Feng Qi's arm was drenched in blood, which deeply worried him. He quickly removed his shirt and wrapped it tightly around the wound, slowing the bleeding slightly.
"Damn it!"
Scanning his surroundings, he confirmed that he was alone. Wolves usually traveled in packs, yet this one had been solitary. Still, Feng Qi feared that others might soon appear and chose to retreat. Naturally, he would not abandon such a rich source of nutrients—the corpse of a Demonic Beast.
At a considerable distance, he found a cave. After carefully inspecting the area and confirming it was safe, he lit a fire and dismantled the wolf using sharpened stones.
He left the hide out to dry in the sun, planning to use it later as armor.
By circulating his Qi, the wound on his arm quickly began to heal. The speed at which his body regenerated was incomparable to that of a mortal. It took only a few hours for the injury to fully close.
"Incredible!" the young man exclaimed.
Afterward, he spent some time stabilizing his realm and reconsidering his basic techniques. It would have been far better if he could fully envelop his fists with Qi and deliver cutting blows—then the Black-Fanged Wolf would have died in just a few strikes. At least, that was what Feng Qi believed.
The meat was roasted and eaten. Feng Qi loved the taste—it was far richer than the rabbits he had eaten the day before. A powerful wave of Qi surged into his body, nourishing his organs and blood, strengthening him little by little. He could feel it—every bite made his body stronger. He now had enough meat to last for weeks.
After eating his fill, he took several hides and fashioned a crude bag, filling it with dried meat for the journey. Carrying all the meat would be pointless, as it would spoil, so he only took a portion. The driest hide was wrapped around his body as light armor. In his right hand, he held an improvised spear—a sharpened stone tied clumsily with vines and hardened hide to a curved branch.
Once everything was ready, Feng Qi resumed his journey in search of the road leading to the city.
Passing through the area where he had fought the wolf, he secretly harvested a large amount of Ascending Qi Grass.
Six days later…
There seemed to be no hope. No matter how far he traveled, Feng Qi saw no sign of human life. All he encountered were dense forests, valleys, hills, streams, and Demonic Beasts.
He had killed many during these days, training both body and mind for such conditions. He was no longer clumsy—now he could set ambushes and traps, and even fight beasts stronger than the Black-Fanged Wolf, such as the Mystic Black Panther.
Its cultivation level matched Feng Qi's—Second Layer of the Body Refinement Realm. Whether using spears or bare hands, Feng Qi could bring these beasts down and kill them with ease.
Strangely, he felt his body adapting rapidly to this lifestyle. His Qi felt abundant, brimming within him. He could break through to the Third Layer at any moment.
Refining his organs, skin, bones, flesh, blood, and tendons was becoming increasingly difficult without touching the threshold of the next realm.
His body was overflowing—his strength, endurance, and speed could easily rival Demonic Beasts of the same stage.
Then, something significant happened.
"GROOAAAR!"
The beast's roar tore through the air. Even the wind seemed to recoil before the condensed power.
"A bear-type Demonic Beast… an Iron-Paw Bear!"
This beast was at the Fourth Layer of Body Refinement and could kill Feng Qi with a single slap. Its defining traits were overwhelming strength and endurance. Though not particularly fast, it was still quick enough to catch him.
Worse still, Feng Qi had discovered a Special Root while hunting nearby. Drawn by its fragrance of Qi—and by his keen senses—he had stumbled upon a treasure.
The Vital Purity Spiritual Root could enhance one's innate talent, increase Qi sensitivity, expand internal capacity, stimulate the dantian, purify impurities, and produce many other effects. In essence, consuming it would strengthen Feng Qi's body, talent, and comprehension of Heaven and Earth.
It would be an extraordinary boon—perfect for breaking into the Third Layer.
However, the massive beast was right behind him, and Feng Qi was running desperately for his life. He would never dare fight such a creature. Each of its steps was like massive logs slamming into the ground—he could feel the earth tremble beneath his feet. His situation was dire.
