Jin Chi stood before the school vault, his eyes wide. The entrance alone was more magnificent than the main gates of the school — towering arches carved from luminous stone, intricate runes glowing faintly along the frame. Even the wind seemed to hesitate at the threshold, carrying a soft hum of power.
Yu stood beside him, jaw slightly dropped. "This… this is where the beasts are kept?"
Chi nodded, taking a deep breath.
The two boys exchanged a glance, a mixture of excitement and nerves. Chi felt his Water and Wind Qi swirling faintly around him, almost in anticipation, while Yu's Fire and Earth energy crackled softly. Students had to go one by one it was decided by their scores who would go first and naturally chi and yu were on top of the piramid.
It was Jin chi's turn first.
Ahead, the vault doors began to glow, responding to their presence. A low, resonant voice echoed from within, as if acknowledging their arrival.
Yu whispered to chi, "Remember… stay calm. Loch said "Let them sense you, don't force anything."
Yu nodded, gripping his sleeves tightly. "Got it… we let them choose and remember most beast egg at birth have a clear heart and brimming with justice"
The massive doors slowly creaked open, revealing a chamber bathed in golden light. Nestled within were countless eggs, each pulsing with its own aura — some faint and gentle, others fierce and roaring with power.
Chi's heart skipped a beat. "This… this is it," he murmured.
Chi stepped into the vault, and the air seemed to hum with life. Students outside watched in awe, their eyes wide at the vast chamber filled with countless eggs, each radiating its own extraordinary aura. Some pulsed gently, others crackled with raw, untamed energy. Chi could feel it, countless beast offering themselves to him.
He froze for a moment, overwhelmed. "How… how am I supposed to choose an egg here?" he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Closing his eyes, Chi let his Water and Wind Qi flow through him, expanding his senses. He felt the faint currents of energy brushing against his consciousness—some bold, some hesitant, some almost shy. He inhaled slowly.
Focus… don't let your eyes pick. Let your heart decide, he reminded himself.
A soft ripple of water caressed his Qi, followed by the subtle whisper of wind, intertwining like a gentle melody. Chi lifted his eyelids, sensing the presence of noble beasts guiding him toward the egg that truly belonged to him. The energies of the vault shifted subtly, as if acknowledging his growing aura.
As he stepped deeper into the cavern, the choices became clearer. Many eggs no longer reached out to him, leaving only a few scattered in the shadows—even in the deepest recesses of the vault. Each of the remaining eggs pulsed with a regal, commanding presence, as if aware of their own worth.
Chi focused intently, pouring every ounce of his Qi into the space around him. His aura radiated outward, brushing against the remaining eggs like a tide of water and wind. Slowly, all but three eggs fell silent, leaving only the proudest and most distinguished of beasts.
These were no ordinary eggs—they were royal, noble creatures, each radiating its own sense of pride and justice. Their energy was strong, almost imperious, testing his resolve and judgment.
Chi paused, inhaling deeply, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. Even now, with all his senses sharpened, he could not decide which of the three to choose. Each seemed to possess the strength, wisdom, and potential worthy of a cultivator like him.
He closed his eyes, letting his intuition guide him. This is more than power… it's about connection, compatibility, and destiny, he thought, his fingers brushing the air as if reaching out to the essence of the noble beasts.
The vault was silent except for the faint hum of Qi, and in that stillness, Chi knew that the right choice would reveal itself—but only if he trusted himself completely.
Then and there, Chi finally made his choice, selecting the beast egg that resonated with him most. As he held it, a soft glow radiated from the egg, acknowledging their bond. Almost immediately, a system window chimed, updating his inventory with his rewards.
Jin Chi frowned slightly and asked, "You were awfully quiet for a few weeks… what happened?"
The system responded, eyes closed in pride, "I went on a few weeks' holiday."
Chi blinked in disbelief. "Holiday? How many days has it even been since I got you?" His tone was a mix of irritation and disbelief.
The system's voice sounded mock-offended. "How rude! You were constantly completing tasks without giving me a break, so I decided to give myself a holiday. Even systems need rest, you know."
Chi groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Huh… fine. Just tell me next time."
With that, the selection was finally complete. Jin Chi stepped out of the vault, clutching the egg carefully, a sense of satisfaction and anticipation filling him.
The students whispered "that looks like an ordinary egg... How lame i thought he was a genius"
It was Yu's turn now. Chi stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Yu, just feel it," Chi advised. "Use every ounce of your Qi and let it fill the room. The truly high-ranked eggs that are compatible with you will respond and light up."
Yu's eyes sparkled with determination. "Got it!" he exclaimed, stepping into the vault.
Inside, Yu closed his eyes and let his Qi expand outward, brushing against every egg in the chamber. Slowly, faint glows appeared, then strengthened as a few eggs pulsed in rhythm with his energy. He focused on each, filtering out the ones that weren't resonating fully with him.
After a tense few moments, one egg at the far end of the vault flared brightly, its aura almost singing in harmony with Yu's own Qi. A soft chime echoed through the room as the system window appeared:
System Notification:
Main mission:yu has chosen an ancient sss ranked or higher beast egg with your help. Completed
Rewards:2x beast bloodline awakener elixer(heavenly)(unusable),2x beast nourishing pill(heavenly)(unusable), protagonist package.
