ARK SPIRIT

Hao Nhien had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped.

The smell of blood was too strong.

In the deep forest, blood did not merely mark the location of prey. It also attracted other things.

Almost as soon as that thought appeared, a faint rustling came from deeper within the woods. It was very soft, but it did not sound like wind.

Hao Nhien shifted his stance and lowered the Tieu Dao Sword beside his hip.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, his Divine Soul trembled slightly. As he focused, the sound ahead became increasingly distinct.

Something was approaching.

It was not moving quickly, but it was almost completely silent.

Hao Nhien concentrated on the darkness between two ancient trees.

A pair of golden eyes appeared first.

Then the leaves parted, and a long, powerful figure emerged from the shadows.

It was a massive leopard, more than one zhang long. Its fur was patterned in black and gold, and thin traces of dark mist clung to several parts of its body like smoke. Muscles shifted beneath its skin with every step. It was nowhere near as bulky as the boar, yet the sense of danger it gave off was far greater. Its four paws touched the ground with almost no sound.

Hao Nhien recognized it immediately.

A Black Cloud Leopard.

A second rank demonic beast.

The mission jade slip had described this species very clearly. It was extremely fast, skilled at concealment, and its claws carried black qi capable of numbing the meridians. Mid stage Qi Condensation cultivators were advised to avoid it, while even late stage Qi Condensation cultivators usually hunted it in groups.

He had not expected his second mission to come looking for him.

The Black Cloud Leopard glanced toward the dead boar before turning its golden eyes toward Hao Nhien. It did not attack immediately.

This beast was completely different from the boar. There was ferocity in those golden eyes, but also unmistakable caution and judgment.

Hao Nhien did not retreat at once either. The distance between them was already too short. Turning his back on a beast famous for its speed would be no different from surrendering the initiative and inviting pursuit.

He first needed to make it hesitate.

Man and beast faced each other in the forest.

The instant a falling leaf touched the ground, the Black Cloud Leopard moved.

It did not truly disappear.

It was simply too fast.

A black streak tore across the distance between them, its front claws sweeping directly toward Hao Nhien’s chest.

He stepped back half a pace and shifted left as Tieu Dao Footwork unfolded beneath him.

The claws passed close enough to tear a long gash through the edge of his robe.

At the same time, the Tieu Dao Sword swept upward from beside his waist.

Shhk!

The blade cut across the leopard’s front leg, leaving a shallow line of blood that was nevertheless enough to force the beast to change direction. It growled, opened its jaws, and released a thin cloud of black mist.

Hao Nhien immediately stopped breathing, circulated true qi to protect his body, and retreated rapidly.

But the mist did not enter only through the nose and mouth. Some of it clung to the arm where his sleeve had just been torn open. Within a few breaths, numbness began spreading into the meridians around his left shoulder, and his speed immediately dropped.

The Black Cloud Leopard seized that moment and attacked again.

Boom!

Hao Nhien raised his sword to block.

The impact numbed his entire arm and forced him back three steps before his body slammed into a tree behind him. Blood and qi churned violently inside his chest.

He immediately understood why the mission recommended that even late stage Qi Condensation cultivators hunt this beast in groups.

It was not that the Black Cloud Leopard was so strong that he had no chance against it.

The real problem was that he had no room for mistakes.

An injured leopard could disappear into the forest.

If he suffered a serious injury, however, he would still have to find his own way back.

The Black Cloud Leopard closed in again.

Hao Nhien did not try to force a victory immediately. He kept moving, using the sword to keep the beast cautious while studying how it generated force.

After more than twenty exchanges, a pattern gradually became clear. Whenever the leopard burst forward at full speed, its rear right leg dipped slightly lower than the other. That was its main point of acceleration.

Hao Nhien waited.

When the beast circled to the right again, he suddenly crossed his step and swept the Tieu Dao Sword low.

The blade struck its rear leg.

The Black Cloud Leopard roared, its speed faltering for an instant.

Almost at the same moment, however, its long tail whipped sideways.

Hao Nhien barely managed to turn his shoulder.

Bang!

The strike sent him flying. His back crashed into an ancient tree, and the wound on his thigh immediately tore open again.

The numbness in his left shoulder also worsened as the black qi spread.

Hao Nhien used his sword to push himself upright.

Across from him, the Black Cloud Leopard was injured as well. Blood ran from one rear leg, and the wound on its front leg had not closed, yet the ferocity of its aura had not diminished.

If he continued fighting, Hao Nhien knew he still had a chance to kill it.

But the price was not worth paying.

It was not that victory was impossible. The problem was that even if he won, he might not have enough strength left to leave the forest safely.

Inside the secret realm, he had been able to push himself to the limit because rest chambers, recovery formations, and protective rules waited beyond the trials.

The real world offered no such mercy.

There would be no door opening after the battle to tell him he had passed.

No reward would immediately heal his wounds.

And no one was waiting outside to carry him home.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelPhoenix; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Hao Nhien took a deep breath.

That was enough.

