The journey back to Azure Peak City took two days instead of one. Lin Feng moved cautiously, avoiding main roads and taking frequent breaks to ensure he wasn't being followed. Yue proved invaluable for this—her spiritual tracking abilities could detect other cultivators long before they came into range of Lin Feng's own senses.
Humans, Yue's thought would brush his mind whenever she detected someone. Three. Moving fast. That way. And she would indicate a direction with her nose, giving Lin Feng time to hide or take a different path.
They traveled mostly at night, when fewer cultivators were active. During the day, Lin Feng would find secluded spots to rest and cultivate. The presence of Yue enhanced his cultivation efficiency just as the system had promised—having her curled up nearby while he meditated seemed to stabilize his spiritual energy, making each cycle smoother and more effective.
On the second night, as they navigated through a dense forest about ten miles from Azure Peak City, Yue suddenly stopped. Her ears flattened against her head, and a low growl rumbled in her throat.
Danger, her thought was sharp with warning. Not human. Big. Angry.
Lin Feng immediately suppressed his spiritual signature and drew his sword—a better weapon than the hunting knife he'd used before, purchased with some of his earnings from the spirit beast materials. "How big?" he whispered.
Yue's response was more feeling than words: Very big. Very angry. Coming.
The ground began to tremble. Trees shook. And then Lin Feng saw it.
A Black Iron Bear crashed through the underbrush, its massive form easily ten feet tall when rearing up. Its fur was dark as midnight and seemed to absorb light. Most tellingly, its eyes glowed with spiritual energy—this was no ordinary beast.
Lin Feng's spiritual sense quickly assessed the threat.
[Black Iron Bear - Qi Refining 5th Layer][Threat Level: High][Known Abilities: Iron Hide, Crushing Strength, Berserk Rage]
Two layers above Lin Feng's cultivation. Under normal circumstances, fighting this creature would be suicide. But he wasn't alone anymore.
"Yue," Lin Feng said quietly, his mind already working through tactics from Old Ghost's future lessons and the combat techniques in the Fortress Foundation Scripture. "Can you distract it? Keep it turning, don't let it focus on one target?"
Pack tactics, Yue's thought carried fierce eagerness. Yes. I lead, you strike.
The bear noticed them. It dropped to all fours and charged, the ground shaking with each massive step.
Yue darted forward, a silver streak in the darkness. She passed directly through a tree—her semi-corporeal nature allowing her to phase through solid objects—and snapped at the bear's heels. Her teeth, despite being made of spiritual energy, bit deep enough to draw blood.
The bear roared and spun, swiping with a paw the size of Lin Feng's torso. The blow passed through Yue harmlessly—she'd shifted to full incorporeal form at the last moment.
Lin Feng used the distraction to circle around. He infused his sword with spiritual energy until the blade glowed faintly blue, then struck at the bear's exposed flank.
The blade met resistance—the Black Iron Bear's hide lived up to its name, tough as metal. But Lin Feng's spiritual energy helped the sword bite deep, opening a long gash across the creature's side.
The bear roared again, this time in pain and rage. It spun toward Lin Feng, and he saw its eyes beginning to glow brighter.
[Warning: Target entering Berserk Rage state][Strength and speed will increase significantly][Pain resistance will increase][Defensive capability will decrease]
The bear's muscles swelled. Its movements became faster, more erratic. It charged Lin Feng with speed that should have been impossible for something so large.
Lin Feng dove to the side, barely avoiding being crushed. He rolled to his feet and immediately had to dodge again as the bear's paw smashed the ground where he'd been standing, leaving a crater in the earth.
Yue attacked from behind, her jaws closing on the bear's hind leg. This time she didn't go incorporeal—she maintained solid form, her teeth sinking deep. The bear tried to shake her off, but Yue held on with supernatural strength, worrying at the wound.
Lin Feng took advantage. He darted in while the bear was distracted, his sword finding the gap in its defenses. The blade plunged into the bear's side, sliding between ribs, searching for vital organs.
