song said as I tried to think of just what could defuse this situation. ¡°You called me a liar, and now even seek to punish those kind enough to give me a chance. Since you are so sure that I¡¯m a fake, why don¡¯t you dare test me now in front of so many people? If you are correct, then you have nothing to fear.¡±

    ¡°As if the Young Master has so much time to waste with talentless frauds like you,¡± Yin Tai said dismissively as he waved a hand. ¡°Why should he¡ª¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I wonder why Young Master Qian Zhi bothers with you, Little Bastard Tai,¡± A voice said, cutting him off. A very familiar voice.

    I spun in the direction of the speaker and slumped in relief when I saw Lin standing there along with Jianfeng. I¡¯d gotten so caught up in this whole stupid situation that I hadn¡¯t noticed them arrive.

    Yin Tai turned to look at Lin as well, a furious look on his face. When he actually caught sight of Lin, however, he seemed to scoff, and his expression turned dismissive. The Young Master¡ªQian Zhi apparently¡ªturned to look as well, his neutral expression replaced with a small frown.

    ¡°Ah, Ming Lin and Shui Jianfeng,¡± Yin Tai said, shaking his head with a dismissive scoff. ¡°Come to make baseless claims again? Or have you two truly stooped so low as to fall for this charlatan''s lies as well? I would have thought that even you two would have more common sense than that.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but glance between the two sides curiously. This was rather unexpected. It seemed that this asshole and Lin and Jianfeng already knew each other. And there was clearly bad blood between the two. Though I suppose that shouldn¡¯t be too big of a surprise, given how belligerent these guys seemed.

    ¡°I know nothing about this man,¡± Lin said, nodding at Pan Song. ¡°Just heard a familiar bastard dog barking and thought I¡¯d see why you''re causing a scene. Pretty pathetic that you feel the need to harass a man with so many people. Or that you feel so petty as to feel the need to randomly harass other people barely involved in whatever disagreement you might have.¡±

    ¡°Careful, Ming Lin,¡± Yin Tai said, losing the dismissive aura he was trying to project. Instead, he glared. ¡°You would be wise not to provoke the Qian Clan so brazenly. Only a rabid dog would try to bite their betters.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly provoking the Qian Clan,¡± Lin said, grinning. ¡°You are just one of their servants, after all. You should hardly be making such statements as if you had much greater authority. It''s quite presumptuous of you.¡±

    ¡°And what if he¡¯s speaking for me?¡± Qian Zhi asked, his tone still bored but with a hint of warning in it.

    Lin was not cowed. ¡°Then I wonder if things have changed so much in the Qian Clan that you¡¯re willing to go against Young Miss Qian Chi. After all, she has declared that my Young Miss Sun Xia is a good friend of the Qian Clan. Starting a conflict over words with one of her retainers would be¡­ unwise, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    There was a long pause after that with only mutterings from further away in the large room keeping it from being totally silent. The two sides stared each other down. Jianfeng and Lin on one side and Yin Tai, Qian Zhi, and the three other Qian Clan members on the other.

    ¡°You would do well not to rely on such protections forever,¡± Qian Zhi said after a long moment, still sounding bored and aloof. ¡°Qian Chi is the current heir. But her ascension to head of the clan is a long time away. Many things can change before then.¡°

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Lin said, a smile on her face. ¡°Now, I¡¯m sure such important members of the Qian Clan have better things to do than harass some¡ªwhat did Tai call him?¡ªA random country bumpkin? Why don¡¯t we all just go about our day? Doesn¡¯t an important person like Young Master Qian Zhi have more important things to do?¡±

    Qian Zhi narrowed his eyes at that before turning a dull glare at Pan Song. ¡°I do. I was just here to sign up for the upcoming Starguard Trial. But then my men heard from others in the hall that this fool was still going around trying to con others with his lies. As a member of the esteemed and noble Qian Clan, I took it as a duty to put a stop to such nonsense.¡±

    ¡°If he is a liar, then I¡¯m sure it will come to light in time,¡± Lin said, sounding dismissive. ¡°No need for Young Master Qian Zhi to go out of his way. Going after some unknown like this is hardly worth the time of someone so¡­ esteemed.¡±

    Lin stressed that last word in a way that made it quite clear that esteemed wasn¡¯t the word she¡¯d actually use to describe him.

    Qian Zhi narrowed his eyes at that. Then he turned his gaze back over to Pan Song and me as well. Damn, I was hoping he¡¯d forget about me at least. But judging from the smirk on his face as he looked between me and Lin, that was not the case. And he knew that we were friends or connected as well.

    Just great.

    ¡°I suppose I do have better things to do,¡± Qian Zhi said with an amused note in his voice. ¡°The Starguard trial is only a week away. I should prepare. And should I still feel the need to put uppity fools in their place, I can make my displeasure known then.¡±

    Pan Song gulped at that, looking nervous. I frowned as well. Well, fuck.

    Lin seemed to notice Qian Zhi looking between me and her too, given the frown forming on her face as she looked at me. Guess she¡¯d hope that he wouldn¡¯t notice as well. That was probably why she hadn¡¯t looked at or acknowledged me this whole time.

    Lin shook her head and sighed. ¡°If the Young Master feels the need to compete with his peers in such a manner, who am I to say anything about it? After all, I suppose you have to compete with somebody as you just so happened to delay your joining the Starguard to avoid Young Master Guan Li and Young Master Shen Zhu.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    That seemed to hit a nerve as Qian Zhi''s smile disappeared, and he glared hard. ¡°I have no need to compete with those two love-struck fools,¡± he said, almost snarling. Then he took a quick breath to calm himself and shook his head. ¡°And now I¡¯ve tired of this distasteful conversation. I have better things to do.¡° Before he left, however, he grinned a vicious grin again, looking at both Pan Song and I. ¡°But I suppose we will see each other again during the Starguard trial.¡±

    With that said, he walked off, the other members of the Qian Clan rushing to follow. All except for Tai, who took a moment to shake his head. ¡°Always so impulsive, Ming Lin. I hope lashing out at me was worth earning the Young Master''s ire. Especially for your friend there. If the Young Master was going to show some mercy to him before, he most certainly will not now.¡°

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything about impulsiveness from you, you bastard,¡± Lin said, her voice cold as ice. The venom there took me back just a little. It seemed that the issues between her and Yin Tai were much worse than I thought. ¡°And we both know that Young Master Qian Zhi is hardly the sort to give mercy to even the smallest of slights.¡±

    Yin Tai just shook his head before turning away. ¡°You need to get over whatever you think happened, Lin,¡± he said and started walking away. ¡°Try to learn from Shui Jianfeng. He seems to have gotten over it.¡±

    ¡°I really haven¡¯t,¡± Jianfeng said, finally speaking up. He sounded his normal upbeat self for the most part. But there was a little bit of strain to it. ¡°You should do well to remember that Tai. Because I will repay you for what you did one day. No matter how long it takes.¡±

    ¡°Well, good luck with that,¡± Tai said, not bothering to look back as he walked off to go join the rest of his people.

    When they were finally gone, I walked up beside Lin and sighed. ¡°Well, that was a thing.¡±

    Pan Song came over to join us as well, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why any of that had to happen. They already rejected me, and now this just feels petty.¡±

    ¡°It is petty,¡± Lin said, shaking her head. ¡°And it''s the sort of thing you should expect from people like that.¡± She then turned to me with a raised eyebrow. ¡°So, just what was that all about? And who is this?¡± She gestured at Pan Song.

    Quickly, I explained everything that had led up to this and introduced Pan Song.

    When I was done, Lin turned to give Pan Song a narrowed-eyed stare. ¡°Are you actually an Array Master?¡±

    ¡°I am no liar,¡± Pan Song said seriously, meeting Lin¡¯s gaze. ¡°I am an Array Master. And I can prove it if given a chance.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then prove it,¡± Lin said, crossing her arms.

    Pan Song seemed surprised for a moment before he nodded. ¡°Okay, I will. But we will need somewhere with more space, and not within somewhere as important as the Starguard Hall. I doubt they will be all that pleased if I just start trying to set up formations here. I also need to get my materials if I am to demonstrate full mastery and not just adeptness.¡±

    Lin shrugged at that and gestured at the entryway to the Hall. ¡°Then let¡¯s go and make sure that you at least can set up proper formations. We can look into your mastery after. If your offer is genuine and you aren¡¯t lying then, we are interested. Especially if it will make that bastard Tai and his damned master look like fools.¡°

    Pan Song seemed to shrink a bit at that. ¡°I¡¯m not certain that¡¯s something I want to do. I have only been in the city for a small while, but the Qian Clan does not seem like something I would want to trifle with.¡±

    Lin shrugged. ¡°It''s already too late. Even before this scene, if others heard about the Young Master''s claims about your skills, only to be proven so wrong later, then conflict would have been inevitable. It would be a slap to his face and his credibility to lose out on recruiting such a young Array Master. His only option is to prove you wrong or not allow you to prove yourself.¡±

    Pan Song slumped at Lin¡¯s words.

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t all bad,¡± Lin said, trying to comfort the large young man. ¡°If you really are an Array Master, then our Young Miss would be more than happy to allow you to work under her. She has a good relationship with most of the Qian Clan, and that should stop the conflict from escalating into a larger issue with their whole clan.¡±

    Pan Song still looked a bit nervous and turned to me as if wanting to know if she was telling the truth.

    I just shrugged and nodded. Lin had no reason to lie, after all. And what she said fit with what I¡¯ve learned about Sun Xia over the last week.

    ¡°I suppose that would make things easier,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Then let us go.¡±

    With that said, we all left the Starguard Hall. It didn¡¯t take us long to find a suitable place for the demonstration. Apparently, in the Cultivator District, there were many wide-open grassy areas that people could make use of. Officially, they were just places for rest and relaxation. In reality, according to Lin and Jianfeng, they were used by cultivators to settle disputes more often than not.

    Apparently, before these places were created, the beautiful and clean cobblestone of the streets would often get destroyed in conflicts. But the introduction of these green places¡ªunofficially called arenas¡ªhad helped keep damages down.

    It was one of these places that we went for Pan Song to prove his worth. Something I really hoped he managed to do. It would have been rather disappointing if he¡¯d been just a conman or something. Especially since I now had to watch out for that Qian Zhi jerk and whatever goons might join him in the coming trial.

    ¡°So you are at least quite adept,¡± Lin said, taking in the formation that Pan Song had set up.

    He¡¯d done it quickly, pulling formation flags out of the large leather bag he carried. He¡¯d then shot them all around the clearing, just like I¡¯d seen Sun Xia do before. Finally, after running through some quick hand seals, a semi-transparent dome appeared in the grassy clearing.

    ¡°A simple barrier,¡± Pan Song said, shaking his head. ¡°Nothing special, but the speed of my execution should be proof enough that I know a thing or two. Feel free to test it.¡±

    Not needing to be asked twice, Lin lunged toward it with a sudden rush of speed. Her fist met the dome, and a crack rang out. Spider web cracks appeared in the barrier which seemed to expand more and more. A moment later, the whole barrier shattered.

    Well, shit. That didn¡¯t seem all that¡ª

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Lin said, making me blink in surprise. ¡°Setting up a formation strong enough to block one of my punches so fast is pretty good. Especially with such cheap-looking equipment.¡±

    Cheap looking? I stared at one of the nearby flags that had created the barrier, taking a better look at them. And I immediately noticed what Lin must have as well. These honestly just looked like random cloth and some sticks. The edges of the flag were sharp and clean, and the writing looked beautiful, but the material itself looked incredibly common.

    ¡°It''s not a big deal,¡± Pan Song said, shaking his head. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind waiting, I can set up something more impressive.¡±

    Lin shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Admittedly, neither Jianfeng nor I know enough about Arrays to figure out if you are a master. But you are clearly no novice. So how about this, tell me where I can send you a message. I will speak with our Young Miss Sun Xia, a disciple of Master Alchemist Fan Hong.¡±

    Pan Song¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of Fan Hong. He must have recognized the name or maybe the title Master Alchemist.

    ¡°She should be able to fully evaluate you,¡± Lin continued, not acknowledging the bug-eyed look she was being given, ¡°and you need time to gather supplies anyway. If you can prove yourself to her, then she will want to sponsor you. And if you still wish to open that ruin, we would be willing to accompany you if the offer you gave Lan still holds.¡±

    Pan Song continued to look at Lin with a shocked expression for a moment before he managed to shake himself out of his stupor. Then he grinned widely. ¡°Of course, that would be amazing! You can send a message to¡­¡±

    The two of them quickly exchanged information on how we could get in contact with Pan Song later. After that, Pang Song thanked all of us profusely¡ªme especially for listening to him first¡ªbefore he left to ensure that he had all the supplies needed. Lin told him that it would likely be at least a day or so before Sun Xia would be able to make the time, but he wanted to make sure he had everything set for a demonstration.

    He hadn¡¯t expected to get a chance to show off to such a prominent figure.

    It was only once he was gone did I realized I probably should have talked to him about us teaming up for the Starguard trial. Because Qian Zhi was going to be targeting both of us. I would have to speak to him about that the next time I saw him.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s up with you two and that Yin Tai guy?¡± I asked when the three of us were alone. I couldn¡¯t help but be a bit curious about it given what I saw of their interaction.

    ¡°How about we go get lunch first,¡± Lin said, a frown on her face. ¡°I need something to cheer me up before I talk about that bastard.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said as we left the grassy clearing.

    We ended up at a prominent restaurant called the Plum Blossom Delight. We got a private booth that had some sort of privacy formation built into it, keeping our conversation from being overheard. After getting tea and ordering our food, Jianfeng decided to be the one to talk about their history with Yin Tai and how that led to their conflict with Qian Zhi.

    It wasn¡¯t a long story, and he finished by the time the food came. Still, it became very clear just why both Lin and Jianfeng hated the guy so much. I would feel the same way too if someone who was like a brother to me tried to kill me over treasure.

    We ate in solemn silence for a bit afterward, but thankfully, that didn¡¯t last too long as we began to discuss other topics. Like Lin¡¯s encounter with the Ice Fairy and what she wanted. Lin couldn¡¯t go into details just yet¡ªnot before speaking to Sun Xia¡ªbut needless to say, Jianfeng was incredibly jealous.

    He would have probably bugged Lin more about it if she hadn¡¯t threatened to tell Feifei and Sun Yun about his interest.

    After that, and with the meal done, we nursed some tea while going back to discuss less savory things. Like how I would deal with Qian Zhi during the trials. Part of me considered just waiting him out and taking the next Starguard Trial. But the idea of running away from that pompous bastard pissed me off. Especially since he would likely target me elsewhere if I didn¡¯t take the trial, and it might be best to confront him in a situation where he couldn¡¯t kill me.

    It also wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t have a chance. Yes, the guy was quite talented. He was already at Mid Qi-Gathering and was younger than the rest of us at only 16 years old. He also had the benefit of the resources of the richest of the three great clans, and he would probably be taking more of his goons with him into the trial.

    But I had my own advantages.

    Advantages that we would need to leave the city for me to make use of. I needed to go hunting for both cores and special abilities to harvest. Lin and Jianfeng had given me what cores they had saved up to let me cultivate over the last week. But they didn¡¯t have many as they usually just sold the cores instead of stockpiling them.

    So because of that, we decided that unless Sun Xia had time for Pan Song tomorrow¡ªsomething Lin found unlikely¡ªthe three of us would go hunting the next day. To plan for that, we went through the bestiaries Jianfeng got from the Starguard Repository. It didn¡¯t take us long to find several very interesting spirit beasts that would be good to hunt. Ones with powers that might give me the boost I needed to deal with being targeted by Qian Zhi, as well as being close enough to the city to reach.

