At Aditya's Residence
Mu Feng knocked lightly on the wooden door.
"Come in," Aditya's voice sounded from inside.
Mu Feng entered and bowed slightly.
"Why are you here?" Aditya asked, looking up.
"Master," Mu Feng said calmly, "I've contracted the Dark Demon Tiger as my summoned beast. I came to inform you."
For a brief moment, Aditya froze.
Then his eyes narrowed—not with doubt, but with sharp interest.
"…Oh?" he said softly.
The next instant, a grin spread across his face.
"Well then," Aditya stood up, his robe fluttering slightly, "let's go outside. I want to see it with my own eyes."
Mu Feng nodded.
They walked together toward the training ground. The open field was vast and reinforced with multiple layers of formations, clearly designed to withstand powerful summoned beasts.
Aditya stopped at the center and gestured.
"Go on."
Mu Feng stepped forward, his expression steady. He raised his hand, summoning stars rapidly connecting within his spiritual world. The familiar pull of the summoning plane surged through him.
A portal tore open in the air.
Darkness spilled out like ink.
A massive figure emerged from the rift—black fur striped with faint shadows, muscles coiled with terrifying power. Its golden eyes scanned the surroundings coldly before finally settling on Mu Feng.
The Dark Demon Tiger had arrived.
The ground trembled slightly as it landed.
Aditya's expression shifted instantly.
The casual smile vanished.
He took a step closer, eyes glowing faintly as he examined the beast from head to toe.
"…Interesting," he muttered.
Very interesting.
"This aura… damaged, but stable," Aditya said slowly.
"Peak Servant-level body, yet its soul pressure is already brushing against General-tier."
He looked at Mu Feng sharply.
"You didn't force the contract."
"No," Mu Feng replied. "It chose me."
Aditya laughed.
A deep, satisfied laugh.
"Good. Very good," he said.
"That alone tells me you didn't make a mistake."
He walked around the Dark Demon Tiger, unafraid, reaching out to place a hand on its shoulder. The tiger tensed—but did not attack.
Aditya nodded.
"It still remembers pride," he said.
"That's good. A beast without pride is useless at higher tiers."
He turned back to Mu Feng, eyes blazing with approval.
"You've taken the first true step as a Summoning Mage," Aditya said.
"From this point on, your training will no longer be gentle."
His smile widened.
"We'll start by stabilizing its bloodline… and then—"
He paused, looking at the tiger again.
"—we'll talk about how to make it evolve into something that even Emperors would fear."
The Dark Demon Tiger growled softly, as if it understood.
Mu Feng clenched his fist, excitement surging in his chest.
His journey as a true Summoner had finally begun.
Aditya turned his gaze back to Mu Feng, his expression turning serious.
"Now comes the most important part," he said calmly.
"You've formed a contract, but that alone isn't enough."
He gestured toward the Dark Demon Tiger.
"You will now form a bond with your summoned beast."
Mu Feng listened attentively.
"A contract is authority," Aditya continued.
"A bond is understanding."
He walked a few steps, his voice steady and instructive.
"You must strengthen your coordination—your senses, your instincts, your reactions. When you fight, you should not be issuing commands like an outsider. You should move as one."
The Dark Demon Tiger let out a low growl, its tail swaying slowly.
"At your current stage," Aditya said, "this bond will decide whether you survive or die in real combat."
Mu Feng nodded.
"What do I need to do, Master?" he asked.
Aditya's lips curved slightly.
"You will train together—daily," he replied.
"Combat drills, shared perception, synchronized attacks, and emotional suppression."
He looked directly at Mu Feng.
"When you reach the level I want," Aditya said firmly,
"we will move on to the next phase of your training."
His eyes sharpened.
"And that phase… will reshape both you and your summoned beast."
The Dark Demon Tiger lowered its head slightly, as if acknowledging the path ahead.
Mu Feng inhaled deeply.
"I understand," he said without hesitation.
Aditya smiled.
"Good," he replied.
"Then don't waste time."
"Your real summoning training begins now."
Aditya's voice grew heavier, carrying unmistakable authority.
"From this point onward," he said slowly,"your training will no longer be safe."
Mu Feng straightened instinctively.
"You will fight General-level demon beasts," Aditya continued,"and occasionally Intermediate-tier mages."
Mu Feng's eyes sharpened.
"This is not to increase your raw power," Aditya said calmly,"but to deepen your understanding—of combat, of killing intent, and of coordination with your summoned beast."
He glanced at the Dark Demon Tiger.
"You will also register as a Hunter," Aditya added."I will personally assign your missions."
Mu Feng nodded without hesitation.
"Every hunt," Aditya said, "will be real.Every mistake will have consequences."
He paused, then spoke the final condition.
"When you—and your summoned beast—can kill a Great Warrior–level monster together…"
His gaze locked onto Mu Feng.
"…only then will I acknowledge that you have truly mastered the foundations of Summoning."
The Dark Demon Tiger let out a low, steady roar, its eyes blazing with battle intent.
Mu Feng clenched his fist.
"I won't disappoint you, Master," he said firmly.
Aditya studied him for a moment, then nodded once.
"Good," he replied."Then prepare yourself."
"Because from tomorrow onward—your life will be measured in battles."
After that, Mu Feng returned to his room and spent the rest of the day in meditation, calming his mind and stabilizing his mana. By nightfall, his thoughts were clear and focused.
The Next Day
Mu Feng arrived at the training field early.
Aditya was already there, standing calmly with a young man beside him. The man looked to be in his early twenties, lean and sharp-eyed, with an aura that suggested long experience in real combat.
"Mu Feng," Aditya said, "this is Aksh. He will be your opponent today."
