I'm a major player in a parallel universe

And so, the large group set off toward the prairie, but Yang Haoxuan didn't follow. He stood in place, hesitating. However, someone soon noticed him—none other than the rat-faced man.

"Hey! What's this? You're not coming with us? Planning to go solo?" The crowd turned to look, realizing it was the 6th-level Martial Artist. The murmurs of curiosity began.

"Strange! There sure are a lot of people looking to get themselves killed!"

"6th-level Martial Artist? Ha! Even a blood wolf around here is 6th-level!"

At this moment, Yan Ya stepped forward and said, "This warrior, the exit of the Terrifying Mountain is in the Ghost Cave's desolate mountains. You'd better come with us if you want a chance at survival!"

Well, at least Yan Ya's heart wasn't completely cold. But Yang Haoxuan could not accept her offer. A large team would soon reach the Ghost Cave, and even then, it would still take two more months before they could leave. Meanwhile, he only had nine Blood Pills.

A bloody storm was inevitable, and Yang Haoxuan had no intention of being slaughtered by these people. Instead of joining them, he decided to fight some monsters and level up. Perhaps he could reach the 9th level of Martial Artist and then take advantage of the Ghost Cave's treasure hunt.

He chuckled inwardly at the thought and replied, "No thanks! I plan to stay here and train for a bit!"

Yan Ya heard his words and thought to herself, You're crazy. Even with three months, you wouldn't reach the 7th level of Martial Artist, and you won't get out of here alive. But she wasn't a selfless savior either, so she led the group away. Once they were far enough, the Black Forest was left with only Yang Haoxuan.

Before, the presence of so many people had masked the eerie atmosphere, but now, with only himself, the forest felt chilling and oppressive, sending shivers down his spine.

As he traveled, he was extra cautious, constantly checking the attributes of anything that gave off a dangerous vibe.

Sure enough, he soon encountered many "carnivorous trees" and "man-eating flowers," but Yang Haoxuan wisely chose not to provoke them. Instead, he focused on finding an appropriate target.

He wasn't sure where to look, but he knew something would eventually come up. It was just like in a game.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

A familiar sound soon reached his ears. Yang Haoxuan immediately realized he was being stalked. Carefully scanning the grass, he spotted a blood wolf lurking in the bushes, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Before it noticed he had seen it, Yang Haoxuan quickly checked its attributes.

Beast: Blood Wolf

Level: Beast, 6th Grade

Strength: 321

Agility: 302

Attack: Claw Strike, Poisonous Fangs, Blood Spray (a deadly attack where the wolf expels its poisonous blood from its mouth, sacrificing its own life to attack the enemy)

Characteristics: Extremely fast, poisonous teeth, decaying body.

Weaknesses: Eyes, neck, lower abdomen, and anus.

"Phew!" Yang Haoxuan slowed his breathing. Despite being a beast, no—a demon beast, he could still tell it wouldn't be easy to deal with.

In the next moment, the blood wolf leapt out from the bushes. It wasn't particularly large, but its decaying body and black blood were repulsive. Its crimson, demon-like eyes and gaping maw made it look even more terrifying.

Thud, thud, thud!

The wolf didn't hesitate and charged straight at Yang Haoxuan with ferocity in its eyes, a beast completely consumed by its instincts. It was a fight to the death.

Yang Haoxuan stepped back to create some space, and when the blood wolf pounced, he gathered strength and slashed his blade down onto its skull.

Crack!

The battle blade sank halfway into the wolf's skull but got stuck. What caught Yang Haoxuan off guard, however, was that despite such a heavy blow, the wolf didn't falter at all.

The blood wolf even broke free of the blade, its brain matter splattering across the ground, yet it continued charging at Yang Haoxuan without stopping.

Yang Haoxuan immediately understood what made these blood wolves so difficult: they didn't fear pain, didn't fear injury, and would keep fighting to the death. In fact, they would even spit blood at their enemies in their final moments. Truly ruthless.

Fortunately, Yang Haoxuan had Spiral True Qi. He swung his blade again, this time infusing it with his Spiral True Qi. The blade tore through the blood wolf's head, shredding it into pieces and preventing it from unleashing its deadly blood spray.

At the moment the blood wolf died, Yang Haoxuan's game interface lit up, showing a significant experience boost—experience that would have taken him over ten hours of training to earn.

"Looks like I didn't make a wrong decision!" Yang Haoxuan was elated. That one fight was worth more than ten hours of grinding. Ten hours—who knows how many beasts he could slay in that time.

After reviewing the battle, Yang Haoxuan realized it was more of a battle of wits between man and beast. The ordinary attacks were useless—only his Spiral True Qi or other powerful moves could do real damage. However, it drained a lot of energy. Luckily, he had brought plenty of healing potions and Qi Gathering Pills with him.

