The young woman, her emerald robes rustling softly, regarded Alex with a curious gaze. Her sword, still clutched in her hand, seemed to hum faintly. The nervous teenagers behind her exchanged wary glances, clearly intimidated by the recently slain Demon Boar.
"You're quite deep within the Verdant Veil Woods, fellow cultivator," she stated, her voice calm and observant. "This area is known for its higher concentration of spirit beasts, especially during admission trial periods. What brings you so far from the outer regions?"
Alex shrugged, a casual gesture despite the crazy events of his past few days. "Just living by the lake, you know. Decided to go for a bit of an explore. See what's beyond my backyard." He gestured vaguely back towards the direction of his shed. "Speaking of which, you mentioned a sect? And admission trials? What exactly is this Azure Crow Sect, and who might you be?"
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips. "My apologies. My name is Lin Wei, a core disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. We are one of the prominent cultivation sects in this region, dedicated to the study of the Dao and the protection of these lands. These young ones," she gestured to the teenagers, "are aspiring disciples undergoing their first trial to assess their potential." Her gaze lingered on Alex for a moment. "Given your presence here, and your… unique aura, are you perhaps interested in joining the sect yourself? We are always seeking talented individuals."
Alex considered it. A sect. Rules, probably. Meetings. Maybe even more coding, but with magic. His mind immediately went to the quiet shed, the fishing rod, the roasted fish. "Hmm. Maybe. Sounds… busy." He paused, then a thought struck him. A sect meant resources, knowledge, and perhaps even better cooking methods. "Alright, sure. Lead the way."
Lin Wei nodded, a small, pleased expression on her face. She turned, her robes swirling, and began to walk, expecting Alex and the trial-takers to follow.
"Oh, hold on a second," Alex called out, already moving. He knelt beside the fallen Demon Boar, his Divine Eye flaring. [Demon Boar]
Essence Tier: Low-level Spirit Beast.
Description: Its flesh is tough but highly nutritious, capable of providing minor Qi replenishment. Its tusks are valuable for crafting low-grade spiritual artifacts.
He pulled out the Blade of Fate Severing. The ancient sword hummed in his hand, its ethereal glow contrasting sharply with the boar's dark hide. With a practiced, precise motion, he began to butcher the beast, expertly separating the valuable tusks and then, to the utter astonishment of Lin Wei and the wide-eyed teenagers, cleanly filleting large sections of its obsidian-like flesh.
"What are you doing?" one of the teenagers blurted out, a mix of horror and disbelief on his face. "That's a Demon Boar! Its hide is like steel, and its flesh is incredibly tough. It's practically inedible for most cultivators, let alone someone without a strong Qi flame to tenderize it! You'll break your teeth!"
Lin Wei, who had stopped and turned, her calm demeanor replaced by genuine surprise, echoed the sentiment. "Indeed. Demon Boar meat is notoriously difficult to process. Even with a standard Qi flame, it requires immense effort and specialized techniques to make it palatable. Are you... are you planning to eat that?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of suspicion entering her gaze. "How are you even cutting it so easily?"
Alex paused, a large fillet of boar meat in one hand, the gleaming Blade of Fate Severing in the other. He looked at their incredulous faces, then at the smoking wound on the boar where Lin Wei's sword had struck. He raised an eyebrow, a slow, knowing smirk spreading across his face.
"Oh, about that…" he said, gesturing to the boar meat. With a focused thought, a shimmering distortion rippled around the large fillets of meat in his hand, and they vanished, seamlessly absorbed into the Fisherman's Satchel at his hip. The satchel remained light, as if empty. The teenagers gasped, and even Lin Wei's eyes widened, a flicker of genuine shock crossing her composed features. "don't worry!" Alex added casually, "I'm a pretty good cook."
"I'm called Alex, by the way. Nice to meet you all," he added, a casual grin on his face. "Alright, ready when you are. Let's go."
Lin Wei's gaze remained fixed on the spot where the meat had vanished, a complex mix of awe, confusion, and a burgeoning sense of intrigue swirling in her intelligent eyes. This "fellow cultivator" was clearly far more than he appeared.