Damon watched the shadows disappear. He turned to the others. Ariel stood close to him. Her hand found his again.

Mio let out a small laugh. Mia smiled beside her. Neko jumped from his shoulder and padded across the floor.

The cat sniffed at the walls. Her tail flicked once. Damon felt the mansion’s quiet press around them all.

Ariel looked down the left hallway. "Which room is ours?"

Damon started walking. The ice floor felt smooth under his boots. He pushed open the first door on the left.

The room held a wide bed, a low table, and a window that showed the mountain peaks beyond. Light glowed soft from the walls. Ariel stepped inside after him.

Mio and Mia followed. They looked around the space. Neko leaped onto the bed and curled up.

"This place feels different from the villa." Mio said. She ran her hand over the dark wood table.

Mia nodded. "Mom will drop by when she wants. Elder Selene means what she says about training."

Damon checked the window. Clouds drifted past the peaks. He turned back to the group. Ariel sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him down beside her.

"We move in, we train, we get stronger, the tournament comes in six months. Selene will push you hard." Damon said.

Ariel leaned against his side. "I am ready."

Mio crossed her arms. "We are strong. We all are. But Elder Selene is a peak Heavenly Spirit Realm. She will test your every move."

Mia added, "Sect Leader wants us secret until the right time."

Damon felt the weight of the golden token in his storage ring. He pulled it out and set it on the table. The metal caught the light.

Neko lifted her head. She meowed once and settled again. Damon stood and walked to the door.

"We unpack later. Elder Selene said training starts now."

He led them back to the main hall. The ice doors at the rear stood open. A training arena waited beyond.

Selene already stood in the center. Her sword rested in one hand. She looked up as they entered.

"Damon. Show me the aura again. No holding back this time."

Damon drew his wooden sword. He stepped onto the arena floor. The others watched from the side.

He raised the blade. Sword aura bloomed around it in a sharp silver glow. The light cut through the air and struck the far barrier.

Elder Selene’s eyes narrowed. She lifted her own sword. Frost formed along the edge.

"Again."

Damon swung. The aura lashed out in a wide arc. It met her frost and cracked the ground between them.

Elder Selene smiled for the first time. The expression looked sharp. She lowered her blade.

"Good. Now Disciple Ariel."

Ariel stepped forward first. She summoned the trident. Water energy rippled along the prongs.

Mio and Mia watch from the side. Neko stayed on the sidelines in cat form.

Damon watched Ariel started training. Selene moved among her and corrected stances.

The door to the arena opened again. Mei walked in suddenly.

She stopped at the edge. Her gaze found Damon. A slow smile spread across her face.

"Training already? Mind if I watch?"

Damon watched Mei step into the arena. Her tight qipao clung to every curve as she stopped at the edge.

’She came here on purpose.’

Selene turned from Ariel. Frost gathered along her sword edge. She looked at Mei once then faced Damon again.

"Damon. Hold the aura steady. Let the Ariel match it."

Ariel raised her trident. Water energy rippled along the prongs in clear waves.

Mei crossed her arms. Her deep purple hair fell down her back. She smiled at the sight of the Damon training.

"Impressive start. The twins look stronger than the last time I saw them."

Mio glanced up at her mother and ask in a clear voice.

"Mother. We did not expect you back already."

Mia nodded once. Her shy gaze stayed on the floor. Mei laughed low in her throat. She walked closer to the arena edge. Her hips swayed with each step.

"I came to check on my new duty. Hector made quite the offer after what happen before."

Damon kept the aura steady on his wooden blade. The silver glow did not flicker. He met Mei’s eyes without moving his head.

Selene cut in before anyone else spoke. She pointed her frost-covered sword at Ariel.

"You are good in your strikes. Now push the flow harder."

Ariel adjusted her grip. The trident hummed as more water energy gathered. Damon saw the change in her stance and noted how the upgrades had settled into her body.

Mei tilted her head. Her gaze moved from Damon to the women around him.

"Four in your circle already. And the tiger cub. You move fast for someone who just joined the sect." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Damon lowered the aura on his blade. He stepped back one pace to let Ariel advance her form.

’She wants to test how far this goes.’

Neko stood up on the sideline. She hissed once at Mei then settled again. Ariel finished her adjusted strike and looked toward Damon for approval.

Mio spoke up again. Her energetic tone cut through the quiet arena.

"Mother. Damon saved us in the valley. We owe him more than words."

Mei licked her red lips once. She stepped onto the arena floor without asking. Damon felt the shift in air pressure as her Saint Spirit Realm presence filled the space. Selene did not stop her. The elder only watched with narrow eyes.

Mei stopped three paces from Damon. She looked down at his wooden sword then back at his face.

"Show me the aura one more time. Up close this time."

Damon raised the blade again. Sword aura bloomed sharp and silver around the wood. Ariel moved to Damon’s left side.

Mei smiled wider. Her eyes sparkled with the same predatory gleam Damon had seen in her status window.

"Good. Very good. We should talk about how you plan to keep this sword aura hidden during the tournament."

Selene spoke from behind her. "Training first. Talk later."

Damon held the aura steady. He watched Mei’s reaction through the glow.

’She will push for more than training.’