"Chapter 3" Next Destination

If this had happened a day ago, Ye Xuan would have turned tail and run without looking back. But now, the situation was different.

The beast in front of him was a Level 1 beast, equivalent to a Qi Awakening stage cultivator.

However, Ye Xuan's cultivation had advanced to the Qi Refinement stage, surpassing the beast's power and equivalent to that of a Level 2 beast.

Additionally, the rewards for killing the beast were too enticing to ignore. Gripping his sword tightly, Ye Xuan locked eyes with the beast, which let out a deafening shriek before launching itself at him.

The One-Eyed Serpent's jaws wide open, ready to strike.

With a speed that belied its massive body, it closed the distance to Ye Xuan in the blink of an eye.

Ye Xuan swung his sword, but the serpent dodged the attack with ease, its agility catching Ye Xuan off guard. "Die!" Ye Xuan yelled and unleashed another attack.

With swift precision, Ye Xuan activated his Elite Sword Art. His Qi surged, concentrating on the blade as he swung it once more.

Two phantom swords materialized, crossing each other in a deadly arc that struck the serpent.

The beast tried to dodge, but Ye Xuan's attack was too fast.

The phantom swords sliced into the serpent's scales, leaving deep gashes that bled profusely.

Ye Xuan repeated the attack, striking the serpent again. But the beast refused to give up, its body trembling with rage as it counterattacked with its massive coils.

Ye Xuan barely saved himself by leaping to the other side, narrowly avoiding the serpent's deadly strike. "Even at death's door, it still wants to take me down with it," Ye Xuan thought.

This was Ye Xuan's first battle against a beast, and although he had been confident in his victory, he was taken aback by the serpent's unyielding persistence.

Taking a stance, he used the Twin Blade Art, and one after another, sword attacks landed on the beast, which shrieked in pain. Then, with a loud thud, it slumped to the ground, dead.

Ye Xuan was breathing heavily, having exhausted all his Qi in the last attack. "Finally," he smiled, gazing at the system notification.

[System Notification]: You have killed a Level 1 beast, the One-Eyed Serpent.

[Reward]: 10 Years of Cultivation Experience

As the notification faded, Ye Xuan felt a subtle yet profound transformation within his body.

His cultivation level had risen from 1st level Qi Refinement stage to 2nd level Qi Refinement stage.

Although the change seemed modest, Ye Xuan intuitively sensed that this reward would have a profound impact on his future progress, granting him a significant advantage on his cultivation journey.

Exhausted, Ye Xuan slumped beside the lifeless serpent, resting his back against the tree trunk.

He gazed at the beast. "It's hide, and especially that eye, will fetch a good price."

After a brief rest, Ye Xuan set to work, skilfully skinning the serpent and extracting its valuable eye. With the task complete, he stored both items in his system storage.

"Now, let's see where I should head next?" Ye Xuan wondered, craning his neck to gaze upwards.

He began to climb the tree, ascending higher and higher until he reached the top.

"Oh, so I was this close." He glanced west and found a Town nearby, only seven to eight miles from his location.

Making up his mind, he descended from the tree and began heading towards the Town in the west.

As Ye Xuan approached the town, he noticed a group of guards stationed at the entrance, their eyes scanning each newcomer with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

The atmosphere within the town seemed off, like a thin layer of tension hung in the air. Ye Xuan's instincts prickled, but he pushed on, wondering if he was just being paranoid.

What caught his attention, however, was the peculiar flow of people. While a few travellers entered the town, none seemed to be leaving.

The streets were eerily quiet, with only a handful of people were to be seen.

Those who were present glared at each newcomer, their faces twisted in a mixture of hostility and wariness.

Ye Xuan shrugged off the uneasy feeling and made his way through the town, searching for a market or a shop where he could sell the One-Eyed Serpent's hide and eye.

The silence was oppressive, but he pressed on, determined to turn his spoils into valuable resources.

Ye Xuan soon spotted a meat shop, its sign creaking in the gentle breeze. He called out from outside, "Hello, is anyone there?" But the only response was silence.

He tried again, his voice slightly louder, but still, no one emerged or replied.

Curious, Ye Xuan pushed open the door and stepped inside. The shop was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of raw meat.

Behind the counter, a man sat motionless, his eyes fixed intently on Ye Xuan.

"I thought no one was here," Ye Xuan said with a smile, his eyes locked on the man. "Hello, are you buying serpent meat? I have plenty of it."

The man's expression transformed in an instant. His eyes, once vacant, now sparkled with a mix of surprise and caution.

A timid smile spread across his face as he apologized, "I...I apologize, I mistook you for someone else." His voice was laced with a hint of nervousness, and Ye Xuan's curiosity was piqued.

"So, are you buying?" Ye Xuan asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sensed the man's wariness. The man nodded, his smile faltering for a moment.

Ye Xuan opened his system storage, and the One-Eyed Serpent's hide and eye materialized in front of him.

The man's eyes widened in shock, and he took a step back, his voice trembling. "This is...One eyed Beast...How did you...?"

The man's eyes had already widened in shock when the serpent's meat materialized out of thin air, revealing to him that the young man standing before him was a cultivator.

But now, as he gazed upon the lifeless beast, his astonishment reached new heights.

"So, are you buying it or not?" Ye Xuan asked, his tone neutral.

The man, now treating Ye Xuan with a respect, replied, "I'll take the meat, but the other items...the hide and eye...you might want to try selling them at the shops a few streets down. They might give you a better price."

Ye Xuan nodded, retrieving the valuable eye and handing over the serpent's meat to the man. "How much will you pay?" he asked, his eyes locked on the man.

The man paused for a moment before heading into another room. He took his time, returning a few minutes later.

"I don't have much to pay, but I can offer you this thing," showing a small, intricately carved token in his hand.

The token bore the faint image of a humanoid face, worn by time and weathering.

"This is something my grandfather found when he was butchering a beast," the man explained.

He picked up a nearby bowl, extracting a single drop of blood, which he poured onto the token. The token began to glow, but the light was short-lived.

"I have no idea what this thing is," the man admitted, "but you might be able to find something out through this."

Unbeknownst to Ye Xuan, the man's family had been holding onto the token for years, hoping to strike it rich, but nothing had come of it.

Now, the man was willing to part with the mysterious trinket in exchange for the serpent meat.

"My family has held onto this thing for years, thinking it would bring us fortune," the man said, a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"But alas, nothing changed. Instead, things only got worse..." His eyes drifted away, focusing on the two men who had just forcefully entered the meat shop.

A flicker of unease crossed his face, and his voice trailed off, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.

"This novel is participating in the WSA writing contest! Please help keep the story alive by voting with Power Stones. Your support is greatly appreciated!"