First Hunt in the Wilderness and the Merchant Caravan

The night was as dark as ink, the cold wind like a knife.

Lin Xiao curled up in a sheltered hollow, a thick layer of dead grass spread beneath him. The thin hemp clothes he wore had long been soaked by the night dew, chilling him to the bone.

It had been three days since he left Qingyang City.

For these three days, he had traveled arduously along the rugged mountain paths towards Cloud Creek City, guided by a map. At night, he would find a relatively safe spot to meditate, cultivate, and recover his strength.

The harshness of the wilderness was far beyond his imagination. Hunger, cold, and loneliness were like persistent sores, constantly eroding his will. The dried meat and water he had brought were completely consumed by the second day. At this moment, he was relying solely on the resilient physique gained from Body Refinement First Level and a stubborn refusal to give up to keep going.

"Gurgle..."

The protest from his stomach woke him from his shallow cultivation. The intense hunger made his vision blur.

"I can't go on like this anymore." Lin Xiao gritted his teeth and crawled out of his hiding place.

Under the moonlight, his face looked pale, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. He knew that to survive, he had to take the initiative. He needed food, he needed water, and all of it could only be seized from this dangerous wilderness.

He tightened his grip on the rusty dagger he always carried, lowered his body, and like a ghost, silently melted into the shadows of the mountain forest.

His five senses, having become a cultivator, were now extremely sharp. Not the slightest disturbance in the wind could escape his ears. He moved forward cautiously, constantly circulating the Qi Gathering Art in his mind, drawing in the sparse spiritual energy from the air to replenish his stamina.

[Qi Gathering Art Proficiency +1]

[Qi Gathering Art Proficiency +1]

The occasional prompts on the system panel were his only solace in this silent, dead mountain forest.

After walking for about half an hour, his steps suddenly halted.

A faint, fishy wind drifted from ahead, mixed with a hint of blood.

There was a beast!

Lin Xiao's heart leaped, but he didn't retreat. Instead, he carefully lightened his steps and crept towards the direction of the fishy wind.

Pushing aside the last patch of bushes in front of him, the scene that unfolded made his pupils contract sharply.

Not far away, in an open space, a giant wolf, comparable in size to a calf, covered in blue scales and with a single horn on its head, was tearing at the carcass of a wild boar. Blood and torn flesh splattered everywhere, the scene exceptionally gruesome.

[System Notification: Discovered First-Order Low-Grade Monster Beast - Azure Scale Wolf]

[Scanning Target: Azure Scale Wolf] [Realm: Body Refinement Second Level]

[Weakness Analysis: Scale armor on the abdomen is thin; ferocious and irritable temperament, simple attack patterns.]

Body Refinement Second Level!

Lin Xiao's heart sank. This monster beast was a full minor realm stronger than him. In terms of both strength and speed, it was definitely superior.

Escape?

The thought was extinguished as soon as it arose. He was so hungry he could barely walk. If he ran now and was discovered, his exhausted body would surely lead to death.

The only path to survival was to fight!

Take advantage of its current state of feeding, when its vigilance was at its lowest, and launch a fatal blow!

Lin Xiao stared intently at the Azure Scale Wolf, his mind racing, analyzing the information provided by the system.

The abdomen was the weak point, but the beast was currently lying down feeding, offering no opportunity to attack.

Irritable temperament, simple attack patterns... This might be exploitable!

He took a deep breath, suppressing his presence to the extreme, like a stubborn rock, quietly lurking behind the bushes, waiting for his chance.

Time ticked by, and the Azure Scale Wolf finally finished eating. It let out a blood-scented burp, stood up lazily, seemingly preparing to find a place to rest.

Now!

The moment the Azure Scale Wolf stood up, exposing its vulnerable abdomen to the air, Lin Xiao moved!

He shot out from the bushes like an arrow loosed from a bow. His rusty dagger, glinting in the moonlight, drew a cold, sharp arc, stabbing directly into the Azure Scale Wolf's soft belly!

"Pfft!"

The sound of the dagger entering flesh was clear.

"Awooo--!"

The Azure Scale Wolf let out an agonizing howl. It never expected that in its own territory, "prey" would dare to attack it.

The intense pain instantly sent it into a frenzy. It violently shook its head, its massive jaws like iron clamps, snapping fiercely at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao didn't dare to linger after his successful strike, immediately retreating. But the Azure Scale Wolf's speed was too great. Although he narrowly avoided having his throat torn out, his left shoulder was raked by a wolf's fang, leaving a wound deep enough to see bone. Blood instantly stained his clothes.

A searing pain shot through him, yet Lin Xiao didn't even flinch. Enduring the pain, he created distance from the enraged Azure Scale Wolf, his eyes fixed on it.

He knew he only had one chance.

The Azure Scale Wolf was completely enraged. Its eyes turned crimson, it abandoned all defense, and transformed into a blue streak of lightning, lunging at Lin Xiao once more!

Just as the system had analyzed, its attack pattern was simple!

