The cave fell silent for a moment.
Dust slowly settled on the rocky ground. Blood stained the stone floor.
Lin Feng stood there, breathing heavily. His body still glowed faintly with the golden light of Qi flowing through his veins.
Across from him, the massive wolf stood motionless.
Its crimson eyes stared at him with cold fury.
Something had changed.
The prey that had been helpless moments ago was now standing again.
The wolf lowered its head slightly, muscles tightening beneath its thick black fur.
"Grrrr…"
A deep growl rolled through the cave.
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.
The pressure coming from the beast was terrifying.
But this time… he did not step back.
Warm energy flowed through his body.
Qi moved through his veins like a quiet river, strengthening his muscles and steadying his breath.
"So this is Qi…" Lin Feng thought.
The wolf suddenly lunged.
Its claws tore through the air like blades.
Lin Feng reacted instantly.
His body twisted to the side as the claw barely missed his head, crashing into the stone behind him and leaving deep scratches.
Lin Feng darted forward.
His fangs flashed as he aimed for the wolf's leg.
The wolf jumped back quickly, but Lin Feng's claws still sliced across its shoulder.
Blood sprayed.
The wolf growled angrily.
For the first time, Lin Feng had managed to wound it.
But the wolf didn't retreat.
Instead, its lips curled back, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
Then it howled.
"Awooooo!"
A violent energy surged through the beast.
Its muscles swelled.
Its breathing became heavy and savage.
Its eyes turned completely red.
Lin Feng's pupils shrank.
"Killing Frenzy…"
The wolf charged again.
This time it was faster.
Much faster.
Lin Feng barely had time to react before a claw slammed into his side.
Pain exploded through his body.
He was thrown across the cave floor and crashed into a stone wall.
Cracks spread across the rock.
Lin Feng fell to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth.
Before he could stand, the wolf was already on him.
Its jaws snapped toward his throat.
Lin Feng rolled desperately to the side.
The teeth slammed into the ground instead, shattering stone.
Lin Feng lunged forward and bit the wolf's front leg.
"Venom Bite!"
His fangs pierced through the fur and skin.
The wolf roared in pain and slammed its body into him.
Lin Feng was crushed beneath the massive weight.
His ribs creaked under the pressure.
The wolf clawed at him wildly, leaving deep wounds across his back.
Lin Feng twisted violently and tore a chunk of flesh from the wolf's leg before jumping away.
Both beasts staggered backward.
Blood covered the ground.
The wolf's breathing had grown heavier.
Venom was slowly spreading through its body.
But Killing Frenzy kept it moving.
The beast roared again and charged.
Lin Feng gathered Qi into his legs and leaped forward.
The two collided in the center of the cave.
Claws slashed.
Fangs snapped.
Blood flew in every direction.
The wolf's claws tore across Lin Feng's chest, opening a deep wound.
Lin Feng responded with a savage bite to the wolf's neck.
The wolf howled and slammed him into the ground again.
The cave floor cracked beneath the impact.
Lin Feng's vision blurred.
His body screamed in pain.
But he refused to let go.
He tightened his jaws and pushed Qi into his fangs.
The venom flowed deeper.
The wolf began to stumble.
Its movements became slightly slower.
Its claws missed by inches.
Lin Feng forced himself to stand.
His legs trembled.
Blood dripped from dozens of wounds.
The wolf stood across from him, breathing heavily.
Its red eyes still burned with fury.
But its body was shaking now.
The venom was finally taking effect.
Lin Feng lowered his body.
Qi gathered through his muscles.
The wolf roared and made one final charge.
Both predators moved at the same time.
The distance between them vanished in an instant.
The wolf raised its claws for a killing strike.
Lin Feng darted beneath its body.
Then he twisted upward.
His fangs sank deep into the wolf's throat.
"Venom Bite!"
Blood burst from the wound.
The wolf howled violently and tried to shake him off.
But Lin Feng held on.
Seconds passed.
Then the wolf's strength began to fade.
Its legs trembled.
The massive body swayed.
Finally—
The Mountain Howl King collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
The cave fell silent again.
Lin Feng released his bite and staggered backward.
His legs gave out beneath him.
He collapsed onto the stone floor, gasping for air.
The wolf lay motionless.
Its red eyes slowly lost their light.
System notifications began appearing one after another.
But Lin Feng was too exhausted to look at them.
He simply lay there, staring at the cave ceiling.
After a long moment, a weak smile appeared on his face.
"I… actually won."
His vision slowly faded as exhaustion overtook him.
But one thought echoed clearly in his mind.
This victory meant only one thing.
He was finally ready.
Ready for the next step.
Evolution.