The King of Beasts and the Scent of Failure
The assistant examiner pulled back the black cloth. Beneath it sat a cage forged from solid steel. The bars, as thick as an adult’s arm, were inscribed with Mystic Gate Formations, creating a powerful, unbreakable enclosure. Inside, the cage was divided into three separate sections, each housing a different magical beast: a Wind Dog, an Ice Wolf, and a Thunder Tiger.
All three were ferocious creatures found in the depths of Bukhwang Mountain. The Thunder Tiger, in particular, was a terrifying predator known as the Sovereign of Bukhwang Mountain and the King of Beasts. Born with a rare affinity for lightning-attribute Mystic Energy, it could manifest actual bolts of electricity. Even experts in the Master Realm would often choose to take a long detour rather than cross paths with one.
“Gasp!”
The students cried out in shock as they came face-to-face with the beasts.
What is going on?
Don’t tell me the exam is to fight those monsters inside the cage?
Bukjin was equally startled. However, remembering the Cave of Ten Thousand Snakes and the rain of arrows in the Storm Canyon from the previous bridge-crossing trial, he was convinced that whoever designed these exams was a sadistic pervert. At this point, it wouldn't even be surprising if they forced the students to fight the beasts to the death.
Do they have a grudge against us? Are they hoping the empire’s top geniuses get mauled during a school competition?
Bukjin glanced around and saw that many of his peers looked pale with dread. Just then, four officials from the Board of Education carried out a long white table. They placed it in front of the cages and set down a black object that resembled a tiered lunch box. Next to it lay a strange metal tube, its purpose unclear.
“The rules of this exam are quite simple.”
Mae Ji-won’s sharp gaze swept across the students.
“Inside the medicine box on the table are ten different types of herbs. Theoretically, by combining these ten herbs in various ways, you can produce at least fourteen different medicinal effects. Your task is to concoct your own medicine using these ingredients. Then, you will approach the cage and use your Mystic Energy and the metal tube to blow the medicine inside. If the beast in the cage is paralyzed or knocked unconscious, you pass!”
The students let out a collective sigh of relief. They only had to poison or sedate the beasts, not fight them. The realization that they wouldn't have to engage in life-or-death combat with the ferocious creatures calmed many racing hearts.
Thank goodness.
If that’s all it is…
Phew…
On the surface, it sounded far safer than crossing a paper bridge or sprinting through a canyon of arrows. However, a cold smile played on Mae Ji-won’s lips as he watched them relax. He spoke again, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
“Remember, you must complete every step of the process to pass. If you fail to concoct the medicine, fail to blow it in using your Mystic Energy, or fail to knock out the beast, you are disqualified. This trial tests both your knowledge of Simple Herbal Medicine and your Mystic Energy Intensity simultaneously. Twelve students will be eliminated after this round, so I suggest you take this very seriously.”
A commotion broke out among the students. Eliminating twelve people in a single round was an incredibly high failure rate. It meant that only forty students would advance to the final stage of the competition.
“Now, for the specifics. You have three targets: the Wind Dog, the Ice Wolf, and the Thunder Tiger. You must choose which beast to challenge. Successfully sedating a more powerful beast will result in a higher score. Now… let the exam begin!”
With Mae Ji-won’s shout, the final trial of the fourth day of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition commenced. The students lined up according to their drawn numbers. The first to step forward was Mi Yeo-yeon.
She was a slender girl with pale skin and long, light-golden hair. She had performed exceptionally well in the previous trials. Mi Yeo-yeon stood before the white table, alternating her gaze between the herbs and the beasts before speaking.
“I choose the Ice Wolf.”
Her supervising teacher, watching from a distance, gave a slight nod. It was a wise choice. Among the three, the Wind Dog was the weakest. The Ice Wolf was a tier above it; a single Ice Wolf could easily take on ten Wind Dogs at once. The Thunder Tiger, however, was on an entirely different level. Even a pack of a hundred Ice Wolves wouldn't dare challenge a single Thunder Tiger.
