Nascent soul beast — Silver Wolf!

Next Evening!

Deep within the forest, the ground rumbled with the scent of blood and the oppressive aura of battle.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Fairy Lianhua, her armor now stained with crimson, having multiple fractures.

She stood in the middle of a circle of snarling beasts, her golden strands of hair now smeared with dirt and blood.

Her breath came in ragged gasps, the weight of the colossal sword in her hands growing heavier with each passing moment.

"GRRRR!"

Before her, the massive Silver Wolf, a beast of terrifying power, glared at her with eyes that burned with fury.

Its fur shimmered like molten silver under the dying light, and its presence alone would have cowed any lesser cultivator.

At the Nascent Soul, it exuded an aura of dominance, and around it, the pack of wolves—each one having formed its own core—snarled and snapped, their strength nearly equal to hers, though their numbers were overwhelming.

"Why the hell are you attacking me?" Fairy Lianhua spat, her voice tinged with disbelief and anger as she wiped a smear of blood from her lips.

Her breath hitched, and she coughed violently, more blood staining her delicate hand, but she didn't falter.

Even as her body trembled from the exertion, her eyes remained sharp.

Whoosh!

With a swift, fluid motion, she swung her colossal sword, the blade humming with sword intent.

The sword itself was nearly as tall as she was, an intimidating weapon, yet she wielded it with lethal grace.

Each movement was precise strike, the curve of her body following the arc of the blade, seductive even in its lethality.

But no matter how many wolves she cut down, more kept coming.

The pack was endless, their coordination impeccable as they attacked in waves, each beast lunging for her with fangs bared.

Fairy Lianhua parried and slashed, her sword cleaving through fur and bone, yet the effort was beginning to take its toll.

Sweat mingled with blood on her skin, her chest heaving with each labored breath.

The larger Silver Wolf, the leader of the pack, let out a deep, rumbling growl that sent shivers down her spine.

Its eyes were fixed on her, glowing with an almost intelligent rage, as if it knew exactly who she was and why it wanted her dead.

"Damn it... I would need help!" she cursed under her breath, her voice edged with frustration and confusion.

"This doesn't make any sense..." she thought. Even though she had broken the jade for help, it might take time for them to arrive!

She didn't know if she could hold on much longer.

Even more, she couldn't understand why these beasts, particularly this pack, were suddenly attacking her, even at the cost of their lives.

There had been no warning, no reason for this ambush.

The Silver Wolf's growl deepened as it prowled closer, its pack fanning out around it.

Fairy Lianhua gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword as she struggled to maintain her balance.

She was cornered, and she knew it.

"… I won't go down that easily," she spat, her voice filled with a fiery determination despite the blood that stained her rosy lips.

She raised her sword, her body tense and trembling with exhaustion.

The Core Strengthening Realm was powerful, but against the sheer numbers and the might of a Nascent Soul beast, she was dangerously outmatched.

The Silver Wolf suddenly lunged, its massive body moving with terrifying speed.

Fairy Lianhua barely had time to react, her sword coming up to block the blow, but the force of the impact sent her skidding back, her feet digging into the dirt.

The collision jarred her entire body, pain flaring up her arms and into her chest, where another cough of blood splattered onto the ground.

'This is bad…' she thought, her vision blurring momentarily as she fought to stay on her feet.

The pack began to close in, the wolves sensing her weakening state.

Fairy Lianhua staggered back, wiping the blood from her lips with the back of her hand, the metallic taste lingering on her tongue.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and for the first time, she allowed herself to feel the desperation.

She reached into her robe, her fingers closing around a small, rugged piece of parchment—a treasure map she had fought and bled for.

With trembling hands, she unfolded it, her eyes locking onto the Silver Wolf's piercing gaze.

The beast stood at the head of its pack, its eyes still burning with that fierce, almost intelligent anger.

"Silver Wolf!" she called out, her voice hoarse but melodic, "I have something you want—a map to ancient ruins hidden beneath thousand beast forest! It's said to hold the secrets that could help you evolve, to transcend your current form. Let me go, and the map is yours."

She extended the map, her hand trembling slightly.

This parchment, the key to unimaginable power, was something she had fought and sacrificed for.

Now, it was her only bargaining chip, her only hope of escape.

All my efforts… wasted

She thought with a pain, the sting of her loss cutting deeper than the physical wounds.

She had crossed dynasties, endured countless trials, all for this map.

And now, she was forced to trade it just to stay alive.

The Silver Wolf's eyes remained locked on hers, cold and calculating.

But instead of the interest or hesitation she'd hoped for, its eyes reflected nothing but fierce, unwavering anger.

It growled deeply, the sound vibrating through the forest with a chilling anger.

"WOOF!" The Silver Wolf's howl shattered the silence, its refusal clear and absolute.

"Why...?" she murmured, disbelief coloring her soft voice. 'Why won't you take it?'

But there was no time to ponder as a sudden, searing pain tore through her abdomen.

Her eyes widened as she realized a wolf had sneaked up behind her, its fangs sinking deep into her side.

The pain was overwhelming, nearly causing her to black out.

"Ngh...!" she gasped, clutching her wound, blood spilling through her fingers.

The map slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground like a forgotten dream.

The corners of her vision darkened as she fought to stay conscious.