Breathing heavily, Xiao Wei wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the fallen creature.
"Finally, I did it. I defeated a Tier 1 Level 9 Fire Bear… on my own."Xiao Wei said with a proud smile
It was another step forward on his path to power—and another sign that he was no longer the same trash he used to be.
Xiao Wei calmly stepped toward the fallen Fire Bear. Its massive body, still warm, lay motionless on the forest floor. Without wasting time, he raised his hand and stored it in his Storage Ring. In a flash of light, the bear's corpse disappeared into the ring.
He let out a breath and stood still for a moment, thinking.
Through his training and experimentation, he had discovered something important—he could only store ten Shadow Soldiers at present. Although he don't know the main reason why, but his instinct is telling him that is related to his Cultivation Realm. Right now, he had total ten Shadow Bears hidden within his shadow space, each one powerful and ready to fight at his command.
There was also his small Shadow Bird, always perched loyally on his shoulder or scouting ahead. The bird had no cultivation, which made it different—and perhaps the reason he was able to store it despite the limit. But Xiao Wei still didn't know whether this shadow space could hold other non-cultivated living beings like the bird.
He looked up at the sky. The sun had already begun to sink, its golden rays slipping through the leaves.
"I think it's time I head back"Xiao Wei said quietly.
With that, Xiao Wei turned around, his steps steady as he walked through the familiar trees and paths of Tiger Mountain. The wind carried the scent of leaves and wildflowers as he made his way toward the Mo City.
Xiao Wei didn't head straight back to the Xiao Clan. Instead, he made his way toward the bustling market district located just outside the main town. The streets were lined with stalls, stores, and cultivators haggling over herbs, weapons, and monster materials.
Blending in with the crowd, Xiao Wei walked calmly until he stopped in front of a familiar storefront—a shop of the Mo Clan, known for dealing in Monster materials and Cultivation resources.
He stepped inside, where a middle-aged man with a sharp gaze stood behind the counter, organizing items on the shelves.
"Boss, do you buy Monster corpses and Monster Cores?"Xiao Wei asked casually.
The shopkeeper looked up, sizing him for a moment before replying.
"Yes, we do. But the price depends on the type of monster and its strength—each one has a different value."the shopkeeper said.
Without saying a word, Xiao Wei reached into his Storage Ring and summoned the body of a Tier 1 Fire Bear, placing it with a heavy thud on the reinforced floor. Its sheer size and the faint lingering Spiritual Energy drew the attention of a few nearby customers.
He then placed a glowing Monster Core beside it.
"How much for a Tier 1 Fire Bear and its core?"Xiao Wei asked.
The shopkeeper's eyes widened slightly in surprise, impressed by the quality and condition of the materials. He examined both items briefly before nodding.
"For both, I can offer you 200 Spirit Coins"the shopkeeper said.
"Good. I have a total of 100 of them to sell."Xiao Wei said as he smiled faintly.
The shopkeeper froze for a moment.
"One… hundred?"the shopkeeper repeated, stunned.
Xiao Wei simply nodded.
The shopkeeper blinked, clearly trying to contain his surprise.
"That will be a total of 20,000 Spirit Coins"the shopkeeper said, still trying to keep his tone calm despite the excitement in his eyes.
"Alright"Xiao Wei replied with a nod.
Without hesitation, he walked outside the shop and, with a wave of his hand, he released the 100 Tier 1 Fire Bear corpses and there Monster Cores from his Storage Ring, instantly. As soon as the massive bodies appeared there, passersby was shocked and drawing a crowd around the Mo Clan store. Murmurs and gasps spread through the street as people stared in disbelief.
Even the shopkeeper was wide-eyed, trying to keep his composure as he counted and inspected the corpses. Once he confirmed the number and quality, he handed over a heavy pouch filled with 20,000 gleaming Spirit Coins.
Xiao Wei calmly accepted the payment and stored it in his ring without another word. With the same quiet confidence, he turned around and disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind a stunned marketplace and a story people would be whispering about for days.
