Chapter 12 – Blazing Wolf Mountain: Trial of Fire and Fang
The first phase of the Azure Sky entrance trials ended beneath a blood-red dawn.
For five relentless days, Yin Jin and Baifang carved a path through beasts, rival cultivators, and storms that tore through the Wudong Range. When the last horn sounded across the valleys, only a fraction of participants remained.
They stood at the summit, scarred but alive, as Azure Sky examiners descended from the clouds like streaks of light. One of them raised a crystal tablet, his voice echoing with qi.
> "Phase One — complete. Survivors will proceed to the Blazing Wolf Mountain for the second trial. The Flame Ascension Test begins now."
Baifang nudged Yin Jin with a grin. "Great. More fire. My favorite element — right after lightning and lunch."
Yin Jin exhaled softly, the golden-black fire around him flickering once before fading into calm. "Then let's not burn out before we start."
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The second phase was nothing like the first.
Here, the ground itself bled fire. Rivers of molten rock snaked through the ridges, and geysers of flame erupted without warning. The very air shimmered with heat, twisting light into mirages.
It was said the Blazing Wolf Mountain was once home to an ancient pack of spirit wolves that fed on magma — their descendants now served as both guardians and obstacles to those who sought Azure Sky's approval.
Baifang and Yin Jin split paths at the base of the mountain.
> "We'll cover more ground if we separate," Baifang said, resting his lightning spear on his shoulder. "You handle whatever terrifying thing's up there — I'll grab a few fire beast cores before someone else gets them."
Yin Jin smirked faintly. "Don't get yourself roasted."
"Same to you, hothead."
And with that, they parted ways
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Half a day into his climb, Yin Jin reached a plateau scorched black by battle.
The stench of blood and sulfur hung thick in the air. At its center lay a massive corpse — a Blazing Wolf Alpha, its crimson mane still faintly glowing, its body torn open by a single massive blade wound.
Then came the sound of boots — soft, deliberate.
From the far edge of the plateau, a figure emerged through the rising heat.
Tall. Bare-chested. Ears like a wolf's, a long tail of flame swaying behind him. His body radiated pressure — not human, not beast, but something between. His eyes burned molten gold, his aura vast and ancient.
In his hand rested a broad sword the size of a door, its edge dripping molten fire.
> "You should not be here, human," the creature growled, his voice deep and layered. "This mountain was mine long before your academy stole its flame."
Yin Jin's gaze lingered on the fallen alpha. "You killed your own kind."
The Therian's expression darkened. "Weakness has no kin."
A gust of heat swept the plateau as their auras collided — black-gold flame against molten red.
> "Then come," Yin Jin said, summoning his sword of golden-black fire. "Let's see whose flame endures."
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The clash that followed was nothing short of apocalyptic.
Day One —
The mountain trembled as Yin Jin's Dark Dawn Fire met the Therian's Solar Inferno Blade. Every swing carved craters into the stone. Firestorms spiraled skyward, and rivers of lava turned to glass.
The battle raged from dawn till dusk, neither side yielding.
Day Two —
The Therian revealed his true form — a towering wolf-man cloaked in divine flame. His roar split the clouds.
Yin Jin countered by summoning his fire constructs — knights of flame, dragons of smoke and gold — manifestations of his will. They struck in waves, buying him precious moments.
But even they began to crumble under the beast's transcendent might.
Bleeding, half-conscious, Yin Jin gritted his teeth. "If I fall here… then I never deserved this flame."
He ignited his inner core — gold and black intertwining, reshaping the battlefield into a burning storm.
Day Three —
Both fighters were shadows of themselves, staggering yet unyielding. The Therian's blade cracked. Yin Jin's breath came ragged, every movement agony.
As the final sunrise bathed the mountain in crimson light, Yin Jin gathered the last of his qi.
> "Dark Dawn Art — Eclipse Rend!"
A crescent of golden-black flame split the sky — silent, perfect, absolute.
When it faded, the Therian stood motionless… then smiled faintly before dissolving into ash.
> "You carry the fire of gods, boy," his voice echoed. "Don't waste it."
The ashes scattered into the wind, merging with the flames of the mountain.
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Aftermath
Yin Jin collapsed to his knees, his fire dim but steady.
The Blazing Wolf Alpha's core pulsed beside him, as if acknowledging his strength.
Far below, Baifang sensed the shockwave and sighed. "Of course he's fighting mountains again." He tightened his grip on a glowing red core. "Guess I better finish my part before he burns the world."
By the time Yin Jin descended, the sky over Blazing Wolf Mountain was painted gold and black — the mark of his victory.
And among the examiners watching from afar, murmurs spread once more.
> "The boy with the Dark Dawn Fire… he survived the Therian."
"Then phase two is complete."
"Send word to the Academy. The prodigy has ascended."