The cold wind swept between the trees, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and the heavy silence of the forest.
Faiser stood in the middle of the rocky clearing, his eyes steady, while the ring on his finger released a faint vibration before the book's voice rang inside his mind.
"Good… since you finally stopped wandering around like a lost beggar, we can begin."
Faiser slightly raised an eyebrow.
"I was walking toward the training place."
"In my opinion, you were wandering randomly with excessive confidence."
"And in my opinion… your opinion has no value."
"Wonderful," said the book happily. "This kind of toxic relationship inspires me."
Faiser exhaled lightly.
"Speak."
The book's tone gradually changed. It became calmer, heavier, less playful.
"If you want to raise your cultivation level… and truly master martial arts, strength alone is not enough. The body matters, and chi matters… but most important of all… is to merge with yourself."
A short silence followed, and the wind passed between the trees as if listening.
"When the mind relaxes, and stops resisting itself… real things begin to appear. That is why the best training now is not running, nor smashing rocks, nor screaming like fools…"
It paused for a moment.
"…but to close your eyes."
Faiser said calmly:
"To enter inner awareness."
The book went silent for a second.
"Annoying."
"What?"
"You know what I'm about to say before I say it."
"That is your problem."
"No, that is your problem."
Faiser smiled faintly, then walked toward a flat rock and sat on it.
He crossed his legs, straightened his back, placed his hands on his knees in a calm lotus posture, then closed his eyes.
His breathing slowed. The air around him calmed. And the forest… became distant.
After a few moments—
He opened his eyes.
But he was no longer in the forest.
He stood within an endless white space. No sky, no clear ground, no shadow, no sound.
Only endless whiteness in every direction… and his existence alone within it.
He looked around without disturbance.
"Hmm."
Then he said:
"Peaceful."
The book's voice immediately appeared behind him:
"And at last he said something poetic without meaning to."
Faiser turned around.
The book floated in the air before him, pages open, shaking slightly as if showing off its dramatic entrance.
"I entered your consciousness," said the book. "Soul connection has advantages. One of them is that I can annoy you even here."
"Unfortunate."
"Romantic."
"Unfortunate."
The book laughed.
"The important thing now… imagine that you are holding a sword."
Faiser fixed his gaze on it.
"That's all?"
"Do not underestimate imagination. Most fools live by it."
Faiser closed his eyes again, slowly raised his right hand, and clenched his fingers… as if gripping the hilt of a real sword.
Then he opened his eyes.
And in the next moment—
Dense black particles gathered around his hand, twisting like smoke, compressing, stretching.
Then—
A complete sword of dark chi formed within his grasp.
The blade was glossy black, its edge sending dark ripples, as if forged from solid shadow.
Silence filled the space.
The book… was silent.
Then—
"Huh?"
Its pages stopped moving.
"What?"
Then its voice rose suddenly.
"How the hell is this possible?!"
It circled around Faiser rapidly.
"This is impossible! You are still at the Pulsing Seed level!!! How did you form a Chi Sword?!"
"And on top of that… from my Dark Chi?!"
It stopped for a moment, then spoke in a lower, more dangerous voice.
"Dark Chi… is rejecting chi. It does not obey easily, cannot be tamed, and bows to no one."
It looked at Faiser as if seeing a flaw within itself and within the laws of the world…
"Do not tell me… it adapted to your broken vessel?"
Silence.
Then—
The book burst into long, mad laughter full of ecstasy.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! This is exciting… very exciting!"
Faiser did not comment.
He moved, stepping sideways, then swung the sword.
The sound it made was not the sound of cutting air… but a deep whistle, as if the blade had split a hidden layer of reality.
A second strike. A third.
His body began to glide with smooth movements. His feet moved with strange fluidity, light twists, sharp turns, precise transitions.
He no longer looked like someone training…
But someone dancing.
A deadly dance.
The book watched in amazement.
"You look as if you were once a Sword Master because of those expert movements, hahaha!"
Faiser replied without stopping:
"I do not know what you mean by Sword Master."
He swung downward, then turned his body halfway.
"But yes…"
A side strike sliced even the whiteness itself for a moment.
"I have old experience with the sword."
He paused for a fraction of a second.
"I have severed heads with it before."
His tone grew colder.
"And the next head…"
He spun a full step.
"…will be the Elder's."
The book froze.
"What?"
"What are you thinking, you madman?!"
Faiser gave a sideways smile.
"Do not worry about it."
Then he continued moving.
"Just watch."
"The Elder thinks I am an ordinary person…"
A swift strike.
