"Elder Mo? What a weak name." Zao says, voice full of disdain. Elder Mo face turns red and people make a circle around Zao Ning and Elder Mo.

"Is that the new Elder?" "Is that a 4th Mortal Realm belittling an Elder?" "How did that boy in the crimson cloak hit Elder Mo like that, is Elder Mo's cultivation actually faked?"

Several people begin to whisper around Elder Mo and Zao, and Elder Mo can hear all of it. Elder Mo's face turns dark shades of red as Zao is gaining fame and Elder Mo continues to lose face. Zao Ning smiles and taunts Elder Mo by opening his arms wide open, accepting Elder Mo's attack.

Elder Mo realizes that Zao is using him to gain fame. Not having it and wishing to keep all the dignity he has left, Elder Mo begins to walk towards the crowd, away from Zao.

"This isn't over Zao Ning! I won't let this slide!" Elder Mo growls before disappearing into the crowd. Zao begins laughing hard and tears begin to form in his eyes. Everyone around Zao looks at the boy like he is a monster.

To laugh at someone who is 2 Mortal Realms above you is simply unimaginable and he is even an Elder in the Sect Zao is in, which is even more insane. People worry about how the future of Zao will play out but they don't know about Zao's master, nor his past life, or they all would understand why Zao is so arrogant.

The crowd disperses around Zao Ning as Elder Mo has left and the chance for a fight is slim now, causing the excitement to dissipate. Zao decides that he wants to learn Shadow's Embrace before he continues to be arrogant and challenge people.

As Zao makes his way home, he doesn't know that the name Zao Ning is already spreading throughout the Heaven's Pavilion. The fact that Grand Elder Chi has accepted a disciple is shocking in itself but the fact this disciple challenged and Elder blows peoples' minds.

Zao doesn't care though as he doesn't plan to stay in the Mortal Realm for long. Zao makes his way back home and finds his mother.

"Mother, take this book. In it is the instructions on how to cultivate."

"Cultivation?"

Zao's mom is full of confusion as her son hands her the book.

"Yes mother, if you are to stay by my side, you need to cultivate. I can't help you too much though, you need to find your own path."

Wei Ning looks at the book with tears in her eyes. Her son is thinking about her future and how to keep Wei close to him. This warms Wei's heart and she is filled with motivation and determination to not disappoint her son.

"I will do my best!"

"Alright, if you have a question, ask. I might be able to help but I can't tell you exactly what to do. Good luck."

Zao gives his mother a tight hug and then leaves for the backyard. Wei Ning goes back to her own room to cultivate.

Zao Ning takes off his robe and stands naked in his backyard. Using his spirit, Zao Ning inspects every part of his body.

Truth is, using brute strength is easy, but trying to execute footwork and evasive abilities is not easy with a body you're not used too is extremely hard.

Before Zao can even try to begin to cultivate the Darkness Ki required for Shadow's Embrace, he needs to learn its footwork techniques. For someone who is used to being 100 stories tall and being nearly 2 km long, Zao Ning isn't quite used to his body.

Starting out with some stretches, Zao figures out at what his body's limits are in the ability to maneuver his limbs.

A human body is much smaller than a dragon's body but it is much more flexible. I do have a lot less physical strength though.

Zao then begins to read through the Shadow's Embrace footwork techniques.

It is extremely different then what Zao is used to Technique wise as it uses 2 limbs instead of four. Instead of having 4 legs for stabilization, Zao has to use a lot of core strength to keep himself balanced.

With Zao's mental abilities and soul being comparable to a Fiend Realm still, he quickly understands every page of Shadow's Embrace, even the parts that are said to be extremely profound.

Though I understand it, executing it is a different story.

Zao Ning goes through each stage of the footwork techniques. There are 3 stages to Shadow's Embrace.

Stage 1, Way of the Shadow.

