Morning in the Green Sky Sect always brought a profound tranquility.
Chen Xuwu awoke from his sleep, feeling every cell of his body filled with energy.
The breakthrough to the Initial Foundation Stage (Lv. 1) had granted him power far beyond what he could have imagined.
His Dantian now pulsed with stable and powerful Qi, like a calm lake holding boundless strength.
This is truly a different life. No more deafening alarms, no more deadline pressure. Just nature, and me.
He sat cross-legged in the center of the pavilion, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.
The pure Qi from the jade bamboo around him flowed rapidly into his body, strengthening the foundation of his cultivation. He tried to focus his 'Nature Resonance'.
Outside the window, a creeping vine slowly began to grow, twisting into a perfect spiral on the pavilion wall.
SFX: (The rustle of flowing Qi, hummmm, followed by the sound of rapidly growing shoots, creak-creak, and twisting vines, whip-whip)
My control is getting finer. I can feel every fiber of this plant, every drop of Qi flowing within it.
Lin Qianyu arrived shortly after the sun fully rose, carrying a tray with a light breakfast and herbal tea.
SFX: (Gentle knock on the door, knock-knock, followed by the soothing aroma of herbal tea)
"Good morning, Chen Xuwu! How was your sleep after the breakthrough?" Lin Qianyu greeted, her smile bright.
"Very soundly, Lin Qianyu. I feel better than ever," Chen Xuwu replied, rising from his meditation. "And my 'Nature Resonance' feels much stronger."
Lin Qianyu placed the breakfast tray on the table. "I can feel it. Your aura is denser. That's good! After breakfast, I'll take you to a special training area to test your new 'Nature Resonance' abilities."
They ate breakfast together, occasionally chatting about the Green Sky Sect and customs in the cultivation world. Chen Xuwu absorbed every piece of information like a sponge.
He asked about different types of Qi formations, how elixirs worked, and stories of legendary cultivators. Lin Qianyu patiently answered, sometimes surprised by Chen Xuwu's boundless curiosity.
He's truly like a blank slate ready to be filled. But he learns so quickly. Lin Qianyu smiled inwardly.
After breakfast, they headed to a larger training area, far from the crowd of disciples. The area was an open field surrounded by dense forest, with several rock formations and a pond.
SFX: (The rustle of wind in the trees, whoosh, and the gurgle of water from the pond, ripple-ripple)
"Alright, Chen Xuwu," Lin Qianyu said, pointing to an old tree in the middle of the field. "Try to use 'Nature Resonance' to make the tree's vines move and form a small bridge over the pond."
Chen Xuwu nodded. He closed his eyes, focusing his Qi. He felt the tree's Qi, pulsing slowly but powerfully. He channeled his own Qi, guiding the vines.
SFX: (The sound of creaking and twisting vines, creak-creak-whip, forming a bridge)
Slowly, the thick vines from the tree began to move, twist, and intertwine with each other, forming a sturdy natural bridge across the pond. Lin Qianyu walked across it, testing its strength.
"Amazing!" she exclaimed. "This is faster and sturdier than I thought! Your control is so precise!"
Chen Xuwu smiled with satisfaction. This is much more enjoyable than making Power Point presentations.
They continued training. Chen Xuwu tried to manipulate the water in the pond, making it form small whirlpools, then lifting it into the air in the shape of a water sphere. He even tried to manipulate the earth, making it slightly undulate or form small mounds.
[System: Skill 'Nature Resonance' leveled up to Lv.2.]
Already Lv.2? That's so fast!
As Chen Xuwu was engrossed in his training, he felt something strange. A subtle tremor beneath the ground, followed by a very faint whisper from nature. Not a whisper of sadness or need, but a whisper of... unease.
What is this? Chen Xuwu frowned, stopping his training.
"What's wrong, Chen Xuwu?" Lin Qianyu asked, seeing his expression.
"I... I feel something," Chen Xuwu said, trying to focus his 'Empathic Leaf Knot' deeper. "Nature... feels uneasy. Something is wrong somewhere."
Lin Qianyu also tried to sense the Qi around her, but she didn't feel anything strange. "I don't feel anything. Maybe it's just a change in the weather?"
"No. This isn't the weather," Chen Xuwu shook his head. "It's... a strange-feeling Qi. Very faint, but I can feel it. Like something is trying to disturb the balance."
