When he awoke from his nap, Daredevil did the same thing he did every day and stretched outside while stealing pets from Tyler as he was reading a book. While doing so, he looked at his interface, just like he had done every day of his life.

Daredevil (Nether Panther)

Level 17, Marrow Forging 0/250

Soul Stage 0, 11/100.

Titles: [Nether Constitution], [Named], [Soul Forging]

Nethermist Heavenly Arts (Heaven-Grade)

Nethermist Beast Stance (Qi Transformation)

* Misty Strikes (Forming)

* Mirage Slash (Discerning)

* Shadow Pounce (Discerning)

Cloak of Mists (Forming)

Mistwalker's Stride (Precise)

Quests: Sea Formation, Transformation (1), Speech, Territory (5).

Soul Forging: [Defense] | [Offense] | [Utility] | [Miscellaneous]

Daredevil often found himself perplexed by the concept of quests, as his parents had provided vague explanations regarding their rewards as intangible things that would surely aid in his cultivation at some point. When he had first read the quests, he had expected an actual reward, just like his parents gave him more food when he did well on a hunt! Finding out the rewards often were not something he could eat or cultivate made him sad.

They had never explicitly outlined the benefits of completing quests, only emphasizing that quests tended to align with one's current path and provided clues on how to progress further. In some cases, the quest's reward was the quest itself, as exemplified by the "Transformation" quest.

Transformation (1) - A Spirit Beast quest to shapeshift into an enlightened race's form. Seek ways to become like your benefactor. A physical body is nothing but a vessel for your soul. Reform a part of your body.

Only by successfully transforming would the quest be complete, and then would he gain the ability to transform into a human, much like his father could. Interestingly, his mother did not possess this quest, leading his parents to surmise that it might only become available when a human named a Spirit Beast rather than when another Spirit Beast did so. Of course, this also meant that Sylvamist could not transform into a human.

Were Tyler part of that conversation and not unconscious at that time, the only thing he would've added to this was that Sylvamist probably could transform if she wished to. She didn't need the system to tell her she could. If Sylvamist had just "done it,” that would have given her the quest if she had started trying. Every cultivator who had been a part of the Tutorial would also tell her the same thing.

Prior to embarking on his journey to the York Empire, Daredevil had inquired about these quests with his parents, as they had appeared in his interface alongside the Soul Forging interface and the new Soul Stage indicator beneath his level. His parents had emphasized that receiving these elements solely through being named was a remarkable accomplishment. They had expressed genuine excitement for his future and its potential but elaborated no further. This was his path to walk, not theirs.

So far, Daredevil's experience with these quests had predominantly revolved around the Territory quests, as he struggled to make sense of the Transformation quest and the subsequent cultivation level quest, which was consistently present but uneventful, simply urging him to "Reach the Sea Formation." It felt like an unnecessary reminder, as if anyone needed to be told this!

Regarding the Territory quests, whenever he expanded the area where he was the sole tier 2 beast over the past few weeks, the quests guided him to a formidable opponent. These opponents, once defeated, allowed him to consume their power and enhance his own.

However, the guidance provided by these quests remained frustratingly vague. It was akin to sensing an energy source in the distance, a subtle pull or tugging at the edges of his awareness that only he could perceive.

This feeling would manifest once every few days for a very brief moment, like someone had delicately tugged at a tiny string of Qi in the back of his mind, creating a nearly imperceptible sense of direction. Daredevil would then have to embark on the hunt, stalking his prey diligently, as the guidance was elusive and didn't linger for long.

As for the new Soul Forging portion of his interface, it was shrouded in even greater vagueness. Daredevil had made some tangible progress by consuming the plants Tyler had provided shortly after being named, prioritizing defense as per his parents' advice. That turned out to be precious advice as the soul fluctuations from his benefactor's intervention after his injury might have inflicted significant harm upon him even if he hadn't been the intended target of the attack.

Given that he could not communicate with Tyler yet, he could only navigate these waters independently for now. He had tons of questions he wanted to ask his benefactor, mostly how he was this strong? He could feel that Tyler had only two or three organs that had been tempered, yet the amount of Qi he projected at any given time surpassed most of the spirit beast he had faced and even himself!

