Chapter 11: The Outpost of Teeth and Claws
...
The sun had barely risen, but nature was already wide awake.
Birds chirped across the tree canopy. Insects buzzed. The soil pulsed faintly beneath Shang Di's boots, and traces of spiritual energy rising like mist.
He yawned as he walked, stretching his arms out wide.
"I feel like I got hit by a 50kg plate," he muttered.
His body still ached from the lynx fight, and Lucky, his newly contracted, anxiety-ridden gecko had crawled into his sleeve and refused to come out since sunrise.
[Spirit Beast Bond Status:
Lucky (Sky Bark Gecko) – Resting]
Status: Comfortable (inside sleeve)
Current Skill Available: Screech (Lv. 1)
"…You're really living the dream, huh?"
He kicked a stone off the path, and then paused…
His eyes widened "I-Is that what I think?!"
Far ahead, rising out of the forest clearing, stood a wooden structure surrounded by sharpened bone stakes and spirit talismans.
An outpost.
Carved into the front gate was a large emblem — a wolf's head with fangs bared, three claw marks etched across its eye.
[Analyzing Emblem…]
Organization: Eastern Beast-Hunters Guild (Branch Outpost)
Rank: Iron-Tier Facility
Services: Rest, Beast Material Trade, Mercenary Requests, Rank Assessment
"Finally," Shang Di exhaled. "Civilization." He added with a wide grin on his face.
The guards at the entrance were cultivators clad in patched leathers and beast-hide vests. One had a long scar down his cheek, while the other looked half-asleep.
They glanced at Shang Di, then at the gecko tail poking out of his sleeve.
"…Traveler?" the scarred one asked.
"Heading east," Shang Di replied. "Need a map check, maybe rest. I've got beast parts to sell." He explained to the guards, they looked at each other and asked.
"You alone?"
Shang Di smiled slightly. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"
The guards shook their heads and accepted his answer and didn't push further.
"Alright, what could a boy like you possibly do." They said. Little did they know…
…
Inside the outpost, it smelled like blood, smoke, and spirit herbs. A dozen hunters lounged around wooden tables, some sharpening weapons, others sipping bone broth.
A half-skinned Thunderback Boar was being carved in the corner, its Qi still faintly glowing.
Shang Di walked up to the trade counter and dropped a small pouch.
"Triple-Eyed Shadow Lynx. Core's gone, claws intact. Body's burned."
The clerk, a tired middle-aged man with ink-stained fingers, inspected it.
"Decent kill," he grunted. "Qi Condensing lynx. You alone?"
"Mostly," Shang Di said, rubbing his sleeve where Lucky shifted slightly.
"Thirty spirit coins. Fair?"
'Uh… I still don't have a clue about this world's economy… But let's just agree with confidence.' Shang Di thought but he couldn't seem like a beginner.
"Deal."
…
As he pocketed the coins, a new voice rang out from behind him.
"Hah! I knew I wasn't the only young genius out here."
Shang Di turned.
The speaker was around his age — taller, dressed in layered black robes with a phoenix feather etched into the collar. A sword hung lazily at his hip.
"Name's Wei Lin," he said, offering a grin. "Let me guess — wandering prodigy? Enlightened in the woods? Bonded with some mysterious beast, yeah?"
"Close enough," Shang Di replied with a smile.
Wei Lin's eyes drifted to Lucky's tail poking from the sleeve.
"…That it?"
"Yes."
"…That's your beast?"
Shang Di gave a firm nod.
Wei Lin stared.
Then laughed.
"Brother, you've got guts. Or terrible luck. Either way, I like you."
They sat down with broth and spirit-root noodles as the sky outside dimmed into afternoon.
"So where you heading?" Wei Lin asked, mouth half-full.
"Obsidian Root City."
The table fell quiet for a moment.
Someone at a nearby table snorted. "Another one heading to the meat grinder."
"Got a death wish?" another added.
Wei Lin leaned in. "You're serious?"
"Very."
Wei Lin's grin widened. "Then it's fate. I'm heading that way too. Heard about a possible ruin awakening near the outer ridge. Might be a fake, but…"
He shrugged.
"Worst case, I get to hunt things."
...
[System Notification]
Companion Option Unlocked: Wei Lin (Temporary Party)
Shared Travel Bonus: +2% XP per Beast Kill
Compatible Personality Detected: Reckless + Curious
Shang Di blinked.
"System, don't party me up like this is a co-op dungeon."
[Optional: Accept Party Status?]
Accepting allows minor shared battle benefits and access to Wei Lin's kill logs.
He tapped accept.
…
By nightfall, they left the outpost with packed supplies and spirit-packed rations.
Two young cultivators. One with a rogue system and a gecko. The other with a phoenix-cloaked background and a greatsword named "Loud Thunder."
As the forests darkness swallowed them, Wei Lin stretched, laughed, and asked:
"So tell me, mystery man — what's your cultivation technique?"
Shang Di glanced ahead and answered without hesitation.
"Qi Darkness Swallowing."
Wei Lin raised an eyebrow. "Damn. You're really walking the shadow path, huh?"
"You could say that." Shang Di replied with a smirk.
Wei Lin grinned. "Then I hope you're ready. Out there in Obsidian Root, we'll either get strong—"
"Or die trying," Shang Di finished.
Lucky poked his head out briefly. Squeaked.
And immediately hid again.
Shang Di smirked. "We've got the gecko of Luck on our side. We'll be fine."
To be continued…
...