A sudden, earth-shaking roar tore through the quiet night, shaking the very foundations of the Spirit Cloud Sect. The small, flickering oil lamp in Li Chen’s humble shack swayed wildly, casting frantic shadows that danced like frightened spectres.
"What... what was that?" Yueling cried, clutching Li Chen's arm, her face pale with terror. The scent of her fear was sharp, cutting through the thin air of the shack.
Li Chen stood up, his gaze fixed on the northern wall, which faced the dense, ancient forest. The sound, a guttural, terrifying bellow, had come from there, from the dark, untamed wilderness behind the sect. It was followed by a chorus of panicked squawks and shrieks from the forest animals, a discordant symphony of pure, unadulterated fear.
"It's a beast," Li Chen said, his voi
