Wang Hui does not move.
Hidden within the foliage, his breathing slows until it nearly disappears, his gaze fixed on the Colour Sun Academy apprentice below, who has just finished reducing his opponent to ash and now bends down to gather the belongings left behind.
Wang Hui waits.
He does not rush.
The island punishes impatience.
The apprentice collects the space bag, checks its contents briefly, then sits cross-legged beneath the Purple Apple Tree.
He begins to meditate.
At first glance, he appears relaxed.
Recovering.
But Wang Hui narrows his eyes.
There is tension in the stillness.
A coiled awareness.
The man is alert.
Waiting.
Perhaps expecting exactly what Wang Hui is planning.
Wang Hui remains hidden.
Time stretches.
Minutes pass.
Neither moves recklessly.
Finally, the Colour Sun apprentice opens his eyes and stands.
He walks toward the tree.
Reaches up.
Plucks a Purple Apple.
The fruit glows faintly in his hand.
He brings it toward his mouth.
At that moment,
Wang Hui moves.
He bursts out from the forest without hesitation, his body cutting through the undergrowth in a straight line toward the target.
The Colour Sun apprentice reacts instantly.
As if he had been waiting.
"Red Light Ray."
A beam shoots forward.
Wang Hui does not stop.
Crimson runes erupt across his skin.
The Blood Nourishing Formation activates.
Liberation follows instantly.
His body surges.
His strength climbs to late-level.
The beam hits him directly.
His academy robes burn.
His skin scorches.
Pain explodes through him.
But he does not slow.
He continues forward.
Step after step.
Relentless.
The ferocity in his eyes shakes the Colour Sun apprentice.
Fear flashes across his face.
He retreats.
But too late.
Wang Hui reaches him.
His fist, covered in crimson energy, slams into the apprentice's chest.
A crack echoes.
Another punch follows.
Then another.
Each one is heavier.
Each one breaking bone.
The apprentice tries to counter.
But the pressure is overwhelming.
His ribs collapse inward.
Fragments pierce inward.
His breath stops.
His eyes widen.
He collapses.
Dead.
Wang Hui kneels immediately.
He begins gathering the belongings.
The runes on his body begin to fade.
But before they vanish completely,
Danger.
A sharp instinct surges through him.
Without hesitation, he twists his body while still kneeling and kicks backwards.
His leg cuts through the air.
It connects.
But,
There is no resistance.
The figure behind him shifts like a shadow.
Light.
Weightless.
The attacker jumps back, landing softly several meters away.
Wang Hui rises instantly and turns.
His eyes lock onto the enemy.
A female apprentice.
Late-level.
Shadow Feather Academy.
Her presence is faint.
Almost unreal.
She smiles slightly.
Then vanishes.
A shadow flickers.
She appears to his left.
Her dagger strikes.
Fast.
Precise.
Wang Hui blocks with his forearm, his formation still active, and counters with a punch.
She slips away.
Her body moves like a feather.
Light.
Untouchable.
She disappears again.
Reappears from another shadow.
Attacks.
Withdraws.
Repeats.
Wang Hui adjusts.
His eyes sharpen.
He does not chase blindly.
He anchors himself.
Waits.
Strikes only when necessary.
But her movement is too elusive.
Too fluid.
His brute strength cannot pin her down.
Minutes pass in this exchange.
Neither gains the upper hand.
Neither lands a decisive blow.
The battle becomes a dance.
Shadow and force.
Speed and endurance.
Finally, she stops.
She stands a short distance away, her dagger lowered slightly.
Her gaze rests on him with interest.
"The First Academy," she says softly, "after many years… produces a genius."
A pause.
"We will meet again."
Before he can respond, her body dissolves into shadow.
Gone.
The forest returns to silence.
Wang Hui remains still for a moment.
Even after the crimson runes fade from his skin, the formation continues to operate briefly, his senses stretched to detect any lingering threat.
Only when he confirms safety does he move.
He gathers the space bag from the Colour Sun apprentice.
Then the Purple Apple.
He places it carefully into his own bag.
Without delay, he turns and runs.
Back toward his tree.
Midway, he deactivates his formation.
Casts the Hide spell again.
His presence fades once more.
By the time he reaches the canopy, he is once again a shadow among leaves.
