Thud! Thud! Thud!

A loud sound of footsteps echoed in Xiao Lingtian’s ears. His eyes squinted vehemently, striving hardly to see who was marching towards him. Lingtian could only see the looming silhouette walking toward him with great pride, holding a shimmering blue bow. As his eyes got a clear vision of the silhouette, Lingtian recognised the incoming figure.

"Young master, Teng Jiuxuan?" Xiao Lingtian sighed, his eyes lingering with confusion. "You are back from the dungeon trail?"

Teng Jiuxuan is the prodigy of Teng Clan, and eldest son of Teng Qingshan – Teng Clan’s Head. Teng Clan is the second strongest clan in the Qinglin mountain, next to Qing Clan. Xiao Lingtian was blinded by arrogance and an urge for revenge, trying to kill Lin Yuan — who is a member of the Qing Clan.

’Why is this arrogant bastard here?’ Xiao Lingtian thought, clicking his tongue with low sound.

"Shut up, moron," Teng Jiuxuan gritted, raising his bow up. "You dare to kill a member of the Qing clan for your meaningless revenge? Your brother is a scoundrel and a brainless bastard who tried to kill Lin Yuan for winning a mere trial. He deserves death..."

"You have committed a grave sin, Xiao Lingtian," Teng Jiuxuan continued, pulling the bowstring taut to deliver the final bow. "You ruthlessly murdered the Su Clan’s beloved daughter, and you slaughtered the masters sent by Master Mo Qinghe. Your crimes are unforgivable. Your death is inevitable now!" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"S-Senior Teng... Please forgive me! I understand my sins, please show mercy on me! Forgive me! I beg you for mercy!" Xiao Lingtian wept, cupping his fists and bowing in the traditional way.

"Tsk... Pathetic..." Teng Jiuxuan muttered, closing his eyes for one second.

’Now!’ Xiao Lingtian snickered, commanding his beast unconsciously.

The shadow panther lunged, a desperate leap aimed at Teng Jiuxuan’s throat. Xiao Lingtian had critically miscalculated, forgetting the raging Flame Roc beside Teng Jiuxuan. Before the beast could close the distance, the Flame Roc unleashed a deafening roar. A hot-red sphere of pure, concentrated fire erupted from its maw. The scorching crimson sphere instantly swallowed the panther whole. Its heat vaporized the beast’s defense layers in a heartbeat. Flesh blackened and bubbled, splitting open to reveal the red scorched muscles of the panther. Crashing heavily onto the dirt, the creature thrashed in agony, its desperate, flesh-tearing shrieks echoing through the forest as the merciless flames consumed its life essence. The smell of scorched meat lingering around the forest up to ten paces radius.

Xiao Lingtian groaned, an unfamiliar pain shot into his aperture. The panther beast was his core beast, so the panther dies he also dies without any doubt.

"Xiao Lingtian, you thought you could slaughter me with your mere pet?" Teng Jiuxuan growled, a rattling arrow coated with dark-blue beast essence forming against the taut bowstring. "You need to train for a lifetime to stand equal before me! You are sentenced to death by my hands for your sins: killing Su Clan’s daughter, slaughtering masters Fen Lin and Qin Yao Mei, and attempting to murder Lin Yuan!"

"What the fuck? I didn’t kill Qin—"

BOOM!

The impactful release of the bowstring is ear-shattering. The arrow tore through the air fleetly, piercing through Xiao Lingtian’s forehead brutally. The arrow’s undeniable energy shattered his skull, sending his eyes plopping out onto the ground. Brain matter splattered violently across the surroundings, instantly taking his life. Behind him, the crimson fire, which engulfed his beast in flames, burnt the beast into ash in a few seconds.

Silence fell over the surroundings, broken only by the crackle of the dying flames. Teng Jiuxuan lowered his bow, his breathing heavy as the dark-blue aura faded from his weapon. He stared at the dead corpse of Xiao Lingtian, waiting for any sign of movement, but the battlefield remained completely still.

Whoosh!

Another towering figure descended beside Teng Jiuxuan. He was an orange-haired, muscle-bounded man with intense rage rumbling within his sharp eyes. His broad frame resembled a moving wall of steel, while faint blue arcs of lightning crackled continuously around his clenched fists. Light-blue beast essence flowed heavily beneath his skin like violent currents, releasing an oppressive pressure across the surroundings.

As a Core Beast Realm — Lower Stage cultivator, Xiao Rong possessed the Lightning Bear Beast Pathway, granting him explosive strength and destructive power. Every step he took caused the ground beneath him to tremble faintly, as though a thunderstorm was slowly approaching. He halted in front of Teng Jiuxuan, locking his eyes onto Xiao Lingtian’s dead corpse. Even though Lingtian committed a sin, he was the cousin brother of Xiao Rong. But Xiao Rong stood unwavering despite Lingtian’s death.

"Be Strong, Xiao Rong," Teng Jiuxuan gripped the shoulder of the orange-haired guy gently. "Your cousin went beyond forgiving..."

"Hahaha... No problem, Teng Jiuxuan," Xiao Rong sneered, wiping a tear from his left eye. "He was meant to die for his sins!"

