Could it really be that I can't get onto the new‑release rankings? Recommendation votes are so scarce~~~ ******* This discovery thrilled Yang Kai. He had cultivated for three years in the Lingxiao Pavilion and had only reached the third stage of Body Tempering, but after obtaining the Wordless Black Book he broke through to the fourth stage the very next day, and now, just two days later, he was about to breakthrough again—a cultivation speed that even he found a little terrifying.
Practicing the Tempering Body Chapter consumed enormous energy; Yang Kai rested for a long while before gradually regaining his senses, ate the remaining rice balls, and then set out again on his herb‑gathering journey.
Yesterday I had already searched every spot I remembered where herbs should grow; today it’s just a matter of luck. Fortunately, these mortal‑grade herbs aren’t very valuable, so not everyone bothers to pick them, which means I still manage to find something.
All day long Yang Kai found another seven or eight stalks of herbs, even managing to pluck two three‑leaf residual soul flowers. At last he had gathered all the herbs needed for his cultivation, though the quantity was rather meager.
Time flew by, and when night fell Yang Kai was still wandering through the forest—not because he didn’t want to rest, but because he was simply starving.
He had hoped to catch some game today, but he didn’t even see a rabbit—only a few wild fruits the size of fingernails, sour and puckering, which made his teeth ache and left him feeling even hungrier after swallowing them.
If I had known, I would have brought more rice balls—what a regret! Out here in the middle of nowhere, where can I find food?
Half‑dead with hunger, Yang Kai suddenly spotted a glimmer of firelight ahead in the woods; his spirits lifted and he hurried toward it.
Anyone who dares to light a fire in the wilderness is either an inexperienced fool or a seasoned hand who fears nothing—and this time Yang Kai had run into the latter.
He had barely approached the fire when a sharp shout rang out: «Who’s there!»
At the same moment Yang Kai felt his skin tighten and a chill run down his spine; looking over, he saw two figures—one tall, one short—standing warily by the fire, both staring at him.
The taller figure was a sturdy man gripping a bow with an arrow already nocked, drawn to full tension and aimed at him; beside him stood a boy about eleven or twelve years old. Though young, the boy’s eyes were bright, showing no fear—rather a hint of eagerness to try. He too held a small bow, much weaker in power.
Although two drawn bows were pointed at him, Yang Kai felt no anger; when traveling outside, vigilance is necessary, and their caution was understandable.
«Don’t worry, I’m just here to gather herbs,» Yang Kai said quickly.
Hearing this, the two men examined him more closely; the burly man slowly lowered his bow, patted the boy to signal him to relax, and then said, «I thought the fire had attracted a wild beast—turns out it was a false alarm.»
«Sorry, sorry,» Yang Kai replied with an embarrassed smile.
The burly man proved to be open‑hearted, waving him over: «Come over, the night wind is cold—making a living out here isn’t easy.»
Yang Kai thanked him, then approached and sat by the fire; the burly man kept studying him, seeing his thin, frail frame, and couldn’t help feeling sympathy.
Now that they were sitting together, conversation flowed naturally; Yang Kai learned they were a father‑son pair living at the mountain’s base, making a living by hunting. Though not wealthy, they could get by, and despite the boy’s young appearance he was already a seasoned hunter, having accompanied his father many times into the Black Wind Mountains, giving him far more wilderness experience than Yang Kai.