A dark-red rabbit nibbled at the grass, eating cautiously while constantly looking around. Its ears twitched at every unfamiliar sound, listening for even the slightest vibration that might warn it of danger.
But what it didn't notice was the creature crouched patiently nearby.
Lican's breathing was steady, his eyes fixed on the rabbit without blinking. A small insect crawled across his skin and bit him, but he didn't move or even grimace. He simply remained crouched in the shadows, waiting, his expression blank and almost devoid of emotion.
Slowly, Lican crept closer. He moved with deliberate silence, controlling every step, his face carrying fewer emotions than before.
He was learning.
The rabbit was no longer something to admire. It was prey.
The rabbit continued observing its surroundings, its ears twitching at every faint sound. But this time, it suddenly stopped. Something was wrong. Its body stiffened, and before it could make its final decision, a black blur tore through the bushes.
SWISH!
THUD!
The jade pin punched straight through its neck with such force that its body lifted momentarily from the ground. Blood burst from the wound, spraying across the dry grass as the pin drove deep into its flesh. The rabbit kicked violently, its legs scraping against the earth, while a thick stream of crimson spilled from its mouth and neck, staining the grass beneath it.
Then silence.
Its body went limp.
Lican emerged from the bushes and walked toward his catch without a word, his eyes fixed on the rabbit. He crouched beside it and carefully pulled the jade pin free. Blood clung to the jade, running down its smooth surface, yet somehow, the pin remained flawless.
Lican stared at it fondly.
It had been his fourth day in this wilderness.
The day before, he had snacked on the remaining snake meat, but that hadn't been enough. His body needed more, and he knew he couldn't afford to lose energy out here. If he wanted to survive, he needed to eat well, stay healthy, and keep himself strong. In this wilderness, there was only one rule that mattered: stay at the top of the food chain or become part of it.
He hung the rabbit from his waist and moved.
Over the past few days, Lican had noticed something important.
Blood attracted bigger beasts.
So he moved faster.
He weaved through the taller grass, his eyes constantly scanning his surroundings. He needed to drain the rabbit before its scent could draw anything large enough to make him regret staying in one place. His breathing grew heavier as he jogged faster, and sweat ran down his face, tracing his jaw before disappearing into his clothes.
Then the hairs on his body suddenly stood.
Something was coming.
A dark blur flashed toward his face, and Lican's body moved before his mind could catch up. He dropped.
SWOOSH!
The creature tore through the space where his head had been a millisecond earlier.
THUD!
Its attack struck his shoulder instead, and pain exploded through his body.
Lican rolled across the ground, clutching his shoulder as the rabbit swung wildly from his waist. His eyes snapped toward the creature that had attacked him. For the first time since entering the wilderness, he had been caught off guard.
He hissed in pain and looked down at his shoulder. Three deep claw marks stretched across his skin, blood slowly trickling from each wound. His blank expression finally shifted as he narrowed his eyes at the culprit.
A black, cat-like beast stood several meters away. Blue stripes ran from the top of its eyes down the sides of its head, glowing faintly against its dark fur. Its body was low to the ground, muscles tense beneath its coat, while long fangs protruded from its mouth.
It growled.
Lican's pupils contracted.
Shit. Shit.
He knew this beast.
A Night Panther.
A Level 2 beast known for hunting under the cover of darkness.
But what the hell was it doing here?
His mind raced with questions, yet nothing showed on his face. He remained completely still, staring directly into the beast's eyes without blinking.
The Night Panther lowered its body, its tail flicking once. A deep growl rumbled from its throat, almost as though it were taunting him to run.
Lican didn't move. Slowly, his hand drifted toward the weapon he trusted most.
The jade pin.
His fingers were only inches away when the Night Panther growled again.
Grrrrrrr...
Its lips curled back, exposing every one of its fangs, while its hind legs tightened beneath its body. Lican's fingers finally closed around the jade.
Neither moved.
The wind passed between them. For one brief moment, the entire wilderness seemed to hold its breath.
Then the Night Panther's muscles suddenly tensed.
It was about to pounce.
Lican knew he wasn't its match. He was barely at Level 1, while the Night Panther was a Level 2 beast. The difference might have sounded small, but Lican knew better.
His knowledge of cultivation was limited. His father had guided him through the basics once, explaining the principles orally, but Lican had never truly practiced cultivation. His father had never told him to, so whatever strength he possessed now came mostly from his body, his instincts, and the harsh lessons the wilderness had forced upon him over the past few days.
Against a Level 2 beast like this, his chances were terrible.
Lican tightened his grip around the jade pin. He couldn't run blindly because the Night Panther was faster, and he couldn't overpower it because the beast was stronger. If he made even one mistake, he would die.
He breathed frantically, his eyes darting across the beast's body. He wasn't looking at its face anymore. He was looking for weakness.
His mind worked rapidly, studying every part of the Night Panther's muscular frame. His eyes followed the subtle movements of its muscles, the shifting of its weight, and even the slightest twitch before it moved.
Strangely, he was calm.
