Vahn kept his focus as the physical discomfort and mental distraction were fought down by the sharp, metallic taste of his own blood.
For the rest of the night, he and Lilith were locked in that intimate spiritual embrace.
Lilith’s vast consciousness acted as a spiritual guidance, constantly pouring data into Vahn’s mind, forcing his fledgling Spirit Sense to expand and categorize the overwhelming volume of information.
Under this intense, focused pressure, Vahn didn’t just passively absorb; he actively worked as well.
He rapidly comprehended the technique.
As the cold hours of the night dragged on, Vahn’s head throbbed, but his chaotic thoughts calmed down.
The initial shock of the saintess’s closeness faded into an accepted, background state.
Lilith’s intent was purely instructive, but the shared meal, danger, and now this profound spiritual fusion were slowly chipping away at her defense.
Soon, Dawn arrived.
The first light of morning began to struggle through the dense canopy of the Starless Forest.
It wasn’t the sun Vahn sensed first, but the change in the forest’s energetic signature as the nocturnal beasts retreated and the daylight ones began to stir.
It was in this moment of transitional energy that Vahn felt a small, fundamental shift deep within his spiritual core.
The residual memory of Lilith’s Spirit sense didn’t just fade; it coalesced.
Vahn felt a pop in his mind. It was a sensation akin to a door opening where there had only been a wall.
A new, independent sphere of awareness awakened forth from his soul. He finally awakened his Spirit Sense.
Lilith instantly recognized the moment of awakening. She then, finally, gently, separated from Vahn’s back.
Vahn stumbled slightly, not from fatigue, but from the sudden, contrasting loss of her presence.
But he quickly steadied himself, focusing on the new extraordinary sensation. He couldn’t make a mistake at such a critical moment.
He closed his eyes and pushed his spiritual energy outward.
However, instead of the boundless ocean of awareness he’d shared with Lilith, he now commanded a small, perfect sphere of Spirit Sense.
It was a crystal-clear awareness that extended only 10 meters in all directions around him.
But, within that 10-meter diameter, he saw everything: the texture of the moss on the nearest tree, the exact location of a beetle digging into the dirt, and the flow of air currents.
The range was pitiful compared to Lilith’s, who easily possessed a range of tens of miles, but it was entirely his. That’s a significant achievement.
"Ten meters," Vahn informed with a sigh. "It’s really small."
Lilith wanted to roll her eyes.
"Be content, you fool. It is just a foundation," she corrected, though her tone held more emotion to it.
"Most cultivators at your level struggle to achieve even one meter within a month of tireless dedication. And yet, you achieved 10 meters in just one night. That’s something you should be proud about."
"Do not compare your beginning to my mastery. At least, you now have the necessary spirit sense to survive Earth Rank packs on your own."
She turned, pointing her finger deeper into the mist-shrouded forest.
"We shall continue now," she commanded. "Use that Spirit Sense. Keep it active. Make it your habit. The next few hours will be dedicated to traversing without being detected. Let us see if your Spirit Sense is as sharp as your blade."
Vahn nodded, dedicating himself entirely to the movement exercise. He pressed the Spirit Sense outward, using it to navigate the treacherous forest floor with unerring precision.
He glided silently past razor-sharp vines and over hidden root systems.
For the next few hours, he moved like a phantom, Lilith matching his pace effortlessly. His spiritual acuity grew stronger with use, becoming less a conscious effort and more a natural, ambient sense.
Just as the sun climbed higher, breaking the gloom with bright light, Vahn’s expanded Spirit Sense detected something new.
It was not a beast, but the clear, distinct signatures of humans.
"Stop," Vahn whispered, raising a hand.
Lilith stopped instantly, "What is it?"
She didn’t bother to use her own Spirit Sense.
"There arehumans,"" Vahn reported, focusing his awareness through a dense patch of foliage.
"Several figures, highly active. They are engaged in fierce combat."
They moved silently to the edge of the foliage. Peering through the leaves, Vahn and Lilith saw an open clearing where a desperate battle was unfolding.
A group of sevencultivators,, displayinga decent level ofl cultivation, were locked in a deadly struggle against a massive, towering creature.
"It’s a Rock Giant, a Sky Level Beast," Lilith informed.
Vahn nodded, his expression turning grim. He also heard about these terrifying Spirit Beasts before. In the past, while aiding the hunters, he had the opportunity to see them in person.
He and the village hunters practically ran for their lives.
The current one was no less scary than that. It was approximately 10 meters tall, like a walking disaster.
The very ground shook with every clumsy step the giant took.
Vahn decided to ignore them. Intervening in their battle would just be a waste of time after all.
"Let’s go, Instructor. This is not our fight," Vahn murmured.
But just as they prepared to slip away, the scene changed.
"GRRR..."
The Rock Giant let out a frustrated roar, shattering a nearby boulder. "Boom!"
The loud sound momentarily stunned the combatants.
In that brief pause, one of the warriors, a striking red-haired young man with a sharp gaze and an air of noble bearing, turned his head toward Vahn and Lilith.
His sharp gaze pierced through the foliage and locked directly onto the duo.
The young man was initially disinterested in the couple as they were already busy dealing with the rock giant..
But all of a sudden, his expression instantly twisted into one of pure, ferocious rage.
He didn’t just see Vahn; he recognized him.
"Vahn Woodinson!" The young man bellowed with shock, hatred, and disbelief, momentarily forgetting the monster crushing the ground beside him.
"You bastard! You dare show your face here!"
Vahn blinked, utterly dumbfounded. He glanced at Lilith, who remained an unmoving shadow.
"What in the world? Does he even know me? And even if he does, why is he so mad at me? I don’t recall ever making such a foe."
Lilith just crossed her arms and said, "Sometimes, we don’t choose our enemies, Vahn Necrotis. They simply exist because of the simple choices we make in our life. Whether those choices are good or bad, it doesn’t matter. But a true warrior must be able to solve their own problems. As such, I will not help you."