The cultivators reacted with practiced precision, quickly spreading out to surround the beast. Their movements were fluid, their blades drawn and gleaming in the dim light. Each step was calculated, their eyes locked onto the bear, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Blazing Crescent Slash!" one of them shouted, a cultivator with flame-like patterns on his robes. His sword glowed with fiery energy as he slashed down, a crescent-shaped arc of flame racing toward the bear. The Shadowclaw Bear roared in response, swiping its massive claws through the air, dispersing the flaming crescent with ease.
Chen Yu's Universal Eyes flared to life, and for the first time, he truly focused on the flow of Qi around him. He could see the energy coursing through the cultivator's body as he executed the move—a fiery aura enveloping his sword just before he struck. The cultivator's Qi control was tight, precise. So that's how they amplify their techniques, Chen Yu realized. The Qi wasn't just powering the attack—it was shaping it, guiding the elements.
Another cultivator, this one dressed in robes with blue cloud patterns, dashed forward, his sword leaving streaks of light in its wake. "Cloud Piercing Thrust!" he yelled, his blade thrusting forward like a spear. The speed of the attack was incredible, but the Shadowclaw Bear was faster than it looked. With a snarl, it twisted its massive frame, batting the sword aside with its claws before charging at the cultivator with a ferocity that made Chen Yu's heart skip a beat.
"Iron Body Formation!" the third cultivator shouted, slamming his palm into the ground. Earth Qi surged around him, creating a shimmering barrier of hardened earth between the charging bear and his companion. The bear's claws slammed into the barrier with a deafening crash, cracks splintering through the earth shield as it pushed against it.
Chen Yu watched, transfixed, as the battle raged before him. Every move the cultivators made was deliberate, their attacks infused with their unique Qi signatures. His Universal Eyes picked up on the intricate flow of energy in their bodies, from the moment they channeled it from their dantian to when they released it into their weapons. It wasn't just brute strength—Qi was flowing like a river, being shaped and molded into techniques.
This... this is what real cultivation looks like.
For a brief moment, Chen Yu felt a twinge of envy. These cultivators, while not the strongest, had mastery over their Qi, something Chen Yu was struggling to grasp. But as he watched, a spark of realization ignited in his mind. They weren't just attacking randomly; each move was part of a larger strategy, balancing their techniques with the flow of the battle. If he could learn to control his Qi like that, to shape it into something useful, he wouldn't need to rely so much on random luck.
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His mind raced as he replayed what he'd just seen. The Blazing Crescent Slash was imbued with fire, but the cultivator had manipulated the fire Qi to follow the arc of his sword, giving it range and power. The Cloud Piercing Thrust was infused with wind, increasing the speed of the strike. And the Iron Body Formation—it was earth Qi, solidifying into a shield to defend against the bear's raw strength. Every element had its purpose, its strength, and they used them in harmony.
Suddenly, Chen Yu felt his Qi stir in his dantian. He was at the very first stage of his Primal Heavenly Body Technique, able to sense and manipulate the five elements. Could he use that to heighten his reflexes? To sharpen his movements? He focused, remembering how the cultivators channeled their Qi before an attack. He felt for the wind element, willing it to circulate faster, making his body lighter, his reflexes sharper. If he could move just a little quicker, he might be able to survive in situations like this.
The Shadowclaw Bear roared again, breaking through the Iron Body Formation with a brutal swipe of its claws. The barrier shattered, sending cracks across the earth, but the cultivators held their ground, their faces set in grim determination.
Chen Yu crouched behind the underbrush, his heart pounding as he watched the battle unfold. The Shadowclaw Bear was a hulking, terrifying beast, far stronger and more dangerous than anything he had ever encountered. The cultivators fought bravely, their swords flashing in the dim light as they coordinated their attacks. But Chen Yu could see it in their faces—the exhaustion, the mounting fear. This wasn't a fight they could win without help.
"I have to do something," Chen Yu muttered, clenching his fists. But what? He was barely getting the hang of his elemental abilities, and the bear was a high-tier spiritual beast. He didn't stand a chance against it head-on, but if he could assist the cultivators from a distance... maybe he could tip the scales in their favor without putting himself at risk.
His eyes darted to the shifting ground beneath the bear. Earth element. That had worked before—he could destabilize it. He placed his hands on the forest floor, concentrating on the Qi in his dantian, channeling it into the ground. He didn't need to do much, just enough to make the bear stumble.
"Alright, easy does it," he whispered, feeling the energy surge through his fingertips. The ground beneath the bear shifted slightly, creating a loose patch of soil. The massive creature roared in confusion as its footing became unsteady, one of its giant paws slipping just as one of the cultivators landed a direct hit to its side.
"Blazing Crescent Slash!" the flame-robed cultivator bellowed, his sword cutting through the air with a fiery arc. The blow struck the bear's thick hide, searing it and earning another pained roar from the beast.
Chen Yu's lips twitched into a grin. It was working. His intervention was making a difference. He focused harder, shifting the earth beneath the bear once more, sending it stumbling back. Another cultivator, a man in robes embroidered with cloud patterns, leaped forward. "Wind Slice!" he shouted, his sword glowing with wind Qi as it cut into the bear's exposed flank.