"System, what's happening to her?" he silently asked, his heart heavy with concern.
{Will Cost 1000 Energy Points}
Glancing at his reserve, which barely reached 700 points.
"Can't you offer some discount?" he asked.
{No}
( ˘︹˘ )
"Fine," he conceded with a defeated sigh.
Retrieving a glass, he filled it with water before tenderly offering it to Yun Xiu. Observing Yun Xiu's gradual return to vitality, Hun Yu felt a surge of relief wash over him. Her voice broke the lingering silence.
"Alright, let's go," she declared. "You go and pay for the room; I will meet you outside the city."
With a directive for him to settle the room payment, she vanished into thin air before he could even nod in acknowledgment. Left alone, Hun Yu hastily donned the black robe, concealing himself, and made his way to the reception.
Ignoring the receptionist's inquiries, he wordlessly placed the necessary coins on the counter, leaving the bewildered attendant in his wake. But before he could reach the exit, a commanding voice pierced the air, halting his steps.
"Show yourself," the lead guard demanded, his authoritative tone sending a shiver down Hun Yu's spine. This wasn't just any guard; there was something different about him, something that set him apart from the rest.
As Hun Yu glanced at the system's information panel, he felt a sinking sensation. This man was much stronger than he was.
"System, can you help?"
{Will cost 100 points}
"Alright, just help me," he conceded.
{Pretend to remove the robe and approach him.}
Although he did not understand what the system wanted to do, he followed the system's guidance. He pretended to peel off the robe, revealing himself to the guard as instructed.
{Now, unleash your full power and strike Ching Si Wei.}
Confusion clouded Hun Yu's expression at the command. Destroying a lineage? What could that possibly have to do with him? Nevertheless, he obeyed, launching a swift and forceful kick directly at the guard's vulnerable area. Caught off guard, the guard couldn't react in time, and the kick landed squarely.
As the guard fell to his knees in agony, clutching his injured groin, Hun Yu seized the opportunity to flee. The thundering footsteps of the pursuing guards echoed behind him as he sprinted through the streets.
His heart pounded in his chest, and adrenaline surged through his veins. He ran through alleyways, using every ounce of his agility and cunning to stay ahead of the guards. The cityscape blurred around him as he focused on the path ahead, each step taking him closer to the outskirts of the city.
Despite the agony wracking his body, the lead guard rallied, his eyes ablaze with fury. Ignoring the searing pain, he rose with a determination that startled even his comrades.
As the gap closed between them, murmurs erupted among the trailing guards, speculating on their leader's unprecedented wrath.
"The leader knows no bounds; this kid is done for real."
"I've never seen him this furious before."
"This brat just dashed any hope of happiness for the leader's wife," the guards whispered, casting furtive glances at their leader's twisted visage, a portrait of unleashed fury.
Hun Yu ran with all he had, not even taking a glance back, but the distance seemed to be closing by every second. Suddenly, he stopped. Seeing him stop, the patrol leader also halted cautiously. Just as he could think of anything else, he felt a sharp pain on the back of his neck, and then he suddenly passed out.
Hun Yu also felt someone grabbing his collar. He knew who it was, so he did not resist as he was dragged by the collar into the forest. Finally, after some time, they stopped.
"We are about to enter the Prana Beast Forest," she said.
"I will not waste my cultivation Qi by flying, so we have to search on foot," she continued. "And be careful, there are many dangerous beasts everywhere."
She appeared in front of Hun Yu and said, Hun Yu also nodded. He had always heard about Prana Beasts being powerful, and now was the time to see them with his own eyes.
"System, can you tell me about cultivation realms and how Prana Beasts cultivate? Their power levels?" he asked, ready for the system to ask for energy points.
"...5 energy points," the system responded.
"Just 5?" he asked the system in his mind.
"Yes, just 5," came the reply.
"Hmm, why are you being generous? There should be something about it," he pondered.
"I am not being generous. The host is being reta... knowing cultivation rank names and about Prana Beasts is such a common thing," the system explained.
