The forest grew darker the deeper Li Shen ventured.
What began as scattered encounters soon turned into a constant pressure pressing in from all sides. The further he moved from the sect's boundary, the denser the trees became, their twisted branches blocking out the light above. Even the air felt heavier and thicker with Qi, but also with danger.
Li Shen didn't slow down.
If anything, he moved faster with purpose.
Hours passed.
Then, half a day.
By the time the sun began to set beyond the canopy, Li Shen had already gathered several beast cores. Each fight had been clean.. Efficient.. Controlled.
A strike... A kill... Move on.
"Seven…"
He looked down at the small collection in his hand before storing them away again.
There was no satisfaction in his expression.
Because he knew seven was not enough.
The top fifty would not be decided by effort but by results.
A sudden roar echoed in the distance.
Li Shen stopped.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
That wasn't an ordinary beast, the sound carried weight and power.
Without hesitation, he shifted direction and moved toward it.
The forest thinned slightly as he approached, opening into a wide clearing.
And what he saw made him pause.
A group of disciples surrounded a single beast.
It was massive.
Far larger than anything Li Shen had encountered so far. Its body was covered in dark, stone-like armor, its limbs thick and powerful. Each breath it took released a low, rumbling growl.
An Ironhide Bear.
But something was different, its presence was stronger than it should be.
"…Peak Body Refinement," Li Shen muttered under his breath.
There were at least five disciples attacking it, they worked together, coordinated and yet they were losing.
One of them was sent flying, crashing hard against a tree. Another barely avoided a crushing swipe that shattered the ground where he stood.
"They can't handle it," Li Shen realized instantly.
For a moment he didn't move.
This wasn't his fight, he could leave.
Find weaker targets and secure his place safely.
That would be the smarter choice.
But then
He noticed something.
The beast's core.
Even from a distance, he could sense it, it was stronger and denser more valuable than the others.
If he took it it will be worth much more
"…Ranking," he murmured.
Without another thought he stepped forward.
His movement was silent, but fast.
One of the disciples noticed him first.
"You—stay back!" he shouted. "This isn't—"
He didn't finish.
Li Shen was already moving.
The moment he entered the clearing, the bear's attention shifted.
ts massive head turned and its eyes locked onto him.
A deep, thunderous roar shook the air.
It charged.
The ground trembled beneath its weight.
Li Shen didn't retreat, instead he stepped forward.
At the last second, he shifted.
The bear's claw slammed into the ground where he had been standing, shattering stone and sending debris flying.
Li Shen moved along its side and struck.
His fist collided with its armored body.
A dull impact echoed.
But the beast didn't budge.
Li Shen's eyes narrowed.
"…Tough."
The bear swung again, faster this time.
Li Shen barely blocked, the force sending him sliding backward across the ground.
His arms trembled slightly.
This was different, this was far more dangerous than anything he had faced so far.
Behind him, the other disciples stared in shock.
"Who is that…?"
"He's fighting it alone..."
Li Shen exhaled slowly.
His body steadied.
He moved again, this time faster.
His strikes came in quick succession, targeting joints, weak points, areas where the armor was thinner.
The bear roared in anger as its attacks growing more violent.
But Li Shen didn't stop his attack, each movement was getting more sharper and precise.
The fight intensified.
Minutes passed.
Finally, the bear staggered.
Just slightly but it was enough.
Li Shen's eyes sharpened and he stepped in preparing to end it.
But at that exact moment something changed.
The air, shifted.
A cold, suffocating pressure spread across the clearing.
Li Shen froze.
The bear stopped moving.
Even the other disciples fell silent.
Then
From the shadows of the forest, a figure stepped out dressed in black his face hidden.
Presence…
Terrifying.
"…So," the figure said calmly, his voice low and emotionless, "this is where it is."
Li Shen's heart tightened.
Not because of fear but because of something deeper.
Something inside him
The armor suddenly reacted for the first time in two years.
It didn't feel like hunger.
It felt like....Recognition.
Li Shen's eyes widened slightly.
The figure's gaze shifted toward him.
And then he smiled.
"…I've finally found you."