Chapter 2 First enemy!

Therefore, all participants entered a majestic forest. However, calling that place a mere forest would be an understatement. The trees stood tall towards the sky, their canopies so vast that Liu Feng couldn't discern where exactly they ended. They seemed to touch the clouds, defying the limits of nature itself.

"Let's go down, Lily," the woman whispered, gently stroking the head of her pet owl. With a graceful motion, the owl obeyed the command and landed softly on the ground. One by one, the test participants descended from the owl's back. Liu Feng, in turn, cast a hesitant glance at the immensity of that forest. He knew, without a doubt, that the test, the challenge that could change his fate, would take place there.

"Allow me to establish the rules of this test. Listen carefully, as I won't repeat myself. Each one of you will have the task of finding a specific animal in this place. You will have exactly one day to complete this search. And remember, the rules are clear: the animal must be alive and without serious injuries. Otherwise, you will not proceed to the next phase," the woman explained firmly, gracefully descending from her owl, her gaze conveying seriousness and determination.

"Do you understand? Very well, I will now reveal to each one of you the animal you need to capture and bring to me. And I'll start with you," the woman pointed to one of the participants.

"Me?" Chen Tao was surprised to be chosen.

"Yes, you. The animal you need to capture is known as the Nine Elements Fox. I won't go into details now, as it's up to you to discover more about it," the woman said, while her eyes scanned the expanse of the forest, waiting for Chen Tao to enter the dense vegetation.

"Nine Elements Fox? Have you ever heard of something like that, my friend?" Chen Tao anxiously asked Liu Feng, seeking information. Amidst the commotion, Chen Tao could hardly recall if he had ever heard mentions of such a mythical creature.

"I have no idea," Liu Feng honestly replied, unable to offer any concrete assistance. The question hung in the air, but the hypothesis of it being a fox, considering the name, seemed the most likely.

"Thank you, my friend," Chen Tao expressed gratitude, despite the lack of precise information. With determined steps, he headed towards the grand trees and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared among the bushes resembling miniature trees.

"May everything go well for you, for the previous occupant of this body always showed gratitude for your actions," Liu Feng thought, sharing his sincere wishes for his friend's safety. Although his connections with the former occupant of the body were distinct, now, as Liu Feng, Chen Tao was his friend.

The woman directed her gaze towards Liu Feng, pointing her finger in his direction. Liu Feng waited with little expectation to hear what his animal would be.

"You will have to find a Flame Wolf," announced the woman, her words echoing like a challenging call. The challenge was clear, and Liu Feng knew that entering the forest without any weapons would be a risk, but a necessary one. With determination in his eyes, he took the initiative and ventured into the vast green expanse ahead.

As he ventured deeper into the forest, darkness began to envelop the landscape. Liu Feng kept his senses sharp, aware of the type of animal he could encounter there. Cautiously, he moved forward, scouring the ground for any signs or traces that would lead him to the Flame Wolf.

"Nothing... Should I go deeper? It seems so," Liu Feng pondered to himself. Still determined, he proceeded, entering the unknown territory of the forest, with light and attentive steps, avoiding disturbing the peace of the fauna that inhabited it.

Minutes turned into hours, and Liu Feng came across a serene body of water. A silent lake that seemed to invite the Flame Wolf to drink from its tranquil waters. After all, even as a Flame Wolf, it would need to hydrate, right? Liu Feng wasn't sure, but he decided to wait patiently, skillfully concealing himself in an improvised hideout.

Minutes dragged on as Liu Feng waited, his heart pounding with anticipation. However, minutes turned into an eternity, and there was no sign of the Flame Wolf. Liu Feng wasn't willing to unnecessarily risk himself, exploring the unknown forest in search of the challenging animal. He understood the dangers that could lurk in that impenetrable darkness and knew that caution was an ally on such an uncertain journey.

"Sister, you need to find a Golden Peacock. Be careful, due to your cultivation, I will be forced to send you to face a stronger animal," the woman said to her sister, Zhang Ying. She looked around, making sure no one was nearby, and then gave a mischievous smile.

"Here we go again..." Zhang Ying muttered embarrassedly, aware of what her sister was about to do.

"But don't worry, dear little sister. Your older sister will keep an eye on you, as well as the other participants. I'm not like the elders who abandon the participants when they need help the most," the woman said, and the serious expression instantly disappeared, giving way to a radiant smile. She seemed to have transformed into a completely different person.

"Sister, could you maintain your facade for a moment? What if someone is nearby?" Zhang Ying questioned, embarrassed and wishing that no one saw her sister acting that way. Although she knew her sister was usually playful, she couldn't understand why she couldn't be serious when necessary. Zhang Ying tried to distance herself, but it was too late.

"Relax, my dear little sister. There's no one nearby except us. You don't have to worry if my true nature is revealed," the woman said, squeezing Zhang Ying's cheeks tightly. The pain was evident on Zhang Ying's face, and she quickly freed herself from her sister's hands.

"Could you stop that? It hurts a lot, and I don't like it. Maybe that's why the elder doesn't want to sleep with you anymore, even though you're his wife," Zhang Ying replied seriously. She didn't understand why her sister couldn't let go of that lively personality.

"Now I'm the problem? But yes, maybe I need to improve. I don't want to lose my position as a wife to my dear little sister and become a mere concubine," the woman said, poking Zhang Ying's nose with her finger. Irritated, Zhang Ying pushed her sister's finger away and turned, walking towards the forest. She didn't want to spend another minute there with her lively sister.

