"Chapter 14" Hunt Begins

Xuan ventured deeper into the forest, and the farther he went, the fewer outer court disciples he encountered.

He took his time, using his Blur Wind Steps to avoid any beasts that crossed his path and within an hour, he had covered 50 miles, leaving the outer court disciples behind.

As he progressed, he came across a few inner court disciples who looked at him with a mixture of disdain and curiosity.

Unlike them, who were all in groups of four to five, Xuan was alone. They soon lost interest in him and focused on their own pursuits treating Xuan as overconfident fool.

Xuan observed that all the disciples around him were in groups, with a minimum of three members. However, this didn't deter him.

Using his Blur Wind Steps, he continued to move forward, distancing himself from the other disciples.

The forest consists of four types of beasts, categorized not by breed or race, but by their levels.

The first 50 miles were inhabited by level one and pseudo-level two beasts. The next 100 miles were home to level two, three, and even level four beasts.

Beyond that point, the forest was prohibited territory, guarded by two of the sect's elders at all times.

Xuan decided to start by finding an easy target. After a prolonged search, he stumbled upon a foot-sized rat, a level two beast.

The rat caught sight of Xuan and attempted to scurry away, but Xuan had already spotted it.

With a swift motion, he threw his sword, striking the rat with deadly precision and killing the little beast in a single stroke.

[System Notification]: You have killed Bone Eating Bandicoot Rat.

[Reward]: Blood Purification Dan (x10)

Xuan read the description of the Blood Purification Dan, which stated that it could cleanse the user's blood to its purest state, corresponding to their current cultivation stage.

The pill was particularly valuable for Meridian stage cultivators, as it helped to purify the blood and unlock Qi Pathways in the body, laying the foundation for the Core Establishment stage.

Xuan retrieved the Blood Purification Dan and sat in a safer location to refine the pill before proceeding further.

For a whole hour, everything remained uneventful, until he overheard a group of disciples discussing how to take the carcass of the Bone Eating Bandicoot Rat that Xuan had left behind.

"Just take it, what's there to think about?" one of the three disciples spoke, while another protested, "I don't think this is a good idea. Not only do you want to take the beast he killed, but you also want to beat him? Let's leave him alone."

Two of them burst out laughing, "Zhao, don't be a coward! He's all alone, and it's not like we're going to kill him. A few beatings will be enough to teach him who's in control."

Xuan opened his eyes, his cultivation clearly disturbed by their banter.

As Xuan approached, the first guy mocked, "Oh, looks like you're eager to get your butt kicked!" He laughed; his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Tell me, how do you want to lose? Do you want me to kick you senseless or punch you into oblivion? The choice is yours!"

"I'll kick you till you faint, and he'll punch you till you faint. Now, who do you choose first?" The second one laughed.

Xuan looked at them, his eyes finally resting on the third one, who stood behind the other two. The first one spoke, "Oh, leave Zhao out of this. He isn't interested in teaching you a lesson."

Xuan chuckled, "Well, you've made things easy for me."

His sudden laughter stopped the others' laughter an in an instant, Xuan vanished and reappeared in front of the two, using his Blur Steps to kick the first one and punch the second one.

The three of them didn't even know what had happened when the first two felt searing pain in their abdomens and fainted while The third one stumbled to the ground, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at his unconscious companions.

Xuan's tone turned serious, his eyes glinting with a hint of warning. "You might follow the rules, but I won't. Tell them not to cross my path again, or I won't hesitate to end their lives."

Xuan's words were clear. if they crossed his path again, he would disregard the sect's rule against killing fellow disciples and show no mercy.

With that, Xuan turned and left the trio behind, even abandoning the carcass of the Bone Eating Bandicoot Rat as he ventured deeper into the forest.

[System Notification]: You have killed Level three Windhowler Wolf.

[Reward]: "Divine grade Cultivation Technique: 'Wind Emperor's Fury'"

"Wind Emperor's Fury: A Divine-grade cultivation technique that harnesses Qi with wind to unleash devastating attacks, granting temporary boosts to strength, speed, and defense."

Xuan's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he gazed at the rewards, the Purification Dan and the Divine-grade technique, Wind Emperor's Fury.

He couldn't help but feel that the system was indeed sentient, generously guiding him with precisely the rewards he needed in his hour of need.

A sense of gratitude and wonder washed over him, strengthening his bond with the mysterious system.

Xuan continued his journey, delving deeper into the forest. As he ventured further, the trees grew taller, and the underbrush thicker.

After a few hours of searching, Xuan stumbled upon a massive creature with razor-sharp claws and teeth, its body a mesmerizing blend of green and brown scales – a peak level three beast, the Emerald Scale Lizard.

Without hesitation, Xuan drew his sword and charged towards the lizard. The beast, sensing danger, unleashed a thunderous roar and swiped its massive claws at Xuan.

He dodged the attack with ease, using his newly acquired Divine-grade technique 'Wind Emperor's Fury'.

Unleashing a barrage of wind cutters filled with Qi towards the beast, who couldn't dodge because of its massive body. The wind cutters ripped through the lizard's scales, dealing significant damage.

The Emerald Scale Lizard let out a deafening screech as it stumbled, its body weakened. Xuan seized the opportunity, striking the final blow with his spirit grade sword.

[System Notification]: You have killed Emerald Scale Lizard.

[Reward]: "Shadow Dusk Pellet" (x1)

Xuan's eyes lit up as he read the description of the Shadow Dusk Pellet:

"A temporary concealment item that masks the user's presence, making them nearly undetectable for a short duration. The effects last for 30 minutes, and the pellet can be used once every 24 hours."

Xuan realized that this item would be incredibly useful in situations where stealth was necessary. He carefully stored the pellet in his inventory, feeling that this will be needed in near future.

Xuan decided to end his day with the recent victory and began returning to the sect.

However, his journey was soon disrupted by the sound of a fierce battle unfolding in the distance. The clash of steel on claw, accompanied by the roars of a beast, grew louder by the second.

Initially, Xuan thought of ignoring the commotion and continuing on his way. But as the shriek of the beast pierced the air, which attracted his attention and he altered his direction, deciding to see the situation from a safer distance.