Morning sunlight filtered through the clouds, spilling golden light over the Azure Sky Sect's courtyard.
Birds chirped. Disciples meditated. Serenity reigned.
And then Li Ming stepped out of his residence carrying the lightning cub like a sack of trouble.
"Alright," he muttered, setting it down. "You caused chaos yesterday. Today, we fix that."
The cub blinked, tail wagging faintly, crackling with light.
Bai Guo perched on the fencepost, preening a wing. "You're talking to it like it understands you."
Li Ming pointed. "It does. Probably."
The cub tilted its head.
Then rolled over.
And fell asleep.
Li Ming's eyebrow twitched. "This is my opponent now."
---
An hour later, the "training" began.
Li Ming stood in the middle of the courtyard, a stone slab placed in front of him. The cub sat nearby, blinking with curiosity.
