Meridian System

Cultivation of meridians required either combat or specialized pills, so it had to be set aside for now. His focus would shift to other aspects.

“It’s time to prepare to leave the city,” Ye Qingyun mused. After assessing his meridians, he resolved to venture into the dangerous wilds beyond the city walls.

The city’s interior offered safety, but outside lay the wilderness—an unprotected domain. To brave it, he would need to gather supplies, chief among them, weapons.

Soon after, Ye Qingyun purchased a woman’s ceremonial sword from a city blacksmith. Truthfully, wielding it was quite exhausting; his arm strength remained woefully inadequate.

He also acquired a complete map of the Song Kingdom within the city. With this, his map system activated, though most regions remained shrouded in fog, unexplored by him.

‘I need to find a martial sect to join,’ Ye Qingyun pondered.

However, he was currently unsure where such sects might be found, making it a troublesome endeavor. For now, any sect he encountered would do; he simply needed to join one.

This required some inquiry, so Ye Qingyun decided to explore, hoping to chance upon information in crowded areas.

The city was bound to host martial artists; perhaps he could glean some useful intelligence from their conversations.

Approximately half an hour later, Ye Qingyun arrived at a tavern. It was midday, the prime time for dining, and everyone, regardless of their station, needed to eat. Upon entering, Ye Qingyun surveyed his surroundings, noticing numerous martial artists clutching their weapons.

There were many, though most were mere low-level pugilists—weak martial artists, to be blunt. Some, he suspected, were even less formidable than his current self.

Ye Qingyun found a seat. Dressed in a simple red gown and a matching red veil, he cut a striking figure.

He ordered a small dish, then discreetly began to eavesdrop on the surrounding martial artists’ conversations.

Surprisingly, their chatter indeed revealed some valuable information.

For instance, at a table directly behind Ye Qingyun, four martial artists were engaged in conversation, their voices punctuated by sips of wine.

“Hey, have you heard?” one man spoke, lowering his voice. “About twenty li from here, in Phoenix Cry Mountain, an unknown force has appeared. They’ve reportedly seized the area and are capturing ordinary people everywhere. What do you make of it? That’s hardly the conduct of a righteous path.”

“Hmm, I’ve heard the rumors too,” another chimed in. “We should be careful. It’s likely some nefarious sect has taken root there.”

Hearing this, Ye Qingyun’s eyes lit up. He had just been contemplating a path of unorthodoxy, and this location seemed a promising choice.

Phoenix Cry Mountain was roughly twenty li from The Capital—not too distant. The journey would involve a path through layers of rolling hills, and he anticipated it would take some time.

True to his word, he prepared to depart immediately. Ye Qingyun purchased provisions and other essentials for the wilderness before finally leaving The Capital.

[Warning: Player has entered a dangerous wilderness area. There is no protection here, and wild beasts may attack. Please proceed with extreme caution.]

The moment Ye Qingyun stepped out of The Capital, the system’s alert sounded.

Once outside the city, Ye Qingyun immediately drew the ceremonial sword from his waist.

“It’s so heavy,” Ye Qingyun muttered, swinging the sword as he walked. “My arm strength truly isn’t enough.” He needed to get accustomed to its weight.

All players inherently possessed basic martial arts. As long as one wielded a weapon, they could learn fundamental techniques.

Thus, Ye Qingyun quickly grasped the Basic Sword Art. It was a straightforward style, comprising eight fundamental moves: Slash, Pierce, Thrust, Press, Twist, Drag, Charge, and Block.

These were the most rudimentary of techniques.

Guided by his innate talent, Ye Qingyun mastered them completely after a single practice session.

Yet, given his current strength, he estimated his arm would be depleted of power after merely a few moves.

As he continued his journey, Ye Qingyun suddenly spotted a column of refugees approaching from the distance. There were several hundred of them, all heading towards Misty Rain City.

This sight immediately sparked his confusion. It wasn’t the dry season, so where had these refugees come from? In this unfamiliar world, every matter demanded careful consideration; sometimes, seemingly ordinary occurrences could yield unexpected consequences.

This was Ye Qingyun’s philosophy.

“Elder, what troubles have befallen you all?” Ye Qingyun inquired, stopping an old man who was passing by him.

The old man glanced at Ye Qingyun, a peculiar glint in his eyes. He was truly too striking, too otherworldly. Though his face was concealed by a veil, his captivating eyes and the markings on his forehead were impossible to hide.

