Xiao woke up with a very strong migraine. He tried shaking and turning to get rid of it, but no matter what he did, it wouldn't go away.
It wasn't until an hour later that he started contemplating what he had just gone through. As Xiao thought about it, he went through the different stages of grief when he realized the suffering the previous owner of this body had endured.
It wasn't like he experienced this suffering for just a day or two—it was a whole five years of torment. The kind of torture you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy. He had to watch as someone was stolen from him, and his own father neglected him simply because he didn't have a spiritual root.
With a determined expression, Xiao clenched his fist. "I'll make sure to get your revenge and make Xu suffer a hundred times more than what you had to go through," he vowed, rising to his feet.
He remembered from the previous owner's memories that the forest around him was filled with hidden dangers. Although Xiao retained memories from his past life, he was currently a mortal. Battling Qi Condensation creatures was out of the question, so he had to be extremely careful.
He decided not to rush into anything just yet. He was still weak, and since Xu believed him to be dead, Xiao had time. He would wait, bide his time, and when the moment was right, destroy everything Xu had, making him regret his decision.
Turning his attention to the system, Xiao began formulating a plan for revenge. He checked the quests and noticed that the daily tasks could help him grow stronger, but his thoughts were interrupted by a ferocious growl from his stomach.
"How long have I been in that state?" he wondered, surprised by his own hunger.
He looked around for any leftover food but found nothing, so he ventured out on a short trip around the forest to gather sustenance. Being cautious, he stayed within 300 meters of the shack, always prioritizing his safety.
When he returned, he ate until his belly was full and then began his workout. He assumed a push-up position, managing a few repetitions before sighing as he struggled around the 20th push-up.
"It feels like all the progress the previous owner had made is gone now. I guess I have to take it slow again, just like in my past life. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that the technique I know is only useful for a mortal at this point."
He started performing poses slowly, breathing in a mysterious way as he moved. Qi began to flow into his body, albeit slowly, traveling to his heart and through his respiratory system. After completing three different poses, he was exhausted.
"Why is this body so weak?" he muttered, huffing and puffing like someone who had just run a marathon without any training.
He sat down and switched to a different breathing technique. After a few minutes, he resumed doing push-ups, this time managing to reach 30 before switching to sit-ups. He continued this cycle until he completed all 100 push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.
The final part of the daily quest was a 10 km run, which he completed by slowly jogging around the shack, resting frequently.
By the time he finished, he was utterly exhausted. He went straight to sleep, not even bothering to check his status, too tired to care.
When he woke up, an unknown amount of time later, he felt refreshed.
"That felt great! It's been so long since I've done the basics that I almost forgot how satisfying it feels to grow stronger," he said, feeling noticeably better than the day before.
To check his progress, he called out, "Status."
Status:
Name: Chen Xiao
Cultivation Level: Mortal (No Cultivation)
Qi Reserves: 0/0
Strength: 5
Agility: 4
Endurance: 7
Vitality: 9
Techniques:
Titan's Meridian Breath (1st stage), Emerald Lotus Rebirth Breath (1st stage)
"Incredible growth!" Xiao thought, smiling widely and then frowns as he realizes that Titan's Meridian Breath and Emerald Lotus Rebirth Breath are only at the first stage and then sighs.
"The only reason Emerald Lotus Rebirth Breath hasn't advanced further is because I can't use Qi yet, which would speed up my progress. As for Titan's Meridian Breath, I haven't used it enough for my body to handle the higher stages."
With that, Xiao began to think about his escape plan. He knew the system would make him even more powerful. After recalling his past experiences, he realized where he was.
"This is 'The Veil of Thorn Forests,' where only Foundation Establishment experts and above dare tread," Xiao concluded. It made sense—this forest was close to the Chen family's territory, and it was the perfect place for Xu to ambush him without being caught.
"That traitor," Xiao growled, his face contorting with rage as he clenched his fists tightly. "Just wait until I get my hands on him."
He dropped to the ground and began doing push-ups to calm his fury.
Ten Minutes Later
"The best plan for now is to avoid the Chen family and head northeast to the Frostwind Clan, where I can meet the Chen family's rivals."
With his plan in mind, Xiao set out on another trip through the forest to gather food and find a better weapon than the broken one he currently had. He eventually found a sharp rock and fastened it to the end of a wooden stick, creating a makeshift spear.
Although Xiao only had intermediate-level weapon crafting skills, the spear turned out well, sturdy enough to take on a creature not empowered by Qi.
The last thing Xiao needed to do was find clothes, as the previous owner's garments were tattered from countless dangerous encounters.
He gathered broad banana leaves, their tough and waxy surfaces ideal for crafting makeshift garments. Using vines from nearby trees, he wove them into a simple tunic, wrapping it around his torso to shield himself from the biting wind.
Now that his preparations were complete, Xiao was ready to head northeast and face the dangers that accompanied that decision.