Did you know that only the dead flesh is filled with frigid mana? A soul is different. They represent many elements, which is why there are Elemental Necromancers in the world. Still, they provoking the dead, but they aren’t as bad as those corpse fiend bastards.

~Arawn, God of the Dead

Crow woke in his own bed, and the skin on his back was stiff but didn’t hurt. He could feel every line carved into him and could tell it was already pulling from his Source. Unfinished, the body modification had little effect. The thing Crow found impressive was that the energy draw was so minor that his Soul Burn didn’t activate.

Tentatively, he reached behind himself and ran his fingers along the raised ridges of flesh. He’d thought the sensation would bother him, but it didn’t. Not in the sense that he knew his body was permanently scarred. However, the second his fingertips brushed the flesh, it created energy feedback, and the powder within the incisions shifted. It felt like thousands of ants trying to claw their way out of his flesh.

Gavin had mentioned this would happen, but Crow didn’t expect it to be so agonizingly annoying. It was because the design wasn’t finished, so the energy within had nowhere to go. The first layer was the worst because it was going to be the deepest. Every layer after would rise to higher levels in his flesh, creating that three-dimensional knotwork.

Sighing, Crow pulled his hand away and used his breathing technique to calm the agitation in his soul.

“Otto like.”

Crow turned to see Otto staring at his back and smiled at the giant. He was such a pure soul that it was hard not to smile at the big guy when he was around.

“Wait until Elder Gavin finishes it.”

“What do?”

“Will help me resist the fire.”

“Good. Nightmares bad. Fight?”

Crow grinned and nodded. Otto had recently started training for half a day at a time, and Crow had to admit he was curious to see how much the big guy had improved. With most of the clan staying here at the manor in Oiche, their private courtyard became a sanctuary. It was large enough to accommodate the Song sisters, Mara, Crow, Otto, and Luthais. However, Luthais did work with Gavin and had another secret training area created underground within one of Father Oak’s roots. No one could know that Crow was learning eastern cultivation as it wouldn’t just cause problems with easterners, but with the Druid Order itself.

When the two boys reached the courtyard, Mara was off to the side. Crow wasn’t sure what to say or do for her. They joked and talked, but she looked depressed, and he didn’t know how to fix that. The fact she was out here this early said something about her state of mind. It was obvious she was lost in her cultivation, so Crow tried to respect that.

Otto and Crow squared off with each other and started their spar using soft strikes. After a few visits to the infirmary, it was something they started doing. It allowed them to judge each other’s focus, and they’d slowly increase speed and power.

Otto may have opened his Source, but he could only bring it to the surface. It was enough to rank him as one of the thirteen extras added to the top one hundred, same with Song Xue. However, it wasn’t something he could use in his attacks. Luthais and Song Lin both investigated, but they didn’t know what was happening. The only guess they could come up with is that his physiology was different, so he’d probably develop more later. Or… they lacked appropriate cultivation or techniques for him.

All that to say, Otto and Crow sparred using the body’s natural strength, stamina, and agility. Any cultivator watching would be incredibly shocked. The youngest generation’s weakest members couldn’t match them strike for strike even if they infused mana into their attacks.

Crow struggled with this type of sparring after he’d been cursed. Forcing himself to seal his Source had exposed how sloppy his mechanics had become. It was a hard lesson for him, and it took a lot of work to undo his bad habits. Retraining himself also brought to light how much the younger generation relies on their Source to fight, which inhibited their skill.

Truthfully, he’d probably have been the same if not for Soul Burn.

As he increased the flurry of his strikes, Otto matched him. They struck, blocked, and dodged with such intensity that the rest of the world faded from their vision. Sweat soaked through their clothes by this point, and their slickened bodies made it harder to grapple. Glancing blows slid across flesh and forced them to use more direct strikes.

While they were working up to their full speed, Otto still held back. The giant was two and a half meters tall now, and his physical prowess was naturally superior to Crow. More and more, Crow focused on his agility, speed, and martial skills to compete. It helped him understand Ghost Steps tremendously.

Crack!

Stone shattered under Otto’s foot, a sound that broke Crow from his combat trance. Golden energy surrounded the giant as he turned into a flash of light. Crow gasped out loud and quickly activated his Source.

