Chapter 2: Rise of the Fire-Spitting Spirit Duck

Trial Two: Beast Compatibility Test

The trial ground was set with a wide, open arena surrounded by towering stone walls. In the center, various spiritual beasts roamed freely, awaiting the test. The goal? Form a bond with a spirit beast—or at least survive.

The first contestant, the dragon-talented young master from the Cloud Saber Clan, strode confidently toward a Thunder Tiger. With a majestic roar, the tiger bowed its head to him, sealing the bond. A perfect, glowing aura surrounded them.

Next, the Misty Flower girl from the Misty Flower Sect summoned a Frost Crane. It gracefully flapped its wings, releasing an enchanting melody that filled the air with a calming aura.

Then came Lin Feng.

He stepped into the arena, his robe fluttering loosely and his stomach audibly growling.

Immediately, a small, plump duck waddled up to him, glowing a bright orange hue. Lin Feng squinted at it.

"Why is that duck glowing?" someone from the crowd shouted in shock.

A hushed murmur spread like wildfire. "It's a Spirit Duck! Tier… zero?"

The glowing duck gave a loud, shrill quack and charged at Lin Feng, who jumped back in alarm.

"What the hell?!" Lin Feng yelped.

Before he could react, the duck bit him on the shin.

"OW! Stop! I don't want to bond with you!" Lin Feng yelled, hopping around in pain.

The duck hissed and then—surprisingly—spat a tiny fireball directly at his pants.

Lin Feng's eyes widened in horror as the fireball singed the hem of his robe.

"NO! NOT THE PANTS!" Lin Feng screamed, flailing wildly as the fire spread. The crowd watched in bewilderment.

The duck, seemingly pleased with itself, gave another quack and chased him as Lin Feng ran in circles, trying to put out the flames.

The other spiritual beasts watched this unfolding disaster with utter confusion, as Lin Feng was chased around the arena by a tiny flaming duck.

Eventually, Lin Feng tripped on a stray rock, tumbling face-first into a pile of spirit apples. The momentum sent apples flying everywhere, and the duck stopped its pursuit, quacking in delight. It waddled over, hopped onto Lin Feng's head, and settled there like a proud king.

The crowd fell silent for a moment, unsure whether to applaud or run for cover.

The elder overseeing the trial sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Congratulations, Lin Feng. You've… inadvertently bonded with the world's first Fire-Spitting Spirit Duck."

Lin Feng, still half-buried in apples, blinked in disbelief. "So… I passed?"

The duck bit his ear as if to say, Of course you did.

"OW!" Lin Feng screamed again, clutching his ear.

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Trial Three: Combat Evaluation

Now for the real test. The combat evaluation.

Lin Feng found himself facing the dragon boy, Long Wuji, who looked every bit the part of a powerful cultivator. His spiritual dragon hovered majestically behind him, its glistening scales catching the sunlight. Long Wuji exuded confidence, and his dragon had visible abs. Yes, abs.

"I don't want to fight," Lin Feng muttered under his breath, scratching his head.

Long Wuji sneered. "Then kneel and admit defeat. Maybe I'll spare you some dignity."

Lin Feng glanced at the referee elder, a reluctant look on his face. "Can I forfeit?"

The elder simply shook his head. "Too late! Begin!"

Long Wuji's dragon roared, and the young master lunged forward with a punch glowing with golden qi. "Dragon Crushing Heaven Punch!"

The punch sounded powerful enough to collapse a mountain. But Lin Feng… tripped on a rock.

"WOOOAH!" Lin Feng screamed, flailing like a windmill in a storm as his body flew through the air.

In his chaotic flight, his foot connected with Long Wuji's midsection—precisely in the groin.

A high-pitched squeal echoed across the arena.

Long Wuji collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, gasping for air. The audience watched in stunned silence, unsure of what had just happened.

Lin Feng looked down at the crumpled dragon boy, still lying on the ground. "…Wait… did I win?"

The referee, eyes wide in disbelief, nodded slowly. "W-winner… Lin Feng?"

The crowd erupted in awkward applause, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Meanwhile, the Fire-Spitting Spirit Duck, who had been perching on Lin Feng's head the entire time, flapped its wings excitedly and spit another fireball. It missed and hit someone's robe instead, starting a small fire.

Lin Feng winced. "Uh… my bad?"

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Aftermath

Standing before the Grand Elder Council, Lin Feng looked anything but intimidated. Behind him, the Fire-Spitting Spirit Duck waddled proudly, quacking as if it had just won a great victory.

The sect masters rubbed their temples in unison.

The elder from the Fire Spirit Sect groaned. "He broke the Spirit Stone."

The Beast Sect's elder glared at the duck, twitching with frustration. "He tamed a duck. A duck."

The Martial Sect's elder was still clutching his sides, trying to suppress a laugh. "He defeated a dragon bloodline genius with… a crotch kick."

"But…" The Grand Elder sighed deeply, his voice filled with resignation, "rules are rules. He passed all three trials."

Lin Feng stood there, his robes still too big for him, and received a shiny token. It read: PROVISIONAL DISCIPLE: HANDLE WITH CAUTION.

As he turned to leave, someone whispered, "He's a walking disaster…"

Behind him, the duck waddled loyally, its glowing eyes fixed on the crowd as it quacked menacingly, ready to set something else on fire.

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