"I will teach you three techniques. The first is Drowning Cursed Mind," Feng Yang said as he sat down in a cross-legged position.
Tianlei followed, settling close to his grandfather.
Feng Yang raised two fingers and pressed them against Tianlei's forehead.
"Drowning Cursed Mind is a heaven-grade attack technique that targets the mind. Its power is terrifying and difficult to overcome. As long as your enemy has eyes, no matter how powerful they are, it will still have an effect at least for a second. That second is enough to deliver a fatal blow."
Streams of qi began flowing into Feng Tianlei's head. His grandfather's energy was vast, endless, like standing before an unceasing river that threatened to swallow him whole.
"We are going to begin," Feng Yang said calmly. "Are you ready?"
Tianlei nodded slightly.
"Once I start, you will drown in the nightmares you fear most. You must overcome them within one minute, or you will suffer backlash."
Tianlei's mind was pulled away instantly.
All his fears came crashing down at once.
He stood in the middle of a ruined street. Buildings lay shattered around him, yet a massive screen still hung from one of them, flickering weakly.
On it, a television reporter spoke about a catastrophic explosion caused by the clash of two powerful figures.
"This is where my mother died," Tianlei thought, his gaze sweeping over the broken city.
Thunder rumbled above as two terrifying forces collided in the sky. A figure was hurled downward. Tianlei tried to run, but the body crashed in front of him, skidding across the ground before stopping at his feet.
He knelt and noticed it was a woman. Her body was riddled with deep wounds, white bone visible through torn flesh.
Tianlei raised his trembling hand to touch her.
She suddenly turned and grabbed him.
"Mom—"
He gasped. The woman's face was his mother's.
"He is coming," she said softly. "Don't worry. I will die with him."
Tianlei tried to pull away, but her grip tightened. Her skin began to turn red, cracks spreading rapidly across it.
"I will kill him. I will kill him," she said, grinning.
Furious flames erupted from the cracks in her body, and she exploded.
The blast hurled Tianlei backward. Buildings disintegrated as the fireball expanded, as if a miniature sun had detonated.
Instead of being erased, Tianlei was launched like a projectile, flying miles before crashing deep into a forest.
Anyone else would have been torn apart but instead he stood without hands.
Tianlei searched desperately, but the only thing before him was the Destiny Star Healing Beast, standing silently.
"Destiny Star, heal me."
The beast merely stared at him, growled softly, then closed its eyes and lay down in the grass.
Tianlei's chest heaved. Pain from his severed hands tore through him, tears streaming down his face.
"Destiny Star, please… it hurts so much," he cried, collapsing to his knees.
He didn't even understand what was happening. There was only fear and pain, a suffocating sensation, as if he were drowning without water.
"You're useless," Tianlei muttered bitterly. "A pathetic, useless healing beast."
His eyes dropped to the ground.
"This arrow weighs two hundred and fifty kilograms."
A familiar voice echoed from a short distance away from where he was standing.
Tianlei struggled to his feet and followed the sound through the trees .
"These arrows weigh one hundred kilograms."
A familiar face came into view as he emerged , the Feather Lady was fighting a Hell Minotaur alone, clearly losing from the visible wounds on her skin . In that moment ,another Hell Minotaur appeared behind her.
"Feather Lady, watch out!" Tianlei shouted.
She turned to him and smiled, even as the Hell Minotaur drove its sickle-shaped arm through her back, lifting her from the ground.
"Brother Tianlei," she said softly, "watch your own back."
He turned and a Hell Minotaur kicked him violently making him fly like a projectile ,Tianlei slammed into the ground just as veins wrapped around him, dragging him downward until he crashed onto an open platform.
Around him stood his grandfather and the elders, positioned along the edges of a massive swords.
"Today, we slay every member of the Feng Earth Tower," Feng San declared, pointing his blade at Tianlei. "Including you. Three years have passed and your death date has arrived."
"You are nothing but a weakling playing hero," Feng San sneered. "And the best heroes are dead ones."
"Feng San," Tianlei growled through clenched teeth. "I will kill you."
From his severed arms, veins shot out and pierced Feng San yet he only kept laughing.
"Pathetic. You are a failure. Drown in the blood of your own incompetence."
Veins erupted uncontrollably from his body, tearing Tianlei apart, turning everything into a sea of blood. Yet even then, he could still feel himself sinking.
"Brother Tianlei… Brother Tianlei. Get up."
Tianlei looked up as he drowned in his own blood .
Three familiar figures stood on the sides of the pool , staring down at him —his roommate, Xue Ren, and the Feather Lady. Then his mother appeared. His aunt followed . All of them stretched out their hands toward him.
Tianlei gasped as his consciousness snapped back.
.
"Close call. Congratulations on successively comprehending the drowning mind technique ."
"The Drowning Cursed Mind Technique is terrifying. It unlocks all of your fears in a very short time."
Feng Yang nodded.
