"Now, Azreal, You have no reason to trust me, but I am the Pavilion Leader of the Spirit Harmony Pavilion. Known as the Doctor of Silence, I've treated all who've come seeking my help, never betraying my patient's trust, no matter their situation," Elder Lu states, pride evident in his posture as he speaks to Azreal.

'Should I trust him?' Azreal wonders, glancing at Darian, whose wounds are closing at an incredible rate. In less than a handful of seconds, Darian is healed of all wounds and pushes himself off the ground to stand. Azreal feels a wave of relief wash over him as his new friend seems to recover fully. "Great Elder Lu, I truly wish to trust you, however, my new Master gave me explicit instructions not to trust anyone outside of herself and a few select individuals."

"New Master? Who might that be?" Elder Lu asks, stepping closer to Azreal and circling him with a slow yet determined pace. "Master Juhee has kindly taken me under her wing while I am within the Unbound Pavilion," replies Azreal. Elder Lu halts with a bewildered look on his face. 'I knew she saw potential in the boy, but to take him under her wing directly… This is very interesting. What could this boy possibly have done to attract that much interest?' Elder Lu ponders.

"I understand, Azreal. I will talk with Elder Juhee and reapproach you in the future if she permits. If you've managed to get her attention, you must indeed be something incredible," Elder Lu says, turning his attention to Darian. "You can go now, Azreal. I need to speak with my nephew here, teach him some manners…"

Azreal, a little confused and wishing to spend more time with Darian, hesitates for a moment before bidding goodbye to Elder Lu and Darian and heading for the exit of the Lower Duelling Grounds. 'Master Juhee mentioned another disciple meeting me at my dorm. I hope I haven’t kept them waiting,' Azreal thinks, quickening his pace at the thought.

Elder Lu, now closer to Darian with a contemplative expression and a small smirk, murmurs, "Darian, consider yourself fortunate. That young man, Azreal, carries an aura that not only captivates Elder Juhee but has also piqued my curiosity." Darian tilts his head, puzzled by Elder Lu's insight. "Stay by his side and join him when he ventures beyond the walls of the Sect. I would wager my weight in gold that accompanying him on his missions outside the Sect will lead you to extraordinary treasures and formidable monsters."

As Azreal winds his way up the mountainside to his dorm, he is met with a sight that halts him in his tracks. A woman, her posture radiating silent strength, stands there. Her black hair flutters lightly in the mountain breeze. Her pale skin, speckled with delicate freckles, which contrasts sharply against the dark purple and black trimmed robes of the Unbound Pavilion she wears, symbolising her deep connection to the shadows she commands.

'Who is she? She can't be the one here to train me? Why does she look so intimidating?' Azreal's pulse races with thoughts of turning around and walking back down the mountainside. Still, he sucks in a deep breath before moving towards the woman and his dorm. The woman's eyes, sharp and penetrating, snap to his direction, fixed on Azreal with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.

"I expected you sooner," the woman's voice, though soft, carries a weight that speaks volumes of her experience and authority. "I am Lin Xue, one of Master Juhee's Senior disciples. She entrusts me with your training, and from the way you walk, we will need every second of it."

"I am Azreal. Master Juhee mentioned someone meeting me, but I was talking to Elder Lu and got distracted by the conversation. I hope you can forgive me." says Azreal, slightly bowing. "It's fine! Stop bowing. I am your Senior Sister now, not your Master. Much like Master Juhee, I do not like formalities. You can just call me Sister Xue," Lin Xue, surprised by Azreal's actions, instructs. "Of course, Senior Sister Xue. I am thankful for your patience, and I hope we will get along well," says Azreal, a charming smile forming as he raises his head.

"I expected more ego," Lin Xue mutters under her breath. "And why is a disciple of your calibre residing so high up in the mountains?" she inquires, her tone indicating genuine intrigue as much as her initial annoyance. "Master Juhee gave me this wooden slate," Azreal points to the wooden slate fixed to his robe's belt loop. "I received this slate after passing the forest trial for the Entrance Exam. I know this is the inner disciple's area, but what else can I do if Master assigned me this room?" Azreal says, clenching his jaw, eyes darting around to ensure only he and Lin Xue are within earshot.

"What! It took me two years of painstaking hard work to become an inner disciple!" Lin Xue curses. "Hmph! If it's Master's decision, there's nothing anyone living here can do about it. I would keep this a secret, however, that will be incredibly difficult as you are walking in and out of here every day. Most other inner disciples living here are at least in the Martial Warrior realm, which is a whole realm above you. No matter how much you struggle, you would be crushed like a bug under their cultivation and techniques. Avoid them until you can become one yourself."

