“Are you ready?”

  “I was ready eighteen months ago. Please open this damn thing, Master,” Cade answered, his voice a low growl.

  “Tsk. No composure whatsoever.” Lao Ren flicked a finger, and the heavy lid shot open.

  “Finally!” Cade’s raspy shout was lost in an explosion of foul liquid as his dark silhouette launched from the coffin. He clung to the ceiling like a giant black spider, naked and dripping with sludge. His hands and feet gripped the tiniest imperfections in the stone, his body taut like a drawn bow, striated muscles rippling under his skin.

  “What the hell?!” Cade exclaimed, surprised by his new, deeper voice. He didn't expect the jump to send him twenty feet into the air.

  He could feel the fine texture of the rock under his fingertips. His black fingernails extended an inch, piercing the stone as if it were tofu. Tilting his head, his vision magnified tremendously, focusing on a hairline crack between the slabs. He watched in amazement as tiny insects scurried away in fright, their life force appearing in his mind as faint golden clouds.

  “Master, this is amazing!” Cade looked down, but his grin faded. “Your body… it’s disappearing.”

  Lao Ren shrugged, his form flickering. “The wisp has used its energy. It has served its purpose.”

  “But...”

  “My main body lives on. Come down. Let’s get you clean.”

  “Right.” Cade dropped, flipping mid-air like a cat to land silently on all fours. He rose to his feet, examining his hands. Sharp, black nails slid from his fingertips with a thought. “I have claws,” he announced with a broad grin. “Is this normal?”

  “It’s a sign things went very well,” Lao Ren chuckled. “Now wash. You stink like a rotten corpse.” He waved a hand, and a torrent of freezing water cleansed Cade’s body.

  “You could have at least warmed it up,” the newborn Asura complained, rubbing himself clean while admiring the changes. His muscles were larger, coiling like steel serpents under his pale skin, humming with stored energy.

  “Here.” Lao Ren ignored him, tossing a bundle of clothes. Cade pulled on the thick leather trousers and boots, then the red, high-collared longcoat. It fit like a military uniform from the waist up, adorned with twisting serpentine silhouettes, yet didn’t restrict his movement at all. He loved it. His gaze met Lao Ren’s. “Master, I’m taller than you,” he let out a raspy laugh.

  “Are you a puppy, excited by every little thing?” the old Asura grumbled, smiling inwardly. Cade was now well over six feet—likely closer to seven—lean, strong and agile. “Let me see your face.”

  “Is something wrong with it?” Cade pushed back wet strands of black hair. Lao Ren erupted with laughter.

  “What’s so funny?” Cade demanded.

  “Good! Very good!”

  “Master, show me,” Cade said, his concern growing.

  “Do you think I carry a mirror in my pocket? I am not a walking wardrobe,” Lao Ren sighed, then relented. “Fine.” He produced a large, polished tower shield of yellowish metal.

  Cade grabbed it and nearly buckled; it was incredibly heavy. Huffing, he dragged the massive shield to the wall. “What is it made of, compressed mountains?”

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  “Nearly eight hundred pounds of pure mithril. It’s rather useless to you. Defense is my path, not yours. Your gifts are speed and agility, though your strength is quite good as well. Offense is what you should focus on in the near future.”

  “Right.” Cade propped the shield up and stepped back to see his reflection.

  He was looking at a familiar stranger. A thick mane of black hair framed a pale, harder face. His shoulders were wide as boulders, his neck thick with muscle. Paired with a narrow waist, his new body was a predator’s, both powerful and nimble. His features were sharper: a chiseled jaw, a more prominent brow, and deep-set eyes that gave him a vicious, primal appearance.

  His eyes were the biggest shock. The irises were the color of fresh blood, with black vertical slits for pupils. “Why are my eyes different?”

  “The color reflects your potent blood. The pupils are an ocular atavism,” Lao Ren explained. “Our race has regressed over billions of years. Atavisms are a return to our ancestral roots, granting greater power and potential. To manifest several is unheard of. Fortune does not begin to describe your circumstances.”

  “Amazing.” Cade’s joy was cut short by a new discovery. “Master… what about my ears?”

  The Asura appeared beside him. Cade’s ears were no longer distinct organs, but streamlined, pointed ridges integrated into his skull.

  “Astonishing…” Lao Ren murmured. “So many atavisms… and at the same age…” He turned to his disciple, his expression urgent. “We must hurry the ceremony. My soul energy is almost gone.”

  Cade’s face fell.

  Lao Ren patted his shoulder. “This was always the way. Without me, you will be forced to grow. Now, let’s get to it.”

  He extended his palm, and a small, blood-red book appeared. “With this, I accept Cade Ward as my disciple. Cultivate well; your life depends on it.” The book floated to Cade, who accepted the priceless treasure with both hands.

  “Additionally, I gift you this blood extraction ring.” A thin red band appeared, sucking the large coffin into itself with a gasp of air. “It can distill any corpse into condensed blood essence and store it in a separate space where time is still. I have left some supplies inside. Take it.”

  Lao Ren’s voice was solemn. “You may now accept me as your Master. Kowtow once to equalize the karma between us. Our futures will be linked, but you will not be burdened by my past.”

  Cade knelt without hesitation. “I, Cade Ward, am a nobody. I don’t feel I deserve this honor. I humbly accept Lao Ren as my Master and promise to carry his legacy with pride.” He touched his forehead to the cold stone. “I… don’t know what else to say.”

  Lao Ren’s smile was tinged with sadness. “I wish I were here in the flesh. Such an auspicious occasion should be celebrated. Alas, it’s not possible, and time is of the essence. Before I disappear, there are two things you must know.”

  His hand waved, and their surroundings blurred into a room with a large, glowing blue platform.

  “A one-way transportation formation. It will take you to a cave above ground, near a town called Kettle. There you can find information about your mother’s killer. But take my advice: you are a newborn. You lack skill and tempering. Go to the monastery when you are strong enough. Build upon the amazing foundation you’ve been reborn with.”

  Cade cupped his fist and bowed.

  “Second, trust no one easily. The world of cultivation is treacherous. Keep your identity secret. Be well, my disciple.” Lao Ren squeezed Cade’s shoulder, raising an ethereal hand as Cade tried to speak. “I know. We are kindred spirits, brought together by fate. When you are powerful enough, we will meet again in Chthon. Until then, grow strong.”

  Cade bowed low, blinking back tears. He didn’t want his master to see him cry. “I am forever grateful, Master. I will repay this debt. I will make you proud.”

  “I know you will,” Lao Ren smiled warmly. “We are family; there are no debts between us. I look forward to hearing your story over the finest wine.”

  Cade forced a smile back, sadness welling in his heart.

  “Enter the formation. Enjoy everything the world has to offer. Once you’re ready, make those who hurt you and your family pay with their blood.”

  Cade nodded solemnly. Parting was inevitable, though it weighed on him greatly. The old Asura had become the closest person in his life, and now the weight of his existence was his alone again. With a final bow, he shut his eyes and stepped into the glowing circle.

  Lao Ren stood before the humming formation, his gaze fixed on the faint, shimmering afterimage. “Master, I have done as you asked,” he sighed, his expression troubled and fading. “The golden essence you provided is truly miraculous, and his potential monstrous. Yet, I worry for him. I taught him what I could—I can only hope it will be enough. In the end, the strongest blades are forged in the fires of adversity.”

  A moment later, the wisp used its last energy and vanished into nothingness.