After spending some time quietly sensing the energy flowing within his body, Alex finally let out a slow breath and relaxed his mind. His cultivation had clearly advanced again, and the strength inside him felt steadier and more responsive than before.
Even his smallest movements now carried a faint sense of power that had not been there previously. It was not an overwhelming difference, but Alex could clearly feel that his body had become stronger after reaching the fourth stage of the Foundation Realm.
He lowered his gaze toward his hands and slowly clenched them, feeling the strength within his muscles.
'I'll go to the forest tomorrow,' Alex decided firmly.
The thought quickly settled in his mind, and he did not hesitate over the decision. Until now, he had mostly focused on gathering knowledge, understanding this new world, and stabilizing his cultivation.
However, if he truly wanted to become stronger, he could not remain inside the city forever. Reading books could give him knowledge, but knowledge alone would not be enough to survive when he eventually faced stronger opponents.
This time, however, his purpose for entering the forest would be different.
He would not go there only to collect herbs.
'After this breakthrough, I'm confident I can handle at least a few beasts,' he thought while considering his current strength.
The idea did not fill him with reckless excitement. Instead, it brought a quiet determination to his heart. Fighting beasts was dangerous, but cultivation itself was already a dangerous path.
If he wanted to advance faster and gain real experience, sooner or later, he would have to take some risks.
'If I want to become stronger, this step is necessary,' Alex thought as he finally lay down on the bed to rest.
With that decision made, he stopped thinking about tomorrow and allowed his body to relax. Before long, sleep quietly took him.
The next morning, Alex woke up early and quickly washed himself before preparing to leave. He did not waste much time because his mind was already focused on the forest outside Greenheart City.
However, Alex did not know that someone was quietly watching him from a distance.
It was Mei Lin.
She had been instructed by Li Wei to keep an eye on Alex, and the moment she noticed him leaving Heaven Palace, she followed him discreetly without allowing herself to get too close.
'Where is he going?' Mei Lin wondered as she watched his back.
Her brows furrowed slightly when she noticed the direction Alex was taking. His movements were different from what she had observed during the previous few days.
'He's not heading toward the library today,' she thought while continuing to follow him.
For the past few days, Alex's routine had been extremely simple. He would leave Heaven Palace in the morning, spend most of the day buried in books, and return to the inn later in the evening.
Today, however, he was walking in a completely different direction.
Meanwhile, Alex continued moving through the busy streets of Greenheart City without paying attention to the person following him. His thoughts were focused entirely on his plans for the forest.
On the way, he stopped briefly at a small shop and bought himself a simple bag. His previous trip into the forest had taught him an important lesson that he did not intend to repeat.
Last time, whenever he discovered useful herbs, he had not possessed anything suitable for storing them. He had been forced to carry the plants in his hands throughout the entire journey.
It had been extremely inconvenient.
'This will make things much easier,' Alex thought while adjusting the bag comfortably over his shoulder.
Not far behind him, Mei Lin continued following quietly while making sure Alex did not notice her presence. She had no idea what he intended to do, but his sudden change in routine had made her curious.
'Where is he going? I guess I'll find out soon enough,' Mei Lin thought as she maintained her distance.
Before long, she realized exactly where Alex was heading.
The city gate.
Her expression changed slightly when she saw the massive gateway ahead and understood what his destination was.
'He's going to the forest.'
Alex passed through the large gateway that marked the exit of Greenheart City. Once outside, the towering trees of the forest stretched endlessly before him, covering the distant landscape with thick greenery.
For a moment, Alex simply stood there and looked ahead. He remembered his previous visit to this place and the many things he had learned since then.
This was where his first real battle in this world would take place.
He took a slow breath before stepping forward.
The moment Alex entered the forest, the sounds of the city gradually faded behind him. The air became cooler, while the thick canopy above filtered the sunlight into scattered patches across the forest floor.
Alex continued walking deeper into the forest while keeping his eyes open for useful herbs. He had already spent many hours studying plants and beasts, so he now knew that valuable things could be hidden almost anywhere.
'Who knows when fortune might appear,' he thought while carefully scanning the ground around him.
The books he had read in the library had completely changed the way he viewed the forest. Plants that once looked like ordinary grass now caught his attention, and even small differences in their leaves or stems could make them worth examining.
Several times, Alex crouched down to inspect small herbs growing near tree roots or hidden between stones. Many of them looked completely ordinary at first glance, and most people would probably walk past them without giving them a second thought.
Yet Alex now understood that appearances could be misleading. Some seemingly useless plants had valuable medicinal properties, while others could even be dangerous if handled carelessly.
As time passed, the simple bag hanging from his shoulder slowly began to fill with several herbs he recognized. He did not collect everything he found, choosing only the plants he was confident were useful.
Then, after walking a little farther into the forest, Alex suddenly stopped.
Something had moved inside the nearby bushes.
A faint rustling sound broke the quiet atmosphere, causing Alex to immediately become alert. His eyes shifted toward the bushes as he carefully observed the movement.
A creature slowly slithered out from between the plants.
At first glance, it resembled a snake, but its body was considerably thicker. Numerous small legs extended along both sides of its body, resembling the legs of a centipede.
Its dark body glistened slightly beneath the filtered sunlight, while its long form moved across the ground in a disturbing rhythm.
The creature was considerably larger than an ordinary snake, and Alex immediately recognized it from the descriptions he had memorized in the library.
"Ah... a Burrow Serpent," Alex muttered quietly as his eyes narrowed.
He had read about this creature several times while studying common magical beasts. Although it was not considered one of the strongest beasts in the forest, it was still dangerous for inexperienced cultivators.
The Burrow Serpent slowly moved across the ground, its countless small legs shifting one after another. Alex watched it carefully while recalling everything he had learned about its habits and abilities.
'Burrow Serpents are highly proficient with poison,' Alex thought as he observed the creature.
'They also use the earth to their advantage.'
These creatures could dig through the ground at surprising speed, allowing them to attack their prey from below without warning. An inexperienced person could easily be caught off guard if they approached one carelessly.
However, the Burrow Serpent had one obvious weakness.
Once it was above ground, its movement became much slower.
Alex remembered that information clearly and immediately began considering how he could take advantage of it. He did not rush forward because understanding his opponent was more important than attacking blindly.
Instead, he carefully observed the creature while recalling everything he had learned about its fighting habits, poison, movement, and weakness.
Strangely enough, Alex did not feel afraid.
His heart remained calm, and his breathing was steady. Even though this was the first magical beast he had ever faced, the situation did not feel as terrifying as he had expected.
Perhaps it was because of the countless novels he had read in his previous life, where characters constantly fought monsters and dangerous creatures.
Or perhaps it was simply because he had prepared himself properly. The hours he had spent studying beasts and their weaknesses in the library had already removed much of the uncertainty surrounding his first battle.
Alex looked at the Burrow Serpent for another moment before slowly shifting his stance.
"Well, it doesn't matter," Alex said calmly as he prepared himself to fight.
His eyes became slightly sharper as he focused completely on the creature in front of him.
This was not another lesson from a book.
This time, he would put what he had learned into practice.