BOOM.
BOOM.
RUMMMBLE!
The waterfall roared like an explosion, unleashing a terrifying Cosmo powerful enough to shatter the heavens and crack the earth. Beneath that waterfall, silhouettes of young warriors could be seen, each holding a tray aloft with trembling arms.
Each of their faces was flushed red from the strain and yet, not a single one gave up.
One day.
Two days.
Three days.
Soon, two years passed quietly by.
In that span of time—
Jiang Chen, Sage, Shaka, Aiolos, and Kanon had all silently continued their training beneath the crushing waterfall. Their Cosmos had grown stronger with each passing day.
Even Jiang Chen's inner Zodiac Temples, representing the Twelve Palaces, had begun to take clearer shape in secret. A faint, illusory constellation atop his Zodiac Temples began to flicker, taking form.
But just as Dohko had warned, possessing a vast Cosmo came with a price, Jiang Chen's path to awakening the Sixth Sense was immensely difficult. Even after two years, he still hadn't completed the formation of his constellation, naturally, the Sixth Sense eluded him.
By comparison, the other four had already made significant breakthroughs in that realm.
"Watch this!"
"Supersonic Fist!!"
BOOM!
A figure was sent flying once again. At the edge of the pool below the waterfall, the others watched the defeated warrior tumble with a splash.
Sage shook his head while Aiolos and Shaka exchanged amused glances.
This scene had long become a routine.
Every time Kanon gained some new strength, he would immediately try to challenge Jiang Chen for a rematch.
But the result? He had not won a single math in these two years.
This time was no different.
Jiang Chen clapped his hands with a slight grin, still a bit unsatisfied. After two years, he had come to realize that his routine had taken on a strange rhythm: train, eat, and beat up Kanon.
"Alright, that's enough, Boys." Just then, Dohko's aged voice echoed from above.
All five instantly straightened, their expressions turning serious, even the fallen Kanon scrambled back to his feet.
"Young warriors, your training here on Mount Lushan is now complete. Today, you may return to the guest lodges at the foot of the mountain. There, someone will escort you back to the Sanctuary." Dohko's calm voice carried across the wind.
"Teacher, isn't our training… still incomplete?" Sage asked, startled, unable to hold back his concern.
"Indeed, your training is far from finished," Dohko replied. "But from this point on, you must walk your own paths. I can guide you no longer. Go now. The Sanctuary… that is where your true stage lies." Dohko shook his head lightly, his voice soft.
"This…" The five looked at each other, unsure of what to say.
None of them had expected the training to end so suddenly.
"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher and for your hospitality these past days." Jiang Chen bowed respectfully.
As his voice fell, the others followed suit: "Thank you for your guidance, Teacher!"
Though each of them felt a certain emptiness in their hearts, they understood, Dohko had spoken. It was time to leave.
"Go. I await the future you will create." Dohko nodded.
The five gathered their belongings and began descending Mount Lushan.
Only after their figures disappeared into the distance—
SWISH.
A figure appeared out of thin air. It was Alex, though he looked far more battered than usual, his body marred with several wounds.
"Has the Specter seal become this unstable…?" Dohko frowned, his gaze sharpening as he turned to face Alex.
"My lord," Alex said with a grave face, "It has. Even with my Saint Cloth's power, it's becoming almost impossible to hold it back."
He nodded solemnly, his expression clouded.
Even with the unique nature of his Altar Constellation, this time the disturbance within the Specter seal had reached a terrifying level. Neither his own strength nor the Altar Cloth's sacred power was enough to suppress it anymore.
"I've already contacted Shion. He should be arriving soon. With both of us together, we should be able to stabilize the seal for a while longer." Dohko gave a small nod, his voice sinking as he spoke.
Alex nodded in agreement. His aura still flickered and wavered slightly.
Of course, Jiang Chen and the others had no idea that the real reason for their abrupt dismissal from training was not the completion of their lessons…
…but the imminent breaking of the Specter seal.
Compared to nurturing new Saints, the return of the Specters was the more urgent and dangerous matter for Dohko and his allies.
The training could wait.
The war could not.
The two men furrowed their brows and looked toward the heavens.
As their eyes turned skyward…
Shortly after Jiang Chen and the others left—
"BOOM!"
A pitch-black pillar of light suddenly blasted into the sky!
But before it could pierce the heavens completely, an invisible barrier instantly halted its terrifying ascent. In the blink of an eye, the entire Mount Lushan was engulfed in radiant golden light.
Countless sealing runes manifested in the skies above the mountain path, each one blazing with blinding golden brilliance.
Down at the foot of Lushan, Jiang Chen, who had just arrived, instinctively turned his head, sensing something.
"What's wrong?" Aiolos, noticing Jiang Chen's reaction, turned as well and asked curiously.
"…Nothing." Jiang Chen frowned slightly. Something about Lushan had changed, he could feel it.
Yet at this moment, he couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"Sigh, now that we've left, it'll probably be a long time before we get any more guidance from Teacher." Sage sighed as he spoke.
"Yeah…" Aiolos echoed the sentiment.
"Hmph. I won't need long. I'll definitely surpass that old geezer soon enough!" Kanon, though clearly affected, quickly masked it with a cold snort.
"Come on. Let's head back to the inn. I'm starving!" Jiang Chen chuckled and turned back, no longer looking behind him.
After all, based on his memories, nothing major was supposed to happen at this point in time…
He figured it must've been a false impression.
"Fair enough!"
"Let's go!"
The group agreed, and before long, they arrived at the Lushan guest lodge.
With expenses covered by the Sanctuary, the five began feasting without restraint.
"Delicious! This is amazing!"
"So this is the food of a gourmet nation?"
"Are the Sanctuary chefs all idiots compared to this?"
"Hey, don't steal mine!"
They devoured the food with childlike excitement, leaving the servers in the restaurant staring, stunned.
Once they were full—
They immediately resumed their training. But back at Mount Lushan, while the boys feasted… A massive disturbance was beginning to spread.
(To Be Continued…)
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