As Tao stepped forward into the Outer Wilds the familiar scent of moss, damp earth, and faintly lingering Qi filled the air. It had been months since he’d last ventured into the forest, but the Wilds had a way of making every visit feel like the first.

Jian walked beside him, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword. “You’ve spent more time out here than I have,” he said, breaking the silence. “Anything I should know?”

Tao nodded, his eyes scanning the path ahead. “Stick to the trails when you can but keep an eye on the ground. Tracks and claw marks tell you what’s been here recently. And don’t assume a clearing is safe just because it’s open, it usually means something stronger claimed it.”

Jian smirked. “Sounds like you’ve had a few close calls.”

“More than I care to remember,” Tao replied.

The path twisted and turned, the ground uneven and riddled with roots that snaked across like veins. The trees grew denser, their trunks gnarled and covered in creeping vines. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in fractured beams, casting shifting patterns on the forest floor.

As they moved deeper, Tao’s sharp eyes caught a cluster of blue veined leaves growing near the base of a tree. He crouched, plucking a few with practiced precision.

“Skyshade Leaf,” he explained, holding the delicate leaves up for Jian to see. “Crush it into a paste, and it helps numb pain. Useful if you don’t have pills.”

Jian knelt beside him, scanning the surrounding foliage. “What about these?” He gestured to a patch of yellow flowers with curling petals.

“Golden blossom,” Tao said. “Boil it in water, and it’ll help counter minor poisons. But don’t eat it raw, it’s toxic until processed.”

The two worked in tandem, gathering herbs as they moved. Their shared experience in the Herb Pavilion showed in the way they moved through the forest, their hands deft and confident.

As they approached a shallow stream, Tao noticed a faint imprint in the muddy bank, a set of large, round tracks with deep grooves where claws had sunk into the soil.

“Ironhide Boar,” Tao muttered, gesturing for Jian to stop.

Jian’s brow furrowed as he studied the tracks. “How fresh?”

“Within the hour,” Tao replied, his voice low. “It’s close.”

The ground trembled faintly, and a low snort echoed through the trees. Tao’s grip tightened on his sword as the massive boar emerged from the underbrush. Its metallic tusks gleamed in the dappled light, and its hide shimmered like polished steel.

“Spirit Beast,” Jian said, drawing his sword.

“Not just any Spirit Beast,” Tao corrected. “Ironhide Boars are tough. Aim for the eyes or the joints, anywhere the hide is thinner.”

The boar pawed the ground, its breath steaming in the cool air. With a deafening roar, it charged.

Tao activated his movement technique Flowing Leaf Steps and sidestepped the initial attack, his blade glancing off the boar’s hide with a shower of sparks. The impact jarred his arm, and he stumbled back, gritting his teeth. Jian darted in from the side, his sword aimed for the creature’s legs, but the boar twisted, deflecting the strike with its tusks.

“It’s too fast!” Jian shouted, retreating a few paces.

Tao’s mind raced as he tried to find an opening. The boar charged again, its tusks gouging deep furrows in the ground. This time, Tao led it toward a narrow ravine, its movements restricted by the tight space.

“Now!” Tao yelled, leaping to the side as the boar stumbled on uneven ground. Jian moved in swiftly, his blade flashing in a precise arc that severed the tendons in the beast’s leg. The boar collapsed with a bellow, thrashing as Tao delivered the final blow.

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The forest fell silent, save for their heavy breathing.

“Good call with the ravine,” Jian said, sheathing his sword.

Tao nodded. “We’ll need to stay sharper. That was just the Outer Wilds.”

The forest was silent after the battle, save for the faint rustling of leaves in the wind. Tao wiped the sweat from his brow, staring at the massive Ironhide Boar lying motionless on the forest floor. Its metallic tusks, still gleaming faintly in the fading light, jutted out like weapons. Blood pooled beneath its hulking body, the metallic scent mingling with the damp aroma of the forest.

Jian crouched beside the beast, his hand brushing one of the tusks. “These could fetch a good price back at the sect,” he said, tapping the edge of the tusk with his knuckle. “Too bad we can’t drag the whole thing back.”

“We’ll take what we can use,” Tao said, using his sword to dissect the beast.

