The sun dipped behind the mountain peaks, casting long golden rays over the dense, shadowy terrain of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Wind brushed through the leaves like whispers of unseen watchers, yet within the depths of the forest, a powerful presence steadily grew.
A sharp, piercing roar echoed—followed by the sound of a body collapsing to the forest floor.
Xiao Feng stood calmly over the corpse of a peak Rank 2 Flame-Eyed Tiger, its eyes wide with disbelief, its neck carved open in a single, elegant slash. Steam still rose from its wounds.
He flicked his sword clean, its polished edge gleaming with faint light.
> "That's the seventh one this month."
The deeper parts of the mountain range teemed with stronger magic beasts, and Xiao Feng made them his targets. Peak Rank 2 beasts, each one equivalent to a 9-Star Dou Shi, once dangerous opponents, had become his measuring stick.
He no longer needed to test himself against weaker prey.
Not when he was now approaching the peak of 7-Star Dou Shi.
---
Seven Months Earlier
When he had first entered this region, Xiao Feng was still fresh into the Dou Shi realm, using every battle to push himself closer to mastery. His body, refined by endless close-range life-and-death fights, had become stronger, leaner, more efficient. His control over Dou Qi was now seamless—fluid like wind, yet sharp like a blade.
His Wind and Thunder Wings, though rarely used, had been upgraded it's mastery subtly with each sparing use. In the worst-case scenarios, they had saved his life—flashes of silver streaking through the sky before danger could claim him.
He had also refined his sword techniques. The three forms of the Falling Wind Sword Art now flowed between one another like steps in a dance. His mastery of its **third form—Silent Tempest Break—**had reached such a level that few Rank 2 beasts could even react before their end came.
---
Now, 8 Years Old
Xiao Feng sat cross-legged in a high cave overlooking a mist-covered gorge. Wind coiled around him naturally, feeding into his cultivation.
A translucent green Dou Qi vortex spun above his head, slowly condensing and growing heavier with each breath. His eyes remained closed, completely immersed.
His strength had reached a new threshold:
> 7-Star Dou Shi – Peak.
Just a step away from the 8-Star mark.
He had long since grown used to the silence of the wilderness. It suited him. No distractions. No politics. No false smiles.
Only progress.
Only strength.
His Energy Points (EP) had accumulated enormously during these months:
> Daily EP: 170,000
Total EP: 26,221,000
His storage ring was filled with beast cores, herbs, pills, and backup weapons. With so many resources, he could buy almost anything—yet he still lived frugally, saving for a future breakthrough that would demand far more than mere strength.
Opening his eyes, a faint gleam of light flashed across his pupils—calm, focused, unwavering.
> "Soon, the beasts here won't be enough to push me further."
> "I'll need to go deeper."
He rose, silent as always, and stepped toward the cave's edge. The wind picked up slightly, brushing against his cloak like an old friend.
Below him, the forest stretched endlessly into shadows and light.
And somewhere, waiting deeper within... stronger challenges called out to him.