Just as the four students were adjusting to the vast Inner Realm of the Heaven Defying Academy, a loud, thunderous roar echoed through the skies.
"RRRRAAAGHHHHHH!"
The entire sky trembled.
Yuvan's book snapped shut by itself, its pages glowing faintly. Rika instinctively summoned her crimson spear, while Bala crouched, lightning coiling around his limbs. Ashwin's body tensed, the Eternal Lotus mark on his chest flickering.
Elder Han narrowed his eyes and slowly raised his hand. A ripple of energy surged into the clouds above.
From the horizon, countless figures began to rise. Not humans. Not immortals. But… beasts.
Spiritual Beasts.
Demonic Beasts.
Ancient Beasts.
Primordial Beasts.
They charged like a sea, roaring and stampeding in unison toward the edge of the academy's Inner Realm.
The ground shook. Trees shattered. Mountains cracked.
Ashwin gulped. "Is this… a Beast Tide?"
Elder Han spoke solemnly, "This is not a test. This is the Academy's recognition of your awakening. It is the Will of Heaven Defying Academy manifesting a challenge."
He drew a silver token from his robe and tossed it toward the sky.
The token expanded midair, forming a barrier over the students, like a dome of starlight.
"You will not die. But you will feel pain, struggle, and despair. Let this pain refine your hearts!"
Before they could protest, the barrier descended, locking them inside a large circular field of battle.
Then—beasts came.
The first wave was relatively weak—dozens of Tiers-1 Spirit Wolves leapt at them with glowing fangs.
Ashwin stood tall, his fists erupting with flame lotus patterns. With a roar, he punched forward— "Lotus Fist: Blooming Wrath!"
BOOM! A fiery shockwave sent wolves flying.
Rika spun gracefully, her spear glowing as she chanted:
"Burn, Phoenix Flame Style—Scorching Talon Dance!"
Her movements ignited the air itself. The wolves that neared her were instantly incinerated.
Bala laughed wildly. "This is amazing! I finally feel alive!"
He stomped the ground, summoning thunderous cracks beneath him. "Lightning Storm!"
Yuvan remained calm amidst the chaos. As he flipped open his book, the characters on the pages glowed and floated upward.
He murmured, "Script of Isolation… Barrier of Mind."
A mental shield formed around the four of them, dampening the mental roars of the stronger beasts.
The second wave came.
Tier-2 beasts. Armored Rhinos. Fire-Tailed Tigers. Sky Snakes. Dozens more.
The students fought as a team, slowly discovering how their Daos could complement one another.
Ashwin took the front, absorbing damage. Rika dashed in and out, unleashing piercing strikes. Bala rained thunder from the backline. Yuvan provided control and buffs with mysterious incantations from his book.
Yet, they were tiring.
Their breathing grew heavier.
Wounds appeared on their bodies.
Ashwin staggered. Rika's hands trembled. Bala's lightning began to flicker out. Yuvan's mental energy thinned.
And that's when it appeared.
A Tier-5 Golden-Eyed Blood Ape—a massive beast three meter tall, with blood-colored fur and eyes like molten gold.
It bellowed a cry that shook the heavens.
The four looked up, terrified.
Even Elder Han showed a hint of concern.
But just before the beast landed its crushing blow—
Time… froze.
A silver breeze danced across the field. The beast paused midair, frozen in place.
On the cliff above, the young man stood again, sipping tea.
"First day and already this much mess?" he muttered.
He flicked his finger.
The Golden-Eyed Blood Ape vanished—disintegrated into motes of light.
Time resumed.
The four collapsed to the ground in relief.
The young man's voice echoed gently:
"If you die on the first day, how will you defy the heavens tomorrow?"