Hearing this, his thoughts fell silent. He had been so focused on trying to find a way to cultivate that he never asked anyone about such basic things.
"Okay, just tell me," he said to the system.
{So, cultivation ranks go like this:
1. Tempered Body
2. Elementary Realm
3. Spirit Manifestation
4. Nascent Profound Realm
5. Profound Realm
6. Lord Profound Realm
7. High Lord Profound Realm
}
{There are more, but I don't think the host needs to know about them as the host is only at the tempered body level. Each Realm consists of 9 levels. Sect Master Yun Xiu is at High Lord Profound Realm Rank 1.}
{And Prana Beasts are just beasts who cultivate. They are divided by tier from 1-7; there are more, but I don't think the host needs to know that as he is only at the tempered body level.
Tier 1 Prana Beasts are compared to the tempered body, and so on.
Special conditions arise when a beast has the bloodline of some high-tier Prana Beast; then, that Prana Beast might be able to fight stronger than its tier.}
Hun Yu, walking behind Yun Xiu, was listening to the explanation the system was giving.
So, there doesn't seem to be any difference; just the name, power is the same.
{But Prana Beasts condense a core in their body as they progress. This core in their body can be used for many things. And lastly, about Natural Affinity:
It is an affinity towards an element that a person is born with. A person born with wind affinity can only cultivate Wind Qi. He cannot cultivate other elements. There are some rare occurrences where people are born with more than one element.}
{And Natural Affinities are only unlocked after tempering the body and reaching the elementary realm.}
As the system finished its explanation, silence enveloped them.
As they continued walking, Hun Yu looked around with awe. The forest had transformed, with beautiful flowers and glowing veins adorning the landscape. It was a sight to behold.
"Someone's coming," Yun Xiu's voice whispered urgently, barely audible over the rustle of leaves.
Before Hun Yu could react, she seized him by the collar, pulling him back behind the shelter of a towering tree trunk.
As they eavesdropped on the conversation unfolding just beyond their hiding place, Hun Yu's curiosity mingled with apprehension.
"Hey, Brother, today's harvest is really good," one of the voices remarked casually.
"Yeah, we found some good-quality Tier 1 Prana Beasts. Their cores should be worth a lot," another voice replied.
The mention of Tier 1 Prana Beasts piqued Hun Yu's interest, but his focus shifted as the conversation took a turn.
"By the way, have you heard the rumors that the Empire is going to attack the Sky Wind Sect?" one of them asked.
Hun Yu's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the Sky Wind Sect, his thoughts immediately turning to Yun Xiu. He glanced at her, only to find her expression unmoved.
"Hmm, I've heard these rumors," one of the mercenaries remarked, his voice low and thoughtful.
"Rumors say that the Sect Master of Sky Wind is dead, and that's why the Emperor wants to attack the sect," another mercenary added, his tone tinged with speculation.
"But Sky Wind is one of the top sects, after all. Even the Emperor should think ten times before attacking."
The conversation shifted to a more personal note as they discussed the Sect Master of Sky Wind.
"I've heard that the Sect Master of Sky Wind is considered the national beauty, the most beautiful woman in the empire," one of the mercenaries remarked with a hint of admiration.
"Pity she's dead. If she were alive, I'd want nothing more than to catch a glimpse of her," another of them mused, his tone tinged with regret.
"System, record this guy's information. I'll settle accounts with him later," Hun Yu instructed mentally, his voice cold.
Though he cared little for the affairs of the empire or the Sky Wind Sect, the audacity of a lowlife like the one they overheard wishing to catch a glimpse of the Sect Master?.
"He has a way to die," he muttered under his breath, his gaze hardening as he glanced at Yun Xiu, who took a deep breath, her own emotions roiling beneath the surface.
"Alright, they're gone. Let's move," Yun Xiu said, her voice steady as she gestured to continue deeper into the forest.
As they walked, a rustling sound suddenly erupted from the bushes ahead, causing Hun Yu to instinctively tense.