Ding!

[You have successfully breakthrough to Second Level of Qi Refining Stage]

[All stats increase by 300]

[Current Qi 3.000/7.000]

Awakened by the notification inside her mind, she checked all the new skills she got previously.

---

< Hand-to-Hand Combat Technique >

< Rank : Mortal >

< Proficiency : 1 >

< Description : Basic self-defense technique using hand and feet. Damage depend on user's body control. Can delivered up to 100% of user's strength >

---

< Body Mastery >

< Rank : Passive >

< Description : User gain full control of their own body. Only someone who know perfectly about their body can acquire this skill >

---

< Body Movement Sense >

< Rank : Passive >

< Description : User can perfectly see movement of any being they have perfect knowledge of. User can predict their enemy action to some extent >

---

This should be enough to survive until I find a human settlement, she thought.

System quickly prepared herself to explore the forest finding way to the nearest village or city. She wanted to experience living and interacting with other humans to complete her soul.

The sky had already turned dark by the time she ready to set off. Her eyes quickly adapted thus allow her to acquired < Night Vision > skill to see through the darkness.

While she dashed through trees and bushes, suddenly she felt several couples of eyes set their sight on her. She didn't stop moving when she sensed some presence pursuing her from behind.

Fail to shook off her pursuer, she turned around and stand in a combat-ready position. She saw several rat-like beasts ran toward her position. Their body as tall as 10 years-old human children, fully covered by rough grey-colored fur. Their claws were huge, and sharp make them looked like a warrior wielding 8 swords on their paws.

The group of beasts quickly surrounded her while the biggest beast shows its fang and lock its eyes on her like predators looking at their prey.

Without avoiding its gaze, she slowly recited.

"Identify."

A pop-up notification appeared on her mind.

---

Name: Gray Rat x 5

Cultivation: First Stage of Qi Refining

---

Name: Gray Rat (leader)

Cultivation: Second Stage of Qi Refining

---

Although this was her first fight in her life, she remained indifferent. Her enemies were only a Second Stage Qi Refining at most, nothing to fear of.

Seeing its prey didn't show any sign of fear; the leader let out a screech, and immediately other gray rats leap at the woman.

Without moving from her position, she grabbed the nearest rat and threw its body at the second rat.

Bam!

The second rat, which still in the air, couldn't avoid the collision. The brunt impact made them instantly dead.

Next, System punched the third rat and abruptly exploded its head. The fourth and the fifth rats attacked her from each of her sides but were easily repelled.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Smack!

She then swung her kicks at the two rats aiming at their head, both of them ended up dead.

Five gray rats were wiped out in a mere second.

The gray rat's leader felt like it saw a grim reaper when the woman in front of it quickly massacred its minion; the leader realized that it was a bad idea to fight this woman head-on.

It retreated to the bush, hiding its presence.

The woman knew that the big rat hadn't left yet. She kept her guard up and ready to strike at any moment the rat revealed itself.

At the next moment, she heard rustled from the bushes behind her, and suddenly a shadow leaped at her.

Before she can react, an arrow shot through the shadow head, piercing its skull and destroying its brain. The next moment, she saw the gray rat's leader lifeless on the ground.

"Are you okay?" A clear voice like the chirps of Oriole was heard from afar.

Looking at the source of the voice, she saw a figure rapidly came closer.

It was a young woman with aqua eyes and long wavy brown hair in a two-side-up consisting of a part of her being tied into two black ribbons, while the rest hung loose.

Her fiery crimson dress tightly hugged her body, emphasizing her graceful and enchanting figure. Her figure was slim to the point one would worry a light breeze would blow her away and break her.

As the woman stopped in front of her, she nodded and replied curtly.

"Yes"

The young woman seems intrigued with her doll-like figure and expressionless face. Why was she alone in the forest at night? Where was she coming from? And what the heck with that ugly white robe?

"I am Xue. Feng Xue. What's your name? and why are you in the forest alone?" Xue asked worriedly.

"I don't have a name," System answered quickly while shaking her head.

"Huh, what do you mean? Don't you remember your name?"

"I don't have one. You can give me a name if you want."

"Why should I give you a name? Are you my dog? or what?"

Feng Xue gave System incredulous looks as if talking with a moron.

"I'm not a dog. I registered as a human." System plainly replied.

"Yes, you're definitely a human, and a beautiful one as well. But it didn't mean I should give you a name!"

A vein appeared on Feng Xue's forehead as the conversation turned weirder and weirder.

"Un. If you don't want to give me a name, you don't have to." System said not pushing the issue.

