The Trial of Truth and Spirit
As Mo Yan and Yu Sui stood at the mouth of the Sealed Cave, Master Fung Shu Ri approached, his face solemn, his voice filled with warning and ancient wisdom.
"Inside this cave, you will find a stone altar.
And upon it rests a golden book."
The disciples behind them fell silent. Even the trees seemed to listen.
"That gold is not meant for greed.
It exists only to test your hearts.
If either of you tries to steal it, or if your intentions are impure, the book will burn you alive.
But if your hearts are honest and your souls ready, a fiery boundary line that guards it shall vanish."
"Approach one at a time. The book will open and ask for a single drop of your blood.
Once accepted, your spiritual beast shall emerge.
It will mark your back with its sigil, and from then on, it will live within that mark."
Mo Yan and Yu Sui exchanged a silent glance.
Master Fung's voice turned sharp now:
"There is one sacred rule you must follow-
After summoning your beasts, you must stand face-to-face and speak their names aloud.
If the two spirits fight, this trial ends here and now.
But if they recognize each other… if they unite…
Then the path ahead will be clear.
Do not forget to bow to the Holy Book before you begin."
He stepped aside.
"Now… enter."
---
The cave swallowed them in a wave of ancient silence. Stone walls lit with dim blue fire lined their path. At the end, just as foretold, was the Golden Book-glowing atop a black altar carved with forgotten runes. A burning line of flame circled it, keeping it untouched.
Mo Yan stepped forward first.
He bowed before the book.
As he raised his hand, the flame line flickered once… then dissolved into ash.
The book opened.
He bit his finger and let a single drop of blood fall onto the golden page.
In an instant, a blinding light erupted from the book. He stumbled back as a white dragon-serpentine, elegant, and glowing like moonlight-emerged from the flames. It coiled once in the air and then flew into Mo Yan's back, leaving a shimmering dragon-shaped sigil across his skin.
His breathing was heavy. His eyes-stunned.
Now it was Yu Sui's turn.
He bowed low.
The book remained calm. Its flame barrier vanished again. The book opened before him.
He offered his blood.
This time, the book burst into blue flames-cold but alive. From the fire emerged a phoenix, made entirely of sapphire-blue fire, its wings vast and filled with ancient sorrow.
The phoenix looked straight at Yu Sui-then vanished into his back, forming a blue-flame phoenix sigil across his spine.
---
They turned to face each other.
A moment of quiet.
Then both raised their hands-and whispered the names of their beasts.
"Bai Long." —Mo Yan.
"Lan Que." —Yu Sui.
The dragon and the phoenix reappeared-hovering behind their masters.
They bowed to one another in the air.
But just then—two beams of glowing white silk snapped across space:
One wrapped around Yu Sui's left wrist.
The other coiled around Mo Yan's right.
Transparent… shimmering… untouchable.
Neither fire nor blade could cut it.
They both froze.
The same realization dawned in their eyes.
It was the ancient binding spell.
The presence of the spirit beasts had awakened it fully. The thread that had once been invisible… was now impossible to ignore.
They were bound. Not by choice. Not by fate.
But by something older than both.
Something deeper than blood.