Zhuo Riyan was already at a complete disadvantage. His robes were drenched in blood, his breath ragged, and every movement sent a sharp sting through his shattered bones. Cracks ran across his ribs, and a heavy mix of internal injuries threatened to collapse his consciousness at any moment.
Yet even as his vision blurred and his knees trembled, one thought anchored him: he could not die here. Not in this place. Not in front of this enemy.
With sheer will alone, he forced himself to stand, teeth clenched, aura flickering like a dying flame struggling against the wind.
Zhuo Riyan wiped the blood from his mouth, breathing heavily. "Fuck… no."
He forced his stance firm, eyes burning with defiance.
Little Cat hissed painfully but stepped next to him, fur upright despite shaking legs.
They were battered.
Tired.
Outmatched.
But not defeated.
The cloaked man scoffed. "Pathetic. Just die."
He rushed again—faster this time.
The bear beast charged from the opposite side.
A pincer attack—
Impossible to avoid.
Zhuo Riyan gritted his teeth.
Little Cat tightened his claws.
"One chance," Zhuo Riyan whispered.
He closed his eyes.
Lightning shifted inside his body—not outward, but inward.
He focused everything on one final burst.
At the same time, Little Cat took a deep breath.
His body began to glow.
Not the usual purple thunder…
But a deeper, older aura awakening inside him.
The cloaked man's eyes widened.
"What the hell—?"
Zhuo Riyan snapped his eyes open.
Purple lightning burst out like a storm, lifting dust, water, and leaves into the air.
Little Cat roared.
His tiny form erupted with a surge of thunder so dense the air warped—cracks splitting the ground beneath him.
Together they launched forward.
Their powers synchronizing.
Not master and pet—
But partners.
The cloaked man's palm met Zhuo Riyan's fist—
BOOOOOOM!
A shockwave split the pond in half.
The bear beast tried to bite Little Cat—
But the kitten blurred, faster than before, and struck its jaw with three lightning-coated claws.
The tide was turning.
Slowly.
But surely.
Zhuo Riyan felt the enemy's strength wavering.
Little Cat pushed the bear back step by step.
The disadvantage was crumbling.
And for the first time—
Zhuo Riyan smirked.
"You're fucked now."
Zhuo Riyan's fist locked with the cloaked man's palm, purple lightning crackling violently. The man gritted his teeth, pushing back with black qi—but for the first time, his arm trembled.
Zhuo Riyan smirked.
"Not so tough now, huh?"
Before the man could respond, Zhuo Riyan twisted his wrist and slammed a thunder-coated elbow into his jaw.
CRACK!
The cloaked man flew back, smashing through a tree.
On the other side of the pond, Little Cat finished his opponent. The bear beast lunged again, metallic claws shining—
But the kitten vanished in a purple flash.
SHING!
Three claw marks appeared across the beast's neck.
The massive bear stumbled… then fell with a heavy thud.
Little Cat landed gracefully, his tail flicking arrogantly. "That's for destroying my grass, you bastard."
The cloaked man staggered up, blood dripping from his lips. His lifebound beast had fallen, and panic flashed in his eyes.
He tried to run.
Zhuo Riyan appeared in front of him in a blur of thunder.
"Oh no. You don't get to run after ruining my whole damn day."
The man swung a desperate punch—
Zhuo Riyan caught it and twisted.
SNAP!
The cloaked man screamed, dropping to his knees.
Zhuo Riyan grabbed him by the collar and lifted him slightly.
"You destroyed my Three Leaf Frozen Grass," Zhuo Riyan growled. "And you fucking injured my little cat."
Little Cat hopped onto his shoulder, eyes glowing red. "Master, finish him."
The man broke—
He dropped fully onto his knees, slamming his head to the dirt.
"Please—please spare me! I didn't know! I didn't mean to destroy anything! Mercy! Mercy!!"
Zhuo Riyan stared down coldly, purple lightning crackling at his fingertips.
The once-arrogant man trembled like a rat, forehead touching the ground.
"I'll do anything—spare me! You can't kill me I'm from Beast's Mountains Sect!"
The corpse of his lifebound beast lay beside him, and he bowed even deeper, tears soaking the soil.
Zhuo Riyan let out a slow breath, the thunder around him calming slightly.
Zhuo Riyan didn't even bother turning fully, only half-glancing over his shoulder as Pan Jun spoke.
"Beast's Mountain Sect… What are you doing here, and what's your name?" Zhuo Riyan asked, voice cold and sharp.
"I—I'm Pan Jun," the man stuttered. "My father and some other disciples came here. I just followed them… I don't know why."
But his thoughts were venomous.
Wait till my father finds me… he'll show you hell, you bastard.
Little Cat suddenly sniffed the air and circled Pan Jun, tail twitching.
"Master, I want that gem from him." the cat said, eyeing Pan Jun like he was a walking treasure chest.
Zhuo Riyan tilted his head, annoyed.
"Hey, Pa–an pun—whatever. Give him what he's asking. Call it compensation for the shit you pulled."
Pan Jun immediately pulled out a small pouch from his space ring, sweating heavily.
"Th-this is all I have left… Please, just take it."
Little Cat snatched the pouch in his maw and leaped back onto Zhuo Riyan's shoulder with a proud flick of his ears.
Zhuo Riyan turned around and began walking away, slow and casual. His smirk hidden.
He knew exactly what would happen next.
Pan Jun watched the two walk off.
A chilling grin spread across his face.
Hehe… now's my chance. If I kill him, I'll know what kind of technique he used to beat higher levels!
Pan Jun pulled out a dagger from his spiritual ring.
A Green Rank Low-Level dagger.
Deadly, sharp, cold.
With a burst of qi he lunged forward at Zhuo Riyan's unprotected back—
—just as Zhuo Riyan's smile widened.
Pan Jun lunged in, dagger aimed straight for Zhuo Riyan's spine—
—but the blade sliced nothing but air.
A crack of purple thunder burst outward as Zhuo Riyan vanished from sight.
Pan Jun's eyes widened.
Impossible… where did he—
A chill crawled up his neck.
Zhuo Riyan now stood right behind him, smiling like a demon freed from hell. His eyes glowed blood-red, and on his shoulder Little Cat's eyes turned the same, both radiating a murderous aura that froze the world.
Before Pan Jun could even gasp—
SHHHK—
Little Cat's thunder-coated paw drew a clean arc across Pan Jun's neck.
His head separated instantly, rolling across the dirt before plopping into the pond, where it drifted on the surface like a grotesque lotus.
His body crumpled a breath later.
Zhuo Riyan didn't even look at the corpse. He crouched beside it and pulled the dagger from Pan Jun's limp hand.
"Green Rank dagger… not bad. I'll use it."
Just as he stood, a violent surge of qi erupted from deeper inside the forest. A pressure so heavy it bent branches and sent ripples through the pond.
Little Cat's fur bristled.
Zhuo Riyan turned sharply toward the source.
"Who the fuck are they… and I think they're coming for us."
"You fool," Little Cat hissed. "Didn't that bastard tell you his father was here?!"
Zhuo Riyan didn't wait for more. He bolted forward with full speed, purple thunder crackling behind him.
"You damn cat, you should've told me earlier!"
And the two shot into the forest shadows—
just as an even more terrifying aura closed in behind them.