A young man sat cross-legged on his bed in meditation. His hands were joined before him in a peculiar, yet relaxed, mudra. His chest rose and fell in a peaceful, natural rhythm. With every inhalation, a pale wisp of energy, like a stream of pure air, flowed into his nose and mouth, weaving into his very being. As he cultivated, the plain black ring on his finger glimmered with a strange, dim light, then went dark. “Huuuu…” The young man exhaled slowly and blinked his eyes open. A fleeting white glimmer shone in the dark depths of his pupils—the Dou Qi he had just absorbed but not yet fully refined. “All that effort to gather a thread of Dou Qi, and… damn it, it’s happening again! No, please, not again…” He desperately tried to cling to the wisp of power, but it was no use. As the last sliver of Dou Qi slipped from his body, the calm on his face shattered, replaced by a mask of despair and fury. His hands clenched into tight fists, then relaxed, then clenched again. Finally, the raw anger on his face curdled into a bitter, forced grin. There was nothing he could do. He wearily dragged himself from the bed, stretching his numb legs. With a body only at the 3rd Stage of Dou Qi, even a short period of meditation left him stiff. After he had worked through a few simple exercises in his spartan room, an old, wizened voice sounded from beyond his door. “Young master, the clan leader requests your presence in the main hall.” The young man was Wei Lang, third son of the clan leader. His two older brothers had already left the clan to seek their own fortunes, returning only at the year's end for family gatherings. They had always been kind to him, even after his fall from lauded genius to forgotten trash. “Coming!” Wei Lang replied, quickly changing his clothes before opening the door. An elder in a green robe stood waiting. “Let’s go.” The elder nodded at the young man’s fresh-faced appearance. But as he turned to lead the way, a flicker of regret crossed his eyes. If the young master still had his old talent, he would surely be a renowned Dou Zhe by now. Such a waste… They crossed the rear courtyard and soon arrived at the grand reception hall. After a polite knock, the two of them entered quietly. The hall was large and already filled with people. At the head of the room sat his father, Wei Zhan, flanked by three stone-faced elders. They were the clan’s most senior figures, their authority nearly equal to the clan leader’s. To the left sat the other clan elders. While not as powerful as the three at the head table, they still held considerable influence. Beside them sat a selection of the clan’s most promising young talents. On the right sat three strangers. These must be the guests his father had mentioned. Wei Lang’s eyes swept over them. The first was an elder dressed in moon-white robes. He wore a constant smile, but his sharp, glittering eyes missed nothing, restlessly scanning the room. Wei Lang’s gaze dropped to the man’s chest, where a silver moon was embroidered. Beside the moon were seven gleaming golden stars. A 7-Star Da Dou Shi! Wei Lang barely suppressed a gasp. This man was even stronger than his own father—two full stars stronger. Anyone who reached the rank of Da Dou Shi was a power to be reckoned with, a master most factions would scramble to recruit. It was no surprise Wei Lang was shocked to see one here. Beside the elder sat a young man and woman, also in moon-white robes. The man was around twenty, with a handsome face and a strong build; the type to turn any girl’s head. More importantly, embroidered on his chest were five golden stars. He was a 5-Star Dou Zhe. To become a 5-Star Dou Zhe at twenty was a mark of exceptional talent. With his handsome features and considerable strength, the young man was the target of many admiring stares from the girls of the clan. Even Wei Qiao sent several furtive glances his way. But the attention went unnoticed. The young man’s focus was entirely on the girl beside him. She appeared to be around the same age as Wei Lang, a fact that made him flinch. Her beauty was startling, easily surpassing Wei Qiao’s. Within the entire clan, perhaps only Wei Ruolan could compare. No wonder the young men of the Wei Clan so often pursued girls from outside. A green jade earring dangled from her delicate ear. With the slightest movement of her head, it chimed with a clear, melodic sound, lending her an air of nobility. Pinned to the bodice of her robes were three golden stars. A 3-Star Dou Zhe. If she hadn’t used some special method to advance, Wei Lang thought, then she was a true genius. His heart sank. Her talent rivaled what his had once been. But he forced his gaze away from the cold beauty. Beneath his youthful exterior was a soul far older than his years. Though the girl was stunning, he wouldn’t allow himself to gawk like a fool. Wei Lang’s brief, dismissive glance caused a subtle shift in the girl’s posture. She was not the sort to believe the universe revolved around her, but she was used to a certain kind of attention. To be so casually looked over was a new experience. “Father, three elders.” Walking forward, Wei Lang bowed courteously to Wei Zhan and the other leaders. “Ah, Lang’er, you’re here.” Wei Zhan broke off his conversation with the guests and gestured toward the gathered clan members. “Come, find a seat.” With a faint smile, Wei Lang ignored the contemptuous glares from the three senior elders and searched for a place to sit. To his dismay, he found there was no seat for him. So, my position in the clan has sunk this low, he thought, a wave of self-mockery washing over him. It was bad enough before, but to embarrass me in front of guests… these old fossils. He shook his head slightly, as if to ward off the sting of humiliation. Seeing Wei Lang standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, several of the younger clan members let out soft, mocking snickers, clearly enjoying his predicament. His father finally noticed. A flash of anger crossed Wei Zhan’s face, his brow furrowing. “Second elder, you…” “Oh, my apologies. I can’t believe I forgot about the young master.” The yellow-robed elder to his father’s right patted his own forehead in a show of forgetfulness. He smiled at Wei Zhan, but the belittling glint in his eyes never faded. “Hehe, my mistake. I’ll have someone prepare a chair at once.” “Brother Wei Lang, come sit here.” A clear, gentle voice cut through the hall. The three senior elders tensed, their gazes shifting to the corner where the voice had come from. Their mouths twitched, but none of them dared to speak. In the corner, Wei Ruolan closed the thick book resting in her lap and blinked at Wei Lang. He froze for a second, looking at her smiling face. Then, touching the bridge of his nose, he walked toward her, acutely aware of the envious daggers being stared into his back by the other young men. The short walk felt like an eternity before he finally sank into the seat beside her. “Thanks,” Wei Lang whispered. “You’ve rescued me again.” Wei Ruolan smiled lightly, two small dimples appearing on her cheeks. Her slender fingers idly flipped open her book. Though still young, she possessed an intellectual air. “Brother Wei Lang,” she said suddenly, her eyes still on the page, “it’s been three years since you last sat beside me, hasn’t it?” “Uh… you’re the genius of the clan. You could have any friend you wanted,” Wei Lang said with a dry laugh, looking at her faintly resentful expression. “But there was a certain someone who used to sneak into my room every night when I was four years old. He would use a clumsy technique and his weak Dou Zi Qi to strengthen my bones and meridians. He’d work until he was sweating all over, and then he’d leave. Brother Wei Lang, do you know who that was?” She paused, then tilted her head and smiled sweetly at him. “Uh… how would I know something like that?” Wei Lang’s heart hammered against his ribs. He forced a smile, guiltily turning his gaze back to the center of the hall. “I was just a little kid back then. I could barely walk straight.” “Hehe…” Seeing his reaction, a sly smile played on Wei Ruolan’s lips. Her gaze returned to her book as she spoke, as if to herself. “Even though I know that person meant well, I’m still a girl. I can’t just let someone touch me so carelessly. If I ever find out for sure who it was… hmph.” A muscle in Wei Lang’s jaw twitched. He stared straight ahead and kept his mouth firmly shut.

Chapter 3: The Vanishing Power