“Brother Shui Han, forgive my ignorance, but… why are we in this backwater again? I know that the Sect mission is an elimination request but isn’t this below you?” A young man dressed in dark blue robes couldn’t help but ask. He was young, perhaps too young for his own good, with dark black hair and a straight-sword at his waist.

Shui Han sighed, not even bothering to look over at the junior disciple in question. Why he was charged with bringing along these fools was beyond him. He stared ahead, pushing his light blue hair out of his dark eyes, barely able to make-out the town in the distance. Beside it, the Blue River flowed, its expanse wide enough that even he, a peak Qi-Gathering cultivator, couldn’t see its distant banks.

It was more of a small flowing sea if anything. The sun high-above reflected glamorous rays off of its, truly, blue waters. The river of course, ran south through the Sect, but that was a mere branch of a tree large and long enough to encompass most of the Lotus Plateau.

It served as a neat border between the Azure Lotus Sect and those barbaric brutes further east.

The Jade Horde Sect.

Regardless, Shui Han wasn’t here to waste his time staring at the river’s waters, nor was he here to spar with the Jade Horde Sect.

“You remember Ku Lu?” He asked, though it was more of a statement than a question. The disciples nodded, the name familiar, another rising star in the sect.

“Junior Ku Lu failed to eliminate a known bandit encampment north of here.” Shui Han explained.

The two disciples beside him only stared at him, their faces devoid of any semblance of intelligent thought.

Shui Han sighed, again. He felt the pommel of his twin swords swirl against his palms as he thought.

Should I just kill them? I could easily get away with it.

But he only shook his head, smiling a little. It would be too annoying, and getting blood on his robes would be such a shame. Especially since he was about to enter Blue River Town.

I’m too kind. Truly, too kind.

The two disciples beside him could only share a worried look as Shui Han went quiet. Not daring to ask again, despite not fully understanding his explanation. Just seeing Shui Han smile was enough to send a shiver down their backs. As Shui Han was infamous in the Sect for smiling…

…but only when he killed.

—

A small distance from Forests Edge, near the banks of a lake, just a few steps shy of its softy lapping waters…

Fang lay unconscious.

His body, however, was quite alive. More than it’s ever been. His eyes fluttered uncontrollably — hints of an unknown energy swimming just beneath his dark, muddy irises.

Fang’s vitality surged through his veins. The usually blue and purple bloody highways had begun to carry wisps of gold through them. As if he’d been injected with some kind of radio-active marker. His veins swelled to the beat of his heart, throbbing across his skin with slow, rhythmic pulses.

“HUUU!”

Fang’s eyes snapped open. Unbeknownst to him, they glowed gold.

A nightmare…

He’d been stuck in a terrible dream.

An infinite loop of his death.

His killers face, the snarl of a grin loomed above him the entire time.

Fang was helpless. Little more than a cognizant corpse.

He could only watched as he was stabbed in the chest, over and over and over and over AND OVER AND OVER AND—

—FUCK!

Fang’s fist slammed down beside him. The pent up rage exploding out in a cone of devastation. The earth cracked, a splinter running through the dirt crawling up a nearby pine causing the tree’s bark to explode off of its trunk in a flurry of destruction.

Fang stared wordlessly at his hand, and subsequently at the crater that extended out from beneath his knuckles.

That… that was new.

No technique, no wind up, no nothing. Raw, unadulterated power had exploded out from his hand.

Suddenly, a flash of gold and jade light appeared above him. His eyes snapped over to the System as the familiar scroll unfurled itself.

Fang :

[Cultivation]

- *Aura-Burning Art I (Initiation)

[Technique]

- *Stormquaking Strides I (Great Success)

- *Viscera Rupturing Strikes I (Initiation)

[Bloodline]

- Mortal Human

Aura… Burning?

Fang felt a small ember settled deep in his chest. There was a single mote of fire, pure gold in luster, simmering inside him. With each passing breath the fire siphoned into his muscles, like small shots of pure adrenaline.

Though the energy was foreign to him, he knew what it was.

A drop of life-essence. The energy of life.

Every living thing had life-essence, as it was the base requirement for being alive. Just by virtue of living, a person would burn through their life-essence. Every action, whether big or small used some modicum of it — until death.

Old age, a disease, or a simple sword to the throat reduced one’s life-essence. It was the intangible lasso that bound the soul to the body.