    When we finished with that, we left the restaurant and went to buy some supplies for our trip before finally making our way back to the compound. I could explore the city more another day. For the moment, we needed to report to Sun Xia.

    Tomorrow, we would go hunt, and perhaps I would be able to get a Skill to make Qian Zhi regret making an enemy of me.

 Chapter 29: Low-Hanging Fruit

    Chapter 29:

    The next day, Lin, Jianfeng, and I left Everlake City bright and early. We headed south on foot, following the roads. We could have rented horses, but Jianfeng and Lin both considered it a waste. The horses would have made the journey easier, but they couldn¡¯t be brought into the Great Southern Forest. Which meant that they would have just been left outside, where they could end up stolen or eaten by spirit beasts.

    It was simpler to not bother in their eyes and go on foot instead.

    Just a bit over a week ago, I would have considered this insane. The edge of the Great Southern Forest was more than 100 miles away from Everlake City. At best, it would have taken me several days to travel that distance, only stopping to sleep for the night.

    But, with my new speed and endurance, it was much more manageable. So much so, that I found myself enjoying the experience. There was just something exhilarating about being able to jog at car speeds¡ªeven if we kept to the lower end of that to not overly tax ourselves. The way the wind tugged at my hair and clothes, as well as just how quickly anything close by seemed to rush behind me as I went. It was all an extremely potent reminder of just how far I¡¯d come in such a short amount of time.

    Of course, as exciting as it was for me to get to indulge in my superhuman abilities, my enthusiasm could only last so long. Sometime after we left the city far behind, and I got used to seeing the wide open and lush fields around the southern road, my excitement started to dim and boredom began to set in.

    Thankfully, I wasn¡¯t alone and was able to talk with Jianfeng and Lin as we traveled along the road. But it still made me think that I would like to figure out a faster traveling method for the future. In case I needed to travel alone. Especially since this world was as absurdly large as one would expect of a Xianxia world.

    Perhaps a flight Skill of some kind. I had considered the idea before, and flying spirit beasts were definitely on my target list today. I wasn¡¯t quite sure if that would actually work or not, but there was very little reason for me not to try.

    Though, despite how cool that would be, it wasn¡¯t birds or other flying beasts that I was the most focused on trying to find today. No, instead, I had other targets in mind. My first targets were going to be cats and any large and physically powerful beasts, preferably without any other abilities. They¡¯d be easier to find quickly, and the hope was to get more passive buffs like Primal Vitality that would boost me considerably.

    Afterward, we¡¯d go for some more unique and interesting Skills, but passive buffs like that seemed the easiest and fastest way for a quick power-up. Something even more necessary now because of that jerk Qian Zhi and his threats.

    Aside from Skills, my other goal for the day was going to be getting spirit beast cores. I needed at least 25 to reach Mid Stage Rank 1 if my calculations were correct and there were no complications. I¡¯d already processed five since reaching Rank 1, and now was my chance to get the rest¡ªsomething only doable in a single day because all cores we would be gathering today would be mine. Jianfeng and Lin still felt the need to repay me for my help getting them out of the mines, and wouldn¡¯t be taking a cut of the cores since I needed more in the short term.

    Although, even if we got all the cores I needed today, I wasn¡¯t going to be able to reach Mid Rank 1 in time for the trial. I could rush things and eat multiple at once, but the increased cooldown would end up making things take longer. That didn¡¯t mean that getting all the cores today would be pointless, however.

    I still needed a lot of them to get as strong as I could for the trial. And it would be good to get all the cores I needed to reach Mid Rank 1 sooner rather than later. Just in case anything came up and made another hunting trip more difficult in the future.

    Eventually, an hour or two before noon, the Great Southern Forest finally came into view. At first, I was unimpressed. It was supposed to be far more dangerous than the Amberwood. So much so, that the depths of the forest were mostly unexplored, and it was said that even Rank 3 spirit beasts roamed within. Perhaps even Rank 4 spirit beasts, but many consider that to just be rumors. Yet, despite all that, it didn¡¯t look all that much different from the Amberwood.

    It was only as we got closer and closer to the forest did I realized just how mistaken I was. I first noticed when we didn¡¯t actually reach the forest as quickly as I thought we would. Then, as we continued to run, the trees became bigger and bigger to my eyes. By the time we actually reached the edge of the forest, I realized that perhaps the name Great Southern Forest didn¡¯t really do the place justice.

    Perhaps the Forest of Massive Fucking Trees would have been a better name.

    Because the trees here were indeed massive. I¡¯d seen images of people standing next to old-growth redwoods back on Earth before. And while I think the trees at the edge of the forest weren¡¯t quite that large, they were getting there. They were also probably a lot younger and smaller than the trees further into the forest.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I said, standing at the base of one of the massive trees and looking up into its branches. ¡°How did you guys not mention how fucking big the trees here are? Like you mentioned the spirit beasts, and the dangers and rewards. But how was this not something you felt like you should mention?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite sure that I said the trees here were large,¡± Lin said from beside me.

    I turned and gave her a deadpan look. ¡°This,¡± I said, gesturing at the massive tree with both hands, ¡°is not large. This is ridiculously massive!¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡± Lin asked, tilting her head.

    I gave her an incredulous look for a long moment, wondering what the hell she would consider massive. Then I saw Jianfeng out of the corner of my eye, trying hard not to laugh. Oh, these fuckers.

    ¡°Oh, haha,¡± I said, shaking my head, ¡°real funny.¡±

    Lin smirked and chuckled softly. Behind her, Jianfeng burst out into laughter.

    I just sighed and shook my head before turning back to the trees. They really were just fucking massive. Was that because of the greater ambient Qi? I could already feel the difference here at the edges of the forest; Both from my Earth Sense as well as my still often finicky sense for Qi in general.

    ¡°Come on, let''s stop burning daylight,¡± I said when Jianfeng finished laughing.

    The three of us headed into the forest. The trees were large, but they were quite far apart from each other, making the forest seem quite open. The underbrush was quite sparse out here as well. The branches also started quite high up, and the canopy above was not too dense, letting a lot of sunlight reach us. It left the place feeling rather peaceful. Safe even.

    Which I knew was not the case at all. Even though the troubles with the spirit beasts in the western part of the Great Southern Forest weren¡¯t going to affect us here, it was far from being safe. It was why all the joking around disappeared as we made our way into the forest. Why we all stayed close and kept each other in view. Why Lin had repeated the rules I was to follow while we were hunting on the way here, despite the fact that she¡¯d already gone over them with me yesterday.

    This place was dangerous as all hell, even when the spirit beasts were calm.

    If I¡¯d ended up here when I first arrived in this world, instead of in the Amberwood, I would have died. Plain and simple. Only cultivators dared come into this forest, and even then usually only in teams unless they were very strong. And, of course, even then, they would usually only hunt at the ¡®outer¡¯ parts of the forest. Which might not sound like much, but was apparently anywhere from the edge of the forest to hundreds of miles deep into it.

    It didn¡¯t take long for us to encounter our first spirit beast. Just as we were making our way around a giant root sticking out of the ground, it happened. Jianfeng was the first to notice, unsheathing his sword and calling it out.

    ¡°To the right,¡± he said, pointing with his sword. ¡°Early Rank 1.¡±

    I quickly unsheathed my sword as I looked for what he¡¯d seen. There. It had been hiding in a particularly dense bit of underbrush. But perhaps realizing it had already been seen, it moved out from its cover, revealing itself to be a bear. It looked like a black bear but was far larger than any I¡¯d seen before. Closer to the size of grizzly bears I¡¯d seen in pictures.

    Though perhaps not quite as big as a grizzly. And, as it prowled towards us growling, coming out of the shadows, I realized that it seemed a bit ragged. Not quite thin, but not as filled out as I would have expected either.

    ¡°Do you want to try taking it out on your own?¡± Jianfeng asked as the bear growled while he split his attention between watching it and looking around for other threats.

    I hesitated for a moment, looking at the bear. It wasn¡¯t close enough that I could feel it with my Earth Sense, and I still hadn¡¯t gotten the knack of gauging the strength of my opponents from what Qi emanated from their bodies. But Jianfeng had said it was an Early Rank 1.

    I¡¯d taken those out before when I was much weaker. It had been scary and panic-filled, but I¡¯d done it. Now I was much stronger and should be able to handle it far better. Given its size, it probably still had me beat in strength. But I could likely outspeed it just with Burst Step, and it was unlikely to do anything clever either.

    This really was the perfect opportunity for me to demonstrate to myself just how far I¡¯d come. And this was exactly the kind of spirit beast I¡¯d been hoping to find. Something that might give me a strength-based passive.

    Despite all that, however, there was still something holding me back. A part of me that spent the last 18 years living on Earth. Where the idea that I could kill a bear by myself without a gun or mace was fucking absurd.

    That part of me screamed this was insane, and I should run away.

    ¡°Sure, just watch my back,¡± I said, taking a deep breath and telling the screaming part of myself to shut up. I wasn¡¯t a normal human on Earth anymore. I was a cultivator¡ªkinda, as I technically didn¡¯t cultivate like a normal cultivator. At the very least, I was someone with superhuman abilities. I could do this.

    I started towards the bear, which had stopped its approach. Its eyes locked onto mine as I stepped away from my friends, and its growling only got louder. It was like a car engine at this point, but I wasn¡¯t going to back down.

    I continued my approach but held back on boosting myself with Qi Devourer. I¡¯d been keeping my reserve pool topped off with my own Qi since this morning, meaning both it and my own reserves were full. But we had a long day ahead of us, and I didn¡¯t want to use the ability so soon. Not for just one spirit beast, and not if it meant using up more spirit stones.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    So, instead, I prepared myself to use another ability while I waited for the bear to act. I had a pretty good idea of what it would do, given its posture and what I¡¯ve read about bears like this in the bestiaries from the Starguard Hall. And had a really solid plan for just how to take it out.

    All I needed was for it to¡ªthere!

    The bear finally decided I¡¯d gotten too close. It reared up on its hind legs and growled again. It made slashing gestures with its paws as if trying to scare me away. That was a mistake.

    I activated Metallic Razor Slash. Then I kicked off the ground and activated Burst Step. As I practically flew to the side of the bear, I slashed out with my silver light-coated sword and cut deeply into the bear''s right hindleg. So deep that my enhanced slash scraped its bones before I pulled my sword away.

    The bear roared in pain and tried to spin and retaliate. But with its leg crippled and my momentum, I easily avoided its claws. The bear lashed out futilely at me as I backed away and circled around quickly.

    It did its best to keep me in sight. But it was just too slow with its crippled leg. And I was too fast.

    I circled around it and used Burst Step once more. My sword cut into its other leg, just as deep and debilitating. The bear roared and stumbled as it tried to face me. Tried to lash out at the thing killing it. But its legs wouldn¡¯t cooperate and gave out.

    I took a step back as the thing thrashed, pretty much helpless as it tried to charge me just using its front paws. It made me feel a bit ill for a moment. But I powered through the feeling. If I felt bad, then I should give it a quick death. Or at least as quick of one as I could without risking myself.

    Conserving Qi and not using Burst Step this time, I circled around the bear again and rushed behind it. It tried to follow but was just too slow, and I leaped onto its back and used Metallic Razor Slash one more time. I cut straight through the back of the bear¡¯s neck and leaped off the thing.

    Its body spasmed for a moment before the bear slumped to the ground. I rushed to its head, still wary of it lashing out despite having just crippled it. Better to be safe than sorry, and who knew what a spirit beast might be able to handle. Thankfully, the bear didn¡¯t have any surprises like that and remained still. So I cut down with my sword again and beheaded the beast fully.

    And just like that, it was done. No boost needed, and no need for anyone else to intervene. I¡¯d done it all by myself. Rather easily as well, with barely any danger to me. A far cry from my last encounter with Rank 1 spirit beasts.

    A familiar blue glow appeared around the bear¡¯s carcass, and I focused on it to¡ªouch!

    Something hit me on the head. I rubbed at the spot and saw Lin tossing another rock up and down in her hand. I glared.

    ¡°What did I say about letting your guard down after a fight?¡± she said, not at all bothered by my glare.

    I just sighed at that and shook my head. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re not wrong. But did you have to throw a rock?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be a baby,¡± Lin said before she threw the rock away. This time, she¡¯d done it a lot harder, and it smashed apart against one of the trees. ¡°I gently lobbed it at you. And a little pain will help you remember in the future.¡°

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I said, shaking my head. She wasn¡¯t wrong, but it was still annoying.

    I put a show of looking around the clearing for a moment, seeing nothing around us, before I focused back on the bear. I ignored Lin¡¯s comment of ¡®better¡¯ and instead focused on the Skill available. Though not so much that I wouldn¡¯t see another rock coming or any other kind of danger around us.

    It didn¡¯t take me long to pick my Skill. There was the Skill I was expecting and wanted, and then two other ones that were rather lackluster. The lackluster options were a Claw Attack Skill and the option to add 2% progress towards raising Primal Vitality to C-Rank. Neither could compare to the final Skill, so I chose it without delay.

    Ursine Strength (Passive) (Rank D): Strength is increased by 100%.

    The bear disappeared into light a moment later, and a rush of power surged through me. All my muscles seemed to tense up for just a second. Then it was over, but I could still feel the change. The strength coursing through me.

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin at the feeling. Such a major boost for barely any effort at all. It made me feel just a bit giddy. Even if I was pretty sure that the boost I got from Qi Devouring would be pretty much useless now. And if not now, then it would be once I got the Dex version of this kind of Skill.

    Still, it was worth it. I¡¯d rather be this powerful all the time than only from a boost. Also, eventually, I¡¯d increased my reserve pool large enough that I could actually get something out of it again. Then it would be pretty amazing. And there was always the trick where I just scarfed down a bunch of spirit stones at once.

    It would be absurdly costly, and not something I wanted to do, but still a powerful trump card if I ever needed it.

    ¡°Out of curiosity,¡± Jianfeng said from beside me as I basked in the feeling of strength. He nodded towards where the bear had been. ¡°What are the chances you could have done that after extracting its core?¡±

    I froze as I registered his question and frowned. Huh. Hadn¡¯t thought about that. Did I waste the core just now? It wasn¡¯t a big deal, but it was a good question.

    ¡°No idea,¡± I said before shaking my head. ¡°Remind me next time in case I forget.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    With the bear taken care of, and nothing else appearing, we quickly left the site of the fight behind. That was one of the rules Lin had drilled into me yesterday and on the way here. Do not stick around after a battle. It didn¡¯t matter as much so close to the edge of the forest, but it would matter a whole lot more later. Because of how many spirit beasts there were in the forest, it was very easy to draw the attention of more spirit beasts with the sounds of fighting and the scent of blood.

    Something we very much didn¡¯t want to do. Things like that could escalate out here, and we could either end up overwhelmed with numbers depending on what we attracted, or we could end up dealing with spirit beasts too powerful for us to deal with.

    Not long after we left the bear behind, we ran into more spirit beasts as we made our way deeper into the forest. Nothing that stood out or anything we¡¯d noted down from the bestiaries, though. Just more powerful versions of normal animals.

    They were also even easier to take out than the bear. Not because they were weaker, as some of them were actually quite a bit stronger. But with my strength doubled and not fighting alone, these fights did not last long at all.

