The transition was stark. One moment, Mo Liangye was within the relatively ordered, albeit oppressive, confines of the Pale Cloud Sect's outer disciple area. The next, he slipped past the loosely guarded perimeter and was swallowed by the primal embrace of the Back Mountains.
The air immediately grew heavier, thick with the scent of damp earth, decaying leaves, and the subtle, wild musk of unseen creatures. Ancient trees towered overhead, their dense canopy filtering the moonlight into shifting patterns on the forest floor, creating pockets of near-absolute darkness.
Sounds changed too. The distant murmur of the sect faded, replaced by the rustling of leaves underfoot, the chirping of nocturnal insects, and occasionally, the snap of a twig or a low growl echoing from deeper within the woods. Danger felt palpable here, a constant pressure against the senses.
Mo Liangye moved like a wraith, his senses stretched taut. His eyes, already accustomed to dim light, scanned the surroundings, noting every unusual shadow, every broken branch. His hearing focused, filtering the ambient noise, listening for the tell-tale signs of spirit beasts or, perhaps more dangerously, other disciples.
The ambient spiritual Qi was indeed thicker here than in the outer sect, but it felt wild, untamed, laced with conflicting elemental traces. Absorbing it directly would be inefficient and possibly disruptive for his standard 'Flowing Cloud' cultivation. But perhaps... perhaps the God Seed within him reacted differently? He couldn't be sure yet. His priority now was tangible resources.
He navigated using a combination of the crude map etched in his memory from the sect's archives and sheer instinct honed by a harsh life. He needed to find prey, quickly. Low-level spirit beasts – Tier 1 – were his initial targets. Their cores were weak, but they were manageable opponents for his current strength, and less likely to attract unwanted attention.
After nearly an hour of cautious trekking, he picked up faint tracks near a small stream – paw prints slightly larger than a domestic cat's, accompanied by the faint, acrid scent he associated with Forest Shadow Cats. These Tier 1 beasts were known for their speed and stealth, common but challenging prey for lone outer disciples.
Mo Liangye followed the tracks silently, his steps light. He found the Shadow Cat stalking a large, unwary beetle near the roots of an old tree. Its black fur blended perfectly with the shadows, only the faint green glow of its eyes giving it away.
He didn't hesitate. Surprise was his best weapon. Channeling Qi to his legs for a burst of speed, he lunged forward, his cheap dagger whistling through the air aimed at the cat's neck.
Hiss!
The Shadow Cat reacted with incredible speed, twisting away at the last second. The dagger only grazed its fur. It landed nimbly a few feet away, letting out an angry hiss, its green eyes now fixed on Mo Liangye with predatory intent.
Mo Liangye cursed inwardly but didn't falter. He immediately flowed into the basic 'Cloud Step' footwork, circling the agitated beast, his dagger held low. The Shadow Cat mirrored his movements, muscles coiled, ready to pounce.
It struck first, a blur of black fur launching itself at Mo Liangye's throat. He sidestepped sharply, the cat's claws tearing through empty air where he'd been a moment before. He countered with a quick slash towards its flank, but the cat twisted mid-air, landing gracefully and darting back out of range.
The fight became a tense dance of feints, dodges, and quick, probing attacks. Mo Liangye focused on conserving his Qi, relying on his footwork and timing. The Shadow Cat was fast, its attacks relentless, aiming for his eyes or throat. Several times, its claws left shallow scratches on his arms through his worn robes.
He needed an opening. He feigned a stumble, deliberately exposing his side for a fraction of a second. The Shadow Cat, seeing the apparent mistake, lunged again. This time, Mo Liangye was ready. He didn't dodge sideways but pivoted sharply on his heel, letting the cat shoot past him. As it did, he drove his dagger hard into its exposed ribs, channeling a focused burst of his Mid-stage Qi Refining power into the strike.
Shink!
The blade sank deep. The Shadow Cat let out a choked screech, its body convulsing. Mo Liangye didn't relent. He twisted the dagger brutally before pulling it free, then swiftly slit the creature's throat to end its struggles and silence its cries.
Breathing slightly heavily, Mo Liangye knelt beside the carcass. He worked quickly and efficiently, his movements practiced. He skinned the cat – the pelt might fetch a point or two – and carefully extracted the small, cloudy Tier 1 crystal core from its chest. He also took the sharpest claws.
He examined the core in his palm. It pulsed with a weak, chaotic energy. "One Tier 1 core," his internal voice was cold, analytical. "Worth maybe half a low-grade spirit stone if I'm lucky. Barely a mouthful for the God Seed. This is too slow. Far too slow." The gnawing hunger from his Dantian seemed to intensify at the thought. "The competition… I need quantity, and better quality."
He cleaned his dagger on the grass, stored his meager gains, and moved on, melting back into the shadows. The hunt had just begun.
He spent the next few hours tracking and searching. He found a few stalks of low-grade 'Iron Skin Grass', useful for basic body tempering salves but worth very little. He avoided a confrontation with a large, grumpy Rock Boar, deeming the risk greater than the potential reward of its tough hide and low-quality core.
