Heavenly Rebellion: The Human Race's Rise to Prominence

The next day, Feng opened his eyes.

His body ached, and the gash across his chest still looked ghastly, but it was undeniably better than it had been yesterday.

He gingerly touched the edges of the wound, wincing slightly at the tenderness.

"I'll survive," he muttered, his voice hoarse from the ordeal.

He sat up, scanning the small cave where he had sought refuge.

"Alright, it's time to get moving," he thought.

"I can't stay in one place for too long.

The people from the village must have seen the remains of my fight with Ren and Jun by now.

They're probably investigating what happened."

Feng's mind raced as he considered his options.

"I need to leave the borders of the Blackwood Forest.

The problem is, if I stick to the outskirts where it's safer, I'll likely run into people from the village.

But if I go deeper into the forest to avoid them, I'll have to deal with stronger spiritual beasts."

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Whatever. It's not like I have much of a choice.

If I'm careful with my strength, I should be able to manage."

Having decided on his course of action, Feng pushed himself to his feet.

He took a moment to clean the cave, erasing any traces of his stay.

He couldn't risk leaving behind a trail for anyone to follow.

Once satisfied, he stepped out into the morning light, his gaze hardening.

"Deeper it is," he murmured.

Using the enhanced senses granted by his Heaven's Pact with the Blackwood Alpha Wolf, Feng carefully navigated the dense undergrowth of the forest.

His heightened perception allowed him to avoid smaller spiritual beasts and other potential dangers.

Hours passed in relative peace, but he knew better than to let his guard down.

The tranquility didn't last.

A deafening roar shattered the stillness of the forest.

Feng froze, his eyes snapping toward the source of the sound.

His heart sank as he saw it: an Ironclaw Black Bear.

The massive beast stood over five meters tall, its signature iron claws glinting menacingly in the dappled sunlight.

Its red eyes locked onto Feng, and it let out another earth-shaking roar.

"Crap," Feng muttered, grimacing. "Just had to run into a stronger one, huh?"

The bear began to lumber toward him, each step causing the ground to tremble.

Feng took a deep breath and focused.

"System, how strong is this spiritual beast?" he asked urgently.

A cold, mechanical voice responded in his mind.

[This Ironclaw Black Bear is currently at the 5th Level of Qi Condensation.]

Feng's stomach churned. "Great. Just great," he grumbled.

"System, can my body handle another integration with my Heaven's Pact?"

[Without an associated cultivation technique, it is not recommended for the host to perform another integration. There is a significant chance that the remaining will inside your Heaven's Pact will consume your identity, reducing you to a mindless beast.]

Feng's eyes widened in alarm. "What the hell, System? Are you serious?" he snapped.

"So you're telling me I can't use the one trump card I have without risking losing myself?"

The System remained silent, offering no further explanation.

"Alright, fine. I guess this is as good a time as any to figure out how strong I've become,"

Feng muttered, steeling himself.

The bear roared again and charged, its massive frame crashing through the undergrowth like a runaway boulder.

Feng activated his Heaven's Pact.

A shadowy image of a towering Blackwood Alpha Wolf appeared behind him, its piercing gray eyes glowing with a predatory light.

The wolf let out a ferocious howl, its presence bolstering Feng's confidence.

The bear didn't slow its charge.

Feng darted to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the creature's iron claws as they tore through a tree behind him.

Splinters flew in all directions, and Feng used the distraction to counterattack.

He launched a punch infused with darksilver spiritual energy toward the bear's ribs, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through the air.

"This darksilver spiritual energy is really powerful, but I don't really know how to use it properly"

Feng thought as the Ironclaw Black Bear staggered but quickly regained its footing.

It turned, swiping at Feng with one of its massive claws.

Feng ducked under the attack, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to move with wolf-like agility.

He struck again, this time parrying the bear's massive claws.

The beast roared in pain, stumbling slightly, but it was far from defeated.

It lashed out with its other claw, catching Feng off guard.

The blow grazed his shoulder, drawing blood and sending him tumbling across the forest floor.

"Damn it," Feng hissed, clutching his shoulder as blood poured out.

The bear advanced, its crimson eyes glowing with fury.

"This thing is tougher than I thought."

He forced himself to his feet, his breathing ragged.

"System, any advice would be really helpful right about now."

[The host's best chance of victory is to exploit the beast's limited mobility. Target its legs to reduce its ability to maneuver.]

"Got it," Feng muttered. He steadied his breathing, focusing his energy.

The image of the Blackwood Alpha Wolf behind him seemed to grow sharper, its presence more imposing.

Feng felt a surge of strength course through his body.

The bear charged again, but this time, Feng was ready.

He sidestepped the initial attack and slid beneath the beast, gathering darksilver spiritual energy he delivered a powerful kick to its hind leg.

The joint buckled under the force, and the bear let out an agonized roar as it collapsed to one knee.

Feng didn't let up.

He leaped onto the bear's back, channeling his spiritual energy into a concentrated strike aimed at the base of its skull.

The blow landed with a resounding crack, and the Ironclaw Black Bear slumped to the ground, its massive body motionless.

Feng rolled off the beast, landing heavily on the forest floor.

His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath.

Blood dripped from the wound on his shoulder, and his chest ached but he ignored it, focusing instead on the fallen bear.

"Is it dead?" he asked the System.

[The Ironclaw Black Bear has been neutralized. Congratulations, host.]

Feng let out a shaky laugh, lying back on the ground.

"That was… intense," he muttered. "But I did it."