As the trio of disciples approached, Xue Mo became acutely aware of their chatter, a blend of mocking taunts aimed at him—or rather, at Lin Feng—a name that now held a dual meaning in his mind.
"He's definitely going to get expelled," jeered a scrawny boy with disheveled brown hair, obviously relishing the chance to kick a fellow disciple when they were down. "I mean, trying to absorb beast blood? Does he even know how reckless that is?"
"Hurry up and give us a good laugh when they announce it," replied a taller girl, her long hair tied in a loose braid, her voice thick with derision. "Maybe they'll even let us have a farewell party for him!"
The burly boy in the center laughed heartily, "Lin Feng the failure. At this rate, he'll be out of the sect in disgrace before the month is out!"
Moments later, as the trio walked past him, the burly boy caught sight of Xue Mo. Recognition sparked in his eyes.
"Hey, isn't that Lin Feng?" he pointed, disbelief dripping from his tone.
The others turned almost in unison, laughter faltering. The girl squinted, struggling to recall the name. "Oh, right! What's he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be trying to break through?"
"Is he just waiting to fail spectacularly?" The scrawny boy scoffed as he looked at Xue Mo.
Xue Mo heard them, but their words held no weight. There was no anger—no need for it. They were insignificant.
He didn't stop walking. Didn't flinch. Didn't react.
Yet, as they passed, he finally spoke, his voice measured, almost bored.
"You should focus on your own progress." His gaze barely flickered toward them. "Or you may find yourselves struggling to keep up."
There was no emotion in his words, no attempt to defend himself—only an observation, cold and detached.
The laughter faltered.
"Youuuuuu."
For a moment, they looked at him as if they were seeing him for the first time. But rather than linger, they scoffed and walked away, muttering among themselves.
Xue Mo let them go.
They weren't worth his time.
He glanced around, ensuring they were gone before his mind delved deeper into his plan. Absorbing beast blood would be a challenge with his current body. There was another way but for Xue Mo the arena was a spectacle for those desperate to prove themselves. A true cultivator didn't need an audience, only results. Direct confrontation was foolish without leverage. He needed power first.
The Azure Sky Sect held an open arena for outer sect disciples every week, providing a platform to test their skills against one another. Victorious matches would yield contribution points and engagement with other cultivators—an excellent opportunity for growth.
Combat had initially seemed enticing, yet the reality was clear: fighting without sufficient strength would be futile. To effectively cultivate the Blood Deity Art, he required fresh blood—not just any blood, but that of spirit beasts or similar creatures infused with potent energy.
Bidding the arena farewell, Xue Mo traced his steps away from the shallow bravado of the outer sect disciples and ventured deeper into the woods where he had first encountered the spirit awakening leopard. If he were to find blood, he needed to evade prying eyes.
Navigating through the thick underbrush, Xue Mo's body was relaxed but ready to strike or dodge at any moment. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, shadows shifting with the rustling branches. He stayed focused.
After several minutes of traversing further into the forest, he paused, detecting a low growl, barely perceptible. Instinctively, he crouched low, peering through the dense foliage ahead. He spotted it—a sleek, dark green leopard prowling through the undergrowth. The creature's form seemed to blend with the shadows, alert and aware. Its piercing golden eyes scanned the surroundings, muscles coiled and ready to strike at the slightest provocation.
Xue Mo exhaled slowly, steadily, and well measured. The leopard was an obstacle, nothing more. He would end it as soon as possible.
Drawing back, he searched the forest floor for a suitable tool—branches, stones, anything that could serve as a makeshift distraction. Spotting a hefty fallen branch, he gripped it tightly, testing its weight.
Observing the leopard's movements, Xue Mo noticed it taking cautious steps, momentarily pausing to sniff the air. Summoning his resolve, he hurled the branch away from himself, creating a noise that resonated in the stillness of the forest.
The leopard jerked its head towards the sound, instinctively sprinting off to investigate. Perfect!
Quietly, Xue Mo slipped in after it, keeping low and out of sight. The rush of adrenaline stirred within him, charging his senses and igniting the thrill of the hunt.
He followed as the leopard prowled, drawn to the noise. Once he was close enough, he positioned himself, and went at full speed like an arrow from a bow with his sword ready to strike before it could sense his presence.
Clang!
Suddenly, the creature jumped and spun around, blocking Xue Mo's sword with its claws creating a sort of metal clashing with metal. Then without wasting a second, the green spotted leopard struck at Xue Mo with its claws aimed at his head.
Whoosh!
Xue Mo's heart was calm as he sidestepped, narrowly evading the brunt of the attack. He then followed up by distancing himself.