A glint flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. He didn't retreat. Instead, he met the charging Azure Scale Wolf with a sudden sidestep, simultaneously driving his dagger into the Azure Scale Wolf's wounded abdomen from an extremely tricky angle!

"Thwack--"

This time, the dagger sank almost unimpeded, all the way into the Azure Scale Wolf's body!

Lin Xiao didn't even have time to draw his dagger. He put all his strength into gripping the hilt and slashed upwards fiercely!

Gutted!

"Roar..."

The Azure Scale Wolf's charge came to an abrupt halt. It let out a short, desperate cry before its massive body crashed to the ground. Guts and blood spilled everywhere. After a few twitches, it was completely still.

[Successfully killed First-Order Low-Grade Monster Beast: Azure Scale Wolf]

[Gained Experience: 25 points]

[Level Up! Current Level: 2 (6/50)]

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

A series of system prompts invigorated the exhausted Lin Xiao. Ignoring his injuries and the blood covering him, he sat down on the ground, gasping for air.

He won... He had actually killed a Body Refinement Second Level monster beast!

The joy of surviving and the surge of strength from leveling up washed away his fatigue and pain. He looked at his updated status panel, a smile tugging at his lips.

[Name: Lin Xiao]
[Realm: Body Refinement First Level (26/100)]
[Level: 2 (6/50)]
[Strength: 8 (Mortal Limit: 10)]
[Agility: 8 (Mortal Limit: 10)]
[Spirit: 10 (Mortal Limit: 10)]
[Cultivation Technique: Qi Gathering Art (Proficiency 15/100)]

His Strength and Agility had both reached 8 points, and his Spirit had even hit the mortal limit of 10!

After resting for a moment, Lin Xiao struggled to his feet and walked over to the Azure Scale Wolf's corpse. He endured the stench of blood and began to clumsily process the monster beast.

He used his dagger to cut off a large chunk of wolf leg meat and found some dry branches nearby to start a campfire.

When the first bite of the roasted, sizzling wolf meat entered his mouth, Lin Xiao almost shed tears of joy. This was perhaps the most delicious meal he had eaten in two lifetimes.

The wolf meat contained a faint trace of spiritual energy. After he swallowed it, it transformed into warm currents that nourished his body. Even the wound on his shoulder didn't seem to hurt as much.

After filling his stomach, Lin Xiao began to carefully examine the Azure Scale Wolf's corpse. He remembered reading in some miscellaneous novels that the most valuable item within a monster beast was its monster core.

He cut open the wolf's head and fumbled around in the foul-smelling brain matter for a long time. Finally, he found a thumb-sized crystal emitting a faint green light.

[Obtained Item: First-Order Low-Grade Monster Core (Wind Attribute)]

[Item Description: The essence of a First-Order monster beast's power, containing pure energy. Can be used for cultivation, artifact forging, and alchemy. Highly valuable.]

He was rich!

Lin Xiao's heart pounded uncontrollably. He knew that this single monster core was enough for him to establish a foothold in a large city like Cloud Creek City!

This was the first real fortune he had earned with his own hands and wits since arriving in this world!

He carefully wiped the monster core clean and hid it close to his body.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, Lin Xiao had recovered most of his strength. He ate a hearty wolf meat meal and then made jerky from the remaining meat before continuing on his journey with satisfaction.

With this successful hunting experience, his courage grew. In the following days, he no longer hid as he had before. Instead, he actively sought out lone, low-level monster beasts to hunt.

Although the process was always perilous and he sustained several new injuries, his combat skills and experience improved rapidly through these life-and-death struggles.

His level finally rose to 3 on the fifth day.

At noon that day, as he was cleaning bloodstains by the river after dealing with an Ironhide Boar, the sound of horse hooves and rolling wheels could be heard from the nearby official road.

Lin Xiao's heart tightened, and he immediately hid behind a large rock.

A merchant caravan, consisting of seven or eight horse-drawn carriages, was slowly approaching. More than twenty guards armed with weapons surrounded the caravan. Their temples bulged, and their breathing was steady, clearly indicating they were skilled cultivators at the Body Refinement realm.

At the very front of the caravan, a portly middle-aged man in fine clothes, riding a tall horse, was talking with the guard leader beside him with a worried expression.

"Team Leader Zhang, this cursed weather, so stuffy and hot. We're approaching Black Wind Pass ahead, and I just have a bad feeling about this."

The man called Team Leader Zhang was a burly, one-eyed giant. He grinned upon hearing this, revealing a row of yellow teeth. "Don't worry, Boss Zhao. With our Black Wind Escort Agency here, your cargo will be safe and sound. The bandits at Black Wind Pass were recently wiped out by the authorities. I doubt they'd dare to cause trouble again."

Despite his words, Lin Xiao didn't miss the hint of solemnity in his eyes.

Lin Xiao watched them, his mind racing.

Traveling alone in the wilderness was too risky due to the lack of information. If he could travel with this caravan for a while, it would not only ensure his safety but perhaps also allow him to gather some news about Cloud Creek City.

