Chen Yu moved cautiously through the dense foliage of the Hidden Jade Forest, his senses on high alert. The excitement of unlocking the first stage of the Heavenly Body Technique was still fresh in his mind, but he knew better than to let his guard down. This world was beautiful, but it was also deadly.

He had been walking for hours, his stomach growling louder with each passing moment. The forest was teeming with life, but finding something edible without running into danger was proving to be a challenge. His previous encounter with the wolf beast had taught him to be careful, but he knew he couldn't avoid the forest's dangers forever.

"Alright, Chen Yu," he muttered to himself, scanning his surroundings. "You need to find food, and you need to find it fast. Just keep your eyes open and don't do anything stupid."

As he walked, he noticed strange markings on the trees—deep claw marks that ran vertically down the trunks. The bark was shredded and torn, and some of the marks were nearly as tall as he was. His heart skipped a beat.

"What could have done this?" he wondered, stepping closer to inspect the marks. They were fresh, and he could see sap still oozing from the gashes in the bark.

Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in his mind.

[Warning: You are entering the territory of a spiritual beast. Exercise caution.]

Chen Yu's eyes widened. "A spiritual beast? Like the wolf from before?" he whispered, instinctively taking a step back.

[Negative. The beast in question is of a higher rank than the wolf. This area is classified as a low-tier spiritual beast habitat, but there are occasional mid-tier threats. You are advised to proceed with caution or avoid the area entirely.]

Chen Yu's mind raced. He knew from countless webnovels that spiritual beasts were dangerous, often possessing strength and abilities far beyond ordinary creatures. And if the system was warning him, this beast was probably no joke.

"Okay, System," he whispered, "can you tell me more about the spiritual beasts in this world? What ranks are they classified into?"

[Affirmative. Spiritual beasts in the Qi Xuan world are classified into ranks based on their power, intelligence, and danger to cultivators. The ranks are as follows:

Low-Tier Spiritual Beasts: Generally weak but still more dangerous than ordinary animals. They have minimal spiritual energy and are often used as training targets for beginner cultivators. Examples include the Shadow Fox and the Ironclaw Wolf.

Mid-Tier Spiritual Beasts: More powerful and intelligent, often capable of using basic spiritual techniques. They pose a serious threat to cultivators in the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment stages. Examples include the Thunder Hawk and the Jade Serpent.

High-Tier Spiritual Beasts: Extremely powerful and often possess unique abilities or elemental affinities. They are highly intelligent and can be as strong as a Core Formation or Nascent Soul cultivator. Examples include the Flame Tiger and the Frost Wyrm.

Peak-Tier Spiritual Beasts: Rare and immensely powerful beings that can challenge even the strongest cultivators. They are often ancient creatures with deep connections to the world's spiritual energy. Examples include the Abyssal Wyrm.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Mythic-Tier Spiritual Beasts: Legendary creatures said to possess powers beyond the comprehension of most cultivators. They are considered living legends, often tied to myths and tales of the Qi Xuan world. Examples are scarce, as sightings are extremely rare, but they are said to rival the power of Immortal Ascension cultivators.]

Chen Yu gulped. "Great. Just what I needed—more things that can kill me."

[Current location indicates the presence of a mid-tier spiritual beast. The specific creature is identified as the Shadow Panther, known for its stealth and speed. It is advised to avoid conflict.]

"Shadow Panther?" Chen Yu whispered, his eyes scanning the dense underbrush. "That doesn't sound good. Not good at all."

Chen Yu crouched low, his heart pounding in his chest as the weight of the situation pressed down on him. The Shadow Panther was deadly, fast, and far more dangerous than anything he'd encountered before. If the system was right, there was no way he could face it head-on. He needed a plan. Fast. And, as always, his mind raced to the endless well of strategies from anime, manga, and fiction that he'd grown up with.

He scanned the forest around him using his Universal Eyes, enhancing his vision to catch the faintest flickers of movement. The enhanced sight allowed him to spot even the smallest Qi disturbances, but that wasn't enough. He had to disappear—vanish from the panther's senses entirely. Stealth mode, just like any good ninja would do. But how?

As a soft rustling sound emerged from behind, his instincts screamed at him. Slowly, Chen Yu turned his head, catching a blur of sleek, black fur weaving through the shadows. His breath caught. "That's the panther," he thought, adrenaline spiking. His mind raced. He couldn't outrun it, not in a straight chase. That's when an idea flickered. Wind—the element that could make him as silent as the air itself. He remembered scenes from Naruto, where the ninjas would use wind-based abilities to enhance their stealth, moving like phantoms through the battlefield.

"Right," Chen Yu whispered. "The Heavenly Body Technique... I'm in Stage One, which means I can use the five elements." He closed his eyes, feeling the faint stirrings of Qi in his dantian. He inhaled deeply, this time focusing on the wind around him—the subtle currents in the air, the way it whispered through the leaves and branches. Slowly, he called upon the element of wind, urging it to swirl around his body. He willed it to soften his steps, to mask his presence, to move with the natural rhythm of the forest. The air began to bend around him, his body lightening as the wind helped him blend seamlessly into the surroundings.

He crouched lower, moving as silently as the breeze. His feet barely brushed the ground, each step muffled by the wind cushioning his movements. In his mind, he was like a ninja from N**uto—using the wind to disappear from sight, becoming a whisper in the woods. The rustling behind him grew louder, and his Universal Eyes caught a faint gleam of the panther's eyes in the shadows. Chen Yu's pulse quickened, but he kept his breathing steady, synchronizing it with the natural flow of the wind. "Come on," he thought. "Disappear…"

The panther prowled closer, but Chen Yu's steps were so light, so perfectly in tune with the wind, that even the predator's heightened senses couldn't catch him. It was working. But then, just as he began to feel relief, he sensed it—a shift in the air. The wind around him carried a chill, a warning. The Shadow Panther had caught his scent.

"Damn it," he thought. He saw the panther's muscles tense through his Universal Eyes, its body coiling to strike. There was no more time to hide. With a flicker of movement, the panther lunged, a blur of deadly intent. Instinctively, Chen Yu pushed the wind around him, using it to propel himself sideways, a technique inspired by the wind-powered bursts he remembered from Bleach. He rolled through the underbrush as the panther's claws slashed through the air where he'd been standing moments before.

He scrambled to his feet, his legs moving before his brain could fully process the situation. "No time to think—just run!" he told himself, the wind still guiding his every movement, making him faster, quieter, and more agile than he had any right to be. The Shadow Panther was right behind him, its sleek form slipping through the trees effortlessly, but Chen Yu was already slipping between shadows, his body lighter than ever thanks to the element of wind swirling through him.

With every step, he used the wind to stay just ahead of the panther, his Universal Eyes catching every root, every branch, every obstacle in his path before it could trip him up. His breath came in ragged bursts, but he kept moving, the wind at his back.