Ashen stirred.
Drowsy eyes blinked open as faint morning light filtered through the thick canopy overhead.
The world was quiet — save for the rustling of branches and the distant chirping of birds.
He sat up slowly, one leg still dangling from the tree branch he'd fallen asleep on. The dream… it lingered.
A vision of stars. A sword resting across his lap. A breath of peace — then silence.
He couldn't remember anything specific. Just the feeling.
Like something ancient had brushed against his soul. Familiar, yet unreachable.
With a quiet breath, he stood and jumped down from the branch, landing softly on the ground below.
The remnants of last night's campfire were nothing but cold ash and half-burnt wood. The air smelled of dew and soil.
He turned and jogged toward the direction of the stream he had found the previous day.
The water flowed gently, clear and cool, trickling over smooth rocks and thin roots.
Ashen knelt down, scooped the water with his palms, and splashed his face.
The sudden chill helped clear his mind.
He leaned closer and stared into the stream.
That's when the sound chimed — soft, crystalline, and unexpected.
[Aetherbound Codex System – Late Synchronization Complete]
His eyes widened.
More text followed.
[Experience Gained from Previous Hunts: Level 2 Achieved] [Stat Points Unused: 2]
"What… is this?" he murmured.
The translucent screen shifted, revealing his current statistics:
[ACX – Aetherbound Codex: User: Ashen]
Level: 2.
Base stats:( No boosts.)
Strength: 5.2
Dexterity: 5.4
Vitality: 4.9
Intelligence: 4.7
Perception: 5.0
Unused Stat Points: 2.
Note: 5 is considered average adult human baseline.
He studied the numbers. He felt no different. But something was shifting.
Then another prompt appeared.
[Cultivation Path Detected: Synchronizing Compatible Physique…]
[New Physique Acquired: Dawnroot Vessel]
Tier: Uncommon.
Enhances early-stage Qi sensitivity, promotes stable meridian adaptation, and grants 10% passive increase in cultivation speed.
Ashen let out a breath. "Must be the Creator again… noticed how bad my cultivation talent was, huh?"
He stood up and walked over to a clearing nearby.
He picked up a long stick and spun it in his hand like a blade.
The air was crisp.
He began moving — slow, deliberate swings, mimicking the sword techniques etched into his body's memory.
A soft rhythm built between his steps, his breath, and his movement.
Leaves scattered on the ground began to stir.
Some floated.
He didn't notice.
He was immersed — moving like water, flowing between stances, cutting invisible threads in the wind.
📜 [Physical Activity Detected – Stats Slightly Increased]
Strength +0.01 Dexterity +0.02 Perception +0.01
He paused, catching his breath.
Then— a crack of leaves. A low growl.
His eyes shot toward the sound.
A wolf lunged from the underbrush — a large one. Mangy fur, amber eyes. Hunger in its motion.
Ashen reacted.
He ran backward, leapt off the trunk of a nearby tree, flipping midair as the wolf missed its mark.
He twisted his body, landed low, and drove his palm upward into the wolf's side as it turned.
A loud crack.
The beast yelped, stumbled, and collapsed.
Breathing heavy, Ashen stepped forward. "Again with these wolves…"
[Experience Gained – 37 EXP] [Progress Toward Level 3: 68%]
He crouched beside the fallen creature, looking at its fur.
He grabbed the stick still clutched in his other hand and began trying to cut into the pelt.
To his surprise, it worked… somewhat. The wood had splintered at the end and acted like a crude blade. But it didn't last. The stick broke halfway through the process.
He grunted and switched to using his nails.
They tore into the hide, slowly but effectively. His fingers stung — a reminder of the cost.
"Guess this is what survival feels like," he muttered.
He packed the fur and meat into his bundle and returned to the camp.
The firepit was still there. He gathered dry bark, snapped some branches, and created a makeshift frame.
Using friction again, he forced the fire to spark — his palms bleeding slightly from the effort.
Still, it worked.
Smoke rose. Flames danced.
He hung the meat on sharpened sticks and placed a bamboo bowl near the fire, filled with water from the stream.
He added a few herbs he'd gathered earlier. The broth began to simmer.
While the food cooked, Ashen sat cross-legged nearby.
He closed his eyes.
The AI's simple breathing technique echoed in his thoughts:
Inhale — guide the Qi down the spine. Exhale — release impurities.
He followed the rhythm.
Each cycle brought a slight warmth.
[Qi Circulation Detected – Dawnroot Vessel Boost Applied] [Progress: Quarter 1/4 – Initiate Realm]
One hour passed.
He opened his eyes.
The meat had overcooked slightly. Charred edges, but still edible.
He ate in silence.
Then, without speaking, he resumed his position and began cultivating again.
Hours passed.
No monsters interrupted him. No distractions.
Just breath, warmth, flow.
His stats blinked slightly:
Vitality +0.02 Intelligence +0.01
When he finally leaned back, the moon had risen.
He didn't climb the tree this time.
He lay beside the fire, feeling its faint heat against his side.
His eyes closed slowly.
Sleep came gently.
Not with the pain of fatigue… but the calm of progress.
"One breath… then another. The path may be long. But this moment is mine."
Ashen slept beneath a sky full of stars. And the world continued on.