The Broken Heaven's Path

After getting over his shock, Lin Feng wandered deeper into the Blackwood Forest, his mind spinning with thoughts about the strange system and the monumental changes it brought.

The ancient trees loomed around him like silent sentinels, their gnarled roots twisting across the forest floor.

Shadows danced eerily as the waning light of the day filtered through the dense canopy.

"All right," Feng muttered under his breath.

"Let's first get a grasp of everything that's going on with me right now.

First, I have this weird system that shows up in front of my face.

It details all the information about myself and, more importantly, it allows me to absorb the Heavens' Pacts of other living beings."

He paused, rubbing his temples. "There's probably a limit to how much I can absorb. System, how many Heaven's Pacts can I absorb?"

The familiar, detached voice of the system echoed in his mind:

[Responding to the host: The host can absorb one Heaven's Pact per major cultivation realm. The previous Heaven's Pact will be integrated and combined with the new Heaven's Pact, creating a stronger Heaven's Pact for the host.]

"Hmm," Feng mused, tapping his chin. "So, it's a cumulative process. I'll keep building on what I already have. That's good.

According to what I learned in the village, our cultivation system is divided into two parts.

First is the Qi Condensation Stage—that's where we absorb spiritual energy from the Heavens.

I've been stuck in the early stages of Qi Condensation for years now because I didn't have a Heaven's Pact."

He exhaled slowly, his frustration bubbling up again.

The memories of being ridiculed and ostracized in the village resurfaced, sharp as a blade. "System, what level am I at right now?"

[Responding to the host: The host is currently at the third level of the Qi Condensation Stage. Once the host acquires a Heaven's Pact, the host will automatically break through to the fourth level.]

Feng's eyes lit up. "Just as I thought! If I find and kill enough Blackwood Wolves, I'll finally have a Heaven's Pact and graduate from being a Broken Soul."

A smile crept onto his face. For the first time in years, hope burned in his chest.

But the system's next revelation dampened that hope:

[The host's talent is currently below average. At the current rate, it will take approximately ten years for the host to reach the peak of the Qi Condensation Stage.]

"What?! Ten years?" Feng groaned, throwing his hands up in frustration.

"I knew I wasn't talented, but I didn't think it would be that bad."

He kicked a loose stone on the forest floor, watching it ricochet off a nearby tree.

"System, is there any way to speed up my cultivation?"

[Responding to the host: The system can assist the host by absorbing the spiritual energy of living beings killed by the host.]

Feng froze, the words sinking in like lead weights. "Living beings?" he whispered.

"System, does this include humans and other races?"

[Yes.]

His heart pounded. Feng clenched his fists, his mind warring with itself.

He had never killed anyone before. Hunting animals for food was one thing, but taking the life of another sentient being… Could he really cross that line? And yet, the temptation was undeniable.

It was an easy way to gain power, to rise above his cursed Broken Soul and finally achieve something.

The weight of years of ridicule and rejection pressed heavily on him.

"No," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"I can't think about this right now. I haven't even gotten my first Heaven's Pact yet."

Shaking off his dark thoughts, Feng pressed onward.

The underbrush rustled around him, and the faint howls of Blackwood Wolves echoed in the distance.

His senses heightened, he gripped his sharpened branch tightly. It wasn't much, but it was all he had.

The hours stretched on as Feng tracked the wolves through the forest.

He studied their pawprints in the soft earth and followed the faint scent of musk and blood.

His village training had taught him enough to survive in the wild, but this was different.

This time, he was hunting for more than just food.

Finally, he came across a clearing bathed in bright light.

The scene before him stopped him in his tracks.

A pack of Blackwood Wolves—six in total—circled a massive stag.

The stag's antlers glowed faintly, a sign that it was no ordinary beast but a spirit creature. Its powerful legs lashed out, keeping the wolves at bay, but it was clear it wouldn't last much longer.

Feng's mind raced. "Six wolves? That's too many for me to handle alone," he thought, crouching low behind a bush.

His eyes darted around the clearing, searching for an opportunity.

One of the wolves broke away from the pack, limping slightly.

Feng noticed a deep gash along its side, likely inflicted by the stag's antlers.

"That's my target," he decided. He tightened his grip on his knife and steadied his breathing.

"System, if I kill that wolf, can I absorb its Heaven's Pact immediately?"

[Yes. The host must be in direct contact with the creature during its death to initiate the absorption process.]

Feng nodded. He crept closer, his movements silent and calculated.

The injured wolf had wandered near the edge of the clearing, distracted by its pain.

It was now or never.

With a burst of speed, Feng lunged from the underbrush.

The wolf's ears perked up, but it was too slow to react.

Feng drove his sharpened branch into its side, aiming for the heart.

The wolf let out a pained yelp, its body convulsing as it struggled against him.

"System, absorb its Heaven's Pact!" Feng shouted.

A surge of energy coursed through him as the wolf's body went limp.

The air around him shimmered, and he felt a burning sensation in his chest.

A translucent, glowing sigil appeared before him, then sank into his body.

The system's voice echoed in his mind:

[Absorption complete. The host has acquired the Heaven's Pact of the Blackwood Wolf. 2/10]

Feng staggered back, gasping for air.

His vision sharpened, and his hearing became almost painfully acute.

He could hear the rustling of leaves, the breathing of the remaining wolves, and even the faint hum of spiritual energy in the air.

It was overwhelming and exhilarating all at once.

The remaining wolves turned their attention to him, their eyes glowing with rage.

Feng's heart sank. "Well, I guess I didn't think this through," he muttered, backing away slowly.

One of the larger wolves let out a bone-chilling howl, and the pack began to close in on him.

Feng's mind raced. He was stronger now, but he was still outnumbered.

"System, can I—"

[Warning: Host is in imminent danger. Suggest retreat or strategic engagement.]

"No kidding!" Feng snapped, spinning on his heel and bolting into the forest. The wolves gave chase, their snarls echoing through the trees.

His newfound speed and agility allowed him to stay ahead, but he knew he couldn't run forever.

As he darted through the forest, Feng's mind burned with determination.

"I'm not dying here. Not after coming this far." His grip tightened on his makeshift weapon.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking at least one more of you with me."