*Place your hand onto the beast and you shall receive the mark of the beast, be warned if you are not able to control the mark, you will be consumed by the beast*

Meng Lin hesitated for a moment, considering the warning. She knew that accepting a mark could come with great power, but also great risk, However.

Her eyes gleamed as she was determined to overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities that lay within the castle.

While hesitant Meng Lin didn’t fail to notice that a few cultivator arrived before her and more will be coming as she took her time.

So with steady resolve, Meng Lin approached the closest painting of an ancient beast. It depicted a majestic Qilin, A mythical creature known for its benevolence and wisdom, it was similar to a phoenix yet not.

She looked at the painting, studying the details of the Qilin's majestic form. Its body was covered in scales, and it had a single horn on its head. The Qilin's eyes seemed to gaze right into her soul, as if it could see her true intentions.

It made Meng Lin feel deterred, as she was lost contemplating, she suddenly felt a sharp aura, and a moment later she heard a scream.

“AHHHH”

She turned to the sight of a girl that had placed her hand onto one of the beasts, the Phoenix.

The girl was writhing in pain as flames engulfed her body. The mark of the Phoenix burned brightly on her hand, spreading rapidly across her skin. The other cultivators watched in horror, unsure of what to do.

Meng Lin's heart raced as she realized the gravity of the situation. The warning had been clear - those who couldn't control the mark would be consumed by the beast. She couldn't afford to make a mistake.

Taking a deep breath, Meng Lin made up her mind, she looked around at the seven other cultivators that had entered this hall and saw that some were too scared to move.

She took a step forword, her gaze searching through the hall’s wall, looking for a specific beast.

A few moments later Meng Lin moved further down the hall before arriving at a Turtle shaped beast, the Black Tortoise.

She extended her hand cautiously, hovering just above the image of the Black Tortoise. She could feel the energy pulsating from it, beckoning her to place her hand on it.

With determination in her eyes, Meng Lin pressed her hand onto the painting. A surge of energy rushed through her body, causing her to gasp.

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through her hand as the mark of the Black Tortoise appeared on her palm. She gritted her teeth, enduring the pain as the mark spread across her hand and forearm. The mark glowed with a fiery intensity, as if it was alive.

Meng Lin felt a surge of power coursing through her veins, her senses heightened and her body filled with an indescribable energy. She could feel the essence of the Black Tortoise flowing within her, connecting her to the ancient beast's wisdom and strength.

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But along with the power came a sense of danger. The mark throbbed with an insatiable hunger, as if it craved to be fed. Meng Lin knew that she had to learn to control the mark, or risk being consumed by the beast.

Taking a deep breath, she focused her mind and circulated her qi, using the High Tier Cultivation Method, Black Tortoise Essence Art to tame the mark within her.

It was a struggle, as the Black Tortoise’s mark fought against her, seemingly not taking note of the Cultivation Method. But Meng Lin refused to be overwhelmed.

Slowly, she began to feel a sense of harmony with the mark and she could sense a presence within the mark, but she maintained control over its power, It has practically became a symbiotic mark, where when she drew strength from the mark, the mark drew aura from her to grew stronger.

“Ahhhh”

Meng Lin turned to the sight of another cultivator who had placed their hand onto a painting of a dragon like creature, it was the ancient Beast called Gong Fu or Golden Lizard, it was a mixture of a dragon and a sea shrimp.

Meng Lin watched as the cultivator screamed in agony as the mark of the ancient beast spread across their body, his skin suddenly began to turn into scales as his head elongated to the form of a lizard.

His aura of the middle stage of foundation establishment suddenly spiked as his whole aura changed, from within his lizard like mouth, he uttered.

“”I…Finally….. free…””

Meng Lin felt her heart drop as she realized that being consumed by the beast wasn’t as plain and simple as dying by the beast’s hand.

It seemed that being consumed by the beast meant losing oneself entirely, becoming a vessel for the ancient creatures. The cultivator before her was no longer human, but a twisted amalgamation of man and beast.

Roar!!!

The now ten or so cultivators within the hall gazed t the man turned lizard as he suddenly rushed towards one of them.

The cultivator that he rushed towards, an old man at Peak Foundation Establishment Realm didn’t dare to act reckless as he took out a middle grade spiritual sword from within his storage bag, calling out his technique he slashed to form a wave of fire that engulfed the lizard man.

The flames danced and crackled, engulfing the lizard man as he let out a guttural roar. But to everyone's surprise, the flames seemed to have little effect on him. He charged through the inferno, unaffected by the heat, and swung his clawed hand at the old man.

The old man's eyes widened in fear as he barely managed to dodge the lizard man's attack. He stumbled backward, panting heavily. It was clear that the lizard man's strength far surpassed his own.

Meng Lin watched the scene play out, her heart fluctuating in her chest. She stepped forward and raised her aura, drawing the attention of everyone, including the lizard man.

Meng Lin summoned her own middle grade, the Jade Dust sword and took a defensive stance, gazing at the lizard man, waiting for what it would do.

The lizard man didn’t disappoint as it roared and lunched towards her, it’s speed faster than before.

“Hump” With intrigue in her eyes Meng Lin called upon her mark, which began to glow with a red glow before releasing a threatening amount of aura, shocking both the lizard man and the other cultivators.

The lizards body seemed to freeze in midair as if it sensed the danger Meng Lin’s aura posed but it was too late, the moment the Black Tortoise mark glowed red , there was a a gleam of savage ruthlessness within Meng Lin’s eyes as she called out.

“Die”

Meng Lin raised her Jade Dust sword and thrusted her sword forward with little strength, the black tortoise mark traveled through her skin into her sword and was released towards the lizard man, aiming directly at his chest.

Boom!!

Meng Lin delivered a devastating blow that tore through the lizard man's chest and he let out a scream of agony before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

The hall fell into silence as the other cultivators stared at Meng Lin in awe. She had defeated the powerful lizard man with just a single move. The strength of these marks were truly extraordinary.

Meng Lin took a moment to catch her breath, the tortoise mark returned to her forearm and her eyes gleamed with a savage light, her heart was pounding intensely and she closed her eyes to regain her bearing.