As Xiao Wei vanished into the busy street, the stunned silence he left behind quickly turned into a wave of hushed whispers and excited murmurs.
"Did you see that? That was none other than Xiao Wei, the so-called trash of the Xiao Clan."one man whispered to his friend, eyes still wide with disbelief.
"But… where in the world did he get so many monster corpses?"another passerby added, still staring at the mountain of Fire Bear bodies in front of the Mo Clan store.
A skeptical youth scoffed.
"There's no way he hunted all of those alone. Just one Tier 1 monster is already too much for someone like him!"
"I think you're all missing the bigger picture"an older man in the crowd cut in.
"I didn't just see the beasts… I saw the Storage Ring he used to summon them."
That one sentence sent a shockwave through the gathered crowd.
"What? A Storage Ring like that?"
"No way! Isn't that Storage Ring usually reserved for the Clan Head and their direct descendants?"
"It must be a mistake… how could someone like Xiao Wei, who was always mocked and ignored, own something like that?"
The whispers grew louder, filled with disbelief, confusion, and a hint of jealousy. For years, Xiao Wei had been dismissed as a failure, a nobody. But today, with a single move, he had shattered that image—and people didn't know how to process it.
After returning to the Xiao Clan, Xiao Wei didn't head straight to his room. Instead, he quietly made his way toward the clan's library.
The familiar scent of old parchment and wooden shelves greeted him as he stepped inside. The library was peaceful, with only a few disciples quietly browsing scrolls. At the far corner, seated behind a long desk, was Elder Fu, the caretaker of the library and one of the more neutral figures in the Xiao Clan.
Xiao Wei walked up and respectfully bowed, then placed a manual on the table.
"I've come to return the movement technique, Water Flow Steps, Elder Fu"Xiao Wei said calmly as he already comprehended it.
Elder Fu raised his head and looked at Xiao Wei with a slightly surprised but satisfied expression.
"Look like you have learnt the technique alredy"Elder Fu said, taking the manual and placing it back in his Storage Ring.
"Thank you for letting me borrow it"Xiao Wei added sincerely.
Elder Fu waved his hand dismissively, though his eyes held a hint of admiration.
"Don't mention it. Go back and get some rest. Tomorrow is the competition, after all. Do your best."Elder Fu said as he waved his hand telling him leave.
Xiao Wei nodded and bowed once more before turning to leave.
The sun was already setting by the time he arrived at his small courtyard. The once-familiar silence of his room felt different today—less lonely, more peaceful. He walked to his bed, lay down, and exhaled deeply.
His body relaxed against the mattress, worn from months of training, battles, and constant alertness.
"I can finally relax a little…"Xiao Wei muttered, a small smile playing at his lips as he stared at the ceiling, his thoughts already drifting toward the challenges of tomorrow.
The next day, at the Xiao Clan's training hall.
The morning sun cast a golden hue over the Xiao Clan's vast training hall as Xiao Wei quietly stepped inside. The area was already bustling with activity—disciples gathered in groups, talking excitedly, some practicing their techniques one last time before departure.
Xiao Wei's eyes swept over the crowd, quickly noticing several familiar faces.
At the center, standing tall with a confident smile, was Xiao Yen. Xiao Yen had reached the Second Layer of the Martial Master Realm, an impressive feat at his age. Standing beside him was Xiao Li, his minion, who had also made significant progress, now having stepped into the Eighth Layer of the Martial Apprentice Realm. Around them, several others from the younger generation had advanced as well—some even achieving the Martial Master Realm.
Xiao Wei remained at the edge, silent, watching.
Before long, Elder Xu arrived, his expression stern but calm as he surveyed the assembled group. In his hand was a scroll, which he unrolled slowly before addressing the disciples.
"After careful evaluation of your progress and potential, I've selected twenty candidates who will represent our Xiao Clan in the upcoming competition"Elder Xu announced loudly, his voice echoing across the training ground.