Mu Feng nodded politely."Hello, Aksh."
Aksh smiled faintly. "No need for formalities. Let's begin."
Mu Feng didn't waste time.
With a thought, the summoning portal opened beside him, and the Dark Demon Tiger stepped out, its black fur rippling with power as its eyes locked onto Aksh.
Mu Feng raised his hand slightly."Go."
The Dark Demon Tiger lunged forward, claws tearing into the ground as it charged.
Aksh's expression remained calm.
He lifted one hand.
Green stars lit up around him.
One star track… then another… until seven star tracks connected flawlessly. In the blink of an eye, they expanded further—forming a star map.
"Mid-Tier, Level Two," Aksh said calmly.
"Wind Magic—Wind Disk: Sky Snare."
A violent surge of wind exploded outward.
A compressed tornado formed instantly in front of him, spiraling upward with terrifying force. The Dark Demon Tiger, mid-charge, was forced to slow as the crushing wind pressure slammed into its body.
Its muscles strained, claws digging deep into the ground—but the pull was relentless.
The tiger was dragged into the tornado.
Its massive body spun violently in the air, black fur whipping as sharp wind blades cut across its hide. A low, furious roar echoed through the training field.
Mu Feng's eyes narrowed.
"So fast… and flawless casting," he thought.
Aditya watched closely, his gaze sharp.
"This," he said calmly, "is what a real Mid-Tier mage looks like."
Mu Feng inhaled slowly.
"Alright," he murmured."Let's respond."
His hand rose, ice-blue light gathering as stars within his spiritual world began to tremble—
The battle had only just begun.
As Aksh was still focused on maintaining his Wind Magic, Mu Feng seized the opening.
Cold surged through his veins.
Seven icy stars connected almost instantly.
"Novice Level 2—Ice Magic: Ice Spread · Solidify."
Frost rushed outward from Mu Feng's feet, racing toward Aksh in a wide arc.
Aksh sensed the danger immediately.
His eyes flickered.
The tornado dispersed at once, the compressed wind unraveling mid-air. The Dark Demon Tiger was released from its grip and began falling freely, its body twisting as it prepared to land.
Mu Feng's attention shifted for just a fraction of a second—toward his summoned beast.
And that was enough.
The ground beneath Mu Feng's feet suddenly shifted.
His balance broke.
The ice magic veered slightly off-course, missing Aksh by less than a meter and freezing the ground beside him instead.
Mu Feng's pupils shrank.
He looked up—
And saw an orange-brown star track glowing in Aksh's raised hand.
In that instant, Mu Feng understood.
"Novice Level 1—Earth Magic," Mu Feng muttered under his breath.
Aksh spoke calmly, his voice steady.
"Earth Wave: Shift."
The ground rippled again as if it were liquid soil.
Mu Feng slid backward several steps before forcefully stabilizing himself, ice forming beneath his boots to regain footing.
At the same time, the Dark Demon Tiger landed heavily behind him, claws carving deep grooves into the earth as it absorbed the impact.
Aksh lowered his hand, a faint smile forming.
"Good reaction," he said.
"But you hesitated."
Mu Feng exhaled slowly.
"…So you're dual-element," he said, eyes sharp now.
"Wind and Earth."
Aksh nodded lightly.
"In real combat," he replied,"control of the battlefield matters more than raw power."
Aditya watched from the side, arms folded, eyes gleaming with approval.
"Good," he said quietly.
"Both of you—keep going."
Mu Feng tightened his grip on the Ice Crystal Bow as frost gathered around his summoned beast once more.
This was no longer a simple spar.
This was a lesson written in movement, timing—
And survival.
For the next two hours, the training ground was filled with shifting winds, cracking earth, and spreading frost.
Mu Feng attacked relentlessly.
Ice surged again and again, freezing zones, sealing movement, forcing Aksh to respond. The Dark Demon Tiger coordinated with him—charging, feinting, retreating, then striking again from new angles.
Yet no matter what Mu Feng tried—
Aksh always stayed one step ahead.
Wind redirected attacks before they could land.Earth shifted the terrain at critical moments, breaking momentum and throwing off timing.
Not once did Mu Feng—or the Dark Demon Tiger—manage to land a clean hit.
Finally, Aditya raised his hand.
"Enough," he said calmly."That's it for today."
Aksh exhaled, relaxed his stance, and nodded respectfully.
"You did well," he said to Mu Feng."Rest and reflect."
With that, he turned and left the training ground.
Silence returned.
Aditya looked at Mu Feng.
"So," he asked,"how was your experience?"
Mu Feng wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing steady but heavy.
"He's too good," Mu Feng admitted honestly."It felt like he could predict my moves before I even made them."
He paused, recalling the fight.
"His control over his elements is better than mine. He cancelled Wind Magic instantly and switched to Earth Magic in a second. There was no delay."
Aditya nodded, unsurprised.
"Your observations are sharp," he said."Elemental control comes with repetition and real combat. The more you use magic, the more natural that transition becomes."
He glanced in the direction Aksh had left.
"As for predicting your movements," Aditya continued,"that's not talent alone."
He turned back to Mu Feng.
"You only have two offensive spells in your arsenal right now. Your options are limited, which makes your intentions easy to read."
Aditya's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Aksh, on the other hand, is Intermediate Level 3 in both Wind and Earth. His spell variety and experience give him flexibility—and that flexibility is what controlled the fight."
Mu Feng clenched his fist.
"I understand," he said quietly.
Aditya smiled faintly.
"Good," he replied."Understanding your weakness is the first step toward erasing it."
He turned and began walking away.
"Rest today," Aditya added over his shoulder."Tomorrow, we start fixing that problem."