Legendary Beast Cultivator

The golden light continued to linger across the area for a brief moment. Xiao Yanrui stood still under the thirty-foot stone pillar, his hand still holding the shining jade crystal.

The ancient spiritual essence shot into his aperture immediately.

"What is happening to him?!" Huo Ren shouted, guarding his eyes from the obscuring light.

"Yanrui!" Chi Fenglian immediately stumbled backward, his legs skidding across the stone.

Xiao Yanrui gritted his teeth so hard, a thick bead of sweat crawling out across his forehead. The beast essence inside his aperture began swirling faster and faster into a roaring pool. It began to increase slowly. A faint, crisp sound echoed from deep within his chest.

After a few moments, a powerful aura erupted out from Xiao Yanrui, sending a slight gust of wind across the area. His cultivation foundation had broken through into Spirit Beast Realm — Lower Stage.

Huo Ren stared at him, his mouth open in shock. "You... you broke through into the Spirit Beast Realm right now?!"

Xiao Yanrui slowly opened his eyes, a glint of white light flashing within his eyes as a faint, freezing white mist escaped from his lips.

He looked down, checking his own hands in sheer disbelief, feeling the pure, refined strength running through his veins.

"I..." Xiao Yanrui murmured, his voice slightly shaking. "I’ve reached the Spirit Beast Realm."

Chi Fenglian burst into loud laughter, slapping his own knee. "Hahaha! Look at that! It seems this ancient altar really gave us something mind-blowingly rewarding!"

Before their laughter could fade, the deep, ancient voice echoed once more through the sky:

"The first inheritors of Red Sun Peak have been recognized."

Three streams of sacred light descended from the hovering tip of the stone pillar. One stream flew straight toward Xiao Yanrui. Another descended toward Chi Fenglian. The final stream landed before Huo Ren.

Each stream of light vanished, changing into a collection of treasures hovering in the air.

Xiao Yanrui reached out and caught the first item. It was an elegantly carved, blue colored bracelet that felt smooth to the touch. A faint Rank Four aura emanated quietly from its surface.

"A Rank Four treasure..." Xiao Yanrui whispered under his breath, his chest heaving vehemently.

The three smaller, shining objects appeared right afterward: a Rank three defensive jade amulet, a Rank three Beast Essence recovery stone, and a Rank Three agility movement artifact. And a few high-tier, extremely rare medicinal herbs followed, carefully sealed inside transparent boxes to preserve their power.

Chi Fenglian received an identical collection of treasures like Xiao Yanrui.

Huo Ren also received the same number of high-grade rewards, holding them in his arms so meticulously as if they were made of fragile glass.

The three young disciples stared at their rewards in utter disbelief.

"This is insane..." Huo Ren muttered, carefully smearing the Rank four treasure with trembling hands. "I’ve never even held something this valuable in my life!"

"Be careful not to drop it, idiot!" Chi Fenglian laughed, nudging his shoulder.

"I know! I’m holding it with my life!" Huo Ren pouted, clicking his tongue.

Xiao Yanrui quietly stored each treasure inside his storage pouch. His expression quickly changed its usual composure, but the excitement in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.

At that same moment, the steady footsteps approached from the outer stone stairs of the ruin.

Assistant Master Gu Su Feng stepped onto the altar platform, his robes fluttering against the mountain breeze. A proud smile crawled across his face as he looked at his three young disciples.

"Congratulations," Gu Su Feng praised, nodding slightly. "You three brats managed to become the first disciples in this academy batch to claim an altar inheritance."

Huo Ren immediately cupped his fists and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for watching over us, assistant master!"

"Your reward is well-earned and yours to keep. But... do not let this victory make you arrogant." Gu Su Feng nodded, stepping closer.

"There are still two ancient altars remaining on this peak," Gu Su Feng beamed, his voice becoming serious. "Let’s see who will win the next two inheritances."

"Okay, assistant master Gu Su Feng," Xiao Yanrui bowed respectfully.

Gu Su Feng looked out toward the sprawling ruins. "Let us leave this platform. Once an altar has been claimed, its structure seals forever, and there is no reason to linger around here."

The three disciples quickly gathered their things and followed him down toward the exit.

As they walked down the stone pathway, Gu Su Feng stared back once toward the ruins, his smile fading into a calm expression. ’I wonder which group will manage to obtain the second altar...’

Then, his gaze shifted, looking toward the third altar. ’And more importantly... Who will possess the strength and resolve to claim the third altar?’

****

Near the second altar entry, another two groups had reached the area simultaneously. Group Four, led by Gu Fang Xin. And Group Three, led by Xiao Lanxue.

The two groups appeared from opposite pathways of the ruins at the same moment, and both teams halted mid-step.

Standing proudly at the center of the area before them was another colossal, ancient stone pillar. It was the second altar.

"Hahaha! We found it! The inheritance is ours!" Gu Fang Xin’s eyes widened with excitement, a grin crawling across his face.

Xiao Lanxue’s expression instantly turned sharp as she stepped forward. "Ours? You only spotted it after my group walked into the area."

"Are you blind, girl?! My group reached this place first!" Gu Fang Xin frowned, pointing an accusing finger at her.

Xiao Lanxue crossed her arms, her eyes shining with authority. "We were already searching this part of the ruins while you were still wandering down."

"Then you should have found it before us!" Gu Fang Xin muttered, his face spasming with irritation. "Don’t test my patience, Xiao Lanxue."

Xiao Lanxue widened her eyes, her posture changing into a combat stance. "Or what the fuck you will do, Gu Fang Xin?"

The atmosphere across the area instantly turned heavy and suffocating.

Chi Ruyan and Lian Mei Lin looked at each other helplessly. Neither of them wanted to get caught in the crossfire of their fiery leader’s temper.

