It was a serene, focused atmosphere, yet beneath it, Lin Feng's mind was constantly analyzing, planning, and adjusting.
Every detail mattered.
Anyone who attempted to practice the Chaos Mantra without first understanding its intricate principles risked far more than failure.
Even the slightest misstep in experimenting with its laws could cause cultivation deviation, warping one's body and soul in ways that were often irreversible.
Those who were even more reckless, who pushed beyond the limits of their knowledge in pursuit of power, would invite death itself, as if the heavens themselves sought to punish their audacity.
The Chaos Mantra was not merely difficult to master… it was a perilous path that demanded absolute respect and caution.
Its very essence was volatile, unpredictable, and unforgiving, and countless practitioners had vanished, leaving behind only legends warning of its devastating consequences.
By the time noon arrived, the session ended, and Wang Yuyan wiped a bead of sweat from her brow.
She looked exhausted yet invigorated, her eyes shining with determination.
Lin Feng regarded her calmly, satisfied with the progress made in just the second session.
This was only the beginning, but the path ahead was promising.
"Good work today, Yuyan. I'll see you tomorrow," Lin Feng said, his voice calm but carrying a subtle warmth.
"Thank you so much for your care and guidance, Teacher! I'll be here tomorrow!" Wang Yuyan replied, her voice bright and full of energy.
There was a spring in her step, a lightness in her tone that made it clear just how much she had improved.
Even in these short sessions, her body had grown stronger, her movements more fluid, and her aura sharper.
She could feel it herself… her power seemed to have doubled, and deep within her, a spark of intuition whispered that once she was fully healed, something extraordinary would awaken within her, like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon, delicate yet unstoppable.
Lin Feng nodded silently, watching her leave with a faint smile.
"Hmmm… time for lunch. Maybe I should explore one of the more expensive restaurants in the city today," he muttered to himself, stretching slightly as he began to walk.
He spread his divine sense and was already excited to eat.
The streets were bustling, merchants shouting their wares, carts rattling along cobblestone paths, and the rich aroma of cooked meats and spices filling the air.
It was a city alive with energy, yet he remained somewhat detached, his thoughts elsewhere.
He extended his divine sense, reaching out to the village where his family lived in this world.
They were scattered across one of the many small, quiet settlements outside the city, tending to their daily lives in peace.
Simple, serene lives, untouched by the chaos and ambition of the wider world.
Lin Feng felt a twinge of something he didn't recognize… a mixture of curiosity, guilt, and something akin to longing.
He wasn't ready to meet them.
Though he now inhabited Lin Feng's body and carried all of his memories, his emotions were still his own.
He was, at heart, the orphan boy from modern Earth, someone who had grown up without a family and had never learned how to navigate the intricate web of familial relationships.
The idea of suddenly stepping into a life full of kinship and expectation felt alien, uncomfortable, and potentially awkward.
What would he say? How would he act?
And more importantly, could he reconcile the life he had lived with the one he now occupied?
For now, he contented himself with observation, his gaze softening as he watched them from afar with his divine sense.
"I'll meet them when I have absolutely no other choice," Lin Feng mused, his gaze distant. Yet he was far from ungrateful.
Even though he had inherited Lin Feng's body, memories, and cultivation, he knew he owed a debt to the family who had unwittingly become part of his life.
He had ensured that his family in the village remained under his protection, that no harm could befall them, and most importantly, that fortune and luck would find them in subtle, unexpected ways.
In this quiet manner, he could repay them for the life they had provided, for letting him live through Lin Feng.
Lost in thought, Lin Feng was about to leave the academy grounds when an unusual sound reached his ears.
"Thud!" It was followed by the faint scrape of wood against the ground, accompanied by a muffled sob.
His curiosity piqued, he vanished silently, his body moving like a shadow, leaving no trace for anyone to notice.
Within moments, he appeared at the edge of the forested area behind the academy, where the sunlight filtered softly through the dense canopy, casting shifting patterns across the ground.
There, a small figure struggled with a wooden sword.
The little girl's swings were uneven, lacking grace or precision, yet her persistence was undeniable.
Her small hands were raw and scraped, the skin broken in places, a hapless reward to hours spent practicing alone.
Her shoulders trembled as she tried again and again, and tears rolled silently down her cheeks, catching the dappled sunlight as she wiped them away furiously.
Lin Feng's chest tightened at the sight.
Despite her clumsiness, there was a stubborn fire in her eyes, a raw determination that few adults could sustain, let alone a child of her age.
Her quiet sobs, the stubborn tremor of her limbs, and the way she refused to give up even after failing over and over spoke of resilience, of courage born from hardship.
He crouched slightly, observing her with a soft, approving smile.
There was something deeply moving in seeing such dedication, untainted by pride or fear.
A warmth spread through him, a rare pang of tenderness that reminded him of the responsibility that came with power.
"Well," Lin Feng said quietly, stepping closer, his voice gentle yet carrying authority, "I suppose I've just found my second student."
He approached the little girl who was crying softly, unaware that from this very moment onward, the course of her fate had quietly begun to change.