---
Wolfback Mountain loomed fifteen miles northeast of the village, its jagged ridges cutting through the clouds like the spine of a great beast. Mist clung to its slopes, whispering secrets through the trees.
It was known even among villagers that the mountain was divided into three zones:
Outer Zone: Spirit beasts from Qi Refinement stages 1 to 5.
Inner Zone: Stronger beasts up to early Foundation Realm, often territorial.
Core Zone: Unmapped. Avoided. Rumors spoke of mutated monsters and ruins with no return.
Tian Jue didn't need to go deep. Not yet.
> "If luck's with me, I can gather every herb I need in the outer zone."
He arrived before noon, breathing evenly, feeling the abundant qi flow through the mountain paths. His long needle, chained to his arm and hidden beneath his sleeve, pulsed like a quiet secret against his skin.
---
He moved with practiced caution—each step measured, silent.
It wasn't long before he heard a soft rustling from the underbrush near a moss-covered stone.
A pair of crimson-glowing eyes peeked through—a Blood Rabbit, its fur dark red and ears perked. It bared fangs unnaturally long for its kind.
> [Spirit Beast: Blood Rabbit]
Realm: Qi Refinement 2nd Stage
Status: Aggressive
It pounced.
Tian Jue didn't blink.
With a flick of his wrist, the needle shot forth, spiraling like a silver fang.
The needle pierced the rabbit—and shattered through the stone behind it.
The beast didn't even scream.
> "Too weak."
He wrapped the blood-soaked corpse in cloth. The beast's materials could fetch a few spirit coins back in town. Bones, blood, and eyes had medicinal use.
---
Hours passed. Herbs were gathered. His pace was calm.
He'd already harvested Firepetal Grass and Dewlight Root, two key ingredients for his first cycle of constitution-enhancement. All that remained for today was finding a route home without losing energy.
That was when the wind shifted.
Leaves rustled unnaturally.
From the trees ahead, a Wind Deer emerged—elegant, lean, eyes shimmering like pale jade.
> [Spirit Beast: Wind Deer]
Realm: Qi Refinement 4th Stage
Status: Alert – Highly mobile target**
Unlike the rabbit, this one didn't rush.
It stared at him. Then twitched its ears. Then vanished in a blur of wind.
Tian Jue's eyes narrowed.
> "Fast."
But speed could be read. Speed had rhythm.
He closed his eyes, gathered his breath, and moved—light as a feather, precise as a falling leaf.
Silent Wind Steps.
A movement technique from his past life's Huang-class archives. But here, powered by this realm's qi, it breathed differently.
He flowed across the underbrush like fog, leaving barely a trace. The Wind Deer grew nervous, twitching its head—until the chain snaked around its neck, glinting silver in a burst of sun through the trees.
Too late.
Tian Jue was already airborne.
From a thick branch above, he twisted his arm and let his weight snap the chain.
The beast's neck cracked clean.
> [Beast defeated: Wind Deer – 4th Qi Refinement]
[Analyzing Movement Pattern…]
[Martial Skill Learned – Silent Wind Steps: Heaven Grade (Imitation)]
A fluid movement technique that merges qi with terrain. Efficiency enhanced by natural qi density.
Skill Quality: High
Note: Heaven Grade (Imitation) differs from true Heaven Grade. Verification with local technique ranks required.
---
Tian Jue landed softly beside the body, chain recoiled, face calm.
> "Heaven Grade... imitation?"
In his previous world, techniques were divided as:
Tian (Heaven)
Di (Earth)
Xuan (Mystic)
Huang (Common)
If this technique was recognized by the system as Heaven Grade even in imitation… what did that say about this world's cultivation standards?
> "I haven't even seen a single local technique yet. Are they stronger? Or… is my system translating quality based on universal fundamentals?"
He couldn't answer that yet. Not without comparing a native technique firsthand.
Hours passed. Herbs were gathered. His pace was calm.
He'd already harvested Cloudsilver Vine, a rare silver-veined creeper that shimmered faintly with ambient qi, and Thunderroot, a thick, pulsing root that crackled slightly when pulled from the soil. These were two of the core components needed for the first month of his constitution enhancement cycle.
> "No need to be greedy. Recovery is key."
He packed the herbs carefully, wrapped in wax-leaf and stored in a qi-sealed pouch his mother lent him. The beast corpses were bound and balanced on a thick branch, their weight testing his improving strength.
The wind whispered through the leaves as he turned from the mountain's outer ring.
---
[System Log – Summary of Progress]
> – Level: 11
– Constitution: 11
– Strength: 7
– Dexterity: 5
– Intelligence: 9
– Wisdom: 15
Collected Herbs:
– Cloudsilver Vine: 1 bundle
– Thunderroot: 2 roots
Objective: 2/7 Herbs collected for Phase I
Recommendation: Return, rest, replenish qi for deeper mountain forays.
He had secured his first successful beast kills.
His weapon had responded perfectly.
And his mind was still clear.
But within his chest, the fire of discipline burned steady. Tian Jue looked back at Wolfback Mountain one last time before vanishing into the misty forest trail.
But not yet.
To be continued…