The village square had transformed into a sacred stage beneath the golden light of the rising sun, filled with an atmosphere so thick with anticipation it seemed to hum in the air. Wooden banners fluttered gently on poles decorated with feathers and paper charms, while the cobbled ground was swept clean for the ritual that would decide futures. Families gathered in neat rows behind a cordoned space, whispering prayers and hopes. In the middle of it all, twenty children stood in ceremonial robes of white and blue, their eyes wide with a mixture of wonder, excitement, and nervous dread.
Lan Zhen and Gu Na'er stood at the very end of the line, holding hands quietly, drawing strength from each other's touch. Their fingers were slightly cold, but their grip was firm. Na'er's phoenix-shaped charm swayed gently with each breath, and Zhen absently ran his thumb along the dragon scale tied at his belt. Around them, the murmurs of families and the rustling wind felt distant, as if the world had narrowed to this single moment.
The Bond Awakening had begun.
The first child stepped forward under the eye of Feng Yan—the renowned Bond Master standing at the front of the square, cloaked in deep green robes embroidered with silver wind sigils. He raised one hand toward the sky, and a glowing thread of ethereal light descended. It wrapped itself around the child, resonating briefly before revealing the symbol of a farming hoe—an agricultural tool bond. A faint brown light pulsed once.
"Spirit Rank: 2," Feng Yan announced calmly.
One by one, children stepped forward. Threads of energy descended like blessings—or judgments—from the heavens. A rusted spade. A pruning shear. A grain grinder. A wooden sickle. All low-tier agricultural or household tools. One even bonded with an old kettle. The ranks hovered between 1 and 3.
Fifteen children awakened such mundane bonds. Their parents clapped politely, but the quiet disappointment in their eyes was impossible to miss. A handful looked proud regardless, clinging to the hope that even a small bond could bring a better life.
Feng Yan's face remained neutral, but his eyes grew dimmer with each awakening.
"So many tool bonds this year…" he muttered under his breath. "Where are the spirit beasts of old?"
Then came the sixteenth child—
Xiao Ping.
He strode forward with the confidence of someone who believed the world already belonged to him. His steps were loud, purposeful. He turned toward the previously bonded children and scoffed.
"You guys are trash," he said, loud enough for all to hear. "No wonder you got trash bonds. What a joke. Embarrassing."
The other children recoiled. Parents gasped and frowned. Some scolded their own children under their breath to avoid any attention. But Xiao Ping was unfazed.
Behind the crowd, his parents approached Lan Hai and Gu Sheng.
"See our son?" Ping's father said smugly. "He's going to make history. Not everyone can be great, you know. Your kids look nice, but talent? That's inherited."
Lan Xin clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Who do you think you are, mocking my little boy? she fumed silently.
The trial began.
The air shifted. The wind stirred.
The thread that descended around Xiao Ping was thicker than the previous ones. The ground trembled slightly under his feet. Pebbles danced across the stones. A rumbling pulse of power surged beneath him.
Then— A golden-brown energy burst forth.
A massive illusion of a Stone Golem rose behind him, its granite body pulsing with raw elemental force.
Feng Yan's eyes lit up for the first time.
"Earth Bond," he said. "Spirit Rank: 7."
Gasps spread through the crowd.
"A high-ranked elemental bond!"
Feng Yan nodded in approval. "With this, you qualify for entrance to the Bond Master Academy in Star City, the capital of the Beast Empire."
Xiao Ping beamed, basking in the applause as if it were owed to him. He turned and looked back at the others with a condescending smirk.
Then came Shi Feng's turn.
The boy approached the altar nervously, rubbing his fingers together. His robes were slightly crooked, and his hair was messy with sweat.
Zhen gave him a thumbs-up. "You got this!"
Shi Feng gave a shaky smile and stepped into place.
The moment the ritual began, dark clouds rumbled above. The wind turned cold. A sudden roar ripped through the illusion—a deep, guttural sound that made birds take flight.
Out from the illusion stepped not one, but three massive Terror Bears, their fur thick as armor, their claws like daggers.
The crowd gasped again.
"A beast bond!"
"Rank: 7," Feng Yan announced, nodding. "A strong magical beast. You've done well."
Shi Feng's face lit up. He practically skipped back to the line, grinning.
"You were amazing!" Zhen said, clapping him on the back.
Then came the moment of truth.
Gu Na'er.
Her parents watched with bated breath as she stepped forward, her steps slow but steady.
The thread that descended glowed with radiant gold. Suddenly, the air shimmered.
A chorus of avian cries filled the sky. Bright feathers of every color began falling like snow. The illusion burst open in flames—and from within, emerged a legendary Phoenix, its wings stretching across the entire sky.
The light was blinding. Warm. Majestic.
Feng Yan stepped forward slowly, awe on his face.
"This is… a Phoenix Bond," he said softly. He placed his hand above the thread. His eyes widened.
"Rank: 10," he declared. "Spirit-Forged Phoenix Bond Master."
The crowd erupted into stunned silence. Then cheers.
Na'er's eyes welled with tears. She turned, searching.
Zhen smiled and nodded proudly.
Then came his turn.
Xiao Ping laughed cruelly. "Let's see. Maybe a feather duster?"
Zhen ignored him. He looked at his parents. Lan Hai's calm eyes. Lan Xin's trembling lips.
He stepped forward.
And the earth… shook violently.
Not a tremble—an earthquake. Cracks formed underfoot. Some villagers stumbled backward.
Then the sky darkened.
A roar echoed— Not just sound.
Power.
A roar that made the mountains quiver.
From the heavens descended a thread of pitch-black lightning, laced with golden flames. The air burned with ancient power.
A dragon emerged from the illusion—massive, black-scaled, eyes glowing with wisdom and fury. It curled above the square like a god returned.
Feng Yan was frozen. "Rank: 10," he whispered. "A Spirit-Forged Dragon Bond Master."
Gasps. Shouts. Awe. The crowd was in disbelief.
Lan Hai and Lan Xin held each other tightly, and joy poured from their eyes.
Shi Feng sprinted up and hugged Zhen. "You're amazing!"
Na'er threw herself into Zhen's arms. "Zhen! You did it! I'm so happy!"
Feng Yan stared at the pair, speechless.
Two Rank 10 Spirit-Forged Beast Bonds. In one village. In one year.
After the trial, Feng Yan called them—Zhen, Na'er, Shi Feng, and Ping—into a private room. Their parents joined as well.
On a table lay four glowing crystal cards.
"These are your identity marks," Feng Yan said. "Use them only during school admissions. After that, you won't need them."
He handed:
A Rank 10 Spirit-Forged Phoenix Master card to Gu Na'er.
A Rank 10 Spirit-Forged Dragon Master card to Lan Zhen.
A Rank 7 Earthbound Warrior card to Xiao Ping.
A Rank 7 Terror Bear Warrior card to Shi Feng.
"Your children are special," he told the parents. "Nurture them well. Great trials await—but so do great legacies."
The Bond Awakening had ended.
But for Lan Zhen, Gu Na'er, and Shi Feng..…
The path forward was just beginning.