Celestial Academy rose in stately splendor—its graceful, sweeping roofs and carved marble archways set among lush gardens and serene crystalline lakes. Beneath banners reflecting the proud colors of the four first-class clans, candidates gathered with carefully polished smiles. Yet behind each courteous nod and artful toast, rivalries simmered.
In the grand assembly hall, where the air itself seemed infused with elemental elegance, the banquet was laid out on lacquered tables with dishes said to echo the essence of magic. The candidates, each a chosen prodigy from their clans, displayed a striking diversity of elemental talents:
- **Lian Cheng** of the Baiyun Clan embodied the fluid grace of water. His calm demeanor, reminiscent of a gently flowing stream, belied a mind as deep and calculating as the ocean. Every measured word he spoke carried the quiet authority of tradition and promise.
- **Hua Lei** from the Hualin Clan was a force of blazing fire. His presence radiated an intense warmth and passion that could melt the hardest resolve. His every gesture sparkled with the burning fervor of his element, and he met rivals with a confident, smoldering gaze.
- **Ying Zhou** representing the Yingxiao Clan projected a grounded strength as unmistakable as earth itself. His aura combined the steadiness of fertile soil with subtle hints of ember-like heat—signaling an affinity that balanced resilience with a quiet, inner drive. His measured demeanor and thoughtful words betrayed a strategist who sought not just to compete but to reshape foundations.
- **Feng Rong** of the Fengyun Clan personified the untamed brilliance of lightning. Quick and dazzling in his displays, his every remark crackled with energy as he playfully derided the lesser feats of his peers. His explosive confidence and ever-awake gaze almost dared anyone to challenge his supremacy.
As the banquet drew on, polite laughter and artful compliments masked a cold undercurrent. Every candidate's carefully rehearsed harmony of courteous greetings concealed ambition—and the hidden fear that the established order might soon be upended.
Then came the herald's solemn announcement. Clad in robes embroidered with soaring mythical beasts, he stepped onto the dais and declared, "By decree of the Beast Council, we bid welcome to our Celestial Emissary: **Xìng Rùn**!"
A collective murmur swept through the hall as eyes turned to the ornate entrance. Through a curtain of silken drapes, **Xìng Rùn** emerged—a vision of regal poise and wild majesty, combining hints of ancient beastly power with refined human cultivation. His presence, a fusion of old-world grandeur and a fierce, untamed promise, sent ripples of awe and whispered intrigue among the gathered elite.
Even as the facade of camaraderie persisted and each clan's laughter sparkled like carefully placed jewels, the announcement ignited a flurry of unspoken questions. Rumors began to weave through the corridors: could this supreme emissary be the harbinger of a "Supreme Child Mix" destined to challenge the very hierarchy of cultivation? In every exchanged glance and measured compliment, the carefully constructed masks of unity wavered under newfound uncertainty.