After Jiang Fei left the room, both Arran and Lord Jiang remained silent for a while, studying each other. Arran found that even though he had only just met the man, he already liked him. Unlike most of the mages he had met so far, Lord Jiang seemed open and straightforward, with little taste for secrets and deception. "Are you the leader of the Jiang Clan?" Arran finally asked. Lord Jiang laughed. "I haven't held that title in a thousand years. These days, my only job is to prevent those Academy dogs from getting any ideas." He sighed in disgust. "They really have been getting too bold for their own good these past few centuries." "Are we safe from them here?" Arran asked. He understood that after the deaths of three powerful Academy mages, people would certainly come looking for those responsible. "For now, you have nothing to fear from the Academy," Lord Jiang said. "They like

Thud! Arran groaned as he opened his eyes. Through the window, he could see that the first light of dawn was only just starting to appear. Only half-awake, he dully wondered what had just interrupted his sleep. Thud! Thud! This time, he realized that the sound came from the door. Someone was knocking. "Who is it?!" he called out. "Time to get up!" Hearing that the voice was Lord Jiang's, Arran hurriedly got out of bed. It had been over two weeks since he had last seen any sign of his host, but after all the man had done for him, the last thing he wanted was to offend him. When he opened the door, he saw Lord Jiang standing outside, dressed in simple brown clothes. Once more he marveled at the sheer size of the man — he resembled a living mountain. "Today, we begin your training," Lord Jiang said, smiling brightl

Arran looked at Jiang Fei. Her eyes were closed, and she sat on the grass with a look of utter concentration on her face. It had been nearly a week since Lord Jiang had given her the scroll containing the circulation technique, but so far, she had not yet succeeded in mastering it. At first, Arran had been somewhat relieved that she had trouble learning the technique. He had feared that with her skill in magic, she would surpass him in a matter of days. He knew it was petty, but still, it felt nice to be better at something than her for a change. Now, however, he was beginning to feel bad for her. She worked day and night, but somehow, the technique still eluded her. Apparently, magical talent alone was not enough to learn Body Refinement. Arran, on the other hand, had made great strides in mastering the circulation technique. Using it while running had been difficult at first, but with the instructi

After Lord Jiang's feast, Arran noticed an immediate change in his abilities. Even without using the circulation technique, he could feel that he was stronger and faster than he used to be. The difference wasn't a small one, either — it was as if he had achieved the results of years of training in a single night. When he did use the technique, he found that it was easier to maintain and control than before. Using it still wasn't exactly simple, but as the weeks passed he progressed rapidly, learning to use the technique to increase his strength when needed. Although there were no more feasts like the first one, Lord Jiang served them rare medicinal foods every day, and Arran could feel that they were helping his body grow stronger. Sometimes, Doctor Zhang would bring Arran and Jiang Fei potions as well, and even if their taste was always vile, they seemed to further increase Arran's strength. A few weeks after the