Jin Xuan stood up, his body still aching but filled with newfound strength. The Primordial Beast Codex pulsed in his soul, its power flowing through his veins like liquid fire. His mind was clear—he was no longer just an abandoned disciple. He had awakened something far greater.
Looking around, he saw the Forbidden Beast Graveyard in its eerie silence. The bones of ancient creatures lay in piles, their massive forms half-buried in the dust. Faint whispers of lingering souls echoed in the wind, but Jin Xuan felt no fear.
Instead, he felt a pull—an invisible force guiding him deeper into the graveyard.
"Follow… and claim your first beast."
The voice of the Codex rang in his mind, firm and commanding.
Jin Xuan's steps were slow at first, but as the energy within him grew steadier, he moved with purpose. He needed a beast—his first companion in this new path.
After walking for what felt like an eternity, he stopped in front of a collapsed temple, half-hidden beneath the graveyard's ruins. Strange symbols glowed faintly on the walls, remnants of a long-lost civilization.
And in the center of the temple, chained by celestial bindings, lay a Shadowclaw Phantom Wolf.
Its dark fur shimmered like the night sky, and its eyes, filled with hatred and despair, locked onto Jin Xuan. The wolf let out a low growl, its body weak but its will unbroken.
Jin Xuan knew what this was.
A beast that had been betrayed.
Just like him.
Stepping forward, he placed his palm against the glowing chains. The Primordial Beast Codex flared to life, ancient runes lighting up on his skin. With a single thought, he activated the forbidden power.
The chains shattered.
The wolf staggered to its feet, shaking off centuries of imprisonment. For a brief moment, it bared its fangs at Jin Xuan, but then, something changed.
A connection formed—a bond deeper than any traditional Beast Contract.
The Codex worked differently. It didn't enslave beasts. It recognized them.
The wolf's eyes burned with new resolve. With a deep growl, it knelt before Jin Xuan.
Submission. Loyalty. Brotherhood.
Jin Xuan smiled.
"From now on, you are my first beast."
The wolf howled, its aura surging as its power began to recover.
With his first companion by his side, Jin Xuan turned toward the graveyard's exit.
His enemies thought they had thrown him away like trash.
They had no idea—