He had also seen the destructive power that he could hold as he was keenly aware of the massacre at the Bandit's underground facility, and if his nose hadn't lied to him, there was even a Tier 3 human in there! Yet, Tyler had come out unscathed. So, with this in mind, Daredevil wasn't in a hurry to get stronger by advancing his cultivation as he knew there was probably more than meets the eye about one's power.

After an excellent scratching session, he signaled to Tyler that he'd go around the forest to survey his territory and got a couple of rough pats and scratches to the bum as he turned away, along with a "Have fun out there!".

He didn't know why, but he was under the impression that Tyler was always with him regardless of how far out he went. It was a reassuring presence constantly patting him on the back, pushing him forward, and encouraging him.

Daredevil utilized a bit of his Qi to jump up and create a platform of mist beneath his feet, allowing him to reach the highest branch of a nearby tree in order to observe the forest below and the small mountain behind him. It was indeed a remarkable location that his benefactor had chosen.

The mountain exuded tranquility, devoid of tier 3 or tier 4 beasts, uninhabited by cultivators, and surrounded by dense forest for at least 50 kilometers. They were genuinely situated in the heart of the wilderness, a near-perfect environment for a spirit beast like himself.

While this small mountain lacked Qi ley lines or significant spiritual fluctuations, it was ideal for a duo consisting of a Qi Transformation cultivator and a Spirit Beast. Could they cultivate more rapidly if they were located on a mountain like the one he had seen before parting ways with his parents? Undoubtedly. Even from the shores of Serenity Lake, he had sensed it—the pure water Qi and earth Qi that enveloped the lake, their intoxicating presence. He could only imagine the potent Qi at higher altitudes on a mountain like that.

After moving stealthily from tree to tree, Daredevil arrived at a small clearing where he observed a heartwarming scene. A family of foxes frolicked below, with the mother perched on a rock, attentively watching over her trio of playful offspring. These foxes had yet to reach the status of spirit beasts, as they lacked any form of cultivation. Nonetheless, like all beasts, they possessed the ability to communicate through beast speech.

Daredevil had recently rescued these young foxes from a desperate tier 2 beast that had been driven to hunger and unable to provide for itself. Feeling a sense of compassion for the defenseless pups, he had taken it upon himself to look after them. He couldn't resist joining in the fun as he observed the little foxes joyfully at play.

Daredevil descended from the twenty-meter-high branch he had been perched on with a single graceful step. He landed behind the baby foxes, who remained oblivious to his presence. With a large, mischievous grin in his childish voice, he playfully exclaimed, "Boo! Gotcha!" and snatched one of the kits with his mouth, careful not to hurt it as he playfully moved it around.

The two young foxes that weren't caught by Daredevil, startled by the sudden appearance and playful interruption, leaped into the air with such enthusiasm that they almost cleared Daredevil's comparatively massive body. Their mother, amused by the antics of her kits and Daredevil's surprise entry, couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter, nearly spitting out the recent meal she had been gnawing on.

After a brief moment of surprise and fright, the trio of young fox kits quickly recognized the playful intruder as none other than their protective "big brother" Daredevil. One of the cubs sighed in relief and exclaimed, "Oh! It's big brother Daredevil! You scared me so much, I thought I was going to die!"

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His amusement was evident. Daredevil responded to the young ones with a warm smile. "I have to do this, you see? It's important for you to stay vigilant and not let your guard down. Someday, you'll need to protect your mother, and I'm helping you prepare for that." With a gentle pat on the head, he emulated the comforting gestures that Tyler often bestowed upon him.

The mother fox couldn't help but smile as she observed the interaction between Daredevil and her kits. "You know," she began, "you've already saved our lives once, and you don't have to keep checking up on us like this." She could have concocted some scheme to keep the majestic black panther visiting and providing for her family, but for the first time in her life, she couldn't bring herself to deceive someone who had genuinely shown them kindness.

Daredevil had saved her and her kits on a whim, and he had continued to visit, ensuring that her little ones grew strong and healthy. It was a level of selflessness she had rarely encountered in her existence.

Daredevil's eyes sparkled with excitement. "My benefactor says you should help folks if you can if it doesn't hurt you. You can always figure out who's naughty later. So, when I saved you guys, it wasn't just about you. A mean three-tailed fire fox was causing trouble, and it was part of my quest, too!"

