Inside this hidden domain, a furious regimen of cultivation began. Hu Jian and Lin Tao, armed with their new cultivation arts and a generous supply of pills, went into deep seclusion once again. Hu Jian, whose spirit was a ferocious Armored River-Tiger, chose a domineering, aggressive fire-attribute art that complemented his explosive personality.
Lin Tao spirit was a watchful Blue-Ringed Octopus. He chose a subtle, control-oriented water art that focused on ensnaring and debilitating opponents.
Their breakthroughs were not quiet affairs. Hu Jian's was a fiery explosion that sent a wave of heat through the valley, causing the very air to shimmer. Lin Tao's was a silent, deep-seated shift, a sudden, profound drop in temperature that left a thin layer of frost on the ground around his place. They emerged a week later, no longer peak Body Tempering disciples but true First Stage Qi Condensation experts. Their auras were sharp, their eyes filled with a new dangerous light.
Brother Kai's transformation was more quiet but no less profound. The bottleneck that had held him for a decade dissolved like sugar in water. A month into his seclusion his aura surged, becoming deeper, steadier, and more powerful. He had broken through to the Third Stage of the Qi Condensation Realm, his foundation more stable than it had ever been.
The group started to spar with each other, trying to improve their combat abilities and instincts. He would spend his days sparring with them, a four-way dance of controlled force. "Faster, Hu Jian!" Li Yu's calm voice would cut through the clash of their training. "Your tiger spirit grants you explosive power, but you leave yourself wide open after every strike. A true expert will use that opening to take your head."
He would evade one of Hu Jian's fiery punches with a «Rippling Shadow Step», his form a blur, before tapping the larger man on the back of the neck with two fingers, a gentle touch that could have easily been a fatal blow. Hu Jian would stumble, his face red with frustration before roaring and launching himself back into the fray, his movements becoming slightly more controlled, less reckless.
"Lin Tao, your control is excellent," Li Yu said, as he shattered the other man's water-whip with a single, sharp ice blade. "But you are too passive. Your octopus spirit has eight limbs for a reason. Create multiple points of pressure. Distract, ensnare, and then strike. Do not wait for your opponent to make a mistake; force them into one."
Li Yu was also learning from them. "Li Yu, you need to keep your guard up at all times and be better at dodging. You can't just keep letting your body take those blows. Also, you need to lose the instinct of closing your eyes when taking a blow." Hu Jian told him after a spar.
"Li Yu, your killing instincts are quite lacking, it's easy to tell you haven't been in many real fights" Lin Tao said to him. It was true, up till now he still not hadn't any true fights. His battle with Ma Long was short with his opponent completely underestimating him. Not being able to showcase even a fraction of his real skill. It was something he would need to work on.
The time flew by in this manner. By the end of it, the transformation was complete. Hu Jian was a more ferocious warrior, his attacks a whirlwind of fire and force. Lin Tao was a cunning tactician, his water arts a web of subtle traps and deadly pressure. Brother Kai was a steady immovable rock, his experience and newfound power making him a formidable opponent.
Li Yu, in turn, had used the time to completely solidify his Fourth Stage Qi Condensation foundation. His nights were spent in the Abyssal Water Pavilion, absorbing the ancient energy and beginning to unravel the profound mysteries of the «Abyssal Dragon's Shadow».
He had achieved initial mastery and his ability to conceal his presence was now more profound. He could stand ten feet away from Brother Kai and remain completely undetectable to the Third Stage expert's spiritual sense. He was a true ghost, a serpent hidden in the deepest, darkest water.
On the day of their departure, they gathered at the edge of the valley. Their mode of transport was not a cold, lifeless flying ship but a creature of the Beast Taming Hall. It was a Sky-Swimmer Turtle, a massive Rank 4 Fierce Beast with a shell as wide as a courtyard. Elder Ning had allowed them to take it to the city.
Its temperament was incredibly docile. Its shell had been fitted with a low and elegant railing and a small wind-breaking formation at the front. It floated a few feet off the ground, its four massive, flipper-like legs paddling slowly through the air as if it were swimming in an invisible ocean.
