Chapter 3: Abomination Dog VS Xing Yan
Heat surged from his soul. The Primordial Forge within him blazed to life, pulling the ore from the wall with a hum that only he could feel.
DING—Refining in progress… 16%... 22%...
Outside. The beast is standing proudly as it faces Foreman Tie.
Foreman Tie stood firm, but a grim look crossed his face. "Kid… you better have a plan."
The White Vein Warg roared again.
But this time, it wasn't just noise—it was pressure. A red mist spilled out from its fur, like steam rising off a butcher's block.
From the crack, Xing Yan's eyes narrowed. "What the hell is that…?"
Foreman Tie's expression darkened. He raised his pickaxe with both hands, muscles tensing.
"Bloodlust?"
His voice was grave. "This thing's killed a lot more than just rocks."
Xing Yan shivered. The air had grown colder—not physically, but spiritually. It was like the walls themselves were mourning the dead.
Foreman Tie spat on the ground. "How many miners did you tear apart while crawling through these tunnels? Fifty? A hundred? Judging by the stench of its soul... I'd say at least a thousand lives."
He sneered. "You mutt… You've been feeding down here, haven't you?"
Xing Yan's breath caught in his throat. That red mist, thick as blood soup, wildly dancing outside the crack where the Warg is standing. It wasn't just for show. It was killing intent made tangible.
"This thing's not just some stray dog anymore," he muttered. "It's a damn slaughterhouse on legs."
Based on the Bloodlust the White Vein Warg emitting right now, no more than a thousand of creature has fallen fighting this mutt.
Its crystal claws flexed as it rushed Foreman Tie like a living avalanche.
BOOM!
A direct clash!
Sparks erupted as claw met steel. Foreman Tie grunted, his boots grinding into the stone. His muscles coiled, absorbing the impact, veins bulging like steel cables.
"Stubborn mutt!"
He twisted his waist and countered with another wide arc.
BANG!
The beast stumbled—but it was it was not enough to shake it anymore.
"Son of a- I don't have enough Soul Essence to deal with this dog."
Meanwhile, inside the crack—
> Refining... 41%... 59%...
Xing Yan's back was drenched in sweat. His vision swam, the strain of channeling the Forge without rest taking a toll, that's not all, the damn pressure the Warg emitting isn't helping either.
He pressed his palm deeper into the quartz, hoping it would make the process faster. He needs to get out in this wall crack as soon as possible, he might barf if he stayed here for too long bathing with the dog's pressure.
> Absorption Complete!
+136 Soul Essence
Total Soul Essence: 172
"Finally-"
Like a surge of ice cold water, streams of light was being swallowed by Xing Yan's body at visible speed.
It only last for a couple of seconds but Xing Yan felt a cold comfortable energy baptising his whole body, it was a heavenly feeling.
But now's not the time for this.
Xing Yan gritted his teeth, the jagged crack in the wall groaning as he pushed himself out, arm first, then shoulder. His body trembled—even after the satisfying feeling he got after he absorbed the Cold Quartz, the strain in using the SoulForge for a long period of time still took a toll on his body.
The tunnel outside felt like stepping into a pressure cooker. Killing intent thickened the air like oil smoke. Blood and dust coated the floor, and the White Vein Warg? That thing was no longer a beast. It was a walking calamity. Covered in blood and red mist, it barreled forward with terrifying momentum.
BOOM!
A claw swiped through the air. Stone exploded behind Foreman Tie as he skidded backward, boots digging trenches into the dirt floor. Blood dripped from his shoulder, and he slammed his pickaxe down to steady himself.
"Foreman Tie!"
"I'm fine!" he barked, spitting blood. "Tch… damn mutt's gone rabid."
The Warg saw Xing Yan and immediately focused its attention to him. Stomping its foot, it began to charge at Xing Yan once again.
Xing Yan's jaw clenched.
"Does this thing hold grudges?!" He cursed, as he ducked barely able to dodge the attack.
As much as he wants to attack this thing, he can't, he doesn't know how to control Soul Essence like Foreman Tie did. Hell, he even couldn't circulate it inside his body, the movements he did just now is just the result of absorbing the Cold Quartz that makes his mind concentrate and react much faster.
Foreman Tie glanced at him—and something flickered behind his tired eyes.
"You. Kid." He pointed with his chin. "You've got Soul Essence now, right? Stop clenching your butt and listen carefully."
Xing Yan blinked. "Huh?"
"Don't pretend, I don't know where and how you got it, but I don't give a care about that. I just want this mutt dead." Foreman Tie said seriously to Xing Yan.
"As much as I want to help, I don't know how to use this thing." Xing Yan helpless answered.
Foreman Tie wiped blood from his lip and slammed his pickaxe on the ground. "You ain't got skills. You ain't got techniques. But you do have Soul Essence. I'll teach you how to use it."
"How?"
"Circulate it—channel it in your entire body. But don't let it leak everywhere like piss in the wind. Slowly guide it to your arm, then on the tip of your pickaxe. Imagine the pickaxe as your arm and the tip of it as your nail. Don't swing it wildly—drive it in like you mean to kill."
Xing Yan gulped. "I've never—"
"Do it now or die trying!"
The White Vein Warg roared, its six eyes locking onto Xing Yan like it heard that challenge.
No time.
Xing Yan closed his eyes, focused inward.
The Primordial Forge flickered, as if helping him to circulate the Soul Essence for the first time.
'Soul Essence... move.' Xing Yan pleaded as he tightened his grip on his pickaxe.
Finally, he felt something flowing in his veins and bones.
