The training fields deep in the Institute were mostly deserted by nightfall. Only the crickets sang, and the soft hum of spiritual energy lingered in the cool air.
Ling Tian stopped beneath an ancient tree, its thick branches veiling them in shadow.
"This spot is hidden from the instructors' sensing arrays," he said. "No one will disturb us."
Xiao Ning'er crossed her arms, studying him carefully. Though she had agreed to come, a part of her still braced for betrayal.
Ling Tian knelt calmly, drawing diagrams into the dirt with a stick — strange patterns she had never seen before. Swirls nested within angular shapes, creating a breathing, living array.
"This is called the Moonshadow Breathing Method," he said quietly. "It harmonizes spiritual energy with your natural rhythms, strengthening your core without corroding it. Unlike the Sacrificial Blood Technique, it won't devour you."
Xiao Ning'er frowned. "I've never heard of it."
"You wouldn't have," he said without looking up. "It's… not from this world yet."
Her heart thudded strangely at the way he phrased it. Not from this world yet?
She crouched beside him, drawn in despite herself. His handwriting was precise, his explanations patient but quick, as if he knew time was precious.
"The key," Ling Tian continued, "is in breathing not just through the lungs, but through the dantian itself. Feel the spiritual energy circulate naturally. Don't force it. Guide it."
He closed his eyes and demonstrated — his soul force blooming briefly around him like a soft silver mist before vanishing into stillness.
Xiao Ning'er tried to imitate him.
Her first few attempts faltered — the force stuttered, slipped away. She scowled in frustration.
"Slow down," Ling Tian said gently. He moved closer behind her, his hands hovering near her shoulders without touching. "You're tensing. Relax. Trust yourself."
Trust…That word stung. She had trusted so few.
Yet somehow, his voice — steady, unwavering — broke through her defenses.
She closed her eyes, breathing slower, deeper.
And then — for the first time in months — the spiritual energy flowed naturally inside her body. No burning. No pain.Only calm, radiant strength.
Her eyes snapped open, wide with wonder.
"You did it," Ling Tian said, smiling slightly.
Xiao Ning'er realized how close he was — barely a hand's breadth away. His scent — clean, sharp like cold steel and fresh air — filled her senses.
For a heartbeat, she forgot herself.
And in that brief, stolen moment, a seed took root in her heart — a fragile, dangerous thing. Trust. And perhaps, something even deeper.
She stepped back quickly, covering her emotions with a cool nod.
"I see," she said. "I'll master this method. Thank you… Ling Tian."
The way she spoke his name — soft, reverent — made something stir inside him too.
Without another word, she turned and disappeared into the shadows, spear slung across her back.
Ling Tian watched her go, a faint smile lingering.
The threads of fate are starting to tighten.
And for the first time since his reincarnation, he didn't feel alone.