Whoosh!

Gu Fang Xin’s fire serpent slowly appeared beside him, the orange flames flickering menacingly around its body.

Xiao Lanxue didn’t back down for an inch, her ice serpent manifested beside her along with a cloud of frost, lowering the temperature instantly as frost spread across the ground.

"So... you actually want to fight it out right here?" Gu Fang Xin grinned wickedly, his beast essence flaring up.

Xiao Lanxue’s gaze turned as sharp as a blade. "If necessary."

The two beasts lowered their bodies to leap against each other vehemently.

Before any of the beast could leap forward to launch an attack, a tremendous, overwhelming pressure descended from the sky like a mountain, slamming down in between the disciples.

"STOP!" assistant master He Muran’s voice rumbled across the stone ruins.

At almost the same instant, assistant master Shen Li Xiaoran stepped out from the shadows of a stone pillar. Both assistant masters unleashed a bit of their terrifying Spirit Beast Realm Peak Stage aura, instantly pinning the young disciples’ arrogance down.

The disciples froze, their breathing catching in their necks.

"Have you brats forgotten the academy rules?" He Muran yelled, taking a step forward.

"This is an official trial," He Muran boasted, clicking his tongue. "Internal fighting and senseless brawling mean immediate disqualification for your whole team!"

Shen Li Xiaoran’s gaze swept across both groups with utter disappointment. "If even a single beast attacks another disciple in anger... both of your groups will be dragged off this mountain brutally."

Gu Fang Xin gritted his teeth, recalling the flames around his fire serpent. Xiao Lanxue’s ice serpent slowly lowered its head.

"Tsk..." Gu Fang Xin clicked his tongue in annoyance and disdain.

Xiao Lanxue remained utterly silent for a few moments. She finally turned her head toward Gu Fang Xin, her voice calm and mocking.

"Fine," Xiao Lanxue muttered, a smirk on her face. "You can enter the altar trial first."

Gu Fang Xin raised an eyebrow with a suspicious look in his eyes. "Really? You’re giving up easily?"

"You’ll never solve it anyway. And the moment you fail and get kicked out..." Xiao Lanxue let out a faint smile, "my group will take the inheritance."

"You little—! You’ll see who fails!" Gu Fang Xin’s expression turned into rage. He turned around toward his team. "Chi Ruyan, Mei Lin! Let her see our potential!"

The three disciples of group four quickly stepped onto the circular platform of the second altar.

Xiao Lanxue watched them walking into the ruin without a word, before turning toward her teammates. "Come. We’ll search the other side."

"Maybe there’s another path or another hidden structure nearby." Ying Yue said, looking around the sprawling ruins.

Yun He nodded, and the three young women quickly walked out from the second altar.

****

Gu Fang Xin stepped onto the central circular platform. The moment his leg touched the smooth stone the surrounding ruins vanished in a flash of obscuring light.

A vast labyrinth appeared around them. There are towering stone walls which are hundreds of feet into the sky, blocking out the sun. Before they could even react, another change occurred, separating the three disciples.

"Gu Fang Xin!"

"Chi Ruyan!"

"Lian Mei Lin!"

Their panicked shouts echoed across the area, but no answer came back. They were alone in the endless maze.

"A spatial illusion?" Gu Fang Xin frowned, snapping his head.

Then, a reverberating ancient voice echoed throughout the stone labyrinth.

"Brute strength cannot open this path, only those who trust what they cannot see shall proceed."

Gu Fang Xin’s eyes narrowed slightly. Suddenly... his fire serpent vanished from his vision. He could no longer see it. He couldn’t hear its movements. He couldn’t even sense its location in the maze.

The physical connection was gone, only the faint bond between their souls within his spiritual aperture remained.

Gu Fang Xin clenched his fists tight, taking a hazy breath. "So that’s how this trial works."

He slowly closed his eyes, shutting out the confusing sight of the stone walls. Instead of recklessly searching with his eyes and ears... he trusted his beast’s soul connection.

Left.

His Fire Serpent moved somewhere in the area, and Gu Fang Xin walked left.

Right. Forward. Stop. Turn.

The stone walls constantly changed around him to throw off his balance, but the bond between master and beast never broke for a second.

Elsewhere in the labyrinth... Chi Ruyan experienced the same thing, closing his eyes and moving through the vibrations of his lightning serpent. Lian Mei Lin relied on the sharp instincts of her Lightning Boar.

An hour later... all three disciples appeared at the center of the maze. A gigantic stone door stood proudly before them. There were only three beast-shaped carvings on its surface.

"Together!" Gu Fang Xin looked toward his two friends, a confident smirk returning to his face.

Their three beasts appeared, simultaneously pressing their bodies against the carved places.

BOOM!

The massive door groaned and swung wide open. A wave of golden light flooded across the labyrinth, the illusionary walls vanishing into dust.

The second ancient altar had been solved.

"Hahaha! Who’s the one that couldn’t solve it now, Xiao Lanxue?!" Gu Fang Xin threw his head back and laughed boisterously.

Far away on a higher trail... Xiao Lanxue suddenly halted mid-step, her head turning back toward the second altar.

A golden pillar of light burst out straight into the sky from the location of the second altar. Her cool eyes narrowed slightly. "Tsk! They solved it."

Ying Yue looked up at the beam of light. "That was the second altar..."

Xiao Lanxue remained silent for a second, before her gaze slowly turned toward the mist-shrouded area of Red Sun Peak.

The location of the third and final altar. The hardest, most brutal trial on the entire mountain. Her expression gradually changed into determination.

"Then we need to move," Xiao Lanxue beamed, her voice filled with resolve. "Now!"