The Imoogi circled once, its massive wings stirring the clouds and waves alike. As it rose, the surrounding qi began to ripple unnaturally—streams of invisible energy flowed from the sea and air into its scaly body, like mist being sucked into a vortex. The air buzzed with tension, the smell of salt now mingling with something ancient—like burnt metal and ozone.
Rai stood near the bow of the ship, still staring at the beast like it was a firework show made just for him, unaware of the heavenly energy being sucked into the creature.
"It's absorbing the qi," the captain said, stepping up beside Rai. "This one has the water attribute. Most likely, it's preparing to ascend—transform into a true water dragon."
Rai's eyes sparkled. "So... it's evolving?"
"Yes," the captain said gravely. "But it's at its weakest right now. The transformation is always the most vulnerable moment."
Before Rai could respond, a high whistle echoed across the sky. Figures zipped through the air on flying swords and clouds—five cultivators in sect robes, surrounding the rising Imoogi.
"How dare a beast try to steal qi from our sect's domain!" one of them shouted.
Another drew a blade glowing with runes. "This is sacred sky! Be gone, or be slaughtered!"
The Imoogi let out a confused, almost mournful cry.
Then the cultivators attacked.
Two of the cultivators shot forward, swords drawn—glinting with spirit light and runes etched along the blades. They slashed in tandem, leaving arcs of energy that sliced deep into the Imoogi's flanks. The serpent roared, thrashing violently as blood sprayed across the sky.
At the same time, two others raised their palms, summoning glowing sigils mid-air. Threads of spiritual energy erupted from their hands, forming chains of water and lightning that wrapped around the creature's wings and jaws, restricting its movement mid-flight.
Hovering farther back, the fifth cultivator remained calm, his hands weaving patterns across a floating formation disk. With each rotation, the bindings tightened and a faint humming filled the air—an ancient formation sealing technique, suppressing the Imoogi's qi.
The beast shrieked, helpless.
Then came the finishing blow. The sword-wielders plunged downward like comets, their blades piercing the creature's chest and spine. The Imoogi convulsed once—then fell limp.
Its enormous body shattered the waves as it crashed into the ocean, blood mixing with foam. Rai's eyes widened, his heart thudding. The majestic serpent—moments from ascension—slain without mercy.
He stood frozen, stunned.
The captain didn't look away. "That's what it means to be a cultivator. If you don't step over others to move forward... someone will do it to you."
Rai clenched his fists, silent.
"Does he even know what that thing is?" one crew member whispered.
"He'll learn soon enough," muttered another, tightening the grip on his harpoon.
The captain stepped forward, his cloak whipping in the wind. "All hands—do not engage. It's not here to fight. Yet."
The Imoogi let out a shrill, bone-shaking cry, then dived into the water again with an explosive splash that rocked the entire ship. Everyone grabbed something—ropes, rails, each other—as the deck tilted sharply. Rai stumbled and hit the wood with a grunt, still grinning.
But as the creature's massive body crashed back into the sea, one of its talons scraped violently against the hull. A sharp screech echoed beneath the ship—and then, a loud popping sound.
Water began leaking in below.
Within seconds, the ship tilted slightly again, this time from weight imbalance. Panic shot through the crew.
"We're sinking?!"
"Something came off from below!"
Rai, hearing the chaos, rushed to the edge and looked down. "You guys are overreacting. Maybe something just came loose. You can just put it back in its place, y'know?"
His words froze the crew.
A silence fell. A few of them visibly paled.
It was almost like they were... afraid of the water.
Before anyone could stop him, Rai jumped overboard with a splash.
"KID!" the captain barked, running to the edge.
Rai swam downward through the murky water. Near the bottom of the hull, he saw it—a round, metal plug had been knocked loose from a sealed socket. Grabbing it, he shoved it back in with effort.
Just as he turned to swim back, a faint glow caught his eye.
A trail of blood from the Imoogi floated nearby—still shimmering faintly with energy.
Curious, Rai reached out.
"DON'T TOUCH THAT, KID!" the captain's voice thundered from above.
Rai froze. Then, retracting his hand quickly, he swam back up and climbed aboard.
Before he could ask, the captain explained, voice firm. "To absorb the blood of a beast, especially one that strong, you need to be at least at the Foundation Realm. Your body has to adapt to its energy. If not—it'll tear you apart."
Rai blinked, confused. "Foundation... what now?"
The captain sighed, glancing around to make sure the crew had stabilized the ship. Then he looked at Rai. "Let me explain. There are nine realms a mortal must climb to become an immortal. You're not even on the first step yet."
"The first is Qi Condensation—it's where you learn to absorb and circulate qi through your body. Without it, you're just swinging your fists like a mortal."
"Next is Foundation Establishment—where your body forms a stable core of energy, giving you the strength, endurance, and spirit to step beyond human limits."
He paused, watching Rai's face.
"After that come the realms of Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Spirit Severing, and Dao Integration. But let's not worry about those just yet."
A long silence followed.
The captain's eyes suddenly caught a drop of blood trickling down Rai's hand. "Hey, kid, what's this?" he asked, voice sharp.
Rai glanced down, shrugged like it was no big deal. "Must've scratched myself underwater. Didn't really think about it."
The captain narrowed his eyes but said nothing more. "Be careful with beast blood," he muttered, then stalked back to his cabin.
Rai just shook his head and turned back to the crew.
The sailors were still buzzing from the chaos. When they saw Rai, their faces lit up like he was some kind of miracle worker.
"Man, you seriously saved us back there!" one grinned, slapping Rai on the back so hard he nearly stumbled. "If you hadn't jumped in, we'd be fish food!"
Rai struck a ridiculous pose, chest puffed out, arms wide. "Ha! No need to thank me! That was easier than breathing!" His grin was so wide it could split his face.
The crew burst into laughter.
One of the older sailors shook his head with a smirk. "You're crazy, kid. Jumping into sea water like it's a swimming pool."
Rai's eyes flicked between them, curious. "Yeah, but seriously—why were you all so scared to go into the water? It's just water, right?"
The crew exchanged uneasy looks. A few sighed.
"It's not that we're hiding anything from you," said one, rubbing his chin. "But your soul? It's not strong enough to handle the truth yet. That's why we haven't even told you our real names."
Rai felt a chill run down his spine. "Wait... not strong enough to know what?"
The men glanced at each other awkwardly, like they didn't want to say more. Then one of them laughed and clapped the first guy on the back.
"Forget that guy," he said with a grin. "Tonight's a feast for Rai—the hero who saved our sorry hides!"
More laughter echoed through the deck.
Rai couldn't help but grin wider. "Alright then! I'm holding you to that feast!" He pumped his fists in the air.
The crew cheered and raised their mugs.
As the noise died down, Rai's gaze drifted back to the dark water beneath the ship. Somewhere below, the faint shimmer of the Imoogi's blood still floated. That strange energy was like a whisper pulling at him, promising secrets he wasn't ready for.