The silence of the forest was broken by the sound of dry leaves being trampled by Wang Lin's heavy footsteps. He was still panting, his body sweaty and battle-scarred, but his eyes were unforgiving. He had won, and the beast before him was proof of his brute strength. But as he walked away from the creature's corpse, something unexpected happened. A strange feeling, almost like a gentle pressure, enveloped his body. Wang Lin stopped and closed his eyes, feeling a surge of power building up inside him. It was as if the very energy of the forest was condensing around him, acknowledging his victory, his strength. He felt the energy circulating faster, stronger. It was as if a door was being opened inside him, a path to something greater. Something much more powerful. In the blink of an eye, the feeling of power increased dramatically. His muscles seemed to grow even larger, his bones tougher, and a wave of heat coursed through his body. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he knew it was something profound. The cultivation system, which until now had seemed like just a tool for progress, was now offering him something he hadn't imagined.
Boom!
The impact deep within his being was almost like thunder. The energy within his body exploded, releasing a pressure so strong that even the ground around him seemed to tremble. Wang Lin felt his life energy expand, his muscles strengthening to a level he never imagined possible. He was breaking through a new limit.
Breaking through to the 7th level of Body Refinement.
What had once been a constant struggle to strengthen his body had now become a reality. Wang Lin smiled, his eyes now shining with an even more intense coldness. He was no longer at the 6th level, where physical strength was simply a reflection of one's ability. He was beyond that now. He felt the energy in his muscles, the fibers of his body becoming nearly unstoppable. His physical strength, his endurance, and his speed had all been raised to a new level.
The reward system soon announced his achievement, as if recognizing his relentless determination:
You have received the reward for killing your first beast!
You have broken through to Level 7 of Body Refinement.
Wang Lin took a deep breath, feeling the new power pulsing within him. The reward wasn't just a number or an achievement. It was confirmation that he was on the right path. His body was now even more formidable. He knew that with each achievement, he was getting closer to his ultimate goal: to be the strongest being in the world.
And as he looked at the fallen beast, Wang Lin thought, with a cold smile on his face, "This is just the beginning."
______________
Wang Lin slowly walked through the forest, his steady steps crunching the dry leaves beneath him. His body was covered in dried blood and sweat, the result of the battles he had faced throughout the day. Although tired, his eyes shone with determination. He knew that each beast killed was a step closer to his goal, but the wear and tear was beginning to weigh on his shoulders.
As he walked, his mind wandered. "There are only five left… but if the remaining beasts are stronger, I might need a better strategy," he thought, frowning. His muscles ached, but his brute strength was still intact. Even so, he knew he wasn't invincible. Finally, Wang Lin found a small clearing surrounded by tall, dense trees. The location was ideal: protected from the night winds and with a good view of the surroundings. He walked over and scanned the ground, checking for signs of any nearby beasts. Satisfied, he sighed and sat down on a nearby rock, looking up at the sky. Darkness was already taking over the forest, and stars began to appear, dotting the sky like small torches. He felt a brief relief, as if the weight of the past few hours was dissolving in that moment of silence. "System," Wang Lin muttered, his voice low and hoarse. "How much time is left until the end of the test?"
The system replied in a cold and impersonal voice:
There are 34 hours left until the end of the test.
Wang Lin wiped his hand over his dirty face, pondering. "There is still enough time to complete the mission, but if I falter, someone might surpass me in the rankings." He knew that his final position would be crucial to securing additional benefits in the sect.
Resolutely, he began to gather dry branches to make a fire, something that could ward off smaller beasts during the night. As he piled up the branches, he heard a faint crackling sound in the distance. His muscles immediately tensed. He slowly turned around, his eyes fixed in the direction of the sound.
Nothing. Just darkness.
"I must be getting paranoid," he thought, but his intuition told him to remain alert. Even in his rest, Wang Lin knew that the forest never slept.
The night was thick, and the silence was only broken by the crackling of Wang Lin's fire. He sat with his back against a tree, his eyes half closed in restless rest. His breathing was slow, but his senses remained alert. The forest, which had previously whispered with the subtle sounds of nocturnal creatures, now seemed trapped in an ominous silence.
That was when he heard it.
A low, deep growl that reverberated in the air like muffled thunder. Wang Lin's eyes immediately flew open, and he jumped to his feet. The bonfire wavered, casting dancing shadows across the trees. He looked around, his heart racing.
On the other side of the clearing, two yellow orbs appeared in the darkness. Eyes. Eyes that glowed with primal hunger and unwavering ferocity. From the dim light, a colossal creature emerged.