In Green Leaf Village, Eastern Border...
That morning, Green Leaf Village, a small settlement that thrived on farming and herbal gathering, was bustling with activity.
Children played chase among the wooden houses, women dried their harvest, and men prepared to go into the forest for firewood. The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and morning cooking.
SFX: (Sound of cheerful children's laughter, hehehe, and lively villagers' chatter, murmur-murmur)
Suddenly, a terrifying roar split the air, shaking the ground.
SFX: (The thunderous roar of a beast, ROOOAAARRR!, followed by the sound of falling trees, CRASH!)
Panic spread through the village. The residents looked at each other, their faces pale. "What was that?!" a woman cried out.
From the direction of the forest, large shadows emerged. Not just one, but three Spiritual Stone Apes, with glowing red eyes and muscular bodies radiating a thick evil Qi aura.
Behind them, several Shadow Wolves, larger than usual, with jet-black fur and poisonous fangs, darted out from the trees.
SFX: (The sound of heavy Stone Ape footsteps, THUMP-THUMP-THUMP, and the eerie howling of Shadow Wolves, AWOOOO!)
"Spiritual beasts!" a man shouted, his voice full of fear. "They're rampaging! Protect the children!"
The first Spiritual Stone Ape leaped towards the fields, its fist as large as a boulder slamming into the ground, creating a small crater. The newly grown herbal plants were instantly destroyed.
SFX: (Impact of stone fist, BOOM!, followed by the sound of cracking earth, CRACK!)
The villagers ran in panic, trying to find shelter. Shadow Wolves darted quickly, attacking anyone they encountered.
They weren't looking for prey, but merely destroying and injuring. Their eyes were empty, filled only with madness.
"They... they're not like usual!" an old hunter shouted, trying to swing his axe, but was easily thrown aside by a Stone Ape. "Their Qi... it feels sick and angry!"
Wooden houses began to crumble. Screams of terror filled the air. Thin smoke began to billow from several burning buildings due to the evil Qi attacks.
SFX: (Sound of cracking wood, creak-creak, screams of terror, AAAAHHH!, and howls of pain, ARGGGHH!)
A young mother tightly hugged her child, trying to hide behind a pile of wood, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Why is this happening? Why are they attacking us?
The once green fields were now a scene of destruction. Thick evil Qi enveloped the village, making the air feel suffocating and heavy.
This was not an ordinary beast attack. This was a deliberate rampage, filled with destructive intent.
Back at Green Sky Sect...
Suddenly, from the direction of the sect gate, the sound of increasing commotion was heard.
SFX: (Sound of anxious whispers, murmur-murmur, and hurried footsteps, tap-tap-tap, from a distance)
A guard disciple rushed towards them, his face pale, his breath ragged. "Senior Lin! There's big trouble! Several spiritual beasts in the eastern forest suddenly went berserk and attacked the nearest village! Green Leaf Village is destroyed!"
Lin Qianyu gasped, her eyes widening. "Spiritual Stone Apes? Shadow Wolves? They're rampaging? But the eastern forest is a relatively safe area! And Green Leaf Village... that's the village we often visit to gather herbs! How can this be?!"
"Their Qi... is very chaotic, Senior Lin! And their eyes are glowing red! They're like they're possessed! They're just destroying!" the disciple reported, his voice trembling.
Rampaging again? And the evil Qi I felt earlier... is this connected? This isn't just a random incident. That strange-feeling Qi... it must be the Qi controlling them. Chen Xuwu felt a growing sense of dread, a cold chill piercing his bones.
"We must go immediately!" Lin Qianyu said firmly, her hand already on her sword. "Chen Xuwu, you come with me. We must help that village! They are in great danger!"
Chen Xuwu nodded, without hesitation. This is my duty as a Guardian of Nature. I cannot ignore their suffering. And I must find out who is behind this.
They hurried towards the eastern forest. Along the way, Chen Xuwu kept trying to sense the disturbing Qi.
The closer they got to the village, the stronger the Qi felt, cold and destructive, yet still faint, as if there was a veil protecting it.
This isn't ordinary evil Qi. There's something more cunning behind it. Something hidden, controlling from afar. A mastermind.
He didn't know that behind the invisible curtain of mist, a pair of glowing red eyes was watching him, observing his every move, and smiling faintly.
A new game had begun, and Chen Xuwu had just stepped into an invisible trap.