Three days had passed since the ambush by the Red Fang agent beneath the Pavilion.
Although there had been no public announcements, the tension at the academy was growing. Patrols doubled. Teachers spoke in hushed voices. Many students didn't sleep well, sensing the presence of something dangerous just beneath the surface.
Little Life, however, had other worries.
He stood alone on the outer edge of the east training courtyard. The stone beneath his feet was worn from centuries of use, but the area was quiet and mostly forgotten. He looked down at his hands, then struck forward with a punch. His force was solid, but the movement felt off—too heavy, not refined.
"I can heal, seal, and purify. But I don't have a way to fight directly," he muttered. "No technique for the body. Just raw strength and beast instincts."
He thought about his fights so far. He had relied on his companions, his healing abilities, and some clever tricks. But in real combat, especially alone, he needed a weapon of his own—a style that matched his spirit.
A ripple in the air broke his thoughts.
Shuiyin appeared from the shade of a nearby tree.
"I thought I'd find you here," she said.
"You followed me?" he asked, surprised.
"You've been wandering around aimlessly. I figured you were about to start punching rocks."
"I was thinking about martial arts. I don't want to rely on beast strength alone."
"Then I'll show you something," she said.
---
That evening, Shuiyin led Little Life to a secret stairway carved into the cliffs behind the academy. The entrance was covered with ivy and runes, making it invisible to most. Inside, the path spiraled downward, lit only by tiny glowing crystals in the walls.
As they reached the bottom, a wide underground hall opened before them. Dozens of murals were carved into the walls—images of cultivators practicing martial arts under falling stars and floating lights.
"This is the Hall of Forgotten Light," Shuiyin explained. "Centuries ago, Light cultivators came here to pass down martial techniques. But over time, as swords and flashy elements grew popular, the gentle arts were buried."
In the center of the hall was a round platform with a short pillar. A scroll floated above it, wrapped in gentle golden light.
Little Life approached carefully. As he touched the scroll, the golden light dissolved, and the scroll opened midair.
Soft whispers echoed in his ears:
> "The Fist of Gentle Light – A sacred art of pure essence. For those who strike only to protect, and never out of hate."
Three stages of techniques appeared as glowing characters:
Stage One: Gentle Palm – a method to absorb and redirect force through soft contact.
Stage Two: Radiant Wave – a punch that channels light through the opponent's energy channels, weakening them.
Stage Three: Star Pulse Fist – a delayed-force strike that shocks internal organs after contact without killing.
Little Life stood still. His body remembered the smooth patterns of beast motion, but this was something else—calm, fluid, yet powerful.
"This… feels right," he said.
"It suits you," Shuiyin agreed. "It uses soft force, not just muscle. You'll grow into it."
He bowed respectfully to the hall and began practicing.
---
The next morning, Zhuben and Lin'er came looking for him after breakfast and found him in the courtyard again.
"What is he doing now?" Zhuben asked, squinting.
Little Life moved slowly, his palms flowing like water, then snapping forward with force that stopped just before a stone pillar.
"I think he's… dancing?" Lin'er guessed.
Little Life opened his eyes and smiled. "No. I'm learning something new."
He stepped to the stone pillar and placed his palm gently against it. A faint light appeared beneath his skin, followed by a ripple.
A second later, the middle of the pillar caved in smoothly, the outside untouched. It looked as if a hole had been carved inside without cracking the structure.
Lin'er's eyes widened. "That wasn't brute strength."
"No," Little Life said. "That was Gentle Palm. It turns the enemy's power inward, using their own energy against them."
Zhuben blinked. "That's terrifying. And kind of beautiful."
Shuiyin floated nearby, leaning against a tree. "He's only just started. Once he masters it, even spirit beasts will hesitate to fight him."
Just then, a paper bird made of soft green light landed near them. Lin'er caught it.
"It's a message," she said, opening the wings. Her eyes narrowed as she read.
> "To the one who disrupted our plans: Come to the lower valley alone. Or more treasures will vanish from the academy. – Red Fang."
Zhuben groaned. "Them again? Why do they always act so dramatic?"
"They want to bait me," Little Life said, stepping forward. "They think I'll give up the scroll."
"You're not going alone," Lin'er said.
"No," Shuiyin agreed. "We'll follow behind, hidden. Just in case."
---
That night, under the dim light of the twin moons, Little Life walked down the narrow path into the lower valley. The trees here were twisted, their roots blackened as if poisoned. The wind didn't blow here, and no beasts made a sound.
In the center of the valley was a ring of black stones. Three masked figures stood inside.
"You came," one of them said. He wore a gray cloak with red fangs stitched across the shoulder.
"I came to listen," Little Life replied calmly. "Not to hand anything over."
The leader of the three stepped forward, holding a crooked spear.
"We've been watching you," he said. "You don't act like a normal Light cultivator. You're hiding something."
"I'm hiding nothing that concerns you."
"Then fight."
Without warning, the three dashed forward.
Little Life took a deep breath. His aura flared, not violently, but calmly—like a still lake glowing under the sun.
> "Gentle Palm."
The first attacker swung a blade. Little Life turned and caught the wrist softly. Using the man's own momentum, he redirected the force, flipping him through the air.
> "Radiant Wave."
He stepped forward and struck the second agent in the chest. The light flowed through the man's robes into his spirit veins. The man gasped and stumbled, his energy unstable.
The leader thrust with his spear.
> "Star Pulse Fist."
Little Life met the strike with a short punch to the side of the man's ribs. The leader didn't flinch at first.
But a second later, a pulse of energy exploded within his chest. He dropped to one knee, breathless.
The fight was over in moments.
Before he could speak, Lin'er and Zhuben dropped from the trees above.
"Told you not to go alone," Zhuben said, grinning.
"We were watching," Lin'er added, tying up the two fallen agents.
The leader glared. "You… you'll regret—"
A water whip struck his mouth, knocking him silent. Shuiyin appeared behind them, arms crossed.
"You talk too much," she said.
---
Back in the dormitory, Little Life sat by the window while Shuiyin floated beside him, arms crossed in thought.
"That martial art," she said, "it's awakening something in your spirit."
"I felt it," he said. "My light became clearer. It didn't burn, but it still defeated them."
"Your healing and sealing abilities are just one side of your path. Now, your body can also reflect that purity."
Little Life looked at his hands again, flexing his fingers.
"Maybe I can protect people properly now."
Then he closed his eyes and whispered to himself.
"One day, I'll heal her. No matter how broken her body is… or how shattered her soul."
His path wasn't about glory.
It was about one thing only:
Saving his sister.
---[To Be Continued]---