Silver Mist Peak was quiet.
Nestled on the far edge of Moonflow Temple's territory, it overlooked a valley blanketed in fog and dotted with spirit trees. The air here was rich with ambient qi, and the silence was deep enough to hear one's own heartbeat.
Zhen Ruhan sat cross-legged beneath a moonshade tree, the herb he'd collected earlier placed beside him. The spiritual vein beneath the earth pulsed gently, feeding the land with a steady rhythm of energy.
He closed his eyes.
System Notification
— Meditation Mode: Active
— Qi Absorption Rate: 1.3x (Moonshade Root Bonus)
— Body Cultivation Progress: Bronze Flesh Stage II → III
— Estimated Time to Breakthrough: 2 hours
He focused his breathing, guiding the qi through his meridians, reinforcing his muscles, bones, and skin. The process was slow, deliberate, and painful. His body trembled as the energy reshaped him, layer by layer.
Images flickered in his mind—his first kill, the boar's shattered core, the look in Mei Rong's eyes, the quiet nod from Elder Yun.
He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was building.
Two hours passed.
System Notification
— Breakthrough Achieved: Bronze Flesh Stage III
— Passive Trait Unlocked: Qi Absorption Efficiency (Lv. 1)
— Effect: +10% absorption rate from natural sources
— SP Awarded: +30
— Feature Unlocked: Skill Merger Interface (Lv. 0)
Ruhan opened his eyes.
The world felt sharper. His limbs heavier. His senses clearer.
He summoned the system interface and tapped the new icon.
*Skill Merger (Lv. 0)*
Status: Locked
Requirements to Unlock:
— 3 Compatible Skills
— 2 Beast Cores (Tier II or higher)
— 100 SP
He had one core. He needed more.
He studied his current skills:
- Moment Step
- Temporal Clone (renamed: Shadow Clone)
- Qi Palm Strike
- Basic Meditation
- Neutral Qi Infusion
The possibilities were beginning to unfold.
He stood, stretching slowly.
Silver Mist Peak was quiet—but it wouldn't be for long.
He had a goal now.
Collect beast cores. Gather herbs. Unlock Skill Merger. Advance his cultivation.
And earn a name that couldn't be ignored.
The clouds hung low over Moonflow Temple, casting long shadows across the peaks. A faint drizzle kissed the stone paths, and the scent of wet pine drifted through the air. Zhen Ruhan stood outside the Mission Hall once again, but this time, the jade tablet he held pulsed with a deeper hue — a sign of higher-tier danger.
Mission: Cloudveil Ravine Beast Hunt
Type: Combat / Resource Collection
Objective: Hunt Tier II spirit beasts, collect 5 beast cores, scout rumored herb cave
Team Size: 4
Reward: 120 SP, 30 Sect Merit Points, rare item drop chance
Status: Confirmed
He was no longer a nameless outer disciple. His performance in Mistwood had earned him quiet recognition, and Elder Yun had personally recommended him for this mission.
Inside the briefing chamber, three cultivators waited.
Luo Yan leaned against the wall, lightning qi crackling faintly around his fingers. His hair was tied back in a loose braid, and his eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Zhen Ruhan, right? Heard you're efficient. Let's see if you're fast."
Zhang Hui stood like a boulder — broad, quiet, and wrapped in reinforced robes. His aura was dense, earthy, and unmoving.
"Don't get in my way," he said simply.
Qin Mei sat cross-legged on a cushion, her talisman pouch resting beside her. She didn't speak, but her eyes flicked toward Ruhan with quiet curiosity.
Elder Yun entered, his presence commanding.
"Cloudveil Ravine is unstable. The beasts there are evolving faster than expected. Your goal is to collect five Tier II cores and confirm the existence of a Soulroot Vine cave. If you find it, mark the location and return. Do not engage alone."
He handed each of them a jade token etched with a cloud pattern.
"Ruhan, you'll act as tactical lead. You've proven you can think under pressure. Don't waste that."
Ruhan bowed.
System Notification
— Mission Accepted: Cloudveil Ravine Beast Hunt
— Team Role: Tactical Lead
— SP Bonus Potential: +20 (Leadership Efficiency)
— System Update Pending: Ability Interface (Unlock Conditions Met)
He felt it — a subtle shift in the system, like a door waiting to open.
The team departed at dawn.
Cloudveil Ravine lay to the north, past the misted ridges and into the lowlands where qi flowed erratically. The journey was quiet, but charged. Each cultivator carried their own ambition, their own secrets.
Ruhan carried something else.
Potential.
Cloudveil Ravine was a jagged scar across the land, carved by centuries of spiritual erosion. The cliffs rose like broken teeth, and the wind carried whispers of beasts and battles long past. Qi here was wild, swirling in unpredictable currents that made even seasoned cultivators tread carefully.
Ruhan's team moved in formation.
