The first rays of dawn brushed over the outer courtyard of the Sea of Stars Sect, casting long, pale shadows across the bamboo-lined paths. Li Shen sat cross-legged on the wooden floor of his modest room, a space assigned to the newly tested disciples who had entered the sect two years ago. Here, the air was thick with the scent of pine, dust, and the faint, lingering aroma of incense from the main halls. Though the world outside stirred to life, a heavy silence filled his room—a silence he welcomed.
The events of the past days lingered in his mind, sharp and vivid. Humiliation during the Spirit Root testing, Zhao Feng's mocking laughter echoing in the courtyard, and Mei Lin's conflicted, almost sorrowful gaze haunted him still. But beneath the lingering pain, a subtle pulse had begun to stir—a faint, almost imperceptible vibration within his Sea of Ocean.
Li Shen's eyes narrowed, fingers flexing in concentration. "Could it… be?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. The heat in his right palm and the grounding weight in his left were unlike anything he had felt before. They were small, tentative, but unmistakable—the stirrings of potential.
"Good, Shen'er," a voice echoed in his mind, calm, resonant, and ancient. "You feel it. The fire and earth respond to your will, but they are still nascent. Patience. You cannot force them."
Li Shen's heart skipped a beat. The voice was familiar now—the Azure Dragon, the entity that had been speaking to him since Chapter 15. Though unseen, it guided him through every subtle flicker of energy within his Sea of Ocean, nudging him toward growth he had never imagined possible.
He inhaled deeply, centering himself. Each breath carried the weight of the day, each heartbeat measured in deliberate rhythm. Fire coiled in his right hand, heat crawling across his skin. Earth hummed beneath his left, dense, steady, unyielding. Slowly, he tried to merge them—not to overwhelm, but to harmonize, coaxing each into balance.
A faint ripple danced along the floorboards, barely perceptible, but Li Shen felt it. The bamboo outside swayed in a soft, responsive breeze, and he realized the energy he cultivated extended beyond his body, touching the very world around him.
"Good," the dragon's voice continued. "Do not underestimate this moment. Even the smallest flicker is a seed. Tend it carefully."
Li Shen's thoughts drifted briefly to his mother in the distant village. Her sacrifices, her quiet pride, and the way she had nurtured his dream of entering the Sea of Stars Sect fueled his resolve. "I cannot fail… not for her," he murmured, a spark of warmth igniting within him.
But even as he focused on growth, his thoughts wandered involuntarily to Mei Lin. Her eyes had betrayed hesitation, regret, or perhaps confusion—but she had turned away. Could she still care? Or had Zhao Feng's influence already driven a wedge between them? The question tugged at his heart, intertwining with his training, reminding him that strength alone was not enough; clarity of mind was just as vital.
A soft knock at the door startled him. Li Shen opened his eyes to see a girl standing in the doorway, delicate and composed, yet with a subtle determination in her emerald eyes.
"Li Shen," she said quietly. "I… heard about the ceremony. Are you alright?"
It was Xian Yue, a disciple from the outer courtyard, known for her quiet perseverance. She did not sneer, mock, or avoid him. She had come voluntarily, drawn by curiosity—or perhaps something gentler, admiration.
"I… I'm fine," Li Shen said, his voice tight. "Just… training."
Her lips curved into a faint, understanding smile. "I want to help you. I know what it's like to be underestimated."
For a moment, he hesitated. His heart remained tied to Mei Lin, but the sincerity in Xian Yue's eyes was disarming. "I appreciate it… but this is something I must do alone," he replied, though a tinge of doubt colored his words.
"I'll be around," she whispered. "If you ever need guidance… or company… I'm here."
And with that, she retreated, leaving Li Shen alone once more. But her presence lingered—not intrusively, but like a gentle wind reminding him that he was not entirely without allies.
Returning to his meditation, Li Shen felt the dragon's pulse more clearly. Tiny sparks of fire leapt in his right palm, trembling and warm. Earth beneath his left hummed, steady and heavy. He attempted again to merge them, focusing not on mastery, but on balance, emotion, and flow. Each time, the energies flared briefly before settling, refusing to be dominated or suppressed.
Days passed in this rhythm. He trained quietly in the outer courtyard and ventured into the nearby mountains, seeking rare herbs and minerals—small treasures that the dragon hinted might one day aid in the awakening of the first layer. He practiced swordsmanship with improvised wooden blades and experimented with minor alchemy techniques he had glimpsed in the Sect's records.
Each exercise pushed his mind, body, and Sea of Ocean to the limits. The dragon orchestrated subtle trials: illusions of fire and earth that shifted unpredictably, forcing Li Shen to stabilize his elemental control. Small gusts of wind and tremors of earth tested his balance and reaction time. Shadows of beasts flickered at the edge of his perception, foreshadowing his eventual summoning abilities.
Through it all, his heart remained a battleground. Zhao Feng's violet-tier prowess drew admiration and envy alike, and each fleeting glance from Mei Lin stirred longing and unresolved feelings. Xian Yue's gentle attentions were like soft currents brushing against him—comforting, but not overwhelming.
"My heart belongs to Mei Lin," Li Shen murmured one evening, seated atop a mossy boulder in the mountains, watching the sun dip behind distant peaks. Yet the dragon's voice reminded him, gentle but firm:
"Affection is a strength when balanced, not a weakness. Do not let attachment blind you, but neither suppress it entirely."
Small nodes of elemental energy flickered within his Sea of Ocean as he processed the advice. Each pulse resonated with emotion—anger sharpened fire, calm strengthened earth, loyalty guided both. Slowly, deliberately, he began to understand that emotional control and elemental mastery were intertwined.
