The Road to Power

Chapter 6: The Road to Power

The taste of raw Qi still lingered in Xu Liang's body.

The beast core's energy had surged through his meridians, refining his Qi, strengthening both his body and cultivation simultaneously. He could feel it—his muscles firmer, his senses sharper, his reflexes quicker.

Yet, this was only the first step.

Zhao Wei grinned, watching him closely. "How does it feel?"

Xu Liang flexed his fingers, testing the flow of Qi within him. The Heaven-Defying Immortal Art was working far better than he had anticipated. Unlike normal cultivators, who had to meditate for days to absorb a core's power, he had done it instantly.

He met Zhao Wei's gaze. "Efficient."

Zhao Wei chuckled. "Hah. You really are different."

The rest of the group had started skinning the wolf, extracting usable materials—fur, bones, and whatever could be sold in the black markets.

Xu Liang turned toward the forest, his mind calculating.

One beast core boosted me by 8%. If I want to reach the peak of Qi Gathering quickly, I need more.

Meilin noticed his expression. "Thinking about hunting more?"

Xu Liang nodded.

She smirked. "Careful. Not all beasts are as weak as that one."

Zhao Wei clapped his hands. "Alright, we'll head back to camp. This hunt was just a warm-up. The real one starts soon."

Xu Liang raised an eyebrow. "Real hunt?"

Zhao Wei's smirk deepened. "There's a spirit beast valley about two days from here. More dangerous beasts—but higher rewards. That's where the real cultivation resources are."

Xu Liang's eyes gleamed.

A valley full of spirit beasts?

He had found his next opportunity.

—

That Night

Xu Liang sat alone in meditation.

The system's notifications appeared before him.

—

[Qi Gathering Progress: 20%]

[Body Refinement: Enhanced (Stage 1)]

—

The first stage of body refinement had begun to show results. His strength was no longer that of an ordinary human—he was faster, stronger, and more resilient than before.

But it wasn't enough.

He needed more power.

As he focused, he suddenly felt something strange.

A faint resonance.

Like a pull in his Qi—toward something unseen.

His eyes snapped open.

Xu Liang stood up, following the sensation. It was weak, but clear—something in the forest was calling to his Qi.

He moved silently, weaving through the trees like a shadow.

Then, he saw it.

A small, glowing herb nestled between two rocks. Its leaves emitted a soft, silver light.

[Detected: Silver Spirit Grass]

[Effect: Enhances Qi circulation. Used in low-tier Qi Refinement Pills.]

Xu Liang narrowed his eyes.

A natural treasure.

He reached out—but before he could grab it, the air shifted.

A presence.

Xu Liang dodged to the side instantly, just as something slashed through the space he had occupied.

A blur of black fur and glowing eyes lunged at him.

Another spirit beast.

This one was faster—stronger than the Silverfang Wolf.

A Shadow Panther.

Low-Tier Qi Condensation Realm.

Xu Liang's heartbeat quickened. This was his first true challenge.

The beast didn't hesitate. It lunged again, claws aiming for his throat.

Xu Liang reacted instinctively, his body moving faster than his mind. He dodged left, spinning on his heel—but the panther adjusted mid-air, its claws grazing his shoulder.

A sharp pain shot through him.

Xu Liang gritted his teeth. If I take another direct hit, I'm done.

The system's combat assistance activated, predicting the beast's movements.

[Combat Assistance Engaged]

[Weakness Detected: Joint Flexibility Reduction after Mid-Air Attacks]

Xu Liang's eyes flickered.

That's it.

The panther was fast, but its movements had a flaw. After every jump, it had a split-second delay before landing.

Xu Liang baited another attack.

The panther lunged—exactly as predicted.

This time, Xu Liang didn't dodge completely. Instead, he stepped forward—into the attack.

At the last moment, he lowered his body, letting the panther's claws pass inches over his head.

Then—he struck.

A brutal palm strike to the beast's exposed stomach.

The impact sent a shockwave through the panther's body. It crashed to the ground, stunned.

Xu Liang didn't hesitate.

He grabbed a fallen branch, reinforced it with his Qi, and drove it into the panther's throat.

A wet gurgle. The beast twitched—then went still.

Silence.

Then—

[Spirit Beast Core Acquired]

Xu Liang let out a slow breath. His shoulder throbbed, but the pain was already fading.

His first solo kill.

He reached into the panther's body, pulling out a dark-blue core pulsing with energy.

Stronger than the Silverfang Wolf's.

Xu Liang sat down and crushed it.

The Qi flooded into him.

—

[Qi Gathering: 20% → 35%]

—

He clenched his fists.

The gap between life and death had made him stronger.

But this was still just the beginning