The moonlight was like water, spilling over the depths of the Wolf Soul Mountains. Ancient trees towered into the sky, with their branches and leaves interlaced, shrouding the entire mountain path in a dim and gloomy atmosphere.
The moment Kaleb stepped into the forest, an indescribable chill welled up in his heart. It was terrifyingly quiet all around, as if the entire forest was holding its breath and listening, waiting for something to arrive.
"There's something wrong with this forest."
Azure Claw said in a low voice, and its nose twitched slightly. Apparently, it also sensed the strange aura pervading the air.
The wolf pack moved forward slowly. Their claws stepped on the decaying withered leaves, but not a single sound was made, as if the ground beneath their feet had swallowed up all the echoes.
Kaleb's gaze was vigilant, and he held the handle of his knife, ready to deal with any sudden danger at any time.
However, after walking less than a hundred meters, the scene ahead suddenly changed in a strange way.
— An altar unexpectedly appeared in the center of the forest. The stone steps were covered with moss and full of cracks. In the very center was inlaid a familiar wolf tooth stone.
Kaleb's heart sank suddenly.
"This is impossible..."
He had clearly left the valley. Why was he seeing the altar here again?
The wolf pack also stopped in their tracks. Every wolf looked confused, glancing around blankly.
"It seems that we..." Azure Claw's voice was hoarse, "Have returned to the same place?"
Kaleb didn't answer. Instead, he slowly walked up to the altar, gently touching the stone surface and feeling the coldness and reality.
This wasn't an illusion. It was a real existence.
"This is some kind of ancient enchantment." Kaleb frowned, a trace of contemplation flashing in his eyes. "It's guiding us, or perhaps blocking us."
Azure Claw walked forward slowly and said in a low voice, "Do you remember? According to legend, there is the 'Phantom Forest' deep in the Wolf Soul Mountains. Once you enter it, you will be trapped in an endless illusion until your soul is completely devoured."
Kaleb nodded slightly.
He had heard the legend of the Phantom Forest many times when he was a child.
"But I don't think this is just an illusion."
Kaleb slowly closed his eyes and focused on feeling his surroundings.
In the darkness, the aura of the forest surged like a tide, both familiar and strange. And beneath this layer upon layer of darkness, he seemed to sense a faint power pulsating.
It was a kind of guidance, a kind of call.
Kaleb slowly opened his eyes, his gaze firm.
"Keep moving forward." He said softly, stepping onto the stone steps, crossing the altar, and walking deeper into the forest.
The wolf pack followed closely behind. Although Azure Claw hesitated, it finally chose to trust Kaleb's intuition.
However, just as they crossed the altar, the air suddenly stagnated.
— "Stop."
A deep and hoarse voice sounded from the depths of the forest, as if it came from a distant void.
Kaleb stopped in his tracks and suddenly turned around. His gaze froze instantly.
On the other side of the altar stood a figure.
It was himself.
The figure opposite had exactly the same appearance as him. The only difference was those eyes, which emitted a dazzling red light, like a bloody flame burning in the darkness.
"Who are you?" Kaleb clenched the handle of his knife, his gaze cold and sharp.
The figure showed a familiar and dangerous smile and slowly opened its mouth, "I am you."
The air was filled with a strong smell of blood, as if the forest was bleeding.
"You're just an illusion." Kaleb said in a low voice, trying to regard it as some kind of mental interference.
However, the figure slowly raised its hand, and a faint light gathered in its palm, actually transforming into a long knife exactly the same as the one in Kaleb's hand.
"Kill me, and you can leave this place."
Before the words were even finished, the figure suddenly rushed out, and the blade, accompanied by a howling gust of wind, aimed directly at Kaleb's face!
Kaleb reacted quickly. The two knives clashed, and sparks flew. The two figures intertwined in the forest, and every time they engaged, there was a dull metallic collision sound echoing.
The wolf pack watched this scene in astonishment, not knowing how to intervene.
"Kaleb, what on earth is that..." Azure Claw asked in a low voice.
"Leave me alone." Kaleb said in a deep voice, his gaze firmly fixed on the figure of himself opposite.
He knew very well that this was another part of the Wolf Soul Trial.
Every strike of the opponent, in terms of speed, strength, and even the slightest habits, was exactly the same as his own, as if he was fighting against his reflection in the mirror.
The more Kaleb fought, the more alarmed he became. This kind of battle was far more dangerous than he had imagined.
— "He's stronger than me."
Another wound was slashed on Kaleb's shoulder, and blood oozed out. He gritted his teeth and swung his knife in a backhand motion, forcing the opponent back several steps.
"Is this your limit?" The figure sneered, a trace of mockery in its tone. "If you can't even defeat yourself, how can you bear the power of the Wolf Soul?"
Kaleb didn't speak, and the light in his eyes gradually became sharp.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his breathing, closed his eyes, and emptied his mind of all distractions.
In an instant, the world became silent.
When he opened his eyes again, a sharp cold glint quietly cut through the darkness.
— The light of the knife was like the moon.
The figure's pupils suddenly shrank. In the next second, its chest was torn open by a knife mark, and a dazzling spray of blood burst out.
"You... how..." The figure stared wide-eyed, and the smile on its face gradually faded away.
Kaleb calmly sheathed his knife and said in a low voice, "Because I'm no longer afraid of myself."
The figure slowly fell to the ground, turning into specks of light and dissipating into the night.
As the figure disappeared, the entire forest gradually returned to normal. The fog dispersed, and the moonlight shone on the ground.
The wolf pack looked at this scene, and Azure Claw nodded slightly, "You won."
Kaleb didn't respond. He just looked up at the blood moon in the night sky, his gaze as calm as water.
He knew that this was just the beginning of the journey.
The real trial was still waiting for him in the deeper darkness.