"There were some wild chickens, even a fox, but no bunnies, huh?"
Bi Yuan stared at me.
I stared back.
Yeah, I couldn’t exactly have her feeding me her own kind.
I sighed and shook my head. "Fair enough."
With my Razor Wind Sword, I got to work, cutting and dismantling the animals.
It was… messy.
I had no prior experience with this kind of thing as a mortal, so my technique was sloppy at best. The fox’s fur ended up ruined, and the chicken carcasses looked like they had been butchered by a blindfolded toddler.
But food was food.
Next, I grabbed my Clear Water Gourd and used it to wash away the bloody mess.
Finally, I took my Scorching Sun Spear, skewered the meat like a massive kebab, and then—
With a thought—
I summoned fire.
The flames blazed to life at the spear’s tip, fueled by quintessence.
Fire, just from thinking about it.
This was the power of quintessence.
It was a miracle.
As long as I understood the principles behind something, I could make it happen—as long as I had quintessence.
And making fire? That was easy.
It was wasteful, sure. But I’d rather waste quintessence than eat my food raw.
Qi could also create fire, but it couldn’t compare to Quintessence, the primordial force of creation. Qi was derived from a technique, but Quintessence? It was the source.
I turned the meat, roasting it evenly. The fire burned clean and steady, untouched by wind or moisture.
It would last as long as my quintessence allowed it.
I took a deep breath, savoring the scent of roasted meat.
It had been too long since I last ate something substantial.
Bi Yuan bounced excitedly beside me, her nose twitching at the delicious smell.
I chuckled.
"Patience, little bunny," I said, cutting a small portion for her. "You worked hard. You deserve a taste."
She chirped happily and took a bite.
“Kugh~blegh~!”
I stared.
Damn it, so no meat for her, huh?
After eating, I sat back and looked at my treasures.
Most of them were useless now.
Without qi, my spiritual artifacts were nothing more than ordinary weapons.
The Razor Wind Sword was still sharp, but it had lost its wind-cutting properties.
The Scorching Sun Spear could still stab, but it no longer burned with the power of the sun.
I clicked my tongue.
Quintessence could act as a substitute, but I’d hate to be wasteful.
I had so many treasures, but without qi, they were trash.
Except for one thing.
I grabbed my Clear Water Gourd and took a long drink. The cool, refreshing water soothed my throat.
Unlike my other artifacts, the Gourd still worked.
That was because it was powered by mental consciousness, not qi.
In the future, it might even serve as a research subject for me to better understand how to integrate quintessence into artifacts.
But for now—
I reached out and grabbed Bi Yuan, lifting her up.
"You," I said, "are my true treasure."
She tilted her head, ears flopping.
I cradled her in my arms, stroking her soft fur.
"All my spiritual artifacts are useless now. Except for you, Yuan’er." I smiled. "Not that you were ever just an item. But a treasure is a treasure."
She purred, rubbing against my chest.
I laughed.
The past month had been… surprisingly stable.
I had adjusted my lifestyle around Bi Yuan’s abilities.
Every day, I followed a routine:
- Walks to build my strength.
- Exercises to regain mobility.
- Scroll reading to recover knowledge.
- Experimentation with quintessence.
- Meditation to refine my abilities.
Bi Yuan, meanwhile, took care of me.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
She brought me food, set traps, and even helped me improve my survival skills.
She was no longer just a bunny.
She was my companion.
And now, I needed to reward her.
As I sat by the fire, I checked my system status.
[Name: Fu Shi]
[Quintessence: 37]
[Players: 1/1]
I had 37 quintessence now.
More than enough to give Yuan’er something special.
I turned to her, watching as she curled up beside me.
I rubbed my chin.
What could I give her?
A weapon?
…Bi Yuan wielding a sword was a funny image, but could she even hold one properly?
Then again, this was a cultivation world.
Xianxia bullshit happened daily.
A month ago, I was fighting lightning to gain this vague system.
The next day, I befriended a bunny.
The day after that, the bunny fed me.
Now, she was setting traps and catching prey like a seasoned hunter.
Yeah, at this point, I wouldn’t even be surprised if she learned martial arts tomorrow.
I chuckled to myself.
Then—
I looked at her again.
And suddenly, I knew.
I knew exactly what I should give her.
Something better than a weapon.
Something worthy of her efforts.
"Hmmm…" I murmured.
I reached down, gently scratching her ears.
She perked up, looking at me.
"Kyu?"
I smiled.
"You’ll see, Yuan’er," I said softly. "You’ll see. It’s time to level up properly from now on."
***
**
*
Bi Yuan was the only bunny in Butterberry Forest.
She had never thought about it before.
Not until she received the blessing of the White Ape.
The memory was hazy, but she could still recall the moment she had wandered into the White Ape’s cave. At the time, she had been just another rabbit, an ordinary creature driven by instinct alone.
But fate had led her there.
