My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel Chapter 5: Novice Trial

Dusk had already settled by the time the pair finalized their contract and departed from the Beast Taming Shop to head home.

Gu Xing pushed the door open, only to freeze when a familiar figure caught his eye.

"Sister?"

Gu Qianqian turned toward him, her chestnut ponytail whipping through the air in a graceful arc.

"Xiao Xing, you’re finally back?" She offered a warm smile and a wave. "Hurry up and come eat."

It had been six months since the siblings last saw one another, ever since Gu Qianqian had been accepted into the National Academy.

While they sat at the dinner table:

"Sister, what brings you back so suddenly?"

"I was assigned a mission in Lin Yuan City and was passing through the area, so I decided to stop by and check on you."

Her attention shifted to Liu Li, who sat perfectly upright. A spark of curiosity lit up her eyes. "Is this your Guardian Beast?"

At that moment, the young girl stiffened her back, resting her hands neatly upon her knees.

Hearing Gu Qianqian’s inquiry, she abruptly performed a formal ninety-degree bow, resulting in a loud "bang" as her forehead collided with the table.

"Hello, sister!"

Gu Qianqian was momentarily stunned before she burst into laughter at the charming display. "There's no need for such formality; we are family from now on."

Liu Li finally looked up, her face burning bright red, and nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at grain.

As the amusement faded, Gu Qianqian’s expression turned solemn.

Setting her chopsticks aside, she looked Gu Xing directly in the eye.

"Xiao Xing, you have to make the most of tomorrow’s Newbie Trial Space."

"The military has cordoned off a secure zone within the Alternate Space where the strongest monsters are only level 5. For newcomers, this is the premier opportunity."

"The Newbie Trial is a one-time entry; it’s the only safety net the military provides."

Gu Xing gave a silent nod of understanding.

In the true Alternate Space, even Beast Masters at the Commander Level could face sudden death.

In this world, the power levels are categorized as: Awakening, Extraordinary, Commander, Monarch... with each primary rank being split into ten smaller stages.

He was currently only at the starting point of the Awakening Level, requiring him to be extremely guarded.

His main priority right now was to seize every chance to accelerate his growth.

The meal concluded quickly following Gu Qianqian’s warnings.

Because of her ongoing mission, Gu Qianqian couldn't linger. She had only managed to secure a few hours of leave for this visit.

She felt a sense of relief seeing that her brother was doing well.

...

The following day arrived in the blink of an eye.

The entrance to the Newbie Trial Space was a hive of activity.

A multitude of students had congregated, some attempting to form groups and others searching for a powerful leader to follow.

Despite being a Newbie Trial Space, a single lapse in judgment could result in a fatality.

Consequently, forming a team was the most logical path for commoners.

"Seeking an offensive Beast! Our squad only needs one more!"

"Is there a powerful expert willing to carry me? I have a healer-type Beast and I'm a cute 36D girl! I promise to be obedient inside the Trial Space!"

"Woah! A humanoid Beast... who is that expert? Hurry up... let's try to join his team!"

Because a humanoid Beast usually represents immense battle potential, Gu Xing and Liu Li drew immediate attention as they arrived.

However, the crowd soon realized the true nature of this particular humanoid Beast.

"Wait, isn't that Gu Xing? I thought he sold his summoned humanoid Beast to the Chen Family? Where did he get this one?"

"I remember now! That Beast was summoned at the altar last year. She's supposed to be a total dud!"

"He actually contracted a Beast that can't level up? Has he just given up on life?"

Suddenly, no one wanted to team up with him, and the crowd began to distance themselves.

Inviting a dud Beast into a team was perceived as a suicide mission.

This outcome actually pleased Gu Xing.

The entrance was so packed that latecomers usually couldn't even push through.

But now, the path was wide open as the crowd parted for him, leaving his way unobstructed.

Under the watchful eyes of the masses, Gu Xing walked toward the entrance with total composure.

"What a weirdo..."

"Is he really planning to enter the Trial Space solo without a team?"

"Isn't he just begging to die?"

Gu Xing paid no mind to the murmurs. But just as he was about to register himself and Liu Li for the trial, a mocking voice rang out from behind.

"Yo~ isn't this... what was his name again?"

Chen Ziming approached, holding his Enchanting Demon close, while theatrically rubbing his temples as if struggling to remember.

"Gu... something?"

The Enchanting Demon in his arms followed his lead, answering in a flirtatious tone:

"Master, his name is Gu Xing~"

"Right, Gu Xing!"

Chen Ziming slapped his forehead with exaggerated flair, a mocking glint in his eyes.

"I really should thank you. If it wasn't for your 'charity,' how could I have ended up with such a magnificent Beast?" As he spoke, he gave the Enchanting Demon’s waist a firm squeeze.

"Mmm... Master..."

The Enchanting Demon let out a seductive moan. Though she secretly rolled her eyes, she quickly maintained a fawning smile.

"Only by serving a genius like you, Master, can my true potential be realized."

Seeing this, the bystanders began to brown-nose:

"How could a mere commoner compare to Young Master Chen? An Epic Level Beast can only truly shine in the hands of someone like him."

"Plus, he's stuck with a dud Beast now. He’s not even in the same league as Young Master Chen!"

"Exactly. Young Master Chen is definitely going to dominate this trial and take the top spot."

The Newbie Trial Space, established by the military at immense expense, served as much more than a simple leveling ground.

Every Magic Beast inside was tagged with a special marker; killing one would automatically grant the Trial Taker points.

Outside, the military utilized a sophisticated monitoring system to track these scores in real time.

This system didn't just record the final tally; it analyzed the rate of point acquisition to judge a Trial Taker’s combat talent and future potential.

This data would be stored in the records and serve as the final assessment for the college entrance examinations.

Gu Xing watched Chen Ziming and the others with a hollow expression, his lips even curling into a slight smile.

When someone possesses strength that far exceeds their peers, they can remain unbothered by petty taunts.

Only the weak feel the need to get angry over insults.

With a Legendary Level Beast under contract, Gu Xing was certainly not weak.

However.

The young girl beside him was shaking with rage. Her teeth were gritted and her small fists were clenched so hard her knuckles turned white. She looked ready to charge forward and fight...

"Liu Li." Gu Xing reached out to stop her just in time.

"The Newbie Trial is the priority right now. Don't let them mess with your head."

Liu Li looked up into Gu Xing’s steady eyes, and the anger boiling in her chest began to settle.

She exhaled deeply and gave a firm nod.