Chapter 4: Digging Deeper (Literally)
The snuffling outside the thorn barrier intensified. Kai felt the *thump-scrape* vibrate through his newly acquired Earth Sense, mapping the Lurker's heavy pacing just beyond his fragile wall. Each scrape sounded like claws on stone. *Big* claws.
**<< Thornback Lurker: Tier-1 Spirit Beast. >>**
**<< Primary Attributes: Heavy natural armor (rock-like plates), powerful digging claws, low mobility on surface, heightened tremor sense. Weakness: Underside (less armored), joints. >>**
**<< Combat Feasibility Re-evaluated: Very Low (Host still lacks offensive technique). Evasion remains optimal strategy. >>**
"Optimal strategy," Kai muttered, sweat beading on his brow despite the cave's chill. "Right. Because outrunning something that *digs* sounds super optimal." He tightened his grip on the Boar Tusk Dagger and flint knife. Running blindly into the woods at night? Suicide. He needed a plan. Fast.
His eyes darted around the cave, enhanced by the lingering adrenaline, seeking anything – a distraction, a bottleneck, a miracle. They landed on the shallow pit trap he'd dug near the entrance, lined with sharpened sticks. It was meant for smaller beasts, maybe an unwary boar. Against a Lurker? A joke. But… what if he could *lure* it?
His Earth Sense pulsed. The Lurker had stopped pacing. It was directly opposite the weakest part of his thorn barrier, where the vines were thinnest. He felt a deep, focused *pressure* through the ground. *It's digging. Not through the barrier – under it.*
Panic spiked. He couldn't let it tunnel inside! Think! *Pressure… Tremor sense…*
An idea, born of desperation and the System's data dump, clicked. *Tremor sense.* The Lurker navigated by feeling vibrations. Kai looked at the pile of loose rocks he'd gathered for fortifications. And the Silentroot Lily, pulsing faintly cool in his pocket.
"Alright, System," Kai breathed, a plan forming. "Let's make some noise."
He grabbed a large, fist-sized rock. Focusing his Earth Sense, he pinpointed the Lurker's location – just starting to dig under the barrier wall. He reared back and hurled the rock with all his Qi-enhanced strength, not at the barrier, but at the solid rock wall *next* to the Lurker's digging spot.
*CRACK!*
The impact echoed sharply in the confined space. Through Earth Sense, Kai felt the Lurker flinch, its digging motion halting abruptly. Confusion radiated through the vibrations.
Before it could react, Kai grabbed another rock. This time, he threw it *away* from the cave, deep into the woods to his left. *THUD.* Then another, further away. *THUD.* He was creating a trail of vibrations leading *away* from his cave.
The Lurker's head (or whatever passed for one) snapped towards the new impacts. Its tremor sense, its primary way of "seeing," was being bombarded with conflicting signals. Kai felt its indecision, a low, frustrated rumble vibrating through the earth.
*Now or never.* Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out the Silentroot Lily. Its cool Qi was a beacon, but he needed to mask it, use it as bait. He ripped off one of the shimmering silver leaves. The herb pulsed brighter for a second, its scent intensifying – a wave of pure, enticing Qi energy Kai knew the beast would sense. He hurled the single leaf in the same direction as the last rock, deep into the dark woods.
The effect was immediate. The Lurker let out a guttural snarl, the vibrations spiking with sudden, intense hunger. The lure of concentrated spirit herb Qi overrode its confusion about the cave. With a powerful *scrape-thump*, it abandoned its digging attempt and charged towards the source of the scent and the vibrations, its heavy body crashing through the undergrowth.
Kai didn't wait to see it disappear. He focused his Qi into his legs, activating **Heavenly Step**. He didn't burst out of the cave; he flowed *backwards*, deeper into the damp darkness, moving with silent, preternatural speed. He pressed himself against the far wall, heart pounding, Iron Skin ready but not yet activated to conserve Qi.
He listened. The crashing sounds of the Lurker faded rapidly. Silence descended, broken only by his own ragged breathing and the drip of water.
**<< Temporary Threat Evaded. >>**
**<< System Points Gained: 15 (Creative Distraction / Environmental Manipulation). >>**
**<< Total SP: 35 >>**
Kai slumped, letting out a shaky breath. "Okay… that worked. Barely." He looked at the remaining Silentroot Lily – two leaves and the precious bud. He'd sacrificed a leaf, but he still had the bulk of its value. And 35 SP. And he was alive.
But he wasn't safe. The Lurker might come back. Or something else might find his cave. And his pitiful barrier was compromised. He needed a *real* hiding place. Fast.
He closed his eyes, pushing his newly unlocked **Earth Sense** to its limit. He focused not outwards towards the woods, but *inwards*, deeper into the rock behind him. He felt the solid mass, the trickle of water from the ceiling crack… and then, something else. A faint *hollowness*. Not large, but distinct. About ten feet behind him, deeper into the hillside.
His eyes snapped open. A cavity? Another chamber? He scrambled over, running his hands over the damp rock wall. It looked solid, seamless. But his Earth Sense insisted: *space behind here.*
He grabbed his flint knife and started chipping at the rock where the sense of hollowness was strongest. It was tough going, even with his enhanced strength. Minutes stretched. Sweat stung his eyes. He chipped, pried, chipped again.
**<< Minor Stamina Drain Detected. Recommend brief rest or Qi circulation. >>**
Kai ignored it, driven by urgency. Finally, a small chunk gave way, revealing not more solid rock, but darkness. Cool, damp air sighed out. He widened the hole, peering in. It was tight, barely wide enough to squeeze through, but it opened into a small, hidden chamber, maybe the size of a closet. And it was dry. Completely dry, unlike his damp outer cave.
