The mismatched trio trudged through the murky woods, boots squelching in the damp earth.

The Heavenly Light disciple wrinkled her nose at the dank atmosphere. "What is that awful stench?"

"It's the natural musk of the swamp, princess," Leif said with a smirk. "Not all of us grew up in cosy temples and libraries."

The blonde girl shot the Black Heart disciple a withering look. "My name is Isolde, not princess. And I'll have you know the Heavenly Light Sect temples require gruelling physical training."

"Oh yes, gruelling training in how to properly fold robes and recite poems about rainbows, no doubt."

“I wasn’t asking for your opinion, Leif.” Isolde gave an exaggerated sniff. “Honestly, what kind of name is that for a big, scary demonic cultivator anyway? It sounds like you should be the one frolicking in flower fields.”

Leif bristled, his face flushing an angry red. “Hey! It’s as intimidating as any other name!” He jabbed a finger at Isolde. “Why don’t you make yourself useful for once and scout ahead instead of complaining, Little Miss Sunshine?”

"Little Miss Sunshine? Why you-" Isolde began hotly before Orion stepped between them.

"Enough bickering. We need to focus on the task at hand," the tall White Tiger disciple said sternly.

Leif rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Isolde bit her lip. Orion was right, but that arrogant demonic cultivator just rubbed her the wrong way.

"So where to next?" she asked Orion, pointedly ignoring Leif. "Any signs of beasts ahead?"

The older boy crouched, examining a disturbed patch of mud. Running his fingers over the imprints, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"These are feline tracks, most likely a large predatory cat of some sort," Orion reported. "But something isn't right."

"What do you mean?" asked Isolde. Beside her, Leif scowled impatiently.

"Well, if I’m right then the tracks belong to a Stonestalker tiger, but…they typically prowl mountain ranges, not swamplands," Orion explained, rising back to his feet. "I believe someone deliberately released it here to guard something."

Understanding dawned on Isolde's face. "The scroll! This must be on the right track then."

She turned eagerly to Orion. "Think we can sneak past the tiger and grab the scroll without a fight?"

“What’s the matter, afraid to break a nail?” Leif snorted. “We’re cultivators, not helpless maidens.”

Isolde bristled at his mocking tone. “I’m not scared,” she retorted. “I’d…I’d rather avoid a deadly battle this early if we can.”

Before Leif could respond, Orion stepped in. "I'm afraid confrontation is inevitable. Stonestalkers are clever beasts, it will detect us once we're within its territory."

Leif cracked his knuckles, an eager glint in his eyes. Isolde took a deep breath and smoothed her robes. She really hoped Orion knew what he was doing.

Guided by the tracks, it wasn’t long before the trio found themselves peering into a rocky overhang sheltering the tiger’s den. Snarls echoed from within the darkness.

Isolde tensed. "Definitely our tiger friend in there," she murmured.

Peering inside, her breath caught at the sheer size of the beast dozing just inside. It was as big as a carthorse! But that wasn’t the worst of it, that aura…

She met Orion's stare with her own wide-eyed one and mouthed 'Pseudo Core Formation!'

Isolde trembled slightly - she had never faced anything above Foundation Establishment before. They were insane to consider this.

Orion clasped her shoulder, whispering. "Don’t worry, we can handle this challenge together."

Leif just snorted at their words. Weaklings, both of them. If they experienced the ruthless lives of demonic cultivators, they would not be hesitant so quickly at danger.

"Let's just get this over with," he muttered. Without waiting for a response, the Black Heart disciple slipped into the cave entrance, sticking to the shadows as he stealthily circled around behind the tiger.

Isolde and Orion had no choice but to follow suit. They split up to surround the predator before it noticed their presence.

Unfortunately, their efforts proved futile as the tiger suddenly lifted its shaggy head, pupils dilating. Letting loose an earth-shaking roar, it bounded towards the cave opening to confront the trespassers.

Isolde cringed as the gale nearly bowled her over. So much for stealth!

The Stonestalker swiped a massive paw at Orion. He narrowly dodged the blow meant to decapitate him.

“Aim for its legs!” he shouted, unleashing a series of claw quick strikes to the beast’s shoulders. “Slow it down!”

Leif nodded, sweeping his leg out in a blazing arc. “Cinder Whip!”

A fiery lash coiled around the tiger’s hindquarters. It snarled in pain but kept charging towards Isolde. She froze for a tenth of a second before her training kicked in.