The combination of the Mortal Forging Sutra and Enduring Breath Scripture had unlocked Fang’s awareness, and subsequent ability to tap into his life-essence, burning it in exchange for strength.

However, those two factors alone would result in a short death, because life-essence was incredibly hard to increase. For Mortals, there were only few ways they could prolong their longevity: Pills, natural treasures, perhaps even techniques like the Enduring Breath Scripture.

But those were mere drops in an ever-leaking bucket.

Immortal Cultivators were called such because breaking into a new stage would subsequently increase a cultivators life-essence. Thusly prolonging their lives.

Just breaking into Qi-Gathering alone added on average, fifty years to one’s life-span. With each stage further along following a geometric progression of added life-span, by the time a cultivator broke into Core Formation, they’d theoretically be able to live up to 650 years old.

Fang wasn’t a cultivator. He hadn’t broke into a new stage, nor had he ingested a pill or natural treasure.

Was he accelerating his death? Trading life-span for power?

No.

The system, in all of its blessed glory had fused his two techniques into something greater than he could’ve ever imagined.

He could cultivate life-essence, forming the aggregated energy into small distilled drops of Aura.

Fang had no clue how long it would take to form a single drop, yet the fact alone meant the world to him.

He had forged a completely new path of power.

Fang laid on his back, feeling the drop of golden Aura burn into his body, the power suffusing into his muscles and tendons. He couldn’t help but grin, just feeling the strength coursing through him was nearly enough to make him shout out in joy.

Fang grabbed the floor behind his head before flipping to his feet with graceful ease. For a moment, he eyed the nearby pine trees. His hands itching to taste the power beneath his black finger-tips.

Sigh… I’ve fucked up enough trees around here, I need something that’ll hit back. He thought with a sigh.

He turned to take in the lake one final time, its serene waters reflecting the purple that brushed across the sky as the sun fell behind the pines.

A fly zipped across the lakes surface, until suddenly, a golden carp broke out of the waters, snatching the bug from its flight before splashing back into the lake with a ripple.

Fang grinned.

This would be a nice place to grow old and die.

He turned, his calf straining as his ankles dug his toes into the earth below.

DHUUUM!

He disappeared in a blur, a pillar of dirt rupturing into the air behind him.

His speed had easily doubled. Each stride of his Stormquaking Steps propelled him sixty. The air roared as he ran through the forest. His hair whipping behind him wildly, like a mane of shadows. His clothes, barely able to cling to his body.

His eyes and mind just barely able to keep up with the newfound speed.

After just ten minutes of running, just shy of the village border. Fang felt the drop of Aura begin to peter out. He was forced to slow down as his muscles began to scream at him, a wave of pain shooting up his thighs with each passing step.

Even after slowing down, he felt the world press down on him. His legs throbbed, as a small headache began to build at the back of his mind.

It seems theres always a price…

Fang slowed himself even further, needing to drop down to 80% of his max speed until his legs stopped screaming at him.

He arrived back home until near dark, just barely in time for dinner.

The warmth of the orphanage was like a breath of fresh air as he entered. A small chorus of excited children shouting at him as he walked in.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Granny Gian smiled warmly at Fang as he entered, a hint of surprise in her eyes as she saw his cleaner than usual state.

“Did you take a bath, Fang? Are you okay?” She asked jokingly.

Fang rolled his eyes, smiling.

“Yes Granny, just a small dip in a nearby lake.” He explained as he helped himself to a small bowl of stew.

Granny Gian raised a questioning brow at him. “But there aren’t any nearby lakes, dear.”

Fang coughed, giving her a weak smile. “Nearby for me Granny, a small lake to the west… I’m, uh, very fast…”

“Yes, yes, I believe you. Don’t worry dear, just curious.” Granny said with a soft laugh.

The kids were quick to barrage him with questions, like how big the lake was, or how fast he was.

He was tempted to tell them how fast he really was. But he couldn’t exactly say, I’m fast as fuck, boys.

“Faster than a horse.” He settled with.

“A HORSE!” They exclaimed in disbelief.

“Thats like… SO FAST!”

“I don’t believe it!”

“Show us Elder brother!”

“A HORSE?!”

The barraged him with questions and requests as he ate his stew. A smile on his lips as he did.

“Sure!” He said with a mischievous grin. “I’ll show you all tomorrow.”

The kids yelped in excitement. “Thank you Elder Brother!”

