The morning sun filtered through the towering walls of the Sea of Stars Sect, casting long shadows across the jade courtyard. The world seemed serene, almost indifferent, yet for Li Shen, it was heavy with silent whispers, judgmental glances, and the echo of betrayal.
He sat on the stone edge of the training grounds, black hair falling across his face, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. The events of the past days—the humiliating spirit root testing, Zhao Feng's mockery, Mei Lin's conflicted expression, and the subtle betrayals of so-called friends—swirled in his mind like a storm.
"Was all my effort wasted?" he thought bitterly. "Two years of training… two years of dreams… for nothing?"
Li Shen's hands clenched around his knees as he remembered the whispers of the courtyard: rootless trash… weakling… unworthy of the sect. The sting of humiliation burned deeper than any physical wound.
Yet, amidst the haze of despair, a single thought pierced through, as sharp and persistent as a blade:
"I must live. I must grow stronger. Mother is counting on me."
The memory of her warm smile, of her hands holding his before he left home, gave him a strange sense of solace. Her faith in him could not be betrayed—not by others, and not by himself.
As Li Shen walked across the courtyard, the whispers resumed, more pointed this time. Disciples sidestepped him as if mere proximity could tarnish their futures.
"Don't get too close," a girl hissed. "He'll bring you bad luck."
"Did you see his hands? No aura at all," another boy whispered, shaking his head.
Zhao Feng's violet gaze lingered on him, smoldering with prideful contempt. He didn't need to speak; his superiority was clear to all. Even Mei Lin lingered at a distance, torn between concern and the invisible chains of social pressure.
Li Shen felt a chill creep up his spine. He realized with stark clarity that he could rely on no one—not peers, not teachers, not even the friends he had once trusted.
"If I am to survive… if I am to rise… I must depend only on myself," he vowed.
The choice came naturally. He would retreat to a secluded area of the sect—the bamboo groves at the edge of the outer training grounds. There, hidden from prying eyes, he could explore the faint pulse of his Sea of Ocean, the whisper of the dragon that had begun speaking to him in secret.
Li Shen knelt, closing his eyes, letting his breath steady. The wind rustled the bamboo leaves overhead, a soothing sound, yet beneath it, a faint vibration in his Sea of Ocean stirred—a subtle pulse, almost imperceptible, but undeniably there.
"Patience…" the whisper seemed to murmur. "Focus… one step at a time."
He placed his palms together, imagining the layers of his sealed spirit root, feeling them like dormant locks waiting to be opened. The sensation was faint at first, a soft tremor beneath his chest, but it promised power.
Minutes passed, then hours. Li Shen experimented with channeling energy through his Sea of Ocean, moving it in small circles, attempting to coax even the slightest reaction. The results were minimal, yet each flicker of energy brought hope.
A brief ripple shimmered across his palms. A small gust of wind lifted the bamboo leaves nearby. His heart leapt.
"This is only the beginning," he whispered to himself, a spark of excitement lighting his otherwise somber eyes.
The dragon's faint guidance persisted, nudging him toward concentration, teaching him patience. Each attempt demanded focus, but each small success strengthened both body and mind.
Even in solitude, the weight of betrayal pressed on him. Loneliness gnawed at his heart. The memory of Zhao Feng's scorn, of peers laughing at him, of Mei Lin's conflicted glance—it all returned in relentless waves.
"Will I ever be strong enough to surpass him?" he wondered. "To prove that I am worthy? To protect my mother?"
Tears threatened, but Li Shen swallowed them. He could not afford weakness, not yet. Each drop of sorrow, each pang of despair, would fuel his resolve.
"I will rise," he promised himself. "No matter how long it takes, no matter how many betrayals I endure. I will unlock the layers of my power. I will never be powerless again."
The bamboo grove was bathed in soft, dappled sunlight, yet the shadows that lingered seemed alive, watching, whispering. Li Shen knelt on the earthen floor, hands tracing intricate patterns in the air. His eyes were closed, but in his mind, the world had narrowed to a single point—the faint pulse deep within his Sea of Ocean.
He focused on the sensation, letting it grow, letting it speak. The faint whisper of the dragon swirled in his consciousness, guiding him.
"Do not rush. Step by step, layer by layer. Your path is long, but your will is stronger."
Li Shen's fingers trembled slightly. He drew the energy from his surroundings, the faint qi in the bamboo, the soft breeze, the subtle hum of life around him. It all fed into the Sea of Ocean, gently coaxing the first ripple of movement.
For the first time, Li Shen consciously listened to the dragon. Its whispers were faint but coherent, almost like a teacher's instructions:
"Channel your emotions, your despair, your anger. Let them fuel the current, not poison it. Focus on the pulse… the first layer will respond to determination."
Li Shen took a deep breath. The betrayals, the humiliation, the isolation—all of it surged within him. Normally, such feelings would weigh him down, but under the dragon's guidance, they became tools—fuel for awakening the first layer.
His Sea of Ocean began to stir. Faint waves of translucent light shimmered beneath his skin, like ripples across a hidden pond. A low hum resonated in his chest. He felt the first stirrings of something powerful, something ancient, locked deep within him.
Li Shen lifted his hands, palms facing each other, and imagined a sphere of energy forming between them. It wavered at first, barely visible, but he persisted, drawing from every ounce of focus.
A faint glow emerged—pale, almost ethereal. He felt it pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat, growing stronger with each deliberate breath.
He could sense the first layer's boundary—like a wall, fragile yet unyielding, hiding immense potential beyond. Small cracks of light appeared along its surface as he continued to channel the energy.
"Yes… this is it," he whispered. His pulse quickened. "The first step."
The grove around him responded subtly. Bamboo leaves trembled though no wind blew. A small flock of birds scattered, startled by an invisible disturbance in the air. Even the sunlight seemed to flicker as if acknowledging the awakening within Li Shen.
Though small, this was his first taste of real, tangible power.
With each moment of success, Li Shen's resolve solidified. He understood now that power was not simply granted by birth or favor—it was earned, painstakingly, layer by layer.
His thoughts turned to Zhao Feng, to Mei Lin, and to every disciple who had laughed or mocked him. No longer would he let their words define his worth. His strength would speak for itself.
"I will surpass all of you," he vowed silently. "I will protect my mother, and I will carve my own path."
The dragon's whisper carried approval, subtle but unmistakable.
"Good… you have taken the first step. But patience, young one. Much lies ahead."
As the day wore on, Li Shen continued his meditation and subtle training, careful not to draw attention. The small successes with his Sea of Ocean strengthened not only his body but his mind.
He could sense the first layer responding to his intent, its dormant energy now faintly alive. Though not fully awakened, it had acknowledged his presence.
A small shimmer, barely noticeable, floated around his chest. The faint pulse felt like a heartbeat—his heartbeat, yet somehow older, stronger, and far more ancient.
Li Shen knew that this was only the beginning. Many layers remained, each more challenging than the last. But for the first time, he felt a spark of hope. He could feel the faint heartbeat of the power that had been sealed within him since birth.
As dusk approached, Li Shen rose from his meditation, sweat and dust coating his skin. His robes were worn, and his muscles ached, but his eyes glimmered with a quiet fire.
"Tomorrow, I will go further," he whispered. "No distraction, no fear, no hesitation. I will not fail again."
The wind rustled the bamboo, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible echo of the dragon's voice:
"Step by step… layer by layer… your path has begun."
And with that, Li Shen disappeared into the shadows of the grove, leaving the courtyard and its petty rivalries far behind. The journey ahead would be long, grueling, and full of unseen dangers—but he was ready.