Twisting aside, she pointed her palms at the oncoming beast. “Solar Flare!” Dazzling light exploded forth, blinding the Stonestalker. It veered off course, smashing into the cave wall inches from Isolde.

Her joy at her success quickly morphed to alarm as the tiger shook off the collision and rounded on her once more. Before she could react, a swat from its massive paw sent her flying across the cave.

“Isolde!” Orion cried. His distraction cost him as the beast pivoted, clamping its jaws around his left arm. Cursing himself for lowering his guard, Orion jammed his fingers into the tiger’s eye. It reared back with a pained yowl, releasing his bleeding arm.

Leif darted behind the Stonestalker, hands flying in a complicated pattern. “Death by a Thousand Cuts!”

Razor-thin discs of qi sliced across the tiger’s hindquarters. It spun, catching Leif’s shoulder with an extended claw. He rolled away, clutching the deep gash.

Isolde struggled to her feet, shaking off the dizziness. Her heart leapt when she spotted a scroll tucked into a rocky crevice. That had to be it!

Before she could move, the wounded tiger rounded on her once more. Thinking fast, Isolde pointed her fingers like a gun. “Solar Shot!” A pulsing orb of light burst forth, catching the beast right in its snarling mouth.

It reeled back, pawing at its muzzle. Seizing the opportunity, Isolde lunged for the scroll. Her fingers had just grasped it when an enormous paw slammed down on her leg.

Isolde’s agonized screams echoed through the cave as the bones splintered under the tiger’s crushing weight. Orion and Leif rushed to help, but the Stonestalker easily swatted them aside.

Pinned and helpless, Isolde feared the end had come.

Then Orion stepped forward, his entire body beginning to ripple and transform. Fur sprouted across his skin as his face distended into a fierce muzzle. Claws tore through his fingertips as he dropped to all fours.

Within moments, a hulking white tiger with the aura of a Pseudo Core Formation beast stood before them.

“I can hold this form for three minutes,” Orion growled. “Get the scroll now!”

With the Stonestalker’s attention fixed on this new challenger, Isolde gritted her teeth and dragged herself free. Cradling her mangled leg, she clutched the scroll to her chest.

They’d done it!

Orion and the Stonestalker collided in a whirlwind of fangs and claws. Evenly matched, the two tigers battled fiercely, neither willing to up give up an inch. Isolde watched anxiously as Orion narrowly avoided the repeated swipes at his neck.

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Leif circled the two beasts, waiting for an opening. When the Stonestalker reared up to slash at Orion, he struck.

“Phoenix Arrow!” A spear of condensed flame shot forth, piercing deep into the Stonestalker’s chest. It sank to the ground with a final anguished roar, blood splattering the rocky floor.

Panting heavily, Orion’s body rippled and reverted to human form. He looked down at the dead beast. “You fought well, brother tiger. May your spirit run free in the heavens.”

He then turned to his teammates. "Nice work you two," Pulling out an Earth Rank healing pellet from his ring. "Here, it’s not enough to completely heal that leg but it should be enough to travel."

"Thank you,” Isolde swallowed the pellet.

As for Leif, his gaze lingered on the corpse. "Do either of you mind if I harvest materials from our fallen friend? Waste not want not, as they say."

Isolde shrugged indifferently as she watched her injuries heal. "Go ahead, better you than leaving it to rot."

Orion turned away, he didn’t like killing tigers, let alone harvesting them. However, he knew it wasn’t his place to force his beliefs on the others.

After Leif had salvaged what he could from the corpse. The trio were ready to depart.

One scroll down, just one more to go!

----------------------------------------

Hidden in the upper branches of a tree, Zack watched the trio emerge from the cave. His eyebrows rose when he spotted the happy expression on their faces.

"Well well, it looks like they brought me a scroll," he murmured. "How kind of them."

Circulating his qi, Zack prepared to drop down and ambush the unsuspecting disciples. Caught up in their victory, they would never see him coming. This was just too easy!

He tensed, ready to strike...then paused. Faint qi-signatures approached from the right, steadily moving closer.

Another group? Interesting, Zack's eyes narrowed.

Stilling his breath, he calmed his aura and observed the scene unfolding below.

Moments later, an ice spear burst from the woods straight at Isolde. Crying out, she tried to dodge but it still grazed her shoulder, drawing blood.

"Ambush!" Leif yelled, hands blazing as he whirled to face their attackers. Beside him, qi covered Orion’s hands, forming claws.

Three teenage boys walked out from the trees.

