Lan Zhen, Gu Naer, Lei Wei, Yu Xiatao, Shi Feng, and Bing Xueer were running around the training field under the dim glow of the moon. Their small figures cut across the grass again and again, shadows stretching long under the cold night sky. Long Yi stood silently at the edge of the field, her arms crossed, her eyes sharp as she observed her six students push themselves through the late-night exercise. The night air was heavy, cool and damp, yet sweat poured down the children's faces as their footsteps thudded rhythmically against the earth. All of them managed to complete three rounds, but by the third, exhaustion was already pressing down on their bodies like a mountain.
Yu Xiatao's legs gave way, and she stumbled, nearly crashing onto the ground. Her breaths came ragged, shallow, her body trembling from fatigue. But before she could fall, Lei Wei's hand shot out, firm and steady, catching her arm. "Come on, don't stop now," he urged, half dragging, half supporting her as they pushed forward. His voice trembled with exhaustion but carried determination that refused to bend. The others were not faring much better. Lan Zhen, though panting hard, kept his arms stretched, holding Shi Feng on one side and Gu Naer on the other. His steadying strength kept them from falling apart, his legs moving despite the ache screaming through them.
In a matter of moments, all six of them linked together, leaning into each other for support, shoulder to shoulder. Their steps faltered, their balance wavered, but their wills aligned. Their voices, though hoarse and broken, rose together in unison, loud and resolute despite the fatigue weighing them down:
"WE CAN DO THIS, TOGETHER!"
Long Yi's eyes widened slightly. The determined chorus startled her, and in the stillness of her heart, a spark of pride glimmered. These six children were far from perfect, yet there was something in their shouts, in their stubborn refusal to give up, that even seasoned warriors lacked. With grit and unity, the children managed to complete the fourth round, their legs dragging, their arms clutching each other, until they stumbled across the line and collapsed in exhaustion.
Their small legs refused to carry them further. They tried to begin the fifth round, but their bodies gave in almost immediately, and they fell to the ground, gasping desperately for breath. They lay scattered on the training field like fallen leaves, sweat soaking their clothes, their small chests heaving violently as they clawed for air.
Long Yi stepped forward, her boots crunching softly against the grass. Her voice rang clear, calm yet firm. "Today, your target was to complete five rounds together." Her sharp gaze swept across their tired faces, letting the silence linger before she continued. "But none of you were able to complete the five rounds!"
The six children lowered their heads, guilt and disappointment hanging heavy in their hearts. The silence was suffocating until Lan Zhen forced himself to speak. His voice was apologetic but honest. "Sorry, Teacher. After the fourth round… we just didn't have any strength left. We couldn't breathe anymore. Our bodies gave out."
Long Yi's stern expression softened. Her lips curved into a faint smile. "But you completed four rounds. Together." She paused deliberately, her words slow, letting them sink in. "You helped one another, you pushed forward without leaving anyone behind. That's not failure—that's growth."
The children blinked in surprise, lifting their tired eyes toward her as though they weren't sure they heard correctly.
"The target of five rounds was impossible for you," Long Yi admitted at last. "Even four rounds would be considered too much for most. Do you know? Even a newly advanced rank 20 Soul Lord would struggle to achieve what you just did."
"WHATTTTTTTTTTTT!"
Their collective shout of disbelief tore across the training field, their jaws dropping so wide Long Yi almost laughed outright. Instead, she covered her amusement with a soft chuckle.
"You are only rank 15, with Zhen at rank 16. And yet you finished four rounds. That is a true accomplishment."
Relief and joy replaced the disappointment on their faces. They looked at each other, their laughter and cheers spilling out into the cool night, their small smiles brighter than the moon above. Despite the soreness in their muscles and the ache in their lungs, pride filled their young hearts. Long Yi looked at them and thought to herself:
They are only eight years old, yet they have already built something most people take years to understand. Trust. Their trust in each other has deepened tonight. From here on, their bonds will only grow stronger. This is the true foundation of strength.
When the training ended, Zhen, Wei, and Feng trudged back to the boys' dormitory, dragging their sore feet yet grinning. Naer, Xiatao, and Xueer helped each other back to the girls' dormitory, whispering excitedly about their accomplishment even as exhaustion weighed them down. Soon, the field fell empty—except for Long Yi. She remained, standing under the wide sky. The wind brushed against her hair as her eyes narrowed. She had felt it for a while now: a familiar presence lingering in the night.
"So," she said with a small smile, "how do you see them, old man—Wind Eagle Venerable?"
The wind responded first. A sudden gale swept across the field, sharp and fierce, rattling the leaves of distant trees. Space itself cracked and tore open above her, the fabric of reality unable to withstand the immense aura pressing against it. From the rift, an old man stepped forward. Each step he took caused the very air to splinter like fragile glass, as though the world itself resisted his presence. His aura was immense, heavy, overwhelming—a suffocating majesty that demanded respect.
"You haven't changed at all, Long Yi. Still stubborn," the old man said, his deep voice rumbling like thunder hidden in the wind. "And still calling me old man."
Long Yi smirked, folding her arms, her sharp gaze unfazed by his oppressive presence. "Well, you are seventy years old, after all. Old man."
The old man, Feng Tian, made a mock pleading expression. "Come now, don't call me that. Have some respect."
Long Yi sighed dramatically before relenting. "Alright, Elder Feng Tian. But you're already rank 91, a Holy Venerable. Don't pull such childish faces—it feels disgusting."
"You little brat…" Feng Tian grumbled, though a smile tugged at his weathered lips. For a moment, the overwhelming aura around him softened, and the two shared a quiet laugh under the stars. Then Long Yi's expression sharpened again as she asked, "So, what do you think of them?"
Feng Tian stroked his beard slowly, his gaze drifting toward the direction the children had gone. "Remarkable. At such a young age, they managed to complete four rounds. And as for that boy, Lan Zhen…" He paused, shaking his head. "When you first told me, I couldn't believe it. But now, seeing him… I understand. Yet…"
Long Yi leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing. "But what, Elder?"
Feng Tian's expression grew serious, his voice low with weight. "This boy, Lan Zhen, carries a dragon bond of pure light… and pure darkness."
Long Yi nodded solemnly. "Yes. I didn't believe it at first either. But this needle proved it to me." She reached into her sleeve and handed him the needle Zhen had forged. Feng Tian held it delicately, closing his eyes as he let his senses sink into the energy radiating from it.
"This is… incredible. The aura of pure light is unmistakable." His lips curled into a nostalgic smile. "The first bond master of the Pure Darkness Dragon was your elder brother, Long Chen. His wife, Bai Yun, was the bond master of the Pure Light Dragon. The second bond master of the Pure Darkness Dragon is you, Long Yi. And now… the third is your disciple, Lan Zhen. Light and darkness bound within him."
At the mention of Long Chen and Bai Yun, Long Yi fell silent, her eyes softening as memories tugged at her heart. Feng Tian lifted his gaze toward the star-filled sky, his voice quiet, almost wistful. "I wonder how they are doing now… wherever they may be."
Long Yi's eyes followed his. Her lips moved softly. "I wonder too."
The silence between them was filled with the whisper of the wind, carrying memories of the past and hints of the future. Then Feng Tian turned back to her, his tone serious once more. "Long Yi, Lan Zhen is your only disciple. Guide him well. Make him strong. He will need that strength for what lies ahead."
A faint but confident smile touched Long Yi's lips. "Of course I will. But not only him. I will make all of them strong. Together, this team will become something extraordinary. This team… will become the future."