Chapter 73: " Celestial Feng"

"I understand what has happened," Arya said, glancing around, "but now that you can speak, can you tell me why you brought me here? This place is barren and void of life—I can't even hunt any beasts here."

The beast hesitated before responding, "I can't tell you everything right now, but this place was once a sanctuary for my race in ancient times. Now, it serves as a hidden path leading to what remains of our home."

As Arya and the beast returned to their senses, opening their eyes, the creature continued, "But I no longer have a home to return to. That's why, when I saw you with your rare dual elements, I decided to follow and help you, hoping you could assist me in the future. But… this happened instead."

"If there's nothing left of your home, why are we still going deeper? Shouldn't we leave?" Arya questioned.

"I just want to say goodbye one last time," the beast murmured. "And I have something for you—along with a request."

"A promise?" Arya narrowed his eyes. "What kind of promise?"

The beast chuckled. "You do know I can hear your thoughts, right?"

Arya's eyes widened. "I… I didn't know that. And yes, I'm worried that you'll ask something beyond my ability in exchange for whatever you're about to give me."

"Don't worry. After seeing what I have for you, you can choose to refuse if you wish. But regardless, we are already bound together. My unfinished business will stay with you for life."

Arya sighed. "Fine. Let's continue. But before that, I want to see your true form. Can you show me?"

The beast hesitated. "I can, but because my power is sealed and we are linked, any energy I use will strain your body. The stronger the form, the greater the damage you'll suffer. So if you really want to see it, make it quick."

"I'm prepared. Just let me know when you transform."

The small beast shook its head. "Idiot. This is only my spirit projection outside your body." With that, its form crumbled like dust in the wind and faded into Arya's chest.

Arya stared in disbelief. "That was… magical."

"If you truly want to see my battle form, you'll have to use what humans call Spirit Possession and draw from my power. I'll allow you to wield ten percent of my strength for a few seconds—long enough to witness my true form. But be ready. You will pass out."

"Hah, it's not certain that I'll faint, right? Have some faith in me."

The beast snorted. "Faith? That's why I said a few seconds before you drop."

Arya ignored the remark. "So, what do I need to do to activate Spirit Possession?"

"Normally, a cultivator must focus on the spiritual body within them and infuse it with their elemental energy. That's how Spirit Possession works. But because I'm special, you only need to call my race's name, and I'll handle the rest. Consider it a perk of having a living spirit inside you."

Arya raised an eyebrow. "Your race's name? What is it? Fang?"

The beast huffed. "Humans call us Celestial Fang because they often hear us shout that name in battle. They don't realize it's actually one of our signature techniques. The louder we call its name, the stronger the attack becomes. That's how we ended up with the name 'Celestial Fang' among humans."

Arya nodded. "So I just have to say it… but not too loud?"

"Exactly."

Taking a deep breath, Arya closed his eyes, steadied his stance, and prepared for the backlash. Then, in a firm voice, he called out:

"Celestial Fang."

ROOOAAARRR!

A deep, earth-shaking roar erupted from within him. Behind Arya, an illusory image of the small beast's form materialized. At that moment, a surge of power coursed through his body—not overwhelming, but invigorating, like drinking a strength potion.

However, before Arya could marvel at the sensation, a voice echoed from the glowing form behind him.

"Prepare yourself. I'm unleashing some of my true power."

Before Arya could react, a massive explosion of energy erupted from his back. A crushing force—so powerful it felt like the ground beneath him might cave in—slammed into his body.

BOOM!

The entire cave trembled. Another deafening roar echoed through the space, shaking the very air.

Arya's vision blurred. His head spun. His legs trembled like they had turned to jelly. But he clenched his teeth and forced himself to look back—to finally witness the beast's true form.

And then, he froze.

The sight before him stole the breath from his lungs.

Even just its feet were as massive as the trees around them. As his gaze traveled upward, his heart pounded violently in his chest.

A towering, mountain-sized beast stood before him, grinning.

If Arya had still been his old, mortal self, he might have suffered a heart attack on the spot. Even with his past lives, the sheer magnitude of the beast's form overwhelmed him completely.

But before he could process it further, his body gave out.

Darkness swallowed him.

With a heavy thud, Arya collapsed to the ground.

As he lost consciousness, the illusory image of the Celestial Fang dissolved into glowing particles.

A faint voice echoed in the distance.

"Two seconds… just as I expected."

And then, his body began to shrink, his blood rapidly draining, as if something inside him was hungrily consuming his energy.