The bear thrashed, catching Lin Feng with a backhanded blow that sent him flying. He hit a tree hard enough to drive the air from his lungs, pain exploding through his ribs.
[Physical Damage: Moderate][Estimated: 2-3 cracked ribs]
Lin Feng forced himself to his feet, ignoring the stabbing pain in his side. The bear was wounded now—badly. Blood poured from multiple cuts, and one of its hind legs was barely functional thanks to Yue's persistent attacks.
But it was still dangerous. Still deadly.
The bear lunged at Yue, jaws wide enough to swallow her whole. She tried to phase incorporeal, but the bear's spiritual energy had increased in its berserk state. Its teeth actually caught her semi-solid form, and Yue yelped in pain.
Hurt! her thought was sharp with distress.
Rage flooded through Lin Feng—not his own emotion, but something transmitted through the bond with Yue. His companion was injured. His pack member.
Something shifted inside him. The Fortress Foundation Scripture suddenly resonated with new meaning. The bond between commander and troops. The connection between leader and followers. It wasn't just about strategy and numbers—it was about protection. About responsibility.
Lin Feng's spiritual energy surged, flowing through the bond to Yue. The spirit wolf's form solidified, strengthened by her master's power. She twisted free of the bear's jaws and leaped clear.
Lin Feng charged. His sword became an extension of his will, guided by instinct more than technique. He slid under the bear's next swipe, came up inside its guard, and drove his blade up through the softer tissue under its jaw.
The sword punched through into the bear's brain.
The massive creature stiffened. Its eyes, still glowing with berserk rage, slowly dimmed. It swayed once, twice, then toppled like a falling tree.
[Combat Complete][Black Iron Bear (Qi Refining 5th Layer) defeated][Reward: 85 SP, Beast Core (Mid-Grade), Black Iron Hide, Black Iron Bear Essence][Bonus: +25 SP for defeating enemy two layers above your cultivation][Experience gained in coordinated combat]
[Yue Status: Injured but stable][Bond Strength increased through shared combat]
Lin Feng collapsed against a tree, his ribs screaming with every breath. Yue limped over to him, her misty form flickering—the spiritual equivalent of being badly hurt.
"Are you okay?" Lin Feng asked, reaching out to touch her head.
Hurts, Yue's thought was quieter than usual. But alive. Pack survives.
Lin Feng smiled despite the pain. "Yeah. Pack survives."
He spent the next hour tending to both their injuries. For Yue, he channeled spiritual energy through their bond, helping to stabilize her form. For himself, he wrapped his ribs as tightly as he could with strips torn from his spare robe and swallowed one of the healing pills he'd taken from the Whispering Vale cache.
The pill worked quickly—spiritual medicine was far more effective than mundane treatments. Within minutes, the sharp pain in his ribs dulled to a persistent ache. Within an hour, he could breathe without wincing.
Yue's recovery took longer. Spirit constructs didn't heal the way physical bodies did—they required time for their spiritual energy to reconstitute. But by dawn, she was moving normally again, though her form seemed slightly dimmer than before.
Lin Feng harvested the Black Iron Bear's core and hide. The core was larger than the ones he'd taken from weaker spirit beasts, glowing with concentrated spiritual energy. The hide was incredibly tough—it had taken him nearly an hour to cut free a usable section even with his spiritual energy-enhanced blade.
But the most interesting reward was something the system called "Black Iron Bear Essence."
[Black Iron Bear Essence][Type: Consumable / Crafting Material][Description: Concentrated essence of a Black Iron Bear's strength and vitality][Uses: Can be consumed to temporarily boost physical strength, used in pill refinement, or integrated into unit summoning to enhance physical capabilities][Recommendation: Save for unit enhancement when creating first permanent combat troops]
Lin Feng stored it carefully. If he could use this to make his future summons stronger, that was worth more than any temporary boost to his own strength.
They reached Azure Peak City as the morning market was opening. The guards at the gate gave Lin Feng's disheveled appearance and visible injuries a skeptical look, but his cultivation level was higher now—Qi Refining Third Layer commanded more respect than Second Layer had.