    They ended even faster after we figured out I had to choose between harvesting Skills and getting spirit beast cores. I realized this after an extracted core disappeared from my hand when I tried adding progress toward ranking up Spirit Beast Cultivation. Eating cores also didn¡¯t help with this, as that simply made the System no longer deem the beast that a core had come from an acceptable target.

    Because of this, I ended up choosing to not harvest most of the more common spirit beasts, and the others didn¡¯t have to hold back anymore to let me finish them off. The most common spirit beasts just didn¡¯t have any more useful Skills, and 2% towards ranking up Primal Vitality or Spirit Beast Cultivation was just too slow compared to the gains I could get from cultivating.

    It was only when we ran into a pair of lynxes that I made the extra effort to get the finishing blow again and harvest a Skill. Like that first damned cat that had welcomed me into this world, it had the Skill Cat-Like Reflexes.

    Cat-like Reflexes (Passive) (Rank D): Dexterity is increased by 100%.

    And then just like that, my Dex stat doubled as well. The sudden boost to my reflexes and perception took a moment to get used to. But it was well worth it, and I couldn¡¯t help but start to feel very confident about myself.

    I knew I shouldn¡¯t, of course. Doubling my stats was still not enough for me to stand up against the higher stages of Qi-Gathering, let alone anything above that. But it was still very nice to grow so quickly in moments. Addicting in a way. It was just too bad I wasn¡¯t likely to get any more quick power-ups like this any time soon.

    Despite having checked a lot of other spirit beasts before getting to these lynxs, there didn¡¯t seem to be any other Str, Dex, or Vitality passive boost available. No Boar Strength or Rodent Agility or anything like that. Disappointing to say the least, but I supposed that would have been too overpowered.

    Still, at least these Skills would continue to benefit me well into the future. That was something I could be very happy about.

    I would have taken the time to enjoy that thought longer if Lin didn¡¯t urged me to hurry up as we were on a schedule. Our little hunting trip was supposed to end well before sunset as the forest was more dangerous at night. We also had a specific part of the forest in mind that should have even more Skills for me to collect.

    So right after that, we left the other Lynx corpse behind after extracting its core and continued on our way. More spirit beasts soon barred our path, and we took them out even easier than before. I found myself enjoying the hunting, and I couldn¡¯t help but notice how I was comparing to Lin and Jianfeng.

    I was pretty close to their level in terms of pure stats as far as I could tell. I didn¡¯t know for sure, since I still didn¡¯t have any kind of Observation Skill. But I was pretty certain I was physically stronger than Jianfeng now, and close to Lin in terms of reaction time. Future sparring would show if that was actually the case, as they had techniques that could pull them ahead. But regardless, it was another nice indicator of my progress.

    It was around noon when we finally neared that part of the forest we were aiming for. The massive trees around us started to thin, and instead, the land around us became rocky and barren. The change was very abrupt, and apparently, the wasteland ahead was one of many different mini-ecosystems encompassed by the forest.

    Almost as soon as we left the trees behind, I finally found one of the spirit beasts I¡¯d come out here to hunt. A specific beast and not just a certain type I wanted to aim for like a feline or something that seemed strength-based. It was a kind of armadillo but unlike any on Earth because of its sheer size. It was called a Great Rocky Pangolin. Twice as large as the bear I¡¯d first fought, with a hard thick shell, it would have been a tough nut to crack.

    Even with my enhanced strength, my Razor Metallic Slash couldn¡¯t cut through its protective shell in a single go. I needed multiple attacks in the same spot to break through, and even if it didn¡¯t fight back, it would take me quite some time to kill it by myself. Pretty impressive defensive ability for an Early Rank 1 spirit beast.

    Thankfully, while it seemed really good against slashing damage, blunt damage seemed a bit more effective. And with Lin¡¯s warclub and her enhanced strength that was still a bit higher than mine, she was able to smash apart its protective shell far more easily. Enough so that the thing ran.

    But the pangolin was not fast, and we quickly crippled its legs before I finally finished it off with a beheading.

    The pangolin¡¯s head hit the ground with a meaty thump, and the battle was over. I quickly checked our surroundings in case anything else appeared, but we seemed to be alone for the moment. So I finally focused on the pangolin¡¯s head, while still keeping an eye out for dangers.

    Defeated Enemy: Great Rocky Pangolin

    Available Skills to Harvest:

    <ul>

    <li>Earth Sense Upgrade (Passive) (Rank D): Increase progress to rank up Earth Sense by 2%</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Digging Proficiency (Passive) (Rank D): Improves digging speed by 100%</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Armored Shell (Active) (Rank D): Create a defensive shell of Qi around yourself. The more you move, the weaker the defensive power is. Duration of Skill can be extended with additional Qi.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 15 Qi </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Base Duration: 1 minute</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    I quickly read through the available Skills and grinned when I saw the last one. While the other two were disappointing, my guess as to what kind of Skill I could get from this creature was right. A hopefully powerful defensive Skill. Something I was kinda lacking at the moment. Sure, Earth Constructs could do something similar. But I was hoping this one would be a lot faster and a lot stronger without having to expend so much Qi.

    Not needing to think about it anymore, I made my selection and gained Armored Shell. The pangolin disappeared into light. And after the wave of information from my new Skill ran through my mind, I activated my new Skill just to test it out.

    Qi rushed out of my body, and a semi-transparent small armored dome with patterns similar to the pangolin¡¯s scales appeared around me. I could feel a restrictive force from it, but I knew I could move if I wanted to.

    ¡°Hey, Lin¡ª¡± I started to call, only to be interrupted by her war club slamming into my new shield.

    I gave her a deadpan look despite the shell not wavering. She¡¯d gone easy, but she¡¯d still done it before I¡¯d even finish asking.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked innocently. ¡°It''s not like I went full power. Now, come on. We can test it more elsewhere away from all this blood.¡±

    Knowing she was right, I started to move. The restrictive force was there like a reminder that I should stay still, but I was pretty sure I could get used to moving like this. Even if that would make the defensive power a lot weaker, something visually indicated by the shield becoming more transparent.

    However, before we could actually leave, a familiar girl¡¯s voice spoke out and made us all freeze.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what you were doing. I¡¯d been wondering what that little light show with the corpses was all about.¡±

 Chapter 30: Sun Yun and Drakes

    Chapter 30:

    The three of us spun in the direction of the voice. It took me a second to recognize who it was, despite how familiar her voice had seemed. She was dressed very differently from normal, wearing a beige and green tunic and pants combo, with a long overcoat on top. Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she had a smirk on her face.

    But her almost unnaturally beautiful looks quickly helped me realize who this was.

    Lin and Jianfeng, of course, were even faster at recognizing her.

    ¡°Sun Yun!¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± Sun Yun said cheerfully and gave a small wave. She did it like it was completely normal for her to be here and not a massive surprise. How long had she been with us? Did she follow all the way from the city? ¡°I was getting really bored cooped up in the compound, so I decided to see what the three of you were up to.¡±

    Jianfeng was the first to find his voice. ¡°Sun Yun, the Young Miss is going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Big Sis will get over it,¡± Sun Yun said, sounding surprisingly casual about it given how cowed she looked whenever I¡¯d seen her with Sun Xia over the last week. ¡°One week was plenty enough for me to learn my lesson.¡±

    ¡°Apparently not,¡± Lin said drily, a frown on her lips. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sun Xia say that it was likely you were targeted specifically? And here you are, out here without any protection at all.¡±

    Wait, what? I turned to look at Lin surprised. I hadn¡¯t heard about this at all. Did they find more members of the Black Wind Marauders to interrogate or had Master Fan Hong kept some alive to question?

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sun Yun said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m not alone, I have you three. And the only way they could have targeted me like that is if someone in the caravan I was with leaked our location. That¡¯s obviously not a problem here. No one saw me leave with you three, and it isn¡¯t like any of you were going to tell anyone else where you were going. Not with Li Lan¡¯s interesting little ability, I¡¯m guessing.¡°

    I grimaced at that. Right, I¡¯d been so shocked after recognizing her, that I¡¯d almost forgotten that she¡¯d seen my secret. She must have been following us this entire time¡ªsomehow without notice¡ªand seen me harvest Skills. It wouldn¡¯t have been obvious what I was doing before, but it was a whole lot clearer after I tried out Armored Shell.

    Damn it! I would have to be way more circumspect in the future about trying out new Skills. No more trying them out right after harvesting in case someone was watching. Even if I thought I was only with those in the know.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look so glum,¡± Sun Yun chided as she bounced over to Jianfeng. She tried to pull him into a hug, but he easily dodged her and gave her a disapproving frown, earning him a pout from the girl. When he didn¡¯t relent and let her grab him, she sighed before turning back to me. ¡°I can keep a secret, don¡¯t you worry. You helped save two of my friends from those horrible bandits. I won¡¯t betray your secret so easily. Besides, while it''s an impressive ability to mimic spirit beasts, my Sun family isn¡¯t so impoverished that we would covet something like that.¡±

    She sounded smug at that last part and raised her dainty nose into the air.

    Ignoring the smugness radiating off of her, I relaxed just a bit. She was assuming that I could only harvest from spirit beasts. That was good. Not as big of a deal, hopefully. Still, while I trusted her words for the most part, I couldn¡¯t help but worry she might tell at least one other person about this. One she would assume it would be fine to tell.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ll keep this a secret even from your sister, then?¡± I asked cautiously.

    Sun Yun just shrugged. ¡°If that is what you want. Big Sis could probably help you make better use of your ability, but if you want to keep it a secret then it''s not a problem. You¡¯ll probably want to tell her if you join as a retainer though.¡±

    I let out a small sigh of relief at that. Well, that was at least something. One more person in the know, even if partially, wasn¡¯t great. But at least it stops here. As long as I was far more cautious in the future.

    ¡°Great, now that that¡¯s settled,¡± Sun Yun said, clapping her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go hunting. I''m guessing you''re here for something in particular? Let me guess, you want to hunt down a¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Jianfeng said, holding up a hand to stop the excited girl. ¡°Sun Yun, while I¡¯m glad you¡¯ll keep Lan¡¯s secret, that doesn¡¯t mean we can just ignore the danger you''re in. The three of us are hardly enough to keep you safe. You¡¯re the strongest out of all of us. That¡¯s hardly enough.¡±

    Jianfeng wasn¡¯t wrong about that. Despite being only 17, Sun Yun was already well into the mid-stage of Qi-Gathering. Despite her rather delicate appearance¡ªbeing the shortest out of the three of us and quite slender¡ªin pure physical capabilities alone, she probably outclassed all of us. And that wasn¡¯t including the no doubt more potent techniques she had at her disposal.

    Sun Yun sighed and waved off his concern. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Like I said, there¡¯s no one to leak where we are, so there is no need to be so cautious. And if it makes you feel better, Big Sis got me a few new toys.¡± She patted the small pouch at her waist. It was likely a spatial pouch. ¡°If things get really bad then I can get us all to safety. So there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±

    ¡°Sun Yun¡­¡± Jianfeng said, exasperated. But he didn¡¯t seem to know what else he could say to try and dissuade her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a bore, Jianfeng,¡± Sun Yun said, crossing her arms. ¡°Besides, if I go back home, then you know you¡¯ll feel obligated to escort me. That means your whole day will be wasted. Besides, me being here will only be a benefit.¡± She turned to look at me. ¡°I can help a lot with making things easier for you. And not just as another strong pair of hands, either.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, only to notice Jianfeng mouthing ¡®Don¡¯t encourage her.¡¯ Oops.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked,¡± Sun Yun said smugly. She tapped her spatial pouch again. ¡°I can just store all your kills away until you want to use them. My bag is pretty large and should be able to handle all your needs. It even has a preserving effect in case you need the kills to be fresh. That way, you can wait until you¡¯re alone and don¡¯t have to worry about anyone catching you by surprise again.¡±

    Oh. I stared at the pouch at her hip a lot more intently. I wasn¡¯t sure if the System had a time limit for harvesting. But even if it didn¡¯t, being able to just grab the corpses would be really useful. It could give me more time to think about my Skill choices and compare everything I could get from a hunting trip at once. It would also make it even easier to obfuscate my harvesting, whether we get seen by more hidden observers or if we wanted to fight with more people in the future.

    Sure, people wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out what I was doing just by seeing me harvest Skills. But it could draw unwanted questions and speculation. It would be better to avoid leaving any hints as to what I could do in case I end up being forced to reveal too many of my Skills in the future. In that scenario, if I was also known to do strange things to corpses, people might put two and two together.

    There was also a final benefit to the spatial pouch and just being able to grab spirit beast corpses. One that could matter today, making us a bit safer. The Crystal Cliffs¡ªwhere we were at the outskirts of¡ªwere deep enough into the Great Southern Forest that even at the edges of it, there could be Mid Rank 1 spirit beasts. Not having to wait around near our battles any longer than necessary would be very useful here.

    ¡°I can see you understand,¡± Sun Yun said, grinning as she put her hands on her hips triumphantly. It seemed my interest was a bit too evident on my face. ¡°So, come on. I¡¯m already out here. Let¡¯s just go do some hunting. Even if Big Sis gets mad, it will only be at me. It''s not like any of you can force me to go back, anyway.¡±

    Jianfeng slumped at those words, and Lin sighed and shook her head.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Lin said after a moment. ¡°If you want to risk the Young Miss literally chaining you to the compound when we get back, then it''s on you. Just keep whatever protective treasures you have on hand.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Sun Yun said happily and clapped. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±

    She started walking for a moment before she stopped and turned around. ¡°What are we hunting again? Are we going after some Crystal Drakes?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    I shuddered at the thought of going anywhere near one of those things. I¡¯d seen the entry on one of those when going through the bestiaries about this part of the forest. They were essentially wingless dragons with massive crystal spikes growing out of their backs. They could also fire beams of crystalizing energy that could turn an unfortunate cultivator into a statue in seconds.

    The weakest of them were usually Mid Rank 1. The strongest¡­ Well, it''s said that Early Rank 2 was the level they reached at maturity. So I could only imagine it would be insanely powerful.

    Was Sun Yun crazy or way stronger than I was already giving her credit for?

    ¡°No, that would be way too much,¡± I said, shaking my head rapidly. ¡°All I¡¯m after is a Gem Shelled Tortoise. Hopefully a small and weak one.¡±

    I was hoping to hunt that to make my Earth Skill more powerful. Crystals were generally a lot harder than rock, and I was hoping consolidating some Crystal Skills with what I already had would be a major buff. The Gem Shell Tortoise also had the ability to store Qi in its shell, and that could potentially solve my boost problem. Even if it wasn¡¯t enough, it would at least be a great way to boost just how much Qi I had to play with.

    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s so boring,¡± Sun Yun said, pouting at me.

    In any other situation, I might have caved from such a look from such a pretty girl. But her infatuation with Jianfeng was pretty clear, and Crystal Drakes were way too strong right now.

    ¡°We could always just head back if it''s too boring,¡± I said, earning myself a nod of approval from Jianfeng.

    ¡°That would be for the best¡ª¡± Jianfeng tried to say, but Sun Yun cut him off.

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± she said, crossing her arms before turning around and walking off. ¡°Boring battles with turtles it is.¡±

    The rest of us moved to follow her, and we continued our journey into the wastelands ahead. We left the massive trees behind and instead walked across very rough and rocky terrain. Cracks ran through the ground, and the further we went from the trees, the larger these cracks got. At first, they were small enough that we didn¡¯t even have to worry about stepping over them. But not long after, they were large enough that a person could fall inside them.

