Rain sliced through the night, turning the forest into a quagmire of mud and shadow. The ancient temple loomed behind Lin Tian and Su Xueyao, its silhouette jagged against the storm. Lin Hao stood before a dozen black-clad thralls, his blood-red dagger pulsing like a heartbeat, his aura sharp with malice.
"Still dreaming of revenge, bastard?" Lin Hao sneered, twirling his dagger. "You're nothing but a stain on the Lin name." His eyes gleamed, not just with cruelty but with a flicker of fear—fear of what Lin Tian might become.
Lin Tian's chest tightened, memories of childhood taunts and his mother's tearful exile flashing through him. The pendant burned against his skin, urging him forward. The System chimed:
[Task: Defeat Lin Hao and his thralls, protect Su Xueyao. Reward: Heavenly Wolf Bloodline Awakening Progress +10%, 2000 EXP, Lin Clan Intel Fragment]
Intel Fragment? The System's versatility surprised him again. He needed answers about the Lin Clan's betrayal.
"Want this pendant?" Lin Tian growled, stepping forward, mud squelching under his boots. "Earn it."
Su Xueyao glanced at him, her eyes glinting with approval. "Don't get cocky, human." Her voice was sharp, but a faint smirk betrayed her trust.
Lin Hao barked, "Kill them!" The thralls charged, their blades glowing with vampire-tainted energy, their movements jerky, like puppets on strings.
Lin Tian activated his new ability:
[Environmental Scan Initiated: Terrain—uneven, slippery. Obstacles—trees, rocks. Strategic Advantage—narrow path limits enemy numbers.]
The forest's layout flashed in his mind, a tactical map. He darted left, luring two thralls into a choke point between trees. "Heavenly Wolf Fist—Earth Splitter!" His punch cracked the ground, mud erupting, tripping the thralls. He followed with swift strikes, their bodies dissolving into mist.
[Eliminated Vampire Thralls x2, gained 200 EXP]
Su Xueyao was a whirlwind, her claws carving through three thralls, their screams lost in the storm. "Lowly puppets," she scoffed, her hair plastered to her face, eyes fierce. But she glanced at Lin Hao, wary. "He's no thrall—watch his blade."
Lin Tian nodded, noticing Lin Hao's dagger radiating a sickly aura. The System analyzed:
[Target: Lin Hao's Blood Dagger. Infused with vampire essence, capable of draining vitality. Weakness: Requires direct contact.]
Lin Hao's fangs glinted faintly, confirming Su Xueyao's warning about the Lin Clan's vampire ties. "You're one of them?" Lin Tian shouted, disbelief warring with rage.
"A worm like you wouldn't understand power!" Lin Hao spat, his voice tinged with desperation. "The Lin Clan thrives because we embraced the blood!"
The System flashed a memory fragment:
[Lin Clan Intel: Patriarch Lin Wei struck a pact with vampire envoys a decade ago, trading loyalty for immortality. Motive: Fear of declining influence.]
Lin Tian's blood ran cold. His family sold their souls for power, abandoning him and his mother. He gripped his fists, the pendant's warmth grounding him.
Su Xueyao clashed with more thralls, her claws a blur, but Lin Hao blurred forward, his dagger slashing at Lin Tian's chest. The System's agility saved him, but the blade nicked his arm, a chilling drain sapping his strength.
[Warning: Vitality Drain Detected. Countermeasure: Disrupt contact.]
Lin Tian rolled back, heart pounding. He needed training, strategy—not just raw power. He focused, recalling the Heavenly Wolf Fist's forms, visualizing their flow. His body steadied, muscles aligning.
"Enough games!" Lin Hao roared, his dagger glowing brighter, vampire aura surging. Su Xueyao darted in, her claws blocking a strike, sparks flying. "Deal with the trash!" she shouted. "He's mine!"
Lin Tian trusted her, turning to the remaining thralls. Using the forest's narrow paths, he funneled them into single-file, his fists relentless. Each punch echoed a wolf's howl, mud and blood mixing underfoot.
[Eliminated Vampire Thralls x8, gained 800 EXP. Current Level: Mortal Level 3]
Panting, he turned to Su Xueyao's fight. She and Lin Hao were a storm of claws and bloodlight, rain hissing into steam around them. But Lin Hao's dagger flared, a crimson wave knocking Su Xueyao back, her body skidding through the mud.
"Xueyao!" Lin Tian shouted, rage igniting. He charged, placing himself between them. Lin Hao's dagger slashed down, but the pendant blazed, a wolf phantom shielding Lin Tian.
[Heavenly Wolf Bloodline Awakening Progress: 10%! Unlocked Skill: Wolf Spirit Shield]
Power surged, his fists glowing. "Heavenly Wolf Fist—Soul Crusher!" His strike sent Lin Hao crashing through a tree, black blood spraying. Lin Hao coughed, eyes wide with fear. "That power… impossible!"
"Your end!" Lin Tian snarled, advancing, but Su Xueyao grabbed him. "Stop! More are coming!"
Dark shapes loomed in the rain, their auras stronger than Lin Hao's. The System confirmed:
[Task Completed! Reward: Heavenly Wolf Bloodline Awakening Progress +10%, 2000 EXP, Lin Clan Intel Fragment. Current Level: Mortal Level 4]
"We're outmatched!" Su Xueyao urged, pulling him into the forest. Lin Hao's scream echoed: "You'll pay, Lin Tian!"
Lin Tian clutched his pendant, the storm swallowing them. The Lin Clan's betrayal, his mother's secrets, the System's gifts—his path was clear, but danger lurked closer than ever.