Yun Da Xia somehow found the strength to curse.
Sleek black fur encompassed the beast's body while piercing silver eyes bore into her; gripping her heart and soul. She found it incredibly hard to breathe. Sharp claws adorned its massive paws, and pronounced canines peeked through its lips. It could probably devour her entire body in a single pounce.
She pleaded–no, vehemently begged–to any god that might be listening, but still, she could not enter the inter spacial ring.
The wolf circled her, trailing its eyes down her form. A shiver ran down her spine as she bowed her head, hoping to dissuade it from thinking she might have malicious intentions. All she wanted to do was escape from this place. Any longer and her heart might just give up on her.
'I smell wolfsbane on you.' Yun Da Xia gasped in pain, holding onto her head. A voice echoed within the chambers of her skull, sounding like a young girl. It felt as if her bones were vibrating to produce the sound, and in turn, made her feel an ache from inside out.
She attempted to gather her breath; face beginning to lose color as she focused on the words it had spoken. Wolfsbane. For years, the plant had been used by people to kill the canines of its namesake. The poison had been the ingredient she needed to use for her antidote. She didn't expect that its scent would still linger even after a month, or that it would be the reason why she would be hunted down.
"I'm so sorry." She bowed, "I used some a month ago to cure my illness. I'll leave-"
'No!' The creature bellowed. Yun Da Xia coughed, blood trickling down her nose. She tried again to manifest her cultivation, but there was nothing but absolute despair. Running away or fighting the beast were not viable options. Maybe she could allow herself to be swallowed whole and then cut her way out from its belly?
She grimaced, knowing that her future was looking bleak.
'Do you have any more?' It lowered its large head; the exhale from its nose coming to warm Yun Da Xia's face. The girl refrained from wincing. "No, I'm sorry, I don't."
Glaring at her with bright eyes, it sniffed around her. It smacked its lips, 'There are still traces of it around you. How did you use it in your treatment?'
"I absorbed the essence of it through an open wound."
The wolf's ears perked up. 'That explains it then.' It paused for a moment; conflict somehow shining through its eyes. Her heart thudded as it simmered in silence, once again checking whether or not she could enter the inter spacial ring. The results did not differ from a few minutes ago.
A snort came from the beast's snout, 'Stop bothering. I've already sealed off your ability to cultivate or manipulate anything related to that.'
Yun Da Xia withheld showing her surprise. That was possible? She had never come across that ability in any of the books she had read in relation to spiritual beasts. Questions flooded her mind, but a single thought overruled them all.
If this creature could do that, then who knows what else it could do.
Seemingly coming to a decision, the wolf raised it's head; looking down at Yun Da Xia. 'You'll come with me. You should be honored that your life will serve a greater purpose.'
There was no chance for the girl to react when the beast dug its teeth into her clothes. It lifted her up; heat slamming into her nape. "What are you doing? Where are you taking me?" Yun Da Xia shouted, struggling and trying to dislodge its grip from her clothing. The words it had spoken were ominous; bringing to mind imagery of an evil villain that wanted to use the hero as a sacrifice.
She didn't care if she would end up having to run around the woods naked, or that she wasn't a match for the wolf. Dying was not an option, and she would be damned if she accepted it so easily.
Unfortunately, her struggles did not dissuade the beast carrying her. 'Keep silent.' It simply growled. The effect it had on Yun Da Xia was colossal; causing a gurgling sound to escape her throat. Blood trickled down the corners of her lips, leaving droplets of crimson on the forest floor. Her sight grew dark as the wolf began to sprint; wind harsh against her face.
She teetered between consciousness. Yes, the pain and discomfort were nothing compared to the lightning tribulations of her past, or the purging of poison from her body, but something else was causing her to blackout. An immense pressure weighed down her mind, unlike yet similar to the feeling of a cultivator choosing to oppress someone with their power.
Deeper and deeper, the wolf ran through the forest. Its heart brimming with hope because of the human it had clasped between its jaws. It passed by the hoards of spiritual beasts that gathered around an area; they had already moved out of the way when they had heard it nearing. Each one bowed its head as it came and went.
The wolf arrived at a clearing; finding two beasts even larger than itself waiting. They both looked at her, eyeing the human their daughter had brought with red eyes. "Dear, what are you doing?" One of the wolves asked, hurrying forward as her daughter laid the girl beside a bundle that they had been guarding.
Silver eyes met worried ones; the daughter opened her mouth.
"I think we can use her blood to heal brother."