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. Hu Jian, whose spirit was a ferocious Armored River-Tiger, chose a domineering, aggressive fire-attribute art that complemented his explosive personality. Lin Tao, whose spirit was a patient, watchful Blue-Ringed Octopus, 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 hut. They emerged a week later, no longer peak Body Tempering disciples, but true First Stage Qi Condensation experts, their auras sharp, their eyes filled with a new, dangerous light.
Brother Kai's transformation was quieter but no less profound. The Meridian-Mending Soul Pill had worked its magic, healing the old, deep-seated injuries that had crippled his potential. 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.
Li Yu, as their leader, became their whetstone. He would spend his days sparring with them, a four-way dance of controlled, lethal force. His "official" cultivation was still at the First Stage of Qi Condensation, making him appear as their equal, but his true combat prowess was on another level entirely.
"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 effortlessly 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 a mixture of frustration and awe, 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 would advise, as he easily 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."
The two months flew by in this manner. By the end of it, the transformation was complete. Hu Jian was a 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 so profound that 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. Its temperament was incredibly docile, and its shell had been fitted with a low, 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. We rely on the bonds we 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. 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."
"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, his voice a low rumble of caution. "Sunken Treasure City will be a gathering of different people from all walks of life. We are small fries by comparison.
All three of them looked at Li Yu, who was staring out at the horizon, his expression calm. "Our advantage is that we are united," Li Yu corrected gently. "Jin Ao travels with a dozen followers, but they are a faction bound by ambition and fear. They are not a true team. We are.."
He looked at them, his gaze serious. "When we arrive, we will be humble. We will observe. We will learn. We will not display our wealth or our strength. We will be four unassuming disciples from a distant sect. Let them underestimate us. Let them believe we are nothing more than what we appear to be."
His words, filled with a quiet, unshakeable confidence, settled their nerves. He was their leader not just because of his power, but because of his wisdom, well beyond his age. The three of them all thought of the same thing at once, "Is this why they say children growing up in adversity always grow up faster?"
As they neared the inland sea, they passed a much larger, more ostentatious flying ship, emblazoned with 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, his voice calm. "He sees us as an annoyance, a stain on his master's reputation that he is on his way to erase. Let him keep that arrogance. 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 languages, 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 hand resting on his sword, 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 their badges, the arrogant 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 here to observe, to learn, and to find new, quiet opportunities to advance his cultivation, far from the watchful eyes of the sect. The hidden fish had finally returned to the deep, silent ocean, ready to explore its hidden currents.