Chapter 03: Deadly technique

Li Wei, who managed to escape from the demonic sect, had a clear goal: to get stronger and return to rescue the people enslaved by the sect.

After walking non-stop for more than six hours, he was completely exhausted. His steps became heavier and heavier until he lost consciousness and collapsed on the cold, damp ground.

"Zzzzz..."

The morning breeze blew gently, rustling the dry leaves. The sound of a river flowing in the distance provided a soothing rhythm that accompanied Li Wei as he slept for quite some time.

When the sun was directly overhead, its warm rays wake Li Wei. He blinked his eyes and saw the clear blue sky above him.

With his body still stiff and tired, Li Wei get up and walked towards the river. The clear river water reflected the sunlight, creating a soothing glow. He bent down, drink the fresh water, and wash his face, feeling the refreshing coolness revive him a bit.

Even though he had a destination, Li Wei still didn't know where to go. He sat by the river and looked around in confusion. Before he could think, his stomach growled loudly.

Krukkk~

Remembering that he hadn't eaten since his last meal in the slave quarters, Li Wei realized that the dog food with small portions wouldn't fill anyone up.

But now that he was outside, he could eat something other than dog food and in larger portions.

Li Wei looked around for something to eat. In the bushes near the river, he saw some red and yellow berries. He picked a few and examined them carefully, hoping they weren't poisonous.

"If these are poisonous, I might die." Li Wei thought as he took a small bite of the berry.

"Hmm... delicious." Li Wei licked his lips.

After confirming that the berries were safe, he begin to eat them eagerly to fill his empty stomach. The sweet and sour taste of the berries gave him some much needed energy.

Feeling a little better, Li Wei stood and stared at the vast forest before him. "I must survive and find a way to become stronger," he thought. With a simple but determined resolve, Li Wei stepped forward, leaving the river behind and continuing his journey into an uncertain but hopeful future.

Li Wei entered the forest and walked aimlessly. The evening breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of damp earth and leaves. As night fell, he stopped in a somewhat open area, surrounded by tall trees whose leaves rustled gently in the wind.

Li Wei sat cross-legged, remembering the breathing technique he had observed from the demonic sect members a few days ago.

"I need to increase my spiritual aura to become stronger and save them," he muttered into the quiet night.

He start to regulate his breathing, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. The sounds of the night in the forest were clear; the hiss of insects, the rustling of leaves, and the occasional call of a nocturnal bird.

Despite the noise, Li Wei wasn't disturbed at all; he was deep in meditation.

Throughout the night, Li Wei meditated and felt his spiritual aura grow stronger and flow more freely through his body. When dawn broke, the warmth of the morning sun touched his skin, waking him from his meditation.

Li Wei slowly opened his eyes and looked around him. With the meditation technique he had practiced, he could see the aura flowing like a river more clearly and more widely. The aura inside his body was also larger than before.

Krukkk~

Li Wei held his growling stomach. Even though the aura strengthened him, the hunger in his stomach remained. "I still need food," he thought, realizing that the spiritual aura couldn't completely replace the nutrients from the daily meals.

However, with the aura, Li Wei felt more energetic and his body slightly stronger than an average human.

Li Wei continued his journey deeper into the forest. As he walked, he picked fruit from the trees, eating any that seemed safe. The sound of leaves crunching under his feet added to the silence of the forest.

After walking for a while, Li Wei heard a different sound. The sound of rustling bushes and a low, threatening growl.

"Grr..."

He stopped and listened carefully. Suddenly, a pack of wolves emerged from the bushes, their eyes glowing in the dark and their sharp teeth looking menacing. Li Wei felt his heart race.

He stood tall and stared at the wolves calmly, despite the slight fear in his heart. "Stay calm," he thought. The wolves growled, some stepping forward to show their dominance.

"Am I going to die here?"

Li Wei took a deep breath, feeling the spiritual aura in his body, ready to be used.

"Is this little bit of Qi enough to kill that wolf pack?"

The forest, which had been quiet at first, was now filled with the sound of growling and pawing wolves. Li Wei knew he had to be ready to face the wolves.

Li Wei dodged the first wolf with a quick leap. Though still a child, his small body held Ren's soul full of experience.

"Tsk."

Ren had a lot of life and battle experience, but only against humans, not monsters. "This is different, but I have to survive. I am Li Wei now," he thought, trying to regain his composure.

Ren and Li Wei were two different people. Ren relied on physical strength and firearms breathing techniques, while Li Wei relied on the spiritual aura he had just trained.

The wind blew gently, carrying the sound of the wolves' growling closer. Li Wei tried to remember the technique he had seen in the comics from his previous world. "How do I do this without a spiritual aura?" he pondered, staring at the approaching pack of wolves.

Li Wei jumped back, putting some distance between himself and the wolves. "Okay, I remember the moves," he thought as he rotated his arms, making circles in the air.

The spiritual aura in the air gathered in the center of the circle he made with his hands. Unconsciously, a small golden ball begin to appear in the middle of the circle. "Will this work?" he wondered.

One of the wolves jumped at him. Li Wei flicked the small golden ball with all his strength. The small ball shot out quickly and hit the jumping wolf.

A loud explosion resounded.

BOOM!

The explosion shook the ground around them. Li Wei was thrown far away by the explosion, his body thrown and landing hard on the ground.

Buk!

"Ugh... uhuk... uhuk..."

He struggled to stand, pain radiating through his entire body. "I made it... but this really hurts," he thought, grimacing.

The ground around him still shook slightly from the explosion. "I'll have to be more careful," he muttered, feeling his adrenaline start to wear off.

With his breath still ragged, Li Wei looked around the forest. The once dense forest was now gone, the explosion creating a huge crater and wiping out the surrounding trees.

All the wolves were dead from the blast. Li Wei was grateful that the explosion hadn't killed him.

"I should use this technique at a greater distance next time," he thought while catching his breath.

The explosion caused by Li Wei shook the surrounding area. The loud sound and strong vibrations caused many forest creatures to flee in fear. Birds flew from the trees, making a loud sound in the air.

***

The leader of the demonic sect, who was inside his residence, was immediately startled by the sound of the explosion and the shaking. He quickly stepped outside and looked at the source of the explosion with a furrowed brow.

"What happened there?" thought the sect leader. "That explosion was so big. Is there a master testing a technique from afar?"

He stood on the porch, the wind ruffling his long robes. Curiosity gnawed at his mind, but fear also cloaked his heart. "An explosion of that size could kill me in a single blow," he pondered anxiously. He knew how dangerous it was to approach the source of an explosion without knowing what had actually happened.

Either the explosion was close to the demonic sect's territory, or its effect was so great that it reached the sect's territory.

The sect leader remained alert. "Whoever caused that explosion, their power is immense," he thought with a mixture of admiration and fear. "I must be careful. This could be a serious threat."

The sect leader feared that the person who caused the explosion was a powerful Immortal Arts Cultivator. He feared that a war might break out, and the only Cultivator with such power was Lu Qi.

"I will not give up my life," he muttered.

With a heart full of questions, the sect leader decided not to approach and returned inside without further thought.