A high-pitched, rhythmic clicking sound echoed through the tunnel, gradually building into a deep, reverberating hum that seemed to shake the walls around them.
Hengsheng opened his eyes, his gaze sharp. “Get ready. They’ve found us,” he said calmly but firmly.
Hearing his words, the Lan clan members quickly rose from their meditative states, their expressions turning serious. It had been a grueling week since they descended into the depths of the ant colony. Along the way, they collected various cultivation resources—yin treasures, low-quality Yin spirit stones, and other valuable materials. But the journey hadn’t been without its costs.
Most of the demon ants they encountered were Rank 1, relatively weak on their own but overwhelming in numbers. Hengsheng had personally killed more than a hundred of them, but the sheer volume was exhausting. The group’s first loss came on the second day when one careless member was surrounded by Rank 1 ants and impaled by their spear-like limbs. His death served as a harsh wake-up call, shattering any illusions of easy wealth. Since then, the Lan clan cultivators had become far more cautious, but the danger was ever-present.
On the fifth day, the ants seemed to recognize their presence as a threat. A stronger force of Rank 2 demon ants—creatures with power comparable to Qi Gathering cultivators—began hunting them in organized groups. Each day had become a brutal cycle of moving and fighting, barely staying ahead of the pursuing horde.
Now, the vibrations in the air signaled yet another wave of attackers. Hengsheng could feel it in his bones as the ants’ army emerged from the dark tunnel ahead. He estimated at least a hundred of them, their collective roar shaking the cavern like an avalanche.
“Attack!” Hengsheng barked, firing a barrage of Qi balls into the advancing swarm. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" Explosions lit up the tunnel, sending chunks of carapace and limbs flying.
Behind him, Xiaolong stepped forward, performing the Lan Clan’s signature technique. His wooden sword glowed with a green Qi aura as it floated in the air, darting forward to pierce through the ants one by one. Though several of the demon beasts were injured, their vitality was astonishing, and they refused to fall easily.
The other Lan clan members joined the fray, those with ranged techniques launching attacks from a distance while others rushed forward to engage in close combat. The tunnel became a chaotic battleground, filled with the sounds of clashing weapons, roaring beasts, and the occasional cries of pain.
“Reeeeeowwww!” A sharp, feral cry cut through the noise. Hengsheng glanced over to see Yunsu in action.
The small gray cat was clinging to an ant, her claws glowing faintly with Qi as she tore into its head with ruthless efficiency. The ant convulsed before collapsing, and Yunsu wasted no time leaping onto her next target. Her movements were swift and precise, a stark contrast to her tiny frame.
Hengsheng’s lips curled into a proud smile as he watched her. “She’s not weak anymore,” he thought. After reaching Rank 2 and developing her first bloodline, Yunsu had transformed from a helpless kitten into a formidable spirit beast.
The battle raged on, the Lan Clan members holding their ground with unwavering determination. With a final roar, the last Piercing Shadow Ant collapsed, its lifeless body hitting the ground with a resounding thud. The Lan Clan had claimed victory, but the tense expressions on their faces showed they weren’t celebrating just yet.
The group immediately got to work, dissecting the ant demon corpses for their valuable parts. They carefully harvested the sharp spear-like limbs, carapaces infused with yin Qi, and even the rare blood essence found within the colony beasts. Every resource was precious, and the Lan Clan members knew better than to waste anything in such a dangerous environment.
After completing the grim task, Hengsheng led the group away from the battleground, navigating through the winding tunnels until they found a new, quieter spot to rest. As his clanmates settled down to recover, Hengsheng’s thoughts churned.
“If we keep going , it’ll never end,” he mused. “If I took these guys straight to fight at the colony’s heart, the cost would be too high. At least half of them will die.” His gaze shifted to his clanmates, who, though stronger and more cohesive than before, still weren’t prepared for a full-scale assault on the colony's core. Hengsheng shook his head, dismissing the thought for now.