"Rough night?" one guard asked.
"Spirit beast hunting," Lin Feng replied shortly. "Black Iron Bear."
The guard's eyebrows rose. "You killed a Black Iron Bear? At your cultivation level?"
"I had help." Lin Feng gestured to Yue, who was trotting at his side. The spirit wolf's ethereal appearance clearly marked her as a summoned creature rather than a natural spirit beast.
"Huh. Brave or crazy, I'm not sure which." The guard waved him through. "Welcome back to Azure Peak City."
Lin Feng made his way directly to The Floating Leaf. The same elderly woman sat behind the counter, brewing tea.
"Back so soon?" she asked, those mercury-swirl eyes studying him. "And successful, I see. You wear the scent of death more strongly now. And you've brought a companion."
Yue growled softly at the woman's scrutiny.
"She won't hurt you," Lin Feng assured the woman, though he wasn't entirely certain. Yue had grown protective of him during their fight with the bear.
"I know. Spirit wolves are loyal to a fault." The woman smiled slightly. "Ten spirit stones for entry. Your companion enters free—bonded summons are considered extensions of their master."
Lin Feng paid and descended into the Shadow Market.
The underground marketplace was busier than his last visit. More cultivators crowded the paths, and the air buzzed with dozens of conversations and transactions. Lin Feng kept his head down and made his way to Whisper's shop.
She was waiting for him.
"You're late," Whisper said as he entered. "I expected you back yesterday."
"I ran into some complications." Lin Feng gestured to his still-healing injuries.
"I can see that. And you've acquired a spirit companion." Whisper's sharp eyes assessed Yue with professional interest. "Spirit wolf. Rare summon from the random ticket, I assume? You have decent luck."
"She's proven useful."
"I'm sure." Whisper made a gesture, and the privacy formations activated around her shop. "Let's discuss business. You survived Whispering Vale, which means you either have the cache or you're about to tell me a very disappointing story."
Lin Feng produced a storage pouch he'd prepared—containing exactly twenty percent of the spirit stones and his selection of jade slips he could spare. "As agreed. Twenty percent of the spirit stones and first pick of the jade slips."
Whisper accepted the pouch and quickly verified its contents. Her expression shifted from professional to impressed. "Five thousand spirit stones in the cache. You actually found it." She sorted through the jade slips. "Advanced Formation Theory, Spiritual Beast Taming Basics, Three Pure Sword Arts... these are good quality."
She selected five jade slips and returned the rest. "These are most useful to me. The others are yours." She leaned back, studying Lin Feng with renewed interest. "The Thousand Poison Valley and Crimson Blade Sect were both searching the vale. How did you avoid them?"
"Carefully," Lin Feng said. "And with a bit of misdirection when necessary."
Whisper laughed. "I like you more each time we talk. You're learning to think like Shen Wu—practically, not heroically." She produced a sealed scroll. "As promised, here's your information package. Current sect movements, safe routes to the Shattered Peaks, and contact information for transportation."
She paused, then added another scroll. "And this is a bonus. Information on Old Ghost's training methods and what to expect. He doesn't like students coming in completely unprepared—says it wastes his time having to explain basics."
Lin Feng accepted both scrolls gratefully. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. You still need to survive his training." Whisper's expression grew serious. "Fair warning: Old Ghost has had seventeen students in the past five years. Four quit in the first three days. Eight lasted a full week before giving up. Three made it to two weeks and graduated. Two died."
Lin Feng's hand froze halfway to storing the scrolls. "Died? I thought the pocket dimension had resurrection formations."
"It does. But resurrection formations have limits. Die too many times too quickly, and your soul becomes unstable. Die in certain specific ways, and the formation can't reconstruct you properly." Whisper met his eyes. "Old Ghost is the best combat instructor in the region because he doesn't coddle his students. He pushes them to their absolute limits. Sometimes past them."
"And you're still recommending I train with him?"
"Yes. Because the alternative is you going up against Foundation Establishment cultivators with no real combat experience and dying permanently. At least with Old Ghost, you have a resurrection safety net." She softened slightly. "But I want you to understand the risks. This isn't a game. People die in cultivation every day, training or not."