As Lin Xue turns away from Azreal, she says, "Follow me. I will take you to the Unbound Pavilion's training ground. There, we will begin your training on basic sword stances and how to wield a blade. If you have any questions as we go, please ask. I want to make this as fast as possible. I only have a day to get you ready before your first missions are assigned."

As dusk begins to envelop the mountainside, filling the air with the crisp coolness typical of evenings at the Heavenly Root Sect, Lin Xue leads Azreal to a secluded part of the Unbound Pavilion's training grounds. This place, where shadows lengthen as the sun dips below the horizon, is perfectly suited for darkness-based techniques like the Eclipse Blade. On their way, Lin Xue tells Azreal her abilities grow stronger at night, not as an Assassination technique, but because she draws power from darkness itself.

Once they arrive at the secluded training grounds, Lin Xue starts with the basics, showing Azreal the proper stances for wielding a sword. Each movement is precise, each stance embodying balance and the potential for swift, deadly strikes. Azreal, eager but unrefined, tries to mirror her movements, often stumbling in his efforts to keep up.

"Your body must be both the weapon and the wielder. Firm yet flexible, ready to unleash at a moment's notice," Lin Xue instructs, her voice stern yet encouraging. She corrects his posture with a firm touch, guiding him into the correct positions.

As night falls, Lin Xue is shocked at the incredible speed with which Azreal learns the basics. He can fully grasp the concepts; his only issue is that his body seems unable to keep up with his mind. They progress to more complex manoeuvres. Lin Xue demonstrates how to channel darkness Qi through the sword, creating shadows that dance and swirl around the blade. Azreal watches in awe before attempting to channel his own technique, sparks flying from himself and his blade.

"Lin Xue, I can already channel my Qi through my blade and into my body. My struggle is utilising it, and fighting with my body. I'm not used to having this much freedom of movement. I get lost in how to move," Azreal admits.

"You're focusing too much on the Qi in your body. For disciples of the Martial Adept realm, your body is more important than your Qi. You have such a small amount of Qi in your body. This amount of Qi is not enough to truly do any damage with just your abilities or skills, or even to effectively attack, even at the Martial Warrior level disciples will struggle doing significant damage with  just their Qi. Even if your Qi becomes more abundant, it is still useless without having the correct mindset, training and training for your body," Lin Xue explains, a hint of grief noticeable on her face. "I will not allow your overconfidence for your pathetic amount of Qi, and in your beginner level technique to get yourself or others killed," said Lin Xue with fierce determination.

Under the moonlit sky, their training intensifies. Lin Xue introduces Azreal to controlled sparring, attacking him with slow, deliberate strikes that he has to block or evade, or she will strike hard enough to ensure heavy bruising. Each time Azreal failed to react in time, his body was wracked with pain, as Lin Xue’s sword and Azreal’s defences collided, a lesson in timing, precision, and the application of Qi are being ingrained to Azreal at extreme speeds.

Azreal, determined to prove himself, pushes his limits, feeling the strain on his muscles and an extreme drain on his Qi. A single misstep during one exchange leaves him open, and Lin Xue’s blade connects, a controlled but firm strike against his side. The impact sends him tumbling and slamming into one of the stone walls barricading the training grounds, the pain sharp and immediate. Azreal coughing, blood pooling in his mouth before slowly dripping out as he clenches his jaw.

“I’m fine,” Azreal gasps, moving himself to stand up despite the pain, wiping the blood off his face with his forearm. “Let’s continue,” said Lin Xue, observing him for a moment, a hint of respect in her eyes. She was expecting him to cry or quit after that hit which she put a small amount of Qi into, a newfound respect for his resilience blooming. "Your grit and will is commendable, but your body must match your will. Let me show you how to recover your Qi more efficiently," she says, walking over with grace, offering a hand to help him up.

As the moonlit sky slowly begins to illuminate the isolated training ground, so does Azreal's understanding and control over his Qi. Lin Xue guides him through meditation techniques, showing him how to draw upon his own Qi and the natural Qi around them to replenish his own. As Qi from the mountainside fills his veins, a warm sensation courses through his veins and the pain from his injuries lessen. 

