Chen Yu groaned as he woke, the soft glow of the morning light filtering through the cave's entrance doing little to lift his spirits. His body felt like it had been through a meat grinder—aching, bruised, and sore from the trials of the previous day. He forced himself to sit up, muscles protesting with each movement. His stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him that the few Spirit Berries he'd found last night had barely done anything to stave off his hunger.
"Man, I've nearly died twice since I got here, and I haven't even been in this world a week," he muttered, stretching his stiff limbs. "If this keeps up, I'm going to start keeping a tally." His eyes darted toward the cave's entrance, warily scanning for any threats. Everything seemed clear, at least for now.
Chen Yu rubbed his eyes, shaking off the fogginess of sleep. "Alright, Chen Yu, time to get moving. If I don't figure out how to cultivate properly soon, I'm gonna end up dead before the next dice roll." He stretched once more, feeling the familiar twinge of pain that now accompanied every movement. He needed a proper place to train, food, and maybe, just maybe, a place to not be hunted by spiritual beasts for five minutes.
The system had mentioned a settlement about 30 li to the east, and that was his best shot for now. If he could reach it, maybe he'd find a sect, some allies, or at least someone who could give him more information on this world's cultivation methods. He'd read about a hundred ways to die horribly in xianxia worlds, but now that it was real, it was a whole new kind of stress.
He stepped outside the cave, inhaling the crisp morning air. A thick mist clung to the ground, wrapping the forest in an eerie shroud. The silence of the woods wasn't comforting—if anything, it put him even more on edge. He'd already encountered two mid-tier spiritual beasts, and the idea that something worse was lurking just beyond the fog wasn't out of the question.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted back to Earth. He had spent countless hours reading about worlds like this one, where cultivation was a ticket to power, adventure, and a bit of wish-fulfillment. But here? It was nothing like the novels. The reality was a whole lot harsher, and it hit him every time his heart pounded from fear.
"This isn't a game," he thought, the seriousness settling in deeper with every step. "People can die here. I can die here." The fantasy of being an overpowered hero was quickly being replaced by the cold truth of how fragile he really was.
Just as he started to mentally curse his dice roll, his Universal Eyes picked up something. Movement. A few clearings away. His heart skipped a beat. "Great," he muttered under his breath, crouching low and activating his eyes to enhance his vision. "Please don't be another beast…"
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Through the mist, three figures appeared, moving through the trees like they were on a mission. Each of them was dressed in simple robes with swords at their sides—clearly cultivators. Their expressions were grim, focused, and Chen Yu immediately felt the warning bells go off in his mind.
He crouched down further behind the thick underbrush, debating his next move. These people could be friendly... or they could be the kind that would cut first and ask questions later. If there was anything he'd learned from the countless novels he'd read, it was that approaching cultivators without knowing their intentions was a risky gamble.
The three figures moved with purpose, their eyes scanning the area around them, like they were searching for something—or someone. Chen Yu's heart raced as he weighed his options. Should he reveal himself? Follow them from a distance? Or just get the hell out of there?
Suddenly, the cultivator at the front—a young man with a scar running down his left cheek—raised his hand, stopping the group in their tracks. "Wait," he said, his voice low, but carrying an edge of authority. "Do you hear that?"
Chen Yu's breath hitched. "Crap." He had been so focused on staying low that he hadn't realized the sound of his steps might have given him away. The other two cultivators froze, their hands drifting toward the hilts of their swords. Tension thickened in the air as they listened intently, their eyes narrowing as they scanned the forest.
Chen Yu strained to listen, his heart pounding as he crouched low, trying to figure out what the cultivators had picked up on. He heard nothing beyond the faint rustle of leaves and distant bird calls. For a brief moment, he considered moving closer, but before he could act, a sudden chill ran down his spine—a deep, primal sense of foreboding. His breath hitched, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
From the shadows, a hulking figure exploded into view—a Shadowclaw Bear, far more monstrous than anything Chen Yu had encountered. Its thick, dark fur gleamed menacingly, and its glowing red eyes locked onto the cultivators. The creature towered over the trees, claws as long as swords and its maw filled with razor-sharp teeth, each as deadly as a dagger.
"It's a Shadowclaw Bear!" one of the cultivators shouted, his voice steady but filled with urgency. "Prepare yourselves!"
Chen Yu's heart sank. He had barely survived the Shadow Panther—this thing was in a completely different league. A mid-tier spiritual beast was terrifying enough, but this was a high-tier one, judging by its sheer size and the dense aura of Qi it radiated. He knew he wasn't even remotely equipped to handle it, but something inside him stirred. He couldn't just sit back and watch, could he? What if these cultivators were overwhelmed?
The cultivators reacted with practiced precision, quickly spreading out to surround the beast. Their movements were fluid, their blades drawn and gleaming in the dim light. Each step was calculated, their eyes locked onto the bear, waiting for the right moment to strike.