Tian Hao jolted awake, the night's restless grip still heavy on him. His muscles ached, stiff and unyielding, as if each movement was a battle. The chill of the morning air bit into his skin, and his spirit felt frayed, as though he had fought the shadows themselves through the night.
He groaned, realizing that the 'shadows' he'd been battling all night were, in fact, just his silk cloth twisted tightly around him, as if it had conspired to keep him in an all night wrestling match.
"Great," he muttered, untangling himself, "defeated by a piece of fabric."
He looked around woozily, his vision blurred as the forest loomed in its gloomy splendor. "Of course," he mumbled, blinking slowly, "still in this forsaken forest. I must have angered every deity out there."
Tian Hao groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, every muscle protesting in its own unique way. His knees cracked, and a sharp pain shot up his back, making him wince. Each movement felt like an ordeal, his exhaustion unaided by his poor nights sleep.
He took a deep breath, the damp air filling his lungs, and tried to shake off the lingering exhaustion.
"All right, forest, let's see what other surprises you have in store for me today," he muttered, brushing dirt off his robe.
He squinted into the dim forest, the shadows stretching endlessly in every direction.
"One foot in front of the other, Tian Hao," he said to himself, setting off at a slow, determined pace. "If I keep moving, maybe I'll actually find a way out of this overgrown nightmare." He smirked, a hint of irony in his voice. "Or at least I'll trip over something interesting."
The forest pressed in on him, cloaked in perpetual twilight gloom. Branches snagged at his robes, tugging him back with every step, while gnarled roots seemed to rise up just to trip him. The dense foliage formed a twisting maze, each path forcing him to fight his way deeper, his frustration mounting as the forest seemed determined to keep him lost.
The scent of decaying leaves filled his nostrils, mingling with the faint musk of unseen animals. Tian Hao grimaced, the unfamiliar smell almost making him gag. The air was thick, heavy with moisture, every breath feeling like it was clogging his lungs with the essence of the ancient woods.
Occasional rustles hinted at hidden creatures, making Tian Hao's breath catch as his his eyes darted across the shadows, searching for what might be lurking. A distant bird's caw broke the silence, and he glanced around warily, every crunch of twigs beneath his boots echoing his unease, his senses on high alert.
“How long has it been?’ Tian Hao moaned to himself, his voice a dramatic whisper swallowed by the indifferent forest. ‘Hours? Days? It feels like I've been trapped in this... karmic purgatory... for an eternity!” He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the dull throb that pulsed behind his eyes, a constant reminder of the uncomfortable night and the gnawing anxiety that seemed to increase with ever beat of his heart.
After what felt like hours of aimless wandering, a sudden glimmer caught his eye. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but enough to make him stop in his tracks. There, beneath a thick tangle of overgrown vines and moss, something shone—a subtle anomaly in the oppressive gloom.
Heart pounding, Tian Hao pushed aside the heavy vines, their leaves damp and cool against his skin. His hands trembled slightly as he worked, the anticipation almost unbearable. He leaned closer, holding his breath and squinting as he tried to make sense of what lay beneath. Anticipation clawed at him, until finally, the sight was revealed—a mystical formation etched into the stone ground. His eyes widened as he uncovered more of the glowing lines, each new symbol making his pulse quicken.
He moved faster, yanking away the damp vines, and brushing away the layers of leaf mulch. His heart pounding in sync with the faint blue pulsations of the symbols. The more he revealed, the more his curiosity turned into a frantic need to uncover every inch of the formation.
Finally, panting with excitement, he was finished. He stood to examine the whole of the now revealed pattern.
Intricate lines, glowing faintly with a pulsating blue light, interwove across the surface, ancient symbols shimmering like captured starlight. The curves and swirls of the carvings seemed almost alive, shifting slightly as though they were breathing in along with an unheard rhythm. The symbols themselves were a mix of familiar motifs and unknown characters—some resembling celestial constellations, others geometric forms with an unsettling, arcane symmetry.
The stone in which the pattern was inscribed felt strangely warm to the touch, its texture smooth but with an almost imperceptible vibration, as if energy coursed just beneath its surface. When he leaned over and placed his hand more fully upon it, the energy was a subtle hum against his fingertips, resonating in a way that made his whole arm tingle.
