Novice Gift Pack and the Path of Escape

The dark cabin was deathly silent.

Lin Xiao leaned against the door, his chest heaving. The air still seemed to carry the scent of blood and earth from the desolate wilderness. He closed his eyes, and the unfocused pupils and splashing warm liquid of Wang Hu's dying moments seared themselves into his mind like a brand, churning his stomach.

But he suppressed it.

He knew that the moment he smashed Wang Hu's skull with a rock, the Lin Xiao who abided by Earth's laws and morals was dead.

What lived on was an orphan from another world, whose hands were stained with blood for the sake of survival.

After an unknown amount of time, his uncontrollable trembling gradually subsided. He raised his head, his gaze piercing the darkness, locked onto the single icon glowing faintly on his retina.

[Novice Gift Pack].

This was his only reliance, his only hope to defy fate.

Without a shred of hesitation, he extended his hand, still stained with dried blood, and pressed down heavily in his mind.

"Buzz—"

A faint hum sounded in his mind. The gift pack icon transformed into a brilliant speck of light, and the phantom images of four items appeared on his panel.

[Congratulations on obtaining the basic cultivation technique: Qi Gathering Art x 1]

[Congratulations on obtaining the recovery item: Inferior Healing Potion x 1]

[Congratulations on obtaining the novice weapon: Rusty Dagger x 1]

[Congratulations on obtaining startup funds: Silver Coin x 10]

A series of system prompts cleared Lin Xiao's muddled mind. He examined each of these "gifts" from the System.

Qi Gathering Art: The most basic breathing and circulation method, the most widely spread introductory cultivation technique. It can guide the sparse spiritual energy between heaven and earth into the body, tempering the physical form and stepping into the path of cultivation.

[Learn/Discard]

Inferior Healing Potion: A crude potion refined by an incompetent alchemist. It has a pungent odor and a terrible taste, but it can effectively treat minor external injuries and restore a small amount of stamina.

[Use/Discard]

Rusty Dagger: A defensive weapon discarded in a corner. The blade has several nicks, but it is still usable.

[Equip/Discard]

Ten Silver Coins lay quietly in a corner of the virtual item inventory, emitting a humble glow. In this world, one Silver Coin was enough to support a poor family for half a month. This sum was undoubtedly a fortune to him.

There were no earth-shattering divine skills or heaven-rending divine weapons. Everything seemed so basic, so... fitting for his "novice" status.

But for Lin Xiao at this moment, it was like charcoal in the snow.

He first looked at the healing potion emitting a cloudy green glow. The fight with Wang Hu had left him covered in wounds, especially his arms that had protected his head, which were now bruised and purple, stinging fiercely.

He chose "Use."

Instantly, a materialized glass bottle filled with an unknown liquid appeared in his hand. He pulled out the wooden stopper, and an indescribable, pungent odor, like a mixture of rotten grass and mud, assailed his nostrils, almost making him vomit again.

He forced down his nausea and downed the potion in one gulp.

The liquid flowed down his throat like swallowing a ball of scorching sand, burning intensely. But soon, a warm current rose from his stomach, rapidly spreading to every limb and bone. The pain and swelling in his arms receded at a visible rate, and the fatigue that had plagued his body vanished.

"Amazing..." Lin Xiao moved his arms. Apart from some lingering bruises, they were basically functional again.

The recovery of his body gave him immense confidence. He turned his gaze to the Qi Gathering Art.

"Learn!"

He chanted in his mind.

Instantly, a massive stream of information flooded his mind. The circulation route of the Qi Gathering Art, the breathing methods, the secrets of sensing spiritual energy... everything was instantly mastered as if it were an innate instinct.

[System Notification: Successfully learned cultivation technique Qi Gathering Art. Current proficiency 0/100.]

Lin Xiao's heart warmed. He immediately sat cross-legged, closed his eyes according to the method in his mind, and began his first attempt at cultivation.

He cleared his mind and adjusted his breathing. With each exhale and inhale, his breath gradually became long and rhythmic.

According to the cultivation technique, spiritual energy existed everywhere between heaven and earth. It was the fundamental energy that constituted all things in the world and the source of a cultivator's power. The first step of cultivation was "sensing energy"—perceiving the spiritual energy drifting in the world.

