Ruhan moved carefully through the forest, each step soft on the moss-covered ground. The golden line from the System glowed faintly under his feet, guiding him toward the distant lights of a sect stronghold.
The air here felt alive—qi flowed in streams like invisible rivers, brushing against his skin. Birds with radiant plumage flitted between trees, and strange, crystalline flowers bloomed along the path. It was beautiful, but Ruhan's mind stayed alert.
"System," he whispered, "show nearby cultivators."
A translucent screen appeared, listing several cultivators within the next three kilometers:
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Nearby Cultivators
• Li Yun – Blood Cultivator | Rank II | Qi Stage IV
• Feng Mei – Body Cultivator | Rank I | Bronze Flesh III
•Unknown – Spirit Cultivator | Rank III | Core Formation II
---
Ruhan frowned. "Interesting… even Rank III here is below my Core Formation III level. But I must hide my true strength."
He moved silently, keeping to the shadows. Soon, he heard shouting ahead—a quarrel between two cultivators near a small river clearing.
One was a tall man, scarred and fierce. "You dare steal from the Jade Sect?!" he yelled.
The other, younger and nimble, smirked. "The Jade Sect claims all the forests, but your sect is weak. I take what I need."
Ruhan's eyes narrowed. He could see the qi signatures clearly thanks to the System: both cultivators were above average in skill, but neither was aware of him.
"Moment Step," he whispered. In a blink, he moved closer to observe without being noticed.
The System interface softly chimed:
---
Skill Ready: Temporal Invisibility (Lv. 1) – 5 seconds
Cooldown: 1 minute
---
He activated it, vanishing completely. From his hidden vantage, he studied their fight. The older man unleashed a wave of blood qi, slicing the air with deadly precision. The younger countered with swift body strikes, dodging effortlessly.
Ruhan whispered to himself, "Blood cultivator versus body cultivator… both strong. I can learn much from this."
He didn't intervene, only observing and letting the fight run its course. Moments later, the younger one fled, leaving the older standing victorious but exhausted.
"Lesson learned," Ruhan said. "Every sect values strength, reputation, and territory. I need allies."
He stepped back and checked his own status:
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User Status
User: Zhen Ruhan
Title: Timewalker
Race: Human (Time-Bloodline – Unknown)
Cultivation Type: Qi Cultivator | Body Cultivator
Realm: Mortal Realm (True Cultivation World)
Level: Core Formation Stage III
Body Cultivation: Bronze Flesh Stage II
Bloodline Status: Locked (Dormant)
Attributes:
Strength: 92
Vitality: 90
Agility: 85
Perception: 83
Temporal Affinity: 97
SP: 130 / 150
Skills:
Temporal Invisibility (Lv. 1) – Vanish 5 sec
Chrono Burst (Lv. 1) – Slow time 3 sec
Temporal Clone (Lv. 1) – Mimic attacks 10 sec
Moment Step (Lv. 1) – Short teleport
---
Ruhan breathed deeply. "This world… it's alive. Real. Everything I've trained for now matters."
He continued following the golden line, reaching the edge of a cliff. Below lay a valley bathed in soft lantern light—the Jade Sect stronghold, its walls gleaming under the early moon. He could see cultivators walking, talking, and training. Some carried long swords; others moved with fluid, almost animal grace.
"System, show sect information," he commanded.
---
Nearest Sect
Name: Jade Sect
Realm: Mortal Realm | Sub-Realm of Eastern Territories
Leader: Elder Qian – Spirit Cultivator | Core Formation V
Members: 152 active cultivators
Specialties: Qi cultivation, formation arrays, spiritual beasts
---
Ruhan's eyes sparkled. "So many levels… so many types. Blood, body, spirit… and even the sub-realm structure. This is more complex than the System Realm."
Suddenly, a shadow moved atop one of the high walls. A hooded figure observed him, face hidden. Ruhan froze, noticing the faint aura—strong, dangerous, yet unreadable.
"Mei Lin…" he muttered. "I don't think I'm alone here."
The golden line pulsed, urging him forward.
"First contact will test me," he whispered, feeling the raw flow of qi in his body, preparing for anything that might come.
The night wind whispered through the trees, carrying faint voices of the past, the present, and the possibilities of the future.
Ruhan took a deep breath and stepped into the unknown.
---
End of Chapter 8