The forest was deathly quiet.
Lin Ze crouched near the base of a towering tree, watching over Yue Qing'er as she slept. The antidote seemed to be working; the color was slowly returning to her cheeks, and her breathing had steadied.
Still, Lin Ze remained tense.
There was a reason she had been out here alone, surrounded by beasts. No ordinary girl wandered into the Wilds without purpose—or without enemies.
And enemies meant danger.
Lin Ze's instincts, honed by years of living at the edge of survival, warned him that trouble was brewing.
As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting the world in shades of crimson and gold, Yue Qing'er finally stirred.
She blinked groggily, her amber eyes dazed at first. Then they sharpened, locking onto Lin Ze with startling clarity.
"You stayed," she whispered.
"I didn't save you just to let you die afterward," Lin Ze replied bluntly, tossing a twig into the small fire he'd built.
Yue Qing'er sat up slowly, wincing as she moved. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, as if measuring something, before she spoke again.
"You're not from the sects," she said, half-question, half-accusation.
"No," Lin Ze said simply.
"And yet... your strength..." Her brows furrowed. "You've just stepped into Flesh Refinement Second Stage, haven't you?"
Lin Ze stiffened slightly but said nothing.
The fact that she could sense that with such precision only confirmed what he had begun to suspect—this girl wasn't an ordinary noble.
She was a cultivator.
And a well-trained one at that.
Yue Qing'er smiled faintly, though there was sadness in it.
"You saved my life," she said. "I owe you a debt."
Lin Ze shrugged. "No debt. Just answers."
Yue Qing'er's smile faded.
For a long moment, she was silent, staring into the flickering flames.
Finally, she spoke.
"I'm from the Azure Frost Sect," she said quietly. "Or... I was."
Lin Ze frowned. Even he had heard of the Azure Frost Sect. A mid-tier sect known for its powerful ice techniques and strict hierarchies. Not the sort of place a girl like her should have been running from.
"What happened?" he asked.
Yue Qing'er's hands clenched into fists.
"My elder brother," she said bitterly. "He poisoned me. Framed me for crimes I didn't commit. I barely escaped with my life."
Lin Ze didn't flinch at the rage in her voice.
In the cultivation world, betrayal between siblings for power was as common as breathing.
"And now?" he prompted.
"Now," she said, her eyes glittering dangerously, "I need to get stronger. Strong enough to tear down everything he stole from me."
Her words hung heavy in the air.
Lin Ze understood the hunger in her voice. It was the same hunger that drove him—the need to rise, to seize destiny with his own hands.
Still, he was cautious.
"You're injured," he said. "Alone. And your enemies are likely searching for you."
"Yes," she admitted.
Lin Ze leaned back, studying her.
He didn't trust easily. Trust got you killed. But Yue Qing'er was valuable—not just as a potential ally, but also because she represented a connection to a greater world beyond this forgotten village.
A world he intended to conquer.
"You'll slow me down," he said bluntly.
Yue Qing'er's jaw tightened. Pride flashed in her eyes. But she swallowed it down and bowed her head low.
"Then use me," she said. "Let me follow you. I'll repay this debt. I swear it."
Lin Ze raised an eyebrow.
The system chimed suddenly in his mind:
[New System Option Available: Establish Bonded Follower?]
Yue Qing'er - Potential Bonded Follower
Benefits: Shared XP gains, Access to Dual Cultivation Techniques, Ability to Issue Commands (Limited)
Penalty: Divided Resource Allocation
Accept Bond? (Y/N)
Lin Ze's heart skipped a beat.
Bonded Followers were rare in most system cultivators' paths. To find one this early—especially one from a major sect—was almost absurdly lucky.
Of course, luck had nothing to do with it.
It was destiny.
He smirked slightly.
"Fine," he said aloud. "But if you slow me down, I'll leave you behind without hesitation."
Yue Qing'er smiled grimly. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
Lin Ze focused mentally and selected:
[Accept Bond]
A faint golden light shimmered between them for a brief moment, unseen by normal eyes. Yue Qing'er gasped, feeling the connection spark to life.
It wasn't mind control, not exactly. But Lin Ze could now sense her presence—her general emotions, her proximity, her state of health.
