A week passed.
Thuong Sinh was now able to freely circulate his True Essence. His external wounds had closed almost completely, leaving only a slight sensation of tightness whenever he exerted great force. He did not go to the training area, nor did he accept any missions; he spent most of his time regulating his breath and stabilizing his state.
The bandage over his right eye had also been removed. His face now bore a scar stretching from his forehead down to the middle of his cheek. Though the wound had healed, it had scarred over, but he did not care.
He quietly opened the system interface.
[ Thuong Sinh ]
[ Cultivation ]: 50/1000
[ Realm ]: Essence Gathering (Early Stage)
[ Combat Skills ]: Blade Wind (Minor Accomplishment), Phantom Steps (Entry Level)
[ Accumulated Points ]: 413
His eyes flickered over the number of accumulated points. It wasn't a vast amount, but it was enough to prepare for his next excursion. The Green Snake Skin Armor had been heavily damaged; after the battle with that zombie, it was no longer intact, let alone usable.
If he encountered something like that mutated zombie again, he might not survive. His gaze shifted to the Shop and he opened it directly, scrolling through each item until his eyes paused for a moment on one specific piece of gear.
[ Gale Leather Armor ]
[ Quality ]: Low-grade Dharma Tool
[ Effect ]: Increases defense; increases agility of footwork by twenty percent when using True Essence.
[ Price ]: 200 Accumulated Points
[ Description ]: Crafted from the hide of a Gale Wolf tempered with spiritual fluid. It makes the wearer as light as the wind, freeing them from the sluggishness of the flesh.
He read slowly. A low-grade dharma tool—the defense wasn't overwhelmingly strong, but the description "light as the wind" made him pause. After his three days outside, he understood one thing about this world: survival often depended not on being tough, but on being fast.
Dodging one blow was equivalent to gaining an extra life.
"Fine."
He confirmed the purchase, and his points immediately dropped.
A faint light flashed before his eyes, and the leather armor appeared in his hands. It was a dark greenish-black hide, thin but resilient. It felt cool to the touch, and when he put it on, it didn't feel heavy at all; on the contrary, it made his body feel several degrees lighter.
Thuong Sinh tested his shoulder movement. No sound of friction, no pinching, no restriction.
It was a perfect fit. He then shifted his gaze to the Cultivation Methods section, scrolling down until a specific name caught his eye.
[ Sword Kinesis: Gale Transformation ]
[ Type ]: Low-grade Spell (Wind Attribute)
[ Effect ]: Uses strong winds to guide a flying sword, increasing attack range to ten zhang; flight trajectory is unpredictable and ever-changing.
[ Price ]: 200 Accumulated Points
[ Description ]: Controlling the sword with Essence, the blade travels with the wind. The stronger the Blade Wind, the faster and sharper the flying sword becomes.
This was a technique completely different from his previous fighting style—long-range attacks, control, and even short-term flight. Images of that winged mutated zombie flashed in Thuong Sinh's mind. Its speed, the distance it kept, and his own helplessness when facing it head-on. He had been forced to lure it into narrow terrain just to have a chance to strike.
If he could have controlled a flying sword from a distance back then, just one moment of slowing the opponent down could have changed the entire outcome of the battle.
The thought concluded, and Thuong Sinh hesitated no longer. He confirmed the purchase. His remaining points evaporated instantly, returning almost to zero.
A green cultivation manual appeared before him, hovering. As he looked at it, it seemed as if a thin breeze was swirling around the book. The cover was light green and not very thick, with no characters engraved on it, only subtle patterns resembling the streaks left by passing wind. The light it emitted wasn't blinding, but it drew the eye in, making it difficult to look away.
Thuong Sinh reached out his hand.
The moment his fingertips touched it, the manual vibrated slightly.
Whoosh—!
A breeze blew throughout the room despite the windows being tightly shut. It wasn't a gale, just a gentle current of air.
The manual hovered for a moment before falling into his hands. He couldn't help but flip through the pages. He lost track of time as he read. Once finished, his consciousness subconsciously trembled. Thuong Sinh closed his eyes. For a moment, the outside world seemed to vanish, replaced by a hazy space about the size of a small room.
In the center, a swirl of green mist rotated, emitting a faint spiritual essence of the wind. He immediately opened his eyes, panting; he truly did not know what that was.
Thuong Sinh wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes still fixed on the manual. He gripped it tightly and closed his eyes again. The scene returned to his mind. In that space, an image began to form—not of sword techniques, but of the path of the wind. Air currents colliding, changing direction, and accelerating; all became a trajectory for the sword to follow.
The sword no longer needed physical force to be propelled.
A strange but clear sense of control manifested in his mind. He opened his eyes again, staring into the void as the deep voice of someone reciting a mantra echoed in his head.
"Essence rises from the heart; Wind follows the will." "One thought of the clear breeze; ten thousand swords become invisible." "Swift as an afterimage; changing like mist and smoke."
He sat on the bed, stunned for a long time as he processed the words echoing in his ears.