Crow grit his teeth as he used his mana and Qi to shield himself from Otto’s blow. Sky and ground seemed to flip as he was knocked head over heels and went flying toward the courtyard’s back wall. The fire inside him raged with both pain and anger. His mind blanked for a second when he smashed against the wall. An invisible concussive wave shook stone, dirt, and plants around him.

“Pfft,” Crow spat out black blood. The taste of char and smoke in his mouth was becoming all too common.

“You damned oafs!” Mara had dodged the missile called Crow and stepped forward to help him stand. “You almost hurt this mommy with your horseplay. Do you want me to beat you both…”

Mara’s voice trailed off as she stared at Otto, and Crow’s brow furrowed, trying to understand what he was seeing.

“Otto,” Crow called out weakly, his anger forgotten. He tried to rush toward his friend, but Mara stopped him.

“Don’t,” Mara consoled him. “His opening his Source.”

“Th-that’s impossible. He already opened it.”

“What?” Mara stared at Otto, wondering if he was as big of a freak as Crow.

Otto’s head tilted back, and his arms flung out. He was practically roaring at the heavens while a bright radiance covered him. Otto floated up from the ground, and a golden light shot from his eyes and mouth. Crow remembered all this from his own awakening but didn’t understand how it was possible.

Lightning came out of nowhere and struck Otto—once, twice, three times. The energy didn’t seem to harm Otto, but it frightened Crow. There was no way the elders could ignore this scene, and it wouldn’t be surprising if elders from the Council came over.

“Why is it doing that? I don’t recall this happening during my awakening.” Crow whispered to Mara.

“Deviant,” Mara said after a few seconds. “He must be heavily aligned with lightning. Just who the hell is this guy?”

“That’s Otto. I grew up with him. My uncle found him as a baby and raised him.”

“Yeah, but where did he come from?”

“I don’t know. No one does. I do know he isn’t human—or he could be part human.”

“Don’t move,” Mara said, pulling a towel out of thin air. Gently she wiped the blood and sweat from Crow’s face and checked him over to make sure nothing was hurt or damaged. “You good?”

“Yup,” Crow said but couldn’t hide the pain from his eyes. While she was staring into his eyes and reading the pain, he could read hers and saw the guilt. He knew this couldn’t go on this way because he really didn’t blame her. Letting her blame herself was creating a divide between them. Before she could pull away, Crow wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. His hug was so sudden that she didn’t have a chance to resist before his lips were near her ear.

“It’s not your fault,” Crow whispered. “I trust you with my life, so stop blaming yourself.”

A soft sob escaped her lips, and her arms went around him and squeezed him tightly.

“W-will you abandon me?”

“Never. Anyone that wants to harm mommy will have to kill this daddy first.”

“Pfft,” Mara laughed.

“We good?” Crow asked and stepped back so he could look into her eyes.

“We are good.”

“No more moping? I want my friend back.”

“This mommy is back. You better believe it!” She grinned, and her eyes shifted toward Otto. “He is almost done.”

As they stepped back from each other, Luthais and Song Lin entered the courtyard staring at Otto.

“Interesting,” Luthais said from the side, eyes locked on Otto.

“It is,” Song Lin commented. “I never considered that his Source was only half-step. This should be his full awakening.”

“Are you saying he wasn’t fully awakened? What kind of monstrous talent is that? The boy already placed as a top talent.” Luthais stared with his mouth open and tried to comprehend what was happening.

“Is he okay, uncle?” Crow asked.

“He’ll be fine,” Luthais said. “But you and Song Lin should try to speed up your cultivation training—no slacking.”

“Yes, sir.”

Crow and Song Lin went to the stairs that led to the secret area below. Mara winked at him, and he grinned back. As they entered the stairwell, Song Lin paused.

“You are Mara are good now?”

“I think. She blames herself for my curse. It’s eating at her, and I didn’t know what to do.”

“You did well. A hug is surprisingly effective as a cure.”

Crow reached the bottom of the stairs to find Song Xue stepping through her own martial skills. There was no way he could stop himself from staring as she moved like water. Her dagger suddenly flashed, and one struck the wooden frame of the door right next to his head, and the other one stabbed into the ground by his feet. It was so close that he could feel the slight thump in the soles of his boots.