Useful beyond measure.
Yue Qing'er looked up at him, something like awe in her gaze.
"You're... not ordinary," she said.
Lin Ze only chuckled.
"You have no idea."
◇ ◇ ◇
They broke camp at dawn.
Yue Qing'er insisted on walking on her own, despite the lingering weakness in her limbs. Lin Ze respected that.
They moved swiftly, avoiding major trails and keeping to the shadows.
Lin Ze's goal was clear now: to leave the Wilds and reach the outer territories, where more resources, cultivation opportunities—and threats—awaited.
But the forest was not so easily escaped.
By midday, Lin Ze's instincts screamed a warning.
He froze, signaling Yue Qing'er to halt.
Ahead, the underbrush rustled unnaturally. Heavy footsteps—too heavy for any ordinary animal—approached.
A moment later, two figures emerged from the trees.
Men.
Both wore the dark blue robes of Azure Frost enforcers, their expressions cold and cruel.
And both radiated killing intent.
"There you are, little rabbit," one sneered, his gaze locking onto Yue Qing'er. "Your brother sends his regards."
Yue Qing'er paled but drew herself up proudly.
"You'll have to kill me before I go back," she spat.
The enforcers chuckled.
"That's the idea."
They moved forward, spirit energy crackling around them.
Lin Ze stepped in front of Yue Qing'er, knife already in hand. His blood pulsed with excitement.
A real fight.
A real test.
And perhaps, real rewards.
The system chimed again:
[Quest Triggered: Defeat the Azure Frost Hunters]
Enemies: Two Flesh Refinement Second Stage Cultivators
Reward: Azure Frost Combat Manuals (Fragmented) + Random Treasure Drop
Lin Ze grinned.
Perfect.
The first hunter moved with blinding speed, a blur of blue and steel.
But Lin Ze was faster.
He sidestepped the strike, feeling the rush of air as the blade missed him by inches. He countered immediately, a brutal slash aimed at the man's ribs.
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed.
The second hunter tried to flank him—but Yue Qing'er, gathering her strength, loosed a blast of frosty wind, slowing him just enough.
Lin Ze capitalized on the opening.
He invoked the Blood Forging Technique, channeling refined blood essence into his knife.
The blade pulsed red—and when he struck again, it punched through the first hunter's guard entirely, slicing deep into his side.
The man howled in agony, staggering back.
But Lin Ze didn't give him a second chance.
He lunged forward, a flurry of strikes—fast, brutal, efficient. Each blow chipped away at the enforcer's defenses until finally, Lin Ze's knife found his throat.
Blood sprayed across the clearing.
The first enforcer fell.
The second, seeing his comrade die so swiftly, hesitated.
Mistake.
Lin Ze was upon him in an instant.
With Yue Qing'er providing cover fire—icy needles of spirit energy hounding the enforcer's every step—Lin Ze overwhelmed him.
The second enforcer died with a gurgling scream, clutching at the gaping wound across his chest.
Silence fell.
Lin Ze straightened, breathing hard, blood dripping from his blade.
Yue Qing'er slumped against a tree, exhausted but alive.
The system chimed once more:
[Quest Complete: Defeat the Azure Frost Hunters]
Reward Obtained: Azure Frost Combat Manuals (Fragmented)
Reward Obtained: Spirit Jade Pendant (Treasure)
Lin Ze knelt and quickly looted the corpses. The manuals would be invaluable for studying sect techniques, even if fragmented.
And the pendant...He turned it over in his hand.
It thrummed with faint spiritual energy.
An artifact. Low-grade, but still useful.
He pocketed it and turned back to Yue Qing'er.
She was staring at him, wide-eyed.
"You..." she whispered. "You fought like... like a demon."
Lin Ze only smiled coldly.
"In this world," he said, "there are only two kinds of people."
He wiped the blood from his blade in one smooth motion.
"The hunters."
He tossed the ragged cloth aside.
"And the prey."
Yue Qing'er nodded slowly, awe and fear mingling in her gaze.
And for the first time, Lin Ze felt it.
True power.
It was addictive.
And he was only just getting started.