I chased after the beast, rushing through the misty woods. The owlbear slipped through the trees, shifting and contorting as it moved at high speeds. I cursed as the mist began to become denser and denser the further I ran, and soon I ditched the torch in my hand, throwing it aside, to chase after the beast with all I had.Wind whirled around my feet as I poured Qi into them, using Wind Step. I kicked off the ground as hard as I could, fire rising at my fingertips that I shot forward. The owl bear didn’t glance back, merely twirling through the air as it dodged the blast of flame. It took all my attention to prevent myself from losing the misty creature through the dense foliage and mist as it was.“Chii!” I heard Twilight shout, as I tried to keep track of the beast through my bond to her.Kicking off a tree branch, I dug into my pocket and took out a drugnade. I couldn’t throw it at the beast directly, in case I would hurt Twilight, but I could startle it and slow it down. Winding u

The mist swirled in a dense cloud further into the darkness. I walked into the white expanse, letting it consume it. Another scene formed within the haze. A scene from Yuan’s past. One that I’d been watching from inside his soul, like he does for me now.I watched baby Yuan playing with little wooden toys in his bed. A little doll and a stick tied to a wooden ball. Baby Yuan swung the ball around, before plucking the ball out from the stick it was tied to. With clumsy hands, the baby then proceeded to tie the ball to the doll’s hand before continuing on to play in motions eerily reminiscent of basketball.My eyes widened at the sight. Basketball was one of those things I had loved as a kid, but never had the physique for. I had played for a team in my senior year in highschool, but at 5 foot 11, I had no dreams of ever doing it seriously.I watched baby Yuan play pretend basket ball with his doll, until the sound of the door opening came in. The baby’s motions quickly changed, as he r

Flee twitched, looking around the empty chamber of expansive darkness, where she stood alone.“Master?” she called out to the dark, but found no reply coming back.Growing nervous, Flee walked through the darkness. “Master, where are you? Flee is scared…” she sent once more, but something was blocking her bond to her Master, like an invisible barrier that she couldn’t overcome.Flee felt her Qi roiling in her core, purple lightning crackling around her. Fear gnawed at her heart, and she felt an increasing anxiety filling her. She was in an unknown place, in darkness and away from her master.“No, Flee will be courageous. She needs to find Twilight! Flee is the senior sister after all, if she can’t even do this much, then how could Flee call herself the senior sister?” Flee spoke out loud, letting out a quiet squeak of determination.With her goal set, she looked up ahead in front of her, at the white wispy mist before beginning to make her way ahead. This was a trial of some sort, sur

Flee raised her head, staring at the massive dragon rising from the pool of water in front of her. The Qi flowing through its scales smelled of unseen storms and thunder. It spoke to a deep inner desire within her Qi, to be let loose and run wild, like a fierce storm.It was like watching a deity, and for a moment Flee almost felt the same reverence towards the dragon that she held for her Master.In contrast, the dragon looked quite confused.“What brings you to our lair, rat?” the dragon asked, its long serpentine body rising further out of the water, Flee struggled to see the Dragon’s face, until the massive creature lowered its head down to Flee’s level.“Flee is trying to find her junior sister Twilight!” she squeaked at the massive dragon, crackling once with purple lightning.“Junior sister you say,” the dragon uttered. It was only now that Flee realized the lack of any movement of the mouth when the dragon spoke. But rather than projecting its voice like she did, when the drag

Flee looked up, her eyes widening, as she felt the Chi of the world gathering all over. Heavenly Qi rumbled, golden lightning swirling through the clouds. Memories of her master’s breakthrough began to come to her, as her heart began to pound even further.“Look at the skies, they stand in your path. Do you fear it?” the dragon asked, brilliant light rising from its scales. Swirling waters tore through the skies, swirling in a mesmerizing display.Flee closed her eyes, trying her best not to fall off at the high speeds or look down at the ground flying further and further away from her. Little wisps of clouds began to touch her as the world began to grow more and more cold. The earth seemed to curve at its edges in the distance and Flee stared mesmerized.“Do you fear it?”the Dragon asked once more.A crashing bolt of lightning passed by the dragon, as the world was painted into dazzling gold. The Qi pouring outwards vibrated with strength and anger. It shuddered and raged with the mi