Kai vanished in a blur, activating Swift Wind Step to appear behind the Storm Wolf. But when he materialized, his eyes widened in surprise. The wolf was gone, leaving only a fading trail of electricity.

Damn, it's faster than I thought.

He scanned the area, muscles tense. A flash of blue caught his eye as the wolf reappeared several meters away.

It's not attacking. Why?

The wolf's eyes met his, and Kai saw intelligence there. It wasn't just a beast - it was a cunning opponent.

It's stalling. Waiting for backup. If the pack didn’t have anyone that could challenge me, then it wouldn’t be waiting which means there must be a Stage 9 in its pack. Maybe more.

Kai knew he had to act fast. He couldn't let the wolf's reinforcements arrive. Opening his mouth, he activated Thunder Voice.

The roar that erupted from his throat was deafening. It shook the air, sending shockwaves rippling through the rocky terrain. The retreating wolf, caught mid-leap in another lightning jump, stumbled. Its body flickered into view as it yelped in pain and surprise.

Got you.

Not wasting a second, Kai activated Lightning Step. He became a living bolt of electricity, streaking across the ground towards the disoriented wolf.

The beast, recovering quickly, snarled. Its eyes flashed with anger and... was that fear? It opened its maw.

Oh crap.

The wolf launched the attack, a sphere of pure lightning hurtling towards Kai. There was no time to dodge. In that split second, Kai's Iron Skin skill activated, hardening his body against the incoming blow.

The lightning ball slammed into him. Pain exploded across his chest, but it was duller than he expected. His lightning resistance had kicked in, nullifying almost a third of the attack's power.

Thank goodness for that 30% resistance.

Gritting his teeth, Kai pushed through the pain. The wolf's eyes widened as Kai emerged from the dissipating energy, palm blazing with fire.

"Surprise," Kai growled.

The Flame Palm Strike connected against the wolf’s neck with a satisfying thud. The wolf let out a pitiful whimper, its body convulsing as fire and lightning danced across its fur. Then it went still, eyes glazing over.

You have gained 50 XP!

Not bad for a quick fight.

Kai sighed, looking down at the smoking corpse. "Sorry, buddy. Nothing personal."

He reached out, focusing his qi. The wolf's body shimmered and disappeared into his inventory space.

Might be useful for crafting later.

Just as the last wisps of smoke cleared, a chorus of howls split the air. Kai's head snapped up, eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon.

One, two, three... twelve? Oh, come on!

But it wasn't just the number that made his stomach drop, it was their cultivation realms. Most were at Qi Refining stages 7 and 8, formidable opponents in their own right. But what made him grimace were the larger wolves at the front.

Stage 9. And three of them. Perfect.

Kai began to slowly back away as the wolves fanned out, circling him. Their movements were fluid, coordinated. These weren't just beasts - they were a well-oiled hunting machine.

The largest wolf, its fur as black as night, stepped forward. Its eyes, glowing with an eerie blue light, locked onto Kai. It let out a low, rumbling growl that seemed to vibrate through the ground.

I don't need Spirit Beast Communication to know what that means. 'Give back our packmate, or else.'

Kai's mind raced. He'd wanted to battle a Stage 9 beast for the experience, sure. But three at once, plus their underlings? That was suicide.

Sometimes, the best strategy is a tactical retreat.

"Sorry, boys," Kai said, forcing a grin. "Finders keepers."

The black wolf's snarl deepened, lips pulling back to reveal razor-sharp teeth. The circle of wolves began to tighten.

Time to go.

Kai took a deep breath, centering himself. He focused on his core meridian, feeling the energy building there. With a shout, he activated Heart of Thunder.

The effect was immediate and spectacular. A massive shockwave erupted from Kai's chest, a visible ripple of thunderous energy that expanded outward in all directions. The closest wolves yelped in pain and surprise, their advance halted as they were pushed back by the force.

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Not wasting a second, Kai channeled his qi. His body crackled with electricity, and in a flash, he transformed into a bolt of lightning.

He shot upward, faster than any of the wolves could react. As he ascended, platforms of solidified qi materialized beneath him, providing stepping stones for his lightning form to jump between.

Up, up, and away!

Kai bounded from platform to platform, each one dissipating behind him as soon as he left it. He could hear the frustrated howls of the wolf pack below, growing fainter as he put distance between them.

He was careful not to ascend too high - the last thing he needed was to attract the attention of any flying beasts that might be lurking in the storm clouds above. Instead, he kept to a middle altitude, racing across the landscape in a series of lightning jumps.

Lightning travel is awesome. I need to do this more often.

As he fled, Kai couldn't help but feel a mix of exhilaration and disappointment. On one hand, he'd survived an encounter with a formidable pack of Storm Wolves. On the other...

I really wanted to test myself against those Stage 9 beasts.

***

An hour later, Kai found himself huddled in a small cave, catching his breath. The relentless pursuit of the wolf pack had driven him deep into the inner region of Storm's Peak before they finally gave up the chase.

Wolves are persistent. Very persistent.

