When Xie Yang's eyes fluttered open once more, he found himself standing in the midst of a brightly illuminated square. Towering walls encircled him, and the dense rows of spectator seats stretched out in every direction. The stands were deserted, a sea of empty chairs under the glow of the lights. Some twenty meters ahead, a massive iron gate loomed.
"Is this what lies within the Void Realm of the Stone Tablet of Origin? It has the air of a gladiatorial arena," Xie Yang mused, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with keen interest. He stretched and moved his body, struck by the tangible realism of the place. It felt as though he was still firmly grounded in reality.
Yet Xie Yang was aware that it was all an illusion. His physical self remained outside, while only his consciousness had entered this Land of Nothingness. Here, any harm that befell him would leave no mark upon his real-world self. This held true even for the death of his pet; should it perish within this realm, it would be resurrected back in reality without any cost to him.
"It's quite wondrous," Xie Yang remarked, a sense of wonder in his voice as he conjured the Ice Crystal Soul with a casual gesture. "Now, let's see your performance."
The Ice Crystal Soul seemed to grasp Xie Yang's intent, exuding an aura of brimming confidence. Then, a chilling voice echoed from the void, "The assessment will now commence."
"Prepare for five challenges at the superior grade level," the voice continued. "The assessment begins now!"
With that, the distant iron gate creaked open. A colossal lizard, its skin a fiery crimson and its body stretching over two meters in length, emerged with a slow crawl. "Fire Lizard," Xie Yang identified the creature instantly. A pet of the fire element, its power could reach the seventh layer of the first rank upon reaching maturity.
"Truly worthy of superior grade difficulty; my first challenge is against a first rank, seventh layer pet." But fear did not touch Xie Yang. With a mere flicker of his will, the Ice Crystal Soul glided forward to meet the challenge.
Provoked by the sight of its prey daring to advance, the Fire Lizard erupted in fury, bellowing as it lunged. Mid-charge, it unleashed a gaping maw and expelled a torrent of conical flames. Undeterred, the Ice Crystal Soul countered with a blast of its own, a frigid white mist billowing forth.
Ice Breathing!
In the heart of the arena, the crimson inferno and the frosty haze met with a violent crash.
A ferocious shockwave erupted, transforming into a gale that swept across the area.
In less than half a second, the ice fog aggressively overpowered the flames and shattered them. Without pause, the ice fog then engulfed the Fire Lizard.
The crisp sound of freezing echoed one after another.
The Fire Lizard didn't even have a chance to cry out before it was turned into an ice sculpture.
The battle was over!
An icy mechanical voice resonated from the void.
"You have passed the first stage. The challenge continues!"
Xie Yang remained unfazed.
The power of the Ice Crystal Soul had completely overwhelmed the Fire Lizard. Victory was expected and hardly a cause for celebration.
Four more stages remained.
The massive iron door swung open once again.
A creature resembling a skeleton, wrapped in gray-white bandages, slowly drifted out.
It hovered about half a meter off the ground, its lower body missing, with only several bandages trailing beneath.
This was the Bandage Ghost, a pet with a spectre attribute. At full maturity, its strength could reach the ninth layer of the first rank.
YOU ARE READING
Reborn to Be A Beast Master
FantasyIn an alternate modern world, where people could summon their own beastly companions, His journey was anything but ordinary. As the college entrance exams loomed, He found himself the subject of ridicule for his choice of a companion - a small, seem...
