As I was flying, I remained close to the trees while going super slowly.

Sometimes, I encounter some branches in the way, but I move around, below, or over them very nimbly. Previously, I saw a spell technique in the shop called [Size Adjustment].

True to its name, it allows you to adjust your body size as you wish. Whether you want to become a giant or an ant, it has its limit of course. However, it still depends on your mastery of said spell.

I could have bought it, but I would've lost my 90% first purchase discount.

If I had it, I could just fly around the branches due to my small size. It would have been very difficult to discover me, but It's still not too late to get it after buying my Divine cultivation manual.

For the record, the system ranks all of the items inside it in the same way.

Common being the lowest then Rare, Unique, Legendary, Mythical, Divine, Godly, and finally Great Dao.

This just goes to show how precious my lovely [Stygian Tempest Heavenly Arts] is!

Flying beside the trees I kept my senses stretched to the limit, not daring to fly higher than this.

All I've seen so far were trees and insects with the occasional Body Refinement monsters. Such as snakes, dark devil-looking squirrels, and some other bird and monkey species. Some of them were even low Body Refinements, but they posed no threat.

My goal today was just that, to explore and see the neighborhood.

As I was flying, I saw a Red-Bellied Qambat. I've encountered this species before, it has some serious stealth and poison skills.

However, the most notable characteristic of this snake for me is strangely the taste!

I don't know if it's the monster taste buds, but goddamn. I have never tasted anything better!

Sweet, delicate, and supple meat coupled with flavorful and aromatic blood. The whole experience was simply mouthwatering, I was awestruck the first time I tasted it!

The Qambat was in the process of moving from one branch to the other, and these specific branches happened to be below me.

Seeing this heavenly delicacy before me, I dove with crazy speed. All of the speed that I was holding back earlier in fear that I might attract trouble exploded!

*Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeew*

That is what I was screaming in my mind, otherwise, there was no sound. I originally planned to use the famous eagle catch, dive down with crazy speed and grab it with my claws.

Just as I wanted to grab the Qambat, it disappeared!

I was confused, shocked, then scared out of my wits!

The question didn't remain unanswered for long.

*Shing* *Shing*

I felt tree branches coiling around my wings, breaking them in the process.

*AAARGH*

Crazy levels of pain assaulted my brain at the same time, due to the intensity of the pain. The world before me changed completely, the branch in which the Qambat was walking before was no more.

Everything was replaced by a huge mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth, that's all I could see.

A void like the maw of death!

Due to the intense emotions, I was going through, I couldn't think clearly. I was shocked and afraid and I had no idea what the fuck was going on!

[Fiery Charge]

*Sizzle*

My whole body was set ablaze in dark deathly flames!

*Snap*

The branches that were previously holding my wings snapped, and I immediately fell.

It turned out that this was a fucking monster tree, the path I thought I was walking on earlier was already left behind. I fell into some kind of illusion, the speed at which in my mind was used to hunt the Qambat was used to get into this giant monster's mouth.

My blood runs cold! The flames dancing all over me snapped me back to reality, and I immediately used my strength to jump and hold into the tree monster with my claw.

*GROOOOOAAAN*

The monster was screaming in pain. Then after two seconds of me holding on with dear life, and the monster thrashing around with its branches it finally gave out.

[You have Killed a Body Refinement(Peak) Monster |Experience Points +6000|]

[Congratulations Host for Leveling up from 15 to 16. +5 Stat Points, +2 Skill Points.]

The moment I saw the notifications and was certain of its death, I let go and landed on my legs.

The forest returned to its previous deathly stillness. The quiet that seemed peaceful before I left the nest, now became a monster that would spell my doom.

I quickly collected myself and ran away! Yes, I ran on my legs!

My wings were all broken, I couldn't even move them. I hurriedly looked back, appraised the monster, and continued running.

[Appraised Target: Arex Hidian Tree

Cultivation Realm: Body Refinement(Peak)

Health Points(HP): 0/302

Magic Power(MP/Mana): 0/194

Spiritual Power(SP): 0/269

Magical Resistance: 35

Physical Resistance: 33

Spiritual Resistance: 49

Vitality: 95

Strength: 75

Stamina: 40

Intelligence: 85

Agility: 10

Spirit: 115

Description: A tree type of monster, has high Spiritual attributes and specializes in illusion and poison. The Arex Hidian Tree is not very common and is known for growing in places with thick dark mana.

Weakness: Very short range, once one breaks its illusion then it becomes very easy to kill it.

]

Looking at its information, I cursed my luck. A Peak Body Refinement that specializes in illusions, essentially spirit attacks.

If I hadn't got the title Blazing Heart thus getting Fiery Charge, there is no way I'd be alive right now.

The first monster I encountered happened to be the biggest counter for me at this stage, if this isn't shit luck I don't know what is.

Fuck me! I kept running back towards the nest without looking back. I'm not planning to go to the nest, it's too far and my speed with my legs is very slow.

Once I reached a safer distance from the place of the previous battle, I started climbing a nearby tree.

Climbing is a bit of a stretch here, I was just using Umbra Hands and jumping around until I reached the branches.

Once I was on top, I kept climbing up looking for a very dark place to hide and recover.

The trees in the southern region are strangely thinner compared to the ones up north. There is a big possibility that if I keep going south I will arrive at the end of the Still Hollow forest.

I quickly found a good place, around 400 meters above ground, and hid.

I also closed my eyes and started cultivating at the same time of course! My HP Regeneration is already very good, so I just need a bit of time to fully recover.

Yeah, I just remembered that I leveled up, I currently have 5 Stats points and 3 Skill points. I still had the 1 Skill point that I got from the quest reward.