He felt as if the formation was reacting to his presence, waiting, expectant, like a slumbering beast poised to wake at any moment.
Straightening, Tian Hao scratched his head, his brow furrowed in bewilderment. “What is this?” he murmured, tracing a finger along the delicate engravings. “A misplaced doodle from the Heavens, perhaps? Or maybe Big Sister’s idea of a joke?” He chuckled dryly, the sound hollow in the oppressive silence of the forest. “Because clearly, being stuck in this… karmic time-out isn’t amusing enough.”
Just as he knelt to try and get a ground-level view, the soft snap of a twig echoed from the nearby undergrowth.
Before he could even look up, a spirit beast lunged from the shadows behind him. Claws flashed through the dim light, raking across Tian Hao's back, drawing a line of hot pain that made him cry out. He threw himself to the side, adrenaline pumping as he hit the ground and rolled messily, trying to put distance between himself and the creature.
Gasping in pain, Tian Hao picked himself up, his vision swimming. The beast was there, lit by the ever present gloom—a creature resembling an oversized mongoose, its sleek, dark fur blending perfectly with the forest shadows. Its fangs, long and sharp as needles, glinted menacingly, and its eyes burned with predatory intensity. It was coiling back on its haunches, readying itself for another attack.
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Tian Hao yelped, realing backward. “Great, more surprises!” he muttered, fumbling for his flask. Just as he brought the wine to his lips, the beast lunged again, a blur of dark fur and glowing eyes. Tian Hao yelped, stumbling to the side, spilling precious wine in the process.
"Damn it!" he cursed, his annoyance now mixed with adrenaline. He steadied himself, his heart pounding, and took another hurried swig, feeling the familiar burn steady his nerves.
His grip on his flask steadied, eyes narrowing as he locked onto the beast. It lunged and Tian Hao ducked just in time, the movement forcing him to stagger to the side.
Wine sloshed in his flask, and he swung his arm, more for keeping the beast at bay than with any real intent, his body straining against the fatigue.
Another gulp of wine, and he could feel Wine Fueled Fury activating. His limbs felt lighter, his strikes faster. The beast snarled, eyes glowing with primal fury, and Tian Hao answered with an unsteady, fierce grin.
He weaved to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature’s snapping jaws. His footing slipped on the damp forest floor, the rush of air from the beast's jaws brushing against his face. The world around him blurred, his vision swimming, but his technique guided him like a new instinct, each movement fueled by desperation.
He swung wildly, his strikes erratic. Most missed their target, but the few that connected made the beast reel. The unpredictability of his drunken movements kept the creature at bay, if only barely.
The spirit mongoose lashed out with its claws again. Tian Hao barely had time to react, instinctively raising his arm to shield himself. Pain tore across his arm as the claws raked through his silk and skin, and he staggered back, gritting his teeth.
Blood trickled from the wounds, but he pushed the pain aside, his focus narrowed on the beast. He had no time to dwell on the injuries—every second mattered now. Each injury stoked his frustration further.
With a frustrated growl, he took another swig of wine, the fiery liquid burning down his throat. The pain dulled, replaced by a reckless fervor. He lunged back into the fight, his footing unsure, but the raw power behind each blow making up for his lack of skill or coordination.
With one last desperate swig of wine, Tian Hao felt the intoxicating heat surge through him, pushing him beyond his limits. His body strained, muscles screaming, but he knew he couldn't back down.
The spirit beast lunged at him again, claws flashing. Tian Hao barely twisted away, feeling the sting as another line of pain opened up across the back of his arm. Blood oozed, but he grit his teeth, his eyes locking onto the beast.
"Come on, just a little luck...," he thought, his breath ragged. The beast came at him again, and Tian Hao swayed like a drunken reed, narrowly avoiding the worst of its attack but taking another light gash along his shoulder.
He stumbled, almost losing his footing, but steadied himself at the last moment. The mongoose turned and lunged, and Tian Hao swung with everything he had, his fist coming down with a desperate, wild arc.
The blow connected, smashing into the beast's side and crushing some of its ribs. The spirit beast let out a strangled cry, its body folding under the force of the hit. It collapsed, legs buckling as it crumpled to the ground.
