A sharp snort broke the silence. Lufei trotted back up to me, ears flicking, tail swishing.
"Master," she said clearly, voice steady. "Let's finish today with training. A real round."
I blinked at the title, formal, direct. She didn't say it often. Not because she didn't respect me, but because she reserved it for moments that mattered.
I turned to her, a brow raised. "Already? You just dropped half a bush of roots in front of me."
She tilted her head, unflinching. "We're not injured. We have daylight. And we haven't run drills since we registered. You said structure matters."
Maxius flapped down behind me with a bored glide. "If you insist. I wouldn't mind a little movement. This forest air is stagnant."
Mystic gave a long, low hum from above, her mist drifting in smooth arcs of approval.
"Alright," I said, snapping my notebook from my coat pocket. "You asked for it."
I flipped to a blank page, labeled it:
[FIELD ENTRY: BASELINE ANALYSIS – Lufei, Maxius, Mystic]
"Training protocol for today," I announced, tapping the page with my pen. "We're starting light. Physical endurance and bonding response drills. No heavy qi moves yet we'll work our way up to skills, coordination battles, combination spells, arena prep, and more."
"Logical," Maxius said, dry as always. "Though I predict I'll outperform the deer."
Lufei ignored him and stretched her legs with a sharp shake of her antlers. "We'll see, featherweight."
I smirked. "Position up. Mystic, mark out the yard."
The cloud whale dipped low and spun once overhead, releasing a trail of fine, sparkling mist that settled in a large oval across the clearing an improvised training ring. Her tail swept over the ground, packing the earth slightly flat without damaging any fresh growth.
"Perfect. Lufei, twenty perimeter sprints around the mist ring. Maxius, flight resistance laps—full speed, ten circuits. I want pressure drops, terrain shifts, and wind control adjustments."
"Understood, Master," Lufei said, already sprinting off in a blur of emerald light.
Maxius rolled his neck. "Don't blink."
The air cracked as he vanished skyward in a gust of wind and shadow.
"Yumei," I muttered to myself, "your turn too."
I slipped off my coat and stepped onto the field barefoot, grounding through the ball of each foot. The chilled stone under my heels sobered my breath.
"Fan Yumei training set one: movement drills, rapid qi sync, beast echo alignment."
My voice rang clearly. No room for softness.
Mystic hummed in acknowledgment overhead as I centered my stance. I shut my eyes briefly and visualized my soul bond points: one pulse at the center of my chest, two lines extending out like invisible threads to Lufei's galloping rhythm, to Maxius's sharp airborne flickers.
I surged forward into a sprint, mirroring Lufei's outer ring one body, three beats, synced.
—
⸻
✦ Soul Beast: Lufei – Emerald Spirit Deer
• Type: Earth/Wood, Support-Defense
• Primary Attributes: Durability, Healing Qi, Speed, Natural Affinity
• Behavior: Quiet, tactical, fiercely loyal
• Needs:
• Burst-leg training
• Root-summon speed
• Battle stamina under qi fatigue
• Bond Trait: Formal respect for Master under discipline structure—responds best to clear objectives
• Goal: Field frontline support anchor with durable mobility
⸻
I looked up. She was already halfway through lap five, glowing slightly with excess qi along her limbs. I scribbled a quick note:
"Paces herself efficiently. Responds to command tone more than encouragement."
I adjusted pace and dropped low into a slide step, mimicking the terrain slope she just crossed. My heel skidded, but I caught the correction on instinct.
⸻
✦ Soul Beast: Maxius – Phantom Eagle
• Type: Air/Shadow, Stealth-Assault
• Primary Attributes: Speed, Concealment, High-Altitude Tactics
• Behavior: Witty, sharp-eyed, prefers challenge
• Needs:
• Aerial precision at rapid descent
• Control of shadow-phase boundaries
• Patience during flank scenarios
• Bond Trait: Operates best when mildly provoked—benefits from subtle competition
• Goal: High-speed tactical insertion, mid-air ally support, pairing with Mystic on upper-front sweeps
⸻
He broke through the treeline and vanished for two seconds, reappearing in a flash above the house. Show-off.
"Too high on that arc, Maxius!" I called. "You'll lose formation cohesion."
He replied with a short whistle. "Adjusting, Master Strategist."
I grinned and kept pace with my own drills. Three forward lunges, two rolls, halt breath, gather qi, redirect. Again.
⸻
✦ Mythical Soul Beast: Mystic – Golden Thunder Cloud Sperm Whale
• Type: Storm/Cloud, Mythical-Class
• Primary Attributes: Domain Control, Qi Regulation, Emotional Resonance
• Behavior: Protective, wise, soft-voiced
• Needs:
• Micro-mist channeling
• Battlefield pulse timing
• Soul-state feedback control
• Bond Trait: Draws on Yumei's emotional state—must manage calm focus during high-pressure decisions
• Goal: Serve as ambient battlefield commander—area support, shielding, qi relay, emergency mass-defense
⸻
"Mystic, light tail sweep to the southeast ridge. Let's clear low-hanging vines before nightfall."
She swayed her tail gently, and a warm gust of cloud wind washed over the training yard. The vines tore clean from the stone wall, drifted harmlessly aside.
Perfect.
⸻
Her spirit surged through the bond with every lap—focused, confident, unfaltering.
On lap six, a flicker of exhaustion leaked through—followed by a sharp override of her own:
::I will not slow. Logging terrain slope… adjusting gait…::
She was analyzing as she ran.
I grinned. "You little tactician."
Mid-air, Maxius vanished and reappeared between breaths. Lap six—perfect. Lap ten—he overextended, and I caught the bond flicker:
::Testing vertical draft… correction noted. Won't repeat.::
"Good instincts," I muttered.
Mystic hovered silently, her cloud-cradle gently dispersing around the perimeter, maintaining stability.
Her thoughts rolled into mine like a warm tide:
::Do not forget yourself, Yumei. Your calm is our center.::
I touched my chest, grounding my breath. "I won't."
⸻
By the time Lufei finished her final lap, her legs were quivering—but her head stayed high.
::Training complete, Master. Awaiting evaluation.::
Maxius landed beside me with a casual glide. He stretched his wings before folding them neatly against his back.
::She finished before I got bored. That's a win.::
I slowed down from my final set, pulse elevated, sweat dripping down my spine. I met them both at the center of the mist ring.
"Final notes."
I clicked the pen and looked at all three of them.
"From here, we build daily: morning and evening drills. Physical, then qi circulation. Bond tests. Then combo coordination, dual-flank tactics, and finally arena battles once you're in sync. We'll layer in spell casting, counter formations, and soul-state buffering as we go."
::We will follow your rhythm, Master.:: Lufei's voice was like polished jade—calm, clear.
::Just don't forget to feed us after.:: Maxius added, dry and smug.
Mystic exhaled a long misty hum that warmed the entire field.
::You are the heart. We are the voice. Let's grow together.::
I nodded once, chest tight with something that felt like pride.
"Then let's get to work."
I tucked the notebook away, grabbed a pry tool, and headed back toward the wrecked section of the house.
Before we could rise together—
We had to build the foundation.
⸻