"So, you've finally crawled out of your hole?"
The creature before him was gargantuan—its towering frame easily exceeding six meters in height.
The light radiating from his sword finally pierced the oppressive darkness, revealing more of their surroundings. The beast's full form emerged from the shadows, and its appearance was nothing short of monstrous.
Its massive body bore the hulking build of a bear, yet its elongated snout and rows of razor-sharp teeth resembled those of a wolf. Jagged bones from its spine erupted violently through its back, as though they had been forcefully torn from within, leaving grotesque scars of exposed flesh.
Yu Han froze, momentarily stunned by the horrifying sight. He had never encountered such a grotesque creature. For a fleeting moment, pity welled up in his heart as he imagined the excruciating agony it must endure in this unnatural state.
But the beast was not idle. The instant it noticed the glow of Yu Han's sword, it roared and lunged forward, aiming to deliver a devastating blow.
Yu Han's instincts took over. Without wasting a second, he launched himself backward in a precise, practiced leap, narrowly avoiding the beast's massive claws.
"Alright, focus. I need to locate its core and pierce it in one strike to claim its fragments. If I kill it without following this procedure, I'll gain no soul shards at all."
With these words, Yu Han tightened his grip on his sword and leapt high into the air. At that moment, he was directly above the beast, momentarily gaining the upper hand thanks to the altitude.
He aimed the tip of his sword downward, ready to strike, and dove straight toward the beast's neck, where its core was likely located.
"It's over. I've won!"
Just as Yu Han began to savor his impending victory, the beast, with alarming speed, realized the situation. It raised one of its massive claws, swiping at Yu Han with lethal precision.
A deafening, piercing roar erupted from the beast's throat, its sheer intensity breaking Yu Han's focus. The sudden shock caused him to veer off course, his trajectory altered.
Instead of delivering a killing blow to its core, Yu Han's sword struck the beast's eye, piercing through it with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed as the beast howled in agony, but it did not falter. With its other claw, it retaliated, striking Yu Han with a devastating blow across his back.
The force of the attack sent Yu Han flying through the air, crashing into a tree with a bone-jarring impact. His back burned with searing pain, marked by a deep, jagged wound left by the beast's claws.
"Argh!"
He writhed in pain, every muscle in his body tensing as he struggled to recover.
"You disgusting bastard… I almost felt sorry for you!"
Yu Han glared at the beast, his eyes blazing with fury.
"You'll pay for this!"
The beast met his gaze with equal intensity, though one of its eyes was now nothing more than a gaping, bloodied socket. Thick streams of crimson dripped from its ruined face, staining its maw as it bared its fangs in rage.
It roared once more, the sound piercing the air like a war cry. Fueled by its fury, it crouched low, preparing to lunge at Yu Han again. This time, it no longer saw him as prey but as a threat to be eliminated.
Yu Han clenched his teeth, trying to block out the pain coursing through his body. He forced himself to his feet, using his sword as a crutch. His grip tightened around the hilt as he raised the blade, ready to face the beast once more.
Both combatants shared the same unshakable certainty: only one of them would emerge victorious, while the other would become the spoils of war.
For a long moment, the air between them was still, heavy with tension. Then, as if in perfect synchronization, they moved.
The beast charged first, its jaws wide open and claws raised to crush its foe. Yu Han, refusing to be overwhelmed, displayed incredible agility as he dodged beneath its massive frame. As he moved, his sword sliced along its side, leaving a deep, bleeding gash.
The beast roared in pain but did not relent. Instead, it continued its relentless assault, giving Yu Han few opportunities to counterattack.
"Damn it! If this keeps up, I'll wear out before it does. I need to end this now!"
Yu Han darted away, putting some distance between himself and the beast. He tried to catch his breath and think of a strategy, but the pain in his back flared up once more, nearly bringing him to his knees.
"Damn it, I've lost too much blood… and the wound… it's already getting infected?!"
He dropped to one knee, leaning heavily on his sword for support.
The beast, sensing his weakness, wasted no time. With a final, earth-shaking roar, it charged at Yu Han, its jaws opening wide to crush his skull.
"C... could this really be the end…?"
Time seemed to slow as Yu Han faced what felt like his imminent death.
"When you're standing at death's door, everything seems to move so much slower..."
His vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. He closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.
"Dammit… there was still so much I wanted to see in this world. This is so infuriating..."
And then… nothing. The void surrounded him.
Yu Han thought this was the afterlife, that he was already dead. But before he could dwell on it, the image of a boy—one his own age—appeared before him, as clear as day.
"Don't give up!"
Yu Han's eyes snapped open, now burning with flickering violet flames.
The beast snapped its jaws shut, only to realize its prey had vanished. Confused, it paused, sensing an oppressive presence behind it.