Luo Yan led the front, lightning qi crackling around his boots with each step. Zhang Hui took the rear, his earth aura stabilizing the terrain beneath them. Qin Mei floated between, her talismans hovering like silent sentinels. Ruhan walked center, eyes scanning the ravine walls, senses tuned to every fluctuation.
System Notification
— Region: Cloudveil Ravine
— Threat Level: Tier II confirmed
— Beast Signatures Detected: Windfang Panthers (x3)
— SP Bonus Available: Solo Kill, Tactical Assist, Rare Herb Discovery
The wind shifted.
A blur of silver and black shot from the cliffs — a Windfang Panther, its claws glowing with wind qi, eyes locked on Luo Yan.
"Fast one!" Luo shouted, dodging and countering with a burst of lightning.
Another panther leapt from the shadows, aiming for Qin Mei. Her talismans flared, forming a barrier that deflected the strike. Zhang Hui roared, slamming his fist into the ground and raising a wall of stone to block the third.
Ruhan moved with precision.
He activated his footwork technique, dodging the first panther's swipe, then struck with a neutral qi-infused palm. The beast staggered, but recovered quickly, wind qi swirling around its body.
He circled, watching its patterns.
Then he saw it — a brief pause in its movement, a gap in its defense.
He struck again, this time aiming for the beast's core.
The impact shattered it.
System Notification
— Beast Core Acquired: Windfang Panther (Tier II)
— SP Awarded: +40
— Combat Efficiency Rating: 89%
— Skill Merger Progress: 35%
— Ability Interface Sync: 60%
The other panthers were dispatched with coordinated strikes. Luo's lightning pulse stunned one long enough for Zhang Hui to crush it with a stone hammer. Qin Mei sealed the final beast with a binding talisman, allowing Ruhan to land the finishing blow.
The team regrouped, breathing hard but victorious.
"Not bad," Luo said, wiping blood from his cheek. "You're sharper than you look."
Zhang Hui nodded. "Efficient."
Qin Mei didn't speak, but handed Ruhan a talisman — a silent gesture of respect.
They continued deeper into the ravine.
At the base of a cliff, hidden behind a curtain of vines, they found it — a cave pulsing with soft green light. Inside, the air was thick with spiritual energy. Vines crawled along the walls, their leaves glowing faintly.
Ruhan stepped forward.
System Notification
— Resource Detected: Soulroot Vine
— Effect: Enhances spiritual root sensitivity, boosts qi channel flow
— Collection Method: Careful extraction required
— SP Awarded: +20
He knelt, using a blade to carefully harvest the vine without damaging its core.
The system pulsed again.
System Notification
— Ability Interface Sync: 100%
— Update Available: Unlock upon next meditation
He stood, holding the vine in one hand, the beast core in the other.
This mission had given him more than just resources.
It had given him options.
Silver Mist Peak was quiet when Ruhan returned.
The mission had been a success. Five Tier II beast cores collected, the Soulroot Vine cave marked, and no casualties. The team had dispersed with nods of respect, and Elder Yun had granted each of them a merit token without ceremony.
But Ruhan had earned more than recognition.
He sat beneath the moonshade tree once again, the Soulroot Vine placed beside him, its qi still pulsing faintly. He closed his eyes and entered meditation.
System Notification
— Meditation Mode: Active
— Qi Absorption Rate: 1.4x (Soulroot Vine Bonus)
— System Update: Ability Interface Unlocked
— Syncing Combat Data…
A surge of light filled his mind.
The system pulsed, and a new interface unfolded before him — a hexagonal grid, each node representing a cultivation path.
*Ability Interface (Lv. 1)*
Status: Active
Available Slots: 6 (1 per cultivation type)
Acquired Abilities:
— Qi Cultivator: _Lightning Pulse_ (from Luo Yan)
— Body Cultivator: _Stone Skin_ (from Zhang Hui)
— Talisman Master: _Spirit Bind Seal_ (from Qin Mei)
— Sword Cultivator: Empty
— Beast Tamer: Empty
— Array Master: Empty
Descriptions appeared beneath each:
*Lightning Pulse* – A short-range burst of lightning qi that stuns enemies for 1.5 seconds.
*Stone Skin* – Temporarily hardens the user's body, reducing physical damage by 20%.
*Spirit Bind Seal* – A talisman technique that immobilizes low-tier spirit beasts for 3 seconds.
System Notification
— Ability Sync Complete
— SP Awarded: +50
— New Objective: Fill remaining slots
— Bonus Objective: Upgrade Ability Interface to Lv. 2 (Requires 6 unique abilities + 300 SP)
Ruhan opened his eyes.
His body felt stronger. His mind sharper. And his options—wider.
He now had access to techniques from three different cultivation paths. He could stun, shield, and bind. And he hadn't revealed a single secret about his true nature.
He stood slowly, the wind brushing against his robes.
Silver Mist Peak was quiet.
But the world beyond it was waiting.
*End of Chapter 14*