“You’re the best!”

“First the meat, now a horse!?”

Granny Gian smiled softly as she watched all the children crowd around Fang.

“Now, now. There will be no demonstrations tomorrow if you all don’t finish your food! I swear, you’re all trying to work me to the bone, tsk!”

The children’s eyes went wide in fear, before they all scrambled back to their bowls, slurping down the stew with newfound fervor.

Granny Gian and Fang chuckling as they did.

—

Fangs last day was spent in pure joy. His distinct lack of material possessions meant there was little need to pack. His morning was spent dashing around the Orphanage, providing piggy backs to all the children. Taking them on short yet thrilling bursts of speed around the Orphanage.

They screamed, holding on for dear life as he would suddenly accelerate with small uses of his Stormquaking Steps.

Afterwards, he went around town gathering all the supplies he needed, though most of it was in dried foods and small quantities of vegetables such as bamboo shoots or leafy greens packed into dense bundles. He made sure to stop by old man Ren’s butchery to get some dried Qi-beast meat. The Matriarch had been huge after all, and Kang had worked out a special deal to have the old man preserve as much as the meat as possible, with a small percentage of it put aside for the old man himself.

Fang had decided to leave all of his manuals behind, as he’d already made use of them. Telling Granny Gian that they were available for any children who wanted to work labour and needed a body-refining manual. He also implored her to use the Enduring Breath Scripture, if only its breathing component.

His final stop was the Hunters lodge. He spied Kang out front, swinging his blackened saber in practiced forms.

Fang watched as the man shifted between swings, heavy overhead cuts that flowed into sharp twisting slashes. His entire body moved in tandem with his blade, his hips pushing behind each movement, his toes digging into the soil.

Fang waited for him to finish,

Kang grunted as he completed his combo, wiping a sheen of sweat off face with his arm. He turned to Fang, giving him a large grin.

“Is it time for our Little Bull to spread his wings?”

Fang chuckled.

“This little bull can only try.”

Kang laughed, before stabbing his saber into a nearby stump. He waved Fang to follow him inside. “Come, Winged Bull.”

Fang followed the man inside, staring at the wolf Matriarchs skull as did so, passing under its gaze as he entered.

Kang made to the far end of the room, grabbing a small leather wrapped bundle off a table. He turned, before shoving the item into Fangs hands. He crossed his arms, a small smile on his lips.

“Open it.”

Fang raised his brow.

“What is it?”

Kang shrugged.

Fang rolled his eyes, before opening the bundle.

Within the leather bound package he found a small dagger. It’s blade was bone-white, curved gently inwards, ending in a razor point. Fang ran his finger along the blade’s edge, feeling the sharp cutting edge nearly part his skin. He gripped the dark leather wrapped handle, the hilt just slightly too large for his hand.

Fang smiled, recognizing the daggers blade.

“The matriarchs’ fang?”

Kang grinned, showing his own fangs in the process.

“The one and only! I even made sure to leave room on the hilt, since I know you’re still growing. But…” He looked Fang up and down, raising a single brow at him.

“At this rate it seems I should’ve left even more space. Did you grow? Boy, you’re nearly as tall as my chest now!”

Fang shrugged, looking down at himself. Though he only reached Kang’s chest in height, when considering that he was a behemoth of a man, that was quite a significant accomplishment.

Fang had made strides in his growth recently, still smaller then most of the average men in the village, yet for his age, he could be considered tall.

“I guess, all the beast meat and body refining seems to be paying off.”

Kang slapped his shoulder.

“That it is little bull, that it is. You even feel different, there’s a new air about you I cannot place, have you made another breakthrough?”

Now it was Fang’s turn to grin, bearing his own fangs at the man.

“You could say that…”

Kang laughed.

“Okay, keep your secrets, boy. But your eyes tell a different story.”

“My eyes?”

Kang nodded, glimpsing into his eyes with a squint.

“Yes my boy, maybe most wouldn’t notice, but I do. There’s… a subtle gold deep within.”

Huh… must be a side-effect of attaining Aura.

“I guess I’ve made more gains than I thought…”

Kang waved his hand in the air.

“It’s not unusual, not something to worry about, I’ve met many body refiners with have interesting features. I mean, look at me boy!” He said flexing his biceps.

“My Mountain Bear Manual is a perfect example.”

Fang chuckled. “That much is clear.”