    The only other things that marked this barren land were random boulders and other large rock formations. It reminded me of a story about people fighting in a similar environment who needed bridges constantly set up to cross from rocky plateau to plateau, separated by canyon-like cracks. Though, this was a lot less of a problem for us, as even if the gaps grew that large, we could be able to leap over them quite easily.

    It would have been almost boring if it wasn¡¯t for all the spirit beasts.

    We ran into another pangolin first. Sun Yun decided to show off and took care of it rather easily. She just rushed it, easily getting on top of its armored form, and slammed her palm down hard on its shell. There was a flash of blue-white light, and then the poor creature''s shell was shattered.

    She then leaped off the creature and landed daintily, holding her head high.

    I moved to quickly finish off the pangolin, noticing how its spine was likely destroyed too, which is why it didn¡¯t put up a fight. Scary. Part of me couldn¡¯t help but hope I was right about Sun Yun being especially strong for her cultivation. Otherwise, mid-stage Qi-gatherers were a lot more dangerous than I thought.

    Sun Yun stored away the corpse after I was done, though not before I checked what Skills it had available. To my disappointment, while different Skills were offered up from the other three I¡¯d seen earlier, none of them were all that interesting. I hadn¡¯t expected different, but it would have been nice to be surprised.

    After that, we ran into more and more spirit beasts. There was a group of lizards that tried to ambush us from a particularly large crack. A poisonous burrowing serpent. Several vicious but small desert cats. And even one particularly pissed-off three-humped camel.

    All of them were taken out with relative ease. With Sun Yun around, it wasn¡¯t really much of a fight. Though out of all of these kills, I only considered harvesting two of them later. The serpent and the camel. The serpent for a venom Skill it had and the camel for its Skill to survive extreme conditions without food or water.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if I would actually want to waste a Skill slot for any of those, especially the survival Skill from the camel, but I was considering them. Those two beasts were also the only ones I¡¯d bothered asking the others to let me finish off if we encountered more of their kind. Just in case they had better Skills than what I¡¯d seen so far.

    The rest I wouldn¡¯t bother with, as it seemed unlikely they had any Skills I would need right now. They would be better off as additions to our growing collection of spirit beast cores¡ªwe almost reached my minor goal of 25 cores, but I thought it would be better to get more just in case.

    In between these fights, we stopped a couple of times for me to check if the corpses were still considered valid targets by the System. Each time they popped out of Sun Yun''s bag and remained glowing blue, I found myself more and more eager to get a similar bag one day.

    It would have to be in the future, though, as the price Sun Yun gave me for hers was staggering, to say the least.

    Eventually, maybe two hours into our journey through the wasteland, we finally found our main target in this region. The first sign that we were close was when the cracks¡ªwhich were major fissures now¡ªstarted showing signs of purple crystals growing within. They weren¡¯t spirit stones apparently, but those gems had something to do with how this place became the wasteland it was.

    Though no one amongst us knew just why that was the case.

    Not long after we started seeing the crystals, we saw something similar in the ground above. Except this one was moving and was quite large. About the size of a van, the lumbering beast moved slowly on a plateau completely isolated by the massive cracks surrounding it.

    It was all alone and just waiting to be harvested.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Sun Yun said when she spotted it. ¡°This was getting boring. We should have run here.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if we were all at your level, we would have,¡± Lin said, rolling her eyes. ¡°But running around recklessly for the rest of us would be a death sentence.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Sun Yun said, pouting. ¡°You three really need to work harder on your cultivation. I want to be able to do something exciting with friends instead of only when I have my Big Sis or Weiwei watching me like mother hens.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Lin said, sarcasm thick in her voice. ¡°We¡¯ll just stop being so lazy and leap to mid Qi-gathering right away. We could have done it at any time but were just holding back because we were being lazy.¡±

    Sun Yun turned to glare at Lin, but she just returned a flat stare. Then Sun Yun stuck her tongue out at Lin and turned back towards the turtle.

    ¡°What happens to this thing next is your fault,¡± She said petulantly before rushing off.

    The rest of us rushed to follow, and we all leaped over the crack separating us from the Gem Shell Tortoise. However, after we landed, Sun Yun stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°Oh, it''s stronger than I thought,¡± Sun Yun said, straightening up as the tortoise slowly turned toward us. There seemed to be something wrong with it, however. I¡¯d assumed it was moving slowly because it was a tortoise, but its movements were kind of jerky. ¡°Mid Rank 1.¡±

    ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡± I asked hesitantly as I felt like something was wrong. But I couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. We were alone on this little island of rock. The land was quite flat so there wasn¡¯t anything around that we couldn''t see. Maybe in the now cavernous cracks surrounding us? We¡¯ve dealt with ambushes from those before, so maybe that was it?

    Sun Yun scoffed. ¡°Hardly. Maybe just a little more interesting. But there would have to be a lot more of these guys before we¡¯d have an issue.¡±

    Sun Yun moved to engage the tortoise, but she stopped when Jianfeng grabbed her by the shoulder.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± he said before pointing at the tortoise. ¡°Does anyone else see that?¡±

    ¡°The jerky movements?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes at the beast.

    ¡°Yes, but look at its limbs,¡± Jianfeng said, his hand moving toward his sword. ¡°Only its shell is supposed to be crystal. But it looks like its limbs are coated in crystal as well. It¡¯s making it hard for it to move.¡±

    Oh, shoot, he was right. It looked like its limbs were partially crystalized¡­ Oh fuck! I gripped my sword and looked around. The canyon-like cracks surrounding this plateau were a whole lot more sinister now. Please let this just be a strange disease and not what I was thinking.

    ¡°Huh, so it¡¯s injured,¡± Sun Yun said, tilting her head. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, then? A more boring fight, but isn¡¯t that what you want anyway?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jianfeng said as he started to unsheathe his sword and looked around. I did the same and Lin unslung her warclub. ¡°But why exactly is this badly injured tortoise just wandering around out here? Why hasn¡¯t something come and finished it off? How did it get away from whatever did that to it.¡±

    I turned to look where we¡¯d come from. Instead of just talking, shouldn¡¯t we be running? I moved to take a step in that direction, but Lin stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. She shook her head when I looked at her.

    Oh shit, did she think whatever had set this up was already waiting for us to try and run away?

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sun Yun said, her eyes spinning around to look at Jianfeng with bright eyes. ¡°This is a trap!¡±

    As if reacting to Sun Yun¡¯s words, something leaped out of the surrounding cracks where I was just planning on running. It was aimed right at us, but we all rushed to the side and avoided the large creature slamming down where we¡¯d just been.

    It landed with a loud thump that shook the ground. It was a lizard-like thing that was larger than the Gem Shell Tortoise. Spikes of the same purple crystal as the tortoise¡¯s shell grew out of its back. Its tail ended in a spike crystal club. Unlike the tortoise''s shell, however, these crystals glowed with a malevolent light.

    The spirit beast let out a loud roar as it regained its balance.

    ¡°Yes, a Crystal Drake!¡± Sun Yun cheered while the rest of us were tense.

    Then two more forms leapt out of the cracks surrounding the isolated piece of land we were on. Each was just as large as the first. Each landed on our plateau and turned to look at us.

    Sun Yun seemed even more excited about this. I, on the other hand, just hoped she was as strong as she seemed to think she was. Otherwise, we were fucked.

 Chapter 31: Crystal Drakes

    Chapter 31:

    I tightened my grip on my sword as I watched all three Crystal Drakes that had apparently set up an ambush for us. Well, probably not for us specifically. They were each larger than a van. I doubted we were much of a meal for them.

    Still, they weren¡¯t likely to let us go just because of that, either.

    Crystal Drakes were known to be incredibly aggressive. They could turn things into crystals with a beam attack from their mouths and were quite strong compared to many other spirit beasts at the same Rank. Though there wasn¡¯t any mention in the bestiaries about them setting up ambushes, so there might have been other things that made them incredibly dangerous that I didn¡¯t even know about.

    Just great.

    ¡°Please tell me you can beat them all,¡± I asked Sun Yun as I resisted the urge to use my boost. I¡¯d gotten really used to using it when I was in danger, but it would just be a waste now to try. With all my passive buffs now, 250 Qi was not nearly enough to improve my stats. Unfortunate, but at least I could use all that Qi for other Skills instead.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sun Yun said, still sounding excited. ¡°They''re dangerous, sure, and they''re all Mid Rank 1. But I can deal with them.¡±

    ¡°All at once?¡± Lin asked, her own grip tightening on her metal war club.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Sun Yun said, hesitating. ¡°You guys should probably work to tie one of them up. I should be able to keep two on me and not let them blindside you as I take them out. Might be a bit hard to let Li Lan get the finishing blow, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good without it, thanks,¡± I said hurriedly, eyeing the dangerous Crystal Drakes that looked seconds away from charging. Something held them back, however. I was really hoping it was Sun Yun and that they could tell she wasn¡¯t easy prey. Or even better, they were wary of all of us. ¡°Let¡¯s just take these things out before we all get turned into statues.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sun Yun said brightly. Then she rushed off. She was a lot faster than I¡¯d seen her so far. Not as fast as her sister, but something about the way she moved seemed to make it hard to keep track of her. Before I knew it, she¡¯d reached the other two Crystal Drakes. She slapped her palm into the side of one of them and sent it flying into the other.

    The two beasts tumbled together further away from us, and then she rushed off to continue her assault.

    That was all I could watch before I had to focus on the final and much closer Crystal Drake. It let out another roar, and the crystals on its back glowed brighter. Then that same glow appeared in its mouth. Shit.

    The three of us split apart and dodged as a beam of purple energy blasted out. It missed us all, but where it struck the ground, the earth there transformed into that same purple crystal.

    ¡°I¡¯ll distract it,¡± Jianfeng called out as he rushed the Crystal Drake. Wind started to swirl around him, and his speed picked up as he dodged an attempt to bite him in two. He tried to stab at its eye, but the drake was too fast. It pulled back just in time and nearly buried one of its claws into Jianfeng¡¯s side. He barely managed to leap back from the strike, and then was forced to continue to dodge as the drake bit and clawed relentlessly.

    Lin reacted faster than me and rushed to help. I followed behind after a moment, watching as blue light exploded from her body. She kicked off the ground hard and burst forward with her warclub at the ready. It looked like she was going to smash the drake in its side, hopefully giving Jianfeng some space.

    But before she reached it, the drake¡¯s crystal-clad tail lashed out like a viper. She only barely managed to put her club in the way in time as the tail smashed into her. It sent her flying for a yard before she flipped and got her feet under her. Then she landed and skidded to a halt.

    I grimaced at the speed of that attack but didn¡¯t slow my approach. Letting the drake focus all of its attention on Jianfeng for any longer than necessary was not a good idea. So I rushed in, wary of its tail even as Lin charged again from the side.

    The tail lashed out again. It looked like it was trying to sweep us both. But Lin was ready for it this time and met it with her war club. The spiked crystal-clad tail met the metal of her weapon, clanging loudly and sending her skidding back. But it also sent the tail off course, giving me the opening to strike.

    I launched forward with Burst Step, silver light coating my blade. As I passed the drake, I swung my sword as fast as I could. The blade bit deep into flesh, scoring a good hit, and I grinned.

    Then the drake freaked the hell out.

    It spun even faster than before, like a rabid cat that just got its tail stepped on. My vision was filled with the sight of purple crystal as its tail whipped toward me. I only had time to bring my arms up to block before it smashed into me and sent me flying.

    All the while, I could hear the drake freaking out, roaring and smashing everything around it.

    My arms screamed in pain, and I almost dropped my sword. But I was a lot tougher than in the past. A lot stronger too. So I kept my grip and spun in the air to land on my feet. It was surprisingly easy, and I skidded to a halt with a grimace.

    I looked back towards the¡ªholy shit!

    I dove to the side as a beam of purple light rushed towards me. I managed to get out of the way just in time. I fell to the ground again but rolled to my feet in a rush. As I did, I frantically looked for the drake and any more danger.

    Thankfully, no more beams of light met me, but now the drake was further away. Where it had been was completely covered in crystal, and Lin and Jianfeng were only now reaching it again.

    Its freak-out must have given it the chance to make room.

    I rubbed my right arm with my free hand for a second as I looked over my arms. They were red and there were cuts. But¡­ Well, it honestly wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Not with how fast and how sharp that tail was.

    Guess I still wasn¡¯t all that clear on my own durability. Though, I probably could have prevented any injury at all if I¡¯d remembered to use Armored Shell. But it was a new Skill, and in the heat of the moment, I hadn''t thought of it.

    I would do better next time. Hopefully.

    Certain that my wounds weren¡¯t bad, I rushed towards the drake again as Lin and Jianfeng continued to harass it. It seemed able to hold the two of them off but was slowly losing ground. If I joined in, I could probably get another hit in. Or allow them to do the same. But then it would freak out again, and I wasn¡¯t too keen on seeing if I could bring up Armored Shell fast enough this time.

    Perhaps I could damage it from range instead?

    The idea came to me as I crossed over the now crystalized ground. I¡¯d come hunting the Gem Shelled Tortoise because I thought my Earth Skills would work with crystal after all. And that crystal would make my Earth abilities hit a lot harder than more fragile rock.

    Why not give it a try?

    I stopped for a second and used Earth Constructs. I grinned when it worked, and a spear of pure crystal formed up from the ground. I still couldn¡¯t really launch my Earth Constructs as fast as Rock Spear had shot spears, but I did have another way of launching them. One that was probably even better now with my Ursine Strength.

    When the spear finished forming, I gripped it tightly, and I rushed forward to close the distance. I wasn¡¯t an expert at spear-throwing or anything, so I wanted to get as close as I could without getting into freak-out range.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± I called when I was close enough, and I threw the spear with all my might. Which was quite a lot with my Ursine Strength. ¡°It might freak out again!¡±

    I aimed for its side. Even with my boosted Dex, this was my first time throwing a spear by hand¡ªsomething I probably should have practiced since I still sucked at launching constructs with my Skill. I didn¡¯t want to aim for the head and just miss.

    Though perhaps that caution was unwarranted as my spear flew through and hit it right in the side. And unlike my shitty Earth spears, which would have probably just shattered, it plunged through its scales and into its flesh beneath.

    Like I thought, it freaked out again from the wound. But Lin and Jianfeng were already moving away, getting out of range of the whirlwind of claws, fangs, and spiked tail.

    The drake kept at this for a moment before it slowed, and the crystals on its back glowed again. Then it started blasting with its crystallization beam. It started around itself before it realized that we¡¯d already backed off. Then it started firing at us.

    First at Jianfeng, then Lin, then me. But after I dodged, the drake seemed to continue to focus on me. Almost like it was¡ªThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    I moved before I could think about it too much. Activating Earth Wader, I dove into the ground, maximizing my Qi input to make the ground as liquid as possible.

    The drake lunged at me in a rush, covering the distance between us in barely any time at all, its maw wide opened to bite me in half. But I was fully into the ground before it reached me and swimming further down. I did not want to know what might happen if it turned the earth around me into crystal while I was in it.

    I stayed only close enough to the surface to keep track of the drake with my Earth Sense. When it disappeared, probably to attack Lin or Jianfeng, I swam to the side and then moved to exit the ground a bit away from where I¡¯d gone in. Just in case.

    As I did this, I tried to think of a better plan than keeping up the tactic we¡¯ve used so far and hoping it tired itself out. It might work, but the longer this fight lasted, the more dangerous things became. Perhaps Sun Yun would finish off her two soon and come help, but I didn¡¯t want to chance that.

    Thankfully, I did manage to think of something before I reached the surface.

    I leaped out of the ground, head on a swivel in case the drake was too close by. But thankfully, Jianfeng and Lin had its attention again, both lashing out with their sword and war club.