He forced his remaining true qi through the meridians in his legs. Within his Sea of Consciousness, the embryonic cycle inside his Divine Soul continued circulating steadily, helping him keep pain and black qi from interfering with his judgment.

He pushed Tieu Dao Footwork to its limit.

Instead of advancing, he retreated, shooting straight into the brush behind him.

The Black Cloud Leopard immediately gave chase. But the injury to its rear leg significantly weakened its acceleration. After several dozen zhang, the distance between them did not shrink. It gradually widened instead.

Hao Nhien never turned around.

He continued running until the roars behind him disappeared completely, then finally stopped beside a small stream.

The moment his footing stabilized, exhaustion flooded through his body. He sat down on a rock beside the water and checked his injuries.

Less than thirty percent of his true qi remained. Black qi still clung around the meridians of his left shoulder, the wound on his thigh had reopened, and a dull ache spread through his chest from the impact with the tree.

Hao Nhien took out his medicinal powder and treated the wounds.

This time, the medicine worked noticeably more slowly.

The Black Cloud Leopard’s black qi remained around the wound, making it difficult for the medicinal power to penetrate properly.

Hao Nhien gave a bitter smile.

“If I had a Qi Recovery Pill or a Minor Restoration Pill, that would make things much easier.”

When traveling alone, any decision to risk one’s life had to include the question of how to return afterward.

He lowered his gaze toward the stream. The water reflected a slightly pale face, disheveled hair, and a trace of blood still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

Yet his eyes were clearer than before.

A second rank demonic beast was not something he could casually hunt alone in his current state.

Hao Nhien closed his eyes and practiced breathing cultivation beside the stream. After some time, a portion of his true qi recovered, while the black qi around his shoulder was temporarily suppressed.

He stood.

“Time to go back.”

This failure did not shake him. If anything, it made many things much clearer.

Contribution points, pills, information, companions, and a safe route of retreat were all part of cultivation.

Cultivation realm alone was not strength.

Preparation was also strength.

Hao Nhien took the first rank beast core from his storage pouch, then put it away again.

Ten points.

Ninety more before he met the minimum requirement for the examination token.

He followed the stream back.

Because of his injuries, his pace was far slower than before. Hao Nhien regulated his breathing while paying close attention to every sound around him. The experience of the past two days had taught him that once he was injured, the forest immediately became a different place. Every bush could conceal danger, and every rustle of leaves had to be distinguished from wind or something else.

After traveling for some distance, the stream curved through a narrow ravine.

Hao Nhien had only intended to pass through, but sunlight happened to break through the canopy and fall across a patch of damp earth near the water.

Several medicinal plants grew quietly among the rocks.

He stopped.

After examining them carefully, his eyes brightened.

Thanh Linh Grass.

Firecloud Flower.

Bich Van Leaf.

They were not rare spiritual herbs, but all three were basic medicinal materials commonly used in medicines for restoring true qi and treating injuries.

Hao Nhien stood there for a moment before laughing.

“Has heaven finally decided to show a good person some kindness?”

This time, it truly was luck.

He had not found them by tracking, nor had the mission map pointed out their location in advance. He had simply happened to pass by at the right moment, when the sunlight fell across the right patch of ground.

Hao Nhien did not rush to harvest them.

He first checked the surrounding area, making sure there were no hidden beasts or signs of other cultivators. Only then did he take out a small knife and carefully begin collecting the plants.

One stalk of Thanh Linh Grass, roughly three years old.

Two Firecloud Flowers, both still in good condition.

One cluster of Bich Van Leaves growing close to the water.

If Tieu Lan had been here, she certainly would have handled them far better. But Hao Nhien at least remembered what she had once told him.

Harvesting herbs was not the same as pulling weeds.

The more impatient you were, the easier it was to damage their medicinal properties.

He preserved the necessary roots, wrapped each type separately, and stored them in the loot pouch at his waist.

The original herb gathering mission only required one standard portion for ten points. The rest could be submitted separately to the Mission Hall, sold to Medicine Peak, or kept for later use.

Hao Nhien did not decide immediately. At the very least, he wanted to check their exact value and uses after returning.

Still, this stroke of luck improved his mood considerably.

One first rank beast core.

One full portion of medicinal herbs sufficient to complete the mission.

And several additional herbs beyond that.

If he returned without further trouble, the trip would not have been wasted.

Hao Nhien touched the storage pouch at his waist and continued on his way.

Unfortunately, that good mood did not last long.

As the path left the ravine and entered a more open section of forest, two figures slowly stepped out from either side.

Both wore the pale blue outer sect robes of Tieu Dao Sect.

One was tall and thin, with narrow eyes and a mouth that seemed permanently curved in a smile. The other had broad shoulders and held a short black staff, positioning himself perfectly to block the road ahead.

Hao Nhien did not react immediately.

A moment later, footsteps sounded from behind and from both sides.

Three more people appeared.

Five in total.

The encirclement closed naturally.

