As the sun continued to rise over Tian Village, life stirred among the wooden houses. Villagers stepped out into the light, some carrying bundles of firewood over their shoulders, others balancing grain sacks with practiced ease. Laughter and chatter filled the air as the day's work began.
From the path near the temple, Zhen Huan stepped down the last stair, ready to leave.
A voice called out to him.
"Zhen Huan, where are you going?"
He paused and turned to his left. A few villagers stood nearby, watching him curiously. One of them, a man with a thick beard and a friendly smile, rested a bundle of sticks against his hip as he waited for an answer.
Zhen Huan opened his mouth, then hesitated.
What am I supposed to say? That I'm going into the Hell Forest to find a celestial sword left behind by a god? They'll think I've lost my mind.
His eyes shifted nervously.
"Ah… I'm just going to take a look around the village," he said with a forced smile.
Another villager, a woman stacking grain sacks onto a wooden cart, waved at him.
"Oh, that's good. We're heading to Long City today. We'll be back tomorrow, so stay safe while we're gone!"
Zhen Huan's brow furrowed slightly as he watched them load the vehicle.
Long City… that's the closest trading city to Tian Village. They must be going to sell supplies.
"Then we'll be going," one of them said, smiling as they began to push the cart forward.
He nodded and gave them a wave. "Safe travels."
The group slowly moved down the path, their cart creaking as it rolled over uneven ground. Dust kicked up behind their steps as they disappeared into the distance.
Zhen Huan stood there for a moment, watching them go.
Well… they're off. That means it's my time to leave too.
He turned back toward the temple, then walked around its rear wall. There, beyond the edge of the village, loomed the Hell Forest.
Thick trees towered into the sky, their dark branches twisting like skeletal hands. A cold wind rustled through the leaves. Shadows moved between the trunks, and the deeper parts of the forest were swallowed by darkness. Even in daylight, the forest looked cold and menacing.
Zhen Huan stopped at the tree line, staring into the woods.
"D-Do I really have to go inside?" he muttered.
The forest gave no reply—only the distant call of a crow echoed through the silence.
Zhen Huan took a deep breath, clenching his fists.
He took a step forward.
Then paused.
And sat down heavily on the grass, folding his arms and staring into the treeline.
"No… I don't have any cultivation," he muttered. "If something attacks me in there, I'll die for sure."
He frowned, thinking hard.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
"Hey, System," he called aloud, "do I have a status window?"
A mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
Ding!
Yes, Host. You do have a status window.
He blinked.
Then exploded.
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
Ding!
Host did not ask.
Zhen Huan froze for a few seconds. His expression slowly fell flat as he realized… the System was right.
He sighed. "Fine. Show me the status window."
In an instant, a large purple window appeared before his eyes, hovering in the air. Bold letters and numbers gleamed on the screen.
---
Status Window
XP Points: 50
Name: Zhen Huan
Title: Trash
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Life Span: 80 Years
Cultivation: None
Bloodline: Hidden — Revealed after meeting hidden condition
Spiritual Root: None
Techniques: None
---
Zhen Huan stared at the screen, his expression darkening.
His mouth twitched. A vein popped at his temple.
"Trash…? No spiritual root…? No techniques…?"
His hands clenched into fists.
"This damned body…"
His red eyes seemed to blaze with a fire that hadn't been there before.
Fine.
Even if I have nothing now… I'll carve my own path from here.
He stood up slowly, brushing dust off his clothes. His gaze locked onto the forest ahead. The danger didn't fade. The fear still lingered.
But something inside him had shifted.
With his spine straight and his heart steady, Zhen Huan took a step forward.
Then another.
And walked into the shadows of the Hell Forest.
Hell Forest — Outer Perimeter
Behind Zhen Huan, the peaceful view of Tian Village began to fade, swallowed by the looming trees and thick mist of the Hell Forest.
He took another cautious step.
Then one more.
Suddenly, a purple window flashed before his eyes, accompanied by a familiar mechanical chime.
Ding!
Host has successfully entered the Hell Forest. You have received a Newbie Package.
Zhen Huan froze where he stood.
Newbie package? Can I open it?
He spoke aloud. "Open it."
The screen changed. A black box wrapped in a red ribbon appeared, floating in the center of the display. It opened with a soft glow, revealing its contents with a flourish.