**<< Ding! >>**
**<< Hidden Location Discovered: Secluded Geode Chamber. >>**
**<< Environmental Qi Density: Moderate (Stable Geothermal Node). >>**
**<< Suitability: Excellent for Concealment & Low-Level Cultivation. >>**
**<< Reward: 50 SP! >>**
**<< Total SP: 85! >>**
Kai almost laughed. A secret room! And 50 SP! This changed everything. He quickly widened the hole just enough to squeeze through, dragging his survival pack and the precious Silentroot Lily with him. Inside, the chamber was indeed small, the walls smooth and slightly curved like the inside of a giant stone egg. The air was still and carried a faint, earthy-mineral scent. More importantly, the ambient Qi felt… calmer, denser, easier to grasp than the chaotic energy of the forest outside.
He could work with this. He *had* to work with this.
His first priority was sealing the entrance. Using rocks and dirt from inside the chamber, he meticulously filled the hole he'd made from the inside, packing it tightly. From the outer cave, it would look like nothing more than a solid, slightly scarred section of wall. Only his Earth Sense would detect the thin barrier.
Safe. For now. Truly hidden.
He sat cross-legged on the smooth stone floor, the Silentroot Lily cradled in his lap. The cool energy radiating from it was palpable. He had 85 SP. He needed the Meridian Salve (75 SP) to solidify his gains. But the Lily… it promised a direct Qi boost.
**<< Analysis: Silentroot Lily (Immature - Bud Intact). >>**
**<< Optimal Use: Consume raw for immediate Qi surge (approx. +3 Days standard cultivation). Refine with Basic Alchemy Kit (Locked - 200 SP) for Meridian-Soothing Elixir (Greater Efficiency + Meridian Repair). >>**
Refining was out of reach. The immediate boost was tempting, but… *Meridian Repair*. That was the core of his weakness. The System's duct tape was holding, but it wasn't a fix. The Elixir promised actual *repair*.
He made his decision. "System, purchase the Basic Meridian Salve."
**<< Confirmed. Deducting 75 SP. >>**
**<< Total SP: 10 >>**
A small, unassuming clay jar appeared before him. He opened it to find a thick, greyish paste smelling strongly of medicinal herbs and damp earth. Following the System's instructions that appeared in his mind, he stripped off his torn upper robe and began applying the salve thickly over his chest, back, and arms – the pathways where his meridians ran closest to the surface. It felt cool, then warm, then slightly prickly as it seeped into his skin.
**<< Meridian Salve Active. >>**
**<< Effect: Stabilizing compromised meridian pathways. Accelerating natural repair processes. Leakage Reduction Accelerated. Estimated Duration: 12 hours. >>**
The constant, low-level drain he'd felt since birth seemed to lessen almost immediately. It wasn't gone, but it felt… plugged. Fortified. The Qi circulating within him felt smoother, less like water leaking from a cracked jug.
Now, the Lily. He couldn't refine it, but he could use its power *now*, with his newly stabilized meridians hopefully able to hold more of it. He plucked the remaining two leaves, leaving the precious bud on the stalk. He placed one leaf on his tongue.
It dissolved instantly, not into juice, but into pure, cool energy. It flooded his mouth, surged down his throat, and exploded into his dantian. It was ten times stronger than the Minor Qi Condensation Pill. A torrent, not a trickle. He gasped, his body trembling as the raw power rushed through his duct-taped, salve-stabilized meridians. He focused desperately, using the most basic Qi circulation technique he knew – the one he'd struggled with for years – to guide the deluge.
It was chaotic. Overwhelming. But his meridians, reinforced by the salve, held. Barely. He felt the energy swirling, condensing, filling the emptiness that had plagued him. The boundary he'd never been able to cross began to blur.
Hours passed in the silent, hidden chamber. Kai sat unmoving, bathed in the faint silver glow emanating from the remaining Lily bud and the subtle pulse of his own cultivation. Sweat evaporated instantly from his skin as internal heat built. The chaotic flood of Qi gradually subsided, tamed and integrated, swirling in his dantian like a dense, miniature nebula.
**<< Ding! >>**
**<< Cultivation Breakthrough! >>**
**<< Host: Kai >>**
**<< Cultivation: Qi Gathering Stage (Early) -> Qi Gathering Stage (Mid) >>**
**<< Meridian Status: Severely Compromised (Stabilized & Healing - Leakage Reduced to 65%) >>**
**<< Qi Capacity: +150% >>**
**<< Qi Purity: +10% >>**
Kai opened his eyes. They glowed faintly silver in the darkness for a moment before fading. He felt… *different*. Stronger, yes. Faster reflexes humming just beneath the surface. But more than that, he felt *solid*. The Qi within him wasn't just present; it felt anchored, potent, and *his*. No longer slipping away.
He looked at the remaining Silentroot Lily bud, pulsing softly. Then at his hands, clenched into fists. Power, real power, thrummed within him. Not the overwhelming, instant-godhood the System's name promised, but tangible, hard-won progress.
Outside, the Whispering Woods held its dangers. Lin Feng and the Sect were still out there. But here, hidden in the earth, Kai wasn't just surviving anymore. He was cultivating. He was healing. He was preparing.
A slow, determined smile spread across his face. The "Absolute Bullshit Cultivator" was finally starting to live up to the name. He picked up the Lily bud, carefully storing it in his pack. That bud was his ticket to the Elixir, to real repair. And the 10 SP? A start towards his next trick.
"Alright," he whispered to the silent chamber, the System screen flickering faintly in his peripheral vision. "Let's see what Mid-stage Qi Gathering can *really* do." The hunt for more SP, more resources, had just begun. And this time, he wasn't just prey. He was becoming the hunter.