At dinner, Mu Feng informed his grandfather about his plans.
"Grandpa, tomorrow Uncle Shen will take me to the forest outside the city for training."
Hearing this, Fang Ning raised an eyebrow slightly. After a moment, he spoke calmly.
"It seems your training is almost complete. Remember—be careful in the forest. With the magic tools I've given you, your life shouldn't be in danger, but that doesn't mean you can be careless."
"Yes, Grandpa. I'll be careful," Mu Feng replied.
After dinner, Mu Feng returned to his room and informed Chen Xiao that he would not be available for the next few days. Once that was done, he went to bed early. This time, he did not meditate—he wanted to be in peak condition for the next day.
The next morning, after breakfast, Mu Feng went to the training grounds.
Mu Shen was already there, waiting for him.
Seeing Mu Feng arrive, Mu Shen asked, "Are you ready?"
Mu Feng nodded, his expression calm but resolute.
"I'm ready."
Mu Shen studied him for a brief moment, as if looking past his surface and weighing the changes forged over the past eight months. Finally, he gave a short nod.
"Good," he said. "Then let's go. This trip will show whether everything you've learned so far was merely practice-or something real."
They left the training ground together.
Outside, a black car was already waiting, its engine humming softly. Mu Feng climbed in without hesitation, while Mu Shen took the seat beside him. As the door closed, the city slowly began to recede behind them.
Through the window, Mu Feng watched the towering walls of the Imperial City grow distant.
Inside the car, neither of them spoke.
Mu Feng's breathing was steady, his mind unusually clear. He wasn't nervous—but he wasn't relaxed either. This was different from simulated forests, controlled environments, or summoned beasts that could be recalled at a whim.
Beyond the city walls, mistakes meant blood.
Mu Shen broke the silence.
"Remember," he said calmly, eyes fixed ahead, "the wilderness doesn't follow rules. Demons won't wait for you to finish casting. They won't attack head-on just because you're ready."
Mu Feng nodded.
"I understand."
Mu Shen continued, his voice even.
"Your goal isn't heroics. It's survival. If you can kill a demon, kill it. If you can't—escape. Pride gets more mages killed than lack of talent ever does."
"I'll remember," Mu Feng replied.
The car passed through the final checkpoint. The massive gates opened slowly, revealing a vast stretch of untamed land beyond—dense forests, rolling hills, and mountains half-hidden in mist.
The aura outside was different.
Heavier. Wilder.
Mana in the air was uneven, turbulent, carrying faint traces of danger that couldn't be felt inside the city.
Mu Feng's fingers curled slightly.
This was it.
The real world.
The car continued forward, heading straight toward the forest line—toward a place where training ended, and true combat began.
Soon, the car came to a stop.
Mu Shen turned toward Mu Feng and said calmly, "This is as far as the car can go. From here on, we'll proceed on foot."
Mu Feng nodded, and the two of them stepped out of the vehicle.
They walked deeper into the forest until they reached a relatively open clearing. The trees here were tall, their canopies dense, blocking most of the sunlight. The air carried a faint but unmistakable scent of demon beasts.
Mu Shen stopped and turned to face Mu Feng.
"Now," he said, "your task begins."
He took out a folded map and handed it to Mu Feng.
"This map marks the approximate location of a Mad Bear," Mu Shen continued."Your task is simple—kill it."
Mu Feng accepted the map without hesitation.
Mu Shen then took out a ring and tossed it to him.
"And take this as well," he added."It's a storage ring your grandfather prepared for you. It's already stocked with all the supplies you'll need."
Mu Feng caught the ring and put it on his finger, then hesitated briefly.
"Uncle Shen… isn't it dangerous to leave me alone?" he asked."What if I encounter a General-level demon?"
Mu Shen smiled faintly.
"You don't need to worry about that," he replied calmly."That responsibility falls on me."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"But remember this—if you encounter a Servant-level demon, you will deal with it yourself. I will not intervene."
Mu Feng took a slow breath.
"You have three days," Mu Shen continued."Complete your task within that time."
He stepped aside and gestured deeper into the forest.
