Linfei cautiously entered the cave, his every step guided by refined Qi senses alert for traps and lurking beasts. The walls seemed to pulse with the remnant energy of ancient cultivators. The air was saturated with spiritual pressure and aged power, giving the place the atmosphere of a long-lost sect or retreat
Moving deeper, he found a pond at the heart of the cavern, its surface sparkling strangely in the dim light. Lotuses floated atop the water, each one breathing out waves of pure spiritual Qi. As Linfei approached, inhaling the dense fragrance, he felt his own Qi begin to solidify and strengthen, his core circulating with unexpected vigour and clarity. Elation surged through him—the pond's aura alone was boosting his cultivation.
With hope, Linfei crept closer to harvest a lotus, but suddenly, a pair of cold, yellow eyes opened beneath the water. With explosive speed, a massive crocodile burst from the pond, jaws snapping for Linfei's limb. Linfei dodged back instinctively, barely avoiding the teeth. The crocodile crashed to the stone with a vicious roar—its territory invaded, it was enraged and ready to fight.
The crocodile lunged again, massive jaws snapping mere inches from Linfei's arm. Instinctively, Linfei twisted his torso, narrowly evading the crushing bite. His fists flared with Qi as he countered, striking sharply with the side of his palm—a signature technique of Iron Fist Boxing designed to deliver concentrated force without wasting energy.
The beast snarled, scales shimmering as it reared back and swept its tail in a wide arc. Linfei jumped backward, narrowly escaping the brutal tail strike, feeling the thunderous impact shatter nearby rocks and send splinters flying. He gritted his teeth, steadying his stance. His hands felt like hammers, bones conditioned from long training to withstand such violent exchanges.
Focusing Qi into his fists, Linfei launched a rapid flurry of punches, each strike aimed between the beast's armoured scales, targeting gaps near the joints where the tough hide was weakest. The crocodile roared in pain as cracks spider-webbed across its thick skin.
The battle became a relentless dance—Linfei dodging heavy blows and retaliating with explosive power. He ducked beneath a snapping jaw, driving a palm strike into the crocodile's snout with such force that the beast stumbled backward, momentarily stunned. But the crocodile surged forward again, biting fiercely at Linfei's ribs, drawing blood and sharp pain.
His breath ragged, Linfei's body ached from the brutal fight, but his mind remained sharp. Spotting the crocodile's slight withdrawal of its left foreleg after the last strike, he gathered all his Qi for one final, focused blow. Channelling his entire Iron Fist training, he drove a thunderous punch into the exposed joint below the beast's massive head.
A sickening crack echoed as the leg buckled. The crocodile howled, thrashing wildly before finally collapsing, defeated.
Linfei staggered, sweat and blood mixing on his skin. Despite exhaustion and wounds, he knew the fight had forged his body and spirit further. He eyed the lotus floating calmly in the pond.