"Class is over. Do your homework like I told you."
With that, he strode out of the classroom, his robes billowing behind him.
Alex exhaled softly, his tense shoulders easing as the weight of the lesson lifted. A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Hmph. Finally, it's over."
The academy halls buzzed with chatter, but he paid them no mind, making his way toward the entrance. The first lesson had gone smoother than expected. These students were far from a challenge—naïve, easy to manipulate, and fearful of authority. "Kids are kids. They fear little things so easily."
He muttered the words under his breath, a ghost of amusement moved across his face.
As he reached his dorm, he wasted no time collapsing onto the bed. A long breath escaped him, his limbs sinking into the mattress.
"Aha… finally some rest."
But his mind refused to stay idle. His expression hardened.
No luxury.
A meeting loomed ahead—one with a bishop. He couldn't afford to relax for long.
Alex shifted into a meditative posture, crossing his legs as his thoughts turned inward. His focus settled on his dantian, the core of his cultivation, where energy should have surged and pulsed like a living thing.
Instead—nothing.
A vast, hollow emptiness i can't even see my tarthal space though His brows furrowed. "Still stuck at the Golden Core realm." No matter how he tried, he couldn't push forward. Something was missing. A vital piece.
His fingers curled into a fist. "If I still had my parasite… things would be different."
That creature had once been his greatest weapon, an extension of himself, refining his power to inhuman levels. But in this life? It was gone. Either lost in reincarnation or… somewhere out there, beyond his reach.
He inhaled slowly, the thought of leaving a bitter taste.
A sudden knock at the door snapped him out of his meditation.
His eyes flickered open.
Someone knocked measuredly and firmly—not with the hesitant tap of a student.
Alex rose smoothly, adjusting his robes before opening the door.
A man stood before him, clad in the formal vestments of a bishop. His presence was composed, his expression unfamiliar, yet his eyes gleamed with quiet intent.
"Are you Sir Sheng? The one interested in learning about dragon culture?"
Alex met his gaze, his face impassive. "Yes, I am."
The bishop inclined his head in a polite nod, his tone warm yet controlled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."
There was something in his posture—subtle, yet noticeable. A flicker of tension, as if he were studying Alex as much as Alex was studying him.
With a slight gesture, the bishop motioned for him to follow.
Without hesitation, Alex stepped out of his dorm, moving alongside the man. The academy's entrance loomed ahead, and beyond it, a waiting carriage with each step alex could sense the presence of uxils affinity inside the bishop furthermore.
They climbed inside, and the wheels creaked towards the church.
The bishop's voice was smooth, his words carefully measured. "Sir, this meeting is more than just a simple discussion. It is an opportunity—one that could bridge the gap between dragons and humans. I believe, truly, that one day we may break down the barriers keeping the Dragon Kingdom isolated."
Alex remained silent, watching him.
The words were well-practiced, almost rehearsed. There was no blatant deception, but something felt… off.
A man who speaks so carefully is a man who hides something.
Alex gazed at him with an intense look. "Why has the Dragon Kingdom remained in isolation for so long?"
The bishop's expression did not change, but his eyes shifted—just slightly. A crack in his controlled facade.
"I cannot reveal the full reason. But I will say this: The Church of the Dragon God has long sought integration. We wish for our kingdom to exist alongside the rest of the world. However, the king… he has his own morals. His reasons are complex."
Alex leaned back slightly, observing him.
"So, you are a faction within the kingdom… seeking peace?"
The bishop exhaled, nodding. "You could put it that way. But we are no rebels. We do not seek conflict—only recognition."
Recognition.
Alex remained still, but the gears in his mind turned. They need something from me.
Was this about power? Politics? Or something deeper?
The air between them grew heavier.
Before he could probe further, the carriage came to a halt.
The bishop opened the door, stepping aside to let Alex exit first.
What lay before him was no ordinary temple.
A grand cathedral stretched into the sky, its stone etched with ancient carvings—dragons intertwined in elaborate patterns, their serpentine forms coiling around pillars and archways. The sheer presence of the place pressed down like an invisible weight.
Alex stepped inside, and the shift in atmosphere was immediate.
The air was thick. Heavy yet suffocating.
Ancient power pulsed in the walls, in the floor, in the very breath of the space itself.
At the far end of the hall, seated upon a raised platform, was a lone figure.
The man exuded an aura that was unmistakable—one that sent a ripple of instinct through Alex's senses.
Though he appeared human, there was something… otherworldly about him. His presence carried the same quiet intensity as the Dragon King himself.
The bishop stopped short, his posture shifting ever so slightly—a silent deference to the one before them.
Then, with a subtle motion, he stepped back.
Leaving Alex to approach alone.
The figure's gaze met his sharp and piercing look. When he spoke, his voice carried a steady, undeniable authority.
"So, you have come, foreigner. Sit."