"Now go."
"Okay," Mu Feng replied firmly.
He unfolded the map, glanced at the marked location, and then turned toward the depths of the forest.
Without looking back, Mu Feng stepped forward—walking straight into the demon beast's territory, where danger and death awaited him.
Soon, the day came to an end.
Mu Feng set up his tent in a relatively concealed area, carefully choosing a spot where his back was protected by thick trees. After that, he cooked a simple meal, ate quietly, and prepared to rest.
But sleep did not come easily.
He was alone in demon territory.
Even as he lay inside the tent, Mu Feng kept his senses sharp, alert for any sudden movement or hostile aura. The night air carried distant sounds—howls, roars, and strange cries echoing far away in the forest. Each sound reminded him where he was.
Yet, despite the tension, the night passed peacefully.
No demon attacked.
When dawn arrived, Mu Feng woke immediately. He washed his face with stored water, ate breakfast, packed up his supplies, and erased any obvious traces of his camp before continuing deeper into the forest.
As he moved forward, his steps were careful and controlled.
Then—
Rustle.
The grass to his right shifted unnaturally.
Without hesitation, Mu Feng activated his equipment. His armor set materialized around his body, and the Space Walker Boots formed instantly beneath his feet.
The rustling stopped.
A low howl echoed from the bushes.
Two crimson eyes lit up within the shadows.
The next instant, a figure lunged straight toward him.
Mu Feng reacted instantly.
He vanished.
Teleporting fifteen meters backward, he reappeared just as the demon revealed itself—a Demon Hound.
Its body was gray, lean, and muscular, with exposed fangs and bloodthirsty eyes locked firmly onto Mu Feng.
Seeing its ambush fail, the hound paused, staring at him.
Mu Feng stared back.
Then the demon moved again.
Mu Feng raised his hand and released his magic.
"Ice Spread—Freeze!"
Cold surged outward, disrupting the Demon Hound's movements. Frost crept along its limbs, slowing its charge and throwing off its balance.
Before it could recover—
"Ice Spread—Solidify!"
A second wave of ice erupted, freezing all four of the demon's paws firmly to the ground.
The Demon Hound struggled, snarling in panic.
Mu Feng did not hesitate.
With a thought, the Ice Crystal Bow appeared in his hand. He drew the string smoothly, icy energy condensing into an arrow.
His aim was steady.
Release.
The arrow pierced straight through the demon's body.
Frost spread instantly from the point of impact, encasing the Demon Hound completely.
Then—
Boom.
The frozen body shattered violently, exploding into fragments of ice and dissipating demon aura.
Mu Feng lowered his bow slowly.
His breathing remained steady.
His first real kill in the wild—
Clean. Precise. Controlled.
And this was only the beginning.
The rest of the day passed relatively peacefully.
Mu Feng only encountered a few one-eyed demon rats along the way. Compared to the Demon Hound from earlier, they posed little threat. He dealt with them efficiently, conserving his strength and avoiding unnecessary noise.
As night fell, Mu Feng carefully selected a safe location away from obvious demon paths. He concealed his presence, set up camp, and rested lightly, maintaining vigilance even in his sleep.
The next morning, he resumed his journey.
By midday, he finally reached the area marked on the map.
After searching for some time, he found it—
A cave hidden between jagged rock formations.
Mu Feng stopped at a distance. He picked up a stone and threw it onto the ground near the cave entrance.
Clatter.
The sound echoed faintly into the darkness.
Nothing happened.
No movement.
No roar.
No hostile aura.
After waiting a moment longer, Mu Feng activated his magic boots and approached cautiously. He took out a torch and shone it inside the cave.
The interior was empty.
From this, Mu Feng quickly reached a conclusion.
The Mad Bear was most likely out hunting for food.
He did not enter the cave.
Instead, Mu Feng retreated and chose a concealed position some distance away—far enough to avoid detection, yet close enough to maintain a clear view of the cave entrance.
This was the Mad Bear's territory.
Because of that, there were almost no other demon beasts nearby.
Mu Feng settled in quietly.
Waiting.
Patient.
