The forest felt different now.
Heavier.
Darker.
As if it was watching.
Li Tian staggered forward, each step uneven, his body swaying like it could collapse at any moment.
Rain soaked him completely.
Blood mixed with mud across his skin.
His breathing was shallow.
Unstable.
But that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part…
Was inside him.
"AGH—!"
He dropped to one knee, clutching his chest.
Pain exploded from deep within.
Not from wounds.
Not from exhaustion.
Something else.
Something changing.
The system flickered violently.
[Mutation in progress]
[Dragon Blood adapting to external high-grade source]
[Warning: loss of control possible]
Li Tian's pupils shrank.
"Loss… of control…?"
His fingers dug into the ground.
The pain intensified.
His veins bulged.
A faint golden glow pulsed beneath his skin.
"No…"
He gritted his teeth.
"I can't lose control now…"
Not when they're still chasing me…
As if responding—
Voices echoed through the forest.
"Tracks here!"
"Blood trail—he's close!"
"They're gaining on him!"
Li Tian's heart tightened.
Too fast…
They're too fast…
He forced himself up.
His legs almost gave out again.
But he moved.
Deeper into the forest.
Branches whipped against his face.
Thorns tore his arms.
He didn't feel it.
Not properly.
The pain inside him drowned everything else.
His vision flickered.
Blurred.
Then sharpened.
Then blurred again.
Unstable.
Very unstable.
The system pulsed again.
[Host mental state unstable]
[Instinct override probability increasing]
Instinct…
That word sent a chill through him.
He had already felt it.
That moment when he stopped thinking…
And just acted.
That wasn't him.
Not fully.
It was something else.
Something inside the Dragon Blood.
And now—
It was getting stronger.
"Stop…"
He whispered.
"I'm still… me…"
But his voice sounded weak.
Uncertain.
The forest suddenly went quiet.
Too quiet.
Li Tian froze.
His instincts screamed.
Danger.
Not behind—
Above.
He looked up.
Too late.
A figure dropped from the trees.
Fast.
Silent.
A blade aimed straight for his neck.
CLANG!
Li Tian raised his sword just in time.
The impact forced him down.
His knees slammed into the ground.
Pain shot through his body.
The attacker landed lightly.
A man.
Different from the guards.
Dressed in dark clothing.
Eyes sharp.
Cold.
A hunter.
"Found you," the man said calmly.
His voice carried no emotion.
Just purpose.
Li Tian's grip tightened.
More… enemies…
Great…
The hunter didn't rush.
He circled slowly.
Studying.
"You killed several guards," he said.
"Impressive… for someone in your condition."
Li Tian didn't respond.
He couldn't waste energy on words.
The hunter's gaze shifted slightly.
Taking in every detail.
The blood.
The wounds.
The unstable stance.
Then—
He smiled faintly.
"You won't last much longer."
True.
Painfully true.
Li Tian knew it.
His body knew it.
But—
"I don't need long…"
He whispered.
"…just enough."
The hunter moved.
Fast.
Precise.
His blade came from the side.
Clean.
Efficient.
Li Tian barely blocked.
CLANG!
The force pushed him back.
His arm screamed in pain.
Too skilled…
This wasn't a normal guard.
This was a trained killer.
The hunter attacked again.
And again.
Each strike calculated.
Each movement controlled.
Li Tian was forced back.
Step by step.
His defense breaking.
His body slowing.
He couldn't keep up.
Not like this…
The system flickered.
[Instinct override approaching]
[Control loss imminent]
No…
Not again…
The hunter's blade came straight for his chest.
Too fast.
Too precise.
Li Tian tried to move—
But his body lagged.
Too slow.
Then—
Something snapped.
Inside him.
His vision changed.
The world—
Slowed.
His heartbeat—
Loud.
Power surged violently through his veins.
Different from before.
More aggressive.
More unstable.
His eyes flickered gold.
Then—
He moved.
Not thinking.
Not planning.
Just reacting.
He stepped forward instead of back.
The blade grazed his side.
But he ignored it.
He grabbed the hunter's arm.
Hard.
Too hard.
The hunter's eyes widened slightly.
"Wha—"
Li Tian slammed his head forward.
CRACK.
The hunter staggered.
But didn't fall.
Strong.
Still strong.
He twisted his body—
Breaking free—
And slashed again.
The blade cut deep into Li Tian's shoulder.
Blood sprayed.
But Li Tian didn't stop.
He didn't even react.
His breathing changed.
Heavier.
Rougher.
Almost like a growl.
He lunged again.
Faster this time.
More violent.
The hunter blocked—
But was pushed back.
Mud splashed.
The distance closed.
Li Tian grabbed him again—
And bit down.
Just like before.
The hunter's eyes widened in shock.
"Monster—!"
Blood filled Li Tian's mouth.
The system reacted instantly.
[Blood essence absorbed]
[Mutation accelerating]
The power surged again.
Stronger.
Wilder.
Uncontrolled.
Li Tian drove his sword forward.
The hunter tried to dodge—
Too late.
THUD.
The blade pierced into his side.
Not fatal.
But deep.
The hunter kicked Li Tian away.
Both staggered back.
Breathing heavily.
The hunter's expression changed.
No longer calm.
Now—
Alert.
Serious.
"You've lost control…"
He said quietly.
Li Tian stood there.
Silent.
His chest rising rapidly.
His eyes…
Glowing faintly.
But not stable.
Not human.
The system flickered wildly.
[Instinct override active]
[Control: Partial loss]
Li Tian's grip on the sword tightened.
But his movements…
Were no longer fully his own.
The hunter raised his blade again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"You're dangerous now…"
He said.
"…but also predictable."
He stepped forward.
Measured.
Calm.
Li Tian's body tensed.
Ready to strike.
But this time—
The hunter waited.
Watching.
Reading.
Then—
He moved.
Fast.
Sharper than before.
His blade aimed directly at Li Tian's heart.
Li Tian reacted.
But—
Too early.
Too aggressive.
The hunter adjusted instantly.
His blade shifted—
And pierced into Li Tian's side.
Deep.
"AGH—!"
Li Tian's body froze.
Pain exploded.
His control faltered.
The golden glow flickered.
Fading.
The hunter leaned closer.
Whispering coldly—
"You're not ready for this power."
He pulled the blade out.
Li Tian collapsed to one knee.
Blood pouring.
Vision fading.
The hunter raised his sword again.
To finish it.
But then—
A distant howl echoed through the forest.
Loud.
Deep.
Not one.
Many.
The hunter froze.
His eyes shifted.
"Damn…"
More beasts…
The forest wasn't safe.
Not for him either.
He looked back at Li Tian.
Cold.
Calculating.
Then—
He stepped back.
"This isn't over."
He turned—
And disappeared into the trees.
Gone.
Just like that.
Li Tian remained on his knees.
Breathing broken.
Body destroyed.
Mind unstable.
The system flickered one last time.
[Host condition: critical]
[Mutation incomplete]
[Survival probability: 6%]
Li Tian let out a weak breath.
"Six percent…"
He laughed softly.
Then—
Collapsed.
The forest swallowed the sound.
Rain continued to fall.
And somewhere deep inside—
The Dragon Blood kept evolving.
🔥 The Dragon's Ancestral Legacy 🔥