Azure Dragon Continent, Phoenix and Dragon Dojo.
Li Mie slowly drew in a deep breath. The air around the dojo was thick with spiritual qi, cool and clean, carrying the faint fragrance of blooming spirit flowers. As she exhaled, the ripples of qi around her body subtly stabilized, like a lake returning to calm after a stone was dropped.
Beside her stood three graceful figures, each possessing a beauty and presence that could not be easily replicated.
Ming Yao's gaze lingered on Li Mie, her eyes carrying a strange, almost reverent glint. There was admiration there, but also curiosity, and a hint of disbelief that refused to fade.
"As expected of the disciple of the man whom I admire…" she murmured softly.
Unbidden, the scene of Li Mie's breakthrough replayed in her mind again and again. The memory was vivid. The overwhelming momentum. The suffocating pressure. The way the world itself had seemed to pause for a brief instant, as if unsure how to react.
