In the heart of the candle volcano's depths, two figures, a man, and a woman, moved cautiously—Bai Zian and Qiaogubai.
It had been two days since Bai Zian teamed up with Qiaogubai. During this time, Bai Zian had observed silently while Qiaogubai fought valiantly to protect him. Though satisfied, Bai Zian still harbored reservations, testing Qiaogubai's character in the face of life-threatening challenges.
As they traversed, a distant roar echoed, and a candlelight spider, the size of a calf, emerged. Bai Zian's eyes gleamed with recognition.
"A low-level black iron candle flame spider, perfect for a test," Bai Zian remarked, sizing up the potential danger for Qiaogubai.
"Oh no! A black iron-level candle flame spider. We're in trouble," Qiaogubai exclaimed, realizing the peril.
Qiaogubai hesitated, torn between escaping alone or risking both their lives. Bai Zian had intentionally set this trial to assess her commitment.
In the face of adversity, Qiaogubai made her decision. "Zian, run back quickly. I'll hold it for a while."
A smile graced Bai Zian's face, pleased with her choice to stand and face the danger alongside him. Personality, passed the test.
"Stone trypanosomes, use stone spikes!" Qiaogubai commanded her pet beast, attempting to fend off the formidable candle flame spider.
Bai Zian, however, was ready to reveal his own strength. "Come out to work, White-Scaled Fish!" he declared, summoning a purple-gold-eyed white fish.
The battle unfolded quickly, with the white-scaled fish effortlessly dispatching the black iron candle flame spider. Bai Zian looked back at Qiaogubai, confident that she had proven herself.
The shock on Qiaogubai's face was evident. "Are you actually a beastmaster?" she asked, amazed at Bai Zian's prowess.
Bai Zian chuckled, revealing more about his abilities. "I do plan to look for pets, but I didn't say that I don't have other pets." He hinted at contracting a second beast soon.
Qiaogubai, now aware of Bai Zian's strength, felt relieved. Their chances of surviving the candle volcano's dangers increased with Bai Zian's prowess.
The duo continued their journey, Bai Zian confident in his choice to keep Qiaogubai by his side.
It came to light that Bai Zian, a skilled beastmaster with commendable strength, left Qiaogubai in awe. Swiftly adjusting her attitude, she expressed her desire to continue accompanying him, acknowledging the perilous nature of the candle volcano.
Understanding her predicament, Bai Zian agreed, and the two pressed on. This time, Bai Zian led the way, guiding them deeper into the candle volcano.
"Wait, Zian, this direction is deeper into the candle volcano. Are we going further?" Qiaogubai questioned, noticing their trajectory toward Candlelight City's depths.
"Yes, I'll take you to see and see," Bai Zian chuckled, revealing his dual purpose of testing the candle flame spider leader and showcasing his strength to Qiaogubai.
Their journey took an unexpected turn when they discovered a massive spider nest—a pothole surrounded by over thirty candlelight spiders. At its center lay an extraordinary maroon candle flame spider, significantly larger than any encountered before.
Bai Zian, intrigued by the anomaly, employed the [Eye of Apocalypse] to investigate the creature. The results shocked him:
[Race]: Mutation · Candlelight Spider Leader (Fire) [Realm]: Primary Bronze [Talent]: Lava Body (B), Candlelight (F) [Qualification]: Advanced Gold [Skills]: Melting and cutting spider silk (blue), candle burning (green) ...
"It's the leader of a mutated candle flame spider, and it possesses two talents. How is this possible?" Bai Zian exclaimed, surprised by the rarity of such a mutation.
Qiaogubai, sensing the danger, urged Bai Zian to retreat quietly, but Bai Zian had other plans. Delighted by the discovery, he saw an opportunity to test his white-scaled fish against this unique opponent.
"Zian, this place is terrible, let's get out of here," Qiaogubai whispered anxiously.
"Go away? There's no need for that. Or rather, that's what I want," Bai Zian smiled confidently.
The mutated candle flame spider, despite its unique talents, was only a primary bronze. Bai Zian saw this as an advantageous opportunity for his white-scaled fish, believing it to be the perfect opponent.
His confidence stemmed from the fact that even if the white-scaled fish were defeated, the mutant candle flame spider leader posed no real threat. With Bai Zhi and Bai Shao, the two golden beastmasters, secretly protecting him, Bai Zian was ready to face the challenge head-on.