He looked at his sword resting at the head of the bed, then stood up and walked to the center of the room. He closed his eyes, visualizing the green mist in the gray haze from earlier. He parted his lips slightly, repeating the mantra: "Essence rises from the heart; Wind follows the will..."
Instantly, the green current in his mind spun. A wind from the void enveloped the sword, lifting it off the ground. As the final word "smoke" left his lips, the sword transformed into a streak of green light, gliding through the air in a bizarre trajectory.
Thuong Sinh opened his eyes, his pupils contracting.
With a single thought, the green current within his mind responded. The sword hovering before him moved according to his will.
Swish—!
The sword grazed the ceiling, then spun back, coming to a halt as it hovered right in front of him. The wind dissipated, and the sword fell into his hand, still holding the warmth of his True Essence.
Thuong Sinh quickly gripped it.
His breathing slowed, but his forehead was beaded with sweat. The Essence inside his body had depleted visibly; a single brief instance of Sword Kinesis had drained more than a tenth of his reserves. While not enough to exhaust him completely, this was not something to be used recklessly.
He stared at the sword in his hand for a long time. Sword Kinesis did not give him overwhelming raw power, but it gave him range. From now on, he no longer necessarily had to close the distance to strike.
At that moment, the door creaked open. Van Binh stepped in and froze in his tracks.
In the room, Thuong Sinh stood in the open space, sword in hand, breathing heavily with sweat on his brow. He had just retracted the sword, and the residual wind had not yet vanished, causing the air in the room to vibrate slightly.
"What on earth are you doing?" Van Binh walked over quickly, his voice dropping low. "Don't tell me you're torturing yourself? Your eye wound hasn't even fully healed yet."
Thuong Sinh glanced at him but did not answer. He relaxed his fingers.
The sword vibrated slightly.
Swish—!
The sword left his hand, flying into the air for a short distance, gliding across the ceiling before stopping mid-air, as if held by an invisible force.
Van Binh stood rooted to the spot, his pupils shrinking violently.
"—….....—?"
The sword was flying on its own. A beat later, the sword fell back into Thuong Sinh's hand. The wind vanished, and the room returned to a silence as if nothing had ever happened.
Thuong Sinh sat on the edge of the bed and let out a long sigh.
"Don't make noise. The consumption is heavy."
It took Van Binh several seconds to process the information before his eyes.
"That just now," he said slowly, "was that a Transcendent ability?"
Thuong Sinh did not explain further.
"Yes."
With that one word, Van Binh went silent. He looked at Thuong Sinh for a long time, his gaze gradually changing. He was no longer looking at a strong teammate, but at a type of Transcendent power he could not comprehend.
Van Binh sighed.
"I brought food back for you."
Van Binh placed the food box on the table and said nothing more. He pulled up a chair and sat down, as if the event just now had been swallowed along with the questions he didn't get to ask.
Thuong Sinh opened the box. The porridge was still warm, the scent of rice and meat bland but real. He ate slowly, one spoonful at a time. The True Essence he had consumed had not yet recovered, but his body no longer felt empty.
Scattered footsteps and low conversations echoed in the hallway. The dormitory was unusually quiet today.
After eating, Thuong Sinh closed the lid and stood up. He hung the Gale Leather Armor neatly on a hook. A faint green light flickered across the leather, as light as mist. Unlike his old snake leather, this did not feel like a heavy burden of defense; it felt like a new part of his body.
He went to the small training yard behind the dormitory. The evening sky was gray, and a low wind blew. No one was there. Thuong Sinh stood still without drawing his sword. He only circulated his breath, letting the wind gather around him. The breeze came gently, enough to be felt. No sword kinesis, no showing off. Just getting accustomed.
One beat. Two beats.
The wind gathered and then dispersed, leaving no trace.
He stopped exactly when his True Essence reached its limit and returned to his room. Tonight, there was nothing more to be done.
The next morning, rumors spread faster than expected.
In the main training yard, more eyes lingered on him than usual. Some were curious, some were wary, and some seemed to be avoiding him. No one initiated a conversation.
Thuong Sinh practiced as usual. Basic sword forms, short footwork, no use of powers. Sweat soaked his shirt; his breathing was steady.
In the middle of the session, Ly Hong Quan sent for him.
In the command room, a map of the southwest sector was spread out. Ly Hong Quan pointed to a red-circled area.
"Three days ago, a scouting team lost their signal in this zone." He looked up at Thuong Sinh. "Yesterday, there were signs of new activity. It's not a swarm."
Thuong Sinh looked at the red circle. The pen marks coincided with the direction he had traveled.
"You want me to go?" he asked.
"Not alone," Ly Hong Quan replied. "A small squad. You lead the way."
Thuong Sinh nodded.
"Then may I choose the members of the team?"
Ly Hong Quan nodded.
"Agreed."
Thuong Sinh bowed and left the room. He paused for a moment. Outside, the wind blew through the hallway—gentle, but steady.