Cai Yan, Cai Bingwen, and Cai Yun all stood before the massive city gates. It was an extremely tall wall meant to keep out the monsters that roamed outside. Near the city were the weakest. The further you went though, the stronger the creatures became. If you went into the Badlands, there were extremely powerful monsters that were stronger than Martial Experts. But, that was also where the greatest fire type cultivation resources were located.

Today though, Cai Yan and Cai Yun were not going to go far. Only Cai Bingwen was going out near the Badlands. Cai Yan and Cai Yun were going to stay near the city.

“I’m off,” said Cai Bingwen.

“Be careful,” Cai Yan warned.

“I will, brother,” Cai Bingwen responded. He then suddenly leapt several meters and began running.

“Alright, we’re next,” said Cai Yan. He flashed his badge and the guards let them through the outer wall of the city.

Immediately, Cai Yan noticed that it was snowing. He had heard about the white crystals that fell from the sky, but it was his first time seeing it. The reason was that the barrier around Cloud City created by the royal family allowed for manipulation of weather within the barrier to keep out extreme weather conditions. Only a blizzard would result in snowing within the city.

“Wow…” Cai Yun looked in amazement at the outside world. It was the first time he had been outside the walls.

“This way,” said Cai Yan as he began walking off the main road.

“Where are we going?” Cai Yun asked.

“You’re going to catch a White Rabbit,” said Cai Yan.

“A white rabbit?” said Cai Yun. “How would that help me?”

“A White Rabbit is small, but nimble,” Cai Yan answered. “You have to notice the intricate movements in order to see when and how it will run. Only by predicting this and staying out of its sight will you catch it.”

Cai Yun took another pill out of his bag and cracked it in his mouth before swallowing it. He was already almost through the batch of River Grass Pills. It was surprising to Cai Yun how much he needed to advance a level. After all, the average person needed only about ten. Cai Yun was through ten already. He only had six left.

“Finish the pills first,” said Cai Yan.

Cai Yun planted his buttocks onto the ground and closed his eyes, focusing on the soul force within his body. He cracked another River Grass Pill in his mouth and swallowed it. There was a sudden pulsation from his Dantian as the soul force spread throughout his body. It felt like at any moment, it was going to burst. Cai Yun ate another River Grass Pill. The pulsation only grew stronger.

As Cai Yun downed the third River Grass Pill in a row, there was suddenly a sudden burst of soul force in his body. BOOM. It felt like a massive explosion as a sudden surge of spirit force pushed his veins that carried the soul force within his body to their very limits, causing them to expand. His entire body felt revitalized. “Was that a breakthrough?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Cai Yan. “Congratulations. Second Level after eleven days is very good.”

At two weeks, in twenty weeks, he would be able to make it to the Fortified Body Realm. Then, he might actually stand a chance against Cai Rong. The problem was acquiring resources as the River Grass Pills would only work for one more level.

“It feels incredible,” said Cai Yun.

“Be careful not to get addicted to the feeling,” said Cai Yan. “For some people, it’s like a drug and sometimes what people might do to get that feeling once more pushes them to do reckless things.”

For a moment, Cai Yun began to think about what Cai Yan said about no turning back. He understood how the feeling could become addictive. Any addiction needs to be fed. Even if he was not like that, someone else might come after him. The annual tournament within the Cai Clan was proof of that. There were sometimes very ruthless actions and Cai Hong often allowed it because it turned the members of the Cai Clan against each other rather than at him. As a result, it became easier for him to control them when they were focused on competing with each other.

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The remaining Spirit Grass Pills did little for Cai Yun. He could not even feel an increase in the amount of soul force. It seemed like it had lost its effect on him entirely and he needed better cultivation resources. “I am ready, father,” said Cai Yun.

“Let’s go find us a White Rabbit then,” said Cai Yan.

The two of them walked slowly. The snow was light so there were still patches of visible dirt everywhere. The snow could not gather enough to form a layer yet.

Suddenly, Cai Yan raised his arm to stop Cai Yun and pointed forward. Cai Yun squinted his eyes and was able to make out two black spots that reflected a bit of light. As Cai Yun looked closely, he noticed that they were eyes. The white fur of the White Rabbit perfectly blended with the snow, camouflaging its entire body.

