Huo Chen pushed open the door to the Iron Cloud Armory and stepped inside. The shop was spacious, with weapons lining the walls on both sides. Swords, sabers, spears, halberds—all organized by type and quality.

  The air smelled faintly of metal and oil. A few customers browsed quietly near the back, examining blade edges and testing weapon weight. An attendant appeared from behind the counter almost immediately—a young man, fifth layer Qi Refining, wearing the shop's blue and gray uniform.

  "Welcome. What are you looking for?"

  "I need a weapon for close combat."

  The attendant nodded and gestured toward the left side of the shop.

  "Follow me."

  He led Huo Chen to a section dedicated to hand-to-hand weapons. Gloves lined one shelf—reinforced leather, some with metal plating. Gauntlets sat on another, heavier and more protective. Knuckle dusters, weighted wraps, and various other tools filled the remaining space.

  Huo Chen's eyes moved across the options and stopped on a pair of claw gloves. They were black, made from reinforced demonic beast hide with metal claws extending from each finger. The claws curved slightly, sharp and functional.

  The gloves themselves looked flexible enough to allow full hand movement while still offering solid protection. He picked them up and tested the fit. They slid on smoothly, conforming to his hands.

  He flexed his fingers and the claws moved naturally with the motion. "Those are made from a Shadow Panther hide," the attendant said. "The claws are forged from tempered spirit iron. They'll protect your hands and add lethality to close-range strikes. Three hundred low-grade spirit stones."

  Huo Chen nodded. "I'll take them."

  The transaction was quick. He paid, kept the gloves on, and left the shop.

  ---

  He found an inn two streets over—a three-story building called the Jade Rest Inn. The price was reasonable, fifteen low-grade spirit stones for a night with a cultivation room. He paid the innkeeper and went upstairs.

  The room was small—a bed, a table, a chair. He closed the door and sat down on the floor, his back against the wall.

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  His clone appeared beside him a moment later, sitting in the same position. Huo Chen reached into his storage bag and pulled out the jade slip for the Stone Mantle Barrier technique.

  He'd been working on the technique during his travels. By now, he'd nearly mastered it completely. Just one final push remained.

  He handed the slip over. The other him took it and held it in both hands. Huo Chen closed his eyes.

  Feedback came immediately.The technique flowed through their connection, and the final gap in his understanding filled itself.

  He processed it all, integrating the knowledge with what he'd already learned.

  Time passed. Minutes, maybe half an hour.

  Then he opened his eyes and smiled.

  "Success."

  The technique was his now. Fully mastered. His clone dissolved and returned to his dantian. Huo Chen set the jade slip aside and lay down on the bed.

  Morning came early. Huo Chen left the inn and headed toward the beast market on the eastern edge of the city. He walked through the stalls until he found what he wanted.

  A Shadow Wolf, still growing, its fur dark gray with black patterns running along its back. Its eyes were sharp and alert, tracking him as he approached. Fifth-layer Qi Refining cultivation.

  "How much?" Huo Chen asked the merchant.

  "Two hundred low-grade spirit stones. Fast, loyal if you bond it properly, and it'll grow stronger as it matures."

  Huo Chen paid without haggling. The merchant released the formation keeping the wolf contained and handed Huo Chen a control talisman—a temporary binding that would last until a proper bond formed.

  The wolf stepped forward and sniffed him once, then settled beside him without resistance. Huo Chen mounted and the wolf moved immediately, its gait smooth and fast.

  They left the city behind and headed northeast toward the Emerald Valley. The wolf took off at a steady pace, the landscape blurred as they moved—forests, open plains, small streams.

  Other cultivators appeared occasionally on the road, traveling in the same direction. Some rode flying artifacts, others walked, a few had their own spirit beasts. No one spoke. Everyone kept to themselves, focused on reaching their destination.

  The days passed in a rhythm of movement and brief rest. Huo Chen would stop occasionally to let the wolf recover, then continue.

  On the fourth day, the terrain began to change. The trees thinned out and the land opened into a massive field.

  In the distance, Huo Chen could see what had to be the Emerald Valley. And the people. Thousands of them. The valley stretched far in every direction—an open field dotted with large rocks and boulders.

  Cultivators filled the space, some sitting in meditation, others standing in groups talking quietly. Tents had been set up in scattered clusters. Fires burned here and there. The air hummed with spiritual energy from so many gathered in one place.

  There was no entrance visible. No sign that a secret realm would open here. Just an empty field and a sea of waiting cultivators. Huo Chen rode the Shadow Wolf into the valley.

  A few people turned to look at him as he passed—glanced at the wolf, at him, then went back to what they were doing. No one seemed particularly interested.

  He found a large rock near the edge of the gathering and dismounted. The wolf settled at his feet without being told, lying down and resting its head on its paws. Huo Chen sat on the rock, leaned back slightly, and closed his eyes.