The forest no longer frightened them. It had become a second home—deadly, yes, but now familiar. For the elite thousand of Jun Mo Xie's newly formed Shadow Guard, the wilderness of Li Fang Forest held pain and purpose in equal measure.
On the dawn of the eighth day, Jun stood before them once more, his black cloak whispering through the wind as he surveyed their hardened expressions. These were no longer soft nobles or farm-raised conscripts. They had tasted survival and carved strength from desperation.
He raised his hand, and silence swept through the ranks.
> "From today onward, each of you will receive a cultivation pill every week."
Murmurs erupted like a distant thunder. Their fatigue seemed to lift instantly.
> "But know this," Jun continued, his voice carrying across the training fields, "these pills are not gifts. They are fuel. And fire burns."
He opened a wooden box beside him, revealing rows of amber-golden pills, each pulsating faintly with warm spiritual light.
> "Those who slack will not only lose the pill—they'll be removed from the program."
The threat, though soft-spoken, carried weight. They all remembered the trials of the first phase.
Jun turned, walking along the line of soldiers, his voice sharper now:
> "Half of your time will be spent in cultivation and training. The other half… collecting."
"Collecting?" a captain asked cautiously.
Jun nodded. "Li Fang Forest isn't only filled with beasts. It's a treasure trove of rare herbs—some capable of enhancing soul strength, others needed for my newest alchemical project."
He drew a detailed map from his robe, spreading it over a nearby table. Dozens of glowing markers dotted the parchment.
> "These are regions rich in spiritual vegetation. Your new mission: search, harvest, and survive."
The forest was divided into five quadrants. Each would be assigned to a battalion under the supervision of senior cultivators. Instructors from within the Shadow Guard would oversee training rotations, and Jun himself would appear without warning to inspect the process.
He placed a hand on the table, channeling qi into the map.
A hidden glyph lit up, revealing a sixth quadrant—unmarked and unlabeled.
He looked up. "And this area… is forbidden. You enter only on my orders."
The forest had more secrets than he was ready to share. Not yet.
---
By midday, the teams dispersed. Their missions began immediately.
Some trained their internal energy, cycling cultivation techniques passed down from Jun's writings. Others scouted through dense canopies and riverbeds for the rare herbs their leader sought.
Each day, soldiers returned with discoveries: Azure Petal Roots, Fireleaf Mushrooms, Spirit Dew Crystals, and even fragments of Beastbone Coral. Jun examined every sample with alchemical precision.
At night, he prepared custom pills. Not mass-produced, but tailored—each soldier received a dose designed for their current level and physique. His goal wasn't just to strengthen them… but to sculpt them.
---
Back in the heart of camp, Jun met with his uncle and grandfather beneath a makeshift canopy of enchanted leaves. Scrolls, maps, and herbological tomes littered the table.
> "These are the new strains," Jun said, setting vials of glowing liquid onto the table.
His grandfather raised a brow. "You created these in a week?"
> "The forest accelerated the process. Natural qi density makes everything more responsive."
His uncle, no longer feigning disability, sipped a warm tonic. "You plan to industrialize medicine?"
Jun smirked. "Not quite. I plan to build the greatest cultivation army in the empire."
They discussed energy flow, optimal training conditions, and even theoretical spirit-beast enhancements. It wasn't just strategy—it was legacy planning.
---
But even as things thrived, something stirred.
Late one night, a soldier named Ren Wu stumbled into the medical tent, panting.
> "Commander! I… I found something!"
Jun appeared moments later, sensing the spike of fear in the air.
> "Where?"
Ren Wu gulped. "Southern ridge… near the violet spring. I found a cave. It was glowing. Breathing, almost. There was… something inside. Watching me."
Jun's eyes narrowed. "You entered?"
> "No, sir. I ran."
Jun grabbed his weapons. "Show me."
---
The southern ridge was eerie even by forest standards. Thick vines dangled like serpents, and the wind carried voices that weren't there.
Jun moved in silence, tracing the soldier's path until he stood before the cave. A spiritual pulse throbbed from its depths—ancient and sorrowful.
Drawing a small rune from his coat, he activated it with qi, dimming his aura.
Inside, the air was warm, and a faint lavender glow lit the walls. The path twisted, leading to a chamber unlike anything he'd seen.
And in its center… she lay.
A woman, or something shaped like one. Hair silver as moonlight, cascading over a silk-like robe of translucent green. Her skin was alabaster, flawless and faintly luminous. Around her shimmered a thin mist, not water—but condensed spiritual energy.
Jun's breath caught.
The presence she radiated… wasn't human.
He took a step forward.
Her eyes opened.
Violet.
Not glowing from qi—but from within. Like twin galaxies bound in sorrow.
She stared at him, unmoving.
> "Are you… the one they sent?" she asked, voice like a breeze through glass.
Jun remained calm. "Who are you?"
> "I was once guardian of the Verdant Glade. Then… betrayed."
Her breath grew shallow.
> "They sealed me here… not knowing I would remember. But now, someone like you has come."
Jun's mind raced. A sealed entity? One aware of him?
She coughed, and a splash of silver blood hit her robes. Alarm bells rang in his heart.
> "You're wounded."
> "Spirit wound. I cannot heal… unless…"
She didn't finish. Her eyes closed again.
Jun caught her before she collapsed fully. Her skin was warm, but beneath that warmth lay immense power—dormant, bound, but alive.
He looked around. Ancient glyphs lined the chamber's walls. This was no natural cave. It was a prison.
> "I'll get you out."
She didn't respond.
He turned, his grip firm but gentle.
> "Rest now. I'll return you to the camp… and find a way to undo whatever they did to you."
---
Back at the camp, the woman—whom Jun had temporarily named "Yue Yin," based on the glyph near her prison—was placed in a warded tent. He assigned four elite guards and a protection circle to keep her safe and monitored.
Yi Yi and Ling Hua observed from a distance.
> "Another one?" Ling Hua muttered, arms crossed.
Yi Yi smirked. "She's beautiful. Mysterious. Injured. Exactly Jun's type."
> "Tch."
But neither of them interrupted. They knew better. Whatever this new presence was, Jun had his reasons.
---
That night, Jun sat outside Yue Yin's tent, reviewing the glyph rubbings and inscriptions he'd copied. They weren't human-made.
They were primordial.
> "She's not just a spirit beast," he whispered. "She's… ancient."
Something stirred within him. Not attraction. Not curiosity. Destiny.
He looked to the stars, fingers tapping a rhythm from a world long gone.
> "You were left here to be forgotten. But I remember everything."
---
Cultivation Status:
Jun Mo Xie: Early Stage 8 – Heavenly Lord, suppressing to appear as Stage 7. Rapid progression fueled by dual-world knowledge and alchemy.
Yi Yi: Stage 5 – Golden Core Saint. Specializes in close combat and body r
efinement.
Ling Hua: Late Stage 4 – Spiritual Master. Skilled in poisons and defensive spells.
Yue Yin: Unknown. Estimated latent power above Stage 9. In spiritual stasis due to sealed condition.
---
End of Chapter Thirteen.