Li Feng's heart pounded as the massive beast stepped into the light.
Its body was covered in obsidian-black fur, streaked with glowing veins of golden energy. Its eyes, like molten fire, locked onto him with an intelligence that sent chills down his spine.
A Starbeast.
A creature born from the celestial energies of the universe—far stronger than anything he had faced before.
The beast growled, the sound reverberating through the mountaintop. The air itself trembled.
Li Feng clenched his fists. His body was exhausted, his Qi nearly depleted, but he couldn't back down now. The Starcore was right in front of him.
The beast charged.
Li Feng barely had time to react. He twisted to the side, but the sheer force of its movement sent shockwaves through the ground, knocking him off balance.
Too fast. Too strong.
The beast spun, its massive claws slashing through the air. Li Feng threw himself backward, but pain erupted across his chest as a deep gash tore through his robe.
He crashed onto the stone floor, blood dripping down his arm.
I can't win like this.
The Starbeast wasn't just powerful—it was a guardian. It wasn't fighting recklessly.
It was testing him.
Li Feng gritted his teeth. If he fought head-on, he would lose. But if this was a test…
There had to be another way.
His mind raced. He glanced at the Starcore hovering above the altar.
Could he take it without defeating the beast?
The Starbeast growled and lunged again, but this time, Li Feng didn't dodge.
Instead, he ran straight toward the altar.
The beast roared in fury and leaped, claws ready to tear him apart. But at the last moment, Li Feng did something unexpected—
He dropped to his knees and slid across the stone floor, slipping right beneath the creature's massive frame.
The Starbeast landed behind him, momentarily caught off guard.
Li Feng didn't waste a second. He reached out and grasped the Starcore.
The moment his fingers touched it, a surge of celestial energy erupted from the orb, flooding into his body.
The world vanished in a burst of golden light.