The stronger the beast, the higher its natural resistance. Consequently, the difficulty of sedating or killing a powerful beast with medicine increased exponentially. While the ten herbs provided were unknown to the observers, concocting a sedative strong enough to drop a Thunder Tiger in a short amount of time was a feat even professional pharmacists would struggle to guarantee. Choosing the Ice Wolf—neither too weak nor impossibly strong—was a safe and strategic move to showcase her skills.
In truth, challenging the Thunder Tiger was so difficult it was practically synonymous with giving up. The difficulty spike was simply too steep.
“Very well. Prepare… Start!”
At Mae Ji-won’s command, the timer began. Mi Yeo-yeon opened the black medicine box and began examining the ten herbs. Her first task was to identify each herb and its properties. This was a test of pharmaceutical knowledge, but unlike the written exams, this was pure application. If she misidentified an herb or misunderstood its potency, the resulting concoction would be useless. A single mistake at the start would ruin everything.
Identifying all ten herbs and then selecting the correct ratio to create a potent sedative required a vast wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of alchemy. As soon as Mi Yeo-yeon approached the table, a Mystic Gate Formation activated, isolating her behind a barrier of light. The students waiting thirty feet away couldn't see which herbs she was using. It was a perfectly fair setup.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Mi Yeo-yeon finally finished her concoction. The barrier of light vanished. She carefully placed the prepared medicine into the metal tube. Approaching the cage, she blew the medicine inside, using her Mystic Energy to disperse the particles and catalyze the effect. Soon, the sedative she had created filled the enclosure housing the Ice Wolf.
The metal tube was a specialized tool created by the Board of Education. When powdered medicine was placed inside and Mystic Energy was injected, the device converted the powder into an odorless, weightless smoke that was ejected from the front. Mi Yeo-yeon had to use her energy to control the smoke, ensuring it didn't drift away.
Under the watchful eyes of countless students, the wisps of smoke slowly drifted into the Ice Wolf’s cage. After fifty breaths, she had successfully funneled all the smoke inside without letting a single puff escape. Maintaining that focused stream of energy was an exhausting process that required a massive reserve of Mystic Energy.
Inside the cage, the massive Ice Wolf stood nearly five feet tall, its silver fur shimmering. Likely agitated from its long confinement, the beast growled, baring its sharp fangs. Frosty ripples, like spiderwebs, spread across the floor beneath its paws. As the smoke reached its vicinity, the wolf tried to dodge, making Mi Yeo-yeon’s job even harder. Fortunately, the smoke eventually filled the entire cage, leaving the beast with nowhere to hide. It had no choice but to inhale the fumes.
Another few minutes passed. Finally, the Ice Wolf began to stagger before collapsing into a deep sleep. Mi Yeo-yeon let out a ragged sigh of relief. Her legs felt like jelly from the constant energy drain, and she could barely stand. Sweat soaked her clothes, and her face was as pale as if she had just recovered from a long illness. Two assistant examiners rushed over to support her.
She was showing the classic symptoms of total Mystic Energy depletion. Regardless, she had completed the task. Chief Examiner Mae Ji-won announced the results in a booming voice.
Candidate: Mi Yeo-yeon | Target: Ice Wolf (Neutralized)
Time Elapsed: 1 Quarter, 32 Breaths
The students began to murmur. Until now, the lowest grade Mi Yeo-yeon had received in any trial was a Grade B (High). She was a genius everyone looked up to, yet she had nearly failed this trial. Her biggest issue was the Simple Herbal Medicine score. If her concoction had been more potent, the wolf would have succumbed faster, requiring less Mystic Energy and making the entire process much easier.
Her exhausted state after the exam was a grim testament to the trial's difficulty. Mae Ji-won continued to call students forward in numerical order. Professional trainers removed the sleeping wolf and replaced it with a fresh one. What truly shocked the students, however, was that the five candidates who followed Mi Yeo-yeon all failed, one after another.