Tian Hao watched, panting, as the creature struggled weakly. Its claws scraped feebly at the ground, trying in vain to pull itself up. It coughed blood from a punctured lung. Its glowing eyes flickered—one last defiant spark of life. Then, with a shudder, the light faded, and the beast fell still.
Tian Hao stood there, chest heaving, the adrenaline slowly ebbing as he took in the scene. The beast's body lay crumpled, its mouth half-open, dark blood seeping out and into the hungry soil. Its eyes, once bright with rage, were now empty, a dull reflection of the fight that had just ended.
The clearing was silent, save for the sound of his own labored breaths echoing through the oppressive gloom.
Scratches lined his arms, crimson streaks trickling down his side, staining his once-elegant robes with spreading inkblots of red. He looked down at the wounds, wincing slightly. “They really never mention this part in the scrolls,” he complained, shaking his head, his frustration tinged with a grudging respect for the tenacity of these spirit beasts.
In his weariness, as he turned back to the strange formation, his foot slipped on a loose rock. He stumbled, his foot catching on a root, and as he flailed to regain his balance, blood from his scratched arms flew off, splattering across the ancient carvings.
The moment his blood touched the stone, the formation hummed with a sudden surge of energy, the faint blue glow intensifying into a blinding light. The intricate patterns shimmered, twisting and writhing as if coming alive. The ancient symbols pulsated, and the warmth he had felt earlier intensified, radiating outwards like a shockwave.
The ground beneath him trembled, the vibrations echoing deep within his bones.
BSS’s voice echoed in his mind. “Oh, look at that, Little Hao. Bleeding all over ancient formations now, are we? You certainly have a knack for the unexpected.”
Tian Hao blinked, his eyes wide with a mix of consternation and apprehension. The recent fight, sudden surge of energy, the trembling ground, the otherworldly glow of the formation – it was all a bit too much.
“Big Sister,” he called out, his voice a nervous whisper, “tell me this isn’t another one of your pranks. Please.”
BSS giggled in response, the sound echoing in his mind as a celestial chime. “Brace yourself, Little Hao. You’re about to get an audience with something… grand. Try not to embarrass yourself too much.”
The light from the formation grew more intense, the energy swirling upwards in vibrant streams, coalescing into a singular, pulsating mass above the clearing. The light was blinding, forcing him to squint, his eyes watering as he tried to keep focus.
Tian Hao could feel a strange pull emanating from the swirling energy, as if it was reaching into the depths of his being, tugging at his core. The air grew heavy with a palpable pressure, pushing against his chest, making it hard to breathe. His ears rang with a vibration that seemed to resonate through the very marrow of his bones.
He staggered slightly, his senses overwhelmed by the intensity of the formation activation.
Tian Hao watched, transfixed, as from the very center of this swirling vortex, a grand shape began to solidify.
It was massive, ethereal – a spirit-fox with fur the color of a shimmering moonbeam on a lake, and eyes that shimmered like molten gold. Its ears were tall and delicately pointed, twitching slightly as if catching even the faintest of sounds in the stillness. The fox's nose flared gently as it sniffed the air, a subtle motion that seemed almost thoughtful. Its tail, long and flowing, trailed behind it like a ribbon of starlight, its tip flickering with an otherworldly luminescence. The soft fur around its face framed its features in a way that gave it an air of timeless wisdom.
The fox regarded him with a calm, almost regal gaze, its presence radiating an ancient power that made Tian Hao’s breath catch in his throat.
For a moment, everything stood still.
The forest, usually a symphony of rustling leaves and chirping insects, fell silent, as if holding its breath in deference to the majestic creature before him. Tian Hao, his earlier exhaustion and frustration forgotten, felt a sense of awe wash over him, his heart pounding with both fear and wonder.
He swallowed, his voice a barely audible whisper. “Well… this is majestic… and absolutely terrifying.”
BSS’s voice echoed once more in his mind, amusement lacing her tone as she gave him her own brand of warped encouragement. “Congratulations, Little Hao. You’ve gone from tripping over roots to summoning ancient spirit beasts. Not bad for someone who can’t even properly harvest herbs. Now go on, say something. Or just continue staring with slack-jawed wonder. That works, too.”