"The Frozen Water Master informed the students about the test. The test was easy: all you had to do was make the beasts be kind to you, because most beasts are fierce, and not let anyone touch them. This test was meant to let the Frozen Water Master know who should take the beast-controlling lessons through kindness. If the beasts felt that you were a kind person, they would come near you, and you would have a chance to control them.
And indeed, the test began with Meng Shu, who brought some small raw fish and approached them. A small blue frog came and ate some of it, but before Meng Shu could feel happy, the frog's mother came and took him away. Hoshi Deren and that student laughed, but Xie Lian and the Frozen Water Master felt sad for him.
It was the turn of the wide-eyed student who did the same as Meng Shu, but none of the beasts came. The frog wanted to go eat, but his mother stopped him. He looked at the Frozen Water Master hoping he would give him advice, but he refused.
Then came the turn of the young man who covered half his face, but he also didn't succeed. When it was Hoshi Deren's turn, the Frozen Water Master stopped him and coldly said:
"You are forbidden from this test. You only scare the beasts."
Hoshi Deren sighed in boredom and looked at Xie Lian. Xie Lian became nervous. The Water Master smiled and told Xie Lian it was his turn. Xie Lian stepped forward and took a very small fish. He felt sad for the poor little fish that had died at such a young age. Hoshi Deren folded his arms and smiled sarcastically:
"Will the beasts come to you for this tiny fish? Even the frog wouldn't want it."
Xie Lian smiled and thanked him for the advice:
"Thank you, I understand. But I don't want to take a big fish because my mother told me that big fish can be healed, but the small ones will die and feel pain. So, it's okay if the beasts eat it."
After he said that, no one spoke. Xie Lian innocently went to feed the beasts. Suddenly, a fox appeared and jumped on Xie Lian gently. Xie Lian smiled and was about to give her the fish, but then a peacock with red and white feathers came and was about to take the fish. But then all the other beasts came and looked at each other.
In the end, a very small white squirrel took it and ate it. The squirrel sat on Xie Lian's small hand. All the beasts became annoyed, but with Xie Lian's kind smile, they calmed down. Everyone looked at Xie Lian who was laughing with the fox trying to kill the squirrel to take his place with Xie Lian.
The Frozen Water Master said with tears in his eyes:
"A thousand years, no one has succeeded in this test. Even my grandfather wanted to cancel it. But now, he has passed with excellence. I finally witnessed this beautiful day."
After Xie Lian finished playing with the beasts, he felt very tired. The Frozen Water Master came with a kind smile:
"Did you like this squirrel?"
Xie Lian looked at him shyly and nodded. When the Frozen Water Master saw his reaction, he smiled:
"You can take him. He has no mother or father, he was an orphan. No one could deal with him because he was fierce and he never ate. It's strange that he ate from someone now. I think he likes you."
Xie Lian looked at him sadly and said in a low voice:
"Okay, but not now. I'm weak. I can't protect him."
The Frozen Water Master nodded calmly. He knew this squirrel was weak and couldn't help. If Xie Lian took him, it would be dangerous because Xie Lian would go on many missions. He smiled and told him:
"Okay then, when you become strong, take him with you. But now, you can come to visit him."
Xie Lian felt happy and thanked him.
"Okay, shall we go eat now? I'm hungry."
That was Hoshi Deren's voice. The Frozen Water Master agreed:
"Xie Lian, you haven't eaten anything, right?"
Xie Lian nodded.
"Okay, how about we go now? The food here is very delicious, you'll love it."
Xie Lian smiled and agreed.
"****"
But in a quiet place where there was no sunlight, there was only a mysterious golden light. A room where everything was colored black and dark gold that made you feel calm because of the peaceful color. There were valuable items coated in gold.
A young man sat with white hair and wolf-like eyes glowing gold. He wore black clothes with golden tree branches drawn on them. A person came in wearing white clothes decorated with flying birds, with long brown hair. He spoke in a calm voice:
"Sir, you are now in the fourth and fifth heavenly stages. That means you are in the middle. You have two choices: the first is to go into a coma for four months, or to become eighteen years old, because this stage requires you to keep your power and not use it."
The golden eyes looked at him. The man became nervous and continued:
"But honestly, the first choice isn't good, because someone might find out and come to kill you. But the second option is..."
Before he could finish, someone came in and said:
"The second option is better, because you can go to any sect. Sects protect their disciples and they won't know that you are the Golden Thunder Emperor. What do you think?"