A Sovereign's Resolve
The valley floor was a wasteland of cracked earth and shattered stone, a testament to the apocalyptic clash that had just vacated it. The sheer scale of the destruction sent a silent, humbling shock through the five teenagers. Even Yao Xuan felt a renewed, fierce hunger for strength—to not just witness such power, but to one day command it.
"Captain, look!" Xu Xiaoyan's whisper broke the silence. She pointed toward a bend in the valley wall, where a dark opening about five meters high gaped in the rock. It was the only feature untouched by the recent devastation.
"A den…" Xie Xie breathed, his earlier fear morphing into excitement. "Could it belong to one of them?"
"Only one way to know," Yao Xuan said, his voice low. "Stay alert."
They approached the cave mouth. As they drew near, a distinct, musky scent—regal, warm, and alien—filled the air.
"It's the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's scent!" Xie Xie hissed, his eyes wide. "I read about it! This is its lair!"
"Then we move quickly," Yao Xuan decided. He led the way inside, the others falling into step behind him.
The tunnel sloped downward, widening as it went. After one turn, the ground became littered with scattered, luminous gems that cast a soft, multicolored glow. Xu Xiaoyan gasped. "They're beautiful! If we could take them…"
"They're part of the simulation's reward matrix, or a trap," Yao Xuan said, not breaking stride. "Our priority is the trial, not treasure."
Another turn, and the passage opened into a large, rounded chamber. At that moment, a blur of golden fur and a piercing shriek erupted from the shadows.
Instinctive fear lanced through them—another one!—but it was quickly quelled by assessment. The creature that launched itself at them was small, barely 1.5 meters at the shoulder. Its form was that of a lion, but sleeker, covered in downy golden fur and nascent crystalline scales. Most tellingly, the third, vertical eye on its forehead was tightly shut. This was a cub, its power perhaps equivalent to a century-old soul beast.
"Stand back. I'll handle it." Yao Xuan's command was calm. He stepped forward, placing himself between his team and the juvenile beast.
Power coalesced around him in silent, efficient layers.
The Spear of Subjugation materialized in his hand, its blood-and-gold length humming. He didn't need his full might for this, but he would not underestimate a creature of this lineage, even a young one.
The cub, sensing the immense, sovereign pressure, hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then, with a shrill cry of defiance, it charged again. A golden halo burst from its body, solidifying into a shimmering shield before it. Simultaneously, its two open eyes flashed, and a palpable wave of mental force—a crude but potent psychic assault—washed over the chamber.
Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan grunted, clutching their heads as dizziness swamped them. Gu Yue frowned slightly, a silvery light flickering in her own pupils as she neutralized the effect around herself.
Yao Xuan didn't flinch. The assault shattered against the immutable presence of the Dragon God's legacy within his mind. His focus remained absolute.
"Great Wilderness Annihilation Spear—Second Form: Heaven and Earth Tremble."
He didn't charge. He simply thrust the spear forward. Soul power, spiritual force, and the authority of the Ancestral Dragon fused into the point of the spear. The air in the chamber seemed to warp, the very stability of the simulated space groaning under the concentrated force.
The cub's golden shield, formidable enough to halt a Soul King, met the spear tip. It held for less than a heartbeat before crystallizing into a spiderweb of cracks and dissolving into motes of light.
The spear did not slow. It passed through the dissipating energy and pierced the cub's chest with a soft, final thump. The creature's pounce ended mid-air. It hung on the spear for a moment, a look of primal confusion in its golden eyes, before the light within them faded.
Yao Xuan withdrew the spear, and the small body fell to the stone floor with a soft thud. The transformations around him receded.
"It's done," he said, his voice flat. He felt no triumph, only the grim necessity of the trial.
"Boss! Look!" Xie Xie's excited voice cut through the somber mood. He was pointing at the cub's body.
Above it, a brilliant, thousand-year golden soul ring slowly spun. And floating just above its forehead was a skull bone—but unlike any ordinary soul bone. It was crafted from what appeared to be solid, flawless golden crystal, intricate and beautiful, pulsing with a gentle, regal light. It was the Skull Bone of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
The team gathered around, their earlier tension replaced by awe. Xu Xiaoyan stared, mesmerized by its beauty. Tang Wulin observed it with a blacksmith's eye for rare material. Xie Xie practically vibrated with excitement.
Gu Yue was the last to approach. She didn't look at the bone with greed or wonder, but with a deep, analytical focus. Her violet eyes shifted from the bone to Yao Xuan, a silent question hanging between them. This was no ordinary reward. In a trial testing survival and character, the appearance of such a legendary soul bone was itself the greatest test. What would they do with it? Who would claim it? And what did its presence here truly signify?
The battle was over, but the real trial, it seemed, had just begun.