Item Received:
• Normal Sword
• Normal Clothes Set
All items have been added to system storage.
He raised an eyebrow.
The sword appeared simple but sturdy. The clothes were black, sleek with a black boots, and far better than the worn, dirty ones he wore now.
"Storage," he said.
Another purple window appeared, listing everything inside.
Item Stored:
• Bed Sheet – 1
• Blanket – 1
• Normal Sword – 1
• Normal Clothes Set – 1
Zhen Huan tapped on the Normal Sword.
In an instant, the sword materialized in his right hand. It had a balanced weight, not too heavy, with a slightly worn hilt that felt oddly comfortable in his grip.
The system window vanished.
He examined the blade, turning it slightly.
"It looks good… but will I really be able to kill anything with this?"
The sun was now directly above, filtering down through the canopy in thin, golden rays. But the forest around him remained cold and ominous.
The beastly roars were growing louder.
Zhen Huan pressed forward, moving cautiously through the underbrush. The deeper he went, the darker the surroundings became.
Suddenly, a sharp hissing sound split the air.
He turned his head toward the noise, only to see a large snake beast uncoiling from a tree branch. It was massive—its brown scales gleaming, its yellow eyes fixed on him, and its mouth lined with sharp fangs.
Zhen Huan yelped in surprise and leaped backward, heart pounding.
What the hell?!
Suddenly, a translucent info window flickered before Zhen Huan's eyes.
[Info: Snake Beast — No Cultivation Present.]
The snake let out another hiss, then lunged forward with terrifying speed, aiming for his chest.
He stumbled sideways, barely avoiding the strike. The snake slammed into the ground behind him, stirring up leaves and dirt.
Why is it attacking me? I didn't do anything!
Zhen Huan turned to face the beast, his grip tightening on the sword.
The snake coiled again, preparing to strike.
Without thinking, Zhen Huan charged forward, fear pushing him into action.
I have to kill it!
He swung his sword in a wide arc, but the snake caught the blade in its mouth, its jaws clamping down hard.
Zhen Huan struggled, shaking the sword furiously. "Let go! Damn it!"
The beast refused to release.
Then an idea sparked in his mind.
Fine… let's see how your skull handles this.
He gritted his teeth, dragged the snake to the side, and slammed the creature—sword and all—into the thick trunk of a nearby tree.
Crack!
The snake's body jerked violently, then went still.
It slumped to the ground with a heavy thud, releasing the sword from its jaws. A thin trail of blood leaked from its mouth.
A purple system window appeared once more.
System Prompt:
You have successfully killed a Normal Snake Beast. XP Points Granted: 50
Zhen Huan stood there, breathing heavily, his hands trembling slightly from the sudden burst of action.
His first kill.
The lifeless body of the snake beast lay sprawled against the tree trunk, blood trickling from its crushed skull. Zhen Huan stood over it, his breath shallow.
Then, another system window flickered into existence before his eyes.
System Prompt:
You have accumulated enough XP Points for a breakthrough. Do you want to Breakthrough? Y/N
Zhen Huan stared at the prompt, his red eyes reflecting the glowing text. Without hesitation, he nodded and tapped Yes.
So I can cultivate using XP points… this is perfect.
System Prompt:
100 XP Points have been deducted.
Current XP Points: 0
A pulse ran through his body. Suddenly, his feet lifted from the ground. He floated gently into the air as a radiant blue light began to emit from within his core, flowing outward like ripples on a still pond.
The surrounding forest trembled.
The blue glow intensified, wrapping around him like a cocoon of raw energy.
Then—
Boom.
A powerful shockwave erupted from his body.
The explosion of spiritual force sent leaves flying and shook the nearby trees. A few smaller trees cracked and toppled from the force, crashing to the forest floor with heavy thuds.
The blue light slowly faded, and Zhen Huan lowered back to the ground, landing on his feet.
His body felt different—stronger, lighter, as if a hidden barrier within him had shattered.
A soft breeze passed through the forest, carrying away the last traces of the burst.
Zhen Huan clenched his fists, feeling the new flow of energy surging through his meridians.
Qi Refining – First Layer.
He looked at his hands, eyes glowing with newfound determination.