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Chapter 67: The Beast in the Dark

[System Message: Warning—Formidable Entity Detected.]

[Recommendation: Execute high-level combat maneuvers.]

Li Tian\'s eyes gleamed with excitement. "Let\'s end this."

Without waiting for the beast to make its move, he launched himself forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet from the force of his leap. His blade gleamed as it slashed through the air, aimed directly at the creature\'s chest.

The beast responded with surprising speed, raising a massive claw to block the strike. Metal met dark energy, and a shockwave rippled through the forest, shaking the trees around them. Li Tian gritted his teeth as he felt the raw power behind the beast\'s defense.

"So, you\'ve got some strength after all," he muttered.

The beast roared, swiping its claw again, forcing Li Tian to dodge. Its massive form moved with an unnatural grace, despite its size, but Li Tian was faster. His movements were fluid, each dodge precise as he weaved through the beast\'s attacks, looking for an opening.

Then, in a split second, he saw it—a gap in the beast\'s defenses. With a swift, deliberate motion, Li Tian drove his sword upward, aiming for the creature\'s neck. But as his blade neared its target, the beast\'s body dissolved into shadows, reforming a few feet away.

Li Tian\'s eyes widened slightly. "It can shift forms?"

The shadowy beast let out another guttural growl, its form flickering and distorting. The shadows around it began to coalesce, forming sharp, spear-like tendrils that shot toward Li Tian.

[System Message: High-speed projectiles detected. Recommend evasive action.]

Li Tian didn\'t need the system\'s warning. He was already in motion, his body twisting and turning as he dodged the shadow spears with lightning-fast reflexes. Each spear left a trail of darkness in its wake, but none of them managed to touch him.

"Alright, enough playing around," he said, his voice low.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, raising his blade high. Energy surged through him, filling his body with power as he activated the technique the system had rewarded him in the previous quest.

Phantom Fist.

In an instant, Li Tian\'s figure split into three, each clone identical in every way. The beast hesitated, confused by the sudden multiplication, and Li Tian took full advantage of that moment. All three versions of him attacked at once, their blades slashing at the beast from different angles.

The creature let out a pained roar as the clones struck, its shadowy form recoiling from the blows. Li Tian could feel the impact of each strike, and he knew he was finally wearing the beast down.

But the fight wasn\'t over yet.

The beast, now cornered and enraged, began to transform. Its form shifted, becoming even larger and more grotesque, its claws growing sharper and longer. Dark energy swirled around it, crackling with intensity.

[System Message: Hostile entity evolving. Danger level increased.]

Li Tian\'s smirk returned. "Perfect."

As the beast charged forward, Li Tian\'s clones merged back into one, and he prepared himself for the final strike. The creature\'s massive claw came down, aiming to crush him, but Li Tian moved like the wind, dodging to the side and countering with a powerful upward slash.

His blade sliced through the beast\'s arm, severing it cleanly. The creature let out a deafening roar of agony, stumbling back as dark energy poured from the wound.

Li Tian didn\'t give it a chance to recover. With one final, fluid motion, he leaped into the air, bringing his sword down in a devastating strike. The blade pierced through the beast\'s chest, sinking deep into its core.

The creature\'s body convulsed, and for a moment, it seemed like it would lash out again. But then, its form began to dissolve, the shadows dissipating into the air as the beast let out one final, low growl before vanishing entirely.

[System Message: Quest Complete.]

[Reward: Forbidden technique - Phantom Fist (Upgraded).]

[Bonus Reward: Shadow Cloak Technique.]

Li Tian stood there, breathing heavily as the system\'s messages flashed before his eyes. He wiped the sweat from his brow, a satisfied grin on his face. The battle had been exhilarating, and the rewards even more so.

But something about the beast bothered him. It wasn\'t just a random enemy; there was a deeper connection to the dark energy he had sensed earlier. Whatever force was at play here, it was far from over.

As the adrenaline began to fade, Li Tian sheathed his blade and turned back toward the clearing. He needed to regroup, but the weight of the encounter lingered in his mind.

Back at the estate, Li Xue was waiting for him, pacing nervously near the entrance. When she saw him emerge from the forest, her eyes lit up, but the worry didn\'t leave her face.

"Brother! What happened? Are you alright?" she asked, rushing over to him.

Li Tian smiled reassuringly. "I\'m fine. Just had to deal with a little... pest problem."

Li Xue looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the traces of battle on his clothes. "That wasn\'t just a \'pest,\' was it?"

Li Tian chuckled. "You\'re too sharp for your own good, Xue."

She frowned, clearly not amused by his lighthearted response. "I\'m serious, Tian. You\'re always throwing yourself into danger."

"I can handle it," Li Tian said, his tone more serious now. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I\'m not the same person I was before. I\'m stronger now. And besides, you\'d be bored if I didn\'t have a few scars to show, right?"

Li Xue sighed, but a small smile crept onto her lips. "Just... be careful."

"I will," he promised.

But even as he said it, Li Tian knew that the darkness he had faced wasn\'t just a one-time event. There were greater forces at play, shadows that lurked in the corners of this world. And he had a feeling that his journey was only beginning.

As the night fell and the stars began to twinkle in the sky, Li Tian stood silently, gazing into the distance. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it the echoes of the battle he had just fought.