A week passed in the twinkle of an eye. With the treasure map, I was able to take some shortcuts and even discovered a few rare herbs along the way.
I am now capable of facing many beasts that are already at the 10th level of body tempering. But that is to be expected, since I am already at level 12, though I still lack proper fighting skills.
My reflexes, flexibility, and strength are far beyond what they were when I was not yet a cultivator. I could easily defeat twelves of my former self or even more all together. One thing is certain as well: I can fight above my level—but only if I manage to acquire some basic fighting skills, which I currently don't have. That will have to wait until I leave this forest.
For now, I can still use my hands and spear to punch and stab. I have also noticed something that I am actually getting stronger every time I engage in a battle that pushes me to my limit. And every time I consume beast meat, even just a little, I grow stronger without using any cultivation techniques. But that is not actually rare. I have heard stories of people who grew stronger without any techniques. All they did was continually improve their bodies through rare herbs, elixirs, intense battles, and by correcting their flaws—pushing themselves to the limit. I can do that too.
However, my fighting style is too barbaric. There is nothing elegant about it—I fight with total brutality, even disregarding my own life. And strangely, I think I enjoy it. My blood boils every time I fight, although I've only fought beasts weaker than me so far.
That is mainly because I have not encountered any in the Sky Realm—or maybe I am just avoiding those areas because I want to leave this damn forest already.
On this fateful day, as I was traveling forward, I suddenly heard a loud roar from a beast. The sound came from the path directly ahead of me. I consulted my map and saw a hint indicating the presence of a beast or rather, two beasts fighting up ahead. I moved toward the direction because it seemed they were fighting over a treasure. My map confirmed it, and even my eyes showed signs that something valuable was there.
Within three minutes, I saw the two beasts attacking each other. They were both in the Sky Realm. This is what I did been waiting for. But can I really take on such beasts—especially two of them together?, How strong are they?
I hesitated. Though I have reached the 12th level of body tempering, is my strength enough to contend with beasts like these? I do not want pride to get the better of me—that could mean my downfall. But still, if things go south, I can as well escape. I've made up my mind: I'm going to fight them—with my bare hands.
My battle spirit ignited, and I charged straight at them. They were taken aback when they saw me, but I was already in front of them. One of them, a Level One sky realm beast and to specify a wolf—was closest. I struck with full power, aiming for its head, going in for the kill. I do not want any long stories—if you are going to do something, do it thoroughly. My punch slammed into the wolf's skull, crushing it instantly.
Just then, I noticed the second beast launching a strike at my neck. I tilted my head just in time to barely dodge the deadly attack. The beast missed, giving me an opening. As its head passed by mine, I reached out, grabbed its leg that was still within range, and pulled it back. I grabbed its mouth with both hands and tore its jaw open. It dropped dead.
Afterward, I was shocked—was I really this strong already? I didn't bother storing the beast's body. I figured the nutrients I'd gain from it wouldn't be worth much. That's something I've noticed—even with the bodies of beasts in the body tempering realm, I hardly gain anything now. Eating the meat of beasts far weaker than me does nothing anymore. I just cut out the heart and eat that, leaving the rest behind. I've realized that the heart is where most of the nutrients are—unless the beast possesses a core.
Not every beast has a core. Only those that are strong enough and possess a powerful bloodline do. So what kind of treasure were these beasts fighting over?
I started searching. With my eye's signal guiding me, I found it—the Nine-Petal Sunflower. It's quite valuable and can be used to refine Bone Tempering Pills. But beasts can also benefit from consuming it directly, helping temper their bones and making them stronger.
I don't know if consuming the herb directly would bring any negative effects. After all, the human cultivation body and a beast's cultivation body aren't the same. But I decided to give it a try. I popped the Nine-Petal Sunflower into my mouth, chewed it slowly, and swallowed.
Within seconds, a rush of energy surged through me, spreading to every corner of my body. My bones felt like they came to life. I heard loud cracking sounds, not painful, but powerful—like something within was awakening. After a few minutes, everything returned to normal. I didn't break through to the next level, but I felt stronger. My body had successfully digested the herb without any issue.
That surprised me. Could it mean I can consume other rare herbs directly too?
The thought alone lifted my mood. But I wasn't foolish. I knew not all herbs could be consumed raw—some were too powerful and could burst my organs apart. That's why alchemists refine such herbs into pills. Still, I now had proof that some of these herbs could work directly for me.
I continued on my journey, fighting beasts as I went. Strangely, it became addictive. The thrill, the rush, the blood boiling in my veins—it was the only thing I truly enjoyed since I began cultivating. I even started seeking out fights, like a madman chasing war.
And like that, another month passed.
I had slain countless beasts and gathered many spiritual herbs that tempered my body, though I still hadn't broken through. But I could feel it—my strength was growing rapidly, even without a formal cultivation technique.
Today, I turned nineteen. My birthday.
Next month would've been her birthday too—my wife-to-be.
But she's gone.
Sometimes, I still see her smile in my dreams. Sometimes I still hear my grandfather's voice. I miss them all.
The forest felt strangely quiet today. I had only encountered low-grade beasts, nothing challenging. But when I consulted my map, I saw something that didn't make sense.
There were countless dots moving in the same direction—more than I could count. Beasts. A mass migration. The map couldn't show where they were heading exactly, but I knew if I kept going forward, the map's detection range would eventually pick something up.
They were already far ahead—so far that even with my current speed, it would take me about a week to catch up. But I still decided to go.
Something big was happening.
And I had to know what it was.
One thing I've come to realize is this: this forest... it's far bigger than Qinghe City and Baishi combined—maybe a hundred times bigger. And yet, I still don't know where it ends.
But if those beasts are all heading in one direction, then whatever's there might be something extraordinary—an opportunity or a catastrophe.
I tightened my grip on my spear, took one last look at my map, and shot forward like an arrow.
This path may lead to danger, but it may also lead to destiny.
And I'm not afraid of either.