Shadow Phoenix's Trial (9) – Success!

Xiao Ming's vision cleared, and he found himself in a dense forest, his body low to the ground. The sharp scent of the earth and the rustle of leaves filled his heightened senses.

He was no longer human but a fearsome tiger, his sinewy body rippling with strength, his coat striped with black and gold.

In this life, he was called Bai Hu, a predator revered and feared by the creatures of the wilderness.

At first, instinct dominated him, driving his actions. He hunted, fought, and defended his territory with a primal ferocity that left no room for thought. The taste of warm blood and the thrill of the hunt became his existence.

Yet, as time passed, fragments of Xiao Ming's consciousness began to seep through, like rays of sunlight piercing through a dense canopy.

"This body is powerful, but it is bound by instinct. How can I pass the trial if I cannot rise above this primal nature?"