"And he is only a fat fool who does not know his level."
Silence—
Then the book burst into laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"You do not want to tame the Elder…"
"You want to poison his life!"
"This is becoming far more entertaining!!!"
Time passed within the space of consciousness. There was no sun, no clock… but hours went by.
Faiser did not stop.
Sweat formed on his forehead even though the place was mental. His breathing deepened, and his movements… changed.
What began as random practice became rhythm.
What began as experimentation became art.
His steps drew arcs.
His strikes followed an invisible tempo.
The book remained silent for a long time… then suddenly said:
"Faiser."
The sword stopped mid-motion.
"What?"
"Stop for a moment."
He lowered the sword slightly.
"Why?"
"Because you…"
The book paused as if choosing its words carefully.
"…have begun entering the Penguin Moon Sword Dance."
Faiser raised an eyebrow.
"I do not even know its forms."
"And that is where the problem lies."
The book circled him slowly.
"My soul connection with you does not carry only disadvantages."
"Your soul and mind… absorb martial arts naturally. They understand them before the body does."
"As for the body… it must catch up."
Then it pointed at the sword.
"And look at this."
"You formed a Chi Sword at a low level, from Dark Chi, and the chi you release… does not diminish."
"It devours, returns, and multiplies."
Silence.
Then it said in a lower voice:
"Your broken vessel does not merely store energy…"
"It preys on it."
Faiser looked at it.
"I will consider that praise, and I thank you."
Then he added coldly:
"But do not act as if you are normal either."
The book swelled with pride.
"Ah, I know, I know. I am so magnificent it hurts the soul."
More hours had passed within his consciousness before Faiser opened his eyes, returning to the forest once again…
The real air struck his face.
His body was drenched in sweat.
But his eyes… were sharper than before.
The book said:
"Are you ready to unleash the Penguin Moon Sword Dance outside consciousness?"
Faiser slowly stood.
"Hmm… let us see."
The book interrupted him.
"But before that!"
A flash emerged from the ring, transforming back into the book, falling into Faiser's hands.
"Open the first page."
He opened it.
Faiser's eyes widened slightly.
The writing had changed.
Now it read:
Second Level of the Penguin Moon Sword Dance
Azmil Eyes: First Level
Faiser immediately said:
"I understand the dance's upgrade… but what is the other one?? Azmil Eyes… what does that mean?"
The book laughed lightly.
"Wonderful, no—astonishing… but I will not tell you. You will understand it when you need it, and that is the best time to understand."
Faiser partly closed the book.
"You are extremely annoying."
"And you are extremely lucky."
A short silence followed…
The book said:
"So then… do you not want to unleash the Penguin Moon Sword Dance now? I am excited to see it!"
Faiser sighed.
"Hah… fine, then—"
But suddenly—before he could finish—
Faiser's expression turned cold.
"There is someone watching us, Book."
The book went silent for a second.
"Hmm… I did not sense his aura. Then he must be a good spy if he can hide it. Can you locate him?"
Faiser said without turning:
"Above the tree to the right… high up. I think he enjoys hiding."
"Good," said the book. "What will you do now?"
Faiser smiled.
"Hahaha, what will I do?? Is that not obvious?!"
Above the tree—
A thin man wearing light clothes lay between the branches, watching through the leaves.
He sighed in boredom.
"What is this idiot doing… he looks like he is talking to himself judging by his lips… just standing still. Is the Sixth Elder serious? He sent me to watch this? And he is only a young cultivator still at the low Pulsing Seed level! Hmm… the Sixth Elder has begun filling his time with useless things. More importantly…"
He shook his head.
"I will go back and deliver my report to the Elder about what is happening, nothing more…"
He began to turn—
Then froze.
A cold black blade rested on his neck.
And a voice came directly from behind him:
"How are you, young man?"
"Did your mother never teach you that invading strangers' privacy… is disrespectful?"
The spy's eyes widened.
Sweat burst from his forehead from fear and shock…
"W… what?! How… when did he get here?! And is that a Chi Sword?? How can he manifest a Chi Sword at such a low cultivation level?!"
Faiser smiled broadly.
His eyes released a faint purple glow.
And he said in a frighteningly calm tone:
"You are wondering how I got here… are you not?"
The spy said in fear:
"W… who the hell are you?!?!"
The blade moved closer.
Faiser spoke, his broad smile rising higher.
"Hahahaha… you ask who I am. That is truly unfortunate."
"It is unnecessary… for the dead to know the name of their killer…"