For the next two months, Mu Feng focused entirely on connecting the stars of his Summoning Element.
Once again, his schedule became rigid and unchanging.
Run.
Gym.
Archery.
Cultivation.
Combat training.
Cultivation.
Entertainment vanished from his life completely.
Day after day, he repeated the same routine without complaint. Strangely, he never felt bored—because every ounce of effort brought visible results.
His archery improved dramatically. Moving targets that once felt unpredictable now followed clear trajectories in his eyes. His hands grew steadier, his breathing calmer, and his release timing sharper.
Combat training refined him even further.
Through constant pressure, his control over the Ice Element deepened. He could now release ice magic in three seconds, less than half the time it once took. His attacks chased the Spirit Wolf more closely each day—sometimes grazing its fur, sometimes freezing the ground just beneath its paws—but never quite landing a direct hit.
Still, progress was undeniable.
Today, however, Mu Feng's focus lay elsewhere.
He was desperately trying to control the seventh star of his Summoning Element.
As his mastery over Ice increased, he found that controlling the Summoning stars felt easier—more intuitive. His spiritual world responded more smoothly to his will, the stars no longer resisting as fiercely as before.
Thirty minutes passed.
Sweat rolled down his temples as his mind remained locked in absolute concentration.
Then—
The seventh star connected.
A complete star track formed.
Mu Feng's heart trembled.
He had done it.
Beginner Level Summoning Magic — Dimensional Summon.
The moment he released the magic, Mu Feng's vision went blank.
For a split second, all sensation vanished.
When his awareness returned, he found himself floating in midair.
He looked down at his hands.
They were translucent—faint, ghostlike.
Not his body.
His soul.
Mu Feng's gaze dropped further.
Below him stretched a vast, endless plain. Demonic beasts roamed freely—wolves with razor fangs, massive elephant-like creatures with stone armor, rhinoceros demons that shook the ground with every step, and even winged demon birds circling high above.
This was the Summoning Plane.
A world governed by survival alone.
Mu Feng explored cautiously, instinctively avoiding powerful auras. Every step carried danger—because he could feel it clearly now.
If his soul were injured here, the damage would be real.
Recovery would take an extremely long time.
And in the worst case—
It might never recover at all.
Just as a terrifying presence brushed against his perception—
Mu Feng was forcibly expelled.
His consciousness snapped back.
He gasped sharply, collapsing to one knee, cold sweat soaking his back.
But his eyes—
They were burning with excitement.
He had crossed the threshold.
The path of true summoning had finally opened before him.
At dinner, Mu Feng informed Fang Ning of his breakthrough.
"Grandpa," Mu Feng said calmly, "I can finally release Summoning Magic."
Fang Ning paused briefly, then nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. Now focus on reaching Level Two and completing the tasks I've given you."
Mu Feng hesitated for a moment, then spoke again.
"By the way, Grandpa… I want to ask for something."
Fang Ning glanced at him.
"What do you want?"
"A Mind Stone."
Fang Ning's brows furrowed slightly.
"Why do you need a Mind Stone?"
Mu Feng answered without hesitation.
"It can increase Mental Strength. Elements like Space rely heavily on Mental Strength, and Space is one of the elements I plan to awaken in the future."
He continued calmly,
"It's also said that the chances of awakening dimensional elements increase with higher Mental Strength. On top of that, it will help my Summoning Element—and strong Mental Strength is effective against Psychic and Curse Elements as well."
Fang Ning studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly.
"It seems you're not lacking in theoretical knowledge," he said.
He took a sip of his tea.
"Don't worry. I had already begun searching for one the day you awakened your magic. Unfortunately, Mind Stones are extremely rare. Most people who possess one save it for their descendants."
He set the teacup down.
"But I'll do my best to obtain it as soon as possible."
Mu Feng nodded.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
With that, Mu Feng returned to his room and went to sleep—his mind already racing ahead to the next stage of his cultivation.