“Alas!” the elder explained with a sigh. “We are refugees from Phoenix Cry Town. Lately, a band of strange individuals has been raiding our town, seizing young men, women, and children. We simply couldn’t endure it any longer, so we fled to The Capital to seek refuge with relatives.”

Ye Qingyun paused, slightly taken aback. While the situation was unsettling, it was excellent news for him. It confirmed that the martial artists’ earlier words held truth.

“Oh, Elder, were there any peculiarities about these strange individuals?” Ye Qingyun pressed.

At his question, the old man quickly elaborated.

“Those people,” he recounted, “they were incredibly eerie. I can’t quite pinpoint what made them strange, just that they weren’t normal. If you, young lady, intend to go to Phoenix Cry Town, this old man advises against it. It is no longer a peaceful place.” The elder spoke with a helpless tone.

With that, he departed.

Ye Qingyun, however, smiled. From the elder’s words, he was certain these individuals were far from ordinary. It seemed his suspicions were correct: a martial sect undoubtedly resided within Phoenix Cry Mountain.

Ye Qingyun strode forward, soon transitioning from the main road onto a mountain path. As he walked, a wild beast’s roar suddenly echoed in his ears.

“Awoooo…”

The cry instantly put Ye Qingyun on high alert. The sound was alarmingly close, and it was undeniably the howl of a wolf. He knew this world was not like his Earth.

In his reality, wild beasts lurked deep within mountains and swamps, but here, they roamed everywhere, especially wolves.

‘Wolves?’ Ye Qingyun’s nerves tightened instantly.

This was not a welcome sign. He swiftly drew the sword from his waist as a precaution, simultaneously quickening his pace. His goal was to escape the mountainous terrain as soon as possible. Wild beasts typically avoided crowded areas, but Ye Qingyun was entirely alone.

Should he encounter any beasts, he would be in grave danger.

As he walked, his gaze meticulously swept his surroundings. The dense forests flanking the path certainly warranted caution.

The moment Ye Qingyun departed The Capital, he had already braced himself for danger. Even without the system, he understood that leaving the city marked the true beginning of the game—a game that could claim his life.

Roughly a minute later, another wolf howl pierced Ye Qingyun’s ears.

“Awoooo…”

[Warning: Player has entered wild wolf territory.]

The system alerted him.

The sound was even closer now. Instinctively, Ye Qingyun broke into a run.

As he ran, he suddenly heard movement in the surrounding woods—something was clearly rushing towards him.

A look of apprehension crossed Ye Qingyun’s face.

He halted, gripping his sword with both hands, his gaze fixed on the source of the commotion. Sure enough, moments later, a ferocious wild wolf, its eyes bloodshot and its face contorted in a snarl, burst from the treeline and lunged directly at Ye Qingyun.

Its speed was astonishing. In his panic, Ye Qingyun hastily brought his sword up to block.

“Block!”

The wild wolf’s claws struck directly against his blade.

Though the attack was parried, Ye Qingyun was sent staggering backward, retreating seven or eight steps before he could regain his footing. Wild beasts possessed immense strength, and he, being a woman, simply had too little of his own.

Ye Qingyun stared at the incredibly fierce wolf, his face etched with fear. There was no way not to be afraid.

‘Damn it, is this the newbie tutorial?’ Ye Qingyun grumbled inwardly. ‘Couldn’t they have sent a rabbit instead?’

To be confronted with a wild wolf right from the start felt unfair. Humans harbored an instinctive fear of wild beasts.

Leaving aside other creatures, how many people, when chased by a dog, wouldn’t run? Let alone a wolf.

He focused intently, wary of the wild wolf. However, Ye Qingyun might have been mistaken; this was no mere beginner’s lesson. Just then, three more wild wolves emerged from the jungle, swiftly surrounding Ye Qingyun.

This left him speechless.

“Are you kidding me?” Ye Qingyun uttered in stunned disbelief. “One wasn’t enough, so three more? Are they trying to kill me?”

Nevertheless, he could only grit his teeth and confront them.

After a standoff of several breaths, the wild wolves launched their attack. Ye Qingyun, steadying his mind, reacted with improvisation; running was not an option, only fighting for his life. He swiftly swung his sword at the wild wolf directly in front of him, landing a heavy blow on its body.

Though Ye Qingyun’s strength was limited, the sharp blade still tore through the wild wolf’s hide, leaving a gaping wound on its flank.