The Center of Blackwood Forest

As Feng plunged deeper into the forest, an oppressive weight settled over his body and soul.

The air itself seemed to thicken, laden with a sense of impending doom.

Every step felt heavier, as though unseen eyes bore into him from every direction.

The canopy above seemed to close in, the once comforting shade now looked like a prison.

"Is this… the ruler?" Feng whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the eerie silence.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, his hands trembling. "Crap, did I just do something dumb?"

[Responding to host: You are within the vicinity of a high-level spiritual beast. The pressure from its cultivation base will wreak havoc on anyone below its level.]

The system suggests that the host leave this area immediately.]

Feng's jaw tightened. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage, like the beating of a drum.

"Damn it! Do you think I have a choice?"

Feng snapped internally, his mind racing, trying to think of a way out of this mess.

The oppressive energy bore down harder with every passing moment, his legs threatening to buckle beneath the weight.

[The system suggests that the host remain calm.]

"What the hell?" he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Isn't this thing supposed to be my partner or something? Why does it feel like it's nagging me at the worst time?"

Before he could catch his breath or steady his nerves, a sharp noise pierced the tense air.

THWANG!

Feng's instincts screamed at him to duck, and he did so just in time.

A vine hanging in front of him was sliced clean in half by an invisible force.

The severed halves fell to the ground with a faint rustle, and moments later, translucent daggers embedded themselves in the trees behind him, their edges shimmering with misty light.

The near-miss left his heart racing even faster, adrenaline surging through his veins.

"You won't escape," a cold voice called out, its tone dripping with menace.

"If you dare to risk entering here, why can't I?"

Feng turned to see Yuta stepping into view, his eyes glowing faintly with an ominous blue light.

His every step seemed deliberate, his presence amplifying the suffocating pressure, layering it atop the ruler's oppressive aura.

The dark blue aura around Yuta pulsed faintly, keeping lower-level spiritual beasts at bay.

Feng's heart sank further.

He had barely survived his battle against Ren, who was equivalent to a cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Condensation.

Now, he faced one at the seventh level, all while being within the domain of the forest's ruler.

"Am I really going to die here?" Feng thought bitterly, glancing back at Yuta.

His mind darted through the scenarios, each more desperate than the last.

Yuta's expression was as stoic as ever, though his aura was anything but neutral.

It radiated cold malice, the weight of a predator toying with its prey.

The oppressive silence stretched as Feng's thoughts scrambled for a way out.

Then, noticing how Yuta's aura kept the forest's other inhabitants at bay, an idea sparked in Feng's mind.

"Hey, system. Is there a way to attract other spiritual beasts here to distract him?" he asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

[Responding to host: Integrating further with the Blackwood Alpha Wolf's Heaven's Pact will emit a unique aura.]

[This may attract spiritual beasts in the vicinity. However, as this is the ruler's territory, any approaching beasts will likely be lower in rank.]

Feng's face twisted in frustration. "So, it's not a good idea. Damn it! What do I do now?"

His hands clenched into fists, as he tried to suppress the rising tide of panic.

He glanced at Yuta again, who now stood perfectly still, watching him cold eyes.

Despair began to claw at him, but a fierce determination soon replaced it.

If he couldn't escape, he would die on his terms.

He would take Yuta down with him.

Feng stopped running and turned to face his pursuer.

Yuta, noticing this, halted as well, his expression unreadable.

"Finally done running like a rat?" Yuta asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

Feng smirked despite the odds. "If I'm going to die anyway, I'll make sure you join me."

"Bold words from a cornered beast. Fine, I'll grant you your —"

Before Yuta could finish, Feng dashed forward.

He shouted to the system, initiating further integration with his Heaven's Pact.

The tattoo on his back erupted with a dark silver light, and his body began to transform.

His limbs grew longer and more muscular, his hands morphing into sharp claws.

Dark fur covered his body as his face elongated, resembling that of a Blackwood Alpha Wolf.

When the transformation completed, Feng felt a surge of power.

Yet, there was something unnerving about it.

He glanced at his hands, which now looked more wolf than human.

