The Unseen Path
Mo Long's heart raced as he stared at the system window, his eyes narrowing at the information presented to him. The orbs he had discovered weren't just any mystical objects; they were dantians, forcibly taken from their original owners by demonic means. Each one was a wellspring of Qi, a testament to the immense power they once held. The system's analysis confirmed his suspicions—the hounds, especially their formidable leader, had drawn strength from these dantians, explaining their extraordinary power.
Mo Long's thoughts swirled as he tried to process the implications. These orbs were potent sources of energy, but the way they had been harvested was horrifying. The system offered him two choices: to devour the dantians using demonic methods, which would likely corrupt him, or to wait until the system's progress bar advanced further to unlock safer, perhaps more potent uses for them. Mo Long pondered the options.
Devouring the dantians now could give him a significant power boost, but at what cost? The thought of being tainted by demonic energy unsettled him. He wasn't willing to risk losing himself to such dark forces. "No," he decided, shaking his head. "I'll wait. There's no need to rush."
With that, he began collecting the orbs, one by one, storing them within the system's storage. As he reached for the last few, something small and weak stirred beneath them. Mo Long paused, carefully moving the orbs aside to reveal what lay beneath.
A small wolf cub, barely larger than his hand, was curled up, trembling with exhaustion and fear. Its fur was matted, and it looked frail, as if it hadn't eaten in days. The system quickly informed him that the cub was in a bad state—starving, weak, and dying. Yet, despite its pitiable condition, there was a fire in the cub's eyes, a defiance that reminded Mo Long of himself.
As Mo Long crouched closer, the cub woke up, its eyes blinking open as it took in its surroundings. For a moment, the cub seemed to recognize Mo Long—or rather, it recognized the scent of its mother's blood on him. A snarl escaped its tiny mouth as it bared its teeth, a feeble attempt at a threat. The cub tried to lunge at Mo Long, but its movements were slow, weakened by hunger and fatigue.
Mo Long caught the cub mid-air by the scruff of its neck, lifting it effortlessly. He could feel its tiny body shaking in his grasp, yet it still growled at him, the last vestiges of its courage on display. "You've got some spirit," Mo Long muttered, a hint of admiration in his voice.
Looking into the cub's eyes, Mo Long felt a pang of pity. He knew all too well what it was like to be alone and struggling to survive. "Yes, I killed your mother," Mo Long said softly, his voice carrying a mixture of regret and resolution. "You can choose to join her in death, or you can live—under my care, as my companion. If you choose to live, I'll make you stronger, but you must decide."
The cub stopped struggling, its growls turning into whimpers as it stared at Mo Long with wide, uncertain eyes. The fight seemed to drain out of it as it considered Mo Long's words. Memories flashed through the cub's mind—its mother, a fierce and powerful leader, had abandoned it because of its weakness. No matter what the cub did, whether it tried to catch her attention by getting in her way or attempting to consume the Qi from the dantians, it had never been enough. The cub had been left to fend for itself, and now, in its moment of desperation, it faced a choice.
Slowly, the cub relaxed in Mo Long's grip, its small body going limp as if accepting its fate. Mo Long could see the decision in its eyes—a choice not made out of fear, but out of a desire to survive and grow stronger, no longer for its mother's approval, but for its own sake. The cub had chosen life.
Mo Long gave a small, satisfied nod. "Good," he murmured. "You made the right choice."
He accessed the Forbidden System, mentally navigating to the inventory of dantians. Selecting one, he decided to sell it for Forbidden Points. The system processed his request, and a notification appeared.
---
**System Update:**
- **One Dantian sold for 65 Forbidden Points.**
- **Current Points: 65**
---
With his new points, Mo Long purchased a healing pill for the cub. He gently placed the cub on the ground and offered the pill. The cub sniffed it warily before licking it up, and within moments, the pill's effects became visible. The cub's trembling ceased, and its breathing became steadier. Its fur even seemed to regain a slight luster as the healing energy flowed through its small body.
Satisfied that the cub was on the mend, Mo Long sat down in a lotus position and began to meditate. He focused on his breathing, feeling the flow of Qi within him as he worked to stabilize his cultivation. Time passed, and the forest around him grew darker as night fell. After about an hour, he opened his eyes to find the cub sitting patiently in front of him, watching him with a curious expression.
Mo Long chuckled softly. "So you've decided to stay close, huh?" He glanced up at the sky, realizing it was now well into the night. With a tired sigh, he decided to stay in the den for the night. "We'll sleep here tonight. Tomorrow, we hunt."
The next morning, as the first light of dawn filtered through the trees, Mo Long and the cub set out. Their goal was simple: hunt monsters to gain points and train the cub. Mo Long took on the stronger monsters, testing his newfound strength, while leaving the weaker ones for the cub. It was a grueling process, but Mo Long knew that this was the only way for the cub to grow stronger.
Days passed in this manner. Mo Long and the cub made the den their temporary home, venturing out during the day to hunt and returning at night to rest and cultivate. With each battle, Mo Long's skills sharpened, and the cub grew more confident and capable.
The cub, though still small, began to exhibit signs of improvement—its speed increased, its attacks became more coordinated, and its Qi control, though rudimentary, started to show promise. Mo Long considered giving the cub a name, but his lack of creativity in that area left him stumped. "Maybe I'll let someone else name you," he mused aloud one evening, scratching his head as the cub looked at him curiously. "Maybe some pretty girl will see how cute you are and come up with something better."
