The Valerius manor, once a quiet monument to decline, now hummed with a renewed, if fragile, energy. Invitations to banquets and gatherings poured in, and Lord Alaric, his chest puffed out with unaccustomed pride, spent his days strategizing alliances and discussing the 'resurgence' of their family name. Ren, the young champion, was the undeniable centerpiece of this newfound attention, a role he played with a detached grace, his mind always focused on the true game unfolding beneath the surface.
To the outside world, he was the diligent son, occasionally seen in the manor's small, dusty library, or practicing his 'enhanced' Valerius forms. But in the quiet hours, and especially during his nightly retreats to the hidden chamber, his true work began. The Shadow Orb, now a constant companion, pulsed with a subtle, insistent thrum, its whispers of "Seek the Source" becoming more urgent, more defined.
His immediate focus, however, was on his new 'assets.' He had spent hours meticulously analyzing the status screens of his parents and Lyra.
Lyra was the most promising. Her 'Above Average' and 'exceptionally pure' Wind Affinity spiritual roots were a rare find in this realm, a true gem hidden beneath layers of neglect. She was a blank slate, eager and loyal, perfect for his subtle tutelage. His parents, while weaker, could also be nudged, their cultivation gently improved to strengthen the family's overall foundation.
He began with Lyra. He approached her one afternoon, finding her diligently polishing his training sword, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Lyra," he said, his voice calm.
She jumped, startled, then curtsied quickly. "Young Master Ren! I didn't hear you. Is there anything you need?"
"Yes," Ren replied, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. "I need your help with something. It's a new 'game' I've been thinking of. It requires a keen sense of observation and a very quiet mind."
Lyra's eyes lit up. "A game? Oh, I love games, Young Master! What kind of game?"
"It's called 'Whisper of the Wind'," Ren explained, weaving a plausible tale. "You sit very still, close your eyes, and try to feel the tiny currents of air around you. Not just the breeze, but the faintest whispers of the wind itself. And then, you try to guide them, just a little, with your mind." He was, in essence, teaching her rudimentary qi sensing and control, disguised as a child's game.
Lyra, ever enthusiastic, immediately agreed. For the next few days, under the guise of their 'game,' Ren would guide her. He taught her specific breathing patterns, subtle mental visualizations, and how to gently coax the ambient spiritual energy, which to her felt like faint air currents, into her nascent meridians. He used his status screen to monitor her progress, adjusting his instructions with precise calibration.
Her progress was astonishing. Within a week, Lyra, who had never formally cultivated, began to feel the subtle flow of qi within her, a sensation she described as "a warm tingle, like sunshine inside me!" Her Wind Affinity roots, truly pure, absorbed the energy with remarkable efficiency.
"Young Master, I can feel it!" she exclaimed one evening, her eyes wide with wonder. "When I breathe like you showed me, the air feels... alive! And I can almost make the leaves on the tree flutter, just by thinking about it!"
[Target: Valerius Lyra]
• Cultivation Base: Body Refinement (1st
Layer - Rapid Progress)
• Spiritual Roots: Above Average (Wind
Affinity - Active)
• Special Notes: ...Rapidly absorbing ambient qi. Innate talent for wind manipulation awakening.
Ren felt a surge of satisfaction. She had broken through to Body Refinement, the first true stage of cultivation, in a matter of days. A feat that would take most common cultivators months, if not years. His ancient knowledge, even when diluted for this realm, was still profoundly effective.
He also began to subtly guide his parents. With Lord Alaric, he introduced 'enhanced' breathing exercises during their martial arts training, subtly altering the Valerius qi circulation methods to be more efficient, without changing their outward appearance. For Lady Seraphina, he suggested 'meditative gardening,' teaching her how to subtly draw the earth and wood qi from the plants she tended, activating her dormant spiritual roots.
[Target: Valerius Alaric]
• Cultivation Base: Qi Condensation
(3rd Layer - Slow Progress)
• Special Notes: ...Qi circulation showing
subtle improvements.
[Target: Valerius Seraphina]
• Cultivation Base: Mortal Stage (Spiritual
Root Awakened - Slow Progress)
• Special Notes: ...Dormant spiritual roots
gradually absorbing qi.
Their progress was slower than Lyra's, but it was progress nonetheless. The Valerius family, unknowingly, was beginning a quiet, internal transformation, guided by the Demonic Sovereign.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Orb's whispers intensified. The Source. It is bound. Seek the Nexus. The word 'Nexus' was new, and it resonated with a deep, ancient understanding within Kaelen's mind. The Abyssal Heart was a nexus, a focal point. Was the Orb telling him that the 'Source' was another such nexus, perhaps a smaller, localized one in this realm?
He poured more of his qi into the Orb, urging it to reveal more. The Orb pulsed, and a new vision, clearer than any before, materialized in his mind's eye. It was a map, not of Xylos, but a spiritual map, showing faint lines of qi converging towards a single point. And at that point, a powerful, dark resonance, far stronger than the Orb's own, pulsed like a hidden heart. The location was not within the Imperial City, but deep within the Whispering Woods, a vast, ancient forest bordering the eastern reaches of Xylos, a place known for its strange spiritual phenomena and lost ruins.
The vision faded, leaving Ren with a cold certainty. The 'Source' was indeed a tangible entity, a powerful fragment of the Abyssal Heart, perhaps even its true core, hidden within the Whispering Woods. And it was calling to him, pulling him towards it.
The next morning, Ren found Lyra excitedly practicing her 'Whisper of the Wind' game, making a small pile of leaves dance in a gentle spiral.
"Young Master!" she exclaimed, her face bright. "Look! I can do it!"
Ren smiled, a genuine, if subtle, smile. "Excellent, Lyra. Your talent is remarkable." He paused, his gaze drifting towards the distant, dark line of the Whispering Woods. "Lyra, have you ever heard stories of the Whispering Woods? Of ancient ruins, or hidden treasures there?"
Lyra's eyes widened. "Oh, yes, Young Master! My grandmother used to tell me tales! She said it's a place of ancient magic, where the trees whisper secrets, and sometimes... sometimes, strange lights can be seen deep within. Some say it's where the old gods left their treasures, or where ancient evils slumber!" Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "But it's very dangerous, Young Master. No one goes deep into the Whispering Woods. Not alone."
Ren looked at the Whispering Woods, a faint, predatory gleam in his eyes. Dangerous? Good. Ancient evils? Even better. The Shadow Orb thrummed, a silent confirmation. The 'Source' was there, waiting. And the Demonic Sovereign, now with a loyal shadow and a subtly strengthened family, was ready to answer its call. What ancient power lay dormant within the Whispering Woods, and what would happen when the Abyssal Heart's fragments finally began to converge? The answers, he knew, lay deep within the whispers of the ancient trees.