Ancient trees towered around Liu Xing like silent giants, their dense canopy blocking most sunlight from reaching the forest floor. The darkness and cold made him feel like a snail creeping between colossal feet. This nameless dark forest, maintained by the Purple Moon Sect as a preserve for valuable herbs and beasts, would serve as the perfect testing ground for his gun's true capabilities.

Liu Xing discovered a shallow cavity between massive tree roots. After stashing his pack there, he surveyed his surroundings, mentally outlining his testing progression. First, he would target large predators like tigers or giant snakes. Then he would advance to spirit beasts, ideally finding one at the Lock Opening fifth stage.

"The early steps should be straightforward enough," he thought, noting scattered claw marks that suggested bear activity nearby. He hoped it was just a normal bear, not a spirit beast.

Circulating qi through his body, Liu Xing felt his strength surge. He leaped upward, landing easily on a branch several meters above ground. The surrounding branches were equally broad, forming a natural network for aerial movement.

He bounded from branch to branch, the wind whipping through his black hair. "This is cool!" he exclaimed. "How did I never try this in two years? I feel like a ninja!"

After a few minutes of acrobatic jumps and stylish flips, growling and hissing caught his attention. Instantly alert, he moved silently through the canopy until he could see a clearing. A massive snake, several meters long, had coiled around a giant brown bear. Despite the bear's impressive height of over three meters, it was almost completely enveloped by the snake's coils. Only its head remained visible, its eyes bloodshot as it desperately sank its fangs into the snake's belly. The snake's slitted yellow eyes gleamed with smug confidence as if it's certain of victory.

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Liu Xing summoned his gun and steadied his nerves. Neither creature radiated qi—they were normal animals, perfect for his initial tests. Still, despite his eagerness to hunt, he remained focused on his primary objective. He had a strong feeling that this gun would reveal something extraordinary. He could not explain why, but his gut told him it would.

He aimed at the snake's head, finger resting on the trigger. After several seconds of concentration, something extraordinary happened. The gun began to fade from view, like a chameleon adapting to its surroundings. The effect spread from the gun to his hand, then his arm, shoulder, and finally his entire body, until Liu Xing completely vanished.

Fighting to control his excited heartbeat, he wondered, "Okay, now how do I undo this?"

He relaxed his posture and willed himself visible again. Like paint appearing on an invisible canvas, his form gradually returned to view.

Below, the bear's struggle ended violently—its head burst, spraying blood and brain matter across the snake's green scales. The serpent uncoiled and swallowed its prey whole, creating a massive bulge in its body before beginning to slither away.

"Should I kill it?" Liu Xing muttered.

The invisibility slightly puzzled him. He had not turned invisible when he targeted the eagle. Was it triggered by perceived danger? The eagle had not felt threatening, but this snake was clearly lethal. As the snake neared a bush, Liu Xing decided to keep things simple. He thought that perhaps killing a dangerous creature would reveal new abilities.

He lined up his shot and squeezed the trigger. The near-invisible bullet struck perfectly between the snake's eyes, killing it instantly.

Liu Xing examined himself and his gun, but no new abilities manifested after the kill.

Disappointed, he prepared to seek another target when two bear cubs emerged from the undergrowth. They attacked the dead snake frantically, clawing and biting at its corpse with desperate fury. Liu Xing realized these must be the dead bear's offspring, who had hidden during the fight.

Leaping to a higher branch, Liu Xing prepared to continue his hunt. While he was confident in his newfound invisibility, he needed to understand its triggers and limitations.

With an eager smile and anticipation building in his chest, Liu Xing set off in search of his next prey.

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