Having made up his mind, he didn't reveal himself rashly. Instead, he waited until the caravan stopped by the river to set up camp and cook, letting their guard down. Only then did he emerge from behind the boulder.

He deliberately made himself look disheveled. His clothes were tattered, stained with blood and dirt, and he had smeared some dirt on his face, making him look like an unfortunate soul lost in the wilderness.

"Esteemed sirs, please, have mercy, give me some water to drink," he called out weakly, staggering as if he might collapse at any moment.

His appearance immediately alerted the caravan guards. A dozen gleaming steel sabers were instantly pointed at him.

"Halt! Who are you?" Team Leader Zhang shouted sternly.

Lin Xiao slumped to the ground with a thud, gasping for air. "I... I'm a hunter from a nearby village. I went into the mountains to hunt and ran into some demonic beasts. All my companions are dead, and I'm the only one who escaped... I haven't eaten in three days..."

His acting wasn't superb, but combined with his pathetic appearance, it was about seventy to eighty percent believable.

Team Leader Zhang sized him up. Seeing that although he was disheveled, his eyes were clear and he didn't seem like a wicked person, and that he was young with only Body Refinement First Level cultivation, posing no threat, he waved his hand, signaling his men to lower their weapons.

"Give him a steamed bun and a bowl of water."

Immediately, a guard threw over a dry, hard, dark steamed bun and a waterskin.

Lin Xiao didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed the bun and stuffed it into his mouth, then gulped down several large mouthfuls of water, looking like a starving ghost reborn.

The plump man in fine clothes, Boss Zhao, walked over and asked condescendingly, "Kid, are you familiar with this area? Do you know if there's been any recent activity around Black Wind Pass?"

Lin Xiao's heart stirred, knowing his chance had come. He swallowed the bun in his mouth, pretended to ponder, and said, "Black Wind Pass? It's not peaceful there. When I was escaping, I think I saw quite a few people active around there, all looking fierce and not like good people."

This statement was half-true and half-false, fabricated from the conversation he had overheard earlier.

As expected, Boss Zhao and Team Leader Zhang's expressions changed slightly.

"Kid, is what you're saying true?" Team Leader Zhang pressed.

"Absolutely true!" Lin Xiao patted his chest and guaranteed, "How could I dare to lie to you lords? If I hadn't run fast, I would probably have become another ghost under their blades."

Boss Zhao pondered for a moment, then said to Team Leader Zhang, "Team Leader Zhang, it seems we'll have to take a detour. Traveling an extra few dozen miles through the mountains is better than losing our cargo."

Team Leader Zhang nodded in agreement.

Boss Zhao then looked at Lin Xiao, his eyes darting around, revealing a shrewdness typical of a merchant. "Kid, you seem quite familiar with these mountains. Why don't you lead us, bypassing Black Wind Pass? When we reach Cloud Creek City, I'll give you ten silver coins as a reward, how about it?"

Ten silver coins!

Lin Xiao rejoiced inwardly but put on a troubled expression. "This... I..."

"Twenty!" Boss Zhao raised the price.

"Deal!" Lin Xiao immediately agreed, fearing he might go back on his word.

And so, Lin Xiao, as a "guide," smoothly joined the caravan.

He was arranged on a horse-drawn carriage filled with cloth. Along the way, he appeared taciturn and cautious, but secretly, he was unobtrusively observing everyone in the caravan while perking up his ears to listen to the guards' conversations, gathering all useful information.

Soon, he figured it out. The caravan had departed from a place called "Nanfeng Town," transporting a batch of silk fabrics to Cloud Creek City. And the bandits at Black Wind Pass did indeed exist; they were a notorious blight in the area.

As evening approached, the caravan set up camp in an open area.

Lin Xiao was gnawing on the dried meat given by a guard when a sharp-faced, monkey-like guard sidled up to him, a fake smile on his face. "Hey, kid, I heard you killed demonic beasts in the mountains by yourself?"

Lin Xiao glanced at him but said nothing.

Seeing his indifference, the guard felt a loss of face, and his voice turned cold. "Kid, don't push your luck. Hand over the monster cores you hunted, and I'll guarantee you a safe journey. Otherwise, in these desolate mountains, no one will even know if another corpse appears."

Threats! Naked threats!

Lin Xiao's eyes instantly turned cold. He hadn't expected trouble to find him so quickly.

He slowly stood up. Although he was half a head shorter than the guard, his eyes, honed by life and death, were like knives, making the guard's heart palpitate with fear.

"Scram."

The word, devoid of emotion, came from Lin Xiao's mouth.

"You're asking for death!" The guard flew into a rage and reached out to grab Lin Xiao's collar.

Lin Xiao didn't dodge. The moment the other party's hand was about to touch him, he moved like lightning, grabbing the guard's wrist.

His current strength of 8 points was immense!

"Crack!"

With a crisp sound, the guard's wrist was snapped by his sheer force!

"Ah--!"

A pig-like scream pierced the tranquility of the camp.