The camp was quiet.
Too quiet.
Lin You returned before sunrise. The Snowback Boar on his shoulder left deep tracks in the snow. Smoke from the repaired fires drifted weakly in the cold air. The villagers moved slowly, exhausted from the night's fight. Some carried water, some patched fences, others helped the wounded.
No one celebrated.
Not after so much blood.
Lin You placed the boar in the center of the camp. Its massive body would provide meat for weeks. Still, the camp's relief was muted. They were alive, yes—but alive in a world that demanded more than survival. It demanded strength.
Lin You's younger brother, Lin Wei, watched him silently. His eyes had shifted overnight—from doubt, to something else. Respect. Fear. Perhaps understanding.
"You… really did it," Lin Wei said softly.
Lin You shook his head. "I had to. We don't have the luxury of hesitation. If I hesitate, we die."
Lin Wei did not argue. Instead, he glanced toward the forest. "There's more out there, isn't there?"
Lin You's eyes narrowed. "Yes. And we'll deal with it. One step at a time."
He could feel it. The forest hid treasures. Spirit herbs, beasts, perhaps even stronger human cultivators. He needed resources—power—to protect his family and the camp. But it was also dangerous.
The next morning, Lin You ventured out again. He moved cautiously, his eyes scanning for movement, his spiritual energy circulating steadily through his body.
He was stronger than yesterday. Four-Star Body Tempering gave him more speed, more endurance, and the Iron Fist Sutra allowed him to focus his strength like never before. Still, he was not invincible. Human fighters and high-level beasts alike could end him in seconds if he made a mistake.
After hours of careful tracking, he found another trail.
Smaller than the Snowback Boar, but fresh.
Footprints led toward a ravine flanked by jagged rocks. Spiritual energy pulsed faintly from the area. Lin You approached slowly, his senses alert.
There, in a small clearing near the ravine, he saw it—a cluster of glowing herbs, their spiritual energy thick in the air.
Silver Frost Herbs. Rare. Could stabilize cultivation breakthroughs.
Lin You's heart quickened. He stepped closer, careful not to disturb the fragile plants.
Then a low growl stopped him.
He froze.
Three figures stepped out from the shadows. Human. But unlike the hunters from yesterday, these wore dark robes embroidered with intricate patterns. Their eyes glowed faintly, a sign of cultivation.
Lin You's breath hitched. These were cultivators.
The tallest of the three, a man with a scar across his left eye, spoke. "You're far from your camp, boy. What brings you here?"
Lin You's hand instinctively clenched. "Survival. And gathering resources. Nothing more."
The man smirked. "Resources? In Black Ridge territory? That's dangerous. Perhaps too dangerous for someone like you."
Lin You did not reply. His system flickered in his mind. [Sovereign Points: 15]
He could attempt a breakthrough—but human cultivators were not beasts. They were intelligent. They could anticipate. Reckless power would get him killed.
Instead, he focused. Circulating spiritual energy calmly, guiding it through his Iron Fist Sutra. Controlled, precise, ready for both defense and offense.
The man's hand twitched. The other two flanked Lin You, circling.
"You'll leave. Or die," the scarred man said, his voice cold.
Lin You's eyes narrowed. "I'm not leaving. Not without these herbs."
The first move came from the left. A streak of black light—a blade technique enhanced by cultivation. Lin You ducked just in time. Snow sprayed into the air. He felt the blade graze his shoulder. A small wound, but sharp.
The second attacker lunged, palm forward, aiming for his chest. Lin You sidestepped and thrust a fist into his side. He poured a concentrated burst of spiritual energy into the strike. The man's body jerked violently, stumbling back. The system chimed faintly. [+5 Sovereign Points detected from successful combat.]
The scarred man's eyes widened. "Not bad for a child."
Lin You did not respond. He moved with purpose, circling to keep the middle of the clearing open. His fists glowed faintly, the Iron Fist Sutra in motion. Spiritual energy flowed like molten steel through his veins.
The first attacker recovered, blade spinning in a dazzling arc. Lin You dodged, feeling the pressure of spiritual energy slicing past his cheek. He countered immediately, closing distance. Fist struck shoulder, bone shattering quietly beneath the spiritual energy reinforcement.
The second attacker recovered and attempted a low sweep, trying to topple him. Lin You jumped, rotated mid-air, and landed on his right foot. Spiritual energy in his legs exploded to soften the landing and maintain balance. He punched downward, precise, into the man's chest. A solid impact.
