Hero Training
As Athena was Tycon's focus, Shao Ran had already visited her, checked her skill level, and assigned her some training exercises. He hadn't used a hands-on approach with her, though... mostly because Tycon explicitly disallowed it.
Anyroad, Ran figured he could be tougher on the boy.
He was far better at training one rather than whole groups. Whole groups had to be trained according to the median person. The weakest person often held back everyone else's development.
In single training, Ran only had to set the pace and goals for the one. And that one person was very strong! That person was meant to be, for all INTENSIVE purposes, a HERO of Tyrion!
The kid looked like a Hero, too! He had bright red hair, styled upward, and carried an enchanted sword on his waist. Though it was nowhere near the strength of Ran's heirloom halberd, Ferocity, it looked decent... maybe four or five generations old.