Safely concealed in a temporary camp miles away from the valley where he'd fought the Mist Panther and harvested the young Spiritual Ginseng, Gù Tiānháo took careful stock of his situation. He laid out his gains: the high-quality Ironhide Boar core, its valuable tusks, the treated hide (still bulky but potentially life-saving), the Mist Panther core and pelt, several lesser beast cores, a small collection of common spiritual herbs, and the prize jewel – the 30-year Spiritual Ginseng, carefully wrapped and preserved. These were substantial rewards, far exceeding what most cultivators at his level could hope to gather in weeks, let alone achieve through direct combat.
However, the risks had escalated proportionally. 24 He was now operating in territory frequented by peak Level 2 and likely early Level 3 spirit beasts. More concerningly, the signs of other cultivators lingered in his mind – a constant, unpredictable threat that required far more caution than facing beasts with understandable motives. His peak Level 2 strength, while formidable after the consolidation, felt increasingly inadequate for the dangers lurking deeper within the mist. Pushing further now, especially alone, felt less like bravery and more like recklessness courting death.
Furthermore, simply possessing resources wasn't the same as utilizing them effectively. The Ironhide Boar hide needed expert tanning and crafting to become usable armor. The beast cores and the Spiritual Ginseng held immense potential value, but only if converted into spirit stones, pills, or other cultivation resources – none of which he could accomplish alone in the wilderness. He also desperately needed information: reliable maps of the deeper forest, locations where 100-year Ginseng might grow, knowledge about the cultivators potentially operating in the area, and perhaps formulas or ingredients for pills that could help him safely break through to the 3rd Level of the Refinement Realm.
He considered attempting the breakthrough right here, using the ambient Qi and perhaps consuming the young ginseng. But the memory of the strain on his meridians from the boar fight, combined with the inherent dangers of a cultivation breakthrough in an unsecured environment, dissuaded him. A failed breakthrough could leave him crippled or dead, easy prey for any passing threat. It required preparation, perhaps specific supplementary materials, and ideally, a safe, controlled environment – none of which he currently possessed.
After careful deliberation, weighing the potential rewards of pressing onward against the escalating risks and his current limitations, Tiānháo made a calculated decision. It was time for a strategic retreat. Not defeat, but a temporary withdrawal to consolidate, convert his spoils into usable assets, gather intelligence, and better prepare for a future, more informed expedition into the forest's depths.
His immediate plan formed: he would carefully make his way back towards the outer edges of the Black Mist Forest. From there, he wouldn't return directly to the suffocating confines of the Gu Manor in Maplewood – that was no longer his home or a place conducive to his growth. Instead, he would seek out a larger trading hub or city, perhaps the Jade River City mentioned in passing by merchants back in Maplewood, or another suitable settlement known to cultivators.
In such a place, he could anonymously trade his valuable materials – the boar hide, tusks, cores, panther pelt, and perhaps even a portion of the young ginseng if necessary – for a significant sum of spirit stones. With spirit stones, he could purchase reliable information, better equipment (perhaps a proper sword and basic cultivation armor), alchemy ingredients, pill formulas, or even ready-made pills if available and affordable. He needed resources, knowledge, and potentially, connections.
He spent the rest of the day meticulously packing his belongings, ensuring the valuable ginseng and beast cores were securely hidden. He carefully erased all traces of his camp before setting off at dawn, not heading deeper into the unknown, but navigating back along a carefully chosen, circuitous route towards the forest's edge. His steps were lighter, not just from the decision made, but from the tangible power humming within him and the prospect of converting his hard-won spoils into the next stage of his cultivation journey. The Black Mist Forest had tested him, nearly killed him, but ultimately, it had forged him anew and provided the means for his next ascent.His retreat was not an end, but a necessary step towards a stronger return.