Parting Paths
In the quiet office, a new world had been whispered into existence between Yao Xuan and Gu Yue. The air itself seemed softer, charged with a gentle, shared understanding that needed no words.
Meanwhile, Wu Changkong led the four other boys deeper into the Tang Sect's facilities to finalize their enrollment. The process was efficient: forms filled, identities recorded, procedures explained. For Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi, it was the first step onto a legendary path, their excitement a palpable hum.
Then came the test for the Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
In the sterile testing chamber, Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi stood facing each other, determination etched on their faces. They clasped hands, summoning their soul power. Dark energy flickered around them—the shadow of the eagle, the resonance of the dragon bone.
"Dark Eagle Dragon!" they called out in unison.
The black light around them swelled, then stuttered. Instead of flowing together into a greater whole, their auras clashed, repelling each other like similar magnetic poles. A sharp, discordant energy pulsed outwards. Both boys grunted, their faces draining of color as they were forced apart, the fusion crumbling before it could even properly form.
Silence, heavy and confused, filled the room.
"Failed?" Wang Jinzi whispered, disbelief raw in his voice. Zhang Yangzi stared at his own hands as if they betrayed him. Three months ago, in the heat of the promotion tournament, they had succeeded. Now, with stronger souls, they could not.
Wu Changkong's brow furrowed. "Again. Calm your minds. Focus on the synergy, not the force."
They tried. The second attempt ended with a more definitive, painful thud of colliding, incompatible energies. The hope in their eyes flickered and died, replaced by dawning worry.
"Release your martial souls," Wu Changkong commanded, his voice tight with concentration.
As the Dark Demon Eagle and Bone Dragon manifested, Wu Changkong extended his formidable spiritual sense. He probed carefully, his expression growing increasingly somber. The issue was clear to his expert perception: Wang Jinxi's Bone Dragon was subtly different. It hummed with a faint, foreign resonance—a trace of majestic, nine-colored energy that was distinctly not its own. It was a whisper of the Ancestral Dragon.
"Jinxi," Wu Changkong said, withdrawing his senses. "Your martial soul has mutated. I sense Yao Xuan's influence within it. This exposure has strengthened your Bone Dragon, made it purer in its draconic aspect, but in doing so, it has altered its fundamental compatibility with Yangzi's Dark Demon Eagle."
The words landed like stones. A mutated martial soul was a rare gift, often leading to greater potential. But its cost was the bond they had relied upon.
"Then… can it be reversed?" Wang Jinxi asked, his voice small.
"Possibly," Wu Changkong nodded, his gaze impartial. "The influence is still fresh, only three months deep. But to reverse it, you would need to sever the source of influence. You would have to leave Class Zero." He let the implication hang. "This is not a decision to make lightly. It concerns your entire future. You do not need to answer now. Discuss it with your families. Decide after the winter break."
The journey back to Donghai Academy was subdued. In their private room, Yao Xuan had been quietly informed by Gu Yue, whose sharp senses had picked up on the discordant energy from down the hall. He felt a complex twist of responsibility. His very presence, the nature of his supreme bloodline, was a force that could uplift and… unravel. It was a sobering reminder of the weight he carried.
Three days later, the closing ceremony concluded the semester. The mood was one of accomplishment tinged with the melancholy of impending separation. Back in the Class Zero dormitory common room, Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi stood before their teammates.
"Friends," Zhang Yangzi began, his usual boisterous tone replaced by a somber sincerity. "These three months… they meant everything. We learned what real teamwork was. We faced life and death together in the Spirit Ascension Platform. We became brothers."
Wang Jinxi stepped forward, his gaze steady but his eyes bright. "But we have to say goodbye. We've decided to transfer to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy in Mingdu next semester." He took a deep breath. "A mutated martial soul is a powerful opportunity. But some bonds are more powerful. I can't abandon the brother I've had since we were kids. This isn't on you, Captain," he said, looking directly at Yao Xuan. "This is our choice. Our families have settled things with the academy."
They turned together and bowed deeply to Wu Changkong. "Teacher Wu… thank you. For everything. We're sorry to leave."
Wu Changkong stood perfectly still, his face the usual impassive mask. But in the depths of his eyes, those who knew him well—like Yao Xuan—could see the faintest glimmer of sorrow, quickly buried under a teacher's dignity. A class was breaking apart. Students he had shaped were leaving his guidance.
"A man does not weep over chosen paths," Wu Changkong said, his voice firm yet carrying an unusual softness. "Now that your decision is made, walk it with your heads high and your wills steadfast. Do not let your cultivation slacken wherever you go." He paused. "Regarding the Tang Sect, I will handle the matter. When the time comes, the sect will arrange new guides for you in Mingdu. Do not worry."
He gave a single, slow nod of dismissal and blessing.
The farewells that followed were quiet, laden with the unspoken language of young men who had shared trials. Handshakes were firm, backslaps meaningful. Tang Wulin promised to write. Xie Xie made a weak joke that didn't quite land, his usual levity subdued.
Yao Xuan clasped forearms with each of them. "Your fusion skill was incredible," he said to them both. "What you build next will be too. Take care of each other out there."
As Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi shouldered their bags and walked out of the dormitory for the last time, a chapter closed for Class Zero. The room felt larger, emptier.
Gu Yue, standing beside Yao Xuan, watched them go. Her hand found his, their fingers intertwining naturally. It was a touch of comfort, of silent solidarity in the face of change.
*'Analysis: Team composition altered. Net combat power of remaining unit decreases by approximately 18%. However, social-cohesion factor may increase due to reduced internal variables. Long-term strategic impact of losing a fusion skill: moderate.'*
The cold assessment was there, but it was followed by a warmer, more personal thought. 'They chose each other. Over power. That is… a kind of strength, too.' It was a very human observation, one that Na'er would have understood perfectly.
Wu Changkong finally let out a slow breath, the only sign of his inward sigh. "Rest up. Winter break begins tomorrow. For those remaining… we rebuild after the new year." His gaze swept over Yao Xuan, Gu Yue, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie. The team was smaller now, but the road ahead was no less long.
Yao Xuan squeezed Gu Yue's hand gently. Their path together was just beginning, even as others branched away. The future was a tapestry of choices, and today, threads had been cut and re-woven. All they could do was hold fast to their own.