The sky already displayed shades of orange and purple as Tang Chun Xi walked through the forest, her steps slightly heavier than usual. The strain from the previous escape still affected her. With less than half of her spiritual energy remaining, her body was beginning to feel the effects of exhaustion.
She lifted her gaze and noticed how quickly daylight was fading among the dense treetops.
— "I'd better hurry."
If there was one thing she had learned in her previous life, it was that the night was always more dangerous than the day.
After a few minutes of exploration, her sharp eyes caught something unusual ahead. Hidden among twisted roots and partially covered by undergrowth, a cave lay concealed at the side of a rocky formation.
However, instead of approaching immediately, Chun Xi stopped at a safe distance, her senses expanding in full alert.
Experience had taught her that seemingly safe places could hide fatal threats.
She took a deep breath and summoned her Lunar Umbrella, activating its concealment ability. Her figure seemed to dissolve into the dim light, distorting like a reflection on water. Hidden, she advanced carefully, keeping her eyes keenly focused on any signs of activity near the entrance.
As she drew closer, she noticed that the cave was sealed by a large rock blocking the passage. The stone appeared untouched for a long time, covered in a thin layer of moss and accumulated dirt.
'If this stone has been here for so long, it means no large animal has been using this place as a den.'
Even so, Chun Xi did not lower her guard. She tested the surface of the rock with a gentle touch and realized that, with enough force, she could push it aside.
After a few moments of focus, she channeled her energy and pushed the stone with all her strength. The rock moved with a low, deep rumble, scraping against the ground before finally rolling to the side, revealing the entrance.
Immediately, Chun Xi leaped backward, remaining on high alert. If anything were inside the cave, now would be the time for it to attack.
But nothing happened.
After a few seconds of absolute silence, she approached again, cautiously observing the interior.
The cave was small, just slightly larger than her room, and seemed to have been used by hunters or cultivators in the past. Remnants of wooden supports and some marks on the walls indicated that someone had once stayed there, but it had been a long time.
She deactivated the Lunar Umbrella's concealment ability and stored it away.
"An abandoned shelter… better than nothing."
With a swift gesture, Chun Xi retrieved a cleansing talisman from her spatial ring and activated it. A light breeze swept through the cave, clearing away the dust and refreshing the air.
Then, she took out a few spiritual lanterns, illuminating the place with a soft blue glow. To ensure her safety and recovery, she placed a second-level defensive formation disc at the entrance, preventing unwanted presences from approaching. Inside the cave, she set up a Qi-gathering formation disc to aid her meditation.
Only then did she allow herself to relax.
— "Much better..."
She pulled out a portable bathtub from her spatial ring, filled it with heated water, and finally took a bath, washing away the traces of the exhausting day.
Dressed in clean clothes, she settled onto a meditation futon. Sitting cross-legged, she began to meditate, recovering her spiritual energy with the help of a few Qi pills and a fasting pill, for hunger.
Time passed in silence, and after two hours, she opened her eyes, feeling completely restored.
"This time, my foundation is fully stable. I just need to adjust my mindset."
She was pleased—now, she no longer needed to suppress her breakthrough; she would let it come naturally.
Now that the essentials were taken care of, Tang Chun Xi allowed herself to mentally review everything that had happened.
— "Today was truly eventful."
Her mind drifted back to the day's events.
The fierce battle against the Cloudy-Haired Boar, the relentless chase through the forest, the danger of the Vine-Snakes, and finally, the successful escape by crossing the river infested with Dark Rock Piranhas.
All of it had tested her endurance, intelligence, and combat skills.
But there were lessons to be learned.
Tang Chun Xi closed her eyes for a moment, organizing her thoughts.
"I could have taken down the boar more quickly...The battle was different from the one I had against Chen Kai, although my level had increased, it only increased how much energy I had, and there was little strengthening to my physique, but my problem remained the same. My physical training advantage had almost no effect against such a robust spiritual animal…"
The memory of the battle surfaced. The boar was incredibly tough, and her metallic aura, though sharp and penetrating, had not been as effective as she had hoped.
"Maybe if I had used the weapons and artifacts my father gave me… But that wouldn't make sense. I need to train my own body and energy. If I rely on these things now, how will I ever grow?"
She sighed.
The most obvious mistake was not noticing the blood on her clothes immediately. Small droplets had been enough for the boar herd to track her movements. This had cost her valuable time and forced her to consume an absurd amount of spiritual energy during the escape.
If she had noticed earlier, she could have removed the stained clothing or even found a way to mask the scent.
Small details could mean the difference between life and death.
But the most valuable lesson came from the battle itself.
— "My biggest problem is still my inefficient use of spiritual energy..."
Tang Chun Xi furrowed her brows, recalling the fight against the boar.
Her Metal Aura, despite being sharp, hadn't caused as much damage as expected.
In theory, earth strengthens metal, so it should have been a good choice… but in practice, the result was different.
"The Cloud-Haired Boar was clearly a spiritual beast of the earth element. Earth is weak against wood. But even though wood can develop offensive traits later on, it—along with water—lacks raw attack power and is mostly used for support..."
A frustrating issue was that although she could project her aura and launch it as an attack, it would have consumed too much energy, and without a guarantee of success, it would have been too risky.
"To be cautious, I need to test just how powerful that attack really is—only then can I know if it's safe to use next time."
But if she had fought without considering that...
"Perhaps fire would have been more effective… And if I had combined it with the Lunar Umbrella's ability to increase the weight of my attack? The battle would have ended much faster..."
Theory was one thing. Real application was another entirely.
Still, all things considered, her first battle against a spiritual beast had not been a failure.
— "It was a good experience. I had to think quickly, improvise… But now I know I need to test my elemental affinities in real combat, not just rely on what seems like the right choice."
Tang Chun Xi took a deep breath, feeling the exhaustion settling into her body.
Even with her thoughts still racing, her body was finally starting to relax.
She closed her eyes, allowing sleep to take over.
Outside, the forest had been draped in darkness. The wind whispered through the leaves, small sounds echoed in the distance—light footsteps, the rustling of vegetation, the distant howl of a beast.
The world seemed full of mysteries and dangers, yet it also felt alive.
Even so, she did not feel uneasy.
The Lunar Umbrella, by her side, emitted a soft aura, as if it understood her thoughts. It was like a silent guardian, warding off the cold of the night.
And, surrounded by this quiet sense of security, Tang Chun Xi fell asleep, gathering energy to face a new day.