He leaned against the rough cave wall, fishing the teleportation token out of his inventory. The small token felt heavy in his hand, a tempting escape route.

I could leave right now. I've already broken through to Stage 9. Mission accomplished, right?

But something held him back. A nagging feeling, a mix of ambition and caution.

If Shen Yu's warning was right, I might need more than just raw power. I need experience. Real combat experience.

Kai turned the token over in his hand, remembering the intense battle with the Storm Wolf. The rush of adrenaline, the split-second decisions, the satisfaction of overcoming a worthy opponent.

When will I get another chance like this? In the sect, everything is controlled, and there’s no action. But here, it's raw, unpredictable.

With a sigh, he tucked the token back into his inventory.

Besides, he thought, glancing at the trident mark on his wrist, I've got a backup plan if things go really south.

Still, caution was the better part of valor. Kai closed his eyes, concentrating. A moment later, a glowing, electric-blue eye materialized in front of him - his Storm Eye skill.

"Alright, little spy," Kai muttered. "Let's see what's out there."

The eye zipped out of the cave, and suddenly Kai's vision split. Through the eye, he could see the rocky landscape outside, illuminated by frequent flashes of lightning. The terrain was rougher here in the inner region, with more jagged peaks and deeper ravines.

To double-check, Kai pulled up his map. The area around his position was clear of any hostile signals.

Good. Some breathing room at last.

A smile spread across Kai's face as an idea formed.

You know what? Before I jump back into the fray, maybe it's time to learn a new trick.

He reached into his inventory, pulling out a simple sword. It was a basic model, standard issue for sect disciples. Nothing fancy, but it would do for now.

One day, I'll craft my own. But for now...let's see if I can't add 'flying' to my resume.

A few seconds later, Kai stood at the mouth of the cave, sword in hand, staring out at the stormy sky.

Okay, I’ve seen other disciples do this. How hard can it be?

He took a deep breath, channeling his qi into the sword. The blade hummed faintly, responding to his energy.

"Right," he muttered. "Step one: Don't fall and die."

Kai placed the sword horizontally in front of him, then gingerly stepped onto the blade. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the sword began to rise, wobbling slightly under his feet.

Holy crap, it's working!

His excitement was short-lived. The sword suddenly tilted, and Kai found himself flailing his arms wildly to keep balance.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

He managed to right himself, but not before nearly faceplanting onto the rocky ground. The sword hovered about a foot off the ground, vibrating slightly.

Okay, maybe this is harder than it looks.

Kai took another deep breath, focusing on his qi flow. He imagined it as a steady stream, flowing from his core, down his legs, and into the sword.

Slowly, steadily, the sword began to rise higher. Kai's legs trembled with the effort of maintaining balance, but he kept his concentration.

Up, up, up. That's it. Nice and easy.

He was about ten feet off the ground when a gust of wind caught him off guard. The sword tilted sharply, and this time Kai couldn't recover. With a yelp, he tumbled off, hitting the ground with a thud.

"Ow," he groaned, sitting up and rubbing his backside. The sword clattered to the ground beside him.

Well, that was graceful.

But Kai wasn't one to give up easily. He stood, dusting himself off, and picked up the sword again.

"Round two.”

Over the next hour, Kai practiced relentlessly. He fell more times than he could count, each tumble adding new bruises to his collection. But with each attempt, he stayed airborne a little longer, moved a little more smoothly.

It's all about the qi control, he realized. Like balancing on a tightrope, but the rope is your own energy.

Finally, after what felt like the hundredth try, something clicked. Kai found himself gliding smoothly through the air, the sword stable beneath his feet. He weaved between rocky outcroppings, even managing a tentative turn.

A wide grin spread across his face. "Now we're talking!"

He waited for the familiar ping of his system, anticipating a new skill notification. But nothing came. Kai sighed, a bit disappointed.

Guess the system doesn't count this as a separate skill. Probably just considers it part of overall qi manipulation.

Despite the lack of a new skill entry, Kai felt proud of his achievement. Feeling bold, he decided to push his limits. He angled the sword upward, ascending higher into the sky. The wind whipped around him, but this time he was ready for it, adjusting his stance to maintain balance.

As he rose above the peaks, the full scale of Storm's Peak revealed itself. Lightning arced between clouds, illuminating the vast, treacherous landscape below. Despite the danger, Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

This is incredible. No wonder cultivators love flying so much.

He was so caught up in the moment that he almost missed the dark shape emerging from a nearby cloud. Almost.

Kai's eyes widened as he recognized the form of a massive bird, easily three times his size. Its feathers crackled with electricity, and its eyes glowed with an intelligence that sent a chill down his spine.

Oh, right. Flying beasts. How could I forget?

Thunder Bird

Level: Qi Refining Stage 9

HP: 898/900

Qi: 400/500

Strength: 70

Agility: 85

Durability: 72

The thunder bird let out a screech that seemed to shake the air. Kai winced, his ears ringing.

"Okay, big guy," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Let's not do anything hasty."

In response, the bird opened its beak. A ball of lightning qi began to form.