Beast Taming Star Journey

The flickering firelight illuminated the unfamiliar faces around me, their eyes displaying complex and unreadable expressions that made it difficult for me to discern their attitudes.

The cave was filled with a strange aroma of spices, mixed with a faint scent of animal hides, which made me feel a little uncomfortable.

Meng stood beside me. She seemed to sense my unease, gently patted my shoulder, then turned around and introduced me to the tribespeople in a clear voice: "Listen, everyone, this is Nong Yu, a very powerful beast tamer!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a murmur arose from the crowd.

I noticed that some people's eyes were full of curiosity, while others looked clearly hostile.

I took a deep breath and tried to keep myself calm.

“His beast-taming ability is quite special,” Mang continued, pointing to my shoulder, “Look, his beast-taming ability is actually…”

She suddenly stopped, seemingly realizing she had almost let something slip.

A chill ran through me. It seemed that my ability to control beasts was quite rare in this tribe, and might even be a taboo subject.

Instead of explaining my abilities, Meng changed the subject: "Nong Yu, can you demonstrate your beast-taming skills?"

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

I know this is my only chance to gain their approval.

I whistled softly, and my beast companion—a pure white spirit fox—darted out of my shadow and nimbly jumped onto my shoulder.

I began to demonstrate some simple beast-taming techniques, such as making the spirit fox exhale ice mist and create illusions.

As I moved, the fox's movements became increasingly fluid and graceful.

The crowd gradually quieted down, replaced by gasps of amazement.

I noticed that some of the younger tribesmen had a look of admiration in their eyes, while some of the older tribesmen had a thoughtful expression on their faces.

I know that I have successfully attracted their attention and won the approval of some people.

After the performance, I recalled the spirit fox and bowed slightly to the audience.

Meng walked up to me with a bright smile on his face: "See? I told you he was amazing!"

A cheer erupted from the crowd, and some of the younger members of the tribe even rushed forward, wanting to get a closer look at my spirit fox.

I was surrounded by them and felt an unprecedented warmth.

Just then, I felt a soft hand gently grasp my arm.

I turned my head and saw it was Su Yao.

She had a slight smile on her face, but a complex emotion, barely perceptible, flashed in her eyes.

She leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear, "You can't let another woman steal you away..." Her tone was gentle, but carried an undeniable air of authority.

Su Yao's arm was tightly around mine, and I could feel the warmth of her body, like a flame pressed against my arm.

Her unique, faint fragrance wafted into my nostrils, making me somewhat distracted.

The cheers of the surrounding tribesmen gradually faded away, as if separated by a thin film, leaving only Su Yao and me in this small space.

The words she whispered in my ear carried a hint of reproach, a hint of allure, and an even more subtle touch of possessiveness, which stirred my heart.

I turned my head and saw Su Yao looking at me with a complicated expression.

I read pride in her eyes, because my performance made her proud; I also read a hint of jealousy, perhaps because I was surrounded by so many people, which made her uncomfortable.

I gently held her hand and gave her a reassuring look.

She squeezed my hand back, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, and her eyes softened considerably.

Just as I was enjoying this moment of tenderness, an old voice broke the silence.

“Young man, your beast-taming skills are indeed impressive, but that alone is not enough to make us fully trust you.” The speaker was an old man with white hair and beard, leaning on a wooden staff carved with intricate totems, exuding an aura of majesty.

My heart sank; it seemed things weren't as simple as I'd imagined.

The cheers around them gradually faded away, replaced by a solemn atmosphere.

Some of the younger members of the tribe gradually lost their initial excitement, and their eyes revealed a hint of worry.

“Old clan leader,” Meng stepped forward, his tone pleading, “Nong Yu has already…”

“Meng,” the old chieftain interrupted Meng, “I know you admire this young man, but our Lost Tribe has its own rules. To gain our approval, one must undergo trials.”

I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and respectfully bowed to the old clan chief: "Old clan chief, I am willing to accept the test."

I knew this was the only way for me to integrate into this tribe, and my chance to prove myself.

The old patriarch gave me a deep look, then slowly said, "Good, your courage is commendable. The details of the test will be told to you later."

After he finished speaking, he turned and walked into the depths of the cave, his figure quickly disappearing into the darkness.

The surrounding tribesmen dispersed, leaving only Su Yao, Meng, and me standing beside me.

A hint of worry crossed Meng's face. She gently tugged at my sleeve and whispered, "Nong Yu, you must be careful, this is a test..."

Before she could finish speaking, a burly man walked over and said to me in a deep voice, "Come with me."

I looked at Su Yao, and she gave me an encouraging look.

I followed the man out of the cave and headed in an unknown direction.

A night breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness and a hint of unease.

I glanced back at the cave entrance; Su Yao's figure had already disappeared into the firelight.

I silently told myself: No matter what kind of test it is, I will overcome it.

The man led me to an open space where a huge stone tablet stood in the center, with symbols I couldn't understand carved on it.

The man pointed to the stone tablet and said, "This is your test."

He paused, then added, "Remember, you only have one chance."

After he finished speaking, he stepped aside and quietly looked at me.

I walked up to the stone tablet and carefully observed the symbols on it.

These symbols look like some kind of ancient script, or some kind of complex pattern.

I tried to touch these symbols, but they emitted a strange energy that made me feel dizzy. What... is this?