The First Awakening

The night was silent, save for the crackling of the fire and the distant howls of spirit beasts.

Xu Liang sat cross-legged in the shadows, eyes closed, his breath steady. The Qi of heaven and earth flowed toward him, drawn by the Heaven-Defying Immortal Art, swirling like an invisible vortex.

Inside his body, the transformation had begun.

Qi Gathering: 3%... 5%... 8%...

The energy seeped into his flesh, muscles, and bones. Unlike ordinary cultivators, who had to refine Qi step by step, his method was different—his body and Qi were strengthening simultaneously.

This was the advantage of the Heaven-Defying Immortal Art.

It didn't separate body refinement and Qi cultivation. It combined them into one seamless process.

Xu Liang clenched his fists as power flooded his limbs.

Then, suddenly—

[Warning: External Disruption Detected]

His eyes snapped open.

A presence.

Not from the rogue cultivators—but something else lurking in the trees.

His senses sharpened. Though he had just started cultivating, the system-enhanced perception allowed him to pick up faint movements.

A shadow shifted in the darkness.

A beast? No… a person.

Xu Liang's expression remained calm, but inside, he was alert.

A hand suddenly clapped his shoulder.

"Enjoying your first cultivation session?"

Zhao Wei.

Xu Liang didn't flinch. He had already sensed him approaching.

Zhao Wei grinned, sitting down on a rock nearby. "I figured you'd start training right away. You've got the eyes of someone who refuses to stay weak."

Xu Liang didn't reply. He was still focusing on the lurking presence beyond the trees.

Zhao Wei followed his gaze. "Something wrong?"

Xu Liang hesitated for a moment, then spoke quietly.

"There's someone watching us."

Zhao Wei's smirk disappeared. His eyes sharpened instantly.

Without hesitation, he flicked his fingers, sending a small pebble flying into the darkness.

Silence.

Then—

A rustling sound as the figure retreated.

Zhao Wei didn't chase. Instead, he exhaled, his grin returning. "Well, well. Looks like you're useful after all."

Xu Liang turned to him. "Who was that?"

Zhao Wei leaned back. "Probably a scout from a nearby sect. They keep an eye on rogue cultivators like us. It's not unusual."

"Are they a threat?"

Zhao Wei chuckled. "If they were, we'd be dead already. The sects don't waste effort on small fries. But it does mean we need to be more careful."

Xu Liang processed the information.

The sects were watching.

Even if they weren't an immediate threat, it meant they knew about this rogue group.

He filed that away for later.

Zhao Wei clapped his hands. "Alright, enough paranoia. You should rest while you can. Tomorrow, we hunt."

"Hunt?"

Zhao Wei smirked. "You didn't think cultivation was free, did you? Spirit beasts have cores full of Qi. If you want to get stronger, you'll need to fight for it."

Xu Liang's eyes gleamed.

A real battle, then.

He stood up, brushing off the dust from his robes.

"Good. I was getting tired of sitting around."

—

The Next Day

The rogue cultivators moved through the forest in a loose formation, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

Xu Liang walked beside Meilin, the red-haired girl who had tested him before. She had been quiet until now, but suddenly she spoke.

"You've never hunted a spirit beast before, have you?"

Xu Liang didn't lie. "No."

She smirked. "Then try not to die."

Ahead, Zhao Wei raised a hand, signaling them to stop.

"We've got one," he said, his voice low.

Xu Liang followed his gaze.

In the clearing ahead, a Silverfang Wolf prowled near a stream. Its silver fur shimmered faintly with Qi, its muscles tense and powerful.

A Low-Tier Qi Condensation Beast.

Zhao Wei whispered, "Xu Liang, this one's yours."

Xu Liang's eyes flickered.

They were testing him again.

He stepped forward.

The moment his foot touched the grass, the wolf's ears twitched. It turned, locking eyes with him.

A low growl rumbled in its throat.

Then—it lunged.

Xu Liang didn't panic. His body moved instinctively, enhanced by the system's combat assistance.

The wolf's claws sliced through air as he sidestepped, his movements precise.

[Combat Assistance Mode: Active]

The wolf twisted mid-air, landing lightly before launching another attack—faster this time.

Xu Liang's mind worked rapidly.

I'm not strong enough to overpower it. I need to use technique.

He let the wolf's next attack come—but this time, he countered.

Instead of dodging, he angled his body at the last second, causing the wolf to barely graze him.

Then, he struck.

His elbow slammed into the wolf's side, sending it stumbling.

The beast recovered instantly, but Xu Liang was already moving. He grabbed a sharp stone from the ground and—

Threw it.

The stone pierced the wolf's eye.

The beast howled in agony.

Xu Liang didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, wrapping his arm around its throat and twisting.

A sickening crack echoed through the forest.

The wolf went limp.

Silence.

Then, applause.

Zhao Wei smirked. "Well, damn. That was cleaner than I expected."

Meilin raised an eyebrow. "Not bad."

Xu Liang exhaled slowly. He hadn't even broken a sweat.

Then—

[Spirit Beast Core Detected.]

A faint glow emanated from the wolf's chest. Xu Liang reached out and pulled out a small, silver core pulsing with Qi.

He stared at it.

This was cultivation energy in its purest form.

Zhao Wei grinned. "Eat it."

Xu Liang hesitated. "Eat it?"

Meilin smirked. "What, scared? Beast cores speed up cultivation. It's how we survive."

Xu Liang looked at the glowing core.

Then, he closed his fingers around it and crushed it.

The energy rushed into his body like a surging tide.

—

[Qi Gathering: 12% → 20%]

—

His Qi surged.

Power flowed through him, strengthening his body and meridians.

For the first time, he felt truly alive.

Zhao Wei chuckled. "Looks like we found ourselves a real monster."

Xu Liang smirked.

This was just the beginning.

—

End of Chapter 5

This chapter introduces Xu Liang's first real battle, his combat adaptability, and his first major cultivation boost. Let me know if you want any tweaks!