The night air was sharp, carrying the scent of blood and ash. Li Xuan stood atop the jagged cliffs of Blackspire Ravine, the Shattered Fang pulsing faintly in his grasp. The blade's dull red veins had dimmed, but its hunger had not.
Every few breaths, it vibrated—thirsting for more.
Li Xuan crouched beside the saberhorn wolf's corpse. His fingers pressed into the beast's chest, just above where the core had been. The body was deteriorating fast, dissolving into mist. The system had consumed its essence completely.
[Essence depleted. Further extraction impossible.]
He pulled his hand away. Cold, efficient information streamed through his thoughts—direct and precise. He was starting to understand how the Devouring Heaven Manual worked.
It left nothing behind.
Any wasted kill would mean lost power. Any mistake… would slow his rise.
And there was no time to be slow.
He stood and turned his gaze east, toward the faint torchlight shimmering on the edge of the cliffs—Blackroot Hollow, home of the Ardent Flame Clan. A clan that had exiled him five years ago for being born without a spiritual root.
You thought I'd die out here. But I'm still breathing.
He looked down at himself. His body still ached, bruised from the earlier trial. But it felt… denser. Stronger. Qi continued to flow through him, faint and erratic but present. His muscles coiled tighter, his senses sharper than any ordinary mortal.
[Vessel Status: Body Tempering Realm – Stage 5 (Core Body)]
A small smirk touched his lips. The final stage of the Body Tempering Realm. One more step, and he'd be able to circulate qi properly—to truly cultivate. The next realm was within reach.
But before he could ascend, he had to feed the system. Again.
He moved through the underbrush like a shadow, blade low, breath silent. The old quarry lay beyond the northern ridge—a favorite spot for rogue cultivators, mercenaries, and beast hunters. A perfect hunting ground.
He paused.
Voices echoed through the trees, carried by the wind.
"…beast should've passed through here. Good core if we catch it early."
Li Xuan dropped into a crouch. Just ahead, three men circled a campfire. Two were average—worn leathers, curved hunting blades, a few spirit talismans dangling from their belts. Body Tempering Realm, probably Stage 4 at best. Muscle, not threat.
But the third…
He stood apart. Still, silent, face hidden behind a fox-mask. His robes were plain, but the way the air shifted subtly around him told Li Xuan everything he needed to know.
Qi Foundation Realm.
Li Xuan's eyes narrowed.
That man had begun true cultivation. His meridians were likely open. His dantian formed. He had real qi—and that meant real essence.
High risk. High reward.
The Devouring Heaven Manual stirred in his mind.
[Nearby targets detected.]
[Estimated Realm: 2x Body Tempering (Stage 4), 1x Qi Foundation (Stage 1–2)]
[Essence Yield: Moderate / High / High+]
Li Xuan didn't hesitate.
He struck fast and without mercy.
The first hunter dropped with a slash across the throat—dead before he could turn. The second barely had time to shout before the Shattered Fang carved through his ribs, the blade devouring his life essence as he fell.
[Kill confirmed: Body Tempering – Stage 4]
[Essence +4]
[Weapon Pulse: Shattered Fang partially repaired.]
The masked cultivator stood, drawing a thin saber lined with faint red talismans. His spiritual aura flickered—steady and cold.
"You're no beast hunter," the man said. "Who sent you?"
Li Xuan answered by moving.
Their blades clashed once—twice. Sparks lit the dark.
A burst of qi exploded from the saber as the talismans activated, slamming into Li Xuan's chest. He flew back, rolling over gravel before hitting a tree.
Pain bloomed across his side, but he gritted his teeth and stood.
[Damage Registered. Vessel Integrity: 89%]
[Warning: Current Realm Gap Detected.]
The man advanced, blade raised, confidence sharpening his movements.
But Li Xuan didn't fear him.
He expected this.
He ducked under the next slash, closed the gap, and slammed his shoulder into the man's gut. As the cultivator staggered, Li Xuan swept his blade upward.
The Shattered Fang carved through cloth and skin, but didn't reach bone.
The masked cultivator retaliated with a fist to the jaw, sending Li Xuan stumbling sideways. Blood dripped from his lip.
Still, he smiled.
"I don't need to match your realm," he growled. "I just need to end you."
The man charged. Li Xuan stepped in, letting the saber skim his shoulder—blood sprayed, but he caught the man's wrist with his free hand and headbutted him hard. Bone cracked. The saber clattered to the ground.
Before the man could recover, Li Xuan twisted and drove the Shattered Fang straight up beneath his chin, impaling him clean through.
The scream never came. The sword pulsed like a heartbeat.
When the body hit the ground, only one breath remained.
Li Xuan stood still, panting quietly. His blood mixed with the others, steam rising in the night.
The system chimed.
[Kill confirmed: Qi Foundation Realm – Stage 1]
[Essence +12]
[Devouring Heaven Manual: Combat Evaluation Complete.]
[Reward: Technique Unlocked – Essence Pulse Blade]
Description: Condense devoured energy into a single, devastating strike. Costs 5 stored essence.
He tightened his grip on the blade, now glowing brighter. He could feel it—power gathering inside. With this, he was one step closer to breaking through.
Closer to proving them all wrong.
Li Xuan turned his eyes toward the far-off lights of Blackroot Hollow, where his clan no doubt celebrated another false prodigy's progress.
"Keep climbing your ranks," he whispered. "I'll tear them down, one by one."