The courtyard was just as he remembered. The spiritual energy in the air was potent with a small pond reflecting the moonlight by the side and the bamboo grove swaying in a quiet rhythm.
He sat cross-legged at the center of the courtyard.
It was time.
For months which was years in Ascendant Realms, Victor had trained, fought, refined, and learned.
Yet no matter how deeply he cultivated within Ascendant Realms, he had always noticed one thing: he couldn't do the same in reality.
Until now.
He took a slow breath and qi began to flow through his meridians, spiraling and compressing.
His dantian throbbed incessantly and suddenly, something clicked.
A connection.
His consciousness seemed to stretch, tethered between worlds. For the first time, he felt the faint sensation of energy moving within his real body...
The body that was laid underneath a cone of ice in the real world. This had never happened before.
His eyes snapped open.
"This— this is real."
