It was deep into the night.

The sun had long set.

Liu Xun was back in his room cultivating.

He had awoken from a short slumber.

Status.

Cultivator:

Liu Xun

Roots:

Mortal

Cultivation Level:

Qi Gathering Stage 1 [46/139]↑15

System Credit:

99 ↑31

Inventory:

Cons: 2x Premium Gacha Talisman, 1x Fireball Talisman [SSR]

Misc: [System Subscription Channel], [System Rulebook]

Active:

Purple Heaven Gathering Pill (Duration: 78 days)

Skills:

Passive:Minor GuanXin KnowledgeArchaic Sun Aura Wisp [2%] (+50% to cultivation speed, minor resistance to yang elements)

Weapon:Crimson Dragon Beheading Axe (Incomplete) [1.8%]

Talents:

None

The dream was short—A faint recount of a little girl.She seemed to have found hope.And also joy.Is that The Million Sun's past? I wonder if I will keep seeing such dreams night after night.

"System, can you tell me about The Million Suns?"

Liu Xun's interest was piqued.

He had seen fragments of this great one's past life. She seems to be one of humble origin. Her cute bubbly nature was also one that differed greatly from her current persona. Almost a little too different.

[The host cannot disclose much of its client's details. A brief description would be appropriate. It is said that she is known as a great keyboard warrior in the realms above. Many would who have seen her in person have said that she has the graceful bearings of a beautiful lady. Those who haven't seen her but interacted through messages would call her an unruly and impulsive person.]

The Most Ancient One nods furiously. The Million Sun glares at The Most Ancient one.

It would seem that seniors are still up. Graceful in person, unruly in a distance.

Liu Xun was a little lost in his thoughts.

He was imagining a persona of this senior's current appearance based on the fragments of his memories.

I should move around now that I have awoken. It is still dark outside but I can manage with that.

He's regained his focus as he got up to his feet.

He began placing items into a small yellow cloth sack— his skill book, a water gourd, and the pills.

Slinging on his small cloth sack, he grabbed his old trusty ax from the side.

The young man stepped into the night.

--

It was the wee hours of the morning.

The surrounding was dark and quiet.

The streets were empty.

The faint source of light came from the white crescent moon that hung high above.

-

Liu Xun slowly made his way to the forest.

It was a familiar route that he had taken in the past.

Going into the woods, bring back lumber.

It is irrational to come during this timing to cut wood, as beasts are more active now.

However, his purpose this time was different.

His body needs battle experience.

His ax needs blood.

It is time to hunt.

The woods where he usually roamed are usually very safe.

Cultivators and mortals alike constantly travel around these parts.

For Liu Xun to have better chances to meet animals, he had to go deeper into the forest.

The grass and shrubbery that he crossed now were overgrown and untouched.

He slowly threaded into foreign territory.

Only the ringing of crickets aside from his footsteps sounded out.

-

The surroundings were dark and shadowy as the tree canopy covered the moonlight.

Liu Xun threaded softly yet carefully one step at a time.

The ball of his feet landed softly followed by the heel.

He was in full concentration as he scanned around.

Weaving around the grass slowly, as he searched for prey.

Rustle.

The bush shook in a distance.

Liu Xun stopped all his movements. He crouched and waited.

A small grey hare popped its head out, looking around alertly.

After a short while, the critter jumped out into the open.

Now!

Liu Xun dashed forward.

His ax trailed beside him, below his shoulders.

Swoosh.

An upward swing.

The hare was launched into the air.

Another slash was launched at the target mid-air as blood splatted.

The body then fell to the ground. It was still and lifeless.

A clean kill.

Looking at the surroundings, the area seems to be quiet.

There are unlikely to be other creatures around.

Liu Xun walked up to the dead rabbit, grabbed it by its ears, and drained its blood.

The blood leaked slowly.

It flowed not onto the ground, but rather a small gourd.

A collection for his beast qi.

This is enough excitement for today, I guess I should head back.

Liu Xun turned his body around as he planned to head back with his hunt in hand.

His destination was not to his new house, but rather his old home.

Now that he was out here, he figured he might as well visit his family.

-

Rustle. Rustle.

A large shadow jumped out of the dense overgrowth.

It lunged towards Liu Xun whose back was facing it as the shadow quickly loomed over.

Liu Xun was alerted by the sound as soon as he heard it.

He quickly dropped the rabbit.

A quick turn was made as he placed his ax in front of him.

BANG!

A large forceful impact knocked him backward as he gathers qi into his arms and legs to reduce the impact.

Two deep impressions were left on the ground as he resisted a large proportion of the force.

He could feel both his arms and legs were starting to sore.

The situation was getting tense.

This creature is not weak.

ROARRRR!!!!

Not giving Liu Xun any time to rest, the large shadow continued to its aggressive onslaught as another swipe was launched.

Liu Xun threw his body to the left, barely avoid the incoming attack.

The arms holding the ax were lowered.

Using the momentum of shifting himself, he made a quick spin and leaped forward towards the shadow.

The ax that he was holding revolved upwards as it was swung to an overhead grip.

A glint of silver flashed downwards.

CRACK!!

The unprepared shadow was dealt a blow to the head.

R-roooarr...

The large shadow was immediately forced backward as it hit the ground hard.

The body laid motionless.

It seems that was its dying throe.

Liu Xun was panting hard as his butt landed on the ground.

He completely exhausted his qi to deal that single blow, placing all his strength into the Dragon Slaying Smash.

It would have been problematic if the creature was not dead by then.

Liu Xun had entertained the thought of retreating initially.

However, what if the enemy pursued him?

He was already exhausted from practice the day before.

Using his remaining strength, he made a final gamble.

It was a success.

-

Now he had used up all of his remaining strength.

He definitely did not expect to meet such an adversary this close to the city.

It was a large ferocious brown bear.

It was about one and a half times his size.

-

Liu Xun took a short rest and gathered his breath.

He quickly glanced at his surroundings, to make sure there are no more lurking predators.

Slowly walking up to the bear with caution, he inspected the formidable foe.

There was a large depression that could be seen on its head where the ax landed.

Flesh and bone could be seen as brain matter leaked out from the fissure in the skull.

The rest of the body was rather undamaged, with only a few marks of its previous hunts.

This bear's fur would deliver a fair sum to traders and nobles.

The bear paws would also be a precious product1.

Liu Xun make a slash towards the artery on the bear's neck and took out his gourd.

He slowly drained the creature of its blood.

It was about an incense stick of time2 before his tiny gourd was filled to the brim.

He then stuffed the gourd back into his cloth sack and began on his next task.

Dismantling.

He would not be able to bring the entire bear back even if he were in pristine condition, much less his current exhausted state.

-

Liu Xun began his work.

Slowly cutting out valuable parts of the bear.

One part at a time.

The entire fur body was skinned.

Paws along with its meat taken.

And a small portion of belly meat rich with fat along with its liver.

Liu Xun also carved out the heart and brain of the bear.

Were those two organs particularly valuable?

Not to the others.

However, based on his knowledge it would have the densest beast qi stored.

It was a pretty gory scene.

Blood covered his clothing, hands, and face.

By the time he was done, the bear looked like it had been ravaged by beasts. Many sections were missing from it, just like a desecrated carcass. There were just meat, some organs, and bones remaining of the poor beast.

Liu Xun placed his palms together as he gave it a short departure ceremony.

He stuffed everything into his cloth sack and whatever else that could fit into his arms as he grabbed the rabbit and his ax.

He could not entertain any more surprises.

He quickly disappeared into the distance.