Heavenly Rebellion: The Human Race's Rise to Prominence
Chapter 39: Ruler’s Howl

Chapter 39: Ruler’s Howl

After slaying the seventh-level Qi Condensation Black Blood Komodo Dragon, Feng quickly scanned his surroundings, only to realize that the other sixth-level spiritual beast was nowhere to be found. It had likely escaped amidst the chaos.

His mind raced.

According to the system, Black Blood Komodo Dragons were pack-type spiritual beasts. If one had fled, it was probably going to return with reinforcements.

That realization alone was enough—he needed to leave this area immediately.

But before making his escape, Feng gathered a handful of the fallen Komodo Dragon’s scales and carefully stored some of its black blood, recalling their value as medicinal ingredients.

With that done, he didn’t waste another second—it was time to go.

And so, Feng quickly retraced his steps, his feet pressing against the damp forest floor as he weaved through the thick underbrush.

The lingering scent of blood and battle clung to him, but he pushed forward, ignoring the dull ache in his limbs.

After a few minutes of running, he finally arrived back at the Ruler’s place.

The familiar sight of the flowing river greeted him, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the sky.

The rhythmic sound of the current rushing over smooth stones filled the air, bringing with it a sense of tranquility that soothed his weary mind.

The cool, refreshing breeze carried the scent of damp earth and fresh foliage, further easing his tension.

What truly reassured him, however, was the noticeable absence of any spiritual beasts.

It was as if the very presence of the Blackwood Ruler warded away all intruders.

Here, within its domain, the oppressive danger of the Blackwood forest seemed distant, allowing Feng to let down his guard, if only slightly.

"I should probably take a bath first," Feng thought to himself as he approached the riverbank, feeling the sticky layer of dried sweat and blood clinging to his skin.

The thought of washing away the grime of battle was tempting, and he quickly started feeling excited

And yet, before he could take another step—

AWOOOO!!

The howl of a wolf suddenly spread throughout the area.

This time, it wasn’t just any howl—it was clearly a demonstration of the Ruler’s Howl, the only offensive ability from the Blackwood Dominance Technique that Feng hadn’t had a chance to grasp yet.

The moment the sound reached his ears, the surrounding trees for almost a hundred kilometers began to bend as if a hurricane had swept through them.

Broken rocks and branches flew off, some nearly hitting him in the face, which he barely managed to dodge because he simply couldn’t move.

The reason for this was the sheer, suffocating aura of fear that surged through his body the moment the sound reached his ears.

It wasn’t a mere instinctual reaction—it was an overwhelming, primal terror that gripped him so tightly he could hardly think.

His breath hitched, his lungs refusing to expand properly, and an icy chill ran down his spine, locking his muscles in place.

It was as if the Blackwood Ruler were standing right in front of him—not as a mentor guiding him through the ropes, but as a predator looking at prey.

The weight of its aura pressed down on him like a mountain, crushing every ounce of defiance within him.

His vision blurred at the edges, his body screaming at him to flee, to escape this overwhelming force.

And yet, no matter how desperately he wanted to move, his legs refused to obey.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears, hammering against his ribs like a war drum, but even that was drowned out by the ringing silence in his mind.

A cold sweat broke out over his skin, the sensation of thousands of invisible claws raking against his flesh as if the beast’s gaze alone could tear him apart.

His instincts howled at him, demanding he submit, that he bow, that he acknowledge his inferiority before something he simply could not face.

His thoughts spiraled, his body rigid as though shackled by unseen chains.

He wanted to scream, to force his limbs to move—to do anything other than stand there.

And yet, all he could do was remain frozen

But suddenly—

[The host is currently paralyzed by fear. The system will assist the host in clearing his thoughts.]

Feng suddenly heard the mechanical voice of the system pass through his head, alleviating the fear he felt.

His pulsing heartbeat abruptly slowed, and he regained his bearings.

Although the fear remained, it was now much more manageable.

"Hah... Hah... Hah..." Feng panted. Even though the fear had faded, he could still recall what had happened, and it filled him with the realization that if the Blackwood Ruler had truly wanted to kill him, he could do nothing but die.

[The host should not worry about the Blackwood Ruler killing you. Based on its previous actions of goodwill, the Blackwood Ruler has most likely been observing your journey ever since you left its territory and has determined that you have not learned the Ruler’s Howl. It has merely provided you with an example.]

Even though Feng still felt some apprehension, his logical mind told him that the system was probably right—that the Blackwood Ruler simply wanted to show him what a true Ruler’s Howl looked like.

Regardless, if the Blackwood Ruler had truly wanted to kill him, it wouldn’t need to go through so much trouble.

A single swipe of its paw would be enough to crush him into a pulp.

"All right then, let’s go pay our respects to Senior," Feng thought as he quickly approached the humongous Blackwood Ruler.

Its shining gray eyes and black fur streaked with silver matched the exact species of his Heaven’s Pact—it was also a mutated Blackwood Alpha Wolf.

As the Blackwood Ruler gazed at Feng, he quickly bowed his head and said, "I pay my respects to Senior Blackwood Ruler.

Thank you for giving me a demonstration of the Ruler’s Howl. I will be sure to master it before I leave your care." Feng spoke solemnly, without any trace of disrespect.

At this point, Feng’s thoughts about the Blackwood Ruler remained largely the same—respect and awe.

But even more than that, he felt deep gratitude for everything the Blackwood Ruler had done for him.

AWOO!!

The Blackwood Ruler howled again, but this time, it wasn’t filled with the paralyzing aura of fear like before.

Instead, it was simply a joyful howl, its tail wagging left and right.

Once again, the Blackwood Ruler had brought him a spiritual beast—this time, two giant fish. It was clear that both were Clear River Carps, another 9th-level spiritual beast.

When the Blackwood Ruler looked at him expectantly, Feng quickly realized what it wanted.

Feng laughed and nodded. "Yes, Senior, let’s cook this fish."

He made his way toward the pile of extra firewood left over from the previous cookout.

Quickly, he dug out the old fireplace and began preparing the Clear River Carps.

The scent of cooked meat spread through the surroundings as the Blackwood Ruler grew visibly excited.

The two Clear River Carps had been impaled on giant sharpened branches, imitating skewers.