Day three of training brought a new challenge—group resonance learning. Ethan stood before the assembled students, trying not to think about all the ways this could go catastrophically wrong.
"Today we're trying something experimental," he announced. "Group resonance training. Instead of learning individually, you'll link your cultivation together in groups of ten. The students who've grasped the cycling technique will guide those who haven't."
The reaction was immediate skepticism mixed with concern.
"Link our cultivation with strangers?" Captain Vex looked genuinely alarmed. "That's intimate. Dangerous. One person's deviation could corrupt the entire group."
"Which is why we're doing this under controlled conditions with constant supervision," Ethan countered. "But the alternative is spending weeks on individual training we don't have. The Voidborne don't care about our comfort levels."
He demonstrated by forming resonance links with ten volunteers—a mix of species including Celestial, Fenris, Solar Dynasty, and several others. The connections snapped into place, and Ethan felt their various energy signatures flowing into the network.
"Feel that?" he said to the volunteers. "You're all connected to me and through me to each other. Now watch."
Ethan began cycling Immortal Path energy through the network. The volunteers gasped as they felt the pattern directly through the resonance bond—not just seeing the technique demonstrated, but experiencing it firsthand as if they were doing it themselves.
"This is..." one of the Fenris warriors breathed. "I can feel exactly how the energy should move. It's like muscle memory I never built."
"Exactly." Ethan maintained the cycling pattern. "Learning through resonance bypasses the normal trial and error. Your body understands the technique because it's experiencing it directly through our connection."
He released the links and gestured to the volunteers. "Now try it on your own."
All ten students successfully executed the Immortal Path cycling technique on their first attempt. The improvement was dramatic—what had taken others hours of practice, they'd learned in minutes.
The chamber erupted in excited chatter. Students who'd been struggling suddenly saw a path forward.
"We'll organize you into groups of ten," Ethan continued. "Each group will have at least two students who've already mastered basic cycling. They'll serve as anchors while I establish the resonance network and guide the energy flow."
*****
Yeah, this is me playing with fire. Linking cultivators from rival factions who probably want to kill each other outside this chamber? Smart. Real smart, Ethan.
*****
Dr. Senna moved through the chamber, organizing students into balanced groups. There was immediate tension—Solar Dynasty members didn't want to link with Celestial Dominion students. Fenris warriors growled at being grouped with species they considered prey.
"Get over it," Princess Lyra's voice cut through the complaints. "You're here to learn, not nurse grudges. The Voidborne won't care about your faction politics when they're erasing you from existence."
Grudgingly, students settled into their assigned groups. Ethan began with the first cluster—ten diverse beings sitting in a circle, most looking deeply uncomfortable about what was about to happen.
He established the resonance links carefully, feeling each student's unique energy signature. A Celestial warrior with ice-cold cultivation. A Solar Dynasty fighter burning with inner fire. A crystalline being whose energy felt like singing glass.
"Everyone relax," Ethan instructed. "Don't fight the connection. Let it happen naturally."
He began cycling energy through the network, demonstrating the Immortal Path pattern. Through the resonance bonds, he felt students' shock as they experienced the technique directly—the flowing quality, the way energy elevated rather than depleted, the fundamental difference from everything they'd ever learned.
Some adapted quickly, their own energy beginning to mirror the pattern. Others resisted, their ingrained training making them compress and hoard instinctively.
"Stop fighting it," Ethan said to a struggling insectoid student. "You're trying to control the energy. Just guide it. Let it flow."
The student's resistance gradually faded, and suddenly their energy began cycling properly. The success rippled through the network as other students felt the breakthrough and adjusted their own techniques accordingly.
By the time Ethan released the first group's resonance links, eight out of ten had successfully learned the basic cycling technique. The two who hadn't were close—they just needed more practice to overcome their traditional training.
"Next group," Ethan called, already feeling the mental strain of maintaining so many connections simultaneously.
The day became a blur of resonance links and energy cycling. Group after group, Ethan established connections and guided students through the Immortal Path patterns. His spiritual sense was stretched to its limit, monitoring dozens of energy signatures at once, catching deviations before they became dangerous.
By evening, his head pounded and his core felt depleted despite the Immortal Path's efficient energy use. But the results spoke for themselves.
**[TRAINING PROGRESS: 47%]**
**[STUDENTS SHOWING APTITUDE: 183/300]**
**[ESTIMATED TIME TO BASIC COMPETENCY: 9 DAYS]**
**[TIME UNTIL VOIDBORNE SWARM: 58 DAYS]**
"One hundred eighty-three students in three days," Commander Seris observed, reviewing the data. "That's exponential improvement. At this rate, we'll have everyone trained with weeks to spare."
"Don't celebrate yet," Nyx warned. "Basic competency isn't combat readiness. They can cycle energy correctly, but that doesn't mean they can fight Voidborne effectively."
"Then we move to combat applications," Ethan said, massaging his temples. "Tomorrow, we start teaching them how to use the Immortal Path in actual battle scenarios."
"You're pushing yourself too hard," Dr. Senna said, scanning him with her medical equipment. "Your neural activity is dangerously elevated. Maintaining that many resonance links simultaneously is straining your cultivation foundation."
"I'll rest tonight. Tomorrow we continue."
"Stubborn human," Senna muttered, but there was fondness in her tone.
That night, Ethan collapsed in his quarters, too exhausted even to eat. Through the resonance bonds with his companions, he felt their various reactions—Lyra's approving respect for his endurance, Seris's calculating assessment of training efficiency, Senna's medical concern, the Empress's distant observation.
And something else. A disturbance at the edge of his spiritual sense, far beyond the Shadow Moon planet. Something vast and hungry, slowly turning its attention toward their location.
The Voidborne swarm was stirring. They'd felt his demonstration three days ago, marked him as a threat. Now they were beginning to move.
Fifty-eight days until they arrived. And Ethan had three hundred students who barely understood the basics, let alone how to fight reality-warping monsters.
He pulled up his system interface, checking for any advantages he'd missed.
**[NEW ABILITY AVAILABLE: MASS RESONANCE AMPLIFICATION]**
**[EFFECT: TEMPORARILY LINK ALL TRAINED STUDENTS INTO SINGLE COMBAT NETWORK]**
**[DURATION: 10 MINUTES]**
**[COOLDOWN: 24 HOURS]**
**[WARNING: EXTREME MENTAL STRAIN - USE SPARINGLY]**
A combat network. Link everyone together into a unified fighting force. It might be enough—if he could survive the strain of channeling that much power through himself simultaneously.
One problem at a time. First, teach them to fight. Then figure out how to link three hundred cultivators without his brain exploding.
Ethan closed his eyes and let exhaustion claim him. Tomorrow would bring new challenges.
It always did.