Chapter 6 — A Merchant Caravan
The wind carried the faint scent of grass and soil as Su Xiaoyao and Liu Qingxue walked along the mountain road.
The world felt open and endless, it looked calm and peaceful
Yet beneath that calm…
Danger always hid.
Liu Qingxue walked quietly beside him, her small travel pack bouncing gently against her back. Every now and then she glanced at the mountains, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"Brother Xiaoyao…," she said softly."Can you explain cultivation again? Properly this time."
Su Xiaoyao nodded.
"Cultivation begins with the body," he said. "That's the Body Tempering Realm. It strengthens muscles, bones, blood, and organs. Without this, your body would collapse the moment Qi enters it."
She listened carefully.
"After that comes Qi Refining," he continued. "That's when cultivators absorb Qi from the world and refine it inside their meridians. It lets you release energy, use techniques, and strengthen your attacks."
"And then?"
"Foundation Establishment. That's when Qi stops being just inside you… and begins affecting the world. You can control weapons, create techniques, and resist natural laws."
Her eyes shone.
"So I can reach that too?"
Su Xiaoyao smiled faintly.
"You'll go far beyond it."
"In this world, herbs, pills, and treasures are ranked just like cultivators."
"Herbs and pills are divided into:
• Mortal Grade• Earth Grade• Heaven Grade• Divine Grade
Each of those has Low, Mid, High, and Peak tiers."
Her eyes widened.
"Pills?"
"Yes. Body Refinement Pills strengthen flesh.Qi Recovery Pills restore energy.Foundation Pills help breakthrough realms."
"And treasures?"
"Same system."
"Mortal Grade weapons can't harm cultivators.Earth Grade weapons can kill Qi Refining cultivators.Heaven Grade weapons can shatter mountains."
They continued walking.
Soon they found a resting place beneath a tree
Liu Qingxue asked "Can i try cultivating now.."
Su Xiaoyao nodded and guided her
Half a day passed....
Liu Qingxue finally sensed Qi and took it in and used to strengthen her bones, flesh and meridians to store Qi inside her body, as she was cultivating suddenly light shone between her eyebrows and a lotus mark appeared and disappeared then Liu Qingxue opened her eyes and said
"Brother Xiaoyao something has appeared in my memory, it's just like what you taught me"
Su Xiaoyao mind raced then he thought of a possibility and activated his Heavenly Truth Eye and a blue panel opened before him then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
'As I thought, before I couldn't see due to my strength and Heavenly truth eyes level'
Su Xiaoyao "You should use that to cultivate from now on, understood"
Liu Qingxue nodded
Thus daily
Liu Qingxue and Su Xiaoyao would travel, spar and cultivate
Days passed by, on the Tenth Day
Liu Qingxue has reached Body Tempering 6th stage
'System open status panel'
[Status Panel]
[Name: Su Xiaoyao]
[Age: 10]
[Title: (Hidden)]
[Realm: Qi Refining — 7th Stage]
[Physique: Spiritual Origin Body• Stage 1 — Evolving• Capable of transcending into higher divine forms]
[Cultivation Techniques]
[Azure Vein Tempering Scripture — Earth Grade Peak]
[Moon Severing Sword Manual — Earth Grade High(Extreme precision. Deadly under moonlight)]
[Shadow-Soaring Movement Technique — Heaven Grade Low(Explosive acceleration. Shadow afterimages. Silent killing)]
[ Prime Insight — Basic Formation Comprehension(System reward — allows dismantling mid-tier mortal formations)]
[Treasures:]
[ Mountain Blazing Sword — Earth Grade Mid(insufficient strength to use full power)]
[ Void Veil Spirit Armor — Heaven Grade (Sealed)(blends into skin)]
[ Various pills & resources (Stored in System Space)]
[System Functions:]
[ System Space]
[ Sign-In System]
[ Heavenly Truth Eye(late stage)]
[Other Functions — Locked]
Just as they were walking a forest valley soon opened ahead.
Birds chirped softly.
Sunlight filtered through tall trees.
