My Beast Is the 12-Winged Angel Chapter 8: The S-Class Potential Student!

A sudden eruption of crimson Holy Flame vaporized the surrounding gray mist within a hundred-meter radius, the intense heat warping the very air until it distorted.

Gu Xing watched in astonishment as an elegant silhouette rose majestically from the heart of the blaze.

Four wings, wreathed in Holy Flame, unfurled to their full extent, each plume shimmering with intricate, golden Divine Patterns.

Liu Li’s once-limpid eyes had shifted into glowing golden vertical slits, making her appear like a Flame Empress stepped out of ancient legends.

The air throughout the valley seemed to thicken and freeze under the weight of this celestial aura.

"Ooo—"

Three Awakening Tier Four Magic Beasts let out pitiful cries, shoving their heads into the dirt in a display of absolute terror.

Even the Bloodthirsty Tiger, despite being an Awakening Tier Five, fared little better when confronted by Liu Li’s direct pressure.

Its mid-leap momentum vanished instantly, leaving its massive frame hanging eerily in the air.

The beast’s crimson pupils shrank in fear as it stared at the figure that made its very soul shudder.

"Squad... Captain, could that be a Guardian Beast?"

The youngest member of the group asked, his voice shaking uncontrollably.

Shen Ruoxue gripped her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned pale from the strain.

She tried to speak, her throat feeling painfully parched:

"I... I suppose it must be...."

Even as she spoke, she found the explanation hard to swallow.

Yet, the Newbie Trial Space was populated only by rookie Beast Masters and Magic Beasts.

That divine entity certainly didn't belong to the latter category...

Which left only one impossible reality!

She was a Guardian Beast!

A Guardian Beast belonging to a mere rookie!

While the onlookers stood frozen in shock, Liu Li’s golden eyes swept coldly over the cowering Magic Beasts.

She gave the Holy Sword in her grip a casual flick...

Three streaks of crimson light tore through the void; the Awakening Tier Four Magic Beasts were cleaved perfectly in half before they could even scream.

Holy flames licked at the severed edges, reducing the remains to ash in an instant.

"Roar—!"

Driven by pure desperation, the Bloodthirsty Tiger unleashed a final, ferocious roar.

Liu Li responded by simply lifting her blade.

"Whoosh!"

The Holy Sword carved a burning path through the air.

Against the might of a Legendary Level Guardian Beast, the tiger’s supposedly durable hide was as flimsy as parchment.

Its eyes remained locked in a state of horror even as its body slid apart along the clean, glowing cut.

"Buzz—"

A blue orb the size of a basketball emerged from the tiger's corpse, drifting upward to merge into Liu Li’s forehead.

As the last embers of the Holy Flame vanished, the golden Divine Patterns receded like a falling tide, and her four blazing wings dissolved into shimmering starlight.

The girl drifted down to the ground, though her steps were visibly shaky.

The "Blazing Angel Form" provided a massive boost to her power, but the drain on her stamina was equally immense.

At her current Awakening Tier Four status, a full-power transformation could only be maintained for roughly thirty seconds.

Once she was certain the threat had passed, Liu Li turned her head slightly, looking toward a nearby patch of shadows.

Shen Ruoxue and her team held their breath, their eyes following Liu Li’s line of sight.

They wondered what kind of master could possibly command such a terrifyingly powerful Guardian Beast.

But when a familiar face emerged from the darkness, the entire group was stunned.

"Gu Xing?!"

Shen Ruoxue’s eyes widened as her voice spiked in pitch.

As the leader of Beast Master Class 3, she was well-acquainted with this quiet student.

She had recently felt a sense of injustice upon hearing that his Guardian Beast had been snatched away.

But now...

Her mind raced as she looked between Gu Xing and Liu Li, her thoughts grinding to a halt.

Approaching them, Gu Xing realized that Liu Li had rescued a few people he knew.

"Oh, Captain, what a surprise to see you here!"

"Sur... surprise indeed!"

Shen Ruoxue managed to stammer out a mechanical reply.

A student who was once considered unremarkable was now standing next to a Legendary Level Guardian Beast that could slaughter Tier Five beasts in seconds.

The sheer absurdity of the situation made her head throb.

Gu Xing gave a polite nod and signaled for Liu Li to move on.

With less than thirty minutes remaining on the clock, he needed to use every second to push Liu Li toward Awakening Tier Five.

Liu Li followed him dutifully, making sure to give the group a small bow before departing.

That simple gesture left the team members gasping for air.

The moment Gu Xing vanished back into the fog, the group erupted into chatter.

"Good grief! Captain, did you see that? I nearly fell to my knees when that Guardian Beast bowed!"

"Didn’t they say Gu Xing’s beast was stolen? How is he even more powerful now?"

"To be honest, that Epic-level beast Chen Ziming took doesn't even look like it belongs in the same league as this one."

"If we run into Gu Xing during the assessment in ten days..." one member whispered fearfully.

"We surrender immediately!"

The five of them shouted the answer in unison.

...

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion.

Xia Xiu stood off to the side, looking slightly anxious.

Before him stood a middle-aged man in a dark blue Zhongshan suit, his hands clasped behind his back.

Though the man wore a subtle smile, his mere presence filled the hall with a heavy, invisible weight.

This was Wei Yuan, the true powerhouse and leader of the Southern Military Region!

"Wei... Commander Wei, what brings you here in person?"

Wei Yuan turned, his eyes resting on Xia Xiu for a moment.

This man had once been a soldier under his command before becoming a City Lord.

"I’ve just arrived from Lanyang City. They produced an A-class candidate this year, which is respectable."

Despite his words, Xia Xiu spotted a flicker of disappointment in Wei Yuan’s expression.

As the top official of the Southern Military Region, Wei Yuan was clearly hunting for a truly exceptional genius.

It was obvious he hadn't found one yet.

"Commander Wei, I’m afraid Lin Yuan City’s results this year might mirror Lanyang’s."

Xia Xiu had already reviewed the data on all the participants before the trials began.

Aside from that brat from the Chen family who got an Epic-level Enchanting Demon, the other Guardian Beasts...

Were nothing to write home about.

Wei Yuan let out a soft sigh, the disappointment clear on his face.

"Never mind. The summoning of a Guardian Beast is a matter of destiny; it cannot be forced."

He adjusted his clothes. "I suppose I should move on to the next city."

"I’ll see you out..."

Before Xia Xiu could finish, his assistant came bursting into the room.

"Show some respect!"

Xia Xiu’s face reddened with anger, feeling humiliated in front of his old superior.

"What have I told you? Maintain your composure no matter what!"

The assistant noticed the high-ranking guest and broke into a cold sweat, but his excitement was too great to contain.

His voice trembled as he spoke:

"City Lord! An S-Class potential student... has appeared in Lin Yuan City!"

"What!"

Xia Xiu’s shout echoed through the halls of the mansion.

Even the previously bored Wei Yuan spun around, his face etched with sudden shock.

...

...