In this world, once a person reached Level 20, they had to undergo the Trial of the Brave. Only after obtaining the Mark of the Brave would they officially attain the Brave-rank and earn the right to continue leveling up. Otherwise, they would be stuck at the Level 20 bottleneck forever, unable to advance even a single step.

  This rule applied to magical beasts as well. A Level 10 beast was not yet considered a Brave-rank creature. For the Ying siblings, who were already at Level 15, hunting such prey was not a particularly difficult task.

  They quickly dispatched thirteen Level 10 Saber-Toothed Wolves and collected their fangs as proof of completion. However, just as they prepared to venture deeper into the forest to finish their respective quotas, a thunderous roar erupted from the depths.

  "ROAR—!"

  "That’s the cry of a Darkcloud Spotted Tiger!" Ying Xue recognized the sound immediately. The Darkcloud Spotted Tiger was a notoriously ferocious beast in the Cloud Mist Forest. An adult of the species was at least a Level 30 creature—a foe far beyond the capabilities of those who had yet to earn their Mark of the Brave.

  Sure enough, several figures soon burst from the dense foliage. In the lead were four people fleeing for their lives, pursued by a massive tiger with fur as black as storm clouds.

  "Ke Minglang!" "Ying Xue!"

  The fleeing group and the Ying siblings locked eyes, recognizing each other instantly. While Ke Minglang and Ying Xue were bitter rivals, the dire situation forced Ke Minglang to swallow his pride.

  "That tiger isn't a full adult! It’s only Level 21!" he shouted desperately. "If we join forces, we can take it down!"

  Ying Xue narrowed her eyes and saw that the beast was indeed covered in numerous wounds. Yet, Level 21 was still a Brave-rank monster.

  "Sister, we should run!" Ying Feng urged, his voice trembling.

  "No. If we can slay a Brave-rank beast, we’ll definitely be admitted to the Elite Class," Ying Xue countered, her brow furrowing as she raised her staff. "Entangling Vines!"

  Mana surged as thick, thumb-sized vines erupted from the ground, lashing around the tiger’s limbs. The sudden interference forced the Darkcloud Spotted Tiger to a halt. Ke Minglang and his team also stopped, gasping for breath. His once-exquisite leather armor was now little more than blood-stained rags.

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  "Get your healing potions out!" Ke Minglang barked, pulling a vial from his belt and gulping it down. "If we kill this thing, we won't need to hunt another monster!"

  His teammates followed suit. Standard alchemy potions began to work within their bodies, slowly accelerating their natural recovery. But restoring their combat effectiveness in a short amount of time was an impossible dream.

  "Ying Feng, keep it busy! I’ll look for an opening to finish it!" Ying Xue commanded, her staff glowing as she cast Gilded Armor and Keen Blade on her brother.

  Ying Feng steadied his knight’s sword, his Battle Qi churning as he charged the tiger. Behind him, Ying Xue raised her staff with both hands, her expression solemn as fire elements began to coalesce before her.

  The sight nearly gave the recovering Ke Minglang a heart attack. "Are you trying to cast an Explosive Fireball? You stupid woman! Your mana capacity isn't nearly high enough!"

  Explosive Fireball was a Level 20 Brave-rank spell. It was the perfect choice to kill the tiger, but Ying Xue didn't have the reserves to complete the incantation. If the spell failed, she would suffer a mana backlash, and none of the six of them would survive.

  "Damn it! I didn't bring any mana potions!" Ke Minglang cursed, slamming his fist against his leg. As a warrior, he didn't carry mage supplies. Besides, standard potions were useless in the heat of battle because their effects took far too long to manifest. That was why he hadn't used his own healing potion until he had found a moment to stop.

  The tiger roared, its massive claws shattering the vines. It moved like a streak of black light, swiping a paw across Ying Feng’s chest.

  CRACK.

  Ying Feng was sent flying, crashing into the dirt.

  "I knew it! You're going to get us all killed!" Ke Minglang scrambled to his feet, ready to bolt. A hit like that would leave anyone crippled, if not dead.

  At that moment, Ying Xue’s mana was on the verge of total depletion, yet her fireball was less than half-formed.

  I hope it’s really worth the price, she thought.

  Meanwhile, Ying Feng, lying in the dirt, shakily pulled a small porcelain vial from his tunic. Ke Minglang thought the bottle looked strangely familiar.

  The Healing Pill entered Ying Feng’s mouth and instantly transformed into a surge of gentle, potent energy. In a heartbeat, his near-fatal wounds vanished as if they had never existed. He leaped back to his feet. If not for the pool of blood he had just coughed up, no one would believe he had been on the brink of death moments ago.

  "What on earth was that?!" Ke Minglang’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

  Before he could process it, Ying Xue also swallowed a pill. The Qi Recovery Pill restored her mana to its absolute peak in an instant, and most importantly, it didn't interrupt her spellcasting for even a second.

  "HOW?!" Ke Minglang felt like he was losing his mind.

  The tiger lunged at Ying Xue, but a fully-recovered Ying Feng intercepted it with his sword. That split second was all his sister needed.

  "EXPLOSIVE FIREBALL!"

  A terrifying sphere of flame slammed into the Darkcloud Spotted Tiger with a deafening BOOM. The beast was sent tumbling through the air like a ragdoll before crashing into the earth, motionless.