THE REAL PROTEGE-Chapter 488: TRAINING BEFORE THE FAMILY COMPETITION

The Outing – Mushu and Sisu

The next morning, Mushu kept his promise to Ling Li. He found Sisu waiting by the door, his posture stiff, his eyes betraying nervous anticipation.

"Come," Mushu said simply. "We’ll spend the day outside."

They walked through the city, Mushu’s presence steady but softened by small gestures — holding doors, slowing his pace, even buying Sisu his favorite drink without asking.

Sisu’s heart raced with every act.

’He’s so attentive now... so gentle. Does he know? Is this his way of telling me he feels the same?’

At lunch, Mushu ordered Sisu’s favorite dish.

"Eat. You need strength for the days ahead."

Sisu’s lips parted, his chest tightening.

"Big Brother... I... I need to tell you something."

But before he could speak, Mushu’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression hardening.

"We’ll continue later. I need to take this call."

Sisu froze, his confession swallowed once again. His heart ached, his mind screaming.

"Always interrupted... always denied. Father, how long must I endure this torment?"

The Training Ground – Otako’s Inspection

That same afternoon, Ling Li cloaked herself in the identity of Otako, her alter identity. Her aura masked, but her presence unmistakably commanding. With only two days left before the Family Competition, every heartbeat in the training hall carried urgency.

The vast field thundered with the clash of qi and steel. The air was thick with sweat, determination, and the sharp tang of spiritual energy. Each trainee fought not only against their own limits but against the weight of expectation.

The Trainees in Formation

Four Eyes stood at the front, his brow furrowed in concentration. His ’Shield of the Loyal Heart’ shimmered faintly around him, a protective aura that pulsed with loyalty and defiance. At the same time, his ’Silent Ink Dao’ flowed like liquid shadow, his brush strokes invisible yet leaving trails of spiritual resonance. His jaw clenched as he forced the two techniques to harmonize, sweat dripping down his temple.

"Hold it steady!" barked one of the Shah of Dusk. Four Eyes gritted his teeth, his shield flickering before stabilizing, his eyes burning with stubborn resolve.

Ren, her fingers bandaged from repeated strain, refused to falter. Each flick of her hand sent golden threads of qi darting forward — ’the Golden Needle Sutra.’ Her face twisted in pain, but her eyes blazed with defiance.

"Pain is nothing," she whispered to herself, forcing another needle into formation. The Shah overseeing her gave a curt nod, impressed by her refusal to yield.

Lily moved with grace, her hair whipping in the wind she conjured. Her elemental attribute surged, guided by the ’Voice of Resonance Truth’. Each strike carried a whisper of harmony, yet her expression was tense, her lips pressed tight as she struggled to maintain control.

"Your wind scatters too easily!" shouted Shah of Wind. Lily bit her lip, adjusted her stance, and forced the gale into a sharp, focused blade.

Shun burned with intensity, his fire element roaring as he practiced the ’Phoenix Command Sutra’. Flames licked at his arms, his qi blazing so hot that the floor beneath him shimmered. His eyes glowed with fierce determination, but his breathing grew ragged.

"Control it, don’t let it control you!" thundered Shah of Fire. Shun roared back, forcing the flames into a disciplined arc, his sweat sizzling as it hit the heat.

Fatty stood firm, his body trembling under the weight of the ’Stone Heart Resilience’. His qi hardened around him like rock, his face red with strain. His fists clenched, veins bulging, as he absorbed blow after blow from his sparring partner.

"Again!" demanded Shah of Earth. Fatty’s teeth ground together, but he nodded, his resilience growing with each strike.

Chatty, his eyes locked on his Enfield beast, whispered commands through the ’Beast Bond Communication’. His voice carried urgency, his bond tested as the Enfield snarled and lunged in perfect synchronization. His face was pale, his lips trembling, but his eyes shone with trust.

"Stronger connection!" urged Shah of Echo. Chatty exhaled sharply, his voice steadying, and the Enfield’s movements sharpened into deadly precision.

Nicu, flames dancing at his fingertips, struggled to master the Guardian’s Ember. His fire attribute surged wildly, threatening to consume him. His face twisted in frustration, his jaw tight as he forced the ember into a protective shield.

"Your fire must guard, not destroy!" Shah of Fire barked. Nicu’s eyes narrowed, his ember flaring brighter as he forced it into a disciplined barrier.

Ailun, sword in hand, embodied the ’Iron Oath Sentinel’. His blade gleamed, his strikes precise, but his expression was grim, sweat dripping from his chin. Each swing carried the weight of his oath, his eyes burning with silent determination.

"Your oath is your strength!" shouted Shah of Steel. Ailun’s grip tightened, his blade slicing through the air with renewed conviction.

The Seven Shahs loomed over the trainees, their voices like thunder. Every mistake was punished with merciless repetition, every success met with harsher drills. The trainees’ bodies trembled, their qi strained, but none dared falter under the Shahs’ gaze.

The hall became a crucible — pain, sweat, and discipline, forging raw talent into steel.

The Experts Among Them

Goldie, Reginald, and Leeroy — already Core Formation Realm cultivators — trained alongside the younger disciples. Their strikes carried weight, their qi flows disciplined, but even they struggled under the Shahs’ relentless pace. Compared to Mushu’s Nascent Soul Realm, their aura lacked depth, yet their determination was undeniable.

Ling Li’s sharp eyes caught every flaw: Goldie’s footwork slipping under pressure, Reginald’s qi faltering mid‑sequence, Leeroy’s timing lagging against Rockie’s heavy strikes.

Several more expert groups were also present, training to the fullest.

Rockie had joined the training today, his strikes fierce, his aura pressing hard against Leeroy. The clash of their qi reverberated across the field, shaking the air itself. Leeroy gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face as he struggled to adapt. Rockie’s eyes gleamed with challenge, his grin sharp.

"Don’t fall behind, Leeroy!" Rockie taunted, his fist blazing with qi.

Leeroy snarled, his blade flashing as he countered, sparks flying as steel met aura. The younger trainees paused for a heartbeat, their eyes wide at the ferocity of the duel, before their Shahs barked them back into focus.