The ultimate chaos God

The Ashen Veil Forest

The towering silhouette lunged toward him.

Li Tian reacted on instinct. He twisted sharply, the beast's claws tearing through empty air as he shot toward the cave entrance. Dirt exploded beneath his feet while his mind raced.

Get it away from the cave. If the battle collapsed the cavern, every spirit herb inside would be buried forever.

He burst into the open forest. Behind him came a thunderous roar.

Before he could gain any distance, the wolf leaped over his head and crashed onto the ground ahead of him, cutting off his escape.

Li Tian skidded to a halt. Only now did he get a clear look at the beast.

It stood nearly twice his height, its charcoal-black fur rippling over powerful muscles. Crimson eyes burned beneath a jagged mark glowing on its forehead. Every breath it released carried scorching heat.

His expression hardened. "Earth Grade beast."

His heart sank. His recent breakthrough had narrowed the gap, but not enough. Against a Grade Five beast, a direct confrontation was almost suicidal.

The wolf lowered its body. Then it vanished.

A violent gust struck Li Tian's face. He barely tilted his head in time.

Whoosh!

Razor-sharp fangs snapped shut where his neck had been an instant earlier. The wolf landed, spun, and pounced again without giving him a moment to breathe.

Li Tian crossed both arms.

Boom!

The impact felt like being struck by a battering ram. His feet carved deep trenches through the earth before he was finally thrown backward, his arms trembling.

"So much raw strength." The beast wasn't using techniques. It didn't need to. Its physical power alone was overwhelming.

The wolf attacked again, claws flashing toward his chest. Li Tian ducked beneath them and slammed his palm against the beast's shoulder to push himself away. Even that brief contact numbed his entire arm.

Sweat rolled down his forehead. I can't drag this out.Every exchange consumed precious qi, and the wolf showed no signs of slowing.

A low growl echoed through the forest. Then the beast disappeared once more.

Too fast.

His pupils shrank. He caught only a blur before something slammed into his chest.

BOOM!

Pain exploded through his ribs. His body shot backward and crashed into the trunk of an ancient tree hard enough to crack the bark. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

He slid to the ground, struggling to breathe.

"So this," he coughed, "is the difference between Grade Three and Grade Five."

Heavy footsteps approached. The wolf wasn't rushing anymore. It walked toward him slowly, confident its prey could no longer escape.

Li Tian wiped the blood from his lips. "If this continues, I'll die."

His right hand clenched. Chaotic flames flickered around his fist.

"Chaos Core Overload Burst."

A golden fire erupted around his arm, the surrounding air distorting under the heat.

The wolf sensed the danger. Instead of retreating, it roared and charged.

Li Tian stayed perfectly still.

Ten meters. Eight. Five. Three.

Now.

He sidestepped at the final instant, his flaming fist crashing into the wolf's ribs.

BOOOOOOM!

A violent explosion shook the forest. Both combatants were thrown apart. Li Tian skidded across the ground before forcing himself upright, his breathing heavy, smoke curling from his scorched knuckles.

He looked toward the beast, and froze.

The wolf was still standing. Its side had been blown open, exposing bloodied flesh beneath scorched fur. But its eyes burned with even greater killing intent.

His expression darkened. "Even that wasn't enough."

His arm trembled. The technique had already drained nearly a third of his qi. At this rate, he could unleash it only one or two more times before exhausting himself completely.

The wolf growled, the sound vibrating through the trees.

Li Tian steadied his breathing. "Think" Its hide was too durable, its strength far beyond his own. There had to be something.

His gaze stopped on the glowing mark on its forehead. A memory surfaced, and his eyes widened.

The Cinder Eye Mark. Every Cinder Wolf condensed its core essence there. It wasn't merely a symbol. It was the beast's greatest weakness.

A slow smile spread across his bloodstained face. "I only need one clean hit."

The wolf charged again. This time Li Tian ran toward it, then changed direction at the last second and sprinted straight up the trunk of a massive tree. His feet pounded against the bark.

Five meters. Ten. Fifteen.

He kicked off with everything he had, his body flipping through the air. The wolf looked up.

Too late.

Chaotic flames exploded around his fist once more.

"Chaos Core." The fire compressed into a single blazing point. "Overload Burst!"

He descended like a falling meteor.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

His fist struck the glowing mark squarely. A deafening crack echoed across the forest, and the Cinder Eye Mark shattered.

The wolf let out one final agonized howl before its massive body collapsed, carving a long trench through the earth before going still.

Silence returned.

Li Tian landed on one knee, his vision swaying, every muscle screaming in protest. For several long breaths, neither he nor the wolf moved.

Then he laughed. "I survived."

He forced himself to his feet and walked toward the corpse. With one swift motion, he split open the beast's skull and removed its spirit core. A brilliant sky-blue crystal rested in his bloodstained palm, pulsing with dense spiritual qi.

A satisfied smile spread across his face. "One Grade Five spirit core should be enough to buy a high-grade spirit elixir."

He glanced deeper into the forest. Darkness stretched endlessly between the trees. His instincts screamed at him to leave.

"No treasure is worth throwing away a second life."

He tucked the spirit core into his robe, turned, and began the long journey back toward the Li Clan. Behind him, the silent forest slowly swallowed the corpse of the fallen beast.