The faint glow of the Beast Core faded as Li Feng absorbed its energy. A new strength coursed through his body, his upgraded Piercing Sight now allowing him to see further and detect intricate energy signatures. He felt sharper, more aware, but also burdened by the knowledge of how much further he had to go.
The group sat around the corpse of the fallen Tier-2 beast, the forest unnervingly quiet after the battle. Their breathing was heavy, the adrenaline still pulsing through their veins.
Xu Mei wiped the blade of her Mirage Blade on a piece of cloth, her eyes narrowed. "That thing nearly wiped us out. What kind of training does the academy think we need to survive?"
"They don't care about survival," Zhu Yan muttered, poking the ground with a stick. "They care about results. If we die, they'll just recruit the next batch of expendables."
Lin Yue, sitting a little apart from the group, hugged her knees. "We were lucky. If it wasn't for Li Feng's ability, we wouldn't have even known where to attack."
Li Feng glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Luck plays a part, sure, but so does preparation. We need to be better. Stronger. The next challenge won't give us this much time to think."
Zhu Yan raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you suggest we do that, oh fearless leader?"
Li Feng ignored the sarcasm, activating his Piercing Sight. He scanned the surroundings, his vision overlaying faint energy trails crisscrossing the forest floor. One particularly strong trail led deeper into the forest, glowing faintly but steadily.
"There's a convergence point up ahead," he said. "It could be an energy pool or another Core. Either way, it's worth checking out."
Xu Mei frowned. "You want to dive deeper into this death trap instead of heading back to recover?"
"We don't have a choice," Li Feng replied, his tone firm. "We're not leaving here empty-handed. If we're going to climb the academy's rankings, we need every advantage we can get."
The determination in his voice silenced any further argument. Slowly, the group gathered their belongings and set off, each step taking them closer to the unknown.
The forest seemed alive as they ventured deeper, its twisted roots and gnarled branches forming natural barriers. The air grew heavier, tinged with a faint metallic scent that made Lin Yue wrinkle her nose.
"This place feels... wrong," she murmured.
"It's not just you," Xu Mei replied, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade. "The energy here is denser, almost oppressive."
Zhu Yan glanced around nervously. "And the beasts? Where are they? Feels like we're being watched."
Li Feng didn't respond. His Piercing Sight picked up faint flickers of movement in the shadows—small creatures darting between the trees, their energy signatures weak but numerous.
"Stay close," he said. "We're surrounded, but they're not attacking yet. They're waiting for something."
The group tightened their formation, moving cautiously. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig set their nerves on edge.
Finally, they emerged into a small clearing. At its center was a pool of glowing blue liquid, shimmering faintly under the dim light filtering through the canopy.
Zhu Yan let out a low whistle. "An energy pool. Haven't seen one of these since the academy trials."
Xu Mei approached cautiously, her Mirage Blade drawn. "It looks pure. If we absorb it, we can recover and strengthen our abilities."
Li Feng's Celestial Screen activated automatically, displaying new options:
[Energy Pool Detected. Absorb to Restore Abyssal Points or Enhance Current Abilities.]
He was about to speak when the ground beneath them trembled. From the far side of the clearing, a massive figure emerged—a Tier-2 beast unlike any they'd seen before.
It resembled a lion, but its fur glistened like crystal, refracting light into deadly beams. Its glowing eyes burned with intelligence, and a deep growl rumbled from its throat as it locked onto the group.
Xu Mei cursed under her breath. "Of course there's a guardian. It couldn't just let us take the energy, could it?"
Zhu Yan's hands ignited with flames. "This one's going to be tough. What's the plan, boss?"
Li Feng's Piercing Sight activated, analyzing the creature. Its weak points were visible—a faint crack near its heart and another around its left hind leg. But the rest of its body was covered in an almost impenetrable layer of crystalline fur.
"This one's smarter than the last," Li Feng said. "It'll adapt quickly, so we need to take it down fast. Same formation as before, but I'll take point this time. Lin Yue, keep the barriers ready. Xu Mei, aim for its joints. Zhu Yan, burn it whenever you see an opening."
The beast roared, its mane shimmering dangerously.
"Let's go," Li Feng said, gripping his spear tightly.
The beast moved with surprising speed, its massive paws barely making a sound as it charged. Lin Yue reacted instantly, throwing up a barrier to intercept it.
The beast collided with the shimmering wall, cracks spreading across the surface like spiderwebs. Lin Yue staggered, blood trickling from her nose as she struggled to maintain the barrier.
"Xu Mei, now!" Li Feng shouted.
Xu Mei darted forward, her Mirage Blade gleaming as she aimed for the beast's left hind leg. The blade struck true, slicing through the crack in its crystalline armor. The beast roared in pain, its leg buckling slightly.
Zhu Yan followed up with a blast of fire, the flames engulfing the creature's mane. For a moment, it seemed disoriented, its movements slowing.
Li Feng seized the opportunity, sprinting forward with his spear aimed at the beast's heart.
The creature recovered faster than expected, its glowing eyes narrowing as it swiped at him with a massive paw. Li Feng barely managed to dodge, the claws grazing his arm and drawing blood.
"Barrier!" he yelled.
Lin Yue's trembling hands formed another shield, giving him the briefest moment to recover. He adjusted his grip on the spear, his eyes locking onto the crack near the beast's heart.
"This is it," he thought.
With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, the spear piercing through the crack and sinking deep into the creature's chest. The beast let out a deafening roar, thrashing violently as it tried to dislodge him.
"Zhu Yan!" Li Feng shouted.
Zhu Yan didn't hesitate. He unleashed a concentrated blast of fire directly at the spear's entry point, the flames surging into the beast's body.
The creature's struggles grew weaker until it finally collapsed, its crystalline body shattering like glass as it hit the ground.
The group stood in silence, their breathing ragged.
"Another one down," Zhu Yan said, wiping sweat from his brow. "We're getting good at this."
Xu Mei sheathed her blade, her eyes scanning the clearing. "Don't get cocky. We got lucky again."
Lin Yue approached the fallen beast, her face pale but determined. "Are you alright, Li Feng?"
"I'll live," he said, offering a faint smile. He turned his attention to the energy pool, his Abyssal Nexus displaying new options.
[Consume Energy Pool to Restore Abyssal Points or Upgrade Ability.]
"We'll take turns," he said. "Everyone gets a share."
The group nodded, their resolve strengthening.
As Li Feng absorbed his portion of the energy, warmth spread through his body, a notification appearing on his CS:
[Abyssal Points Gained: +150. Abyssal Gaze Enhanced: Greater Precision and Energy Disruption Added.]
He clenched his fists, feeling the power coursing through him.
"This is just the beginning," he thought.
The group stood together, their eyes on the path ahead. The forest still loomed with dangers, but for the first time, they felt ready to face it.