CHAPTER SIX: THE FIRST STEPS OF THE DRAGON
The training ground was empty.
Shen Chen stood in the center of the courtyard, his body tense, his mind focused. The morning sun was still low in the sky, casting long shadows across the stone floor.
He had been practicing for two hours, testing the limits of his new body. The results were staggering.
His speed had tripled. His strength had multiplied tenfold. His senses were so sharp that he could hear the heartbeat of a bird a hundred ters away. The spiritual energy in the air flowed through his ridians like a river, pure and powerful.
[Void Dragon Qi Sensing (Passive) - Active]
[You can now perceive spiritual energy in your surroundings. Range: 100 ters.]
[Void Dragon Body (Passive) - Active]
[Your physical attributes are permanently enhanced. Current enhancent level: 500% of base.]
[Void Breath (Active) - Unlocked]
[Effect: Releases a blast of void energy that damages enemies within a 10-ter radius.]
[Void Step (Active) - Unlocked]
[Effect: Allows the host to move at incredible speed, leaving behind afterimages.]
Shen Chen practiced the techniques, his body flowing through the movents with a grace that surprised even him. The Void Breath was devastating, capable of shattering stones and sending enemies flying. The Void Step was even more impressive, allowing him to move so fast that he seed to teleport.
By the ti he was done, the training ground was a wreck. Stones were shattered, trees were uprooted, and the ground was covered in deep gouges.
Shen Chen stood in the center of the chaos, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He was exhausted, but he was also exhilarated.
"I need to maintain my wastrel persona," he said, his voice thoughtful. "If anyone discovers what I've beco, everything will fall apart."
[Recomnded: Continue to behave as you have in the past. Drink. Gamble. Chase won. Let the world see what they expect to see. anwhile, cultivate in secret. Use the Celestial Repository to acquire resources that will accelerate your growth.]
[Quest Generated: The Wastrel's Mask.]
[Objective: Maintain your wastrel persona for one month without being discovered.]
[Reward: 1,000 Spirit Stones. Unlock Basic Disguise Techniques.]
[Risk Level: Low. You have been playing this role for years.]
Shen Chen smiled. Playing the wastrel was the one thing he was good at. It had been his armor, his shield, his protection against the world's cruelty. Now it would be his weapon.
He returned to his chambers and dressed in his finest robes—garnts of spirit silk embroidered with gold thread, the uniform of a wealthy young master. He let his hair fall loose around his face, giving himself a disheveled, carefree appearance. He painted a lazy smile on his lips and let his eyes grow dull and unfocused.
To the world, he was still Shen Chen, the wastrel. The failure. The waste of space.
But beneath the mask, the dragon was awakening.
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