Cai'er Heavily Injured, Long Xuanye Makes a Move

Long Xuanye's eyes flickered slightly.

As expected, the system's reward proved that if he were exposed, he would surely die.

"Option one."

Long Xuanye silently recited in his heart.

Without the slightest hesitation, he used the shadows of the forest and the cover of the morning mist. His figure retreated like a ghost, silently blending into the depths of the forest.

After a search, he found a cave hidden by vines beneath an inconspicuous cliff.

This became his temporary refuge.

Time flowed, and half a month passed in a flash.

Long Xuanye gradually adapted to life in the forest.

Hunting, cultivating, hiding.

The Knight Temple's search parties were like maggots on a bone, repeatedly sweeping the outer perimeter of the forest, preventing him from even getting close to Odin Town.

But just as he had predicted, this endless pursuit had instead become a "cash machine" for system tasks.

[Triggered Choice: Evade Knight Temple search...]

[Choice completed, reward has been issued.]

This prompt sounded almost every other day.

On this day, Long Xuanye sat cross-legged in the cave and summoned the system panel, which he hadn't carefully examined in a long time.

[Host: Long Xuanye]

[External Spirit Power: 198]

[Innate Inner Spiritual Power: 98]

[Skills: Instantaneous Movement Steps (Proficient), Basic Swordsmanship (Perfection), Stealth (Master), Trap Setting (Proficient)...]

External Spirit Power was just a step away from the threshold of a second-tier Knight.

But Inner Spiritual Power was stuck dead at 98 points, refusing to advance further.

In subsequent choice tasks, the system's Inner Spiritual Power rewards became increasingly stingy, decreasing from 1 point to 0.5, and even 0.1.

The last mission didn't even give any Inner Spiritual Power rewards, only some proficiency in basic Knight skills.

Long Xuanye understood that every point of Innate Inner Spiritual Power increase represented a huge boost to his Talent, something the system wouldn't let him obtain easily anymore.

However, these past half-month of arduous training and practical combat had also brought about earth-shattering changes in his combat ability.

As he was now, his combat power was infinitely close to Tier 3, and it could even be said that within Tier 3, he had no equal.

But, where lay the path ahead?

Without the Knight Temple's Inheritance, let alone continuing his cultivation, he couldn't even awaken his Innate Inner Spiritual Power.

His External Spirit Power was also rapidly approaching its limit!

At that time, even with system quests, he wouldn't be able to continue improving!

Just as Long Xuanye was contemplating, the familiar transparent light screen lit up once more.

This time, the options were vastly different from before.

[Choice 1: Venture deep into the Monster Forest Central Area. Reward: Innate Inner Spiritual Power +1.]

[Choice 2: Continue hunting in the safe zone. Reward: 'Heavy Slash' Knight Technique Proficiency +100.]

Long Xuanye's gaze sharpened.

His eyes were locked firmly onto the first option.

Venture deep into the Monster Forest Central Area.

Reward: Innate Inner Spiritual Power +1.

With his External Spirit Power at 198, already the limit for a Tier 2 Knight, coupled with his Mastery Level Instantaneous Movement Steps, the risks of the central area were not unbearable.

The more crucial factor was that single point of Innate Inner Spiritual Power.

In the past few days, no matter how many quests he completed, his Innate Inner Spiritual Power remained stubbornly stuck at 98 points, unmoving.

He could feel that this was a bottleneck.

Opportunities for the system to offer such rewards were too rare.

If the reward had been +2, helping him break through the bottleneck of 99 and reach the legendary realm of 100, he would absolutely not dare to go.

Such a reward would undoubtedly be a trap with a ten-in-ten chance of death.

But now, it was just +1.

Pushing his Talent to the height of 99.

"Let's do it!"

Long Xuanye made his decision.

"I choose one."

Without any hesitation, he gripped the short blade he had picked up at his waist, turned, and his figure, like a flowing light merged into the shadows, moved towards the depths of the forest.

Meanwhile.

In the central part of the Monster Forest, deep within the dense woods.

A petite figure was making a desperate escape. The white dress she wore was stained with soil and blood, leaving her in a sorry state.

Saint Cai'er.

On her left arm, a claw mark, deep enough to see bone, was continuously oozing blood, staining her entire sleeve.

Behind her, a powerfully built Bloodthirsty Demonic Wolf was relentlessly pursuing. Saliva dripped from its fangs, and its beast eyes were filled with cruelty and mockery.

This was the Reincarnation Saintess's trial.

To awaken her dormant potential in a desperate situation.

But she was, after all, just a little girl around ten years old.

After fleeing continuously for two hours, her spiritual power was long exhausted, and her stamina was nearing its limit.

The unique fetid scent of the Bloodthirsty Demonic Wolf was right behind her neck.

Every pounce carried a fierce wind that tore through the air, allowing her to narrowly evade it.

I can't go on...

Saint Cai'er's vision swam, her steps grew more faltering. All that supported her was the most primal survival instinct.

Despair surged into her heart like a tide.

"It hurts so much..."

A thought even flashed through her mind, wanting to stop right there.

At least, it would end this endless chase.

Just as the Bloodthirsty Demonic Wolf gathered its strength again, its hind legs powerfully pushing off the ground, preparing to launch its fatal blow, Saint Cai'er tripped and fell heavily to the ground.

She struggled to turn her head and saw that bloody mouth rapidly expanding in her vision.

The girl's pupils constricted sharply with fear.

She closed her eyes in despair.

"Roar--!"

The expected agony did not arrive. Instead, a piercing beast howl echoed.

Saint Cai'er opened her eyes.

A black shadow, swift as lightning, moved with mysterious footwork, instantly closing the distance to her.

Puchi.

The worn short blade in the youth's hand precisely pierced the bloodthirsty demonic wolf's soft neck.

Blood gushed out.

The figure turned, revealing a delicate and calm face – it was Long Xuanye, who had ventured deep into the forest.

Saint Cai'er was stunned.

She recognized the person who had arrived: a strange youth of similar age to herself.

She instinctively opened her mouth, but only a hoarse "wuwu" sound came out.

She raised her still-movable right hand, pointing behind herself, signaling him to run.

She didn't want to implicate this stranger.

However, this slight movement pulled at the wound on her left arm.

"Hiss..."

Agony struck. Saint Cai'er gasped, her body went limp, and she collapsed powerlessly to the ground again.

"Awoooo!"

The bloodthirsty demonic wolf, in pain, unleashed its full ferocity. It abandoned its current prey, its scarlet beast eyes locked onto Long Xuanye. Its huge body transformed into a blood-colored afterimage, lunging forward.

Long Xuanye's eyes narrowed.

As he dodged the wolf claw, he used a backhand grab to pull the limp Saint Cai'er behind him.

Instantaneous Movement Steps, activated again!

Holding the girl, his figure glided backward like a ghost for several meters, steadily creating distance.

The bloodthirsty demonic wolf, having missed its attack, became even more enraged and was about to lunge again.

But Long Xuanye didn't give it the chance.

He gripped the short blade in reverse, channeling spiritual power into its tip.

With a throw.

The short blade transformed into a streak of flowing light, precisely shooting into the Bloodthirsty Demonic Wolf's mouth as it hissed in a roar, piercing its brain.

"Bang."

The massive wolf corpse crashed to the ground, twitching twice before falling silent.

Long Xuanye's chest rose and fell slightly, his breathing a little urgent.

Yet, a flicker of joy flashed in his eyes.

The system's prompt had already arrived.