Chapter 10: The Pressure of Absence
The days at Nuoding Academy rolled on with a quiet rhythm. To most, Tang San was no different than before—disciplined, humble, and diligent. But beneath that calm surface, things were changing.
Since his encounter with the cloaked man and the inheritance of the black stone, Tang San felt a subtle shift in his cultivation. The Mysterious Heaven Technique operated as before, but now, as he drew in spirit energy, it flowed smoother and sank deeper into his meridians. He didn't level up rapidly, but the quality of his foundation improved.
His soul power hovered at the peak of Rank 18, approaching Rank 19. While others of similar age struggled to advance past Rank 15, Tang San steadily cultivated in silence. He did not flaunt his ability, nor did he rush. He remembered the words of the Grandmaster: "The strength of a spirit master lies not in the speed of their growth, but in the stability of their foundation."
Every morning, he trained in the courtyard. Every night, he meditated alone.
But something had begun to gnaw at his mind. The cloaked man had not reappeared since that fateful meeting.
Tang San had left the black stone hidden deep within the spirit tool his father left behind, carefully warded with his own traps and spiritual concealment techniques. Yet, at times, it would faintly vibrate—as though reacting to something. But no matter how he tried to sense it, the black stone gave nothing back.
It had gone completely silent.
---
Unknown to Tang San, far beyond the mortal plane, the cloaked man stood at the edge of a dimensional rift.
"The restrictions of the God Realm... they noticed," the man muttered. His figure flickered, unstable, surrounded by violent spatial fluctuations.
A giant divine sigil descended from the sky, sealing the entire area.
"Hmph. I gave the boy what he needed. My time in this world is up for now... but in twenty-five years, the seal will weaken again. Until then, grow strong, Tang San. The day you reach the threshold, we will meet again."
With a final glance toward the lower plane, his body fragmented into countless black motes and vanished.
---
Tang San had no idea of the cosmic event that just occurred.
But he felt something change. As if an unseen pressure settled on his shoulders.
He didn't understand it, but his instincts sharpened. His heart beat louder when he trained. He sensed the weight of the future pressing closer.
During class, Grandmaster summoned him alone.
"Tang San, your spiritual control is growing. But you lack real combat experience against spirit beasts. I will arrange for you to enter the outskirts of the forest to engage lesser beasts. You will not be permitted to kill any above a hundred years. It's for training, not advancement."
Tang San bowed respectfully. "Yes, Teacher. I understand."
That night, he prepared silently.
He didn't know why, but there was a new kind of urgency in his blood.
---
In the Spirit Hunting Forest outskirts, accompanied by a Spirit Hall instructor assigned to observe his safety, Tang San stepped into the dense woods. The trees whispered secrets of ancient beasts. Spirit energy here was thick and primal.
He didn't seek danger. He observed.
Two hours into the exploration, a saber-toothed forest leopard pounced from a tree. It was only a seventy-five-year-old spirit beast—not dangerous to a calm, calculating Tang San.
He dodged with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps, flowing like wind.
His movements were sharper now. The Mysterious Heaven Technique reacted quicker. Threads of spirit power surged with his will.
He didn't kill the leopard. He landed a clean hit on its pressure point, stunning it. It fled.
A second fight, a venom-back python. This time, he fought longer. He used traps, terrain, and spirit skills to pressure the snake into submission.
The observer from Spirit Hall took notes in silence, his eyes gleaming with surprise.
"This child... he fights like a veteran. No killing intent, but perfect control."
After four battles, Tang San sat on a high branch, meditating.
The black stone pulsed softly within his storage. Faint and brief.
Tang San opened his eyes.
"Something's coming..."
But he didn't know what.
---
Back at Nuoding Academy, Xiao Wu noticed the change in him.
"You seem quieter lately," she said, tilting her head.
Tang San smiled faintly. "Just focusing on cultivation."
She didn't press. But she watched him as he walked away. There was something heavier about him now. Not darker—but deeper. Like the roots of a tree burrowing into the earth.
Grandmaster called him again.
"Your next training will involve coordinated combat. Spirit rings are not just power—they are tools. You will spar against seniors and control your strength."
Tang San accepted.
As the days passed, his control grew. The spirit energy inside him moved more freely, fed by the Mysterious Heaven Technique's growing synergy with the black stone—though still unseen and unknown to all.
He remained patient.
Level 19.
No rush.
But soon... the time for his second ring would come.
And when it did, everything would cha