Feeling a soft nudge on his hand, Hengsheng looked down to see Yunsu rubbing her head against him affectionately. A small smile crept onto his face. “What a good girl,” he muttered, scratching behind her ears.
He decided to check her progress and summoned her status window.
Race: Spirit Beast [Domestic Cat]
Bloodline: Shadow Devourer {15.05%}
Affinity: Neutral, Shadow, Yin
Cultivation Realm: Rank 2 {8.75%}
Special Traits: Infinite Evolution, Shadow Devour, Spirit nourishes
Looking at her newfound status, Hengsheng nodded in satisfaction. Her new bloodline had granted her powerful traits, including the ability to absorb shadows to recover her Qi and heal injuries—an incredibly useful ability in their current situation. Additionally, as she progressed to Rank 2 as a spirit beast, she gained another trait that strengthened and healed her mind and soul, providing protection against mental attacks. This was one of the key differences between spirit beasts and demon beasts; apart from their origins, they will get different types of traits, Spirit beasts most likely will get one that supports their body, mind, and soul which gives them a good talent for higher stages of cultivation, and demon beast most likely get what relies on there race.
Hengsheng glanced at his status screen and grinned as he noticed his System Points had finally reached the 1,000 mark. His eyes lit up with excitement. Finally! I can upgrade my Spirit Core!
For most cultivators, having a low-grade Spirit Core is a death sentence for their cultivation journey. It slows the absorption of Spiritual Qi, drags down Qi refinement, and makes combat difficult, as Qi mobilization becomes slow and inefficient.
Yet, despite all these disadvantages, Hengsheng remained unbothered. With the System at his side, assisting him in both cultivation and battle, he had managed to avoid the typical struggles of others. Now, upgrading his Spirit Core to Earth-grade would give him a new edge. His cultivation speed might even rival those with divine-rank Spirit Cores.
Hengsheng gently picked up Yunsu and placed her on his lap. "Meow?" she mewed, confused as to why he had picked her up. He whispered softly into her small ears, "Yunsu, I’m going to cultivate for a bit. Guard me from here, okay?"
She looked up into his eyes, seeming to understand his words. "Meow…" she responded, settling into the position he requested. Her ears perked up, and her tail swished as she focused on the task at hand.
Once Yunsu was guarding him, Hengsheng shifted his attention to the System. He sent a mental command: Blue, initiate an upgrade of my Spirit Core quality.
[-1,000 System Points]
[Upgrading the quality of the Spirit Core...]
A burning sensation suddenly flared in his lower dantian. Hengsheng closed his eyes, focusing on the progress. Through his inner vision, he saw his Spirit Core surrounded by a seven-colored fire, reminiscent of the heavenly tribulation lightning that had struck him not long ago. He had no idea how the System managed to bring this fire inside him without his knowledge, but now it was helping to burn away the impurities around the walls of his Spirit Core. The cloudy surface that once existed was slowly becoming clearer.
The process was painful, but Hengsheng had expected this. From his previous experiences, he knew that any change within a cultivator’s body came with discomfort. Gritting his teeth, he endured the agony.
Time passed slowly. Outside, his clanmates began to notice him, as his skin had turned red, and sweat beaded from the intense heat within his body. A few tried to approach, but Yunsu hissed at them, scaring them away.
Soon, the upgrade was complete.
[Spirit core quality upgrade complete]
Spirit Core: System Neutral Spirit Core {Earth}
Cultivation Realm: Middle Stage Qi Gathering {45.61%}
Qi Cultivation Method: Vast Meridian Refinement Art
Special Traits: Mind Space, Super Spirit Body, Vast Meridian {151/512}
Mortal-Grade— Thousand Motion Art
Earth-Grade— Endless Step Technique, Horizon Shift Technique, World Shatter Palm Art, Qi Surge Cannon Technique, Heaven’s Pulse Fist Technique, Pure Qi Rebound Technique, Cultivation of the mind
Auxiliary Systems Capacity {100/100%}:
Scenario Simulation System {75%}
Beastmaster system {25%}
[System Points]: {0/1,000 Points}