"Huff!"
Startled awake from his slumber, Li Chen forced his eyes open and looked around.
The cave was dimly lit, with only faint rays of light refracted from outside.
Not far from him lay a massive beast.
This colossal beast was the very brown bear that Li Chen had knocked unconscious upon entering.
Now, the brown bear was dead.
A massive wound marred its neck.
And the one who inflicted this wound... Li Chen slowly lifted his head, and his gaze landed on the small silhouette standing atop the brown bear's corpse.
"Thank you, little one," he said.
"Squeak—"
The little mantis, of course, couldn't speak, but it seemed to perceive Li Chen's gratitude. It chirped softly before leaping onto Li Chen's shoulder, affectionately nuzzling his face.
Feeling his condition stabilize slightly, Li Chen exhaled a long breath.
Before losing consciousness, he had gathered the last of his True Qi and directed it to the location of the Blood of Heaven's energy to seal it off.
