The Mist Forest lived up to its name—dense, damp, and draped in an eerie silence that made even experienced cultivators tread carefully.
But not Lin Xuan.
Having defeated the assassin Black Talon and now standing firmly in the Qi Transformation Realm, Lin Xuan ventured deeper into the forest alone. His goal: Spirit Bone Grass, an essential herb needed to stabilize Liu Yue's cultivation foundation. She had advanced too quickly; without proper support, her growth would become unstable—and Lin Xuan wouldn't allow that to happen.
As he moved through the undergrowth, his senses remained sharp.
The Scriptures of Severed Unity had refined his body to the level of a living weapon. Every nerve, bone, and muscle was honed through powerful body-tempering techniques. His hands had become sharper than steel.
A sudden rustle.
From the thicket, several shadowy figures emerged. Spirit beasts.
Four in total—beasts resembling muscular wolves, their fur bristling with faint spirit energy. Their cultivation ranged from the 1st to the 3rd Layer of Qi Transformation, making them dangeros.
Lin Xuan didn't hesitate.
The first beast lunged. He ducked beneath its leap and struck upward with a palm to its abdomen. The sheer force sent the creature flying backward into a tree, collapsing with a thud.
Another charged from behind. Lin Xuan spun with a sweeping backhand, his knuckles slamming into its jaw. A crack echoed through the clearing as the beast collapsed.
The last two came together, claws outstretched, eyes glowing with aggression. Lin Xuan launched forward, grabbed one by the throat, and drove it into the ground. The second bit down on his forearm—but his skin, strengthened by cultivation, held firm. He shifted, grabbed the beast, and hurled it into a boulder.
Within moments, the area was still again.
Lin Xuan stood calmly among the downed beasts, his breathing steady. His hands—bloodied, bruised—flexed at his sides. No weapon. No mercy. Just raw strength.
He pushed onward, deeper into the forest.
The energy in the air grew thicker, charged with something ancient and volatile. Soon, he came upon a wide clearing—and what he saw made even him pause.
Two enormous beasts faced off in the heart of the mist.
The first was a Horned Earth Bear, a massive creature towering over the trees, its body like a mountain of black fur and muscle. Its cultivation aura was heavy and oppressive—clearly at the 2nd Layer of the Profound Heavenly Realm.
Its opponent slithered above the underbrush—an immense Lightning-Scaled Serpent, its sinuous body glowing with arcs of electricity that sparked with every movement. Jagged fins lined its back like blades, and its eyes shone with unnatural intelligence. Its cultivation was even higher—3rd Layer of the Profound Heavenly Realm.
The two beasts were locked in battle. The bear roared, slamming its claws down with brute force. The serpent coiled and struck with precision, lightning lashing from its scales, cracking the earth with thunderous blasts.
From his hiding spot behind a moss-covered stone, Lin Xuan watched silently. His eyes narrowed not just in awe—but in calculation.
> "That serpent..." he murmured. "Its aura... it's not ordinary. It might carry a trace of divine bloodline."
His instincts stirred. The Scriptures of Severed Unity had vague references to six legendary beast lineages, their power capable of reshaping fate. And here, in front of him, might be one of them.
He didn't move.
To interfere would be reckless. But to observe… and to wait?
This could be the chance of a lifetime.
---