Xian stepped into the training zone. Aron immediately activated the simulator from his computer, and in an instant, they were all transported into the simulation area.
"We are now in the simulation area, so you don't need to worry about time. I've already adjusted the settings," Aron said, taking a calm sip of his coffee.
Allied then pulled out a Great Ball. "We'll start with the basics. Are you ready, Xian?" he asked, gripping his Poké Ball firmly.
"You bet I am," Xian replied, flashing a thumbs-up.
"Then let's begin," Allied said, releasing his Pokémon. In a flash of light, a sleek, crimson Scizor materialized before them, its claws gleaming.
Xian's eyes widened. "Hey, this isn't fair! You get to use a Pokémon. I should be allowed to use one too!"
Allied shook his head. "This is a test of your raw abilities. If you used a Pokémon, it wouldn't be a pure test."
"You're kidding me!" Xian shot back, lowering himself into a fighting stance. "I can already tell this is going to be totally unfair."
Both of them prepared themselves for the exercise.
"Use Bullet Punch!"
Scizor shot forward like a silver bullet. Its claws, normally red, had turned a gleaming metallic color. It threw a lightning-fast punch straight at Xian.
Xian managed to block the first strike with both arms crossed in front of him—but that was just the opening move. Scizor unleashed a flurry of punches, each one faster than the last. A hailstorm of blows rained down on Xian, sending him flying backward. He skidded across the ground before coming to a stop.
As he pushed himself up, he noticed several bruises forming on his arms and torso where Scizor's strikes had landed. His eyes narrowed.
"Damn it. Looks like my automatic regeneration ability is gone," Xian muttered, examining the darkening marks on his skin.
From his monitor, Aron observed the exchange and immediately added this new information to the database.
"So it's also stripped away your regenerative abilities," Allied observed, watching Xian pick himself up. "It seems we'll need to find another way to compensate for that."
Xian stood up fully, dusting himself off. "Are you serious?! This is just training! Why did you use *that* Bullet Punch?!" he shouted, pointing accusingly at Allied.
Allied glanced at his Scizor, then back at Xian with a shrug. "That's just its battle instinct."
Allied then called out, "Now, use your ability."
Xian took a deep breath and focused. *If this is similar to before, I should still be able to summon a storm,* he thought.
Dark clouds began to gather above them, swirling and churning. Sparks of lightning flickered between the clouds, growing brighter and more violent.
"Fine then. I'll get serious."
Xian threw his arms wide, and a massive thunderstorm erupted around them. Lightning bolts crashed down, obliterating everything in the vicinity. The simulation area trembled under the sheer force of the tempest.
Just as Allied and Scizor were about to be consumed by the storm, Gengar burst out of its Poké Ball and pulled them both into the Shadow Realm.
When the destruction finally subsided, Xian stood alone in a vast, white expanse—a sign that the simulation was about to reset.
Aron, still monitoring from his terminal, finally had the crucial data he needed. "I've got it. Xian's Path is on the same level as his previous cultivation core. However, because it's more focused, its power in that specific type will be stronger than when he was a cultivator."
Xian himself was stunned by the sheer magnitude of his new ability. *This is far stronger than I expected. But losing my automatic physical regeneration is a serious problem. I'm going to have to learn how to control this.*
Then his eyes widened in alarm. He looked around frantically.
"Wait a minute... where is he?"
He turned toward Aron. "Aron, do you know where Allied went?"
Aron didn't look up from his coffee. "Shadow Realm."
Xian's expression twisted. "That damn Allied..."
Meanwhile, deep within the Shadow Realm, Allied had already located Xian's very soul.
"Shadow Ball."
Gengar gathered dark energy in front of its mouth, forming a crackling purple sphere. With a surge of power, it fired the attack directly at Xian's soul.
The ethereal projectile struck true. Xian's soul shattered, erased entirely from the simulation's reality.
Allied, Gengar, and Scizor returned to the original space. Aron looked up from his monitor.
"You *do* know his abilities just changed, right?" Aron asked.
Allied nodded casually, returning Gengar and Scizor to their Poké Balls. "Yeah, I know."
Aron's brow furrowed. "Then why did you go so far as to destroy his essence from within the Shadow Realm? You do realize that without his soul regeneration ability, he would have died permanently."
Allied waved a dismissive hand. "Relax. He's not that easy to kill."