Before trying to reach that mysterious cave, I first tested my new abilities. It was wise to try the wings first and see how well I could fly before heading to that cliff.
I had to understand my flying beast—how well I could change direction, how long I could stay in the air. Those were important things to know.
The ability was imprinted inside my mind. I activated it, feeling a surge of Qi rush through my body and concentrate at my back. Two translucent wings appeared.
It was a strange feeling. When I tried to move them, it felt like they were an extension of me. The wings moved slowly at first, but as I got used to the sensation, they picked up speed.
Excited, I attempted flight.
The moment my feet lifted off the ground, a shiver ran through me. For the first time—I was flying. Never would I have imagined a day when I'd grow wings and take off into the sky.
I didn't fly high initially. The idea was to ease into it and get a feel for the wings. The speed was better than I expected.
I could feel my Qi slowly draining. It wasn't an ability I could use forever. As my cultivation improved, I'd be able to keep it going longer—but with my current power, I estimated I had about thirty to forty minutes of flight time. That's assuming I didn't use Qi for anything else. If I had to fight while flying, the timer would be shorter.
Still, that was plenty for me. With the speed I had, and the ability to bypass terrain, I could cover serious ground in that time.
Eventually, I returned to the ground.
I tested the other abilities I'd gained from the moth. One allowed me to nearly vanish—camouflage. Harder to blend my full body, but the translucent wings were easy to hide. That made it look like I was using a different flying method, which was great. The wings weren't exactly intimidating—if anything, they felt too graceful.
The other abilities needed a live test subject. I'd only know their effectiveness once I used them on someone.
The process of learning these abilities was strange. They were inside my mind, but they weren't instantly mastered. I still had to practice to get better with them.
I walked toward the cliff.
It wasn't early in the day anymore, but I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to explore that entrance. Curiosity gnawed at me, and if I didn't check it soon, it would drive me mad.
Well—maybe curiosity really would kill me, if that was truly a cultivator's cave with deadly formations. But the only way to know was to go. So I did.
I used my translucent wings and flew toward the entrance.
It was worse than I imagined. The cliff was tall—really tall. Flying there gave me the creeps. I made the mistake of looking down.
Not a great idea.
I breathed slowly, focusing on the task ahead. Controlling the wings, I flew toward the cave entrance.
When my feet touched the ground again, I felt a wave of relief. Everything had worked out.
The cave's entrance was draped in vines and moss—it was clear no one had visited it in a long time.
It wasn't a large opening. At the end of the short corridor, I spotted a stone door. That confirmed it: this was definitely the entrance to a cultivator's cave.
I had no idea if the cultivator was still inside or if any formations remained. But I went forward anyway, scanning for anything that looked out of place—anything that might trigger a formation.
Standing in front of the stone door, I took a deep breath and pushed it open. It was just a test—I hadn't expected it to budge. But it did.
The interior came into view.
No vegetation inside. The place was organized. I saw a bed, a meditation space, and even a pond of water—though I had no clue whether it was meant for bathing or something more significant.
"Hello?" I said.
Maybe speaking wasn't the best idea. If anyone was inside, I'd just alerted them. But nothing happened. No answer.
I relaxed and moved deeper, exploring what might be hidden within.
On a wooden shelf, I found scrolls. As I unrolled a few, I was shocked.
The scrolls were old—very old—and the writing was a dialect of the language I knew. Similar, but different.
"Does this mean this is ancient…" I murmured.
Had I just stumbled across the home of a cultivator from long ago? The thought excited me. Maybe there were treasures waiting for me here.
I searched further, hoping for more discoveries. Sadly, aside from the scrolls, the cave was fairly bare.
Until I came across another door.
This one looked different.
Strange symbols were etched into the surface. Qi pulsed from them—but not a normal Qi. There was something else… something unfamiliar.
I tried to open it.
Nothing happened. The door was sealed.
My first guess? A formation.
There were only two reasons to use a formation like this: either it protected something valuable, or it sealed away something dangerous.
I remembered all the novels I'd read—cultivators foolishly opening sealed doors and unleashing chaos upon the world.
So I didn't open it.
I stepped back and returned to the scrolls. Maybe they held clues.
Most were journal entries. Stories written by someone who'd lived here long ago.
A few were actual techniques.
"This place could become a solid base for me."
I found a room designed like a garden. Clearly, the former cultivator used it to grow herbs. But I could use it to plant beasts—hidden away, safe. No one would find it.
If I learned to lock the outer door with a formation, it would be even safer. Better than my cabin. I wanted to move in.
And then, I found something else.
A jade bottle.
It looked plain. No Qi emanated from it. But my mind raced.
Maybe—just maybe—I had found a treasure.