Kang smirked. “Well, I don’t know what you’ve been doing to cause your eyes to turn slightly gold, but it feels strong.” He rubbed face, scratching the sides of his jaw in thought, before his eyes sharpened with mischief.

He turned and sat at the table behind him, before pointing to the stool on the other end of the table.

“Sit, we shall have one final match before you leave.”

Fang could only smile. Before taking a seat and placing his elbow onto the table confidently.

“It won’t be an easy win this time, little bear.”

Kang laughed.

“Big words for a little bull. COME! Show me where you get your confidence from, the looser must drown themselves in wine tonight, or my name isn’t KANG!”

The two of them wrapped their hands around one another, their biceps and forearms tensing in anticipation.

With a grin from both, the match began.

—

It was time.

Fang stepped into the dark of the morning. He had a large leather pack on his shoulders, filled with rations, his bed roll and importantly, the Matriarch horn.

He wore a dark-brown fur coat around his neck and simple brownish shirt and pants, a small leather belt held his clothes together, his newly acquired knife sheathed at his waist. His leather boots, freshly oiled and waxed, hugged his feet, firmly wrapped at the ankles with roughly made cord.

He turned to Granny Gian. Seeing her teary eyes as she stood in the doorway.

“Thank you for everything, Granny. I don’t know when, but I promise to return.”

She wiped a tear from her face, pulling Fang into a deep hug.

“Stay safe my dear, may the heavens bless you in all that do.”

Fang smiled, turning to leave before the hot feeling in his chest bubbled any further.

At the outskirts of town, under the soft glow of lanterns. A small commotion of people were busy packing carts with merchandise, tying down bags and baskets, already weary of the long journey ahead of them.

Those who didn’t own space on the carts made themselves busy cinching down straps on their packs. Making sure nothing hung freely from their bags. The noise of, even small items, clanging in the wind or jangling against one another would quickly earn the eire of others in the caravan.

Fang spied the mysterious peddler standing to the side of all the commotion. She was dressed in her usual dark robes, wearing a large brimmed-hat that draped her face in perpetual shadows. Her pack rested on her shoulders, deceptively small compared to what Fang had witnessed it holding.

Fang approached her giving a curt bow.

“Morning, senior.”

She turned her head to him, her eyes hidden under the veil of shadows.

“Good morning, ready to leave?”

Fang nodded.

“The feeling is bittersweet.”

“Mmm…” She hummed. “This will be your first time leaving?”

“Yeah, and I get the feeling that I won’t return for a long time… alas, a bird must eventually leave its nest.”

“Well, I’m not sure that applies to bulls, hmm…?” She said, stifling a small laugh.

Fang turned to her with a look of incredulity, before rubbing his face of the embarrassment.

“You’ve heard?”

She smirked, or at least Fang thought she did, it was hard to tell through the mask.

“One eventually hears such things, it can be quite boring at times, being a peddler.”

“I see… and you senior? Do you have a nickname?”

She didn’t answer for a moment, taking a second to stare off into the darkness, before shaking her head.

“You can call me Yunfeng.”

Fang smiled, cupping his fist, giving her a light bow.

“I’m called Fang, though some people refer to me as Little Bull.”

Yunfeng raised her hat enough for Fang to see her eyes. Her pupils were dark like onyx, curved slightly upwards as she smiled in return.

“Pleased to meet you, Little Bull.”

The two of them continued watching the last of the peddlers finish their preparations. The sun now barely peaking over the trees in the east, dying the clouds above ablaze in a beautiful contrast of fire and shadow.

Just as the caravan began to setoff, a voice called out to Fang.

“Wait boy!” Kang shouted. His voice strained and severely hungover.

Fang smiled as he spied the hunter.

“Looks like you didn’t manage to drink enough to drown to death, I thought your name was Kang?” He said with a playful smirk.

Kang groaned, his stomach rolling at the reminder of his loss the night before.

“Gah! Who would believe that a boy less than half my height and age would beat me, truly the heavens are unfair…” He said throwing his hands into the air.

Fang could only laugh.

“Anyways, I won’t hold ya up so I’ll make it quick. If you find yourself in trouble, which I get the feeling ya will, look for a guard named Han Tie. Good man, owes me a few favors, and if you mention my name he should be willing to help you.”

Fang nodded, as the two exchanged a firm arm-clasp.

“Thank you for everything Kang.”

