After flying past rows of elegant pavilions and serene waterways, Alexander saw Uncle Ken slowly descending.
He followed closely behind.
The moment they landed, Lisa hopped off his shoulder and immediately began taking pictures.
Click.
Click.
Ken glanced around briefly before speaking.
"What we just flew over was the Branch Family living area."
Alexander blinked.
He turned back to look.
The scenery was breathtaking!
Peaceful, beautiful, and far more luxurious than he expected.
"That was the Branch Family living area?"
Ken smirked.
Alexander let out a quiet laugh.
If that's the branch… then the Main Family living must be insane.
Ken continued walking.
"This—"
He spread his arm outward.
"—is the family training ground."
Alexander stopped thinking about the breathtaking Branch Family living area and looked forward.
His eyes widened at the family training ground.
It was massive, with different types of training areas, all filled with people.
Some were sparring.
Some were doing drills.
Some were practicing alone.
He quickly followed Uncle Ken as he continued explaining.
"The training fields are spacious enough to fit everyone. There are private training fields too, but those are reserved for the main family members only."
"As you can see, everyone is training hard every day."
"Also, most of these people are related to you."
Alexander nearly tripped.
"Excuse me? There are thousands of people here!"
Ken chuckled.
"As I said, they are your relatives, but some of them are disciples picked up from the mortal world."
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
"Mortal world?"
Ken glanced at him.
"In the United States, they say No-Mag."
"In the UK, Muggles."
"Here—"
He pointed outward.
"They are called mortals."
Alexander laughed under his breath.
This really is like a Wuxia novel…
As they walked, Alexander noticed something else.
Most of the people were practicing martial arts.
Palms, kicks, and weapons.
Swords clashing.
Staffs spinning.
He tilted his head.
"Why are they training like that?"
Ken chuckled.
"Because sometimes a palm is faster than a spell."
Alexander nodded slowly.
"Interesting."
They continued walking around the training ground.
People began noticing them.
Whispers spread as eyes followed.
Alexander noticed, but ignored it.
Instead, something else caught his attention.
He stopped and watched.
A group of people was practicing magic without wands.
Hands moving.
Magic shifting.
Spells forming.
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
"No way!"
Ken noticed that he had stopped walking and was watching the disciples practice wandless magic.
Ken walked next to him and explained.
"In the past, there were no wands."
"They are practicing Chinese traditional magic casting."
"We used to call it Qi, but times have changed. Everyone calls it magic, so we call it magic too."
"With time, we also changed the way we do things, but still keep some traditions."
Alexander nodded but didn't move.
He was watching them practice with interest.
Ken continued.
"Even though we also use wands."
"We still train without them as we believe it's essential."
"If you're disarmed, you still need to fight."
Alexander watched the spells form.
Smooth, controlled, and powerful.
No wand, no incantation, just pure magic.
"That's insane."
He stood there for a few more moments.
Taking in everything he is witnessing.
Ken eventually tapped him on the shoulder, and they continued with the tour of the training ground.
But Alexander's mind didn't stop thinking.
Magic without a wand.
I asked Tom about this before.
He said wands make magic stronger.
Wands make it easier to use magic and make spells stronger.
Alexander frowned slightly.
But what I just saw was controlled magic, and the spells weren't weak at all.
His lips slowly curved into a smile.
This place is incredible.
I'm going to learn so much here.
His excitement grew.
And I can't wait to fight them.
After leaving the training grounds, they moved deeper inside.
The environment subtly changed.
Magic in the air thickened, and the buildings became more majestic.
Ken spoke again.
"This is the Main Family living area."
Alexander's gaze sharpened.
So this is where it really begins.
Soon, they stopped in front of a pavilion.
It looked elegant and beautifully designed.
Ken turned to him.
"This is yours."
"For the next month or so, you will be living here."
Alexander nodded.
"Got it."
Ken turned away.
"Unpack, check out your new home, and rest."
"I'll come get you for lunch."
After speaking those words, Ken flew away on his flying sword.
Alexander stepped inside with Lisa.
Immediately, he started exploring the outside.
His eyes lit up as he noticed the details.
Magical lanterns that never dimmed.
The walls were completely spotless.
No dust or dirt.
Sliding doors that opened on their own.
"These pavilions are amazing!"
He walked into his new home and began to explore.
"The Chen family is really amazing."
The bathroom was modern.
Running water and electricity.
There was even a television.
Alexander smiled.
"Okay, so it's ancient outside, but modern inside."
He laughed.
"Nice balance."
He found the bedrooms and froze.
"I have to sleep on the ground?"
Each room had a soft mat neatly placed on the ground.
The mats felt comfortable, but on the floor…
Even in his past life, he slept on a bed. In America and the UK, he slept on a bed. Never on the floor.
Alexander sighed.
"This is going to be a challenge."
After unpacking, he turned to Lisa.
"Did you find anything suspicious?"
Lisa shook her head.
"No, Young Master."
"Everything appears normal."
Alexander nodded.
"Good."
He gestured around.
"Memorize the layout and remember to take pictures."
"I want everything documented."
Lisa bowed slightly.
"Yes, Young Master."
She quickly pulled out her camera and left.
Alexander stepped outside and sat on a smooth rock beside the fish pond.
The water was clear as the fish swam peacefully beneath the surface.
He watched them silently as he was thinking.
Dad said there would be tests…
Have they already started?
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Or are they waiting?
He leaned forward slightly.
Everything here is different.
Western magic… Eastern magic…
The magic here is a lot different from what I thought.
A slow grin spread across his face.
I'm getting excited.
His fingers tapped lightly against his knee.
The last person I "dueled"… was Lockhart.
He scoffed.
That wasn't a duel.
That was a joke.
Even in the duels in the Dueling Club, he held back.
Alexander exhaled slowly.
His eyes gleamed.
I wonder…
Is there anyone here who can actually push me?
The fish swam calmly, unbothered.
Time passed slowly.
Quietly until—
"Young Master…"
Lisa's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
He looked up.
"Your uncle is calling for you."
Alexander stood up and smiled.
"Perfect timing."
He stretched lightly.
"Let's go eat and see what comes next."