Zack recognized the Black Heart robes on one burly boy and the flowing white garments of a Pure Soul disciple. The third, a tall, handsome lad in rich black and red robes, was apparently from the Black Rose Sect if his arrogant expression was anything to go by.

Not wasting time on pleasantries, the Black Rose disciple pointed a finger at Orion’s group. “Hand over the scroll if you wish to keep your lives.” Icy vines burst from his sleeve, slithering towards them.

With her injured leg not ready for battle, Isolde could only defend as the vines entangled her. But Leif quickly conjured a wall of flames to keep the ice at bay.

“Back off, Torin,” he snapped at the Black Heart disciple. “This is our scroll.”

Torin laughed coldly. “Oh Leif, you know it doesn’t work that way.” He hurled a fireball towards Leif’s face. “We’re all enemies here.”

But the Pure Soul disciple stepped forward, trying to convince the other group. "Please, don't make us kill you! Just surrender the scroll and you can walk away unharmed."

Torin scoffed. "Where's the fun in that? I intend to leave a trail of bodies behind me before this trial ends." He laughed at his companion's baffled reaction.

"Fight now, regret later! Take them out, Mael!" Torin ordered.

The Black Rose disciple - Mael - nodded and sent another icy spear flying at Isolde. But this time Orion intervened, deflecting it with a swipe of his paw.

"We won’t make this easy,” he shouted.

Despite not having the ability to activate the partial transformation again in such a short time-span, he would not back down without a fight.

With a roar, he charged at Mael, his claw-like hands glowing brightly. Caught off guard, Mael hastily raised an ice spear to block the slash at his throat.

Meanwhile, Leif squared off against Torin, both hands wreathed in flames. "Let's see who the better pyro really is!"

Torin just smirked, casually blocking Leif's fireballs with his sleeve. "Still just a helpless whelp. You bring shame to the Black Heart Sect."

With a howl of rage, Leif launched himself recklessly at Torin, only to be ensnared by thorny vines bursting from the dirt.

"I don’t want to kill you,” the white-robed youth said. "Don’t make me."

He flicked his wrist and the vines tightened, making Leif cry out in pain.

Isolde hung back near the cave. She was in no shape for another fight after that tiger battle. All she could do was hope her teammates could defend her.

The clash was brutally one-sided. Orion only had one good arm left but still tried to shield Isolde. A well-placed spear thrust sent him crashing down with a hole in his thigh.

Seeing an opening, the black-robed boy sent a coil of icy vines shooting towards Isolde. She screamed as they wrapped tight around her wrist.

"Give us the scroll or I start removing pieces," he giggled. "We can do this the fun way, or the really fun way."

Sobbing, Isolde removed the scroll from her storage ring. This was all her fault! She should have listened to Leif.

The black-robed boy reached eagerly for his prize, grinning with glee. Victory was at hand! These fools had practically gift wrapped this scroll for him.

Until a bolt of lightning sliced through the air, severing Isolde's hand at the wrist in one clean strike.

Everyone froze in disbelief as her severed hand and the scroll it held were snatched out of the air by a newcomer.

In the blink of an eye, the twisting bolt of lightning solidified into an unfamiliar young man.

"Yoink! Thanks for doing all the heavy lifting, suckers."

Stashing the scroll in his ring, the boy darted over to Orion. Before anyone could react, he ripped the medallion free from Orion's prone form.

"I'll take this too. Pleasure doing business with you all!" With a jaunty wave, the lightning boy took off into the woods, leaving behind a severed hand.

For one heartbeat, both groups just stared after him in absolute shock. Then Torin roared in outrage.

"After him, fools! We can't lose that scroll!" The three boys immediately abandoned their attack on Orion's team to give chase.

Alone now, Isolde could only pick up her severed hand and sob. They had lost everything in one ambush. She had never felt so hopeless and defeated.

This trial was surely over for them now.

Zack ran through the shadowed forest, grin still stretched wide. Things had played out even better than he had hoped!

One scroll, one tracking medallion, zero effort. Those idiots made it too easy. No one thought to look up and be wary of a surprise aerial strike.

Trees blurred past as he rapidly increased the distance from his three pursuers. Their angry threats echoed behind him. As if those losers had any hope of catching a lightning cultivator in the woods!

Still, no reason to take chances, Zack changed direction abruptly, heading towards one of the Ying scroll locations.

Let those idiots run themselves ragged chasing a cold trail. With his two precious new tools, Zack could easily find the next scroll!