Xiao Feng walked to his little abode, humming a tune that didn't exist in this world. His staff swung lazily in his hand as he replayed the fight in his mind, savoring every single detail of the fight.
That look on Bao Chen's face when I dodged his punch! Was he stupid enough to expect me to just stand there and take it?
A smile tugged at his lips. It really did feel good to stand up to that bully. For years, the original Xiao Feng had suffered under their fists and mockery.
"Rest in peace, old buddy," he whispered to the spirit of the previous owner of this body. "Consider yourself avenged."
The narrow path to his place though he preferred to call it hut, was oddly empty. Usually, there'd be a few laborers carrying water or firewood, but today everyone seemed to be giving him a wide berth. News traveled fast in the sect.
His hut came into view, that sad little thing made of rough wooden planks with holes in the roof. But it was home for now.
"Outer disciple exam, here I come," he muttered, pushing the creaky door open. "No more being a servant. Time to climb up in the world."
The single room was sparse, a small bed for sleeping, a wooden stool, and a small table with a chipped clay bowl. At least it was clean. He had made sure of that.
Xiao Feng stood admiring his handiwork, smirking.
He flopped down on the stool and set his staff against the wall. As soon as he relaxed, he felt it, a wild surge of energy coursing through his veins like lightning searching for ground.
"Whoa!" He clenched his fists as the power threatened to burst from his skin. "Easy there, tiger."
His muscles trembled with the effort of containing it. The Soul Seal removing had unleashed something powerful, but it was not stable.
"If he was growing normally," he mumbled to himself, rubbing his temples, "I'd be at Second Rank by now. But that stupid seal kept him down for years."
The energy inside him bubbled like boiling water. He needed somewhere to release it before he exploded. Literally. He had heard stories of disciples whose veins and meridians blew up due to unstable energies like his right now.
"Too bad Bao Chen isn't here," he chuckled darkly. "He'd make a great punching bag."
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Feng tried to clear his mind and organize his thoughts.
"Okay, so cultivation is divided into Nine Orders," he said out loud, finding comfort in the sound of his voice as he recalled from the old Xiao Feng's memory. "Each with six stages, except for the Ninth."
He counted on his fingers:
"First to Third Orders focus on physical stuff, stronger body, controlling energy, battle instincts. That makes you a badass warrior."
He stood up pacing around the small hut.
"Fourth to Sixth Orders let you manipulate energy, control elements, and sense space. Those guys can destroy armies."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Seventh and Eighth Orders... that's when you become practically immortal, create your own domain, and bend reality. Those cultivators are basically gods walking the earth."
He whistled low.
"And the Ninth Order... Divine Ascension Realm. That's the stuff of legends. Nobody's even seen a Fifth Order cultivator on this continent because the spirit energy is so weak."
Looking down at his hands, he sighed. "And here I am, barely at First Order, First Stage, Body Refining. I'm basically a baby in cultivation terms."
The realization was sobering. He might have stood up to Bao Chen and his goons, but in the grand scheme of things, he was still an ant that could be squashed by any real cultivator.
"Need to get stronger, fast," he muttered, clenching and unclenching his fists. "Can't stay weak in a world like this."
Just as he was settling his mind, trying to figure out how to stabilize his wild energy, he heard it, a rustling sound coming from the forest edge behind his hut. Something small was moving fast, crashing through underbrush.
Curious, Xiao Feng stepped outside. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple.
He squinted waiting until he finally saw it, wait her, a little girl, no more than seven or eight, bursting out of the forest line. Her clothes were torn, face streaked with dirt and tears. But it was her eyes that caught his attention, wide with pure terror.
The moment she spotted him, she skidded to a halt. For a heartbeat, their eyes met. Then she changed direction, darting away from him.
"Hey, wait!" Xiao Feng called out, but she was already running.
That's when he noticed, she was heading away from whatever was chasing her but the new route she took was taking her closer to it instead.
"Kid, stop!" he shouted, grabbing his staff, speaking just like someone from earth would "Wrong way!"
But the girl kept running, her tiny legs pumping desperately as she unknowingly closed the distance between herself and the lurking danger thinking she was running.
What is wrong with her head!
Xiao Feng cursed under his breath. He had just found his chance to vent some of that unstable energy.
"Why is it always me who gets into these messes?" he grumbled, sprinting after her. "I bet the protagonist of 'Immortal Mountain Harem Palace' never had to deal with this on his first day!"