The practice continues until Azreal’s movements become more fluid, his deflection and evasion of Lin Xue’s strikes becomes easier and his strikes become faster and stronger. Exhaustion sets in, his body reaching its limit, but his determination never wavers. Lin Xue smiles in acknowledgment of his rapid progress. “Dawn is moments away, Azreal. I am still dumbfounded how you improved your basics so quickly, in less than a single night, you have achieved more than other disciples would hope to achieve in months," Lin Xue says. She now understood what Master Juhee had seen in Azreal, seeing the raw potential for herself made her both giddy with excitement for the weapon he could become, and afraid for if his future was shaped incorrectly, his limitless future could be filled with the dead.

“I want you to return to your dorm and cultivate until I come to grab you and we repeat this process,” Lin Xue says, with a warm smile. Azreal takes a deeper bow. “Thank you, Senior Sister Xue. I am grateful for the teaching. I now understand how terribly weak I am compared to what exists in this world. I look forward to your next lesson.”

Returning to his dorm, Azreal walks with a swift pace, ensuring no eye contact is made with any of the inner disciples who were giving him strange looks as they began their morning. 'Head down, straight to the dorm, avoid all contact,' Azreal repeats this line in his mind as he keeps his head down.

A voice calling out breaks his determined walk. "Azreal! What are you doing up here?" Azreal, raising his head, finds Xin Hao, the senior disciple who was training the junior disciples yesterday, calling out to him. His short black hair and thin face with a grin rapidly approach Azreal. "How did your duels go? I can tell from here, you've improved already!" says Xin Hao, coming to a stop in front of Azreal. "It went well, I won my two duels and spent last night training with Lin Xue. She helped me grasp the basics, as I almost crippled the two disciples I fought," says Azreal, guilt riddled in his voice.

"Azreal, hurting someone in a duel, especially as important as the entrance duels, is not something you should ever feel guilt for. Calm your mind. If you did not hurt them, would they have hurt you?" Xin Hao says, his voice taking on a firm yet kind tone. Azreal manages to eke out a small nod. "I understand, I will try to remember that. Thank you, Xin Hao."

"Now, why are you up here? Or are you on your way down the mountainside to your dorm?" Xin Hao asks again. "No, I live up here. Master Juhee gave me dorm 151. I hope you don't mind," Azreal replies meekly. Xin Hao looks at Azreal with a critical gaze. "Alright, walk with me. That way, you will have a purpose for being here, and we won't arouse suspicion." Azreal nods and follows Xin Hao along the pathway that leads to his dorm. "Thank you. You've been kind to me once again," says Azreal, moving inside and offering Xin Hao to join. "I can't come in today. Some of the senior disciples are meeting to discuss the mission we will give to the new outer disciples of our Unbound Pavilion. I have a feeling you will be quite surprised with what is chosen for you," says Xin Hao, leaving Azreal’s dorm.

Azreal, entering his still destroyed room, sighs. 'I can't believe I didn’t clean this. Actually, I don’t think I will clean this room. I will just destroy it again.' After a moment of contemplation, Azreal decides to follow Lin Xue's advice, taking the lotus position and attempting to breathe in the ambient Qi into his body. As the energy courses through Azreal’s body and his eyes are closed, focusing on the feeling of power flooding his body, a series of notifications begins to flash before him.

<+20 Qi>

<+20 Qi>

<+25 Qi>

<+25 Qi>

An hour disappears in the blink of an eye for Azreal as he becomes consumed with the feeling of new energy empowering his body. Then, a sudden, excruciating pain explodes within him, echoing to his very core. Onlookers, if there were any, would witness a horrifying spectacle: Azreal’s veins bulge and throb visibly beneath his skin, pulsating rhythmically with his heart's desperate beats. With each thump, a wave of agony surges, escalating in ferocity, cascading through endless cycles of torment with no reprieve in sight.

In a fleeting moment of sheer will, Azreal forces his eyes open, only to be engulfed in a blanket of darkness. As panic begins to whisper in his mind, his sense of touch fades into nothingness, leaving him suspended in a void where the concept of physical contact becomes a distant memory. Then, silence and loss of smell claims him; his hearing vanishes, sealing him in a solitary confinement crafted from his worst nightmares; loneliness becomes engulfing.

Amidst this sensory deprivation, pain remains his only companion. It is unyielding, a relentless force that gnaws at his consciousness, reminding him of his existence through suffering. Azreal finds himself teetering on the brink of crumbling, his fragile mind tethering to the only feeling he has left, pain.

An unknown amount of time passes as Azreal and the bone-chilling pain share a dark and lonely cell with each other. Unable to form thoughts, Azreal curses his life, asking why the heavens have forsaken him in both the real world and in Heaven’s Universe.