Then…the smell of blood hit them.
Liu Qingxue stiffened.
"Brother Xiaoyao…"
Su Xiaoyao stopped.
Ahead, through the trees, flames flickered, Smoke drifted, Horses screamed.
They moved forward.
What they saw made Liu Qingxue inhale sharply.
A caravan was trapped inside a glowing barrier formation. Several guards lay dead, Others were bleeding and struggling to stand.
Outside the barrier…
Over thirty bandits surrounded it.
Their blades were stained with blood.
Killing intent filled the air.
At their center stood a scar-faced man, casually resting a curved blade on his shoulder.
Qi Refining — 4th Stage.
The leader.
"Kill the men!, Take the women and valuables."
The bandits roared.
Liu Qingxue trembled slightly.
"Stay behind me," Su Xiaoyao said calmly.
He stepped forward.
The bandits noticed him.
They laughed.
"Where did these kid come from"
The leader raised his blade—
Then froze.
Something felt wrong.
The boy wasn't afraid.
He was smiling.
"Wait—" the leader muttered.
Shadow-Soaring Movement activated, Qi erupted under his feet and he vanished.
To everyone else…
He disappeared.
To Su Xiaoyao…
The world slowed
He appeared behind the first bandit.
A single slash and the head fell.
He turned and flashed again
Another blade flashed.
A throat opened.
the third bandit tried to scream—
Su Xiaoyao crushed his chest with a Qi-coated punch.
Blood sprayed and dyed land red
Panic exploded "Run!"
But death was already on them.
Su Xiaoyao moved like a shadow through the crowd.
One strike and one kill, the bandits couldn't react.
Swords shattered, Bones cracked and Necks snapped.
Within seconds, more than twenty bandits lay dead.
The leader seeing that Su Xiaoyao killed so many of his lackies within seconds even he couldn't react, fear flashed in his and tried to flee.
Su Xiaoyao appeared before him.
One kick.
The man collapsed, legs broken.
"I surrender!, I can lead you to my base and give all my wealth, please just spare my life"
"Don't worry" Su Xiaoyao said calmly. "I won't kill you"
Just as the bandit leader sighed in relief, his face changed when he heared Su Xiaoyao's next words.
"But she will"
The man turned.
Liu Qingxue stood frozen.
Su Xiaoyao met her eyes.
"This world isn't gentle. You can't stay innocent forever."
She swallowed.
She took the sword, and without hesitation slashed at the neck of the bandit leader, the leader's face was filled with despair as he saw sword striking towards him.
Blood splashed.
Silence.
Then Su Xiaoyao dismantled the formation and the barrier collapsed.
Merchants rushed out crying "We are saved"
they wouldn't have suffered if the bandits didn't use despicable methods
Still they didn't underestimate Su Xiaoyao as they had just seen his strength, they were filled with gratitude
"Thank you for saving us"
Su Xiaoyao waved his hand saying "It was nothing, I was just passing by"
Liu Qingxue looked shaken, her hands trembled which was holding the sword still dripping with the bandit leaders blood
"Brother Xiaoyao… is this what cultivation world is like?"
"Yes and that's why strength matters."
She nodded slowly.
Before more could be said…
Footsteps approached and people of caravans held respect for this person
A boy stepped forward wearing a silk robe, a jade pendent hung on his face his face slightly handsome, he had a smile on his face, he looked around 14 or 15.
To anyone he would seem like a elegant wealthy young master but Su Xiaoyao could feel the arrogance and distain hidden in his eyes
He approached them, His eyes at first falling at Liu Qingxue standing next to Su Xiaoyao and his eyes brightened then greed and possessiveness flashed a moment but no one he had it deep then he turned to me and said "Thank you for lending a hand"
He looked like thanking them but there was no gratitude in his voice and Su Xiaoyao noticed a subtle killing intent flashing from him.
Su Xiaoyao was confused when had he offended this person.
Just at this moment he heard a cold mechanical sound
[Ding!]
surprise flashed in Su Xiaoyao's eyes and then a blue panel appeared in front of him.