Wu Tian stepped into the edge of the forest, only to be suddenly stopped by a stout man with a friendly face.
"Daoist brother, are you intending to hunt in this forest?" the man asked, a wide smile spreading across his face.
Wu Tian nodded. "Yes. I intend to train and sharpen my skills here."
The stout man, introducing himself as Huang Bao, shook his head with a grin. "Hehe, very well. But before you enter, you should know… hunting in this area requires a daily fee for every cultivator, depending on their level of power."
Wu Tian furrowed his brow. "A daily fee?"
"Yes," Huang Bao said, pointing toward a small hut near the forest entrance. "I'll guide you to meet the person who manages the access. Also, I am the one who rents out tents with protective arrays for cultivators who wish to rest inside the forest."
Wu Tian nodded in understanding. Huang Bao then explained the daily access fees in low-grade Spirit Stones:
Qi Refining: 20
Foundation: 50
Qi Condensation: 200
Golden Core: 1,000
"To rent a tent, you only need to pay 50 low-grade Spirit Stones per day. Of course, additional charges apply for any damage," Huang Bao added.
Wu Tian walked to the small hut where a guard sat with a ledger and neatly stacked Spirit Stones.
"Greetings, Daoist. How may we assist you?" the guard asked formally.
"I wish to purchase a week's daily access to this forest," Wu Tian replied, drawing Spirit Stones from his storage ring. "I am at the Qi Condensation level, so the rate applies accordingly. I also wish to rent a tent for the week."
The guard smiled and began calculating:
Qi Condensation access: 200 × 7 = 1,400 low-grade Spirit Stones
Tent rental: 50 × 7 = 350 low-grade Spirit Stones
"Total: 1,750 low-grade Spirit Stones. Here you go, Daoist," the guard said, accepting Wu Tian's payment.
Wu Tian handed over the stones with calm precision. The guard marked it in the ledger, then handed over the tent with its protective array.
"Thank you. I'll make sure there are no issues," Wu Tian said briefly, his eyes glowing with anticipation as he gazed into the forest. He was ready to train and hunt the demonic beasts within.
"Wait, Daoist," Huang Bao called, waving his hand. "You can also sell your prey here. Although we buy slightly below market value, we can purchase in bulk, so your inventory won't overflow."
Wu Tian nodded in acknowledgment, then stepped deeper into the forest.
He adjusted his breathing, feeling the Qi flowing through his body, then began searching for prey. Within the first few hours, he encountered several Tier 1 demonic beasts—creatures whose power matched a Qi Refining cultivator:
A three-horned demon goat
Two forest demon wolves
A small fire fox
Wu Tian handled them calmly, utilizing the basic Qi Condensation attack techniques. One by one, the beasts fell, their remains stored in his storage ring.
Soon after, a pack of wolves intercepted him, angered by the death of their companions.
"Ah, of course, wolves live in packs. Still, a little coin is a little coin," Wu Tian muttered, moving like a shadow. In an instant, he struck down five wolves that blocked his path, storing them into his ring as well.
After defeating the pack, Wu Tian decided to venture deeper. The air thickened with the scent of blood and raw Qi—a sign that the forest's difficulty was increasing.
It wasn't long before he encountered Tier 2 demonic beasts, whose strength matched Foundation cultivators:
Two golden-scaled tiger demons
One golden-horned boar demon
Wu Tian held his breath for a moment, stabilizing his Qi, then stepped forward. The beasts' eyes glowed, and they roared as they lunged.
The battle began. Wu Tian utilized his speed and Qi Condensation techniques to block and counterattack, facing a challenge far beyond the Tier 1 beasts.
The two golden-scaled tigers attacked from opposite directions. Wu Tian leapt into the air to evade. The tigers collided, claws slashing each other, roaring in fury. Wu Tian looked down, a faint, mocking smile curling on his lips at their wounded state.
His eyes scanned for the golden-horned boar that had just darted past. Wu Tian was slightly surprised—it had concealed its cultivation to appear as weak as a Qi Refining cultivator, yet for some reason chose to flee.
