Leaving the defeated figures of Hridan and his companions behind, Aryan and Kavya moved deeper into the jungle.
The silence between them was no longer awkward or tense. It was a comfortable understanding, forged in the furnace of shared danger and mutual survival. They were no longer a boy and a girl traveling together. They were a unit, a two-headed predator moving in perfect harmony with its surroundings.
Their new weapons, taken from Hridan's group, were a significant upgrade from their previous tools. The heavy axe was a bit cumbersome for Kavya, but Aryan taught her to use her body weight to swing it effectively, making it a defensive tool that offered far more protection than her small knife. For Aryan, Hridan's well-balanced hand-axe was a revelation. It was heavier than his plain steel sword, but its weight was perfectly distributed, adding a brutal, bone-shattering force to his attacks that complemented his deadly precision.
This axe he said, inspecting the blade's edge, is made for brute force. It can break a rock. But more efficient than breaking a rock is finding a crack.
Kavya nodded, now accustomed to his brief, cryptic lessons. She had learned that in his world, strength wasn't always in the most powerful strike, but in achieving the deadliest result with the least amount of energy.
They refined their strategy further. They were no longer just hunting opportunistically. Aryan's systematic mind had identified a pattern.
Higher-level beasts were often found in areas with rare spiritual herbs or unique geographical features. The beasts and the resources were part of the same ecosystem. Finding one often led to the other. He had begun to build a map of the jungle in his mind, one that charted not just trails and rivers, but the very flow of Qi. He understood that the jungle was a living organism, and the powerful beasts and precious plants were like its heart and arteries.
Thus, their mission became twofold. Kavya, with her sharp eyes and a hunter's intuition, would scan the terrain for unusual plants or hidden paths. Aryan, with his system-enhanced analysis and sensitivity to the subtle currents of Qi, would sense the presence of powerful beasts.
There, Kavya whispered on the afternoon of the third day, pointing towards a dense, moss-covered rock face. "Behind those vines. The air feels different.
Aryan focused. He could feel it a faint, cool vibration, a unique signature of Qi that was distinct from the rest of the jungle. It was a hidden place.
They approached the rock face cautiously. A curtain of huge, leafy vines covered a section of the cliff, but as Kavya had said, the air coming from behind it was different. Cooler, damper, and with a faint, ozone-like scent.
Aryan pulled a vine aside, revealing a dark, dripping fissure. The entrance to a cave.
"There is a powerful beast inside, Aryan said, his voice a quiet whisper. At least the 8th layer. And something else. Something pure.
Kavya gripped her axe tighter, her heart beating faster, but no longer with terror, but with anticipation. Is it worth it?
High risk often equates to high reward, Aryan replied. We will observe first.
They entered the cave, their eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. It was a narrow passage that opened into a large, domed chamber. The center of the chamber was taken up by a deep, perfectly still subterranean lake, its water so clear it looked like polished obsidian.
Water dripping from the cave's ceiling fell into the pool without a sound. The only light came from patches of phosphorescent moss that clung to the walls, bathing the entire space in an ethereal, blue-green glow.
And in the center of the pool, floating just above the water's surface, was a single lotus flower. Its leaves were translucent like crystal, and its petals looked as if they were made of pure, liquid moonlight, glowing with a soft, internal light.
A Moon Dew Lotus, Kavya gasped, keeping her voice to a whisper. "I've only read about them in books. They only grow in places where Yin Qi is in its purest form. It is said that a single petal can purify a cultivator's Qi for a month.
It was a treasure worth more than all the points they had accumulated so far. But as they stared in admiration, the calm water of the pool was disturbed.
It wasn't a ripple, but a subtle displacement, the passing of a massive shape beneath the water. Then, without warning, a head emerged from the center of the pool.
It was a serpent, but unlike any they had ever seen. Its scales were glossy black, reflecting the blue moss-light like wet obsidian. Its head was narrow and angular, and its eyes were two glowing, intelligent emeralds that stared at them without blinking. It rose in silence, its movements so fluid that it created not a single ripple in the water.
Beast Identification: Shadowscale Serpent - 9th Layer of Qi Condensation Realm.
Abilities: Water Stealth, Pressurized Water Jet, Weak Paralyzing Venom.
Territory: Extremely Territorial.
The beast inclined its long, flexible neck towards them and let out a low, hissing sound that was both a warning and a question.
Aryan did not move. He calculated the variables in his mind.
Location: Enclosed, limited mobility.
Enemy: Aquatic, strong in its environment.
Asset: Moon Dew Lotus - High value.