This mainly consists of moves that help the user Shadow their opponent. This means that every move an opponent does, Zao shadows. He can, therefore, dodge it, as a shadow would. Zao tries to do this but as he goes through the basic steps that you can do alone, Zao moves clumsily, like he doesn't belong in this body.

As Zao isn't able to get through Stage 1 yet he can understand all of it, Zao begins to become extremely frustrated. Though there is no one to actually shadow, Zao is unable to even maneuver his body well.

All he has been relying on has been pure strength and raw agility since the beginning. Zao's fighting style has never been profound and using complex techniques is something new to Zao.

To be honest, Zao never even learned a footwork technique before as he never truly need one. The scales on Zao's body was enough defense to where Zao never even needed to dodge.

Zao's body is covered in sweat as he continues to try harder and harder to perfect the footwork.

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I can't let my foundation be weak! I REFUSE to continue till I master Stage 1!

A dragon's determination surfaces inside of Zao and his eyes begin to gloss over as he enters a trance-like state. Lightning Ki emits from Zao's body as he pushes everything to the max.

With his body now being able to somewhat keep up with his reflexes, Zao starts to do the Way of the Shadow effectively and efficiently. Zao tuns into a roaming shadow within the yard, weaving and bobbing as if he is facing an invisible opponent.

The Lightning Ki sizzling from Zao's body leaves scorches on the ground like it had done earlier in the day but Zao is into the trance state too much to care.

Zao's body is in immense pain as it shouldn't be in this state of Lightning Ki being absorbed into the muscles and bones, but Zao Ning doesn't mind. He needs to take damage if he wishes to go beyond his limits.

After 10 minutes of being in this trance-like state, Zao's body fades into a dark crimson as he begins to bleed from his pores like before.

After causing hundreds of scorch marks in his backyard, Zao finally falls over and the Lightning Ki being absorbed into his body dissipates.

Zao lays naked on the ground, every single inch of his body being numb, yet the cool feel of the grass seeping into his muscles.

Though this is painful, it is, unfortunately, my life from now on. Guess instead of just complaining about this weak body, I just need to make it strong so I have nothing to complain about!

*3 weeks later*

Shuaaaa~!

A dark and complex figure rushes around Zao's backyard as it seems to be fighting an invisible enemy. The figure is as dark as night as sizzles of lightning flash out of it.

Little drops of blood come from within the shadowy figure but it is nothing compared to when Zao first started. Finally coming to a stop with his training for the day, the darkness around Zao finally fades away.

After a week of straight training nothing but Shadow's Embrace, I have mastered the 3 stages of the footwork technique. Having this, I can have a cloak of Darkness Ki surround me but it only lasts for 15 seconds as I don't cultivate Darkness Ki yet. I can only use the loose Darkness Ki around me.

Zao begins to mull over how he plans on cultivating Darkness Ki as being able to create a cloak of Darkness Ki is a pivotal point in the next portion of Shadow's Embrace.

Before walking back inside, Zao grabs his crimson cloak and looks at his backyard. Thousands of black streaks of scorch marks spread throughout the whole yard, showing Zao's intense and rigorous training.

Nodding his head in approval, Zao is proud of his body for being able to not break down throughout the intense training process. This is mainly due to the Returning Root that Zao's master, Grand Elder Chi, had bought for Zao. 

Slipping into the bath, Zao can feel the blood caked on his skin dissipate and the effects of the returning root take affect. Leaning against the back of the bath, Zao nearly falls asleep until there is a knocking on the door.

"Master." Chan, Zao's butler says as he slightly opens the door, signaling he wishes to come in.

"Enter." Zao says coldly. To be honest, Zao doesn't like his servants that much as he can sense them following his every move and this sends warnings to Zao that they are up to something. 

"I have completely finished the task you have given me. The list of all of the Ki Weapons within the town of Xi'an. Of course there is also the ones inside of the Weapon Shops."

"Good, leave the list on my desk. Unless you have anything else important to say you can be dismissed." 

