The wind howled across the mountain ridge, tugging at Kaelen's torn cloak. Below, the twisted forest shifted unnaturally, its branches curling toward him like the claws of a sleeping beast that sensed prey nearby.
The screen in front of his eyes remained, faintly glowing:
[Beginner Cultivation Manual – Active]
> Step 1: Sit.
Step 2: Breathe.
Step 3: Survive the backlash.
"...Survive the backlash?" Kaelen muttered. "That's not exactly encouraging."
He found a flat rock near the cliff edge and sat cross-legged, the cold stone biting into his legs. Following the diagrams in his mind, he slowed his breathing.
Inhale. Hold. Exhale.
With each breath, a faint warmth began to flow through his body. He could feel it — thin, fragile threads of something more than air, weaving into his veins. The manual's knowledge told him this was Qi, the essence of the world.
But it wasn't gentle.
Like swallowing molten glass, the Qi burned through his meridians, searing them open. He gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his brow. His vision dimmed, but he refused to stop.
> [Vitality -3]
[Vitality -5]
The System's warnings pulsed red in the corner of his vision. His body trembled. One mistake, one break in concentration, and the Qi would rip his meridians apart.
"Come on…" he hissed, forcing himself to keep breathing.
At last, the heat shifted. The wild, thrashing energy began to obey, flowing in a single circuit through his body before settling in his dantian — the core of cultivation.
A new notification flashed:
> [Ding!]
Cultivation Level: Qi Initiate – Stage 1
+20 Sovereign Points
Kaelen gasped as the tension in his body broke. The pain was gone, replaced by a lightness in his limbs and a sharp clarity in his thoughts. The world around him seemed… different.
He could hear the scrape of a rock rolling down the cliff hundreds of meters away. He could feel the faint pulse of life from the roots buried deep in the stone.
He could sense something moving toward him.
From the treeline, two pairs of red eyes emerged. Then a third.
Bone-wolves. Larger than the one he had fought earlier, their skeletal frames were reinforced with black metal, and their breath poured out in clouds of cold mist.
The largest one growled, a low, resonant sound that vibrated in Kaelen's chest.
> [Sovereign Quest Issued!]
Defend Your Cultivation Site
Time Limit: Until all threats are eliminated
Reward: Random Bronze-Tier Item
Kaelen rose to his feet, gripping the broken spearhead. He checked the shop — his 25 points could buy him a proper weapon, but that would leave him with almost nothing for supplies.
Risk it now, or save for later?
The lead wolf lunged, ending his hesitation. Kaelen sidestepped, the spearhead slicing across its neck. Unlike the first monster, this one didn't dissolve — it snarled, swiping at his legs.
He leapt backward, flipping through the shop with his mind. His eyes locked onto an option:
[Iron Dagger – 8 Points] – Purchase?
"Yes!"
A shimmer of light formed in his hand, solidifying into a short, double-edged blade. The balance was perfect — almost unnaturally so.
Kaelen met the second wolf's leap with a low thrust, the dagger piercing cleanly through its skull. It collapsed into ash.
The others circled him. He could feel the flow of Qi in his body, faster now, sharper. He moved with it, his strikes cutting through bone and shadow alike.
When the last wolf fell, the forest fell silent.
> [Ding!]
Quest Complete – Reward: Bronze-Tier Item (Random)
Item Acquired: Minor Spatial Pouch
A small, leather pouch appeared at his waist. Testing it, Kaelen dropped the dagger inside — and watched it vanish. He reached in and felt the blade's hilt instantly.
Storage magic. Now that's useful.
But before he could savor the victory, the System spoke again.
> "First Trial — Day 1 Complete. Rest well, Sovereign Candidate. Tomorrow, the hunt begins."
The sky above shifted. The day-night split deepened, and for the first time, Kaelen wondered if surviving 30 days here would be harder than he'd imagined.
Because the mountain… felt alive.
---