"About a month after the defeat of Dujun, the Jade Palace was visited by the Kung Fu Council of Gongmen city," Karasu narrated. "They came to make sure that Shen and I were safe, but also to assess Xing in his combat skills."

"So, why did you call me here alone?" Xing asked, being brought into the Hall of Heroes by the Kung Fu Council and Shifu.

"We called you here to see if you are worthy to be here at the Jade Palace," Shifu replied.

"Karasu has told us that you come from another world," Thundering Rhino said. "While you may have been a formidable warrior in your world, you'll have to earn the trust and title in ours."

"Especially after what Wolf Boss did in our world," Storming Ox added.

"I understand and hope to do my best," Xing said, taking a bow.

"Good. Then let us begin," Shifu said. "Each of us has set up a trail that you will have to face. After completing one you will be given an amulet to show your completion. Show me the four amulets and we will give you the title of master."

Xing nodded, taking a scroll from Zeng that contained the first task.

"With his mission given, Xing started with Shifu's trial, which was to earn a seal from the Royal Peacock family. Heading off to Gongmen, the wolf brought Shen with him, the two comparing their stories to each other all the way. Eventually, they reached the port city and the Tower of Sacred flames."

In the Tower, Xing and Shen met with the King and Queen, whom had been informed of the wolf's trials and had decided on a task.

"The annual fireworks display will be in three days," the King said. "For your trial, you will create one of the arrangements for the show. Please the crowd and we will give you our royal seal and the first amulet."

"I'll do my best," Xing said.

With that, Xing set off to set up his own display, but the wolf was having trouble coming up ideas.

"This is pointless!" Xing cried, throwing a scroll aside.

Shen walked in, hearing the wolf's cries from down the hall. "Having trouble?"

"You have no idea," Xing groaned.

"If there's one thing I learned on my travels, it's that learning to ask for help is essential to a great warrior," the peacock said. He picked up one of the scrolls. "Now then, let us see what we can accomplish together."

With some help from Shen, Xing had his display ready in time for the festival. The citizens of Gongmen were impressed by the colors and patterns, the whole thing ending the image of a peacock over the tower.

"Xing, you have passed your trial," the King said. "However, I do not believe that you made the display on your own."

Xing bowed his head. "It's true. I had Shen's help in making the display."

"And that is what we were looking for," the Queen said. "It shows true character that you were willing to allow someone to help you." She gave the wolf a sash with the Peacock Royal Family crest on it, along with an amulet emblazoned with a flame.

"With the first task done, the trials of Storming Ox and Master Croc went by easily. Ox had Xing show off his raw strength and endurance by delivering food to an entire village. Croc's trial was of the mind, making the wolf solve a problem of how to get across a lake without touching the water once. Finally, Xing went back to the Jade Palace, where he would face Thundering Rhino's trial."

"So, you have completed the trials of Shifu and my brethren, but now you will face my trial," Rhino said. He pulled out his hammer, letting the head hit the ground with a thunderous crack. "You will face me, Master Thundering Rhino, in combat. Defeat of disarm me, and the final amulet will be yours."

Xing looked down at his amulets, each emblazoned with a flame, a wave of water, and a stone of earth. Looking up at the Rhino, the wolf pulled out his own weapon, ready to fight for his title. Everyone at the Palace was watching, anxious to see how this fight would go down.

"Everyone ready?" Fenghuang said, acting as the referee for the match. "Try not to maim the kid, Thundering. And Xing?" She smirked. "Kick this rhino's but for me."

With that, the match began, starting with Rhino making a big swing and Xing. The wolf yelped and dodged the hammer, lucky that his small size let him move around more than the rhino. Xing took his own swing at Master Rhino, but the blow bounced off of his opponent's tough hide.

"Hah! The Wu Sisters hit harder than that!" Rhino laughed, stomping the ground to trip up Xing.

The wolf recovered from the ground shaking and jumped up, putting his hammer away to grab onto Rhino's back. As the master struggled to grab Xing off, the wolf hopped up onto Rhino's head, grabbing his horn for dear life.

"You can do this Xing!" Shen called out.

It wasn't enough, however, as Thundering Rhino managed to grab the wolf and slam him into the ground.

"Hah, it looks like it'll be lights out for you," Rhino said, holding the wolf down with one hand.

Xing chuckled a bit. "You know, there's one thing about your name that puts you at a disadvantage," he said. "Thunder always comes after the LIGHTNING!"

With that exclamation, Xing's claws surged with lightning, the electricity surging up Rhino and forcing him to let go. When he recovered, Rhino took his stance, ready to fight.

"That little Chi trick is only going to get you so far," Rhino said.

"Or it could land him a win," Fenghuang said. "Xing disarmed you of your hammer. Therefore, he did complete his trial."

Indeed, the lightning made Thundering Rhino drop his hammer, thereby disarming him.

Rhino looked at his empty hand dumbly, before chuckling and going into a full-on laugh.

"Good play, wolf. Knowing to try for the alternative instead of the direct. I would expect such a strategy from a friend of Shen's," Rhino said, patting Xing on the back and knocking him over.

"Yeah, thanks," the wolf said, now lying on the floor. He looked up to see Rhino holding out an amulet, emblazoned with a lightning bold on it. "Thank you, Master Rhino."

[***]

"…After that, Xing was officially dubbed Master Wolf, earning his place in our ranks," Karasu said, ending the story.

"But how can he be a master if he didn't win?" asked a kid in the back.

"Being a master isn't about winning, it's about knowing how to face even the most impossible of odds and overcoming them," the raven explained. "Now then, what story do you want to hear next?"

"How about one with adventure!" a kid shouted.

"No, it should be a funny one!" another kid shouted.

"Okay, how about I tell you all a story of my best friend, Shen, that is both an adventure and is funny?" Karasu offered, picking up another scroll. "Now then, this story takes place back before even I met Shen, back when he was but a boy training to become a prince…"

Author's Note

And that was Xing's journey to become a master! Next time will be Shen's story, so stay tuned as "Secrets of the Tao Go" continues!