Chapter 49: The Twilight Dance
Flux laughed. "You like it, huh? Alright then—from now on, I'll call you Silva."
"Pii pii!"
"Well, now that you've got a name, let's figure out what to do with this empty house of ours."
He glanced around the bare interior. The walls were smooth but unadorned, and the silence made the air feel hollow. Reaching into his pouch, Flux retrieved a small light crystal and embedded it into the ceiling. A soft, gentle glow spread across the room, warming the cold shadows.
"Darkness doesn't really bother me, but it's better to have some light, right, Silva?"
"Pii!" she nodded in approval, her silver fur shimmering faintly under the crystal's glow.
Flux rummaged through his storage pouch, brushing past leftover lumber, stone tiles, and unused fixtures.
"Hmm… still a lot left. I guess I could make some furniture."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I've never made furniture before, but it can't be harder than building a house, right?"
"Pii pii," Silva agreed with enthusiasm, her tail flicking.
Flux pulled out several thick planks of spirit wood. The lumber was high quality—dense and resilient, ideal for cultivation buildings. Then he got to work.
Time passed as he cut, shaved, and assembled each piece with qi-infused strikes. Eventually, he stepped back and examined his handiwork: a modest table and four chairs. They were a little uneven, with rough edges and visible joins, but they stood firm.
"This should do."
He placed the table and chairs in the center of the room, arranging them neatly. The space felt less barren now—more like a place someone lived in.
"Not bad. Now… what else?"
He paused, then snapped his fingers. "Right, a kitchen."
Along the far wall, he cleared space and used leftover stone slabs to create a counter. Following a book's guide, he fashioned a small qi-fed flame stove, added shelves made of polished barkwood, and even crafted a simple basin that drained outside through a carved stone channel.
"Okay, now it's starting to feel like a real home."
His eyes drifted to the corner opposite the kitchen. "I should make some rooms, too."
Flux spent the next hour erecting thin partitions. He gave himself a small room with a mat and meditation rug. For Silva, he built a slightly cozier space—lined with soft moss and bark shavings she could curl into.
When the last piece slid into place, the once-empty house had transformed into a simple, functional home. It wasn't elegant or ornate, but it felt lived-in.
Flux turned to Silva. "Well? What do you think?"
"Pii pii!" she chirped brightly, hopping in a little circle.
"Heh, I agree. It does feel kinda cozy now."
He wandered over to the window and peeked outside. The sky remained cloaked in darkness, but a few stars peeked through the forest canopy, shimmering gently.
"Well, all the work's done. Guess we've got time to kill. What do you feel like doing?"
"Pii pii pii!"
"You want to rest? Fair enough."
Silva trotted toward her room, her tiny paws padding softly against the wood floor. She gave a final glance back before disappearing inside and curling up to sleep.
Flux sat by the table and sighed, stretching his arms. "Cultivating out here won't help much. The qi's too thin anyway…"
He reached into his pouch and pulled out something half-forgotten—a gaudy, glossy booklet with stylized golden letters:
How to Attract Women: The Ultimate Guide!
"I almost forgot about this book. But… now that I think about it, this title feels a bit too confident."
He flipped it open. The pages were filled with bizarre advice: winking strategies, exaggerated heroic poses, aura-enhancement techniques, and something called the Mysterious Silence Stratagem.
"…What am I even reading?"
Still, he couldn't help but try a few. He stood before a mirror shard, arched an eyebrow, and struck what the book called a soulful sword pose.
He looked ridiculous.
"…Yeah, no."
Still, he continued reading—but didn't try any more poses.
By the time the first rays of dawn crept across the clearing, Flux was still awake—mildly bewildered and strangely amused by the absurd guide.
He set it aside with a sigh. "Well, at least I tried it once…"
From behind a wooden partition, Silva peeked out, yawning adorably.
"Morning already, huh?"
"Pii…"
Flux smiled. "Alright, I should get back to training. I'll be hunting through the forest today."
"But first, let's eat."
"Pii!"
"I still have a few fruits left. I'll gather more later in the forest."
He laid out his remaining fruits—preserving the rare one gifted by the Nascent Soul spirit. Silva hopped up beside him, and they ate in quiet companionship.
After their simple breakfast, Flux stood and stretched, joints cracking slightly.
"I should go now."
He looked at Silva. "The deep forest is dangerous. You stay here. I'll be back later."
Silva nodded obediently.
Flux walked outside and retrieved the sword he'd won a year ago in Mologan City.
"I still haven't used this in real combat since I got it…"
He smiled faintly. "Well, I'll have my chance now."
Before taking off, he turned back. Silva was watching him from the doorway, ears twitching.
"Oh, right. I might be gone for more than a day, so be careful, alright?"
"Pii?"
"Don't worry. I won't forget to bring you more fruit."
With that, he rose into the air, sword gleaming beneath his feet, and flew toward the deeper regions of the forest.
---
An hour passed.
Flux scanned the surroundings carefully with his spiritual sense.
"Looks like I found my first target."
He concealed his aura and glided through the canopy until he saw it: a large, tusked boar-like creature sniffing around a clearing.
A Foundation Establishment demon beast—4th level.
He descended slowly. "Let's try this one."
Silver qi wrapped around him as he activated Twilight Dance.
His movement was elegant, near weightless. One step—and he was already past the beast.
A silver line gleamed in the air.
The beast froze. Its body buckled and collapsed, lifeless.
Flux exhaled softly. "Hmm… too weak. It went down in one strike."
He stored the body in his pouch. "Still, Foundation Establishment meat isn't bad. I'll cook this later."
He soared higher, weaving between branches, pushing deeper into the woods.
---
Another hour passed.
A stronger presence stirred ahead.
Flux spotted a 7th-level demon beast—some kind of fanged panther with shadowy fur and glowing red eyes.
The beast suddenly felt a chilling sensation—but didn't understand why.
Silver qi flared behind it.
A sharp shriek. One of its hind legs flew off in a spray of blood.
It whirled around—only for another slash to sever its front limb.
Before it could roar, a final arc of silver ended it.
Flux landed beside the beast, brushing a few leaves from his sleeve. "This one lasted a bit longer."
He stored the corpse and continued flying deeper into the forest.
The forest here grew darker, denser—and the ambient qi was finally beginning to thicken.
He pressed onward, cutting down two more demon beasts with fluid precision.
After collecting the last one, he suddenly sensed something.
An explosion. The canopy parted above.
From high overhead, he heard it—a cry that pierced the forest.
An enormous eagle, talons gleaming with golden qi, swooped through the sky.
Flux narrowed his eyes. "A Core Formation beast."
Its target was a figure on the ground—leaping through the underbrush with everything he had.
Flux tilted his head.
"Wait… that's the eagle I saw when I first arrived here. The one that fought the black serpent."
He shifted his gaze toward the fleeing figure. Sweat, panic, desperation. But the face…
"…That guy looks familiar."
He looked closely at the man and tried to recall where they'd met. After a moment, it clicked.
"Right. I fought him at the tournament. Lucas Myrin, right?"
Lucas stumbled forward, blood trailing behind him, while the eagle shrieked above, diving with lethal intent.
Flux crossed his arms.
"Hmph. A Core Formation beast… sounds perfect to test my skills."
His silver qi stirred gently in the wind.
He smiled.
"Well, Lucas—you're in luck."