A Body That Refuses to Quit
Every inch of my body ached.
Bruises, sore ribs, a sharp pain in my chest where Guo Zheng's palm strike had landed.
But I was still standing.
That alone was a victory.
The whispers hadn't stopped since the fight.
"Did you see that? He actually stood back up."
"He should've stayed down. Does he have a death wish?"
"Guo Zheng won't let this slide."
I didn't care.
Let them talk.
What mattered was what came next.
Because this was just the beginning.
...
A Silent Warning
That night, I returned to my small courtyard in the Outer Sect.
The door was slightly ajar.
I hadn't left it open.
Someone had been here.
I stepped inside carefully, my hand instinctively tightening around my sleeve.....where I had a small hidden dagger.
Nothing seemed out of place.
But then I noticed it.
A single jade slip placed neatly on my table.
I picked it up, activating it with a trace of qi.
A voice echoed in my mind.
"You should know when to stop, Lu Tian. If you keep pushing forward… you won't live to see next year."
The message vanished.
I stared at the jade slip for a long time before crushing it in my hand.
A warning.
But if they thought that would scare me?
They had no idea who I was.
.....
Training Begins
I had three choices.
1. Stop. Lay low. Avoid making more enemies.
2. Go to Elder Wu Jian. Seek protection.
3. Get stronger. Fast.
The first option wasn't even worth considering.
The second option… I wasn't naive enough to think Elder Wu Jian would risk his status just to protect a no-name Outer Disciple.
That left only one path.
I had to train. Harder than before.
...
Revisiting the Basics
The problem was simple.
I was too slow.
I had been able to dodge Guo Zheng's attacks, but barely.
And if that was just an Inner Court Disciple, then what about the real monsters in the sect?
The true prodigies?
I needed to move faster. Strike harder.
My best bet?
Clouded Steps.
....
Clouded Steps – The Next Stage
So far, I had only scratched the surface of the movement technique.
It let me evade attacks, sure.
But I needed more than that.
I needed to turn it into a weapon.
For the next week, I trained day and night.
My movements became lighter. My steps more unpredictable.
By the end of the week, I could step between trees without making a single sound.
But it still wasn't enough.
....
A Sudden Visit
I was in the middle of training when I felt it.....
A powerful presence approaching.
I turned, expecting trouble.
Instead, I saw a familiar face.
Zhao Feng.
The Outer Disciple who had been climbing the ranks.
The same one who had challenged me during the sparring matches.
I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect to see you here."
He smirked. "I heard you got into trouble with the Inner Court."
"Word spreads fast."
"Faster than you think." He crossed his arms. "Listen, I don't know what your goal is, but if you're serious about getting stronger, I know someone who can help."
I narrowed my eyes. "Who?"
Zhao Feng hesitated. Then he lowered his voice.
"Have you ever heard of the Shadow Pavilion?"
....