Ling Fei returned to the village under the fading light of the setting sun. His satchel was filled with the Spirit Herbs and the spoils from his battle with the wild boar, but his body ached from the fight. As he stepped into his small home, he placed the herbs on the wooden table and sat down, letting out a sigh of relief.
The system's voice chimed in his mind.
> [Quest Completed: Strengthen Your Foundation.]
Rewards: Qi Recovery Elixir x3, +20 Sign-In Points.**
Three small jade bottles appeared in front of him, each filled with a shimmering, light-green liquid. The Qi Recovery Elixirs radiated a calming aura, and Ling Fei could sense the concentrated energy within them.
> [New Quest Unlocked: Refining the Body.]
Train your body to adapt to Qi flow and improve your physical resilience.
Objective: Complete 1,000 punches and kicks using basic martial techniques.
Reward: Basic Combat Manual, +15 Sign-In Points.
Ling Fei read the notification carefully and nodded. The system was guiding him step by step, ensuring that his foundation was solid.
---
Understanding the Qi Beast Core
Before starting his next quest, Ling Fei turned his attention to the Qi Beast Core he had retrieved from the wild boar. It was a small, marble-like orb that pulsed with faint energy.
"What do I do with this?" he muttered.
The system responded promptly.
> [Qi Beast Core: Contains condensed Qi and essence from a Qi-Enhanced Beast. Can be absorbed to slightly enhance your cultivation or used in crafting.]
Ling Fei's eyes lit up. Enhancing his cultivation sounded promising, but he hesitated. The system had mentioned that his current level was unstable since he had just stepped into the Qi Condensation Realm. Would absorbing the core now be too risky?
> [Suggestion: Stabilize your foundation with body refinement before absorbing the Qi Beast Core.]
Nodding in agreement, Ling Fei decided to save the core for later. He placed it in a small wooden box and tucked it away safely.
---
A Harsh Training Regimen
The next morning, Ling Fei stood outside his home, facing the village outskirts. The air was crisp, and the faint light of dawn painted the horizon in soft hues of orange and pink.
He assumed a basic fighting stance, as the system's instructions had described.
"Start with punches," he muttered, steadying his breathing.
His first punch was awkward, lacking strength and precision. But he didn't stop. Punch after punch, he poured his energy into each movement, his fists cutting through the air. Sweat began to drip down his forehead, and his arms ached after just a hundred punches.
> [Progress: 100/1,000 punches completed.]
The notification spurred him on. He gritted his teeth and kept going, forcing his body to push through the fatigue. By the time he reached five hundred punches, his arms felt like lead.
"Rest later," he told himself. "I can't stop now."
Moving on to kicks, he quickly realized that his legs were just as untrained as his arms. Each kick was wobbly and lacked balance, but he adjusted his stance after every strike.
> [Progress: 300/1,000 kicks completed.]
The villagers watched from a distance, their whispers reaching his ears.
"What's he doing now?"
"Training? He's never done anything like this before."
"Do you think he's trying to become a cultivator?"
Ling Fei ignored them, focusing solely on his training. Hours passed, and by the time the sun was high in the sky, he collapsed onto the ground, his body trembling from exhaustion.
> [Quest Progress: 1,000 punches and kicks completed.]
The system chimed.
> [Quest Completed: Refining the Body.]
Rewards: Basic Combat Manual, +15 Sign-In Points.**
---
Ling Fei sat up, his breathing still ragged. A scroll materialized in front of him, glowing faintly. He picked it up, unrolling the parchment to reveal intricate illustrations and detailed instructions for basic combat techniques.
The system's voice spoke again.
> [Basic Combat Manual: Contains foundational martial techniques for hand-to-hand combat. Mastery of these techniques will significantly improve your combat skills.]
He studied the manual closely. The techniques were straightforward, but they required precision and control over his Qi. The first technique, Iron Fist Strike, focused on channeling Qi into his fists to enhance the force of his punches.
Eager to test it, Ling Fei stood up and assumed the stance described in the manual. He visualized his Qi flowing from his dantian to his fists, as he had done during his battle with the wild boar.
When he struck forward, the air around his fist seemed to ripple slightly. The force was far greater than anything he had managed before.
A grin spread across his face. "This is power."
---
An Unexpected Visitor
As Ling Fei practiced the new technique, a figure approached from the edge of the village. It was a middle-aged man dressed in plain but sturdy robes. His presence was commanding, and the faint aura of Qi around him indicated that he was no ordinary villager.
Ling Fei stopped his training, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Who are you?" he asked cautiously.
The man smiled, his eyes sharp as they scanned Ling Fei. "My name is Shen Tao. I am a wandering cultivator who happened to pass through this village. Imagine my surprise when I sensed a young cultivator's Qi here."
Ling Fei's heart raced with tension and wariness.
"I mean no harm," Shen Tao said, raising a hand in reassurance. "In fact, I might be able to help you. You've just begun your journey, haven't you?"
Ling Fei nodded slowly.
"Good. Then let me give you a piece of advice: the path of cultivation is fraught with danger. If you truly wish to grow stronger, you'll need guidance and allies. Traveling alone will only take you so far."
Ling Fei remained silent for a while before replying,
"...why do I need companions?"
"Think about it," Shen Tao said, turning to leave. "A lone man has limited strength. Cultivators live their lives in groups, if you work as just one person, you will be left to the dust soon. If you're interested, seek me out at the northern hill tomorrow. I can teach you a thing or two."
As the man disappeared into the distance, Ling Fei clenched his fists. The system's voice chimed once more.
> [New Quest: Meet Shen Tao at the northern hill.]
Objective: Learn from Shen Tao.
Reward: Unknown.
Ling Fei looked toward the horizon, sighing.