As for the root—it was clutched tightly in his hand. Translucent in color, it emitted a soft, pulsing glow. Its Qi was pure, permeating the air. This treasure attracted beasts as well, placing Feng Qi in extreme danger.
"I won't lose this root no matter what. I'll shake off this abomination and consume it as soon as possible!" he thought.
Each slam of the Iron-Paw Bear's paws felled a tree. This continued until Feng Qi, acting recklessly, dove into a nearby stream and hid.
The bear roared in fury—it had lost a treasure.
Feng Qi emerged downstream on the opposite side and hid among the bushes, following a natural stone path. On a nearby hill, where a small pile of rocks stood, he concealed himself and immediately consumed the root.
His knowledge of such treasures was not nonexistent. In the village, he had once read about natural treasures that absorbed the energy of Heaven and Earth, containing Qi capable of reshaping the body entirely.
This was a Fortuitous Encounter.
Holding the Vital Purity Root tightly, Feng Qi felt its Qi pulse gently in his hand. A subtle yet pure fragrance spread, mingling with the scent of rain and damp earth. Without hesitation, he bit into it—and a torrent of energy surged through every inch of his body.
The Qi seemed alive within him, flowing through his meridians, washing away accumulated impurities and purifying even the subtlest tension in his muscles. His bones vibrated softly, his tendons stretched with newfound elasticity, and his skin became firmer yet astonishingly flexible—like living material capable of absorbing and resisting impact.
At the same time, something deeper awakened. His long-dormant talent stirred. His senses sharpened, his perception of Qi expanded, and his understanding of Heaven and Earth intensified—as though the wind and land whispered secrets once hidden.
His body became a harmonious vessel for Qi. The power in his muscles was no longer merely physical, but spiritual—every imagined movement carried weight, precision, and extraordinary energy. Feng Qi realized that not only his body had grown stronger; his mind and talent now flowed in perfect synchrony with the world's Qi.
Yet even amid this surge of power, he knew he could not absorb everything at once. Time was precious, and the distant roar of the Iron-Paw Bear reminded him of the danger. A choice presented itself: fully absorb the root's Qi and consolidate every bit of strength—or flee with only a portion to survive.
The Qi pulsed steadily within him, announcing that even under threat, Feng Qi had taken a leap in cultivation—becoming stronger, faster, more perceptive, his talent and understanding reaching a new level.
This would have been the perfect moment to advance, but Feng Qi refused. The Iron-Paw Bear was still hunting him, and danger lingered.
He absorbed a large portion of the Qi and immediately fled deeper into the forest—ironically, in the opposite direction of the road he sought.
After nearly two hours of running, Feng Qi finally felt safe. The beast had been shaken off, heading elsewhere. Finding a suitable hidden spot, he further strengthened his internal structure.
The frantic run earlier had used only a fraction of his new capabilities. His speed was now so great that even the bear could not catch him. His strength and endurance had increased exponentially. Compared to his former self in the village, he could suppress his past self with one hand. As for Feng Chen? The fight would now be far easier—perhaps even without weapons.
Where once it took all his strength to carry logs, he could now do so with one hand, resting them on his shoulder with minimal effort.
This was the moment to advance. His body had reached peak refinement—any further would force a breakthrough to the Third Layer. And so it happened.
Feng Qi's body strengthened once more. His control and understanding of himself deepened immensely. Absorbing Qi became effortless. His power now dwarfed what it once was.
Several hours later, after stabilizing his foundation, he surveyed his surroundings and focused inward.
A broad smile spread across his face. He even felt the urge to challenge the Iron-Paw Bear. Standing up, his body felt light as a feather—one leap carried him to the height of nearby trees, nearly ten meters tall.
With a simple motion of his hand, he felt energy swirl violently around him. His speed was equally astounding—far beyond anything he could previously achieve, even at full effort.
There was no roar. The bear's presence was gone. Feng Qi felt a twinge of disappointment—he had wanted to test his newfound strength, but realized he was being arrogant. Though the bear no longer seemed overwhelming, its endurance far exceeded its strength. Injuring it would still be difficult unless he reached the Fourth Layer.