"You want me to give these rewards to Yu… right?" Chi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep," the system replied, its tone flat but tinged with amusement. "Why… are you really this greedy? You want them for yourself?"
Chi blinked, hands slightly raised in mock innocence. "Me? Greedy? Never…"
The system let out a faint, digital sigh. "Sure, keep telling yourself that."
Chi grinned, shaking his head. "Fine, fine. Yu deserves them. But I might keep a tiny bit for… motivation."
"Motivation, huh?" the system quipped. "I'll be keeping an eye on you."
Chi laughed, feeling the warm, teasing presence of the system as it transferred the rewards to chi's inventory.
Yu stepped out, Yu opened his eyes, a confident grin spreading across his face. "I think this is the one," he whispered.
Thirty minutes later, he emerged from the vault, holding the glowing egg carefully in his hands.
Chi raised an eyebrow. "What took you so long? But… you look confident enough."
Yu chuckled softly. "Sorry, it took me a while. I was torn between three eggs, but I think I made the right choice." He giggled, bouncing slightly with excitement.
The aura of Yu's newly chosen beast pulsed faintly from the egg, sending a warm ripple of Fire and Earth energy that brushed against everyone nearby. Even Chi could feel it, and he smiled knowingly. "Yep… that's a perfect match."
After some time, all the students had received their first beast eggs.
Chi and Yu walked side by side, animatedly chatting about their new companions as they made their way back to the cloud carriage from the mystical grounds. The air buzzed with excitement, and the faint glow of their spiritual roots added a subtle aura around them.
"Can you believe how strong that egg looked? I think mine might be… really rare," Yu whispered, eyes sparkling.
Chi smirked. "Don't forget, it's not just the egg—it's how you connect with it. Yours will shine even more once you sync up."
Suddenly, the peaceful chatter was shattered. A group of students emerged from behind a cluster of trees, their eyes narrowed and their spiritual roots already flaring with energy.
"Looks like you two are going to learn the hard way," one sneered, stepping forward.
Chi's hand instinctively went to his side. Yu's eyes widened, but he quickly steadied himself, drawing a calm breath. Both of them instinctively stepped into a defensive stance, ready to face whatever attack was coming.
The mystical energy in the air thickened, and the faint hum of spiritual power signaled that this wouldn't be just a simple scuffle.
"Stay close to me," Chi murmured to Yu, a glint of determination in his eyes. "We'll handle this together."while eggs were in their bags.
Chi and Yu's eyes snapped open, their gazes locking on the approaching students. In an instant, both felt the familiar surge of their spiritual energy coursing through their veins.
"Let's go!" Chi shouted, stepping forward. Water and wind Qi swirled around him, forming streaks of blue and white that spiraled in the air like living ribbons. His feet moved almost of their own accord, gliding silently over the ground as he prepared his attack.
Yu mirrored him, his hands trembling slightly but determination shining in his eyes. Fire and earth Qi erupted from his body, twisting together into molten, jagged columns that hovered like miniature volcanoes, crackling with energy.
Time seemed to slow for a moment as both boys extended their hands, channeling their Qi outward. The mystical currents met the incoming energy from the attacking students, creating a dazzling display of light and elemental force.
Chi's attack surged forward first—a spiraling wave of water and wind that cut through the air with a whistling roar. Leaves and dust swirled violently around the strike, forming a vortex that knocked back the nearest students.
Yu followed, slamming the ground with a forceful push of fire-and-earth Qi. The earth beneath the attackers cracked and buckled as molten fissures spread, flames licking upward in a dazzling display of destructive beauty.
The combination of their attacks—the fluid grace of Chi's wind-water vortex and the raw power of Yu's fire-earth eruption—created a barrier no ordinary student could breach. The attackers staggered, some thrown backward, others shielding themselves from the overwhelming force.
Panting, Yu and Chi stood side by side, their auras still radiating power. "That's… how it feels to fight together," Yu muttered, eyes wide with awe.
Chi grinned. "Not bad for our first real test… let's see if they want to try again."
The group of students scattered, fleeing as they felt the overwhelming power of Chi and Yu.
Both boys exchanged glances, disbelief and curiosity mingling on their faces. "Is… that it?" Yu muttered, tilting his head.
Chi shrugged, still brimming with adrenaline. "Seems like they weren't ready to face us."
The students disappeared deeper into the mystical grounds, and a tense silence settled for a moment.
"Are they… following us?" Yu whispered, eyes scanning the surroundings.
"It doesn't seem like it," Chi replied cautiously, though he kept his senses sharp.
Suddenly, a calm, familiar voice echoed in their minds. "Not to worry. I'm here."
Both boys turned sharply toward the sound. Standing a few meters away were Loch and another figure, their presence commanding yet reassuring.
"Loch! You scared us!" Chi exclaimed, his chest still racing.
Loch smiled faintly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "You handled yourselves well. That group won't bother you again… ever again"
Both yu and chi gulped
"Now you are getting late hurry back to your carages" loch said
The two of them hurried back to their homes.
Next chapter: interclass duel