Through mystical strings of destiny, she had changed. She had been acknowledged.
And in that moment, she had become Bi Yuan.
The details of that fateful encounter were blurred, lost in the fog of her former ignorance. But no matter how faint the memory was, it held a special place in her heart.
The White Ape had given her a task—to gather food.
And she had done so, eagerly.
She had understood, in the simplest of ways, that to be recognized by the White Ape, she needed to pay tribute.
So she worked.
And in return—
She was blessed with strength.
[Name: Bi Yuan]
[Level: 0]
[Vitality: 100%]
[Qi: N/A]
[Stats: See More…]
[EXP: 0/100]
Bi Yuan instinctively understood what had happened.
Something deep within her had changed.
She had become something more than just a rabbit.
She was a player.
Her soul had been elevated, bound to a system that only she and the White Ape could perceive. It was a process invisible to the world, yet to Bi Yuan, it was as natural as waking up in the morning.
It was as if she had suddenly become aware of herself, like a baby realizing it was alive for the first time.
The feeling was strange.
And yet—
It brought comfort.
This system would change her life.
She felt it.
She could grow. She could evolve. She could become more.
For the first time in her existence, Bi Yuan thought about the future.
She would rise above her limits.
She would become strong.
And so, with that conviction, she devoted herself to her quests.
Bi Yuan worked tirelessly.
The more berries she gathered, the more traps she set, the more she adapted—
The more she grew.
And with that growth, a new feeling began to take root in her heart.
Ambition.
The little bunny began to dream.
And because she dreamed—
She worked harder.
She toiled day after day, her efforts accumulating, her strength increasing. She endured. She waited.
And then—
It happened.
Her breakthrough.
It was no longer just a thought.
No longer just a hope.
Slowly but surely, it was becoming real.
+10 EXP
+10 EXP
Bi Yuan trembled with excitement.
Every time the system pinged, every time she earned more EXP, she could feel it.
She was no longer a weak little bunny.
The system had given her courage.
And soon enough, she was no longer just a creature that fled from danger.
She had become—
Faster!
Stronger!
Smarter!
Bi Yuan’s white fur glistened under the dappled sunlight that filtered through the trees. Her small yet powerful frame darted through the undergrowth, weaving through the forest with speed and grace.
Like every other day, she was out doing her quest.
But today…
Today would be different.
Because today, she would hunt.
And in her heart, a fire burned.
She would prove herself worthy.
Not just for herself—
But for the White Ape.
Bi Yuan’s paws moved with precision, her dexterous limbs setting more traps than ever before.
Everything was as the White Ape had taught her.
She surveyed the area.
Then—
Her ears perked.
She saw her target.
A wild chicken.
She crouched low, her tiny body hidden among the tall grass.
Her sharp red eyes watched every movement of the bird, analyzing its patterns, comparing its strength to her own.
Could she do it?
Yes.
She could.
Bi Yuan steeled her resolve.
Then—
She POUNCED!
With a single leap, she closed the distance in an instant.
The chicken barely had time to react before she was upon it.
Bi Yuan’s blunt white teeth sank into the bird’s neck.
She had no claws, so she used her nimble paws to strangle it.
The chicken thrashed.
It struggled.
But Bi Yuan held on.
She would not let go.
She had decided to hunt, and so she would see it through.
It took time—
But in the end, she won.
The chicken went limp.
The little bunny had killed her prey.
She had done it.
She had truly become a predator.
Something that no rabbit should ever be.
And yet—
She felt pride.
Joy.
She had accomplished something great.
She had earned EXP.
Her power had grown once more.
Out of curiosity, Bi Yuan took a small bite of the chicken’s meat.
She chewed.
Then—
She grimaced.
It was disgusting.
She spat it out immediately.
And here she thought it would taste better raw.
No. This was not for her.
This was a tribute.
The White Ape was an omnivore.
This would serve him better.
With that thought, Bi Yuan picked up her kill and hopped back toward the White Ape’s cave.
When she arrived, she could barely contain her excitement.
She hopped in place, presenting the dead chicken to the White Ape with pride.
The White Ape looked at her.
Then—
He smiled.
“Great! Great!” His voice rumbled with approval.
Bi Yuan beamed.
Then, the White Ape said something strange.
“I have just finished creating a Special Class for you, but it will take time for it to be uploaded into your system,” he explained.
Bi Yuan tilted her head.
She did not understand.
But then—
The White Ape reached out, placing a hand on her forehead.
“Until then, I will impart to you basic martial arts through mental inheritance.”
Suddenly—
Bi Yuan felt a prick in her brain.
A strange warmth spread through her skull.
And then—
Knowledge poured into her mind.
It flowed effortlessly, arranging itself within her consciousness.
Bi Yuan’s eyes widened.
What was this?
What was this feeling?
Her heart raced.
Something inside her was changing again.
She was evolving.
Again.
“Kyu!?”