As the adrenaline began to fade, the pain in Lin Feng's shoulder grew more acute.
Combined with the injury to his chest, it felt as if he were being pumled all over again.
Slowly, he sat up, wincing with every movent.
"I need to treat this wound before it gets worse," he muttered, pulling out a bundle of herbs he had gathered earlier from Ren's Bag of Holding.
He chewed the herbs into a coarse paste and applied it to his shoulder.
The numbing effect was imdiate, providing much-needed relief, though it did little to dull the throb in his chest.
Lin Feng's gaze shifted to the massive corpse of the Ironclaw Black Bear lying a few paces away.
Its formidable size and sharp claws were a reminder of how close he had co to death.
He frowned. "What do I do with this?" he wondered aloud, his mind racing with possibilities.
Before he could think further, the System's monotone voice interrupted his thoughts.
[The host can harvest the Ironclaw Black Bear's core. It contains valuable spiritual energy that can aid in cultivation.]
"A core, huh?" Lin Feng said, intrigued. "Alright, let's see what I can do."
Carefully, he pulled out a dagger and approached the bear's chest. Its fur was matted with blood, and the sheer thickness of its hide made the task arduous.
After so effort, he managed to slice into the chest cavity.
His dagger hit sothing solid, and with a bit of maneuvering, he pried out the core.
The orb pulsed with a faint, golden light, radiating an imnse energy that made the air around it feel alive.
Lin Feng held it up, marveling at the raw power contained within.
"This might just be worth the trouble," he said with a grin, carefully storing the core in his pouch.
Turning his attention back to the forest, he asked, "Hey System, can't I absorb the spiritual energy of spirit beasts?"
[The System is unable to absorb spiritual energy from beings without a Heaven's Pact.]
Lin Feng's eyebrows shot up. "Does that an there are spirit beasts with Heaven's Pacts?" he asked, stunned.
The idea of beasts undergoing so kind of awakening ceremony to form their own Heaven's Pacts was beyond his comprehension.
[Negative. The way spiritual beasts cultivate is different from those of humans.]
"What does that an?" Lin Feng pressed, but the System offered no further explanation.
He sighed in frustration. "Alright, whatever. I need to keep moving anyway."
Staying here wasn't an option; the battle with the Ironclaw Black Bear had likely drawn unwanted attention.
"One fight down, who knows how many more to go," he muttered, tightening the straps of his pack before disappearing deeper into the Blackwood Forest.
Unbeknownst to Lin Feng, trouble was brewing on the outskirts of the Blackwood Forest, at the very location of his earlier fight with Ren and Jun.
The Head of Raincloud Village, Elder Zhou, an aged man with long white hair, stood amidst the wreckage of the battlefield.
Despite his advanced years, his presence exuded authority. The air around him rippled faintly, a testant to his formidable cultivation base.
Beside him was Yuta, a muscular man with a bald head and a serious expression.
Yuta scanned the area, his sharp eyes taking in the broken trees, the scorched ground, and the lingering traces of spiritual energy.
"Elder Zhou," Yuta began, his voice deep and steady, "This is where we last detected traces of Ren's spiritual energy.
It looks like a massive battle took place here. Judging by the damage, it seems he was ambushed.
But with Ren's strength, I doubt anyone in these parts could have defeated him."
Elder Zhou stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Let's hope you're right. If that boy has been killed, our Raincloud Village's chances of securing a spot in Brightshore Academy will be significantly diminished.
Despite his cruel nature, Ren's talent is unmatched.
He's the best chance we have to elevate our village's status within the Eastern Territories.
We must find him at all costs."
Yuta nodded. "Don't worry, Elder Zhou. With my strength, no one in this forest poses a threat to —unless I run into the Ruler of the Blackwood Forest."
Elder Zhou's expression darkened at the ntion of the Ruler. "
Let's pray it doesn't co to that. But just to be sure, I want you to call other mbers of the village to assist you.
I'll leave this matter to you, Yuta. I need to return to the village to handle other concerns.
Sothing about this entire situation feels... off."
Yuta nodded with determination. "Understood, Elder. I'll bring Ren back, dead or alive."
With that, Elder Zhou turned and began his journey back to Raincloud Village, his silhouette disappearing into the horizon.
Yuta remained behind, his gaze fixed on the forest's dark expanse.
Pulling out a flare crystal, Yuta ignited it, sending a fiery streak into the sky.
Within monts, three cultivators arrived, each at the fifth level of Qi Condensation.
They bowed respectfully to Yuta, awaiting his orders.
"You heard what the Elder said. We need to figure out what happened to Ren.
If we don't bring that kid back, you're all as good as dead," Yuta said,
His tone grim and his eyes narrowing as he scanned the dark, oppressive forest.
"Yes, Boss," the three cultivators replied in unison, their voices laced with unease but full of determination.
"Spread out and search the area," Yuta ordered, his voice cutting through the stillness of the forest.
"Look for any traces or clues—tracks, disturbances, anything out of place.
Report back imdiately if you find anything unusual.
And stay alert. There's no telling what's lurking out here."
The cultivators nodded sharply and vanished into the dense underbrush, their movents swift and practiced as they disappeared among the towering trees and twisting vines.
Yuta stood motionless for a mont, his sharp senses extending outward.
He felt pressure, he knew the Elder valued Ren's potential a lot, if anything happened to him.
"Ren... that bastard, did he finally find soone that he couldn't just kill?"
He muttered under his breath, his tone a mix of frustration and resignation.
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