Zhen had just finished forging his very first creation — a flawless needle that gleamed with an unusual, almost magical light aura. Ling Hao stood nearby, smiling with pride yet scratching his head in confusion. In his mind, his thoughts stretched on and on like a long scroll: This little guy has done amazingly well, creating a perfect needle... but why in the world is this thing glowing with light aura? Even I can feel a strange pressure from it. Could it be because of his pure darkness attribute?
Meanwhile, Zhen's gaze was locked on the needle, his chest practically swelling with pride. In a loud, eager voice that carried through the hall, he asked, "Sir, can I please take this needle with me? I want to show it to my friends—after all, it's my very first creation, and I'm proud of it!"
Ling Hao snapped from his thoughts. "Yeah, of course. Take it."
"Thank you, sir," Zhen said with a smile before leaving the Blacksmith Hall, the needle safely in his hand.
even after Zhen left, Ling Hao remained rooted to the spot, staring blankly into the empty space where Zhen had stood moments ago, his mind still spinning with questions and the unsettling memory of that strange light aura. i really need to train my bond power much, much more... push it to the limits, break through my current boundaries, and maybe even lock myself away for days to dig into some serious research.
When Zhen finally made his way back to his dorm room, he found Lei Wei and Shi Feng already in the room. Without wasting a second, they launched into a long, account of everything that had happened while he was away at the Blacksmith Hall — and by the time they finished, Zhen was left wide-eyed, his mouth slightly open, feeling a deep mix of surprise and shock.
"So Xue'er has an elder sister, and she's also a student in the academy?" he asked.
Both Wei and Feng nodded.
WEI leaned forward and said in a slow, heavy tone, "their aura was powerful — so strong, for us it felt like we were shaking. those two seniors... they were Holy Shifters."
"HOLY SHIFTERS!?" Zhen's eyes went wide.
"Yeah," Wei nodded. "That means they're as powerful as our Class 2 head teacher, Mr. Guan Fang."
Feng leaned in closer, lowering his voice just enough to sound mysterious but still clear. "We also saw something way out beyond the river. I don't know exactly what it was, but it had tall walls, and an air of secrecy, almost as if it were another academy hidden in plain sight."
Zhen blinked. "You mean there's an academy inside the Beast Bond Master Academy?"
Wei shrugged. "We don't know yet, but I think we'll find out someday."
Wei leaned forward with interest and said in a clear, simple tone, "Zhen, what did you learn today in the Blacksmith Hall? Did you manage to create something?"
Shi Feng's curiosity flared as well. "Hmm? Did you?"
"Yes," Zhen said. "I did create something... but I'm not showing you right now."
"Oh, come on, Zhen. Show us!" Feng whined.
"I'll show it to my teacher tonight during our night training," Zhen replied.
"Late night training?" Wei and Feng looked at him in confusion.
Zhen's smile spread slow and wide, his eyes glinting with mischief and a touch of menace. "Did you forget... what happened yesterday night?"
The memory slammed into them—those DARK RED EYES, that suffocating dark air. Wei and Feng clung to each other like scared kittens, trembling from head to toe. "Oh my god... those eyes... that darkness..."
"Well," Zhen added, "teacher said you guys will come too."
They froze, remembering Holy Lord Long Yi's words: You little fools will come too with my little disciple every night.
Zhen grinned. "I'm excited—now we'll have group training."
Wei and Feng, however, looked like they'd rather be anywhere else.
That night, Zhen, Wei, and Feng stood outside the girls' dorm, waiting for Naer, Queer, and Xiatao.
"Will they even come?" Wei asked nervously.
"Of course not," Feng laughed. "They're more scared than us. They're definitely asleep right now."
Just then, Zhen said, "Here they come."
Feng's jaw dropped. "Why are my predictions always wrong?"
The girls approached. Naer's eyes gleamed with excitement. "We're ready."
Xue'er and Xiatao, though, looked slightly uneasy.
They all slowly made their way across the grounds, each footstep dragging with anticipation, until they reached the training field where the imposing figure of Long Yi was already waiting like a shadowed monument. With a clear, strong voice that carried far, Zhen called out, "Teacher, we're here!"
Long Yi turned slowly. "Hmmm."
Aside from Zhen and Naer, the others could see the crushing, suffocating, bone-deep oppressive presence that rolled off Long Yi like an endless storm—the swirling darkness coiled and twisted through the air like living shadows, and those glowing red eyes burned so fiercely they seemed to pierce right into their souls. Even Naer, who was far braver than most, felt a cold shiver creep up her spine and a knot of unease settle in her chest. Zhen was used to this pressure.
They greeted her respectfully. "Greetings, Holy Lord."
Zhen stepped forward. "Teacher, I created something."
Curiosity flickered in Long Yi's tone. "What did you create?"
His friends crowded closer, their curiosity practically radiating. Zhen slowly and proudly pulled out the shining needle, letting its dazzling light aura spill into the night air. The brilliance was so intense and unusual that even the ever-composed Long Yi's eyes widened in clear surprise.
"This is a needle," Zhen explained.
"Wow, Zhen, it's so bright," Naer said, and the others nodded in amazement.
"Teacher, how is it?" Zhen asked.
Long Yi slowly reached out and took the needle, the strange light aura washing over her like a wave. She narrowed her eyes and murmured in a low, thoughtful voice, "This aura... why does it feel so strangely familiar to me?"
"Zhen, how did you smash the metal?" she asked.
"At first, randomly," Zhen answered. "After a few hits, I used my bond power. Is that bad?"
Long Yi smiled and patted his head. "Your first creation is very good, Zhen."
Zhen beamed with pride, his friends sharing in his joy.
"Alright," Long Yi said, her voice slicing through the night like a whip crack. "Every single one of you—yes, all six—run two full laps around this entire field, no shortcuts, no excuses. Once you're done, brace yourselves, because that's when the real training begins..."