Dawn broke over the Sanctuary in a muted glow—soft violet shifting to gentle gold. Fengyu tightened the leather bindings of his spear and checked his arm. The Holy Spring had healed it completely, leaving not even a scar. Still, the memory of claws tearing into him burned fresh in his mind.
Today, he needed to be faster. Smarter. More cautious.
Lingxin approached first, clutching a small pouch. "Food. Dried berries. Take it."
Meiyu followed with a waterskin. "Spring water. In case you're wounded."
Qingxia walked up with crossed arms, face stern but eyes softer than usual. "Remember what I said. Don't die."
Lin Xuan only bowed deeply. "We'll all train hard. When you return, we'll be ready."
Fengyu looked at the four people who had already become the core of his hidden clan. The warmth in his chest surprised him.
"I'll return," he said firmly. "And I'll return with answers."
Before any more emotions could surface, he stepped into the outside world.
— — —
The forest felt… wrong.
Animals that once scurried through the underbrush had vanished. Even insects hid. A cold, unnatural stillness blanketed everything. Fengyu's Beast Sense Vision activated automatically, overlaying faint outlines—ghostly silhouettes—of nearby creatures.
Most silhouettes retreated from him.
Except one.
A faint red outline flickered in the distance.
A beast. Alone.
Moving erratically.
Fengyu narrowed his eyes. "Scouting beast."
A Mind-Eater Moth King rarely directed its horde blindly. It sent scouts. Testing danger. Marking territory. Searching for weaknesses.
He followed silently, keeping to the trees. The scouting beast—a lean wolf with crimson streaks pulsing beneath its skin—moved with jerky, unnatural precision.
Parasitic control.
The moment it paused to sniff the air, Fengyu struck.
He leapt down, driving the spear straight into the wolf's spine. The beast spasmed violently, collapsing.
A small, fist-sized parasite wriggled out of the wolf's ear canal.
A Mind-Eater larva.
Disgust curled Fengyu's lip. He stomped it instantly.
The forest fell silent.
Then—
a distant roar shook the air.
Fengyu froze.
"That wasn't the bear… It's something else."
He moved forward cautiously. The roar echoed again—deep, guttural, filled with pain and rage. The forest floor trembled. Fengyu climbed a slope, crouched behind a bush, and peered through the foliage.
His breath caught.
A massive boar—twice the size of a normal spirit beast—slammed into trees, squealing in agony. Its body was covered in moth-like sigils that pulsed disturbingly.
It was trying to resist the parasite.
"Impossible…" Fengyu whispered. "A beast fighting back?"
Then he saw it:
A half-formed larva embedded in the boar's neck, trying to merge with its flesh.
The boar bucked wildly, crashing into a boulder.
Fengyu's eyes widened.
If it breaks free, it could kill the parasite—and weaken the Moth King's control.
This was an opportunity.
But the boar spotted him.
Their eyes met.
It charged.
Fengyu cursed and sprinted toward the ravine he'd used yesterday. The boar barreled through trees, ripping earth apart with every stomp. He narrowly avoided a swipe of its tusks.
He leapt off a ledge, sliding along loose gravel.
The boar skidded behind him.
He needed one moment—
one breath—
to trigger the Sanctuary.
The boar lunged.
Fengyu whirled, slamming his spear directly into the larva on its neck.
The larva shrieked.
The boar collapsed.
The forest fell still.
Warm light enveloped him—
And he vanished.
— — —
He stumbled into the Sanctuary, collapsing to one knee.
Meiyu rushed forward. "Fengyu!"
Lingxin gasped. "You're bleeding again—"
Qingxia grabbed his arm, pulling him upright. "What happened?"
Fengyu inhaled sharply, calming his heartbeat.
"I found a boar resisting the Moth King's control. The parasite wasn't fully merged. It means the Moth King's influence isn't absolute yet."
Lin Xuan blinked. "Then… can we kill it?"
Fengyu nodded.
"Yes. But not yet. We need strength. And strategy."
He stood tall.
"We have a chance to stop the tide."
Their hope rose like sparks in dry grass.
Then Fengyu said the words that sealed their resolve:
"We prepare for war."
---