Four months later…
Deep within a different region of Tiger Mountain, the dense forest buzzed with the quiet tension of countless hidden beasts. Towering trees swayed gently under the weight of the wind, and thick mist clung to the roots like a ghostly veil.
In the midst of this wild terrain, Xiao Wei stood over the still body of a freshly slain Fire Bear. Its fur, bloodied and was marked by deep claw wounds. Xiao Wei wiped a trace of sweat from his brow, breathing steadily as he extended his hand over the corpse.
With a faint shimmer of light, the bear's corpse vanished into his Storage Ring, neatly tucked away alongside countless other spoils of his hunts.
Just as he was preparing to leave, a sharp flutter of wings broke the silence.
His Shadow Bird swooped down from the treetops and landed neatly on his shoulder, its dark feathers ruffled and alert. It tugged at his sleeve gently with its beak, chirping with urgency.
Chirp! Chirp!
Xiao Wei glanced at it, brows raised.
"Did you find something?"Xiao Wei asked calmly.
Chirp!
The Shadow Bird nodded and chirped again, clearly signaling for him to follow.
Without hesitation, Xiao Wei activated Water Flow Steps and began trailing behind his Shadow Bird, moving swiftly through the underbrush. The trees grew denser, and the air became heavier as they pushed deeper into the wild.
After several minutes of silent movement, the terrain subtly shifted. The trees here were older, larger, and the Spiritual Energy in the air felt heavier.
Soon, Xiao Wei and the bird arrived at a quiet edge, where the forest seemed to change drastically.
It was the dividing line between the outer area and the inner area of Tiger Mountain—a place where only the most powerful monster roamed which has strength equal to Grandmaster Realm.
Xiao Wei stood at the edge of the outer region, as he knew it was too dangerous for him to go further alone. So he let his Shadow Bird scout ahead on his own.
After the Shadow Bird went inside, Xiao Wei closed his eyes and connect his consciousness with the Shadow Bird, so that he could now see and hear through the Shadow Bird.
After few minutes, the Shadow Bird paused atop a high branch, peering down through a gap in the leaves.
Through its eyes, Xiao Wei saw them.
Below, a group of ten Cultivators was engaged in battle with a creature. The monster was large and intimidating, clearly a Tier 2 Level 3 monster, far stronger than anything found in the outer area.
Despite the monster's power, the group fought with practiced coordination and deadly efficiency. Powerful Martial Techniques flashed through the trees, Spiritual Energy rumbled through the air, and the monster's roars were drowned by the force of their combined assault.
Within few minutes, the battle was over.
The Tier 2 monster collapsed to the forest floor, its body riddled with wounds. All members in the group was in Martial Master Realm, they wasted no time as they swiftly stored the body and regrouped.
"Young Master Nan, before we search for our next target, let's take a short break"a middle-aged man suggested, wiping the sweat from his brow as he addressed the young Cultivator standing confidently at the center of the group.
The young man nodded casually. He was clad in fine robes and was standing with an air of pride and command. His cultivation aura was steady and powerful as he was in Third Layer of the Martial Master Realm.
This youth was none other than Mo Nan, the second son of the Mo Clan's head, and a well-known prodigy among the younger generation in Mo City.
Mo Nan sat down on a smooth boulder, resting his blade across his lap. His lips curled into a satisfied smile as he looked at the Monster Core one of his men had just handed him.
"We're making good progress. But we still need to take down a few more Tier 2 beasts before the end of this month."Mo Nan said with a chuckle, his tone filled with excitement.
"Once we collect enough monster cores and hide them here in the mountain, I'll use them during the clan competition. With those cores, I'll easily crush the others. Victory will be mine."Mo Fan continued with his eyes gleamed.
The men around him exchanged knowing looks, but none objected. Their loyalty to the Mo Clan was clear—and their orders were simple: help Mo Nan win, no matter the method.
After a short rest, Mo Nan stood up and stretched his limbs. He nodded toward the forest ahead.
"Let's move out"Mo Nan ordered.