"This boar is cunning," Wu Tian muttered, swinging his sword. A blade of wind sliced through, cutting the boar cleanly in two.
"Hm… I wonder if the price drops when the corpse is damaged," Wu Tian thought, feeling a tinge of disappointment at the practicalities of hunting.
With shadow-step speed, Wu Tian darted, plunging his sword into the necks of the two retreating tigers, killing them instantly.
He surveyed the battlefield, his breath even. These demonic beasts were strong, but first-level Qi Condensation granted him control far superior to what they anticipated.
Wu Tian pressed deeper into the forest. Sunlight barely pierced the thick canopy, and the air felt cold yet heavy.
Suddenly, among the trees, something moved—a giant demon serpent, its body shimmering with dense Qi. Wu Tian immediately sensed its power; this creature was clearly at Qi Condensation.
The serpent's eyes glowed red, its scales gleaming like metal, each scale radiating dense Qi. Without warning, it lunged at Wu Tian with extraordinary speed, leaving a blur in its wake.
Wu Tian immediately channeled Qi throughout his body, forming a thin but solid Qi shield. As the serpent struck, he twisted his body, avoiding its sharp fangs and constricting coils. The clashing of scales against the Qi shield sounded like muted explosions, vibrations shaking the ground beneath.
The serpent dove from above, attacking from an unexpected angle. Wu Tian countered with a gusting slash of his Qi-infused blade, forcing it to retreat momentarily. A green mist of venom spread in the air, forcing Wu Tian to adjust his Qi to neutralize its effect temporarily.
Attack after attack came in unpredictable bursts. The serpent twisted and coiled, attempting to constrict and crush him. Once, its coils nearly cut off his breath, but Wu Tian poured Qi into his limbs, breaking free with a surge of energy while anchoring his sword into the ground for stability.
Then he struck back. Qi from his body condensed into a thin wave of blue light, striking the serpent's vulnerable underbelly. The beast twisted to evade, but the wave penetrated its thick scales, making it roar in agony.
The battle intensified. The serpent circled, attacking from all sides, whipping its long tail to strike and deflect. Each parry and strike made his Qi shield vibrate violently, while the energy radiating from the beast sent leaves scattering.
Wu Tian held his breath, channeling all his Qi into his sword and legs, relying on speed, reflexes, and the rhythm of balanced Qi. An opening appeared—when the serpent slightly faltered, Wu Tian leapt, spinning in midair, and slashed with his Qi-imbued blade. The strike pierced its belly, leaving a deep wound that made it shriek violently.
Within moments, the demon serpent exhausted its strength, its movements slowed, body trembling, before collapsing to the ground. Wu Tian stored it in his ring.
Panting, sweat trickling down his brow, Wu Tian calmed his breathing. He gazed into the dark forest. This place was indeed dangerous—but every battle, every drop of sweat, made him stronger and more prepared for even greater challenges.
Moving cautiously, Wu Tian eventually came across a wide clearing devoid of trees.
"This place feels strange… yet seems suitable for resting," he murmured, approaching the open space.
"If a demon beast attacks, I could fly to evade…" he recalled. Yet amidst the dense forest, the advantage of air maneuvering was limited; the beasts could still reach him through the canopy.
Wu Tian sat slowly, taking Qi Recovery Pills and Stamina Pills, letting his depleted energy recover bit by bit.
He reflected: the market value of a Tier 2 Qi Condensation demon corpse was around 160 low-grade Spirit Stones, while the pills he consumed today totaled 350. Not to mention the tent and daily access fees—it felt costly.
No wonder many cultivators lived in poverty. Even using low-tier pills, their effects were weak and recovery took longer. Many had to hunt in teams, further reducing individual gains.
"I didn't expect solo grinding to be this difficult. At this rate, I can only kill one Qi Condensation beast, then rest to recover half the Qi lost in battle," Wu Tian exhaled heavily. "Being a rogue cultivator is truly arduous."