Cloudpierce Pavilion had never been so quiet.
The mountain wind carried no birdsong.No disciple training.No laughter.No ringing steel.
Only the soft hum of Jin Wei's new runic coreand the distant pulse of prismatic flame from the training sphere.
The world felt like it was inhaling before the storm.
Inside the pavilion courtyard, the elders gathered around the glowing sphere of Drakonix's bloodline realm, watching its swirling colours with awe and dread.
"Three hours…" Elder Lu whispered, clutching his robes. "He has been inside for nearly three hours."
The Pavilion Master nodded slowly."For Shan Wei, three hours inside a dragon's bloodline realm… could be days."
Qi Longye leaned heavily against his cane, face pale.
"But when he emerges… he will no longer be the boy who climbed our steps."
Lightning flickered across the sky.Not natural lightning—Lan Qingyue pacing.
She walked the perimeter with restless energy, spear humming at her back.
"He said nine days," she muttered."The Calamity Heir gave him nine days. And we're wasting three of them."
"Impatience," Xueya said coolly, "is a weakness."
Qingyue bristled."So is standing still."
Xueya didn't rise to the bait.
Qingyue scowled.
Lan Qingyue said nothing—but the twitch in her fingers revealed her own anxiety.
They all waited.
And Cloudpierce seemed to hold its breath.
Inside the Drakonix Trial Realm
Qi Shan Wei stood on an island made of light.
Every motion of his body resonated with Drakonix's flame.
Sweat dripped down his back.His robes burned away hours ago, reforged repeatedly by Drakonix's instinctive realm-energy.
Opposite him, Drakonix—larger, brighter, sharper—watched with blazing eyes.
"Again."
Shan Wei forced his exhausted limbs into a stance.
Drakonix unleashed a comet of prismatic flame.
Shan Wei countered with compressed qi, splitting the flame in half.
The air around them shimmered from the clash.
Shan Wei staggered.
"Dra…konix… How many… trials… do you HAVE?"
The dragon smirked telepathically.
"Yes."
"That's not even a number!"
Another flame comet.
Shan Wei rolled under it, planted a hand into the island surface, and launched himself forward with Prismatic Burst.
His fist glowed with seven layered energies.
He struck.
Drakonix caught the punch in his talons, sparks flying.
"Better."
Shan Wei's knees nearly buckled.
His body was screaming.But his soul—his soul felt like molten steel being forged.
"How long… have we been here?"
"About a day," Drakonix answered casually.
Shan Wei blinked.
"IT'S BEEN A DAY!?"
"Relax," Drakonix said. "Outside, maybe an hour. Time flows differently here."
Shan Wei groaned.
"That's not reassuring."
Drakonix's aura surged.
"Your enemies won't wait.Your destiny won't wait.You can't wait."
Shan Wei clenched his fists.
"Then we keep going."
Drakonix's eyes gleamed.
"Good.Burn with me."
Flames roared.The realm shook.Shan Wei's shadow merged with Drakonix's.
Prismatic power surged through his veins—
And outside—
The sphere rippled.
Then burst.
The Reemergence
With a thunderous shockwave, the prismatic sphere shattered like glass, dissolving into shimmering motes of light.
Shan Wei stepped out.
He wasn't the same.
His silver hair floated slightly as if resisting gravity.His golden eyes glowed subtly even in daylight.His qi didn't swirl—it flowed, calm and terrifyingly stable.
Drakonix emerged after him, slightly larger, wings sharper, eyes brighter.
"Fweeeeeh!"
Qingyue's jaw dropped.
Xueya inhaled softly.
Lan Qingyue's eyes flashed in admiration.
Qi Longye whispered:
"…His qi… It's changed."
The Pavilion Master stepped forward.
"Qi Shan Wei," he said, voice trembling with pride and fear."You've returned."
Shan Wei bowed slightly.
"Master Pavilion… everyone… I'm ready."
"Ready?" Lan Qingyue asked."After ONE training session?"
Xueya frowned.
"You're pushing yourself too fast."
Qingyue nodded reluctantly.
"Heavens—at this rate you'll skip realms by dinner."
Shan Wei smiled faintly.
"I don't plan to skip anything."
His gaze lifted to the horizon.
"But I do intend to rise."
Jin Wei — Reforged
A metallic step echoed behind him.
Jin Wei walked forward, every rune on his armor glowing softly.
He stopped beside Shan Wei, towering like a golden guardian.
"STATUS:PHASE TWO UPGRADE COMPLETE."
Shan Wei looked up, surprised.
"You… finished?"
"YES.NEW CAPABILITIES ONLINE."
He raised an arm.
