Beast Taming Star Journey

The ground in the center of the platform slowly descended, revealing a bottomless cave, and a damp, chilly atmosphere swept over me. A chill ran through me; it seemed this first assessment was no simple task. The surrounding examinees began to whisper amongst themselves, and an unease spread through the crowd.

Han, the examiner, boomed through the arena: "The first test: Beast Taming Commands! Each candidate will receive a random command scroll. Command your beasts to complete the task according to the instructions on the scroll. The test will be judged on speed and accuracy. Now, the test begins!"

Assistant Zhang began distributing scrolls. I took a deep breath, took the scroll, and slowly unfurled it.

The sign read: "Have your tamed beast run three laps around the edge of the arena within one minute and collect the specified number of red markers."

I smiled slightly; this instruction wasn't difficult for me.

My tamed beast, Xiao Yan, is a fire-attribute spirit fox. It is incredibly fast and has an exceptional ability to understand my commands.

"Xiao Yan, are you ready?"

I asked softly. Xiao Yan let out an excited low growl, its eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

"start!"

At the command of the examiner Han, I immediately relayed the instructions to Xiao Yan.

Little Flame transformed into a streak of red lightning, sprinting around the edge of the arena. It skillfully dodged obstacles and accurately picked up the red markers.

The surrounding examinees also commanded their own beasts to start moving. For a time, all kinds of beasts ran, jumped and flew in the arena, creating a spectacular scene.

I noticed that Liu, the examinee, also participated in the assessment. His gloomy gaze kept sweeping over me, making me feel uneasy.

Xiao Yan's speed far surpassed that of other tamed beasts. In less than a minute, it completed three laps and brought back the designated number of red markers to me.

"Finish!"

I shouted loudly. The examiner, Han, nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes: "Nong Yu, fifty-five seconds, perfect accuracy, excellent performance!"

The other test-takers around me cast envious glances my way, and I felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

Su Yao saw my performance from outside the assessment area, and she waved her arms excitedly to cheer me on.

I looked at Liu, whose face was ashen and whose fists were clenched. He was clearly very dissatisfied with my outstanding performance.

He muttered a curse under his breath, then commanded his beast to continue the task. I chuckled inwardly; it seemed I was destined to win this test.

Just as I was about to relax, I suddenly sensed that Xiao Yan was acting strangely. It paced restlessly on the ground, emitting low whimpers.

I quickly squatted down and carefully examined Xiao Yan's body, but found nothing abnormal.

"Xiao Yan, what's wrong?"

I asked with concern. Xiao Yan looked up at me with wet eyes, as if she wanted to express something, but couldn't speak.

Just then, I noticed something stuck to Xiao Yan's hind leg... a tiny, almost imperceptible black thorn.

My heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition washed over me. These little black thorns were no ordinary things! I carefully pulled one out and examined it closely on my fingertip.

These tiny thorns are as fine as cow hair, their tips shimmering with a faint green light, and they emit a faint fishy odor.

"Damn it!"

I cursed under my breath. That was clearly a poisoned weapon! Who? Who was so despicable as to ambush my beast during the assessment?

My gaze swept over the surrounding examinees, finally settling on Liu. He was looking at me with a sinister smile, his eyes filled with smugness and provocation.

I immediately realized that it was all Liu's doing! This despicable person, jealous of my outstanding performance, actually used such underhanded means to sabotage me!

Anger burned in my chest, and I wanted nothing more than to rush up and beat him up. But I knew now was not the time to act impulsively.

The assessment was still ongoing, and I had to ensure Xiao Yan's safety first. I quickly took out an antidote pill from my pocket and put it into Xiao Yan's mouth.

After swallowing the antidote pill, Xiao Yan's anxious emotions gradually calmed down, and the small black thorns on his hind legs slowly disappeared.

"Xiao Yan, how are you feeling?"

I asked with concern. Xiao Yan growled and licked the back of my hand, indicating that it was alright.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, I had an antidote with me; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. I looked up and coldly stared at Liu, the examinee.

He still looked at me smugly, as if mocking my incompetence. I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger. A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years!

The humiliation you brought me today, I will repay you tenfold sooner or later! I rallied my spirits and directed Xiao Yan to continue completing the assessment.

Although Xiao Yan's speed was reduced due to the impact of the hidden weapon, he still managed to complete the mission successfully in the end.

I turned to look outside the testing area, and Su Yao was looking at me nervously, her hands clenched into fists.

Her eyes were full of trust and love, as if telling me that no matter what happens, she will always support me.

A warm feeling welled up inside me; Su Yao's support was my motivation to move forward. I smiled slightly at her, indicating that she didn't need to worry.

Su Yao returned a bright smile, her smile like a ray of sunshine in winter, warming my heart.

The assessment continued, and I successfully completed the next few tasks. However, I always felt like there was a pair of eyes watching me from the shadows, ready to trip me up at any moment.

This feeling made me very uncomfortable, as if a sharp sword was hanging over my head, ready to fall at any moment.

During the last activity, crossing the lava pool, I felt something under my feet, and I stumbled, almost falling into the scalding lava pool.

"who is it?"

I steadied myself and said in a low voice...