Inside the inner region of the moon forest.
Ace was moving at a fast speed. It has been six months since he left the red mountain city and starts his journey towards New-Moon City the number one city of the land of cities.
He was still six or seven months away from reaching New-Moon City.
In his whole six months of journey, he improved by leaps and bounds. He fights with all kinds of demonic beasts and he was almost invincible here.
Ace felt freedom in this wildness because here he didn't have to guard against anyone, there are no schemes or malice here. He can do anything without worrying about the consequences. Most importantly he can cultivate and improve his skills at an astronomical rate.
He was at the Nine Gate of Qi Gates realm because he still couldn't find the 'special condition' that he needs to fulfill to enters the Qi Foundation Building realm. And he was quite depressed about it.
'cii cii'
Ace heard some movement in front but he didn't slow down at all. With a thought, Black Blade Swords Set appeared in his hands. In his right hand appeared a long black sword and in his left hand appeared a short black sword.
'First move of the 'Dual Swords Mirage Art' 'Hundred Shadows Mirage!' The moment Ace thought about this move HD-Qi starts to pour into both swords and from both of those blades, HD-Qi began to rise like smoke.
Ace both hands move in front of his chest and both swords connected in '/' shape. The HD-Qi starts to rise the moment both swords connected and Ace didn't delay either. He slashed both swords at the same time and suddenly a single '/' slash turn into a hundred '/' slashes and directly landed on the ground in front. Dirt started to raised because of this powerful attack.
This was the first move of his self-created Dual Swords Mirage Art hundred shadow mirage. Ace has designed this art especially for his dual swords and it was also quite compatible with his weapon technique Dual Shadow Swords.
On the ground when the dust settles there was the corpse of a big lizard demonic beast its whole frame has changed and it was already cut into many pieces because of his attack. It was hard to tell just what kind of species it was when it was alive. Just by the damage that Ace's attack has caused one could tell his sword art was not ordinary at all.
"[You have killed an Early Stage Qi Foundation Building Realm Demonic Beast. You have earned 500 EXP.]"
[EXP: 45,100/50.000]
'sigh'
Ace sighs deeply as he saw the system notification. Even that early-stage Qi foundation realm demonic beast was killed in one move.
That was the reason Ace was frustrated the most because he can't find any challengers at all now and because of this he can't do this life and death method as well.
He nearly killed almost fifty early-stage qi foundation and hundreds of peak Qi Gates realm demonic beasts but they were all easily killed. He didn't encounter any mid-level demonic beast in the past three months.
Once he thought that collecting the fifty thousand EXP without pills or medicinal herbs would be impossible but after coming here he found out that it was not the case at all. This forest was filled with EX... 'ahem' demonic beasts.
Now, just by looking at his EXP, he was wondering if he should stop hunting these demonic beasts because if his EXP reached the required EXP amount he would have to build his foundation at that time. But he didn't want this to happen at least not until he fulfilled the 'condition'.
He even tries asking the system about it but he gets nothing from it either.
"Should I go towards the core region?" Ace muttered under his breath.
To complete his mission, he got five years and he still got more than four years left. So, Ace beginning to have second thoughts.
After seeing the rough map of the moon forest, he guessed that if he goes directly towards the new moon city he will reach it in six months at his speed but if he goes towards the core region of the moon forest the whole trip would take approximately two years in his estimate.
Because the core region of the moon forest was not drawn on the map and only information of it was available and strangely no one has gone there for almost fifty years.
Kingdoms didn't pay much attention to this place and here no one was strong enough to dive deeper into the moon forest especially in the core region. It is said that there were only mid-stage or even peak level qi foundation realm demonic beasts exist there, but it was not a complete truth. Because for decades no one has ever returned alive from there no even a peak level qi foundation realm cultivator.
That's why Ace was still in a dilemma. 'To go or not go.'
As for returning in two years, it was the time that he has estimated after seeing an old map of the moon forest.
After pondering on it for some time determination flashed past Ace's eyes and he changes his direction towards the north of the moon forest. He was going straight towards the core region of the forest and the most dangerous part of the forest.
Ace made his decision based on his skills and needs. His skills were all at the perfection stage except his true and false eyes.
That skill was just too profound and he still didn't manage to take it to perfection.
Dual shadow swords technique was also on the verge of breakthrough it was just that something was missing he was stuck in it as well.
In Ace's view this forest was much safer than any city out there because he can always run without worrying about anything, but in those cities he life was even more in danger.
Ace needed power more than anything because he needed to protect himself no matter what. The reason for this was extremely simple because now Eva's life was tied with his and he can't afford to lose her and only by becoming powerful he can ensure it. That's why he decided to go into the core region to find a way for a breakthrough.
Four months later.
Ace was currently standing on a tree and looking at the thick white mist that was surrounding the depth of moon forest. This mist was like a line between the inner and core regions of the moon forest.
In four months, he didn't kill any more demonic beasts because he didn't want to take the risk and only practice his cultivation and skills. But his training didn't go in vain just a week ago he finally manages to Perfected all the five basic skills that he got from the system when he first started his cultivation journey.
Ace was very excited at that time.
However, all his excitement dies down after reaching here because that thick white mist was giving him chills in the spine.
Ace's soul cultivation was not for just show and if he was getting warning by his sharp soul sense that's mean this place is extremely dangerous.
But Ace didn't back down and with extreme caution, he active his stealth and merge with surrounding, now no one can detect him even in light.
Ace carefully utilizes his silent steps and without making any sounds he enters the white mist.
The more Ace goes deeper inside the mist the more his soul sense tingles in alarm. He even active his Heavenly Sense because with it he can 'see' around thirty meters clearly even in this thick mist. So, if something did come that thing can never sneak upon him.
Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead because he was using his Heavenly Soul Qi together with his HD-Qi and two skills and it was too exhausted on him even with his Nine Darkness Gates opened.
After fifteen minutes of walking, he finally saw the white mist started to become thin, and finally, he saw the end of the mist.
Ace carefully exited the white mist and become stunned after what he saw on exiting.
In front of him were tall towering grey trees forest, they were thousands of them and all of them were more than a hundred meters tall and tens of meters thick and there was not a single leaf on those grey trees.
The strangest thing was it was dark in here there was no sign of light like the inner region.
If not for Ace's excellent night vision that he gets after he opened four hidden gates of darkness he would be blind right now.
'This place is creepy.' That was the thought that comes to his mind seeing the core region of the moon forest.
Ace was on high alert after entering this place. He never felt this kind of sensation before that this place was giving him. It was cold and sinister at the same time.
He thinks of returning first but abruptly halted in his steps because he suddenly felt the dark void react to something in that grey tree's forest!