A week drifted by like calm waves on a quiet lake, each day leaving a deeper mark on Mo Han's progress.
Since his return from the Inner Herbal Forest, he had confined himself to intense training within the secluded courtyard of his stone house.
Morning to night, the air around him echoing roars and howls of invisible beasts. Dust and leaves scattered whenever his Animal Spirit Art ignited, each surge of aura making the mountain tremble faintly.
Through relentless effort, Mo Han had mastered the first three stages of the art.
At dawn, the Golden Boar Spirit rumbled beneath his feet, its energy reinforcing his body until every strike carried the weight of thunder. By noon, the Silver Crane Spirit enveloped him — light, elegant, and swift as wind, giving his sword techniques impossible grace. And by dusk, the Iron Panther Spirit prowled within him, sharpening his reflexes, amplifying his killing intent into a terrifying aura that could make weaker disciples faint at his approach.