For Lin Xiao, with his "Mortal-Grade Inferior" aptitude, this should have been an impossibly difficult step. Many people with the same aptitude might never sense the existence of spiritual energy in their entire lives.

However, as he calmed his mind and concentrated his mental energy, the "game panel" before his eyes quietly changed.

At the edges of his vision, tiny, rice-sized specks of various colors, invisible to the naked eye, began to appear. Some emitted a gentle white light, others a lively green, and still others a thick earthy yellow... They drifted aimlessly in the air, faint but undeniably real.

"Is this... spiritual energy?" Lin Xiao was ecstatic.

It was this "game panel"! Not only could it digitize the world, but it could even allow him to "see" the existence of spiritual energy! This was practically a cheat tailored for him!

Suppressing his inner excitement, he began to try and guide these specks of light. He carefully followed the route of the Qi Gathering Art, using his mental energy to "lure" the closest white speck.

He failed once. The speck drifted away from his mental energy. He failed a second time. The speck seemed startled and dodged.

Lin Xiao was not discouraged. He remembered his first time playing a fishing game; it required patience and even more skill.

He tried again and again, his mental energy draining rapidly, sweat beading on his forehead once more. Just as he felt he was about to give up, a white speck finally seemed curious about him and lightly touched his mental energy.

Success!

Lin Xiao's heart surged. He quickly guided this hard-won first wisp of spiritual energy along the meridians of his arm, slowly flowing into his body.

The moment spiritual energy entered his body, an indescribable sense of comfort spread throughout his entire being. It was like a parched riverbed receiving its first drop of sweet rain – weak, yet brimming with vitality.

He dared not delay, focusing all his attention on guiding this wisp of spiritual energy within his body along the path set by the Qi Gathering Art, completing a full circulation.

When this wisp of spiritual energy finally merged into his dantian and disappeared, Lin Xiao's body jolted.

[System Notification: Completed one full circulation. Qi Gathering Art proficiency +1.]

[System Notification: Successfully drew qi into the body. Realm breakthrough!]

[Current Realm: Body Refinement First Level (1/100)]

[Strength +2, Agility +1, Spirit +2]

A series of notifications sounded like heavenly music.

Lin Xiao's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing through them before vanishing. He could clearly feel that his body had undergone a world-shattering transformation.

His body, previously weak from hunger and fatigue, was now filled with explosive power. His senses had also become unprecedentedly sharp; he could even hear the faint rustling of mice scurrying in the alley outside.

He immediately brought up his status panel.

[Name: Lin Xiao]
[Realm: Body Refinement First Level (1/100)]
[Level: 1 (0/20)]
[Strength: 7 (Mortal limit is 10)]
[Agility: 7 (Mortal limit is 10)]
[Spirit: 9 (Mortal limit is 10)]
[Talent: Unawakened]
[Cultivation Technique: Qi Gathering Art (Proficiency 1/100)]
[Skills: None]

Strength at 7, Agility at 7, and Spirit at an astonishing 9!

This had completely surpassed the limits of an ordinary person. If he faced Wang Hu now, even without the System's weakness prompts, he was confident he could defeat him in a head-on fight!

This was the power of cultivation!

Immense joy and a sense of accomplishment washed over him, almost completely dispelling the fear and gloom from the previous night's killing.

He clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within him, his eyes shining with an unprecedented light.

"Wang Hu, thank you... for paving this path for me with your life," he murmured softly, his voice cold and calm.

He knew he had completely transformed.

The next day, before dawn, Lin Xiao woke up.

It wasn't a natural awakening, but rather a rude one, jolted by a series of "bang, bang, bang" sounds of knocking on his door.

"Open up! City Guard, routine inspection!" a rough male voice boomed from outside.

Lin Xiao's heart leaped into his throat. The City Guard? So early? Had Wang Hu's body been discovered?

He jolted awake and leaped out of bed, his hand instinctively reaching for the rusty dagger placed by his pillow.

He forced himself to calm down. No, it couldn't be that fast. In the desolate wilderness, even if someone found them, it would take time to report it. This was likely just a coincidence.

He took a deep breath, hid the dagger behind his back, walked over, and unbolted the door.

