A Failure's hopeful Journey

Although You Xi Wang had given out some tokens for the info that was only applied when the info was valuable and correct. They did this for two days and tracked Ronald Colt inside the eastern region of the desert. The team traveled and hunt simultaneously. They were also aware of being counter tracked by Ronald Colt, and that was something they could only hope for. 

Ronald Colt coming to them would be like serving himself on a silver platter. They had information about his and his team's strength and it turned out they were evenly matched, but You Xi Wang had his unique cards. His team members were proficient in playing two vital roles in any formation. Fenny was a sniper and mid-range attacker before, but now she could close quarters and tank too. Neo was a close combat expert, but after the time he spent with Fenny in whispering woods helped him train in sniping and long-range interceptions too. 

Teams like theirs could be counted on one hand in this entire examination. They were not overconfident, as You Xi Wang sometimes appeared in front of other teams during the scoring day or freezing nights. It was like he and his team were inexhaustible and they could hunt or raid anytime they want. This little trick of theirs gained them a new moniker, The Phantoms. They would be accompanied by stunning and sassy looking wolf pups, except for snowflake who always looked like he was out for a picnic if not for Maya's growls he would have probably started playing with the opponent. 

...

Today is the fourth day of the survival assessment and You Xi Wang and his team were traversing the desert in broad daylight. You Xi Wang did this because the heat could also be the means of tempering. Too much restraint and caution will not allow one to become a peerless cultivator. The motive behind cultivation was to break past the human limits and defy the heavens. 

The temperature was 76 degrees Celsius, You Xi Wang, Neo, Allan formed a triangle, and Yuki and Fenny were inside the triangle. Maya, Luna, and Shroud scouted. Maya could use camouflage, Luna could use the shadows cast by the dunes to move through them while Shroud was a typical night hound. He could mingle with the tiniest shadows and live inside them. 

This was an extreme quirk present only in most authentic Night Hound bloodlines. Despite being born to a cross of Snow Hound and Night hound, Shroud did not inherit a single speck of Snow hound blood and kept his Night Hound powers. His blood being pure allowed him to awaken a quirk of living inside the shadows during the moment he signed his spirit beast pact. He rarely showed himself when his siblings were not around. Usually, he would live in Allan's shadow and cultivate there. 

Snowflake was his total opposite, that is why they would fight over the slightest of issue. Snowflake had pure Snow Hound blood and just like Shroud he could now live in reflective surfaces, such as mirrors, but this guy was too naughty and cheerful to live alone so he would rarely go inside the mirror necklace Fenny wore.

The group moved at a slow and steady pace. But the heat was too much for Yuki, who practiced the water element. Her strides were becoming dragged with every step she took, You Xi Wang could not watch her like this and stooped walking, he turned to Neo, "Let's take a rest, she won't be able to hold on like this."

Neo nodded and opened a cave in the cliff wall. They had entered the eastern part of the Fire dune desert. You Xi Wang called Maya back to the team, Allan and Neo also called Shroud and Luna back. Inside the cave, fenny asked Snowflake to cast a snow spell, and the temperature dropped comforting Yuki. The pups also returned at this moment. Maya came to You Xi Wang and jumped onto his shoulder. After this, she relayed some information in his mind. 

You Xi Wang stood up in a calm manner and spoke to Fenny, "Give me your sniper rifle. I am going to hunt."

His tone was a bit too calm for them to not know what he intended to do. They knew him all too well. 

Allan said, "I will be your spotter, and Xiao Wang, this is not up for a discussion."

Neo also heaved a sigh and stood up stretching his muscles, "I miss brawling. Don't you dare to say otherwise or I will ask Momma Fenny for help."

Fenny said, "Xi Wang, we know that your enmity with him is too deep, but you need to keep a calm mind. Take them with you. Don't worry about Yuki and me. Just close the cave opening when going out and erase your tracks."

Yuki was laying down exhausted. She sat up and spoke to You Xi Wang in a soft manner, "Go, but please come back to us okay?"

You Xi Wang felt warm in his heart looking at the concerned looks on their faces and said, "Don't worry, we will be fine, Fenny, we will be in touch using Holo-Phones."

Fenny nodded and said, "Go brats, and come back alive."

The trio exited the cave with their spirit companions, Neo closed the cave opening while he winked to Fenny, assuring her they will be fine. The three exchanged a look, Maya to lead the way. You Xi Wang followed her with others. They were running through and over the cliffs. The sun was descending and the temperature lowered to 40 degrees Celsius. The trio could bear it with ease, and so could their spirit beast as they shared the spiritual affinity of their partners to some extent. 

Maya slowed down after running for a couple of miles. Even Though she was a pup her speed was fast because of her strong physic. The group following her slowed down and crouched down to avoid being noticed. You Xi Wang took out binoculars to look into the direction Maya was pointing at. 

Five hundred meters away, a group of teens was laying inside a cave. Among them was a guy with blonde hair and green eyes, he was as tall as You Xi Wang, a pointy chin, high cheekbones, playful smiling lips. He was almost as handsome as You Xi Wang. His arm was coiled around a beautiful girl who was drawing circles on his chest.

...

Ronald Colt, Jared Crow, Tom Benedict, Chris Steiner, and Lara Michel were the best team in assessment from Croma City academy, class 1A. At this moment they were all relaxing and goofing around in a cave they had dug out to hide from the sun. 

Tom Benedict was a sly looking teenager. He clicked his tongue and spoke in dissatisfaction, "This god damn place is too hot. These fuckers in The Council, do they want us to die here?"

Jared Crow laughed in a weird manner, "Are you afraid your skin will get a sunburn? Look at Young master Colt. He is way too handsome yet he doesn't seem to care about it?"

Tom Benedict couldn't reply and directly jumped on Jared Crow. The comment soon became a brawl with Chris Steiner joining in. 

Lara Michel spoke to Ronald Colt in a coy manner, "Young Master Colt, when can I meet your father?"

Ronald Colt spoke with indifference, "All in the meantime. Don't worry."

Lara Michel nodded and kept laying down in his arms, Ronald Colt spoke, "I wonder when will that You family mutt come to this father, that weaklings mother was beautiful and it was her pleasure to be an object of fascination to my father yet how dare she deny it." he laughed shaking his head, "That bitch died, along with her loser husband. Now, I want her daughter, I heard that she is called the Celestial Maiden."

His words caused the brawl to stop and Tom Benedict spoke while holding Jared Crow's neck, "Young Master, good things should be shared among us all."

Chris Steiner and Jared Crow also emitted the lust in their eyes, Ronald Colt shook his head and with a smile, he said, "Fine, you guys can have your turns when she is under my control."

The cave was echoing with their lecherous laughter. 

...

You Xi Wang and his two friends who watched all this from a distance were watching all this calmly. Allan had his spirit companion Shroud infiltrate the cave with a radio mic strapped on his back, they could hear every single word of what had transpired inside the cave. Turned out these four guys were of the same nature and as for that girl Lara Michel, she was just a money-minded girl. 

You Xi Wang spoke after he exhaled heavily, "At first I only wanted to stun them and enslave Ronal Colt but now I will make gift them with something which will change their whole being."

Neo asked, "What do you plan to do?"

You Xi Wang spoke, "You will see." with this, he set some tranquilizer shots in the sniper rifle he borrowed from Fenny and took the position, aiming at Ronald Colt who was busy making out with the girl in his arms. He took a shot. Before the people inside the cave could react he took four more shots, one after another successfully stunning the group.

Allan spoke, "What do we do now?"

You Xi Wang said, "Follow me."