Inside the cocoon, it was dark.
The lizard lay curled up, still and silent. Slowly, its eyes opened—golden and glowing in the darkness.
With a shift of muscle and claws, it moved, tearing through the cocoon's thick membrane.
A sharp rip echoed, and the creature leapt out, landing softly on the cool ground.
Where once there were scratches on its white scales, now there were none. The torn, ragged wings had fully healed, their membranes smooth and whole once more.
It planted its front claws into the earth and arched its back in a long, satisfying stretch. Its wings unfurled, catching the dim light with a soft shimmer. A slender tail slowly uncoiled behind it.
Lizarius yawned—jaw wide, eyes squinting shut, revealing a flash of sharp teeth and a curled pink tongue. A soft, raspy breath escaped.
For a moment, it seemed both wild and utterly at ease, caught in that timeless ritual of waking.
With a final shake, it stood upright. It was a little bigger than before—now standing 17 inches tall at the shoulder, not counting the twin horns curling from its brow. From the tip of its maw to the base of its tail, it measured 45 inches long.
Lizarius lifted its head and spoke to the system.
"What's my cultivation now?"
The system's voice replied, calm and ever-present:
"You are still in the 3rd Layer of the Foundation Establishment Stage."
---
Lizarius frowned—or as close to a frown as a lizard could manage.
"Hmm… I didn't enter the Fourth Layer even after using that many points?" it thought, tail flicking behind it. "Wasn't it enough? Looks like I'll need to gather more..."
Its golden eyes, still glowing in the dark cave, drifted toward the fox resting nearby. The creature stepped forward, its movements slow and deliberate. Soft claws tapped against stone as it closed the distance, stopping just a few paces away.
Lizarius stared.
The fox was still curled up, its body seeming calm—almost asleep. Yet something about it felt… charged. Alive.
"What's the fox doing?" Lizarius asked aloud.
It began to circle the fox slowly, silent as mist, then crouched low, still watching.
One eye blinked lazily.
"...Is the fox sleeping?"
System Response:
"Negative. Though it appears to be sleeping, it is currently cultivating."
The lizard blinked again, golden eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
It glanced again at the fox's flank—the soft rise and fall of its breath, rhythmic and calm, but focused. And now, looking more closely, it saw it:
A faint ripple of energy dancing around the fox's fur—subtle, like steam rising off sun-baked stone.
Spiritual Qi.
But unlike the ordered flow described in human cultivation—Qi flowing through mapped meridians and fixed paths—this was something else entirely. Wilder. Deeper. The energy didn't follow any visible structure. Instead, it surged across the skin, sank through muscle and bone, spiraled down toward something within…
The beast's core.
Nestled deep in the fox's stomach, the beast core pulsed gently—like a second heart.
Over and over, it drew in the Qi, refined it, and released the impurities with each slow breath.
A natural rhythm.
Inhale. Absorb. Refine. Exhale.
---
"So… this is how you do cultivation?" Lizarius thought, still crouched low, eyes fixed on the fox.
Even now, faint ripples of Spiritual Qi flowed around the creature like invisible threads, drawn into its body and refined in a slow, natural rhythm.
"Though I have a core now," Lizarius mused, glancing down at its belly, "I've never actually cultivated—only absorbed energy through pills and points.
Maybe I just need to… observe the spirit energy around me, and guide it into my core?"
It closed its eyes and stilled its breathing.
Time passed.
It remained there, motionless, focused.
But… nothing happened.
No tingling sensation. No warmth. No gathering energy.
Not even a flicker.
Lizarius let out a quiet "Huh?", eyes opening halfway. "Why can't I observe the energy?"
Its jaw parted slightly, about to ask the system for guidance—when a low hum cut through the stillness.
Not from the system.
From the air.
The lizard's head snapped up, golden eyes flashing. It turned its gaze to the fox—just in time to see the Qi around its form flare.
The energy swelled like a rising tide, dense and vibrant, pulsing visibly now. For a few heartbeats, the cave seemed to thrum with it.
Then—just as suddenly—it began to settle.
Lizarius narrowed its eyes as the fox's form uncurled. The creature stood, shook itself once, then opened its eyes—calm, silent, and awake.
The lizard stared in silence.
Something about the fox had changed.
The pressure rolling off its body—it wasn't like before. It was heavier. Sharper. Controlled. Familiar, even…
"That energy..." Lizarius thought, stunned. "It's like that human we saw... the one at the Fourth Layer."
It looked toward the ceiling, then back at the fox.
"System," Lizarius asked slowly, "what's the fox's cultivation level now?"
System Response:
"Illusory Demonic Fox – Foundation Establishment Stage, Fourth Layer."
---
The fox looked down at itself, fur still faintly bristling with residual energy.
It muttered under its breath, "I finally broke through to the Fourth Layer... after using so many pills."
Its gaze drifted over to the floor. Scattered near its paws were empty pill bottles, their glossy surfaces glinting in the dim cave light.
One by one, it began to count them, claw tapping softly against each bottle.
"One... two... three... four... five... six."
It froze.
"Huh? Six?"
A furrow formed between its brows. Confusion flickered across its face, followed swiftly by a creeping sense of disbelief.
"What the hell... I didn't think I used that many."
We see them clearly now: six empty bottles—each one once filled with earth-grade pills.
The fox's tail twitched with irritation as the truth sank in.
A faint hollowness gnawed at its spirit, like something essential had been scraped away.
"Six bottles..." it whispered, voice low and bitter. "Earth-grade. That's almost everything I had... and they cost a fortune."
It sat down, chest rising with a long, quiet sigh. Slowly, its features relaxed, the tension easing from its face.
"Still..." it murmured, closing its eyes briefly, "Guess it wasn't a waste. I can feel it. If I keep cultivating like this, I'll reach the Fifth Layer soon—maybe even faster than expected."
Then, its ears flicked. Its gaze shifted toward the far end of the cave.
A soft mutter escaped its lips . "It's still inside...?"
Its eyes locked onto the cocoon hanging from the wall.
Or rather—what remained of it.
The shell was torn open, hanging.
The fox's ears twitched again. "Had it already come out? Then where is it—"
Before it could finish the thought, its head turned sharply.
Eyes moved first. Then its shapely body followed, twisting with silent grace as it looked over its shoulder.
There—just behind it, mere steps away—sat the lizard.
Golden eyes glowing. White scales smooth and unmarked. Wings tucked neatly against its back.
It had been there the entire time.
Just watching.
Silent.
Still.
The lizard didn't move. It simply sat there, staring up at the fox with wide, unblinking eyes.