A tremor shook the ground. I jumped forward. Another pulse of energy washed over the land, shaking the leaves and scaring the birds into the sky.

I dropped to all fours and ran. My claws gripped the golden footholds as my long muscular tail flicked left and right, giving me stability at those great speeds.

The earth quaked. The disturbances becoming stronger. I was getting close. Close to my target. Close to the source of the disturbance.

The forest suddenly ended and I came to a stop at a cliff. Part of the hill was gone, opened, and carved out in a massive limestone quarry. It was most likely abandoned, judging by the lack of workers and gear, yet in the far-off corner, I saw a person punching the wall in that rhythmical manner.

I carefully and silently walked closer, making sure not to disturb him. As I came closer, I recognized the shape of a large man. Each of his strikes was like a bomb going off, breaking off stone, and spitting out rubble.

With each of his strikes, a pulse of Qi was blasted out like a shockwave, something I never felt before. Each time it happened, my mind subconsciously sent me a warning of danger. It was not strong, but it was there, and it was annoying. Especially since the energies involved weren’t nearly high enough to threaten me.

I watched as the strikes landed one after the other, with incredible penetrative power, and squatted low to the ground above the quarry, silently observing. With Arcane Eyes active, nothing could escape my notice. Especially not those marvelous fists brimming with energy.

I began to subconsciously growl just thinking about them. I bet getting punched like that would feel fantastic.

I dropped down from the cliff, landing with a loud boom on the rock below. The man jumped up at the sound and I began walking towards him while clapping slowly, with my tail moving left and right in a friendly manner.

[Marvelous display.] I grinned, showing my countless white teeth. My tongue flicked out, testing the air. It tasted of earth and stone.

I came to a stop a few steps away and the man took on a defensive posture, with hands held high and guarding his head, and fist balled tight, a boxing stance. He was clean-shaven, head included, and wore an orange robe with a red trim and a golden sash. He appeared to be evaluating me, and it didn’t escape my notice his eyes briefly jumped to the opening of the quarry to his right side.

Was he trying to escape? Why? I wasn’t there to fight.

“Junior greets Senior.” He began and cupped his fists without lowering his head. He kept his eyes focused on me the entire time.

[Hmm.] I snorted with a smile. [I wonder which of us is the Senior really.] He lifted an eyebrow. He was clearly older, being at the peak of Golden Core Realm and all. [But that is beside the point.] I leaned closer. [Seems like I found myself the source of the disturbance. Hmm?]

He twitched and appeared conflicted. “I’m sorry if I disrupted Senior’s peace. Forgive me, I will not do it again.”

[No, no, no… That’s not it at all. I was attracted by the sound of your punches. It’s an interesting Martial Art, it reminds me of Drums of War.]

His eyes opened wide and he took a step back. I knew my form could be intimidating, but that reaction was a bit much. I reverted back to my human form so we could hold a conversation more easilly. I imagine it wasn’t fair looking down at him from my height, with a scary body of a demon to boot.

The transformation wasn’t gaining me any mass, just changing the volume and properties of my body. It shifted the properties of my flesh up and down, but usually up. And since something couldn’t be gained without something else being lost, the transformation and all its effects were limited in duration by the stores of Qi.

“Y- you are young!” The man exclaimed after my transformation was complete.

[Told you I wasn’t the Senior one here.] I grinned.

“But my senses… Hmph!” He murmured to himself and then snorted, seemingly gaining back some confidence.

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He cupped his fists once more and spoke with a more dignified tone. “Disciple Raner from the Kaolin Temple greets fellow Cultivator!”

[Kaolin Temple?] Never heard of it before. Anyway, I cupped my fists as well. [Gerald Fireborn, from the Myriad Beasts Sect, greets fellow Cultivator!] The greeting was a bit awkward and I wasn’t completely used to it, but it worked.

Raner relaxed somewhat with that, probably by the familiarity of words that separated us from beasts. Not all of them, mind you, for there were monsters that could talk, but most of them couldn’t.

“Myriad Beasts Sect… That would explain your appearance.” He murmured.

[Say, that’s an interesting Martial Art you got there. What is it exactly?]

“My Drums of War? What about it?”

[Wait…] I frowned. [That’s the actual name?]

“So you really didn’t know it? I was surprised when you guessed it so quickly as well. How did you do it?”

[I…] I scratched the back of my head. If that was true, that was one hell of a coincidence. [I just thought it was the best description for what I was hearing.]

“It is, isn’t it?” Raner beamed in excitement. “I came up with it myself! Drums of War...”

