The shout echoed through the village like a thunderclap, ripping Ethan from his brief moment of rest. He was on his feet in an instant, his mind shifting into high gear as he assessed the situation. The hut's thin walls did little to muffle the chaos outside—screams of panic, the clash of metal, and the thud of running feet. Bandits, the villagers had said. This was no random event; it was an opportunity wrapped in danger. Ethan gripped the bear claw he had taken earlier, its sharp edge still crusted with dried blood. He slipped out the door, keeping to the shadows, his eyes scanning the scene with cold precision.
The village was small, maybe fifty huts clustered around the central well, with fields stretching out into the encroaching forest. Torches flickered in the night, casting long, dancing shadows that made everything look more menacing. From his vantage point behind a stack of firewood, Ethan counted about a dozen bandits—rough men in mismatched armor, wielding crude swords and axes that glowed faintly with what he now recognized as Qi enhancements. They were herding villagers toward the center, demanding tribute in harsh voices. "Hand over the spirit grains, old man, or we'll burn this place to the ground!"
Elder Wei stood defiantly in front of the group, his frail frame belying a spark of courage. "We've already paid our dues to the Azure Leaf Sect. We have nothing left for scum like you!"
One bandit, a burly leader with a scarred face and a Qi aura stronger than the others—probably at Qi Gathering Level 3, Nexus estimated—laughed cruelly. He backhanded a nearby villager, sending the man sprawling. "The sect ain't here now, are they? Fork it over!"
Ethan's mind raced through calculations. Direct intervention could earn loyalty, but it was risky with his current weakness. He had only just started sensing Qi; a full fight might drain him. Hiding and letting it play out? No, that wasted potential allies. Manipulation was key—turn this into a win where the villagers saw him as a savior, binding them to him without overt debt.
"Nexus, analyze the bandits," he thought, crouching lower as a patrol passed nearby.
*Analysis in progress,* Nexus replied seamlessly. *Twelve hostiles. Leader: Qi Gathering Level 3, enhanced strength and speed. Subordinates: Levels 1-2, basic techniques. Weapons: Low-grade spirit tools, vulnerable to disruption. Terrain advantages: Village layout favors ambushes—use alleys and rooftops. Recommendation: Guerrilla tactics. Target leader first to demoralize. Absorb any fallen cores for quick power boost. Projected outcome: With strategy, 72% success rate.*
Ethan nodded inwardly. Perfect. He moved silently, using the darkness as cover, his footsteps light from years of corporate espionage training back home—though that was digital, this was raw survival. He circled around to the grain storage hut, where two bandits were loading sacks onto a cart. Sloppy guards; they were chatting, backs turned.
He struck fast. The bear claw sliced across the first bandit's throat before he could react, a silent kill. The second turned, eyes widening, but Ethan was already on him, driving the claw into his chest. Warm blood sprayed, and the man crumpled. Ethan felt a faint pull—their Qi cores dimmed, energy dissipating. "Nexus, extract?"
*Initiating absorption protocol. Channeling residual Qi to your dantian.*
A rush of warmth flooded Ethan, stronger than the meditation earlier. His senses sharpened; the night seemed brighter, sounds clearer. He had jumped to Qi Gathering Level 1 in moments. No wonder cultivators chased power—this was addictive, like upgrading a quantum processor.
He dragged the bodies behind the hut, then rifled through their pouches. A few copper coins, a basic cultivation manual scribbled on parchment, and low-grade pills that Nexus identified as Qi boosters. Useful. But no time to linger. Shouts from the center indicated the leader was growing impatient.
Ethan climbed onto a nearby roof, low and thatched, using it for a vantage point. Below, the bandits had tied up several villagers, including Mei Ling, who struggled fiercely. Elder Wei was on his knees, pleading. The leader raised his sword, poised to strike.
Time to act. Ethan spotted a lantern hanging nearby—oil-based, flammable. He hurled a rock with precision, knocking it down onto a bandit's head. The man yelped as oil splashed, igniting his clothes. Chaos erupted as flames spread, distracting the group.
"Ambush!" the leader bellowed. "Find the rat!"
Ethan dropped down behind another bandit, stabbing him in the back. Three down. He vanished into an alley before they could react, his movements calculated to sow confusion. Nexus provided real-time overlays: *Enemy positions marked. Next target: Isolated guard at perimeter.*
He repeated the process—strike, absorb, retreat. Each kill fed his Qi, pushing him toward Level 2. The bandits, disorganized without their leader's full attention, fell one by one. Villagers began to fight back, inspired by the mysterious helper. A hunter grabbed a fallen sword and slashed at a captor.
The leader, furious, scanned the shadows. "Show yourself, coward!"
Ethan emerged then, stepping into the torchlight with deliberate calm. Blood stained his robes, but his expression was icy, unperturbed. "Coward? I'm just efficient."
The villagers gasped. "It's the stranger—Lin!"
The leader snarled, Qi flaring around him like a red aura. "You? A newbie cultivator? I'll crush you!"
He charged, sword swinging in a wide arc infused with energy. Ethan dodged, feeling the air whistle past. Nexus simulated the fight: *Predicting patterns—basic slash combo. Counter with low sweep.*
Ethan waited for the overcommit, then kicked at the leader's knee—weak joint, as analyzed. The man stumbled, and Ethan followed with a claw strike to the arm, drawing blood. Pain flashed in the leader's eyes, but he retaliated with a Qi blast, a wave of force that sent Ethan skidding back.
Bruised but unbroken, Ethan circled. "Nexus, enhance reflexes."
*Optimizing neural pathways with Qi flow. Response time increased by 20%.*
The fight intensified. The leader was stronger, but predictable—brute force over finesse. Ethan used the environment: dodging behind a well, luring the man into tripping over ropes. Each exchange, he chipped away, absorbing stray Qi from the air. Villagers watched in awe as Ethan, the outsider, held his own.
Finally, an opening. The leader overextended a thrust. Ethan sidestepped, driving the claw into the man's side, piercing the Qi core. The leader gasped, energy exploding outward in a harmless burst. He collapsed, dead.
Silence fell. Ethan stood over the body, absorbing the rich Qi surge. Level 2 achieved—his dantian swirled with power, meridians strengthening. The remaining bandits, seeing their leader fall, fled into the forest, dropping loot in their haste.
Villagers erupted in cheers. "He saved us!" "A hero!"
Elder Wei approached, eyes wide with gratitude. "Lin, you... how? You're already at Qi Gathering Level 2? And your techniques—unorthodox, but deadly."
Ethan wiped the blood from his claw, his voice even. "Just quick learning. But this isn't free. I need information, resources. Help me prepare for the Azure Leaf Sect recruitment."
The elder nodded eagerly. "Anything. You've earned it."
As the night wore on, villagers tended wounds and collected bandit spoils—more pills, weapons, even a storage ring that Nexus analyzed as spatial tech. Ethan claimed the best for himself, distributing scraps to build loyalty. Mei Ling bandaged his new cuts, her touch lingering. "Thank you, Lin. You're not like others—cold, but effective."
He met her gaze, calculating the potential alliance. "Effectiveness is all that matters."
In his hut later, Ethan meditated, cycling Qi with Nexus's guidance. The AI evolved slightly, its voice sharper: *Soul fusion progressing. New function unlocked: Basic technique simulation.*
Ethan smiled faintly. This village was a stepping stone. Soon, the sect. And beyond that, the world. No one would stand in his way.
But as dawn broke, a messenger arrived on horseback, bearing the Azure Leaf Sect's emblem. "Urgent call! All able youths to the sect grounds—recruitment advanced due to beast tides!"