The evening deepened, shadows stretching across the bamboo grove. Li Shen, exhausted but resolute, sat cross-legged, palms hovering above the ground. A faint, promising pulse stirred within him—a whisper of the power the first layer would one day grant.
"Soon," the dragon murmured. "Not yet, but soon. Continue to prepare. Every trial you endure now will shape the moment when your Sea of Ocean awakens."
Li Shen clenched his fists. His path remained uncertain, the challenges ahead formidable, and his heart still entangled in the affairs of Mei Lin and Xian Yue. Yet one truth burned within him: he would grow strong. He would awaken his first layer. He would forge his place in the Sea of Stars Sect—not merely for himself, but for those he loved, and those he vowed to protect.
The next morning, the outer courtyard buzzed with the usual energy—disciples moving through their routines, practicing basic cultivation, and whispering about the results of the Spirit Root ceremony. Li Shen, however, slipped quietly past the clamor, his attention focused inward. His Sea of Ocean had begun to respond more actively now, tiny currents of fire and earth intertwining, swirling in cautious harmony.
The dragon's voice sounded again, firm yet calm:
"Today, we test endurance. You must push past fatigue. Let the elements flow naturally, do not force them."
Li Shen nodded, retreating to a secluded corner near the bamboo grove. The morning light filtered through the swaying leaves, scattering patterns across the floor. He settled cross-legged, inhaling sharply, centering his mind and body. The faint pulse in his Sea of Ocean intensified, a reminder that progress demanded persistence and focus.
Minutes stretched into hours as he experimented with combining fire and earth. The heat of fire tickled his right hand, while the earth's weight grounded his left, merging into small, flickering threads that danced within his consciousness. Yet as he pushed harder, the currents often flared uncontrollably, forcing him to retract and breathe deeply.
"Balance, Shen'er. Control without suppression," the dragon whispered. "When your emotions surge, the elements respond. You must master yourself first."
Li Shen's thoughts inevitably wandered to Mei Lin. Her hesitation during the ceremony, her conflicted gaze—he could not shake the memory of her eyes. But he reminded himself: strength must come first. Affection could guide him, but it could not bind him.
The quiet was broken by the rustle of leaves. A sudden clatter—stones rolling underfoot—alerted him. Li Shen opened his eyes to see a group of disciples practicing nearby, led by a particularly arrogant boy who had always ridiculed him. They had wandered into his training area.
"Look who it is," the boy sneered. "The rootless trash, hiding like a coward again?"
Li Shen clenched his fists but remained seated, focusing inward. His Sea of Ocean reacted instinctively. Small, controlled sparks of fire leapt from his right hand; the earth beneath his left hand shivered subtly, stabilizing his balance. He did not attack, did not strike. Yet the aura he emitted was enough to make the intruders hesitate, a faint recognition of strength they could not yet comprehend.
Xian Yue appeared at the edge of the grove, silent and calm, observing the encounter. Her presence was reassuring, a quiet affirmation that he was not entirely alone.
"Let them come closer," the dragon whispered. "Do not retaliate recklessly. Control is your weapon today."
Minutes later, the group of disciples left, murmuring amongst themselves, uncertain. Li Shen exhaled slowly, tension draining from his shoulders. The dragon's voice filled his mind with quiet pride.
"See? Discipline and focus are more powerful than brute force. Every moment you maintain control strengthens your first layer. Remember this lesson."
The day stretched on, filled with exercises that combined meditation, minor alchemy, and elemental control. Li Shen experimented with small charms, refining their cores with his nascent fire and earth energies, while subtly observing the world around him. The dragon taught him to sense hidden energies, minor ley currents in the courtyard, and the faint resonance of rare minerals buried beneath the soil.
As evening approached, Li Shen ventured toward the mountains beyond the outer courtyard. Here, the dragon encouraged him to gather herbs known to stimulate elemental growth. Some were common, others rare, hidden in cracks, shadows, and sunlit ledges. Each discovery was a triumph—a small victory that built his confidence and understanding of the elements.
While climbing a steep trail, Li Shen paused, feeling the soft pulse of the Sea of Ocean respond to his surroundings. Tiny sparks of fire and tremors of earth danced in rhythm, guiding him toward a patch of silvery moss that glimmered faintly. Carefully, he collected it, mindful not to disturb the flow of energy.
Returning to the outer courtyard, Li Shen settled again beneath the bamboo grove, arranging the herbs before him. Even without alchemy, the dragon encouraged him to sense their latent energy, visualizing the way they might amplify his fire and earth elements once the first layer awakened.
Xian Yue appeared again, offering a quiet smile and a few words of encouragement. "You're improving every day. Soon, everyone will notice."
Li Shen nodded silently, though his heart remained tethered to Mei Lin. He knew admiration or recognition from others was secondary; true power required discipline, control, and unwavering determination.
As night fell, the courtyard quieted. Stars emerged above, twinkling faintly over the sect. Li Shen remained in meditation, feeling the dragon's presence guiding him. Each flicker of fire, each tremor of earth, each heartbeat was a reminder: the first layer's awakening approached, but it would come only when his body, mind, and Sea of Ocean were in perfect harmony.
The dragon's whisper lingered:
"Patience, Shen'er. All trials now are preparation. Every step, every failure, every fleeting emotion strengthens the foundation for what is to come. Soon, you will stand not as a rootless disciple, but as one worthy of legend."
Li Shen clenched his fists, eyes closed, chest rising and falling with steady breath. His path remained long, arduous, and uncertain. Mei Lin's presence haunted his thoughts, Xian Yue's quiet support reminded him of companionship, and the challenges of the outer courtyard tested his resolve. Yet he would endure. He would grow. And one day, the first layer of his Sea of Ocean would awaken, setting him on a path that none could ignore.