The sky had begun to fade into dusk, the sun veiling itself behind lazy clouds as the day slowly slipped away.
Chu Feng stepped out of the cave, Chu Ling'er following close behind.
He spread his arms wide and inhaled deeply, letting the fresh breeze that came down from the mountains wash over him. The air was crisp and wild, scented with damp earth and the faint aroma of moss. It was the first time he was standing on soil that was not Earth's.
The world around him was new, yet oddly familiar—thanks to the fragmented memories of the former Chu Feng that now resided within him. He recognized some landmarks, places the original had known, but those were memories. He longed to see them with his own eyes.
But first, he had to go to the lake.
According to Ling'er, she had said the lake was nearby, about a few kilometers from the foot of the mountain. Behind the sparse ridges.
When they arrived, and the lake came into view, it was shallow and gently winding through a rocky gully.
It was disappointingly normal. Chu Feng thought.
He had hoped for something more fantastical. Perhaps a lake that flowed in reverse, or glimmered with golden light—something befitting a cultivation world, where impossibilities were just possible.
But this was plain.
"Sigh," he muttered under his breath. "Maybe I expected too much."
He began to strip off his worn clothes, unbothered by modesty in Ling'er's presence. In a flash, he was naked and wading into the water.
Chu Ling'er gasped and instantly turned away, her cheeks a fiery red as she clamped her hands over her eyes. Her heart pounded with embarrassment.
She had always hoped all this time to bring him down to the lake and help him wash, but now that he finally did and was naked before her eyes, she was totally flustered. It was her first time seeing that special quality of a man, and worse, it was that of someone she had started to see as her older brother.
Meanwhile, Chu Feng immersed himself in the cool water, stretching out and feeling the dirt lift from his skin. He felt revitalized.
"Ling'er!" he called out cheerfully, waving. "Come in and wash up too!"
"I-I… I'll wait until you're done!" she stammered, still not looking at him. "T-There's no rush, I…"
Before she could finish, she felt a tug on her arm—then the world tilted.
"Splash!"
She hit the water, gasping and sputtering as she surfaced. She blinked, soaked and shocked.
Chu Feng grinned mischievously. "You're already here, so you might as well clean up."
"Big brother, you…!"
But before she could finish, a splash of water smacked her square in the face.
She gasped.
"That's it!" she declared, scooping water into her small palms and splashing it at him in retaliation.
Laughter filled the air.
They splashed back and forth, droplets flying in every direction, their laughter echoing through the gorge. The cold water washed away the lingering awkwardness between them.
Chu Ling'er's earlier embarrassment faded entirely. Even as her wet clothes clung to her body, outlining her developing figure, she felt no shame. She was with her big brother. And he wasn't looking at her with anything impure.
To him, this was just fun. Innocent.
Eventually, the water calmed. Chu Feng drifted toward the edge of the lake, resting his elbows on the bank as his body floated lazily in the shallows.
He felt clean. Light. The thick odor that had clung to him like a curse was now barely faint.
It was a start. A start toward rebuilding himself.
He was not the previous Chu Feng who had holed up on the stone bed all day with crumbled faith.
He was himself.
Even if he had no chance of cultivating right now, that didn't mean hope was lost. He had decided to take it one step at a time.
Somewhere in this vast, mystical world, there might be a solution.
He began mapping out a routine in his mind.
Each morning, before dawn, he would come to the lake and cleanse himself. Then, as the sky brightened, he would set off into the forest that climbed the mountain slope. There, he would try to hunt for game.
He felt like he could do this.
Ever since he had integrated with the hunter's memories, he felt like he had gotten the abilities of the hunter.
It is good
He had made a promise to make life better for Chu Ling'er. Now, he finally had a way to keep it.
"What are you thinking about?"
He hadn't even noticed when Chu Ling'er had approached. She leaned in close, her damp hair trailing softly across her cheek as her face hovered just inches from his.
Chu Feng flinched slightly, blinking in surprise. Her face, now free of the soot and dirt, was more delicate than he'd expected. But that was all he thought.
He reached up and flicked her gently on the forehead.
"Ow!" Chu Ling'er yelped softly, clutching her head and pouting at him.
"I was thinking about how to fulfill my promise," he said.
"What promise?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I promised to take care of you, didn't I?" Chu Feng smiled. "Naturally, that means finding a way to feed you, clothe you, and provide the basics."
Chu Ling'er looked away with a blush. "I don't need you to… Your body's barely healed. I can still manage."
"Haha…" Chu Feng chuckled at her flustered reaction, finding her expression undeniably cute. He reached out and ruffled her hair just like he had in the cave. "You don't need to worry about me. I feel a lot better than I look, haven't you noticed?" He flexed his muscles for her to see.
It was true. Other than the lingering rashes on his skin, he didn't look weak or sluggish like before.
Chu Ling'er hesitated, then nodded. He did seem more vibrant than before. But still…
"What can you really do? I doubt you have any real experience. I'll keep foraging for food—it's what I'm used to. Clothes and other things aren't important."
Chu Feng gave her a knowing smile. "You really think your big brother is useless? Just wait. When I climb up and down from the mountains, I'll bring a surprise."
Chu Ling'er's body stiffened. She shot upright, sending ripples across the water.
"No!" she burst out, eyes wide. "Even I only go to the edge of the mountain. You want to climb it? I won't allow it!"
