Dragon, Snake, Goat, Rat, Monkey, Ox, Boar—these were the seven Zodiac Guardians who had already been chosen.
Only five Zodiac Battle Armors remained unclaimed: Tiger, Rabbit, Dog, Horse, and Rooster.
Now, a divine ray of light descended directly into the examination grounds—undeniably, one of the Zodiac Armors had set its sights on the Imperial Examination candidates, seeking a new host.
"With both civil and military exams underway, Great Yi has gathered its finest talents in one place. At this moment, when they are striving with all their might to prove themselves, their truest natures are exposed. I have a feeling... this won't be just one Zodiac legacy awakening. Perhaps all of the remaining ones will find their hosts today."
Huang Chengyan's gaze flickered with insight.
After all, this was where the true cream of Great Yi's future gathered.Even the top students from the Immortal Academies tried to take part—such was the prestige of the exams.
And now, the divine light enveloped one of the military exam candidates.
The figure was burly and commanding, his presence fierce and imposing, instinctively putting observers on edge.
He was clearly a man born for the battlefield.
"Ah, so it's him," Zhuge Liang's eyes lit up in recognition.
"Who is he?" Su Shi asked curiously.
"His name is Han Qinhu," Zhuge Liang replied. "He comes from a family of generals. His father is Han Xiong—both are natural-born military leaders. They even entered the military exam together. It seems Han Qinhu has been chosen by the Tiger Zodiac Armor and is now one of the Twelve Zodiac Guardians."
Zhuge Liang was intimately familiar with the backgrounds of Great Yi's military prodigies.
Han Xiong, courtesy name Mulan, hailed from Dongyuan County in Henan Commandery.A general during the Western Wei and Northern Zhou periods, he was known for his courage, extraordinary strength, and skill in mounted archery. He earned great merit in war and was a natural strategist.
But his son, Han Qinhu, was no less gifted—possibly even more formidable.
Historically known as Han Qinhu (originally Han Qinbao, courtesy name Zitong), he was a renowned general of the Sui Dynasty, son of Han Xiong, the Grand General of Cavalry under Northern Zhou.
He was tall, commanding, courageous, and also a lover of books. His eventual accomplishments surpassed his father's and his name lived on through the ages.
His name alone evoked awe—and he truly had the strength to subdue tigers and leopards.
This time, it was his valor and martial might that earned the recognition of the Zodiac Armor.
ROAR!!
A thunderous tiger roar echoed through the void.
High above, a massive White-Browed Golden-Cracking Tiger appeared in the sky, its golden wings gleaming with metallic brilliance.
Its long white eyebrows dangled from its brow, exuding a chilling killing aura and majesty.
"I've actually been chosen... as a Zodiac Guardian? And for the Tiger Battle Armor at that?!"
Still in the middle of his military assessment, Han Qinhu was suddenly withdrawn from StarNet.
As the divine knowledge flooded his mind, he stood stunned—eyes wide with shock.
He hadn't expected this in the slightest.
But soon, his shock turned to uncontainable joy.
To him, this was better than becoming a general commanding millions.
He had often dreamed of becoming a Zodiac Warrior—ever since he had watched live broadcasts of Lin Feng and the others fighting the Apocalyptic Demon Dragon, he had lost sleep for days.
He often dreamed of replacing them on the battlefield.
Now, that dream had become reality.
This military exam was originally his chance to shine on Great Yi's stage.
But this… this was a new path—a different destiny that had split from his original fate.
"Do you wish to become a Zodiac Warrior and inherit the Divine Tiger Armor?"
A majestic voice echoed in his mind.
"I do!!" Han Qinhu shouted without hesitation.
How could he pass up such a rare opportunity?
"Very well. You shall inherit the legacy of the Divine Tiger Armor."
The legacy descended instantly.
A vast flow of knowledge surged into his mind.
With his vow complete, the armor's power began refining his very essence—remolding his true essence and mana foundation.
"Divine Tiger Armor fusion complete.