Standing outside were two City Guards in leather armor, swords at their waists, their faces etched with impatience. One of them frowned upon seeing Lin Xiao, "What are you dawdling for? Hiding a woman in there?"

The other directly squeezed into the room, giving it a cursory glance. Seeing only a broken wooden bed and a table with a missing leg, and realizing the room was bare, he curled his lip, "Bad luck, another pauper."

"Officers, what brings you here so early?" Lin Xiao asked, feigning composure.

The guard who entered first waved his hand impatiently, "Steward Liu's house in the west of the city was robbed last night, some items went missing. We're ordered to search house by house. Alright, there's nothing worth stealing here, get lost."

With that, the two guards grumbled and moved on to the next house.

After Lin Xiao closed the door, his back was soaked in cold sweat.

Although this was just a false alarm, it served as a wake-up call.

The bodies of Wang Hu and his two companions were a huge hidden danger. A couple of orphans dying in the slums might go unnoticed, but Wang Hu was different. Yesterday, he had tested with "Mortal-Grade Superior" aptitude! Such a person, though not yet a true cultivator, had one foot in the cultivation world, and some minor powers in the city might take notice.

If his disappearance triggered an investigation, he could easily be implicated.

He had to dispose of the bodies as soon as possible and leave Qingyang City!

Once this thought took root, it could no longer be suppressed.

He dared not delay any further. While it was still dark, he quietly slipped out of his home and headed towards the desolate mountains outside the city.

Having become a cultivator at Body Refinement First Level, his stamina and speed were far beyond what they were yesterday. A journey that originally took nearly an hour, he covered in less than twenty minutes.

The bloody battlefield from last night remained as it was. Wang Hu's body lay on the ground, stiffened, dark red blood staining the ground. Further down the slope, another lackey had also breathed his last, only the last one lay in the pile of rocks, emitting weak groans, clearly on his last legs.

Lin Xiao showed no mercy. He knew that mercy to an enemy was cruelty to oneself.

He picked up the stone that had killed Wang Hu and walked down the slope expressionlessly, ending the man's final suffering.

[Successfully killed a mortal]

[Gained Experience: 1 point]

The cold system notification sounded again. Killing an ordinary person only yielded 1 experience point. Lin Xiao felt nothing.

Dealing with the three corpses was still a very tricky matter for him. Without tools, he could only use his hands and the dagger to find a patch of soft earth nearby and start digging frantically.

He dug with the dagger and shoveled with his hands. Soil, gravel, and blood mixed together, covering him entirely.

It took him the entire morning to barely dig a shallow pit that could hold three people. He dragged the three corpses into it, hastily buried them with dirt, and then covered the spot with a thick layer of fallen leaves and dead branches as camouflage.

After finishing, he was so exhausted he felt like he was about to collapse.

He leaned against a tree, looking at the crude grave he had made with his own hands. There was no fear in his heart, only a numb coldness.

He knew he had to leave as soon as possible.

Qingyang City was too small; it could no longer contain him. Based on the original owner's memories and his understanding over the past three months, the true centers of the Skywind Kingdom were the bustling large cities with their cultivation academies. Only by going there would he have the chance to learn systematically and encounter a broader world.

Moreover, his "game panel" needed more "experience points" to upgrade. Experience points came from combat and killing.

If he stayed here, he would be exposed sooner or later. Leaving was the only way to survive.

Having made up his mind, Lin Xiao did not return to the city. Instead, he detoured to the city's market.

He used one silver coin to buy a simple kingdom map from a traveling merchant and two silver coins to buy some preserved meat and water that could be stored for a long time. He carefully hid the remaining money on his person.

Everything was ready.

As dusk fell, Lin Xiao stood for the last time on the hillside overlooking Qingyang City.

Flickering lights had already appeared in the city, and wisps of cooking smoke rose, giving it a peaceful appearance. But only he knew the cruelty and coldness hidden beneath this tranquility.

There was nothing here that held him back.

He turned and glanced at the city marked on the map as the closest major city to here—Cloud Creek City.

The journey was long, and the road ahead was unknown.

But there was no confusion in his eyes, only unwavering determination.

He clenched the rusty dagger and stepped forward, resolutely walking into the boundless night.