Teng Jiuxuan and Xiao Rong left the carnage, walking toward Lin Yuan’s group. Zhen Yueli sat beside Chen Ming’s body in the pool of red blood. She saved Chen Ming from death, but as he met with a brutal attack by Xiao Lingtian; he was still unconscious.

"Is that brat okay?" Xiao Rong deposed, his eyes calm and steady.

"Yeah, Xiao Rong. You are last as usual..." Zhen Yueli chuckled, squinting her eyes gently.

Xiao Rong’s eyes darted toward Lin Yuan. Lin Yuan sighed, watching unconscious Chen Ming frantically.

"So you are the infamous Lin Yuan?" Xiao Rong questioned, crouching beside Lin Yuan. "Your friend will be fine. No need to worry."

Xiao Rong kindly patted the back of Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan was unaware of who is the person consoling him.

"Thank you, senior," Lin Yuan whined, bowing his head in a traditional way. He recognised the orange-haired man’s cultivation stage by sensing his aura.

’He was Core Beast Realm - Lower Stage Cultivator. Same as master Mo Qinghe,’ Lin Yuan analysed, his eyes narrowing.

"He is Xiao Rong..." Zhen Yueli introduced, pointing her hand toward the orange-haired guy.

Lin Yuan’s eyes frowned frantically, a bead of sweat crawling from his left temple.

"Hahaha... Lin Yuan, don’t worry. I am not as bad as those bastards Xiao Chen and Xiao Lingtian. Yes they are my cousin brothers, but they are dead because of their sins. Don’t be scared!"

Lin Yuan let out a relieved breath, listening to Xiao Rong’s words.

Swirl!

Zhen Yueli commanded her beast to come out. Instantly, an elegant wolf materialised beside her. She gently lifted Chen Ming’s body, and placed the body on the wolf’s back, strapping his body tightly to its back with the help of a brown belt.

"Let’s get back to the academy...!" Teng Jiuxuan growled, climbing onto the Flame Roc. He invited Lin Yuan to join him. "The other students will get back soon. Ji Wuchen and Cao Yunfeng are spying on them. They are my friends as strong as me, don’t worry. You alone can’t complete the trial and the final day has come to an end already."

"We already attained three Rank 2 beast cores, one Rank 4 beast core and a bag of spirit herbs. They are in the bag strapped to the side of Chen Ming’s waist."

The three seniors sighed. Rank 4 Beast core? How the hell did he get Rank 4 beast core? Is he a Baby Beast Realm cultivator? Lin Yuan... what in the world are you?

These thoughts lingered frantically in the senior disciples’ brain.

"Where did you get Rank 4 beast core?"

"When you went to defeat Xiao Lingtian, and Senior Zhen Yueli was healing Chen Ming, I retrieved it from the carnage of the Stormcrest Hawk. It was killed by Xiao Lingtian’s beast just before you all arrived, Senior Teng Jiuxuan," Lin Yuan stated confidently, his eyes devoid of emotion.

’Even in an impasse situation like that, Lin Yuan thought of a way for winning the trial and retrieved the Rank 4 beast core,’ Xiao Rong scorned, rubbing his chin with two fingers slowly. ’You are a demon in human disguise, Lin Yuan.’

"I think a Rank 4 beast core is a convincing alternative and can replace the value of the remaining two Rank 2 beast cores we failed to retrieve." Lin Yuan elucidated, gripping the hand to climb onto the Flame Roc.

The Flame Roc shrieked, flying above the sky, and Water wolf rumbled, sprinting toward the academy direction. But Xiao Rong remained still, his eyes burning with intense rage.

"Sorry, my brother Xiao Lingtian," Xiao Rong groaned, calling his Lighting bear out. "I will take revenge for you!!"

Xiao Rong clenched the shimmering fur of the giant bear, and climbed onto the bear. The bear let out a low, anxious roar and dashed forward, following Zhen Yueli from the backside.

****

At the academy...

"I hope the situation in the Blackwood Ravine forest is fine," Luo Zhen frowned, sitting on the stairs of the academy.

"This academy’s disciples are legitimate," A familiar voice rumbled out from the academy. "They will get all students back safely!"

It was Mo Qinghe’s voice, he walked slowly toward Luo Zhen. Luo Zhen stood up straight, cupping his fists and bowed traditionally.

"You said that there was a demonic sign right?"

"Yeah, Lin Yuan’s group was attacked by a Bloodhound Bat. I was scouting them from hiding at the time, but I sensed the danger and saved them instantly," Luo Zhen explained to Mo Qinghe clearly.

SHRIEK!!

A high-pitched screeching sound rumbled across the academy. Mo Qinghe and Luo Zhen elevated their heads, witnessing a crimson Roc descending down.

"You are back, Teng Jiuxuan. What was the conditi—"

Mo Qinghe stopped his words in mid-sentence after seeing Lin Yuan on Flame Roc’s back.

"There is a huge mess in the forest, Master Mo Qinghe," Teng Jiuxuan stated, descending from the Flame Roc’s back. "Su Wan’er, Master Fen Lin, and Master Qin Yaomei are dead. They were killed by Xiao Lingtian. I, Teng Jiuxuan, sentenced Xiao Lingtian to a brutal death as judgment for his sins!"

Teng Jiuxuan delivered his report, bowing deeply to Master Mo Qinghe. Mo Qinghe’s expression grew pale as he listened to Teng Jiuxuan’s frantic words.