Chapter 15: Going out

Silvan's eyes narrowed. "You can't? Or you won't?"

"It's not like that! I know how to remove the Soul Mark, but I don't have the strength right now! I'm at the First Stage of Body Tempering! What do you expect me to do? Burn it off with my baby flames?"

"Not my problem. And for someone from a renowned Dark Hall, shouldn't removing a mere Soul Mark be effortless?" Silvan mocked.

"Simple?! Do you even know what it takes to remove a Soul Mark?! It's directly connected to my former clan's techniques!" YunYun snapped.

"Then what you gonna do about it? Our deal will be off. And you can just die."

"No, wait. I can't remove it. But I can at least surpass it for now," YunYun said, settling onto Silvan's shoulder.

His Qi flared out, spreading across Silvan's body.

The Soul Mark reacted instantly.

Silvan could feel it didn't disappear entirely, but it was now barely noticeable.

Like a lingering shadow.

"That should do the trick, right?" YunYun said.

"How long will it last?" Silvan cut straight to the point.

"I don't know. A couple of hours, at least."

Silvan nodded. It would work.

Now, onto business. "Now teach me the cultivation technique. Whatever you promised."

YunYun tilted his head. "Are you sure about that? You'll miss great opportunities. It's better to explore and gather treasures. That map was pricey,better use it."

With that, YunYun flew over and snatched the pouch from Silvan's belt.

Silvan caught it midair, opening the bag.Inside, besides a thin scroll, were a few small pill bottles and glittering stones.

Silvan recognized them immediately. Qi Stones.

Same function as Mana Stones in his past life.

Slowly, he unrolled the scroll.

A map.

Countless locations were marked on it.

"See?! So many treasures! I am a dragon now! And as a beast, I also need cultivation resources!" YunYun declared proudly.

Silvan nodded.

The treasures this fellow was talking about weren't just sitting in one place, nor were they buried loot. What YunYun referred to were the rare herbs and Qi pools that had formed deep underground over time.

The Sealed World of Altera opened every hundred years, and this cycle had been repeating for countless eons.

Each time, the place became a treasure trove for many,a land where powerful figures could leave behind their legacies for future generations.

The gates opened gradually, allowing cultivators to enter freely. However, special tokens granted early access through the unstable cracks before the gates fully solidified.

These tokens were extremely limited and distributed only among the great powers of the Desolate Plains.

Thus, those who entered first had the chance to gather rare herbs, absorb Qi from untouched pools, and claim hidden inheritances before the gates fully opened,unleashing hordes of cultivators ranging from the Body Tempering Stage all the way to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

"Let's head north. And take that thing with you. I can feel it,it's a treasure of a lifetime," YunYun said, circling around the Dungeon Core.

Silvan started to speak, then sighed instead.

Now that he thought about it, his dungeon subjects were completely clueless about their situation.

Normally, he wouldn't have bothered explaining anything to someone so ignorant.

But here, he had no choice.

"Listen, YunYun. Everything I say from now on is very important," Silvan said.

YunYun nodded, preparing himself for some weird revelation.

But in the end,he still wasn't prepared enough for what he heard next.

One Hour Later…

YunYun hovered in the air, his eyes fixed on the Double Body beside Silvan.

But what truly made YunYun's stomach twist was Silvan's hand.

This person was wielding the technique effortlessly,the very one that had taken him three whole years to master.

YunYun's mouth opened as if to speak.

But no words came out.

What could he even say?

Watching his own technique being used so casually by someone who wasn't even a cultivator felt like being struck down twice.

"I… never mind," he muttered bitterly. "That was supposed to be mine."

"Well, that's how it works. That's how the system works," Silvan said, glancing at the updated map in the system.

After reading the scroll a few more times, a notification appeared.

[World Map Expanded with the Updated Information]

Now, he didn't even need to check the physical scroll.

He could just pull up the system's map directly.

Silvan closed the interface after reviewing the details for a while, then stood up.

He pulled on a set of robes that once belonged to YunYun.

It was too strange to keep walking around in his school uniform.

Silvan walked over to the entrance and picked up a dagger.

The very same dagger that had killed YunYun.YunYun felt chills as he looked at the weapon.And at the strange,looking plant beside it.

Silvan didn't care.

He strapped it to his waist.

Cheap as it was, it had done its job cleanly.

Meanwhile, he placed Solar Flare Edge near the Dungeon Core.

He wasn't planning to take it with him.

It was too flashy, too oversized.

It would only attract unnecessary attention.

Instead, he would use YunYun's sword it was smaller and had attachments that made it easier to carry.As for the pouch full of pills, YunYun had already explained their effects.

Mostly mild poisons and Qi recovery pills.

And the Qi Stones?

Silvan took all of them.

They would serve as currency in the Trade Hall.

With that, everything was set.Silvan was ready to venture further than ever before.

YunYun saw this and hopped onto his shoulder.

But before they left—

There was one last thing to collect.

Not far from the entrance, in the shallow water, Silvan spotted a small, glowing green orb submerged beneath the surface.

Strangely enough, it wasn't affected by the water's current.

His loot for killing the Seventh-Stage Wildwood.

[To be continued…]