After the jade bead incident, I realized I couldn't keep relying on luck (or theft) to survive in this sect. But instead of owning up to my failures like a reasonable person, I decided the best course of action was… to run away.

Why stick around where people laugh at you when the whole world is out there, ready to be scammed?

That night, I packed my essentials: half-eaten steamed buns, a poorly drawn map, and a weird purple jade rock I thought might be magical (it wasn't). I even left a dramatic note on my bed: "To those who mocked me, farewell. When I return, you'll all be amazed by my greatness. Sincerely, Amon, Future Legend."

Sneaking past the guards was easy. Turns out, they don't pay much attention to bottom-ranked disciples. I was practically a ghost. Or maybe they just didn't care if I left. Either way, freedom!

As I reached the edge of the sect's territory, I stood there, staring into the dark forest. "This is it," I whispered, fist raised dramatically. "Amon's journey to greatness begins now!"

Then I heard the howl of a spirit wolf.

"Or… maybe it begins tomorrow?" I muttered, bolting back toward the sect.

I went back into the sect, my "great escape" a complete failure. I'd barely made it past the entrance when I saw Elder Hurky standing there with his arms crossed, wearing the kind of disappointed expression that could crush a person's soul.

"Out for a morning stroll, Amon?" he asked, his tone way too casual.

I froze. "I wasn't… uh… escaping?" I said, immediately regretting it.

Elder Hurky raised an eyebrow. "Mm-hmm. Sure. You think no one noticed you sneaking out last night?"

I sheepishly scratched my head. "Maybe I… just needed some fresh air?"

He sighed, shaking his head. "Haha, You couldn't even last one night outside the sect without running back."

I winced. "In my defense, there was a spirit wolf."

"A spirit wolf?" Elder Hurky chuckled. "That's what sent you running?"

I nodded, trying to look serious. "Yeah, it was, uh, big. And it had glowing red eyes. Very intimidating."

He laughed harder. "Alright, alright, Amon. You're stuck with us."

After my embarrassing return, I decided to be on my best behavior. No more running, no more stealing, just pure focus.

Elder Hurky told me there was a teacher who wanted to take me under their wing. "You're going to meet a new instructor today," he said, his face as serious as ever. "This could be your chance to stop being such a joke."

I nodded eagerly, puffing my chest out. "I'll show them how serious I am!"

Elder Hurky gave me a look that clearly said, I highly doubt it, but he didn't stop me.

So, there I was, standing outside a small, unassuming courtyard, trying to look as composed as possible. I was ready to meet this mysterious teacher. Surely, someone with the power to take me under their wing would be wise, knowledgeable, and maybe even a bit intimidating. Maybe a long-bearded sage, glowing with ancient magic someone who could truly shape me into a powerful mage.

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The door creaked open.

And out walked… a guy who looked like he was still in his twenties, wearing the kind of ridiculously fancy robe that screamed "I'm important, but I'm also trying too hard."

I blinked. "Uh, are you my teacher?" I asked, cautiously eyeing the guy up and down.

He stared at me for a moment, clearly processing the situation. "You're Amon?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Yep, that's me," I said, giving him a thumbs up. "I'm here to be your disciple!"

He blinked again, clearly not expecting that response. "Uh, okay... sure, I'm Fang Zheng, nice to meet you" he said, scratching his head like he had no idea what was going on.

I stared at him, bewildered. "Wait, what?"

Was he the Fang yuan's brother 'Fang Zheng" nah it can't be right?

"Come on, let's go inside."

I followed him inside, still trying to process the fact that this was supposed to be my mentor. The guy looked like he had just rolled out of bed and grabbed whatever was closest. He didn't seem the least bit intimidating more like a slightly confused guy who had accidentally ended up as a teacher.

He gestured to the room. "Uh, feel free to take a seat… I guess."

I glanced around the plain, sparse room. It looked like it hadn't seen much use in years. In fact, the only thing that stood out was a rather large stack of empty teacups.

"Uh… what exactly are we going to be doing?" I asked, still trying to figure out if this was some elaborate prank.

"Well," he said, pacing a bit as if the answer was obvious, "I was supposed to teach you the basics of mana control... but, uh, looking at you, I'm not sure where to start. You're a bit of a lost cause, aren't you?"

I frowned. "Hey, I'm not that bad!"

He looked me up and down, his expression unimpressed. "You ran away from the sect last night."

"That was just… a brief detour!" I protested. "Look, I'm serious about this now. Totally focused!"

He raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Uh-huh. Sure."

We sat down, and the awkward silence was thick enough to cut with a knife. The guy looked at me, then at the teacups, and finally sighed.

"I'm starting to think I might be the one who needs training," he muttered to himself.

I couldn't help but feel a little comforted. Maybe this guy wasn't exactly a master-but hey, neither was I. Maybe we'd figure this whole thing out together.

I leaned forward. "So, what's the first step, Master?"

"Ugh… don't call me that," he said, rubbing his temples. "Anyway, let's start with the basics. How familiar are you with mana harmonization?"

I blinked. "Uh… I've heard of it. It's the thing you do before you mess up in front of your entire class, right?"

He chuckled, scratching his head again. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. But it's also the foundation of your magical abilities. You need to harmonize your mana with your body, like finding the right rhythm between your energy and your soul."

I leaned back. "That sounds… complicated."

"You're not wrong," he said with a sigh. "But it's not impossible. If you ever plan on casting any spells, you'll need this step down. And, frankly, I don't know if you have the potential for anything more complicated."

Great, so I was stuck with the world's most sarcastic teacher.

But hey, maybe this was the universe's way of telling me that I needed to actually do the work. At least someone was going to try and teach me. Even if they weren't exactly what I had in mind.

"Alright," I said, crossing my arms and trying to sound determined. "Show me the first step."

He gave me a sideways glance. "You sure? Because I get the feeling you're going to bail the second things get tough."

"Not this time," I said, puffing my chest out. "I'm a changed man. I'm in this for the long run."

He stared at me for a moment, clearly considering if he should believe me.

"Well, let's see how long that lasts," he muttered, turning to the side. "Now, try to feel your mana. Close your eyes and focus on your body."

I closed my eyes, feeling like I was about to fall asleep. But then, something strange happened. I could feel a faint pulse, like a heartbeat, coming from within me. It wasn't much, but it was there.

I smirked. "Is this it?"

He raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Okay, maybe you're not entirely hopeless. But that's just the beginning. Now, try to bring that pulse into sync with your breathing."

I nodded, determined. This was it. My chance to show that I wasn't a failure. Not anymore.