Kai blinked, adjusting to the new environment. As expected, dark, ominous clouds swirled overhead, occasionally lighting up his surroundings with flashes of lightning.
He looked around and realised that he stood on a wide plateau, dotted with jagged rocks and sparse vegetation. In the distance, he could see mountain peaks shrouded in mist, and he could hear the occasional rumble of thunder.
"Alright, let's see what we're dealing with here."
Instinctively, Kai focused on the translucent screen showing his current location and the surrounding area. He scanned it carefully, looking for any signs of danger.
Can't be too careful. Even if they say it's just Qi Refining beasts here, you never know. Wouldn’t surprise me if one of those Peak Qi Refining beasts broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm…
The map showed several clusters of energy signatures scattered throughout the realm. Most were relatively weak, likely lower-level beasts. But as Kai's gaze moved towards the center of the map, he noticed stronger concentrations of energy.
Hmm, the sizes of the red dots are difficult to determine from this distance, I can’t tell if these beasts have entered the Foundation Establishment or are a half step away. Guess I’ll steer clear of those for now.
Kai took another look at his immediate surroundings. The outer ring of the realm seemed relatively safe, with only a few weak energy signatures nearby.
Perfect. This should be a good spot to work on my skills.
Kai closed the map and focused on his goal. He wanted to improve two particular skills: Qi Concealment and Qi Detection. Both were crucial for survival in this world, especially if the map began to lose its usefulness.
Kai took a deep breath and began to suppress his qi. It was a strange sensation, like trying to hold your breath underwater. He could feel his energy signature dimming, becoming less noticeable to the world around him.
At the same time, he extended his senses, trying to detect the qi of nearby creatures. It was like straining to hear a whisper in a noisy room. He could sense faint echoes of energy, but nothing concrete.
It’s been a while since I’ve done this, this might take some practice.
Kai realized that to truly improve these skills, he'd need to turn off his map function. The thought made him uneasy. Since unlocking the feature, he'd come to rely on it heavily. It provided a sense of security, even if it couldn't detect the most powerful beings.
Not like immortal rank cultivators would be waiting to ambush small fry like me in this place.
With a mental command, Kai deactivated his map. The world suddenly felt larger, more uncertain. He took another deep breath, steeling himself.
Okay. I can do this. I just have to stay in the outer region, work on my skills. Once I level up one of the skills, I’ll automatically breakthrough to the 9th stage of Qi Refining. Then I can worry about working on my battle prowess.
With his plan set, Kai began to move. He picked his way carefully across the rocky terrain, senses alert for any sign of danger. Without the map to rely on, the constant rumble of thunder in the distance kept him on edge, each flash of lightning making him flinch.
As he walked, Kai continued to practice his Qi Concealment. He imagined his energy signature shrinking, becoming as small and unnoticeable as possible. It was hard work, requiring constant concentration.
At the same time, he strained his Qi Detection, trying to sense any nearby presences. Without his map, he felt blind. But slowly, very slowly, he began to pick up faint traces of energy.
There... I think I sensed something.
Kai paused, focusing on the faint flicker of qi he'd detected. It was weak, probably a low-level beast. He changed course, moving towards it cautiously.
As he drew closer, the energy signature became clearer. Kai could almost picture the creature in his mind - small, quick, with a hint of electrical energy. Probably one of those Thunder Birds the receptionist had mentioned.
Perfect for practice.
Kai crouched behind a large boulder, peering out at the area where he sensed the creature. For a long moment, he saw nothing. Then, a flash of movement caught his eye.
A small, bird-like creature hopped into view. It was about the size of a crow, with blue feathers. Sparks danced along its wings as it pecked at the ground, searching for food.
Kai watched it intently, focusing on maintaining his Qi Concealment while sharpening his Qi Detection. He could sense the bird's energy more clearly now, a constant buzz of electrical qi.
Okay, this is good practice. Just stay hidden and—
Suddenly, the bird's head snapped up. It looked directly at Kai's hiding spot, eyes glowing with an eerie blue light.
Shit.
Before Kai could react, the bird let out a piercing screech. Electricity arced from its body, striking the ground around it. In a flash, it launched itself into the air and opened its mouth, shooting a lightning bolt through the air towards Kai’s head.
He immediately scrambled backwards, narrowly avoiding the attack, the lightning bolt struck where he'd been crouching. The Thunder Bird wheeled overhead, screeching in anger.
"So much for staying hidden," Kai muttered, pulling himself to his feet.
He raised his hand, channeling fire qi into his palm. A ball of fire formed, he planned to use Swift Wind Step to appear behind the bird and kill it in one blow using Flame Palm Strike.
Killing the 6th Stage Qi Refining beast would not be enough for a breakthrough, likely only earning him 25 or so credits, but the last thing he needed was for it to call for backup. A flying 9th Stage Qi Refining beast was not something he was confident in defeating, especially if outnumbered.
However, before he could make his move, the creature let out another screech and flew off, disappearing into the storm clouds.
Well, that could have gone better.
Kai sighed as he lowered his hand, letting the fireball dissipate.
He dusted himself off, looking around to make sure no other creatures had been drawn by the commotion. The area seemed clear, for now.
I need to get out of here quickly before backup arrives...
Kai set off again, moving deeper into the realm but still staying within the relative safety of the outer ring. He found a small ravine, sheltered on both sides by high rock walls. It seemed like a good spot to continue his practice.