    I grinned at the sight as I rushed over to the largest patch of crystal I could find. Using Earth Constructs again, I made several things. One was a large structure that would be behind me, as big as I could make it without being obvious and with extra Qi channeled into it to make it more durable. The others were just more spears, each one imbued with extra Qi as well.

    Crystal seemed to much more easily absorb my Qi when creating constructs. I wasn¡¯t quite sure if that was a good or bad thing, but I hoped it meant that it was making everything extra tough faster. And it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t have the Qi to spare now that boosting would be a waste.

    ¡°Hey! Lure it over here!¡± I shouted when I was done. Hopefully, despite being smart enough to set up an ambush, this drake would still fall for my trap when it was blinded by rage.

    ¡°We¡¯ll try!¡± Jianfeng called out. Then after another moment, the two of them started leading the battle towards me. I sheathed my sword and hefted one of my crystal spears as they neared.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± I shouted and threw the spear with everything I had. Then I grabbed another spear and did the same. And then again. And again. All as fast as I could.

    The first spear hit as I threw the last one.

    It skimmed the side of the drake''s shoulder, not even making it flinch. Then the next one sank into that same shoulder, earning a roar. Another almost got its eye, but skidded off its eye ridge, and a final one got it into the meat of its forelimb.

    As expected, the drake freak the fuck out. It became a whirlwind of destruction again for a moment. When it stopped, it started blasting beams of purple. But only once. I¡¯d been expecting to have to dodge more, but after I leaped out of the way the purple of its crystals finally seemed to dim.

    I rushed back over to where I¡¯d been standing as the drake¡¯s ranged option was gone. And then it did exactly what I wanted it to do. It rushed me.

    Maw opened wide, it clearly wanted to tear me to pieces. I watch it come, not trying to see if I could dive into the crystal with Earth Wader. Instead, I just leaped to the side when I thought it was close enough.

    I might have left it a bit too close as I felt something tug at my leather boots at the last moment. But there was no pain, so I ignored it as I rolled on the ground and forced myself up on my feet. Behind me, there was the sound of tearing flesh, a thump, and an ear-piercing roar of pain.

    When I spun to see what happened, I was met by a great but gruesome sight. The drake must have tried to turn at the last moment, probably to bite my foot off. But it failed and ended up ramming into the constructs of crystal spikes I made side first.

    Its own weight and momentum did the rest, embedding my spikes deep into its side. It struggled for another moment, but I wasn¡¯t going to miss my chance to end this. I unsheathed my sword and activated Metallic Razor Slash. Then I rushed to decapitate it.

    It took three strikes to cut all the way through its thick neck. But I managed it in the end, and its head thumped heavily onto the ground.

    I grinned at the gruesome sight before Lin¡¯s constant reminders rang in my mind. I quickly looked around for any other danger. There didn¡¯t seem to be any but¡ªoh shit.

    My caution turned out to be warranted. Another crystal drake leaped out from the cracks on the far side of the isolated plateau we were fighting on. It landed with a thump. Then it reared up its head and roared. It was a loud piercing roar, louder than any of the drakes we¡¯d heard until now.

    I eyed it warily, tightening my grip on my sword. But then more roars rang out as if in reply. At first, there was one. And then another. And another. And another.

    Holy fuck, how many of them were there?

    ¡°Okay, we need to go,¡± Sun Yun suddenly said, having rushed over at some point. Her two Crystal Drakes were defeated as well and Lin and Jianfeng moved to meet us. Sun Yun reached out for the decapitated and impaled Crystal Drake. ¡°Things are getting out of hand.¡±

    Using the absurd vacuum function of her spatial pouch, she fit the massive corpse inside in just a second. Then she tapped her pouch again, and a small lotus blossom popped out. It flew to the ground between us and opened up as it grew large enough to fit us all, lifting up off the ground.

    The world suddenly shifted. The acceleration was intense and pushed me down against the flying lotus blossom. I thought I might be crushed for a second, but the acceleration ended almost as soon as it began.

    I took a second to steady myself, then looked up when Sun Yun gasped. Jianfeng and Lin were also gaping, looking over the side of the blossom. I moved to do the same, and my eyes might have bugged out of my sockets as I saw what they must have.

    Down far below¡ªholy shit we got so high up so fast¡ªthe isolated bit of land we¡¯d been fighting on was crawling with crystal drakes. There were a least a dozen now, all looking the same size as the ones we fought. One was even larger and there seemed to be even more crawling out of¡ªholy shit.

    A massive beam of purple shot up into the sky from below.

    Our lotus ride dodged to the side, narrowly missing the beam that was several times larger than any the drake we¡¯d fought before had unleashed. I gripped onto the lotus tightly, but thankfully wasn¡¯t thrown off by the sudden move.

    ¡°We have to leave!¡± Lin shouted.

    ¡°I know!¡± Sun Yun shouted back, and we accelerated again. This time to the side. Again, I was worried about being thrown off. But something seemed to be helping keep me in place. The acceleration also wasn¡¯t as strong as before.

    One more beam of light shot towards us before we escaped. But it went wide enough that I was pretty sure Sun Yun hadn¡¯t needed to shift us to the side. Then the wasteland was left behind as we reached the massive trees of the forest again.

    We were high enough that we were well above even the tallest of the trees. That let us move fast in a straight line, hopefully well out of range and interests of those drakes. I started to relax as it seemed we were finally safe. But then the blossom started to descend suddenly.

    We didn¡¯t fall or anything, but the abrupt maneuver put me on edge as the flying lotus neared the tree line.

    ¡°Why are we descending?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to tax my new treasure,¡± Sun Yun said, a look of focus on her face as she somehow directed the flying lotus. ¡°Or use up any spirit stones powering it. Something that can let a Qi-Gatherer fly isn¡¯t cheap to repair or to power.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, leaning over the side of the lotus blossom again as we passed into the trees. I suppose that did make sense. And we were really far away from the drakes now. The lotus had flown very fast, covering what might have been an hour''s run in a lot less time. Still¡­ ¡°But can we use it if they somehow catch us?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sun Yun said as we neared the forest floor. ¡°But hopefully we won¡¯t have to. Or I¡¯ll never hear the end of it from Big Sis.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve already given her enough reason to chastise you,¡± Lin said, looking remarkably relaxed sitting on the lotus despite what we¡¯d just been through. ¡°You still snuck out of the compound after all.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but that¡¯s where you''re wrong,¡± Sun Yun said brightly. ¡°I did sneak out. But! If I didn¡¯t sneak out, you guys would have probably died looking for that turtle. Easily escaping so many crystal drakes without my lotus wouldn¡¯t have been likely.¡±

    I cringed at that, and neither Jianfeng nor Lin looked all that happy about the reminder. If Sun Yun hadn¡¯t been here, and we just ran into that ambush by ourselves¡­ It wouldn¡¯t have been pretty.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t get what happened,¡± I said as we landed and Sun Yun put away her lotus. ¡°The bestiaries didn¡¯t say anything about Crystal Drakes setting up ambushes. And we shouldn¡¯t have even been close enough to the actual Crystal Cliffs to run into one of them, let alone a whole colony or whatever.¡±

    ¡°That was quite strange,¡± Sun Yun said with a nod. Despite the somber topic, she didn¡¯t sound all that worried. Though I suppose with that new treasure of hers, we weren¡¯t in too much danger.

    ¡°It might have something to do with what¡¯s happening in the west,¡± Jianfeng said as he carefully scanned our surroundings. ¡°The spirit beasts are acting up in the western parts of the Great Southern Forest. Perhaps this is a sign that the issue has come to the East as well.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to avoid the Great Southern Forest for now,¡± Lin said with a frown and started heading north. ¡°We should make our way out of here quickly.¡±

    We all agreed with that and started to follow her. It was a shame to leave too soon, as there were still other targets I wanted to hunt. But if Jianfeng was right, then staying and trying to find those would only invite more disaster for us.

    ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ll have to avoid this place,¡± I asked as we walked.

    ¡°The troubles in the West have been going on for more than a month now,¡± Lin said. ¡°So at least that long, if not longer. You should give up on the idea of hunting here for now. Not unless Young Miss Sun Xia decides to escort us directly. Otherwise, it would be too dangerous. We could join other larger groups to lessen the danger, but that would cause other problems.¡±

    Lin turned to eye me meaningfully at that last part.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be an issue if I come along,¡± Sun Yun said cheerfully as she walked next to Jianfeng. ¡°My spatial bag will make storing the beast carcasses for later a lot easier.¡±

    I nodded at that. She wasn¡¯t wrong. Though, whether or not Sun Xia would allow something like that after we got back was another question. Something Lin was eager to point out to Sun Yun.

    The two girls playfully argued that point as we continued to make our way through the forest. So far there were no signs that the Crystal Drakes were chasing us. There were also no signs of any other spirit beasts either.

    Well, except for the fox watching me.

    Wait, what? I stopped and turned to look at the small fox watching me from the underbrush. It looked small and unthreatening, but my less-than-stellar experiences with its kind so far made me dislike it immediately.

    I moved for my sword and¡ª

    Wait, what was I doing? It was just a cute little fox. Oh, and behind it was a gorgeous woman. She had¡­ fuck those were big. And she looked like a weebs wet dream, with fox ears sticking out of her head and a big fluffy foxtail swaying gently behind her. I still didn¡¯t like foxes all that much, but maybe she wasn¡¯t so bad.

    I started walking towards her, something feeling off about the whole situation, but I couldn¡¯t quite place what. Oh well, it was probably fine.

 Chapter 32: Foxes and Skills

    Chapter 32:

    The beautiful, well-endowed fox lady led me into the underbrush. For some reason, I felt that there was something wrong. But that couldn¡¯t be right, could it? What was wrong with getting a chance to hook up with a gorgeous fox babe? Yes, foxes were kinda assholes, but I¡¯m sure fox women were much better.

    I tried to reach for the fox lady, but she giggled and pulled just out of my reach. I grinned at her and moved to chase as she beckoned me. I wanted to wrap my arms around that slim waist of hers and pull her to me. And I could tell she wanted it too, with all the flirty and lusty looks.

    We continued like this for a bit before we found a cramped clearing with a small spring running through it. There, another fox lady waited. Her robes were partially open, showing off her very ample assets as well. I wanted to bury my face in them.

    With a grin, I walked over to the two gorgeous women giving me bedroom eyes. I wasn¡¯t any kind of casanova and only had one girlfriend before. But I was certain that I could handle these two lovely ladies. Even if I couldn¡¯t, I was pretty sure that at least making the attempt would be worth it.

    The more well-equipped of the two ladies reached out a hand to me, fluttering her eyelashes. I reached out happily, my heart beating hard in my chest¡ª

    ¡°And that¡¯s enough of that.¡±

    Someone appeared to the side of the fox lady and kicked her hard. What the hell? Who was this assho¡ªwait, what?

    I blinked several times as I registered what I¡¯d just seen. The girl¡ªit was Sun Yun!¡ªhad kicked the foxy lady, but her leg hadn¡¯t connected properly. Instead, it seemed to phase through the woman at the same time as something smaller was sent flying.

    I blinked again and shook my head. ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡±

    The other foxy woman snarled in anger and charged. Sun Yun spun and lashed out with her palm, but again her hand phased through the woman. This time, though, nothing else seemed to have been hit, and the woman just disappeared into a haze.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s annoying,¡± Sun Yun muttered.

    ¡°Su¡ª¡± I started to say, still feeling a bit confused. It felt like my mind was a little foggy. But then something grabbed me from behind and pulled me back.

    I reacted on instinct and tried to elbow them to get away. But my assailant caught my arm and kept me from hitting them.

    ¡°Let go¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± A familiar voice shouted in my ear, making me wince. ¡°It¡¯s Lin!¡±

    I froze for a second and then quickly turned to look. It was Lin. She was holding onto me, looking annoyed as she kept me from driving my elbow into her stomach. I winced at her look and stopped my attempt.

    ¡°So¡ª¡±

    Lin grabbed me again before I could ask one of the many questions I had. She pulled me to the side just as blue flames smashed down where we¡¯d been. It left a small crater and a heavily burned patch of earth.

    I stared wide-eyed for a moment before turning to look at where that came from. Jianfeng¡ªwhen did he get here?¡ªwas with Sun Yun, and they were both fighting four different opponents. Two foxes and two fox women. But the foxes and women both had oddly similar angry snarls on their faces as they fought. And every time Jianfeng or Sun Yun seemed to hit one of them, their blows ended up just phasing through their opponents who then disappeared.

    A moment later, one of the remaining opponents would split into another fox and a woman. And while this was happening, balls of eerie blue flame were being hurled around by the four as well.

    The flames moved with unnatural agility, chasing Sun Yun and Jianfeng as they fought. When they smashed into the underbrush or trees, the balls of fire seemed to just bounce off, not catching anything alight. However, the few times the flame grazed Jianfeng, they exploded brightly and burned his robes.

    It was all very confusing, even as my mind was beginning to clear.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I asked as Lin and I both moved to avoid several more of those eerie blue flames.

    ¡°You were enthralled by those Spirit Foxes,¡± Lin said, not moving to join the battle. Instead, she stayed close, eyeing me carefully every so often as if to make sure I wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid. ¡°They were trying to lure you away to eat you.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, feeling a bit dumb as the foggy feeling around my mind completely left. It then became super apparent what had happened. ¡°So how did they¡ª¡±

    My question was interrupted by a shout from Sun Yun.

    ¡°Okay, enough of this!¡± She shouted as she waved her whole arm in front of her. A wave of air seemed to explode from her and push away everything around her except Jianfeng.

    Two of their opponents were sent flying. One of the dog-sized foxes, and one of the fox women. Though after the woman smacked into a tree, she turned into a fox as well.

    ¡°No more illusions!¡± Sun Yun shouted. Then I felt something strange yet familiar. Spirit sense! Despite only being at Mid Qi-Gathering, she already had that ability.

    And apparently, it was enough to let her see through whatever illusions the foxes were using. Right after I felt her spirit sense, she moved in a rush and attacked again. Despite another two fox women splitting off from the foxes, there was no more hitting and phasing through illusions for Sun Yun.

    One of the foxes was smashed into the ground so hard it left a crater. The other¡ªwhich had been hiding in the illusion of a fox woman again¡ªwas smashed into a tree, leaving a small crater and making the massive thing shake at the impact.

    ¡°That was kinda annoying,¡± Sun Yun said, hands on her hips as she looked at her two downed foes. Then she turned to me. ¡°Well, come on. Do you want to finish them off or not?¡±

    I blinked as I realized what she meant. Oh, right. I could harvest these. Annoying asshole they might be¡ªI was starting to get a complex about hating foxes¡ªbut the illusions they used could be a pretty amazing Skill depending on how it worked. I might as well get something out of this mess.

    I unsheathed my sword and made my way over to the two badly wounded foxes. Quickly and cleanly, I decapitated both of them, finally putting an end to this whole confusing and dangerous incident.

    Sun Yun stored them away right afterward, and I didn¡¯t bother checking what they might have to harvest. I could do it later, and I was more than a little sick of the Great Southern Forest now. I wanted to leave and put this whole day behind me.

    It was only a couple of minutes after we began heading north again did I remember the question I¡¯d wanted to ask during the fighting.

    ¡°So how did the foxes sneak me away?¡± I asked the rest of the group as we jogged through the forest. ¡°Like, did they use an illusion to hide that I¡¯d been taken or something?¡±

    With my mind more clear, I could remember that the fox¡¯s illusion had led me away for several minutes before we reached that clearing. So, another illusion hiding what had happened was the only thing that made sense to me. We kept too close an eye on eachother out here for them to not notice me walking away.