Zao then closes his eyes and relaxes as he expects Chan to leave but surprisingly the butler has more to say.

"Actually Master, your father, Lord Fan, has sent a message for you."

Zao simply opens one eye in interest.

"Tell me more." Zao says coldly. Wei Ning had told her son what his father had done to her. This didn't leave a good impression of his father in Zao's mind.

"Lord Fan request an audience with Master tonight at Lord Fan's castle."

So the weakling wants to meet me huh? Hmmmmm, maybe I can kill him while I'm there...

"Well I have no reason to refuse. Anything else?"

"No master."

"Then dismissed." Zao says with monotony while waving Chan away. Closing his eyes again, Zao decides to take a nap in the warm bath. 

...

...

...

"YOU BASTARD! I WILL KILL YOUR WHOLE RACE!" 

A platinum being in the air roars loudly and holds a strange object in his hand.

An explosive aura blasts the nearby forest away, pulling the nearby land asunder as well. With the cavern being nearly 5 miles long, an aura of darkness and electricity emits from the cavern that is exactly the same as the aura coming from the floating being in the air.

The platinum being shakes in rage, causing the nearby Lightning and Darkness Ki to tremble to the extreme and even slightly tear, making rips in reality.

Finally, a pair of two bright azure eyes come from within the being and the wings on its back flex intensely. 

KACHAAAAA~!

Turning into a streak of black lightning, the being zooms off into the distance, full of hatred and fury to whatever target has caused its pain.

*Gasp*

Zao shoots upwards and gasps for air.

His lungs burn as it feels as he hasn't taken a breath of air in years. Zao's whole body throbs intensely and pain seeps throughout every inch of his existence, even Zao's soul.

A dream?

Zao shakes his head and can only try to calm down his breathing and investigate the cause of the pain in his body.

WHAT?!

During the past 3 weeks of training, Zao has had about twenty 10 cm worms inside of his cultivation veins, with the one with the scar being the most profound. Now on the other hand, only one remains and it is the one with the scar, yet it has grown to 20 cm now.

It has also grown fully azure and seems more complex then ever before.

Investigating the rest of his body, Zao can now see his bones have become a dark blue, sizzles of lightning shooting from them occasionally.

Zao realizes that in his sleep, he has went from the 4th Mortal Realm, straight to the 5th Mortal Realm. 

Zao is dumbfounded by this, he has never heard of someone being able to break through any cultivation realm in their sleep. This isn't even the most important part of what happened though.

In the middle of Zao's heart lays a small bead. The bead is a shiny blue and to Zao, it looks extremely familiar. 

Is this?... WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING ON?

Zao investigates the shiny blue ball in his heart and soon Zao is able to tell exactly what it is. 

The shiny blue bead is a drop of blood from Zao's past body, when he was Zaragnathor. 

How is this possible? Wait...

Zao thinks back to someone books he had read before and a small exert from a strange and worn book comes to mind. Most of the book was torn worn to read and only small sentences could be made out.

"Even though it has a new host, the soul can contain the power of the last host. This is mainly shown in- *illegible*. One of the things kept is the bloodline, as this is absorbed by the soul and is never let go. This has been proven with experiments done by- *illegible*."

Was this book talking about reincarnation? I remember stealing the book from the body of an old Fiend Realm Human Wizard that was known for his horrendous experiments. Does this mean that this bead is in fact a piece of my old bloodline?

Excitement fills Zao's body as if he truly does have his old dragon bloodline then the process of cultivation will be much easier. Zao uses his spirit to try and make the small bead within his heart react or do something, but it just sits there.

No matter what Zao tries, the small bead will not react. Zao becomes slightly frustrated at first but decides that he has plenty of time to figure out what the bead is in the future.

Well, I guess I should consolidate my foundation and help my muscles strengthen before I leave to go "meet" my father. 

 Having an anomaly happen within his own body, excitement continues to flow within Zao as his strength increases as the days go by, making it so there is less to complain about.