Unless he could comprehend a powerful technique and refine his fists further, dealing serious damage would be nearly impossible.
He let out a long sigh. After stabilizing his cultivation, black impurities seeped from his pores—far less than before.
"Blergh!"
Feng Qi continued onward, lost and unsure of his destination.
Two days later…
He encountered an unusual sight. A massive serpent coiled around jagged peaks, guarding a crimson flower.
The Crimson-Scaled Serpent possessed brilliant red scales, its aura exuding venom infused with Demonic Qi. This, too, was a natural treasure—one far richer than the Vital Purity Root.
It was the Spiritual Blood Flower.
This flower emitted Spiritual Aura, enhancing Qi and innate talent. Compared to the Vital Purity Root, it was a far greater treasure—capable of amplifying talent, perception, and comprehension of Heaven and Earth.
It strengthened mind and spirit as well as the body, refining all attributes. Unlike the Vital Purity Root, it facilitated breakthroughs between layers, refining the consumer as a whole.
However, its higher effect made it far more delicate to absorb.
Feng Qi did not know exactly what the flower did, but he knew it was precious—tempting beyond measure. Yet the Demonic Beast was terrifying. It could easily swallow two or three Iron-Paw Bears. Its power likely approached the Qi Refinement Realm.
The Spiritual Blood Flower was around Intermediate Grade. The Crimson-Scaled Serpent was waiting for it to evolve into a High-Grade Spiritual Herb, as the flower constantly absorbed Celestial Qi from Heaven.
That evolution would not take long—but approaching it would be extremely dangerous. One mistake, and Feng Qi would be devoured.
"Damn it!"
Still, he was willing to try. Such treasures never came without danger. Patiently, Feng Qi waited. He had dried meat in his bag and constantly searched for an opening.
Though afraid, his mind felt unusually pure—free of negative emotions. Even the serpent's ominous presence failed to shake him deeply.
He chose to climb another side of the peak, avoiding the serpent's coils. Its head always remained close to the flower, guarding it from all intruders. However, Feng Qi miscalculated—jumping directly to the flower would alert the serpent instantly, sealing his death.
Moreover, the Demonic Qi it emitted forced Feng Qi to constantly regulate his internal energy. Using the hides he carried, he fashioned a crude mask and waited.
Days passed.
The serpent reacted to any intrusion—raising its head, striking, then returning. This made things difficult.
Even rushing and leaping over its body would not work—he witnessed a pack of Black-Fanged Wolves attempt it. The serpent detected them instantly and devoured all ten with ease.
By the fourth day, Feng Qi's rations were nearly gone, and his resolve began to waver. As he planned his retreat, a massive group of Iron-Paw Bears and Crimson Mountain Tigers invaded the area.
The serpent opened its mouth, releasing a resonant sound that echoed in all directions, then lunged to devour the intruders. Many fled, others were swallowed, and a few broke through to reach the flower.
Seizing this opportunity, Feng Qi spotted a gap. As the serpent dealt with the beasts, he climbed the peak again and leapt clumsily within reach of the flower.
While swallowing two bears, the serpent sensed something. Turning its gaze, it saw three figures approaching the flower. Spitting out the bears, it rushed back.
Feng Qi hid in the grass near the flower, observing as the serpent slaughtered the remaining beasts. In an instant, he grabbed the Spiritual Blood Flower and tore it free.
One beast managed to blind one of the serpent's eyes—but it was not enough. With a few more strikes, the serpent devoured it.
Now Feng Qi was surrounded by the serpent's massive body. The invaders were gone. Now or never.
He leapt over the serpent's body and fled toward the forest. The serpent saw only a shadow—then noticed the empty spot where the flower once was.
It opened its mouth and released a deep, metallic roar—a fusion of thunder and hiss that shook the clearing, proclaiming its fury.
The beast gave chase. Its treasure had been stolen.