— THE FIRST TEST OF STRENGTH
The sun had barely risen over Willowmist Village when Li Wei ventured toward the forest edge. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine, and the distant murmur of the river echoed softly.
He had been restless all night, thoughts looping over the strange events of the past days—the river rippling on its own, leaves dancing at his slightest movement, and the wolf that had appeared with uncanny intelligence.
He walked carefully, trying to ignore the tremor of anticipation that ran through his chest. A faint warmth pulsed from within, subtle but persistent, reminding him that he was no longer entirely ordinary.
What is happening to me? he wondered. Why does the world feel… different?
---
A Sudden Encounter
As he neared a clearing where the forest opened to a small meadow, a low growl cut through the morning calm. Li Wei froze, his senses sharpening instinctively.
From the shadows, a wild Dire Boar burst into view. Its tusks glinted in the sunlight, eyes intelligent and predatory, muscles rippling under dark bristled fur. The creature charged without hesitation.
Li Wei's heart raced. He had never faced anything like this before. He stumbled backward, hitting a tree trunk, and felt the warmth in his chest flare faintly.
The boar's hooves kicked up dirt, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow. Leaves shivered, pebbles shifted slightly, and the faintest vibration of air circled him, almost as if the forest itself held its breath.
Spirit Seed… he whispered. The word tasted strange on his tongue, unfamiliar, yet it resonated with the warmth inside.
---
The Struggle Begins
The boar swung its massive tusks. Li Wei ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air brush his hair. He grabbed a fallen branch and swung it clumsily, the wood barely grazing the creature's flank. The boar snorted, seemingly amused, before lunging again.
Every step he took, the ground beneath him shifted imperceptibly. A small pebble rolled to the side, giving him a fraction of extra space. A leaf swirled across the clearing, distracting the boar for a heartbeat.
It's helping… he thought. The Spirit Seed's influence was subtle, weak, but undeniable.
He swung again, this time more deliberately. The branch connected lightly, and the boar recoiled, startled—not from pain, but from the unexpected interference. Li Wei realized he could interact with the environment, though the effect was clumsy and inconsistent.
---
A Dance of Instinct and Survival
The boar charged once more, tusks aiming for his midsection. Li Wei rolled to the side, tripping over a root but catching himself. A small pulse of warmth surged in his chest, causing a ripple in the nearby river. Water leapt in tiny arcs toward him, just enough to distract the boar for a split second.
He scrambled to his feet, breath ragged. His arms trembled from the effort.
This is… dangerous, he thought. I can't control it fully yet.
The creature's eyes glimmered with awareness. It seemed to understand his inexperience, yet it pressed the attack relentlessly. Each movement of Li Wei was met with a near miss, each dodge sharpened by instinct and a subtle pulse from within.
The Spirit Seed was still faint, still only Early Level, but even this small stir of energy had begun to influence reality—stones rolling underfoot, leaves twirling at his gestures, the river nudging subtly against his palms.
---
The Wolf's Silent Watch
From the treeline, the Silverflame Dire Wolf observed silently. Its tail flicked deliberately, eyes fixed on the boy. Every movement Li Wei made seemed to resonate with the wolf, as though it were reading the pulses of his Spirit Seed.
Li Wei felt an odd mixture of fear and reassurance. The wolf was not a friend, yet it was not a threat. Its presence was a constant reminder: patience and observation were just as important as raw strength.
I have to learn… I have to survive, Li Wei thought, the warmth in his chest guiding him instinctively through the chaos of the fight.
---
A Glimmer of Control
With a deep breath, Li Wei tried to focus on the river again. Water leapt slightly in response, forming a small arc that landed near the boar's hooves. The creature tripped, stumbled, and skidded into the underbrush, letting out a frustrated snort before disappearing into the forest.
Li Wei fell to his knees, gasping for air. The warmth inside him thrummed faintly, a reminder that his Spirit Seed was awakening, though far from fully formed.
He touched the river gently, feeling the water respond as if alive. The effect was fleeting but undeniable. He had survived his first real test—not through strength, but through instinct, observation, and a subtle stir of power he barely understood.
---
Village Whispers
When Li Wei returned home, the villagers noticed small disturbances:
Stones rolling slightly on their own.
Leaves twirling in impossible patterns.
Ripples forming in puddles without wind.
Rumors spread quickly. Some whispered of spirits, others of curses, and a few simply avoided the forest. No one suspected Li Wei, yet the change in the air around him was becoming increasingly noticeable.
Elder Yun's gaze lingered longer than usual. He said nothing, but the boy felt the weight of unspoken understanding.
> "Mortal → Spirit Seed → Veinforge → Coreglow… Beyond them lie the Upper Realms. Those who reach them are no longer as they were," the elder's words echoed in Li Wei's mind.
The Upper Realms were still shrouded in mystery—untouchable, unseen, and feared by mortals. Even whispers of them seemed like distant echoes.
---
A Night of Reflection
That night, Li Wei lay awake on his mat, the warmth in his chest pulsing faintly. The wolf's howl echoed from the forest, long and deliberate. Somewhere, unseen, the fragment of Riyam stirred, silent and unknowable, guiding him without revealing itself.
Li Wei closed his eyes, letting the memory of the day sink in. Stones had rolled underfoot, leaves had swirled, water had responded. He had survived—not by strength alone, but by noticing, adapting, and letting the faint stirrings of his Spirit Seed guide him.
The world was changing around him.
And he was beginning to respond.
The path ahead was long, fraught with danger and uncertainty. But one thing was clear:
The first steps of his destiny had been taken.