The forbidden zone fell silent. The chief and Jiang stood dumbfounded, jaws dropped. A dragon's head rose from a nearby lake, equally stunned.
"Done?" Wanda blinked.
"Looks like it," Kara shrugged.
James dusted his hands. "Sorry, went a bit hard. Broke your altar."
The chief's voice returned. "You… that was the Soul-Devouring Beast!"
"Yeah," James nodded. "So?"
Jiang's sword clattered to the ground. She turned to the chief. "What have we been guarding for millennia?"
James shrugged. "I'm in a hurry?"
The chief teared up, a mix of joy and sorrow, patting James's shoulder. "Hero, you're great! Just… made us look foolish."
The walk back was quiet. Passing a bamboo grove, Jiang spoke. "Still want those divine beasts?"
"Yes!" Kara raised her hand.
The chief led them to a vast grassland. Night winds rippled the grass, where strange figures roamed under moonlight. "Our divine beast sanctuary," the chief said, smiling. "As promised, each of you picks one."
Wanda's eyes sparkled. "These are legendary beasts?"
Jiang pointed. "That's Dijiang, shapeless, six legs, four wings, faceless. Odd but gentle."
Kara, airborne, scanned the grassland. "I see the phoenix!" A red bird perched on a tree, its golden tail feathers glowing.
James's gaze locked on a black beast, deer-like, scaled, with a jade horn glowing softly. "That's the Ink Qilin," the chief said. "Noble, bonds only with the strong."
Wanda gasped as a golden Dijiang rolled to her feet, nuzzling her skirt. "It likes you," Jiang smiled.
After choosing, Wanda picked the Dijiang, its energy resonating with her chaos magic. Kara got the phoenix, which sang and landed on her shoulder, its flames syncing with her bio-field. James approached the Ink Qilin, which bowed after sensing his power, letting him stroke its horn.
The chief nodded. "Fate's choice. These beasts will shine with you."
At parting, he bowed. "Talo Village owes you. Call us anytime."
James opened a golden portal to the seaside villa. "Let's go home."
Dijiang rolled through excitedly, Wanda chasing. "Slow down!" The phoenix flew in, sparking, Kara shouting, "Don't burn the curtains!" James glanced at the poised Ink Qilin, which circled elegantly, ready for its new home.
Inside, Crash! Dijiang bounced like a pinball, toppling a fruit bowl and sticking to the ceiling. Wanda pulled it down with magic. "Behave at home."
The phoenix pecked at a chandelier; Kara grabbed it. "Not food!" James eyed the Ink Qilin, lounging in sunlight. "You're the easy one."
A kitchen explosion followed—Dijiang raided the fridge, the phoenix sprayed flames. Wanda groaned. "God." Kara stopped the phoenix. "No more fire!"
James sighed, telling the Ink Qilin, "We need rules." It raised its horn, sealing the kitchen with a barrier. James added toys with the Reality Gem: a floating energy ball for Dijiang, a fire crystal for the phoenix.
Wanda leaned on the doorframe, watching the calmed beasts. "Pets are harder than I thought."
Kara blinked. "What do they eat?"
"Just qi," James said. "Like us with stellar energy."
As sunset fell, Dijiang floated gently by Wanda, the phoenix rested on Kara's fire rack, and the Ink Qilin watched over them. At night, Wanda wove a nest for Dijiang, Kara played fireball catch with the phoenix, and James gazed at the starry sky, wondering about other worlds.
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