The creature's roar tore through the park, a sound that felt like the earth itself was splitting apart. Lin Yu's heart pounded in his chest as the massive tiger-leopard hybrid lunged at him, its gleaming eyes locked onto its prey—Cheng Xi. The force of the beast's attack was overwhelming, and for a brief moment, Lin Yu froze, his body still too weak to fully tap into his previous strength.
"Move!" he shouted at Cheng Xi, pushing her further behind him. The energy he had gathered from the thin spiritual air of Earth pulsed in his body, but it wasn't enough. Not yet.
The beast's claws slashed through the air, a blur of speed and power, narrowly missing Lin Yu as he ducked to the side. It was faster than he had anticipated, and the realization hit him like a punch to the gut: this creature wasn't just a random monster. It was a weapon, part of a much larger scheme. Whoever had sent it was playing with him, testing him.
Lin Yu's breath quickened. He had to act now. He couldn't afford to hesitate.
Summoning what little energy he had, he stepped forward, his body pushing against the weight of his own limitations. The spiritual energy he had gathered from Earth flared again, brighter this time, though still weak. He raised his hand, focusing all his thoughts on the small trickle of power that still remained within him.
"Stay back, Cheng Xi!" he ordered, his voice laced with urgency. He would not let her die—not like this.
The beast roared again, its primal fury shaking the air around them. With a flash of speed, it lunged at Lin Yu, its jaws snapping shut with a sickening sound. But Lin Yu was ready this time. He pivoted, using his body's momentum to dodge the attack, then thrust his palm forward, sending a wave of spiritual energy toward the creature.
The wave was weak, almost pitiful, but it made the beast stumble back, growling in irritation. Lin Yu's eyes narrowed. It had worked, but only barely. He was barely holding on, but he couldn't stop. Not now.
"Come on!" Lin Yu whispered under his breath, gathering all the strength he could muster. With a grunt, he stepped forward again, focusing his mind on the beast. This time, he called upon the cultivation techniques he had mastered long ago. The process was slow and painful, but the ancient techniques began to click into place.
Suddenly, a stronger pulse of energy surged through him, more substantial than before. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give him the edge he needed.
With renewed determination, Lin Yu threw himself into the fight. He moved with precision, dodging the creature's ferocious attacks while keeping Cheng Xi safe. The spiritual energy in his body flared brighter now, though still far from his full strength. Each movement felt like a delicate balance between his fading power and the weight of his memories.
The beast roared again, but Lin Yu was ready. With a focused yell, he thrust both hands forward, releasing a burst of energy that sent the beast stumbling backward, its claws digging into the ground to stop itself.
Lin Yu barely had a moment to breathe before the beast recovered, its eyes glowing with fury. The energy within Lin Yu's body was draining quickly, but he could feel it—just a little more. He needed to end this now.
Then, as if the universe itself had responded to his call, the energy surged again—this time, stronger than before. Lin Yu pushed his palm forward, a concentrated wave of energy slamming into the beast with force. The impact sent the creature crashing to the ground, stunned for a moment.
But Lin Yu didn't hesitate. With everything he had left, he sprinted forward and launched himself at the beast, using his remaining strength to send one final wave of energy directly into its chest. The creature howled in pain, its body shuddering before it collapsed, motionless, onto the ground.
Breathing heavily, Lin Yu stood over the fallen creature, chest rising and falling with exhaustion. His body ached, and his limbs felt heavy with the strain of the battle. But he had done it. The beast was down. For now.
He turned to Cheng Xi, his heart still racing. She was standing a few feet away, eyes wide with fear, but unharmed.
"Cheng Xi, are you okay?" Lin Yu asked, his voice rough.
"I-I'm fine," she stammered, though she looked pale and shaken. "What... what just happened? That thing… that beast… How did you...?"
Lin Yu hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with the need to explain, but there was no time. The danger wasn't over. This battle, this victory, was only the beginning. The forces controlling this world, pulling the strings behind the scenes, were still out there. The beast had been a test, nothing more.
"It's not over," he said quietly, his gaze shifting to the fallen creature. "There's someone behind this. Someone who's controlling the beasts, controlling everything."
Cheng Xi's eyes widened in confusion. "What do you mean? I don't understand. Who would want to send something like that after us?"
"I don't know yet," Lin Yu admitted. "But I will find out."
The weight of his words hung heavily in the air as they both stood there, staring at the dead beast. Lin Yu could feel the lingering pulse of energy in the air, the faint echo of the spiritual forces still at play. Whoever was behind this wasn't finished.
He looked down at his hands, still trembling from the exertion, and clenched his fists. This wasn't over. The forces pulling the strings had to be stopped. And he would stop them. No matter what it took.