"So… he's going to refine him? Break him down and rebuild him?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, glancing again at the courtyard.
Then she smirked slightly, elbowing Xiao Tian where he stood beside her. "Good thing you're with me. Because otherwise, Master Mo would probably toss you into that same hell as that poor prince."
Xiao Tian's face twitched.
"You wouldn't let him, would you?" he asked hopefully, looking at Qian Renxue.
Renxue gave a small, dangerous smile, golden eyes half-lidded. "If he decides it's necessary? Oh, I'd absolutely hand you over."
Xiao Tian gulped, visibly paling.
Zhu Zhuqing laughed softly, enjoying his misery a little too much. "Well then, you'd better keep improving. Otherwise you might find yourself dragging weighted sleds until you cough blood — just like that poor prince down there."
Xiao Tian just smiled awkwardly. He didn't know why, but all the women in this team liked to tease him a little, which left him feeling helpless. Though if he were to see himself from others' eyes, he might understand why — he was still a boy, but with a face almost as cute as a girl's, which made them always treat him like this.
"Besides, Luochen asked me to tell you something, Zhuqing," Felicia said, her sharp crimson eyes settling on Zhu Zhuqing.
"what is it?" Zhu Zhuqing asked carefully.
Felicia smirked. "Yes. In about two and a half years, there'll be a continent-wide Spirit Master competition. Luochen wants his own team prepared by then. Right now, there are six of us — so while that prince is getting trained by Luochen, I'll be the one to train you."
Her gaze held Zhu Zhuqing's with an unspoken challenge.
At the same time, Renxue nodded slightly and added, "And I will train Xiao Tian. That way, when the time comes, all of us will be ready."
Xiao Tian nodded quickly. "Don't worry, sister, I'll definitely be ready," he said, trying to sound brave.
Renxue gave a faint, approving smile and reached out to pat his head — which only made him flush, embarrassed by how childlike it felt.
***
Over the next three months, time seemed to blur into an unending cycle of brutal training.
Mo Luochen pushed Xue Qinghe harder than any prince had ever been pushed, grinding away his weaknesses day by day. Under Felicia's merciless drills, Zhu Zhuqing's movements grew sharper and her aura colder, while Renxue guided Xiao Tian through the delicate balance of speed and control that would make his new powers lethal.
Blood, sweat, and more than a few tears were shed on those training grounds.
When the dust finally settled, Xue Qinghe stood at seventeen years old, now at Spirit Rank 30 — on paper, still merely average for a prince of the empire. But in truth, his body was forged like tempered steel, his spirit foundation rebuilt from the ground up, able to handle power far beyond what he could have survived before.
And that was all Luochen needed.
"Finally," Luochen said with a small, satisfied smirk. "Now you're ready. Prepare yourself — today you'll take the elixir."
Xue Qinghe exhaled slowly, sweat still clinging to his brow, but a hard light burned in his eyes. After months of hell, he was ready for the next step.
Luochen, still disguised under his identity as Master Mo, stood before Xue Qinghe with a calm, almost detached expression. In his hand rested a small jade dish, upon which lay a gleaming golden pill. Its surface was engraved with faint patterns — a dragon coiling with a phoenix, symbols of supreme rebirth and unrivaled majesty.
"This is the Dragon-Phoenix Rebirth Pill," Luochen said evenly. "It's one of the rarest treasures in the world. It can remake bones, purify blood, and even force evolution in the very soul — restoring even crippled foundations to perfection. If it were given to an evil spirit master, it would forcibly cleanse them. And for you… it will rebuild everything that was broken at your birth."
Xue Qinghe's hands trembled slightly as he accepted the pill, staring at it with awe. Then he clenched his jaw, swallowed it in one motion, and sat down cross-legged as directed.
Almost instantly, golden flames and silver light erupted around him, forming twin illusory figures of a dragon and a phoenix that coiled through his body. He gave a choked gasp, veins bulging across his neck and arms as the pill's terrifying medicinal power raced through him.
A moment later, the faint image of a Holy Light Swan flickered into view behind him, its wings wide and feathers pure white… then abruptly it began to distort, golden and silver flames pouring into it. Bones cracked audibly, radiant light shone so brightly it stung the eyes, and a low cry escaped his throat as his martial spirit tore itself apart.
Then it reformed.
The light settled, and behind Xue Qinghe now hovered a Holy Imperial Phoenix — vast wings of silver-white and faint gold that seemed woven of divine flames, eyes bright with intelligence and majesty, a true king of birds. Even the air seemed to tremble under its presence.
When the glow faded from his body, Xue Qinghe opened his eyes. They were clearer, sharper, carrying an imperial aura that made it feel as though a true heir to an empire had been reborn. Even his plain features seemed subtly transformed — more elegant, more striking, as if he now wore the mask of destiny itself.
He stood slowly, turned to Luochen, and then — voice slightly hoarse but steady — bowed deeply.
"Teacher… thank you. For giving me a future."
Luochen simply smirked under his disguise.
"Don't waste it. From this point on, your training truly begins — and so does your climb to the throne."
He then turned slightly, his tone becoming more casual, almost dismissive.
"Also, I'm leaving now. You don't need my guidance anymore. My eldest disciple — his name is Mo Luochen — is currently in this city, along with three more companions. From now on, I want you to join his team."
Xue Qinghe's eyes widened. "Join his team? But… why? I thought this was about preparing me for the throne. Why would I need to fight in a team?"
Luochen looked at him calmly. "Because in two and a half years, there will be a continent-wide Spirit Master tournament. I want you there — fighting alongside them. Right now there are six of you, soon there will be a seventh. By then, your strength and teamwork will be as sharp as any blade. It's not just about the throne, Qinghe. You'll need allies who will bleed with you. You'll need to stand in front of thousands and let the world see the strength of Tian Dou."
*******
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