Jang Hun stepped down from the carriage, his sword gleaming beneath the pale sunlight.
The two boys followed quietly, their eyes taking in the endless sprawl of trees—the forest stretching beyond sight. Bai An's mouth fell open in awe, while Bai Su clenched his tiny fist and stood in silence.
The air was thick with the scent of moisture and soil, and the faint buzz of insects whispered through the air. Within Jang Hun, his heart beat lightly... he had never seen anything so vast.
Li Mu spoke briefly to the carriage driver, whispering something short before the man departed without looking back. The four of them stood at the edge of the forest, caught between daylight and the twisting shadows of trees.
Jang Hun spoke with calm confidence:
"Stay here. The beasts don't leave the forest... but if anything unusual happens, run."
Then he looked at Li Mu, his voice firm:
"Take care of them."
Li Mu nodded silently. He understood. The presence of children was a burden—one that could cost lives in a forest like this.
Bai An hesitated, as if to object, but Bai Su grasped his arm and shook his head gently. He looked up at the one he now saw as an older brother and said in a quiet voice:
"If you die… there will be no one left of us."
Jang Hun froze for a moment. He didn't answer. He simply stepped forward, placed his hand gently on Bai An's head, and patted it softly. Then he leaned slightly, pulling Bai Su into a quick embrace... without a word. A farewell that needed no explanation.
He turned and walked into the trees.
...
His steps were quiet, but his senses were sharp. His eyes swept the area, and his ears picked up every whisper. Amid the tangled woods and scattered light, he suddenly heard a sharp rustle behind him.
He turned swiftly—
One hyena lunged at him!
He raised his sword instinctively, not skillfully. The blade clashed against the beast's jaw, sending blood flying.
Four more emerged from between the trees. They crawled silently, fangs bared, eyes cold.
Five? "Perfect…"
Jang Hun moved, but didn't strike immediately. He let his body guide him, discovering something strange… his speed. His agility. His reflexes.
"So… this is the body granted by the second pulse."
But a strong body couldn't make up for an untrained hand.
A second hyena charged. He raised his sword to block—
The angle was off. He struck only air. Two steps back.
"Mistake... the swing was sloppy, the wrist too loose."
He pressed his lips together.
The fight began—not a fight to the death, but a true training ground. Every step was practice. Every block, a test.
He tried a downward strike—too heavy.
A horizontal cut—too slow.
A straight thrust—acceptable.
He was learning.
Minutes passed. Then more. He didn't charge like a madman—he dodged, wounded, observed, and repeated.
"My legs respond quickly… but my hands lag half a pulse."
"My reaction's sharp, but my technique... terrible."
Every mistake, he analyzed. Every success, he reinforced.
Eventually, the hyenas retreated. By instinct, they realized—they weren't facing prey.
But Jang Hun didn't let them flee.
He gripped his sword, lunged forward, sliced one cleanly in half, drove the blade into another's skull. The third tried to escape—he caught up and ended it. The rest vanished.
Three corpses.
He stared at them, then muttered coldly:
"Weak… but useful for training."
...
He returned minutes later, carrying a single hyena carcass on his shoulder. When he stepped from the trees, the boys froze, then stepped back. Blood dripped down his arm, and the beast's eye remained wide open.
Li Mu raised an eyebrow for a second, then his expression returned to normal.
Jang Hun dropped the body in front of him. The hyena's head hit the ground with a thud.
"Two more inside. I'll bring them."
He returned with another corpse, then the last—torn in half. He carried each piece in both hands. Every time, the boys flinched. Bai An clung to his brother. Bai Su bit his lip hard.
Jang Hun pointed to the severed halves:
"Is the meat of these hyenas edible?"
Li Mu replied immediately:
"Yes. Many beasts here are edible. These hyenas are among them."
Jang Hun replied indifferently:
"Store the two intact ones in the storage tool. Start roasting this one. I'll continue hunting."
He turned away—but paused before vanishing into the trees.
"By the way… what kind of hyenas are these?"
Li Mu answered:
"Pale Hyenas. Mid-level Foundation Stage."
Jang Hun nodded, then reentered the forest as if he hadn't heard a thing.
...
He hunted all day, focusing solely on Pale Hyenas. He didn't encounter other beasts. They were no longer a threat after he adapted to their movement—but they were still valuable for refining his technique, blow by blow.
Each time he killed a group, he returned carrying their bodies, one at a time, tossing them before Li Mu in silence. The latter gave a simple nod and retrieved a storage tool, absorbing each glowing carcass in turn.
This continued until Li Mu finished roasting some of the hyena meat over the fire. Smoke rose slowly in the damp air. The boys sat nearby, watching the red meat with a mix of fear and curiosity.
Jang Hun returned with light steps, a blend of habit and awareness in his movements. His eyes still held the tension of combat. He sat without a word and ate his share. No conversation. Just food—then back into the forest.
And so it went.
Hunt. Fight. Return. Deliver corpses. Eat. Then silence.
Until night fell, and the fire was lit again. The four sat around it. Shadows danced across the ground as the flames licked the stillness.
Li Mu suddenly asked, his voice calm:
"Do you know how one becomes a cultivator?"
Jang Hun replied without turning:
"I know a little... most people awaken their Qi core through special rituals in their sects. Some succeed, some fail. Others awaken it through meditation or training in Qi-rich places, or by using rare treasures—but that's uncommon. Some are born with talent, and their core merely needs a small push or short training."
Li Mu smiled.
"A good answer. You know more than I expected."
Then added:
"There's another way… not guaranteed, but with a small success rate and no side effects. If someone eats the flesh of a Spirit Beast and meditates, their Qi core might awaken. Spirit Beasts contain pure Qi. The result depends on the body's potential."
He looked at the boys and continued:
"I think I can help them… if I guide their meditation, their chances will rise. But we need the meat of a Spirit Beast. We can buy it—it's expensive. But you… with those hyena corpses, you could afford it. Or… you could kill one yourself and roast it."
Jang Hun was silent for a moment. Then thought:
So there's hope… Maybe I can make Bai An and Bai Su stronger this way.
He asked:
"What's the strength of the weakest Spirit Beast?"
Li Mu replied:
"Early-stage Internal Disciple realm."
Jang Hun raised his head slightly, serious:
"Do you think I can kill one?"
Li Mu shrugged:
"I don't know. But you keep surprising me. Still… buying the meat might be safer."
Jang Hun pondered briefly, then said:
"And the price? I doubt you're doing this out of kindness."
Li Mu smiled:
"Of course not. No one helps for free in this world… But I haven't decided what I want yet. Let's just say—you'll owe me a favor, and I'll collect later."
Jang Hun narrowed his eyes:
"Unless it's something stupid."
Li Mu laughed:
"Relax… it won't be. Besides, we don't even know if it'll work."
Jang Hun didn't respond. He cast a fleeting glance his way before lying on his back, watching the sparse stars above.
He thought quietly:
I can't face a Spirit Beast at the Internal Disciple realm yet… My skills are still lacking. My sword doesn't obey me. The hyenas were useful—but they're too weak now. Tomorrow… I'll go deeper. I need something stronger.