The mother fox's heart warmed as she gazed into the dark blue eyes of the young panther. Daredevil's words resonated deeply with her. "Your benefactor is a good person," she acknowledged.

She listened intently as Daredevil shared stories of the remarkable deeds his great benefactor had undertaken while they were traveling to this place. He spoke of ending the reign of a group of slavers, liberating innocent children, and ensuring their well-being. The foxes were captivated by his tales, and they began to understand the depth of his commitment to helping those in need, inspired by his benefactor's example.

As Daredevil continued to feed the young foxes with tales of his benefactor's heroics, his keen senses suddenly went on high alert. His head snapped to the side, and before he could even consciously process it, he instinctively bit down on an incoming projectile—a Qi-empowered arrow, to be precise. The arrow shattered after coming in contact with his razor-sharp teeth. A thick mist suddenly surrounded their position, hiding everyone within.

While it wasn't an overwhelmingly powerful attack, it was deadly enough to kill the foxes if it struck them. His swift intervention had saved them; now, the source of this attack couldn't see through this mist, so they were relatively safe from follow-up attacks.

With his senses still acutely tuned, Daredevil could feel his benefactor's presence, a silent but comforting aura, surrounding him. It offered no direct warning or guidance, but its presence was reassuring. Quickly identifying the source of the attack, Daredevil spotted a human figure adorned in various beast skins. Upon realizing his ambush had failed, the human was now in a panic, attempting to flee.

Daredevil's voice resonated with urgency as he addressed the young foxes, "Go with your mother and hide in your little hole. My mist should protect you! I will be back!" Focusing all of his power into his hind legs and creating a platform of mist beneath him, he propelled himself through the forest canopy with remarkable agility and speed. He knew this environment well, and he had the upper hand.

To the foxes, the panther's response was initially one of alarm, as they had not sensed the incoming attack. However, witnessing the magical nature of Daredevil's powers filled them with awe, akin to followers witnessing the miracles of their god, and like good followers, they were herded by their mothers into their den, hiding away under the thick mist Daredevil had left behind.

For Daredevil, however, it was perplexing. He hadn't seen another human in these parts since they came here, and the first time he did, it attacked him! Or was it the foxes? He wasn't sure. But one thing was for certain, that human was a bad one! He quickly caught up to the man, but as the human was in the early stages of the Qi Gathering, he couldn't outrun him.

As Daredevil closed in on the terrified hunter, ready to teach him a lesson for attacking random beasts in the wild, the entire forest seemed to come to a standstill. Even the hunter froze in place, sensing the unusual shift in the atmosphere. Then, carried by the breeze, a single voice reached Daredevil's ears, one that hadn't warned or cared about his actions for weeks.

"Think about this, little guy."

This unexpected intervention made Daredevil pause and reconsider his actions. He decided against attacking the hunter and instead leaped to the ground, his intense gaze fixed on the trembling human. The hunter, now realizing the gravity of his situation, began to plead for his life.

"I am sorry! Please spare me! I thought you were just another beast, and I have to feed my family! Oh no, my kids... What is my wife going to do!"

The stench of fear and urine filled the air as the man continued to tremble. Daredevil, caught in a moment of reflection, contemplated the man's words. He had hunted beasts to feed Tyler and himself, just as this human had done. So, why was it wrong for him to fight back against him when it wasn't when facing other beasts? It was a dilemma that the panther had never considered before.

Daredevil couldn't speak yet, but at that moment, he would've given anything to be able to ask a simple question as he tried very hard to voice it in beast speech. "Why?" All the hunter heard, however, was a grumbled growl with an unusually high pitch, and a flash of confusion appeared on the man's face.

The hunter, desperate to communicate with the mysterious spirit beast, latched onto the faint growls and vocalizations emanating from Daredevil. He thought he had heard something about "beasts" and clung to the hope that this extraordinary creature could somehow understand human speech—an ability unheard of in his experience.

"Can you understand me? Please, oh mighty spirit beast, spare my life!" the man implored, his voice quivering with fear.

Daredevil, however, had no intention of harming the man at this moment. In an attempt to reassure him, the panther approached the hunter and gently patted his leg. Overwhelmed by fear, the man's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, now soaked by his pee.

