As Shi Yao and Li Wuji wandered deeper into the tranquil forest, the world around them seemed to exhale in peaceful stillness. Birds chirped lazily in the canopy above, and shafts of sunlight pierced through the dense leaves in golden rays. For a brief moment, Shi Yao allowed himself to forget the weakness of his body, the chains of his fate, and the pain that weighed on him like a second skin.
Then the earth moved.
It began as a subtle tremor beneath their feet—a mere whisper in the soil. But in the space of a breath, the forest's serenity shattered.
A violent quake erupted, tearing through the ground like a beast breaking its chains. A deep, guttural rumble rose from beneath, growing into a deafening roar that drowned out all else. Birds exploded into the air in panicked flocks, the sky above suddenly chaotic. Trees bowed and groaned under invisible pressure, their ancient roots ripped from the earth as jagged fissures tore open the ground. The air filled with choking dust, swirling leaves, and falling branches. Squirrels, deer, and foxes bolted past them in a wild frenzy, their instincts screaming of death.
Shi Yao stumbled, gripping the nearest tree for support, his eyes wide with disbelief. The world itself felt like it had turned against him.
Then he heard Li Wuji's voice—panicked, trembling beneath its urgency.
["Young master!"] Wuji shouted, his face pale and drenched in sweat as he turned sharply. ["We need to run! A beast… Foundation Establishment stage—it's coming this way! We have to leave now before it sees us!"]
Shi Yao blinked at him, heart pounding. The words struck like thunder, but he couldn't move. Couldn't think. His face twisted—a war of emotions flickered in his expression: raw fear, helplessness, frustration... yet behind it all, a strange glimmer of excitement and curiosity sparkled in his eyes.
["Foundation Establishment… so they really exist…"] he muttered under his breath, half in awe, half in disbelief. ["To think I'd see one this soon…"]
He never finished.
Before the last syllable left his lips, Li Wuji had already surged forward, scooping him up with a grunt and throwing him over his shoulder. Without pause, he broke into a sprint.
The world became a blur of speed and chaos.
Trees zipped by, their trunks streaks of brown and green. The wind howled in Shi Yao's ears, tugging at his loose robes. His body jolted with every powerful stride, pain lancing through him from the motion—but he didn't complain. Not now. He could feel Wuji's desperation in every breath, every footfall pounding against the forest floor.
He's scared. Shi Yao thought distantly. Truly scared.
Li Wuji's thoughts raced as fast as his legs. Damn it! Qi Refinement Layer 7—I'm no match for a Foundation Establishment beast. And carrying Shi Yao… it's like tying a stone to my back. If I fight, I die. If I run, I still might die. But I can't leave him.
Then it hit.
A blur of movement, a sickening crack, and pain exploded across Wuji's left shoulder. He was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing through tree after tree. Bark splintered. Leaves exploded into the air. He let go of Shi Yao mid-flight, the impact too sudden to resist.
Shi Yao hurtled into a nearby tree with a bone-rattling thud. A sharp crack echoed through the forest as he crumpled to the ground, blood splashing from his mouth as the world tilted and spun.
Pain.
Deep, searing pain flooded his senses. His entire body screamed in agony, every breath a struggle, his vision swimming in red.
Then he saw it.
From the dust and leaves stepped a monster.
It stood upright like a man, but that was where the resemblance ended. A wolf—hulking and sinewy, its coarse grey fur streaked with black and glistening crimson. Its eyes were blood-red, gleaming with primal hatred. And the aura around it… gods.
A foul, thick miasma of killing intent oozed from its body, so heavy it pressed down on Shi Yao like a mountain. The very air around it seemed to twist, rippling with pressure. Birds fell silent. Insects fled. Even the wind refused to brush past it.
Shi Yao could barely breathe. His weakened body shook violently beneath that suffocating force. So this is… the pressure of a Foundation Establishment beast... he thought, a spark of awe flickering through the haze of pain. It's like standing before a living calamity...
Not far away, Wuji groaned.
He forced himself to his knees, driving his sword into the soil to stop his skid. Dirt flew. Blood dripped from his lips.
Damn it… it caught up. He gritted his teeth. Shi Yao won't survive if I don't do something. Even if I die…
He rose, lifting his blade. A pale blue light shimmered around the steel, humming with Qi. The aura wasn't strong, but it was resolute. His grip tightened.
He dashed forward.
With a shout, he swung the blade toward the beast's exposed side—a clean, precise strike, honed from years of training.
But the wolf vanished.
Wuji's eyes widened as his blade struck empty air—and then—
BOOM.
The unleashed sword aura carved through the forest, a shockwave blasting outward. Trees were cleaved clean in half, their tops collapsing like dominoes. Birds fell from the sky. The ground quaked anew.
Then, behind him—
A heavy blow landed in his gut.
The beast had reappeared.
CRACK.
The punch sent Wuji hurtling backward, ribs shattering under the force. He crashed through three thick trees before finally skidding to a halt, coughing blood, his body crumpling in a heap.
Shi Yao, still sprawled against the tree, watched in silent horror.
He had no strength to help. No power to intervene.
And yet, as he stared at the monstrous creature stepping closer, a part of him—faint but defiant—refused to look away.