Chapter 30: To Claim Strength, One Must Consume Chaos (Part 2)

Zhang Yan's punch connected with the panther's flank, and the beast howled as the force of the blow sent it crashing into a tree, splintering the trunk. Yet it rose again, more enraged than wounded. Its eyes gleamed with a predatory light, and black mist began to pour from its body; a sign of demonic qi coalescing for a counterstrike.

The beast's claws lashed out, faster than before. Zhang Yan crossed his arms, channeling the Blood Woven Shroud. The demonic qi shrouded his skin like armor, and when the claws struck, they skidded off with a shower of sparks. Zhang Yan didn't hesitate. He surged forward, his fists blazing with crimson energy, and unleashed a Demonic Frenzy. Each punch cracked against the panther's ribs like hammer blows, forcing it back step by step.

The beast roared in defiance, but Zhang Yan's assault was relentless. With a final, devastating punch, the panther crumpled to the ground, its body convulsing before falling still.

Its essence; the core of its demonic qi; throbbed within its chest.

Zhang Yan knelt, slicing open a wound with his dagger, his fingers digging into its fur and flesh until he found the demon core nestled near its heart. The orb, dark and pulsing with chaotic energy, radiated an aura of raw power. He held it aloft, feeling its wild qi clash with the controlled ferocity of his Infernal Sanguine Heart Skill.

Without hesitation, he swallowed the core. A searing sensation, like a burning stone slick with blood, slid down his throat, but he had endured worse. Gritting his teeth, he quickly settled into meditation to refine its demonic essence. A surge of raw qi flooded his veins, threatening to tear him apart from within. Yet Zhang Yan's will held firm. He channeled the chaotic energy into his heart, letting it ignite the dormant embers of the Ashura's Demonic Fist.

His muscles tensed, and his shadow writhed, its edges darkening as it absorbed the beast's fragmented essence. His blood burned with renewed power.

One beast down...

Many more to go...

By the time the moon hung high, Zhang Yan had already faced two more mid-tier 1 beasts; a venom-spitting viper with scales harder than iron and a two-headed wolf with lightning coursing through its fangs. Each battle tested his limits, forcing him to adapt the techniques of the Ashura's Demonic Fist on the fly.

Demonic Frenzy had proven invaluable against the wolf, allowing him to pummel both heads simultaneously before they could coordinate an attack. And when the viper's venom nearly paralyzed him, Blood Woven Shroud had absorbed the brunt of the poison, purging it from his system with a single, focused strike.

Yet each victory came at a cost. His body bore new bruises and cuts, and fatigue crept into his limbs with every step. But his shadow had grown darker, more defined, feeding on the essence of each fallen beast. Within his chest, the Infernal Sanguine Heart pulsed stronger than ever, its dark power singing in harmony with the essence he consumed...