It took him a moment to realize that the spirit beast hadn't attacked him but offered a gesture of understanding and calm instead. He found himself locking eyes with those striking, intelligent blue eyes. In that gaze, he sensed something more profound than he had ever imagined possible as another series of growls and hisses emanated from the panther.

The hunter, still trembling with fear, apologized for his confusion as he understood nothing and shook his head as he slightly calmed down. "I don't understand what you're trying to say. I'm sorry. Thought I heard something about beasts earlier but must have hallucinated."

Upon hearing this, Daredevil's eyes widened with a spark of excitement. He was determined to communicate the idea and began repeating the word "beast" in various speech patterns, intonations, and mouth shapes, hoping to convey the message more clearly to the hunter.

As Tyler's voice gently reached Daredevil and the frightened human, the forest seemed to hold its breath. "Don't torture the poor man with this. Had I known you wanted to speak like humans so much, I would've practiced with you... Let's save this poor man's time and just bring him over, will ya?"

The hunter was now utterly terrified, recognizing the authority in the voice that belonged to an almighty cultivator. He immediately kowtowed... in his urine. "Master Cultivator! Thank you for sparing this lowly one!"

The hunter heard a sigh. A few seconds later, the voice reappeared. "Don't need to thank me... I well. Just follow the panther over, yeah? I'll get you new clothes and food for your family to compensate for the inconvenience. How about that?"

The hunter didn't even look up as his face was still glued to the ground. "Yes, Master Cultivator!"

In the face of his power, Tyler, recognizing the man's profoundly ingrained reverence and fear, chose not to correct the overly formal response. He understood that such reactions were typical among mortals when confronted with displays of extraordinary power. While he was technically only a few levels above the man in cultivation, his abilities were not.

Seeing as the duo was a few kilometers away from his cave, he returned to his meditation and tracked them as they slowly made their way over. He had been immersed in the practice since Mister Orleander left and still wasn't satisfied with his mental state.

As Tyler delved into the meditative practice within his inner world, he sought to refine his mastery over the ever-changing currents of the ocean. The connection with the True Essence of water, facilitated by his Kidneys's continuous infusion of minute amounts of energy, made this task much more intuitive. With closed eyes, he synchronized his mental state with the internal movements, finding in them a reflection of his heartbeat and breath.

What was once a turbulent maelstrom began to take on a rhythmic quality, a dance that he could anticipate and flow with. In the past, he had immersed himself in this sensation, finding a deep sense of unity between the ocean's movements and his psyche. But now, something gnawed at his focus, something he couldn't pinpoint. The recent encounter with Orleander left a lingering distasteful feeling, preventing him from fully engaging with the motions of his inner world.

He sighed. What am I thinking, I know why this is happening... I'm just... afraid to not be in control... His inner world grew more and more agitated as he wrestled with his thoughts, a part of him trying to gaslight himself into thinking that everything was fine and the other part, reinforced by the voice of his old psychiatrist, telling him to just accept the truth and move on from there.

Eventually, though, he heard the constantly growling panther and a still terrified hunter that followed closely behind, and he opened his eyes. Anticipating the Qi Gathering mortal's reaction, Tyler spoke up. "Come, grab a set of my clean clothes and get changed while yours get cleaned up. We can wait over tea and discuss this.. situation."

An enthusiastic little panther jumped forward, happy to see his benefactor, and rammed into Tyler's legs in search of head pats as the beast attempted to talk. "We can talk later. See if we can teach you a few words. Now it's time for a different lesson."

The hunter was still frozen a dozen meters away from Tyler, almost suffocated by his Qi. Tyler realized this and frowned, not at the mortal's reaction but at his inability to tamper down his cultivation. "I apologize. I was injured a while ago, and I can barely hide my cultivation these days... Is it too difficult to get closer?"

The hunter furiously nodded. "I'm sorry, master cultivator. I am.. not strong enough to be in your presence."

Tyler sighed and said, "I'll go inside the cave, there's a formation that should make it better installed inside. Please come in and let me know if it's any better. Oh, and please, call me Tyler. I am no master cultivator."

The hunter observed as Tyler stepped into the cave, instantly concealing his Qi. The hunter hesitated momentarily but realized he had no other choice, considering Tyler's immense power. Slowly, he ventured closer, hoping the formation would alleviate the oppressive pressure he had felt before.

He knew what horrors awaited him and his family if he disobeyed a cultivator.