— THE FIRST TRACES OF POWER
The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Li Wei stepped lightly along the riverbank, eyes scanning the water as if expecting it to move again.
He did not need to look long.
A small ripple formed on the surface without wind, twisting in delicate spirals. His heartbeat quickened as a warm pulse in his chest mirrored the movement.
Spirit Seed… it's waking, he thought, though he didn't fully understand what it meant.
---
Early Spirit Seed Awakening
Li Wei raised his hands, cupping more water. The liquid responded subtly, forming arcs and droplets that hovered briefly before falling. It was weak, barely noticeable, but undeniable.
The first flickers of his Early Spirit Seed level had begun.
Small stones nudged underfoot.
Leaves quivered with his motion.
Insects paused mid-flight, as if sensing him.
He tested again, this time moving deliberately. The ripples grew slightly larger. He gasped, realizing he could affect his surroundings without touching them—though only faintly.
---
The Wolf's Silent Watch
A rustle from the forest drew his gaze. The Silverflame Dire Wolf stepped into view, eyes glowing softly in the morning light.
It did not approach. Instead, it observed, tilting its head as if studying the boy.
Li Wei's chest tightened. The warmth pulsing in him seemed to respond to the wolf's gaze, stronger and more vivid than before.
He realized that the wolf was not an ordinary creature. Its presence stirred something ancient, unseen, and untouchable—a fragment of something far beyond mortal comprehension.
---
Hints of Veinforge
As he practiced along the riverbank, a strange sensation surged through his body. His fingers tingled, and for an instant, the world seemed to pause, as though acknowledging him.
It was fleeting, almost imperceptible—but it hinted at the next stage: Veinforge.
Li Wei did not understand it yet, but the pulse told him that his power was starting to condense inside him, preparing for growth beyond the early stirrings of Spirit Seed.
---
A Whisper from the Upper Realms
A faint wind brushed through the forest, carrying with it a voice—soft, echoing, almost a dream:
> "Beyond this path lies the Upper Realm. Immortals, unseen by mortal eyes, shape the flow of the world. Step carefully, for those who reach it are no longer as they were."
Li Wei shivered, though he did not know what the words truly meant. He only knew that the world was larger, stranger, and more dangerous than he had ever imagined.
---
A Lesson in Observation
He sat by the river, breathing deeply, letting the warmth pulse in his chest. He had survived small tests today: the rippling water, the hovering leaves, the wolf's watchful eyes.
Patience, Elder Yun's words echoed in his mind. Patience, and careful observation.
The path ahead was long. The first traces of Spirit Seed were just the beginning.
And somewhere, unseen, the fragment of Riyam pulsed faintly, guiding, observing, but utterly unknowable.
The boy did not yet understand the forces at play—but he could feel that his life was changing forever.