Twelve Years Later
High atop a mountain, the sun blazed fiercely, its heat pouring down like liquid fire. The air shimmered, rippling like ocean waves under the scorching light.
Wang Fang sat cross-legged on a flat stone, eyes closed, his breathing slow and steady. Each inhale drew the surrounding air into his body; each exhale released faint heat from his skin. He had been meditating for nearly five hours without moving an inch.
Suddenly—
His eyes snapped open.
He leapt to his feet, kicking a wooden sword into the air. Catching it mid-spin, he immediately began to train.
Slash.
Thrust.
Spin.
He stabbed forward, rolled backward, sprang into the air, and landed lightly. His movements were sharp yet controlled, flowing one into another like practiced instinct.
Two hours passed.
Sweat soaked his clothes.
Finally, Wang Fang stopped. Without resting, he dropped to the ground and began doing push-ups.
One hundred.
Two hundred.
Five hundred.
Eight hundred.
His arms trembled, but he did not stop.
Then—
A sharp pain exploded inside his body.
"Ahhh—!"
Wang Fang staggered, clutching his chest. His face twisted in pain as cold sweat drenched his back.
"What… was that?" he gasped.
The pain slowly faded, leaving behind a dull ache.
"…I pushed too far today," he muttered. "I trained beyond my limit."
He packed his belongings into a loose cloth bundle and tied it with a rope.
"I need to get home—fast."
As he began running, the ache returned briefly, but it was nothing compared to the earlier pain.
Soon, Qinghe Village came into view—a quiet settlement hidden between mountains, untouched by the cultivation world.
Wang Fang leapt across rooftops effortlessly and landed in front of a small medicine shop. He stepped inside.
"You came again today, Wang Fang?" an old voice said.
"Ah… it's you again, Old Man Lu," Wang Fang replied.
Doctor Lu Cheng smiled. "How is your mother?"
"She's getting better," Wang Fang answered.
"That's good. What do you need today?"
"I need Blood Essence Flower, Bone Strengthening Grass… and beast blood."
Lu Cheng shook his head. "I don't have beast blood right now."
"What?" Wang Fang frowned.
"If you go into the forest beside the mountains," Lu Cheng continued, "you might get lucky and hunt a beast for me."
Wang Fang hesitated.
Lu Cheng added casually, "I'll make it worth your while. I'll give you a pill for your mother—one that can extend her lifespan by at least ten years. You still keep the beast blood."
Wang Fang's heart skipped.
"A pill… for my mother?"
"…Can I buy it instead?"
Lu Cheng looked at him knowingly. "It costs three months of your earnings."
"…How much exactly?"
Lu Cheng laughed loudly. "One thousand spirit stones."
"What?!" Wang Fang shouted. "You old scammer!"
Lu Cheng chuckled. "Think about it."
Wang Fang clenched his fists.
I'm stronger than most mortals now.
Early-stage Body Tempering Realm.
If I don't go deep into the forest, I won't encounter a beast strong enough to kill me.
"…Fine," Wang Fang said. "I'll go."
"Good," Lu Cheng nodded. "You'll gain experience too."
Wang Fang turned to leave.
"Wait," Lu Cheng said. "You can't go empty-handed."
He handed Wang Fang a sword.
"…A real sword?" Wang Fang's eyes widened.
"Yes," Lu Cheng said. "Better than a wooden one."
Wang Fang bowed slightly. "Thank you."
Minutes later, he reached the forest and stepped inside cautiously, careful not to venture too deep.
Then—
He spotted it.
A Tier-One beast with a single horn, standing among the trees.
Wang Fang grinned
Ahhh.a tier one beast.
Hah,this is nothing to me