"How should I call you then? It's annoying to call you by "hey" or "you there" all the time." Feng Xue felt she was somehow tricked into giving her name, but shook her head and thought inwardly: Whatever, I just give her a name then.

"You can call me whatever you like," System said without a change in her expression.

"Un. I'll call you Snowy, then." Feng Xue gave her that name because her jade-white skin and her icy looks, but also seem fragile, reminded her of snow.

"Un." The system seems satisfied by her new identification, so from now she was called Snowy.

Moving on to a more important question. Feng Xue asked, "So Snowy, why are you alone in the forest?"

"No reason," Snowy said curtly.

"Uh, do you mean you suddenly pop out of nowhere?" Feng Xue asked.

"Yes," another short answer came from Snowy's mouth.

Feng Xue didn't press Snowy for an answer. Everybody had a secret so she wouldn't want to annoy this fairy. She also had a personal reason to be here in the middle of the night and if someone asked her about it she definitely kicked them in the ass. So, instead of prying further, she asked another question, "Do you want to stay here or go elsewhere?"

"I want to go to the nearest village or city," replied Snowy

"Ooh, you should come with me then. My home is in Phoenix City. It is the nearest city from here around 5 hours by feet toward that direction," said Feng Xue pointing eastward.

"Un." Snowy gave a small nod.

Feng Xue would felt very guilty if she abandoned someone like Snowy alone in the forest. Snowy was only in the Third Level of Qi Refining Stage. There were many beasts that can easily kill her in this forest. Fortunately, she was only attacked by a low-level gray rat if some beast-like Shadow Panther or Black-scaled Snake, which usually at least a fifth-level Qi Refining Stage Beast, would have already become their dinner.

Before they leave, Snowy went to collect all the beast core from the beast corpses. It will help increase her cultivation as a beast core usually contains all the qi that the beast cultivates.

Seeing Snowy collect a fair amount of beast cores, Feng Xue threw her a spatial pouch.

"Here, use mine."

"It's not necessary."

As she replied, she quickly threw all the cores she collected into her mouth. Feng Xue lost her wits seeing her action. She immediately approached her and hit her on the back so she could cough the beast cores out avoiding her fate as a human bomb.

"What are you doing?!" Feng Xue stretched Snowy's cheek as she had enough of her nonsensical behavior.

Ding!

[Qi increased by 420. Current Qi 7.120/7.000]

[You have successfully breakthrough to Third Stage of Qi Refining]

[All stats increase by 400]

[Current Qi 7.120/13.000]

Snowy's aura became stronger after she breakthrough her cultivation. Surprised by this turn of events, Feng Xue's eyes widen and her jaw dropped so hard until it touched the ground.

She had seen a few bizarre things in her life, but this was the first time she felt like she was in a dream. Even she, who was in the peak Qi Transformation stage, needed more than an hour to absorb all qi inside Qi Refining stage beast core.

"Huh, how can you suddenly breakthrough?! What happens to the beast core?"

"It's my cultivation technique. I can eat beast core to increase my Qi."

Snowy answer honestly as she never planned to make her cultivation a secret. It also allowed her to observe various emotions that people showed her when they learn the truth.

"How's that even possible?! Are you telling me the truth?" Feng Xue gave her a doubtful look.

"Un. I am not lying." Snowy said.

"Fine, I believe you for now. But, next time don't you ever carelessly eat something dangerous like that again!"

Feng Xue raised her voice to make sure Snowy knew that she was seriously worried about her and her tendency to act absurdly. She didn't want to see her acquaintance dead because of a rash decision, even if it's to gain more strength.

It was true that without personal strength you'll never actually free. But, if you weren't alive to enjoy it, then having personal strength is pointless.

Snowy didn't expect someone who only recently knew her would be so worried. Is this what it's mean to be a human? Are all of the humans similar to this woman?

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot me," Feng Xue said lazily.

"Why are you care so much about me? We barely know each other." Snowy said with curiosity appear in her eyes.

"Huh, isn't it natural for anybody to worry about someone so clueless and naïve like you left alone in the forest?"

Well, actually not everybody will be that worried, but whatever, FengXue thought.

Hearing Feng Xue's blunt answer, a faint almost imperceptible smile appeared on her face.

Is this happiness?

Feeling that she gained a new understanding of human emotion, she fell silent and savored this new feeling that slowly budding in his heart.

Maybe I can learn more if I follow this girl, Snowy thought.

"Is that so?"

"Yup. So, enough dawdling around. Let's move!"

Xue grabbed Snowy's hand and quickly leave the forest.