Chapter 16 – A Quiet Shift
After leaving the training ground, Ryuga walked the two girls back to their shared dormitory.
The night air was calm, and for once, none of them spoke.
He walked in the middle as usual, but unlike every other night, he did not tease Lingling or provoke Yan Yan.
The silence between the three of them felt strangely heavy, yet not uncomfortable.
When they reached the entrance to the girls' dorm, Ryuga finally stopped.
"Good night, Lingling," he said softly.
After a brief pause, he added, "Good night, Yan Yan."
Lingling nodded quietly.
Yan Yan hesitated for a breath before blurting out, "Good night, Ryuga," and hurried inside with quick steps.
Ryuga did not turn around, but a faint smile curved on his lips as he resumed walking.
Under the moonlight, Lingling noticed that smile before quietly entering the dorm herself, her eyes flickering with emotions she could not yet name.
As soon as Ryuga returned to his room, he went straight into the bath.
Warm water washed away the dried blood and fatigue that clung to his body.
Nearly an hour later, he stepped out feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
He sat cross-legged on his bed and circulated his soul power carefully using the Formless Cultivation Method.
Something felt different inside his body.
There was an unfamiliar flow of energy, subtle but undeniably present.
At first, he suspected it was another external spirit bone, yet there was no change in his physical form.
He activated his Transparent World and focused inward.
What he saw made his breath still.
Just above the frontal region of his brain, a small round bone about an inch in diameter had formed, fused delicately with his skull.
It pulsed faintly with soul power, like a silent guardian layered over his thoughts.
Ryuga stared at it in disbelief.
This kind of soul bone did not match any conventional classification he knew.
After a long moment of examination, he finally gave it a name in his mind.
A brain-type external soul bone.
Still filled with questions, exhaustion soon pulled him into deep sleep.
When Ryuga awoke the next morning, a strange coolness flowed through his mind, as if a breeze passed through his thoughts.
There was no trace of last night's extreme fatigue.
He headed straight to the training ground as usual.
From the very start of physical training, he could feel the improvement clearly.
His body responded to his intentions more smoothly than ever before.
His reactions were sharper, his movements lighter.
Even after three hours of intense physical and soul skill training, his mental energy remained abundant.
The brain soul bone was already demonstrating its passive benefits.
Though no soul skill had yet manifested from it, Ryuga was not concerned.
He knew from experience that such abilities often required several days to stabilize.
After cleaning up, he headed for class.
For the first time in weeks, Ryuga arrived before both girls.
Several minutes later, Lingling and Yan Yan entered together as they always did.
They sat down on either side of him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yet their expressions were different today.
Lingling wore her usual veil, but her calm eyes held traces of shy warmth.
Yan Yan kept her head lowered, fingers lightly gripping the hem of her skirt.
"Good morning, Lingling," Ryuga greeted gently.
Then, without skipping a beat, he added, "Good morning, Yan Yan."
Both girls paused for a fraction of a second.
"Good morning," Lingling replied softly.
"G-good morning, Ryuga," Yan Yan echoed with a hesitant voice.
Class began shortly after.
As usual, Ryuga paid little attention to the lecture and focused instead on the two girls beside him.
But today, something had changed.
"Yan Yan, your dress looks charming today," he said lightly.
Then he turned to Lingling with a smile.
"Your hair looks brighter than yesterday."
Yan Yan stiffened, her face slowly reddening.
Lingling blinked in surprise, her fingers unconsciously tightening on her sleeves.
Ryuga continued as if it were the most natural conversation in the world.
"Your nails look cute today too."
By the time the bell rang, both girls were thoroughly flustered in their own quiet ways.
After class ended, students began dispersing toward their dorms, training fields, or the city.
Ryuga stood up and turned to Lingling.
"Are you training today or heading back to the dorm?"
"I'll be training," she replied after a moment.
"Then after training, come over to my house in the city," Ryuga said casually.
"My mother will be cooking, and tomorrow is the weekend."
Lingling hesitated and instinctively glanced at Yan Yan.
Ryuga caught the look and immediately added, "Yan Yan, you should come too."
Yan Yan's eyes widened for a brief second.
Then a bright smile bloomed on her face.
"I'll come," she said quickly.
"I'll definitely come."
"Good," Ryuga said, pleased.
"Meet me at the academy gate in two hours."
With that, he turned and headed for his exclusive simulated training ground.
His training area was a shadow-dense grove sealed by specialized soul tools.
The thick canopy blocked nearly all sunlight, creating an environment perfect for his cultivation.
Ryuga sat beneath the largest tree, already wearing his Shadow Armour.
Legion rested quietly across his lap as he entered deep meditation.
Soul power cycled endlessly through his core and meridians.
The rhythm of the Formless Cultivation Method grew faster, smoother, more natural.
After one hour, Ryuga opened his eyes in quiet amazement.
He had already completed forty full cycles without noticeable mental strain.
Previously, this would have left him exhausted.
Now, he felt as if he could continue endlessly.
The brain-type soul bone was accelerating his processing ability and recovery far beyond his expectations.
His soul core absorbed and refined energy faster than ever before.
This solved one of his greatest worries — the slowing of cultivation caused by increased soul power quality.
With this new advantage, his growth rate would not only recover but surpass his former pace.
Satisfied, Ryuga continued cultivating until the agreed time arrived.
As he stood and prepared to leave for the academy gate, a rare warmth settled in his chest.
For the first time in a long while, he was genuinely looking forward to a simple evening —
a meal with his mother, and two girls whose presence had quietly begun to change his world.
Written by:- Ashborn_
Edited by:- Chat GPT