Kang waved his hand in the air as if it wasn’t much. “Ah, stop it kid, you’re gonna make me cry here, go on, go! Show the world the power of Forests Edge — the power of our Little Bull!”

Kang laughed as he turned away. Leaving Fang in embarrassment, the man’s words had echoing across the entire caravan, eliciting a few light-hearted chuckles.

Fang turned to join Yunfeng, who had waited up ahead for him, expecting to hear her jab at his nickname once more. But he saw only an odd gaze in her eyes, as if they tried to pierce through him, seeking to see his soul.

“You beat him?” She asked.

Fang scratched his cheek, unsure if there was an ulterior motive behind her sudden questioning.

“Only in an arm-wrestling match.”

“Impressive. He must be at least a mid-stage bronze body refiner…” She said, looking at Fang with her discerning eye.

“Mid-stage bronze?”

“Mmm, It’s a classification system that… some people use for body refiners. Iron, Bronze, Steel for Qi-gathering, and Silver, Gold, Platinum for Foundation Establishment.”

“It doesn’t go any higher?” Fang asked, curious about the new knowledge.

“Not that I know of, some say Jade is after Platinum, but I don’t believe a body refiner has ever reached such a stage in all of history. Could you imagine? A person destroying a mountain with pure physical strength?”

“I could…” Fang said softly, low enough that Yunfeng didn’t hear. His fist tightening at his side.

And I won’t just be fine with imagining, I swear I’ll make it happen — Or my name isn’t Fang!

—

The first day of journey turned to be more… mundane than he anticipated.

It was interesting to see the parts of the forest he hadn’t before, but the slow speed and all-too familiar trees quickly grew boring. He spent most of the time conversing with Yunfeng and peddlers nearby. They provided him with a wealth of knowledge about the immediate political and geographical information on the region he lived in.

From what he learnt of The Lotus Plateau, was that it was rather isolated from the rest of the wider world. Separated from the plains by the White Cliffs, a massive uplift that made access to the central plains a rather painful affair.

Two sects reigned in the Lotus Plateau, the Azure Lotus Sect, and the Jade Horde Sect. And while there were other, more minor sects around, those two were the true powerhouses of the region.

The more… eccentric peddlers also talked of a third sect in hushed tones, a demonic group.

The Blood Cauldron Sect.

Though the truth behind their claims of such a sect seemed tentative at best.

Fang listened to them ramble on and on about different resources in the region. The fishing industry of Blue River Town versus its competitors spirit wood industry in Three Bayan Town.

Apparently all of towns in the region had ties to sects, relying on them for protection from beasts and external groups alike.

They had their own forces, cultivators even, those who’d been turned away by the sects or people who didn’t want to live the isolative lives of a sect disciple. But in this wide world, such measly might wasn’t quite enough to sleep comfortably at night.

He was also informed that the peddler group was in discussion to go to Three Bayan Town, not Blue River Town, since the bandits from before were surely going to be stalking the road back to the closer town. Not all of the peddlers, however, were on-board, since at least half of the group had families to return to, or business to finish.

When the group finally settled in for the night, finding a large clearing between the pines. Fang witnessed the routine chaos of a peddler camp being established.

Tents were flung up in a loose circle as bedrolls sprawled about around sporadic fires. Quickly, a myriad of delicious smells filled the air.

It was a far cry to Kang’s hunting camps. As they wouldn’t even start a fire most times, as the smell was sure to attract predators in the night.

Fang questioned a guard belonging to one of the larger peddler groups about this.

The man scoffed. Shifting an iron tipped spear on his shoulder as he loosened his leather helmet.

“You new?” He asked, barely giving Fang a glance.

“Yes sir.”

“Well, kid, large groups like ours have what’s called a Concealment Talisman.” He pointed to the center of the circle of tents, towards a large ornately carved wooden pole about ten feet tall that had been plunged into the earth.

“See that thing? That makes it so beasts ignore us, even if we were to setup a bloody butchery in this backwater.”

Fang nodded. “Even Qi-beasts?” He asked.

The man frowned.

“Well, some of them, not all of them — that’s what we’re here for.” He said smacking his chest before shooing Fang away with the tips of his fingers.

“Now sod off kid, I’ve been working all day so leave me be.”

Fang bowed to the man, returning to his own spot a good distance away from any nearby tents. Yunfeng had chosen a spot quite a distance away from everyone else, preferring the peace and quiet over the security of numbers.

