Li Fan stood amidst the quiet forest clearing.
Two techniques at [Great Achievement].
Now, only one skill remained behind.
[Flowing Leaf Sword Form – Small Success – 1/200]
Unlike his other techniques, it lagged behind.
But Li Fan wasn't bothered.
The wilderness no longer provided him the steady stream of animals to farm EXP from.
And frankly, he wasn't particularly interested in using EXP for this skill.
Li Fan eyed the chipped blade sheathed at his side. It had served him well so far, but it wasn't ideal. The balance was off. The grip frayed. Every swing lacked the fluidity the Flowing Leaf Form demanded.
"To use the Flowing Leaf Sword Form properly, I need a better weapon," he muttered.
Even a decent mortal-grade sword was out of his reach financially. The thought made his brow twitch, but he accepted it. For now, he would leave the form as it was.
It was at [Small Success] already. That was enough.
His [Stone Palm Technique] already gave him power.
For now, he would let it settle.
Three skills.
Two at [Great Achievement], one at [Small Success].
This, in itself, was a foundation few could claim.
A week ago, that idea would've seemed laughable.
Li Fan's stomach growled faintly. He hadn't eaten since early morning, and the few berries left in his satchel wouldn't hold him for long.
And so, for the first time in days, Li Fan began walking—not to train or fight, but simply to return.
He would go back to the sect.
As a disciple of the sect, even as a servant disciple, he couldn't stay outside for too long without permission.
It would be a bad thing if someone noticed and thought he ran away.
Li Fan adjusted the chipped sword at his side and made his way towards the direction that led out of the forest.
A few minutes later, Li Fan stepped over a fallen branch and stopped.
There, half-sunken into the soft earth, was a print.
A very large one.
"…it can't be a boar," Li Fan muttered, crouching low.
He brushed his fingers along the edge of the track. The shape was unmistakable—a paw. Four toes, sharp claw grooves, and a slight rear indent from where the heel had pressed into the dirt.
It should be a wolf. And a big one at that.
Li Fan's eyes narrowed.
He remembered now, yesterday, he had seen the corpse of a boar he hadn't killed, half-eaten and clawed open like a sack of rice.
He already knew he wasn't the only hunter in this forest.
Still.
He wasn't afraid.
In fact, Li Fan felt intrigued.
He found his curiosity—and a newly sharpened confidence—pulling him forward.
After all, he had two techniques at [Great Achievement]. His cultivation was solid. Unless it was a true demon beast or another cultivator, nothing in this forest should pose too great a threat to him now.
And besides…
"This is still within Qinghe's territory," Li Fan reasoned aloud, stepping carefully into the next paw print in the soil. "If something dangerous was here, the sect would've known by now."
Li Fan hesitated a beat longer, then followed the trail.
Leaves crunched beneath his sandals as he moved deeper.
Minutes passed.
Then—
A faint rustling in the distance.
Li Fan dropped to a crouch, heart thudding in quiet anticipation. The trail curved around a moss-covered hill, and as he crept up its slope, the scent of blood greeted him—faint, but unmistakable.
He reached the top and peeked over.
Down below, in a shallow depression veiled by creeping ferns and mossy roots, lay another clearing.
And at its center—
A wolf.
But not just any wolf.
This one was massive, its dark-gray fur streaked with dried blood and Qi scars. Muscles rippled beneath its hide as it hunched over a torn carcass.
A demon beast.
Li Fan's pupils shrank.
So… it was a demon beast.
And from the pressure he could faintly feel from here, it was roughly early Qi Gathering Stage 3.
"What the hell is a demon beast doing this deep in the sect's territory?" he whispered, voice barely audible.
He didn't have long to ponder.
Because just as he was about to back away and retreat—
A voice rang out behind him.
"Well, well. Look what wandered here."
Li Fan didn't think.
He spun on instinct and lashed out with a fist.
A crack rang through the air.
[Stone Palm Technique] activated mid-swing.
At [Great Achievement], there was no longer any need for complex hand seals—Qi surged through his meridians naturally, forming the technique with a single intent.
Li Fan's fist met a hand.
An old, wrinkled hand—one that however quickly disengaged after his punch.
Li Fan's eyes widened as he dropped back instantly.
Before him stood an old man in ragged robes, back hunched, white beard hanging loosely from his chin. His eyes were sharp, and the pressure around him was unmistakable.
Qi Gathering Stage 5.
Li Fan's thoughts raced. One cultivator at mid-stage… and a demon beast at early peak stage. Not a combination he could handle.
Still, he didn't show fear.
He raised his chin, voice firm. "I'm a disciple of the Qinghe Mountain Sect. You should think twice before—"
"Spare me the bluff, brat," the old man interrupted with a sneer. "If you were truly a disciple of Qinghe, your robe would carry their crest."
Li Fan froze.
The old man's gaze sharpened.
"And more importantly… outer disciples of Qinghe start at Qi Gathering Stage 5."
The weight behind his stare intensified. "You're Stage 3 at best. Maybe early Stage 3. Someone like you should be a servant disciple."
Li Fan's hands clenched, sweat running down his back.
He'd been seen through in an instant.
Li Fan didn't respond.
He was already calculating escape routes when his eyes caught sight of something.
The arm of the old man that had engaged with Li Fan punch just now—
It was trembling slightly.