Knowing that sooner or later—
The owner of this lair would return.
By evening, the Mad Bear finally returned.
Its massive body emerged from between the trees, black fur matted with blood. Its enormous paws sank into the ground with every step, and clenched between its jaws was a mangled demon rat. The beast looked ferocious—its breath heavy, its eyes wild, blood still dripping from its muzzle.
Mu Feng watched silently.
The bear entered the cave without suspicion.
Mu Feng did not act.
Tonight was not the time.
He chose patience over recklessness and let the night pass undisturbed.
The next day, Mu Feng observed the cave from a distance.
Early in the morning, the Mad Bear left its lair once again. After half an hour passed without its return, Mu Feng cautiously approached the cave. Inside, he found only the remains of yesterday's prey—the demon rat had already been devoured.
That confirmed it.
The bear had gone out to hunt again.
Mu Feng retreated and prepared an ambush near the cave entrance.
Time passed.
Then, close to midday—
The Mad Bear returned.
This time, it carried a sheep in its mouth.
Mu Feng did not hesitate.
The moment the bear stepped into range, Mu Feng released Beginner Level 2 Ice Magic.
"Ice Spread—Solidify!"
Cold surged forward in a wide arc.
Because the Mad Bear was careless, the attack landed cleanly. Ice rapidly climbed up its limbs, locking its movement mid-step.
The bear roared.
Before it could fully react, Mu Feng summoned the Ice Crystal Bow, drew an arrow, and fired.
But he had underestimated his opponent.
With a violent surge of strength, the Mad Bear shattered the ice far faster than expected. The frozen ground cracked apart as the beast twisted its massive body sideways—
The arrow narrowly missed.
Mu Feng's eyes sharpened.
His ambush had failed.
Without hesitation, he activated his magic boots and repositioned himself, creating distance between them.
The Mad Bear dropped its prey and turned slowly, blood-red eyes locking onto Mu Feng.
Man and beast faced each other in silence.
Mu Feng steadied his breathing, bow raised, mana flowing smoothly through his body.
Now—
He waited.
For the Mad Bear to make the first move.
The Mad Bear charged.
Its massive body surged forward like a living boulder, crushing the ground beneath its paws.
Mu Feng did not hesitate.
In the instant the bear entered striking range, Mu Feng activated his magic boots and teleported behind it, twisting midair as he drew his bow.
An arrow flew.
But at the last moment, the Mad Bear reacted with terrifying instincts.
It spun around violently—
Crack!
The bear caught the arrow in its jaws and snapped it in half.
Before Mu Feng could fire again, the beast roared and charged straight at him once more.
Mu Feng's pupils constricted.
This time, he chose control over speed.
He raised his hand and released Beginner Level 1 Ice Magic.
"Ice Freeze!"
Cold surged forward, instantly disrupting the Mad Bear's momentum. Frost crawled up its limbs, locking its movement for a brief—but crucial—moment.
Mu Feng did not waste it.
"Ice Spread—Solidify!"
Once.
Twice.
Thick layers of ice wrapped around the bear's legs and torso, anchoring it to the ground.
The Mad Bear howled in fury, muscles bulging as cracks began spreading across the frozen surface.
Mu Feng drew his bow again.
Three arrows.
Back to back.
The first pierced the bear's shoulder.
The second struck deep into its chest.
The third followed immediately—
A direct hit.
Frost exploded outward.
The ice detonated from within the beast's body, tearing through muscle and bone. The Mad Bear let out one final, broken roar before its massive form collapsed to the ground.
Silence returned to the forest.
Mu Feng stood still, breathing heavily, bow lowered but not relaxed.
After everything—
After the ambush, the chase, the near-fatal mistakes—
The Mad Bear was finally dead.
Mu Feng exhaled slowly.
His hands trembled—not from fear, but from exhaustion and adrenaline.
This was not training.
This was real.
And he had survived.
For the first time, Mu Feng had slain a true demon beast with his own strength.
The forest did not respond.
No ambush followed.
Only then did Mu Feng allow himself a faint, satisfied smile.
His first kill—
Completed.