The only thing that still lingered in my mind was that single moment—the Unknown Authority.
Even after seeing everything that had happened during those missing six months, I still couldn't understand it. The System couldn't identify it. It couldn't analyze it. It simply appeared... and then disappeared just as suddenly.
"...Just what was that thing?"
Quietly replaying those memories, I recalled the exact moment my Mutated Hybrid Core began cracking. That unknown authority had appeared, and shortly after, Qi Veil Art broke past its previous limit and reached Perfection. Everything that had been spiraling out of control gradually stabilized, allowing my body to survive long enough to reach the underground Water Qi Vein.
"...Could it have something to do with my Mutated Hybrid Core?"
It was the only explanation I could think of.
Before my core cracked, nothing unusual had happened. Only after it began breaking apart did that strange authority appear.
"...Wait..."
Another memory surfaced. Back inside the hidden chamber, when I first looked into my Mutated Hybrid Core, I had vaguely sensed... something. At that time, I couldn't understand what I was looking at, and even now... I still couldn't.
Was that thing simply a part of my Mutated Hybrid Core?
Or...
Was it connected to that Unknown Authority?
I honestly didn't know. No matter how many times I replayed those memories, I couldn't find an answer. The System didn't know.
Neither did I.
"...Forget it."
There wasn't enough information for me to reach any conclusion. Thinking about it any longer would only waste my time.
I slowly lifted my head and looked around the underground lake once more.
Pushing my limbs forward, my body shot through the water much farther than expected.
"...Huh?"
Another stroke sent me gliding forward just as easily.
The difference was obvious.
"...I'm much faster."
The surrounding water no longer felt as heavy against my body.
"...So this is because of Water Qi."
My gaze slowly swept across the underground lake.
There wasn't much to see.
Behind me, the enormous whirlpool continued rotating without the slightest sign of slowing down. Looking at it was enough to make me give up any thoughts of going back the way I came.
"...Yeah... no."
That thing nearly turned me into minced meat once already.
I wasn't interested in experiencing it a second time.
Other than the whirlpool...
Only a single passage remained.
It stretched deeper into the darkness, illuminated by a faint blue glow that reflected across the calm water.
"...Looks like that's my only choice."
Without hesitating any longer, I swam toward it.
The passage wasn't particularly narrow, but it wasn't spacious either. The rocky walls on both sides were uneven, shaped by countless years of flowing water. Strange blue crystals and patches of glowing vegetation clung to the stone surface, filling the silent passage with a soft azure light.
The deeper I went...
The denser the surrounding Water Qi became.
It quietly drifted through the water, far gentler than the violent Chaotic Qi I had encountered before.
Then—
Something caught my eye.
Not far ahead, several clusters of faint blue plants swayed gently beneath the water, each leaf releasing tiny specks of light into the surrounding current.
"...Those are..."
Without wasting any time, I activated Appraisal.
[Pure Water Spirit Herb]
Grade: Middle Grade
Description: A spirit herb that had grown for many years within a Pure Water Qi Vein. Constantly nourished by pure Water Qi, it naturally absorbed and refined the surrounding energy over time.
Effect: Containsa rich amount of Pure Water Qi. Can be directly consumed by water-attributed beasts to replenish Beast Qi and assist cultivation.
Danger: None.
Edible: Yes.
"...A Spirit Herb."
My gaze lingered on the pale blue plants gently swaying beneath the water.
Each blade was no longer than my claw, yet faint streams of blue light continuously drifted from their leaves, quietly dissolving into the surrounding water before being absorbed once again. They seemed to breathe together with the Water Qi Vein itself.
"...I see... the Water Qi Vein had nurtured them."
Without hesitating, I swam toward the nearest cluster.
The roots were firmly embedded within the rocky wall, absorbing the endless flow of Water Qi passing through the underground passage. Even before touching it, I could already sense the pure energy radiating from the herb.
Opening my mouth, I bit through the stem and swallowed it whole.
The effect came almost immediately.
A cool sensation spread through my body before quietly flowing toward my Mutated Hybrid Core.
There was no violent surge.
No unbearable pain.
The energy simply merged with my Beast Qi as though it had always belonged there.
"...Much gentler than Chaotic Qi."
Compared to the chaotic energy that had nearly torn my body apart, this felt unbelievably peaceful.
It circulated through my meridians before naturally disappearing into my core, leaving behind a faint feeling of refreshment.
Without realizing it, I reached toward another herb.
One.
Then another.
Each herb dissolved into pure Water Qi the moment it entered my body, steadily replenishing the Beast Qi I had exhausted earlier.
Only after the fourth herb did I finally stop.
"...Enough."
The remaining herbs continued swaying gently beneath the water.
Taking everything would be pointless. Spirit herbs required countless years to grow, and stripping the entire area bare simply because I happened to find it didn't seem worth it.
Besides...
There was still an entire passage waiting ahead.
Just as I turned to continue forward—
Ding.
A familiar notification echoed inside my mind.
Then, a translucent blue screen unfolded before my eyes.
[Condition Fulfilled.]
[Host has successfully advanced a skill to the Perfection stage.]
[Skill Module unlocked.]
My swimming motion slowed.
"...Skill Module?"
Another ripple spread across the screen.
My gaze remained fixed on the translucent screen.
Unlike the ordinary status window, this interface looked completely different.
Instead of my attributes, only a handful of unfamiliar entries appeared before me.
[Skill Module]
Black Carapace Guard — 50%
Qi Veil Art — Perfection
Earth Sense Domain — 25%
Mountain Crushing Bite — 20%
I blinked.
"...A screen just for my skills?"
My eyes slowly swept across each entry before returning to the top.
At first glance, it didn't seem particularly useful.
The System had always notified me whenever one of my skills improved, so I already had a rough idea of their progress.
"...Then why unlock something like this now?"
There had to be more to it.
Otherwise, the System wouldn't create an entirely new function just to display information I already knew.
The moment that thought crossed my min—
Ding.
A new notification quietly appeared beneath the Skill Module.
[Current functions available.]
• Displays the host's current skill proficiency.
• Records every increase in skill mastery.
• Evaluates the current state of each skill.
[Additional functions remain locked.]
"...Locked?"
That immediately caught my attention. If the System specifically mentioned additional functions, then this module clearly wasn't complete. Focusing on the final line, another notification appeared.
[Host cultivation insufficient.]
[Unlock conditions not met.]
[Continue improving skill proficiency to unlock additional functions.]
"...So it's the same as everything else."
The System wasn't going to hand me everything from the beginning. Like every other function, more would only become available as I grew stronger. Even so, being able to monitor my skills wasn't entirely useless.
My gaze settled on Black Carapace Guard.
"...Fifty percent."
After everything that had happened inside the whirlpool, it wasn't difficult to understand why it had increased.
Just beneath the skill, another line quietly appeared.
[Inspect]
I frowned slightly.
"...Inspect."
Ding.
[Black Carapace Guard Selected.]
The entire Skill Module rippled. The simple list of skills vanished as countless lines of information rapidly shifted and reorganized before my eyes. It no longer resembled the ordinary status window.
"...What?"
[Basic Skill Analysis Available.]
[Advanced Analysis Locked.]
The screen flickered once.
Then...
A completely different interface slowly unfolded before me.