The air still hummed with the aftershocks of the brief, brutal encounter. Li Xuan stood over the fallen badger, the hoe clutched in his hand. The weight of his first kill pressed down on him, a stark contrast to the easy "game over" screens he was used to. This was visceral. Real. But amidst the lingering unease, a practical thought, honed by years of gaming where every resource counted, flickered to life.
"Qing'er," he said, turning to her. Her eyes were still wide, but the raw terror had been replaced by a lingering shock. "We can't just leave this here."
He remembered basic survival principles from documentaries and games. A dead animal wasn't just a grim reminder; it was a resource. Meat, fur, potentially even bones or teeth that could be useful.
"It's... it's a beast," Qing'er whispered, looking at the creature with a mix of fear and curiosity.
"It's also food," Li Xuan corrected, his voice firm. He still had the System's provisions, but they were finite. This was an opportunity. "And its fur might be useful. We need to process it."
He retrieved his Falling Leaf Spirit Sword from his Sect Inventory. Its blade, though bloodied, still shimmered faintly. Even without his full Qi Condensation, its sharpness was undeniable. Following the instructions from the Basic Farming & Gathering Manual (which, he realized, surprisingly also had sections on butchering and preserving wild game), he began the unpleasant task. It was messy, far messier than anything he'd encountered in a virtual world. The scent of blood, the warmth of the fresh kill, the surprising toughness of the hide – it was all a harsh education.
Qing'er, initially hesitant, watched him with a morbid fascination. As Li Xuan worked, slowly and awkwardly, she even offered to help, her small fingers surprisingly nimble as she tried to pull away the fur he had loosened. Her fear seemed to dissipate with the practical task, replaced by a focused determination.
After what felt like an eternity, they had managed to strip the hide, a surprisingly thick and tough pelt, and carve out a decent portion of meat. It wasn't clean work, and they were both covered in gore and grime, but they had salvaged what they could.
"We need to get this back to the vault," Li Xuan panted, wrapping the meat in a large, clean leaf he found. "And clean ourselves up."
They dragged the hide and carried the meat back to the secret vault. Li Xuan used some of the System's water to clean himself and Qing'er as best he could, the cold water stinging on his scraped hands. He then stored the meat and hide into his Sect Inventory.
[Item: Badger Meat (Raw) x 5 kg. Item: Badger Hide (Untreated) x 1.]
"Okay," Li Xuan said, once they were somewhat clean and had a chance to rest in the vault. "That was... an experience. We need to be more prepared." He looked at the Low-Grade Iron Ore in his inventory. "We need better tools, a way to process meat, and maybe even some basic defenses."
Just then, the blue system box shimmered, a new, exciting message appearing.
[Sect System Update Complete! New Feature Unlocked: Sect Store!]
[Description: Utilize Sect Points to acquire various items, manuals, resources, and services. Sect Points are earned through fulfilling System Tasks, recruiting disciples, successful combat encounters, and sect development milestones.]
[Current Sect Points: 10.]
Li Xuan stared at the glowing text. "A System Store! Yes! Finally, some direct purchasing power!" This was exactly what he needed. No more relying solely on luck or awkward scavenging. And "Sect Points" – that was the currency. The 10 points he had were likely from recruiting Qing'er and defeating the badgers.
"Show me the store," he thought, eagerly.
The interface changed, presenting a catalog of items. Li Xuan scrolled through it mentally, his eyes widening.
Sect Store - Basic Tier:
* Basic Water Purification Kit (5 Sect Points): Filters water, removes common impurities.
* Basic Fire Starting Kit (3 Sect Points): Flint and steel equivalent, reusable.
* Basic Cooking Pot & Utensils (10 Sect Points): Simple, durable set for preparing food.
* Basic Healing Salve Recipe (15 Sect Points): Formula for a common-grade salve, requires basic herbs.
* Basic Wood Axe (20 Sect Points): Durable, common-grade axe.
* Basic Pickaxe (20 Sect Points): Durable, common-grade pickaxe.
* Simple Alarm Formation Diagram (30 Sect Points): Basic defensive formation, alerts to intruders.
* Qi Condensation Breakthrough Pill (50 Sect Points): Grants immediate breakthrough to Qi Condensation Realm (for user only). [Purchase Limit: 1]
* Apprentice Cultivation Manual (Spirit Grade - Low Tier) (75 Sect Points): Superior to Common Grade, allows for faster Qi accumulation for early disciples.
Li Xuan's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Qi Condensation Breakthrough Pill! That's huge! And an Apprentice Cultivation Manual for disciples!" The prices were steep for his measly 10 points, but the potential was immense. This wasn't just basic survival; this was how he would accelerate his and his sect's growth beyond what was naturally possible.
He also noticed something else. Under his current cultivation stage, a new line had appeared.
Current Cultivation:
* Li Xuan: Body Tempering Realm (Stage 1 - 70% progress)
* Qing'er: Body Tempering Realm (Stage 1 - 95% progress)
"Seventy percent!" Li Xuan muttered, a surge of excitement. The fighting, the physical exertion, even the mental stress of learning the manual – it all seemed to have contributed to his Qi development. And Qing'er was almost ready for her first breakthrough! Her speed was astonishing.
He looked at the store again. He only had 10 points. He needed to be strategic. The Basic Cooking Pot & Utensils for 10 points seemed like a solid immediate investment. They had raw meat, but no way to cook it properly. And a purified water source would be essential.
"System," he thought, "Purchase Basic Cooking Pot & Utensils."
[Confirm purchase: Basic Cooking Pot & Utensils (10 Sect Points)?]
[Current Sect Points: 10. Remaining Sect Points: 0.]
"Confirm," Li Xuan thought.
A faint shimmer, and in his Sect Inventory, the new items appeared. He willed the pot and utensils to appear in the vault. They materialized: a simple, sturdy iron pot, a wooden spoon, and a small, sharp knife. They weren't fancy, but they were clean and practical.
"Okay, Qing'er," Li Xuan said, holding up the knife. "First, we cook. Then, we plan. We have tools, we have food, and now, we have a way to make more tools and get stronger." He pointed to the cooking pot. "This is for the meat. And this," he patted his head, "is for the new mission."
He still needed to figure out how to get a lot more Sect Points. Recruiting more disciples, growing the farm, perhaps even defeating larger threats. And the idea of using these points to accelerate his cultivation was incredibly tempting.
He began to gather some dry wood in the vault, mentally recalling the Basic Fire Starting Kit from the store. He didn't have points for it, but he knew how to rub sticks together, even if it was a painfully slow process. He had food, he had a pot, and he had a growing, if still small, sect. The Accidental Sect Leader was slowly, grudgingly, accepting his new role, and the system was proving to be an unexpectedly powerful ally.