Han Bei walked outside of his dwelling and stretched his body as green qi surrounded his limbs, more powerful and more potent than before. Initial Heaven of the 2nd realm. " I've completely returned to the great path, " he somewhat indulgently thought if only for a moment. " Yet, there is still so much more I need to do. " Contradictory thoughts danced through his head. He wished to test his current strength in fires of combat, while at the same time the ever-present need to reach further heights compelled him to isolate himself again even just after he finished a 5-day long cultivation session where he did nothing else.

" So much to do, " Han Bei thought with a shake of his head. The price of increasing his spirit cultivation wasn't cheap as his body refining fell back down to the initial 2nd realm, a situation he wanted to amend as soon as possible. He was finally powerful enough to master another technique from the ghostly manual he bought from Last light. He was hopefully strong enough to participate in the scavenger raids to earn some resources. He was confident enough to check out the headquarters of the skeleton manor. If Heaven will's and he actually found any of the demonic fingers he might be ready to challenge them. All of it to raise his cultivation, Han Bei shook his head, " Never enough time, never enough resources, never enough. "

But before he did everything he trained. It didn't matter how much power he had, now or in the future if he couldn't properly control it. Control was the key and had to be attained before anything else.

So he assumed a stance that he rapidly was becoming familiar with. His feet were firmly placed on the ground one in front of another. With his right fist clenched he pulled back his arm before he let loose a punch. A web of cracks spread around the spot he stood and a few seconds after his strike a wave of dark qi crashed against the walls of the ravine.

By all accounts, the attack looked impressive but Han Bei frowned in dissatisfaction. " So damn unrefined, " he judged his own condition. " Only 5 days have passed, but it feels like 5 weeks instead. " Which was the norm after reaching a higher cultivation realm. But knowing that didn't make Han Bei's mood any better. Still, there was only a single remedy to this affliction.

He entered a combat stance again and clenched his left fist while ghostly qi coursed through his body. Another attack and another wave of destructive qi followed it. The time between the attack and the release of qi had shrunk. Han Bei smiled. " That's better. "

While Han Bei was absorbed into his practice he failed to notice a presence behind him. " Congratulations, little corpse, seems like you've made good use of your time? " an aged voice spoke to him. " Well something like that, " Han Bei answered without turning around. " Nothing like a good near-death experience to get your motivation going, eh? " He turned around and threw an accusatory glare at the old monk in some vain hopes to see at least a tiny morsel of shame. It didn't work. He looked and found nothing.

The old monk innocently shrugged his shoulders and looked on with wide eyes. The very picture of innocence. " What might you be talking about? " Han Bei frowned. "By now I should have known nothing would faze this old reptile. " Still Han Bei refused to relent. " I'm talking about that monstrosity down south. "

" Oh, that! " the old monk spoke as if he remembered about some knick-knack he had accidentally left at home. " I never saw the point of mentioning it since the thing wouldn't ever come this close to an opening to the underground. It's an instinctual thing you see. "

" You never saw the point of mentioning a centipede the size of a tower with human faces on its back and hatred in its eyes, that nests half a day's journey away from my dwelling? " Han Bei reaffirmed. The old monk snorted, " I'm not your nanny tasked with shielding you from all the evils of the world. "

Han Bei rubbed his head in frustration. " This old thing would see me dead, as long as the death itself is amusing. " While Han Bi sighed thinking what other dangers await him around the next corner the old monk waved his hand in dismissal. " Stop whining little corpse, for I bring you good news. "

Not for the first time the pale youth thought, " Can any news brought by you be good? " Still he waited for the old thing to speak. The old monk didn't disappoint and spoke with great excitement." Soon, in a week or so, a new spirit vessel will fall around these parts. " Han Bei asked, " What's special about this one, people dump their shit here all the time?" The old monk paused for dramatic tension, but could only hold out for a few seconds, " The rumors say that the owner was supposed to become an immortal. " For a moment Han Bei just silent stood with a skeptical look in his eyes. " An immortal,? "

The old monk shrugged, " Hey that's what the rumors say, not me. " Han Bei started continued his practice and focused on the control of his qi. " Then we'll see that immortal candidate of yours, it should get fun. " Han Bei had heard legends of immortals back on his homeworld, even about some that shared his bloodline. Han Bei sneered, " I should worry more about the immediate future rather than some old tales. "

Still, as he trained Han Bei idly wondered what sort of souls would be attracted by these rumors. " The courageous, the greedy, and the insane, probably. " he thought with a smile. Off to the side, the old monk silently made his way from the ravine allowing Han Bei to sink back to routine. Corpse readied his claws because he knew others that heard this news would do the same and so trained with a small smile of anticipation on his lips.

A village of half-beast hyena beastman located not far from the eastern swamplands celebrated and brawled as was in their nature. As a message of great importance reached the leaders of the beastborn tribe they howled to the sky with great vigor. They howled in anticipation of great prey.

In the central part of the plains where once Lord of bones ruled, now a new force occupied the pale manor. One that perhaps lacked the same numbers, but made up in cunning and guile. The red tongues whispered and schemed as they heard the upcoming news.

Further south where ghosts were aplenty a host of riders upon skeletal mounts, rode down upon a group of cultivators clothed in light blue robes that carried the skull insignia of the skeleton manor. The riders showed no mercy and the heavy weapons they carried parted bone and flesh alike until there was nothing but raw meat left to fester on the ground. The riders offered the victims no flame.

The leader of the riders, of the Grey skulls, had the first right to the loot as was befitting someone of his status. There, amidst the torn blood-soaked robes he found a letter that spoke of rather interesting and potentially profitable news.

The whole plains radiated with barely contained bloodlust that resulted in several skirmishes between some of the smaller scavenger gangs. No matter how many died the anticipation continued to build up until even the mindless undead were infected by the blood frenzy spread by the living. The wait ended after 5 days of ever-increasing violence as the black sky above the green Scavenger plains burned,