The winter sun shone over the campus of Yi'an District No. 3 High School, bathing the leaves of the plane trees in gold. The national flag fluttered gently in the cold wind atop the flagpole in front of the teaching building. The first semester of their freshman year was almost over. Students in their uniforms filled the campus, walking in pairs and trios beneath the trees and discussing their plans for winter break.
Lin Yun and Luo Feng walked side by side across the campus. Even in the dead of winter, both wore only their school uniforms, and the differences in their builds and bearing made them stand out in the crowd. At fifteen, Lin Yun had already grown to 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a strong back. He stood as straight as a poplar tree. His face still held a trace of youthful innocence, but the calm, depth in his eyes made him seem far more mature than his peers. Luo Feng was no less impressive, standing 1.75 meters tall with a sturdy build and a quiet strength radiating from him.
"Winter break's almost here again." Luo Feng watched the high school students running on the field and sighed. "Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, we're already in high school."
Lin Yun nodded. "Yeah. It goes by fast."
They found a patch of grass beside the field and sat down, gazing at the sky in the distance. White clouds drifted by, and a few birds flew overhead before disappearing into the trees. The sunlight was warm and gentle, carrying the crisp freshness of early autumn.
"Lin Yun, how strong are you now, exactly?" Luo Feng suddenly asked, curiosity in his voice. "Whenever I ask, you just say, 'I'm doing fine.' But I know you're definitely stronger than you let on."
Lin Yun fell silent for a moment. He and Luo Feng had grown up together and were true brothers who could confide in each other. There was no need to hide some things from him.
"I think I've reached the Warrior level," Lin Yun said calmly.
Luo Feng drew in a sharp breath. A Warrior! For a fifteen-year-old high school student, that was simply astonishing. Many adults trained their entire lives without ever reaching the Warrior level, and Lin Yun was only fifteen.
"You've got to be kidding me..." Luo Feng shook his head with a wry smile. "Every time I think I'm about to catch up, I find out you've already gone much farther."
Lin Yun smiled but didn't reply. His gaze fell on the distant sky, and a hint of worry flickered in his eyes.
Luo Feng noticed the change in his expression and frowned. "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
Lin Yun hesitated, then told him, "I've hit a bottleneck."
"A bottleneck?"
"Yeah." Lin Yun leaned against the tree trunk and spoke slowly. "My cultivation method is different from ordinary people's. I mainly use a special breathing technique—the Qi Cultivation Style—to strengthen my body. But it's becoming less and less effective. At this rate, it'll be hard to break through to the next level in less than ten years."
Luo Feng was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Is there any way to solve it?"
"There is," Lin Yun said. "The Qi Cultivation Style is only the most basic cultivation method. If I want to go further, I have to learn how to cultivate Genetic Origin Energy. It's a necessary step for every high-level Warrior."
"Genetic Origin Energy..." Luo Feng murmured. He had heard the term before. Genetic Origin Energy was at the heart of Warrior cultivation, the key to surpassing the limits of the human body. Only by mastering its cultivation method could someone truly enter the ranks of the strong. And the methods for cultivating Genetic Origin Energy were controlled by the major dojos and factions.
"So you have to officially join a dojo?"
"Right." Lin Yun nodded. "Only after passing the Quasi-Warrior Assessment can you become an official Warrior and qualify to learn how to cultivate Genetic Origin Energy."
Luo Feng looked at him thoughtfully. "Then what are you hesitating for? With your strength, passing the Quasi-Warrior Assessment should be a piece of cake."
Lin Yun was silent for a moment before answering. "I don't want to draw attention to myself too soon."
"Afraid of attracting trouble?"
"Yeah." Lin Yun didn't deny it. "A fifteen-year-old Warrior is an astonishing talent. If too many people find out, I don't know what kind of attention it'll attract. The inside of the Limit Dojo should be fine, but the other factions..."