The boar’s hide was tougher than anything Tao had ever cut through, his sword catching and skipping along the metallic fibres. After several tries, he managed to pierce it, revealing dense, Qi infused flesh beneath. A faint warmth pulsed from the meat, and he felt a subtle energy thrumming against his fingers.

“Spirit beast meat,” Jian said, watching Tao work. “Not as effective as a pill, but it’ll replenish some Qi.”

Tao nodded, cutting out manageable portions of the meat. The Qi within it was faint, but he could already feel its vitality seeping into his hands as he handled it.

“What about a core?” Tao asked, glancing toward the beast’s chest.

Jian shook his head. “It’s too low tier. Ironhide Boars rarely have cores unless they’re Profound Beasts, and this one wasn’t even close.”

Still, Tao probed the area out of habit, but as expected, there was no spiritual core. He sighed and moved to the tusks, sawing carefully to remove them while Jian stripped the hide for smaller pieces that could be used later.

By the time the work was done, the sun was dipping below the horizon. They carried their spoils, a few slabs of meat wrapped in leaves, the tusks, and strips of hide, until they found a small clearing near a cluster of ancient trees. The area had good visibility and a faint trickle of water nearby, enough to make it a suitable campsite.

Tao activated a small Beast Repelling Array, the stones glowing faintly as they hummed with Qi. It wasn’t strong, but it would deter smaller spirit beasts and provide an early warning for anything more dangerous.

As Jian prepared the fire, Tao arranged the meat over the flames, the rich aroma filling the air. The Qi within the meat seemed to shimmer faintly as it cooked, infusing the air with a subtle energy.

When the meat was ready, they ate in silence. The flesh was tough and gamey, but each bite carried a faint pulse of energy that seeped into their meridians. Tao could feel his Qi slowly replenishing, the exhaustion from the day’s battle easing.

Jian leaned back against a tree, closing his eyes as he chewed. “Not bad,” he said. “I feel… steadier. Not much, but it helps.”

Tao nodded, his thoughts turning inward. After finishing his portion, he sat cross legged near the fire, closing his eyes and circulating his Qi. The faint energy from the meat merged with his dantian, steady and stable. He focused on the Unyielding Mountain Spirit, using its first stage to anchor his foundation further, fortifying his reserves for the journey ahead.

Jian joined him, his breathing slowing as he entered a meditative state. The faint glow of their Qi illuminated the dark clearing, the fire casting flickering shadows across their still forms.

Eventually, Tao climbed up an ancient tree, securing their bedding with vines while Jian cleared the ground below.

As Jian settled into his bedding, Tao sat cross legged on a branch, his thoughts drifting. His mind turned to the techniques he had learned and tools he could use to survive this mission.

When Jian eventually drifted into sleep, Tao remained seated, his thoughts turning to the Nurturing Cycle Root Technique. He had created it to heal and strengthen plants, but here, in the untamed forest, he wondered if it could be pushed further.

Tao extended his Qi toward the ground, feeling the wild energy of the forest pulsing beneath him. Unlike the orderly plants of the sect’s herb garden, the flora here was chaotic, its energy raw and untamed. He concentrated, coaxing the Qi to flow into his meridians. It was like trying to catch water in his hands, slippery and resistant.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he pushed harder, drawing in tiny threads of energy. It wasn’t much, but he felt his Qi stir slightly, replenished by the connection. Encouraged, he tried again, this time directing his Qi outward. He focused on a nearby bush, its leaves trembling as he attempted to manipulate its growth.

A single branch shifted, its leaves stretching slightly toward the firelight before stopping. The effort left Tao drained, and he exhaled sharply, his vision swimming. It was possible to manipulate the plants, but the energy was too wild to control easily.

Tao leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. The technique had potential, but it needed refinement and secrecy. Jian didn’t know about this technique, and Tao intended to keep it that way, at least for now.

The sounds of the forest grew louder as the night deepened. Distant howls echoed through the trees, mingling with the faint rustle of leaves and the occasional crack of a branch. Tao tightened his grip on his sword, his senses heightened even as exhaustion tugged at him.

“This is just the Outer Wilds,” he murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. Beyond lay the Black Hollow Forest, a place where the shadows grew deeper and the beasts more fearsome.

For now, he allowed himself a moment of rest, the faint hum of the Beast Repelling Array a fragile comfort in the vast, untamed night.