Then, he encountered a new problem... He had no fire. Even after rummaging through his supply pack and ring, he couldn't find so much as a piece of tinder.
That female mage must have used magic to start fires, so why would she bother preparing such things?
He tried the most primitive method of rubbing sticks together, but even with his increased strength, his lack of technique only resulted in hands full of blisters and a few wisps of smoke.
Bai Xuan stared at his hands with a headache, then a thought suddenly struck him.
“Holy... light attributes... can they generate heat?”
With that in mind, he began to experiment, channeling the mana within his body to his fingertips, trying to simulate the concept of generating heat.
The first few attempts only made his fingertips glow slightly, with no noticeable temperature.
He focused, trying to recall the subtle frequency of the mana used in the Holy Light Catalyst...
Finally, after consuming nearly half of his mana, he pressed his finger against a small clump of dry moss and felt a distinct warmth!
“It's working!” His spirits lifted, and he poured all his concentration into the task.
The light at his fingertip grew brighter and the temperature rose higher.
With a soft “poof,” a tiny flame flickered to life from the moss!
“I did it!” Overjoyed, Bai Xuan carefully used the flame to ignite the small dry twigs he had prepared, slowly building up a campfire.
As the fire blazed, it drove away the dampness and the chill.
The Dreadboar leg was placed over the fire, sizzling as its fat dripped into the flames, releasing a mouth-watering aroma.
The fish meat was skewered on sharpened wooden sticks and placed near the edge of the fire to roast slowly at a lower temperature.
There was no salt, no spices, and the cooking technique was crude.
When Bai Xuan took his first bite of the Dreadboar meat—charred on the outside and tender on the inside—a rich meatiness spread through his mouth.
However, the lack of seasoning made it taste rather bland, and a hint of wild gaminess from the meat itself lingered on his palate.
As he chewed, he couldn't help but reminisce about the barbecue from his past life—slathered in sauces and sprinkled with cumin and chili flakes. That rich, intense stimulation of complex flavors formed a sharp contrast with the primal taste of the meat in his mouth.
“Sigh, I really miss the food from before I crossed over.”
He let out a sigh and took another large bite.
But soon, a different sensation washed over him.
The Dreadboar meat contained mana. After eating it, he could feel his body slowly growing stronger, though the effect was subtle.
He then tried the grilled fish.
The meat was firm, and the earthy taste was fainter than expected. However, it was full of fine bones. While milder than the pork, it had its own unique flavor.
The satisfaction of a meal boosted his spirits, but he didn't let his guard down while exploring.
As he walked, he kept a close eye on the surrounding plants.
His Digitalization scan wasn't just for spotting monsters; it also helped him identify potentially useful herbs.
【Hemostatic Herb (Common)】; 【Pain-Relief Herb (Common)】... He carefully gathered several plants he recognized and that the panel confirmed were non-toxic, storing them in his ring.
Though he didn't know their exact value, his predecessor's vague memories suggested these could be traded to an apothecary for a few copper coins.
On a sun-drenched, steep rock face, he discovered several plants with emerald leaves and small white flowers at their tips.
【Emerald Grass: Rarity ★. Possesses weak purifying and toxin-neutralizing effects. A relatively rare ingredient for antidotes.】
A rare material! Even if it was only one star, it was better than nothing.
He set down the Goldsand Iron rod, stretched his limbs, and chose a route that seemed to have plenty of crevices and handholds to begin his climb.
The damp rocks were slippery. He had to stay fully focused, his fingers gripping the cracks tightly while his feet searched for tiny protrusions.
Just as his hand was about to reach the edge of a crevice, his gaze swept over a patch of dark green “moss” clinging to the rock, and he froze.
This moss looked too perfect. Its edges were unnaturally neat, and it happened to cover the entrances of several rock crevices.
The rock wall within a meter of it was unusually clean, with almost no other plants growing there.
Sensing something was wrong, Bai Xuan's mental probe swept over it.
【Thorn Monster (Rock-Dwelling Variant) Lv.2 (Awakened)】
【Status: Camouflaged, Hunting】
【Health: 130/130】
【Mana: 30/30】
【Potential: 1-Star (Dust Crown)】
【Trait: Rock-Dwelling (Can survive on rocks)】
The moment the panel information popped up, the center of that “moss” patch suddenly contracted inward, revealing a deep, dark hole!
Dozens of dark purple, thorn-covered vines shot out from the hole and the rock crevices, lunging straight for him!
“!”
Bai Xuan kicked off the rock wall with both feet and threw himself downward and to the side.
As he fell, his left hand grabbed blindly, and his fingertips brushed against an Emerald Grass plant growing near a crevice.
Without time to think, he yanked the herb out and clutched it in his hand.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
The vines whistled past him, stabbing into the rock where he had been moments before.
As he neared the ground, he rolled to absorb the impact and immediately scrambled backward.
He didn't stop until he was over twenty meters away, where the frantically flailing vines could no longer reach him.
On the cliff face, the dark purple vines continued to lash out blindly, and a sour, foul stench drifted over on the wind.
Panting, Bai Xuan opened his left hand.
The Emerald Grass was still held firmly in his palm, its leaves shimmering with a gentle verdant glow in the sunlight.
“As expected of the wilderness. Not a single place is safe; everything is a trap.”
After muttering to himself, he carefully stowed the herb away and checked his body.
There were several scrapes on his arms and chest from flying rock fragments, but they weren't serious.
After using Holy Light Catalyst to restore his condition, he picked up his iron rod and quickly turned to leave.
...
The sky grew dimmer, and the light in the forest faded rapidly.
Bai Xuan found a massive tree with thick branches and lush foliage. After confirming there were no insect nests or snake dens on the trunk and thumping it with his rod to drive away any small animals, he climbed up.
He settled onto a thick horizontal branch several meters above the ground.
The dense leaves provided some concealment and a buffer.
He used some vines to secure himself slightly to prevent falling off in his sleep.
Clutching his ring and iron rod to his chest and leaning against the trunk, he prepared to spend his first night in the forest.
Darkness completely enveloped the woods.
The familiar daytime sounds of insects and birds vanished, replaced by a variety of unsettling noises.
A mournful wolf howl echoed from the distance, only to be cut short abruptly.
The sound of heavy movement and the “crunch” of crushing shrubs approached from afar and then slowly receded, carrying a heart-pounding sense of pressure.
In a more distant clearing, faint, eerie blue-green will-o'-the-wisps drifted silently, flickering in and out of existence...
Bai Xuan gripped his iron rod tightly, his mind growing tense and his sleepiness vanishing.
Every strange sound made his heart skip a beat.
It wasn't until the latter half of the night that exhaustion finally triumphed over his nerves, and he drifted into a fitful sleep in a state of semi-conscious alertness.
Current Status:
【Bai Xuan】
【Race: Human】
【Level: Lv.2 (81%)】
【Class: None】
【Health: 205/205】
【Mana: 35/95】
【Potential: ￥%…*&】
【Active Skills: Holy Light Catalyst Lv.1 (9%), Redemption Strike Lv.1 (8%)】
【Passive Skills: Strength Enhancement Lv.0】
【Current Pleasure: 20, Draw Attempts: 1】
【Items: Broken Compass that Always Points North, Simple Lighting Orb, Goldsand Iron rod, Earth Element Heart, Rock Seal, Space Ring, Kunyuan Heavy Iron, Sealing Scroll, supply pack, Dreadboar carcass and remaining materials, Magic Core, herbs, etc.】
Rate on N.U.
