Early the next morning, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
The first rays of sunlight pierced the layers of clouds and fell upon the spire of the Spirit Pagoda, gilding the towering structure with a faint golden glow.
The morning breeze blew in from afar, carrying the scent of plants and dew as it gently swept over the city.
The rooftop on the eighty-first floor of the Spirit Pagoda.
Fang Lin and Na'er stood on the rooftop, their clothes fluttering in the morning breeze.
From here, all of Shrek City lay in full view.
"Teacher, aren't we going to Heaven Dou City?"
Fang Lin asked, his face full of confusion as he looked around. "What are we doing on the rooftop?"
Na'er tilted her head, her silver hair drifting gently in the wind. Confusion filled her clear purple eyes. "That's right, teacher. There's nothing up here."
"Mm."
Han Tianyi nodded slightly, his voice calm as still water and his gaze deep as an abyss.
Fang Lin and Na'er exchanged bewildered looks. They had no idea what their teacher was planning.
"Lin, Na'er, watch closely."
Han Tianyi spoke slowly. "Manifest thought."
The next moment, the light around him suddenly twisted.
A phantom slowly emerged, gradually solidifying from transparency, as though an invisible brush were outlining it stroke by stroke in the air.
It was a white crane.
Its body was snowy white, its wings like frost. Every feather was rendered in the finest detail.
Its long neck was slender and strong, its tail feathers trailing like flowing clouds. It stood with an elegant, unhurried grace, as if it had fluttered out of an ancient painting.
Fang Lin and Na'er stared, dumbstruck, unable to speak for a long while.
Though the crane looked lifelike, it had no aura at all.
It was not a Soul Spirit, not a Martial Soul, not a Soul Beast. They could not sense even the slightest ripple of life from it.
The crane stood quietly at Han Tianyi's side, its eyes ethereal and serene.
Its body had a somewhat translucent quality, like a thought given shape—beautiful and illusory, caught between existence and nonexistence.
"Teacher... what is this?"
Fang Lin recovered and asked, unable to hide the shock in his voice.
Na'er stared at the crane without blinking.
Her eyes were full of curiosity and excitement, and she murmured, "Teacher, this looks like so much fun."
"This is thought manifestation."
Han Tianyi answered calmly. "When the power of your spiritual force reaches its utmost limit, reality is no longer a constraint."
He paused. "When your thoughts are strong enough, anything you imagine can become real."
"Of course, thought manifestation is neither an illusion nor a summoning."
"It uses spiritual power to turn the fantasies in your heart into reality."
"Creating something from nothing."
Hearing this, Na'er couldn't help reaching out to touch the crane.
The instant her fingertips brushed its wing, she felt the soft texture of each feather, warm and smooth.
The crane lowered its head and gently rubbed its beak against her palm. Its touch was warm and real, no different from an ordinary Soul Beast.
"Teacher... is it alive?" Na'er asked softly.
"Yes and no."
Han Tianyi replied, his tone indifferent. "As long as my thoughts sustain it, it is alive. It can walk and fly, sense and respond."
"If I withdraw my thoughts, it will turn into the purest spiritual power and dissipate, leaving not the slightest trace."
"Its existence depends on the uninterrupted output of my thoughts."
Fang Lin stared blankly at the crane, countless thoughts churning in his mind.
He seemed to think of something and asked softly, "Teacher, does that mean... as long as your spiritual power is strong enough, you can create anything you want?"
Han Tianyi nodded slightly, then gently shook his head. "In theory, yes. But to do that..."
"What you need isn't simply powerful spiritual force. You need absolute control over it, as well as the deepest possible understanding of the thing you wish to create."
"You can't just imagine what it looks like. You also have to understand how it grows, how it exists, and why it exists."
"That's where the true difficulty of thought manifestation lies."
"Understood, teacher."
Fang Lin nodded thoughtfully.
Perhaps he could become a Pokémon Master.
"All right, get on."
As Han Tianyi spoke, he leaped lightly and settled onto the crane's back. "We should be going."
"Mm."
Fang Lin and Na'er answered in unison, then leaped onto the crane's back and sat down beside Han Tianyi.
The crane's back was wider and more comfortable than it looked. Its feathers were soft and warm, like sitting on a cloud.
"Hold on."
Han Tianyi's voice rang out again.
The next moment, the crane spread its wings, stirring up a gust of brisk wind.
It raised its head and let out a clear cry.
The sound was bright and melodious, piercing the morning mist and echoing above Shrek City.
The crane soared into the sky from the rooftop and sped toward the horizon.
Their destination: Heaven Dou City!
Heaven Dou City.
It had existed for twenty thousand years. As far back as the era of Spirit Hall, it had been one of the continent's foremost cities.
For a time, it had even been the greatest city on the continent. Back then, it was the capital of the Tiandou Empire.
Only after the Sun Moon Empire, predecessor to the Federation, annexed the Tiandou Empire did it become an ordinary city.
Even today, twenty thousand years later, Heaven Dou City remained one of the top-tier cities on the Douluo Continent.
Its economy was thriving, its culture rich, and its heritage deep.
The city was not as bustling and prosperous as one might imagine. Instead, it gave off an air of quiet, old-world simplicity.
As far as the eye could see, there was hardly a single skyscraper in all of Heaven Dou City.
The tallest things in view were not towers or palaces, but ancient trees.
Their branches were lush and their crowns spread like canopies. They stood taller than many buildings, seeming like guardians of the city.
A white figure came gliding down from the sky.
The white crane slowly descended, drawing in its wings as it swept over Heaven Dou City.
It landed steadily in front of a gray building.
The headquarters of the Blacksmith Association.
Han Tianyi brought Fang Lin and Na'er down.
Standing beside the crane, he gently patted its neck.
The crane lowered its head and rubbed against his palm. Then its form gradually turned transparent, dissolving into countless tiny points of light.
Fang Lin watched, lost in thought.
Na'er withdrew her hand with some regret and muttered, "What a pity."
"Let's go."
Han Tianyi spoke, his gaze settling on the Blacksmith Association. "We'll go inside."
"Yes, teacher."
Fang Lin and Na'er nodded.
Then they followed Han Tianyi inside.
The first-floor lobby was spacious and mostly empty. Behind the reception desk sat two young women in gray business attire.
"My surname is Han. I'm here to see President Zhen Hua."
Han Tianyi spoke in a calm voice.
The two young women immediately changed their expressions. They hurried to their feet and bowed respectfully. "Elder Han."
"President Zhen Hua instructed us in advance. He is waiting for you in his office on the top floor."
"Please follow me."
One of the young women spoke respectfully.
"Mm."
Han Tianyi nodded slightly.
Then, guided by the young woman,
the three crossed the lobby, boarded the soul guidance elevator, and headed for Zhen Hua's office.