"Never thought I'd ride one of these," Hu Jian said, patting the turtle's thick mossy shell with a sense of wonder. "It's like a flying island."
"It is a symbol of our Beast Taming Hall's unique strength," Brother Kai noted, his gaze proud. "Other sects rely on artifacts. The Beast Taming Hall relies on the bonds they forge with the world's magnificent creatures."
They boarded the turtle and with a quiet command from Brother Kai, the massive beast began its slow, steady ascent, rising above the misty valley and into the bright, clear sky.
The ten-day journey was a welcome change from the oppressive confines of the sect and the Fen. Li Yu was for the first time truly out exploring the world. He had never thought he could one day experience such scenes and experiences. On the fifth day, as they flew over a vast snake-like river that glittered like a silver ribbon below, the four of them sat near the turtle's head, sharing a meal of dried meat and water.
"To think, just a few months ago, I was terrified of leaving the sect," Hu Jian admitted, looking down at the sprawling landscape. "Now… the world doesn't seem so frightening." This was why he had taken on the sect mission of being a guard.
"That's because your own power gives you confidence," Lin Tao observed, his gaze sharp. "But the world is full of experts stronger than us. We are still just fish in a very large, very dangerous ocean."
"Lin Tao is right," Brother Kai said. "Sunken Treasure City will be a gathering of different people from all walks of life. We are small fries by comparison. It's best that we keep our heads down and not draw any attention to ourselves in any way.:
All three of them looked at Li Yu, who was staring out at the horizon, his expression one of wonder. He was enjoying the experience of it all, almost forgetting about all of the past troubles.
He finally turned back to them, his gaze serious. "Brother Kai is right, we should keep a low profile and be humble."
As they neared the inland sea, they were passed by a much larger and more ostentatious flying ship. Emblazoned on the ship was the golden emblem of Elder Jin's faction. On its deck stood Jin Ao and his followers. His cold, contemptuous gaze swept over their slow-moving turtle and lingered for a moment before he turned away with a dismissive sneer, not even deigning to speak to them.
"That's him," Hu Jian growled. "Jin Ao. They say he's the strongest disciple below the Foundation Establishment Realm."
"His pride will be his downfall," Lin Tao murmured.
"He does not see us as a threat," Li Yu said. "He probably sees us as an annoyance, a stain on his master's reputation but overall insignificant with the power we have. Let him keep thinking that. It is the best shield we could ask for."
Finally, the city came into view. It was a sprawling, magnificent metropolis, built on a series of massive, interconnected islands in the center of a vast inland sea. Towers of white coral and polished obsidian pierced the clouds. Bridges of woven light arched between the islands.
The harbor was a forest of masts, with ships of every shape and size, from the elegant flying vessels of the great sects to the grim, iron-clad warships of the demonic clans. The air was thick with the cries of merchants, the chatter of a thousand different voices and the powerful, clashing auras of countless experts.
As their Sky-Swimmer Turtle descended towards the main port, they were immediately swallowed by the massive crowd. Li Yu felt like a single drop of water returning to the ocean. There were cultivators everywhere, their power levels a dizzying array.
He could feel dozens of auras at the Foundation Establishment Realm, and even a few that were so deep and profound they had to be from the Core Formation Realm, a level of power he had only ever felt from the Sect Master.
"Stay close," Brother Kai murmured, his face tense.
Li Yu nodded, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic, vibrant city. His spiritual sense was a silent, probing current, feeling the ebb and flow of this new, dangerous ocean. He was quickly able to tell where some people were from due to their badges, the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, the grim black-robed cultivators of the Asura Demon Clan and the mysterious veiled alchemists of the Pill Pagoda.
This was the world outside the sheltered peaks of his sect. It was a world of infinite danger and of infinite opportunity. His master had sent him here to acquire a treasure, but Li Yu knew his true purpose was twofold. He was also here to see this world that he was in and all the different kinds of people that were in.