The clearing under the oak tree smelled of damp earth, iron-rich blood, and something far worse—the sweet, sickly scent of unnatural decay.
Lin Kai stood over the fallen Vale Panther, the Sun-Kissed Mendgrass in his hand glowing with a soft, persistent orange light. The beast watched him with wide, wet eyes, its breathing shallow. The flies buzzing around its ruined leg were the only sound in the oppressive silence of the forest.
"Do it quickly," the ghost's voice drifted from behind him, soft as a falling leaf. "The vitality in the herb is volatile. Once uprooted, it fades."
Lin Kai nodded, suppressing the urge to gag. Up close, the damage his Dark Affinity—mixed with the toxic Grey Qi—had done was horrifying. The panther's hind leg wasn't just broken; the flesh had turned a slate-grey color, liquefying into a foul sludge that dripped onto the moss. It looked like the limb had been dead for weeks, yet attached to a living body.
'I did this,' Lin Kai thought, a wave of nausea rolling in his gut. 'One punch. Just one punch with that strange energy.'
"Separate the herb," the ghost instructed, floating closer, her translucent form shimmering in the dappled sunlight. "Feed the tips and the stem to the beast. Their energy will stabilize the internal organs. Mash the leaves and roots into a paste. You must apply it directly to the rot."
Lin Kai knelt in the mud. He carefully snapped the glowing orange tips off the plant.
"Open up," he muttered to the panther.
The beast whimpered but seemed to understand his intent. It opened its jaws, revealing the serrated fangs that could have crushed Lin Kai's skull minutes ago. Now, it accepted the offering like a domesticated dog.
As the panther chewed, a faint warmth began to radiate from its chest. Its breathing steadied.
"Now, the hard part," Lin Kai whispered.
He took the remaining leaves and roots, crushing them between his palms. Green and orange juices stained his skin, mixing with the dirt. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and looked at the rotting wound.
"This is going to hurt," he warned.
He slammed the herbal paste onto the grey, necrotic flesh.
Hiss.
The reaction was immediate and violent. White steam erupted from the wound as the pure Yang energy of the herb clashed with the Yin-corrosion of the Grey Qi.
The smell that wafted up was indescribable—like burning garbage mixed with sulfur.
"Ugh!"
Lin Kai gagged, covering his mouth with his forearm. His stomach churned violently. He wanted to run. He wanted to be anywhere but here, touching this dissolving meat.
But he didn't pull his hand away. He pressed down harder, forcing the healing juices deep into the bone.
'I broke it. I fix it. I broke it. I fix it.' He repeated the mantra in his head, his eyes watering from the stench.
The panther threw its head back and let out a silent scream, its body convulsing. But it didn't bite. It endured the agony, sensing that the cold death spreading through its veins was being halted.
A minute passed. Then two.
Slowly, the hissing stopped.
Lin Kai pulled his hand back, wiping the slime onto the grass. He leaned back, breathing heavily through his mouth to avoid the smell.
He looked at the leg. The grey color had stopped spreading. The sludge had dried up into a black scab, and underneath, pink, healthy flesh was beginning to knit together at a visible speed. The bone was still crooked, but the Aether Qi of the forest was already rushing in to reinforce it.
"It is done," Lin Kai whispered, his voice hoarse. "There really are ways... miracles in these weeds."
He stood up, his legs slightly shaky. He didn't move away. He just stood there, watching the beast, waiting for the ghost's next instruction or for the creature to try and limp away.
The ghost drifted silently to his side. She hovered a few inches off the ground, her ancient robes fluttering in a wind that didn't exist. Her pale, bluish-white face was serene as she watched the creature.
"Watch," she said simply.
For a long time, nothing happened. Then, the panther's ears twitched.
It planted its front paws into the dirt. With a groan of effort, it pushed itself up. Its hind leg trembled violently, unable to bear full weight, but it held.
The beast stood.
Lin Kai tensed, his hand instinctively going to his waist. "If it attacks..."
But the panther didn't look at the forest. It didn't look for an escape route.
It turned its head and looked directly at Lin Kai.
It limped forward. One step. Two steps.
Lin Kai held his ground, though his heart hammered. The beast size was more than his waist.
It stopped right in front of him. Then, slowly, painfully, it lowered its front body. It tucked its head down and slumped onto the ground at Lin Kai's feet, exposing its neck—the most vulnerable part of its body.
It let out a low, rumbling purr that vibrated through the soles of Lin Kai's boots.
Lin Kai stood stunned, his hands hovering in the air.
"Submission?" he whispered, bewildered. "Why?"
The ghost beside him smiled gently. It was a look of profound sadness and warmth.
"You see, child," she said softly. "The wild beasts may be bloodthirsty for the hunt, but their hearts are simple. They know cruelty, and they know mercy. You spared it when you had the power to kill. You healed it when you had the right to leave it."
She looked at the panther, then at Lin Kai.
"It is telling you that its life is now yours. It wants to follow you."
Lin Kai stared at the massive creature lying at his feet like an oversized house cat. His mind raced.
Follow him?
He was a fugitive. A "Trash" with a price on his head (or would have soon). He was heading into the unknown. He barely had enough food for himself and Xiao Bai. Dragging a crippled, massive panther along would be suicide. It would attract attention. It would slow him down.
Silence stretched for a minute as Lin Kai processed the reality of his situation.
His eyes, which had softened for a moment, hardened again. The resolve of a survivor took over.
He stepped forward and placed his hand on the panther's broad, furry head. The fur was coarse and warm.