Settling into a comfortable position, Kai once again began to suppress his qi. This time, he focused on making his energy signature match the background energy of the realm. It was like trying to camouflage himself, blending in with the constant electrical buzz in the air.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
As he worked on his Qi Concealment, Kai also extended his senses. He pictured his Qi Detection as a sort of radar, sweeping out in all directions. Faint blips of energy appeared on his mental map, growing clearer as he concentrated.
Time passed, though Kai wasn't sure how much. The constant storm made it impossible to gauge the time of day. He practiced tirelessly, alternating between hiding his presence and sensing others.
But despite his efforts, his skills didn't seem to be improving. No matter how hard he concentrated, his Qi Concealment and Qi Detection remained stubbornly at Level 1.
I should have leveled up by now, Kai sighed as he stood up. He'd been sitting in one position for too long, lost in his concentration. As he moved, he noticed a faint ache in his body, a sign that his qi was depleted from constant use.
Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. Perhaps I should use the skills during battle, it usually helps with the offensive skills, maybe it’ll help with detection and concealment?
With that thought in mind, Kai decided to venture a bit deeper into the realm. He climbed out of the ravine, scanning the area for any signs of life.
In the distance, he spotted movement. Something large was prowling among the rocks, its form obscured by the constant flashes of lightning. Kai narrowed his eyes, focusing his Qi Detection on the creature.
Whoa. That's... that's a strong one.
The beast's energy signature was powerful, easily matching Kai's own. It was clearly a Qi Refining Stage 8 creature, just like him.
Perfect. If I can take this one down, even if the skills don’t level up during battle, I'll get enough XP to break through to Stage 9 regardless. I guess I can always focus on the skills later.
Kai crouched low, slowly making his way towards the creature. As he drew closer, he could make out more details. The beast was wolf-like in shape, but much larger than any normal wolf. As expected of a wolf with a bias towards the lightning element, its fur was a dark blue colour.
A Storm Wolf. Just like the receptionist mentioned.
If I can get behind it, use Swift Wind Step for a surprise attack...
He began to circle around, keeping low and using the rocky terrain for cover. The Storm Wolf seemed unaware of his presence, focused on something in the distance.
Kai was just about to make his move when suddenly, his system pinged with a notification. His eyes widened as he read the message:
Skill Leveled Up: Qi Concealment (Level 2)
Skill Leveled Up: Qi Detection (Level 2)
You have gained 200 XP
Oh no, bad timing.
Before Kai could process what was happening, he felt a surge of energy within him. His qi swelled, pushing against the limits of his current stage. In an instant, he knew what was coming.
The breakthrough to Qi Refining Stage 9 hit him like a thunderbolt. Kai gasped as he felt the rush of qi flowing down to the soles of his feet. The meridians there, previously closed, burst open under the pressure.
Level Up!
You are now Level 9!
Name: Kai Thorn
XP: 100/8000
Level: 9
Qi: 500/500
Strength: 75
Agility: 77
Durability: 79
Intelligence: 32
Wisdom: 30
Titles:
* Novice Instructor
* Once in a Hundred years Talent
* Legacy Disciple
* Alchemy Prodigy
* Novice Alchemist
Elemental Affinities:
* Lightning: 35%
* Chaos: 10%
Skills:
Qi Condensation (Level 4)
Basic Cultivation Technique (Level 3)
Unarmed Combat (Level 2)
Deception (Level 4)
Iron Skin (Level 3)
Swift Wind Step (Level 4)
Flame Palm Strike (Level 3)
Mental Fortitude (Passive)
Spirit Beast Communication (Level 1)
Qi Concealment (Level 2)
Qi Detection (Level 2)
Iron Rebound (Level 1)
Rock Hard (Level 1)
Lightning Step (Level 1)
Static Charge (Level 1)
Crown of Lightning (Level 5) (Passive)
Sky's Favor (Level 5) (Passive)
Storm Eye (Level 1)
Thunder Voice (Level 1)
Heart of Thunder (Level 1)
Essence Extraction (Level 4)
Elemental Fusion (Level 4)
Qi Infusion (Level 4)
Stability Control (Level 4)
Spiritual Resonance (Level 5)
Elemental Resistance:
· Lightning (Level 6) (Passive)
The breakthrough had been exhilarating, powerful... and incredibly noticeable.
Grrrrrrrr
The Storm Wolf's head snapped around, its glowing eyes locking onto him. The beast's lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing razor-sharp teeth. The wolf tilted its head towards the sky and let out a roar that split the air and shook the ground beneath them.
Kai remained still, quickly assessing his situation.
In some cases, a cultivator would fight immediately after a breakthrough, relying on their increased raw power even if it wasn't fully controlled, however, that led to a higher chance of qi deviation.
Not the best time for a breakthrough, but I can work with this.
A breakthrough using the system allowed Kai to adapt more rapidly. The surge of qi through his meridians was intense, but manageable.
As the echoes faded, the wolf slowly lowered its head, its eyes locking onto Kai’s own.
For a moment, neither man nor beast moved, locked in a tense standoff.
Wolves are pack animals, Kai thought, eyes narrowing. So, where's the rest of its pack?
As if in answer to his thoughts, he heard more howls in the distance. Kai's eyes widened, his head turning slightly towards the sound while keeping the Storm Wolf in his peripheral vision. The Storm Wolf's pack was coming.
Finally, Kai felt his qi settle within him. A grim smile spread across his face as he moved into a fighting stance.
I’ll have to finish this one before the others arrive.