The Stone Hearth Clan roared with joy. Kael, the young spearman, now moved like a legend, a living, breathing miracle. Everyone stared, their mouths open, eyes wide with wonder. But Gronn, the chieftain, felt a cold knot form in his gut. He was amazed, yes, but also scared. What kind of power was this? What did it mean for his clan, for him? He watched Zhao Feng with a mix of thanks and deep worry.
Then, a shriek tore through the morning air. It was a sound of pure terror, louder and colder than any beast cry. It came with the snap of breaking trees and the terrified shouts of the guards. A huge, dark shadow fell over the clearing, stealing the light, making the bonfire itself seem weak.
Panic exploded. Women grabbed their children. Warriors snatched up their weapons, their faces white with fear. This was no normal attack.
System Alert: Dangerous Group Found! Very High Threat! Called: Shadowfang Pack (Full-Grown). Warning: Strange energy seen. Fight now!
Zhao Feng's mind raced. Shadowfang Pack? He hadn't seen this earlier. His 'Basic Detection Scroll' flared bright, showing huge, dark energy shapes rushing at the clan from every direction. These weren't the small, weak Gnarl Hounds. These were monsters, dark and cold, moving together like a trained army.
"Defend! To the wall!" Gronn yelled, his voice raw, trying to bring order to the chaos. Kael, his new spear shining, moved like lightning. He was already at the rough fence, pushing his spear with perfect skill.
The first monster smashed through the wooden wall, tearing thick vines apart like paper. It was a giant wolf-beast, bigger than any boar. Its fur was black like night, its teeth long and sharp, dripping with black slime. Its eyes glowed with evil smarts. Just being near it felt like the air itself was dying. More monsters poured in behind it, moving as one, wanting only to destroy.
Chaos ruled. The clan's warriors, brave as they were, were quickly swallowed by the fierce attack. Their rough defenses broke apart. Zhao Feng saw men fall, their life energy draining fast as the Shadowfangs ripped into them, sucking out their very power. The System's warning about "strange energy" suddenly made chilling sense. These beasts weren't just killing; they were eating the clan's Qi.
Kael, the warrior Zhao Feng had just changed, fought like a whirlwind. His spear was a blur of silver, expertly blocking attacks and stabbing at weak spots. He moved with amazing speed and skill. He alone held back three Shadowfangs, a shining light of hope in the darkness. This was the first, big proof that Zhao Feng's power worked.
But it wasn't enough. There were too many monsters. Gronn himself, roaring defiance, was fighting a huge Shadowfang. The monster's dark energy seemed to swallow Gronn's own tough earth power.
"System!" Zhao Feng yelled in his mind, "Tell me about the Shadowfang Pack! Weakness? Where does their strange energy come from?"
The System's answer came back instantly, like a sharp, urgent voice. "Report Complete. Shadowfang Pack uses 'Shadow Energy Copying' – they steal and copy the Qi of their enemies. Their weakness is raw, natural energy. The strange energy comes from a 'Shadow Alpha' – a very dangerous boss monster, hidden now, directing the attack. Killing the Shadow Alpha will make the pack fall apart. Expected Primordial Essence from Shadow Alpha: 800-1200 Primordial Essence."
Eight hundred to twelve hundred Primordial Essence! One monster could give him more power-currency than he'd ever imagined! But a 'Shadow Alpha,' hidden and controlling the whole fight? This wasn't about brute force; it was about smart thinking. And the clan was dying.
Zhao Feng knew he couldn't just watch. He couldn't let his first foundation be destroyed. He poured his pure Qi outwards, not for attack, but as a silent, wide pulse. He used the System's 'Detection Scroll,' ignoring the beasts he could see, searching only for the hidden thing that controlled them.
He felt it – a tiny wobble in the normal flow of energy, deep in the forest edge near the camp. It was a spot of dark power, not moving, just beating like a bad heart. The 'Shadow Alpha.'
"Gronn! The beasts are being controlled!" Zhao Feng roared, his voice cutting through the battle noise, made strong by a burst of his Qi. "They get stronger from a hidden monster! Their weakness is pure natural energy!"
Then, he shot a sharp, focused beam of his refined Qi at the hidden spot in the forest. It wasn't strong enough to kill, but it was a perfect, jarring hit. A scream of pure agony, far louder than any other, ripped from the shadows. The Shadowfangs' organized attack broke. They howled, some turning to snap at each other, their perfect team broken.
"Now! Hit them with natural energy!" Zhao Feng yelled, even though he knew the clan barely understood. But Gronn, seeing how Zhao Feng's unseen attack had changed the fight, got the idea. The chieftain roared, slamming his staff into the ground. He pulled raw earth energy to him, a wave of simple, strong force that knocked several Shadowfangs away, making their stolen energy fall apart. The clan members, though not trained like Kael, began to wildly throw out their own raw Qi, hitting the confused monsters.
The fight became a desperate, bloody brawl. Zhao Feng kept attacking the remaining Shadowfangs, his pure Qi breaking their power-stealing ability, turning them into normal, though still fierce, animals. With their leader hit and their special power gone, the clan slowly, painfully, started to win.
Finally, the remaining Shadowfangs, without a leader and now truly scared, broke formation and ran back into the deep forest. They left behind a grim scene: broken walls, shattered wood, and fallen warriors.
The clearing was silent, except for the groans of the hurt and the heavy breaths of those who lived. The win was huge, but the cost was clear. Many clan members lay still, their life energy completely gone.
System Alert: World Event: 'Shadowfang Invasion' Ended. Main Goal: Defend Clan – Success. Boss Monster 'Shadow Alpha' Found and Hurt. Primordial Essence Gained: 950 Primordial Essence.
Current Primordial Essence: 968 Primordial Essence.
World Event: 'Clan Weakness' Started. Clan Safety: Very Bad.
New Goal: 'Make Clan Defenses Stronger and Get More People'. Reward: 200 Primordial Essence plus 'Basic Fortification Blueprint'.
Zhao Feng swayed a little, his own Qi almost gone from the fight. He looked at the ruined camp, then at the numbers shining in his mind. 950 Primordial Essence! Almost enough for a 'Spirit Wolf Pup', a big step towards getting a loyal beast, or enough for many more 'Basic Spear Cultivator Cards'. The 'Shadow Alpha' had truly been a goldmine, a mountain of power-currency.
Gronn slowly walked to him, his face covered in sweat and dirt, his shoulders drooping. He looked at his fallen people, then at Zhao Feng, his eyes narrow. He was thankful, yes, but also filled with a new, dark worry. "You... you knew how to fight them. You saw their weakness, found their leader even when it was hidden. You saved us, Zhao Feng. But... what are you, really? What power is this that can turn a boy into a master and see what no one else can?"
Before Zhao Feng could answer, an old man, his face a map of wrinkles, hobbled forward. His eyes burned with old fears. "He is not natural! He brings strange powers, strange visions! Who knows what price we pay for his miracles?" His words, though quiet, hit hard, filled with the deep fear of the unknown that lived in this early world.
Zhao Feng felt the change in the clan's feelings towards him. He had shown his huge worth, saved them from total ruin. But he had also shown how truly strange his powers were. He was a great help, yes, but now, he was also a mystery, a possible danger to their old ways. The path of the world-builder, he realized, was not just about getting strong. It was about facing doubt, earning trust beyond just showing power, and building a future through both outside dangers and inside fears. He had gained a huge amount of Primordial Essence, enough to truly start building, but his place within the clan had just become much, much harder.