[Warning: The Blackwood Alpha Wolf's remnant spirit is attempting to seize control. Prolonged integration may result in the host being consumed.]

Feng's grip tightened. "No time for second thoughts," he growled, his voice guttural.

He leaped to a nearby tree, ripping off a thick branch and hurling it at Yuta with immense force.

Yuta easily deflected the attack, shattering the branch with a wave of his hand.

"Futile," he muttered, summoning dozens of translucent daggers that hovered around him, their edges gleaming with sharp light.

"Raincloud Art: Rain of Blades," Yuta said. The daggers shot forward in a relentless barrage.

Feng reacted instantly, his claws glowing with darksilver energy as he slashed through the air, intercepting the blades.

Sparks flew as their energies collided, illuminating the forest in bursts of light.

The ground trembled under the sheer force of their clash.

Without giving Yuta a chance to recover, Feng lunged forward, aiming for his throat.

Yuta sidestepped with ease, his expression unchanging.

"Raincloud Art: Misty Drizzle."

A dense blue mist enveloped the battlefield, its chill seeping into Feng's bones.

His vision blurred as the mist grew thicker, reducing the world around him to an oppressive haze.

A sharp pain tore through his side as a dagger materialized seemingly out of nowhere, piercing his flesh.

"Damn it!" Feng cursed, retreating to escape the mist.

But Yuta wasn't done.

The mist began to coalesce into countless blades, their edges shimmering with malicious intent.

"Raincloud Art: Misty Daggers," Yuta declared, his voice echoing through the fog.

Feng poured darksilver energy into his claws, creating a sweeping arc that shattered the approaching daggers.

Yet, the onslaught was relentless.

A dagger struck his back, drawing more blood.

His wounds from previous battles reopened, and his strength began to wane.

Feng gritted his teeth, ignoring the burning pain coursing through his body.

He couldn't let it end here.

Summoning every ounce of willpower, he roared, releasing a pulse of energy that dispersed the mist momentarily.

The battlefield was clear again, and Feng locked eyes with Yuta.

Yuta's expression remained impassive. "You're persistent."

"Ever since I got out of the village, I've been fighting you idiots.

You think you'll be the one to take me down?"

Feng snarled, his eyes shining with murderous intent.

Yuta's response was immediate.

He raised his hand, forming a blade of mist, it was his Heaven's Pact – Misty Dagger, but it looked clearer now, it looked dark blue with white outlines.

"Raincloud Art: Misty Edge."

The weapon shimmered with suffocating energy, its size almost double of Feng.

Feng felt an immense pressure bore down on him.

He knew he couldn't match Yuta's cultivation base but he didn't think the difference would be this significant.

Unlike with Ren where he was able to push through somehow, this time it felt like he had no chance, no opportunity to win.

"In the next life," Yuta's voice taunted from the mist, "learn this: the seventh level of Qi Condensation is a bottleneck for a reason.

No one below it can overcome someone who has reached it.

At this stage, a cultivator forms a deeper connection with their Heaven's Pact, making them much stronger than anyone below it."

Feng stumbled, his vision swimming.

He could barely hold himself upright, let alone fight.

Yuta emerged from the mist, his blade raised for the final strike.

Suddenly, both combatants froze.

An overwhelming presence washed over them, far surpassing the pressure they had felt before.

Yuta's face paled as he instinctively looked upward.

Feng, despite his exhaustion, turned to see the source of the terrifying aura.

The trees parted as a colossal figure stepped into view.

Gray eyes, sharp fangs, and a maw dripping with saliva met their gaze.

Its fur shimmered like liquid silver, and its sheer size dwarfed anything Feng had ever seen.

The ground trembled beneath its massive paws.

It was the ruler of the Blackwood Forest. A Blackwood Alpha Wolf.

Feng's body felt like it had been plunged into ice water, every instinct screaming at him to flee.

But his legs refused to move. Yuta, too, stood frozen, the weight of the ruler's gaze paralyzing him.

The wolf's ray eyes narrowed, locking onto them both.

A deep growl rumbled through the forest.

For the first time in his life, Feng came face to face with absolute death.