"A map, Master!” The young man was practically bouncing with excitement. “I think it might lead to a hidden treasure!"

Kai raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued but his suspicion immediately aroused. A conveniently discovered treasure map? Handed over willingly by someone whose loyalty is forced? This screams 'trap'.

"Let me see it," Kai said, keeping his voice neutral.

Liu Wei handed over a worn piece of parchment. As Kai unfolded it, his eyes widened. The map was intricately detailed, showing a vast expanse of forest with various landmarks and paths marked.

"This is the Whispering Woods," Liu Wei explained, his finger tracing a winding path through the trees. "It’s rumoured to house beasts above the Qi Refining Realm.”

Kai studied the map carefully, noting the various symbols and notations scattered across it. There were markings for dangerous areas, potential water sources, and what looked like ruins or abandoned structures.

"It won't be an easy journey," Liu Wei continued. "The forest itself is said to be alive, constantly shifting and changing."

Once Kai finished studying the map, he noticed his own map function updating, a new location appearing as a glowing marker. At the same time, a quest notification popped up:

New Quest: The Bandits' Hidden Hoard

Description: Follow the map to uncover a secret treasure vault hidden in the woods.

Reward: Unknown

Would you like to accept this quest?

Kai's mind raced, weighing the potential risks and rewards. On one hand, this could be a huge payoff. On the other, it's almost certainly a trap of some kind. But then again, what's an RPG without a good dungeon crawl? Accept!

He looked up at Liu Wei, who was watching him expectantly. "Where did you find this, exactly?"

Liu Wei's enthusiasm dimmed slightly under Kai's scrutiny. "It was hidden in a false bottom of one of the chests, Master. I... I remembered seeing the boss consulting it sometimes, but he always kept it secret from the rest of us."

Kai nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing. "And you're just handing it over to me? Just like that?"

Liu Wei's face fell, and he dropped to his knees. "Master, I swore my loyalty to you! I would never betray you. I thought... I thought you'd be pleased..."

Kai studied the young man's face, looking for any signs of deception. His Deception skill was high enough that he was pretty good at spotting lies, but Liu Wei seemed genuinely distraught.

Either he's telling the truth, or he's an even better actor than I am.

After a moment, Kai softened his expression. "Stand up, Liu Wei. I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm just being cautious. In this world, things that seem too good to be true usually are."

Liu Wei stood, relief evident on his face. "Of course, Master. Being cautious is good. I just... I want to prove my worth to you."

Kai nodded, allowing a small smile. "And you have. This could be very valuable information. Good work."

Liu Wei beamed at the praise, and Kai felt a twinge of guilt. I should probably work on increasing his Loyalty stat. Having a devoted follower could be incredibly useful.

"So," Liu Wei asked eagerly, "shall we go after the treasure, Master?"

Kai folded the map carefully, tucking it away in his inventory. "Not just yet. We need to finish up here first, and then head back to the village. We'll need to prepare properly before we tackle something like this."

Liu Wei nodded, looking slightly disappointed but not arguing.

As they resumed their looting of the bandit camp, Kai's mind was already racing with plans. A hidden dungeon, new skills to level up, and a follower to train. Things are finally starting to get interesting in this world.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

He glanced at Liu Wei, who was happily sorting through a pile of stolen jewelry. I'll need to be careful, though. I can't afford to let my guard down, even for a moment. In a world like this, trust is a luxury I can't afford.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the ruined camp, Kai and Liu Wei finished their scavenging. They had gathered an impressive haul of spirit stones, cultivation resources, and valuable trinkets.

"I think that's everything of value," Kai said, surveying the picked-over camp. "We should head back to the village before it gets dark."

Liu Wei nodded, shouldering a heavy sack. "Yes, Master. Though... are you sure we shouldn't at least start towards the treasure map location?"

Kai shook his head firmly. "No, like I said before, we need to prepare first. Besides, I have some business to take care of in the village."

