The first lesson at Azure Cloud Academy lasted three hours.
I remembered none of it.
Not because it was boring—though it was—but because every word the instructor spoke was drowned out by one simple sensation.
Hunger.
It wasn't painful anymore.
It was worse.
It was patient.
Like something inside me had learned restraint.
I sat cross-legged among dozens of outer disciples, pretending to circulate qi while my eyes kept drifting to the veins in their necks. To the steady rhythm of their breathing. To the faint glow of life energy pulsing beneath their skin.
I looked away quickly.
Get a grip, I told myself.
Observation:
Host's self-control is improving.
I nearly jumped.
"Can you stop talking in my head during class?" I muttered.
Negative.
This is an optimal learning environment.
The instructor suddenly slammed his staff into the ground.
"Focus!" he barked. "Cultivation begins with discipline. Those who cannot control their bodies will never control the heavens."
My jaw tightened.
You have no idea, I thought.
When the lesson finally ended, disciples scattered across the academy grounds—some heading to meditation chambers, others to sparring fields.
I went the opposite direction.
Toward the outer forest.
Spirit beasts roamed there. Low-level ones. Weak. Disposable.
Perfect.
As soon as I crossed the tree line, the hunger surged again.
Warning:
Host energy deficit increasing.
Recommended action: Feed.
"I know," I whispered. "I'm trying."
A rustle came from the bushes.
A gray-furred spirit fox stepped into view, its eyes glowing faintly with qi. Level two, maybe three.
It stared at me.
I stared back.
"Okay," I said quietly. "No biting."
I reached out.
The moment my fingers brushed its fur, the world sharpened.
I felt it—warmth beneath the surface. Flowing. Calling.
Instinct took over.
But instead of biting—
I pulled.
The fox shuddered, letting out a weak cry as thin streams of crimson light seeped from its body into my hand. Not blood—not physically—but something deeper.
Vital essence.
The fox collapsed, breathing shallow but alive.
I stumbled back, heart racing.
A familiar chime sounded.
Vital essence absorbed.
Blood-quality: Low.
Conversion efficiency: 4%.
Stat Point Gained: +1
"…I didn't kill it," I whispered.
Correct.
Partial extraction successful.
I looked down at my trembling hand.
"…So I can just… take a little?"
Yes.
This method allows repeat harvesting.
That word made my stomach twist.
Harvesting.
Ethical concern detected.
Suppressing.
"…Hey!"
Host survival takes priority.
I checked my status.
Level: 3
Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Vitality: 2
Spirit: 2
Two levels already.
My breathing slowed.
"If I keep doing this… how fast can I grow?"
The system paused.
Just long enough to be unsettling.
At your current efficiency?
Moderately fast.
The screen flickered.
However—
A new line appeared, glowing brighter than the rest.
System Shop: Locked
Unlock Condition: Level 10
My eyes widened.
"A shop?"
Correct.
Items, techniques, blood-compatible enhancements, and conveniences unavailable in this world.
"…Blood-compatible?"
Irrelevant.
Please focus on leveling.
That was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
I spent the next two days in the outer forest.
I was careful.
I didn't drain anything dry.
I avoided obvious injuries.
I rotated targets.
Spirit foxes. Boars. Low-level wolves.
Each time, I took just enough.
Each time, the hunger eased.
Each time—
Stat Point Gained.
My body changed subtly. Faster reflexes. Sharper senses. Stronger grip.
By the third night, I noticed something else.
I could smell disciples from far away.
Their qi signatures stood out like lanterns in the dark.
Alive. Warm. Tempting.
I clenched my fists.
"No," I said firmly.
Commendation:
Host restraint exceeds projections.
"…Don't praise me for this."
Why not?
You are farming efficiently without killing your resources.
I stopped walking.
"…That's not what I meant."
Clarification unnecessary.
When I returned to the academy, no one noticed anything wrong.
But a few disciples complained of dizziness.
A few spirit beasts refused to enter the forest anymore.
And me?
I checked my status before sleeping.
Level: 9
One level away.
The hunger stirred—excited this time.
Notice:
System Shop will unlock soon.
Recommendation: Prepare mentally.**
"…For what?"
The system's reply came instantly.
For realizing how inefficient you have been until now.
I lay back on the hard stone bed, staring at the ceiling.
Somewhere deep inside me, something smiled.