It turned swiftly, only to see Yu Han standing there, his back to the creature. In his hand, he gripped his sword with unwavering resolve. His expression was icy and unreadable, exuding a terrifying aura that could strike fear into any living being.
"It's over. You're mine..."
The beast felt something it hadn't experienced before: primal, overwhelming fear. It was the fear of prey before a predator—a crushing, undeniable sense of powerlessness.
Instinctively, the beast backed away, but Yu Han slowly turned to face it. His calculating gaze bore into it, sharp and unyielding. The beast, driven by desperation, launched itself at Yu Han in a final attempt to overpower him.
Yu Han met its attacks with precision, deflecting each strike with ease as he advanced steadily, never breaking his calm demeanor.
The beast grew frantic, unable to comprehend how Yu Han had suddenly become so formidable.
In one swift, decisive motion, Yu Han severed the beast's front legs, leaving it to flail helplessly on its hind legs. The creature let out a final, despairing roar as Yu Han drove his black blade through its open maw, the tip bursting out the back of its skull.
"I can't believe I struggled against trash like you..."
The beast's lifeless body began to disintegrate, leaving behind several glowing shards scattered across the ground. Yu Han picked them up, examining them briefly.
There were five in total, each radiating a brilliant green light.
"Five... more than enough," he said, sliding the shards into a small pouch at his waist.
He sheathed his sword and prepared to leave, but the sound of footsteps stopped him.
Emerging from the shadows of the trees, countless pairs of glowing eyes stared at him hungrily. More beasts, lurking in the dark, stepped into view, their snarls echoing in the air.
"Damn it... and here I thought I was done with you all," he muttered, unsheathing his sword again. A wry, defiant smile crossed his face.
"Come on, then. Let's get this over with."
.....
At the break of dawn, the first rays of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of trees, casting long shadows over a quiet garden. In the center of the garden stood Xiu Baok, her sharp gaze fixed on the gate that led to the forest. She had been standing there every morning for the past week, her posture rigid, her thoughts heavy. Beside her, Zhao Chen Li fidgeted nervously, her wide eyes betraying her growing anxiety.
"M... Madame," Zhao Chen Li began, her voice trembling. "Do you think he'll come back? I mean… it's been so long."
Xiu Baok didn't respond immediately, her eyes unwavering as if hoping her determination alone would bring Yu Han back.
"The provisions I gave him… they were meant to last three days at most. If he's still alive out there, he's long since run out of supplies. It's… likely he didn't make it."
The weight of her own words hit her like a stone, but before she could speak further, a familiar voice broke through her thoughts.
"I'm finally back!"
Both women's heads snapped toward the gate.
"Master!" Zhao Chen Li cried out, tears welling up in her eyes.
Xiu Baok's composed demeanor faltered for just a moment. Relief and disbelief danced across her face as she watched the figure emerge from the shadows of the forest path.
It was Yu Han. He strode confidently into the garden, his upper body bare and covered in fresh scars that told of fierce battles. In his right hand, he carried a small sack brimming with jagged, colorful fragments, and in his left, his sword, still faintly glowing with residual energy.
"You didn't slack off while I was gone, did you?" Yu Han asked with a teasing grin.
"Of course not. Who do you think I am?" Xiu Baok replied, a subtle smile playing at her lips.
"Master!" Zhao Chen Li ran to Yu Han and threw her arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I thought... I thought you..." she stammered, her voice breaking.
"Relax, Chen Li. I'm fine. I feel better than ever," Yu Han said, ruffling her hair with a reassuring smile.
"But your body—those wounds—"
"They're nothing," he interrupted, brushing off her concern.
Xiu Baok stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she noticed the sack Yu Han carried.
"What's in there?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"This?" Yu Han tossed the sack to the ground. It spilled open, revealing an array of soul fragments in various colors and sizes.
Xiu Baok's eyes widened. "Wait… weren't you only supposed to hunt two beasts? Why do you have so many?"
Yu Han smirked. "Well, it felt too easy, so I decided to spice things up a bit."
As Xiu Baok knelt to examine the fragments, her expression darkened. Among the usual blue shards, she spotted several green ones, their vibrant hue immediately recognizable.
"These… these are elite fragments," she whispered, her voice low and tense. Her fingers trembled slightly as she picked one up.
"Yu Han," she began, standing abruptly. "These belong to elite beasts. Only highly skilled alchemists can face such creatures, let alone defeat them."
Yu Han interrupted her with a wave of his hand.
"Can we talk about this later? I'm exhausted," he said casually, already walking, Zhao Chen Li clinging to his side.
Xiu Baok remained where she stood, staring at the fragments. Her thoughts raced.
"He hasn't even awakened his Tao, and yet he's already this strong?"
A slow smile spread across her face, equal parts admiration and unease.
"Yu Han... you're far more dangerous than I ever anticipated,"