Darkness slowly peeled away.
Lei Wei's eyelids twitched, heavy as stone. His breath came shallow, dry, as though someone had taken a blade and carved the air out of his lungs. A faint ache pulsed behind his ribs—dull, rhythmic, like an echo of something ancient that had finally gone quiet.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a straw mattress inside a dimly lit room. Wooden beams stretched overhead. The faint scent of herbs floated through the air.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
A soft weight pressed against his side.
The Silverflame pup was curled beside him, small chest rising and falling rapidly as it slept. Even in its sleep, faint embers flickered beneath its fur.
Lei Wei reached out and stroked the pup's head.
It twitched and nuzzled closer.
A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
We made it…
The memory hit him like a hammer.
The jackals.
The masked figure.
That voice—
Those silver rings in his eyes—
And then…
Silence.
His hand trembled. He clenched his fist, steadying his breath, but the tremor only grew.
He felt weak. Empty. Hollow.
Like someone had scooped out the inside of his Spirit Seed and left only a thin shell behind.
Footsteps approached the door.
Lei Wei straightened instinctively.
Elder Yun entered with a bowl of steaming broth and a weary look etched deeply on his face. His robes were torn at the hem, stained with dried blood and dust. He closed the door carefully behind him.
"You're awake."
Lei Wei swallowed. "Elder… what happened after I—"
"Collapsed," Elder Yun finished.
He set the bowl down beside the bed.
"You nearly tore your body apart from the inside."
Lei Wei lowered his gaze.
"I couldn't… control it."
"No," Elder Yun said, voice firm but not harsh. "You couldn't have, even if you tried. That was not your strength. Not yet."
Lei Wei lifted his head.
The elder stared at him with a mix of fear and awe.
"That… presence you unleashed. For a moment, you radiated the pressure of a Veinforge Stage Peak cultivator. But you are merely Spirit Seed… early stage."
Lei Wei felt a shiver crawl up his spine.
A child at Spirit Seed should not be able to stand against early Veinforge beasts, let alone crush a masked figure strong enough to command them.
Yet his fists…
His fists had left shockwaves.
Elder Yun sat on the edge of the bed. His voice lowered.
"That masked figure fled the moment that power flared. Had it stayed for even a heartbeat longer, your body would have collapsed entirely. You might have died."
Lei Wei's fingers sank into the blanket.
"So I'm weak."
The elder blinked. "Weak?"
Lei Wei nodded slowly.
"I had to borrow power that wasn't mine. If I didn't… I'd be dead. You'd be dead. The pup would be dead."
His chest tightened.
"I'm not strong enough to protect anything."
The room fell silent.
The lantern flame wavered gently.
Finally, Elder Yun sighed.
"You are not weak, Lei Wei. But you are unprepared."
He stood and pushed open the wooden window.
Outside, the inner part of Greenleaf City stretched with rooftops and faint rising smoke. The courtyard where they had fought last night was ruined—cracked stone, splintered wood, claw marks scattered like scars.
Elder Yun spoke without turning.
"You possess power tied to a fragment we do not yet understand. It sleeps and wakes as it pleases. That alone makes you dangerous—to others, and to yourself."
Lei Wei stared down at his trembling hands.
"So… what do I do?"
At last, Elder Yun turned to him.
"You train."
Lei Wei looked up.
"You learn control. Discipline. Foundation. You build strength of your own—strength that does not rely on the fragment. Only then can you survive what's coming."
The elder paused.
"And only then can you enter the inner city."
Lei Wei's brows rose.
"We're… not in the inner part yet?"
A faint smile tugged at Elder Yun's lips.
"No. We are still in the outer district. The quiet and safer region."
His smile faded.
"After last night, we can no longer stay here."
Lei Wei blinked. "But why?"
Elder Yun's voice hardened.
"Because someone sent Veinforge beasts to kill you—or the pup. And someone strong enough to control them stepped into our courtyard."
He folded his arms behind his back.
"Greenleaf City is divided. Many families hold influence—small ones in the outer ring, powerful clans deeper within. Some are neutral. Some are friendly. Some… are ruthless."
He looked straight into Lei Wei's eyes.
"And now, several may have noticed what you did last night."
Lei Wei felt a cold weight settle in his chest.
He was exposed.
The fragment was exposed.
"And if they discover that power inside you," Elder Yun said quietly,
"you will become the prize of every clan, sect, or hunter within these walls."
Lei Wei inhaled sharply.
"So leaving the outer district means—"
"Two things," Elder Yun answered.
"One, you will be closer to danger."
"And two…" He exhaled slowly.
"You will be closer to opportunities."
Silence stretched again.
Lei Wei stared out the window at the rising sun. The air felt heavy but alive—full of paths he had yet to take, full of fights he was not prepared for.
Full of enemies who already knew his scent.
The Silverflame pup hopped onto his lap and stared at him with bright, trusting eyes.
Lei Wei smiled weakly, rubbing its head.
"Guess we're going deeper, huh?"
The pup yipped softly.
Elder Yun stepped toward the door.
"Once you recover fully, we head to the inner markets. There, you will begin training properly. Qi circulation. Foundation techniques. Body strengthening."
He paused.
"And you will meet the families of Greenleaf."
Lei Wei lifted an eyebrow.
"Meet… or fight?"
Elder Yun smirked tiredly.
"Hopefully the first. But with your luck?"
He shrugged.
"Probably both."
Lei Wei groaned softly into his palms.
The elder reached for the door handle—
But suddenly, he froze.
His head tilted.
His eyes sharpened.
Someone was approaching.
And not just someone.
Several footsteps.
Controlled.
Steady.
Disciplined.
Cultivators.
Lei Wei felt his heartbeat spike.
Elder Yun whispered:
"They're here already."
Lei Wei sucked in a breath.
"Who?"
Elder Yun slowly opened the door.
Outside the small room, three figures stood at the entrance of the inn—each wearing the same crest stitched onto their sleeves. The symbol of an eagle with spread wings.
Their presence was heavy. Calm. Controlled.
Spirit Seed Late Stage.
Veinforge Early.
A middle-aged woman stepped forward, her gaze sharp and assessing.
"You must be Elder Yun."
Elder Yun's expression tightened. "And you are?"
The woman slowly pulled out a jade plaque.
"We are from the Qinghe Family of Greenleaf City. We sensed a violent surge of qi last night… and we have come to investigate."
Her eyes shifted to Lei Wei, who sat frozen on the bed.
"Do u know what happened here last night"