Ally: Kavya - Non-combat support.
A direct fight would be foolish. The serpent was nearly invincible in the water. And its cultivation level was higher than both of theirs. They had to force it to fight on their terms.
Kavya, Aryan whispered, his eyes locked on the serpent. "Get to that rocky ledge on the right side of the pool. When I give the signal, make as much noise as you can. Throw a large rock into the water. Can you do that?
Kavya glanced at the ledge. It was a precarious climb, but possible. She nodded firmly.
Then go, Aryan commanded.
As Kavya slipped into the shadows, Aryan took a step forward, drawing the serpent's attention completely to himself. You are a beautiful creature, Aryan said, his voice echoing in the cave. Protecting that flower is a worthy task.
The serpent hissed, its emerald eyes narrowing slightly, as if trying to understand the tiny creature that dared to speak to it.
Aryan raised his new hand-axe. But I need it more than you do.
He charged. It was a foolish, direct assault, exactly the kind Hridan would have made. The hiss the serpent made sounded almost like disdain. As Aryan reached the water's edge, the beast opened its mouth and spat a jet of pressurized water. It came like a fire hose, powerful enough to shatter stone.
Aryan dodged to the side with ease, the water jet striking the rock where he had been a second before, sending shards of stone flying. But the attack was just a feint. As the serpent repositioned itself to strike again, Aryan threw his axe, not at it, but at a large stalactite hanging from the cave's ceiling.
The axe, infused with his Qi, sank deep into the stalactite. There was a sharp crack, and the massive, spear-like stalactite broke off and fell, crashing into the pool directly in front of the serpent.
The splash was deafening, sending a massive wave of water across the cave. The serpent, avoiding a direct hit, recoiled from the upheaval, disoriented for a moment.
Now! Aryan yelled.
From the ledge above, Kavya pushed a loose boulder with all her might. It came tumbling down, landing on the other side of the pool with another huge splash.
The serpent was confused, caught off guard by the sudden assault from two sides. Its head whipped around towards the distraction Kavya had created, its long neck exposed for a single instant.
It was an opening that lasted for a thousandth of a second. But it was enough for Aryan.
He ran up the crest of the wave created by the first stalactite's fall, his feet barely touching the surface of the water. As the serpent's head turned, Aryan launched himself into the air, his body twisting. His two fingers, hard as steel, shot forward. He attacked using nearly seventy-five percent of his Qi.
Void Piercer.
He targeted the soft flesh just below the serpent's head, right behind its emerald eyes, where the flexible neck met. His fingers sank between the scales with ease. There was a muffled, devastating burst of Qi.
The Shadowscale Serpent froze. The intelligent light in its emerald eyes dimmed, a final flicker of surprise and pain. Then, its massive body went limp, and it sank silently back into the pool, leaving a cloud of dark, almost black blood that slowly spread across the surface.
Mission Token Updated: Shadowscale Serpent (9th Layer of Qi Condensation Realm) - 200 Points Acquired.
Point Transfer: 100 points to Kavya.
Total Points: Aryan 330, Kavya 250
Silence returned to the cave, broken only by the gentle sound of water dripping from the ceiling. Kavya climbed down from the ledge, her eyes wide with awe. They had not only taken down a 9th-layer beast, but they had done it as a team, their combined actions a deadly, synchronized dance.
Aryan stood at the water's edge, his chest heaving slightly. It had been a costly fight, but the reward was worth it. He took a deep breath, focusing his Qi in his feet, and stepped out onto the water. Walking on the surface required a precise balance of his control and power. As he reached the middle of the pool, he carefully reached for the Moon Dew Lotus. The moment his hand touched it, a pure, cool energy flowed into his body, instantly restoring a portion of his spent Qi.
They emerged from the cave as the sun was beginning to set, painting the jungle in hues of orange and purple. Their points now stood at 330 for Aryan and 250 for Kavya. A number that put them, without a doubt, in the top ten, perhaps even the top five.
Kavya looked at Aryan, who was bathed in the light of the setting sun, the glowing lotus in his hand. She no longer saw him as a mysterious savior or a cold commander. She saw him as a partner.
"We're almost there," she said, a new strength in her voice.
No, Aryan replied, storing the lotus safely in his storage bag. The exam begins now.
He looked to the east, the direction in which most of the teams had fled. We have accumulated points. But so have the others at the top. The final day is never about hunting beasts.
Kavya understood. The final phase was about hunting the hunters.
We will rest now, Aryan said. We will regain our strength. And then, at dawn, we go on the hunt. But this time, our prey walks on two legs.