1st Hunt

As I walked back towards my mother, her eyes widened with wonder. "My word, look at how beautiful you became, and you beat your brothers and sisters into your first evolution!" I started blushing internally at this praise. "Thank you Kaasan(mother)." "I'll have your eldest brother, look after the little ones. I think now is a good time to teach you how to hunt as my milk will no longer be of use to you. I'm going to teach you how to sneak. With it being dark outside already, it should be easier for you.

My mother then crouched low, beginning to walk slowly and carefully. Even though twigs and leaves were littering the ground, I couldn't hear a single snap or brushing of leaves. It was almost as if she was walking on air. "Now Mishi before you start walking, you need to crouch down low, taking slow intentional steps making sure to evenly balance your weight to each limb, while you channel your spirit energy to the bottom of your paws. It will feel awkward at first, but it will eventually come naturally to you."

I closed my eyes, focusing on my dantian, I could see my spirit energy as a dark mist condensed in there, and flowing through my channels to the rest of my body, then returning once again. I then tried willing my dantian to push more Spirit energy to my paws, while attempting to prevent from returning back to my dantian. After a few tries, I was able to get it down. I crouched down and started slowly walking towards my mother, at first I was walking very clumsily struggling to distribute my weight appropriately, while channeling my spirit energy to my paws, and would inevitably break a branch here or there. After a few practice runs I finally got it. I wasn't as good as Kaasan (mother) but now I could walk quietly enough, that any prey that was distracted enough wouldn't notice me.

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Congratulations, you have unlocked the ability sneak.

Sneak LVL. 1

How could an obsessed, clearly deranged stalker, like yourself exist! When activated the sound of your steps are reduced by 15%. Usage of this skill will increase its levels and lower the sound of your steps by an additional 5% per level. This skill costs 5 SP of your maximum SP, until it's deactivated.

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Nice I can actually learn skills through practice. I didn't even need to use a skill point. That's right I didn't choose any skills to use my points on yet. I'll have to remember doing that when I have time to myself.

"Alright Mishi, I think you're ready now. I'll hide my presence while you look for your first prey. Make sure it's small and distracted before you approach" "Yes Kaasan I think I'm ready." "Good"

I could then feel Spirit Energy emanating from kaasan's skin, and then compress itself in a thin layer becoming less and less noticeable. As this was happening she blended completely into the background until her presence vanished entirely. "Kaasan, when can I learn that ability?" "Right now, it isn't possible, you need a much higher level of cultivation before this could be possible." Oh well looks like I'll need to do some grinding then.

Kaasan then directed me where I should go into the forest, she knew which sections had lower level spirit beasts. After about a half-hour of walking, we finally spotted a horned rabbit. I focused on the rabbit, and then suddenly "Horned Rabbit Sp Gath rank 1, appeared above its head."

Kaasan then whispered in my ear "Alright Mishi that's a horned rabbit. They aren't very strong, but you need to be careful about the horn. If they pierce you with it in the right place it could be fatal. Now sneak up behind it before you pounce. If you time it right you can have an instant kill."

The Horned Rabbit was currently eating some foliage. I activated my sneak ability and approached the horned rabbit from behind. Once I was within striking distance I pounced digging my claws into its sides, tearing from flesh to muscle to bone. Before it could cry out in pain, I clamped my jaw around the back of its neck, breaking it, as my teeth punctured its flesh.

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Congratulations: Host has killed a defenseless rabbit, go for the glory I always say.

You have gained 15% advancement to sneak 85% more until sneak LVL 2.

You have gained 10% advancement to analyze 90% until it reaches LVL 2.

Please consume the horned rabbit to gain Cultivation points.

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I was ecstatic about making my first kill, regardless of how the system portrayed it. I swung the dead Horned Rabbit in the air catching it with my jaws before it hit the ground. "Now Mishi it isn't polite to play with your food. That Horned Rabbit died so you can have its sustenance. Let's make sure not to waste a single morsel, as that would be disrespectful to the life you have taken. Since you killed the rabbit you should be the one to eat it." " I'm sorry Kaasan, I got a little overly excited. Does it really matter though, if I didn't catch it by surprise, wouldn't it have tried to kill me as well? Why must I respect something that would have killed me?"

"Mishi, do you know that I am the guardian beast of this forest?" "Uh, you're what now!" "Yes, I'm the Guardian of this forest, and that not only means that I am the most powerful Spirit Beast here, but I am also its protector. I could easily kill and devour every Spirit Beast here, and to many, that would be my right to do so. Do you know why I wouldn't do that?" "I'm not sure" "Well little one it's because of balance, and for the sake of this forest we need to maintain that balance. If we killed every animal here and consumed more than we ought, then this place would become barren. We are not the only ones who hunt beasts for food and cultivation, but the humans do as well. In fact, many would try to hunt me if given the chance." "Kaasan, what could a weak human do to you, the guardian of this forest." "Well yes, I am strong, and many humans would die by my hand just from my spirit pressure alone. But that doesn't mean I can't be killed. I am a Regional Guardian Demi-god, that protects just this forest. There are many humans of the immortal realm that would hunt me just to get their hands on my body, and monster core as they can be used to enhance their weapons and armor, or to make medicine to help them break through to an even higher realm. Then there are the Dominators. They are just as strong if not stronger than me. While another guardian, wouldn't try to take over this forest, a dominator doesn't have a guardians' moral. They care not for protection but only to dominate ruling over their land while trying to conquer other lands by attacking other Guardians or Dominators. We don't see the land as a possession, but rather something we are a part of, that needs protection. While they see it as a treasure or resource to be plundered. Now by maintaining balance in this forest we make it possible for all of its creatures to flourish and in return, they aid me in its protection. Now Mishi we talked enough go eat, so we can return home."

I was dumbfounded by what I just heard. Yes in many ways this works is like some of my favorite games, but it's also very real. I can't just think only of grinding levels, killing all in sight. Unlike video games, these creatures won't simply respawn within a few minutes. They need time to reproduce, and if they aren't given that opportunity, they would just die out robbing the forest of its balance. I started to eat as I thought about these things.

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Congratulations, after finally, and I mean finally, the host decided to consume the horned rabbit you gain 25 cultivation points. 25 more cultivation points until your next rank.

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Wow, so much CP (cultivation points will now be shortened to CP) just from one rabbit. Hunting gives so much more CP than just cultivating. No wonder dominators just want to hunt as much as possible, just from ceaseless hunting you can rank up or even breakthrough to another realm, in a matter of days, as opposed to months or years in meditative cultivation.