The Black-Horned Earth Bear roared, its massive body surging forward.
The ground trembled.
Yu Chen's pupils constricted. Against a Body Tempering Six-Star demon beast, brute force was suicide.
He inhaled sharply.
"Nether Shadow Wolf."
The instant he called its name, a cold sensation spread through his limbs.
Within his dantian, the demon spirit stirred.
A faint shadow peeled away from Yu Chen's body, wrapping around him like a second skin. His vision sharpened. The world slowed—not stopped, but clearer.
This was a basic combat technique all cultivators knew.
Demon Spirit Possession.
By temporarily channeling a demon spirit's power, a cultivator could greatly enhance their physical abilities—at the cost of spiritual energy and stamina.
Yu Chen felt it immediately.
His body grew lighter.His muscles more responsive.His movements—faster.
The Earth Bear's paw slammed down where he had been standing.
Yu Chen had already moved.
He darted to the side, barely grazing the bear's flank with his blade. The strike cut fur, not flesh.
Too shallow.
The bear swung its horned head violently.
Yu Chen leapt back, heart pounding.
"So tough…"
This was no fragile lynx.
The Nether Shadow Wolf's presence pressed closer, silent and focused. It did not overwhelm him—it supported him, feeding just enough power to sharpen his movements.
Yu Chen circled.
The bear charged again.
This time, Yu Chen didn't retreat.
At the last moment, he slid low, shadows clinging to his legs as he slipped beneath the bear's swing. He slashed upward, striking behind the front leg.
Blood splattered.
The bear howled, fury erupting.
Its next attack came faster.
Too fast.
Yu Chen crossed his blade to block—clang!—the impact sent him skidding backward, boots carving furrows into the dirt. His arms went numb.
Pain flared.
Not deadly.
But real.
Yu Chen steadied himself, breathing hard.
The shadow around his body flickered.
Demon spirit possession couldn't last forever.
He had minutes. Maybe less.
"Again," he muttered.
The bear reared up, exposing its chest for an instant.
Yu Chen seized the opening.
The Nether Shadow Wolf surged—just a little more.
Yu Chen's speed spiked.
He lunged, blade driving forward with everything he had.
The strike pierced deep, slipping between bone and muscle.
The bear staggered.
Its roar weakened.
With a final slash, Yu Chen tore the blade free and leapt back.
The Black-Horned Earth Bear collapsed with a thunderous crash, shaking the forest floor.
Silence followed.
Yu Chen stood still, chest heaving.
The shadow peeled away from his body, retreating into his dantian.
The Nether Shadow Wolf settled back into dormancy.
Yu Chen wiped sweat from his brow.
"That… took too much out of me."
His legs trembled slightly—but he was standing.
Alive.Unbroken.
He approached the fallen beast and carefully extracted its demon core.
The crystal was larger than the others, dark brown with veins of black running through it.
"Six-star core," Yu Chen said quietly.
Worth several spirit stones.
He slipped it into his pouch and sat down against a tree, letting his breathing slow.
The fight had been hard.
Painful.
But controlled.
That was the difference.
Yu Chen looked toward the deeper parts of Black Fang Mountain.
His eyes were steady.
"Speed alone isn't enough," he murmured."But it's a start."