“Roar!”

A sudden growl pierced the night. Tang Yan sensed a burst of wind from his left and instinctively activated Phantom Step. His body twisted, leaping backward at an angle just as a dark shadow lunged at where he had stood moments ago.

Now, he could finally see it clearly—this was no ordinary beast.

It was a massive black panther, nearly three meters in length, its sleek, muscular body blending seamlessly into the darkness.

Tang Yan’s heart skipped a beat. This beast bore a striking resemblance to a Shadow Panther—a spirit beast!

Spirit beasts were classified into nine tiers based on their bloodline. It was said that once a beast reached the seventh tier, it could speak the human tongue and wield terrifying magical abilities. Meanwhile, spirit beasts of the second tier or higher contained beast cores within their bodies, rich in spiritual energy and highly coveted by alchemists.

If this were only a tier-two spirit beast, he might have considered taking it on. But a Shadow Panther was tier-three, the equivalent of a Mystic Realm warrior. The gap in power was insurmountable.

Tang Yan made a split-second decision—run!

The Shadow Panther, surprised by its failed attack, tilted its head slightly, intrigued. This human looked weak, yet his speed was extraordinary.

Unwilling to accept failure, the panther crouched, coiling its powerful hind legs. With a sudden burst of force, it launched itself forward like a black streak of lightning.

Tang Yan’s heart pounded. He had no time to hesitate—he pushed Phantom Step to its limits, sprinting at full speed without daring to glance back.

"ROAR!"

The panther, enraged by its prey’s escape, let out a furious growl and gave chase.

As a tier-three spirit beast, it possessed not only formidable strength but also astonishing speed. Worse still, it moved with an eerie silence, expertly concealing its aura as it ran. Tang Yan couldn’t even sense how close it was behind him, which only heightened the danger.

"Shit!"

As he dashed past a massive boulder, he instinctively veered around it. But before he could react, a shadow leaped onto the rock and used it as a springboard. With a powerful kick, the panther propelled itself high into the air, descending upon him like death itself.

Tang Yan felt the air around him ripple with pressure. Cold sweat trickled down his back—this was bad!

Gritting his teeth, he forcefully circulated his remaining energy and Phantom Step erupted beneath his feet. At the last possible moment, he shot forward like an arrow.

"BOOM!"

A heavy impact resounded behind him as the panther crashed into the ground, sending dirt and debris flying. Tang Yan staggered but managed to stay upright, his mind racing.

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That was too close.

But amidst the terror, something clicked—he was improving.

The near-death experience had pushed him beyond his limits, allowing him to grasp an even deeper understanding of Phantom Step. His movements became more fluid, his reactions sharper. Though his speed was still inferior to the panther’s, his agility allowed him to evade its attacks with increasing efficiency.

“Hey, Brother Panther!” he called out while dodging. “You’ve been chasing me for a while now and still haven’t caught me. Don’t you think it’s time to call it quits?”

"ROAR!"

The only response he got was another furious pounce.

Tang Yan twisted his body at an impossible angle, narrowly avoiding the strike before continuing his mad dash. The panther was fast, but its size made it less maneuverable. Each time it had to turn sharply, he gained a slight advantage.

For the next ten miles, predator and prey continued their deadly chase.

As he ran, Tang Yan realized that this intense battle had drastically improved his mastery of Phantom Step. At first, he could barely control his movements, but now, he could travel vast distances in the blink of an eye.

However, his endurance was reaching its limit. His spiritual energy was almost depleted.

Without hesitation, he pulled out a High Spirit Pill and swallowed it.

The moment the pill entered his body, warmth flooded his dantian, instantly replenishing his energy. Revitalized, he refocused and continued dodging.

The chase dragged on for another two hours. By now, Tang Yan had consumed three High Spirit Pills, and yet the panther still showed no signs of giving up.

But then—

The aura behind him suddenly flickered.

Tang Yan turned his head slightly and saw a sight that nearly made him laugh out loud—the mighty Shadow Panther was panting heavily, its speed visibly slowing.

Finally, you’re exhausted too!

Tang Yan grinned coldly. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Scooping up a rock, he infused it with his energy and hurled it toward the panther. At the same time, his sword trembled in his grip as he charged forward.

"BOOM!"

The panther swiped the rock out of the air, shattering it to dust. But in that split second, Tang Yan’s sword had already reached its target—the beast’s eye!

The strike was lightning-fast, but the panther still managed to twist its head at the last moment. The sword’s tip missed its eye but grazed its neck, leaving a thin, bloody line.

"ROAR!"

The Shadow Panther howled in fury.

Its pride wounded, it charged at Tang Yan once more, its bloodshot eyes filled with rage.

Tang Yan cursed inwardly. This thing still has energy left?!

With no time to think, he turned and resumed his escape. The exhausted beast followed, but now its movements were sluggish.

Another hour passed, and the panther finally stumbled to a halt, its body swaying.

Tang Yan, who had just swallowed another High Spirit Pill, smirked.

His patience had paid off.

Sword in hand, he dashed toward the beast.

"CLANG!"

The moment their attacks clashed, Tang Yan’s arms went numb from the force, but he quickly regained control. This time, he had the advantage.

The fight lasted barely ten minutes. Though weakened, the panther’s raw strength remained terrifying. Even so, its exhaustion proved fatal.

"PFFT!"

With one final strike, Tang Yan’s sword plunged deep into the beast’s throat.

The Shadow Panther let out a final, gurgling growl, struggling weakly before collapsing to the ground with a loud thud.

For a moment, Tang Yan simply stood there, chest heaving.

He had won.

Collapsing onto the ground, he let out a breathless laugh. Originally, he had just wanted to practice his footwork—who could have guessed that in a single night, not only would he master Phantom Step, but he would also slay a tier-three spirit beast?

At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he reached the technique’s Minor Mastery realm.

After resting briefly, he pushed himself up and approached the beast’s corpse. With a swift motion, he sliced open its skull—revealing a golden beast core, pulsating with rich spiritual energy.

Tang Yan’s eyes lit up in excitement. He reached out to take it—

But before he could store it away, the Heavenly Creation Cauldron inside him suddenly trembled with excitement.

Tang Yan froze.

That damn cauldron again?!