Two Months Later – Academy Grounds
Inside the classroom, the atmosphere buzzed with suppressed excitement. The young disciples sat at their desks, their eyes occasionally flickering toward the stern figure standing before them,Elder Wang Kai.
Elder Wang Kai's gaze swept across the group of fresh cultivators. His arms were crossed behind his back, expression unreadable, though a flicker of approvals stirred in his eyes.
"Among the new initiates, all have reached the Zeroth Stage," he mused silently. "As expected, among the new one's
Wang Ming broke through first… followed closely by Wang Mei and Wang Shui. Not bad. Better than anticipated."
Clearing his throat, he addressed the class.
"You've all performed well above the clan's expectations," he began, his voice steady and imposing. "Now that you've solidified your foundations, it's time for your next step."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over them.
"The clan will now assign each of you a Beginner Rank Formation."
A soft murmur of excitement spread through the room.
"Follow me," Elder Wang Kai said, turning without another word.
The students stood up in unison, their footsteps echoing across the wooden floors as they filed out behind him.
On the Training Grounds
Wang Ming walked with the group, calm and composed. Internally, he thought
"Formations… they're divided into two major realms: Formation Apprentice Stage and Dao Integration Stage, the latter being the true realm of Formation Masters."
"The apprentice stage itself is subdivided Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Top, and Extraordinary Grades, corresponding to Ranks One through Five respectively."
He narrowed his eyes as the group emerged into a wide training ground, where guards stood at attention beside a long wooden table. On the table lay several ancient-looking tomes, each exuding a strange, compelling aura that immediately drew the attention of the students.
Elder Wang Kai gestured for the group to line up.
"This is your opportunity," he declared. "Each of you will receive a formation scroll. After you comprehend it and begin absorbing spiritual energy into the Door Stage, you'll be eligible to break through into the First Stage of the Formation Apprentice Realm."
With another wave of his hand, a guard stepped forward. Moments later, he returned with a two-meter-tall wooden puppet, carried between himself and another guard. They placed it ten meters in front of Elder Wang Kai, bowed, and returned to their positions.
Elder Wang Kai turned to the children, his voice sharp and commanding.
"The formation you'll be learning is the foundational attack formation of our Wang Clan," he announced. "Every generation begins with it. Its name."
He raised his hand dramatically.
"Dance of the Sword Qi."
Without warning, a blue-colored Sword Qi erupted from Elder Wang Kai's palm, swirling in an erratic zig-zag through the air like a phantom serpent. It vanished before it could even touch the puppet.
The students blinked in confusion.
"Where did it—?" one began to whisper, but then,
FWOOOSH.
A sudden gust of wind blew across the field. Their jaws dropped as they saw the tall puppet collapse silently to the ground,no longer whole, but shredded into thousands of precise, paper-thin slices. The air was thick with the aftershock of the Sword Qi's lingering presence.
Gasps filled the air. The awe in the young cultivators' eyes was unmistakable—shock, reverence… and yearning.
Wang Ming, too, narrowed his gaze.
Elder Wang Kai, satisfied with the reaction, nodded subtly.
He then waved his hand toward the guards stationed near the table. "Distribute the manuals," he ordered.
Each student was handed a book. On its cover was a silver-marked diagram the Imprint of Consciousness required to inscribe and activate the Dance of the Sword Qi.
Wang Ming held the scroll in his hands, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
"This is merely the first step… but for me, it's the beginning of something much greater. Once I master this, I'll carve my own path beyond what the clan can imagine."