Its hot but not like fire, icy but not enough to send shivers. Its somewhat between both, its an unfamiliar feeling circulating inside his body.
Xing Yan gritted his teeth, he tried to circulate the Soul Essence through his right arm, narrowing the stream toward the tip of his pickaxe, just like Foreman Tie said. Slowly, a faint glow shimmered at the edge—barely visible. A soft, pale blue light.
He didn't expect to do it the first time, he suspected maybe the Primordial Forge got involved again. He'll investigate at it later, but for now he gotta teach this wild mutt a lesson first.
The Warg, as if taunted, charged first.
Xing Yan smiled.
"Let's see how tough you are."
Xing Yan screamed and ran forward to meet it.
No technique. No footwork. Just raw instinct.
The pickaxe glowed brighter as he pulled it back. In an instant, the Warg lunged. Xing Yan ducked low—and swung up with everything he had.
BOOOOM!
A burst of energy exploded from the tip.
The pickaxe slammed into the underside of the beast's chin, snapping its head back. Crystal scales cracked. Blood sprayed in the air.
The White Vein Warg staggered, stumbling two steps back before it caught itself.
Foreman Tie blinked. "You actually did it…!"
Xing Yan collapsed to one knee, panting. His arm felt like it'd been smashed by a boulder.
But the Warg wasn't dead, it's still breathing and could attack at any second.
> Soul Essence: 94 Remaining
A data appeared infront of Xing Yan.
"F*ck, it cost so much Soul Essence but its much weaker than the attack of Foreman Tie," Xing Yan cursed.
"At this rate, I can do at least one more attack."
The White Vein Warg head turned slowly, six furious eyes locking onto him again.
Foreman Tie stepped beside him, breathing hard. "Good job, your control is not bad considering its your first time using it."
Xing Yan wiped the blood from his lip and stood.
"Heh. But its still not enough to bring that mutt down." Xing Yan said, dejected.
That one strike took almost everything.
Foreman Tie stepped forward, rolling his shoulders.
"Don't be so down, kid. We'll end it this time."
Xing Yan nodded, teeth clenched.
Before Xing Yan could ask what's the plan, Foreman Tie dashed forward.
Boom!
The ground cracked under his boots as he charged the beast head-on.
"HEY, MUTT!"
The Warg snarled, lunging toward him. Its claws flashed like scythes, but Foreman Tie predicted the Warg's attack, they've been fighting for a while now, he adapted to the mutt's way of thinking. He spun midair, dodging the first strike and using his pickaxe to jam into the Warg's shoulder, forcing the beast to stagger.
But Foreman Tie didn't back off.
Instead, Foreman Tie did something insane.
He grappled it.
Both arms hooked around the Warg's thick, blood-slick neck, his body locking onto its back like a steel vice.
"NOW, BRAT!"
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
"I SAID STRIKE!! HEAD!!"
Xing Yan didn't hesitate anymore.
He forced the remaining Soul Essence down his arm. Its quicker this time. Violently. His vision blurred. His body screamed, pushing it above its limit.
The tip of his pickaxe began to hum—blue light swirling, sharper than before.
It's all or nothing now! This attack will decide who's the victor.
The Warg thrashed wildly. It slammed against the walls. It rolled. But Foreman Tie clung on like a dying man. "GOOOOOO!!"
Xing Yan roared.
He charged. Pickaxe raised high—body trembling under the weight of his final gamble.
He leapt.
CRACK!
The pickaxe came down like thunder, crashing into the center of the White Vein Warg's skull. A shockwave exploded through the tunnel. Dust flew. Rocks split. The red mist froze midair.
And then—
BOOOOOM!
The Warg collapsed, skull split open. A final shudder rolled through its body… then silence.
Xing Yan fell backward, gasping for air.
Foreman Tie groaned, dragging himself free of the beast's corpse.
"Nice hit… kid."
"I… I thought we were gonna die," Xing Yan wheezed.
Foreman Tie grinned through blood-stained teeth. "Bah. Old bones like mine don't break that easy. But I didn't expect you to survive. Heh… maybe you are miner material after all."
Xing Yan looked at the beast… and then at his trembling hands.
He almost got killed again, its only been 2 days since he reincarnated but he almost lost his life again. If not for Foreman Tie, another embarrassing death would haunt him for life.
'I got lucky this time, I don't know if this luck will save me again.' Xing Yan smiled bitterly.
"I need to get stronger." He whispered underneath his breath.
Foreman Tie seemed to heard what Xing Yan said.
He smiled and said, "When I was your age I have double the Soul Essence you got, and I can released a much stronger swing like you did."
Xing Yan heard this and grunted.
"Bah. I'm not monster like you."
"Heh. I might have that much Soul Essence, but I'm definitely not brave like you, my legs would've collapsed facing that situation."
Xing Yan went silent. He didn't expect a praise from Foreman Tie.
"Of course that's the case, I'm the protagonist of this world afterall." Xing Yan boastfully barked.
"Cocky bastard. Here catch." Foreman Tie threw a bright ball at the collapsed Xing Yan.
Xing Yan caught it with ease.
When he held it in his palms, the Primordial Forge trembled again.
> Intermediate-Spirit Savage Beast Core
Soul Essence: 348
Effect: When consumed, it slightly enhance the body's Soul Essence control.
- White Vein Wargs are creatures born from veins of an unstable spirit ore. Territorial, cruel, and considered as the smartest of all the Savage Beast in its level. Its core is a helpful elixir that enhances the body's control over Soul Essence.
Xing Yan smiled, it seems like all the suffering he went through is not for waste.