Two Years Later

The skies above the Spirit Arena District had changed — no longer just a backdrop for eager students or hot-blooded competitors. Now, even titled elders and clan envoys occasionally came to watch the rising stars who trained there.

They were known in whispers as the White Blossom Team — Mo Luochen's handpicked group. Each of them possessed strength far beyond their age. Their coordination was terrifying, and their rate of progress even more so.

And at the center of it all… was her.

Mei stood calmly on the elevated platform of the Radiant Bloom Hotel's upper courtyard — a private cultivation space reserved for rank-four elders or direct envoys of Spirit Hall.

Her robes now bore the lotus insignia of her martial spirit — an elegant design in icy blue with emerald veins. Her entire presence had transformed. Once nervous and unsure of herself, she now moved with quiet confidence and unmistakable inner strength.

Three spirit rings hovered around her waist — one yellow, one purple, and one black — a rare configuration for someone just past sixteen.

And today, she broke through again.

Spiritual light pulsed around her as glacial lotus petals bloomed along the floor — their edges gleaming like blades of crystal. A soft green glow shimmered through the icy petals, blending cold with life-giving vitality. The petals spun slowly, then dissolved into mist as the energy in her surroundings calmed.

She had just advanced to Level 34.

When she opened her eyes, they were steady and calm.

"Done already?" came a familiar voice from above.

Felicia dropped lazily down from a high perch, landing beside her in complete silence. She now wore obsidian armor laced with crimson threads. Behind her floated five spirit rings, with a deep violet one glowing faintly — the mark of a Level 54 Spirit Master.

"You're getting faster."

"I'm just going back to normal," Mei replied in a cool, composed voice. "Master Mo said the medicinal buildup would last two years. I've already burned through most of it."

Felicia gave a crooked smile. "Lucky girl. You got fed pills worth entire kingdoms like they were candy, all thanks to our mysterious Master."

Mei looked away slightly, her expression softening. "He's really… incredible."

Felicia didn't say anything, but the brief flicker in her eyes was enough to show that she agreed.

Of course, both of them already knew the truth.

Master Mo — the one who trained and guided them, who delivered pills and wisdom through a silent avatar — was actually Michael in disguise. It was his hidden persona, a role played flawlessly.

Whenever he trained with them, he never appeared as himself. Instead, he sent a clone — a projection of his soul and spiritual will. This pale reflection bore the same golden eyes and spoke in the same calm tone. But it wasn't capable of personal care — only of delivering pills, formations, rare resources… and one-sided instructions.

The others in team misunderstood. Master Mo had gone deeper, chasing something even more important than their day-to-day training.

Yet, he never abandoned them.

Mei, in particular, had grown the most from his careful guidance.

From a powerless girl who couldn't even form her first ring, she soared to Level 34 in just two years — an unheard-of pace, even among the noble families. But it wasn't just power for power's sake. It was methodical — built through structure, timing, and discipline. He never overwhelmed her. He gave her exactly what she could handle — no more, no less.

Now that the medicinal foundation had faded, Mei was advancing naturally. She was no longer a weak link. She wasn't a burden or a tagalong.

She was a core member. A specialist in support and control. And above all — no longer a drag on the team.

Present Day

The full team had reassembled once again.

Zhu Zhuqing moved like a shadow, her five spirit rings glowing with abyssal flame and darkness. She had reached Level 54, and her dark lioness form had become something fierce and untraceable.

Xiao Tian stood tall, cloaked in streaks of wind and green lightning. His Verdant Tempest Roc had grown monstrous in battle, and he now stood at Level 52.

Qinghe hovered just beneath Level 50, and his holy aura was now even purer than before — cleaner, sharper, and more focused.

Renxue, on the other hand, had already ascended to Level 84, but she had concealed her true strength. Aside from Michael and Felicia, no one else knew of her actual rank.

As for Michael himself — he was now at Level 57.

Felicia remained the team's sharpest blade — the Lioness of Annihilation. With each breakthrough, her spirit edged closer to its terrifying true form.

And Mei…

She stood among them now as an equal.

As the team prepared to descend from the upper floors toward the Spirit Arena — where an envoy from Spirit Hall waited to meet them — the time had finally come.

For Felicia and Qian Renxue, this was simply a return home. But for the others, it would be their first real visit to the organization they now belonged to.

Returning to Spirit Hall — the powerful force they had officially become part of since joining Michael — marked a new chapter in their journey.

Michael had already sent word in advance, making all the necessary arrangements with the envoy.

Though Qinghe had once resisted the idea, that had been a year ago.

A year ago, something had happened — a fated moment that revealed to Qinghe the truth about Master Mo's identity. When he discovered that Master Mo was actually affiliated with Spirit Hall, he was stunned at first. But then… he had simply lowered his head, kept quiet, and remained part of the team.

In truth, he held no resentment.

His life — his survival — had been shaped and saved by Master Mo.

And now, his loyalty belonged to Michael, to the team, and to the path they all had walked together.

More than that… he had taken a secret oath — one known only to himself and Master Mo: to never betray him.

As the others stepped into the golden-lit corridor leading toward the waiting envoy, Michael leaned back slightly and asked in a smooth, unreadable tone:

"Ready to go back?"

Felicia and Renxue nodded.

The others — Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Tian, Mei, and Qinghe — also nodded without hesitation. With quiet resolve, they stepped into the hallway behind him.

*******

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