Heavenly Rebellion: The Human Race's Rise to Prominence

Feng's breath came in ragged gasps as he steadied himself, the spectral image of the Blackwood Alpha Wolf shimmering faintly behind him.

Blood dripped from his wounds, staining the forest floor in crimson streaks.

Across the clearing, Ren stood tall, his short sword gleaming with an ominous red light.

The thickening fog swirled around him like a living entity, pulsating with malevolence under his command.

"You're better than I expected," Ren admitted, his voice calm but edged with irritation.

"But I'm far more curious about how you got this strong so quickly."

Feng clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing.

The Blackwood Wolf's presence bolstered his resolve, but he couldn't ignore the suffocating pressure emanating from Ren.

Every breath felt like a gamble, every step like walking a knife's edge.

"Ren, do you need any help?" Jun called out from the sidelines, his earlier rest restoring some of his strength.

"Do you think trash like you deserves to interfere in a fight between us?" Ren's glare was icy, his words like a blade.

"If you dare make a move, I'll kill you myself."

Jun paled, his confidence evaporating. "Alright, you're the boss," he muttered, retreating further into the shadows.

Ren's focus snapped back to Feng.

"I'll admit you've pushed me farther than I thought possible," he said, raising his blade, Crimson Fang, which now glowed with an even more sinister hue.

"But if you thought that would be enough to kill me, you're sorely mistaken."

Without warning, Ren's aura erupted, the crimson glow of his sword intensifying.

The mist deepened into a blood-red haze, draining the light from the clearing.

A cold dread settled over Feng as his instincts screamed danger.

"Raincloud Art: Rainstorm!" Ren's voice rang out like a thunderclap.

The fog detonated, transforming into a storm of crimson blades that sliced through the air with deadly precision.

Feng's heart pounded as he leaped back, the spectral wolf growling and darting forward to shield him from the onslaught.

The clearing descended into chaos.

Blades of energy tore through the trees, leaving scorched, jagged wounds in their wake.

Feng's movements grew frantic as he dodged, parried, and twisted to avoid lethal strikes, relying on the wolf's ethereal form to absorb the brunt of the attacks.

But the relentless storm began to wear him down.

"Is this all you've got?" Ren taunted, his voice echoing mockingly through the fog.

"Did you think a Heaven's Pact alone would make you my equal? You can't even touch me in this domain."

Feng gritted his teeth, pushing Ren's taunts from his mind.

"This mist… it's not just a technique," he thought. "It's an extension of his Heaven's Pact."

Summoning his courage, Feng closed his eyes and reached out with his senses.

The Blackwood Wolf's image grew clearer in his mind, its instincts merging with his own.

He traced the pulsing energy through the mist, feeling it flow back to a singular source: Ren.

"There!" Feng's eyes snapped open, and with a surge of Qi, he propelled himself forward.

The wolf's spectral form followed, its silver streaks cutting through the crimson fog.

Ren's eyes widened in surprise as Feng appeared before him, Heaven's Pact striking down with ferocious speed.

The clash sent shockwaves rippling through the clearing.

Ren staggered back, blood spraying from his mouth.

For the first time, his confident facade cracked, replaced by a flicker of genuine fury.

"A broken-soul trash like you dares to wound me?" he snarled, his grip on Crimson Fang tightening.

The blade's runes flared violently, and the fog writhed like a serpent responding to his rage.

"Fine. If you want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish."

Ren's aura surged once more, a palpable ferocity thickening the air until it felt heavy enough to crush.

The mist coalesced into a vortex with Ren at its center, his sword glowing like molten metal.

Feng steadied himself, the Blackwood Wolf's energy intertwining with his own.

The spectral beast let out a defiant howl, its silver glow slicing through the oppressive crimson light.

Though Feng was outmatched in raw power, he noticed something Ren likely didn't want revealed.

"He's burning his life force to sustain this," Feng realized, noting the faint pallor creeping into Ren's complexion.

"If I can outlast him, I might have a chance."

Drawing on his Heaven's Pact, Feng shifted to a defensive stance, allowing the spectral wolf to shield him while he dodged and deflected.

Every movement was calculated, conserving his strength as he searched for an opening.

"Is dodging all you can do?" Ren growled, his voice laced with frustration.

"No matter. You can't dodge forever."

But Feng didn't falter.

Instead, he started to analyze what Ren did in the fight, using specific techniques that complemented his Heaven's Pact to unleash devastating attacks.

His mind began to go into overdrive, recalling everything he had learned about cultivation in Raincloud Village.

A specific lesson from Elder Zhou surfaced in his memory.

"A Heaven's Pact is the way people in this world borrow spiritual energy from the heavens to become stronger.

There are many different types of Heaven's Pacts, but they are divided into a few general distinctions," Elder Zhou had explained.

"First, Tool-type Heaven's Pacts. These can be swords, sabers, axes, or even hoes and needles.

Next are Beast-type Heaven's Pacts. These are based on the numerous spiritual beasts that inhabit our world.

People with these types of Heaven's Pacts can manifest these beasts outside of their body, but using them in that manner consumes too much spiritual energy.

So, what most people do is integrate the Heaven's Pact into their body, making them faster and stronger.

Finally, we have Elemental-class Heaven's Pacts.

These are considered the rarest type of Heaven's Pacts because they are based on the natural disasters of the world, making them incredibly deadly."

Feng ignored most of the distinctions and focused on the information about Beast-type Heaven's Pacts.

"Integrate. If I can combine my Blackwood Alpha Wolf into me, I should be able to finish this battle."

Steeling himself, Feng began to concentrate, tuning his Qi to resonate with the Blackwood Wolf.

The spectral image behind him flickered, its form shimmering as Feng struggled to deepen their connection.

The battlefield around him faded into the background as he focused entirely on achieving integration.

"Are you seriously trying to breakthrough in the middle of a fight?" Ren growled