The Panda King's Trial

The Skyvault Bamboo King was mildly surprised. It could sense that Xiao Shenghe was not merely resisting its pressure—he was also quietly absorbing the Soul Power it released!

Even among the Clouded Deer, few could do that.

It did not increase the pressure. It maintained its current strength and watched Xiao Shenghe in silence.

Its blue-gold bamboo leaves swayed gently, recording every detail.

Time crept by. A quarter of an hour might have seemed brief, but to Xiao Shenghe, it stretched on like a century.

Sweat streamed down his forehead, slid along his cheeks, and soaked his clothes.

He was burning through Soul Power, but Lu Yao's support and the blue-gold Soul Power he absorbed kept him steady.

Lu Yao had grown pale too. Sustaining her flow of Soul Power was no small burden, but she never gave up. Her eyes stayed fixed on Xiao Shenghe, conveying her unwavering resolve.

"Only an eighth of an hour left."

The Skyvault Bamboo King's voice rang out.

"Hold on."

Xiao Shenghe drew a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and pushed their Symbiotic Power to its limit.

The silver-and-jade glow grew more solid, forming a small domain around him. Within it, the blue-gold pressure weakened considerably.

He could feel his symbiotic bond with Lu Yao growing tighter under the pressure's tempering.

Before, their powers had merely blended. Now they mingled like water and milk. Their Soul Power flowed between them without hindrance, and they could even anticipate each other's thoughts.

At last, the quarter-hour ended.

The Skyvault Bamboo King withdrew its pressure, and its blue-gold Soul Power slowly receded.

Xiao Shenghe let out a long breath. His legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed, but Lu Yao caught him in time. They leaned on each other, both pale, their eyes bright with joy.

"Congratulations. You passed my trial."

A hint of approval entered the Skyvault Bamboo King's voice.

"Your resilience exceeded my expectations, and your symbiotic bond with Lu Yao is strong enough."

Xiao Shenghe managed a smile. His voice was hoarse.

"Thank you for going easy on me, Senior."

"I did not go easy on you."

The Skyvault Bamboo King shook its head.

"You earned this result. Now it is the panda's turn to test you."

Before it had finished speaking, the Tigerfang Blazing Panda strode forward impatiently. Its orange-red eyes fixed on Xiao Shenghe, and its voice carried a note of challenge.

"Boy, are you rested? If you are, let's begin."

"Remember, I won't hold back. If you're still standing after three strikes, you pass."

Xiao Shenghe took a deep breath, eased away from Lu Yao's supporting hand, and stood straight.

"Senior, I'm ready."

Lu Yao looked at him anxiously.

"Brother Shenghe, can you really do this? Why not rest a little first?"

"No need."

Xiao Shenghe shook his head, his gaze firm.

"While our Symbiotic Power is still at its peak, I should finish the trial."

He walked to an open patch of ground and turned to face the Tigerfang Blazing Panda. Soul Power surged through him once more. His symbiotic bond with Lu Yao pulled taut, and a silver-and-jade glow enveloped him as he readied his defense.

"Good! That's the spirit!"

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda grinned, baring its sharp fangs.

It lunged at Xiao Shenghe like an arrow loosed from a bow. One forepaw rose high, orange-red Soul Power gathering around it, then slammed down with savage force.

The first strike was crushingly heavy!

Xiao Shenghe did not dare take it lightly. He crossed his arms and gathered all their Symbiotic Power into them, forming a thick shield of silver-and-jade light.

Bang!

The impact was tremendous. Xiao Shenghe felt as though both arms were about to snap. He slid backward despite himself, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground.

But he was neither sent flying nor injured. The silver-and-jade glow once again met force with yielding strength, shedding most of the violent energy. Only a small portion entered his body, where their Symbiotic Power dissolved it.

"Hm? Interesting!" The Tigerfang Blazing Panda's eyes lit up. Xiao Shenghe's defense looked soft, yet it was remarkably tough—like resilient bamboo that bent under even the fiercest blow without breaking.

Without pausing, it darted forward again. The second strike followed hard on the first.

This blow was stronger. A trace of flame ran through its orange-red Soul Power, and the temperature soared.

Xiao Shenghe's eyes sharpened. Rather than meet it head-on, he drew on the agility of their Symbiotic Power and slipped sideways like a ghost.

At the same time, he swept out a hand. The silver-and-jade glow became a ribbon that coiled around the Tigerfang Blazing Panda's arm, trying to slow its attack.

"Think you can dodge? Not a chance!" the Tigerfang Blazing Panda roared. It turned its paw slightly, redirecting the blow toward Xiao Shenghe.

Bang!

Xiao Shenghe still could not avoid it completely. The force of the strike caught him, sending him stumbling back several steps. A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Brother Shenghe!"

Lu Yao cried out and tried to rush forward, but the Skyvault Bamboo King stopped her.

"This is his trial. You cannot interfere."

The Skyvault Bamboo King's voice was calm.

"Only by passing on his own can he truly earn the panda's recognition."

Xiao Shenghe wiped the blood from his mouth, his gaze firmer than ever.

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda's strength was ferocious, but not impossible to withstand. If he made use of their Symbiotic Power's agility and resilience, he could find a way.

He took a deep breath, circulated his Soul Power, and temporarily suppressed his injuries.

His soul bond with Lu Yao tightened further. He could sense her thoughts clearly, and could even anticipate her movements.

"Third strike! Take this!"

Excitement rang in the Tigerfang Blazing Panda's voice. It gathered all its Soul Power into its right paw. Orange-red light blazed so fiercely that the surrounding air caught fire with a crackle.

This strike carried its full strength!

Xiao Shenghe neither raised his guard nor tried to dodge.

He closed his eyes and poured all his focus into their Symbiotic Power, merging his Soul Power completely with Lu Yao's.

The silver-and-jade glow flowed around him, forming a huge cocoon of light that enclosed them both.

"Symbiosis: Protection!"

Xiao Shenghe shouted. The cocoon contracted in an instant, then burst outward into a massive barrier that met the Tigerfang Blazing Panda's third strike head-on.

Bang!

An earth-shaking crash rang out. Violent power erupted, uprooting the surrounding bamboo and collapsing the ground into a huge crater.

The cocoon shook violently. Its silver-and-jade glow flickered, as if it might shatter at any moment.

But it held, blocking the Tigerfang Blazing Panda's full-force blow.

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda staggered back several steps from the rebound and stared at Xiao Shenghe in disbelief.

"You... you actually caught my third strike?"