"The technique itself isn't evil. It forces you to face your fears and reflect on who you truly are. With the help of your loved ones, one can escape the endless drowning of sorrow."
That explained a lot yet not everything. It still didn't explain why the first three people to appear were Xue Ren, the Feather Lady, and his roommate, rather than his true loved ones: his mother and aunt. Perhaps it was because, in the past few days, he had felt safest around them.
"Next are two easier techniques. Dragon Roar That Shatters the Heavens and Devil Dragon Transformation. I call them easy because they don't require a mental breakdown to learn ..... only time."
Feng Yang stood up and stretched his back.
"I wish I could join you for dinner, but I must plan your… rather crazy scheme. Feng San is leaving tomorrow and will certainly pass through one of our eastern branches. If members of the Feng Heavenly Sky Mansion are seen there, it will serve as valid evidence."
Tianlei clenched his fists. He could still remember Feng San laughing while slaughtering members of the Feng Earth Tower. No matter the cost, they could not allow the Feng Heavenly Sky Mansion to dominate them.
Feng Yang placed his hands behind his back and began to walk away.
"Feng Tianlei—remember not to lose yourself in this struggle."
His feet slowly lifted off the ground, and he flew away.
Lose myself… Tianlei thought.
In life, he had always lost. It was hard to even remember the last victory he had celebrated. Life itself was a cruel system that worshipped power and where only the rich and the strong dominated, while the rest faded into the background.
He sat down to practice the two techniques. Among them, the easier one seemed to be Dragon Roar That Tears the Heavens, a simple low-stage spirit technique.
Skills on Earth ranged from Mortal Grade which were basically mere punches and martial arts to Spirit Grade, Heaven Grade, Emperor Grade, and Saint Grade.
With no morning classes, Tianlei had the entire night to practice. If successful, he would rise from a four-star Soldier Class to at least six-star.
Even so, he knew that even if he increased his strength by one star every month , he would still not be a match for Feng San.
He sat cross-legged for the rest of the night. Time slipped by unnoticed, yet he remained in the room.
"I've only mastered half of it," Tianlei thought. "It seems the Dragon Roar has multiple stages."
He stood and stretched his back. Being on a hill allowed him to fully grasp the beauty of the rising sun. For a fleeting moment, he wondered when he had forgotten what home felt like.
A knock struck the small door. Tianlei turned to see the Feather Lady standing there, holding a small tray.
"They ordered me to bring you breakfast as if I'm your maid," she said, placing the tray on the table.
Tianlei couldn't help recalling her image in the nightmare. Was it truly a nightmare? Or was it fear born from his helplessness during the battle with the Hell Minotaur?
"What are you staring at?" She snapped her fingers, startling him.
"You've seen my grandfather."
"Yes. Can you believe he gave me two Spirit Grade techniques so I could keep you safe? Looks like you're stuck with me for a while."
"We should return to the academy."
"Aye."
She sank into the chair her grandfather had occupied.
"That place is suffocating with its countless rules everywhere. You've only been there a few days, but I've spent months."
"Then why are you still a beginner?"
She laughed bitterly. "Because I'm a failure. I keep falling behind. Remember when I said I was Bai Kun's laughingstock? That's why. Now I have a Level 2 Talon Hawk which is also another failure."
Tianlei lifted his cup and sipped the tea.
"From where I stand, you don't seem like a failure."
"If you saw what the real Golden Earth Academy looked like, you'd understand. Even among the weakest, we are the weakest."
In the outside world, they were considered powerful among mortals. Tianlei realized he had yet to truly understand the academy's depth.
"No matter how suffocating it is," he said, "it's our only path forward. And it seems you're close to advancing to Vanguard Class."
The Feather Lady exhaled, stood, and began pacing.
"I've only known you for two days, but it feels like we've known each other for ages."
"Why do you say that?"
"We both come from broken families fighting for power. We're still pathetically weak. And our contract beasts are… disappointing. So yes."
"You're still here," Feng Yang's voice echoed.
He descended from the sky, landing before the small house.
"Grandfather."
"Young people should get going . I don't want you stressing yourselves. Let this old man handle things here."
The Feather Lady bowed. "I have met the Patriarch."
Feng Yang nodded.
"Feng Tianlei ... matters within the Feng Earth Tower may worsen. Until you reach the commander rank, I prohibit you from visiting. I won't be able to worry otherwise."
Tianlei rushed forward. "Grandfather, what happened? Is it Feng San?" His fists clenched. "That bastard only knows how to cause trouble."
Feng Yang shook his head.
"No. This is my final decision and the reason I never allowed you to stay here when you were young. These matters are growing complicated. I can't even trust my own maids. All I want is for you to remain safe."
Tianlei's eyes burned. So this was why he grew up in the slums… alone. The rotten system of the Feng Clan had stolen too much from him. Why couldn't it all just end?
He stepped forward and struck his fist against his chest.
"Grandpa. One day, this nonsense will end. I, Feng Tianlei, promise you to tear apart anyone who wishes to harm the Feng Earth Tower ."