The system's voice interrupted his thoughts, dripping with sarcasm. "What a simp. Get back to reality, Mo Long."
Mo Long rolled his eyes. "Can't even dream in peace, huh?"
But the days of relentless hunting and training paid off. One evening, as Mo Long sat in meditation, he felt a powerful surge of energy within him. His Qi flowed more smoothly, his muscles hummed with strength, and a profound sense of clarity washed over him. When he opened his eyes, he knew he had broken through to the second stage of his cultivation. The cub, too, had reached the first stage, a testament to its rapid growth under Mo Long's care.
---
**System Update:**
- **Mo Long's Cultivation Level:**
- **Qi Cultivation: Stage 2**
- **Body Cultivation: Stage 2**
- **Pet Wolf Cub:**
- **Qi Cultivation: Stage 1**
- **Current Points: 55**
---
With his new strength, Mo Long felt ready to ascend to the next floor of the Tower.
He glanced down at the cub, now dozing peacefully by his side, its breathing steady and calm. "Let's get some rest," he whispered, more to himself than to the cub. "Tomorrow, we continue our climb."
The den, once a place of danger and discovery, now felt like a sanctuary, if only for a brief moment. As Mo Long lay down to sleep
---
In a room shrouded in darkness, ten figures sat around a circular table, their faces obscured by the shadows that clung to them like a second skin. The atmosphere was thick with tension as they discussed a topic that had been plaguing them for some time.
"It's been so long since the black light holder disappeared," murmured the figure seated at the ninth position. His voice was low and gravelly, carrying a hint of frustration. "Since the second day of his arrival, we've had no sign of him."
The figure next to him, Number Eight, nodded slowly. "He's probably dead. His light disappeared, after all."
"But that's impossible," said another, Number One, his voice sharper, more insistent. "The last place he was seen was his cabin. No one dies in their cabin unless of old age, and the black light holder is only twenty-four."
A murmur of agreement rippled around the table, each figure pondering the mystery that had begun to consume their thoughts.
---
As the first rays of dawn broke through the dense forest canopy, Mo Long woke from his rest. The cub, now his companion, stretched beside him, its small form still radiating the energy from their shared triumphs. Mo Long smiled slightly, knowing that their bond had strengthened through their battles and mutual growth.
But today, a new challenge awaited them. Mo Long had to figure out how to ascend to the next floor of the Tower, and for that, he needed to consult Qin Chao. With the cub trotting close at his heels, Mo Long set off for the village.
The journey back was uneventful, save for the occasional skirmish with a low-level monster that dared to cross their path. Mo Long let the cub handle these encounters, testing its newfound strength and agility. It was a small but effective method of training, allowing the cub to gain confidence and experience in combat.
By the time they reached the outskirts of the village, the sun was high in the sky, casting long shadows over the dirt paths that wound through the settlement. As Mo Long walked through the village, his eyes were sharp, taking in the subtle changes since his last visit. The once-bustling streets were now eerily quiet. Villagers glanced at him from the corners of their eyes, quickly looking away as if they feared even acknowledging his presence.
Mo Long's frown deepened. Something was wrong. He approached a group of villagers gathered around a small market stall. "Excuse me," he began, his voice calm but firm. "I'm looking for Qin Chao. Can anyone tell me where he is?"
The reaction was immediate and telling. The villagers stiffened, their expressions darkening as they exchanged uneasy glances. No one spoke, and the air seemed to thicken with tension. Mo Long could sense their fear, their reluctance to even speak the name of the man he sought.
"Please," Mo Long insisted, his tone still polite but with an edge of urgency. "It's important."
One of the villagers, finally spoke up. His voice was low, almost a whisper. "Qin Chao… he's… he's been taken."
Mo Long's eyes narrowed. "Taken? By whom?"
The old man hesitated, glancing nervously at the others before continuing. "By… the. The one you fought before."
Memories of that encounter flashed through Mo Long's mind—the brute of a man, towering and full of fury, who had attacked him without warning. Mo Long had defeated him easily enough, but it seemed he hadn't taken that defeat well.
"Why?" Mo Long asked, though he already had a sinking feeling that he knew the answer.
"After you… disappeared," the old man continued, "the Hulk was furious. He blamed Qin Chao for helping you, for hiding you. He took him… dragged him off somewhere. No one knows where he is now, or if he's even alive."
Mo Long's hands clenched into fists at his sides. Anger simmered beneath his calm exterior, but he forced himself to stay focused. "Is there any way to find him?" he asked.
The old man shook his head slowly. "No one who's gone after that man has returned. He works for a man called 'Tang Li', who is in the second floor and a lot of people are working for him. It's too dangerous. You should leave the village while you still can. If he finds you…"
The warning hung in the air, but Mo Long wasn't swayed. He had no intention of running. "Thank you," he said, turning away from the group. The villagers' eyes followed him with a mixture of pity and fear, as if they were watching a man march to his death.
Mo Long, however, felt none of that fear. His concern was for Qin Chao, the man who had shown him kindness when he had first arrived in this unforgiving world. He wasn't about to abandon him.
**[To be continued...]**
(IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NAME OF THE WOLF CUP, PLEASE COMMENT, I can't seem to think of one)