Runic rings spun around his wrist.
Golden arrays flickered beneath his plating.
Drakonix's flames reflected off his polished gold-black armor.
Lan Qingyue stared.
"His runes… resonate with your qi."
Xueya nodded.
"He's bonded to you on a deeper level now."
"DECLARATION," Jin Wei said."I WILL PROTECT MASTER UNTIL MY CORE IS DUST."
Shan Wei placed a hand on Jin Wei's forearm.
"Thank you."
The puppet's runes glowed brighter.
Farewell to the Pavilion Master
The Pavilion Master approached with a scroll wrapped in pale blue qi.
"Qi Shan Wei," he said, "you are no longer a disciple of Cloudpierce Pavilion."
Shan Wei inhaled softly.
Xueya, Qingyue, Lan Qingyue all straightened.
The old man continued:
"You are now… something far greater."
He extended the scroll.
"This… is a recommendation letter to the Heavenly Auction Conclave.It identifies you as a protected guest—at least, in theory."
Shan Wei accepted it carefully.
"Thank you, Master."
The Pavilion Master placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You changed our history. You shook our mountains. You lit fires in hearts that had grown dim."
His voice trembled.
"And for that… we will forever claim that Cloudpierce Pavilion was where the Prismatic Emperor took his first steps."
Emotion tightened Shan Wei's throat.
"…I won't forget this place."
The old man smiled.
"Good. Because it will never forget you."
Qi Longye's Decision
Qi Longye pushed himself upright.
"Shan Wei."
Shan Wei rushed to steady him.
"Careful!"
Longye swatted his hand away.
"Don't coddle me. I'm not dead yet."
He stepped closer, gaze firm despite his shaking limbs.
"I'm coming with you."
Shan Wei froze.
"Senior! Your wounds—"
"Are meaningless," Longye interrupted. "If the Calamity Heir sees you as a rival, then the forces chasing him… and you… will not remain idle."
He pointed his cane at Shan Wei's chest.
"You will need someone who knows how these monsters move."
Shan Wei's jaw clenched.
"But your meridians—"
Longye smirked.
"I have… backup methods."
He pulled out a crimson crystal shaped like a fang.
Xueya blanched.
"That is—"
Qingyue's eyes widened.
"Bloodburn Crystal! It shortens lifespan!"
Longye's smile softened.
"I've lived long enough. Let me use what remains properly."
Shan Wei closed his eyes.
"…Thank you, Senior."
Longye rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't thank me. Just become strong enough that I never have to use it."
The Group Forms
The courtyard fell silent.
The group stood together.
Qi Shan Wei.Ling Xueya.Feng Qingyue.Lan Qingyue.Drakonix.Jin Wei.Qi Longye.
A strange, mismatched team.
Yet united by something greater than Cloudpierce—
Destiny.And choice.
Xueya stepped closer to Shan Wei.
"I will follow you."
Her frost aura softened around him.
Qingyue added:
"And I won't let Sparky here take all the spotlight."
Lan Qingyue smiled lightly.
"I see my place clearly. Beside you."
Drakonix hopped up on Shan Wei's shoulder.
"Fwee!"
Jin Wei bowed formally.
"MASTER'S FIRST LEGION… FORMING."
Shan Wei exhaled.
"All of you… thank you."
Preparing to Leave
The Pavilion Master gave final instructions.
"Head east to the Vale of Azure Feathers.A spatial gate will take you toward the Conclave."
Qi Longye nodded.
"The journey will be dangerous."
Lan Qingyue smirked.
"Good."
Xueya sighed.
"You're reckless."
"So are you."
"Not the point."
Qingyue flicked Xueya's hair.
"You jealous of her already?"
Xueya's expression froze.
"…No."
Qingyue grinned.
"Sure."
Shan Wei rubbed his temples.
"…We are going to die of group drama before the Calamity Heir reaches us."
Drakonix nodded solemnly.
"Fwee."
The Road Ahead
They stood at the mountain gate.
Shan Wei turned around one last time.
Cloudpierce Pavilion glowed under rising sunlight—broken yet beautiful,scarred yet proud.
The Pavilion Master bowed deeply.
"Go, Qi Shan Wei.Go and carve your legend."
The disciples followed, bowing in reverence.
Shan Wei bowed in return.
Then he turned.
And took his first step off the mountain.
Drakonix flew above him.Xueya walked at his right.Qingyue at his left.Lan Qingyue slightly ahead.Jin Wei behind like a fortress.Qi Longye leaning on his cane, smiling.
With every step, the world grew wider.The wind tasted sharper.The sky opened like a doorway.
And destiny… shifted.
To be Continued
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