Armor abilities include:
Ghostly Tiger Strike (为虎作伥)
Golden-Cracking Roar (裂金虎啸)
White Tiger Ten Thousand Sword Diagram (白虎万剑图)
Divine weapon granted: White Tiger Golden-Cracking Halberd (白虎裂金戟).
With the armor equipped, the wearer may channel its power to achieve 8th Stage Dao Platform Realm strength.
Current host strength is insufficient for prolonged use of 8th stage power.
Sustained power at 7th Stage True Spirit Realm is possible.
The stronger the will to fight, the stronger the combat potential.
Zodiac Guardians can resonate with each other, amplifying strength—each additional guardian doubles the power gain.
When all Twelve Guardians are assembled and fight together, power multiplies twelvefold.
The Divine Tiger Warrior exists to battle and protect the people. Where I stand, none shall pass."
The voice of the legacy echoed through Han Qinhu's soul.
The power now coursing through his body was immense, far beyond anything he had ever known.
The divine techniques of the armor could shake heaven and earth.
This armor was truly made for war—and he was now a war god among Zodiac Guardians.
"This power… it's irresistible. From today onward, I am the Divine Tiger Warrior, one of the Zodiac Guardians."
His voice rang with iron resolve, eyes burning with fervor as he gazed up at the sky.
WHOOSH!!
Suddenly, another divine light descended from the heavens—another Zodiac inheritance had been activated.
"Another one! I'm not the only one!"
Han Qinhu's joy was quickly replaced with curiosity.
He wasn't surprised—after all, the finest talents of every Celestial City were gathered here. It was only natural that more would be chosen.
In fact, he suspected that if he had rejected the inheritance, the armor would've moved on to someone else instantly.
"Who's the next one?" he wondered, a thought shared by many—including Zhuge Liang and the others.
They exchanged glances, eyes filled with anticipation.
"We might see the complete rebirth of the Twelve Zodiac Guardians. Once they're all awakened, the shackles binding Great Yi will be shattered!"
They knew the truth: the Four Elemental Gods—Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Lightning—had imposed restrictions on Great Yi, delaying its rise to Sacred Court status despite its burgeoning fortune.
"No… look—there's more!" Su Shi suddenly pointed upward.
Three more divine beams fell from the sky—making four in total, including Han Qinhu's.
"Four Zodiac Guardians at once! This is huge!"
Huang Chengyan could hardly contain his joy.
If all four inheritances succeeded, they would now have eleven of the twelve Zodiac Guardians.
As the divine lights descended, three majestic beasts appeared in the sky:
A long-eared white rabbit, glowing with divine white light — the Long-Eared Radiant Rabbit (长耳定光兔).
A golden rooster, its feathers radiant like the sun—painful to even look at — the Golden Sunlight Rooster (大日金光鸡).
A white-winged dragon horse, with dragon horns on its head and an aura of sacred majesty — the White-Feathered Celestial Dragon Horse (白羽天龙马).
"Rabbit, Horse, Rooster… only one remains—the Dog: the Darkhowl Celestial Hound."
Only one final Zodiac star floated in the sky, still waiting for its host.
Meanwhile, deep within the Imperial Palace, Yi Tianxing—who had been meditating at the Heavenly Emperor Altar, refining his divine bloodline and comprehending the laws of heaven—was drawn from his reverie by the commotion.
He lifted his gaze to the sky, interest flickering in his eyes.
"Four legacies… four new Zodiac Guardians. Han Qinhu is a solid choice."
"Hmm? The Rabbit Armor chose him? That's... interesting."
"He's actually compatible with the rabbit fate star—or more precisely, with the Long-Eared Radiant Rabbit? How unexpected."
"And the Rooster Warrior… that choice was also surprising."
Clearly, the chosen hosts were not always the most obvious candidates.
Fate, it seemed, played by its own rules.
"Li Xunhuan. Tang Bohu."
Two of the beams had enveloped them.
They were forcefully withdrawn from StarNet, even mid-assessment, and only then did they realize what opportunity had found them.
"Why me?" Tang Bohu murmured in confusion.
"I was going to join the court and govern a region… how did I end up as a Zodiac Guardian?"