Within a secret location in the Martial Rising Realm…
Upon a lofty platform carved entirely from the bleached bones of ancient dragons, a man sat cross-legged in perfect stillness, his eyes shut tight as if in deep meditation. His robes fluttered slightly despite the absence of wind, and the air around him shimmered with violent power.
A myriad of qi strands surrounded him—sword qi as sharp as starlight, saber qi like rolling thunder, fist qi coiled with the strength of mountains, and other, more obscure forms twisted and danced in an endless vortex. They pulsed, breathed, and roared around him, as though this man were the center of a storm made of martial will itself.
Suddenly, the currents of qi stirred violently. The man's brow furrowed, but he did not open his eyes. The subtle crease between his brows was the only indication that he had sensed the coming disturbance.