He let the sentence trail off, but Luo Feng understood what he meant. There were too many cases in this world of geniuses being snuffed out. Some factions, when they saw a talent they couldn't recruit, chose to destroy them instead. Lin Yun's concerns weren't unfounded.
Luo Feng was quiet for a moment, then looked at him earnestly. "Lin Yun, do you know why I've been making progress so quickly?"
Lin Yun blinked in surprise.
"Because of you," Luo Feng said. "Ever since elementary school, you've kept pushing me and showing me how to improve. Whenever I think I've worked hard enough, I look at you and realize I still have a long way to go. You're like a mirror. You make me afraid to stop moving forward."
He paused, then continued, "But have you ever thought that something might be holding you back, too?"
Lin Yun said nothing.
"You're hiding," Luo Feng said, his gaze serious. "You've been like that since we were kids. You're obviously strong, but you always keep it under wraps because you're afraid someone will find out. I used to think that was being cautious, and that it was the right thing to do. But things are different now. We're fifteen, not little kids anymore. You're stronger than anyone, but you're more afraid of standing out than anyone. If you keep this up, you'll be stuck going in circles inside your comfort zone. How will you ever break through?"
Lin Yun fell silent.
Luo Feng's words were like a key, unlocking a corner of Lin Yun's heart he had long avoided.
What was he afraid of? That powerful factions would target him if they discovered his talent? That he would draw the Radiant Church's attention? That he would become a target for everyone?
Those worries were valid, but he had forgotten the most important thing: strength was never something you gained by hiding.
In the Coiling Dragon World, he could lie low and cultivate slowly at the academy because he had Doehring's guidance, the legacy of Necromancy, and plenty of time to grow. But the Swallowed Star World was different. It was harsher and more direct. Without strength, he had no say. Without enough strength, he couldn't even protect his family.
And he had already spent too much time hiding.
"Luo Feng, you're right." Lin Yun stood and brushed the grass off his clothes. "It's time to make a change."
Luo Feng stood too and looked at him. "You've decided?"
"I have." Lin Yun's gaze grew resolute. "I'm going to the dojo tomorrow to sign up for the Quasi-Warrior Assessment."
Luo Feng grinned. "Now that's the Lin Yun I know."
The two exchanged a look and smiled.
The setting sun painted the horizon gold and crimson, while the plane trees rustled in the evening breeze. In the distance, a few freshmen were still running laps, their sweat sparkling in the sunlight.
Lin Yun looked at it all, a determination unlike anything he had felt before rising in his heart. Starting tomorrow, he would no longer be a boy who hid in a corner and cultivated in silence. He would step forward and walk his own path.
Early the next morning, Lin Yun and Luo Feng went together to the Limit Dojo in Yi'an District.
The dojo looked far grander than it had a few years ago. Its tall entrance, gleaming marble floor, and enormous emblem hanging in the center of the main hall—a clenched fist symbolizing strength and defiance—made an imposing sight. The guards at the entrance nodded when they saw the boys, clearly recognizing the two teenagers who often came to train.
Head Instructor Jiang Nian was in his office handling paperwork. When Lin Yun and Luo Feng walked in, he put down his pen and looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes.
"Lin Yun, Luo Feng? What brings you here?"
Lin Yun stepped forward and said calmly, "Head Instructor, I want to take the Quasi-Warrior Assessment."
The office fell silent for a moment.
Jiang Nian froze, then abruptly stood up, an incredulous look on his face. But it quickly gave way to delight.
"What did you say? The Quasi-Warrior Assessment?" Jiang Nian's voice trembled, excitement shining in his eyes.
"Yes," Lin Yun said.
"Good! Excellent!" Jiang Nian slapped the desk and burst into laughter. "You've finally come around! I've been waiting three years for this day!"
He hurried out from behind his desk and circled Lin Yun twice, looking him up and down with admiration. Discovering a young genius was a major achievement for a Limit Dojo head instructor, earning him a large number of contribution points. And Lin Yun was an unparalleled genius who had reached the Advanced Trainee level at just twelve.