As dawn approached, casting long shadows through the trees, he heard voices up ahead. He immediately dropped behind a thick bush, peering through the leaves. Two other outer disciples, looking tired and frustrated, were examining a small cluster of common Spirit Dew Mushrooms.
"Is this it?" one complained. "We've been out all night, risked running into that pack of wolves near the ridge, all for a handful of mushrooms worth maybe two contribution points?"
The other sighed. "What else can we do? Everything valuable in the outer region is either gone or guarded by something we can't handle. I heard Wang Hu and his group took down a Tier 2 Horned Serpent yesterday, closer to the inner region boundary."
"Wang Hu… of course," the first disciple muttered bitterly. "Easy for him with his strength and lackeys. We small fry just get the scraps."
Mo Liangye listened impassively. Their conversation confirmed his assessment. The outer regions were picked clean. Relying on Tier 1 beasts and common herbs was a path to stagnation. He needed to go deeper, take bigger risks. He thought of the Tier 2 Three-Eyed Wolf mentioned in the sect records, sometimes sighted in the rocky valleys further north. Higher risk, higher reward.
He waited until the two disciples moved on, grumbling, before emerging from his hiding spot. He checked his crude map again, orienting himself towards the northern valleys. It was a longer trek, into territory known to be more dangerous. But the potential gain – a Tier 2 core – was too tempting to ignore. It might be worth ten Tier 1 cores.
The journey north took several hours. The terrain became rockier, the trees sparser. He found tracks – large, canine prints accompanied by a smaller, central indentation. Three-Eyed Wolf. He followed them cautiously, his senses on high alert. These beasts were known for pack hunting and their third eye, which granted enhanced perception. Finding a lone one was crucial.
Luck, or perhaps the lingering effect of his only lucky break in finding the scroll, seemed to be with him. He found a single wolf resting near a cluster of jagged rocks, seemingly separated from its pack. It was larger than the Shadow Cat, its grey fur blending with the stones, the third eye on its forehead closed, giving it an almost peaceful appearance. Almost.
Mo Liangye knew better. He began formulating a plan, observing the terrain. A steep, rocky incline rose behind the wolf. Loose scree littered the slope. An idea sparked.
He circled around, taking a wide, silent detour to climb the incline above and behind the wolf's resting spot. The climb was treacherous, loose stones threatening to give away his position with every step. Reaching a ledge about twenty feet above the wolf, he carefully selected several large, unstable rocks.
He took a deep breath, focusing his Qi. He pushed the first rock. It tumbled down the slope with a clatter.
The wolf's head snapped up, its three eyes instantly open, glowing with a faint red light as it scanned its surroundings.
Mo Liangye didn't wait. He shoved the second, third, and fourth rocks in quick succession, aiming not to hit the wolf directly, but to create chaos and limit its escape routes among the jagged rocks below.
CRASH! RUMBLE!
Rocks bounced and shattered, dust filled the air. The wolf snarled, startled and angered, trying to dodge the falling debris. One rock grazed its hind leg, causing it to yelp and stumble slightly.
That was the moment. Mo Liangye leaped from the ledge, using the chaos as cover. He landed heavily but kept his balance, dagger already in hand as he charged the disoriented wolf.
The wolf reacted with speed belying its size, lunging at him, jaws snapping, its third eye pulsing with angry light. Mo Liangye ducked under the snapping jaws, his dagger slashing towards the vulnerable third eye – its most potent weapon and likely weak point.
The wolf jerked its head back, the dagger only scoring a shallow line across its brow. It retaliated with a swipe of its powerful claws. Mo Liangye blocked with his forearm, feeling a sharp pain as the claws ripped through his sleeve and skin, but the impact felt… slightly less jarring than he expected. Was it the adrenaline, or the subtle resilience from the God Seed?
He didn't have time to analyze. He rolled away, putting distance between them. The wolf pressed its attack, faster now, its movements coordinated and predatory. Mo Liangye was forced onto the defensive, relying on his 'Cloud Step' and quick reflexes, the sharp pain in his arm a constant reminder of the danger.
He needed to end this fast. He feinted another attack towards the eyes, then dropped low as the wolf lunged, rolling beneath its body and thrusting his dagger upwards with all his might into its softer underbelly.
He felt the blade sink deep. The wolf howled in agony, collapsing onto its side, thrashing violently. Mo Liangye scrambled back, wary of its death throes. He watched, dagger ready, until the beast lay still, its three eyes dimming.
Victory. Hard-won and painful. His arm was bleeding freely, his Qi was severely depleted, and his body ached. But the Tier 2 core awaited.
He quickly harvested the core – noticeably larger and clearer than the Tier 1 core, pulsing with a stronger, colder energy. He took the pelt and fangs as well. His gains for the day were significantly better now, but the cost was high.
Looking at the darkening sky and feeling his exhaustion, Mo Liangye knew pushing further was foolish. He needed to return, exchange these materials, heal, and cultivate.
He found a hidden overhang to briefly treat his bleeding arm with the last of his cheap Iron Moss Salve, then began the long, arduous trek back towards the sect, clutching his meager but vital spoils. The Back Mountains had yielded resources, but also reminded him of the razor's edge he walked. Every gain came at a price, and the hunger of the path he had chosen was relentless.