[What does it do? Apart from the clear destructive power. If you don’t mind me asking.]

“It’s…” Raner hesitated. “It’s actually not yet finished. But the idea is that it should break through enchantments, striking the core of any being and shattering it from within.”

[Reeeeally?] I stroked my chin curiously and then transformed my right hand. [I’ll be the judge of that. Come on, punch me.]

“Erm… Are you sure? No offense, but as far as I can see, you are just at the First Layer.”

[Bah! So what? Don’t look down on me just because of my Cultivation. I bet you can’t even break my bones.]

“Mhm…” Raner squinted his eyes and smiled in a way that was basically calling bullshit. He thought I was boasting, with nothing to back it up. How dare he look down upon me!

[Don’t you mhm me! Come on! Punch me! Or I’m going to bite you.] I transformed my head as well and showed him my sharp teeth.

“Well... Okay.” He finally caved. “But if anything happens, I’m not responsible.” He quickly added.

[I get it, I get it! Just do it already!]

“Alright! Here I come! Haaah!” He took a power stance and punched with his right hand into mine.

The collision was announced with a loud boom, and I felt the wave of energy flicker through my body, which I expected. What I didn’t expect, was the effect that came with it. As our two hands collided, my transformation wanted to unravel all on its own. It didn’t, but it tried to.

[Oh, wow!] I pulled back and shook my hand. It was slightly painful, but nothing I couldn’t handle. But the effect… I was shocked!

[You weren’t kidding! That’s some interesting skill! Very nice.]

“Hah? You barely flinched!” Raner started at his fist as if he had just seen a ghost. He then shook his head and punched the wall beside him. The white stone exploded as another shockwave spread through it. He looked at his hand again. “Weird…”

[What’s weird?]

“Something… I don’t know. Something is wrong with my punch, I think. Can I try again?”

[Sure!]

Raner took a moment to compose himself and punched again. I blocked his strike with my right hand again, and it was even stronger than the last. A good hit!

But he frowned. “Why doesn’t it work?”

[What doesn’t work?]

“My punch! It does nothing.” He appeared very frustrated with the result.

[Ah!] I almost wanted to laugh out loud as I realized what he meant. [There is nothing wrong with your punch. You just aren’t strong enough to hurt me.]

“That’s impossible! You are weaker-!”

[I appear to be weaker than you.] I corrected him. [There is a difference.]

“You are actually in the Spirit Realm?” He asked.

[No, I’m still Golden Core, First Layer. Nothing changed.]

“Then… how?! That makes no sense.”

I rolled my eyes. [You know what? Forget it. Do you by any chance know which way is the Ancient Ironbark Timberland?]

“Uh, yeah, it’s there, to the east…” He pointed.

[Thanks.]

“But you still didn’t tell me how you did that.”

[Did what?]

“Block my punch!”

[Oh… Figure it out on your own, alright? Next time we meet I expect some improvements.]

“Wait, you are leaving? You can’t just go like that, I need answers!”

[Yeah, well…] I transformed again and skittered up the wall. [I’m kind of late. See ya!] I waved and disappeared over the cliff.

“Hey! Wait! Don’t go!” I heard him shout, but I was already gone. I was not about to waste time explaining to some hundred-year-old guy that Cultivation levels weren’t everything. Common sense told you that they were because that was the entire point of Cultivation, but that notion was already broken by beasts and monsters. Why couldn’t humans do the same?

My guess was that it was extremely rare for humans to skip Layers like that. Well, tough shit. They would have to get used to it because I was here to stay! I ran ever faster and soon noticed the forest was thinning.

Another half an hour later I left behind the final trees and a large grassland opened before my eyes. It was like the old prairies of my old world with tall grasses and wild flowers everywhere. I could finally stretch my limbs and speed up for real.

I was galloping on all fours, with my red scaly tail flicking side to side like a scyte. I was gaining speed quickly, and with nothing to block my path, I flew like a rocket over the grassland. Small animals and herds of herbivorous beasts disappeared from my view in mere seconds as I was swallowing the distance between my feet. I ran over hills and through small valleys, over tiny streams and larger rivers.

Nothing could stop me.

And then in the distance, I saw a shadow. Towering trees that covered the sky hundreds of meters high. From a sunny meadow, into a gloomy forest. I slowed down to a crawl and straightened my back. I could recognize those colossal trees everywhere. The ancient Ironbarks.

I had made it.

[Now…] I murmured. [I just need to find my Sect.]