Wen Ran's thoughts drifted back to the days of his old world.
After all, in my past life, I lived by the sword. His understanding of the Sword Dao ran deeper than most could ever comprehend. He had studied it for years, wielded it as both a tool and a philosophy, and in his hands, the blade had beco a force unmatched under the heavens. If there was one thing he could pass off without suspicion, it was sword cultivation.
As he walked, Xiao Mo trotted beside him, her ears twitching in irritation. She glanced at the man she both adored and despised, her small body trembling in frustration. This idiot…
It had been five days. Five. Days. And he still hadn't bothered to feed her! She had to scavenge for her own food while he walked around lost in his grand sches! In her mind, she cursed the heavens for cursing her—how could fate be so cruel? How could she, a noble and refined rabbit, be stuck with this neglectful bastard?
She huffed, glaring at him. Should she bite him now? Or wait for the perfect mont to take revenge?
Decisions, decisions…
The two of them traveled swiftly, covering great distances in re days, but trouble seed to always find Wen Ran. This ti, it ca in the form of a pack of ferocious tigers. They prowled the dense forest ahead, their golden eyes gleaming with hunger. Each one of them had reached the early stages of the Spirit Flow Realm, making Wen Ran inwardly curse his wretched luck. Spirit beasts were naturally far superior to humans in the sa realm. Their bodies were stronger, their instincts sharper, and if they had enough talent and intelligence, they could even fight beyond their level. And now, Wen Ran found himself completely surrounded.
His gaze flickered across the circling tigers, assessing the situation. This was going to take a while. Damn it. anwhile, his treacherous companion had already fled. Far, far away, Xiao Mo had burrowed herself behind a thick bush, watching the chaos unfold from a safe distance. This ti, she had no intention of helping. None. Instead, the little rabbit smirked, her expression downright cunning as she peeked out from her hiding spot. Wen Ran caught sight of her mocking grin and felt an imdiate urge to skin the little traitor alive.
"If I don't cook you soon, I won't be able to sleep peacefully!" he growled, veins popping at his temple. "Just you wait, you damn coward!" But alas, no matter how much he wanted to slaughter the little demon, the system had strictly forbidden him from harming her. He gritted his teeth, forcing his attention back on the tigers. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. Five of them. They moved carefully, stalking in an organized manner, and he saw no imdiate openings in their formation. Smart beasts. Smarter than I thought.
Then, one of them twitched. Its fangs glistened with saliva, drool dripping onto the ground. Starving. Wen Ran's lips curled into a smirk. Desperate beasts are the most dangerous… but also the easiest to kill.
His sword danced in his wrist, and with a swift sidestep, he slashed horizontally at the closest tiger, his blade carving through its thick hide. The attack left a deep wound, blood spraying into the air, but it wasn't enough to bring the beast down. The other four saw their opportunity and lunged at him from all sides, their desperation turning their attack into a frenzied assault. Yet, in their hunger, they lacked coordination, their strikes wild and unrefined. Wen Ran had no choice but to leap into the air, narrowly avoiding a powerful claw that slamd into the ground where he had stood just monts before. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth, leaving behind a massive paw mark. If that had struck him, he would have been mauled to death instantly.
But now he was vulnerable—suspended midair, unable to shift his montum. As he began to fall, his aura surged, a dazzling multicolored brilliance radiating from his body as his tenth spirit circle flared to life.
The injured tiger's eyes widened in fear, its instincts screaming at it to flee, but before it could move, it felt lightheaded—the sensation of blood rushing out of its body too fast to comprehend. The crimson tide left its veins in an unnatural flow, twisting through the air, forming a bridge beneath Wen Ran's feet. He landed effortlessly atop the shifting platform of blood, his gaze cold as he directed its movent. With a flick of his wrist, the torrent split into two razor-thin lances, piercing the skulls of two tigers before they even realized what had happened. They crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Wen Ran exhaled sharply, his dantian surging with power, the crimson ocean within him swelling to its absolute limit. The sheer depth of it felt boundless, an endless sea of raw energy pressing against his very core. His body trembled as he fought against the overwhelming pressure, his veins burning with strain. He was on the verge of breaking through.
But he resisted.
He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, forcing himself to endure the unbearable pain. The longer he held out, the stronger his breakthrough would be. This was not just about stepping into the next stage—it was about refining his foundation, tempering his power to its absolute peak before taking the next step.
Endure. That was the only thought in his mind.
The remaining two tigers, still uninjured, froze in terror at the display of Wen Ran's power. Their primal instincts scread at them—this was not prey. This was a predator far beyond their understanding. Without hesitation, they turned tail and fled, choosing survival over a pointless battle. But Wen Ran made no move to chase them down. It wasn't that he didn't want to—it was that he couldn't.
The mont he struck down the third beast, which had barely remained standing, a violent surge erupted from within his body. His dantian trembled, the crimson ocean of energy roaring like an unchained beast, swelling to its absolute limit.
"I need to find a place to break through… and fast!" He gritted his teeth, his eyes darting around frantically. Then, he spotted it—a small cave nestled in the nearby mountainside, barely large enough for a person to squeeze through. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.
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