For the next two months, Mu Feng followed the same relentless routine again.
Day after day, the cycle repeated.
And it paid off.
By the end of two months, Mu Feng's Ice Element was approaching Level Two. His control over the stars had grown far smoother, and the flow of magic within his Stardust was far more stable than before.
His archery had also improved dramatically.
Moving targets were no longer a challenge. Hitting them had become second nature. Now, he had begun adding movement of his own—running, dodging, changing positions while loosing arrows. His body and mind were finally starting to move as one.
Combat training brought the greatest change.
That day, as the Spirit Wolf charged once more, Mu Feng reacted without hesitation.
Ice stars flashed.
A cold surge erupted from his palm.
Crack—!
The Spirit Wolf's front paws froze solid mid-stride, ice crawling up its limbs and halting its momentum completely.
The wolf snarled, struggling—but it was already too late.
Mu Shen clapped his hands, a rare smile appearing on his face.
"Good. Very good," he said approvingly.
"Your attack finally landed."
He nodded toward Mu Feng.
"Your release time has dropped to two seconds. That's a massive improvement."
Mu Feng exhaled slowly, sweat dripping down his temples—but his eyes were bright.
Mu Shen's expression turned serious.
"Now," he said, "we move on to the next phase."
He raised his hand.
Stars began to connect.
First—Star Path.
Then—Star Map.
Then—Star Constellation.
Finally—
2,401 stars connected perfectly, forming a vast and imposing Star Palace.
The pressure in the air changed instantly.
Mu Feng's pupils shrank.
A Super-Tier spell.
Mu Shen slammed his hand down.
The world shifted.
In seconds, the entire training ground transformed. Concrete vanished, replaced by dense trees, tangled vines, uneven terrain, and towering shadows. The air grew humid, heavy with the scent of earth and leaves.
It felt real.
Too real.
Mu Feng stood still, instinctively scanning his surroundings.
Mu Shen's voice echoed from somewhere within the forest.
"From now on, consider this the wilderness."
"You will move through this area, locate the demon beast, and stop it before it reaches you."
His tone sharpened.
"Be careful. It will ambush you."
"Complete this trial, and I'll take you beyond the city walls—to a real forest."
Silence followed.
Mu Feng tightened his grip.
This was no longer training.
This was survival practice.
And for the first time, he truly felt that he was stepping onto the path of a real mage.
Mu Feng continued traversing the forest Mu Shen had created.
His steps were light and deliberate, each movement measured. He paid attention to everything—the sway of leaves, the rustle of grass, the rhythm of the wind, even the subtle changes in mana flow around him. The moment he sensed the slightest irregularity, his body tensed and his mind sharpened.
A faint crack echoed to his right.
A twig.
Mu Feng stopped instantly.
His breathing slowed as one hand moved behind his back, fingers already guiding his Ice Element stars into alignment. His gaze swept the trees ahead—but then, a chill ran down his spine.
Something was behind him.
He turned—
And the Spirit Wolf lunged.
Its massive form burst out from the shadows, jaws wide, fangs gleaming. Mu Feng didn't hesitate. The moment he completed the star connection, cold mana surged forward.
"Ice Spread—Freeze!"
Frost exploded outward.
The wolf's mouth snapped shut mid-lunge, ice sealing its jaws together. Its momentum carried it forward for a split second before it twisted violently, claws digging into the ground. Realizing its ambush had failed, the Spirit Wolf retreated at once, vanishing back into the forest with terrifying speed.
Mu Feng didn't chase.
He steadied himself and moved on.
For the rest of the trial, the forest became a battlefield of patience and instinct. The Spirit Wolf ambushed him again and again—from above, from behind, from blind angles created by trees and uneven terrain.
Sometimes Mu Feng reacted in time.
Sometimes he didn't.
When he succeeded, he froze limbs, disrupted charges, or forced the wolf to retreat. When he failed, Mu Shen intervened at the last moment—each failure burned into Mu Feng's memory as a lesson paid for with fear.