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Sun Yun said, nodding. ¡°It was subtle and took a moment for me to realize what was happening. Then it took just a bit more effort to find you.¡±

    I frowned as I considered that. ¡°Which meant that if they¡¯d been a bit faster, I might have died.¡±

    That was not a nice thought to have. Even with everyone around me and all my new strength, I¡¯d just almost died. The only silver lining was I might get the ability to do the same from the fox carcasses.

    ¡°Probably not,¡± Sun Yun said rather flippantly.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°Whatever the foxes did, I was totally confused and had no idea I was in danger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but charm techniques like that are very easy to break,¡± Sun Yun said very confidently. Was that general knowledge she had or first-hand experience? ¡°When they actually moved to harm you, your survival instincts would have likely broken you out of your trance. It''s the reason they worked in pairs and the reason that spirit foxes like these aren¡¯t more common. If the charm ability was so effective, they would easily hunt other spirit beasts and humans.¡±

    ¡°I guess you''re right¡­¡± I said, thinking it through. It was a bit disappointing that charm abilities were so weak since I might have been able to get one of my own. But at least that meant that I hadn¡¯t been in as much danger as I thought.

    It wasn¡¯t much, yet it made me just a bit less nervous as we made our way through the quiet forest.

    Unfortunately, the quiet did not last. Not long after the battle with the foxes, we ran into more spirit beasts. It wasn¡¯t an issue at first. They were just Early Rank 1s, and while most of us were a little worn out, it wasn¡¯t that bad. We dealt with them as they came, even taking a moment to harvest the cores¡ªWe had more than 30 now, but we encountered no new spirit beasts, so I didn¡¯t bother trying to get them for harvesting.

    The only exception to this was a large bird of prey that tried its luck while we were fighting other beasts. Unfortunately, a quick check before Sun Yun stored it away showed that it did not have a Skill that could let me fly, much to my dismay. It would have been a pleasant surprise after those Crystal Drakes and the foxes.

    But that disappointment didn¡¯t bother me for long as things started to get worse. As we continued to travel north¡ªwhere there should be fewer spirit beasts¡ªthe number of encounters we had only grew.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    It seemed to just be bad luck at first. Yet it kept getting worse. And worse. It was like all the spirit beasts in the forest had become suddenly extra aggressive, and they were far more easily drawn towards us from the sound of fighting.

    As this continued, we abandoned wasting time extracting cores, and Sun Yun just dumped the corpses directly into her bag. But the problem kept growing, and we gave up on that too soon after. Instead, eventually, we just had to start running, leaving behind some cripple spirit beast to distract the others.

    Thankfully, that seemed to work, and the rampaging beasts got drawn towards what we left behind. They seemed to fight amongst themselves after that, drawing even more spirit beasts towards the fighting. But at least not towards us for the most part.

    We had to do this a couple more times before we finally made our way out of the forest at a run. I would have been more panicked about the whole thing if it wasn¡¯t for Sun Yun¡¯s treasure being available as a fallback plan.

    ¡°So I guess there isn¡¯t any more doubt about if the spirit beast problem is spreading,¡± I said sarcastically after we¡¯d put a considerable distance between us and the tree line to the Great Southern Forest. It was around late afternoon, given the sun¡¯s location.

    ¡°It would seem so,¡¯ Lin said in a deadpan voice beside me as we looked back towards the forest. Even from here, we could see movement within the trees. None seemed to be rushing out to chase us or anything, but it was more than a little disconcerting.

    ¡°Do we need to tell somebody about this?¡± I asked. ¡°Like, beside Sun Xia?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we will need to,¡± Jianfeng said. I turned to him, confused, before I saw that he was pointing at something behind us. Then I saw what he was referring to.

    Coming towards us were several mounted riders. They approached at speed, and for a second, I thought they might try and run us over. But no one else moved to run or dodge, so I forced myself to stay still, and just watch the approach. In the end, they stopped only a couple of feet from us, halting their movement far more easily than I thought possible.

    Given the slight feeling of Qi I could feel from them, I assumed that was a feature of whatever kind of spirit horses these were.

    ¡°Halt!¡± the lead man said rather aggressively. ¡°Do not attempt to enter the Great Southern Forest.¡±

    The lead rider and the rest were all dressed similarly. They wore impressive-looking scaled armor, with full coverage of their bodies. There were some minor yellow and red embellishments decorating the armor, but for the most part, they looked practical. Their helms were open-faced, though, making it easy to see the stern no-nonsense look on the lead man¡¯s face.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t planning to,¡± Jianfeng called out, taking the lead. ¡°We just got out and have no intention of going back in soon. The beasts are incredibly aggressive at the moment.¡±

    The lead rider seemed to be taken aback for a second by Jianfeng¡¯s answer. It seemed he hadn''t expected that, and he gave our group an evaluating look.

    ¡°I see,¡± he said, nodding to himself. ¡°It is good that you manage to get out safely. We¡¯ve gotten dozens of similar reports in the last hour or so. We were sent out to the East to intercept anyone trying to go into the forest, as well as to watch out for spirit beast incursions. What can you tell me about your experiences?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Jianfeng gave a quick recounting of our experiences. From how normal it had been before noon, to the disaster with the drakes, then to the surge of beasts as we left. He did alter the story though, so that we triggered the Crystal Drake trap from afar, and fled after seeing just how many there were. Probably to keep Sun Yun¡¯s treasure a secret.

    ¡°I see,¡± the man said, a concerned look on his face for a moment. Then it was wiped away, back to the stern visage he had before. ¡°Very well. You four should leave this place at once, then. The imperial garrison shall manage this disaster, as we are doing in the East. Only large or more powerful groups should enter the Great Southern Forest until this matter has been settled.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Jianfeng said, giving the soldiers a quick bow. The rest of us did the same, even Sun Yun before we started walking away.

    ¡°Well, at least someone is looking into this mess,¡± I said once the riders rode off and seemed to be far enough away.

    Sun Yun let out a dainty snort at that and shook her head. ¡°They said similar things about managing things when things got bad in the East. Now, more than a month later, they are still tied up there, and bandits are running around the countryside, causing problems practically uncontested except for private efforts. I wouldn¡¯t put too much faith in them dealing with this.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, looking back at the forest one last time. If that was the case, then this might be a sign of more troubles to come.

    I turned away from the forest and shook my head. Well, it wasn¡¯t like I was at the level of strength to really deal with that right now. Better to leave it for others to handle, even if they weren¡¯t doing so well. Instead, we should just head back to the city, and rest and relax.

    Or, well, I would do that just as soon as I figured out everything that I¡¯d gained from this whole mess. Despite some nasty surprises, and the hunt getting cut short, I¡¯d still gained a lot. More than enough cores to fuel my cultivation, two Skills that gave me two great boosts to my stats, a powerful new defensive Skill, and potentially a couple more Skills that would hopefully turn out to be either useful or powerful.

    Overall, not bad, though I hoped not all my trips out of the city would end up being like this one.

    ¡ªLine Break¡ª

    The trip back to the city was thankfully a lot less eventful than our trip getting out of the forest. No issues with spirit beasts, and our only encounters were with other people¡ªnone of which were bandits. Most of them were either people like us, traveling on the main road back to the city after having fled the forest, or people who¡¯d been turned away by the imperial army for being too small a group or too weak.

    A few groups were actually coming from the north, apparently willing to brave the Great Southern Forest at night or just looking to make a quick trip. Once we told them about what the imperial army was doing, most turned to head back to the city.

    One group, however, didn¡¯t turn back. Given that it was a large group of more than a dozen people, several at mid Qi-gathering at least, that wasn¡¯t too surprising. They should be able to keep safe, and for them, the trouble might be a bit of an opportunity to get a lot of spirit beast cores or even full carcasses to sell.

    Or to get killed if things got worse.

    Aside from these encounters, we did stop a couple of more times on the way back. I needed to check if the oldest of the corpses Sun Yun was still carrying in her spatial pouch were still good. If there was a time limit and the preservation power of her pouch didn¡¯t help with it, then I¡¯d have to harvest everything on the road.

    Thankfully, each time the carcasses came out glowing blue, and we did not have to deal with that.

    When we got back to the city, it was approaching evening, and the sun was starting to set. We headed straight for the Sun Compound from the southern gate. News about the troubles in the Great Southern Forest seemed to have just reached the city, and I heard many people talking about it as we made our way through the busy streets of the merchant district.

    I ignored it all for the most part, as we were moving too quickly to really hear more than snippets of people¡¯s conversations.

    Then, finally, we arrived at the Sun Compound. Sun Xia was there to meet us at the main entrance, looking quite unhappy. Even though she didn¡¯t glare, the blank look she had was enough to make me nervous despite it not being directed at me.

    Despite her bravado from earlier, Sun Yun was equally cowed as she was led away for a ¡®talk¡¯. Thankfully, Sun Xia didn¡¯t seem to blame the rest of us for Sun Yun¡¯s decision, and she even smiled and thanked us for getting her sister back home safely.

    It was only when the two of them were gone did I remember that Sun Yun had all the spirit beast corpses on her. Meaning that I wouldn¡¯t be able to see what rewards I might have gotten for braving the crystal drakes and those foxes just yet.

    Annoying, but there wasn¡¯t anything I could do about it. So, instead, I split from Jianfeng and Lin and headed back to my little house. There, I got cleaned up and ate a small meal. Normally, I¡¯d either have to eat a whole lot more or take some fasting pills to ensure that I felt full. But, as it turned out, the cores I ate for my cultivation helped with that, keeping me able to eat a more normal-sized meal.

    An interesting side effect. And with all the cores I¡¯d gathered, it seemed like I would be able to eat more like a normal person for quite some time.

    Once I was done with my food, I planned on just going to sleep, given everything that had happened.

    However, before I could actually go to bed, there was a knock on the door.

    ¡ªline break¡ª

    ¡°I thought I wouldn¡¯t be seeing you for a while,¡± I told Sun Yun as the two of us entered a large single-room building. It was quite a bit larger than my guest house, with a two-story tall ceiling and geometric formations inscribed on the floor.

    It was apparently a cultivation room meant to be isolated from the outside. A good place for privacy, according to Sun Yun. Technically, Sun Xia could look inside with her Spirit Sense, but Sun Yun was adamant she wouldn¡¯t do that. And even if she was wrong, it wasn¡¯t like I had a better place to harvest and test Skills.

    Any other location would be less private, and another snooper would be much worse than Sun Xia.

    Sun Yun scoffed. ¡°I told you that I was in the right. Big Sis couldn¡¯t ignore my perfectly sound arguments as to why joining the three of you was a good decision.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Sun Yun said, holding her head up high for a moment.

    ¡°So if we were to head out tomorrow,¡± I said, eyeing her skeptically, ¡°then I suppose you will be free to come with us? No sneaking out needed.¡±

    Sun Yun winced at that and then turned to glare at me. ¡°You know, perhaps I¡¯m feeling too tired tonight. I should probably head to bed instead of helping you with this.¡°

    ¡°Never mind, never mind,¡± I said, laughing just a little as I shook my head. ¡°Forget I said anything.¡±

    Sun Yun glared at me for another moment before she nodded once. ¡°Good. Now, how do you want to do this?¡±

    I took a moment to think about it before directing Sun Yun to just take out the Crystal Drake and Foxes first. The other spirit beasts were just maybes at the moment. I only had so many Skill Slots, and I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to start consolidating more for subpar Skills. The Crystal Drake and the foxes, however, I had high hopes for.

    Once that was done, Sun Yun left as she had better things to do than just watch me go about harvesting things. Which was fine with me as I wanted to take my time with my choices. I needed to consider just which Skills would be best, as well as how they might affect my consolidation options.

    So, I carefully read through all the available Skills first, making sure I didn¡¯t miss anything. When I was done, I had a shorter list of six Skills that stood out the most to me.

    Crystalizing Beam (Active) (Rank D): Unleash a beam of energy that will attempt to turn anything hit permanently into crystal.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 20 Qi per second</li>

    </ul>

    Qi Crystal Storage (Passive) (Rank D): Gain the ability to store and retrieve Qi from crystals. Quality and type of crystal effect rate of Qi stored and retrieved.

    Qi Crystal Body Growth (Active) (Rank D): Grow temporary crystals spikes from any part of your body. Size and strength depend on Qi expended.

    <ul>

    <li>Base Cost: 30 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Duration: 30 minutes.</li>

    </ul>

    Foxfire (Active) (Rank C): Create and control foxfire. Foxfire is part illusion and part reality, unique to every being able to create it. It can burn or not based on the desires of its creator. When it burns fuel, it can replenish itself and even grow.

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per hour</li>

    </ul>

    Illusionary Form (Active) (Rank D): Create an illusionary form that can be overlaid upon yourself. It can be controlled within a set range. Create an illusion over yourself that you can control. More complex or larger illusionary forms will cost more Qi.

    <ul>

    <li>Base Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 10 yards</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Base Upkeep: 5 Qi per minute</li>

    </ul>

    Environmental Illusions (Active) (Rank D): Create an illusion over a set area. Mose complex or larger illusions will cost more Qi.

    <ul>

    <li>Base Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Range: 20 yards</li>

    <li>Base Upkeep: 5 Qi per minute</li>

    </ul>

    The six Skills were not equal, but they were all quite tempting nonetheless. I could only have three of them, however, and only one of those three could come from the Crystal Drake. The only question that remained was which three would I take?

 Chapter 33: Foxfire

    Chapter 33:

    Editing note: I edited last chapter so the description for the two illusion Skills have been changed. Just to make it more clear the difference between the two and what they can do.

    It took me some time to make my decisions about what Skills to take. They were all quite tempting in their own way, and some were clearly more beneficial than others. But there was more to consider than just whether the Skills were good enough or not.

    I also had to consider what Skill consolidations these new Skills might unlock, along with the chances I could harvest any similar Skills soon.

    For the foreseeable future, the Crystal Drake and most of the creatures of the Crystal Cliffs were probably going to be out of reach. I would have to take that into account. Then there were the One-Tailed Spirit Foxes. I¡¯d seen their entry in the Starguard Bestiaries, and they were supposed to be quite rare. It was unlikely that I would find any more of those in the future.

    And, of course, there was one final worry that I had to consider. Whether or not I would be able to use the Skills I harvested openly. Harvesting abilities from spirit beasts wasn¡¯t as note-worthy as being able to do the same to people. But it was still something that I wanted to avoid others even considering that I could do.

    If I used too many abilities that resembled spirit beasts, and they were different enough from each other, it was possible that people might start making assumptions. They probably wouldn¡¯t come to the right conclusion, but it was better not to draw that kind of attention in the first place. Thankfully, after giving it some thought, and thinking back to talking about this with Lin and Jianfeng, I was pretty sure that wouldn¡¯t be an issue with these Skills at least.

    The crystal-based Skills could be seen as an extension of my Earth techniques. And the illusion and fire Skills could be one-offs. But it was still good to think about these kind of things now, to get into the habit.

    Eventually, I made my decision and picked my three new Skills. They were Foxfire, Illusionary Form, and Crystalizing Beam.

    Illusionary Form seemed very useful. The way the foxes used it, it was pretty much both a disguise ability and a clone ability in one. It would probably take some getting used to, but all the utility available was just too good to ignore.