"That girl hasn't learned to be polite when someone talks to her? Doesn't matter. Now let's take a look at the participants," the woman said, with evident excitement, rubbing her hands eagerly.

"Let's go, Lily! Let's see if there are any standout female participants for my clown of a husband! It seems he's not satisfied. We need to find some good candidates for the elders, those old ones who have nothing better to do," the woman said, bursting into laughter. She couldn't stand how her husband constantly sought new women, and if it were up to her, she would eliminate all future wives, except for her sister. The woman was especially excited because, upon returning to the sect, she knew she would have a chance to have a sexual relationship with her husband, hoping that it would enhance her own cultivation.

"A boar? I think I'll try to kill it to level up," murmured Liu Feng, hidden. Knowing that he was still at level 0, he was certain that he would win the challenge by defeating the boar in front of him. The animal was the same size as boars found on Earth, but its tusks were even larger.

Liu Feng carefully surveyed the surroundings, making sure there were no other animals besides the boar. He decided to stealthily approach the boar, unnoticed. With light and precise steps, he treaded on the ground, trying to make as little noise as possible. The boar was peacefully drinking water, and Liu Feng hoped that there were no dangerous creatures lurking nearby. He ardently wished that the boar wouldn't be too powerful.

"I'm getting closer... Almost there," thought Liu Feng as he reached out to grab the animal's neck and attempt to suffocate it. The boar continued to drink water, seemingly oblivious, but it suddenly twitched its left ear. However, it was too late. With an agile leap, Liu Feng pounced on the boar's neck, tightly holding it between his arms.

The boar panicked, jumping and grunting desperately, trying to free itself from the attacker. But Liu Feng maintained his grip, his arms tightly wrapped around the animal's neck. He realized that his strategy was taking effect, but it was a slow and exhausting battle.

"This boar is a stubborn fighter," said Liu Feng as the animal ran towards a tree, attempting to slam into it with its body. Liu Feng, in turn, would be the target of the impact. He tried to plant his feet on the ground to lessen the force of the collision, but his legs could barely keep up with the boar's speed.

Liu Feng had to release the boar's neck to prevent it from crashing into the tree. Awkwardly, Liu Feng stood up from the ground, further soiling his cloak in the process. However, the warrior didn't care about that and quickly got back on his feet.

"So we'll have to fight head-on," commented Liu Feng, his determination evident in his words. The boar angrily turned towards Liu Feng, displaying its wrath and defiance in the face of the human's attempted assassination. Snorting with anger, the boar prepared for the clash.

"No amount of money in the world would make me face this boar barehanded," said Liu Feng with conviction, as he grabbed stones lying on the ground. His plan to strangle the boar to death had failed, and now he would have to resort to plan B.

The boar furiously charged at Liu Feng. However, he skillfully dodged, aware that facing the animal head-on would result in serious injuries given the ferocity of its tusks. Liu Feng didn't forget to strike the boar's head with the stone, exerting all his strength.

The boar felt the impact on its head, turned in a desperate attempt to reach Liu Feng, but the human evaded once again and landed another stone blow on the animal's head. The boar didn't give up and kept attacking, while Liu Feng repeatedly struck it with stones in his hands.

"This damn thing won't go down? I'm exhausted," grumbled Liu Feng, panting heavily. The fight went on for several minutes, with the boar and the human trapped in this never-ending cycle. Liu Feng was already drained, breathing heavily. Luckily, no other animals appeared, but he didn't want to take any risks.

The boar was not in its best shape, bleeding profusely from the head and its legs growing weak, but it hadn't been defeated yet. Determined to escape, the boar began to turn around to run. Liu Feng couldn't allow that. He ran towards the animal and delivered a kick to its weakened legs, violently bringing it down before it could escape.

"Now you're mine!" exclaimed Liu Feng, excitedly. He struck the boar's head with stones repeatedly as the animal struggled to break free. Unfortunately, Liu Feng used the full weight of his body against the boar's. If the animal had been in full form, it would have been able to throw Liu Feng away, but in that weakened state, it lacked the strength to do so.

"Finally! I won, you damn boar! My first enemy!" proclaimed Liu Feng, with a mix of excitement and exaggeration. He felt accomplished for defeating the boar and hoped that future battles would not be as arduous and exhausting.

<You have leveled up>

<You have gained one skill point>

"This... is incredibly addictive. I think I'm going to become addicted to this feeling," commented Liu Feng, savoring the energy coursing through his body. He felt stronger, even if it was just a little.

<You have gained 30 mana>

"Now I have 80 mana. I'll check my status, but not now," said Liu Feng cautiously. He glanced at the lake but didn't have the courage to wash the bloodstained hands of the boar there. Instead, he rubbed his hands in the dirt, using its texture to clean them and disguise the smell of blood.

Liu Feng covered the boar's body with dirt, knowing that he wouldn't be able to completely eliminate the scent but hoping to minimize it. He walked towards a bush and cautiously inserted only his head to check if there were any hidden animals inside. It appeared to be empty. So, he entered the bush.

"Open status."

<Liu Feng>

<Level: 1>

<Mana: 80>

<Skill Points: 1>

<Learned Spells: None>

"It feels so good to feel powerful. Now I understand why cultivators and mages are obsessed with power," said Liu Feng, with a joyful expression on his face. He decided to examine and describe a new spell.

"What kind of spell should I choose? A fire spell? Maybe a temporal or spatial spell? Or perhaps a physical spell, like transformation? Or even a locating spell? There are so many options, it's hard to choose just one!" Liu Feng pondered, his ideas swirling in his mind. However, he knew he didn't have enough skill points to put them into practice, which was a shame.