After the disastrous news at Misty Grove, Su Vaen returned to his outpost, a humble wooden structure that had been his sanctuary for so long.
The solitude of his post now had even greater significance; a location where he could rebuild himself, both in body and in spirit, and prepare to move on to the next stage of the Tenebris Energy Path.
His short-term goal was clear: reach Rank 2 by strengthening his inner sanctums.
In his secluded clearing, Su Vaen commenced his rigorous training.
He began by taking a seat in a quiet corner, closing his eyes to divert his focus to his inner world. His Dimensional Perception activated as he saw the energy around him—the gentle flow of Tenebris Energy permeated through the fresh morning air.
He repeated Void Absorption, drawing in the ambient energy to replenish his Umbral Repository slowly. Each breath was an exercise of control, a slow accumulation of power that vibrated in resonance through his Luminous Heart.
He felt his inner vessel strengthen as he exhaled, ready to handle the next level of energy.
But the time was not for meditation practice alone. Su Vaen needed to test his newfound strength in a more practical, martial form.
In a part of the forest not far from his outpost, he had chosen a clearing that was known to contain lower-ranked beasts—a suitable testing ground for his fighting skills.
His target for the day was a relatively commonplace, albeit lethal, creature known as the Duskrend Lynx, a swift and agile predator with a reputation for vicious claws and intelligence.
It's a peak Qi RefiningRealm vicious beast.
Stepping into the clearing, Su Vaen activated his Shadow Veil.
He immediately merged with the darkness around him, his presence hidden from the creature's keen senses.
The twilight darkness and dancing shadows helped him to close in unnoticed. To his inner vision, each rustle and movement were charted, and he waited.
The Duskrend Lynx, its coat glossy and its eyes dimly luminous in the half-dark, glided into view.
It halted, rigid and suspicious, as it scented the air for strangers. Su Vaen could nearly scent the warning in the air—a mute admonition conveyed by the wild.
Deciding the moment of action had come, Su Vaen shed the pretense of his Shadow Veil with a deliberate movement and unsheathed his sword. In that brief moment of lost attention, the beast's instincts took control. It sprang in a blur of brute quickness, claws rending the air.
Acting swiftly, Su Vaen activated his Tenebris Reinforcement. His body was surrounded by dark energy like armor, reinforcing his strength and speed.
His sword met the lynx's first thrust in a flash of movement. The effect of his reinforced strike on the animal's raw ferocity made the clearing tremble.
"Tenebris Strike!" he muttered under his breath as he unleashed a controlled slash of energy-charged steel at the lynx.
The beast recoiled, surprised by the power of his attack, its agile form momentarily halted in its tracks.
The lynx circled warily, its eyes narrowing. Su Vaen did not relent. Building on the momentum of his Tenebris Reinforcement, he rained down rapid, precise blows.
Every strike was carefully calculated—a mixture of raw power and restrained control. His movements were fluid, a choreographed dance with the forest itself.
His Dimensional Perception allowed him to sense even the slightest shift in the lynx's movement, and he compensated his blows with unnatural accuracy.
The battle, though not prolonged, was a test of skill and endurance. The lynx, by its agility, proved a challenging opponent, darting in and out of shadows and making sudden, unexpected leaps.
Yet, every time it attempted to make a counterattack, Su Vaen's battle-honed reflexes and the additional strength provided by his Tenebris Reinforcement held strong against its onslaught.
The lynx had once attempted a desperate thrust at his midsection. Su Vaen employed Shadow Veil once more at that instant, briefly becoming one with the surrounding shadows before reappearing in a finishing cut. The beast, bewildered by the abrupt change, hesitated—and that hesitant pause came at great expense.
A powerful strike later, its defenses at last gave way, and the Duskrend Lynx let out a final, muted screech before crashing to the ground.
Silence once again descended upon the clearing. Su Vaen stood over the felled creature, his breath steady, his mind a mix of satisfaction and one-track focus.
The fight had been more than a mere trial of martial prowess; it was a tangible step on his journey to Rank 2.
Each measured step, each disciplined blow, was an affirmation of the progress he had made in his command over the Tenebris Energy Path.
In the stillness after the combat, as he thrust his sword into its scabbard, Su Vaen allowed himself a faint smile—a slight grin of genuine satisfaction.
Today he had tested himself and derived from the battle valuable teachings. The beast was a worthy opponent, a reminder of the merciless intent of the wilderness and the ever-present stimulus of self-improvement.
Stepping away from the clearing, he stopped to absorb the restored tranquility.
His Dimensional Perception brushed through the area to eliminate any other dangers in the near vicinity. With slow, deliberate strides, he returned to his outpost, the satisfaction of his conquest blending with the ongoing urge that burned softly in his soul.
That day, Su Vaen's battle trial not only honed his combat skills but also expanded his appreciation of the finer balance between raw Tenebris Energy and restrained martial form.
He understood that he must further develop his inner sanctums and sharpen his methods in order to achieve Rank 2.
The teachings of the Duskrend Lynx would serve him well in the days to come.
With the weight of the forest and the echoes of battle still in his ears, Su Vaen returned to his outpost—a place where every victory, every loss, and every moment of silence was part of the never-ending journey to become stronger.
And in the silent determination, he was one step closer to a future when the secrets of the Tenebris Energy Path would be unlocked, one strategic blow at a time.