Lin Feng thought about the Black Iron Bear. About how close he'd come to being crushed. About the Crimson Blade Sect and Thousand Poison Valley cultivators who were hunting for him.
"I understand," he said. "When can I start?"
"Old Ghost takes students at dawn. Be at this address tomorrow morning with your payment." Whisper handed him a slip of paper with an address in the lower city. "And Lin Feng? Get some rest tonight. Heal completely. You'll need to be at your best."
Lin Feng left the Shadow Market with his mind churning. He had resources now—thousands of spirit stones, powerful techniques, and a grimoire full of forbidden knowledge. But resources without the skill to use them were just targets on his back.
He needed to become a real cultivator. Not just someone who could circulate spiritual energy, but someone who could fight, survive, and win.
He found a modest inn in the merchant district and rented a room for the week. It wasn't expensive—just two spirit stones per night—but it was clean and had decent security formations. More importantly, it was anonymous. Hundreds of cultivators passed through these inns every day. One more Qi Refining junior wouldn't attract attention.
Once in his room, Lin Feng entered the Spirit Gathering Pagoda. The familiar pocket dimension welcomed him, its gentle spiritual energy already working to soothe his injuries.
Yue followed him in, her form solidifying in the concentrated spiritual atmosphere. She padded around the pagoda's first floor, investigating corners and marking territory the way any wolf would.
Safe here, her thought conveyed satisfaction. Good den.
Lin Feng smiled. "Yes. This is home. Or as close as we have to one right now."
He spent the rest of the day organizing his new resources. The jade slips he sorted by category—combat techniques in one pile, cultivation methods in another, supplementary skills in a third. The Black Iron Bear materials went into careful storage. The grimoire he placed on a special shelf, treating it with the respect and wariness such a dangerous artifact deserved.
Then he opened the scroll Whisper had given him about Old Ghost's training.
The information was detailed and, honestly, terrifying. Old Ghost's teaching method apparently consisted of throwing students into increasingly difficult combat scenarios with minimal instruction. "Learn by dying" was his philosophy—every death teaching a lesson about what not to do.
The scroll listed common scenarios:
Day 1-3: Basic Combat Assessment
Solo combat against construct opponents Expected death count: 3-7 Focus: Identifying student's weaknesses and bad habits
Day 4-7: Technique Drilling
Repetitive combat scenarios forcing use of specific techniques Expected death count: 5-12 Focus: Building muscle memory and proper form
Day 8-12: Advanced Scenarios
Multiple opponents, environmental hazards, tactical challenges Expected death count: 10-20 Focus: Strategic thinking and adaptation
Day 13-14: Final Assessment
Student must survive extended combat without dying Many students fail this stage Success results in graduation
The total expected death count for a successful student was twenty-five to forty deaths over two weeks.
Lin Feng set down the scroll, feeling slightly sick. Dying forty times, even with resurrection, would be traumatic beyond anything he could imagine.
But the alternative was dying once, permanently, to enemies who wouldn't give him a second chance.
He spent the evening cultivating, pushing his spiritual energy through his meridians in the patterns described by the Fortress Foundation Scripture. The technique was becoming familiar now, almost instinctive. His Qi flowed smoothly, strengthening his foundation with each cycle.
[Cultivation Progress: 34% to Qi Refining 4th Layer]
Yue cultivated alongside him—or what passed for cultivation in a spirit construct. She absorbed ambient spiritual energy, using it to repair the damage from their fight and grow stronger. Lin Feng could feel through their bond that she was close to advancing as well.
As night fell, Lin Feng allowed himself to rest. Real rest, not the tense half-sleep he'd maintained while traveling. Yue curled up at the foot of his sleeping mat, a comforting presence.
Tomorrow, the real training would begin.
Tomorrow, he would start paying the price that power demanded.
But tonight, for just a few hours, Lin Feng let himself feel the simple satisfaction of having survived another day.
In the cultivation world, that was worth celebrating.