Flashback—Earlier that day, as Zhen strode purposefully toward the Blacksmith Hall with the sun glinting off the hammer at his side, Lei Wei leaned toward Naer and asked with a knowing smile, "Naer, we all know Zhen's passion for blacksmithing burns bright—after all, his father is nothing short of an awesome blacksmith." The words hung in the air, warm and admiring, and the rest of their small group instinctively turned their heads toward Zhen's retreating figure. One by one, all five friends nodded, their expressions filled with shared pride and quiet respect for their companion's skill and heritage.
Bing Queer then frowned and said, "But how did his bond power rank raise to 13?" Yu Xiatao placed a hand on Queer's shoulder and replied, "It's been a week since we came into the academy, and many of us have raised our bond power rank to 11." She continued, "But Zhen's speed is very fast." Shi Feng added, "He even finished two laps of the running field."
After that, they all looked at Naer. "Uhh? ... Wh… what?" she stammered. "Why are you guys looking at me like that?" Wei answered, "Well, you know Zhen better than any of us." Naer instantly shook her head. "I also don't know how Zhen reached rank 13. Why don't we ask him when he comes back from the Blacksmith Hall?" Everyone smiled and nodded in agreement.
Flashback ended.
Under the deep, silent night sky above the wide running field, they found themselves face-to-face with a formidable and commanding figure—a female Dark Holy Lord named Long Yi. The darkness around her was so thick and heavy that it seemed to swallow the light, leaving only the gleam of her eerie, dark-red eyes visible. From somewhere within that shadowy aura came the faint, ominous rumble of a dragon's breath, each exhale carrying a promise of danger. The air felt colder with every passing second, and an icy fear gripped the hearts of everyone present.
Seeing his friends frozen in fear, Zhen took a slow, deliberate step toward Long Yi, his expression a mix of guilt and resolve. He bowed deeply, his voice steady yet tinged with remorse. "Teacher, I never intended for this night training to be exposed, but my friends began to notice changes in me, and their suspicions grew until the truth could no longer be hidden. They cornered me with their questions, and I could not bring myself to lie. Please forgive both me and them."
All his friends froze in shock when they heard the word teacher. They could hardly believe that the mighty Holy Lord was Zhen's mentor and he is her her student. The weight of her presence pressed down on them so strongly that they shivered without meaning to.
Long Yi's voice was calm, steady, and carried a weight of authority that left no room for argument. "Little kiddo, I already told you clearly not to reveal this matter to anyone, yet you couldn't resist telling your friends. Since you've done this, your punishment will be simple —you go right now and run three full laps around the field without stopping. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, teacher," Zhen replied, and immediately began running.
Then Long Yi turned to the others, her gaze sweeping over them like a wave of pressure that made their knees almost buckle. "And you little guys—" she said, stepping forward with such calm authority that it felt like the air itself grew heavier. Bing Queer's voice trembled as she stammered, "Miss, we promise we won't reveal anything we saw today, not a word, not even a hint." The rest of the group exchanged frantic glances and nodded quickly, their faces pale. Shi Feng, swallowing hard, added in a rush, "We'll leave right now, and we swear we won't tell anyone, ever."
Before anyone could take a step, Long Yi suddenly appeared before them, blocking their path with jagged, rippling cracks of dark space that seemed to swallow the light around them. She stood there with a faint, almost casual smile, yet that simple curve of her lips carried a chilling weight that made their hearts pound faster than the oppressive aura she radiated. In a soft, almost gentle voice that contrasted with the menace in her eyes, she spoke: "Now that you've seen this… tell me, how could I possibly let you walk away?"
Her raised hand and slowly extending index finger made them all squeeze their eyes shut in fear. But just before touching them, she shifted her finger toward the field.
Long Yi's lips curled into a chilling, almost predatory smile that sent a shiver down every spine in their body. Her eyes gleamed with something both dangerous and urgent as she suddenly erupted, her voice booming like a thunderclap. "CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I'M TELLING YOU TO RUN TOO, YOU FOOLS?" The force of her shout cracked through the air like a whip, leaving no doubt she meant every word.
"Yes, ma'am!" they shouted, scrambling toward the field. Yu Xiatao panted, "I was so scared… that miss is so strong." Wei replied, "Of course she's strong, she's a Holy Lord." Naer murmured, "That means her bond power rank must be above 70." Lei Wei and Bing Queer nodded nervously.
Zhen, already used to the training, called from behind, "Come on, guys, run faster!" For him, this was just another night. For them, it was agony.
After a few minutes, everyone collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. Zhen had completed his three rounds, but his friends barely managed one. They finally realized why Zhen's rank had risen so quickly.
Long Yi approached, her tone sharp but instructive. "Except for Zhen, you're all rank 11 and couldn't even complete two rounds. As Beast Bond Masters, your first task is to strengthen your body—that is the most necessary thing." They listened in silence.
Turning to Zhen, she said, "Little kiddo, you can't reveal this to anyone. No mistakes this time, got it?"
"Yes, teacher," he said.
"Were you able to get into the Blacksmith Hall?"
"Yes, teacher," Zhen replied happily.
"Alright then. You may all go back—and do not tell anyone about this or about Zhen being my disciple." They nodded and began to leave.
Long Yi's voice suddenly rang out again after a tense pause, her lips curling into a wide, unsettling smile that made the air feel colder. She leaned forward, eyes glinting sharply, and shouted, "You little fools will also come every single night with the little kiddo for training! Understand?"
Lei Wei, Shi Feng, Gu Naer, Bing Queer, and Yu Xiatao froze in their tracks, wide-eyed and startled, their attention locked on Zhen. He gave them a gentle, reassuring nod paired with a faint smile that seemed to calm them. Letting out a collective breath, they all answered together, "Yes, miss," their voices steady but with relief.