The scarred man finally moved. Spear appeared from behind his back—a surprise technique. Lin You sensed it immediately. Focused spiritual energy into his forearm, deflecting the thrust effortlessly.
He felt the strain. Wounds, movement, combat—all demanding his energy. But he could endure. He had to.
The three human cultivators regrouped, circling, eyes calculating. They understood one thing: brute force alone would not win.
Lin You adjusted. He stopped trying to overpower. He began predicting their patterns, moving with the rhythm of the forest. His spiritual energy now flowing steadily in a perfect cycle, controlled, precise—Iron Fist Sutra at full refinement.
One attacker lunged again. Lin You sidestepped, grabbed the attacker's wrist, and slammed him into a nearby tree. Bone cracked. The man groaned.
The second attacker struck, but Lin You twisted under the strike, punching upward with full force, spiritual energy compressing the blow. It landed directly on the man's chest, knocking the wind out of him.
The scarred man, seeing two of his companions down, charged directly. Lin You waited. Spiritual energy condensed in his fists, focused on one point.
"Iron Fist — Concentrated Heartburst!"
A punch of pure force erupted. The scarred man could barely react. His guard shattered. Fist connected with chest. Energy surged outward, knocking him back several meters. Blood spurted. He landed on the snow heavily, coughing.
The system chimed again. [+10 Sovereign Points detected from combat success.]
Lin You did not stop.
He scanned the clearing. Herbs intact. Victory assured. He could gather them now.
But he also understood—these cultivators were scouts. They would report. Black Ridge would come. Clans would come.
This forest was no longer safe.
And Lin You… he would need far more than four stars to survive in the coming battles.
He carefully picked the herbs, absorbing their spiritual energy slowly, reinforcing his foundation. No reckless breakthrough this time. Stability first.
By the time he looked up, the scarred man and his two companions were gone—retreating carefully, leaving the clearing in silence.
Lin You exhaled. The snow fell around him, soft, quiet.
This time he returned to camp not just with meat—but with herbs, resources, and experience.
The system chimed faintly in his mind.
[Current Sovereign Points: 30]
[Recommendation: Prepare for next breakthrough.]
Lin You looked at the sky. The endless forest loomed behind him, dark and silent.
He clenched his fists.
Stronger cultivators awaited him. Stronger beasts, stronger humans, stronger clans.
And he would meet them all.
The camp remained silent as Lin You returned, the snow falling gently, covering the footprints and the trails of battle. No one celebrated; there was no time for joy. They were alive, yes, but survival in this cruel world demanded more than just living—it demanded strength. The Snowback Boar lay in the center, its massive body a symbol of life preserved, yet it also reminded everyone of the constant threat waiting beyond the camp's fragile fences.
Lin Wei, watching his elder brother move through the camp silently, finally spoke. "You've… changed."
Lin You glanced at him, his face unreadable, but his eyes held a calm determination. "I have to. If I don't grow stronger, the next fight could be the last for all of us."
The younger brother nodded, understanding but uneasy. Strength was not just about fighting—it carried responsibility, danger, and the weight of life and death.
Before dawn fully broke, Lin You had already prepared for what he knew he must do next. He had gathered the Silver Frost Herbs he had fought for in the forest, carefully arranging them beside him. The air was cold, but his body was warm with circulating spiritual energy. He could feel the residual strain from the previous human encounter. His muscles ached, and the wounds on his arms and shoulder still stung, yet a part of him craved the surge of power that lay ahead.
He activated the system, opening his panel silently in his mind.
[Host: Lin You]
[Realm: Energy Building, Four Stars]
[Sovereign Points: 30]
[Resources Detected: Silver Frost Herbs (x5)]
He exhaled slowly. The herbs were rare and potent. Absorbing them carefully could stabilize his cultivation, strengthen his foundation, and prepare him for the next breakthrough. But even with these herbs, the process would not be easy. The Energy Building Realm demanded control and focus. A reckless attempt could shatter his meridians, leaving him crippled—or worse.
He placed his hands on the herbs, letting his spiritual energy flow slowly into them. The icy power of the Silver Frost Herbs mingled with his own energy, circulating steadily through his dantian. It felt smooth, unlike the violent energy burst from his previous battle.
