Chapter 3: Stones, Spears, and Spirit Beasts
In the quiet of his assigned courtyard at the base of Stormwind Peak, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged before a small pile of spiritual resources—ten Qi Gathering Pills and five Spirit Stones, each glowing with faint, tranquil light.
He narrowed his eyes. "Let's test how far my talent goes."
> [Upgrade Talent Activated]
Target: Low-grade Qi Gathering Pill
→ Result: Earth-grade Qi Gathering Pill
The once faint-blue pill pulsed with golden specks and let out a gentle medicinal fragrance that filled the room with heat. Its quality had vastly improved.
He repeated the process until all ten pills shimmered with potent energy.
Pleased, Lin Xuan consumed one.
A wave of warm energy surged into his meridians… then faded like a spark in a bonfire. His brows furrowed.
> Effectiveness: 4% progress toward Foundation level
Cost: 1 Earth-grade Qi Gathering Pill
"Huh… That's it?"
Even though he had upgraded his cultivation manual to Mystic Grade and refined his body to the Divine level, his spiritual needs were overwhelming.
He turned toward the remaining spirit stones.
> [Upgrade Talent Activated]
Target: Low-grade Spirit Stone
→ Result: Earth-grade Spirit Stone
The once faintly glowing stones burst into radiant light, almost painful to look at. The spiritual energy inside was dense and violent—like trying to breathe in a storm.
Lin Xuan grabbed one, placed it against his palm, and began circulating the Origin Chaos Sutra.
The energy rushed into him.
It hurt.
But it worked.
His qi spiraled faster, weaving through his veins and reinforcing his meridians.
> Progress: 18% toward Foundation level
Cost: 1 Earth-grade Spirit Stone
He sat back, catching his breath. "Much better. But… I'll need far more than this."
The realization hit him like a thunderclap: his cultivation path would cost more than most could even dream of.
"Ten times the energy… ten times the resources…"
He looked at the pile of upgraded pills and smiled.
"But I also have something most people don't—these."
---
Trading Power for Wealth
Later that morning, Lin Xuan walked through the sect's main gates, heading down the winding path that led to Cloudrise Town, a bustling market town built in the shadow of the sect's lower peaks.
The town teemed with cultivators, merchants, traveling pill vendors, and rogue refiners. Wooden stalls lined the cobblestone roads, their tables stacked with qi-enhancing herbs, crude talismans, beast hides, and blades forged in spiritual fire.
Lin Xuan kept his hood low and his presence restrained, though a few still turned to look—his divine physique gave him an unshakable aura even when he tried to suppress it.
At the heart of the town stood the Cloudrise Auction Pavilion, a tall, lacquered building guarded by twin spirit beast statues.
Inside, Lin Xuan approached the counter and handed over the upgraded pills to a middle-aged clerk.
"These are… Earth-grade Qi Gathering Pills?" the clerk blinked in surprise, then squinted. "But the refinement lines… these are flawless!"
"They're from a secret recipe," Lin Xuan said calmly. "I want to auction all ten."
The clerk swallowed. "They'll sell tonight. We'll keep a 10% fee. You'll receive the proceeds in spirit stones."
That evening, Lin Xuan returned to collect his earnings.
> You received: 420 Low-grade Spirit Stones
He nearly choked.
"That's… insane."
---
Weapon, Armor, and Spear Manual
With a portion of his newfound wealth, Lin Xuan toured the merchant stalls.
He picked up a longspear, forged from black-iron with a sturdy grip and steel-forged tip. Nothing flashy, but balanced and heavy enough to suit his explosive strength.
He chose a reinforced leather armor set, padded with beast hide and stitched with qi-conductive thread, offering mobility and defense.
Lastly, he found a worn book: "Soaring Serpent Spear Technique."
It was a mid-grade mortal manual—basic, but the footwork and energy control had good fundamentals.
> [Upgrade Talent Activated]
Soaring Serpent Spear → Heaven-Grade Spear Manual: Thunderpierce Void Fang
Black-Iron Spear → Earth-Grade Weapon: Stormfang Pike
Reinforced Leather → Earth-Grade Armor: Coiling Serpent Mantle
The spear pulsed with electrical arcs, the shaft engraved with lightning runes. The armor hardened visibly, beast-hide scales forming a second skin around his frame.
Lin Xuan grinned. "Now I'm ready."
---
Hunting Begins
Leaving the town behind, Lin Xuan journeyed toward the thick forests surrounding Stormwind Peak. This region was home to low-rank spirit beasts—ideal for outer disciples' trial missions.
> [Mission Accepted: Beast Hunt – Wild Claw Rabbits (Kill Count: 3)]
He wasn't particularly worried.
The forest air was crisp, and the scent of damp leaves mingled with the musk of beasts. Qi pulsed faintly from deeper within, indicating the presence of territorial creatures.
Before long, Lin Xuan spotted a pair of rabbit-like beasts with hooked claws and red eyes tearing into a bush. One of them looked up—and lunged.
"Let's test this new art."
With a twist of his body, Lin Xuan's Void Phantom Movement Art activated, and he vanished from the rabbit's lunge, reappearing behind it.
He drove his spear forward.
> [Thunderpierce Void Fang – First Form: Lightning Break]
A silver flash streaked across the clearing. The rabbit's head exploded with a burst of crackling force.
The second one turned to flee.
Lin Xuan shifted his stance.
> [Second Form: Void Lunge]
He vanished and reappeared mid-air, striking down with a thunderous crack. The second beast died instantly.
Breathing calmly, Lin Xuan pulled his spear free.
"Too fast," he muttered. "I need to practice the follow-through."
More rustling sounded ahead.
Another beast—larger this time. A wild boar-type spirit beast with stone-plate armor covering its back. Mid-level Body Refinement.
Perfect.
He raised his spear.
---
Hours Later…
Lin Xuan stood amid several beast corpses, his breath heavy but controlled. He had used the time not just to complete his mission but to train.
His movement art flowed better now—refined through real combat. His spear techniques were still raw, but his control over the Thunderpierce energy had improved with each kill.
> [Mission Completed – Return to Sect Hall for Reward]
He gathered the beast cores and hides, stashing them in his storage pouch.
As the sun set, Lin Xuan looked back toward the forest, eyes gleaming.
"Tomorrow, I go deeper."