The Qi Gathering Pills restored his spiritual energy.

Suddenly, a chilling howl filled the air. The blood wolf he had just slain was still fresh, and the surrounding area quickly filled with the sounds of other wolves closing in.

The team that had entered the prairie also heard the howls and couldn't help but sneer.

"That fool killed a blood wolf and didn't even cover up the scent! What a way to get himself killed!"

"Shit! There must be at least a dozen blood wolves heading this way!"

Yang Haoxuan's heart sank. The scent of the blood wolf was spreading, and within moments, the ground around him was soaked in a pool of blood, its nauseating stench spreading for at least a mile.

The number of blood wolves was overwhelming, and even with his current skills, Yang Haoxuan wasn't sure he could handle so many. He immediately turned and fled.

...

A month passed, and Yang Haoxuan had spent the entire month in the Black Forest, fighting blood wolves and dealing with countless poisonous insects and strange trees. In just this short time, he had transformed completely. His once pristine black robe was now torn and ragged, and he had removed his mask, revealing a few days' worth of stubble.

His battle blade was also scarred, with several deep gashes. During this time, Yang Haoxuan had gone from being a jungle novice to becoming a master of camouflage. After the first encounter with the blood wolves, he realized the importance of hiding his scent. Without the game's tracking ability, he would have died many times over.

He knew he had been reckless coming here—it was far more dangerous than he had imagined. His back and arms had been scratched by poisonous claws, and those wounds had begun to rot, showing no sign of healing.

Fortunately, after inspecting the wounds, he found the antidotes he needed in the forest. Everything in this place seemed to have an antidote counterpart, and he found herbs that helped treat the poison. Even though blood wolves were tough to fight, and each time he killed one, he had to mask the scent or deal with more wolves hunting him, he was learning and growing stronger.

He had fought over twenty blood wolves, and though it was the hardest day of his life, the reward had been worth it.

Over the month, he had slain thousands of blood wolves—experience equivalent to months or even a year of regular cultivation. Particularly with the life-or-death experiences, his physical body had reached its peak condition.

Moreover, by consuming the Qi Gathering Pills regularly, he had reached the 7th level of Martial Artist. His game level had also risen by two, granting him substantial attribute points and skill points. He had added points to his Warrior and Mage skills and unlocked healing abilities.

With these new skills, Yang Haoxuan found himself more at ease in the Black Forest, and the once formidable blood wolves were no longer as terrifying.

He checked his stats.

Character: Yang Haoxuan

Level: 12

Martial Artist Level: 7th level

Class: Full-time

HP: 1128/1128

MP: 787/787

Strength: 397

Wisdom: 621

Spirit: 241

Agility: 612

Class Skills: Fireball +4 (Mage), Rapid Slash +4 (Warrior), Earth Flame +2 (Mage), Thunder Slash +1 (Warrior), Wrath of the Sky Flame +1 (Mage), Eagle Eye +1 (Healer), Healing Dance +1 (Healer)

Life Skills: Alchemy

Though his level was still low, with so many skills, Yang Haoxuan was confident he could challenge even a 9th-level Martial Artist. But Martial Masters...

"Looks like it's time to test the second stage!" Yang Haoxuan glanced at the prairie in the distance and started packing.

Meanwhile, Yang Haoxuan turned to the deeper part of the Black Forest. There, a Blood Wolf King awaited—a creature at the peak of the 8th level of Martial Artist. And the experience from killing it wasn't based on its level but its difficulty. The rewards were enormous.

However, Yang Haoxuan knew he wasn't strong enough yet. He had barely escaped from the blood wolves a few times and was not ready to face the king.

"Forget it. I'll come back when I'm stronger," Yang Haoxuan said as he ran toward the exit.

By afternoon, he finally made it out of the Black Forest. The bright sunlight nearly blinded him as it pierced his eyes, highlighting the oppressive darkness of the forest he had just left.

The prairie, on the other hand, was a stark contrast. It was vast, bright, and verdant, with a fragrant scent carried by the breeze. However, Yang Haoxuan couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy—especially since the grass was so thick that it nearly covered his ankles. If something were hiding in the grass, it would be disastrous.

And Yang Haoxuan knew all too well that the more beautiful a place was, the more dangerous it could be. So, he activated his Eagle Eye skill.

"Eagle Eye activated. All senses awakened, Strength +110, Agility +110. Duration: 60 minutes."

The game interface flashed, and with his enhanced vision, Yang Haoxuan felt a surge of power. He could now hear the faintest rustle of the grass and even spot the smallest movements in the distance.

Confident the area was safe, he took his first cautious steps into the prairie. However, he didn't rush—every step was measured, every sound scrutinized.

Hours later, just as Yang Haoxuan began to relax, he stumbled upon something that sent a cold shiver down his spine.

Corpses. Dozens of them.