The Lazy Sovereign

Inside the chamber, Xu Tian dodged another swipe from the stone dragon, his hoe clutched tightly as his heart pounded like a drum.

"Prove my worth, they said!" he yelled, diving behind a pillar. "What kind of lunatic designs a test like this?"

The dragon's glowing eyes narrowed as it turned toward him, its stone scales grinding like thunder.

Xu Tian peeked out from behind the pillar, muttering to himself. "Okay, think, Xu Tian. Big stone dragon. You're a small guy with a glowing hand and a farming tool. What's the play here?"

As if in response to his plea, the symbol on Xu Tian's palm pulsed again. He felt a faint tug, like a whisper in his mind, urging him to move toward one of the towering statues.

He hesitated. "You want me to run toward another giant statue? What's next, it comes to life too?"

The dragon roared, its tail crashing down just inches away, shattering the stone floor.

"Fine, fine!" Xu Tian shouted, bolting toward the statue.

As he reached its base, the seal's light intensified, and the statue began to shift. Unlike the dragon, this one—a majestic phoenix—seemed less hostile.

Its stone beak opened, and a faint voice echoed from within. "Invoke the bond, bearer of the seal."

Xu Tian blinked. "Invoke the what now?"

The dragon lunged again, its massive jaws snapping at Xu Tian. Acting on instinct, he slammed his glowing palm against the phoenix statue.

The chamber erupted in light as the phoenix came to life, its wings spreading wide as flames burst forth.

The dragon skidded to a halt, letting out a guttural growl.

Xu Tian staggered back, shielding his eyes. "Please tell me you're on my side," he muttered.

The phoenix turned its blazing eyes toward him, then spread its wings and let out a piercing cry. Flames shot across the chamber, creating a barrier between Xu Tian and the dragon.

Outside the archway, Shen Feng watched the glowing runes with keen interest. The rumbling ground and bursts of light only seemed to amuse him further.

"Looks like he's putting on quite the show," he mused, popping a piece of dried fruit into his mouth.

The forest around him grew eerily silent, the usual sounds of birds and insects fading away. Shen Feng's grin faltered slightly as he scanned the shadows.

"Well, that's not ominous at all," he muttered.

A rustling sound came from the underbrush, followed by the low growl of an approaching beast. Shen Feng sighed, pulling out a small dagger.

"Guess it's my turn to play."

Back in the chamber, the phoenix and dragon clashed, their attacks shaking the walls. Xu Tian ducked behind another pillar, watching the battle in awe.

"Okay," he muttered. "Note to self: never touch glowing runes again."

As the fight raged on, the seal on his palm began to pulse more rapidly. Xu Tian winced, the light growing almost blinding.

The phoenix turned its head toward him, its voice echoing in his mind. "Bearer of the seal, you must finish this."

"Finish this?" Xu Tian shouted. "Have you seen that thing? It's a dragon! What am I supposed to do, poke it with my hoe?"

The phoenix let out another cry, and a surge of energy flowed into Xu Tian's body. He stumbled, his vision blurring as the chamber seemed to tilt.

Before he could fully process what was happening, Xu Tian found himself standing in front of the dragon. His hand moved on its own, slamming the glowing seal against the creature's chest.

The dragon roared, its body trembling as cracks spread across its stone surface. With a final, earth-shaking growl, it shattered into countless pieces.

Xu Tian collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

The phoenix landed beside him, its fiery gaze softening. "You have proven your worth. The power of the seal is yours to wield. Use it wisely."

Before he could respond, the phoenix dissolved into light, the energy flowing into the seal on his palm.

As the chamber began to fade, Xu Tian felt himself being pulled back toward the archway.

He stumbled out into the forest, the glowing seal now dimmed but still faintly warm.

Shen Feng stood nearby, casually cleaning his dagger. "Well, you're alive. That's a good start."

Xu Tian glared at him. "You couldn't have warned me about the giant stone monsters?"

Shen Feng shrugged. "Where's the fun in that?"

Before Xu Tian could retort, a low growl echoed through the forest, and a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows.

Shen Feng grinned, flipping his dagger. "Looks like the fun's just getting started."