Aladdin had been traveling for nearly a month now.
He was far from the familiar trails where he once trained with Old Bao. This land was foreign—untouched, wilder, and far more dangerous. The forests here whispered differently, the wind carried unfamiliar scents, and even the earth beneath his feet felt denser, older, as if ancient beasts had once roamed it.
With the magic lamp now fused into his being, Aladdin had gained more than just enhanced strength—his spiritual senses had grown sharper, allowing him to survey his surroundings with clarity far beyond what his cultivation stage normally allowed. He closed his eyes, spreading his senses like a net across the land ahead.
At middle-stage Martial Adept, Aladdin knew his limits. He could take on most Rank 2 beasts with confidence and even go toe-to-toe with Rank 3 beasts—but Rank 4? That was a death sentence. He had to tread carefully, avoiding any areas where killing intent or overwhelming beast aura lingered in the air like smoke.
Then—he sensed something.
His brows lifted.
In the distance, a patch of land pulsed with rich, vibrant spiritual energy. When he focused further, he noticed the vegetation there was unusually lush. Trees stood like ancient guardians—thicker, taller, and denser than the ones around him. The grass glimmered with dew that shimmered faintly under the sunlight, as if absorbing the essence in the air. Even the birds chirping in the distance had a strange rhythm to their songs.
A slow smile curved on Aladdin's lips.
This is a good place to cultivate.
Not only could it help him further temper his body and essence, but stabilizing here could give him a smooth pathway toward reaching the peak of Martial Adept.
Without delay, Aladdin adjusted his path, weaving through the forest with calculated steps. His spiritual senses guided him, warning him of hidden threats—a sleeping snake beast coiled in the underbrush, a camouflaged spider beast clinging to a high branch, and a faint miasma from what was likely a territorial Rank 4 predator in the far east.
He bypassed each danger silently, almost like a shadow slipping through the trees.
Finally, he reached the blessed patch of land. He didn't rush in. Experience had taught him that the most peaceful places could sometimes be the deadliest.
He paused.
Senses wide open. Eyes sharp. Breathing steady.
No malicious aura. No signs of territorial beasts. Just the steady hum of spiritual energy vibrating gently through the earth.
Only then did he step inside.
He found a smooth, slightly elevated patch beside a thick-rooted tree, its bark etched with natural grooves that faintly resembled ancient characters. Aladdin settled there, placing his saber across his knees as he sat cross-legged.
The moment he closed his eyes, he could feel it—the essence in the air rushing toward him, swirling around his body like an invisible tide. His pores opened instinctively. His meridians responded. And within his dantian, the whisper of the magic lamp stirred, silently enhancing the flow of energy as he began his cultivation.
*****
Aladdin sat cross-legged beneath the towering spirit tree, his eyes closed, breath calm, and body perfectly still. For the past ten days, he had cultivated without interruption. The surrounding spiritual energy was thick and pure, flowing into his meridians like gentle rivers, nourishing his internal essence. Every cycle made his foundation more stable, his core firmer. Though he hadn't reached the peak of Martial Adept yet, he felt closer than ever.
Old Bao's words echoed in his mind: "A stable foundation is more precious than a thousand shortcuts. It's not the level that gives strength—it's the depth."
He could feel his control over the essence improving, his body more in tune with his spiritual senses. The magic lamp fused within him made it even easier to guide the qi through his meridians without backlash. He didn't rush. Cultivation was not a sprint.
Then, suddenly, his brows furrowed slightly. Though he was still cultivating, his spiritual senses had picked up a disturbance—subtle at first, but growing clearer. The clash of qi, the sharp screech of a beast, and the thunder-like crashes of combat. At least five hundred meters away.
Aladdin didn't move yet. He focused his senses. The auras were powerful—stronger than him by at least a realm. Rank 4 beast… and three human cultivators. He could tell their techniques were being pushed to the limit.
Opening his eyes slowly, Aladdin rose and strapped his saber to his back. He moved carefully, avoiding dry branches, and navigated his way through the trees with swift, silent steps. When he got close enough, he climbed a thick tree and positioned himself in the dense canopy. Through the leaves, he saw them.
A massive spirit beast—eight meters long, silver scales flashing with lightning. It was a Thunderback Ravager, its roar alone sending ripples of qi through the air. It had wounds slashed across its flanks, one eye missing, and blood leaking from its mouth, but it still stood—snarling and sparking.
Three cultivators fought it—two young men in identical grey-blue robes, likely from the same sect, and one older man clad in a simple black robe with a long spear. His presence was heavier than the others, his movements sharp and precise.
"I'll distract it again. Qiwen, aim for the right leg!" the black-robed man barked as he leapt forward, his spear humming with qi.
"Yes, Elder Huo!" one disciple responded, leaping to the side and drawing his longsword. "Jian Wave Slash!"
The black-robed man dashed in first, spear flickering with lightning energy as he thrust toward the beast's shoulder. "Piercing Thunder Lance!"
The Ravager roared and tried to dodge, but the black spear still tore through its scale, sending sparks flying. At the same time, Qiwen released a crescent slash of sword qi that struck the beast's rear leg, making it stumble.
"Jiang! Fire Seal Formation, now!" Elder Huo shouted.
The second disciple slammed both palms on the ground. "Seal Engraving: Burning Cage!"
Runes lit up under the beast's feet, and pillars of flame erupted around it, trapping it temporarily. The beast thrashed and bellowed in pain, lightning crackling around its body as it tried to break free.
"Don't let up!" Huo yelled, dashing in again, this time aiming for the throat.
But the beast roared with fury and unleashed a bolt of thunder from its back. The black-robed man twisted midair, using his spear as a grounding rod, but even so, the impact forced him back, his boots tearing through soil as he landed.
Qiwen and Jiang attacked from opposite sides, blades coated in essence. "Twin Fang Technique!" they shouted together, slashing toward the beast's ribs.
But the Ravager countered, its tail whipping around like a hammer. Jiang was caught mid-dash and slammed into a tree, groaning as he fell to one knee.
"Damn it—he's not weakening fast enough!" Qiwen hissed.
"Don't hold back, this is your test!" Elder Huo grunted, blood running from his lip. "Finish it!"
All three regrouped briefly. The elder gathered a massive amount of qi into his spear. "Heaven Spear Descent!"
He charged in with terrifying speed, spear blazing like a comet. The disciples followed, timing their attacks with practiced rhythm.
The beast shrieked. The spear pierced its neck while the disciples' sword slashes tore open its ribs. Finally, it staggered, then crashed to the ground, its body twitching before falling still.
Breathing heavily, the three cultivators stood over the corpse.
"That… took everything we had," Qiwen panted.
"We got it, though," Jiang said weakly, wiping blood from his cheek.
Elder Huo didn't respond at first. He pulled his spear free from the beast's neck, then turned to his disciples. "Good coordination. But you both still hesitate. Against a stronger beast, that delay would've killed you."
"Yes, Elder," they said in unison.
"Rest for five minutes. Then we harvest the core and move."
Still hidden, Aladdin stayed perfectly still, absorbing every detail. The way they coordinated. How their techniques flowed into one another. How their voices kept them alive. His blood stirred—not out of fear, but anticipation.
One day, he would face monsters like that—and not with hiding eyes, but a drawn saber.