It was a tiger, but not like the ones Wang Lin had faced before. Its fur was as black as night, except for golden stripes that seemed to pulse with energy. Its muscles were so defined that they looked like they were made of stone, and its claws, long as daggers, scraped the ground, sending up sparks.
"A level 9 body refinement tiger," Wang Lin thought, sweat dripping down his forehead. He felt danger like a crushing weight on his shoulders. The air around the beast seemed distorted, as if its mere presence was enough to suffocate everything around it.
The tiger roared, and the sound was like a shockwave, extinguishing the fire and plunging the clearing into complete darkness.
The Deadly Clash
The tiger charged forward with absurd speed. Wang Lin barely had time to dodge, throwing himself to the side as he felt the sharp wind from the claws that nearly hit him. He fell to the ground hard, rolling on the cold earth before quickly getting up.
"Brute strength… that's what I have,"bWang Lin thought, clenching his fists until his bones cracked. **"But will it be enough against it?"
The tiger charged again, this time with a leap that seemed impossible for something so massive. Wang Lin didn't retreat. Instead, he rushed toward the beast, using all the strength in his legs. At the last moment, he dodged to the side and landed a punch straight at the tiger's side.
The impact resounded like thunder, and the tiger was thrown to the side, but only for an instant. The beast spun in the air with animal-like agility and landed on its feet, letting out another roar that made Wang Lin's bones vibrate.
The fight continued, a frenetic dance of attacks and dodges. Wang Lin landed brutal blows, each punch echoing across the clearing, but the tiger was resilient. With each impact, it stood up again, its eyes shining with an almost supernatural determination.
Just as Wang Lin began to run out of breath, the tiger saw its opportunity. It charged forward and, with a powerful lunge, struck Wang Lin with its front paw, sending him crashing into a tree. The impact was devastating, and Wang Lin tasted the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.
Damn… this is serious, he thought, struggling to get up. His vision was blurry, and pain radiated throughout his body. The tiger didn't hesitate, charging forward once more, its claws ready to rip him apart.
But Wang Lin smiled.
"Now."
When the tiger was a few feet away, Wang Lin gathered all his remaining strength. He leapt forward, straight at the beast, and with a primal scream, he struck straight at the tiger's head. The impact was so strong that it echoed through the forest. The tiger fell to the ground with a dull thud, but it was still breathing, its body shaking in spasms.
Wang Lin, staggering, slowly approached. His eyes were fixed on the tiger, which was trying to get up, but had no strength left. "If I let you live, there will be no next time," he muttered, his voice hoarse and gloomy.
With one last punch, Wang Lin crushed the beast's skull, ending the battle.
The Price of Victory
He fell to his knees next to the tiger's body, breathing heavily. His body was covered in cuts and bruises, but he had won. "I survived," he thought, relief and exhaustion mixing in his chest.
Wang Lin laughed softly despite the pain. He didn't know how he would survive the next day, but he knew one thing: he was closer to his goal. Stronger, more experienced… and more ruthless.
As Wang Lin tried to control his labored breathing, still kneeling beside the tiger's corpse, an unexpected notification echoed in his mind.
\DING\
SYSTEM: Congratulations on overcoming a life-or-death struggle against a beast of a higher level than you. As a reward, you will receive a special A-rank skill.
Wang Lin, even in his exhausted state, widened his eyes. An A-rank skill was a rare gift, something that even cultivators at very advanced stages would envy.
SKILL UNLOCKED
Name: Desperate Strength (A)
Description: When in a life-or-death situation, your body automatically activates this skill, tripling your strength, agility, vitality, perception, and reflexes for a short period.
Cost: After the skill ends, your body enters a state of extreme weakness, leaving you vulnerable for several hours or even days, depending on the intensity of use.
The system's cold, mechanical voice continued,
"This skill is a rare gift. However, use it wisely, as the cost could mean the difference between life and death in consecutive situations."
Wang Lin fell silent, pondering the message.
As he wiped the blood from his face, he muttered, "Triple my strength… but at the cost of being defenseless? It seems the system likes to test me." He looked down at his bloody hands, the same ones that had defeated the tiger moments before.
"I have not asked for mercy in this life," he thought, his expression hardening. "If I must pay with temporary weakness to crush my enemies, then so be it."
Despite the pain and fatigue, Wang Lin felt a small spark of excitement. "With this ability, I will be able to overcome opponents who would have crushed me before. But…" He clenched his fists, his thoughts turning dark. "I must learn to control it, to use it at the right time. Because weakness, even temporary, is something I cannot afford."
He knew the cost was great, but he also knew that on the path to absolute power, sacrifices were inevitable. And to Wang Lin, this was just another step on the path to becoming the most powerful being.