Outside Qingyang City stretched the Blackwind Forest, spanning a hundred miles. Ancient trees towered toward the sky, blocking out the sun and moon. Damp mist hung thick in the woods, and the occasional roar of a demonic beast echoed through the air, exuding a chilling sense of danger. This was a place cultivators of Qingyang City avoided at all costs — yet it was Lin Yan's only path of escape.
The sounds of pursuit from behind gradually faded, but Lin Yan dared not rest for even a moment. He sprinted through the forest with all his strength. Rough branches tore at his clothes, leaving gashes of varying depths across his body; his cheeks stung fiercely from the scrapes. Yet he had no time to so much as raise a hand to wipe them away.
Most of his spiritual energy was already spent. A hollow weariness gnawed at his Dantian, and his legs felt as if filled with lead. Every step demanded immense effort.
"I can't stop… I absolutely cannot stop…" Lin Yan gritted his teeth, repeating the words silently in his mind. He could picture the cruel fate awaiting him if Lin Kun and the guards caught up — his pendant seized, his cultivation crippled, perhaps even his life taken. His parents' last words still echoed in his ears. He had not yet uncovered the truth of their deaths, nor cast off the label of "trash." He could not fall here.
After roughly another half-hour of running, Lin Yan could hold on no longer. His legs gave way, and he stumbled onto a bed of thick fallen leaves, gasping for breath. His chest heaved violently, and every muscle in his body screamed in pain.
Leaning against a thick ancient tree, he slowly closed his eyes and circulated the last wisp of spiritual energy within him, barely easing his exhaustion.
The black jade pendant against his chest still emitted a gentle warmth. A faint stream of spiritual energy, like a trickling brook, flowed continuously into his body, nourishing his empty Dantian. Lin Yan raised a hand almost instinctively to touch the pendant, his heart filled with gratitude. Without it, he would never have drawn Qi into his body — and by now, he would likely have been caught by the Lin guards, a lamb to the slaughter.
"What… exactly are you?" Lin Yan whispered. His fingers brushed the smooth surface of the pendant, his mind swirling with confusion. This pendant not only helped him condense Qi but also replenished his energy when he was exhausted, and even seemed to quietly protect him in danger. It was no accident that his parents had left it to him. There must be a hidden secret within it.
Just then, a low roar echoed from the woods ahead, accompanied by a thick stench of blood, drawing closer. Lin Yan's heart tightened. He snapped his eyes open, staring sharply toward the sound. Every muscle in his body tensed at once, and the last of his spiritual energy stirred within him, ready for battle.
Demonic beasts filled the Blackwind Forest. And anything capable of such a deep, rumbling roar was no ordinary low-rank beast. With his spiritual energy depleted and his cultivation only at the Mid-stage of Qi Condensation, Lin Yan stood no chance against a higher-ranked demonic beast. An encounter would almost certainly mean death.
The roar grew nearer, paired with heavy footsteps that shook the ground slightly. Moments later, a massive black-furred demonic beast stepped out from the trees, blocking Lin Yan's path.
Resembling a wolf but several times larger, it had blood-red eyes, exposed fangs, and thick saliva dripping from its jaws. A faint aura of the Peak of Qi Condensation swirled around it — a Blackwind Wolf, a common low-rank demonic beast of the Blackwind Forest.
The Blackwind Wolf fixed its gaze on Lin Yan, greed and savagery burning in its eyes. It clearly saw him as prey. A low growl rumbled in its throat as it stepped closer, the stench of its breath making Lin Yan's stomach churn.
Lin Yan's heart sank, his face turning pale. A Peak Qi Condensation Blackwind Wolf would be a tough fight even for Lin Hao, let alone someone like him, drained and exhausted. He slowly stood, clenching his fists, yet his gaze remained unyielding. Even if he died, he would fight to the end — he would not die namelessly in the jaws of a beast.
"Roar!"
The Blackwind Wolf let out a furious howl, lunged forward like a released arrow, and charged straight at Lin Yan. Its sharp fangs aimed for his neck, cutting through the air with a fierce gust of wind.
Lin Yan's pupils shrank. He dodged to the side by instinct, barely avoiding the pounce. But the wolf was incredibly fast. Missing once, it spun around and lunged again, its massive claws slamming toward Lin Yan's chest with surging spiritual energy.
With little spiritual energy left, Lin Yan could not dodge quickly. He could only raise his arms shakily, channeling the last trace of energy to block.
A dull crash echoed as the wolf's claws struck his arm. A violent force jolted through him; searing pain shot up his limb, as though his bones might shatter. He was sent flying, slamming hard into an ancient tree, and spat up a mouthful of blood.
"Cough… cough…"
Clutching his chest, Lin Yan coughed violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His face grew paler still. His spiritual energy was completely exhausted. A sharp pain stabbed at his Dantian, and his arm went numb, useless.
