Wu Kai's fist creaked under the pressure of his fingers.
Power flowed through his muscles like warm water, a current that ran from his shoulder to the tips of his fingers, warmed his chest, and spread through his ribs.
Every fiber felt denser. His breathing, which had been labored before, now moved in and out effortlessly. His body felt lighter, as if gravity had loosened its hold on him.
Even his skin seemed more sensitive. Every leaf moving in the wind, every insect crawling beneath the earth, and every variation in the flow of air reached his senses with greater clarity than before.
Wu Kai did not let himself be carried away by the sensation.
"Status."
The translucent screen materialized in the air before his eyes.
[Status]
Host: Wu Kai
Age: 17
Titles: Demon Child
Physiques: Blood Spiritual Physique
Bloodline: None
Cultivation: 2° stage of the Body Refinement Realm
[Techniques]
[Title Roulette]
He exhaled through his teeth.
"I really broke through."
The smile came, but it did not last. His face turned serious again. The words came out in a murmur.
"The next stage won't be like this."
The memory came unbidden. The voice of an external sect elder, dry and measured, echoed in Wu Kai's mind as he stared at his own palm.
The path of cultivation was divided into nine realms.
The first was the Body Refinement Realm. There, the foundation was built. Muscles, bones, tendons, skin, blood. Everything needed to be forged until it surpassed human limits. Without that solid base, the other realms were nothing more than castles built on quicksand.
Next came the Qi Condensation Realm, when the cultivator finally absorbed the energy of heaven and earth and stored it within the newly formed dantian.
Above that was the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Core Formation Realm.
And then the realms of true monsters. The Spirit Lord Realm, Spirit King, Spirit Emperor, Spirit Saint, and finally, Ascension.
The final step beyond the mortal world, where, according to the stories, the cultivator transcended humanity and entered the realm of immortals.
Wu Kai opened his eyes.
"All of that is still very far away."
He laughed to himself. A low laugh, without humor. The 2° stage of the first realm. He had barely begun the climb.
But his heart did not waver.
"First, the 4° stage."
That was the limit. If he did not reach it within a month, the White Cliff Sect would expel him. And he could not leave. Not now. The sect meant protection, resources, and stability.
Outside of it, only chaos awaited him in this world. Stronger beasts, bandits, and lawless cultivators.
His gaze swept across the surrounding forest. Dense trees, dead leaves on the ground, and the smell of damp earth mixed with something older and wilder.
"Staying here is better... for now. At least until I become strong enough."
He turned toward the boar's body. The animal lay on its side, its bristles stiff and dry, its eye glazed over, its dark tongue hanging out. The pool of blood around it had already begun to darken at the edges. Wu Kai did not look for more than a second. He turned his back and walked deeper into the forest.
The fear that had followed him since entering the forest had changed in nature. The tension was still there, but the hesitation was gone. He had already fought. Killed and survived.
That changed the weight of every step.
As he walked, he organized what he knew. The beasts of this world were divided into nine ranks. Each rank was subdivided into three levels. Initial, middle, and peak.
An initial rank 1 beast was equivalent to a cultivator between the 1° and 3° stages of Body Refinement. Rank 1 middle covered the 4° to 6° stages. Rank 1 peak, the 7° to 9° stage of the Body Refinement Realm.
"I'm still at the lower limit..."
The thought did not shake him. He could not be arrogant just because he had defeated a boar. But he was no longer the same person who had entered the forest.
"If I fight carefully..."
His fingers clenched and unclenched, feeling the blood move beneath his skin.
The plan was simple. Hunt, absorb blood, evolve. And repeat.
The wind blew through the trees. Wu Kai walked in silence for minutes, his steps light, his eyes scanning the space between the trunks. His right hand rested on the hilt of the dagger. His left remained relaxed at his side, ready.
A scent reached his nostrils. Along with it, a faint connection calling to him. It was fresh blood, he could feel it.
He stopped. His nose twitched. He slowly turned his head and followed the trail. His feet slid over the leaves without making a sound. The muscles in his legs remained tense, ready for any movement. Every three steps, he stopped to listen.
A clearing opened among the trees. In the center, there was a deer, or what remained of it. Its flank was torn open, flesh exposed in red strips, the pool of blood already dark at the edges. Its ribs showed through the shredded tissue. The animal's head rested against the ground at a crooked angle, its dull eyes fixed on nothing.
Beside it, crouched over one of the front legs, was a wolf.
Smaller than the boar. Leaner. But every muscle stood out clearly beneath its gray fur, drawing lines of tension under the skin. Its teeth, stained red, still held a piece of flesh. Yellow eyes lifted the moment Wu Kai stepped into the clearing.
A low, guttural growl came. Their eyes met.
Wu Kai did not move. The dagger remained still at the side of his right thigh. His other hand slowly rose, fingers open. His weight distributed itself between both legs, one slightly ahead of the other.
The wolf did not advance. Its head tilted slightly to the side, ears erect. Its front paws shifted slightly away from the deer, redistributing its weight.
Observing and calculating.
Wu Kai observed as well. His breathing adjusted, slower, deeper. The blood in his body began to flow faster, not from fear, but from preparation. The palm of his left hand grew warm. His eyes took on a faint crimson glint, a reflection of the activated Blood Spiritual Physique.
He took a step forward. A dry leaf cracked under his sole. The wolf lunged.
Wu Kai smiled and moved forward as well.