His heartbeat thundered inside his chest, yet his mind had become unnaturally still. Hyperactive. Focused.
Before, the Night Panther's savage aura alone would have overwhelmed him.
Not anymore.
He watched and waited.
Growl!
The panther's body suddenly tensed, and Lican's pupils contracted as it sprang toward him. The beast launched itself at him with terrifying speed, its claws tearing through the air, but Lican was prepared. He shifted sharply to his left, dropping his body and sliding across the dirt.
SWISH!
The panther's claws missed his face by barely an inch.
Lican's eyes widened.
Too fast.
But the panther didn't stop. Its body twisted unnaturally in midair, changing its trajectory before its paws even touched the ground.
Swoosh!
A claw swept toward him again.
Lican jerked his head backward. The claws passed so close that he felt the wind brush against his skin. He rolled away immediately, his fingers tightening around the jade pin, then rose slowly with his eyes never leaving the beast.
It can change direction in midair.
His mind recorded the information instantly.
The Night Panther growled again, but this time Lican didn't retreat. He watched its muscles, waiting for the next movement.
The panther was angry. Twice, this little prey had slipped away from its claws. It began pacing around Lican, its shoulders rising and falling as it watched him.
Then it vanished.
BOOM!
The panther launched itself forward. This time, it didn't swipe. It wanted to crush him beneath its weight.
Lican understood
His eyes flickered, and a strange grin slowly spread across his face.
"Let's play, then."
He didn't move.
The panther slammed into him.
THUD!
Its claws sank into his shoulders, and Lican's body jerked violently from the impact. Pain exploded through him as the beast forced him onto his back, its weight crushing the air from his lungs. Its jaws opened above him, hot breath washing over his face as rows of fangs snapped toward his throat.
Lican's eyes widened.
Then something inside him snapped.
His hand shot upward.
CRACK!
The jade pin punched into the panther's lower jaw.
The beast roared.
Lican ripped the pin free, and blood poured over his hand as he stabbed again.
STAB!
The panther screamed.
Again.
STAB!
Its claws tore deeper into his shoulders, but Lican gritted his teeth and struck once more.
STAB!
Blood sprayed across his face.
The panther thrashed wildly, its jaws snapping inches from his head. Lican shoved one arm against its throat, desperately keeping those fangs away from his neck. His muscles trembled, his wounds burned, and he was losing strength, but his hand kept moving.
The jade pin rose and fell, again and again, until the panther suddenly jerked backward and its grip loosened.
Lican rolled away, sucking in a desperate breath.
For half a second, neither moved.
The Night Panther staggered. It was bleeding heavily, but it was still standing. A Level 2 beast wasn't going to die that easily.
Lican wiped the blood from his eyes.
Then he smiled.
He charged as the panther tried to turn, but it was too late. Lican threw himself onto its back, wrapping one arm around its neck as the beast bucked violently beneath him.
ROAR!
It slammed itself against the ground.
Lican's body bounced, and his teeth clacked together. He nearly lost his grip, but the panther twisted again and he held on.
"Die!"
He drove the jade pin downward.
THUNK!
The beast screamed.
Lican pulled it free and struck again.
THUNK!
Another strike.
THUNK!
The panther convulsed beneath him, its legs kicking wildly against the earth.
Lican's breathing became ragged, and his vision blurred. Blood covered his face, arms, and clothes, and he couldn't tell whose blood it was anymore.
The panther suddenly twisted its head back, its jaws snapping toward his arm. Lican barely pulled away, but its teeth tore through his sleeve.
He froze for half a heartbeat.
Then rage took over.
"GET OFF ME!"
He raised the jade pin with both hands and drove it down, straight into the panther's eye.
The beast released a deafening roar, and Lican screamed back.
He pulled the pin free and struck again. And again. And again, until the roaring became a choking sound, the violent thrashing grew weaker, and the beast finally collapsed beneath him.
Silence.
Lican remained on its back, his chest heaving and his hands trembling. The jade pin hung loosely between his fingers, and for several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he looked down at the dead beast.
A thin, almost disbelieving grin appeared on his blood-covered face.l
He had won.
But his body knew the truth. He had barely survived.
Lican had made himself bait. He had deliberately allowed the Night Panther to pin him down, knowing it would go for his throat. It was a reckless gamble, but he had needed the beast close enough to strike.
His fingers tightened around the bloodied jade pin.
Yet Lican understood something even more important.
This tactic wouldn't always work. Not against a smarter beast, not against something that could recognize a trap, and certainly not against something stronger.
He looked at the corpse beneath him as his breathing slowly settled. He had killed a Level 2 beast while barely being at Level 1.
But that didn't make him strong.
It only meant he had survived.
Lican looked into the dark wilderness stretching beyond the grass. There were countless creatures out there, and they were stronger, faster, and smarter. He had no idea how many were watching him right now.
His expression hardened.
If he wanted to survive here, he couldn't keep relying on tricks and desperation. He needed strength. Real strength.
He needed to become stronger, because the wilderness wasn't going to become weaker for him.