“Dammit!” Crow growled. “You crazy woman.”

“Hmmph, you deserve it, pervert. Ogling women is all you know how to do.”

“O-ogling women? What is wrong with your head?”

“Ah, little bird, you keep talking to me this way, and I’ll lose my chastity.”

“W-what?” Crow stuttered. What the hell is going on? “Dammit, be serious.”

Song Xue walked right up to him and leaned into him, her face so close he could feel her breath on his cheek, and then she reached over his shoulder and grabbed the dagger before stepping back. His ragged breath caused her to smile.

“Problems?” Song Lin asked, barely able to keep from laughing.

“I…”

“Xue’er, come.” Song Lin called out. “Crow, sit down facing the wall. Xue’er, you sit behind him facing the same direction.”

Crow glanced over at the girl whose knife appeared and disappeared from her hand. He swallowed hard enough that the two girls could hear it, which made Song Xue smile.

“Relax. She won’t do anything untoward, will you Xue’er?”

“I haven’t decided…” Song Xue said softly, her eyes not leaving his. It took a few seconds for her to register what she’d said. Crow’s jaw dropped, and she blushed a lovely shade of pink. Song Lin’s eyes glittered with mischief.

“Ah, well. If you can’t control yourself, I will have to do it,” Song Lin’s eyes bored into Song Xue, who went from blushing in embarrassment to flushing red with anger. As the elder sister, she had no qualms about jamming her baby sister up and even took some pleasure in the provocation.

“I got it,” Xue’er spat out.

“Good. Crow, she is going to assist you from behind, feeding you her Ice Qi. I’ll be using needles to stab into your acupuncture points. Do you know what those are?”

“Like the little nodes along my meridians?”

“Close enough. I didn’t give you any information on it because it’s part of my medical research. I have ways to cure quite a few issues with the body using acupuncture needles. I’ll give you a guide on them later, but you absolutely are not allowed to share that information.”

“Yes, teacher,” Crow responded. He’d never betray Song Lin’s kindness. “I’m not sure I follow what we are doing.”

“It’s simple, using these needles, I’ll help expand your meridians, allowing more Qi to pass through and increase the speed it moves. Once I’ve placed them, they’ll stimulate the Qi in your body. It’ll be like you took a cultivation pill that has no toxicity at all. The problem is it’s just as taxing for me as it is for you. The benefit is that you’ll save years and years using this method. I can help you catch up to Song Xue, perhaps. We’ll do this every other day for the next month. Until you open your next chakra, we can only open you up so much.”

“Got it, and the meridians we are stimulating are the Wood Phase Pathways?”

“Yes, although that might not be a proper name. There are many ways to arrange the pathways accentuating the wood phase. Part of why cultivation methods are important is that masters have refined those pathways over thousands of years, giving you the most optimal choices. So the one picked for you has an emphasis on yang, and all the pathways for each chakra will emphasize that.”

“Okay, then what do I need to do?”

“Take off your shirt, little bird.” Song Xue said from behind Crow.

“That-this-uh… sure.” Crow pulled off his shirt, and Song Xue gasped. Song Lin walked over to see.

“What is this?” Song Lin asked.

“Body modification. It’s Celtic Knotwork, something Elder Gavin designed. Once it’s finished, it’ll help me resist the fire inside me.” Crow wasn’t sure why he focused specifically on the fire element and didn’t explain it in more detail. It was something he started viewing as a trump card.

“It’s not completed?” Song Xue asked.

“No, this is just the first layer, and even that’s not complete.”

“Will it be a problem if I touch it? I need to touch your skin to use ice to offset the fire in you.”

“I’ll itch, but I can deal with it.”

“Okay,” Song Lin said, interrupting the two and trying to get back on track. “Now, take off your pants. The meridians run down through your legs too.”

“Uh…”

“You don’t trust me?” Song Lin asked, confused.

“I trust you, but I umm don’t have anything on under my pants.”

Song Lin chuckled while Song Xue’s face went red once more.

“Here are a pair of martial pants like Xue’er wears, but I cut the legs shorter, so they are above your knee. Go on, quickly change. Time is wasting.” Song Lin laughed. “Go ahead and change. We won’t look.”