End of training

Somewhere hidden within the Ithynar Empire was a makeshift training ground. Inside, two people could be seen sparring: a woman and a man.

Although neither of them used cultivation, they moved at speeds difficult for mortals to follow with just their physical abilities.

These two were Adam and Selene. Eleven years had passed since Selene found Adam and decided to adopt him.

Adam had grown a lot during those years, and now, at 16, he resembled a young adult. His body was perfect thanks to training and the elimination of impurities. His long white hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he exuded a confident presence. There were no traces of Adam Blackthorne left; he was now a completely different person: Adam Ashwyn.

Thanks to constant training, he had reached a point where he could get through the day without relying on Selene—something he had always wished for because he didn't want to be a burden to her, even though Selene didn't share that sentiment.

In the training field, Adam and Selene continued their sparring.

Selene would appear and disappear, striking from unexpected angles. Adam, already accustomed to this, blocked some attacks and tried to counter, though without success. He had realized that Selene had been increasing the intensity of her training over the years, ensuring he never came close to surpassing her. She was always one step ahead, no matter how much he improved. But today, that was going to change. Adam had been planning for this for a year and had no intention of failing.

They continued for several more minutes, during which Selene kept striking at a constant rhythm, seemingly without Adam being able to do much.

"This seems to be his limit," Selene thought as she noticed Adam's progress had slowed over the past year. Perhaps this was his peak, even with his strange condition. She felt a bit saddened by this, as she had hoped he would one day surpass her challenge. But it seemed she would have to let him win. If Adam realized he had no chance, it would be devastating for someone who had worked most of his life to overcome this challenge and earn her recognition.

As Selene became lost in her thoughts and continued striking at Adam without paying much attention, he smiled inadvertently.

When Selene changed her angle to surprise him with a strike from behind, Adam narrowly dodged the attack by an inch. He quickly turned and struck Selene's torso with a speed impossible for an ordinary mortal.

Selene, surprised, realized she couldn't dodge the blow, so by reflex, she activated her cultivation base and appeared several feet away.

Adam felt the sudden shift in the surrounding qi and deduced what had happened.

"Looks like the master is cheating," Adam said with a sly smile, used to teasing Selene.

Selene quickly composed herself.

"Hmph! Cheating, am I? You've been holding back for an entire year behind my back. Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?" she scolded, though internally, she was astonished by the speed and strength he could achieve as a mere mortal.

"Well, well, it seems the master isn't ready to let me go just yet," Adam replied, having developed a playful personality over the years.

Selene ignored his words, avoiding his game, and continued:

"Even if you deceived me, a loss is a loss, and you exceeded my expectations. Although you didn't manage to dodge three of my strikes, the fact that you forced me to use my cultivation far exceeds the difficulty of this challenge. From now on, there's not much more I can teach you, at least until you step onto the path of cultivation or regain your sight."

Yes, while most people began cultivating at the age of 10, Adam still couldn't at 16. His dantian wasn't fully developed, as the qi was absorbed instantly.

"But don't lose heart. I promised I would make you a cultivator, and that's what I'll do. From now on, we'll leave the place that has been our home for the past few years and travel through this plane in search of a possible cure." Selene's unique physique, the Celestial Origin Eyes, hadn't been much help in recent years. However, she had a feeling that she needed to stay in the mortal plane to help Adam. Of course, this wasn't the only reason—over time, she had grown fond of him and genuinely wanted to see how far he could go.

Adam accepted without hesitation. As long as he was with Selene, any place could be home.

"I'll let you rest for today. You'd better take a bath now; we might be too busy in the coming days to do so," Selene told him.

Adam nodded and prepared the bath himself. The tub was now larger and could accommodate several people.

As he immersed himself, another figure entered the bath.

"Master, have you decided where we'll go tomorrow?" Adam asked, already knowing the answer. This had become a habit over the years.

"I've heard rumors about the tomb of a mysterious cultivator in the Amberfall Empire. Maybe we'll find something there. There's no harm in checking it out," Selene replied as she entered the tub. She had lost her modesty around Adam and even started enjoying the daily baths.

If someone from the immortal plane saw Selene Ashwyn, an immortal emperor, bathing naked with a mere mortal, they would lose their minds.

Adam frowned slightly upon hearing about the Amberfall Empire, as it brought back bad memories. However, he didn't dwell on it; he had long since overcome what had happened during those years. Now, only faint memories remained.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure no one recognizes us. In case you didn't know, I'm a fugitive too," Selene joked, dispelling any doubts Adam might have had.

Neither of them knew that their next journey would mark a turning point in their lives.