The man in the center was taller and broader than the others, with a scar running diagonally from the corner of his eye to his jaw. His aura was the strongest of the five and had likely already reached the eighth layer of Qi Condensation.

His gaze moved across Hao Nhien’s shoulder, paused at the wound on his thigh, then shifted toward the loot pouch hanging at his waist.

He smiled.

“New disciple?”

Hao Nhien did not answer immediately.

The scarred man continued:

“Relax. We brothers only want to see what Junior Brother managed to harvest today.”

The tall, thin man laughed along with him.

“You look pretty badly injured, but your pouch is still full. Seems like you did quite well.”

Hao Nhien rapidly assessed the situation.

Even at full strength, fighting five people at once would be troublesome.

In his current condition, there was no need to think about it.

If he fought, he would lose.

Hao Nhien took a deep breath.

“Senior Brothers, I only obtained one first rank beast core and a few basic medicinal herbs. They are hardly worth your time.”

The scarred man laughed.

“Whether they are worth our time is something we can decide after taking a look.”

Hao Nhien asked:

“Does Tieu Dao Sect not punish disciples for robbing fellow sect members?”

The tall, thin man burst out laughing.

“Junior Brother, that sounds terrible. Who is robbing you?”

The scarred man pointed toward the pouch at Hao Nhien’s waist.

“The outer sect forbids killing fellow disciples and forcibly seizing certain registered belongings. Everyone knows that. But freshly gathered loot from the forest is another matter.”

He smiled.

“If Junior Brother voluntarily gives us a portion in exchange for being able to travel safely through this area, what exactly are the stewards supposed to punish?”

Hao Nhien immediately understood.

This was exactly what Phong Van Tu had meant by unwritten rules.

The scarred man patted his chest.

“Remember this. We are the Five Tigers of the Yang family. Any new disciple who wants to move safely through the southern region will learn about us sooner or later.”

The Yang family.

Hao Nhien committed the name to memory.

The outer sect was exactly as Old Van had described.

There were people who hunted demonic beasts, so naturally there were also people who hunted those who had just finished hunting demonic beasts.

Hao Nhien remained silent for one breath.

Then he removed the loot pouch from his waist and tossed it over.

The scarred man caught it and opened it.

A first rank boar core.

Thanh Linh Grass.

Firecloud Flowers.

Bich Van Leaves.

Other than those, there were only a few insignificant items.

The scarred man laughed loudly.

“Not bad. Junior Brother knows how to behave.”

He emptied the pouch of everything valuable, then threw it back.

“We are in a good mood today. Go.”

The others laughed as well.

“Bring a little more next time.”

“Do not disappoint the Five Tigers.”

Hao Nhien caught the empty pouch.

He said nothing.

He simply turned and walked through the opening they deliberately left for him.

Their voices followed clearly from behind.

“The herbs are still fresh.”

“We can get a decent amount from the Mission Hall.”

“The newcomers this year aren’t bad.”

Hao Nhien continued walking.

His back remained straight.

But the hand hidden inside his sleeve had clenched tightly.

He was furious.

Three days in the forest, one fight against the boar, another encounter where he had nearly died beneath the claws of the Black Cloud Leopard, and then the medicinal herbs he had stumbled upon as if heaven had finally compensated him with a little luck.

In the end, all of it had become an empty pouch.

But Hao Nhien still endured.

Not because he was afraid of those five men.

In his current condition, fighting them would simply have been suicide.

If he did not have enough strength to fight, then he would not fight.

If he could not protect his gains, then he would accept losing them.

But accepting a loss did not mean forgetting it.

By the time Hao Nhien returned to the stone dwelling halfway up the mountain, evening had already fallen.

He closed the door, set up a simple restriction, and sat down on the meditation cushion. The room was so quiet that his own breathing sounded unusually clear.

The empty loot pouch lay in front of him.

After a long time, Hao Nhien gave a bitter laugh.

“Heaven shows kindness to good people...”

“Perhaps only enough kindness to let them see how long the road still is.”

He closed his eyes.

Everything that had happened that day replayed in his mind.

Hao Nhien had once thought that outer sect life was mainly about earning points, completing missions, and competing for resources.

Today, he finally understood that things were far more complicated than that.

Knowing how to fight was not enough.

This was the first real lesson the outer sect of Tieu Dao Sect had taught him.

It was not written on any mission board.

No one had explained it during the entrance gathering.

But it was real.

Painfully real.

Hao Nhien used the remaining medicine to treat the wound on his shoulder, then circulated true qi and slowly forced the lingering black qi out of his meridians.

The pain remained.

So did the anger.

Hao Nhien did not try to force the frustration away.

He only made sure he remembered everything he still lacked.

Medicine.

Information.

A route of retreat.

People who could support him.

And most importantly, he still did not understand the outer sect deeply enough.

Hao Nhien opened his eyes.

The empty pouch remained in front of him.

His first fifty points had never made it back.

But the lesson had.

After a moment of silence, he put the pouch away.

“Tomorrow, I start again.”