On the Way to the Academy
The skyship cut through high-altitude clouds, its sails powered by refined Shadow Snake core Qi. Feng Jian stretched in his small cabin, recalling Mark's words: the dual shadow daggers he carried were of low grade—pure luck in acquisition, since most monster cores yield only natural Qi suitable for cultivation or powering machinery.
Mark entered, steel grinning beneath his sun-worn cap. "We'll need better gear," he declared. "My birthplace to the far west has master craftsmen. A change of scenery will sharpen your edge."
They descended through monster zones and half-forgotten towns, stopping at every settlement. At each forge, Jian challenged Mark to spar. Despite his growing skill, he never won—not even once.
After a particularly spirited duel beneath a crimson sunset, Mark landed a decisive strike. Jian's Qi erupted, then vanished, and he slumped unconscious. Gently, Mark carried him aboard and tucked him into bed. "Kid's crazy," Mark muttered as he adjusted the daggers in the rack. "Using shadows to slip between strikes, then switching to Wind Dragon Art like it's second nature. Lady Lisa's protégé is one wild battle demon."
Dream of the Shadow Snake
In sleep, Jian's mind drifted into darkness. There, the Shadow Snake materialized atop a lake of black Qi, its red eyes burning with hatred. Jian met its gaze calmly—until a childlike, angry voice echoed:
"You are far too weak."
Then all went dark. Jian awoke with a gasp, the echoes of that stern reprimand ringing in his ears.
Moments later, he remembered Mark's warning from days before: "Don't get ahead of yourself. Remember, your greatest tool is restraint."
Humbled, Jian sought Mark out. He bowed deeply. "Master, I am sorry."
Mark's stern façade melted into understanding. He placed a hand on Jian's shoulder and smiled.
Forging New Strength
Over the next ten days, Jian immersed himself in meditation. He replayed every past battle, seeking harmony between Wind Qi, the Dark Element, and natural Qi. He even practiced an ability gleaned from the Shadow Snake—the art of heat-sensing. Yet it lacked precision, so he asked Mark to bind his sight and hearing during training.
Mark laughed wholeheartedly at the unusual request but complied. Blind and deaf, Jian learned to cloak his entire body in natural Qi, refine it into Wind Qi, and sense the tiniest disturbances in the air. He fought phantom opponents in darkness, each strike guided by pure perception.
Arrival at Iron Fall City
Thirty days after leaving his home—ten days longer than a direct flight—Jian and Mark arrived at Iron Fall City. Beyond its towering iron gates lay the ancestral halls of the Steel Family, Mark's kin.
Servants in gleaming uniforms lined the grand plaza as the ship landed. Mark clapped Jian on the back. "Welcome home," he said. "Let's secure your new weapons before the Academy trials begin."
As they entered the forge-lit city, Jian felt a new resolve. His journey to mastery was only beginning—and the next chapter awaited in Academy City.