It was then that Zhou You noticed the bird's talons gleaming metallically. Such a feature was impossible on a bird just a decade ago, and he could only imagine the damage it could inflict.

"What on earth is this creature? Did I somehow travel to another world?" Zhou You remained on high alert. Armed only with a military dagger from his backpack, he continued evading the giant bird, unsure of how to counterattack, and mainly using the terrain for cover.

The bird's patience waned. Seemingly frustrated with its elusive prey, it let out an enraged cry, lifting an entire tree with its talons and hurling it towards Zhou You.

Zhou You summoned his inner strength, leaping into the air. He grabbed onto a vine to propel himself out of the attack zone. Landing gracefully on a tree branch, his gaze grew increasingly menacing.

With no large trees left for cover, the enormous bird dove down excitedly. Timing his move perfectly, Zhou You vaulted upwards several meters, seizing a vine to swing onto its back. Rapidly, he wrapped the vine around the bird's neck and tightened his grip.

"I never expected even its feathers to be so hard. No wonder it seemed unaffected by blows. Is this even a bird?"

The giant bird soared higher, trying to shake off its human burden. Holding tight, Zhou You realized the vine's length was limited. Soon, it would be uprooted. He couldn’t let the bird fly higher, for even if he managed to deal with the creature, he would plunge to his death.

As the bird flipped with its back facing downward, Zhou You quickly shifted, climbing onto its belly. Just as he had suspected, the underbelly feathers were soft. Channeling his inner strength into his military dagger, he thrust it deep into the bird's abdomen. Blood sprayed as the bird let out a painful shriek. The frantic flapping of its wings produced a gust so strong that Zhou You could barely keep his eyes open. Gripping his dagger, he sliced open the bird's belly, sending a powerful surge of inner energy that shattered its internal organs and blood vessels. Blood rained down, splattering Zhou You's face.

As he plummeted towards the ground, Zhou You adjusted his breathing, straightened his body, and lightly tapped the treetops with his toes. Using the momentum, he gracefully landed on flat ground. Moments later, the massive carcass of the bird thudded behind him, causing the ground to tremble.

Zhou You waited several minutes before approaching the bird's body. Upon closer inspection, the creature resembled an enlarged and enhanced vulture. Its talons were as sharp as a sickle and undoubtedly matched the sharpness of his military dagger. The outer rim of its wings had the sharpest feathers, which Zhou You had witnessed effortlessly cutting through branches.

Zhou You painstakingly plucked those feathers. Counting them, there were 108 in total. Testing their function, they proved more efficient than wooden or stone projectiles, resembling a miniature flying dagger formation.

"Thank you, mighty bird. I'll take these feathers as a token. In return, I’ll spare your flesh." Zhou You licked his lips, realizing it had been a decade since he last tasted meat. He had been subsisting on fruits from trees in a cave. After advancing to the third level of the Taiyi Heart Sutra, his need for food diminished. Even if he went without food for a month, he wouldn’t feel hunger. But a human's craving for delicacies persisted. Now, he yearned for a lavish feast.

Zhou You chose a direction and began descending the mountain. Unsure of which direction led closer to human civilization, he decided to head north. He wanted to return home and check on his family, whom he hadn’t contacted for ten years.

Chapter 002: Are we still fighting? If not, I'll leave.

The descent wasn't easy. In fact, there seemed to be no path at all. It appeared that nobody had ventured into these mountains. Yet how was that possible? This wasn’t a primordial forest but merely a small hill outside a county in FJ province.

Every so often, Zhou You would jump to the treetops for a better view. But all he saw was an endless expanse of green forest. A single human seemed utterly insignificant amidst this vast sea of green.

As he ventured deeper, Zhou You was met with creatures much larger than he remembered from a decade ago. Even a mere mountain chicken was now the size of an ostrich, continually shattering his perceptions.

Most importantly, these animals were very aggressive. Thankfully, he hadn’t encountered another creature as formidable as the giant bird. Displaying his feather daggers was usually enough to intimidate or eliminate any threat.

He had emerged from his retreat in the morning. By dusk, the temperature had dropped significantly. The sparse rags on his body provided little warmth. Grudgingly, he skinned a few wild rabbits and wrapped himself in their pelts.

As night fell, the forest seemed to come alive, buzzing with activity. Zhou You could see in the dark, but with less clarity than during daylight. Unwilling to risk it, he found a cave to shelter for the night.

A lone, elderly wolf resided within. It might have been ostracized from its pack due to its frailty. A few intimidating gestures from Zhou You, and the wolf quickly vacated the cave.

Using a large stone, Zhou You blocked half the cave entrance, settling down on a dry spot to meditate. His practice of the Taiyi Heart Sutra, a profound inner energy cultivation technique, reminded him of the importance of power in this treacherous jungle. He couldn't afford to slack off.

At dawn, a large python slithered in from above the cave entrance. Its body was as thick as a barrel, covered in rigid scales that made a rustling sound when it moved. Its glowing green eyes shone in the dark as it slowly approached Zhou You.

Being in meditation heightened Zhou You's senses, allowing him to detect the python's approach. Even as the snake's head neared him, its tail remained outside, hinting at its immense length.

Silently alarmed, Zhou You sprang into action, narrowly avoiding the python's venomous spray. He rushed to the cave entrance.

The python gave chase, using its tail to smash the stone blocking the entrance. Seizing this opportunity, Zhou You darted out, but not before landing a punch on the cave's slope.

Chunks of earth and stone fell, burying the python. It barely slowed down. Zhou You initially considered fleeing but decided to confront the beast to gauge the caliber of creatures in the forest.