    Crystallizing Beam was also a very powerful move, but took a little more thought before I took it. Getting access to more Qi by storing it in crystals was tempting. But, in the end, I chose Crystallizing Beam. There were a lot of reasons for this. Part of it was not wanting to rely on a resource I had to buy. Another was wanting a harder-hitting move. And one of the biggest reasons was how being able to make my own crystals would make my Earth Skills even more powerful.

    That also wasn¡¯t taking into account the possible consolidations I might be able to get with said Earth Skills. It really was a great Skill for me and made up for me not getting that Gem Shelled Tortoise I was originally aiming for. This was likely better than what the gemstone tortoise could have given me.

    Finally, there was Foxfire. That was actually the hardest decision for me. Overall, it didn¡¯t sound that impressive. Perhaps a decent range option, but with Crystalizing Beam, it felt a bit redundant. Perhaps it could be the less Qi-intensive and more controlled range option, but I could have filled that role once I got better with Earth Constructs or Earth Manipulation.

    However, the thing that still made me choose it in the end was the rank. It was the first C-Rank Skill I¡¯d seen. I honestly thought I might have to wait until the first time I harvested a  Rank 2 for me to get a C-Rank. And I couldn¡¯t help but feel that there might be something special about it.

    So, in the end, I took the skill.

    Once all three carcasses had dissolved into light, and I had recovered from all the information that flooded my mind, I was eager to see if I was right about the C-Rank Skill. The information that came with the Skills was only ever about how to use them and not all their details.

    I walked over to the trio of dummies in one of the corners of the room to try things out. Standing only a couple yards back from the target, I held out a hand and activated Foxfire for the first time.

    A small ball of blue flames appeared in front of my hand. It hovered there in the air, and I could feel a strange connection to it. With just a thought, I made it float slowly to the left and then to the right. Then I made it do something more complex, ascending in a spiral.

    I smiled despite how unimpressive it all was compared to some other things I¡¯d done. The amount of free control I had over the Skill was nice. Of course, if this was all it could do, then that wouldn¡¯t make up for taking up a slot. It was time to see just what else it could do.

    Looking back at the target, I willed the blue ball of flame forward as fast as I could make it. I also willed it to burn as hot as it would allow.

    The fireball smashed right into the dummy, erupting into a small burst of blue flame. When that disappeared, I looked at the dummy to see¡­ nothing. Absolutely nothing.

    What the hell? Did I mess up in making it burn, or was it that weak? On a closer inspection of the wooden dummy, I saw that there was a slight singe mark on it. So it seemed it had burned, just not well.

    I frowned at that and tried again, creating another ball of foxfire. This time, I attempted to funnel more Qi into it to make it bigger or stronger. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem to work. I could control the Foxfire, but I had no way of adding more Qi.

    I launched this foxfire ball in frustration at the target and got the same result as last time. Frustration welled up in me as I wondered if I¡¯d just fucked up. I could have gotten more illusions Skills instead of this. It was so freaking weak, what the¡ª

    Wait a minute. What if¡­

    Hope welling in my chest, I held up my hand again and aimed at the dummy once more. I activated another of my new Skills. A beam of familiar¡ªand still a bit frightening¡ªpurple blasted out of my hand. It smashed right into the dummy for a couple of seconds, quickly draining my Qi as it did. Then I cut off the Skill and looked at the results.

    Once again, I started to worry when I saw that the dummy was now coated with a thick layer of crystal. I¡¯d been hoping the dummy was actually magical in some way and that¡¯s why my Foxfire had seemed so weak. But if¡ª

    There was a cracking sound. It was soon followed by another and then another. Finally, the cluster of crystals that had been clinging onto the dummy broke apart and crashed into the ground.

    I stared wide-eyed as the dummy remained mostly unscathed, except for some shards of purple crystal that still clung to its frame.

    I sighed in relief. So the dummies were magical to some extent. Probably extra tough, and even had some way to repel the crystallization effect of my Skill. That meant that there was still hope for my Foxfire. Perhaps it would do a lot more damage to something less protected. I would have to check later with more fragile targets.

    With my hope restored, I spent the next half hour or so messing around with Foxfire some more, trying to figure out its secrets. It didn¡¯t take me long to figure one of them out, and I realized just how silly my previous panic about the Skill was. Even if the dummies hadn''t been reinforced it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue. Because while I couldn¡¯t add Qi to a ball of already made Foxfire, I could control more than one of them at a time.

    The only limit there seemed to be in terms of numbers was my focus and Qi. Aside from that, it seemed I could have as many balls of Foxfire as I wanted. Which, when combined together into a single attack, was much more devastating than I thought possible.

    Combining over 10 of the fireballs into a single attack created a much larger explosion than the single fireball. It also left a much darker burn mark on the dummy. The mark disappeared after a moment from whatever repaired the dummies, but it was a remarkable improvement and left me far more satisfied with the Skill.

    After that, I decided to move on. I messed around with Crystalizing Beam a bit more and realized that the whole cultivation chamber seemed protected against my crystallizing effect. It was a bit worrying, but I just hoped it wasn¡¯t as easy to get such protection on armor as opposed to a structure. And if that wasn¡¯t the case, it wasn¡¯t all bad. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Crystals still grew from where I hit with the beam, even if they didn¡¯t turn anything else into crystal. That effect would at least slow down an opponent. The crystals themselves could also be used with my Earth Skills, making any constructs I made much tougher.

    Once I was done with that, I finally moved on to Illusionary Form. Which, as expected, was not quite that easy to use. Creating a clone of myself wasn¡¯t too difficult and seemed the easiest way to use the Skill. But controlling the movements of the clone while moving myself was a lot more difficult. Changing what the form looked like and getting something that didn¡¯t look hideous was also not easy.

    I would need to spend more time training it as it would be well worth it to get it working. But that would have to be in the future. It was getting late, and I was still mentally tired from the day. So I decided to just check out any new Skill Consolidation quickly and call it a day.

    Or at least, that was the plan.

    Then I actually opened my status screen.

    Everything seemed normal at first. I was now at around 20% of the way to Mid Rank 1, which I should be able to bring up to 100% after processing another 23 cores in addition to one I¡¯d eaten along with my dinner. I had more than enough cores for that after our hunt.

    My normal cultivation was, of course, way less impressive, as I hadn¡¯t started yet so it was still labeled ¡®none¡¯. And I had used up 16 of my 20 Skill slots¡ªa number that I could reduce by a lot if I needed to by consolidating.

    But then I saw my Skill Consolidations. The first thing I noticed was that it just said 25+ options available on the main Status page. But after I clicked on that, and opened up the secondary page, I saw that there were a lot more options than I thought. A lot more.

    It was as if my consolidations had more than doubled.

    I quickly looked through the massive list to see just what could have caused this. And very quickly, I realized what the culprit was: Foxfire.

    For some reason, Foxfire was extremely compatible with other Skills. It could literally combine with every other Skill. And as I looked at the various options available, I realized that the Foxfire Skill seemed to take precedence over other Skills.

    All the resulting consolidations seemed to still be the same at the core. The ability to create and control Foxfire. But what changed between the various combos was the additional effects the foxfire got when combined with another Skill. For the most part, the flames seemed to gain an ability similar to the Skill combined with Foxfire.

    It took a while to get through the whole list, but several really stood out to me. So much so, that I was strongly considering just consolidating the Skills now. The only thing that held me back was that I wasn¡¯t quite sure what to take. There were so many incredibly useful Skills, and I might only be able to have one of them.

    Foxfire (Active) (C Rank) + Qi Devourer (Active&Passive) (C Rank):

    <ul>

    <li>Qi Devouring Foxfire (Active) (C Rank):  Create and control Foxfire. Foxfire is part illusion and part reality, unique to every being able to create it. It can burn or not based on the desires of its creator. When it burns fuel, it can replenish itself and even grow. This particular kind of foxfire can also absorb Qi, burning it to increase its own power or channel it back directly to an extra Qi reserve of its creator.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 5 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per hour</li>

    </ul>

    Foxfire (Active) (C Rank) + Crystalizing Beam (Active) (D Rank):

    <ul>

    <li>Crystalizing Foxfire (Active) (C Rank): Create and control Foxfire. Foxfire is part illusion and part reality, unique to every being able to create it. It can burn or not based on the desires of its creator. When it burns fuel, it can replenish itself and even grow. This particular kind of foxfire can also expend itself to attempt to crystalize anything it touches.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 2 Qi per hour</li>

    </ul>

    Foxfire (Active) (C Rank) + Illusionary Form (Active) (D Rank):

    <ul>

    <li>Foxfire Clones (Active) (C Rank): Create and control Foxfire. Foxfire is part illusion and part reality, unique to every being able to create it. It can burn or not based on the desires of its creator. When it burns fuel, it can replenish itself and even grow. This particular kind of foxfire can be used to project an illusionary form of its creator that can mimic life.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per hour</li>

    </ul>

    Foxfire (Active) (C Rank) + Quick Step (Active) (D Rank):

    <ul>

    <li>Foxfire Steps (Active) (C Rank): Create and control Foxfire. Foxfire is part illusion and part reality, unique to every being able to create it. It can burn or not based on the desires of its creator. When it burns fuel, it can replenish itself and even grow. This particular kind of foxfire can be expended while being stepped on to give the user a burst of speed.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 10 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per hour</li>

    </ul>

    Foxfire (Active) (C Rank) + Metallic Razor Strike (Active) (D Rank):

    <ul>

    <li>Foxfire Displacement Strike (Active) (C Rank): Create and control Foxfire. Foxfire is part illusion and part reality, unique to every being able to create it. It can burn or not based on the desires of its creator. When it burns fuel, it can replenish itself and even grow. This particular kind of foxfire can be expended in pairs to transfer a physical strike from a foxfire near the creator to another foxfire within range.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Cost: 20 Qi</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Upkeep: 1 Qi per hour</li>

    </ul>

    Despite how useful all the Skills in my shortlist were, I found myself drawn to Qi Devouring Fox Fire the most. The loss of the boost from Qi Devourer might have deterred me more if the boost wasn¡¯t already pretty much useless at this point. Not without increasing how much QI I could store by likely an absurd amount. It was probably better to find a more Qi efficient Skill to replace it in the future.

    And everything else about Qi Devouring Foxfire was too useful to ignore.

    The ability to drain Qi from a distance could be a huge advantage. So far, despite Qi Devourer allowing me to drain Qi from others, I hadn¡¯t used it because I mainly fought with a sword. It was tough to get into a position where I could use such a powerful technique. Something to empower me and weaken my enemy at the same time.

    But with Qi Devouring Fox Fire, it would be a lot easier to try and drain my enemies. A lot less risky as well. Not only that, but I could use that drained Qi for myself, allowing me to use my Skills more freely.

    If the other Skills weren¡¯t all quite amazing as well, I would have chosen the ability already. But, because they were, and this was potentially my only shot for a very powerful ability for the next while¡ªbecause of the troubles in the Great Southern Forest¡ªI wanted to be as careful as possible.

    So I decided to leave it for later. Let myself sleep for the night, and maybe make my decision tomorrow. I would have to choose soon, however, as Pan Song''s meeting with Sun Xia was scheduled for tomorrow. If we were still going to go to that ruin, then I would want this new ability ready in case I needed it.

    I left the cultivation building late into the evening. The sun had long since set, and the moon was high in the sky. The stars above also shone incredibly brightly, the light pollution of the city here nowhere near the levels of a city back on Earth.

    I took a moment to admire it all before heading back to my house to go to sleep.

    After changing into some nightwear, I dove into my absurdly soft and luxurious bed and went to sleep, happy to leave any decisions to tomorrow.

    Or at least, that¡¯s what I tried to do. Something stopped me, however. I wasn¡¯t sure what it was at first. It was as if there was something trying to draw my attention at the back of my head. I hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but in the silence and quiet of my bedroom, it started to be very apparent.

    Unable to sleep because of it, I tried to focus on the feeling to figure out just what it was. It reminded me of something, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on it. It was almost like¡­ like¡­ Foxfire!

    I opened my eyes as that realization hit me and sat up. It reminded me of Foxfire, but the Skill wasn¡¯t running at the moment. Or at least, I didn¡¯t think so. For a second, I wondered if I had left some Foxfire out, and that was what I was feeling.

    But, after taking a moment to center myself, I realized that wasn¡¯t the case. The feeling wasn¡¯t off because it was far away. No, in fact, it felt quite close. The strangeness was because I didn¡¯t have a connection to this Foxfire. I couldn¡¯t control it, yet it was connected to me.

    I opened my eyes again and pulled up the sleeve of my right arm. Then I stared at my forearm and focused on it. After another moment, I was sure. The feeling was coming from my forearm there.

    But how? Why?

    I reached out with the same sense I¡¯d used to find it, trying to connect with this flame and see what it was all about. It seemed to try to evade my grasp, slippery like an eel and trying to remain unnoticed. But I had noticed it, and I didn¡¯t like it one bit.

    I forced it harder. Tried to grasp it and¡ªouch!

    I winced as a blue flame erupted from my arm. There wasn¡¯t a lot of it, and despite the initial pain, it wasn¡¯t that bad. But it was still surprising as all heck. Had one of those One-Tailed Spirit Foxes left that on me? It was possible. If their fox flames were altered like the options I had for Foxfire. Perhaps that was just something you could do with foxfire. Leave it inside of someone as a trap or tracker.

    But then again, perhaps not. Because as I looked at my right arm, where the flame had come from, I remembered another fox I¡¯d encountered before. One that had gotten even closer than the foxes that tried to lure me away. It had bitten me right on the arm where the flame had been.

    I frowned at the realization. As if I didn¡¯t already hate foxes enough.

    A part of me wanted to just go to sleep now that it was dealt with. But I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there wasn¡¯t more to this than I thought. Despite my new Skill, I was hardly an expert on these types of things. It could have been some kind of tracker. Or it could have been worse. It would be better to get a second opinion.

    I sighed at that thought and moved to get up. It seemed I wouldn¡¯t be getting a chance to sleep just yet. Hopefully, I was just being paranoid, and there was nothing to worry about.

 Chapter 34: Unexpected Encounter and Planning

    Chapter 34:

    The next morning¡ªalmost noon really¡ªI left my house a bit groggy. Which, considering how little sleep I got, was perhaps another bonus of my high Vitality. If I¡¯d only gotten four hours of sleep before coming to this world, I would be dead on my feet. Instead, I was just yawning a bit as I made my way across the compound.

    The reason I only got four hours of sleep was related to the hidden Foxfire in my arm¡ªanother reason to hate foxes! After I went to find Jianfeng to get his opinion on it, who was thankfully cultivating instead of sleeping, we ended up going to find Zhao Wei to look at it. Sun Xia had already turned in for the night, but Zhao Wei was always ready to deal with potential security issues. Which is exactly what the Foxfire might have been.

    It could have been a tracker, but Jianfeng had heard stories about insidious hidden techniques like this. Ones that went unnoticed but would end up debilitating the target when they least expected it. Or worse, would allow someone a foothold past otherwise powerful protective arrays. Like the ones that protected the Sun Compound.

    I hoped that perhaps he was just being overly careful, but Zhao Wei had agreed with his assessment when we told her the story. I didn¡¯t explain how exactly I noticed the Foxfire. Just that I felt something odd, and then the flames burst out of my arm when I tried to probe it. I also mentioned how it could have come from the two spirit foxes we¡¯d encountered today, but the location of the fire was the exact location where the fox pet of the Black Wind Marauders had bitten me.

    Zhao Wei seemed to take that last possibility the most seriously. Apparently, the remnants of the Marauders had yet to be caught, and there were rumors that they¡¯d joined forces with other bandit groups. Bandit groups that there were now rumors about using demonic techniques as well.