Without delay, the group gathered their gear and disappeared into the shadows of Tiger Mountain's inner region, hunting for their next prey—completely unaware that someone was already watching them from afar.
After that he order the Shadow Bird to fly back towards him as he severed his connection with the Shadow Bird and let his consciousness returned to his own body.
"So that's how the Mo Clan always wins the competition…"Xiao Wei muttered under his breath, his tone cold and thoughtful.
Xiao Wei leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree, his arms crossed, expression calm but distant.
It made sense now—Mo Nan and his team had been hunting powerful Tier 2 monsters, to hide there Monster Cores in advance. Cores they would later present during the competition, claiming them as trophies from freshly slain beasts. It was a clever trick, and one that likely fooled even the elders of the various clans.
Still, despite the underhanded tactics, Xiao Wei didn't feel any anger.
In fact, he let out a small scoff.
"The Xiao Clan... they've never truly treated me like family. Whether they win or lose the competition… it has nothing to do with me."Xiao Wei said quietly.
He remembered all the times he had been mocked, ignored, and pushed aside simply because his talent once lagged behind the others. The elders barely spared him a glance, and his so-called peers only ever saw him as someone beneath them.
"I owe them nothing."Xiao Wei muttered.
With that, Xiao Wei turned away from the direction of the Mo Clan group and walked back toward the outer region.
Xiao Wei wasn't here to prove anything to the Xiao Clan.
Not to the elders who looked down on him.
Not to the peers who once mocked his weakness.
No—his purpose ran deeper.
Xiao Wei is training here so that he can become as strong as his constellation Lord Of The Netherworld, who saved him.
Although he didn't know how powerful his Constellation really is. But deep in his heart, he believed it had to be someone incredible, maybe an Immortal.
After all, no ordinary Cultivator could save him from that dungeon and let his soul cross the space and come here to possess this body.
That's why he trained every day—not to get praise, not to prove others wrong, but to grow stronger for himself.
"One day, I'll be strong enough to meet you face to face, Lord Of The Netherworld"Xiao Wei said with a determined smile.
As soon as Xiao Wei finished speaking, the pendant beneath his clothes—the Dao of Death and Life—flashed briefly with a faint glow before fading away, but Xiao Wei didn't notice the glow.
Another month quietly passed, and finally, the day of the competition arrived.
Over the past five months, Xiao Wei had trained harder than ever. Every morning, he battled fierce monster deep within the outer area of the Tiger Mountain, pushing himself to the limit. And each night, he sat in meditation, using Spirit Power Pills to recover and grow his Cultivation.
In this five month, his mastery of Martial Techniques had improved greatly—his Tiger Claw technique had reached Large Perfection just like Elder Xu, making his claw strikes sharper, faster, and more deadly. Meanwhile, his Water Flow Steps Movement Technique had also advanced to Small Perfection, allowing him to move with agility and grace, like flowing water.
And most importantly, his Cultivation had also broken through. He had now stepped into the Sixth Layer of the Martial Apprentice Realm.
In the outer region of Tiger Mountain, the forest trembled with the sound of battle.
Xiao Wei stood firm, facing a towering Tier 1 Level 9 Fire Bear.
With sharp eyes and a calm mind, he faced the Fire Bear.
His hands glowed faintly as he keep using his Martial Technique—Tiger Claw. Since reaching Large Perfection, the technique had become faster, stronger, and more refined. Each strike carried immense power, leaving deep gashes in the Fire Bear's tough hide.
The bear swung its burning claws wildly, trying to crush him. But Xiao Wei's movements were smooth and precise, using Water Flow Steps to glide around its attacks like flowing water. He danced through the battlefield, closing in and landing powerful strikes on the Fire Bear weak spots.
With a final burst of strength, Xiao Wei leapt into the air and brought his claws down on the bear's neck, piercing deep.
The beast let out a final roar before collapsing to the ground with a loud thud, shaking the forest floor.
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[Author Note - I have been writing continuously for many hours for you guys. Please give me your support.]