The forest was quiet again, but something had changed.
The Divine Lion spirit within Xing Yun had fully accepted its first ring, and its presence pulsed calmly inside him like a loyal guardian. But the Brahmastra spirit... was different.
It floated behind him like a shadow—silent, dignified, unyielding.
Grandmaster Xuan Yuan stood with arms crossed, his face unreadable as he studied the spirit.
"You've made progress," he said. "You're officially a Spirit Master now. But your second spirit… still rejects every ring we've tried."
In the two days since Xing Yun had received his first ring, they had encountered four suitable spirit beasts—pure-attribute serpents, a winged silver eagle, even a jade-horned deer known for its spiritual clarity.
None were accepted.
Each time the Brahmastra remained unmoved, refusing even to initiate fusion.
Xing Yun exhaled slowly, wiping sweat from his brow. "It feels like the Brahmastra is judging them... like they're not worthy."
"It probably is," Xuan Yuan replied. "Remember, you're not dealing with a simple weapon-type spirit. You are trying to feed divine intent. That's a level beyond even Spirit Hall's understanding."
The boy looked toward the horizon, jaw tight. "Then what kind of beast is worthy of a divine weapon?"
Xuan Yuan's gaze turned serious. "That is the question we must answer before your soul foundation begins to strain. You've already formed one spirit ring. Without balancing the other soon, your cultivation will become unstable. Twin spirits must evolve together—or you will suffer."
Xing Yun clenched his fists.
He could already feel it—the Divine Lion surging with energy, while the Brahmastra remained cold and distant. The imbalance was growing.
—
That evening, Xing Yun sat alone beneath a cliffside waterfall, meditating beside a flickering campfire.
He summoned the Brahmastra, holding it gently across his knees.
Its glow pulsed softly, like a sleeping heart.
"What do you want?" he whispered. "What do you need from me?"
No answer came, yet in the silence, his spiritual sea stirred.
A vision—brief and disjointed—flashed in his mind.
He stood on a battlefield, scorched and broken. The Brahmastra floated before him, glowing with ancient power, surrounded by… not beasts, but spirits of light. Not violence, but judgment. Not rage, but balance.
When he opened his eyes, he knew.
"This spirit… doesn't want raw power," he muttered. "It wants... purity. Control. Precision. Discipline."
He stood quickly and raced back to the camp where Grandmaster Xuan Yuan was meditating.
"I think I understand," he said. "The Brahmastra won't accept just any beast. It's not just about spirit energy—it's about alignment."
Xuan Yuan opened one eye. "Go on."
"I need a spirit beast that embodies clarity and spiritual harmony. Not just one that's strong… but one that resonates with law, willpower, or divine order."
The old master raised a brow. "Rare creatures indeed. You may be searching for something… sacred."
Xing Yun nodded. "Then where do we find such a beast?"
Xuan Yuan thought for a moment, then said, "There's one possibility. North of here lies a secluded mountain known to spirit masters as Silent Heaven Peak. At the summit, once every few years, a Luminous Sky Crane appears. It's a sacred beast tied to the light attribute—pure, intelligent, and said to possess divine lineage."
Xing Yun's eyes lit up. "That's the one."
"But there's a problem," Xuan Yuan said. "Many spirit masters hunt the crane when it appears. And Spirit Hall has long coveted it for their own initiates. If we go, you must be prepared to fight again. And this time, they won't send low-ranking scouts."
Xing Yun tightened the cloth around his wrist and looked toward the northern stars.
"Let them come," he said. "If the Brahmastra wants a spirit of judgment, then I'll earn it... through judgment."
—
Far away, in Spirit Hall's southern satellite base, Chrysanthemum Douluo stood before a map, red markers drawn near the Star Luo border.
He pointed toward Silent Heaven Peak.
"According to our agents, the Fifth Prince is heading here."
Ghost Douluo, quiet as ever, nodded. "He seeks the Sky Crane. Clever choice. Fitting for a divine weapon."
Pope Bibi Dong, seated high upon her throne, tapped her fingers against the polished armrest.
"Dispatch the Demon Light Envoy," she ordered. "She's the only one who has killed a Luminous Sky Crane and lived."
"She'll try to kill the prince."
Bibi Dong's eyes gleamed with cold fire. "That's fine. If he's strong enough to survive, he's worth watching. If not…"
She stood.
"…then the divine weapon will belong to us."