Hidden.
Silent.
Waiting.
Hidden within the canopy, Wang Hui remains motionless for a long time, listening, sensing, confirming that no one follows him before he allows himself to move again.
Only then does he lower his guard slightly.
He takes out a small vial and pours a thick mixture onto the wound on his chest, where the Red Light Ray had burned through his robe and flesh.
The mixture spreads, then hardens, sealing the injury.
The pain dulls.
He exhales slowly.
Then he takes out the space bag he claimed from the Colour Sun apprentice.
Opening it, he inspects its contents one by one.
Magic stones.
A few potions.
Some materials.
He transfers everything useful into his own space bag without hesitation.
Once finished, he tosses the empty bag away into the forest below.
No traces.
No connections.
Then he takes out the Purple Apple.
Its surface glows faintly in the dim light of the canopy.
He does not hesitate.
He eats it.
The moment the fruit enters his stomach, a surge of energy explodes within him.
It rushes straight toward his dantian.
His breath tightens.
The energy is dense.
Pure.
It blends with his mana, expanding it, strengthening it.
He immediately sits down and begins refining it.
Time passes.
Two days later.
Wang Hui stands before another opponent.
A Red Tiger.
Mid-level.
Its body is sleek and powerful, muscles coiling beneath its crimson fur, eyes locked onto him with killing intent.
Behind it grows the Star Leaf Grass.
A rare resource.
Worth the risk.
The tiger growls.
Then lunges.
Wang Hui activates his formation instantly.
Crimson runes flare across his body.
Liberation follows.
His strength rises.
The clash begins.
The tiger's claws slash downward.
He steps in instead of backing up.
His arm intercepts the strike, absorbing the impact, while his other hand drives forward into the tiger's shoulder.
The beast roars.
It twists, its tail whipping across his side, sending him sliding across the ground.
He regains his footing immediately.
Charges again.
They collide repeatedly.
Claw against fist.
Fang against flesh.
Blood spills on both sides.
But Wang Hui holds the advantage.
Each exchange leaves deeper wounds on the tiger.
He adapts.
Learns.
Presses forward.
The tiger begins to weaken.
Its movements are slow.
Its roars grow uneven.
Wang Hui prepares to end it.
He steps forward,
And suddenly,
Something breaks.
His mana surges out of control.
The formation flickers.
Then collapses.
Liberation disappears.
The crimson runes fade instantly.
His strength drops.
Wang Hui's eyes widen slightly.
He tries to reactivate it.
Fails.
His mana refuses to respond.
The tiger sees the opening.
It attacks.
This time, Wang Hui cannot rely on spells.
He meets it with raw strength alone.
They crash together violently.
The tiger's claws tear into his flesh.
His fists slam into bone.
Neither retreats.
Neither yields.
The fight becomes brutal.
Savage.
Unrestrained.
He grabs the tiger's neck.
It bites into his arm.
He roars and drives his knee into its ribs.
Bones crack.
The tiger thrashes wildly, throwing him off.
He rolls.
Gets up again.
Charges again.
This time, he tackles it.
Both fall to the ground.
Dust rises.
Blood spreads.
He pins it for a moment,
Then it breaks free.
But weaker now.
He lunges once more.
His fist crashes down onto its skull.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Until,
The tiger stops moving.
Silence returns.
Wang Hui remains over it, breathing heavily, his body trembling from exhaustion and pain.
Then he moves.
He grabs the Star Leaf Grass.
Without delay, he runs to the nearby pond.
And jumps in.
The water closes over him.
He sinks to the bottom.
There, he swallows the Star Leaf Grass whole.
Its energy spreads instantly.
He guides it toward his wounds.
Healing.
Stabilizing.
Only then does he understand what happened.
His mana has crossed one hundred points.
But his spirit,
Is not strong enough to control it.
That imbalance caused the loss of control.
He closes his eyes.
Begins meditating underwater.
Nourishing his spirit.
Strengthening it.
Balancing it with his mana.
Time passes quietly beneath the surface.
When he finally opens his eyes again, the pain has lessened.
His control has returned.
He rises.
Breaks the surface.
Steps out of the pond.
Without wasting time, he begins moving again.
Searching.
For more resources.
For more strength.