“Do not stop trying to catch it until you run out of soul force,” said Cai Yan. He suddenly smacked his son’s own back, causing him to stumble forward.

Immediately, the White Rabbit noticed and began running. Cai Yun chased after it as fast as he could. The White Rabbit left footsteps in the snowy parts, but it was running incredibly fast. Its four legs moving together allowed it to make incredibly sharp turns. Cai Yun could not even keep the White Rabbit in view.

Cai Yan was slowly following Cai Yun from behind, keeping a distance to observe the surrounding and only to keep Cai Yun safe. From this point on, it was up to Cai Yun to catch the White Rabbit.

Because of the White Rabbit’s incredible speed, Cai Yun would need to sneak up on the White Rabbit, which was what made it difficult. Its widely spaced eyes meant that it could only be snuck up on from behind. Its constantly shifting head made it difficult to get into position. You had to see an opportunity and take it. That one brief window in which it could not react in time was the only chance Cai Yun had.

The White Rabbit began chewing on a patch of grass. It was distracted. Cai Yun darted straight for the White Rabbit. The White Rabbit suddenly lifted its head to turn around, spotting Cai Yun. It saw him. The moment it saw Cai Yun diving for it, the White Rabbit suddenly leapt, causing Cai Yun to crash straight into the ground. The White Rabbit then ran off. At that moment, Cai Yun knew it was not going to be an easy task. The White Rabbit was just too fast. It was not something he can catch at his current level.

But, Cai Yun was not one to give up that easily. There had to be a way. He followed after the White Rabbit, following its footprints.

The White Rabbit had incredibly high senses and reaction. It could react to Cai Yun even if it saw him approach late. That left only one option. The only way Cai Yun could catch it was if it was distracted by someone else and Cai Yun reacted to that reaction.

ROAR! In the distance, there was a cry of some kind. WHOM. Something big fell to the ground. Cai Yan had slain one of the nearby monsters as well. Just to be safe, Cai Yun followed the White Rabbit that moved away from it. After all, most animals that were raised inside the walls of Cloud City were able to sense danger and moved away from it.

As the White Rabbit ran, it moved quickly and unpredictably. Its movements were seemingly random with no pattern. But since it was distracted by the loud noise and was focusing on moving to safety, it did not notice Cai Yun chasing it.

ROAR. An enormous bear suddenly appeared before the White Rabbit. As dangerous as it was, this was Cai Yun’s chance. The White Rabbit was startled and jumped up.

At that moment, Cai Yun jumped towards the White Rabbit. For a brief moment, Cai Yun felt something on his back. His father had used his back as a stepping board to jump over him, but Cai Yun barely felt. The White Rabbit could not react again in midair as Cai Yun flew towards it.

BAM. Cai Yan’s left struck the enormous White Bear that was only a few meters away. Its head was pushed sideways and its entire body followed.

Cai Yun’s entire body covered the White Rabbit. His arms wrapped around it to entrap it. He fell onto the ground on his back to cushion the blow to the White Rabbit.

“That was cutting it a little close,” said Cai Yan.

“Sorry, father,” said Cai Yun.

Cai Yun watched as Cai Yan extracted a small round crystal from the chest of the White Bear. It was similar to the Soul Crystals he had seen for sale in the markets. There was a faint amount of soul force in it. These Soul Crystals could be worn by someone in the Profound Realm in order to channel the spirits power or be refined into an elixir. A White Bear was a Low Grade Elixir that worked up to the Fifth Level of the Elementary Realm.

Cai Yun released the struggling White Rabbit in its arms. It looked at Cai Yun for a second before hopping away. “I did it,” said Cai Yun who could not even believe it.

“What did you learn?” Cai Yan asked.

“Against a superior opponent, you have to look for openings,” said Cai Yun.

“Very good,” said Cai Yan. “When you are against a superior opponent, you will be on the defensive. No matter how strong they are, they always have openings due to poor habits or are unaware of certain environmental aspects. That is your chance to strike!”

“I will remember that,” said Cai Yun.