The forest was unusually quiet that morning, the kind of silence that presses against the ears and raises goosebumps on the skin. Xu Lan moved cautiously, his senses alert to the faintest sound. The golden beast essence within him pulsed gently, a subtle warning that danger was near.
He had been tracking a ridge where rumors whispered of aggressive beasts—and possibly other hunters who sought the same power he was beginning to understand. Xu Lan's muscles tensed as he crossed a small stream, water sparkling in the early light.
A sudden crack behind him made him spin. Golden aura flared around his fists. Standing on the ridge, partially concealed by trees, were three figures cloaked in dark leather armor, their faces masked, eyes cold and calculating.
Xu Lan's mind raced. Humans. He had never fought humans on this level before. Beasts followed instinct, but humans… humans planned, adapted, and struck with precision.
The tallest of the three stepped forward. "You've been attracting attention, boy," he said smoothly. "That power you carry… it doesn't belong to the weak."
Xu Lan's pulse quickened, but he remained composed. "I won't let you take it," he replied, his voice steady despite the tension.
Without warning, the three lunged simultaneously, weapons glinting in the morning light. Xu Lan felt the golden beast essence surge, reflexes sharpening beyond ordinary limits. He sidestepped the first strike, deflected the second with a spinning block, and countered the third with a golden-infused palm strike that sent the attacker flying into the trees.
But the humans were not like beasts. They adapted instantly, attacking in coordinated patterns, forcing Xu Lan to move continuously, dodge, strike, and absorb energy to maintain his edge.
As the battle raged, Xu Lan realized something critical: he could use the energy of his opponents against them, just as he had done with beasts—but humans were unpredictable. Their strikes were not raw force—they were precision, cunning, and deception.
He let the golden essence flow into his limbs, feeling it amplify not just strength, but perception and intuition. He could anticipate small shifts in their posture, subtle changes in their grip, even the rhythm of their attacks.
Sweat and blood mixed as he engaged in a dizzying dance of offense and defense. He executed his spinning, golden-infused strike repeatedly, but now with calculated timing, each strike reading the attackers' weaknesses. Two of the three fell back, injured and wary.
The tallest remained, his eyes gleaming with both fear and admiration. "Impressive… but can you handle this?" he shouted, summoning a sudden burst of energy that created a shockwave, knocking Xu Lan off his feet.
Xu Lan rolled, feeling pain shoot through his side. But as he rose, he let the golden essence circulate fully, integrating the energy from the shockwave into himself. In that moment, a new technique formed instinctively in his mind: a defensive-offensive flow that allowed him to absorb incoming force and redirect it instantly.
He lunged at his opponent, energy flaring like molten gold. The human moved to strike—but Xu Lan's new technique met him head-on, redirecting the force back with amplified power. The tall fighter was thrown back, landing hard among the trees, defeated.
The forest fell silent. Xu Lan stood amidst the scattered bodies, chest heaving, golden aura dimming as adrenaline ebbed. He had survived—not through raw strength alone, but through adaptation, intuition, and mastery of his beast essence.
Leaning against a tree, Xu Lan allowed himself a moment to breathe. But in the shadows beyond, a faint, deliberate clap echoed—mocking, appreciative, and ominous all at once.
A voice, calm and chilling, whispered from the treeline:
"Interesting… very interesting. But this is only the beginning, Xu Lan."
Xu Lan's eyes narrowed. He had defeated these hunters, but the message was clear: stronger opponents, more cunning enemies, and deadlier challenges awaited.
He clenched his fists, the golden aura flaring around him once more. His journey had shifted—from survival against beasts to confrontation with humans who could match, or even surpass, the power he had begun to wield.
And Xu Lan was ready.