The leopard grunted in surprise, but it quickly regained composure, eyes narrowing with rage as it faced Xue Mo, growling fiercely.
Xue Mo observed the beast for a few seconds before once again going to attack it, this time he aimed low to unbalance the beast.
His sword sliced through the air, connecting with the leopard's front legs. The beast hissed in discomfort but remained upright, pivoting sharply, claws bared and ready to strike.
Unwilling to provide it a chance, Xue Mo kept circling, evading the lethal swipe of claws with agility, each move instinctual. The tension was palpable; he knew that failure meant very serious injuries or worse.
Finally, as the leopard lunged again, Xue Mo feigned retreat, only to leap forward at the last moment. With a fierce cry, he delivered a decisive strike, his sword slicing upward at the leopards body.
"Grrrrrrrrr."
The leopard roared in pain as crimson liquid spattered against the forest floor, a vivid contrast to the earthy tones surrounding them.
Yet, instead of retreating, the animal charged, enraged. Xue Mo could sense the exhaustion creeping back in; he couldn't maintain this fight for long.
Understanding that, he recalled the scriptures of the Blood Deity Art, following it as he was hit by a sudden hunger. The technique stirred within him, eager to feed on the blood of the beast.
With a final rush of determination, he sidestepped the leopard's next attack and struck down, the blade catching the creature's back leg. It howled in agony, collapsing to the ground, desperately attempting to rise but failing.
Xue Mo stood over the beast, panting yet calm. The moment of truth had arrived. He pressed the blade down without hesitation. No wasted movement, no excess thought.
As the leopard's life drained, he welcomed the energy, treating it as food offered to him.
The Blood Deity Art awakened in full, responding to the fresh blood spilling around them.
With a final guttural cry, the leopard succumbed, and in that moment of silence, Xue Mo closed his eyes, focusing on the energy flowing into him. The blood wrapped around him, cocooning him in its warmth.
The last remnants of the creature's strength faded, and he stood amidst the pooling blood, panting. He had successfully broken through and reach the fifth level of Qi cultivation realm
He felt an undeniable power surge within, making his body stronger and he could feel the impurities being removed.
As he regained his composure, a smirk crossed his lips. He had secured fresh blood, and had a breakthrough in his realm. Strength flowed back into his limbs, his newly inherited body now felt stronger.
Although Xue Mo had broken through, he used one of the skills he had learnt from his past life to hide his realm and make it appear as though it was in in Qi cultivation level four
He had already calculated the risks. The scent of blood would invite predators, but by then, he would be long gone. Power was the only thing that mattered this was just the first step.
Stepping lightly, he moved through the foliage, making his way back to the cave, inwardly vowing that one day he would surpass his previous self.
He smiled, the dark thrill of power dancing on the edge of his consciousness, a reminder that he was getting closer to his previous life's level of power.
The thrill of adrenaline coursed within him, but he focused on the journey ahead, with numerous thoughts pinballing around in his mind.
It would take more than a single kill to ascend through the ranks of the Azure Sky Sect. He remembered the original Lin Feng's struggles—the harsh words of his fellow disciples echoed in his head. "Waste of space," they'd said. "A failure." He would not allow those words to become his reality. He had already determined that his destiny was his alone to carve.
As he continued to walk, he thought of the connections he would need to make. It would be crucial to gather intelligence about the sect, especially if he wanted to secure essential resources. Each disciple at the Azure Sky Sect had their uses and if he played his cards right, he might even be able to benefit from it.
Once back in his cave, Xue Mo settled into a meditative state once more, preparing to cultivate the Blood Deity Art. Before he began, he pondered the skill itself. Its requirements were significant, and blood was not easy to come by. He would need to hunt more, to take larger and more challenging prey. Fortunately, he had confidence in his growing abilities and intelligence from his past life.
He closed his eyes, envisioning the words of the scripture swirling in his mind. The Blood Deity Art was just a tool he would use for gaining power; it was his means of going beyond his previous self and to do that, mastering this tool would be an important necessity.
But how to acquire the blood needed without drawing too much attention? That posed a significant obstacle. A stealthy approach would be paramount. It wasn't just about killing; it was about precision and control—qualities he had ingrained in himself during his previous life.
A plan began to form. Perhaps he could create distractions in the hunting grounds, manipulating the environment to his advantage. Undoubtedly, wild beasts were territorial and easily provoked. With the right strategy, he could ensure a steady supply of blood while remaining unnoticed.
With that settled, Xue Mo stood to his feet. He had a goal. He would cultivate the Blood Deity Art, gain strength, and build a reputation—one that would ensure he could freely do certain things.
Xue Mo's heart raced with anticipation, fueled by the promise of conquest. He was going to reach a level where everyone could only bow to him