Where did the 31st person come from?
Everyone turned to look at the person who had called out “31,” only to find him equally bewildered. It was the same lucky guy who had just been “saved” by the vines earlier…
Wang Feng grabbed him by the collar, his expression turning vicious. “Speak! Who are you?”
“I-I don’t… I mean, I…” The man stammered nervously, unable to form a coherent sentence.
“He’s fine. The headcount’s back to normal.” Su Mo appeared beside the two without warning, gripping Wang Feng’s arm.
“Who the hell are you? Since when do we take orders from you? Just because you’re pretty doesn’t mean we all have to bow to you. I’m not some weakling who drools over women.” Wang Feng, hot-tempered and defiant, swung a punch at Su Mo.
But Su Mo wasn’t his brother—he had no reason to tolerate him. With a sudden twist of his grip—
“Ah—!” Wang Feng let out a sharp cry, his body contorting in pain. His right arm burned with agony, forcing him to release the collar.
“Junior, my brother’s immature. I hope you won’t take it to heart.” Wang Yun’s face was dark as he dragged his unlucky brother aside.
“Bro, I’m gonna call—” Before he could finish, Wang Yun’s slap cut him off.
Leaning in, Wang Yun hissed into his ear, “Listen, Wang Feng—stop targeting Ye Qingyi. Whether it’s strength or connections, we’re no match for her. People like her can only be allies, never enemies. Understood?”
Having learned his lesson the hard way, Wang Yun knew all too well how formidable Su Mo was. He’d even considered revenge, but after digging into Su Mo’s background, he quickly abandoned the idea.
Though he usually acted tough, Wang Yun had enough sense to recognize when he was outmatched—and he wasn’t stupid enough to provoke someone he couldn’t handle.
Wang Feng nodded reluctantly, but in his heart, he was already plotting how to get back at that damn woman…
Su Mo’s intervention earned him immediate respect from the group. Some even suggested he take the lead, but he declined.
“Did anyone notice anything unusual during the headcount? Like a voice suddenly changing?”
At his question, someone spoke up: “Zhang Yu sounded hoarse earlier.”
“Bullshit! I just had phlegm in my throat—I already coughed it up.”
“Yeah, I can vouch for him. Shameless Zhang Yu spat it right on my shoe.”
……
Everyone racked their brains for anything odd, but the more they thought, the more everything seemed both normal and suspicious at the same time.
“Let’s count again.” Wang Yun suddenly had an idea, his eyes locked onto each person as they called out their numbers.
This time, there were no discrepancies.
Just as everyone was about to relax, a shrill, ghostly laugh pierced the air from the dense forest nearby.
“Hehehe…”
The sound was bone-chilling, dripping with death, as if clawing at their very souls.
“Form a circle! Strongest and male members on the outside, everyone else inside!” Wang Yun barked urgently.
But in the panic, only Su Mo, Luo Xiu, and a few others with combat experience stood at the perimeter. The rest scrambled inward, throwing the formation into chaos. Before the enemy even showed itself, they’d already fallen into disarray.
“Stop pushing—damn it, who’s pulling my pants?!”
Fear spread like wildfire as the eerie laughter echoed again. Someone tripped and found their legs tangled in vines. “Ah! The vines got me—help!”
The screams faded as the vines dragged the victim away. It was the same “lucky” guy from before—once again chosen by the vines.
More vines slithered across the ground, while others dropped from above like serpents, striking at the group.
One by one, people were snatched away, their cries for help ignored.
Su Mo swung a stick at the vines, but it was useless—they coiled around his arms and legs instead. Struggling did nothing, so he resorted to biting.
His enhanced teeth proved sharp enough. Just before being yanked into the bushes, he severed the vines.
A salty, bitter taste flooded his mouth—the vines’ sap, mixed with his own blood from the cuts inside his cheeks.
The remaining vines seemed to hesitate before finally retreating.
“These vines have awareness. Either they’re being controlled, or they’ve developed sentience and can react like animals,” Su Mo deduced.
Looking around, he realized he was alone. His clothes were torn, but his backpack—and its supplies—remained intact.
He picked up a broken vine as a makeshift weapon, then later swapped it for a sharp-edged rock.
By midnight, Su Mo finally found a small cave to rest in.
He didn’t rush in. After scouting the entrance and confirming it was safe, he stepped inside.
The cave was natural, narrow, with a half-meter-wide stream running through it. Animal tracks lined the water’s edge—proof the water was drinkable, but also a sign that unwelcome visitors could appear at any moment.
Still, Su Mo decided to stay. Outside was no safer.
He settled in a dry corner, using his light to ward off insects, and began meditating.
Ever since practicing “The Jade Seed Art,” Su Mo found he needed less sleep. Most nights were spent in meditation now.
The technique was divided into three stages:
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Body Refinement – Focused on nourishing the body with spiritual energy. The stronger the foundation, the greater the enhancement.
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Qi Refinement – For the Qi Condensation and Sea of Qi realms. It involved refining spiritual energy, gathering its essence in the dantian to eventually form a “qi sea,” storing power within the body.
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Spirit Refinement – For the Snow Mountain and Vast Sea realms. It honed the mind, tempering consciousness until it reached an immense, oceanic state.
As for the higher Heavenly Realm, Ye Qingyi had mentioned no universal techniques existed yet—it was still theoretical.
Su Mo shook his head, refocusing.
No use overthinking. Master the Body Refinement stage first—leave the rest for future me.
Thanks to Ye Qingyi’s innate talent, spiritual energy flowed effortlessly through Su Mo’s meridians. According to the manual, once the body’s enhancement from qi plateaued, he could advance to Qi Condensation.
Right now, though, his body remained highly responsive to qi, its limits still distant. A good sign—it meant his absorption and utilization of energy were exceptionally strong, maximizing his potential.
This is what talent is—the dream of most cultivators.