Cultivation

The wind rustled the ancient leaves high above, sunlight filtering in faint golden patterns across the forest floor. Shafts of late-afternoon light shimmered against drifting motes of spiritual energy. Somewhere in the distance, a low growl echoed, soon followed by the screech of a dying beast—proof that the hunting competition was still in full swing.

Meng Hao sat cross-legged at the base of a thick, moss-draped tree, his robes slightly dusty, but his face calm—almost serene. Yet behind that composed facade, a flicker of dark amusement curled in the corner of his lips.

"Hehehe… a thousand years of cultivation, just for fucking her mother? This system really knows how to tempt people..."

A chuckle nearly escaped his lips, but he quickly suppressed it and narrowed his eyes, glancing around the tranquil woods. His inner voice returned to a more cautious tone.

"But no. Not yet. There's still the master to consider. Even if her mother ends up favoring me… the remnant soul of her master, Chang Yue, is bound to that ring. A Void Refining realm soul cultivator... That's not someone I can trifle with right now."

His fingers tapped lightly against his thigh.

"Even if Chang Yue develops some interest in me… at one-star favorability, it's nowhere near safe. She's dangerous. A single misstep and I'd be a smear on the forest floor."

Meng Hao took a breath and recalled what he had learned. His system's interface had shown him the realms once before—cultivation stages from weak to strong: Qi Gathering, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, Void Refining, Fusion, Mahayana, and finally the Deva realm—stepping stone to true immortality and ascension to the upper world.

"The sect master of our Thousand Sword Sect is only at the Divine Transformation stage… and most elders are at Nascent Soul. Meanwhile, Chang Yue—just her fragmented soul—is at the Void Refining level. Even if I use every trick at my disposal, there's no way I could outplay her… unless her favorability rises to four-star or higher. Until then..."

He exhaled softly, a calm smile spreading across his face.

"Patience is the foundation of power."

The woods around him stirred gently. Distant spiritual beasts scurried from brush to brush, leaves rustled like whispers, and a faint scent of blood lingered in the air from recent battles.

Meanwhile, deeper within the forest, Li Yao was dashing through the underbrush with practiced steps, her sword gleaming faintly in the filtered sunlight. Her breathing was calm, but her expression was serious. She had no time to rest. While others had been gathering points through killing beasts and rivals, she had spent almost the entire trial with Meng Hao, shielding him, healing him, and—unintentionally—falling for him.

Now, time was running out, and she had to cross the threshold of 1,000 points if she wanted to qualify as an inner sect disciple.

A wolf-like spirit beast lunged at her from the shadows, its fur bristling with dark red energy. Without hesitation, Li Yao twisted her waist midair, bringing her blade down in a graceful arc. A flash of crimson qi surged forth, cleaving the beast's neck cleanly. Blood misted the air and quickly evaporated under the pressure of her aura.

As she flicked the blood from her blade, a calm voice echoed in her mind.

"Li Yao, you're letting your emotions cloud your path."

It was the voice of Chang Yue, her master. The spirit within the ring she always wore on her right hand. Cold yet patient.

"Your determination is admirable. But don't lose sight of your purpose. Your goal is not that boy—it's revenge. You swore to crush Fang Shui, your ex-fiancé, who betrayed your family. Don't forget that."

Li Yao narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Her silence said enough.

"Yes… Meng Hao is charming. But charming doesn't mean worthy of sacrificing everything."

But Li Yao's heart stirred. Ever since that kiss—sudden, soft, bold—she hadn't been able to shake him from her thoughts. His voice, his gaze, the touch of his hands still lingered in her mind. She knew it was irrational, but her emotions refused to listen to reason.

"Master… I know what I must do," she replied mentally, though her thoughts wavered. "But… if he were to fall into another woman's hands…?"

Chang Yue sighed within the ring.

"Brat… if you truly love someone, then become strong enough to protect them. Otherwise, your love is just a liability."

"Still..." the ancient soul mused to herself, "that boy's face… even I must admit, he's too beautiful for his own good. There's something strange about him… a charm that feels unnatural. It's not just his looks. Hmph… has he cultivated a dual-cultivation technique? Or…"

Her thoughts trailed off, suspicion flickering in the soul's heart. But she said nothing more.

Back at the base of the tree, Meng Hao slowly opened his eyes again and leaned back, gazing at the sky through the green canopy.

"So many paths before me. So many enemies to crush. But I must tread carefully… and strike only when I'm certain of victory."

His mind drifted to Li Yao again.

"She's useful. Loyal. Powerful. And already in love."

Then his eyes darkened slightly.

"But if I ever want to touch true power… I'll need more than just loyalty. I'll need control. I'll need... everyone."

A faint breeze stirred the forest as if the trees themselves whispered of fate shifting.