Beast Taming Star Journey

I took a deep breath. The air in front of the ancestral hall seemed to freeze, carrying an ancient and somber atmosphere.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the bluestone-paved ground, and the dappled light and shadow reflected on the faces of the surrounding villagers. Curiosity, doubt, and mockery were all intertwined, like an invisible net enveloping me.

"Yes, village chief."

My voice echoed in front of the ancestral hall, more resolute than I had imagined.

The village chief, a burly, dark-skinned old man, gave me a deep look, his eyes filled with scrutiny.

He stroked his white beard and said slowly, "Nong Yu, the ability to control beasts is of great importance and not a game. If you have truly awakened your ability to control beasts, then show it to everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, a buzz of discussion arose from the crowd.

I felt countless gazes focused on me, as if trying to see right through me.

My palms started to sweat slightly. It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous at all, after all, I didn't know how these conservative villagers would react.

Just then, a sharp, sarcastic voice rang out from the crowd: "Village chief, this kid is definitely lying! He's been idle since he was a child, how could he possibly awaken the ability to control beasts? I think he just wants to show off!"

The speaker was Lin Hu, who stood at the front of the crowd with a gloating expression.

His arm was still wrapped in bandages, from where Xiaoling had scratched him yesterday.

At that moment, he was staring at me with eyes full of resentment, as if he wanted to devour me alive.

Lin Hu's words were echoed by many villagers, who began to whisper and point at me.

“Yes, Nong Yu is usually idle and doesn’t do any proper work, how could he…”

"I think he's just trying to get attention..."

"Could it be that it stole someone's pet beast...?"

These comments stung my eardrums like needles, and my heart sank.

I felt an invisible pressure pressing down on me, making it almost impossible for me to breathe.

Granny Wu, a hunched old woman leaning on a cane, stepped out from the crowd, looked at me with her cloudy eyes, and slowly said, "Child, let everyone see your tamed beast. Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving."

Although her voice was old, it carried an undeniable power.

I looked up at her, a glimmer of hope igniting within me. I knew this was my only chance to prove myself.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. My gaze swept over the doubtful faces, finally settling on the tightly closed doors of the ancestral hall.

My hand slowly reached into my pocket and tightly grasped the warm, smooth stone...

"Xiao Ling," I called softly, my voice trembling slightly, "come out."

I took a deep breath, turning all the doubts and ridicule into a flame in my chest.

I held the stone in my pocket tightly, feeling the warmth it gave me—a reassuring strength, a silent encouragement.

I slowly took the stone out and held it high above my head. "Little Spirit, come out!" The stone emitted a soft light, which gradually condensed to form a cocoon of light that floated in front of me.

The cocoon of light slowly rotated, its light growing brighter and brighter. Finally, with a "bang," the cocoon burst open, revealing a small, snow-white beast before everyone.

It has a pair of bright, large eyes, like two dazzling gems, sparkling with the light of wisdom.

Its tiny nose twitched slightly, as if it were sniffing the air.

Its limbs are lithe and strong, its tail sways gently, and it exudes an indescribable aura of power, yet it also carries a touch of childlike cuteness.

A gasp rippled through the crowd; the villagers were stunned by Xiaoling's appearance.

They had never seen such a peculiar little beast before; the aura it exuded was unlike any other animal they knew.

"What...is this?" Lin Hu's voice trembled, his eyes filled with fear and disbelief.

I smiled slightly, a sense of pride welling up inside me. I gently stroked Xiaoling's fur, feeling its soft texture.

"Its name is Xiaoling, and it's my tamed beast."

I directed Xiaoling to perform a few simple movements, and it jumped and rolled nimbly, its movements fluid and elegant.

I even demonstrated the ability to share power with it; my strength instantly increased, and a powerful sense of power filled my entire body.

However, the village chief still looked skeptical.

"This might just be one of your tricks," he said in a deep voice. "A true beast-taming contract isn't something that can be shown so easily."

The old witch frowned as she leaned on her cane and slowly walked up to Xiao Ling, examining it carefully.

She reached out her withered hand and gently stroked Xiaoling's head. Xiaoling did not dodge; instead, she affectionately rubbed against her hand.

“This little beast… is very special,” the witch said slowly, her tone tinged with doubt. “I have never sensed its aura before.”

I know I must present stronger evidence to completely dispel their doubts.

“Village Chief,” I said in a deep voice, “I am willing to accept the family’s beast-taming ability test.” My words were met with silence.

All eyes were on me, filled with surprise, curiosity, doubt, and... a hint of anticipation.

The family's beast-taming ability test is the ultimate standard for evaluating a beast tamer's abilities.

The tests were extremely rigorous and even dangerous.

Although I signed a contract with Xiaoling and shared its power, I was still unsure about this test.

The village chief gave me a deep look and slowly nodded.

"Alright, since you're so confident, then take the test. I hope you're not lying, otherwise..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the warning in his tone was unmistakable.

I followed the village chief and the witch into the ancestral hall. The doors of the ancestral hall slowly opened, and an ancient and mysterious aura wafted out.

The ancestral hall was dimly lit and contained various ancient animal-taming implements.

A faint sandalwood scent filled the air, creating a slightly oppressive atmosphere.

The test has begun. First, Xiaoling needs to navigate through a passage filled with traps and mechanisms.

At the entrance to the passage, Xiaoling was a little scared. It clung tightly to my leg and refused to move forward.

I gently stroked its head and whispered encouragement. "Don't be afraid, Xiaoling, I believe in you." I gently pushed Xiaoling towards the entrance of the passage... "Go."