I’m almost certain now, with her knowledge of the sects, body refining and how she carries herself, she must be a cultivator.

Not to mention the whole, mysterious aura she was obviously…cultivating.

Yunfeng had already setup a small fire of her own, hanging a small iron pot over its flames, she masterfully began preparing her own dinner.

Fang approached her with a small bundle of herbs and dried meats.

“Senior Yunfeng, this might be presumptuous of me, but could I share dinner with you — I offer herbs and meat.” He said, extending his offerings outwards.

Yunfeng, even as the day had grown dark, was still fully dressed in mask and hat. She glanced from beneath her brim, her eyes resting on the dried meat in his hands.

“Is that… Qi-beast meat?”

Fang nodded.

“Yes, it’s very good I might add.”

“Where did you even get…” she muttered before shaking her head. “You’re welcome to join me, I graciously accept your offerings, and for sharing such delicacies with me.”

Fang smiled as she took the herbs and meats from him. He watched as she delicately broke off some leaves and crushed them before tossing them into the pot. The stew within bubbled, popping with aromatic bursts of earthy notes. She ripped the Qi-beast meat into thin strips, before also adding them to the stew.

Fang’s stomach grumbled as the smells reached his nose. He watched with anticipation as Yunfeng carefully poured the stew into two bowls, before passing him one. The creamy stew steamed against the cool early fall night.

Fang listened to the distant sounds of the caravan as he enjoyed the meal, savoring the bites of Qi-beast meat between the thick aromatic stew.

It taste like chicken. He laughed inwardly. How a wolf Matriarch could taste like chicken was truly beyond him.

The night wound down as the temperature did. The moon high above shined small rays of lunar light by through the forest canopy, a blanket of stars smattering the darkness of space.

I wonder how far I am… from Earth, my old home.

After Yunfeng had retired into her bedroll, Fang walked a little ways into the dark of the forest. Still within earshot of the camp, he found a seat beneath a large pine.

He pondered about the distance between him and his past world. Were the people he once knew still alive and kicking? It was doubtful, who’s to say hundreds, or thousands of years could’ve passed since his reincarnation.

A small breeze wafted through the forest, lifting the leaves into a small chorus of noise.

Fang closed his eyes and looked inwards.

Deep in his center, a small fingernail-sized drop of golden fire burned. It sat alone in his chest, emanating small waves of power through his body.

Fang found that just having the drop of Aura within him increased his strength.

It was like an additional source of power, a battery that passive fueled him, increasing his overall output, but one that could be ‘burned’ for a greater burst of power.

Fang breathed deeply. Following the instinctive breathing pattern his system had granted him. His chest rose and fell.

An hour passed.

Then two.

At end of the second hour a small spark erupted in his chest. A second drop of Aura burst into life, hovering just beside the other. Almost immediately Fang felt an odd pulling sensation in his chest. Like a pair of magnets, the drops of Aura yearned to join together, to become one.

Fang didn’t even have to force them, with a slight tug of his will the drops coalesced together. The fingernail-sized flames doubling in size.

A small jolt of power rushed through his body and his eyes snapped open to the darkness around him.

His body felt lighter, not as incredibly as when he burned his drop previously, but enough to feel the difference.

Fang had to hold himself back from burning the coalesced drop of Aura, the power so tantalizingly close to fruition. He knew that he needed to reserve such maneuvers for life and death situations. The backlash alone would surely leave him in a severely weakened state.

My body can’t handle all this power… but I can’t keep gathering and stacking manuals since I’ll keep running into the same issue…

System.

Fang :

[Cultivation]

- *Aura-Burning Art I (Initiation)

[Technique]

- *Stormquaking Strides I (Great Success)

- *Viscera Rupturing Strikes I (Initiation)

[Bloodline]

- Mortal Human

There were still a few things he could work on. Namely getting his techniques to Peak Mastery, but improving his movement and offensive techniques took practice and experience. Just rote exercise wouldn’t be good enough anymore, which he was rather grateful for.

He’d have to look into getting a short-term job once he reached town. He remembered the peddlers mentioning that there was plenty of contract work, whether labour-wise or combat-related.

After I sell the horn, of course.

Fangs eyes panned down the system scroll, he stared at the one part of the scroll that had yet to change.

[Bloodline]

- Mortal Human

This… I wonder if the system will help me do some bloodline fuckery?

Fang couldn’t help but grin.