Victor sat cross-legged at the back, as classrooms in this world had neither chairs nor desks.

After sitting down and remaining silent, it became clear that he intended to join the lesson.

"Ahem!"

Master Jones cleared his throat to ease the atmosphere.

It wasn’t necessarily because Victor was controversial.

Whenever an elite student appeared in a public class, the others were always surprised.

"Everyone, let’s continue. You’ve already seen it—that was my Saint-Class Fist, and now I’ll tell you its secret..." Master Jones said.

"A Saint-Class Fist reaches an extremely profound depth. Even without spiritual power, its might is still unimaginable. The reason is that a Saint-Class Fist is not merely a fist. To become a Saint-Class Fist, it must possess Saint-Class Essence."

"What is Saint-Class Essence? It can be many things—for example, a Saint-Class Element perfectly fused with the fist."

"My own fist is perfectly fused with the Saint-Class Wind Element, making its speed beyond comprehension. By relying on speed, even something fragile can shatter something hard."

"This is only theory. Fusing an element with your fist is not an easy process, and in the coming days, we will learn about it. Now, are there any questions?"

"What if I want to raise a fist from Saint-Class to Heaven-Class? Would it be enough to simply add a Heaven-Class Element?" Victor asked.

His fist was already at the Saint-Class.

And it did align quite well with Master Jones’ theory.

The difference was that his fist was fused not with an element, but with emotion.

Master Jones was slightly surprised that Victor asked so directly.

"It’s not enough," he replied.

"Unless there are two Heaven-Class Elements fused with your fist."

"Two..." Victor realized the difficulty.

"That also depends on what your Saint-Class Fist is like. Can you describe it in more detail?" Master Jones asked.

"A fusion of fist and anger," Victor answered.

"So, a fist formed through emotion? That’s more complicated. You can’t simply fuse two Heaven-Class Elements."

"Why not?"

"Because the anger within the fist is its core. It cannot be removed unless you create a new technique without involving emotion. In fact, it would be more accurate to call it an emotion-based technique rather than a fist technique. The two Heaven-Class Elements must fuse with that emotion, and the emotion itself must be elevated further to match the Heaven-Class Elements. The process is something I cannot explain, because even I do not understand it. Lady Jade Sovereign is the true expert in this field, as her techniques are built upon emotions as their foundation."

"I see. So it seems I can’t learn anything here beyond this basic knowledge," Victor said as he stood up, shook his head, and left just like that.

Everyone, including Master Jones, was stunned.

The latter’s face flushed red—he clearly hadn’t expected such a response after saying so much.

This was why he had always disliked those from great clans.

Arrogance and a lack of respect were practically ingrained in them.

"Young Master, let’s go meet my teacher instead. His insight is broader—he should be able to teach you something," Evan said.

Victor hesitated slightly but eventually nodded.

There was no way he would go to Lady Jade Sovereign.

It wasn’t about whether she was willing to teach him.

The problem was, if she did—and taught him incorrectly—it could be disastrous.

They arrived at a two-story concrete house, completely black in color.

If not seen up close, Victor might not have noticed it at all.

Knock! Knock!

Evan knocked on the door.

"Come in!" A slightly hoarse voice echoed from inside before Evan could say anything.

The door creaked open slightly.

Evan pushed it fully open and gestured for Victor to enter.

Inside, the living room was dim. All openings were sealed, and the only light came from several candles.

An old man sat behind a table.

His pale, wrinkled skin contrasted with his pitch-black eyes, which seemed to gleam unnaturally.

His beard was long and thick, and he appeared fond of stroking it.

"A remarkable young man, truly remarkable," he chuckled upon seeing Victor.

Victor wasn’t sure whether it was praise or merely a greeting.

In the end, the other party was a powerful figure.

He didn’t need to be particularly polite to Victor, even if he was subordinate to Victor’s mother.

"Shadow Master, I wish to learn a few things from you," Victor said.

"I know..." the old man nodded.

"Sit."

He gestured for Victor to sit across from him.

Evan placed cups in front of them and poured the wine he had received from his master.

The old man drank immediately, but Victor did not—he simply waited for him to speak.

"Let me ask you—does anger truly suit you?" he asked.

"I don’t know..." Victor shook his head.

"In truth, it doesn’t. Anger is for those who are constantly oppressed. You managed to integrate anger into your technique, which means you must have been oppressed at some point. But the problem is—only one person could push you that far. Aside from that person, who else could? You are the one who oppresses others," the old man chuckled.

"So what should I do?" Victor asked.

"There is always a solution," the old man nodded.

"Let your fist absorb the anger of others. That will elevate the level of anger within it, allowing it to fuse with two Heaven-Class Elements."

"How can my fist absorb the anger of others?" Victor didn’t understand this method at all.

Every explanation from the Shadow Master only led to more questions.

"There is a technique for that. It can absorb all kinds of emotions. But only Lady Jade Sovereign possesses it—and she refuses to share it with me."

’Damn,’ Victor cursed inwardly. That woman again.

He had gained more knowledge, but in the end, it was still just knowledge.

For actual training, he still needed her.

"Do you think my mother has it?" Victor asked.

"I don’t know. But since your mother sent you here, she likely wants you to learn to rely on yourself as well," the Shadow Master replied.

"In cultivation, the higher you climb, the more you must depend on yourself. That is why even those with powerful backgrounds are still trained to struggle on their own."