The roars of beasts and chirps of insects outside the hollow gradually faded, replaced by a deeper silence belonging to the ancient lands of the Primordial World. Only the wind's mournful wail through the forest remained, like the breathing of a sleeping earth. Lin Xuan didn't dare fall into a deep sleep. He kept up the basic breathing method of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, refining the meager Innate Spiritual Energy while staying alert to what was happening outside.
The night passed in an uncharacteristic calm. Perhaps he had chosen a sufficiently hidden spot, or perhaps it was the combined effect of the Breath Concealment Technique and the Chaos Bead.
When the first ray of daylight pierced the darkness like a sword through the gaps in the branches, Lin Xuan immediately opened his eyes. After a night of rest and continued, meager cultivation, he felt much better than the day before. His tolerance for spiritual energy seemed to have improved a little, too.
"A new day, a new struggle to survive." He stretched his stiff body and crawled out of the hollow.
His first priority was still food and water. The wild fruits in the Chaos Bead's space were running low, so he needed to replenish his supplies soon. Following the route he remembered taking, he cautiously made his way toward the stream he'd found earlier. This time, he kept the Breath Concealment Technique running the entire way, moving lightly and trying not to make a sound.
He made it back to the stream without incident, drank his fill, then filled several huge leaves with water and stored them in the space. Next, he turned his attention once more to those wary "squirrel" beasts. Having learned from yesterday's failure, he didn't waste time chasing them. Instead, he used the soft earth by the stream to dig a simple pit trap, camouflaged it with twigs and fallen leaves, and placed a few tempting wild fruits inside.
Once the trap was ready, he retreated behind a boulder in the distance and waited patiently. Meanwhile, he tried cultivating the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique again. The intense stinging pain remained, but he was starting to get used to it and could just about maintain the cultivation posture for more than the time it took an incense stick to burn. He could clearly feel every wisp of refined spiritual energy subtly strengthening his muscle fibers and increasing his bone density.
About half an hour later, a faint snap of a branch and a panicked squeak came from the direction of the trap. Lin Xuan's heart lifted. He concealed his presence and moved closer, only to see a "squirrel" beast, plumper than the one from yesterday, frantically leaping around at the bottom of the pit.
"It worked!" Lin Xuan easily lifted it out, solving his breakfast problem. He roasted and stored most of the meat, keeping only a small portion to eat then and there. The spiritual-energy-rich meat warmed him from the inside, and his cultivation seemed to benefit even more.
After his meal, Lin Xuan looked up at the peak of Buzhou Mountain, still impossibly high and radiating boundless majesty. The system's mission, [Climb Buzhou Mountain], was still waiting for him.
"I have to keep climbing." He made up his mind. Staying at the foot of the mountain was relatively "safe," but resources were limited, and the system's sign-in rewards were clearly tied to location. He'd already received the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique and the Chaos Bead (incomplete) at the foot of the mountain. What awaited him higher up? Opportunity surely went hand in hand with danger.
After orienting himself, he began climbing the steep mountainside. The higher he went, the heavier Pangu's pressure became, as if the air itself had thickened. Each step took more effort than the last. At the same time, the Innate Spiritual Energy in the air grew denser and purer. Now and then, he spotted plants glowing faintly in the cracks between the rocks. They were clearly better specimens than those at the foot of the mountain.
Remembering his lesson, he didn't dare recklessly pick any Spirit Grass that looked unusual. Who knew whether an even more terrifying guardian beast was lurking nearby? His small frame couldn't withstand another use of the Minor Universe Shifting Talisman—and he only had one.
Relying on the Breath Concealment Technique, he moved cautiously between the dense forest and strange rocks like a ghost. Along the way, he sensed several powerful presences lurking in the distance and wisely gave them a wide berth.
Yet danger in the Primordial World was everywhere. Just as he was climbing a steep slope covered in slippery moss, something suddenly went wrong!
A vine, so perfectly camouflaged that it was indistinguishable from the rocks, sprang up like a venomous snake and lashed toward his ankle! Sharp barbs covered it, gleaming with a dark blue sheen. It was clearly poisonous!
Lin Xuan had been on guard and reacted quickly, kicking off the ground to narrowly evade it. But when the vine missed, it twisted like a living thing and whipped at him again, cutting through the air with a fierce hiss!
"What the hell is that?" Lin Xuan cursed under his breath. He rolled to the side and grabbed a stone from the ground, hurling it hard at the vine's base.
Thwack! The stone struck, and the vine recoiled as if in pain. But more vines surged out from behind the rocks, lashing wildly as they lunged at him! This was a Demonic Vine that had become a monster!
Lin Xuan's heart tightened. The Demonic Vine was far faster and stronger than the rock boar he'd encountered before! He dodged in a panic as he circulated the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, channeling his meager strength into his arms to block the whipping vines.
Smack! A vine struck his arm, tearing his clothes in an instant and leaving a burning pain and a swollen welt. Fortunately, its barbs couldn't pierce his skin, which had undergone its first tempering. But the immense force still sent him staggering backward.
"I can't get bogged down in a fight!" Lin Xuan realized how tough the Demonic Vine was, and the noise might attract something even more terrifying. Spotting an opening, he didn't hesitate. He turned and sprinted down the slope!
The Demonic Vine pursued relentlessly behind him, its tendrils like green venomous snakes.
Lin Xuan pushed the Breath Concealment Technique to its limits and ran for his life. He sprinted for several miles, and only when he felt the Demonic Vine's presence fade did he lean against an ancient tree and gasp for breath.
He looked at the swollen welt on his arm, still shaken. If he'd been caught in the vines or scratched by their barbs, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
"Staying alive... is hard." He smiled bitterly and wiped away his sweat. In this Primordial World, danger lurked at every step. Even a seemingly harmless vine could take your life.
After resting for a while, he changed direction and continued climbing. This time, he was even more careful, scrutinizing almost every step.
At dusk, he found a narrow crevice beneath a cliff. It was only wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways, but the inside was quite dry, making it an ideal place to spend the night. He carefully blocked the entrance with rocks.
He lit a small fire and ate roasted beast meat as he thought back over the perilous day. He'd faced danger, but made it through without harm. What's more, he could feel that the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique seemed to cultivate a little faster under this constant pressure than it had on level ground. His physical strength and resilience were also improving steadily.
"Stay alive to keep fighting." He repeated the phrase from a game he'd played in his previous life, understanding it more deeply now. Only by surviving and protecting his life could he think about cultivation, growing stronger, and the future.
He sat cross-legged and, enduring the agony, began cultivating the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique again. The spiritual energy stung like needles, pricking every inch of his flesh, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. He knew that each painful increment would become capital he could draw on to survive in this Primordial World.
Night fell once more outside the crevice, bringing danger from all sides. Inside, the young man endured the pain of cultivation, his gaze growing ever more resolute. Survive and grow stronger: that was his only conviction now.
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