"Relax." Chu Feng raised a calming hand. "I'm not heading to my death. It will only be in the shallow areas of the mountain forest. Besides, I've got skills now. I can hunt small animals—squirrels, rabbits—anything that'll be a change from berries and dry roots."
"No! I said no!" Her voice rose, trembling. "The mountain is dangerous. I'd rather we starve on berries than risk losing you."
Chu Feng gently reached out, pulling her closer. He rested her against his chest and draped an arm over her shoulders.
"Don't you know? A big brother can't keep mooching off his little sister. It hurts my manly pride."
"But it didn't hurt your manly pride before," she said innocently.
Chu Feng blinked. "W-Well… now it does."
"And you're still too young!" Chu Ling'er protested, her voice cracking with emotion.
Chu Feng scratched the back of his head, uncertain whether to laugh or sigh. "Ling'er, did you forget? I'm older than you. You're fifteen—I'm eighteen. So, tell me, who's more suited to go to the mountain?"
"Me, of course!" she huffed without missing a beat.
Chu Feng could only shake his head. He rested his chin on her shoulder, gazing at the lake's gentle flow.
"You don't need to argue. I've made up my mind. I'll be careful. I won't be in danger."
There was a pause before he asked suddenly, "Ling'er, have you ever thought of cultivating?"
She removed herself from his embrace and turned to face him. She blinked, surprised. "Cultivate? Doesn't big brother know? Poor people don't cultivate."
"And why's that?" Chu Feng asked, raising a brow.
"Because of resources, obviously," she said, lifting a hand in explanation. "Where would poor people find money to buy resources when they can barely feed themselves?"
Chu Feng shook his head. "Yes, resources help; but it starts with breathing technique—a way to absorb Qi into the body. As long as your spirit root functions, it's possible."
He glanced at her. "Do you know what spirit root is?"
Chu Ling'er laughed behind her hand. "What, you think I'm ignorant?"
Chu Feng blinked in confusion. "No, I just—"
"Of course I know!" she interrupted. "In fact… that's why my master tried to turn me into a pill."
"…Eh?"
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"My master said I have the glacier-lotus spirit root. It's rare and perfectly suited for the type of cultivation technique she was practicing: she practiced ice arts. She said if she refined and consumed me, she would be able to make a huge leap in her cultivation."
Chu Feng starred in stunned silence.
"So you have a special spirit root," he finally said. "Those with special spirit roots as such used to have a faster cultivation."
Chu Ling'er just shrugged.
"When I was with my family, I never even heard of that kind of spirit root. Honestly, I envy you. That means you can cultivate," Chu Feng said firmly.
Chu Ling'er tapped the surface of the water as she spoke, "if the process of cultivation is how you said it to be, then yes… I guess I can."
"What about you, big brother? You can cultivate too, right?"
"If I could, I would've started long ago," Chu Feng said, his voice echoing in grief. "I don't have spirit root. I'm… a cripple."
Chu Ling'er gasped and covered her mouth. Then her expression softened, and she sighed.
"It doesn't matter," she said gently. "We don't have to chase cultivation. As long as we're together, it's enough."
Chu Feng shook his head. "No. If even one of us can cultivate, we must take that chance. I'll work hard and get you cultivation resources, while you cultivate and grow stronger."
"I don't want to…" she started.
But Chu Feng raised a hand to stop her.
"No use protesting. I've already made up my mind. You just have to listen to me on this."
Chu Ling'er pouted again, lips pushed out in frustration. It was no use arguing with this new big brother of hers—he was just too stubborn.
Chu Feng laughed and leaned back again, his elbow on the bank. The evening sky was filled with stars now, and the water around them had cooled slightly but remained pleasant.
"Hmph," Chu Ling'er grunted playfully, and slid beside him, both of them gazing up at the sparkling sky in silence.
Chu Feng raised a hand toward the stars, his heart filled with various thoughts.
His adventure in this new world was about to begin.
—----
They returned to the cave just as darkness settled fully over the forest.
The moon had risen high, its lightning the area.
Chu Feng didn't go inside the cave. Instead, he lingered outside, his gaze fixed on the moonlit horizon.
He did not know why he felt the urge to change his plans all of a sudden; so tonight, he had decided to make his first real move.
Also, from the hunter's memories, night time was the best time for catching game. Beasts ventured out more often at times like this.
Of course, he wouldn't go deeper into the mountain, lest he get himself killed, it would just be an area a little above the periphery where there is only a small beast he could handle.
But he needed a weapon, at least something to protect himself.
"You should go in and rest," Chu Feng said gently, turning to Chu Ling'er, who looked back at him. "I'll stay out here for a while."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Mn."
With a last glance at him, she stepped into the cave.
Once she was gone, Chu Feng sat on a smooth boulder near the cave's entrance. He stared into the forest, lost in thought.
"In the early days on Earth… back when humans were still primitive… how did they hunt without steel?" he murmured. "Stone spears, bone knives, sharpened branches…"
But he shook his head. That won't do.
He stood and slipped quietly into the cave. After a short while, he came out with Ling'er small leather pouch.
He ransacked through it, and eventually pulled out a dull, rust-covered knife. The blade was chipped and blunt, and its hilt had almost broken off.
"This will have to do," he muttered, weighing it in his palm. "Better than nothing."
He took a steady breath.
From the hunter's memories, he recalled the basics of hunting: lay low, stay quiet, strike fast, and always leave a retreat path.
He could start with that, he thought. Then he took a quick glance at the cave before he turned and dashed toward the mountain.