The night faded, dawn light filtering through the leaves.
Ye Xuan opened his eyes, awakening from a night of cultivation.
Blood surged through his veins, meridians steady, muscles firm, bones faintly crackling within.
—The chance for bone refining had arrived.
He murmured softly, eyes calm.
Unfortunately, the herbs found within this forest were too weak, their effect on tempering bones minimal.
To truly enter the Bone Refining Realm, he needed stronger spirit herbs, ores, or even the blood of beasts.
"This forest… has reached its end."
Ye Xuan rose to his feet, gaze fixed upon the distant, towering mountains.
There, stronger beasts awaited.
There, richer spiritual materials could be found.
Only by stepping beyond the forest could he truly advance further.
---
Morning mist coiled through the woods.
Ye Xuan walked out of the goblin tribe's camp without a backward glance.
The other goblins only watched from afar, eyes filled with fear, none daring to approach.
They had long since realized that this once weakest of kin had become a being they could no longer provoke.
---
At the forest's edge, a small stream gurgled softly.
Ye Xuan bent to scoop water, preparing to leave, when his ears twitched slightly.
From the grass came hushed voices.
"So this is the goblin nest? I heard F-rank pests appear here often."
"Haha, perfect practice. Today we'll kill at least ten and earn some guild points."
"Relax. With me here, it'll be easy—fire magic is the goblin's bane."
Rustling footsteps followed, and five human adventurers stepped out.
They wore leather armor, wielded swords and short bows, with one youth in apprentice robes—clearly a mage.
The mage raised his hand, smirking proudly:
"Be careful. This isn't the beginner's village anymore."
---
Their eyes quickly spotted Ye Xuan.
"Well, lucky us, a lone goblin outside the den!"
"Kill it!"
The mage strode forward, both hands lifted as he chanted slowly:
"In the name of flame, by the power of the elements—gather in my hand… Fireball!"
Half a minute passed before a fireball the size of a fist finally coalesced in his palm, whistling as it shot toward Ye Xuan.
---
Ye Xuan raised his eyelids slightly, gaze strange.
"This… is what you call magic?"
Too lazy to dodge, he simply lifted his hand, a finger pointing out.
"Fireball."
Boom!
In an instant, a blazing orb several meters wide erupted from his fingertip, swallowing the small fireball whole. Its force remained, shockwaves tearing through the ground, dust billowing high.
Rumble—!
The earth quaked, grass and trees ahead instantly reduced to blackened ash.
The apprentice mage froze, body stiff, face pale.
"H-how… how is this possible… He… he doesn't need chanting?!"
The other adventurers stood dumbstruck.
In their knowledge, goblins could barely fumble with knives.
Yet this goblin not only cast magic, but its power eclipsed human mages entirely!
---
"Retreat! Retreat now!"
The leading swordsman's face drained of color as he shouted.
But Ye Xuan only gave them a faint glance.
With a step forward, his figure blurred, closing in at once.
Wooden stick in hand, he swept out.
Bang!
The first archer was flung back, blood spraying with broken teeth.
Crack!
The second swordsman's wrist snapped, his blade clattering to the ground.
The mage could only collapse onto the dirt, too terrified even to retreat, face ghostly white.
Ye Xuan lowered his stick, voice flat and cold:
"Your so-called magic… cumbersome, slow, and feeble."
"In the cultivation world, Fireball is cast with a single thought."
With that, he turned and strode away, his figure fading into the morning mist.
---
The five adventurers trembled, unable to rise for a long while.
They stared at that departing silhouette, hearts seized by a single thought:
—The goblin in the woods must never be provoked.