***

The walk back to the village was quiet, both Kai and Liu Wei lost in their own thoughts. Kai periodically checked his map function, ensuring they steered clear of any dangerous areas. The massive red dot that he suspected represented a Foundation Establishment beast still loomed ominously at the edge of his vision.

I wonder what kind of creature it is, Kai mused. In games, high-level bosses usually guard equally high-level loot. But taking on something like that now would be suicide.

He glanced at Liu Wei, who was nervously scanning the forest as they walked. The young man's earlier confusion about the lack of beast encounters seemed to have been forgotten in light of their discoveries at the bandit camp.

"Liu Wei," Kai said, breaking the silence. "You mentioned earlier that the bandits often encountered spiritual beasts in these woods. What kind of creatures are we talking about?"

Liu Wei's eyes widened slightly, as if surprised by the question. "Oh, um, all sorts, Master Kai. Mostly lower-level beasts - shadow wolves, thornback boars, that kind of thing. But occasionally we'd run into something more dangerous."

"And how did the bandits deal with these creatures?" Kai pressed.

Liu Wei shrugged. "Depends on the beast. The weaker ones, we'd hunt for food or materials. The stronger ones... well, we usually tried to avoid those. Unless the leader thought there was something valuable to gain."

Smart. Risk versus reward. Basic gaming logic.

As they continued walking, Kai's mind turned to the newly acquired skills burning a hole in his pocket. He was itching to try them out, to see how they worked in this world.

I need to find some time alone to practice, he thought. Can't let Liu Wei see me fumbling around with new abilities, that would just be embarrassing.

Just then, Liu Wei stumbled on a root, nearly falling face-first into the dirt. Kai instinctively reached out to steady him, his hand closing around the young man's arm.

To Kai's surprise, a small window popped up:

Liu Wei

Loyalty: 55/100 (+5)

Mood: Grateful

Interesting, Kai thought as he helped Liu Wei regain his balance. So his loyalty can increase through such a simple action…good to know.

"Thank you, Master Kai," Liu Wei said, his cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment.

Kai waved it off. "Don't mention it. We need to look out for each other out here."

As they neared the village, Kai's thoughts turned to the quest notification he'd received. The promise of unknown rewards was tantalizing, but the potential dangers couldn't be ignored.

I need more information before I commit to anything, he decided. Maybe there's someone in the village who knows about this 'Dragon's Hoard' place.

The sun was beginning to set as they finally reached the outskirts of the village. The familiar sights and sounds of Misty Waterfall Village were a welcome change from the eerie quiet of the forest.

"Liu Wei," Kai said as they approached the village gate, "I want you to go get some rest. You've done well today. We'll talk more tomorrow about our next steps."

The young man nodded eagerly. "Yes, Master Kai. Thank you for giving me this chance."

As Liu Wei scurried off, Kai let out a long breath. Now, time to process everything that's happened and figure out my next move.

He made his way to the small hut he'd been given, nodding politely to the villagers he passed. Once inside, Kai collapsed onto his bed, the events of the day finally catching up to him.

What a day, he thought, staring up at the thatched roof. New skills, a mysterious map, a follower with questionable loyalty... it's like the tutorial is over, and the real game is just beginning.

Kai closed his eyes, focusing on his internal qi. He could feel it flowing through his body, a comforting warmth that pulsed with potential. With a thought, he pulled up his status window:

Name: Kai Thorn

XP: 0/500

Level: 5

Qi: 100/100

Strength: 31

Agility: 33

Durability: 32

Intelligence: 23

Wisdom: 20

Skills:

Qi Condensation (Level 2)

Basic Cultivation Technique (Level 3)

Unarmed Combat (Level 2)

Deception (Level 3)

Iron Skin (Level 1)

Swift Wind Step (Level 1)

Flame Palm Strike (Level 1)

Kai couldn't help but smile as he looked at his new skills. Not bad for a day's work. But I've got a long way to go if I want to survive in this world.

Kai yawned widely, feeling the weight of the day settle into his muscles. He stretched, wincing slightly at the soreness.

I should probably get some rest, he thought, glancing out the window at the night sky. It's been a long day, and there's still so much to do tomorrow.