Every cultivation level pushed Ourobouros's body beyond its previous limits, expanding his form like a growing tide.
In the Qi Refining Stage, each level meant one meter in length. Ordinary beasts could only provide resources up to the late stages of Qi Refining. Their life essence, was finite.
Ourobouros made a deliberate decision to remain in this common forest until he had reached a limit.
Most beasts prefer speed, rushing cultivation. But immortals did not need it. Time was on his side. Caution would be his greatest allie.
Safety was paramount.
Without delay, he returned to hunting, eager to grow. Two meters in length now, he followed his keen sense to a larger lake with the scent of bigger prey.
His eyes fixed on a large squirre.
He approached slowly, then sprang like a coiled bamboo. Wrapping his body tightly around it. In the first days, venom has been necessary to kill his prey, but now small animals no longer deserve it.
Dragging the squirrel back to his hollow, Ourobouros devoured it thoroughly.
Four more squirrels of this size would be enough to push him beyond this stage.
Time flowed like an arrow, and night soon fell.
Now two meters long, Ourobouros coiled comfortably inside the hollow and began his breakthrough. There was no resistance, cultivation was natural and smooth for a being such as himself.
He resumed his hunt, his movements becoming more familiar with each passing day.
A week passed.
Now seven meters in length, Ourobouros wrapped his massive coils around the ancient tree.
Recently, animals had started to sense a deadly treath nearby with many fleeing unwilling to risk becoming prey.
Sensing the limits of ordinary beasts, Ourobouros decided it was time to venture deeper into the inner forest.
The trees there were ancient, some a millennium old, their trunks so thick multiple people could barely encircle them with outstretched arms were common here. The inner forest had a richer QI in the air.
As he moved silently a new scent caught his attention.
Ahead a big cat appeared.
Two meters long, with a demonic aura.
It was at the Fourth Stage of Qi Refining being powerful enough to have its own territory on the forest's outer perimeter.
The cat bared its fangs.
This was his territory and an outsider would not be tolerated.
Ourobouros noted that most demonic beasts at this stage acted on instinct, lacking wisdom.
In an instant, Ourobouros lunged forward with terrifying speed.
The cat focused its demonic energy into its fangs, which began to glow.
It pressed against his scales but did no damage.
Slowly, the cat's strength began to wane.
Victorious, Ourobouros fed on the corpse.
This kill tasted different, maybe demonic beasts have different meat.
He could feel another breaktrough coming.
He crawled toward a nearby cave where the cat used to live.
Here he would rest and recover.
Tomorrow he would go hunt again.