Seeing this, the Blackwind Wolf's eyes glinted with triumph. It closed in again, growling low as if gloating over its catch. It stepped right up to Lin Yan, lowered its head, and stared at him with blood-red eyes. Its sharp fangs were barely an inch from his throat.
Lin Yan lay helpless on the ground, watching the wolf approach, his heart filled with bitter resentment. Had he just escaped the bullying of the Lin Clan, only to die in the jaws of a Blackwind Wolf the moment he gained the hope of cultivation? He had not uncovered the truth of his parents' deaths, repaid their kindness, or avenged himself against those who had tormented him…
"No… I won't die!" Lin Yan roared inwardly, resolve flaring in his eyes. He struggled with all his might to lift his hand, but his limbs would not obey.
At the very instant the Blackwind Wolf was about to bite down, the black jade pendant on Lin Yan's chest suddenly burst into a dazzling black radiance. A powerful warm current gushed forth from the pendant like a raging river, rushing through his meridians and flooding his entire body.
His numb, useless arm instantly regained strength. The hollow ache in his Dantian was swiftly filled — even more richly than before.
At the same time, a stream of obscure, ancient characters flooded into Lin Yan's mind: the opening verses of the Chaos Art, clearer and more complete than the faint sense he had felt before.
In the beginning of Chaos, one Qi divided into Three Purities. Draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, gather the origin of Primal Chaos…
Lin Yan's heart jolted. He instinctively circulated the suddenly surging spiritual energy within him according to the Chaos Art in his mind. This energy was nothing like before — purer, more domineering, and circulated at an astonishing speed. In a single breath, it cycled through his meridians once. The spiritual energy in his Dantian exploded upward, and an aura far stronger than mid-stage Qi Condensation emanated from him.
Late-stage of Qi Condensation!
In just an instant, he had broken through from mid-stage to late-stage Qi Condensation!
The Blackwind Wolf was stunned by the black glow from the pendant and stumbled back two steps, fear replacing its savagery. It could sense that the human boy before it had undergone a complete transformation — he was now stronger than the wolf itself.
Lin Yan slowly climbed to his feet, feeling the mighty spiritual energy surging within him. Resentment and fear vanished at once, replaced by elation and determination. He clenched his fists, feeling the power in his arms, and fixed a cold gaze on the terrified Blackwind Wolf.
"You tried to kill me just now?" Lin Yan's voice was icy, carrying unshakable authority.
The Blackwind Wolf whimpered low in its throat and backed away repeatedly, intimidated by Lin Yan's aura. It knew it was no match and only wanted to flee as quickly as possible.
"Too late to run now!" Lin Yan snorted. His spiritual energy exploded outward, converging in his right palm following the Chaos Art. A wisp of black spiritual energy took shape there, exuding a faint Chaos aura — far more domineering and sharp than ordinary spiritual energy.
Is this the power of the Primal Chaos Spirit Vein? Lin Yan marveled inwardly. He could clearly feel that this black energy far surpassed that of normal cultivators at the same stage, enough to overwhelm even a Peak Qi Condensation Blackwind Wolf.
Lin Yan suddenly raised his hand and slammed the black energy toward the wolf. It shot forth like a black bolt of lightning, striking the Blackwind Wolf directly in the chest.
A heavy thud rang out. The wolf let out a miserable shriek, its body sent flying by the black energy. It crashed to the ground, spat up a mouthful of black blood, twitched a few times, and lay still — dead.
Lin Yan slowly lowered his hand, staring at the wolf's corpse, his heart full of emotion. Without the pendant and the Chaos Spirit Vein, he would have been the wolf's meal. From this day forward, he was no longer a bullied, helpless trash. He had the power to protect himself, the means to defy fate.
He walked over and squatted beside the corpse. Although the Blackwind Wolf was only a low-rank demonic beast, its demonic core was valuable cultivation material, brimming with dense spiritual energy — of great use to Qi Condensation cultivators. Lin Yan retrieved the core: a round, black pearl-like orb, gently radiating spiritual energy.
He put the core away and glanced at the black jade pendant. Its black radiance had faded, returning to its usual appearance, though the warmth remained. Lin Yan stroked it softly, resolving to cultivate the Chaos Art diligently, grow stronger, uncover the truth of his parents' deaths, avenge himself against the Lin main family, and make all who had bullied him pay.
The Blackwind Forest remained dangerous, and the Lin Clan's hunt was far from over. Lin Yan knew his flight had only just begun. He took a deep breath, circulated his spiritual energy to soothe his pain, and stepped firmly toward the depths of the forest.
Little did he know that deeper within the Blackwind Forest lay not only more powerful demonic beasts but also unexpected opportunities. And the Primal Chaos Spirit Vein within him would gradually awaken through trial and crisis, shining with the glory it was born for.
A defiant journey that would shake the Three Realms now truly began — in this treacherous wilderness.