The forest was no longer merely a sanctuary. Every leaf, every root, every curling tendril of mist now pulsed with Xuan Mo's presence, responding to his aura like a living extension of himself. At the center of the clearing, he stood tall, the Abyssal Dragon Core blazing in his chest. Ember circled him, flames flickering and shadow claws dancing along its fur.
Yuan Liuyue observed from the sidelines, her amber-green eyes steady and piercing. "Today," she said, voice calm but commanding, "you will push the formation to its limits. You must not only control it—you must become one with it. Let it anticipate, adapt, and strike as if it were part of your body."
Xuan Mo's gaze hardened. He raised his hands, and the Primordial Formation Matrix awoke. Shadows erupted from the forest floor, roots twisting into jagged claws, forming a lattice that shifted with terrifying precision. The lattice expanded rapidly, spanning the entire clearing, each root and shadow pulse anticipating his slightest thought.
"Focus," Yuan Liuyue murmured. "Feel the Core. Let it guide the formation."
Xuan Mo closed his eyes, breathing in rhythm with the Core. A faint roar echoed from within him as the draconic energy fused with the formation, causing it to surge and pulse like a living beast. Ember leapt into the lattice, testing its defenses with blazing fire and shadowed swipes. The formation reacted instantly, shifting walls, ensnaring phantom targets, creating both offensive and defensive maneuvers.
Hours passed, yet it felt like minutes. Xuan Mo's aura flared violently, roots coiling and uncurling with surgical precision. The forest itself trembled, responding to every flicker of his Core, bending to his will. Yuan Liuyue's eyes shone with approval; her son's control was beyond any ordinary cultivator, even at his young age.
Suddenly, the Sign-In System pulsed, offering rewards far beyond mortal comprehension.
[Monthly Sign-In Available: Reward Options]
1. Ethereal Shadow Artifact – Manipulate shadows across vast distances; ideal for reconnaissance, ambushes, and battlefield control.
2. Abyssal Dragon Scale Armor – Covers the wearer in near-invincible draconic scales; amplifies Core energy and physical durability.
3. Dragon-Tree Essence Pill – Enhances hybrid bloodline energy, accelerates cultivation, and strengthens artifact and formation crafting abilities.
Xuan Mo's hand hovered over the options. Without hesitation, he reached for the Ethereal Shadow Artifact. The moment his fingers touched it, shadows erupted from the lattice, forming into tendrils that extended far beyond the clearing, sensing even the faintest disturbance of energy. The artifact fused with his Core, giving him instant battlefield awareness and the ability to manipulate shadows independently of his body.
Ember growled softly, as if acknowledging the new power. Its flames intertwined with shadows, creating an aura of synchronized destruction, ready to react to Xuan Mo's slightest command.
Yuan Liuyue stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You are no longer merely a cultivator learning formations. You are a living force, capable of bending the battlefield to your will. Remember this feeling—the moment when power and control unite. Nothing beyond this forest will be beyond your reach if you maintain this mastery."
Xuan Mo's eyes gleamed with quiet determination. The Abyssal Dragon Core and the Primordial Formation Matrix were now fully integrated, and with the Ethereal Shadow Artifact, he could project his will beyond the forest, beyond the mortal realm.
By the time night fell, the forest was alive with lingering shadows and root formations, a silent testament to the world-defining potential of the boy at its heart. Ember curled at his side, tail flickering in rhythm with his heartbeat, as Xuan Mo closed his eyes. In dreams, his mind raced with new strategies, new formations, and the infinite possibilities of his Core and System rewards.