I assigned 5 points directly to Spirit, but I'm still hesitating on where I should put my free Skill points. Hmm...

I opened my Skill Menu to check

[Sky Dash(Active): Grants +30% Agility for 15 seconds while above ground. Cost(30MP) |Intermediate|][WindBlade(Active): Creates a magical wind blade that has a range of 100 meters, Deals Intelligence(x2) in damage. Cost(20MP) |Advanced|]

[Umbra Hand(Active): Generates a hand from shadows that can be controlled by the user range 150 meters. Cost(3MP/Second) |Advanced|]

[Bird of Darkness(Passive): Soundless Flight and grants +30% Agility in the dark. |Advanced|]

[Mask Presence(Passive): Masks the presence of the user to a certain extent in the dark. |Advanced|]

[Zephyr Child(Passive): Grants +25% Agility if there are any enemies within a 200 meters radius. |Advanced|]

[The Stranger(Passive): +50% to all Stats. |Perfection|]

[Predator's WarCry(Active): Grants the user the ability to use their Spiritual power through sound. Cost(50SP Max) |Beginner|]

[Dark Shield(Active): The user can quickly condense a shield made of Dark elements. The shield's durability depends on the amount of Mana spent creating it. |Beginner|]

[Blazing Heart]

[Fiery Charge(Active): Once activated the user will be set in flames of their main element for 5 seconds. Deals Intelligence(x4) in damage in a 5-meter radius. Cost (200MP) |Beginner|]

[Firm Stand(Passive): All Resistances +50%. |Beginner|]

[Truth Seeker]

[Gentle Touch(Active): The skill is activated through touch, the target receives a +300% HP Regeneration for 10 seconds. The user cannot cast it on himself. Cost(200MP) |Beginner|]

[Dao Field(Passive): Creates a field of 20 meters with the user as the center in which the World Mana is attracted. |Beginner|]

I'm having a major Choice Overload episode here! Let's take it to step by step.

Sky Dash, though beneficial, my points are better used elsewhere now. Wind Blade so far has only increased in range, but it's not helping right now the current range is already good. Umbra Hands, same as Wind Blades. Bird Of Darkness and Zephyr Child are also the same. Predator's WarCry is great but it'd be better to postpone it, for now, I still have a not-so-ideal amount of Spirit.

Fiery Charge is overpowered but with my low Mana it's like a death sentence, I will leave it for now. Firm Stand, my resistances are already good, for now.

Gentle Touch and Dao Field are not combat-related, so... later!

I'm considering Mask Presence, it'd help me in situations such as this one and Dark Shield for defense.

Seeing how I'm more of a quick heavy damage kind of monster, not a long battle of attrition.

-3 Skill Points

[Mask Presence |Advanced|] > [Mask Presence |Mastery|]

I can't always depend on my Skill points, I still need to train my skills to increase their proficiency.

The moment the skill reached mastery level, I could feel a qualitative change.

It's like I've become more invisible, in harmony with my surroundings and like a dead object that gives off no life energy signals.

When I sense monsters with my Spirit, I could feel their life energy for lack of a better word. Through that energy, I get a general sense of their shape and how strong they are.

...

[+1 Strength, +1 Stamina]

Nice.

After cultivating and recovering for a couple of hours, I could finally move my wings and fly normally.

Initially, I wanted to recover and get the hell out of here and return to the nest. However, to be fair I was scared before.

Now, I've calmed down. I think going to explore would be ideal.

Alright, Let's go! I jumped down from my hiding place above, dove head down, and opened my wings to absorb the fall.

I just love doing this move, it feels so great. Just like mini skydiving that I can do anytime, anywhere. Being a bird sure is great if you don't count the fact that everything and everyone is trying to eat you in this god-forsaken place. However, I'm a glass-half-full kinda guy.

I flew back in the same direction that I went earlier, I wanted to continue going forward.

After a while, I saw the body of that Arex Hidian Tree. It was still laying there, like a tree that had been cut. The only difference is the big void-like mouth filled with teeth. After I used Fiery Charge, I messed it up pretty badly.

It's worth mentioning that I'm not flying at the same height as before, I thought of flying a bit higher to hide between the branches as I go along.

It's slower and more bothersome because I have to keep zigzagging every second, but I believe it's safer. Sure, I'm closer than ever to the branches, but I'm very careful lest a monster jump.

Speak of the devil!

After I passed the dead tree monster and kept going for a while, I sensed a monster in the direction I was moving.

The worst part is, that this monster seems to be waiting for me. It's a cat-like monster for the form I'm feeling, it's sitting in a position that would help it jump at any time.

It's pretty strong too, If I could take a guess I'd say around the higher stages of the Body Refinement(High) pretty close to the peak.

These monsters are always courting death, I don't believe they are stupid. Surviving in this forest is no easy feat that can be achieved through sheer luck.

The only speculation I could make was that when they see me the feeling they get is that of a Low Body Refinement monster.

I do not think they are capable of sensing the +150% Stats Boost from Blazing Heart + The Stranger.

This monster doesn't seem nervous or worried at all. Just like someone who's waiting for dinner, and he's absolutely certain of his capability to get it.

Sorry to disappoint, but I'm afraid I'm also feeling pretty hungry after all of that damage I took earlier.

*Crunch*

The monster jumped with great strength and agility, its mouth directly going to break my neck.

However, I was already prepared.

The moment it jumped, I created two burly-looking Umbra Hands and held it from its hind legs.

Due to the force with which it jumped, it was slammed against the bark of the tree in which it was hiding.

The moment its body hit the tree, I launched three consecutive Wind Blades at its neck area directly severing its neck.