Every ambush taught him something new.
How demons used terrain.
How silence could be weaponized.
How hesitation could be fatal.
And slowly—
Very slowly—
He began to change.
For the next month, this training continued.
Day after day, Mu Feng entered the artificial forest. His reactions grew sharper. His movements became smoother. His fear dulled—not because it vanished, but because it no longer controlled him.
At the same time, his cultivation advanced steadily.
One evening, as frost-laced mana surged through his spiritual world, Mu Feng finally broke through.
His Ice Element reached Beginner Level 2.
The seven stars reorganized, shining brighter and more stable than before.
That same day, he stood once more in the training ground and raised his hand.
"Ice Spread—Solidify!"
Cold erupted outward.
This time, the ice that formed was different.
Denser.
Heavier.
Sharper.
The frozen ground no longer cracked easily. The ice clung stubbornly, locking movement with far greater force than before. Where Freeze had restrained, Solidify dominated.
Mu Feng looked at the result, eyes steady and focused.
He knew—
This was no longer just practice.
He was becoming someone capable of surviving the wilderness.
And soon enough, Mu Shen's words echoed clearly in his mind:
'After this… we go beyond the city walls. '
As Mu Feng's Ice Element reached Beginner Level 2, dealing with the Spirit Wolf gradually became easier.
Its movements were still fast, its ambushes still vicious—but Mu Feng was no longer overwhelmed. His reaction time shortened, his control stabilized, and his ice magic no longer felt clumsy or forced. Each release was cleaner, sharper, and more decisive.
At the same time, his archery training entered a new phase.
Mu Feng put aside ordinary bows and arrows and began using the Ice Crystal Bow exclusively.
The difference was immediate.
Unlike mundane weapons, the Ice Crystal Bow responded directly to his mana and intent. Every draw of the bowstring resonated with his Ice Element, forming crystal-clear arrows condensed from frost and spiritual energy. At first, the bow felt heavy—uncooperative—but as Mu Feng practiced day after day, his control steadily improved.
His aim became deadlier.His arrows flew faster.And when they struck, ice bloomed outward in sharp, explosive bursts.
Archery and magic began to merge naturally.
Soon, three more months passed in relentless training.
By the end of that period, Mu Feng's Summoning Element also reached Beginner Level 2.
His mental strength had increased noticeably. Maintaining star tracks became smoother, and his connection to the Summoning Plane stabilized. The once-dangerous dimensional pull now felt familiar—controlled.
There were still two months left before the deadline Fang Ning had given him.
But Mu Feng was no longer satisfied with merely meeting expectations.
He wanted more.
He wanted proof.
Not against illusions.
Not against summoned beasts.
Not against controlled training scenarios.
He wanted to kill a real demon.
To stand on its corpse and know—without doubt—that he was worthy.
One afternoon, while training inside the artificial forest, Mu Feng felt something strange.
The mana density shifted.
The trees around him began to blur, their outlines dissolving like mist under sunlight.
Moments later, the entire forest faded away.
Mu Shen stood before him, hands clasped behind his back, his expression serious.
"What happened, Uncle Shen?" Mu Feng asked, lowering his bow.
Mu Shen nodded slowly.
"You've learned everything this simulated environment can teach you," he said.
"But no matter how realistic it is… it's still artificial."
His gaze sharpened.
"It's time for the final phase of your training."
Mu Feng's heart tightened slightly.
"Handle all your affairs today," Mu Shen continued.
"Tomorrow, at seven in the morning, we leave."
He turned, pointing toward the distant horizon beyond the clan grounds.
"We'll go outside the Imperial City."
"To a real forest."
His voice was calm—but heavy.
"That's where demons truly live."
Mu Feng clenched his fist.
This was what he had been waiting for.
"I understand," he said firmly.
Mu Shen studied him for a moment, then gave a faint nod.
"Rest well tonight," he said.
"Tomorrow… your real test begins."