The second trial had already begun. Deep inside the Beast Forest, all the children—now grouped into five-person teams—had been scattered across different zones. Their objective: find the hidden Beast Orb guarded by magical beasts, and return within the time limit.
Lan Zhen and his team—Gu Na'er, Shi Feng, Lei Wei, and Bing Queer—were assigned to the eastern side of the forest. A heavy silence draped the woods, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves and the distant howls of magical beasts. Shadows danced between ancient trees, and a strange tension hung in the air. Something unseen was watching them.
Suddenly, Lei Wei halted. His pupils contracted slightly as he scanned the air. "I just felt something," he said. "A powerful aura. I think it's a beast orb."
Bing Queer closed her eyes briefly, then nodded. "I sense it too. The pulse is strong. Let's move in that direction."
Everyone nodded and began to follow Lei Wei's lead. But barely had they taken a few steps when the forest floor trembled. From the surrounding mist, seven Dark Flame Wolves emerged. Their sleek, dark fur shimmered with crimson-black flame, and their bodies radiated a fierce, white-hot aura.
Shi Feng stumbled back, shaking. "W-What the—?!"
Zhen, Na'er, and Shi Feng had never faced a real battle before. Their inexperience showed. They stood frozen, unsure of what to do.
"These are Tier 1 beasts," Bing Queer said quickly. "Dangerous, but manageable. Don't panic!"
Without waiting, Bing Queer and Lei Wei dashed forward to meet the wolves. Their clan training made their movements smooth and deliberate. Lightning crackled around Lei Wei, while frost danced along Bing Queer's arms.
In the observation hall, Tai Zhi and Long Yi stood watching the magical viewing screens, each one displaying a different team's progress. Multiple teams were already battling Tier 1 beasts.
"Most of the top candidates have already reached Rank 10 Spirit-Forged Master," Long Yi noted, her voice calm. "They're approaching the threshold."
Tai Zhi nodded. "Time to unlock their first bond skills." He pointed to a screen. "Zhao Xiong's team—they're already deep into battle with five Tier 1 Scarlet Fire Monkeys."
Long Yi added, "The girl with them… she has the Thunder Phoenix bond."
"Yu Xiatao," Tai Zhi snapped his fingers. "Right. She's impressive. Lightning-fast reflexes. That bond will serve her well."
Long Yi's attention drifted to another screen. "Let's see how Lan Zhen's team handles their first real encounter."
Back in the forest, Lei Wei launched a crackling bolt of lightning at the closest wolf, while Bing Queer erected a shimmering barrier of frost to shield Shi Feng. "Move!" she shouted.
Zhen clenched his fists. Na'er bit her lip. Shi Feng finally roared and joined the fight.
As their desperation grew, a change occurred. Lei Wei's body surged with electricity. Lightning pulsed from his veins as a luminous claw formed in his hand.
"I've awakened it—Thunder Dragon Claw!" he shouted, slashing through two wolves with blinding force.
Bing Queer followed soon after. Her body was enveloped in a radiant glow, and a crystalline dome formed around her.
"Frost Shield!" she yelled. "Shi Feng, behind me!"
With the new strength of their bond skills, they pushed back the wolves. Shi Feng delivered a powerful blow to the last beast as he shouted, "I just hit Rank 10!"
The clearing grew silent. Smoke and frost drifted through the air.
Zhen stared at the ground, breathing hard. "That... that was amazing."
Lei Wei grinned. "Thunder Dragon Claw—it gave me the strength to take down four wolves on my own."
Bing Queer nodded. "Frost Shield helped me hold the line. Shi Feng was right there too."
Shi Feng pumped his fist. "Feels great to finally hit Rank 10!"
Na'er looked away, disappointed. Zhen placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Sorry," he said to the group. "We didn't help much. Even though we're Rank 10 too."
Lei Wei stepped over and clapped Zhen on the back. "Don't feel bad. Bond skills awaken when you're pushed to your limit. Yours will come."
Zhen silently repeated those words. Reach my limit...
They resumed their journey toward the orb. Deeper into the forest, magical energy grew thicker. Other teams had succeeded already—some defeating 10 to 15 beasts to claim their orb. Zhao Xiong's group had defeated 20 Tier 1 beasts and already exited through the return gate.
Only one hour remained.
Zhen's team finally arrived at a large clearing. There it was—the Beast Orb, pulsing with raw energy. But standing before it was a massive, scaled beast radiating golden-yellow energy. Its body was covered in spiked plates, and its eyes glowed with hunger.
"A Tier 2 Devouring Dragon," Lei Wei whispered.
Bing Queer's face paled. "They have the bloodline of the Earth Dragon King. This is no ordinary beast."
In the observation hall, Tai Zhi stepped forward. "A Tier 2? That's not supposed to be part of the second trial!"
Long Yi narrowed her eyes. "A standard Tier 2 is equal to 50 Tier 1s... but the Devouring Dragon is different. It's closer to 100."
Tai Zhi clenched his fists. "I'm going in. This could kill them."
Long Yi grabbed his arm. "Wait senior Tai. Let's watch. Trust them."
Reluctantly, Tai Zhi agreed.
The Devouring Dragon charged. The team scattered. Shi Feng struck first.
"Terror Claw!" he roared, his arms glowing with dark light. He tore through one of the beast's shoulder plates, forcing it back a step.
Bing Queer watched in awe. "So that's the Terror Bear's strength. I knew their offense was insane."
Lei Wei and Bing Queer joined in. Lei Wei's Thunder Dragon Claw crackled, slicing across the dragon's limbs. But the beast hardly slowed down.
Then Na'er's body began to glow. Her eyes turned—one flaming red, the other icy blue.
"Fire-Ice Phoenix Wings!" she screamed.
Wings burst from her back—one of pure flame, the other of glistening frost. She soared upward, slashing across the dragon's head and shielding Bing Queer from a blast of breath.
In the observation hall, Tai Zhi gasped. "Dual attributes... in a Phoenix bond?"
Long Yi smiled faintly. "She'll become strong. She fights to protect."
Zhen watched in awe. But his legs were shaky. His vision blurred. Their attacks weren't enough. They were tiring.
The Devouring Dragon reared and slammed Na'er with its tail. She crashed into the ground.
"NA'ER!" Zhen screamed. He rushed to her side. She was breathing—but badly injured.
A storm of emotion burst from him. Guilt, rage, fear.
His body surged with power. One hand glowed with radiant light, the other with deep darkness.
Dark reddish-golden dragon claws extended from both arms, releasing a pressure so intense it made even the Devouring Dragon pause.
"What... is this?" Shi Feng whispered.
Zhen charged.
His Unknown Dragon Claw struck the beast in the chest with explosive force. The Devouring Dragon howled as it was sent flying, crashing through trees and plummeting down the hillside.
Silence followed.
Lan Zhen unlocked his first bond skill, i.e "Unknown dragon claw".
Zhen held Na'er close. "Let's get out of here."
The others nodded. No one spoke.
They retrieved the orb and exited through the glowing gate.
Tai Zhi stared at the screen, speechless. "That dragon claw... what was that?"
Long Yi's expression turned serious and whispered to herself. "For a moment, his aura felt familiar. Too familiar. I must ensure no one takes that boy away."
The second trial ended. Of the 200 participants, only 125 remained. Lan Zhen's team had passed.
But something far greater had just awakened.