The herbs' spiritual energy wound its way through his body. His veins tingled, his meridians glowed faintly beneath the skin. He could feel his muscles tightening, his bones strengthening, and his spirit sharpening. Each breath drew in the snow-cold air, yet the warmth of energy inside him grew stronger, radiating from his core outward.
"Calm… steady… control," he whispered. His voice carried over the snow, but no one heard him. Only the system watched.
[Absorbing Silver Frost Herbs… Energy flow stabilized.]
[Sovereign Points: +10 absorbed]
[Current Sovereign Points: 40]
He clenched his fists, feeling the Iron Fist Sutra in motion. Spiritual energy flowed through his arms and into his fists. He focused on a single point—the dantian—and visualized it expanding. Circling, spiraling, condensing.
He felt the surge begin.
It started as a tickle in his bones, a vibration in his meridians, subtle at first. Then, it grew. His veins throbbed with energy, each pulse like a hammer striking iron. His body felt simultaneously light and heavy, his limbs strong yet supple. His chest expanded as if his lungs could breathe the entire world.
Lin You's vision blurred. Sparks of light danced at the edges. Sweat ran down his brow. But he did not panic. He controlled the flow. Spiritual energy condensed into his fists, then spread through every meridian, reaching his shoulders, legs, and core.
The system panel flickered in his mind.
[Warning: Foundation instability detected. Recommend slow absorption.]
He ignored the caution, knowing he could regulate the flow. Slowly, methodically, he pushed, guiding the energy in a tight spiral. The sensation was unlike anything he had experienced. Pain mixed with power. Exhaustion with exhilaration. Each pulse felt like the beating of a drum echoing through his bones.
Time lost meaning. Minutes—or hours—passed. Only the energy mattered. Only the foundation.
And then—a sudden rupture.
The energy exploded within him, a shockwave that radiated outward. His body trembled violently. Snow on the ground around him was disturbed by the invisible pressure. His vision exploded with light. The Iron Fist Sutra roared inside him, guiding the force into a focused point: his fists.
The shockwave expanded outward. Trees quivered. Branches snapped under the strain. The air itself seemed to thrum with his power.
[Breakthrough Successful!]
[Realm: Energy Building, Five Stars]
[Sovereign Points: 0]
Lin You gasped, clutching his chest. His body felt as if it had doubled in size and weight, yet he moved with unprecedented agility. Every nerve, every muscle, every cell pulsed with power. He could feel the forest—the snow, the wind, the distant mountains—as if they were extensions of his own body.
A smile crossed his face. Pure, unrestrained, and unbroken. This was what strength felt like. Not just power, but control. Precision. Life itself flowing through him.
He clenched his fists experimentally, focusing spiritual energy into a single punch. Then, he released it into the air. A shockwave tore through the clearing, snow and branches flying outward. The sound was deafening, even in the quiet forest.
Lin You staggered slightly but quickly steadied himself. He laughed softly, the sound echoing through the cold air. He had done it.
Five-Star Energy Building Realm.
He could feel it—his body stronger, his movements faster, his senses sharper. The Iron Fist Sutra, once a low-level technique, now flowed through him like water, explosive yet controlled. He could strike like a human, yet hit with the force of a storm.
But he knew—this was only the beginning.
Stronger beasts would come. Human cultivators would patrol deeper. Clans would notice the missing resources and send fighters. He would face greater threats, and the path to immortality would demand even more.
Yet for the first time, Lin You felt a sense of invincibility. Not arrogance—but certainty. He could protect the camp. He could survive. He could fight.
He lowered his hands and opened the system panel again.
[Current Realm: Energy Building, Five Stars]
[Sovereign Points: 0]
[Resources: Silver Frost Herbs absorbed, Foundation stabilized]
A faint smile appeared on his face. This breakthrough was real, complete. Not hollow, not forced. His foundation was solid. His body, mind, and spirit aligned.
Lin You took a deep breath, feeling the cold winter air fill his lungs. The snow around him fell softly, almost peacefully, but in the back of his mind, he knew the peace was temporary.
The forest was alive. The clans were moving. The beasts were hungry.
And he would meet them all.
With a clenched fist and a steady heart, Lin You stepped back toward the camp, leaving footprints in the fresh snow. Each step echoed strength, experience, and the promise of more to come.
The camp needed him. The world would test him.
And he would not break again.