    With that threat still out there, possibly tied to whatever had been in me, Zhao Wei made sure to scan me very thoroughly. Something that I learned was an incredibly uncomfortable process. The feeling of being examined so deeply was quite disturbing. And the worst part was that it didn¡¯t end there. She found something in me that warranted further study.

    Jianfeng, the lucky duck, had been cleared and so had Lin and Sun Yun, who¡¯d needed to be checked as well. After that, it seemed very likely the Foxfire had come from the fox that had bitten me during Sun Yun¡¯s rescue. If it had come from the other foxes, who¡¯d never actually touched me, then it would be odd for me to be the only one affected.

    Once that was figured out, Zhao Wei then took me to a more remote part of the compound where there was a small isolated building. Inside was an array that was meant to look out for hidden dangers like we were worried about. I had to sit in there for hours as Zhao Wei meticulously checked for other foreign Qi that might have been hidden inside me.

    Part of me worried she¡¯d see something about the System, and that might raise some false flags. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t turn out to be the case. Not as far as I could tell, anyway.

    At the end, when I really just wanted to go to sleep and after hours of examination, Zhao Wei concluded that whatever that Foxfire was, it had tried to settle deeper into my body. But whatever I¡¯d done had managed to purge it. What she had detected was just traces of the attempt left behind.

    That was both relieving and worrying as all hell. Relieving because I managed to get rid of it. But worrying because I¡¯d only gotten rid of it with luck. If I hadn¡¯t gotten the Foxfire Skill, who knew what it might have done?

    Zhao Wei had seemed to sense my worries as she tried to comfort me by saying that it might have just been the reason I was targeted by the two spirit foxes in the forest. That the mark would have just made fox spirit beasts more likely to attack me. But something in her gaze made me think she might have just said that to make me feel better.

    Which was another reason I got so little sleep. Even after I was free to go, I had a hard time getting to bed as I imagined all the horrible things that might have happened to me if the Foxfire had stayed in me unnoticed. Some were not that bad. But others¡­

    Well, let¡¯s just say I had a very active imagination and leave it at that.

    I shuddered at the memories of some of the scarier things I came up with as I neared the center of the compound. I was taking a shortcut through one of the main buildings to reach the other guest quarters on the other side of the compound. While I¡¯d been asleep, Pan Song had gotten his meeting with Sun Xia in the morning. He¡¯d impressed her enough to gain her patronage and was either moving in now or was already moved in.

    I learned this all from a note left at my door and was going to meet with them to discuss the expedition we¡¯d talked about before.

    I wasn¡¯t quite sure if we still needed to do that, given that he¡¯d proven himself to Sun Xia. She was a rather prominent figure, a prodigy alchemist who was the disciple of one of the best alchemists in the entire city. While she couldn¡¯t match the Qian Clan alone, her word should be enough to beat out whatever claims that Qian Zhi made.

    But the note had made it sound like the expedition was still on, so maybe there was another reason for it I didn¡¯t understand.

    As I pondered that, someone else appeared in the isolated corridor. I looked up and was about to greet them when I actually took in the appearance of who it was. Then I froze.

    I stared wide-eyed for what felt like an eternity. Then I spoke before I could help myself. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Xing Yaling, or the Icy Fairy as many called her, turned to give me a very unimpressed look. She was still wearing her white veil, but I could practically feel the disapproval from what I could make out of her eyes.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± I said quickly, cursing at myself as I bowed low in apology. Now was not the time to forget all the etiquette I¡¯d learned over the last week. That was one of the things covered a lot outside of all the training I¡¯d done, as offending the wrong person in this world could mean death.

    ¡°I did not mean to presume to question you. The question slipped out before I realized who I was speaking to.¡±

    The most ironic thing about all this was Xing Yaling was the exact kind of person my etiquette lessons had been meant to help me from offending. The Soaring Cloud Sect¡ªthe main one, not the branch in the city¡ªwas the hegemon of the whole province. While, technically, the empire ruled this province, like it did all the others under its borders, the Soaring Cloud Sect was just as influential in the region. And Xing Yaling was a member of this sect.

    She could probably kill me if she wanted to, and no one would bat an eye. Even if she didn¡¯t, she could still complain to Sun Xia. And if that happened then¡­

    I had to hold back a shudder at the thought of Sun Xia deciding I needed personal lessons with her. I¡¯d heard from Lin and Jianfeng just how their own etiquette lessons had been like when they first became her retainers. They didn¡¯t go into detail, but it was clear that the experience was very¡­ memorable, to say the least.

    Both still gained haunted looks at the memories of what they had to go through, and I really didn¡¯t want to find out firsthand what it took to leave such a mark on my two rather tough friends.

    I stayed in my bow position for a long moment, cold sweat running down my back. Hopefully, things wouldn¡¯t come to that, and Xing Yaling would just forget about this encounter.

    ¡°Do I strike you as such a terrible person that you must be this worried about offending me?¡± Xing Yaling finally asked, breaking the silence.

    It took me a moment to register her words. When I did, I cursed myself again and straightened up. ¡°No, of course not. I, um¡­¡± I trailed off as I saw what might have been a small smirk on her face through her veil. That calmed me a bit, and I took a second to take a breath. Afterward, I spoke again, but much more calm and collected. ¡°I actually just had a really long night and am still a bit sleep-deprived. I apologize for any offense I might have given.¡±

    I bowed again, but not super low this time, and only for a moment.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s understandable,¡± Xing Yaling said, nodding ever so slightly. ¡°Your apology is accepted.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    I let my shoulder slump a bit at that and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Xing Yaling laughed softly at that as she walked past me. As she did, I smelled some kind of floral scent, along with something that made me think of ice and snow. It was a bit odd but nice. Then, just like that, she was gone.

    I watched her go for a second before I turned away, not wanting to be caught staring. Then I took a breath to calm myself again.

    That had certainly been an interesting, if a bit nerve-wracking, encounter. The last thing I expected today was to run into the Ice Fairy. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she was doing here. But then I decided it was best for me not to think too much about it.

    As curious as I was to see what was under the veil, I had more important things to worry about than the potentially super-beautiful woman. Like meeting up with Pan Song and discussing the expedition and the trial.

    Even if part of me felt that Xing Yaling was a far more interesting topic to be thinking about.

    I shoved that part of me down and started walking again. Hopefully, that would be the last thing to take me off guard today.

    ¡ªline break¡ª

    ¡°What happened to your face?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t the most diplomatic question I could have asked Pan Song after seeing him again. But it just kinda came out of me when he opened the door, and I saw his face.

    ¡°That bastard Qian Zhi¡¯s goons,¡± Pan Song said, frowning as his hand went up to his face. Specifically, his eyes, which were now both black. He had two black eyes. Kinda.

    They weren¡¯t black eyes in the sense that they were bruised and swollen. Instead, there was a jagged splash of black that crossed both eyes, like someone had splashed ink on his face. Which might have been exactly what happened.

    ¡°Is that ink?¡± I asked as he let me into his residence. It was much like my own, though the decorations and color scheme were a bit different.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Pan Song said, shaking his head as we made our way to the sitting room. Lin and Jianfeng were there, sitting on some rather decorative couches. I waved at them as we entered. ¡°The bastards tried to attack me where I was staying.¡±

    ¡°They did?¡± I asked, spinning to face him and a bit stunned. It probably shouldn¡¯t be surprising, given how lawless this world could probably be when it came to the powerful and well-connected. But it still took me aback how brazen they were, even if they only¡­ well, attacked him with ink. ¡°So they broke in and splashed your face with ink?¡±

    ¡°What? No,¡± Pan Song said, shaking his head as we both sat down. There was a small table in front of us, and I sat on an individual seat across from him. ¡°I was staying at an inn, but I had plenty of time to set up a protective formation. Those bastards must still be underestimating me cause they took forever to break in. I was long gone by the time I felt my protections fall.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s good,¡± I said, still confused. ¡°But then what¡¯s with the ink?¡±

    ¡°They still tracked me down before I could reach the Sun Compound,¡± Pan Song said, shaking his head. ¡°But we were in too crowded an area for them to start a fight. So, of course, they decided to be petty. Pretended to slip and spill in on me.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, finally understanding. ¡°Well¡­ At least it''s just ink, right? I¡¯m sure it will come off¡­ soon¡­¡±

    I trailed off as I saw both Jianfeng and Lin shaking their heads.

    ¡°I wish it was just ink,¡± Pan Song said, leaning his head over the back of his couch and sighing. ¡°This is Crimson Squid Ink.¡±

    He said that name like it should mean something. But I had no idea what that might mean, so I looked to Lin for help.

    ¡°Crimson Squids are a type of spirit beasts,¡± Lin explained. ¡°They''re famed for their high-quality ink. Mainly for its rich black color and¡­ its powerful resilience.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I said, realizing the problem. So he was going to have that ink stain on his face for a while it seemed. That¡­ Well, it was way better than him getting attacked in his own room by thugs. But it was still rather annoying for him. ¡°Well, at least the meeting with Sun Xia went well, right?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, yes,¡± Pan Song said, straightening himself up. ¡°The honorable and esteemed Young Miss truly lives up to her reputation as being beautiful and wise. She still gave me a chance to prove myself and offered to sponsor me. She even allowed me to stay at this house immediately since my room at the Inn was no longer safe. Thanks again for setting up this opportunity, Li Lan.¡±

    Pan Song gave me a small bow after saying that last part.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± I said, rubbing the back of my head and feeling a bit awkward. I was never good at accepting gratitude. Especially in cases where I didn¡¯t feel like I deserved it. ¡°Jianfeng and Lin did more than me.¡±

    ¡°But you still were the first to give me a chance,¡± Pan Song said firmly. ¡°I am grateful to them as well, of course, and I hope to be able to repay all your kindnesses.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± I said, nodding before trying to move on from this. ¡°So, should we talk about what we want to do for the coming trial? Given this attack, I doubt Qian Zhi is going to forget us when the time comes. Any ideas on how we should deal with that? I¡¯m assuming you¡¯d be willing to team up to handle whatever might happen?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Pan Song said, nodding firmly. ¡°You were targeted because of me, so I will do my best to help deal with anything that bastard might do. We were just talking about our expedition to some ruins before you arrived. That should go a long way in helping deal with Qian Zhi.¡±

    ¡°It will?¡± I asked, confused. I wasn¡¯t sure how spending time going to an ancient site would help. ¡°I thought the whole reason you wanted to break into one of those ruins was to improve your reputation. But with Sun Xia¡¯s reputation and her sponsorship, that shouldn¡¯t be an issue anymore, right?¡±

    ¡°The Young Miss¡¯s sponsorship will go a long way,¡± Jianfeng said, joining in the conversation. ¡°But if she too openly declares this, it will be a slap to the face of the Qian Clan as a whole. And while Young Miss Qian Chi is on our side, it would be best not to cause such troubles. Not when there¡¯s an alternative. If Pan Song opens a ruin and brings back artifacts from it, it allows him to prove himself without the Young Miss needing to risk alienating more neutral members of the Qian Clan. Pan Song¡¯s success and her quiet support will be much less provoking.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, nodding. ¡°But how does that help with the trial?¡±

    ¡°It will help in multiple ways,¡± Pan Song said eagerly. He then went on to explain the various reasons opening the ruin could help us. From getting him resources to use for stronger formations in the trial. To the boosted reputation keeping more neutral parties from wanting to suck up to Qian Zhi by messing with us. As well as the chances of gaining rare cultivation resources or useful spirit artifacts. Even if they weren¡¯t useful for us specifically, we could sell them for spirit stones and more useful gear.

    Overall, it was pretty convincing. I especially liked the idea of getting some spirit artifacts¡ªwhat they called magical items here¡ªor earning enough to buy some in the city. Maybe I could get some magical armor to keep me safe or a better sword.

    There was also perhaps a small vindictive part of me that wanted Pan Song to succeed just to damage Qian Zhi''s credibility and reputation. Given his threats for something so petty, the bastard deserved whatever loss of face we¡¯d end up giving him.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m convinced,¡± I said, nodding along. ¡°When should we head out then?¡±

    ¡°How about today?¡± Pan Song asked eagerly. ¡°The Young Miss agreed to the idea of us going to the ruins, so Shui Jianfeng and Ming Lin are both ready to head out. We were just waiting on you to see if you are ready to go.¡±

    Huh, I hadn¡¯t expected that. I took a moment to consider if there was any problem with leaving today. I hadn¡¯t made my choice yet about Foxfire, but it would literally just take a moment to do it. And thinking about it, my choice hadn¡¯t changed.

    The other options were pretty amazing, especially Crystalizing Foxfire. But I¡¯d already seen something that could block the crystallization process, and range Qi draining just seemed the most useful in the long run, especially since I fully expected to get better Skills in the future.

    So QI Devouring Foxfire was the best option in the end.

    With that decided, was there anything else holding me back?

    ¡°Alright, today is fine with me,¡± I said when I couldn¡¯t think of any other reason why not. ¡°So where is this Serpent''s Nest Ruin? I¡¯m assuming it''s not in the Great Southern Forest?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Pan Song said, shaking his head. ¡°But we won¡¯t be going there.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because Pan Song talked to a lot of people about it,¡± Lin said, making Pan Song wince. ¡°Many people who¡¯ve been to the Starguard Hall know he¡¯s planning on going there. Given the attack by Qian Zhi¡¯s people, it''s likely he¡¯ll have people watching the site to keep Pan Song away.¡±

    I frowned.

    ¡°Thankfully, there are plenty of minor ruins,¡± Pan Song said quickly. ¡°And I am confident I can open those, and not just the Serpent¡¯s Nest Ruin. So we can just go to any of the other ones. Given the rumors about what¡¯s happening in the Great Southern Forest, Qian Zhi won¡¯t be able to spare the men guarding them all. Even guarding one will tax him.¡±

    ¡°You mean the spirit beasts rampaging?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought the Imperial Army was taking care of it. How does that affect Qian Zhi?¡±

    ¡°They''re saying they¡¯ll handle it,¡± Lin said, shaking her head. ¡°But given what¡¯s happened in the East, the great clans of the city are not going to take the chance and rely solely on them. There are already rumors of the great clans organizing an expedition. In fact¡­ It is likely after you pass the Starguard trial there will be priority group extermination missions at the Hall. Something to look forward to, as those are great ways to make contribution points from what I¡¯ve heard.¡°

    I took a moment to process all that and then nodded. Interesting to know, but not directly relevant right now. The most important part was that the Qian Clan wouldn¡¯t have the extra manpower to give to Qian Zhi to guard all the ruins around. We just had to pick another one and bypass the petty bastard.

    ¡°Well, alright then,¡± I said, moving to stand. ¡°Then let me just prepare some things, and we can leave immediately.¡±

 Notice: 2 Week Break

    Hey everyone,

    I have some bad news. The story is going to have to go on break for at least another 2-week break. Due to some complications in my life, I''m not going to have enough time to really write for a while. After those two weeks, I''m gonna try and start putting out chapters at a slower pace again. Or I''m gonna have to go on a longer hiatus(another month possibly, depending on how things go in my life)The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Sorry to everyone who has enjoyed and supported the story so far. I know it can be annoying not getting an ending. At the very least, though, I will try and get book 1 finished before the end of this year(hopefully before halfway through the year). I''ve really enjoyed writing this story so far, even more so than other stories I''ve done in the past, so I really want to get at least a book done(and hopefully more in the future)

    Anyway, thanks for reading everyone, and I hope to be able to bring you chapters again in the future.