Mei Lan ran for two days without pause, moving east, away from the collapsing influence of the Azure Water Sect and toward the vast, unexplored territory of the Misty Peaks. Her initial burst of pure Sword Intent had crippled Elder Qi and allowed her escape, but it came at a price.
The Innate Sword Soul was like a magnificent, newly awakened dragon: immensely powerful, but starving. It consumed spiritual energy at a terrifying rate.
The Foundation Establishment Stage is too flimsy to support this power, a cold, clear thought registered in her mind. I need to find resources, or the Sword Soul will begin consuming my own life essence.
She stopped at a small, moss-covered stream deep in the wilderness. The spiritual energy here was thin and frigid—barely enough to sustain a basic cultivator, let alone a Sword Master.
[Cultivation Status: Foundation Establishment Stage 5. Qi Saturation: 22%.]
The System had been silent since she swallowed the pill, but the numbers were clear in her mind. She needed a quick, high-purity spiritual influx.
A familiar, metallic scent drifted on the cold air, drawing her attention to a small cave nestled in the shadow of a large boulder. Guarding the cave entrance was a Shadow-Wolf, a common but fierce beast roughly equivalent to a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Its eyes glowed with territorial malice.
It was guarding something.
Mei Lan's senses, sharpened by the Sword Soul, instantly perceived the object of the beast's protection: a cluster of Cloud-Heart Berries—low-grade spiritual fruit, but exactly what she needed for an immediate Qi boost.
She pulled a thin, rusty dagger from a discarded hunter's pack, holding the flimsy blade with perfect confidence.
The Shadow-Wolf lunged, its massive jaws snapping.
Mei Lan didn't meet the attack head-on. She used her overwhelming Sword Intent to instantly perceive the beast's movements, but also its spiritual exhaustion points. The beast relied on a powerful left-leg thrust, but that thrust created a momentary, infinitesimal gap in its flank protection.
She darted under the lunge, her movements economical and perfectly precise. The dagger found the gap, not stabbing deep, but delivering a perfect, vibrating cut that severed the tiny spiritual nerve cluster in the beast's ribs.
The Shadow-Wolf didn't realize it was dying until it was too late. Its spiritual energy, instead of flowing to its muscles for the next attack, suddenly retreated and cycled back into its body, causing a fatal, internal collapse. It let out a choked whimper and collapsed, dead before it hit the ground.
Mei Lan stepped over the massive corpse and collected the Cloud-Heart Berries. Her Sword Intent was satisfied.
[Resource Acquisition: Cloud-Heart Berries obtained. Spiritual Energy Rating: Low-Tier.]
She consumed the berries immediately. The effect was immediate but minor. Her Qi Saturation climbed to 25%.
She realized then the terrifying truth of her situation: Her Innate Sword Soul demanded Divine Purity resources, and low-grade spiritual herbs were barely enough to keep her from starving. To truly cultivate, she would need the rare, high-grade resources that only powerful sects or the Imperial Family possessed.
Mei Lan looked back the way she came, her eyes cold. The only way forward was up. The only way to survive was to take what she needed from those who hoarded it. Her legend would be forged in blood and acquisition.