The dawn came softly, pale light spilling across Dawnmist Peak like a benediction.
But in Luo Feng's heart, there was no peace.
He stood in the training courtyard as the first rays of light touched the worn stones. His disciples moved through their drills—A-Yan darting between illusions, Tianya flowing like water with her blade, Bai weaving frost like a painter's brush. Yiran and Wushen trained together, perfecting the rhythm of protection and song.
He watched them, silent.
Then he spoke.
"You're stronger than when I first took you in," Luo Feng said. His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of the mountain.
A-Yan grinned. "We had a good teacher."
"No," Luo Feng said softly. "You had the will to grow."
They paused, listening.
He raised his hand, fingers tracing the air.
A faint glow shimmered along the stone—old runes woven in patterns few would recognize.
"This Peak was built on trust," he said. "Not just between teacher and disciple, but between each other. Today, we build on that trust."
He turned to Kaelen, who waited with a fresh stack of formation seals.
"Formation Training—Tier Three," he ordered. "We're moving beyond individual techniques. Today, you learn what it means to be a single breath—five hearts, one pulse."
Ding! Training Event Unlocked: "Veiled Bloom – Unified Heart Pattern"Objective: Achieve a 75% resonance sync across disciples.Effect: Enhances defensive and offensive synergy by 40% during group combat.Note: Failure risks formation backlash—train carefully.
The courtyard came alive.
Bai moved first, her frost illusions expanding to cover A-Yan's stealth steps, creating a dance of cold shadows and flickering blades.
Tianya adapted, her dagger weaving between the openings they left, a seamless extension of their movements.
Yiran stood at the center, her formation sense guiding the flows of qi—adjusting, steadying, never forcing.
And Wushen… he played.
Not the forbidden song. Not yet.
He played a simple, steady note—one that tied their movements together, like the soft heartbeat of the mountain itself.
Luo Feng watched them sweat and stumble, then find their rhythm again.
Each mistake was met with patience, each success with a quiet nod.
Kaelen approached him.
"You're preparing them for something more than the Council," she said quietly.
He nodded. "I'm preparing them for the Ashen Gate."
Kaelen's eyes narrowed. "You've decided."
"It's not a decision," Luo Feng said softly. "It's a calling."
Ding! System Prompt: Host has confirmed pursuit of Legacy Node "Ashen Gate."Preparation phase: 2 days recommended before departure.
That night, as the disciples rested in the glow of the training fire, Luo Feng walked the mountain alone.
He traced the old paths, feeling the ancient power that slumbered beneath the stone. Dawnmist Peak was more than a sanctuary—it was a crucible. And the Ashen Gate… that was the flame.
At the edge of the Peak, he stopped.
A figure waited there.
Wrapped in a cloak of midnight blue, a hood shadowing their features.
But Luo Feng knew them.
Even after all these years.
"Shen Li," he said quietly.
The hood fell back, revealing a face both young and old—smooth skin, but eyes like a starless night.
"Luo Feng," Shen Li said, his voice calm. "You're as stubborn as ever."
Ding! NPC Identified: Shen Li – Wandering Mentor, Ashen Gate Survivor.Threat: Unknown.Relationship: Complex (Old Rival / Reluctant Ally).Note: This figure's path intertwines with your own… but not without a price.
"What are you doing here?" Luo Feng asked.
Shen Li smiled faintly. "I felt the chord," he said. "The second verse. You know what that means."
Luo Feng nodded. "It's a summons."
Shen Li's gaze sharpened. "It's a test. The Ashen Gate doesn't open for the unprepared. It devours the unworthy."
He paused.
"And you're bringing them there—your orphans. Your… monsters."
"They're my disciples," Luo Feng said firmly. "Not my soldiers. And not yours."
Shen Li studied him.
Then he chuckled, a low, soft sound.
"You never change," he said. "You teach them to stand apart from the world, but the world always finds them anyway."
Luo Feng's eyes narrowed. "Why are you here, Shen Li?"
Shen Li's smile faded.
"Because the Gate remembers me, too," he said. "And it remembers what we tried to bury."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small, black vial.
He tossed it to Luo Feng.
"Drink this when you reach the Gate," he said. "It'll keep the worst of the echoes from eating your mind."
Luo Feng caught it.
"You're giving me a gift," he said slowly. "What's the price?"
Shen Li shrugged.
"I want to see if your way works," he said. "Because mine… didn't."
He turned to leave.
But paused.
"You'll find more than memories at the Gate," he said softly. "You'll find the reason the Mentor System was created in the first place."
Luo Feng didn't answer.
And Shen Li vanished into the night, as silent as a forgotten song.
The next morning, Dawnmist Peak felt… sharper.
The disciples trained with new urgency, their movements tighter, more focused. Even A-Yan, usually so playful, had an edge to her steps—a glimmer in her eyes that said she understood.
Yiran approached Luo Feng as he watched them.
"Will you come with us to the Ashen Gate?" she asked.
Luo Feng shook his head.
"I'll walk you to the threshold," he said. "But beyond that… it's your path."
That night, as the fire crackled low, Wushen played a song for the Peak.
Not the forbidden melody.
A lullaby.
One his brother had taught him when the world still felt safe.
The notes rose and fell, echoing off the stone.
And in the shadows of the mountain, something ancient stirred.