"With your strength, the Quasi-Warrior Assessment will be nothing," Jiang Nian said excitedly, rubbing his hands together. "Once you pass and become an official Warrior, you'll be able to learn how to cultivate Genetic Origin Energy. Your strength will take a huge leap forward."
He took a form from his desk drawer and handed it to Lin Yun, then patted him on the shoulder. "Fill this out, and I'll sign you up. The assessment is scheduled for next month at headquarters. Prepare well in the meantime, though at your level, you probably don't need to prepare at all."
Lin Yun took the form and nodded. "Thank you, Head Instructor."
"What are you thanking me for?" Jiang Nian beamed. "You're the genius I discovered. The stronger you get, the more contribution points I earn. If anything, I should be thanking you!"
Watching from the side, Luo Feng couldn't help smiling.
When they stepped outside the dojo, the sunlight fell warmly on them. Luo Feng looked at Lin Yun, a hint of envy in his eyes. "It's finally starting."
Lin Yun smiled. "Yeah. It's finally starting."
He looked up at the sky, his gaze passing through the clouds as if he could see far beyond them. A wider world awaited him, along with stronger opponents and peaks he would have to climb.
His journey in the Swallowed Star World had officially begun.
As the sun of the Swallowed Star World climbed high in the sky, the moon in the Coiling Dragon World was slowly rising.
In a small grove behind Ernst Academy, Lin Yun sat cross-legged on a flagstone and slowly opened his eyes. He had just finished meditating for the day. His Level 8 magical power flowed steadily through his body, abundant and calm.
But magic wasn't on his mind at the moment.
Linley had been gone for nearly a month.
For the past month, Lin Yun had cultivated in the grove behind the academy every day, practicing Seven-Element Magic during the day and studying Necromancy at night. His days had been peaceful, but he still felt that something was missing. Linley was no longer in the courtyard practicing magic, Bebe was no longer chattering away on his shoulder, and even the air seemed much quieter.
He stood and walked to the edge of the grove, looking toward the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Moonlight spilled across the woods, and distant peaks appeared and vanished in the darkness.
"Big Brother, don't push yourself too hard," he said softly. "If you can't win, just run. The magical beasts won't laugh at you."
The night breeze stirred the leaves with a rustle, as if responding to his words.
Lin Yun smiled and returned to sit beside the flagstone. He closed his eyes and resumed meditating.
He trusted Linley. He knew Linley's strength: a Level 6 Mage, with Bebe as a powerful companion. As long as he didn't venture into the heart of the Magic Beast Mountain Range, he should be fine. Besides, Linley was much more levelheaded than he was and wouldn't do anything he wasn't sure of.
But worry had nothing to do with reason.
"Come back soon," he murmured. Then he calmed his mind and focused his attention on the magical power within him.
His Level 8 cultivation had completely stabilized. His Spiritual Energy was more concentrated than it had been two years ago, and his soul power continued to grow through his practice of Necromancy. His Warrior cultivation was progressing more slowly, but at the peak of Level 5, his fighting ability wouldn't be a weakness in close combat.
Night deepened.
Ernst Academy lay still beneath the moonlight. Lin Yun lay in bed with his eyes closed, his consciousness swaying gently between two worlds.
In the Swallowed Star World, his other body was preparing for the Quasi-Warrior Assessment in a low-rent apartment in Yangzhou City. Next month, he would take the assessment, become an official Warrior, and embark on a new journey.
In the Coiling Dragon World, this body was consolidating its Level 8 cultivation at Ernst Academy, waiting for Linley to return from the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
Two worlds, two bodies, both growing stronger.
He opened his eyes and looked at the moonlight outside the window.
Fifteen years old, living in two worlds, a Level 8 Mage, and a Quasi-Warrior.
A new journey had only just begun.
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