Tang Chun Xi didn't sleep for long.
A few hours after closing her eyes, she was awakened by the sounds echoing through the nocturnal forest.
Distant howls of wolves cut through the silence, mingling with the noises of unknown creatures—some growling, others emitting calls she had never heard before. The wind swept through the trees, carrying the rustling of leaves and the subtle sounds of small animals moving in the darkness.
The forest, which seemed mysterious during the day, now teemed with activity, as if a second world came to life under the veil of darkness.
At first, she expected fear to creep in—that the sensation of being surrounded by predators would make her want to shrink deeper inside the cave.
But that didn't happen.
Instead, a subtle smile appeared on her lips.
— "This is… fascinating."
There was something comforting about these sounds. The wailing of the wind through the trees, the chirping of insects, and even the unfamiliar noises of hidden predators… All of it made her feel alive.
With a curious gleam in her eyes, she stood up. Grabbing the Lunar Umbrella, she activated its concealment ability. Her figure vanished into the shadows, distorting like a reflection on water.
She approached the boulder blocking the cave entrance and, channeling her energy, pushed it aside with much greater ease and precision than before, making almost no sound.
As soon as she stepped out, she was immediately captivated by the mesmerizing sight of the forest at night.
The silver light of the moon and stars filtered through the tall branches and leaves, casting delicate patterns on the ground. The night air was cool, carrying the scent of trees and damp earth.
Tang Chun Xi lifted her face, feeling the cold breeze caress her skin.
A sudden urge to see the landscape from a higher point took hold of her.
With an agile leap, she grasped the trunk of a nearby tree and began climbing. Her hands and feet found support effortlessly, and soon she was at the top, seated on a thick branch with the entire forest stretching out before her eyes.
The vast expanse of foliage faded into the distance, forming a dark sea speckled with the soft blue glow of spiritual flowers and bioluminescent creatures. The wind passed over her like a gentle whisper, carrying the fragrance of leaves and moss.
It was beautiful.
But as this breathtaking scenery embraced her, something deep within stirred.
Memories…
Of a world without sound.
Without light.
Without life.
In that place, there was no rustling of leaves, no comforting glow of the moon and stars. Only rotting trees, twisted like sharp claws gripping the dead soil. The sky just alternated between an endless blanket of gray and lightless darkness, and the only voices were the furious roars of spatial storms.
Nothing grew.
Nothing lived.
And the shadows that resided there expected nothing but destruction and suffering.
Tang Chun Xi closed her eyes for a moment, a shiver running down her spine.
But then… she took a deep breath.
'I am not in that world anymore.'
Now, she was in a place brimming with life. A limitless world, where every tree, every star in the sky, and every sound of the forest told a story.
And instead of fearing the night, she embraced it.
— "This world… is beautiful."
As she reflected, her body instinctively began absorbing the energy around her.
The forest's vitality flowed through the air, pulsed in the earth, and vibrated in the night winds. Her skin seemed to glow subtly, as if the moon were pouring its essence upon her.
And without much commotion, she advanced.
Gently, without causing any disturbances, her body crossed the barrier of the 4th level of Body Tempering.
There was no explosion of energy. No intense glow or spiritual pressure. It was natural, like the smooth flow of a river finding its course.
She hadn't needed to exert any effort.
The forest, the moon, and the stars… had accepted her advancement.
Then, she opened her stellar purple eyes and gazed at the forest with quiet anticipation.
But something caught her attention.
A subtle sensation spread through her body.
At first, it felt like a mere tingling under her skin, a fleeting impression—like the night breeze brushing against her. But as she focused, the feeling became clearer.
— "What…?"
She narrowed her eyes. Her skin… her muscles… even her bones were absorbing the surrounding energy.
That surprised her.
Normally, to absorb spiritual energy, she would need to operate her cultivation technique, consciously guiding the energy into her meridians.
But now, even without doing anything, her body was drawing energy from the environment on its own.
— "Has this always happened? Or is it only occurring now?" — She wondered, slightly furrowing her brows.
Quickly, she focused her senses inward, analyzing every detail of her body without completely lowering her guard. After all, she was in the forest and couldn't afford to be vulnerable.
As she inspected her internal condition, she realized that every cell in her body was absorbing a small amount of the surrounding energy—so faint that she wouldn't have noticed if she weren't paying attention. It was even less than what cultivation would normally absorb.
The energy merged naturally with her physique, as if it had always been a part of her.
'But why now?'
Her thoughts were interrupted by a distant sound in the forest.
She lifted her gaze toward the darkness between the trees.
Glowing eyes emerged from the undergrowth.
A large feline with an ashen-gray coat moved with low, rhythmic steps. It prowled near the cave, sniffing the scent of blood.
Tang Chun Xi held her breath.
The Vague Mist Panther.
A nocturnal predator, master of ambushes, whose speed could rival that of experienced cultivators.
She observed carefully. It sniffed the air several times, its body tense, as if sensing something… but unsure of what.
It hadn't seen her.
It didn't know if she was there… but it also didn't know if she wasn't.
Tang Chun Xi remained motionless, the Lunar Umbrella vibrating faintly in her hands, as if confirming that the danger had not yet passed.
Then, suddenly, the panther turned.
Its muscles tensed.
Its gaze locked onto something beyond the cave.
A movement in the forest.
In an instant, the Vague Mist Panther dashed toward its newly discovered prey, its speed only slightly inferior to Tang Chun Xi's Soaring Phoenix Step.
She exhaled slowly.
Still on alert, she returned to the cave and resumed her meditation.
But now, her thoughts were restless.
She felt she was close to uncovering more about the Lunar Imperial Body…